A Nice Thing Happened in Nashville

I was in Nashville with Nissan a couple months ago.  Mark Richardson and I were outside the city, testing the new Hybrid Pathfinder.

We passed these parade floats, and stopped to pose the car.

Two gentleman appeared, groundskeepers.  Mark kept clicking, I went over to say hi.

He was so curious about Canada.  What’s it like there? Then:

Him: Do you have black people there?
Me: Yup.
Him: Do you have gay people there?
Me: Yup.  Some are black and gay.  No one cares in Canada.

He said he didn’t understand gay people, it was confusing, why would they choose to do that?

I responded with my logic line, “being gay is tough, right? So, why would anyone choose a harder life?”

That started sinking in, and then Mark’s timing was perfect: he walked up at this exact moment, and said he was gay.

Our new friend’s eyes almost came out of his head. “But, you seem normal, we were just joking, but…..”.  It was all over his face, trying to process this anomaly.

And then, THE moment.

Mark stuck out his hand, and slowly, our new friend reached out and shook it.  Eyes still like saucers.  I laughed and clapped and said do it again, and he did.  The second time his face registered proudness.  This was the first time he’d met a gay person, and had been brave enough to touch him. I’m literally smiling while typing this, it was special like that.

It was amazing to watch his mind rewire.

Then Mark snapped us to commemorate the moment.

We’d have liked a photo of him and Mark, but after those 2 handshakes, the guy was visibly overwhelmed, enough was enough.

Off we went grinning, one less homophobe, tada.

 

 

Achieved a New Level of Minimalistic Living

Over the holidays, I mentioned I’d purged. This is when the new level was reached.

Boom BOOM I own nothing.

Notice no TV? No art, and definitely no photographs.  No eyes.

Plain.

Calm.

Life is already so busy and stimulating, so my home is opposite.

Look forward to take you on that video tour. Pretty proud of this actually, it took a while, this reduction.

It’s more of a lifestyle, than a decorating style.  Same idea as my backpack.

No attachment. That’s the key. To everything, really.

 

 

Week 3/52 Starts Today

The first month is almost done, then we’ll blink and be 80.  Oh time, about time.

Week 2 Round 2 here. Lasat week, for the first time ever, I blogged every day Monday – Friday.

Now to repeat success. Once I make it 4 weeks in a row, it’ll be added to my Twitter bio:

     – KeriBlog.com – a Fresh Front Page M-F

Post dance. My back is 90% healed.  I can high-kick again.

Spent Saturday tidying up the last loose ends, that I didn’t get finished before New Years.

Part of that was purging my apartment. I’m so so close to achieving the ultimate minimalist home. I’ll take you on a video tour this spring.

Organized and efficient, a good strong base, on which to place the mega-Keri-corporation.

Made a couple videos this weekend, chipping away the filming rust.

Demonstrating the Caravan’s Stow-N-Go seat technology. So slick.

Returning the minivan tomorrow unfortunately, I’d have liked a second week.  Didn’t book a car this week, so I can catch up on the cars I haven’t yet blogged.

The North American Auto Show kicks off today in Detroit.  I went last year, not this year.  It’s okay, I just saw many of the debuts in LA Auto Show, and the Canadian Auto Show is in a few weeks, here in Toronto.  To my fellow auto writers, have a great show guys!

Lastly, same thing I say most Mondays – here’s to a strong start to your week xo

 

 

Now There’s 50 Fridays Left

And that’s the 1st real week of 2014 done.

Had to jam in a lot in today, I think I need to plan my Fridays differently.  Next week’s column is about diesel engines, and booked a trip, we’re off to Arizona to test Heavy Duty Pickup Trucks with GM!

I towed a bobcat before. First week at my new job under my belt. Went well. Website consulting, community management stuff, still shy.

Just hit send on my last email, this quick hi hi to you, and then shhhh silence.  I’ll cheers you with my usual end-of-the-week beer, if I make it off the couch.

TTYT xo Keri

 

 

1 Photo 3 Firsts

Today, my friend Cabral Instagrammed this old photo of us:

 Grade 9. Skiing with @keriblog. Jealous of her outfit. #tbt

3 Firsts:

1 – first time I’ve ever been attached to the #TBT hashtag (Throwback Thursday)

2 – first photo of me as a kid, that exists here

3 – first time I’ve introduced you to my oldest friend, Cabral.  He’s weirdly smart, with a ridiculous work ethic.

You probably already know him. Cabbie on TSN.  His Instagram bio:

Ambassador of fun. Poster child for idiots. Pro athletes wish they could punch me in the face, but I’m always with a camera. I love food.

The ‘Cabbie Presents on TSN: Best of 2013’

Ahh Cab, so many big names in there, so well edited & produced, 3 million views on YouTube, so proud of you! I re-wound 3:39 over and over!

We grew up together grades 7-13, took math, competed against each other on the grade 8 speech competition circuit, stuff like that. He’s been quietly blogged around here for years, an arm in a car, a pic of a pic, a blurry birthday party pic.

Instagram – @TheRealCabbie

Twitter – @Cabbie

Woah while linking stuff up, I just saw his new website for the first time, because I am a bad friend, but kk here: CabralRichards.com. It’s so minimal, the most minimal. Best site I’ve seen in forever.