Remembering the Nashville flood… and what I regret to this very day!

I can still remember it as clear as day, which is rather ironic because on this day, it was anything but clear. It rained. I don’t mean on and off rain… it rained all afternoon. And then it rained all day the next day. Nashville was experiencing what will be record-setting setting rainfall causing floods around middle Tennessee.

On day 1 of the rain, Saturday, I was doing a volunteer thing my church had put together. As I recall, we were at a school painting and cleaning and sweeping and all that fun stuff. I think I remember the weather being cloudy but not much rain on my way to the school. On the way home a few hours later the rain had already begun. So much that there were already police and firefighters at certain intersections making sure everyone could navigate the intersection because a nearby parking lot was beginning to flood. Here’s a quick video I recorded on my phone.

But it was at the school gymnasium where something crazy happened.

I so wish I had this one video but sometime around lunch we all took a break from the work inside the school. There were a few basketballs laying around so we started shooting, and some of us were trying half-court shots. Of course, most of our shots were unsuccessful.

Well, I’m not lying at all when I say this… I heaved up a half-court shot and it looked promising. As it descended, as if it were edited in a studio somewhere, just as the ball ripped through the basket the loudest clap of thunder boomed. The timing was perfect and everyone there was startled by what just happened.

It was pretty wild, and I know a video would be much more entertaining for you, but you’ll just have to cope however you can :/ I’ve been coping for 10 years. I still remember that moment as if it was yesterday. Such perfect timing and to make the shot, too, was magical 🙂

Nashville went on to get double digit rain totals (in inches) and the week following this rain I didn’t go to work at all because the basement of the downtown building where I worked flooded. It was a devastating week for a lot of folks, and now, 10 years later, the event is still remembered with somber thoughts……..

…….and regret for not asking someone to record my half-court shot!

Out of the Wilderness

Driver goes wrong way on a one way highway ramp!

When I hear on the news that a driver was going the wrong way on an interstate ramp, I usually can’t understand how that can happen. But to be totally honest, as much as I’m driving around town, I can sort of understand. There are on-ramps and off-ramps that can be a little confusing. Such is the case for this driver, apparently.

Caught this on my dash cam yesterday afternoon, May 1, 2020. The “victim” in this clip DID stop further down the road after what sounds like contact between the two vehicles. As you’ll see in the clip, the driver at fault did NOT stop to check any damage. I’ll be tweeting this to the Metro Nashville PD in case there was a report and the police need license plate numbers, etc.

Have you ever witnessed something like this? Comment below!

-Out of the Wilderness

2020 Land Rover Discovery… what happened?

THAT’S a Discovery? Ewww!

I recently was at a stoplight next to an SUV that looked new; I didn’t recognize it by the body style. The only thing that gave it away was the word “Discovery” spanning the width of the rear end.

Screen Shot 2020-04-16 at 9.32.38 AM
image from WildeCars.com

All I could think in that moment was, “What? This looks like almost every other SUV out there! What happened to the old Discovery trucks that stood out in a crowd?” Remember these….

91ucpOIJdoL._UY560_
imaged sourced here

So much more original, right? Looking back, I think the brand began conforming to a common body style in the late 90s with the Freelander but what I saw yesterday was such a disappointment. No originality. No personality.

It looks more like a new Kia Sportage than the Discoveries in its lineage. And to be totally honest, I’d get a Kia before I’d get a Land Rover, even if they were sold at the same price! The Kia Telluride is a beautiful SUV.

I can’t speak to the mechanics of the Discovery (engine, interior features, etc) so maybe some of that still sets it apart from other SUVs in its class. However, when it comes to the wow factor, the “safari” look… that’s long gone. I guess they saw a brighter future building SUVs that fit in on the streets of LA, not the mountain trails.

-Out of the Wilderness

Pictures of things that have no idea there is a pandemic happening

I love that nature pretty much knows only one thing. Be. Just be. Eat. Grow. Go about their God-given business. These pictures are from the Mill Creek greenway in Nashville, Tennessee. Piper and Asia appear courtesy of their management, “Beagles’R’Us”. IMG_20200401_095103IMG_20200401_095305IMG_20200401_100020IMG_20200401_101032IMG_20200401_101426IMG_20200401_101655IMG_20200401_102239IMG_20200401_102248IMG_20200401_102321IMG_20200401_102326IMG_20200401_102327IMG_20200401_102720IMG_20200401_102739IMG_20200401_102959

Thanks for stopping by!

-Out of the Wilderness

3 different ways to use your stimulus money

Among all the chaos of the coronavirus pandemic is affecting bank accounts all across the country in the form of stimulus checks. Some folks have or will have a direct deposit while others, like me, have an actual old-fashioned check. Why I got a check when the IRS definitely has my account and routing numbers I’ll never understand but anyway… I guess that’s the efficiency of government for ya 🙂

stimulus check

Before tearing open the envelope I paused to consider 3 options, 3 routes to take with this new money. I know there are many options and a million wrinkles to the scenario but take a look at the ideas below and let me know what you think! 

1. For those with any kind of loan… Put all of the money towards the loan principle (probably the wisest decision) – by doing this you’re reducing your monthly payments in a long run. Everything about this decision screams wise, mature, smart. 

2. For anyone who’s a fan of risky business… Put the entire sum in stocks (risky, but more fun than option #1) – if you were happy before the money, you’ll be happy after even if you lose it. Or if you have some luck, it’ll multiply in the stock market. 

3. Noteworthy piece of memorabilia… How about the most risky choice – DON’T OPEN THE ENVELOPE! This option is obviously more far-fetched than option #1 or #2, but maybe you’d like to take a gamble that in 30 or 40 or 50 years the unopened envelope containing the stimulus check might be worth more than the check amount. Thinking about auction value for historic documents, etc. Obviously, this is a very unconventional choice, and most risky because at some point the check will be out of date and it could very well be worth $0 in 30, 40, or 50 years.

What is your heart telling you? There are other ways to take action with the stimulus money not discussed above but I thought these 3 options were quite interesting. What is your heart telling you? What unconventional ideas do you have? Chime in below and thanks for stopping by! 

-Out of the Wilderness