Well today (Wednesday, August 22nd) a nice woman from the Detroit Police Department called to say my car was recovered. I had a momentary surge of excitement. I am pretty sure I said, "Oh my God..really...where...how is it?" Like I honestly thought it would be in good condition. My hope was fleeting. She started running down the list of what was missing...it goes like this:
Windshield Wipers
Headlights
Battery
Radio
Driver's Door
Hood
Engine Parts
I knew it was all over then...there was no hope. She was stripped and totaled. I quickly called the towing company where she had been taken to. They were open until 7pm so I headed over there right after work. My first indication that this wasn't going to be pretty was all the signs the towing company had tacked up on their bulletproof glass. The signs said, "It is not our fault your car is here." "You cannot take belongings without paying first." And variations of those...my favorite of course was it was not their fault my car was there...that was a good reminder for me.
They looked up my car and a nice fellow took me out to where it was parked on a golf cart. I recognized her immediately even in her stripped down state. They took basically everything in the engine, radio, panels, etc. Pictures below for those who are interested. I was able to recover a few of my maps I had in the glove box (which by the way the glove box was completely gone), a towel, my insurance/registration/license plate, and two very special items...a rock for a LV Retreat that Br. Bud gave us during a reflection and also a Lasallian key chain that said "Live Jesus in Our Hearts." Any Lasallians out there will appreciate how meaningful it was to me to have my car stripped and destroyed yet my rock from this retreat and this key chain were still intact. I always kept them in the car as a reminder of my time with the LVs and Brothers. I had to dig on the floor to find them but there were there. Everything else was gone...my CDs, books, etc. Nothing of great worth but still gone.
I came back to the towing office and got ready to sign over my title. The car was worthless to me. I don't have comprehensive insurance coverage. It wasn't worth it. The car is 20 years old with almost 250,000 miles. It just wasn't worth the extra coverage every month. Because of that, the insurance company will do nothing...and I am completely out of a car. I signed over the title and found out I had to pay $75 for the towing/impound for a night. This was the first time I really got angry about this whole thing. I mean seriously angry. I had to take a step back and take a deep breath. My car was stolen, ripped apart, and now I have to pay you $75. I reminded myself, "It is not their fault my car is there." They don't deserve my anger. I paid the $75 and thanked them with a smile...and I meant it. They probably deal with angry people all the time who treat them like shit. The least I could do was say thank you and smile. I have full plans to go and visit with my State Representative about this. Your car is stolen and you are left with nothing and you still have to pay...there has to be a way to change that. Rashida will be hearing from me soon.
Again I was reminded of people who have no money and no options...what the hell do they do when their car is stolen and ripped apart? Since folks have heard about my car, I have had many people send emails with links to decent cars or recommend people they know who are selling and reliable. I can't thank people enough for their generosity and care. I am grateful I have so many people in my life who can help me in so many ways. Let this be a reminder to also help our neighbor when they are in need...maybe they don't have as great of a support network as I do.
For now, I am going to try and go without a car until I absolutely need one. I have been applying for a few jobs and some would definitely require me to have a car...others not...so I am going to play this one by ear. Unless of course you have a car you would like to give me. If it is decent, I will gladly take it off your hands. I have been fantasizing about driving a motorcycle...but in reality it would probably be a moped :) Detroit is terrible for public transportation, so this will be a challenge. But a few friends and family have already offered to lend me their car when I might need it.
And now a final ode to the Little Red Car...or Rose as she was known to some and Chiquitita as she was known to others. Chiquitita we had a lot of time together and drove many a miles. I know at times it was a love/hate relationship with maybe a little too much hate on my part. You see I got your for free from my dad but immediately had to spend almost $1000 to keep you running and pass inspection in DC. Then you refused to start. And I had to spend more money and time replacing the fuel pump, fuel filter, electronics in the starting and the alternator. Then you had an exhaust leak. I instafoamed the hell out of you and replaced the muffler. O'Reilly's Auto Parts and I were getting very close. Finally...you were running beautifully. No problems...just smooth sailing. We were starting to really like each other. You drove me back and forth to Michigan and up and down the east coast many times. In your last big hurrah, I packed you with all my belonging and we took a three week journey up the east coast. We spent a week in Philly and a week in NYC. You made it all the way to Connecticut and Massachusetts. You crossed New York with no problem and made it to MI. I unloaded you in Lansing and we took another great trip to the Upper Peninsula, Minnesota, Illinois and back. And now Detroit. You had a great run...may your parts go on living in other cars.
If you are curious where my car was recovered, you can check out this map. It was recovered at Henderson and Ogden which is about 3 miles from my house. Apparently Honda Civics are hot in southwest Detroit and disappear from the streets all the time.
https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=henderson+and+ogden+detroit,+mi&aq=&sll=42.352711,-83.099205&sspn=0.277567,0.196381&vpsrc=6&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Ogden+St+%26+Henderson+Ave,+Detroit,+Wayne,+Michigan+48210&ll=42.335961,-83.124447&spn=0.034452,0.084543&t=m&z=14&iwloc=A
Here are the photos of my car. There are captions but you might have to click on the photos to read them. Enjoy:
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Missing
Missing
1992 Red Honda Civic
Two Door Hatchback
246,000 miles (plus some change)
Instafoam protruding on the sides
Thrush muffler that makes a purring noise while driving
Well if you haven't heard already, I write to share the news of my poor stolen car. I am in Philadelphia right now for a friend's wedding and have been here since Thursday. I got a call from the folks I live with on Friday that my car...well...it was stolen. They couldn't pinpoint the exact time. It was sometime Thursday night or Friday during the day. Since I talked to them, I have gone through a range of emotions. My first response...laughter...of course something like this would happen to me. Weird, strange, unfortunate stuff happens to me all the time. They mostly end up turning into really funny stories somewhere down the road. Now more than 24 hours removed from hearing about it I am a little angry, frustrated and mostly just wondering why people do something like this.
I have lived in major metropolitan areas for almost 12 years. In that entire time, I have never even felt close to being uncomfortable or threatened. I have never had anything stolen from me or approached on the street or anywhere for that matter in a way that left me frightened or scared. Now here I am in Detroit...less than four months after moving here...and my car is stolen. It is really quite ironic or sad or something like that. I am not sure I have expressed on this blog why I chose to move to Detroit but it was a deeply thoughtful move that I took almost two years deciding to do. I really wanted to move closer to home and family. I felt like I was missing too much in the lives of my nieces and nephews. I was missing too many weddings, parties and events that bring people together in important ways. The flights home were too much or I couldn't take the time off. I was too busy...there was always something preventing me from spending too much time at home. I have come to love living in urban environments and really read about what was happening in the city....I felt like it could be my kind of place. It seemed like the perfect balance between distance to family and the urban environment that I enjoy.
I quit my job without any future planned employment. I picked up all my stuff and moved back to MI. I spent some time traveling and in January I spent a week in Detroit. I found a job and a place to live and moved in late April. I uprooted pretty much everything to make the big move home. Now again here I am four months later, struggling to find a place I fit in, in the early pains of making new friends, trying to find meaningful employment and trying to make the most of my new move...and then my car is stolen. I desperately want to feel at home again in MI and in Detroit. I want it to be my city, my home...but this doesn't help. This early on in moving to a place...it makes you want to pick up and leave and cut your losses before they get any bigger...It makes me want to say F*#$ It and move on.
And finding out about this while in Philadelphia...a city I love and deeply miss...makes it even worse. I have a community here. I poured my heart and soul into this city when I lived here. I haven't lived in Philly for almost 2 1/2 years and yet I still have many close friends and find a way to get back here about every 6 months. This weekend I have been visiting friends and catching up. It almost feels like I never left. Strange how that is possible when I have actually been gone for a while now. They of course have all been encouraging while at the same time whispering why don't you move back here...and trust me I am always open to hearing those whispers...especially today.
While frustrating and annoying, having my car stolen isn't the worst thing that could happen to me. I have loving family and friends who will offer me rides and help me get around...until I get a new car or find another way to travel. I have options...and opportunity. It makes me think about people who don't have options when something like this happens to them. Their car is often their livelihood. It is how they get to work to make money and pay the bills. They might not have savings to replace a stolen car or time even to make the police report and follow up accordingly. What is an annoyance and frustration to me, could very well be a huge disaster for them. When I think about my stolen car from this perspective, it suddenly matters less. I am grateful I have supportive family and friends and options.
I am not sure what I am going to do. I would love to rely more on my bike, but it can't get me to Lansing very easily. I feel forced into getting another car but not feeling like I have the money to swing it. Maybe I will get a motorcycle. I am thinking about putting a sign in the yard that reads, "Whoever took my red Honda Civic. It is important to me and I really need it. Please return it. If you do, I will have no hard feelings and won't press charges." I also want a sign that reads, "Whoever the F&$#er is that stole my car, I would like it back," or something mean and terrible with some flare of the Winnebago Man (if you have seen the Winnebago Man...google it).
If you see a red Honda Civic with some instafoam spilling out the sides...feel free to call the cops. Its mine. I seriously think I had a dream last night that I was riding my bicycle down the road on a really rainy day. I was getting soaked and then someone drove by in my car....warm and dry. I found myself pedaling like mad to catch up only to see the car drive off into the distance. Not enough time to call the cops but just enough to know she is still being used. Its quite frustrating. I spent a great deal of money (at least to me) getting the car drivable and ready to pass inspection in DC. She then refused to start. I spent more time and money getting her running again. Most recently, my dad and I had to drill out the sides and fix the many leaks in the siding from rust and replace the muffler because it was rusted out. I can't believe that after more than two years, I finally got her into perfect driving condition and now she is gone. I guess I can take solace in knowing I don't need to replace the brakes now (that was the next job). My dad and I laughed at first and said...well all my problems with that car are now gone...true enough but again she was driving like a beauty these days. I had dreams of rolling over 250,000 miles with her. What an amazing day that would be!!!
I hesitate even writing about this because I don't want it to be fodder for people to say I told you so...or Detroit is a piece of shit....what do you expect....or variations of that. I especially don't want this to be a reason people use not to come to the city or fear for their own cars or safety. You can park in our driveway....we have a gate. Use the club...had I parked in the driveway and used the club this might not have happened. You live and learn. Despite my frustrations, I am proud to call Detroit home. There have been more than a few days I have been running, biking or driving around and found myself smiling...because I am just happy to be here. With all the crap you hear about the city, there are real moments of beauty. There are amazing people who have been here forever and new people moving in all the time. There are people who care about the city's future and are doing something about it. So my car was stolen. Hopefully they needed it more than me....maybe I will plant a tree in an empty lot with the people who stole my car and not even know it. Wouldn't that be beautiful?
But seriously...if you see my car...call the cops.
1992 Red Honda Civic
Two Door Hatchback
246,000 miles (plus some change)
Instafoam protruding on the sides
Thrush muffler that makes a purring noise while driving
Well if you haven't heard already, I write to share the news of my poor stolen car. I am in Philadelphia right now for a friend's wedding and have been here since Thursday. I got a call from the folks I live with on Friday that my car...well...it was stolen. They couldn't pinpoint the exact time. It was sometime Thursday night or Friday during the day. Since I talked to them, I have gone through a range of emotions. My first response...laughter...of course something like this would happen to me. Weird, strange, unfortunate stuff happens to me all the time. They mostly end up turning into really funny stories somewhere down the road. Now more than 24 hours removed from hearing about it I am a little angry, frustrated and mostly just wondering why people do something like this.
I have lived in major metropolitan areas for almost 12 years. In that entire time, I have never even felt close to being uncomfortable or threatened. I have never had anything stolen from me or approached on the street or anywhere for that matter in a way that left me frightened or scared. Now here I am in Detroit...less than four months after moving here...and my car is stolen. It is really quite ironic or sad or something like that. I am not sure I have expressed on this blog why I chose to move to Detroit but it was a deeply thoughtful move that I took almost two years deciding to do. I really wanted to move closer to home and family. I felt like I was missing too much in the lives of my nieces and nephews. I was missing too many weddings, parties and events that bring people together in important ways. The flights home were too much or I couldn't take the time off. I was too busy...there was always something preventing me from spending too much time at home. I have come to love living in urban environments and really read about what was happening in the city....I felt like it could be my kind of place. It seemed like the perfect balance between distance to family and the urban environment that I enjoy.
I quit my job without any future planned employment. I picked up all my stuff and moved back to MI. I spent some time traveling and in January I spent a week in Detroit. I found a job and a place to live and moved in late April. I uprooted pretty much everything to make the big move home. Now again here I am four months later, struggling to find a place I fit in, in the early pains of making new friends, trying to find meaningful employment and trying to make the most of my new move...and then my car is stolen. I desperately want to feel at home again in MI and in Detroit. I want it to be my city, my home...but this doesn't help. This early on in moving to a place...it makes you want to pick up and leave and cut your losses before they get any bigger...It makes me want to say F*#$ It and move on.
And finding out about this while in Philadelphia...a city I love and deeply miss...makes it even worse. I have a community here. I poured my heart and soul into this city when I lived here. I haven't lived in Philly for almost 2 1/2 years and yet I still have many close friends and find a way to get back here about every 6 months. This weekend I have been visiting friends and catching up. It almost feels like I never left. Strange how that is possible when I have actually been gone for a while now. They of course have all been encouraging while at the same time whispering why don't you move back here...and trust me I am always open to hearing those whispers...especially today.
While frustrating and annoying, having my car stolen isn't the worst thing that could happen to me. I have loving family and friends who will offer me rides and help me get around...until I get a new car or find another way to travel. I have options...and opportunity. It makes me think about people who don't have options when something like this happens to them. Their car is often their livelihood. It is how they get to work to make money and pay the bills. They might not have savings to replace a stolen car or time even to make the police report and follow up accordingly. What is an annoyance and frustration to me, could very well be a huge disaster for them. When I think about my stolen car from this perspective, it suddenly matters less. I am grateful I have supportive family and friends and options.
I am not sure what I am going to do. I would love to rely more on my bike, but it can't get me to Lansing very easily. I feel forced into getting another car but not feeling like I have the money to swing it. Maybe I will get a motorcycle. I am thinking about putting a sign in the yard that reads, "Whoever took my red Honda Civic. It is important to me and I really need it. Please return it. If you do, I will have no hard feelings and won't press charges." I also want a sign that reads, "Whoever the F&$#er is that stole my car, I would like it back," or something mean and terrible with some flare of the Winnebago Man (if you have seen the Winnebago Man...google it).
If you see a red Honda Civic with some instafoam spilling out the sides...feel free to call the cops. Its mine. I seriously think I had a dream last night that I was riding my bicycle down the road on a really rainy day. I was getting soaked and then someone drove by in my car....warm and dry. I found myself pedaling like mad to catch up only to see the car drive off into the distance. Not enough time to call the cops but just enough to know she is still being used. Its quite frustrating. I spent a great deal of money (at least to me) getting the car drivable and ready to pass inspection in DC. She then refused to start. I spent more time and money getting her running again. Most recently, my dad and I had to drill out the sides and fix the many leaks in the siding from rust and replace the muffler because it was rusted out. I can't believe that after more than two years, I finally got her into perfect driving condition and now she is gone. I guess I can take solace in knowing I don't need to replace the brakes now (that was the next job). My dad and I laughed at first and said...well all my problems with that car are now gone...true enough but again she was driving like a beauty these days. I had dreams of rolling over 250,000 miles with her. What an amazing day that would be!!!
I hesitate even writing about this because I don't want it to be fodder for people to say I told you so...or Detroit is a piece of shit....what do you expect....or variations of that. I especially don't want this to be a reason people use not to come to the city or fear for their own cars or safety. You can park in our driveway....we have a gate. Use the club...had I parked in the driveway and used the club this might not have happened. You live and learn. Despite my frustrations, I am proud to call Detroit home. There have been more than a few days I have been running, biking or driving around and found myself smiling...because I am just happy to be here. With all the crap you hear about the city, there are real moments of beauty. There are amazing people who have been here forever and new people moving in all the time. There are people who care about the city's future and are doing something about it. So my car was stolen. Hopefully they needed it more than me....maybe I will plant a tree in an empty lot with the people who stole my car and not even know it. Wouldn't that be beautiful?
But seriously...if you see my car...call the cops.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Videos from Travels
I found these on my computer today. I meant to post them eons ago but never got around it. I am feeling a little sick today...so I am taking care of things I normally ignore as not very important.
Anyway here are two videos from my travels in Israel. The first I recorded as we were leaving the Old City in Jerusalem on our way back to our apartment. It was a few hours before Shabbat started so there was this energy in the city. I don't know how to describe it. You can tell something is coming and people are busy finishing chores, getting home and celebrating...it is very strange and so neat to experience. As we were leaving the Old City, we ran into a group of female soldiers in the Israeli Army. They were in a circle surrounding to older men playing instruments. The older men were playing songs and the whole group of young soldiers were arm in arm singing with them. It was really a neat sight and honestly something I am pretty sure you never see in the US. See for yourself:
IMG 0181 from Mari Anzicek on Vimeo.
The second video I recorded while walking through the Old City. Janet and Max are in front of me. I recorded it to show how busy and crowded the Old City...but also how loud and interesting. It is often more crowded than you see in this video. I wish I could have recorded the smells as well so you can get a sense of the different foods and all other smells you experience while walking through the Old City. And honestly the Old City is pretty cool but it feels like a cramped mall. There are tons of people trying to sell you crap and make deals and get you in their shops. Once you get past all the shops, you experience the real history...but it is like walking through a gauntlet first. Experience it with me:
IMG 0177 from Mari Anzicek on Vimeo.
Anyway here are two videos from my travels in Israel. The first I recorded as we were leaving the Old City in Jerusalem on our way back to our apartment. It was a few hours before Shabbat started so there was this energy in the city. I don't know how to describe it. You can tell something is coming and people are busy finishing chores, getting home and celebrating...it is very strange and so neat to experience. As we were leaving the Old City, we ran into a group of female soldiers in the Israeli Army. They were in a circle surrounding to older men playing instruments. The older men were playing songs and the whole group of young soldiers were arm in arm singing with them. It was really a neat sight and honestly something I am pretty sure you never see in the US. See for yourself:
IMG 0181 from Mari Anzicek on Vimeo.
The second video I recorded while walking through the Old City. Janet and Max are in front of me. I recorded it to show how busy and crowded the Old City...but also how loud and interesting. It is often more crowded than you see in this video. I wish I could have recorded the smells as well so you can get a sense of the different foods and all other smells you experience while walking through the Old City. And honestly the Old City is pretty cool but it feels like a cramped mall. There are tons of people trying to sell you crap and make deals and get you in their shops. Once you get past all the shops, you experience the real history...but it is like walking through a gauntlet first. Experience it with me:
IMG 0177 from Mari Anzicek on Vimeo.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Came Upon this Today
I found this nifty little graphic today and thought it was awesome. I am not sharing it with all of you:
http://content.sierraclub.org/mypieceofamerica/sites/content.sierraclub.org.mypieceofamerica/files/SierraClub_NPmap.jpg
Enjoy...
http://content.sierraclub.org/mypieceofamerica/sites/content.sierraclub.org.mypieceofamerica/files/SierraClub_NPmap.jpg
Enjoy...
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