Wow, Good People In Miami

I'm blow away by an event that has transpired over the past 2 days.  I arrived home from work yesterday and got my mail and found I had a letter from the Traffic Citations department of Miami.  At first I thought it might have been those new video cameras in Coral Gables that had busted me doin' a "California Roll thru a stop sign or something but when I opened it up I found a parking ticket inside.  ""WTF?", was the only thought that entered my mind.  Not that I'm immune to parking tickets by any means.  I get them occasionally when I don't have change or something.  This one was different though.  I knew I didn't have my car that day.

I went online and found out where the ticket was issued.  It was a place I'd only been to once.  I had turned in my car that morning at Bimmer Shop, a BMW repair shop located caddy corner from Braman BMW.  I had wires on both tail lights short out and needed to replace the whole damn panel.  Bimmer Shop repaired it and did a great job.  In fact, I was impressed with how nice everyone that worked there was and that they completed the work within hours.  However, I guess at some point they had to move my car to a parking spot (their place isn't enormous) and while it was there it was ticketed.  I'm assuming they took the ticket and intended to pay it but forgot or something because I never saw it.  I knew nothing about it until I got the late notice yesterday in the mail.

I left a voicemail and sent and email to their office because it was after hours.  I also called the next morning. The girl who answered the phone was really nice and had just listened to my message.  She asked for my tag number and said they would take care of it.  Most of the time in Miami this means you have to call the person every day to remind them to do it.  Not this company.  She called me back within 10 minutes and let me know the ticket had been paid.  I couldn't believe it.

Bimmer Shop will definitely be recommended to any and everyone I know.  They can do body work on any auto and mechanical work on any BMW and they do a really good job in a short amount of time.  The people in both the office and shop are friendly and they showed me that they will make amends to any mistakes they make.  Good stuff all around.

Random

- Ive always wondered if pro sports players are superstitious to the point where they think that the actions of the crowd can jinx the team. For example, a crowd chanting the "Nah-nah, nah, nah, hey, hey, hey, goodbye!" song before the game is over only to have their team choke and lose in the end. I wonder if teammates say to eachother, "Oh, the crowd totally jinxed the game!", after the loss. Im a firm believer in the crowd jinx. It can totally bury a team. Maybe its cuz Im a Red Sox fan and we've been bred not to be overly confident in ANY situation. I also believe in the announcer jinx and that one is one of the worst. Whenever a pivotal point in the game comes up and the announcers find obscure stats to use as talking points, those talking points usually get blown out of the water. For example, "Gomez is 0-33 against Beckett at home when the temperature is warmer than 84 degrees", and then Gomez hits a homer on the next pitch. The announcer jinx is the kiss of death.

- I think Bon Jovi and John COUGAR Mellencamp (damn right Im not dropping the "Cougar"!!!) are in a "Who Can Come Up With The Most Patriotic Songs To Be Played During Montages For Championship Sports Programs" contest...

- Landed in MIA today and taxied right by Air Force One. That thing is effin HUGE. MIA was CHAOS this afternoon. It was funny because with Air Force One in town along with Dubya, security at MIA was lazier than ever. While I waited for the Fast Park Shuttle, there was a car that was parked at Terminal D with no one in it for at least 15 minutes. No concern from any MIA security cops. This thing couldve been loaded with explosives and easily taken out 500 people or more. Just another day at MIA.

- Speaking of Fast Park... This is THE BEST place to park if you are flying out of MIA. Its right off LeJeune, adjacent to the airport. $8/day ($7 if you have AAA) and they have a "frequent parker" program that gives you a freebie for every 10 parking stays. The shuttle is constantly moving so there is no waiting time when you need to get to the airport or when you return and you can score covered parking too. In addition to the aforementioned awesomeness, they also give you a free ice cold bottle of water when you exit the lot! So many times Ive come home parched and needing some H-twenty and then remembered I had and ice cold one waiting for me in the parking lot. Oh Fast Park, how I love thee.

- The new Terminal D at MIA is semi-operable but my past 3 flights on American (who pwns Terminal D) have been in/out of Terminal E. Terminal E is the International Terminal and it blows. No food/drink options at all. But, shitty Terminal aside, there has been one MEGA IMPROVEMENT at MIA and thats at the baggage claim. I used to have to wait about 40-45 minutes on average for my bags at MIA and the past 3 trips theyve come out in less than 15 minutes! Thats heaven in Samsonite form right there!

- Michaels Genuine Food & Drink fuckin rules. If you love food and havent been there, you dont love food. Nuff said.

- Rays just got SO EFFIN LUCKY that Youk's liner bounced out of play for a Ground Rule Double. If not, Pedroia scores and its 1-0 Sox...

- The Election is Almost Over!!!