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Saturday, January 17, 2009

My MINI, the Wonder Car! 


This month marks my 5-Year MINIversary, and this little car never ceases to amaze me!

Today, we took a trip to IKEA to furnish my newly completed art studio.

I had the shopping list set before we got to the store. We did a quick trip around the display floor to physically see the products before we bought them, then we went down to the warehouse level to pick them up.

We brought my MINI today, because, after all, between our two cars, it is the larger of the two. We figured we'd probably have to arrange for delivery for IKEA, which I think runs around $75.00.

Here's what we bought:

1 Bookshelf (79" tall, 13.5" wide, 11" deep)
2 Bookshelf Doors (15-3/4" x 17-37-3/4")
1 Work Bench (51" x 26-3/4" x 37")
1 Folding Bar Stool
1 Area Rug

We purchased all of our goods, then started heading to the delivery department. We figured we'd be able to fit everything in my car except for the bookshelf and the work bench.

As we waited in line for the delivery dept, we decided that there would be no harm in trying to fit everything in my car.

So, we took everything out to the pick-up area, where I waited while Dick brought the car along.

Incredibly, we managed to fit it all! We squeezed (literally) the bookcase box through the trunk, and in between the two front seats. It was rammed as far as it could go against the front console. The trunk barely closed.

Clearly, there wasn't enough room for the work bench box to go inside the car, but we realized that it would fit fine on top of the roof. One thing I love about the MINI is its large, flat roof. It enables me to pack a lot more into the car, and also makes it easy to transport stuff on top!

We put the big, flat box onto the roof, then I ran back inside IKEA to buy a set of straps/fasteners to strap down the box through the windows.

Worked like a charm! We went across the Bay Bridge, and made it home just fine, with no crazy incidents.

We're really pleased that it all worked out! We got everything home today, without having to pay $75 and wait a few days for delivery! :)

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Wednesday, July 23, 2008

BMW Mini Electric Cars Available in U.S. From Summer 2009 



Well, this is cool news.

Only, I suppose I'd have to have a garage, so I could plug it into an outlet. ;)

(thanks to my buddy, Todd, for sending the article to me!)

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Thursday, March 06, 2008

MINI Clubman 

I'm in Pleasanton having my MINI serviced. Had a chance to check out
the new MINI Clubman. It's really cool! If I remember right, there's an extra 2 inches in the rear seats, and and extra 8 inches in the trunk. Personally, I don't need a larger MINI (I like to be able to fit in the small parking spots in SF!) but my parents are considering getting one. They're really nice. I especially like many of the new interior features in the '08 MINIs - Leather Piping trim on the seats, better glove compartment, remote key, etc., I took a bunch of photos and will post more later. (Once I get MacDreamy back)

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Friday, February 01, 2008

Happy (Belated) MINIversary! 

BAD MINI Owner! BAD, Bad, bad....

Oh no! I forgot that yesterday was my MINI's 4th MINIversary!

Happy MINIversary!

I can't believe I've had her, "MINI Driver", for four years already.
Seems like just yesterday that we picked her up from the dealership!

I think this also means that my extended warranty has expired! Hmmmm. I should look into that!

I suppose one of these years, I'll stop talking about my MINI so much, but it probably won't be this year. :)

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Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Geeky McGeekster 

When Geeky Worlds Collide...

Dick and I just bought a new toy. It's a Garmin NUVI 760 GPS device. It's pretty cool. We honestly don't drive outside of SF very often, so we haven't had a chance to really use it yet, but we've had fun taking it around the town, and testing out what it can do.

The Garmin web site has a few 3D vehicles that you can download to show up as your vehicle on the screen. I was really hoping to find a MINI Cooper, but no luck.

Last night, I was surfing around some MINI forums to get some opinions on a GPS mounting option for my car, and I came across some MINI icons for the Garmin! Imagine my excitement!

This morning, as I was riding with Dick to the CalTrain station, I decided to take a picture of the GPS screen with my little MINI Cooper, tootling along the Streets of San Francisco. Pretty cute, huh?

Unfortunately, it only has the option for a checkered roof and bonnet strips, but it's still a Chili Red MINI Cooper, none-the-less. I may play with it a bit to see if I can make some digital modifications. :)

BTW: here's the mounting system I'm thinking about getting for my MINI (the second option down). Has anyone used the Kuda products before? Thoughts?

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Friday, November 02, 2007

We have a parking spot in a garage!!! 


After living in San Francisco for 12 years, I'm thrilled to report that I am able to park my car in a garage for the first time!

Dick and I have always not-so-secretly hoped that we would someday be able to find a garage in the neighborhood to rent. We've looked into adding a garage to our own house, but that would require physically raising and moving the house, building a new foundation, in addition to lots of time and a ton of money.

Parking on the street for our two cars has been surprisingly not too problematic: we can usually always park somewhere on the block, and even usually even in front of our house (because our two cars fit so perfectly in a spot that most people would use for one car). But nonetheless, we'd always thought it would be really nice to actually have a spot in a garage that we knew we could come home to when the neighborhood is busy, and let's not forget the recent time that both of our cars got keyed in the middle of the night.

We'd been checking craigslist on occasion to see if any spots were available. Honestly, I'd given up at least a couple of years ago. Over the last 6 months, we've received postcards in the mail from new neighbors who had recently moved into the neighborhood, looking for available parking spots. They literally made post cards, sent them out to the neighborhood, and basically said they were willing to pay almost anything. That's when the reality set in that we'd probably never find a spot. Unbeknownst to me, Dick continued to check in craigslist every once-in-a-while for the slight chance that something would open up.

Two weeks ago, it happened: Dick found a garage space that was available just down the block - about 5 houses down. How ideal, and amazing! We'd both left messages over the next couple of days, but figured it must have been taken already.

I received a voice mail message a few days later saying the spot was still available! They had several people who had come by who were interested, but that it's such a tight spot that no one was able to actually get their car in comfortably. (this is starting to sound like Cinderella now) The woman literally said that the spot is very small, and would be ideal for a car like a MINI Cooper!

Imagine her surprise when I called her back and told her that I actually DO have a MINI Cooper. She totally thought I was pulling her leg. Dick and I met with her that evening, and practiced driving my car in, and out, then also tried the same with his car. They both fit!

Now, I realize that this may sound ludicrous to those of you who have never lived in a city before. I've lived in San Francisco for 12 years, and I've never had a spot for my car, let alone a garage to keep it in. I'm thrilled knowing that we'll always have a spot, we can take our car out of busy weekends that we used to stay in for (Castro Street Fair, Gay Pride, Halloween) and our car(s) may even stay more clean now that they won't be exposed to the elements all of the time!

Yesterday was the first day (first of the month) that we started to officially rent the space. I was in Milpitas during the afternoon and evening visiting my Grandparents and my parents. When I came home late last night, I didn't have to worry about finding an open spot, or which side of the street I should park on (Friday morning street cleaning). I was able to drive right into to my newly-rented garage space! My little MINI practically danced a little jig as we drove in (and so did I).

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Friday, September 21, 2007

Sea of MINIs 

At the mini dealership (had to bring my mini in for a replacement rear
view mirror.)

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Friday, August 31, 2007

Ahhhhhh.... much better! 

We both feel better now...

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Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Mean People Suck 

and bad karma will come along and bite them in the ass...

Poor little MINI Driver has had a really bad day!

I drove down to Milpitas to spend the afternoon with my Grandparents this morning. I stopped off at Costco for some gas along the way. When I got out of my car, that's when I saw it:

someone had keyed my poor little car!

There's a line going from the front wheel well all the way across the door to the gas tank.

Bastards!

To make matters worse, as I was driving around the South Bay with my Grandparents this afternoon, my car's tire pressure sensor light came on.

WTF?!

When I first checked the tires, they seemed to be okay, but at least I was forewarned to watch over them carefully.

About an hour later, I brought it to a gas station to check the pressure, and by that time, the rear passenger tire was noticeably low. I figured I must have a leak, and thought it best to have it patched and repaired before driving back to SF.

So then I had to make my way to the local Firestone in Milpitas. Luckily, they were able to take me in right away, and the wait time was estimated at only an hour or so.

My poor car.

When I get it back, I'm going to give it a nice bath and try to wash away all the badness of the day.

Since I didn't notice the car scratch while I was at home, I didn't think to check Dick's car, or the neighbor's cars. I hope that nothing happened to them.

update

Well, it just got a little worse: Dick's car, and my neighbor's car (the green MINI that parks right in front of Dick's car) were also keyed last night. That blows.

Perspective: As Dick would say, "This is why we have insurance". Considering I've lived in San Francisco for 12 years, and I've never had a garage, it's kind of a wonder that's this has never happened before.

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Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Let's try this again... 



I actually drove past the billboard just this afternoon! I got all excited with anticipation as I saw it in the distance, and started to approach it...

...then I remembered that I was driving Dick's car today.

D'oh!

I plan to drive back down to the South Bay this weekend to celebrate my Mom's birthday. I'll be sure to drive my MINI this time, and I'll have my key fob and camera ready!

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Monday, May 21, 2007

..and speaking of... 

Fed Ex just delivered a little box to me:

MINI Adventure Field Kit.
Contents: Essential Motoring Nonessentials


Inside this cute little box were all kinds of MINI related goodies:
A nice pen, a notebook, mouse pad, window decals, antenna ball, accessories catalog, etc.,

Also included was a note card that read:

Something to make the meantime slightly less mean.

We wanted to let you know that the San Francisco Motorby board will be removed due to some unforeseen construction. Apparently, they deemed the infrastructure of the city more important than our incredible board. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Thankfully, the board will be relocated to a much more electronic billboard-friendly community. Details will be provided via email shortly. In the meantime, we wanted to provide you will a little something to keep you distracted and amused until we are up and running again. Thanks for your patience.


Impressive, huh?

You've gotta love that I've had my car for over three years, and their still sending fun little goodies my way. That's good marketing.

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I finally got my MINI key fob, but... 

Well, that was anti-climatic.

I finally got my MINI key fob in the mail about a month ago. I hadn't been able to test it since then because the MINI billboard was near the entrance to the Bay Bridge, and I don't drive across it routinely.

Yesterday, my cousin, Kenneth and I drove to Oakland to pick up my sister for my Grandma's Birthday dinner in Stockton. Before we reached the location of the billboard, I told Kenneth all about it. We were both very excited to see what it would say. He even had his camera out, and his window rolled down, ready to snap a photo.

As we drove towards the location of the billboard, we noticed that there was a lot of construction, and that there were dividers up, obscuring our view of the billboard. As we drove by, Kenneth looked for the sign, but the only thing we saw was a black, blank billboard.

No MINI. No MINI Motoring message for me.

I figured that they might have taken down the billboard, since it was being obscured by the construction. I mean, who would want to pay for that?

This morning, I checked the web site for the Motorboard locations, and sure enough, here's what it said for San Francisco:

Location: Moving to a new home. Check back in a couple of weeks to get the new location.

Now we have to wait to see where the new billboard location will be. Hopefully, it'll be somewhere that's convenient and visible!

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Thursday, April 05, 2007

The new MINI Cooper 



Here's a good article on the new MINI Cooper.

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Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Another year, another Miniversary! 

Today is my Miniversary! I've been the proud owner of my little MINI Cooper for 3 years now.

I'm still really happy with it. Had some minor problems last year - the pillar cover flew off on the freeway, and my driver-side window's motor need to be replaced. They were both fixed during the same trip to the dealership, and both were covered under warranty. They also gave me a courtesy car while I was waiting that day. Nice.

In MINI related news: my Mom sent me this article from the San Jose Mercury News. It's an article about the MINI Billboard campaign that I'll be participating in. (I haven't received my key-fob in the mail yet - should be any day now!)

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Wednesday, January 10, 2007

MINI Billboard Tester 



I just got an email from MINI USA inviting me (and my MINI) to be a tester for their new "talking billboard" campaign.

MINI is testing out these new billboards. There are only 4 of them: one each in San Francisco, New York, Chicago and Miami.

MINI USA is going to send me a key fob that I'll attach to my key chain. Then, whenever I drive past the billboard (which is located on I-80 at 4th Street, East Bound - right before the Bay Bridge) the billboard will flash a personalized message to me and my MINI!

Cool, huh?

It'll probably say something like, "Looking good, MINI Driver!" (My MINI's name)

That'll be cool. My MINI has been feeling a little neglected lately. This should perk her up!

I'm hoping it doesn't flash a message saying, "MINI Driver - you really need a bath!"

Anyhow, I've enrolled in the tester program, and I'm supposed to have the key fob sent to me within the next 2-3 weeks. :)

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Friday, August 18, 2006

I my MINI! 

After owning my MINI for more than 2.5 years, I'm still in love with it. It literally makes me happy every time I drive it :)

Here's a cool article about driving and parking MINIs in San Francisco from sfgate.

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Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Fun in Stockton. 

I had a really wonderful day visiting both sets of Grandparents in Stockton.

I'm kicking myself for not remembering to bring my camera with me.
I passed by a perfect Kodak moment...

I first went to visit my Mom's parents. My grandfather's brother, who I haven't seen in well over 15 years was also visiting. My Grandfather is 89, and his brother is about 92. I can't believe that I didn't have a camera to take a photo of the two of them together. I have the image in my head, but I really wish that I had it in print.

One of the best moments of the day was when the four of us went out for dim sum lunch. We could have taken any car: my MINI (2 door), my Grandparent's car (4-door) or my Great-Uncle's car (4-door). Well, everyone was so excited at the thought of riding in my cute MINI that they insisted that I drive! I thought it might be a little problematic having them get into my backseat, by lo-and-behold, my Grandpa and his brother both climbed right in! My Grandma sat in the front passenger seat. It was so much fun! They all got such a kick out of my car, and really enjoyed the ride. This was obviously another moment that I really wish that I had my camera with me.

I hung out with my Mom's parents for a few more hours, then headed over to my Dad's parents house. (they only live a few miles apart.) I had wonderful visit over there as well, and even decided to stay for dinner! (who can pass up a home-made Grandma dinner?)

It was 102 degrees in Stockton today (at least that's what my MINI reported) but really, it wasn't too bad. First of all, having AC in the car is a must. But I did get out and walk about a little bit, and although it was certainly hot, it wasn't too bad. Sometimes I forget how much better dry heat is compared to humidity.

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Saturday, June 10, 2006

Wax On, Wax Off 



My little MINI Cooper has been feeling a bit neglected ever since my Mom bought her new MINI.

Since we don't have a driveway, I have to wash my car while it's parked on the street. It's a bit tough - always watching out for traffic, plus we don't have a whole lot of room.

It's much easier for me to wash my car at my parent's house in Milpitas. Unfortunately, I've been really busy lately, so I haven't had a chance to go down for a visit in months.

Yesterday, my Mom and I spent the day together, had lunch, ran errands, etc., We also made sure I had enough time to not only wash, but also wax my car. It's such a small car, that the whole process only took me an hour, which isn't bad at all.

After giving my car a bath, we both felt much better.

My Dad took a picture of my Mom and me, posing with both of our MINIs - looking clean and sparkly. (the cars, not us - after all that work, I'm looking a little rough around the edges!)

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Monday, May 29, 2006

Mom's new MINI! 



My MINI has a new little sister!

Introducting Picabo! (or "Boo" for short)

My Mom placed her order in early February. After almost 4 months of waiting in anticipation, my Mom took delivery of her 2006 Purple Haze/Silver MINI Cooper yesterday!

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go to the dealership with her and my Dad yesterday, so I haven't seen her new car in person yet. I'll be seeing her later in the week. Until then, I'll have to be satisified by some great photos that my Mom sent.

Look how cute my Mom is with her new car!

Congrats, Mom!

Let's Motor :)

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Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Happy MINIversary! 

Today was my car's 2nd MINIversary!

My how time flies when you're having fun!

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005

My MINI has been violated! :( 

Crap!

I woke up this morning, walked downstairs, looked out the front door, and noticed that the passenger seat to my MINI had been pushed back 45 degrees or more.

huh?

uh oh.

I threw on some clothes, and went out to check it out.

My poor MINI was broken into last night!

Now, I'll say this first: it could have been much worse.

Luckily, I don't keep much in my car.

Here's what was taken:

Belken auto charger kit (connects my iPod to my Aux input)
iPod remote
cellphone headset
FastMap of San Francisco (which is my favorite kind of map, and they don't make them anymore!)
a bag of 5 mix CDs that a friend had burned for me
the cigarette lighter (which I have literally never used)
jumper cables (which I haven't had to use since Dick sold his Honda)

Okay - so, all-in-all, it's not bad. They didn't damage the car, as far as I can see. They were thorough enough - checked under the seats, in the glove compartment, and in the trunk. They even removed the covers in the side of the trunk to see if I had anything in there. (I didn't)

I guess I'll call my insurance guy to see if this is worth reporting or not. (I assume it won't be)

I realize that this could have been much worse, but I have to admit, I'm feeling a little violated. My poor little MINI. :(

update
So, the more I think about it, I realize that I must have accidentally left my doors unlocked, and that's how they got it. It's the only thing that makes sense, although I hate to admit it. I know that I'm always very good about locking my car - I live in a big city, for goodness sake. But there's always the slight possibility that I got out of my routine and forgot to lock it.

There's no damage to the car, inside or out, and for that I'm very thankful. Since there's no damage, I can't figure out how else they would have been able to get in.

So now I'm beating myself up over it, and I keep apologizing to my MINI - she hasn't confirmed my suspicions one way or another ;)

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Monday, August 08, 2005

A new MINI Neighbor! 

My next-door neighbor just brought home her new British Racing Green (BRG/BRG) MINI Cooper! She placed her order 4 months ago, and picked it up yesterday morning. Her old car was a Mazda Miata. Believe it or not, her MINI is a whole foot shorter than her old car! (we all park directly infront/inback of each other, so that makes a big difference!)

My little Red MINI is going to look so cute parked next to her Green MINI during Xmas! ;)

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Tuesday, May 24, 2005

X-Wing MINI 

...and you all thought I was crazy.
Even I wouldn't go this far. (But I do think it's really cool!)
Kudos to this guy for creativity.

I found this on my MINI Forum.

...and the name of the car is the best part:

"Red Five" (I love that)

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Tuesday, May 03, 2005

Happy MINI 

What's the fable about the Lion who has a thorn stuck in it's paw?

My poor little MINI had a nail stuck in it's tire.

All in all, not a bad experience.

I brought it in this morning to the local Firestone. They took my car in, and told me it would be 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Not bad. I also asked them to rotate and balance my tires while I was there, since I just passed 10,000 miles last week.

I brought my computer and cell phone with me, so I was plenty busy. I found a local coffee shop nearby, and hung out there for an hour.

When I checked back, my car was almost done. They said my tire had a nail in it, which they were able to take out and patch up. Yay!

$65.00 later (not bad, considering...) and I have a Happy MINI again.

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Wednesday, March 09, 2005

MINI's first service 

I brought my MINI Cooper in for her first service appointment yesterday.

I'm still so impressed with how cars, and car service have improved since I last bought a car in 1988.

My MINI (like most newer cars, I imagine) has a service indicator that appears for a couple of seconds whenever I turn on the engine. It lets me know how many miles i have left before I need to bring my car in for service. The service indicator takes into account both milage as well as driving patterns. The first service (essentially an oil & filter change) is supposed to be scheduled around 10,000 miles. However, since I mostly drive in the city, and don't drive as many miles per month as most people, my service indicator had me go in around 9,000.

This is pretty amazing to me, since I used to bring my old Acura Integra in for an oil and filter change every 3,000 miles or 3 months. My, how times (and cars) have changed!

I'm still very happy with the service that I have recieved at my dealership, East Bay MINI in Pleasanton. I had an amazing car-buying experience there last year, and I had heard good things about their service department as well. I was able to make, and change my appointment easily, was was told that my appointment would take about one and a half hours. My service technician was very friendly and professional, and called me when my car was ready to be picked up. (I was having lunch with my Mom). My car was complete within the hour and a half, and was also nice and clean when I picked her up.

All of this, and any other service that I need to have over the next 3 years are all covered under my warrantee. :)

I should also mention that I drive about 40 miles to Pleasanton just o bring my car to East Bay MINI, even though the San Francisco MINI dealership is just a couple of miles away from my house. I had been to the San Francisco dealership several times while I was still shopping for a car, and was never very impressed with the service that I received. I have also not heard very favorable things about their service department. I figure it's worth the drive out to Pleasanton to get great service from the dealership that I'm happy to support and recommend.

I Love having a new car!

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Monday, January 31, 2005

Happy MINIversary! 

Today is my MINIversary!

I can't believe that I've already had my MINI Cooper for an entire year. Time really flies.

One year report - all is well, and I'm still in love. "She" (MINI Driver) has about 8500 miles on her now. I need to take her in for her first service soon. I'm happy (and relieved) to report that the first year has been trouble-free (knock-wood)! Even better, I still smile everytime I go out for a drive.

Looks like it's going to be a nice day today. Think I'll celebrate by giving her a long, over-due bath :)
(shhhh - it's a surprise!)


(this came to me via email this morning from miniusa.com. Isn't that nice? A birthday card for my MINI!)

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Wednesday, January 12, 2005

iObsolete 

I had a fun time at MacWorld yesterday.
There's a couple of funny things that happen whenever I go:

First of all, unless you bought one of their products within the last 2 months, you'll immediately feel obsolete. This always happens to me. Last year was the first time that I went that I actually felt "hip" and up-to-date. I had recently bought a 15" Titanium Powerbook (which had finally elevated me into the world of USB and Firewire, and away from my old SCSI devices) and Dick had bought me a 40GB iPod for Xmas 2003. At last, I was at MacWorld with all the current, cool toys, and all of the accessories that I saw were actually relevant!

This year, I have an older model Powerbook, and my iPod is already more or less obsolete. I have what's known as the 3rd generation iPod. Last year, Apple launched both the Mini iPod, as well as the click-wheel full-sized iPod. I was looking mostly at the protective skins that you slip over the iPods, and almost none of the vendors had any merchandise for my model. (I'd have to order it online).

Those guys at Apple... they have a way of making you think you need to buy the newest stuff each year...

Which brings me to my second point: Dick and his friends call it "The Apple/Steve Jobs reality distortion field". They showcase their new products, and you immediately think, "I HAVE to have one". "How did I ever live without one?" :)

I saw the new iPod Shuffle showcased at the Apple booth before I had a chance to read anything about them. Initial reaction: they are fabulous. Tiny, lightweight, good UI, and really good for working out, etc., and all for $99! I came home and told Dick all about it, and thought he should get one for his commute on the train. His reply: "It sounds to me like YOU really want one." Hmmm... he's probably right.

The Mini Mac was also pretty cool to see in person. When Dick bought his new Dell last year, it was a complete package: CPU, monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, etc., Which is all good and fine, but what if you already have all of that (minus the CPU) That means, you have extras, which you either store, give away, donate, etc,. I think it makes sense to offer the CPU without all of the accessories at a lower price than the whole kit and caboodle. At least it's nice to have the option.

...and, you know.... it's cute as can be. (which is really what Apple products are all about)

So, what did I buy? I was a good girl. I bought a new long-sleeved t-shirt from the MacWorld booth. It matches my short-sleeved, white t-shirt that I bought last year (and just love)

What does it say?

"Mac Chick" :)

I also got a XtremeMac SporrtWrap for my iPod. I was looking for something like this for when I take my daily walks, or work out. (you know, for when I actually have my iPod again)

That's it so far.

I was also pretty enamored by the Adobe Creative Suite Presentation. Might be time to upgrade to the entire suite.
I'm such a sucker.
..a geeky sucker.

I think I must be their target audience.

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Monday, December 27, 2004

Rainy Days and Mondays.... 

...and wouldn't you know that I just washed both of our cars on Friday ;)

Wow - we've been getting some pretty serious rain here!! It's supposed to keep up for the rest of the week, too. That's okay, we haven't had any significant rain in a while.

I drove down to the South Bay this afternoon.
Here are a couple of observations that I have about owning a new car:

- It's so nice to have a car where front and rear defrosters actually work!!! :) My old car really had a problem with the defrost mechanisms. Plus, the rear window had been tinted when I first bought it, and after the rear defroster broke, the back window remained in a state of constant fogginess. I could never see out very well, but when it was cold and wet out, it was flat out impossible.

- I'm also very pleased about one of the last-minute options that I specced on my MINI - the Auto Wiper/Auto dimming mirror. I think it was an additional $130 or so, but it was money well spent. The auto wipers are terrific on a day like today! Auto dimming mirror is also very nice.

I also noticed that I just felt a lot "safer" in my MINI. That's always a good feeling. I no longer have that feeling that my car could break down at any moment!

Perhaps next time, I won't wait 16 years to get a new car.

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Saturday, December 18, 2004

Happy Birthday to my MINI! 

I know, I'm a huge dork, but I just realized that today is the first birthday of my MINI! It completed production on December 18th, 2003. I took delivery of my car at the end of January, and I've been SO happy with it ever since! It was well worth the wait.

Poor little thing is sitting in front of the house today, covered in leaves. Probably should have taken it out for a drive today, or at least washed it. Oops.

How many other people know the exact production date of their cars? Or, how many actually would care, for that matter? ;)

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Monday, December 06, 2004

Christmas Time is here.... 

(sing the song from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" in your head now...)

Yay! I love Xmas time. I love to get the Xmas tree, and decorate the house, and send out Holiday cards, and make hot apple cider...

We got our Christmas Tree this weekend! We drove over to the Delancey Street Christmas Tree Lot on the corner of Market and Noe. It's a good cause, so we like buying our trees from them. We found a beautiful tree! It's almost 9 feet tall! When I was growing up, my family used to go to a Christmas Tree lot in the foothills, (where you cut the tree down yourself) and I would always insist on finding the tallest tree on the lot. (We had a vaulted ceiling, so the sky was the limit - literally). We have 9-1/2 ' ceilings here, so a 9' tree was the limit.

Now here's the funny part. We brought the 9-foot tree home on my MINI. :) it actually worked out much better than I expected. We protected the car by first draping an old plastic shower curtain across the roof, then put a large sheet of heavy cardboard on top of the plastic. The tree actually fit on the roof just fine. The length of the roof is actually much longer than my old Integra, and it is entirely flat.

Here's a picture:

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Sunday, December 05, 2004

MINI Christmas! 

I know this is a little early, but I had to share this great picture that I found.
It's from the Atlanta, GA Holiday Parade.



Cute, isn't it?

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Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Time to go back to Ohio? 

Some of you may know that I used to live in Dayton, Ohio, and that I go back almost every year for WGI (International Color Guard Competition). The only other outing that I take while in Dayton, is a trip to the Gap Clearance Center (which is actually in Kentucky, along with the Cincinnatti Airport).

Well, I may have just found another "must see" for the next time that I'm in Ohio. Paramount's Kings Island is just outside of Cincinnatti, not far from Dayton. I had gone once in the winter the year I lived there.

Anyhow, Kings Island has announced a new ride that will open in Spring 2005: The Italian Job Stunt Track. Imagine: a roller coaster with MINI Coopers! :) It looks like tons of fun!

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Monday, August 23, 2004

MINI Run! 

...and you thought I was the only one who was this obsessed about MINIs....

OMG. We had such a great time!

The MINI run was so much fun, and a very long day. we met at Noon in Los Altos (near San Jose) (some people drove up from Southern Cal that morning). We drove up Skyline Blvd (great fun! I haven't had a chance to drive like that before!), then through San Francisco, across the GG Bridge, through the Marin Headlands, back across the bridge, down Lombard Street, across and up to COIT tower, through the City some more (I Played tour guide) then we went to Cupertino to a British Pub. I was with these people from Noon, 'til 11:00pm. got home just after midnight!

The people were terrific - most of us have been on our forum thread together for more than 6 months, and had gotten to know each other pretty well. It was so nice to finally have a chance to meet them in person!

here are some of my favorite pictures:





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Wednesday, August 11, 2004

My next MINI? 

Yesterday, my MINI and I played "Super Shuttle". I drove Dick to SFO at 7:30am, then headed down to the South Bay to my parent's house. My parents had an early afternoon flight from SFO. They had 5 (count it, FIVE) pieces of luggage. We managed to fit all five pieces of luggage, plus the 3 of us into my MINI. It was a tight fit, but we managed, and we were all quite impressed with my MINI.

Just found this this morning.
This is what I need for the next trip to the airport!

this is real - not a photoshop job. (although it looks like one)
Click here for more pictures of the interior/exterior

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Tuesday, August 03, 2004

A Karate Kid Moment... 

... and another reason why it's good to have a small car.

Today, I waxed my car for the first time! :)

"Wax On."

"Wax Off."

I haven't waxed a car in years - I forgot that it's kind of a work out!
The only car I've ever waxed before was my Acura Integra. It was a compact car, and reasonable to wax.

But it was SO MUCH EASIER to wax my MINI! It's so small, and so curvaceous, that it was actually pretty fun to wax. (did I just say that?!) Didn't take too long - maybe about and hour & 15 minutes to wash, dry and wax. I was especially happy having the panoramic sunroof - it made waxing the roof a breeze. There was only a five inch parameter around the sunroof to wax!

She's so pretty & sparkly right now!
(that'll last about 2 hours, since the poor thing is parked outside on the street)

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Monday, August 02, 2004

Some things in life should not be mixed... 

I think that there is such a thing as "Too much of a good thing".

I LOVE my MINI.

I love playing our Xbox.

I have no desire to combine the two - literally...

check this out

I think I'll stick to "driving a MINI" while playing Project Gotham from the comfort of my own home.

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Wednesday, July 21, 2004

MINI Mods 

It's been so long since I've posted my last blog that Blogger has a whole new interface.

I finally made the leap, and installed my iPod into my MINI Cooper! I decided to go with the MINI Auxiliary Cable through the dealership. Here's my rationale:

I was going to get the Dension IceLink which cost $220. (that's assuming I'd be able to install it myself). It's a nice product: it has a nice cradle that powers the iPod, and would allow me to use my MFSW (multi-function steering wheel) to control the volume as well as going up and down in the tracklist. However, it was a lot of money, and still doesn't have the functionality to view the song track information from my stereo.

The BMW iPod adapter was another option. It isn't available for the MINIs until the end of the summer at the earliest. It costs $150 plus dealership installation (possibly another $100 or more). It would allow the same control from the MFSW as the IceLink. However, it would be installed in the glovebox, and the iPod's interface wouldn't be able to be used while it was in use. ie: I wouldn't be able to select a specific album from my playlist. In order to specific specific music to be played, i would have to create up to 5 individual playlists that the adapter could read. They would show up as "Track 1" through "Track 6" on the stereo face.

The solution for me (for the time-being at least) was to purchase the Auxiliary Input from the dealership for $39.95. I have read a lot of installation suggestions on the MINI Forums and Dick and I decided that it would be pretty simple to install ourselves.

It literally took less than 5 minutes.

Have I mentioned that I love my super-handy boyfriend? :)

Benefits of the AUX input:

It works will all portable media that have an audio out. I love my iPod, but in case we ever change to something else in the future, we can still hook it up to my MINI.

I can still control the volume from my MFSW, but I can't control the tracks. Omar had the perfect solution for that: I just plugged in the little remote control that came with my iPod. Works like a charm.

Did I mention that it only cost $39.95?

I also got the Belkin Auto Kit ($40)(which charges the iPod, and connects to the iPod via the dock connector) and the Belkin Tunedok ($20), which allows you to hold the iPod in the cup holders. It's a nice arrangement.

Here's a picture of the setup:



I also did a couple of other minor Mods:

I found someone on my forum who was making little glovebox organizer shelves. He made a great design, and the quality is very nice. Plus, he's only charging $20 for them. It made a HUGE difference to the organization of my glovebox. The glovebox is one thing about the MINI that isn't such a great design. it's small, plus everything slides out when you open the door.

Here's my new glovebox organizer:



You'll see that it has a lot of stuff in there:
My owner's manual, a first-aid kit, an emergency tool, napkins, tissue, and my headset for my cell phone.
Notice that little vent on the lower left side? that's an airconditioning vent in the glovebox. If I want, I can put a can of soda in my glovebox, and keep it nice and cool! :)

Last mod (and it's a small one):

The MINI has a fabulously huge panoramic sunroof - which I LOVE. However, I knew that one thing about it could be a minor problem. The sunroof has a small, mesh screen that you can pull closed when you don't want too much direct sunlight. However, the sun can still creep through, and it can get hot during the summer.

I went to Target yesterday, and bought a sunscreen that's meant for the front windshield. It's one of those acordian folding ones that reflect the sun. I trimmed it to size in both sunroof sections, and voila! Plus, I can easily fold them back up, and store them in the nets behind the seats.

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Monday, June 21, 2004

iPod solution for my MINI? 

This just in:
http://www.apple.com/ipod/BMW/

Apple/BMW have announced an adapter that can be added to any BMW/MINIs 2002 or newer. It goes into the glove compartment, and can be controlled by the Multifunction Steering Wheel. It's pretty cool, although I'm not certain that it can read individual albums, or if it only reads your library as a HUGE list of song titles. You can set up to 5 playlists that I know it can read, but again, I'd want to make sure it can read individual albums.

cost: $150 plus installation - (supposedly under 1 hour)

I've been looking to get the Dension IceLink - they just came out with the newest model that I've been waiting for. I KNOW that this adapter will allow you to play individual albums (controlled via the iPod directly) then you can scroll through the album, or your playlists with the Steering Wheel.

However...

cost: $229.00 plus installation
(I think Dick is handy enough to install one though)

Neither of the two adapters show you the title of the song on the stereo - instead, it will show "Track 1" "Track 2" etc.,

My understanding is that Dension's IceLink is working on that feature for a new version.

Both adapters are connected at the base of the new iPods, which also will continuously power the iPods when the car is running.

I'll have to find out more about the BMW adapter - could save some $$ with this one. It will be available for BMWs on July 1st, but won't be available for MINIs until the end of the summer (whatever that means).

Anyone out there using the iceLink? I'd really like to integrate my iPod with my MINI, as I feel that I'm not utilizing it yet...

thoughts? Comments?

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Thursday, June 10, 2004

got MINI? 

hee hee.....

Dick just got his latest issue of The New Yorker magazine.
It had a cool insert in it:

It's a "make-your-own Milk Carton" prop.



The idea is you build the prop, shake it convincingly to show your spouse that you're "out of milk", then head on out to motor.



Pretty funny.

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Monday, May 03, 2004

Clean MINI 

I'm embarrassed to say that after 3 months of owning my MINI, I've never actually hand washed her before today! My excuse - we moved to our new neighborhood soon after I got her, and I don't have a driveway here. I've brought her in to the touchless carwash in SF, but it costs around $18.00/wash! Pricey! Yesterday, I was inspired when I saw a neighbor washing her car with a couple buckets of water. I thought, "I can do that!". So I ventured out to Costco today, but one of their handy "car wash kits" for $19 (because I literally had NO supplies) came home, parked MINI as close as I could to my house, brought out the hose from the backyard as far as it would possibly reach, and voila: washed my baby by hand! Good news: my hose can almost extend far enough - I'll look into getting a new, longer hose, and that should do the trick. More good news: she seems to be holding up well here - no major dings or scratches (knock wood). Such a fun car to clean - it's great, because MINIs are so small!

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Saturday, May 01, 2004

mini MINIs! 

Check out my growing collection of mini MINIs! (I didn't realize I actually had a collection until today.) My friend, Andrew defines a collection as "Having 3 or more of any one thing".

So, here they are:

I have the 1:28 that my dealer gave me upon delivery,
The 1:36 that I bought off ebay way back in September right after I gave my deposit,
The 1:43 radio controlled MINI that Dick's sister just sent me for my birthday,
.... and now the little 1" version that I just got today! My Auntie Lani and Uncle Rob just returned from Germany. They went to drive their new BMW around, and found this at the BMW store! Isn't it cute? And yes, it races along the floor when you pull it back a bit!

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Tuesday, April 27, 2004

My MINI is officially a "City Car" 

Here's the schedule for this morning:

7:00am: wake up (after not sleeping from 3:30-6:30am)
7:40am: leave house
7:45am: go to bagel shop
7:55am: arrive at San Francisco DMV
8:00am: doors open at DMV
take a number, and wait in line
8:15am: change car registration to reflect new address ($15.00)
8:25am: arrive at San Francisco DPT (Dept. of Parking & Traffic)
wait in line
8:55am: present new car registration with new address to obtain a new neighborhood parking permit! ($27.00/year)

Drive home, affix new parking permit to the bumper of my MINI - MINI is now officially a "city car"! (although she doesn't seem to too excited to have a bright blue metallic sticker on her rear)

Here's what I've learned from this experience:

I had sent in a change of address form when we moved back into my condo (about 6 weeks ago). I called DMV yesterday to ask whether or not they received it (they hadn't) and found out that I had to go into an office in person to request a new registration card with the new address any way (can't be done by mailing in, or over the phone). DMV does offer appointments, but all of the DMV offices in the area were booked through next week. My temporary permit expires at the end of this month, and Dick needs his before he returns to work on Monday. So the trick to going to both DMV and DPT is to go as early as possible. They both open at 8:00am. The last time I went to DPT I waited line for over an hour, so this morning was a breeze!

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Monday, April 12, 2004

MINI Ladies do Lunch 

I had a lovely lunch date today with 2 other women who I've met on the mini2.com forum.

One of the women was out on a business trip (from Texas). The other woman lives and works in Palo Alto, so we were able to meet for lunch along the Peninsula.

Our cars were all built around the same time, and we kept each other company, and got to know each other in the "Delivery, Shipping & Order Tracking" thread. Since then, we've started a "New Owner's Thread" so we can share stories of our adventures with our new cars.

It's wacky, I know, but nice to have a support-group, don't you think?

Here's a group photo to share.
(left to right: Brodiea (the Green MINI), "Mini Momma", "Amrov", Trina and MINI Driver (Red MINI)

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Tuesday, March 23, 2004

More reasons to love my MINI 

I just got a little box in the postal mail today filled with all kinds of MINI goodies! What a wonderful surprise - it really brightened my day!

contents:
1) a MINI welcome note from the General Manager
2) a cool MINI pen - with a car that "drives" from Hollywood to New York. (it's even a MINI!)
3) a MINI plastic business card holder with little MINI cards
4) MINI Messaging Kit
5) MINI journal
6) MINI BINGO boards!
7) a new MINI Roadside Assistance card complete with VIN Number

It was all wrapped up in a big "Let's Motor" rubber band.
very cool!

I already LOVE my MINI, but this stuff makes me even happier to own my MINI!

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The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions and do not represent my employer's view in anyway --- oh right, I *am* my own employer! ;)

© Copyright 2003-2007, Trina Chow