Automotive excellence...

At this moment, I am sitting in the waiting area of my local (closest) Honda dealership. 60,000 mile service. And they have wi-fi. A somewhat surreal experience, I have to admit. Wonderfully surreal, but surreal nonetheless. It occurred to me that when I bought this car 5 years ago, I could not have been doing what I am doing right now.

A few months ago, my sister and I put together a program for our mother's 95th birthday. The program included a chronology of events, inventions, music, etc. that had been influential during her life span. It was somewhat sobering to see all that had transpired.

When I consider the technological advances that have happen even during my lifetime, I can't help but be amazed again. This week, the last space shuttle took off from the cape. I remember the first moon landing. We were trained to us a telephone sparingly, as a tool, when I was growing up. Now, we can always easily be in touch with loved ones anywhere in the world, and we can add every data plan imagineable to our cell plans (and pay a small fortune for it!)

And we can buy cars that seldom need servicing, compared to the vehicles of old. They still should be treated well and with respect for the machine, but it is an incredible relief to have dependable transportation.

Anyway, here is to automotive excellence, and technological progress. May we learn to appreciate the wealth, without becoming a slave to it.