The Jeep Is Dead; Long Live the Jeep

We bought our '96 Jeep Cherokee sport back in 2005. It was a fairly reliable vehicle for a few years, considering how old it was and the fact that it already had 120,000 miles (it's now just shy of the 200k mark) when we purchased it. Within the last few years the old Cherokee has degraded considerably. The a/c no longer worked, the front end had numerous issues which caused the whole vehicle to vibrate if you drove it over 50 mph. That vibration was the entire cause of the wheel that popped off a couple of years ago. It worked the nuts loose and voila, projectile wheel. We've limped the Jeep along for as long as we could. It made it through several moves to different states. It's donned Utah license plates, Colorado, and now South Dakota. She's been a loyal old gal that saw us through many adventures, but alas, all good things must come to an end eventually. The problems with the front end became too much to deal with and made the vehicle unsafe to drive. Every time we took it over 45 mph, it would shake so violently that it felt like all of the wheels would go flying off at any moment. We have to take the highway to get from Belle Fourche (pronounced Bell Foosh, since so many people ask me) to Spearfish so we broke down and bought a new vehicle before the Jeep could officially break down on us and effectively leave us stranded.

We looked at several vehicles and came to settle on another Jeep: a 2006 Liberty.

Natasha was very interested in her new ride.

We wanted another vehicle with four wheel drive because, after much consideration, it fits our lifestyle. We don't live in big cities where we commute for hours every day, so gas isn't that much of an issue. We also have a tendency to live in very snowy areas and in poor cities that cannot afford to plow the streets very often. Whenever we travel we also have a lot of stuff to haul (backpacking frames, tents, dog). So, despite the rising costs of petrol, we settled on another gas guzzler because we use it.

The new Jeep feels like a luxury to us. It may not seem fancy to a lot of people, but to us it is. It's all a matter of perspective. We've been driving a vehicle that doesn't have air conditioning for about four years. You get used to it, but it's not pleasant. Most of the time it wasn't an issue because we lived in areas where it didn't get very hot in the summer. Since we moved to South Dakota I have seen 90 degree temperatures for the first time in years...and driving the old Cherokee around in it was terrible. When we moved from Colorado to South Dakota last year, I felt so sorry for Natasha. It was August and the heat was oppressive. I kept pouring water on her fur to help keep her cool during the ride. She survived, thankfully, but I know she appreciates the a/c just as much as we do, and probably even more.

The car is also quieter. The Cherokee's frame had been twisted somehow and the doors didn't seal properly. Driving at high speeds was incredibly loud and Peter and I would have to shout to talk to each other. Listening to music was out of the question. The passenger side had a draft that came in through the floor somewhere and your feet would freeze in the winter time. You could also feel every single little bump in the road as you drove it, too.

The new Jeep has a few bells and whistles that are nice. It has leather seats which will make cleaning up dog hair much easier. We also ordered a barrier to keep the pooch in the back so that she doesn't claw up the interior with her feet. She won't be very happy about that, but she's going to have to get used to it. It has electric locks and windows, but though they are more convenient, they are more prone to breaking in my opinion. I've already broken one of the windows, too, requiring Peter to order a replacement part for the internal mechanism that lifts and lowers the window. However, the locks in the old Jeep were so worn out that if you locked the doors, there was no guarantee you would be able to unlock them. It's a good thing it was a piece of crap that no one wanted because we never locked it. All of the meters in this Jeep work properly, too. The oil and temperature gage in the Cherokee were busted. So, yeah...an upgrade was definitely needed, though we were enjoying the fact that we didn't have any car payments.

Yes, the Cherokee was a miserable experience to drive. But it was ours, and we had made some awfully fond memories in it. It was time to let go, though.

So, the old gal is parked in our garage, awaiting a day when Peter feels the desire to tinker. He wants to get it fixed up and use it as a serious off-road vehicle (one you don't mind getting banged up) and an emergency back-up in case anything should happen to the new vehicle. She may rise again some day, but until then we're going to enjoy the new Jeep. New adventures are waiting!

Not Taking This Lying Down

I realize it has been a long time since I have blogged. I think it is because I haven't really felt the desire or inspiration to write. I do feel slightly narcissistic talking about myself, but I realize that this is one way that friends and family like to keep in touch, so I will try and maintain it from time to time.

Today's post is unfortunately going to be a gripe because I have something I need to get off my chest, and writing it down may aid my catharsis.

Memorial Day, Peter and I returned from Buffalo, WY where we had spent the weekend with our lovely friends, Nick and Kelly Norris. I checked my mail and found I had two letters from Black Hills State where I am currently working on my undergraduate degree in Communication Art with a minor in photography. The first letter I opened was a flowery congratulatory letter informing me that I had made the dean's list for the 4.0 I earned the spring 2012 semester. They told me I should be proud, and I was indeed proud. The second letter I opened was a letter from student financial aid services informing me that my eligibility for future financial aid had been terminated because, according to their Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress policy, I am not making progress academically.

Uh, come again?

I spoke with the financial aid office and asked why a student who is on the Dean's List and has a cumulative GPA of 3.5 is having their financial aid revoked. They informed me that it is because I have not completed 67% of the total credit hours that I have attempted during the lifetime of my college career.

Lifetime? Really?!


This merits a little bit of explanation. Back in 2002 I attended college at Utah State University for the first time. I had put hardly any effort into school up to that point; I basically coasted through high school and walked away with a 3.0. When I got to college I figured it would be much the same. I had no study skills or really any preparation for college whatsoever, and I'll admit that I was attending USU not because I had a career in mind but because I needed to make a break from my life as it had been up to that point. Only problem was that I was trying to run away from me, but I quickly found that no matter where I went, there I was. I lost motivation and stopped attending classes and I bombed out. I attempted to go back the following semester but I expected different results while doing the same thing; the very definition of insanity right? I returned home and tried to reevaluate my life. A few months later I met a wonderful and understanding man who I fell in love with and ultimately married. I spent the next seven years of my life working and helping him fulfill his dreams. Along our journey, I developed a desire to go back to school, and with Peter's encouragement I did.

Returning to school wasn't easy, especially since I was deeply ashamed of my college career so far. USU, however, had a program that allowed returning students, who had been absent for more than five years, a chance to wipe the slate clean, so to speak. If I completed a semester of 12 credits or more with a 3.0 or higher GPA, they would remove all of the failed grades from my transcript. Well, I shouldn't say remove exactly, they were still there, but they would no longer affect my current GPA. That semester I earned a 3.5. The second semester I earned a 3.8. My college career was back on track and life was looking good.

And then we moved to Colorado.

So, I put school on hold for two more years until we moved to South Dakota and I applied to Black Hills State. I took 15 credits last semester and walked away with a 4.0.

And now I am being punished for something that happened 10 years ago when I was still a child in many ways. I thought I had redeemed myself, but apparently BHSU isn't about to let me forget my shame.

I can't help but wonder why they are having an issue with this now that I have clearly proven to them that I am a good student? They should be begging me to stay! I suspect that because of the current state of the economy, they are looking for any reason not to give out financial aid.

The financial aid center, who was little to no help, is insisting that I appeal their decision. I have completed their form and sent it in. The fact of the matter is that without financial aid, I cannot afford to go to school at this time. If middle-of-nowhere BHSU, with it's high and mighty standards does not approve my appeal, rest assured I will finish my degree. Just not with them. They can take their poor retention/graduation rate and shove it.