I wish I was more “Millennial ennui”

 Millennial ennui. It’s a tone. It can be writing. It can be a mood. I took it as writing, though. Here’s what ChatGpt told me it is: 

Millennial ennui is a fancy way of saying existential boredom, disillusionment, or emotional fatigue, particularly as experienced by people born roughly between 1981 and 1996. It’s a kind of “meh” feeling—restless, vaguely dissatisfied, and tired of the world, but also self-aware and often laced with dry humor or irony.

I didn’t have this when I was younger. At least an old blog post I found didn’t reflect this. I was ridiculously optimistic. I hate reading my optimism in this. 

I want to say this was written in about 2010. Lindsey and were married in 2009. After marriage, we moved in together. I moved into her apartment. She had a roommate. We figured we’ll probably need our own place. I had a fresh diploma in hand and I thought it would be just a matter of time before I landed an internship, or an entry level job somewhere in town. That didn’t happen. 2009 was about the time when the Great Recession was really kicking it into gear. The economy was really suffering. 

I wasn’t tracking economic data at the time. (Even though my fresh diploma in my hands had the word “Economics” on it.) So, I’d like to look back for a moment. Maybe I can find that data and see really what I was dealing with at the time. If I know what the data says, it can help me tell the story through my eyes a bit better. 

I think there are a few indicators that could help me tell my story. Unemployment data. Unemployment is calculated by taking the number of unemployed individuals and dividing that by the total labor force. It tells us how many people are willing to work, and are looking for work but can’t find work. 

When I graduated, I was eager. I was ready. I was looking. Yes, I lacked direction in a huge way. I didn’t know exactly where to look. I didn’t know how to make connections with people. I didn’t know how to market and sell myself. What I had were basic skills. I had what the career office at my university gave me. I had a resume template. I had websites of job boards for the big employers in the community. I had cover letters drafted. 

And I dropped applications. Lots of applications. Millions maybe. Billions. Billions and billions. Well, that’s an exaggeration. It felt like billions and billions. 

Point is. I could not find a job. I could not even land an interview. I quit my pizza delivery job and the best I could do was an interview at the Starbucks in my neighborhood. I remained optimistic. I thought this might be a good way for me to get my foot in the door with a big corporation. I would work behind the counter pulling shots of espresso and steaming milk and they’d see my excellent work ethic and my degree and guide me to the corporate office in Seattle. 

Yeah. That wasn’t the case. I mostly cleaned toilets. Made some coffee. Woke up at 4:00am. Collected my tips at the end of the week. (A good week was maybe $60, a shit week was $12 to $15.) And no job offers from the Seattle office. No hiring bonus. No relocation. Just $7.25/hr. Make coffee. Clean toilets. Apply for jobs. Apply. Apply. Apply. 

Silence. 

No call backs. No interviews. Nothing. I wasn’t tracking at the time, but I have a feeling the state of the economy had a bit to do with my miserable job hunt.

Ok. Economic data. My job hunt began in 2009. That’s when I quit my pizza delivery job. Unemployment rate. 

Here’s a quick analysis I got from Perplexity AI: 

**Unemployment Rate**

- In the United States, the unemployment rate hit 10.0% in the last quarter of 2009, the highest level since the early 1980s[6].

- The number of unemployed people age 16 and over reached 15.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2009[6].

- For young workers (under 25), the situation was even worse: one in four unemployed workers was under 25[4].

- The employment-population ratio fell sharply to 58.4%, the largest annual drop since records began in 1948[6].

## Why Was It So Hard to Find a Job?

- The financial crisis that began in late 2007 led to a severe recession, peaking in 2009, which dramatically reduced hiring across almost all sectors[1][6].

- Employers were cutting jobs rather than hiring, and new graduates faced especially tough competition for the few available positions[4][6].

- The sharp increase in unemployment and the plummeting employment-population ratio meant fewer opportunities for everyone, but especially for those just entering the labor market[4][6].

Me again. So yeah, not only was the job market bad, it happened to peak in badness just as I was really desperate to find a job. Wonderful. 

I’ve been here for too long. I’m going to go do my job. Here’s my ridiculously optimistic blog post from about 2010. 

So we're doing the apartment hunt. Lindsey is looking at different properties on craigslist. We've found dome really sweet places so far. Unfortunately, the one we really had our eye on was rented today. So sad. It was downtown right next to Flying Star and Java Joe's. I love Java Joe's! So the search continues... We still hope to find a place downtown; an older building with hardwood floors and an old heater. Oh, I'm so excited to pick out our place! 

Other things are going great. We've been living with the Freeman's for the past month or so. It's been great getting to know Lindsey's parents more. We've had the opourtunigy to have breakfast almost every morning with them. I really apriciTe the guidance they have to offer. It's great to have loving in-laws. Along with the wisdom my dad and mom offer, there's no way we can not succeed.

I feel content at the moment. I feel like I'm learning more a oh life. I still want to know more still. I've learned a lot from our failed coffee shop, I've learned more about saving money, being frugal when we need to be. I'm enjoying my new job so far. In my position I am assisting with the representative payee responsibility we have at a case management/legal guardianship firm. I'm learning more and more terms about the field all the time. Terms like SSI, SSDI, DD waiver, fiduciary, conservator, and much more. I'm getting along just fine so far, I hope it works out for a while. We're a small company of seven employees. We're expected (by the owner) to grow much larger.

This weekend we had the opportunity to go camping! We went up to a beautiful spot by Fenton Lake in the Jemez Mountains. (Ryan, if you read this, our elevation was approx. 7800 ft. above sea level.) The land up there is so gorgeous! It's lush and cool and there are so many giant trees. So many different types of evergreen trees and aspens. I hate it when people assume New Mexico is just a brown spot on the map. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate the arid parts of the state, but there are thousands and thousands of acres of lush beautiful forest here too! We had a great time with Erin and friends. It's so nice to see people happy. Especially them!

Here's a funny thing too: I'm really enjoying being back in NM and ABQ, but I kinda miss MO. That's being human for you! I miss the powerful weather and the vibe I had. I was alone, but it was a good alone. I needed time to think, time to pray. I needed MO. But I'm home, and I'm happy to be back. Who knows, maybe we'll find ourselves back in the Show Me State. Doubtfull. If we relocate I want to be in Oregon. 

Yum, and it looks like it's going to rain again. I hope it unleashes on us. I love monsoon season. Intersting fact: Albuquerque receives more precipitation in the months of July and august than P-town.

Sources

[1] [PDF] OECD Employment Outlook 2009 – Tacking the Jobs Crisis https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2009/09/oecd-employment-outlook-2009_g1ghb2df/empl_outlook-2009-en.pdf

[2] Job losses caused by the Great Recession - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Job_losses_caused_by_the_Great_Recession

[3] 5 - Labour market and wage developments in 2009 https://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/european_economy/2010/ee5_en.htm

[4] Labor market closes 2009 with no sign of robust jobs recovery https://www.epi.org/publication/jobs_picture_20100108/

[5] Unemployment reached highest level on record in 2009: Somavia ... https://www.ilo.org/resource/news/unemployment-reached-highest-level-record-2009-somavia-calls-same-policy

[6] [PDF] The labor market in 2009: recession drags on https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2010/03/art1full.pdf

[7] Employment during the 2007–2009 recession : The Economics Daily https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2011/ted_20110504.htm

[8] [PDF] The Recession of 2007–2009: BLS Spotlight on Statistics https://www.bls.gov/spotlight/2012/recession/pdf/recession_bls_spotlight.pdf

[9] OECD Employment Outlook 2009 https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/2009/09/oecd-employment-outlook-2009_g1ghb2df.html

[10] Civilian unemployment rate - Bureau of Labor Statistics https://www.bls.gov/charts/employment-situation/civilian-unemployment-rate.htm

The Prius Might be the Best Car Ever Made

 This is me lubing the gears of writing. I’ve loved writing here over the years. I used to make it a habit. I would look forward to sitting at my computer and just spilling my thoughts on how i felt about whatever topic was on my mind.

The thoughts are still there. The love to write my thoughts and feelings down still exist. My tasks. My life. My habits have changed. 

So here we go. 

The Toyota Prius. 

I think it’s such an amazing vehicle. Maybe that’s too much. I just think it’s a great car. 

I used to think that a Toyota Tacoma was my dream vehicle. And it still kind of is. Tacomas are really cool. Today’s Tacomas are very large, and I still think I like the first gen Tacomas the best. 

The Prius though. Great efficiency. The engineering that went into the vehicle is understated. It’s got some great technology. The hybrid system. The transmission is a e-CVT transmission. Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable Transmission. Essentially this means that there are no traditional gears like a traditional transmission. The gear your car needs to be in is determined by how the driver operates then accelerator. And as I understand it, the ratio is continuous. It just applies the correct ration and that ratio is just kind of infinite and is determined by the input provided by the accelerator. 

The car’s got some great aerodynamics. I think last I checked it was in the top 5 production vehicles in aerodynamics. 

Technology. The Prius I have (2017) includes a push button start. Fuel usage records. Lots of data displayed on the dashboard. Radar assisted cruise control (probably the best feature). Some great speakers. Leather interior. Seat warmers. 

It’s just a great car. Yeah. It’s not a car that makes you feel lofty feelings. But it is a car that makes you feel good about getting from point A to point B using minimal fuel. Oh and the power is not as bad as you’d think.

Glad that’s out. Next posts will be with more substance. 

Who uses blogger?

 It’s been a very long time since I’ve used Blogger. This app is one of the lucky Google apps that has not been slashed. And I’m glad it hasn’t. This app reminds me of an Internet era that was fun for me. 

So I’m going to try to use this app a bit more. App? I mean website. 

I don’t feel like I have the time I used to, to just sit down and write the things that are on my mind. How much of my time recently has been spent in either the ChatGPT app or the perplexity AI app. These are apps that very seamlessly mesh with my type of thinking in my type of curiosity. 

I’m not going to have ChatGPT right works of literature for me and then claim credit. But I will share some of my ChatGPT results from what my research produces. 

Here’s an example. I went down the rabbit hole of learning more about photosynthesis. I think photosynthesis is one of the most incredible phenomenon. And that took me down other scientific pathways of curiosity. 

Here is quantum tunneling:

Quantum tunneling, in simple terms, is when a particle manages to slip through a barrier that, by all classical accounts, it shouldn’t be able to cross. Imagine rolling a ball at a hill: if the ball doesn’t have enough energy (speed) to get over the hill, it’ll roll back down. Classically, that’s the end of the story. But quantum mechanics allows for a small chance that the “ball” can appear on the other side of the hill—even when it doesn’t have the energy to climb over the top. This “magical shortcut” is quantum tunneling.

Why is that so mind-blowing?

• Classically, it’s impossible: Nothing should get through the barrier if it doesn’t have enough energy.
• Quantum mechanics changes the rules: It introduces the idea of probability waves for particles, meaning a particle’s location and outcome are described by chances rather than strict certainties.
• Essential to the Sun’s power: Protons in the Sun’s core shouldn’t, by classical physics, have enough energy to overcome their electric repulsion and fuse. Without tunneling, fusion—and thus sunlight—wouldn’t happen at the rate we observe.

Once you realize quantum tunneling is the reason stars can fuse lighter elements into heavier ones, it’s a big eye-opener: the Sun and all starlight rely on a subtle effect of quantum mechanics rather than straightforward Newtonian physics. That’s what makes quantum tunneling so impressive. It keeps our star shining—and keeps us alive—by letting protons “borrow” a little probability-powered trick to come together despite their mutual repulsion.

Why Would Anyone Ever Move Here?

I’ve been telling little stories about my life in this blog. I’m not sure who will ever read these. Probably not very many. Who uses Blogger anymore? I’m actually surprised that Google hasn’t killed it like they have most of their other projects. 

Anyway, I’ve been focusing on my life in Santa Fe. Maybe I’ll jump back to it as those memories come back. Right now, I’d like to remember in writing my move from Santa Fe to the East Mountains. 

I shouldn’t say “East Mountains”. If you’re from Moriarty and someone asks you where you’re from, you say “East Mountains”. Moriarty was not a very glamorous town. Lots of poverty. Lots of vacant land. A few truck stops. The public schools where all of the East Mountain kids went to. 

I guess I should define “East Mountains”. East Mountains are the small communities east of the Sandia Mountains.

(google earth image)

I would consider Sandia Park, Cedar Crest, Tijeras, Edgewood…and Moriarty is a stretch. I think the only reason people would consider Moriarty “East Mountains” is because of the school system. All of the Edgewood and Tijeras kids (well, not all, some go to Manzano, but I digress), go to Moriarty High School. 

Okay. That’s that. 

Since I’m being honest, I’ll say that we moved to Moriarty. Okay. I lied again. We moved to Indian Hills. Nobody who lives in Indian Hills admits they live in Indian Hills. At least I don’t. Checkmate, I guess. I just did. 

The move. 

I didn’t really want to leave Santa Fe. My personality went with the flow, though. I don’t remember raising a ruckus about it. Santa Fe was great, as I remember it. My grandpa, who I loved, lived next door. I would spend hours at his house studying maps, watching him play his harp, or practicing his vocal exercises. Santa Fe reminds me of him. 

My parents felt they needed to move. My grandma and step-grandpa(?) were already living there. My aunt and uncle moved there. I had a few other aunts who also packed up and left Santa Fe and moved there. I imagine it was for the cheap housing and land. I wasn’t aware of the reason as a young kid. Looking back, I can’t imagine why anyone would choose to move to Moriarty. 

They did, though. 

My grandma lived in a house. An actual house. This is an important detail when you talk about homes in Moriarty. Many of the homes in Moriarty are of the mobile variety. I would venture to guess that the mobile homes outnumber the “actual” houses–especially in communities like Indian Hills. 

Moving on. Grandma and Grandpa lived in a house. My aunt and uncle lived in a doublewide off of the main stip next to my uncle’s auto body shop. (I will add, that the doublewides were considered sort of luxury.) My other aunt and uncle lived in an apartment in what I remember to be the only apartment complex in the town. My other aunt lived in a small doublewide, not as luxurious as my other aunt with the body shop. 

Yes, I’ve got a lot of aunts. Four aunts, and two uncles. Of those aunts and uncles, three aunts and one uncle moved to Moriarty about the same time. 

Forgot about my one uncle, he lived in an “actual” house in the town of Moriarty. 

It was a migration. One that I don’t understand to this day… home ownership and cheap land is all I can imagine. 

Life was different. No plaza walks with my grandpa. Much less walking, period. Santa Fe was very walkable. As a young kid, I’d walk to school, I’d walk to the community center, I’d walk to friends’ houses in the neighborhood. Moriarty wasn’t like this. There was much more dirt, a lot less pavement, and you needed a bike at minimum. Even then, you’d be on your bike for a long time to get to your friends’ houses. Oh, and you had to navigate dirt roads with no sidewalk. 

The school bus ride? Forget about it. My elementary school was sort of close, in Moriarty terms. Three and a half miles, as the crow flies. The bus had to pick up everyone in my “neighborhood”, and this meant lots of time spent on the bus. I remember the bus picking me up around 6:30 am, and we’d weave in and out of these rural dirt roads to then eventually drop us off at school to start our day. 

If it rained or snowed, we’d navigate the mud and snow. Most of the time it was just dusty. We got to see a lot of Indian Hills on the bus ride. 

Middle school was when the bus ride was really tough. I was picked up at 5:50 am (about). We would circle the Indian Hills dirt roads, then head down Martinez Road and make our way to Echo Ridge and pick up all the kids there. 

I was always tired. 

And talk about a depressing ride. Lots of dirt. Lots of mud if it rained. Lots of bumps. Lots of kids living in conditions that were just horrible. Poverty. It’s not a pleasant memory, to be honest. 

Well… I don’t know what else I can say about all this. I guess I’ll wrap up this memory with another memory. I’d miss the bus on occasion. Understandable since the dang thing arrived so early in the morning. If I missed the bus, I had another opportunity to catch the bus. It meant running across our two acres, into the field south of our property, and to the other bus stop on a rural dirt road. As the crow flies 🐦‍⬛, four tenths of a mile. I’d start my morning at 6:00 am with a nice sprint.

The Toyota Prius is a Pretty Neat Car

For the past couple of weeks I have not been able to stop thinking about the Toyota Prius transmission. 

Your typical transmission, according to my limited knowledge, has a number of gears. Those gears are engaged depending on the speed your vehicle is traveling.  Most cars have an automatic transmission, meaning that those gears are changed automatically for you. Manual transmissions require the operator to change those gears...manually. 

Backing up a bit. Again, according to my limited knowledge, a transmission is a mechanical component of the vehicle that allows the delivery of the energy generated from the motor to the wheels of the vehicle. 

Toyota Prius, at least the fourth generation that I researched, has a eCVT (electronically controlled continuously variable transmission). 

I was going to try my hand at trying to explain it. But, instead. I'll leave these three resources: a reddit thread where the redditors share my enthusiasm for this piece of engineering, a YouTube video where the YouTuber explains this concept... and I think that's it. 

I am really fascinated with the car itself. I used ChatGPT to compile some ideas and fact checked it with Copilot. There might be some errors here, but I thought it was some cool information about this little vehicle. It's packed with some really great engineering. 

Anyway, here's the AI info: 

# Understanding the Fourth Generation Toyota Prius Hybrid System




The Toyota Prius stands as a testament to automotive innovation, being one of the first mass-produced hybrid vehicles. Its unique combination of a gasoline engine and electric motors offers an eco-friendly driving experience. Let's delve into the specifics of its hybrid system.




## Gasoline Engine: The Heart of the Prius

The Prius is powered by a **1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine**, known for its efficiency. This engine, referred to as the **2ZR-FXE**, is designed to work in harmony with the electric motor, providing power and recharging the battery simultaneously.




### Engine Specifications and Technology

- **Displacement**: 1,798 cc, indicating the engine's size and air intake capacity.

- **Bore x Stroke**: 80.5 mm x 88.3 mm, determining the engine's total displacement and influencing power and torque.

- **Compression Ratio**: 13.0:1, enhancing fuel efficiency and performance.

- **Power Output**: 95-148 hp (71-110 kW) at 5200-6600 rpm, measuring the engine's ability to perform work over time.

- **Torque**: 105-129 lb-ft (142-175 Nm) at 3600-4400 rpm, reflecting the engine's capability to turn the wheels and accelerate the vehicle.




#### Advanced Technologies of the 2ZR-FXE Engine

- **Atkinson Cycle**: The 2ZR-FXE operates on the Atkinson cycle, which delays the closure of the intake valves, allowing a portion of the air-fuel mixture to return to the intake manifold. This results in a smaller effective compression stroke and a longer power stroke, improving thermal efficiency.

- **Variable Valve Timing**: Equipped with VVT-i for the intake camshaft only, it optimizes valve timing for various driving conditions to improve performance and fuel economy.

- **Cooled EGR System**: The engine features a cooled exhaust gas recirculation system that reduces nitrogen oxide emissions and improves fuel efficiency by lowering the combustion temperature.




#### Engine Operation and Design

- **Seamless Start and Stop**: The engine can start and stop almost imperceptibly, thanks to the integrated starter-generator (MG1) that provides smooth and quick starts.

- **Transition to Electric Motor**: When the vehicle requires less power or is in electric vehicle mode, the gasoline engine can shut off, allowing the electric motor (MG2) to propel the vehicle, reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

- **Power Split Device**: This device allows the Prius to operate on the gasoline engine, electric motor, or both. It also enables the engine to charge the battery while providing propulsion.




#### Engineering Feats

- **Lightweight Pistons**: Pistons with resin-coated skirts and oil jets for cooling contribute to reduced friction and improved efficiency.

- **Aluminum Construction**: The use of aluminum for the cylinder block and head helps reduce the engine's weight, enhancing fuel economy.

- **Chain-Driven Camshafts**: The timing chain is maintenance-free and provides reliable operation throughout the engine's lifespan.




#### Additional Technical Insights

- **Fuel System**: The 2ZR-FXE uses a multi-point fuel injection system, which delivers fuel directly to the intake valve of each cylinder for more precise control and efficient combustion.

- **Engine Management**: An advanced engine control unit (ECU) manages the engine's operations, adjusting parameters such as fuel delivery, ignition timing, and valve timing to optimize performance and efficiency.

- **Environmental Standards**: The engine meets stringent emission standards, such as Euro 6, which underscores Toyota's dedication to minimizing the environmental impact of their vehicles.




## Electric Motors: Silent and Efficient Power

Toyota's hybrid system includes a dual motor-generator setup, with **MG1** and **MG2** serving distinct purposes. **MG1** (model 1SM) primarily acts as a generator, while **MG2** (model 1NM) drives the wheels with an output of **53 kW (71 horsepower)**. For the all-wheel-drive (AWD-e) models, an additional rear motor offers **5 kW (6.7 horsepower)**.




## Seamless Operation: The Power-Split Device

At the core of the Prius's drivetrain is the **power-split device**, which integrates the operation of the gasoline engine and electric motors. This system uses a planetary gearset to distribute power efficiently, allowing for different driving modes and optimal energy use.




## Regenerative Braking: Energy Conservation

The Prius harnesses kinetic energy during braking through its **regenerative braking system**. This innovative feature transforms the electric motor into a generator, capturing energy that would otherwise be lost and storing it in the battery.




## Transmission: The Heartbeat of Efficiency

The Prius employs an **electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (eCVT)**, which is the vehicle's innovative transmission system. The eCVT operates on a system of pulleys and a belt or chain, allowing for an infinite number of effective gear ratios. This design eliminates the need for fixed gears, providing a seamless driving experience.




### How eCVT Works:

- **Planetary Gearset**: The eCVT's planetary gearset facilitates power transfer and allows for simultaneous input from the gasoline engine and electric motors.

- **Motor-Generator Units**: Two motor-generator units, MG1 and MG2, work together to start the engine, drive the wheels, and generate electricity during regenerative braking.

- **Power Split Device**: This device manages the power flow between the engine and electric motors, adjusting the "gear" ratio continuously.

- **Electronic Control Unit (ECU)**: The ECU orchestrates the entire system, ensuring optimal efficiency and performance.




### Advantages of eCVT:

- **Fuel Efficiency**: The eCVT's ability to continuously adjust gear ratios contributes to the Prius's exceptional fuel economy.

- **Smooth Operation**: Drivers enjoy a smooth ride without the abrupt gear changes found in conventional transmissions.

- **Reduced Emissions**: The efficient operation of the eCVT leads to lower emissions, aligning with the Prius's eco-friendly ethos.




## Hybrid Synergy Drive: The Complete System

Toyota's **Hybrid Synergy Drive** is the overarching technology that brings together the gasoline engine, electric motors, and eCVT. It's a sophisticated system that ensures the Prius operates efficiently, whether it's in electric-only mode, gasoline-only mode, or a combination of both.




## Nickel-Metal Hydride Battery: Reliable and Efficient Energy Storage




The Toyota Prius is equipped with a nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery pack, chosen for its reliability, longevity, and energy density. Here's why it's used:




- **Proven Technology**: NiMH batteries have a long track record of use in hybrid vehicles and are known for their durability and safety¹¹.

- **Efficient Energy Storage**: NiMH batteries offer a good balance between energy density and power output, making them well-suited for storing and delivering the energy needed to power the Prius's electric motor¹³.

- **Cost-Effectiveness**: Compared to other battery chemistries like lithium-ion, NiMH batteries are generally more cost-effective, contributing to the Prius's overall affordability¹¹.




## TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture): Enhancing Performance and Efficiency




The Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform underpins the Prius




, providing a solid foundation for its hybrid system and enhancing its performance and efficiency. Here's how TNGA benefits the Prius:




- **Modular Design**: TNGA's modular platform allows for greater flexibility in vehicle design, enabling Toyota to optimize the Prius's layout for hybrid drivetrain components and battery placement⁶.

- **Improved Handling**: By lowering the vehicle's center of gravity and optimizing weight distribution, TNGA enhances the Prius's handling and stability, providing a more engaging driving experience⁸.

- **Enhanced Safety**: TNGA's structural rigidity and advanced safety features contribute to the Prius's excellent crashworthiness and occupant protection, ensuring peace of mind for drivers and passengers alike⁶.




## Aerodynamics: Maximizing Efficiency and Performance




The Toyota Prius boasts a sleek and aerodynamic design that minimizes air resistance and maximizes fuel efficiency. Here's how its aerodynamics contribute to its overall performance:




- **Streamlined Exterior**: The Prius's exterior features a smooth and flowing design, with aerodynamic lines and contours that reduce drag and turbulence at high speeds.

- **Coefficient of Drag**: With a drag coefficient of just **0.24**, the Prius is designed to slip through the air efficiently, which is instrumental in achieving its remarkable fuel efficiency⁴.

- **Active Aero Enhancements**: Advanced aerodynamic features, such as aero stabilizing fins, vortex generators, and underbody panels, further optimize airflow around the vehicle, improving stability and fuel economy.

- **Efficient Cooling**: Strategic placement of air intakes and cooling ducts helps regulate engine and battery temperatures while minimizing aerodynamic drag, ensuring optimal performance under all driving conditions.




The low coefficient of drag is a testament to the Prius's design, which is engineered to reduce the aerodynamic drag force acting on the vehicle. This reduction in drag force directly contributes to the Prius's ability to achieve high fuel efficiency by decreasing the amount of energy required to overcome air resistance, especially at highway speeds.

My Food Stamps Memories (some of them)

 My blog posts have always been very random. All over the place. Like, "what on Earth are you talking about, Lorenzo??" Yeah, I'm going to keep with that theme. 

I've got a note that says my next topic should be "being on food stamps and C02 emissions". Maybe, I'll just combine the two and make a post on both. I'll try to connect them in a way. 

Let's just start with being on food stamps. In fact, I think I'll save the randomness and write about the C02 emissions in a later blog post. Or, better still, I'll record a Curious Lorenzo podcast episode on it. 

Okay, so here we go. Being on food stamps. It's something I don't love to talk about, but part of my life still. I'll start with my earliest memory of food stamps. I remember going to the grocery store with my family and a parent, maybe my mom, using food stamps to pay for the food. I can't confirm this, but it was more than likely at the grocery store that is now Natural Grocers on the corner of Cordova and St. Francis in Santa Fe. (I'm not sure why location in my memories are so important, but they are.)

I remember the cashier checking us out, and my mom (or maybe another family member, the memory is not perfect) pulling out a booklet of papers, and the family member handing that paper to the cashier. 

We left with our groceries and I didn't think twice about the interaction. Just observed it. 

That's my first experience with food stamps. 

I guess I can talk a bit about what food was like at my house as a kid before I talk about my next experience with food stamps. 

Food was always available. I don't remember being hungry or without food. As a kid, I remember a few food items that stand out. We had bacon. Cereal. I remember digging through the box to find the toy in the box. I remember milk. 

I remember my mom making beans in the pressure cooker. That thing was scary, spewing steam and hissing at me. I wasn't sure if the pressure cooker would explode hot beans all over the room. 

I remember my mom's fresh tortillas. Making tortillas was quite the event. My mom had to prep the kitchen, and she'd wrap a towel around her head. I imagine to keep her hair out of her face and out of the masa. She'd then mix all the ingredients and get her wooden rolling pin and roll the tortillas out. Getting the rolled tortillas was half the work. Then she'd heat up her flat tortilla skillet and then get each tortilla cooked, flipping them with her bare fingers. I thought that was incredible. It seemed that the skillet would be way too hot for her to flip them with her bare fingers, but she did it. 

So yeah, those were the food items I remember as a very young kid. Going to my Grandpa's house, who lived next door to me (in our very strangely arranged Santa Fe neighborhood), he would cook red chile with some kind of meat, and he'd dip a piece of the cheapest white bread into the chile and eat that for a snack or a meal. He would give me some of the chile, or let me get my own piece of white bread to dip with. I remember loving this. 

I remember my grandpa had liver in his small fridge. I never tried that. 

Later on in my childhood, we had less beans and tortillas, and more ramen noodles, pot pies, and macaroni and cheese. I remember living off of these staples. I don't remember having much vegetables or fruit in my house. Or, if we did, I didn't eat them. I ate a lot of ramen. Like most days, I'd have ramen. 

Our family didn't have dinner together. We'd eat when we ate. Most of my meals in the school year came form school. I had reduced lunch. This means that my lunch and breakfast costs were less than the regular cost. If I remember correctly, my lunch was about 35¢, breakfast was probably about the same. I think we just bought a monthly lunch pass and I would hand my card to the lunch lady, and she'd punch my card, and I'd grab my lunch. 

Breakfast's where whatever the school provided. I think the most delicious breakfast they had was the "pancake on a stick". It was just like a corndog, except the breading on the outside was pancake batter, and instead of a hotdog in the middle, it was breakfast sausage. They'd give you a cup of syrup to dip your breakfast in and of course serve it with a half pint of milk. 

Lunches were square pizza, cheeseburgers, taco salad ... the others I don't remember. 

But, I'm talking about food stamps, right? I'll get back to that. I guess I just wanted to talk about what my relationship was like with food when I was a kid. 

I think the thing that I don't like the most about my childhood and my relationship with food as a kid was the social piece. Humans share meals together. We love going to restaurants. We love to talk together and discuss the day over a meal. I didn't do that. I remember maybe having dinner at a table with my family once in my entire childhood. (Other than in restaurants.)

The other was what food did to my body. I hated my body as a kid. And I loved the salty hot taste of ramen noodles. 

I remember once I had prepared myself some ramen noodles and someone came over--unexpected company. I remember hiding my food. I didn't want them to know I was eating. Or maybe I was embarrassed. I don't know why I did that. It's not like I wouldn't share. I'd share my noodles with them. I just felt very insecure about eating around them. And this behavior stuck around and is still there in a way as an adult. I will not eat around other people unless they are also eating--even if they say it's okay if I eat while they're there or if I know they've already had a meal. 

Okay, now I can move on to food stamps again. My next experience with food stamps was as an adult and I was the recipient of the food stamps.

As an adult, there was a time where I could not afford to pay all of my bills and I could not afford food. My next step was to seek government assistance. I remember going to the Human Services Department building off of Menaul and I-25 in Albuquerque. I had to apply in person. Or maybe I had to meet with a case manager in person to discuss my application. One of my tasks, though, was to come back to the HSD building to attend a career training workshop on a Saturday. The purpose of this workshop was to teach me how to complete a job application, and I had to check in with my case manager to show them I was looking for work. This was incredibly humiliating. Especially because I was already employed, and I was a recent graduate of UNM with a degree in economics. 

I remember being worried that I would know one of the employees that were handling my case. What if I was a client of a person I knew. My heart sank. I felt pretty worthless. 

I jumped through the hoops, though, and I got my food stamps card. (Technology moved along from my experience as a kid.) The card was similar to an ATM card, and I picked a PIN and could use it to buy my groceries. There were some rules I had to know about, though. I could not buy any prepared food, no rotisserie chicken from the deli. And no booze, of course. Fine. At least I could bring food home. 

I had to keep track of my balance, though. I was allotted a certain dollar amount for the month, and if I bought groceries that exceeded my balance, the entire transaction would be declined. I had to then either separate the order into two transactions, or ask the cashier to put back the items I couldn't afford. 

And this was embarrassing. I tried my hardest to be exact with my amounts so I didn't have to go through the embarrassing part of asking cashiers to take items off. 

Things got especially difficult if you involved WIC benefits. WIC is a benefit that will cover essential food items: milk, cheese, yogurt, cereal, beans. But, WIC will only cover certain food items, and you had to get really good at knowing which items it would cover. I got really good at this. 

But, what this meant, is that there were some transactions that had three cards swiped--your WIC card, food stamps card, and then your debit card if there were any non-food or prepared food in your list of purchases. 

As this is all happening, there are a few things that are going through my mind; 

    1. I hate my life. This sucks. 

    2. It really sucks that I have to put the cashier thought all this extra work.

    3. I hope they people behind me aren't getting upset that this is taking so long. I hope they don't see the         card I'm using. 

    4. I hope the cashier doesn't announce my food stamps balance to everyone in earshot. I would die of             embarrassment if she does.

But, yeah. I'm not there anymore, thankfully. I do not qualify for food stamps. My kids eat every meal they need. We make sure to have dinner together, as a family. We talk about the day. And I try my hardest to ensure that every meal has a protein and vegetable in it. 

Okay, here we go… My uncle climbed a tower in santa fe

Okay, here we go… My uncle climbed a tower in santa fe. 

I grew up with lots of cousins. A few were older, most of them were younger than me. 

My childhood was spent in Santa Fe. A weird place to grow up, looking back. Of my …many cousins, I was the fifth oldest. Two of my older cousins live in Santa Fe, the other lived in California (I think), and the other older cousin lived in Tennessee. 

Wait… did the one that lived in California live in Santa Fe? Typing this, I think she did. At least for a little while. Maybe she went back and forth from Santa Fe to California. 

I remember asking her about the freeways in California. California cities and population density of California urban areas kind of blew my mind. Her stories of twelve lane highways filled me with wonder. 

But, yeah. Lots of cousins everywhere. Most of my time was spend with the second oldest, but occasionally I’d go with other aunts. Never uncles. Uncles were kind of absent. 

Except for this one time when my uncle took me ice fishing. I don’t know how old I was, but I was very young. If we were in New Mexico, chances are we went to Eagle Nest Lake (https://wwwapps.emnrd.nm.gov/SPD/ParksReportingPublicDisplay/WebDisplay/Detail/37). As far as I know, that’s the only lake in the state that gets cold enough to ice fish. 

My uncle’s approach to getting to the fish was very unconventional. Even I knew this as a very young kid. I think there’s probably protocol to getting under the ice, and it’s not finding the best boulder from the shore and proceeding to bash it into the ice. Right? That sounds dangerous. 

I’m not sure why my parents let me spend time with my uncle… or some of my aunts for that matter. 

I ended up survinvg the ice fishing incident. But, then there was more fun to be had with uncles and aunts. 

I remember going to one aunt’s house and spending the night. Sleepovers were a big deal in the 90s. I don’t remember having a good time, however. My cousins were allowed to do pretty much whatever they wanted, and that did not involve cleaning their apartment. The environment was very chaotic to my child brain. I remember feeling uncomfortable being there. Even now, it gives me unpleasant feelings. 

I was quiet. I didn’t speak up for myself. Something I’ve kept with me to this day. I think I’ve gotten better, but as a kid I would rather stay silent and suffer than speak up to express what I needed. Don’t know why. There’s probably some explanation that points to trauma or whatever. But it was how it was. 

One of the most uncomfortable memories I had was when I spent the night at their apartment and the kids decided they wanted to watch a Freddy Krueger Movie. His face is etched into my brain. I did not want to watch the movie. I didn’t want to be in the room and hear the movie. I didn’t want to be in that house. I just wanted to go home.  But, I was stuck. 

Stuff like that. 

Aunts and uncles suck. At least mine did. 

One time, an uncle of mine got into a craze and decided he wanted to climb a radio tower off of Agua Fria Rd. You know? Those tall towers that have bright blinking red lights on them at night? Those ones. This particular uncle was determined, or convinced, that he was a wrestler. Not the olympic variant. The ones on WWE (then it was WWF). But, he wasn’t athletic. He just liked to scream “I’m awesome!”. I think he was probably just drunk or high or both. 

But, yeah. He made me feel uneasy. And he climbed the tower. At least he said he was gong to. I don’t know if he did or not. He probably didn't. I bet he just passed out. 

I didn't like going to their apartment. In fact, I hated it. 

Santa Fe gave me a variety of memories. Many of them I’m fond of. Those memories suck. 

We were locals. Been in Santa Fe for generations. Our family wasn’t typical. Education wasn’t encouraged. Success wasn’t even mentioned. My uncles and aunts lived to party. They did stupid shit when the kids were around. Said stupid shit when the kids were around. They were horrible examples. 

When a different uncle of mine would sneeze he would also sneeze the Spanish word “Puta” at the same time. 

The word is not a good one. 

Google’s definition: 

pu·ta

noun

DEROGATORY•INFORMAL

1. (in Spanish-speaking regions) a prostitute.

   • a woman who has many casual sexual encountersor relationships.

I didn’t like that guy. Still don’t. He stole from my Grandpa, and my parents. 

So, now that I’m living in this space… I wonder how this has shaped me as a person. Maybe it isn’t all bad. I know that I find it easy to set boundaries now. I don’t want anything to do with that sort of dysfunction I was exposed to as a kid. I have no problem skipping family get-togethers. I have no problem saying “no” to have my kids hang out with the family crowd. And I know that I have control of where my kids are. I can stick up for them and advocate for them, remembering that I didn’t have anyone to advocate for me when I was a kid. 

Not sure why, my mind goes to this image, (generated by Bing AI) when I think of my uncle climbing that tower.