The EGR valve

This is the second time I'm composing this post. I complained a lot in the previous version and I was paid for that. Here I am, typing a post again.

I anticipated the EGR valve to arrive at noon today, as I was told and hoped that it will be replaced and I will be able to drive up north to Palatine to spend the long weekend with my parents, sister and her family. One might think that I'm going to Palatine because it is a long weekend. The truth is, that is what I do on all weekends.

Anyway, the EGR valve did not arrive on time but instead the truck carrying the packet showed up at 2:45 pm. I was told that, the EGR valve can't be replaced today, not even tomorrow but only on Tuesday. I made a frantic effort to get it replaced by some one else but in vain. Most of the auto shops were either under-staffed or were booked until Tuesday. I had to take an appointment with one of them, the only one that promised to get the job done tomorrow by 1 pm.

Buying a pre-owned car has paid off not so well for me. I have spent about an eighth of the cost of the car already in repairs, maintenance and parts. Some people get lucky and get a good car even though it is pre-owned. "Pre-owned", what a name for a used car? "Second-hand" will not quite fit, I guess, because one never knows how many hands has the car gone through. Some times lessons are learnt the hard way and in my case, it turns out to be all the time. The next car that I buy, will certainly be a new one. At least, I myself will be responsible for all expenses on it and can't blame in on how the previous owner(s) used it before me.

Today, I said the word EGR valve about 4 times the number of times I have written it here.

The beaver said that I'm doing it for myself

I spoke to the beaver after a long time for about 3 hours last night. It was a very good experience and we spoke about a lot of things, about both of us, people in our day to day life, work and so on. I mentioned to the beaver that I have been given a verbal approval from both my manager and also the HR manager for going to school again, how excited I was, how I looked forward to start going to school etcetera. After hearing from me why I wanted to do that and while discussing other things the beaver made the observation that I'm doing it for myself. It did not quite affect me at that point of time and later I thought "if not for myself, then for who else?" But today I thought more about it and I realized that it was true. The beaver made me think again.

I have developed an admiration for Jack Welch these days since I started reading "Winning". I liked the importance he gives to candor and differentiation and the analogies that he draws between these aspects of business and other walks of life. Will he turn out to be my hero? Time will tell.

But it also happens to be achievable

Yes, winning is nuanced and complex, not to mention brutally hard. But it also happens to be achievable. You can win. But to do that, you need to know what makes winning happen.

- Jack Welch in his best seller book "Winning"

Today was a remarkably good day. I started reading "Winning", played a game of tennis with a bunch of guys who go to Bradley and started my own blog and this is the second post of the day. I intend to continue with posting, reading the book and play tennis.

Do all conservatives like war?

I started reading "How to Talk to a Liberal (if you must)" by Ann Coulter a couple of weeks ago. I should be honest and say that it was the way she showed up on the "Tonight's Show" a few days back that made me interested in reading her book. After reading a few pages I couldn't stand her any more.

She says that we should attack all the "terrorist countries" and kill the leaders there and convert them to Christianity. I have a problem with that attitude. The Christianity that I know and believe in spreads the message of peace and not war. The question is do we have to do this to the (terrorist) countries that America supports in the name of the "War on Terror" also?

One need not be a republican or support war or capital punishment or not support gun control to be a conservative. My views on the book can not be listed here because they will go on for ever but I decided not to read the book further. I think I have better books to read than books that portray biased opinions.