Bumper Makeover

For my second post I'm sharing about restoring the plastic on the exterior of my car. I'd like to state upfront that Meguiar's is not sponsoring this post. I was just a big fan of the product I used so I'm going to be complimentary of it. I only needed two items for this project. Meguiar's Ultimate Black and a rag. 

I was amazed at the low effort and time commitment compared to the results I had. All that was needed was applying some of the Ultimate Black to the rag, coating the plastic surfaces on the car and buffing off any residual product. This treatment is meant to restore any non painted surface on the exterior of a car, increase shine, and is also a UV protectant. 

I was so impressed with this before and after. The treatment is meant to last a few weeks through rain or washing. This is a detailing trick I will continue to take time to do in the future, when it's needed. 

One factor that had a hand in helping me choose my new occupation was that I was worried about some areas of my life getting neglected as I began graduate school (I say as I contemplate the three loads of clean laundry sitting on the couch waiting patiently to be folded). Keeping my life organized and my spaces clean is important to me and some days more people see the inside of my car, than the inside of my house. I think I do have part of my identity wrapped up in my productivity and ability to successfully juggle all the balls I have up in the air at this time in my life. 

I was interested in the idea of self-concept as being how we view ourselves and look forward to the day that I can proudly and confidently say I am someone who has a clean car. As this becomes part of my ongoing identity I wouldn't worry about someone needing a ride unexpectedly because the habits to keep my vehicle pristine would become more automatic and habitual. 

I can say that my choice of new occupation had some need for social approval attached to it. From lecture we learned that this could create a level of self esteem that would be tied to having someone appreciate my clean car. There's a reason why car detailing shorts get so many views on social media. Everyone loves a clean vehicle and there are few things more embarrassing to me than needing to fling wrappers and gym clothes into the backseat to make room in the passenger seat to give a friend a lift.

In the article we read this week we learned about occupational biographies and how our identities evolve over time through planned and unplanned events. In lecture we learned that our experiences are on a continuum. The "space" of my vehicle has meant many things to me as a kid, young adult, new mom, and now as I'm attending college. I can see how my past, present, and future efforts, and the amount of effort I have put into the occupation has changed over time and will continue to do so, thus a part of my identity will change as well. 

References 

Ruth Kjærsti Raanaas, Anne Lund, Unni Sveen & Mona Asbjørnslett (2019) Re-creating self-identity and meaning through occupations during expected and unexpected transitions in life, Journal of Occupational Science, 26:2, 211-218, DOI: 10.1080/14427591.2019.15920112.