Some say when you do something out of the ordinary when you reach a certain age, that there is something wrong with you. Maybe when that something is rather extreme, it might be seem like a crisis. I know that as we get older we tend to look back more than forward in our lives. We want to cherish and hold onto what we left behind. There is a lot to be said that a lot of things are wasted on the youth. You don't realize the value of time and energy when you are young...you just enjoy it. Maybe that is what makes it such a carefree experience. If we focused on losing that as a youth we made not enjoy it as much at the time. Now I am just rambling..sorry.
Since all of my kids are going to be in school all day this year; for the first time in 12 years I will have some time to myself five days of the week. With this new found freedom I saw that I was able to have a vehicle that was not so mommy-fied, but somewhat carefree.
I have always loved convertibles and had one up until I was pregant with my second child. There is something about driving without a top on the car with all of nature open to your viewing. The beautiful blue skies and puffy white clouds in the day. And the open dark skies starfilled at night. The car I got is a black Mustang convertible.
My husband commented to me that guys usually go for the black motorcycles to rebel and he guess womens version of that is a black sporty convertible. I am seriously going to get a nameplate that reads Rebel on the front. I turn 40 this year and I started coloring my hair blond as a way to rebel against old age and this is just another way to rebel..lol
The car group I started back in my hometown had great success because there are a lot of us out there that wanted to go back and live it up a little more. We didn't want to just roll over and die or say well that's that. We actually feel younger when given the opportunity to act it. No crime in that. Hanging out with friends and sporting a cool car gives you a boost in life. So my thoughts here are plain and simple ...don't give up living until you absolutely have to.
Whatever happens in the world affects our lives at home. We have to be prepared to play the mediator for our children. Giving them the safe environment to flourish in and to make good sound judgments. This is a journal that touches on these issues that we encounter in life. Enjoy, respond and encourage if you want.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
VanBuren Cruisers of Enid
I started out to find "harmony at home" and I have actually been led to bringing
"harmony" to a community. One definition I found for "harmony" is this...
"harmony" to a community. One definition I found for "harmony" is this...
Concord or agreement in facts, opinions, manners,
interests, etc.; good correspondence; peace and
friendship; as, good citizens live in harmony.
This group I started in January on Facebook called
"VanBuren Cruisers of Enid" has grown to nearly 2000
members. We had a reunion in June over Father's Day
weekend. There were so many classic vehicles and not
so classic vehicles come to the event. It was most
impressive. People parked in the businesses up and
down Van Buren. Some folks even set out in their yards
just watching and cheering at others as they cruised by.
There were maybe a thousand or so cruisers over the
weekend.
It was a bonding time with friends of the past that
reunited as well as the youth that participated with
their parents and grandparents. I would even venture
to say that there were great grandparents there too.
This is what we did when I was growing up in Enid.
Every weekend we would head out to Van Buren to go
cruising.
It was where you found your friends hanging out. There
were kids from surrounding towns that would drive in to
Enid to hang out too. By creating this group page I have
been able to find a lot of those friends from this link
that I had lost contact with. In doing so others have
found theirs too.
I think we get so busy in life moving forward that we
forget about the steps or paths we took to get there.
It is sometimes beneficial to retrace those tracks and
find the value in them. Some of our traditions or ways
of life,the more "simpler" ways you might call them.
Before we had access to the internet or cell phones. We
had to actually go out of our homes to meet people face
to face. We had a lot of fun times hanging out and
goofing off.
People that attended have posted nearly 300 pictures on
the group page of the cars there. They posted their fun
experiences and how we needed to do it again. And because
a lot of people didn't want to wait another year for a
chance to get together and cruise again, I set another
date in August.
And cruising is just one aspect of this social
gathering. I sparked an interest in all the car
enthusiasts in the community.
There were so many there that love car events. So I
scheduled a car show. Then I got a lot of emails and
people confronting me to have a drag race. I had one
person that came forward and said he would even put
together the drag race. I have been given a crash courseon drag racing. The drag race is still under review untilwe can get approval from the City to have it. Apparently
if it is approved people from several towns are
interested in coming to participate in it.
I have been approached by radio station owners to help
with my events, people suggesting bands for concerts.
Members of car clubs and motorcycles clubs have wanted
to help me plan events.
In some aspects I can imagine how people who won the
lottery feel. Except I don't have money to give
just opportunities. That must be it.
Everyone sees what you are a part of and wants to
join in.
That is what always made cruising so much fun,
was all the people, "the more the merrier" holds
a lot of truth to it.
The event was covered by the local paper on several
occasions. The local magazine did a story on it.
I had several come forward willing to help with
any future events. A friend of mine from high
school, now lives in New York and happens to
work for a web design company. He made our group
a web page and they are even hosting it for me.
How awesome is that?
vanburencruisers.com
I have just been overwhelmed by the reaction
this event or group I created, has had on people.
Wow is my response! What a thrill and honor to
have been responsible for something that sparked
or rekindled, should I say, the interest in a
community bonding from a favorite pastime.
I am just amazed at how just a cruise down
memory lane has turned into almost a full time
job for me. I am now in the process of setting
up a non-profit organization for the group so we
can contribute funds raised back to the schools
in the community.
This past year was my 20 year high school reunion.
I was unable to attend it. I will turn 40 this year.
Maybe this was just my way of stepping back in time.
The tradition we had of cruising had lost its appeal
to the youth of today. The cops haven't been as
trusting. I hope that through our cruise nights
we are able to pass on and renew a treasured time
to our children and their children.
So maybe they will get to enjoy it like we did.
Did I mention that when I am not organizing cruise
nights, car shows, concerts and drag races that I
am also a mother of four, ages 4,7, 10 and 12. I
stay home with them. I have a degree in Communications.
I love marketing. This job feels more like a hobby
so no complaints from me. Thanks Enid!! What a
homecoming!!
I'll see you out on the drag..probably in a
minivan..lol!!
Distracted
Let me start this by saying how I have to kind of laugh at myself when I went back and read my first post. I spoke about getting organized and cleaning and a healthier diet and so forth were my goals. Those are still my goals. I strive to meet those on a daily basis. There just always seems to be more to add to the agenda daily too.
I started this blog at the first of the year. It was my mission then to accomplish something that I did on a regular basis. From one of my blogs I came up with an idea to start a group page on facebook and I mentioned that in one of my earlier blogs. I talked about the success in the numbers that had signed up in a short time to share in their memories of cruising.
From that came the most incredible opportunity that has tied up a lot of my time and kept me from blogging on a regular basis, as well as my other organizational goals..lol. I guess you can say that I have been distracted. In this next post I will share with you the incredible journey I have been on since I created that group page.
I started this blog at the first of the year. It was my mission then to accomplish something that I did on a regular basis. From one of my blogs I came up with an idea to start a group page on facebook and I mentioned that in one of my earlier blogs. I talked about the success in the numbers that had signed up in a short time to share in their memories of cruising.
From that came the most incredible opportunity that has tied up a lot of my time and kept me from blogging on a regular basis, as well as my other organizational goals..lol. I guess you can say that I have been distracted. In this next post I will share with you the incredible journey I have been on since I created that group page.
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