Last Monday, the electrician arrived at my home to do the Wall Box Inspection and the news wasn’t good. In order to have enough juice flowing to our detached garage, he said we’d need to dig a trench from the basement of our house through our backyard to our garage and lay a 40 amp line. Heavy machinery would have to be involved. Price tag? He wouldn’t say, but told me that MINI would get back to me.
After consulting with a few friends who’ve had some electrical work done, I got the sense that at a minimum the cost would be five thousand dollars. That is no where near what I’d been expecting to pay. In addition, the idea of digging a big trench through our backyard, upending the swing set and landscaping (that we’d probably have to pay to replace) just seemed like too much to take on. Honestly, even if MINI paid for everything needed, I still don’t think I’d go through with it. Too much disruption for a line that I’d only use for one year.
It will come as no surprise that I decided to pull out of the MINI E Field Trial. I’m saddened by my decision, but think it’s the right thing for me and my family. I am eager to hear about how the trial progresses, MINI’s findings, and the experiences of the field trial participants.
To end on a positive note, I purchased my first MINI after I made my decision to pull out of the field trial. It’s the convertible 2008 MINI Cooper S you see on this post and I absolutely love it. I wish MINI and all of the MINI E Field Trial Participants all the best.
There’s been a lot of MINI E activity for me over the last 24 hours.
1. Yesterday, I received an e-mail from Clean Fuel Connection, Inc. to request my availability for conducting the initial inspection for the Wall Box. The e-mail had three attachments:
- Process flow diagram of how the Wall box installation process will work. It was very straightforward and easy to read. No Earth shattering revelations.
- FAQ document that answered some basic questions. Good to know more about the potential lower EV rate for electricity I might get from the local utility. We’ll see.
- Clipper Creek CS Brochure which was a high level specification pamphlet on the wall charger. It confirms that we’ll need to upgrade the service out to the garage. Thankfully, we have plenty of juice available.
I e-mailed my availability for the inspections and hopefully I’ll get a call soon to schedule the actual time.
2. I received two tickets via snail mail to the New York International Auto Show being held April 10-19. They are exhibitor passess that MINI sent me so that I can go and see the MINI E live. The dates fall smack dab in the middle of my vacation, but I’m negotiating to adjust my schedule a bit so I can go to the show. It would be such a great opportunity to get a preview of my MINI E.
3. This morning I received another edition of Plugged In, the MINI E newsletter. It was briefer than the last one and provided updates on the inspections and also let us know that the actual cars are all on the West Coast waiting to be shipped out to their respective dealers.
That’s all for now. As always, I can’t wait to receive my MINI E and get motoring.
Yesterday I received via e-mail the first of what will be a weekly MINI E Field Trial newsletter called PLUGGED-IN. Kudos to Mini for keeping us field trial participants informed and engaged.
Key points shared in the newsletter:
- that there is a newsletter and we’ll now be getting it weekly
- wall box inspections have started on the West coast and will start on the East coast shortly
- there’s been a delay in the production of the cable for the wall box but they’ll still be installing the boxes and will then come back to install the cable once it’s available
- due to the cable production delay, the cars won’t be available until May at the earliest
- final tidbit was that the pictures in the media of the MINI E with the decals (side graphics) on the side are the auto show cars. The MINI E’s in the field trial will not have those side graphics
My reactions:
- Was glad to hear from MINI and get the update
- Was not surprised about the pushing back of the delivery date because it aligns well with what my contact at Morristown MINI told me last week
- Thinking that my electrical service will need to be upgraded because I think we run 110v to the garage and the charging stations requires 240v
I’m very much looking forward to the arrival of my MINI E!
Caught up with my contact at Morristown Mini last week who gave me a call.
A few key points:
- No taxes will be assessed with the inception fee – love it!
- I should be hearing from the charging box installation inspectors in the next 2 weeks – haven’t heard yet
- He asked me to talk to Liberty Mutual to get an insurance quote and send it to him. They have a special line just for MINI E Field Trial Participants. Got a good deal because we already have our insurance with Liberty Mutual.
- It seems that that late April/Early May is turning into May/June. Bummed but totally understand that they need to do this right.
Will post again when I hear from the charging box installation inspector.
I just received an e-mail from the MINI E program folks letting me know next steps regarding the wall box charger. They have hired Clean Fuel Connection, Inc. to do the assessment and implementation work involved for installing the infrastructure needed for the wall box charger. They will do all of the permit requests and manage all the work required to ensure the wall box charger is installed correctly.
Apparently, the wall box chargers are almost all ready to go. For now, the waiting game continues and my anticipation grows.
Kudos to Mini for getting a communication out so that we’re all informed about where we are in the process.
I’ve been attending yoga classes regularly for more than a year now. I’d studied it before, but not with the same regularity or dedication as I do now. There’s something about that one hour of not thinking about anything other than doing the poses that is such a welcome relief from the busy life I lead. It’s like a mental vacation. Having toned arms is a nice side benefit, I will admit.
An unexpected benefit is that it’s helped me see the value of taking risks and reaching for what I want. Never really the risk taker (hey, I’m a Project Manager by trade, we control risk, we don’t seek it), I think I missed out on a lot of opportunities because of my risk aversion. What’s interesting is in looking back on my life, many risks I’ve taken have led to amazing things.
In yoga, just when you think you’ve mastered a pose there’s always more you can do to take it to the next level. But you’ll never get to the next level if you don’t try, if you don’t take the risk. You have to stretch, to move a little farther, to exert a little more strength in a muscle you might not have used like that before. You may even fall if you don’t get it right.
But I take that back. Falling is getting it right. Isn’t it better to fall reaching for your dreams than to never have tried? The other key, of course, is to not let that fall stop you. Get back up, and reach again.
I’ve taken some risks lately that have paid off. But when they don’t, I will re-read this post and remind myself of how my life is better thanks to the risks I’ve taken.
I’m excited to announce that I’ve been selected to participate in the field test of the Mini E, a 100% electric, zero emissions Mini. I was at work on Monday when my cell phone rang. When I answered it, the caller informed me that I had been selected to be 1 of 500 Field Test participants. 250 from the East coast, 250 from the West coast. Out of all of the applications they received during their one month application period that ended 12/10/08, I guess something about mine must have stood out. No idea what that was, but I don’t care. I’m going to be driving a Mini E and participating in this groundbreaking program.
Today, I stopped by Morristown Mini, met the guy I’ll be working with from the Dealership (who was really nice), and submitted my lease financing form. He e-mailed me 2 hours later and informed me that I’d been approved.
So I’m official.
Next step is that I will get contacted for the Wall Box Installation, need to get insurance, and then await delivery which is due in either late April or May. I plan on blogging all about my Mini E experience. There will be logs I have to keep, notes to make, maybe even interviews with the Mini folks to help them understand the strengths and improvement opportunities for the Mini E.
My dream of some day having a Mini will come true at last!
I was tagged on Facebook to write 25 random things about myself. This should be fun. The last time I did something like this I had to come up with 100, so this was easier. I did a new list, generated from Stream of Consciousness…
1. I am completely and irrevocably in love with my husband. Every day I fall more deeply in love with him. We dated for 11 weeks before deciding to get engaged (after being friends for 1 year). He quoted When Harry Met Sally when he proposed to me on a boat in the Central Park Boat Pond. I’m a hopeless romantic.
2. My two little girls are more important than life to me. They teach me something new every day and I thank God every day for them.
3. I always assume the best of people when I meet them.
4. Some say that’s naive.
5. I believe that everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt.
6. I have a very firm handshake.
7. I’m a dog person. Growing up, we owned Collies. I used to show them in obedience competitions. I’m now slightly allergic to dogs, and my husband is very allergic, so sadly we can’t own one.
8. I’m the oldest of 5 children and the textbook oldest kid. I’m a recovering perfectionist and consider myself lucky to have such a wonderful family who loves me no matter what.
9. The quickest way to make me angry is to attack someone I love. The quickest way to make me happy is to surprise me with something fun to do.
10. Between my junior and senior year in college, I visited my father’s home country of Bolivia. In a random village there, I helped my cousin push our car down a dirt road. The villagers stopped and stared at us as if we were crazy. That summer was one of the best of my life.
11. My Spanish gets much better after a few glasses of wine.
12. The first story I ever wrote was about my sister and I escaping a haunted castle. I was seven.
13. I hope some day to be a published novelist.
14. I have two scars of any significance. The one on my inner right ankle is from my mother-in-law dropping a knife on me while she was helping us unpack after moving to the first home we owned in Plymouth, MA. The one on my lower lip is from when I was 1. My parents still don’t know how it happened. You can see it when I smile and I kinda like it.
15. I wanted to be a lawyer since the age of 13. I decided against it the day before the LSAT and occasionally wonder if I made the right decision. I would have enjoyed putting criminals behind bars. The paperwork would have driven me nuts though.
16. I met three of my best friends in my sorority in college. We went to convention together and sang a rush song to the tune of We Didn’t Start the Fire. It involved a silver pot.
17. I lost 35 pounds on the South Beach Diet after I gave birth to my younger daughter and couldn’t exercise. I have an iron will that both helps me succeed and also undermines me when I’m being pigheaded.
18. Now I practice yoga as often as I can. It has transformed my body and mind. And I’m not just saying that because that’s what you’re supposed to say.
19. When I entered college, I thought that some day I would be President of the United States. My Freshman year roommate thought that she would someday be President of the United States too. We hit it off, of course.
20. I’ve since refined that ambition to include things like getting the laundry done or my blog updated. But hey, you never know. We’ll keep you posted.
21. I can’t sing on key to save my life but I took piano lessons for 13 years and miss the creative outlet.
22. My brother Chad died in 1997 and I find myself randomly crying about it without much warning. I believe in Heaven and that he’s there partying it up with those we love who have moved on.
23. I used to interpret dreams my Freshman year in college and still have a talent for it, but it freaks me out.
24. I like driving fast. I don’t like getting speeding tickets so I don’t get to do it often enough.
25. I believe in love.
I’m thrilled to announce that with today’s mid-issue update, I’m officially a Contributing Editor at All Things Girl.
My first column Women in Business: An Introduction posted this morning. Read, enjoy, and share. You will also find posts from me and the other talented women on the ATG staff at the All Things Girl Blog.
On a personal note, I feel that this is an important step in my joruney as a writer. The opportunity to combine what I’ve learned from my work experiences with my passion for writing to help other women achieve success is so inspiring.
[Originally Written: November 11, 2005] The other day I returned to South Station. As I rode the escalator up and the interior gradually came into view, I felt a sense of nostalgia grip me tighter and tighter.
For those who aren’t familiar with the Boston area landmark, it’s the train station located in downtown Boston. I first entered South Station riding up from the connecting subway station on that same escalator about ten years ago when I had recently moved to the Boston area.
Now, as it did then, the station has the look of well-worn majesty. The beautiful brickwork frames and supports the edifice. The dust on the floors shimmers in the sunlight cascading through the large windows located high above. The busy magazine stand capped with an old-fashioned ironwork design is still in the same place, as is the black schedule board that makes that distinctive fflip-fflip-fflip sound when its display changes.
I’m different than the twenty-four-year-old me who first set foot here. She was engaged to be married, living in an apartment in West Somerville, and trying to figure out what to do with her career. The older of her two brothers was still alive. She was much more idealistic and still hadn’t done a tremendous amount of self-examination. Her body, life, and soul hadn’t yet been changed forever by having children.
I don’t recall why I came to South Station for the first time ten years ago, but my most recent visit was because I’m meeting with an important client in the financial district. As I stand in the center of South Station looking my corporate best, I can’t help but smile as I think about the other versions of me that this station has seen: wearing a suit with sneakers and running to catch a train, in jeans with my hair in a scrunchie waiting to meet a friend, in business casual attire with work associates looking for a quick lunch.
For the first time in my life, I feel like I understand better the motivation of those who work tirelessly to preserve landmarks like South Station. In an ever changing world, exposure to a place that remains untouched by time provides the opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate its impact.
