Blackfoot Art Center - Off and Running!

Well, I did it!

I am now the sole proprieter of the Blackfoot Art Center. I am also the teacher, the bookkeeper, the buyer, the publicist, and the janitor. And I'm loving it! I just published our summer class schedule, so if you are interested, visit the Blackfoot Art Center weblog and download the current class information.

I really love this little town. People are so supportive, and now so excited about an Art Center here. One woman came by and said she nearly drove off the road when she saw the sign.

And that reminds me of my only real pet peeve about living here - the drivers! (Not the above-mentioned lady, of course; my awesome sign was to blame for that!) The "in" thing here in Blackfoot is driving a loud, beat-up pick-up truck (with no seatbelts) and laying rubber. I live on the corner of a busy street, so you can imagine how that is for me. Yep, just really poor driving habits here, and I see it every day. (Kids in Idaho can drive at age 14 1/2, by the way...) I don't think there's so much of a problem with auto theft here, however. It must be pretty easy to obtain an old pickup truck without having to steal one, I'm guessing.

I just learned that six of the top ten auto theft locations are located in California, where we moved from not so long ago. While still living there, we switched insurance companies to GEICO and never looked back. Now GEICO has recommended 11 steps California drivers can take to prevent being targeted and losing their car to thieves. They're not just for Californians, in my opinion; everyone should take heed. Tips include simple things like not leaving your keys in the car or valuables where people can see them, and locking the car even while driving. But how about hiding your registration papers in a secret location (not the glove compartment where thieves and find and produce them for police)? Or, try etching your VIN on every window? Thieves hate that! (Too expensive to fix.)