UP 2 US
Posted under: Ingredient Lists Are Particularly Interesting
I am a compulsive reader. Books, advertisements, magazines, the back of toothpaste tubes – no unread text is safe from my roving eye.
Some of my favorite random reading comes from license plates.
They don’t even have to be personalized license plates for my mind to try and assign some kind of meaning to them, though the vanity plates interest me the most. Someone paid (and is, in fact, still paying) extra money every year in order to have a specific phrase put on their car.
Examples
- “KIDSRGON” (on a sports car)
- “LUV2PRTY” (on…another sports car)
- “EX-HBND” (a car won in or paid by a divorce, I imagine)
Inspiration
The things that some folks deem worth this extra expense alternately amuse and baffle me. In some rare cases, they inspire me.
Yesterday, I followed home a sensible little car in very good condition with a vanity plate that said “UP 2 US”
They could be talking about their battle to scrape together enough money to purchase the car. They could be talking about the environment, or politics, or weight loss, or ensuring a better future for the next generation.
They could be talking about ALL of these things.
Seeing people who take personal responsibility for life is, to me, the most inspiring thing in the world.
UP 2 US
What does it mean to YOU?
Interesting you should post this just after I read the morning paper (something I usually am successful at avoiding), which in turn raised my political awareness (and ire).
Without turning this into a political discussion (something I am loath to do under any circumstances), I agree it’s UP 2 US, but I fear there are damned few of “us” left. :(
By the way, my vanity license plate is UCLA 74. *grin*
.-= Steve Hall´s last blog ..Weekly Wrap-Up: May 10 =-.
@Steve
Even just a few can still make a difference, if they shout loud enough. Take a page from Horton Hears a Who or The Gates of Fire (by Steven Pressfield, if you’re interested).
Hee hee. I think this means that if we want our shirts ironed, it is up to us to do that.
Okay, maybe what I mean is why in the world was I starching and ironing a workshirt covered in grease and paint? Surely, no one would truly want to wear that shirt and if they did, why were they not ironing it?? Sheesh! I must be a maroon.
My father has had vanity plates for 30 years. They say “WHIZ.” This is immensely comical to me for many reasons.
@ Steve,
You can get those plates, but I am still envisioning you as some shaggy-haired 25 year old living in a very artsy loft.
@Anne
Hah! I’d love to imagine me that way too, but reality… (Okay, my youngest son will be 29 in 18 days.)
And shaggy-haired? Umm…have you seen my picture? :O
However, the idea of an artsy loft is appealing to my inner something, as long as it’s not in Manhattan. NYC is a great place to visit, but I couldn’t live there.
.-= Steve Hall´s last blog ..Weekly Wrap-Up: May 10 =-.
@Anne
I’m against ironing in general, but most specifically in the case of a shirt with iron and paint on it. I don’t even like to buy clothes that have special washing instructions!!
“WHIZ” amuses me, as well. *titter* Yes, I’m five years old sometimes.
@ Steve,
I did some math, which I love, and can offer this:
When I am your age, my oldest won’t yet be 29 and my youngest will be only 20. Which gets you this story.
A few years back, my daughter asked me how old I would be when she is 19. I asked her if she was ready for the answer, because it was a big number. She paused for a moment and then responded.
“That is so weird, Mom. Because you are almost 57 already and I am sooooo far away from being 19.”
So, there is my reality.
I was rather picturing the artsy loft in Chicago, but I won’t pigeon-hole you further. Well, except you drive a motorcycle.
*laughing* As a matter of fact, I’m scared to death of motorcycles. Four wheels (at least) on the pavement at all times, thank you!
And that story is hilarious! One of the great truths: Youth is wasted on the young (I certainly wasted a good deal of mine!).
.-= Steve Hall´s last blog ..Weekly Wrap-Up: May 10 =-.
UP 2 US? First thing that comes to my mind is my little girl. Gotta make sure she has the best life she can.
@Steve
I’ve seen your picture (I think) are you sure you aren’t 25?
@Byrd HAH!
Me
.-= Steve Hall´s last blog ..Weekly Wrap-Up: May 10 =-.
Testing something, Tami…
Me
(If this is in the mod queue, then it’s because of the url. If not, then the previous one was because I edited it to add the URL; the img tag isn’t supported in comments.) :)
.-= Steve Hall´s last blog ..Weekly Wrap-Up: May 10 =-.
@Byrd
I looked at all the comments I could find for you and couldn’t find a use of the img tag. The anchor tag you added in the last comment doesn’t specify where you want it to go, so it’s invalid.
Both img and anchor tags are permitted in comments.
Choose
and
I think you meant to address me. ;) Nice cupcake, btw!! WITH SPRINKLES! :D
I’ve copied and pasted IMG code here 3x…it’s not showing up. May only you can use IMG? Not a huge deal…just odd. :)
.-= Steve Hall´s last blog ..Weekly Wrap-Up: May 10 =-.
@Steve
Ha, you’re right. I did mean to address you.
odd that it stripped the html out of the comment completely. It wasn’t even showing in the admin.