Facey’s Weblog

Hair dying has been a way of achieving perfection for many women and sometimes men, for centuries. In the 1960s, hair dye became a popular fad in the U.S., after ad campaigns by Clairol aired with slogans like: “Does she or doesn’t she? Only her hairdresser knows for sure!” Since then hair dying has been a common process in the cosmetic industry. To some the process may seem simple, especially if they have dyed their own hair before or have had someone dye it for them; however, others may find the process difficult and easily flawed. A step-by-step process for hair dying should always be followed, whether it is an “expert” or novice in the field of hair dying.

First and foremost, you should go to a department store or drug store and buy the brand and color hair dye that you desire.(Depending on the length of your hair you may need more than one box of dye, especially if your hair is longer than shoulder length.) Remember, just because a hair dye has a higher price tag on it does not always mean it is a better dye. The main thing you should look for in a hair dye is a formula which does not use ammonia to color the hair. Also, drug stores have higher prices but generally tend to carry better products. Over all with the color and brand selection, you should ask for opinions and go through trial and error first.

Once you have your hair dye you are ready to start the real process. First you will need to change your clothes into old clothes and gather old towels that you do not mind if you get dye on them. (Hair dye will ruin your clothes whether it is a dark color or not.) Then, you should throughly comb your hair out, as to prevent tangles from causing the dye to put spots and streaks in your hair. Next, you must open the box of hair dye and read the instructions carefully. In most cases it suggests that you do an allergy test, if you have not had an allergic reaction to a hair dye before it, I don’t recommend taking your time. However, if you have never used a hair dye before, you should mix a small amount of the dye from the box, put it behind your ear or in the fold of your elbow and wait 48 hours to see if you have a reaction. If you have a reaction to the product you should not use it.

After that, if you have not had a reaction to the product, you are ready to use the dye. Before you do anything else, you should put cold cream or petroleum jelly around your hair line so the dye does not get on your face and neck. You should also apply it to the tops of your ears so you do not stain your ears. Next, there should be a pair of plastic or latex gloves attached to the instructions or in the bottom of the box; put them on so your hands do not get stained. Then you should open both bottles in the box, sometimes there are packages of powder to mix in the dye but that is generally if you have a bleaching kit (do not confuse dye powder with the included packages of conditioner for after you dye your hair), pour the smaller bottle (this bottle tends to be a brown color) into the larger bottle (this bottle tends to be white or cream colored) and recap them both. Next, you shake the larger bottle for 1-2 minutes or until the contents are throughly mixed. Then you take a pair of scissors and remove the tip of the bottle if there is not already an opening.

Next, take the comb from before and gather some hair clips. This next part may take some time and help. You must comb your hair into even sections to you can distribute the dye evenly. Now you are ready to color. Undo one section of your hair and squeeze dye unto it starting at the root and working your way to the end making sure to get every part saturated. Run the comb through it to make sure the distribution is done to the best of your ability. Repeat this for every section of your hair until you have it completely saturated. Now you are ready to put a timer on so your hair can process. If you have a dark hair dye in your hair the process may take between 20 to 30 minutes and if you have a light hair dye it make take up to 45 to 60 minutes to fully process. For the correct timing, please consult your hair dye instructions.

After your timing is over, it is time to rinse the dye out of your hair. Cut open the packet or packets of conditioner.Rinsing your hair can be done one of two ways: you can bend over the sink or get in the shower. Run the water over your hair until it runs clear. Sometimes its ok to use a mild shampoo to help get the remnants of hair dye out of your hair but it isn’t recommended with a dark hair dye, it can cause fading. After the dye is rinsed out, use the packages of conditioner in your hair, leave them in for 5 minutes or more to repair any damage. If there are no packages included, use a thick conditioner made for colored hair. Once you rinse the conditioner out, towel dry your hair but do not wrap it with the towel this can cause strands of hair to fuse together. Also, do not pull hair into a tight ponytail this can cause breakage.

There you have it, perfectly dyed hair. If the color that you used is not the color for you, you must wait for at least 6 weeks before you dye it again. If you want to have a better chance of having a nicer looking dye job be sure you look in a mirror if you do it yourself or have someone help you.

Overall, dying hair is a process that should always be taken seriously if you want an  excellent dye job. Dying hair is all about picking the perfect shade for you, getting your hair perfectly saturated, timing it right, and rinsing the dye out completely. Dying your hair and making it look good is all part of being as close to your own image of perfection as you can be.

Hypes 1

Hypes 1America has long been known as the land of opportunity and equality. For years, people have come to America in search of the American dream: the dream that regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or social status each person could achieve success. And while that is legally true, the reality is that our society has immense class separations, and those separations have a great affect on the success of the individuals in class. The opportunities available to each person and the ease at which he or she excels in life is greatly dependent on gender, race, and socioeconomic class. The American ideal of equality and egalitarianism is not always a reality for some Americans.Class, such a simple word with many different meanings, but in American society, its something not many people want to talk about. As Gregory Mantsios states in his essay Class in America: Myths and Realities, “It is not that Americans, rich or poor, aren’t keenly aware of class differences—those quoted above obviously are; it is that class is not in the domain of public discourse” (332). The United States is seen as a classless society, when in reality, class is just something that the people have hidden and pushed to the back of their minds. Class differences are a common every day struggle for many people who are considered to be in the “lower class” and for many the term “lower class” is given a more crude name, “poor.”Being in a certain class comes with its ups and downs, but by no means is class a good factor in any society. Class often separates a certain person from a group and sets them apart in a negative way. Class also comes with a long list of stereotypes and false accusations. But, on the positive side of being in a certain class, it comes with better privileges and opportunities. The  Hypes 2positive side mainly comes with being in the “upper class” and this in our society is referred to as being “rich.”Another thing most Americans tend to ignore when it comes to society and class is the way that race stereotypically ties in with class. When some Americans think about class they tend to pare a class with a certain race of people. They tend to put “lower class” people in a category of ethnic people and immigrants, whereas, they tend to view the “upper class” people as a group of up-tight Caucasians. Class and race are things that all people are born into; class can be changed, race cannot. Both are just a struggle that one must overcome on a daily basis. A lot of people choose to ignore it, they go by the rule: if you do not talk about it, it will go away.However, not all American’s choose to ignore the problem. Many Americans voice their opinion about it, not unlike Gregory Mantsios. In his essay, Class In America: Myths and Realities, Gregory Mantsios talks about the problems with class in America. He clears up some of the common misconceptions and lists a few myths and realities. “Myth 1: The United States is fundamentally a classless society. Class distinctions are largely irrelevant today, and whatever differences do exist in economic standing are, for the most part, insignificant. Rich or poor, we are all equal in the eyes of the law, and such basic needs as health care and education are provided to all regardless of economic standing.”This is clearly a false statement. Class is very prominent in the U.S. It’s just something that is pushed away and forgotten about.Hypes 3“Myth 2: We are, essentially, a middle-class nation. Despite some variations in economic status, most Americans have achieved relative affluence in what is widely recognized as a consumer society.”There are plenty of gaps in the economic status of the U.S. There are a lot of lower class Americans, especially, in city areas known as ghettos and rural areas.“Myth 3: We are all getting richer. The American public as a whole is steadily moving up the economic ladder, and each generation propels itself to greater economic well-being. Despite some fluctuations, the U.S. position in the global economy has brought previously unknown prosperity to most, if not all, North Americans.”  “Myth 4: Everyone has an equal chance to succeed. Success in the United States requires no more than hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance: “In America, anyone can become a millionaire; it’s just a matter of being in the right place at the right time” (333.)“Reality 1: there are enormous differences in the economic status of American citizens. A sizable proportion of the U.S. population opposite ends of the economic spectrum.”“In the middle range of the economic spectrum:·        Sixty percent of the American population holds less than 4 percent of the nation’s wealth.·        While the real income of the top 1 percent of U.S. families skyrocketed by 89 percent during the economic growth period from 1977 to 1995, the income of the middle fifth of the population actually declined by 13 percent during that same period. This led one prominent economist to describe economic growth as a “spectator sport for the majority of American families” (334.) “Reality 2: The Middle class in the United States holds a very small share of the nation’s wealth, and its income—in constant dollars—is declining.”“Lottery millionaires and celebrity salaries notwithstanding, evidence suggests that the level of inequality in the United States is getting higher. Census data show the gap between the rich and the poor to be the widest since the government began collecting information in 1947. Furthermore, the percentage of households earning between $25,000 and $75,000 has been falling steadily since 1969, while the percentage of households earning less than $25,000 has actually increased between 1989 and 1997. And economic polarization is expected to increase over the next several decades.” “Reality 3: The middle class is shrinking in size, and the gap between rich and poor is bigger than it has ever been” (335.)In his essay he states that being poor has an affect on education and lifestyle. He also states that sex and race have an affect on the income of a household. These are just other factors that can be overcome with the will.         Works CitedMantsios, Gregory. “Class in America: Myths and Realities (2000).” Rereading America.     Eds. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s,     2004. 331-347.

1. Chieftain – The chief of a clan or a tribe.

2. Reprieve – To delay the impending punishment or sentence.

3. Monosyllabic – Having only one syllable, as the word no.

4. Libertarian – A person who maintains the doctrine of free will.

5. Cohort – A companion or associate.

6. Moribund – Not progressing or advancing; stagnant.

7. Dissident – Disagreeing or dissenting, as in opinion or attitude.

8. Fomented – To promote the growth of, incite.

9. Prerogative – An exclusive right, privilege, etc., exercised by virtue
of rank, office, or the like.

10. Expropriate – To take possession of, esp. for public use by the right
eminent domain, thus divesting the title of the private owner.

Gibbs, Nancy. “Rescue Party.” Time 11 March 1996:24-28.

Fedarko, Kevin. “The Cold War is Back.” Time 11 March 1996:36-38.

Americanism, more than just a word, it’s a way of life. In my seventeen years of living in the U.S., I have learned what it means to be an American. To me being an American is living in a country where freedom and liberty aren’t just a dream. Americanism is freedom, family, comfort, shelter, and equality.

Being an American is something to be proud of. Americanism is full of rights and privileges.We, as Americans, have the right to vote, to go to school, to practice religion their own way, to say what they need to say, and to not be subject to cruel and unusual punishments. We also have many privileges such as welfare and other forms of financial and physical aides. Many Americans take advantage of their rights and privileges and use them to an extreme. This isn’t what being an American is all about.

Another vital point of Americanism is tradition. Pastimes play a big part in the American way of life. Baseball games, family picnics, and just enjoying the company of people we care about are many common pastimes; yet, many Americans have their own pastimes. There are plenty of other traditions that show Americanism, such as celebrating our Independence Day, saluting our lost veterans with a 21-gun salute, proper care and display of our flag, and proudly showing symbols of our country.

Being an American also means the strength to ban together in times of need and war. True Americanism comes from the heart. It takes pride and strength to stick together and to love one another. It takes a true American to say that you actually care about your neighbors and your fellow countrymen.

All the parents that urged their children to eat because it was healthy were right. Broccoli contains the mustard oil, sulforaphane, that can also be found in kale and Brussels sprouts. Sulforaphane causes the body to make an enzyme that attack cancer-causing carcinogens, this enzyme also speeds up the work of the kidneys so they can flush the harmful chemicals out of the body; other vegetables have similar benefits, but not like broccoli or other leafy vegetables. Thus wise people eat broccoli, it could save their lives.

1. Disburse- to pay out (money), esp. for expenses; expend.

2. Cadre- the key group of officers and enlisted personnel necessary to establish and train a new military unit.

3. Indigenous- innate; inherent; natural.

4. Penultimate- next to the last.

5.Filibuster- the use of irregular or obstructive tactics by a member of a legislative assembly to prevent the adoption of a measure generally favored or to force a decision against the will of the majority.

6. Finesse- extreme delicacy or subtlety in action, performance, skill, discrimination, taste, etc.

7.  Caucus- a meeting of party leaders to select candidates, elect convention delegates, etc.

8. Referendum- the principle or practice of referring measures proposed or passed by a legislative body to the vote of the electorate for approval or rejection.

9. Marginalizing- to place in a position of marginal importance, influence, or power: the government’s attempts to marginalize criticism and restore public confidence.

10. Morass- a tract of low, soft, wet ground.

Klein, Joe. “When Bad Missions Happen to Good Generals.” Time 22 Jan. 2007: 25.

Allen, Mike. “Looking For The Restart Button.” Time 22 Jan. 2007: 26-27.

Tumulty, Karen. “Inside Man.” Time 22 Jan. 2007: 28-29.

Isaacson, Walter. “The Women’s Channel.” Time 22 Jan. 2007: 31.

    In the modern world, many people consider themselves individualistic nonconformists; however, they are really some of the biggest conformists society has ever known. Being “different” has spawned into a growing trend. People have tendencies to act out and dress in strange ways to show that they are not conforming. This is now becoming a fad and is really becoming the most conformist thing to do.

   In this trend, people (usually teenage children) are becoming something other than what they normally would be. They tend to be outlandish and loud. In some cases, the people revert into themselves and stay away from the other “popular” people. However; in any case, the person is not being everything they want because they are trying to hard to avoid anything that other people like.

    People who are joining this trend are dressing as unusually as they act. These people are wearing dark colors matched with unbelievably bright colors. They wear anything that will set them apart from everyone else in the crowd. They crave the attention it brings but just claim to be “themselves.”

   There are many trends around already, but these people refuse to follow them. Instead they are creating their own trends. They are getting back into old trends and “making them their own.” Like previously stated, they dress to stand out and get attention, therefore they refuse to wear what is commonly seen in large groups of people. Sometimes, but not commonly, you’ll see a few similarly dressed “nonconformists” grouped together. If you see a group of these teenagers, they are at a mall or out somewhere doing something strange or destructive. Normally though, you will see one of them and they will simply be minding their own business or shopping in different stores buying the things they think no one in their area has.

    Most of these teens, tend to not be themselves truly. They strive so hard for the attention and crave to be different that they forget who they are and what they really like.  They hide their real likes and dislikes from people in fear that they will be labeled according  to what they like. They are truly die hard about what they think will make them different. They don’t want to blend in with the crowd, but with the growing amount of teenagers joining this popular trend they are becoming part of a whole new mass of “individualists.”

    It’s a terribly confusing human conditions. If they chose to be different, they should live their lives enjoying all the things that make them happy. They would truly we different if they like what they liked and didn’t care what everyone else thought about them. Being different is what a person makes it, not following some trend and being a “nonconformist.” Trying that hard to be different is something that really sets you in with the crowd. Everyone is going to like something that someone else likes, not everyone is the same though. It’s impossible to be completely different.  Every one conforms to a certain level, but the nonconformist way of life is a trend.

Thesis: In the modern world, many people consider themselves individualistic nonconformists; however, they are really some of the biggest conformists society has ever known.

I. The growing trend of being different

     A. Acting out

     B. Dressing strangely

 II. Starting “new” trends

        A. Dressing “differently”

        B. Developing old trends

        C. Refusing to wear things other people are wearing

        D. Doing unusual things

        E. Being Outstandish

III. Changing themselves

     A.  Trying not to blend in

     B. Not conforming

     C. Not being themselves in order to become popular while still being “different”

Conclusion: Every one conforms to a certain level, but the nonconformist way of life is a trend.

In the modern world, many people consider themselves individualistic nonconformists, however, in turn they are really being some of the biggest conformists society has ever known.

An example is a single item drawn from a larger group to which it belongs. An example is also often viewed as one of a number of specific cases in which a generalization turns out to be true. Smog is one of many possible examples of pollution. Chicken pox is an example of a childhood disease. The egg yolk on Bill’s necktie is an example of sloppy eating habits. The bald eagle is an example that backs up the generalization that endangered species can sometimes be preserved. The French Reign of Terror is an example that supports the idea that violent revolutions often bring about further violence. (The preceding five sentences are a good paper of examples.)

It’s hard to write a good paper of any kind without using at least some examples. Examples clarify a writer’s thought by bringing remote abstractions down to earth:

The American Civil War was not all the romantic valor we read about in storybooks. It was the horrors of trench warfare, the medical nightmare of wholesale amputations, and for the south, at least, the agony of slow starvation.

Examples also add interest: The most humdrum generalization can take on new life if supported by effective examples. Specific details described in specific language are at the heart of almost all good writing, and examples by their very nature are specific:

Professor Smathers’ course in Shakespeare was the worst I have ever taken. Once We spent a whole week listening to students recite -or mumble- sonnets they had been forced to memorize. Another time Professor Smathers devoted an entire period to attacking one of the footnotes in our edition of Hamlet. And I never understood the true meaning of boredom until the great day that I heard him discourse on Shakespeare’s preference for daisies over roses.

Examples help persuade. Without the help of examples, many perfectly valid statements can be percieved as dismal echoes of ideas the author has heard somewhere but has never though about seriously. If the writer of the following paragraph had omittied the example, there would be no way to evaluate the merits of the complaint:

Routine city service are in a terrible state. The freeway from West 50th Street to the Downtown exit has been filled with gaping chuckholes since early spring. Rat-infested, condemned, and abandoned buildings still line Water Street despite the three-year-old promises to tear them down. Last week the papers reported the story of a man who called the police about a burglar entering his home-and got a busy signal.

An example essay is one that relies on examples to support its thesis. The ordinary pattern for an example essay is elementary, though bear in mind that no pattern should be followed blindly. A first paragraph presents the thesis. A varying number of paragraphs-depending on the subject, complexity of thesis, and material available to the writer- then establishes through examples the validity of the thesis. A concluding paragraph reinforces or advances the thesis. The pattern seems simple, and it is.

What isn’t quite so simple is seeing to it that all the examples are relevant and persuasive.

Are There Enough Examples to Support Your Thesis?

Three examples may sometimes be enough. A hundred may be too few (an in that case you’ve made a poor choice of thesis for an example essay). Common sense is your best guide. Three in-depth examples of overly sentimental deathbed scenes from Dickens’ novels may be enough to establish that Dickens had trouble with deathbed scenes. A hundred examples of middle-aged men with protruding stomachs will not even begin to establish that most middle-aged men have potbellies. As a general rule for a paper of five hundred words or so, choose a thesis that can be supported adequately with no more than fifteen examples, unless your instructor tells you otherwise. Don’t use fewer than three examples unless you’re extremely confident about the virtues of your paper. Remember, too, that the fewer the examples, the more fully each needs to be developed.

Are the Examples Fairly Chosen?

Your reader must be convinced that the examples represent a reasonable cross-section of the group you’re dealing with. Choose typical example. Anyone can load the dice. You may have an imposing number of dramatic examples showing that the downtown business area of a city is deserted and dying, but if you drew all the examples from only one street or from visiting the area on a Sunday afternoon, you would not have played fair. Plan your paper with the notion of a cross-section constantly in mind. If you’re generalizing about teachers in your school, try to pick examples from different departments, age groups, sexes, and so on. If you’re attacking television commercials, make sure your examples include significantly different products; otherwise, you might wind up convincing your reader that only ads for soaps and detergents are bad.

Have You Stuck to Your Thesis?

One way of losing sight of your thesis has just been described. Poorly selected examples, besides creating an impression of unfairness, may support only part of the thesis; on writer demonstrates that only a single block is deserted and dying, not the whole downtown area; another shows that commercials about laundry products are offensive, not commercials in general.

A second, but equally common way of drifitng off is to forget you are writing an example paper. A writer starts out well by providing examples establishing the idea that “routine city services are in a terrible state.” Halfway through the paper, the writer gets sidetracked into a discussion of the causes for this condition and the steps the average citizen can take to remedy it. The writer thus manages to produce a paper that’s 50 percent irrelevant to the declared thesis.

Have You Arranged Your Examples to Produce the Greatest Impact?

In planning your paper, you’ve limited your subject, developed a thesis, and jotted down many examples. You’ve eliminated irrelevant and illogical examples. Now how do you handle those that are left? Which comes first? Which comes last?

Unless you’re superhuman, some of the examples you’re going to use will be clearly superior to others. As a general principle, try to start off with a bang. Grab the attention of your reader as soon as possible with your most dramatic or shocking or amusing or disturbing example. If you have tow unusually effective examples, so much the better. Save one for last: Try to end with a bang too.

A large number of exceptionally strong examples can also lead to a common variation on the orthodox pattern of devoting the first paragraph to a presentation of the thesis. Use the first paragraph instead to present one of the strongest examples. (Humorous anecdotes often work particularly well.) Stimulate curiosity. Arouse interest. The present the thesis in the second paragraph before going on to the other examples.

Paragraphing itself is important throughout the essay to help the reader understand the nature of your material and the logic of your argument. With a few well-developed examples, there’s no problem. Each should get a paragraph to itself. With a great number of examples, however, there’s some potential for difficulties. Each example will probably be short-one or two sentences, let’s say- because you’re writing an essay of only a few hundred words, not a term paper. If each of these short examples gets a separate paragraph, the paper is likely to be extremely awkward and choppy to read. But even without burden, the physical appearance alone of the page can bother most readers: Before getting to the actual reading, they will have thought of the paper as a collection of separate sentences and thoughts rather than as a unified composition.

The solution to this paragraphing problem is to gather the many examples together into a few logical groups and write a paragraph for each group, not for each example. Suppose you have fifteen good examples of declining city services. Instead of writing fifteen one-sentence paragraphs, you observe that four examples involve transportation; five, safety; three, housing; and the rest, pollution and sanitation. Your paragraphing problems are over.

 1. Thesis: Routine city services are in a terrible state.

2. Transportation

    Ex. 1-Higher fares for same ore worse service

    Ex. 2-No parking facilities

    Ex. 3- Poor snow removal

    Ex. 4-Refusal to synchronize traffic lights downtown

3. Safety 

    Ex. 1-Unrepaired chuckholes

    Ex. 2-Unrepaired  traffic lights

    Ex. 3-Busy signals at police station

    Ex. 4-Slow response when police do come

    Ex. 5-Releasing of  dangerous criminals because of overcrowding at city jail

4. Housing 

    Ex. 1-Decaying public projects

    Ex. 2-Abandoned buildings not torn down

    Ex. 3-Housing codes not enforced in some neighborhoods

5. Pollution and Sanitation

    Ex. 1-Flooded basements

    Ex. 2-Litter in public parks

    Ex. 3-Increase in rats

6. Conclusion

Writing Suggestions For Example Essays.

    Write an example essay supporting one of the following statements or a related statement of your own.

1. Life in [your town] is not as bad as it’s cracked up to be.
2. Some teachers try too hard to identify with their students.
3. Junk-food has many virtues.
4.  Corruption is part of the American way of life.
5. Teenage marriages are likely to end unhappily.
6. People express their personalities through clothes they wear.
7. The generation gap is a myth.
8. Children’s television programs display too much violence.
9. A student’s life is not a happy one.
10. Nuns and/or priests are complex human beings, not plaster saints.
11. You can tell a lot about people from their table manners.
12. Student government is a farce.
13. Apparent nonconformists are sometimes the worst conformists.
14. Everyone loves to gossip.
15. Many people never learn from their mistakes.
16. The effort to succeed in more satisfying than success itself.
17. Even at their best, most people are basically selfish.
18. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
19. Taking care of a pet can be a great educational experience for children.
20. Newspapers rarely bother to report good news.

Dan’s New Minivan.

Britt Teller (student)

Thesis: My Husband, Dan, chose the new family minivan because of its great number of                   gadgets.

              I. Technological wonders

                 A. CD player

                 B. Compass and thermometer

                 C. Power everything

                 D. Remote control

                 E. Burglar Alarm

            II. Nonhigh-tech wonders

                 A. Storage compartments

                 B. Holder for garage door opener

                 C. Sun visors

           III. Deluxe cupholders

Conclusion: To be honest, I really like the car, too.

    My husband, Dan, just bought a new minivan. He spent months poring over shiny brochures from car companies, checking out safety features and mileage statistics, reading and rereading critical reviews in Consumer Reports and Car and Driver, and talking with friends, neighbors, and perfect strangers, about their own minivans. He talked to me and the kids about out preferences in size, color, seating, and a host of other details. He paid for the computerized services itemizing dealer costs and sticker prices. He spent ages visiting dealers and practicing his negotiating skills. (I swore off accompanying him on those trips to dealers fifteen years and three care ago.) Finally the big day came. My husband went out to buy the minivan he had scientifically determined to be the best for our family. He came home with the van with the most gadgets.

    Our new van has scores of technological wonders. It has a CD player that my eleven-year-old daughter had to show her father how to use and for which we own no CDs. It has separate heating and air conditioning controls for the driver’s seat, the passenger’s seat, and the bench seats in the back. In case Dan gets lost while driving around the corner to pick up a carton of milk, the new van has a digital compass that constantly flashes the direction he’s heading, and as a bonus also shows the current outside temperature in the Celsius and Fahrenheit, plus the total trip distance in miles and kilometers. So no one in the family gets wrist strain, the van has power locks, power windows, and power seats with memories. So no one gets finger strain, it has a key chain gizmo that locks and unlocks the doors through remote control. It has a built-in burglar alarm-that I hate and which was accidentally set off three times in the first week that we had it.

    Other gadgets in the minivan are not as high tech, but they are just as mush fun for my husband to play with. The new van has a secret locking storage compartment beneath the passenger seat. And if anyone should need to store anything else, there are at least six more storage areas tucked in convenient and inconvenient  places all around the van. To allay panic when one is trying to open the garage door, the new van even has a special holder for the garage door opener that lets Dan press the magic button without any fumbling. Even the sun visors are miracles. They have built-in extenders to block the sun at the trickiest angles. They have vanity mirrors with built-in lights. And the lights themselves are adjustable. (I’m not making this up.)

    But the very best thing about the van, Dan’s favorite thing about his brand new car, the thing he shows off to all the neighbors-is the cupholders! There are fourteen cup holders. Fourteen! In a minivan that seats only seven, that’s quite an accomplishment. They are in the armrests and under the dashboard. They are attached to doors. They are on the backs of seats. They pull out from under other seats. Two of them are adjustable, for heaven’s sake. They fit the cups better than my clothes fit me.

     To be honest, I really am pleased with Dan’s choice of minivan. I’m grateful that we can somehow afford the darned thing, of course, It gets surprisingly good mileage. It’s easy to park and fun to drive, and now that I’ve got the hang of the burglar alarm, even that isn’t too bad. I know my husband only bought it for the gadgets, and I know it’s not the most practical thin he’s ever done, but he’s very happy, and I always have some place to put my coffee.