Alive

Photo by wrhowell (cc)BY-SA.

You know how you see those "Click-it or Ticket" signs everywhere, or the "Buckle up. It could save your life" slogans... and you kind of roll your eyes going Yeah yeah, I know...

And you still drive on, seatbelt hanging loosely beside you. It won't happen to me you think. I'm a safe driver, or whatever other excuse you use not to buckle up. C'mon, I know you're out there; I've seen you! Driving around while your kids are climbing all over the backseat... the baby sitting on someone's lap... the dog sitting with his paws on the steering wheel... Seriously - what are you thinking???

Well thankfully, the people who were in the car above weren't like that. They played it safe - and because of it, they're alive today to tell about it. (click on the photo to read their story) You know, wrecks do happen to good drivers through no fault of their own. You never know when someone's going to swerve into oncoming traffic right in front of you... or when something's going to fall off a truck and slam into your windshield... or any number of other scenarios. But when it happens, will you be ready? Will your children be secured? Or will everybody be thrown around the inside of the car like a bunch of rag dolls, possibly even ejected through a solid glass window to land on the median or even be crushed by the car as it rolls over on top of them? It's not inconceivable you know. It happens every day. According to CarAccidents.net, "Car accidents are currently the number one killer of people ages 1 to 37. About 1 in 30 young drivers will be injured in an accident each year. Young drivers are four times more likely to die in car accidents and are much more prone to speed, drive recklessly, not wear their seat belts and drink and drive than middle-aged drivers." And when they're speeding and drinking and driving, don't think they won't encounter you on the road minding your own business, driving along to your mother-in-laws house for dinner... or as you go to work in the morning, you won't meet the exhausted night-shift worker on his way home, who just happened to nod off for a brief moment before drifting directly into your path of travel...

Some more info. from CarAccidents.net:

-About 26% of drivers have been involved in a car crash in the last five years.

-There were 17,419 alcohol-related fatalities in 2002.

-More than half the fatalities reported --59%--were not wearing seatbelts.

-Deaths from rollover crashes totaled 82%.


Meet Shannon's Jeep. Or what's left of it I should say. Looks pretty bad, doesn't it. Wanna know what caused something so horrific-looking? It was this:


A sofa. Not much left of it is there? Fell off the back of a truck... and caused the accident you see above. But guess what? She was wearing her seatbelt. And she's still alive. You can bet those photos wouldn't be telling the same story if she'd not decided to buckle up, like so many other people...

Why all of a sudden did I decide to write about wearing your seatbelt? Did I know any of the people involved in the accidents above? Do I ever *not* buckle my seatbelt? Nope... none of those. Actually, what got me thinking was an email my husband got from the Executive Officer (XO) of his command (SWFPAC). It's being passed around the Naval community and beyond - but it was written by the Commanding Officer of Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, GA. Because, lo and behold, he got into an accident recently. And his car flipped. And he was wearing his seatbelt... and it saved his life. Here's the email (I've left the forwards intact so you can see how it's making its way around the Navy (additional messages in italics, original message in bold):

"-----Original Message-----
From: Armstrong, Thomas CDR
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 7:23 AM
To: SPB All Civilians; SPB All Military
Subject: FW: SEAT BELTS SAVE LIVES

Pls take a moment and read Captain McKinnon's (CO Subase Kings Bay) email below. It can happen anytime, be safe.

r/

CDR Tom Armstrong
SWFPAC Executive Officer
INVICTUS MANEO

-----Original Message-----
From: Tomlinson, David L CW04 NAVSAFECEN, 41
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 6:58 AM
Subject: FW: SEAT BELTS SAVE LIVES

FWDing... Happens everyday! Keep alert!

-----Original Message-----
From: Mayer, George E RADM NAVSAFECEN, 00
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 8:31
To: NRFK_SAFE_All_Hands
Subject: FW: SEAT BELTS SAVE LIVES

All,
Take a couple of minutes to read the email below. Feel free to fwd to your families, friends, and contacts.
R,
RADM Mayer

-----Original Message-----
From: Boensel, Mark S RDML CNRSE
Sent: Tuesday, March 07, 2006 16:38
To: Mayer, George E RADM NAVSAFECEN, 00
Cc: Conway, Bob T VADM CNIC; Cohoon, John CAPT CNI HQ
Subject: FW: SEAT BELTS SAVE LIVES

Admiral,
Below just came in from CAPT Mike Mckinnon, CO of NSB Kings Bay - an incredible but true story of part of his day today. Thankfully, he
practiced what we all preach about using our seat belts. Great object lesson on being ready, because you never know what's going to happen.
I'm pretty certain that he doesn't mind me sharing his experience.
V/R, Benz

-----Original Message-----
From: Mckinnon, Mike Capt SUBASE CM
Sent: Tuesday, March 07, 2006 15:53
Subject: SEAT BELTS SAVE LIVES


All,

Just want to pass this along. If you think nothing will ever happen to you, think again.

At 12:06 this afternoon I was driving down GA state highway 15 returning from my trip in Athens, GA. What a beautiful day, perfect visibility, perfect road conditions. At this point, the road is two lane (one lane north, one lane south) with the speed limit 55 mph.

I'm minding my own business, driving south about 60 mph, traveling in my Saturn. A white truck, 80s model, is heading north. Less than a tenth of a mile away, the truck runs into his shoulder and overcorrects. He is now in the southbound lane. I'm braking hard (fortunately, the brakesI didn't lock). I'm certainly not moving into his lane because I know that is where he will be trying to go, so I go into the shoulder on my side of the road. Fortunately we pass, but just as that happens, my
car starts spinning in the grass as I was continuing to brake. At this point the cars gets sideways and re-enters the road. Tires just don't work well when the car is traveling perpendicular to the way a tire is
supposed to roll! As a result, the car flips over one to two times and settles on the driver's side over in the northbound shoulder.

I'm alive (getting very sore now) because I had my seat belt on. Remember the video I sent to all of you about the guy who fell asleep and then lost control of the car. As the car rolled he ended in the
back seat partially out of the window....crushed from the car. You've seen it during our safety stand-downs. Everything in my front seat was
in the back seat except me!

Some people say you see your life flash before your eyes when stuff like this happens. I'm confident of what will happen in my afterlife so I didn't see my life play over in fast forward. I just saw that video
being played over in my mind and simply thought, "Lord, I hope the seat belt does the trick!" I'll let you decide if it was answered prayer, the seatbelt or both!

Well, I'm looking at my totaled car at the body shop while my wonderful wife is on the way to pick me up. I know one reason that I'm alive is because I had my seatbelt on. There were no increased risk factors that led to this accident (alcohol, late at night, tired, excessive speed, car in poor condition, etc.). It just happened.....sometimes bad things
happen without explanation. I'd like to think that because I walk the talk with what we've preached to you day-in, day-out, about driving safety, I'm walking away from this accident today.

Folks that stopped thought this was going to be real ugly....they were amazed....no cuts, no problem walking.....many told me that they thought I'd be dead....that I was lucky to be alive.

I have much to be thankful for!

Skipper

PS - the guy in the truck who ran me off the road didn't stop....the two folks behind me who saw it happen did and helped me out of the passenger
side window. Fortunately the car didn't go up in flames...it was still running when it stopped rolling and I realized I was OK!

BUCKLE UP!!!!! It really makes a difference!
Mike McKinnon
CAPT, USN
Commanding Officer
SUBASE Kings Bay

-------

Reading that email really hit me. I've always been an advocate of seat belt use, and been amazed when I see people so blatantly ignoring one of the easiest ways to prevent/minimize injury in an accident. You are not invincible! You can get hurt! And so can your kids/friends/coworkers... even your pets! Forget whether it's the law or not. Forget whether it's inconvenient, or uncomfortable (and if it's uncomfortable, you're probably wearing it wrong anyway!) or you're just in too much of a hurry. Do you think any of that is going to matter when you're in a halo, with screws in your head to keep you from moving? Or when your kids are in a coma with wires and tubes sticking out of their bodies and a machine keeping them alive? Or when you're at your friend's funeral, or they're at yours? It happens people!!! Wake up - and Buckle up! It could be you, next!

Jeep and sofa photos: ©happysq (used with permission)

Craziness

Photo by FlyButtafly (formerly TaGurit).

I loved going to the destruction derby last year. We only made it to the finale (one of those things where you keep saying you'll make it to one, and before you know it, there's only one left...) but man was it awesome. My kids loved it, and so did I.

This was a shot from one of the Rollovers. I uploaded a set specifically meant to be viewed as a slideshow - so you can get kind of an idea of what it was like. (Set it to 1 second - that's the fastest it can go - and a tip, it works better the second time through, due to caching. Also, I haven't uploaded - as of this post - all the rollovers yet, but I'm in the process of adding to the set. So check back in periodically.)

My son absolutely loved everything about the "redneck rodeo" - from the rollovers (he screamed and laughed every time one of the cars flipped) to the races themselves:



It's definitely an experience if you've never been to one before. The adrenaline starts flowing as soon as you hear the engines roaring, and doesn't stop till hours after you've left and gone home. I was a bit unprepared for the dirt clods that came flying up at us during various parts; that mesh fence all the photos are taken through was supposed to protect you from that... but some made it over anyhow; and some big ones at that! By the time we left, we had dirt clumps in our hair, on our clothes, and the grandstands were covered too. We didn't get to stay for the entire thing; we had our girls with us too, and they were getting tired. I can't wait until the next season starts in May!

Memories of California

Photo by TaGurit(SS/NB) ><>.

Wow, this was a long time ago. Hard to believe it was 6 1/2 years ago. I was only 19 here (that's me, sitting front and center) and a new mom. My cousins (going counter-clockwise from the left) were 16, 16, and I think 14. You wouldn't know it just from looking... the gals in my family always look older than they are as teenagers... then we seem to get stuck there as we get older. I'm 26 now, but people still think I'm in high school at times... or more commonly just out. You wouldn't believe the way people treat me or the things they say to me when they don't know how old I really am. And then they find out and boy, are they surprised. I think that's why the doctors I take my children to also treat me like a young näive girl who doesn't know much about health care. Little do they know how much or how long I've read up on medical advances, general information, or issues pertaining to my family's particular medical history/problems. I could go on a rant about that itself for hours... but I'll save it for later. Got a pizza in the oven right now, husband's watching the Chiefs and Broncos game (go Chiefs!) and girls need a nap. Poor son is trying to interact with daddy, but *someone* gets really absorbed while the game is on... so I need to get off the computer and find something for him to do until the pizza's done.

Some other photos from when I was younger...

I was 15 here, I think. At the Alameda County fair with my sister and cousins.


I know I was 15 here. A friend of mine, his name was Jerry Ehlers, took this without my knowledge. I was helping him with a project for his photography class, and he said he needed me to stand there so he could get the right focus. Well, he took this surreptitiously while looking through the viewfinder. I was utterly surprised when he presented us with the 8x10 print.


Tthis one was taken during the same trip as the Gun-toting Girl Gang one. The border is hideous, I know. My mom had Microsoft PicureIt! Publishing, and it was a horrible program. Plus, I had horrible skills - so it came out horribly. ;) But man - we had fun. We'd gone to Raging Waters, and we were sunburned and tired.


Man - this is what I looked like 8mos. after having my son. I didn't look like this after having my daughter. It sure makes a difference when you're working as a lifeguard, in the water for at least 2 hours a day, working for around 35 hours a week... vs. being a stay-at-home mom, in a mold-infested apartment where you struggle just to take a full breath. (The apartment we moved into after I got married, had black mold all over the inside of the bathroom - and it spread over the entire apartment. When we moved out, we found black mold had completely grown through our bathroom wall into our bedroom [they had a common wall] and we had to throw out a bunch of stuff - and use rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide on a bunch of others - because mold had grown on them. Wherever anything had been up against a wall, the wall was moldy and the back of the furniture had mold on it. The entire time I lived there, which was when I got married in May '04 and got pregnant, till the end of Dec. '04, I had severe asthma problems. I lived off of my inhaler - and didn't take a deep breath the entire 8 mos. I was constantly wheezing, and couldn't sleep more than a few hours at a time. My blood pressure was sky high the whole pregnancy - about 30pts higher than normal [and even when I was pregnant with my other 2 it's been low.] That place was horrible. Oh, it was the Outlook Apartments on Ridgetop in Silverdale, if you were wondering. DON'T RENT THERE - EVER!!!)


This one was when my daughter - that I'd had the hard pregnancy with - was 5mos. old, on my first trip to Cali since I was 19. Look a bit different, huh. :) The photo is with my beautiful Great-Grandma Foster. She is the sweetest, funniest, fun-loving woman I've ever known. Most of our family is crazy - but she's just a whole lotta fun.

And how do I look now?

;P

Baby, it's Cold Outside!!

Lately we have had some cold weather!! The other night, when I took this, everything was frozen over. I walked outside to get some photos, and the entire ground was covered in tiny sparkles, like it had been sprinkled with glitter or diamond dust. It was so cold, the air was almost painful to breathe.

I wish I could show how everything glittered. There was a thick white coating over everything, and the edges of leaves and blades of grass looked like they had been frosted. One of my flickrite friends who lives in Western WA also, took this amazing macro of a leaf he found:


I've been hoping for some winter weather; we were supposed to get a bunch of snow the other night according to the National Weather Service's Seattle office... and it did actually snow a little. I went out and took some photos while I could; like this one, using a long exposure and flash

and this one looking straight up at the sky with my flash.

I have more, but they're still sitting on my computer waiting for me to go through them.

I really wish we'd get some good winter weather now. It's been nice to get all snuggly in warm coats and scarves and hats. After a long, hot summer, I was actually looking forward to this. Even though there are parts of winter I dislike (mostly after it's been around for a good while, and especially when it consists of nothing more than grey skies and rain) there are many things I love about winter. I love when it snows. I mean, how fun is it to watch the soft white flakes fall from the sky? If you sit there long enough, you can almost get dizzy from it. And the snow covers everything like a soft blanket, hiding the ugliness of the earth and mud and smoothing the jagged edges of rocks and sticks. Kind of like what God does for us, when we come to Him... smoothes out our rough edges, and covers up our ugliness with His beauty.

I can't wait to see what we get tomorrow. According (once again) to the NWS-Seattle we've got a "Winter Storm Watch" for Thursday. Doesn't sound like much though:
"...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM PST THURSDAY THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING..

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE PUGET SOUND AREA FROM 7 AM PST THURSDAY THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING.

RAIN AND SNOW WILL BEGIN THURSDAY MORNING AND CHANGE TO MOSTLY SNOW BY AFTERNOON. ONE TO THREE INCHES ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE
DAY...WITH ANOTHER INCH OR SO POSSIBLE THURSDAY EVENING. SOUTH WIND IN THE EVENING WILL WARM THE AIR ENOUGH TO CHANGE ANY
PRECIPITATION TO RAIN.

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SEVERE WINTER WEATHER."

We had a Severe Winter Weather (or something like that) warning for the other night, and it only snowed for a couple hours... and then a bit more in the morning when my husband left for work. By the time I got up though, all the snow was melted, and it was clear and sunny all that day. (Which, I think, was yesterday. ;) So who knows. I've heard that the chance the forecast is accurate is something like 48% (or maybe it's 52%) - so it's not like I'm holding my breath. But I can still hope, right? ;)

You can be sure if we do get snow, I'll be right there with my camera, snapping away! And hopefully this time my kids'll get to play in it. They were really looking forward to building a snowman... this time, I hope they can.

My first video post - here's hoping!

Well, I've decided to try vimeo.com, since I've not figured out how else to upload clips to my blog. If anyone can help me there (with the whole uploading thing - or maybe I should just do a search on blogger ;) I'd so appreciate it!

Anyways, I'll consider this my test-post. We went to Chuck E. Cheese's for my son's 7th birthday last night (it wasn't his birthday last night, but we weren't able to go the day of) and my youngest and husband were goofing around. Here is the evidence of their goofiness. ;)

edit: Anyone able to see the video? I sure can't. I wasn't able to earlier either, here or on vimeo. I'm not sure how long I'll stick with them, since it appears that nothing works over there right now... if I can figure out how to delete my account over there maybe I'll check back in with them in a couple years. :) I'll give it another day, to see if the video appears (their forum has a topic on this very issue dating back 3 weeks with no response from the creator. A second thread about the same issue stated it had been fixed about 12 days ago.. but since then, nothing. Who knows?) but I'm not planning on sticking it out very long. I'm way too busy managing my photos on flickr (which btw is having a massage right now, since something broke big time over there, it seems!!) and taking photos, and everything. Plus, now that I've sorta figured out one way of loading my clips into my iMac, I'll be trying out iMovie and see what I come up with. Or at least, iDVD and create some fun stuff. Oh well...

edit#2: I deleted the video and the info. on my profile, and I'm trying to decide whether to email the creator "Jakob" or just forget the whole thing, period. It never worked for me, and the help just doesn't cut it. I understand they're in their early stages, but I guess right now I just don't have the patience to deal with it. What's the point, if I can't even use it, at all?? So, forget vimeo. If anything, I'll just look elsewhere. Or see if .Mac allows videos...