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[viridian5]

I can't think of a unifying theme for my 2023 photos. Maybe... the unexpected?


October sunset over Meadow Lake. I've shot a few cool skies this year, especially during a short period in September. My iPhone self-created a "Golden Hour" slideshow out of the many I keep in stock.




I was somewhat underwhelmed by this year's Christmas/holiday window displays in New York City, though nothing will ever beat the disgust I felt over 2020's, so have this subtly Barbie-themed window by Kleinfeld Bridal in August instead. ("Mattel? We have no idea what you're talking about!") The other window was even subtler than this, since at least the incomplete painting here gives you a clue.




My brother and nieces needed me more than usual this last year, mainly for my driving and car, so I spent a lot of time with them and their photogenic pets. (December 31 was that on steroids. I am the goated aunt.) Most of my Christmas photos are of their newest, youngest cat, Kiwi Herman. But this is Treble Clef trying to hide in my youngest niece's bedroom closet. Someone who saw this claimed that Treble has come-hither Disney eyes here but those eyes are a lie, since Treble doesn't want you near him.




Speaking of my car, a star in my last two posts in this community, in 2023 I learned that Hyundai engineering sucks, Hyundai is full of weasels, and that my Elantra is a ticking time bomb on wheels with many vectors to self-immolate. (Like, you wouldn't think anti-lock brakes might be able to start an engine fire but Hyundai found a way. Hasn't happened to me yet--I'm having different engine trouble they're screwing me around on--and there's no Hyundai-given remedy for this recall yet, so for now I'm told not to park it in garages or near flammable objects. And if it explodes into flames while I'm driving... jump out? I dunno, and they don't care.) So don't buy Hyundai and especially don't buy a used Hyundai.

Comments

[yourlibrarian]

What great colors in that first one, an interesting view! And yes, one does see the influence in the window display 😉

Hee, Kiwi Herman! Did they name him in tribute given he died last year?

Yikes about the Hyundai! We used to own one, and then gave it to a family member some years back. It worked well for them but I'm not sure what happened to it since that was almost 20 years ago now that we bought it. So many car manufacturers are having recalls for so many things these days, but that's pretty worrying that they're aware of a problem but have no solution to offer.

[viridian5]

I never asked if the name was specifically a tribute for his recent death. They later found out that Kiwi was born a she, so we all use "he," "she," or "they" as pronouns for Kiwi at random. The icon I'm using here is Kiwi enjoying the Christmas tree from the inside.

When I went to an online page about trying to get Hyundai to honor a recall, there were so many Hyundai recalls there to choose from that I blanched. Like, which one is the one where the car suddenly starts burning oil at a rapid rate, which is what my Elantra started doing in 2023. Another source suggested that Hyundai might start trying to fix the anti-lock brake recall for owners in April but who knows.

[yourlibrarian]

Ha! Christmas trees + cats seems to be the stuff of destiny.

[adafrog]

Kiwi Herman. lol

[viridian5]

One of the Instagram accounts my niece has for Kiwi has the name listed as "Kiwi Purrman" in the bio.

[adafrog]

hee!

[dreamaastrid]

The sunset is beautiful.

[viridian5]

Thank you!

[cmcmck]

What a stunning sunset!

[viridian5]

Thank you so much!

[lokifan]

Gorgeous photos!

Eeeek re: Hyundai!

[viridian5]

Thank you!

Yeah. I was stunned, and I'm ticked off.

[svgurl]

Wow, that sunset is gorgeous!

Oh man, that sucks about Hyundai. Are they waiting for a class action lawsuit? I'm sorry you have to deal with this.

[viridian5]

Thanks!

When I called my senator's office to see if they could help, the representative said that when his Hyundai had problems with its paint--and indeed the paint on my Elantra seems far more fragile and easy to scratch than on the 20-year-old Honda it replaced--it went to court, he got a victory... and Hyundai managed to weasel out of paying to repair his paint somehow. Seriously, the number of recalls Hyundai has going on simultaneously is ridiculous.

The equally suck service manager at the Hyundai shop I went to about my car's oil burning problem said that Hyundai's position is that burning up to two quarts of oil during 1,000 miles is just fine, even if your car didn't previously do that, and thus even if they did feel they had any responsibilities toward me about the oil, which they don't due to me being the second owner and not knowing to buy an extended warranty for everything because the original that go with the car won't be honored, they wouldn't believe I qualified.

They are weasels.

At least the anti-lock brake fire-starting problem will supposedly be covered by them for me when they get around to remedying the problem, which they don't have a plan for yet.