Born to Be Wild - Mars Bonfire

At sixteen years old, I was drawn to “heavy metal thunder” of a chopper like the proverbial moth to a flame.  As the story goes, I was burned.  My mother forbade me to ride, look at, speak of, stand near, or think of any form of motorized two-wheel “death trap” her words not mine.  Of course, as soon as I found a “friend” with a Yamaha motorcycle I was off “head out on the highway” hanging on, feeling the wind in my hair and the bugs hitting my helmet.  I was free and born to be wild.   Until my mother found out, our neighbors always told on me!

I was grounded for several weeks but the call to my “true nature” was so strong that my mother thought, “If you can not beat them teach them. “  My mother obtained a respectable motorcyclist to commence with lessons on a very slow machine.  It too was a Yamaha.  I was taken to a large parking lot, a closed factory, and began lessons.  I was a quick study; I wanted freedom.  When I finally achieved the requisite instructions, I was allowed to travel around the entire parking lot and building. 

I will take this opportunity to explain that I have taken several years of dance lessons, played the violin throughout middle and high school, I played basketball until the other girls grew taller, played touch football, ran track and was an expert on my banana seat 3 speed Schwinn.  It came as a great surprise to me that as leaned into the turn to come around the far side of the building, I struck the building!  Yes, I laid the bike correctly but I hit the building! As I lay trapped on the ground under a very heavy motorcycle, I was heartbroken.  There was no way in my lifetime that my mother was going to agree to allow me to come within 100 feet of another motorcycle.  It is true that was my last day on a chopper. 

Several things went awry in my quest to be a motorcyclist.  I needed a leaner’s permit, I needed a course, I needed proper fitting with a motorcycle that I could handle and not one that just went slow.  As a mature adult, I understand how my mother felt when she pictured her baby on a motorcycle.  When my younger daughter wanted to drive a motorcycle, my action was vastly different but the outcome was the same. 

We began at PA Department of Motor Vehicle’s website for Motorcycle Information Center.  All the information about motorcycle driving is listed along with Motorcycle statistics.  After a review of the information, my daughter chose the car as her choice of transportation due to finances; she had full access to my car, which I pay the insurance however, she would have to buy her own motorcycle and insurance.

To make your informed decision on motorcycles please click on PA Dept of Motor Vehicles http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/centers/motorcycleCenter.shtml to follow the website.  If you already own a motorcycle, did you know that Progressive Insurance is the number one insurer of motorcycles and DGK sells motorcycle insurance?  If you would like a quote give us a call we can help you out.

Driveway Paving!!!

On May 27 & May 28 DGK will not have an accessible driveway.  Our nieghbors, Bunker Hill Veterinarian Hospital will be paving their driveway from Rt 107 to their building.  They were respectful about business hours and are paving on Memorial Day weekend.  We have great neighbors. 

Business as usual at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday May 29, 2012. 

Have a memorable Memorial Day. 

Wear Sunscreen – Baz Lurhman

It is graduation season.  College and high school seniors are saying good-bye to their friends, school, moving forward with life and all its wonderment.  Celebrations abound!  Parents are hosting parties in backyards, at churches, country clubs and parks in honor of their student’s accomplishments.  Relatives and friends attending to rejoice in the graduate’s future and a toast to a grand send off into the world.

How do you celebrate?  Is your party you are hosting going to be dry?  I have attended dry parties, parties where only those over 21 years of age imbibed, and I have attended parties where the parents collected the car keys of the under-aged and they were allowed to partake in alcoholic beverages.  Parties that allow teenagers to celebrate with alcohol make me uncomfortable.

During my children’s teen years, I did not have alcohol in my house.  I know that sounds drastic to some parents.  I did not want any temptation for my children or their friends.  In my high school sophomore year a party at a student’s house when the parents went out of town ended in the death of a classmate.  That one night left an impression on me that I did not want my children to experience.

The fact is: It is illegal to provide alcohol to a minor.  Furnishing alcohol to a Minor in Pennsylvania carries a $1,000 fine.  It is a misdemeanor offense.  The punishments can also include probation and possibly even jail time.  These laws also apply to parents who have provided alcoholic drinks to their children at home.

Underage Drinking in PA is a non-traffic summary offense and if convicted it goes on both your driving record and your criminal history. This can cause many complications later on in life including higher car insurance premiums and higher scrutiny by employers who conduct background checks.

The Legal Penalties for Underage Drinking in Pennsylvania include:

Up to 90 days incarceration

·         First offense – 90 day suspended driver’s license

·         Second offense – 1 year suspension

·         Third offense – 2 year suspension

      For those over 21, drinking and driving have many consequences that go beyond the law.  It can exclude you from your dream job.  It may drain your financial resources when you are just starting out in the world.  The legal consequences for Pensylvanians can be found at http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/legislation/dui.shtml. 

When you are preparing to celebrate the accomplishments of your graduate remember SADD.org.  SADD has a Contract for Life: one for high school graduates and one for college graduates.  There is also a contract that parents sign.  Helping our children to make healthy decisions about difficult choices they face now may save their future.

Congratulations to all our graduates.  Stay safe you are the future.  In the words of Baz Lurhman, “Wear sunscreen.”

As one person I cannot change the world, but I can change the world of one person - Paul Spear

The past weekend the Dirty Girl Mud Run 5K was held at Montage.  The event was listed with a tag under Benefits: “A portion of all proceeds goes to support breast cancer research, awareness & education.” The participants are in an uproar over the amount of money given to support Breast Cancer.  Many argued they were convinced a larger portion was to benefit Breast Cancer since the pink ribbon displays on the website.  What is the story?

The amount given to support breast cancer by the run is 2.5%.  To some that seemed too little to others any money raised to support breast cancer is better than nothing.  For those that questioned the amount given directly to the charitable organization I have some advice from my own research that I have conducted over the years.  Read the fine print, research the organization and ask questions.

I have been giving money, my time and “soft goods” to charities since I was six.  Yes, it is true my mother made me at that age but I have since taken up the gauntlet.  When I first started giving money, I gave to whoever asked.  If Easter Seals sent me an envelope, I would send them a check.  Jerry Lewis telethon airing on Labor Day, I answered his plea for money.  I did not know where the money went or what amount, if any, reached the intended charity.  I was an uninformed benefactor. 

Now I conduct research.  I limit my donation to those charitable organizations whose percent of donations earmarked for administration is less than 25%.  I reference two websites for research on charities.  I like charitynavigator.org and charitywatch.org.  There are other websites like guidestar.org and give.org.  You can look at all four and decide which you prefer.  In Charitywatch.org’s view, “$35 or less to raise $100 is reasonable for most charities”.  My criterion is stricter than the charity evaluators I utilize:  25% versus 35% for administrative costs.  Some charities associated with churches have below 10% of their donations going to administrative costs.  For charities that provide support to third world countries the amount of benefit, that money can provide to recipients is much higher than in the US.   

I decide by searching my heart.  What charities are important to me?  What cause(s) have affected me in such a manner that I am compelled to donate? I investigate these charities.  Is the charity a 501c Tax Deductible NonProfit?  What type of contribution helps the most?  What amount of the charity’s budget goes directly to programs versus administration of the charity?  When I am unable to obtain the information directly, I sometimes have to reach out for the information.  I use the charity’s budget (501c organization’s budgets are public knowledge) and look at money used for programs and compare that to administration expenses for the charity.  I think the best resource for budgets is nccs.urban.org, you can view the actual tax forms.  You can also visit the Better Business Bureau’s website Wise Giving Alliance (bbb.org/us/charity/) for information regarding budgets.  

What happens when I cannot find my charity listed in any of the usual searches?  I call and ask them.  I usually have to leave my name, telephone number, explain why I am asking for their percent of budget used towards programs and if they are a 501c NonProfit.  The charity is required to provide accurate information.  Once in awhile a charity does not return my call (this has happened).  I am usually saddened when I am unable to donate due to lack of information. 

There are situations that I just give without checking first.  I usually regret it.  I believe a donation where the majority goes for direct services makes more of an impact in aiding the life of a recipient. This is what charity is all about.  I hope that this information will aid you in eliminating any surprises when making future donations. 

When the Moon Hits the Sky Like A Big Pizza Pie

I am all geared up for Cinco de Mayo.  I have nachos, sangria, beans and rice (SPICE) on the brain.  Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican Army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of the Puebla during the French Mexican War.  Mexico does not celebrate the day in the same manner as the United States.  We go all out for our southern neighbors. 

This year the celebration is even more exciting as the supermoon makes an appearance on Saturday at 11:35 p.m. EDT.  I am a stargazer.  While the moon is not a star, it is in our solar system (until someone decides differently).  What makes the moon on Saturday a supermoon?  It will be a full moon and be the closest to earth that it will come all year. 

The solar system fascinates me.  It may have started with my father; he worked for N.A.S.A.  Maybe it was my mother; she would stay awake to all hours if she heard Tom Clark say a star or planet would be visible in the PA sky.  It could be the acronym: My Very Excellent Mother Just Made Us Nine Pizzas.  I did grow up thinking Pluto was a planet.   It could be camping and learning to identify stars.  It is possible that I have love the outer space from TV’s “Lost in Space”. 

My goal to witness all possible solar events includes the supermoon.  I also stay alert for any sun flare and the corresponding aurora borealis.  I know I will have to travel to see the aurora borealis in person however, I can see some spectacular displays from the deck in my own back yard.  I have been spying the Jupiter/Venus show in the sky all winter.   Mars, the little red planet has been on display as well. 

Star identification and tools to assist in locating the planets and stars are more important with all the satellites in our skies.  As in the lyrics from Nickleback song “confusing stars with satellites” is more common.  Educational star identification and star gazing apps for iphone and droids are excellent tools.  I like PlanetFinder and SkyView both are free on my iphone. 

The moon is still important in our solar system, I will make every effort humanly possible to be outside on my deck with a glass of sangria on Saturday night at 11:35 p.m. EDT.  I hope you enjoy May 5, 2012 as well.