Strange Random Encounter Whilst Driving

I just had the strangest random encounter ever. The backstory is: I haven't gotten an oil change since I moved to my current city of Ypsilanti this past April. I've finally hit the number on my oil change place's sticker, so I guess I'm due. However, I don't want to drive 15 miles east to go to my old place. It was an independently owned business, and I'm not familiar with oil change places otherwise. I did a Google search but that didn't help much. I've passed an oil change place many times on Michigan Avenue, but didn't know the name of the place. So yea, I got dressed and drove over there just to find out what the place's name was. As an FYI, I tried the streetview on Google Maps and that didn't help.

Anyway, I was driving south on Hamilton, which is a one way road going south. I was in the right lane, but needed to get in the left lane to turn onto Michigan Avenue. There was a car next to me almost the whole way on Hamilton and matched me in speed, so I couldn't pass. As I was getting closer to Michigan Avenue, I quickly speeded up and cut in front of the car and got into the left turn lane. I then continued east from there through Downtown Ypsilanti.

As I was exiting Downtown, I turned my head to look at the car who had caught up at that point and was driving next to me. It was a guy named Chris who I'd gone to elementary and high school together! He was a pretty weird guy, but he wasn't a loner. I'm sure I had a "mind = blown" face on because it was an amazing coincidence that I'd see him out in Ypsilanti at 1am of all places and times. I'm sure I waved and kept driving.

As I passed the Dairy Queen, I realised the car was keeping pace with me. I glanced over and saw Chris motioning for me to roll my window down. The brief conversation went something like this, going 40mph and speaking loudly to speak over with the wind blowing past:

CHRIS: I knew it was you - YpsiGuy! Do you remember me?!

ME: Chris!

CHRIS: What are you doing out here?! Drinking?!

ME: No! I go to school out here!

CHRIS: Good!

As we continued east, there was traffic, so we didn't end up side-by-side at the next light. I passed the oil change place, but this got me distracted. I wanted to lose them, so I turned right as they continued straight... Well at the time, I lost track of which of the cars was theirs. A light-coloured car turned with me, so I made an unplanned turn into a Taco Bell and got a bean burrito. I made sure to check the name of the oil change place on the way back home.

It's "The Oil Exchange" by the way.

Healthy Food and Cupcakes at School

There was recently an article in the Detroit Free Press (link below) where an elementary school in Redford has gone the route of offering only healthy food choices for lunch. Nothing is fried, there is a vegetable bar and the hot dogs are made from turkey. I'm all for healthy food, especially since childhood obesity is supposedly becoming a problem. I support what they're doing, but it isn't going to help all that much though if the students go home and pig out on half of a package of Oreos and a bag of chips in one sitting.

I think moderation is the key. The occasional burger or  brownie, etc. isn't going to mean much in the long run. There's a part in the article about the school banning students from bringing cupcakes to school for their birthdays. That was a tradition back when I was a student in elementary school, and here I am graduating college next year. It's a special event, it makes the student feel special and then 15 minutes later the class goes back to their schoolwork. Why so harsh?

I could rant about more about my thoughts about obesity, health and responsibility here in the USA, but I'll save it for another entry.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100915/FEATURES01/9150345/0/FEATURES04