That's cool!!! My son deferred his 4-year college to do volunteer work in Australia. Best thing ever for him!! He's back now and well focussed on college. The year meant a lot to him...I suspect yours will, too.

BTW, on the subject of MINI-owner quirks...do all MINI owners have at least a small detailing kit in their boot?? I keep running into MINI owners w/ a little schmutz on their car and, sure enough, out comes a detailing kit to deal w/ it. Pretty funny......except I have a kit, too!!!

 

Cool about your son. which volunteer program did he do?? Any way you could get him to write a small description about his experience to send to me??

 

Hope things work out for you... it's a tough decision but hopefully with it's rewards, it'll be worth it and the mini will still be there.

Mark

 

He did a program called NET. I'll see if he can write something.....according to his sister (my daughter) he's like a tornado that never quite touches ground. Really good kid, though.

 

Wasn't worthless at all for me. I was doing upper division classes by my sophmore year. Really, no matter the year, if you set the bar as a challenge and take everything you do seriously, you will learn tons. Don't ignore the breadth requirements either. These are some that get you more exposure to stuff that you wouldn't have imagined finding interest in before you're "forced" to take them.

Matt

 

sorry i guess i sorta phrased that wrong. i didnt really mean worthless. I guess I have just had a bad entry to college, because my classes have been less than inspiring, and i find my self struggling to want to learn in them. I was so sure that I wanted a career in photography, because i love photography, so being a photgrapher just made sense. but the further I have come, I have found that photography is my passion, but not something I want for a career. Being paid to take pictures for other people isnt really my idea of fun. But I am just now understanding that my long love of history and cultures could possibly be something that I would be happy pursuing as a career. I have learned a lot from my mom when it comes to careers. She spent half her life in jobs she hated. But a few years ago, she bit the bullet, and went back to school (night school) while raising me and my sister. Now, she is working in law, instead of retail, and she is the happiest she has ever been. Thus, she has taught me that now is the time in my life to make mistakes, to try everything, and eventually settle into whatever makes me the happiest. At first, i was worried that my family would see me as a failure for dropping out of art school in san fran, but I am now starting to realize that it doesnt matter how other people view or interpret my decisions. I just need to focus on finding a career that is going to make me feel happy and will be self fulfilling. so, sorry for the confusion, and thanks for your help. i appreciate it!

 

About the waving thing, I was driving my classic around town one day and I passed a new Mini sitting at a stop light and I stuck my arm out the window to wave at them and they just kinda stared at my car like "what is that?" What drives me nuts is that some new Mini owners don't even know that the car has been around for almost 50 years.

 

It took me 9 years to get through college (all paid for by me) but I have a career that I've loved for almost 30 years. Love what you do and do what you love.
Bumblebee - Post more pics of that vintage work of art. (and buy a hubcap )

 

Jessica - congrats on your plans, and I really hope everything works out well for you! If you are set on selling the Mini, don't let my idea stop you...but as someone who has been out of the country for many YEARS (not just months) don't forget about storing your car. I stored my 4x4 truck for almost 4 years at a minimal cost (less than $100 a month); you can redouce your insurance to absolute minimum (I kept it covering any natural disasters to the vehicle while I was gone) and between the storage fee and the down-graded insurance, it came up to less than what I was spending in regular insurance! And considering how WELL Minis maintain their value, it might actually be a better investment in the long run. Don't know if you have a payment still on it or not, but storing it will not only increase it's long-term value (less milage for the year made, less damage to the car, etc.) but you can pay more on it and GET A NEW ONE WHEN YOU GET BACK! (Ok, that would be MY plan, anyway...!!!) Good luck. (Try an "anthropology" degree if you like the history and cultural studies!)

ANYWAY... MINIxB -- I'm so with you. Anytime I'm stopped by folks that say, "Oh, that's like the Italian Job!" I ask them which one - the 1969 version or the "new" one? They look at me like I grew an extra head. ???

 

yep, I was doing long division classes by college sophomore year too . . . . and I almost passed

 

Ah yes ... well we Americans have no sense of history - other than our own of course ;-)

 

Someone with a new red mustang with white top was at a gas station when I pulled in with my 65. commented to her that I liked her car, and said that mine was hers only 35 years older. She had no clue what I was talking about.

At another gas station a young woman driving a 95 or so black Mustang hard top said she liked my car and asked me what it was. I said a Mustang. A 1965 Mustang. She had no clue that they had been around that long.

there was a crappy Mini Clubman review on cnet (why they're reviewing cars I have no clue....). Guy ragged on the rear doors without even commenting on thier link to the history of the feature....

Oh well....

Matt

 

I was just commenting to my husband last night - there was a commercial on that mentioned a wrestling show (or whatever -wasn't listening to the inane BS) and they called it "D-Day 2." I wondered how many people knew WHAT D-Day meant, never mind WHEN it was...Hmmm... WHat I also find very shameful is that the show "Are you smarter than a 5th grader" HAS NOT SHAMED ANYONE into realizing how poorly educated most folks are, and are happy being so!?

Maybe that's why nobody waves anymore...? Maybe we just need to work harder and get everybody back into culture...Guess that means we need to motor more, right!?

 

I've seen about 20 MINIs on the road since I got mine. I've only gotten 2 waves and I've waved (or tried to wave) at all those I've seen. But I'm not going to give up.

The waves I've gotten in return were on the weekend, the ones that didn't return the wave were during the week (on the way to work or on the way home). That might have something to do with it.

 

i try and wave or peace sign it or even the light flashing and the nod thing too. some give it back and some dont . i dont care im still having fun in mine.

 

Thanks for your suggestion, I will definately look into it! But considering my mini is already paid off, would it be better to sell before I go, or store it, then sell when I get back. If I sell before I go, then I can have my mom order me a new mini a few months before I come home, which would make for a great homecoming gift! But now that you have told me how inexpensive it is to just store it, I may just do that, and not get another mini at all. I would hate to part with my mini, because I feel like i have a bond with it, but a new mini will always sound tempting....
As for school, I am majoring in anthro, and minoring in international studies. Im actually taking arabic right now, and I love it. I have already learned so much! and writing/reading from right to left is actually really cool. Anywho, thanks so much for your suggestion. It was very helpful!

 

true to that!! people think BMW started it and it drives me crazy.
i want a classic austin so fn baaaad!!