During this coronavirus situation, my wonderful wife and I have basically subsisted on cereal (almost exclusively Cheerios for me), protein shakes and bars, and an occasional visit to Chick-fil-A. (I’m exaggerating a little for effect; our diet is actually somewhat more varied.) One brand of protein bars, think!, has been a revelation. While they are not low-calorie foods, for someone with my dietary needs and exercise regimen, they are a very tasty and important part of my diet. By the way, quality of calories counts at least as much as quantity.
One new flavor of think! bars that we have tried, Chocolate & Creme Cupcake, tastes better than many of the candy bars I’ve eaten in my life. Each bar has 18 grams of protein and just 2 grams of “regular” sugar. In all honesty, my GI tract has never behaved better during allergy season than it has this year on this “limited” diet. Maybe restaurant food will have to be restricted from here on out. Oh, this morning’s breakfast consisted of a bowl of Cheerios, a Chocolate Fudge think! bar and some iced coffee, black.
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I think it is still true that McPherson College in McPherson, Kansas is the only US institution of “higher learning” that offers a four-year degree in automobile restoration. Not surprisingly, the school is now offering a webinar that examines the wide-ranging effects of the automobile on modern life.
The title of my History paper my senior year in high school was “The Development Of The Automobile And Its Effect On 20th-Century American Society.” I have had the automobile bug for a LONG time.
In this post I offered the opinion (that’s what “opined” means) that too many American parents have been brainwashed into thinking that it is beneath their children for them to “work with their hands.” This country is experiencing a huge shortage of automotive technicians. Given the complexity of modern automotive systems, it is far beyond the capability of most car owners to perform major, and sometimes even minor, repairs on their vehicles. I think it’s great that McPherson offers a program in automobile restoration; I wish more colleges, two-year and four-year, and universities offered programs featuring working on cars.
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Three very interesting remarks courtesy of The Muscleheaded Blog:
Yogi Berra: “In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But in practice, there is.”
Groucho Marx: “I’ve had a wonderful time, but this wasn’t it.”
Dwight Eisenhower: “A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.”
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As we have been busy with many chores around here, the search for a Corvette Companion/Grocery Car post-move has slowed. As I wrote here, the Maserati GranTurismo (2007-2010) is out of the running. Right now, I think the realistic choice is between these two cars: a 2000-2002 Cadillac Eldorado (ETC preferred, but not mandatory) and a 2006-07 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS; we have to have an SS.
Both pictures are from Mecum Auctions; the top photo is a 2000 Eldorado ESC and the bottom is a 2007 Monte Carlo SS. No, we don’t have to have a car with a red exterior, but we will not buy a car with a dark interior, not in the desert.
As most of you reading are “car people” I would like to read your thoughts on this choice. Of course, in the end the decision will be ours to make, but qualified input is always welcome.
#think!
#McPhersonCollege
#TheMuscleheadedBlog
#CorvetteCompanion/GroceryCar
#somanycarsjustonelife
#disaffectedmusings
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Disaffected Musings 
Either car would be fine for me. I think I’d look good in either one… well, maybe not look good, but feel good anyway. 🙂
That Dwight Eisenhower quote is a keeper. Thanks for sharing it.
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Thanks for reading and for commenting.
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I imagine everyone’s eating habits have changed, some for the better, some for the worse. I’ve been on the road (driving) the last 3 days so am forced into hotels and restaurants. At the hotels all the breakfast buffets have been replaced with prepackaged items, sausage and egg biscuits, pastries, single serve cereal, etc. Restaurants are at about 50% due to social distancing. If it’s a buffet style place (think travel plaza restaurant), limited items are available if it’s even open. Given the reduced volume of customers served, I’m not certain that some of these restaurants will survive. This is my first real trip since mid March and it’s been both an eye opener, and kinda sad also.
Eldo vs Monte; I guess not being a Caddy kinda guy, I would go with the Monte. Then find a shop that would supercharge it, just so I could mess with people if I felt the urge.
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Many thanks, DDM.
I think the days of self-serve food in grocery stores and restaurant buffets are over.
The pre-2006 Monte Carlo SS had a supercharged V-6, but ‘06-‘07 had a good old-fashioned small-block Chevy V8.
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Small block Chevy V-8 plus supercharger equals “heap big fun”. 🙂
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As much as I do like the Cadillac, I believe the Monte Carlo will be a better long term daily driver. Maintenance and service should be lower for the Chevrolet.
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Good to hear from you, C/2. You make a valid point.
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In my sleepless stupor last night, I watched the CarWizard YouTube channel and he talked about his favorite luxury car…drumroll please…the Maserati Quattroporte!!! He praised its workmanship, and surprisingly called it a simple car to work on…if you are a mechanic with a world class shop!🤣
Do it, do it, do it!!!!
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Thanks, sir. We’re not buying a four-door car (the literal meaning of Quattroporte) and not buying a car that might cost us $35,000-$40,000 in the first year, which includes the cost of acquisition.
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I lean towards the Cadillac as I prefer its lines. Since this is the “grocery getter”, which one has the larger trunk? Larger trunk, bigger grocery haul, fewer visits to the store. Also the Cadillac appears, from it’s exterior lines to have more head room in the back seat for the rare occasion when you would travel somewhere with another couple. A bigger back seat also provides more “grocery” space when you fill the trunk. I generally put the bulkier items like the toilet paper, and paper towel multi-packs in the back seat. We had to consider enough space for a walker which is why our “grocery getter” is a Dodge Journey.
You will find that the grocery stores here in Arizona offer a 10% discount for “seniors” on the first Wednesday of the month. You are not yet at that milestone age, but it is something to keep in the back of your mind because many seniors make the grocery store trek once a month so a large “grocery getter” is helpful.
The pandemic has not changed our diets here, only our desire to change the diet to improve our health. Cheerios dominate the pantry shelf here as well.
Technical trade jobs are going wanting in our country by the millions. Mike Rowe of “Dirty Jobs” fame and your home town of Baltimore has a foundation that awards grants to students for technical training.
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Many thanks, Philip.
Believe it or not, the Eldo’s trunk is not much larger than the Monte’s. The Caddy does have a larger back seat.
I like the idea of a Cadillac as the complement to our Corvettes, but I also like the looks of the last-gen Monte Carlo.
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If you ever get out to Kansas you should drive through McPherson. My wife and I stopped in there one time just kind of at random, driving around the state, and were stunned to see a large garage full of vintage, beautifully restored automobiles. It’s been 20-some years and I don’t remember the details; I don’t think we went through the garage, but I think you could see the automobiles from the sidewalk. As I recall.
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Many thanks, “Sparky.” Don’t know if I’ve ever told you, but I get quite a kick from this posting name of yours.
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I’d lean to the Eldo, but it’s all strictly personal bias, some a little irrational. I’ve been gravitating ‘upmarket’ lately, so the Caddy gets points there. And this generation Monte gets strikes because in my mind it’s a rebadged Lumina coupe. Then again, MCSS has that nice Chevy small block, and it was built in Oshawa, a place I spend a good amount of time in. I think the trick is finding a good one.
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I think we are also leaning towards the Eldorado, but first we have to make the move to the desert. That, right now, is a very tricky endeavor, indeed.
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