knightfan26917

I have a very small "slush" fund, but then again, I don't go out to eat. Holy crap. My last open heart surgery in 2003 cost nearly $200K ... and cost me about $3K out of pocket, including medications.... *nods* Same here! I don't have kids and have about $30K in retirement funds.... I use my Discover card because of the cash back allowances. Bottom line, I get paid $20 about every 4 months or so ... enough to buy me gas for a week . I always pay my cc bill in full and ONLY charge things that I KNOW I can pay for (such as gas, medical bills, etc.). I don't have cable.... I'm only on dial up . I agree whole-heartedly with this . Amen! Some, after looking at the budget I prepare for myself, think I'm TOO budget oriented...he he he. Course, a difference here ... you, presumably, of course, seem to have 2 incomes ... I only have one. But, as Rich stated, all of these are "rules for financial success", most of which I follow very, very closely .

Ah, FOG....very sorry this happened to you yet again . Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/ Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html "Enough is enough, I can't take anymore" ... Alabama ... 'Can't Keep A Good Man Down'

He he he....BA has some great songs, imho ... and also some, well, "boring", ones, too... As for DL ... can you say "Pour Some Sugar On Me" ???

I've always liked those blue SSs as well . But, uh, he traded it in on an '86 Camaro? Dangum...he he he. Heh...and you're talking about 20 years ago or so being "back in the day" ... he he eh...just sounds odd to me ... but, at the same time, I know exactly what you mean....

*raises eyebrow* Somehow, I can't picture seeing this 2 artists on the same night at the same place..... BUT, then again, sounds like a great show!!!!

*nods* Yes, sir, afaik, you are correct :). Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/ Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html "You were never really ever here" ... Goo Goo Dolls ... 'Here Is Gone'

moltar, Very sorry for your loss. Thoughts/prayers coming your way. A few years ago, while I was still at Sears, one of the coworkers in our department had a heart attack en route to work and crashed and died. And, oddly, just today, my parents told me that the wife of their Pastor at church died in an auto accident in Arkansas either very early this morning or late last night..... Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/ chdQB = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/quilt.html "Time is a natural healer" ... John Conlee ... 'Years After You'

balthazar, Most of the people I know in NJ have 4th gen MCs, but if I think of anyone out that way with a 2nd gen, I'll see what I can do for you, OK?

Trina ... but travel involves cars or trucks . he he he...just kidding, of course! I used to like camping, but for whatever reason, don't much care for it anymore ... sadly . stace, either of those get aways sounds absolutely wonderful! Can't go wrong with friends'n'family .

*chuckles* You're not the only one ;).

While spring is right around the corner, it is still winter...and some of us don't have our older cars out to play yet. That in mind, what is your favorite non-car-related event during the year? Mine is coming up next Saturday, February 25. The church I attend in Batavia IL is hosting its Annual Spaghetti Dinner. It has done so ever since I can remember, even back in the late 1970s when my grandfather was the pastor. When I started attending the church in the early 1990s, I was surprised to find that they were still hosting the dinner. It's a wonderful event that brings out church members and community/area residents for an evening of delicious spaghetti, fine desserts and wonderful fellowships. I look forward to it every year ... and I just about cannot wait until next weekend! So...how about you? What do you look forward to that does not involve cars? Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/ "I know there’s so much more to life" ... Vonda Shepard ... 'Searchin' My Soul'

*nods* Very true, Sixty8..... BTW, in case ya'll wondered why I posted this topic (& was looking forward to some constructive discussion), I grew up on the Monte Carlo. My parents bought a 1976 MC when I was about 3, and I have their 1981 MC SC still today. In fact, between my parents and I, we've owned at least one of every single generation...and, for me, the only car that I've owned without the Monte Carlo nameplate was my former '97 malibu.... 1st gen, 1970-1972: 1972 (mine) 2nd gen, 1973-1977: 1976 (parents' tan one) 1976 Landau (my black one) 3rd gen, 1978-1980: 1979 Landau (mine) 4th gen, 1981-1988: 1981 SC (parents, now mine) 1987 LS (mine) 1988 LS (formerly mine) 5th gen, 1995-1999: 1997 LS (parents, still have) 6th gen, 2000-present: 2000 LS (formerly mine) While growing up, I was not a very active child because of my heart issues. So, I busied myself with Hot Wheels/Matchbox cars. When my parents bought their 1976 MC when I was 3, my "love affair" with the MC began as, from what my Mom tells people, soon after they got their '76 MC, I started pointing at other '76 MCs and saying "arlo". Through my high school and into my college years, I figured out how to tell the different MC years apart and (assuming no exchanged parts between the years) can tell what year any MC is from 1970 to 1982 with no problems.... Thus, as I look through the old magazines, I hope that old and new ideas will help the NMCOA return to the level of participation it once had.

Ironically, same thing has happened to GM/Chevrolet. I'm not sure which was more frustrating/shocking with this entire event. The original post ... or the discussion (if one might call it that) that followed. I hope we can put this behind us and go forth.... Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/ Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html "You've made a fool of everyone" ... Jet ... 'Look What You've Done'

Yeah, I saw that incident ... kinda sickening. But, even so, the Olympics have been quite entertaining, imho. I finally got to watch some hockey Saturday afternoon ... that was cool. I've also enjoyed the snowboardcross, skeleton, luge/sleds, speed skating, downhill skiing, cross country, etc. etc. etc. BTW, from what I understand, Shaun White, who captured gold in his event, has a heart defect (TOF). Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/ chdQB = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/quilt.html "Come pick me up" ... Ben Folds ... 'Landed'

Yeah, I watched parts of it. But, it seemed like everytime I had my eyes on the race, there was a crash or someone was in trouble...heh. Maybe I shouldn't have watched ... he he eh . Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/ Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html "Something's wrong in the world today" ... Aerosmith ... 'Living On The Edge'

Hmmm.... The Camaro wasn't the only one that "lost its way"; then again, if Lutz thinks the Camaro lost its way, what about the Malibu, Nova, Monte Carlo & Impala? Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/ Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html "You've made a fool of everyone" ... Jet ... 'Look What You've Done'

Heh...I miss my former '88 MC LS, too....even though I have an '87 MC LS now.... Cool ... sure hope he has pictures!

LOL!!!!!!!!! That's an explanation that is simple and cuts to the point . Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/ "Time will heal the pain" ... Exile ... 'Even Now'

I don't think I could've typed it better myself. That, along with softer dash panels. Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/ Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html "You've made a fool of everyone" ... Jet ... 'Look What You've Done'

*raises eyebrow* Any chance you have pictures of this '87 MC LS?

*raises eyebrow* So, uh, Josh, does this mean I should stop in Kalamazoo, instead of Detroit to see you and the others in August? Oh, and, it's phenomenal.... Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/ Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html "Fire me up" ... Def Leopard ... 'Pour Some Sugar On Me'

Wow. How cool for you Camaro enthusiasts. Not that I'm not a Camaro enthusiast ... I am. But, I think ya'll know by now where my loyalties are . Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/ Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html "Why can't that be me?" ... 3 Doors Down ... 'If I Could Be Like That'

Valentine's Day is for lovers. Some might say my "love" is the Monte Carlo. Well, if that's true, then I received the perfect package in the mail today ... a whole bunch of old NMCOA (National Monte Carlo Owners Association) magazines, from another fellow MC enthusiast. Flipping through the old issues opened my eyes to how much the NMCOA has changed over the years. In some of the older issues, the pictures of the convention included pictures of the people winning the awards ... not just the MCs. Older issues also had a bunch of pictures, technical articles, MC information, etc. The December 1987 issue included a picture of a blue '84 MCSS that was owned by someone in my home town, Elgin IL ... no, not me. Someone else. And, flipping through the pages of several issues from that year, it seemed IL had many NMCOA members...enough for a valid chapter. Speaking of chapters, "back then" (1987ish), the NMCOA had several chapters, including Canada, Pennsylvania (2 chapters, it appears), Florida, Virginia, New York (2 chapters, again), Wisconsin, Texas, and, as I mentioned, even my home state of IL (which had 2 contacts, 1 in Flatrock and another in Tinley Park). Heh...you might say I'm a bit jealous . Even more shocking (to me, anyway), a lot of talk was about GM/Chevrolet axing the Monte Carlo ... and discussing the possibility of a FWD monte carlo. Ironically, in the October 1987 issue, this was reported: "We asked for some input and we really got it ... all of it in favor of NOT allowing the front wheel drive Monte Carlos in the club. ... Seeing the Monte Carlo, in its rear wheel drive form, being laid to rest will hurt. But, Chevy gave us 18 years worth - that ought to last a while. With over 99% in favor of keeping this a "rear wheel drive" only club, you can bet the rent we will!" Hmmm. Obviously that didn't happen. But, that is NOT bad ... as I've met some wonderful people who happen to own the FWD monte carlos ... including my parents. *pauses* Ya know, thinking about it ... it sure would be nice if we could elevate the NMCOA back to the level (and _higher_) of participation and offerings in the newsletter/magazine that previous members and owners enjoyed.... But, I'm not convinced that'll happen ... it all depends on Monte Carlo owners and enthusiasts ACROSS the country (and world). Yet, you would think that it could and would happen, given how the internet has brought people from all over together. Course, if it does not happen, it'll be another example of "irony rocks". Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/ "Those might be the best days we will ever know" ... Little Texas ... 'What Might've Been'

Yeah, I had the same issue ... which is why mine was so far off, most likely.... Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/ Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html "Why can't that be me?" ... 3 Doors Down ... 'If I Could Be Like That'

Cool! Please do ... thank you!!!!