The World Is a Highway

I slept in again this morning. Didn't get moving to the Haddon Township Library until past 11:30 (after delivering the rent for March to Miss Ellie's side of the house). It was a lovely day for it. The sun was shining, it was chilly but not too warm or cold, and the wind I heard this morning had blown itself out by early afternoon. This showed in the many joggers, dog-walkers, and people walking together I dodged in Newton River Park on my way to the library.

You won't be surprised to hear that the library wasn't that busy. There were some DVDs and books to shelve. I mainly concentrated on the kids' DVDs and books - another volunteer shelved most of the adult and nonfiction titles. I enjoyed the movies I took out last week so much, I took out four more, despite my limited time this week - Cars 2, the Hepburn/Tracy romantic comedy Desk Set, the recent version of True Grit with Jeff Bridges (which I didn't get to when I rented it last time), and the Winnie the Pooh Easter special Springtime With Roo. (Yes, I know it's a bit early for that one, but it may not be available by the end of the month.)

Ran errands after I left the library. I needed a few things at Super Fresh. They have genuinely cheaper prices on grits, maple syrup, and honey, and they were all on sale (the honey for the Jewish spring holidays). I also finally found my favorite Hodgeson Mill Yeast Packs, and they were on sale too, 29 cents each! I bought the six packs they had left.

Next stop was the Westmont Bagel Shoppe for lunch. I just had a simple Roast Beef and Provolone Sandwich on a Honey Oat Bagel with a small cup of cole slaw. No fries or chips necessary. That sandwich was big enough! I didn't even finish the second half. It was past 2PM when I got in, and very quiet there, just me, CNN, and the owner and her staff.

I should have started shelving things right away when I got home. Instead, I sat down in my living room and just thought. I wanted to start a business, but I had no portfolio to show people. I didn't want to take pricy medical billing courses when I'm not all that interested in medicine. I liked the idea of editing college students' papers, and even made an ad for a business like that...but I didn't know where to post that ad. I couldn't find the student forums on the college websites, and there's no way I could go to any of the local colleges to advertise. Rowan and the main campuses for the Camden and Atlantic County Colleges are in the middle of nowhere, beyond the reach of even many buses. Rutgers and Temple's campuses are situated near notoriously bad parts of Camden and Philly. Drexel is all the way out in North Philly.

I can't get to colleges to advertise...but I can get to local businesses. I know these people, the small-time businesses of Oaklyn, Haddon Township, Audubon, and West Collingswood. I know many of them are having problems staying in business, either because they're off the beaten track like Doria's Deli, or they don't get the publicity and advertising that the fancier towns like Collingswood and Haddonfield do. They can't afford expensive advertisements and newsletters.

I could help them. I could do copywriting for them, revise advertisements for local newsletters, maybe even write a newsletter or pamphlets, and spread the word about them. I buy things from these people. I know them, know how they operate. They're good people, and I want everyone in the area to know it, too. I could do online copy for folks who haven't done a web site or e-mail list yet.

I liked this idea so much, I went to Doria's Deli to discuss it with Mrs. Doria (buying a Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi soda from her as an excuse to go in). I figured if anyone knew what the community needed, it was someone who had been in business there for twenty years or more. Yes, she liked the idea. I need to work on it more (and figure out how to work it into my classes), but I feel better now that I have something I'd like to do...and people who really may need me.

It was so nice, I went for a short walk after I left Doria's. When I got home, I swept all the sticker balls off my porch. Those should be winding down soon as we get into spring and the leaves on the trees start budding. As pretty as that is, I'm going to miss the incredible view of the river I have each winter when the trees are bare.

Spent the rest of the evening inside. I went through more books in the back room. I gave the bathroom a quick scrub. I made Chicken Teriyaki Stir-Fry for dinner while I ran Cars 2.

This enjoyable but somewhat convoluted follow-up to the original Cars takes us on a trip around the world in a film that comes off as a cross between the original Cars and a James Bond film. Bumbling Mater the Tow Truck (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) is mistaken for an American secret agent by two British agents, Finn McMissile (Michael Caine) and Holly Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer) while joining Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) on a major around-the-world Grand Prix. McQueen is having his own problems with the boastful Italian racer Francesco Bernoulli (John Turturro) and with the mysterious series of accidents that are taking many of the cars out of the race. When Mater discovers a fiendish plot to discredit a new alternative fuel source, he may be in over his head...especially when the plot includes killing his best friend!

While I liked it, I can also see why it was Pixar's least-critically-successful film to date. First of all, Larry the Cable Guy is best taken in small does (if at all). A little of Mater goes a long way, and there's far too much of him here. I suspect that Pixar may have taken the complaints that the original movie was too slow and lacking in plot to heart by adding too much action and enough plot to fill three movies.

On the other hand, some of the relationships still work well, including the charming wooing between Holley and Mater. It's nice to see how the current obsession with finding other fuel sources for vehicles is also worked in. I also liked the short sequence with Italian cars Guido and Luigi's family, not to mention some of the very funny spoofs of racing celebrities in car form.