Quitting Smoking???

So, I know I have to quit smoking... Don't we all already know that?? I hate hearing over and over again. It's the same thing, "Don't you want to see you kids grow up? Do you know what your doing to your body?"

No, I don't - Why don't you tell me about it and then I'll simply throw my cigarettes away..  Ahhhh, if only it were that easy..

I feel trapped by smoking, almost like I have some sort of handicap if I quit. I've tried almost every method out there and here are the results:

1. Cold Turkey - I quit for 30 days cold turkey, no smokes. It was hell. I almost felt like my head would explode. Then I sold my house, went to work the following day and was laid off.... Give me a smoke!!!!
2. The Patch - The patch was OK. It did take the edge off but I found it very difficult to curb the "hand to mouth" addiction... Failed again.
3. Zyban - I quit for approx. 36 days with Zyban. Worked great but man oh man did it give me some freaky dreams. I'd spend the whole day at work thinking about the alligator under my bed that tried to eat me last night.. I stopped taking the Zyban thinking I was strong enough to keep it together... Failed.
4. Celebrex - I was told Celebrex will stop the nicotine from attaching to the brain and hence stop the "happy" feeling you get from smoking. It did, in fact, do that. I felt like I had stuck my head in a camp fire and breathed deeply. Smoking sucked. Unfortunately, it made me sick and dizzy. I couldn't perform my job anymore...So... Failed.
5. Hypnosis - Very expensive form of quitting smoking and they guaranteed I'd be a non-smoker. Never happened... I did what they said but maybe I wasn't being hypnotized.. I don't know but I still smoked.
6. Nicorette Inhaler - This was my most recent attempt. I liked it. It tasted very similar to a cigarette and you are able to still "pretend" your smoking. I was a little concerned that the inhaler itself may be addictive but in the end, it still wasn't a cigarette and I failed. This one, I think, was partially my fault. I don't think I tried very hard.

Anyway, my quest continues... I would really like to be a non-smoker but I do not have the will power to conquer it. It's a defeating feeling that I'm sure I share with millions of people around the world.

Don't get me wrong, I know plenty of people who have successfully quit using the above methods. They just didn't work for me. I admire all those who have quit smoking and joined the "non-smoking" club. I'd like to be a member and one day I will be. I will continue to try...... But to all those ex-smokers out there who found it easy to quit and think it's all in your head, throw those cigarettes away, it's that easy..... Please try to take it easy on us cancer seekers.

Next step.... Laser treatment.

The Automotive Experience pt2

Being a woman working in automotive makes me a target..... for jokes, pranks and all around male fun....

Sometimes.... I was included in jokes on other people but mostly... the joke was on me.

Quite often I was the victim of the ultimate fart.. Yep, one of the guys on many occasions would come in my office, let one rip, leave and shut the door - and hold it shut of course.. Or they would find a reason to call me out to the shop just so one of them could jump out of a box and scare the life out of me.

One time they put a tire sticker on the top of my head which of course stuck like glue and then switched my tea with coffee.. Very funny guys..

When I was selling my car, I took pictures and created a listing on the auto trader. Moments later I received a call on my cell phone from someone who was interested in buying - said he'd be there in 5min to take a look at it. I went into the shop and told the guys how I already got a call on the car. One tech makes a bet with me that the guy wouldn't show up. I fell for it hook, line and sinker.... They had called me from the shop for a laugh and a free coffee..

They put a dead mouse on my desk and even set off fire crackers in my office.... Oh and let's not forget the hose incident? When I got soaked on my way to talk to a customer?

But I have done it to myself.

• It was really busy, the shop was full, the office was full and the phone was ringing off the hook. So, I answered the line and the customer asked to speak to "Luke". I put them on hold, picked up the next line and said "Thank you for calling Luke." Now, I'm quietly laughing to myself when I pick up the loud speaker mic with the intention of paging "Luke, line one" and in stead I said "Hello?" Figures the place was packed when I did that.
• I went in the shop one day asked very loudly if we had time to cut the nuts off this guys pipe?
• I told a customer once we would do a brake insextion on his car. He didn't hear me say it and was a little irritated when I wouldn't tell him what was so funny.
• Then there was the time I told another shop which dropped a car off that they could pick it up in the nude (instead of noon)
• Once, I called myself..... I worked between three shops in the same franchise so I sometimes got numbers mixed up. I was trying to call another shop but instead called the one I was at, so of course the other rings. I hit the other line so I could quickly say "please hold" and go back to the other call except when I did, whoever had called had already put me on hold.... Then it clicked...

You have to be thick skinned to work in a shop - especially if you're a woman... But I like working with men. They're not as sensitive as women, they can take a joke and they never stay mad at you. But it's not easy...Men tend to yell louder when they're mad and have a tendonsy to be obnoxious and rude. My advice is to take it with a grain a salt and above all else remember.... There's no crying in automotive. If you can't hack, get back in the kitchen.. lol...

Till next time...

The 13 Second Volvo...

My boyfriend is a Volvo man - He works at Volvo and owns Volvo's. It's his car that can do the quarter mile in just over 13 seconds.....

Yeah I know what your thinking..... How and Why would someone want to make a 13 second Volvo???

It's the reaction we get all the time. We own a 1998 Volvo S70 2.3L 5 cylinder engine. It's a 4 door sedan and doesn't look fast - at all!! So, there is a little enjoyment from that... To see the look on people's faces as you go screaming past them! lol. But in all seriousness lets look a little closer at the "how" and "why"

First - The Why???

Volvo has been making cars since 1927 and have owned their own accident research team since 1970. They invented the first 3-point safety belt system in 1959 and were the first to produce the side impact protection system (sips). They are the leaders in safety with a 5 star crash rating for front and side impacts. They're stylish and fresh.

I should also add that in spite of all this, they are expensive to buy and maintain but worth every penny. You'll ride in style and comfort with all the latest technology available.

On that note.... The How???

Here's the list..... The list of some of the modifications made on our Volvo.

• 18T Mitsubishi High Pressure Turbo (16-22Psi Boost)
• 3" Stainless Eurosport Tuning Exhaust from the Turbo back
• Silicone Vacuum Lines
• Forge Manual Boost Controller
• AEM Progressive Lowering Springs
• HID Conversion
• Rica Tuned
• P205/50R16 Maragoni Verso Tires

Of course, there were a few extras and a few things on our to do list but it gives you an idea of what we did.

Visit my U Tube channel - The Just West - To see a 13.82 run with the Volvo or click the Link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZQP6NvCGLQ

Kids Grow Up Way Too Fast

When I was pregnant with second child I had already decided that I was not going to have any more children. Having two healthy children is a blessing and two children is enough for us....

With my baby being 10 weeks old now, I can't help but be a little bit sad. It goes by so fast and I miss when my oldest son was a baby. Baby's are so much fun. There's nothing better than  when they first  smile, laugh, find their hands...... These things seem so insignificant but when your baby does it... It's huge!!

I cherish the moments I have now much more than before. I want to remember everything. I could stare at my baby all night cause I know tomorrow he'll be bigger.

I always wondered what the purpose of life was. It feels like we walk around just living... Working, sleeping, eating, and occasionally having fun. But really - We do all this so we can one day roll over and die??? What's up with that?.... Then I had kids and it was like a light went on and I suddenly realized... This is why! We are here to better the world through our children.

Everyone wants more for their kids, wants them to do better, to be smarter, to live healthier, to be better people. By us doing more for our kids, each generation is getting smarter, healthier and generally are better people. It's no wonder why the technology we have days is so advanced - It all came from love.

Now my world has meaning and I changed myself and my life in ways I never thought possible. I have a new drive for life that I never had before. When things seem bad, I tell myself to do it for them, when I feel I can't go on... I know they would do it for me. I will give my kids my all and I'll do anything for them but most importantly.. I will love them more and more everyday.

Love my Boys!!

The Automotive Experience pt1

So, like I've said before, I've worked in automotive for awhile and have come up with a few little stories I'd like to share - some good, some bad and some funny... Enjoy

So here's an acutal conversation I had to have with a customer. First I called him and told him to come to the shop and it went something like this;

Customer enters office and says, "So.. What did you do? Set my truck on fire?"

ME: Well, do you have a sense of humour?

CUSTOMER: No

ME: Well, We set your truck on fire.

Lol... The guy laughed. It was an old truck with a bad oil leak, a hood that wouldn't open and broken studs in the manifold. We took the proper safety precautions but sometimes these things can't be prevented. As it turns out, his truck was running better when he left... We fixed it.
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We had a situation one day when we replaced a fuel filter and did exhaust in the same bay later on. There was a small ball of fire, so weeks later, we hire a new tech and he repairs a gas line and hours later, pulls a car in for exhaust in the same bay. I tell him the story of what happened before - He lights a torch and says there's only one way to find out if there's still gas on the ground.... You guessed it - Big ball of fire. Even blew the office door open and burned the hair off the tech's eyebrows... lol.. Sometimes it hurts to be right.
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No technician wants to be followed around the shop and one of my techs was having a particularly bad day when young kid brought in his "Honda". You know the kind I'm talking about. To him, it was a real hot rod; to us; its a Honda.... We had replaced his rear brake drums a few weeks prior and now this guy is following the tech everywhere asking every question under the sun so when he asked the tech why one drum was starting to rust, the tech very bluntly turned around and said, "I don't know man, maybe a dog pissed on it!"
          ----------          ----------          ----------
One day my manager poked himself in the eye with the arm of his glasses. He comes in the office with his eye closed and his head tilted. I asked what happened? He opens eye and..... well ... I could tell he did something to it.
He feels so stupid that he goes to the hospital and tells them it was an exhuast hook so he wouldn't have to tell them he works in a garage and put his glasses on too fast! lol
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Has your car gone ever gone "ka-lay?"
I know a lady who's car did just that! She turned the key and the car went, "ka-lay, ka-lay, ka-lay." I had a tech standing next to me when she said this. He giggled and said, "Sounds like you have a broken ka-lay."
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If you look a muffler new or old you will see that they all have one thing in common.... drain holes!! Mufflers are designed like this so the condensation produced in the exhaust has somewhere to go. Without them, a muffler would rot from the inside out.
So, you can imagine what I thought when a customer told me she wanted her money back cause her brand new muffler has a hole in it. We explained it to her and even showed her other cars and mufflers... Didn't matter..
She choose to void her warranty and had us weld the hole shut.
You know what they say - The customer is always right!!       Even if they're not!

New Parent??

You have your first child. You deal with a little of everything and everyone you know has an opinion. Everything from your weight gain during pregnancy to how and what you should feed you baby, what cures a diapers rash, teething, schedules and lets not forget - - What can you baby do???

I've always been a little uptight and a little over protective but I got tired of hearing people make remarks about if I had more children, I'd lossen up a bit. I didn't want to lossen up and I only had "one" child.


So, then I have another.... Now the only thing people say is, "Oh, you've done this before, you know what you're doing."


You know, it almost makes you feel stupid if you have a question cause really I have done this before and I should know!! lol But I understand why they say that. No one wants to insult a mom by saying she doesn't know what she's doing.

Now I have two boys. I still haven't figured out if that's a good thing or not. On one hand, boys tend to be less emotional than girls and as they say, "you only have one prick to worry about" but on the other hand, girls are calmer. If I had a girl I could do tea and makeup (girly stuff). Instead I play with Hot Wheels and Transformer.

Let's face it - No matter what you have -

You'll never regret it
You'll never want to take it back
You'll miss your old life but love your new one even more

Children are the secret of life. It's the hardest job you'll ever but it's also the most rewarding!!

Car Repairs?

After working in automotive for over 10 years I've heard it all and seen it all. I've had the most outrageous customers and some of the nicest.

Let me be upfront and say there are certain things you should not do or say when entering a garage for repairs... Things like;

- "I just want to know what my car needs so my buddy can fix it."
If that's the case, we don't care but don't be upset to pay for the
inspection and isn't it worth it anyway?

- "A friend of a friend's brother told me you'd give me a deal."
We're not going to give you a deal because you know someone that we don't.
A pleasant and friendly customer is far more likely to get a deal. The
service advisor is more likely to locate better/cheaper parts if they like
you. If you're jerk - they'll be a jerk too.

- "My buddy looked at it already so I know what I need."
Your buddy may know a lot about cars but we don't your buddy and we
never assume until we've looked at the car and remember that sometimes
we see more when it's on a hoist or the tires are off. You can't expect your
buddy to see it all with a quick glance.

Don't assume the shop is going to rip you off before they've even looked at your car.

The person who greets you at the counter may or may not have automotive experience and they are not suppose to tell what's wrong with your car by the description you give them so don't listen to what they say. Wait until your car is looked at.

If the estimate the shop gives you is high - that doesn't mean they're out to get you. You can always find a better price. Automotive is so competitive that someone will always come under the quote. So don't scream and yell and throw the estimate at the person delivering the message.

People who work in garages also own cars and they too break down and have to be fixed so we understand that car repairs are inconvenient and costly. The shop is there to make money and to do so, they need you to come back. This can also be used to your advantage... I'll say no more.

That doesn't mean you should trust everyone out there. Unfortunately it only takes one bad experience to ruin it for everyone. So here are a few tips...

- By all means, price around but wait until your car has been inspected.

- If something smells fishy, it probably is - get a second opinion.

- Most shops charge for inspections. Ask if repairs are done - if they'll waive the inspection fee.

- It is not a proper brake inspection if the tires don't come off your car.

- Check your washer fluid if the sprayers are not working. It could save you some embarrassment.



And I must include - There's nothing worse than;

- Calling for a price and not knowing what you're talking about. There are many components to brakes so don't be surprised when your phone quote is different after the inspection. We do not have crystal balls and cannot see your brakes through the phone

- We have to open the hood when doing most inspections - Don't freak out... It's necessary and safer for the technician

- Just because you car is noisy, doesn't mean it needs a muffler. There are many components to an exhaust system that help keep your car quiet.


And things you should know;

- Antifreeze and washer fluid are NOT the same thing.

- Anything you put in the master cylinder besides brake fluid will totally screw up your brakes. If you're unsure, ask for help. A garage would rather you ask then try and do it yourself.

- Check your oil. If any oil light comes on your dash - Shut the car off immediately! I cannot stress this enough. We have seen so many damaged engines because people thought the light was nothing... When in doubt; Orange dash lights are a warning; Red dash lights are bad!!!

- If you back into a snow bank two days after your exhaust was repaired, expect it to be damaged and don't blame on the shop. We know what you did!

- Never let the shop know you're clueless. Ask for explanations, ask to see the parts, but don't tell them you know nothing! If after the explanation you still don't understand - get a second opinion.

- Big red flag if the shop you're in is bad mouthing other shops. This is considered bad manners. Most reputable shops will not do this in spite of their thoughts.

I hate hearing of people who have been ripped off. I wish I could jump inside for a minute so they knew they're rights and what they could do...For example

- Someone I know recently had their exhaust fixed and when it sounded worse afterwards, the shop told them it was a piece of welding wire and it would burn off when the car got hot!! What?!?!

- It shouldn't cost you $8000 for a transmission rebuild. Yup, it happened to one of my customers and he paid it.

- My sister bought a car.. The only problem was it wouldn't go in reverse. I told her it would need a tranny and she said, "The guy told me it was just a gear". Well where do you think the gear is??? In the TRANNY! lol. Lesson learned.

But sounds effects are great! We love to hear you imitate your car... There's nothing funnier. I've asked people how to spell that sound they made and even got them to do it over and over again. I'll let them in on the joke afterwards but it's always good for a laugh and it breaks the ice a little too.

There are so many things I could get into with this but remember you are more likely to get a "deal" just by being friendly and polite.

I'll make more blogs on the subject but I also welcome yours.... from customers to technicians.... funny stories, horror stories or opinions on mine. Let's hear it. I'm ready.

Laser Eye Surgery

It's been almost two years since I made the decision to correct my vision.

My eyes went bad when I was young and I was told at one point that there was a chance I could slowly go blind. Instead, I was classified as legally blind but I could still see. I couldn't cross the street without glasses or see features on people's face but when I turned 17, they finally made contacts for my eyes.

I was told my prescription was complicated being that I have a dilated pupil since birth and astigmatism in both eyes. But I was determined to make contacts work. I wore them everyday and was told over and over again how pretty I was when I wasn't wearing glasses. I hated that....

Eventually the contacts started to irritate my eyes and I switched to a disposable lens which also irritated my eyes. I thought about laser eye surgery but there are so many horror stories out there that I was nervous. I researched some facilities and made the decision to go for a consultation. Maybe they would say I couldn't do it....

That wasn't the case. The consult went really well and I booked an appointment but on the day of the surgery, there was a development.... It turns out my eyes were so irritated that they didn't get a good picture of them and when they did get a good one, they told me it may not be possible. The doctor consulted with the top surgeons of Canada and I waited all day to find out it could be possible; they wouldn't make me go blind but there was a chance it wouldn't do a thing. If it did work, it may not be permanent...... I had to try

They did a procedure called PRK which has a bit of a longer recovery time but would prevent any night blindness that comes with conventional surgery. Within a hour, I was in pain.... A lot of pain. It took three days for the pain subside and for my vision to clear but I still had blurry spots.

I went to my follow up appointments and slowly but surely my vision cleared. It took three months but on my last visit my vision was 20/15 which is better than average.....

I couldn't be happier. No more falling asleep with my glasses on; no more having to ask for help when I couldn't find them... lol. No more streaks or glares and most importantly - no more fogging up in the winter. I don't know how long my good vision will last but it was worth every penny even if I only a couple years. I would recommend it to anyone who's sick of their glasses but do your research and you'll see the world in a whole way..

About Being Just West

I'm 30 years old and have two boys. One just turned four and is preparing for school. The other is nine weeks and preparing to roll over. I also have a dog; a shih tzu named Gizmo who is nothing but trouble and a "common-law" boyfriend who chooses not to marry me because I smoke. Whatever....




I will quit one day - but not today.




I spent more than 10 years in the automotive industry mostly as the only female employee and went a lot farther with it than I thought I would. I remember when I applied for the job...... I applied so I wouldn't insult a friend who gave a business card and said go talk this guy. I didn't think in a million years I'd get the job so there was no harm in applying. I remember the manager asking me if I knew anything about cars and I replied with slight sarcasm, "I know they come in lots of different colours!"




He still hired me... Maybe it was all my experience serving food or my lack of computer skills... Maybe he liked my joke.... or maybe he was just very desperate. lol. Either way, it was the start of something beautiful.. ha ha





I learned as much as I could about cars, got my driver's licence and climbed the ladder to eventually become the assistant to the general manager .... then they laid me off. Within one day I had three interviews and became the first female parts advisor for a truck shop. So, needless to say I'm happy with my progress.





Sometime in the middle I also managed to survive a car accident. The worst kind really... It was December 23rd, 2001 and we were in a cab and got hit by a drunk driver. I sued, I won, I still suffer. The thing with suing somebody is accepting that once the lawsuit is over; the pain and suffering continues. I think I was under some false assumption that everything would be ok once the lawsuit was over because then the experience would be over but that's not the case.





Don't get me wrong, I was very lucky and my injuries, although permanent, were not serious. And you do learn how to get around them, cope with them and manage them. I had 10 stitches in my face with a possible skull fracture, permanent whiplash, many bumps, bruises and cuts and a knee with a multitude of problems including nerve damage, flaking/flattening of the meniscus, tendon shortening, scar tissue and a bone bruise all the way to the marrow. But like I said - I was very lucky - Not everybody gets to walk away as I did.





Winning a lawsuit for me was a start. I decided I would change my life around. I bought house, a car, new furniture, had laser eye surgery, paid my debts and started a savings account. It was a good start.... The real trick is not to go back but I'm confident I'll win the battle.





Now... on maternity leave, I need to decide what to do with the rest of my life. Do I go back to the truck shop and continue the "women in automotive" battle? or do I start anew.... Who knows but I have a little time to decide.





Follow me on the adventure of life...