MINI, snot, Elvis, and the Arkansas flag

I have nothing profound to say, but David keeps yapping at me to update the blog.

I washed my car yesterday. This is a rare event. I think I have washed it once before (maybe twice). Every other wash the poor thing has ever received has been at the hands of the dealership, when I went in for a checkup or service.

I washed it because I will be driving Joan Miller and Hal Epperson to Memphis in it tonight. Joan came with me to the dealership when I first test-drove a MINI, and was in on all my excitement about it. But then she never really got to see my actual car that I bought. When we were discussing our upcoming trip, she told me to make sure I cleaned it out, so there would be no snot in it. I'm not sure why she thinks my car would be full of snot. Everyone who knows me can attest that I do sneeze a lot. But I'm usually not very snotty. :) ANYWAY, since Joan made a big deal about cleaning the car, I decided I should wash it. Now I just need to get all the trash and yarn and unfinished Christmas presents out of it, so Hal and Joan will be able to fit in.

On our trip, Joan and Hal (who both live in Dallas) and I will see our friend from Harding, Amy Smallwood (who lives in Memphis). I think the plan involves touring Graceland, and I don't know what else. I hear Graceland is pretty gaudy, but I guess it will still be cool to see it. Since I saw Elvis' birthplace while I was in Tupelo for work, I think I will pretty much be done with my Elvis sightseeing needs. I've never been a huge Elvis fan, though I admit he was pretty cute when he was younger.

On a completely unrelated note: The second floor of the building I work in is used for training. People from around the company (and therefore the country) sometimes come here for classes, so they have brochures and things about Little Rock up there by the public phone bank. I was up there a couple of days ago and noticed a little pile of lapel pins shaped like the Arkansas flag. I'm not sure why anybody but the governor would want to wear one, but still, they're kinda cool, I guess. Except that below the flag, the pins have the words, "SECRETARY OF STATE CHARLIE DANIELS". I'm thinking not even the governor would want to wear one of these pins with the name of the Arkansas Secretary of State on it.

Even weirder: beside the pins, there is a stack of cardstock bookmarks. They have a picture of the Arkansas flag, the text of the "Pledge to the Arkansas Flag", and another little note letting you know that this nice bookmark was provided by Charlie Daniels, Secretary of State.

I didn't even know that there was a pledge to the flag of Arkansas. I certainly didn't know it was so badly worded (and Overly Capitalized): "I Salute the Arkansas Flag With Its Diamond and Stars. We Pledge Our Loyalty to Thee."

I'm not sure what the Arkansas Secretary of State is supposed to do. But surely Charlie Daniels could figure out something better than spending state money for lapel pins and bookmarks with his name on them, right?

On a less sarcastic note: We are having fantastic weather here in Little Rock! October is definitely the best month in Arkansas. I've been driving around with the windows down on my freshly-washed car.

Have a lovely weekend!