Quality Plus - November 2020

November 2020

The 3 Things I’m Most Thankful For

run smoothly even if I’m not there. I can’t do everything. Our employees are the ones who keep Quality Plus going.

It’s always important to express your gratitude. While Thanksgiving reminds us of the importance of gratitude and being thankful, there’s never a bad time to share what you’re thankful for. Of course, given that we are in the season of Thanksgiving, I thought I would share a few things I’m thankful for. First of all, I’m thankful for my amazing family. I have a wonderful wife who I’ve been married to for 45 years. We have three kids and five grandkids (and another on the way!). My family is a great group of people. They’re supportive and thoughtful. If I need anything, I know I can count on them. Second, I’m thankful for my employees. We’ve put together a talented, trustworthy team. They know how I want to run my business, and they’re right there making it happen. They are all about quality and integrity. I know everything will continue to

Last, but certainly not least, I’m thankful for our great customers. They

come to us to let us do what we love best — fixing cars! They put their trust in us to get the job done. They believe in us. That’s huge. When they come back for service or tell their family and friends about us, it tells us we’re doing something right. We couldn’t ask for a better compliment. When it comes down to it, I’m grateful for these three things more than anything else. Looking back on the year, we wouldn’t have had nearly as great a year if any one of these three things had been missing. I mean, without my family, employees, or customers, I don’t even have a business! Like a lot of businesses, we did slow down a bit this year. Thankfully, things stayed fairly steady. We kept people employed and didn’t have to worry about what might happen next. And I can tell you exactly why, though you can probably guess at this point! It all comes back to my family, employees, and customers. Looking back on the year, I realize I’m a lucky guy to have such a great family and great team. It doesn’t matter what happens; I know I have people I can rely on. But the customers are the ones who bring it all together. A lot of people have had a tough year for all sorts of reasons, but many people continued to bring in their cars. They supported a local business, and for that, I am extremely grateful. To everyone reading this, you have my thanks. I hope you have a good Thanksgiving and that you, too, get a chance to count your blessings. Thank you, again.

Wake Forest • 919.453.0345 — Raleigh • 919.231.6164 -Randy Bunn

1

Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com

The Stories Behind 2 Iconic Animal Heroes in Video Games Your family might have had the chance to play more video games lately and interact with some of the most famous animal heroes in video game history, like Yoshi or Sonic. But have you ever wondered about their real-world backstories? YOSHI Or should we say, T. Yoshisaur Munchakoopas? That’s Yoshi’s full name according to Nintendo’s official character guide published in 1993. Ever since the first release of Super Mario Bros, Nintendo wanted Mario to have a dinosaur companion. However, the limitations of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) stalled that idea until Nintendo released Super Mario World for the Super NES. The inspiration for Yoshi traces back to the 1984 video game Devil World, which featured green lizards that hatch from eggs, eat enemies with large mouths, and emit the very same signature Yoshi giggle when they hatch. Yoshi has received a positive reception since its introduction, making it Japan’s third-favorite video game character in 2008. A few fun facts: Yoshi is often referred to as male, but its gender remains unconfirmed. Also, Yoshi and K.K. Slider (from Animal Crossing) have the same voice actor! SONIC You could say that random New Yorkers chose Sonic’s ultimate design. When Sega sought to create a flagship series to rival Nintendo’s Mario, Naoto Ohshima took character designs with him on a trip to New York. He asked random passersby in Central Park to choose a design, and the spiky blue hedgehog won. That wasn’t the end of Sonic’s design alterations, though. He had a rock band phase! Initially, Sonic had fangs, was in a band, and had a human girlfriend named Madonna. The team at Sega of America, led by Madeline

Dashboard Diagn 4 MORE Dashboard Symbols & What They Mean Every dashboard is home to about a dozen warning lights. These lights each serve a specific function, but it’s not always clear what that function is or what the lights even mean. Last month, we looked at four lights: the check engine light, engine temperature warning, oil pressure warning, and tire pressure warning. This month, we’re looking at four more lights and what they mean. So, if you see one, you’ll know what to do.

BATTERYWARNING This looks like a battery with a plus and minus sign. If this light comes on, it means your car battery is draining, but the engine isn’t on and the alternator isn’t charging the battery. If left on for too long, the battery will drain and you may need to jump- start your vehicle in order to get it going again. If this light comes on while the engine is on, it may mean there is a problemwith the battery or charging system. ABSWARNING This light is simply a circle with “ABS” inside. If it glows on your dash, it’s an indication that something is wrong with the anti-lock braking system. If you brake too quickly or too hard while this light is on, your brakes may lock up. This can severely reduce your ability to brake, putting you at risk.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Chris Outland, Nov. 7 Technician at Wake Forest shop

Schroeder (who calls herself “Sonic’s mother”), removed those elements to “soften” the character for American audiences. While this led to

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Roger Gavin-Barker, Nov. 30 Parts Manager at Raleigh shop

heated internal debates, Sonic game designer Yuji Naka admitted it was for the best. These famous characters make our video games more energetic and fun, and their origin stories are just as unique!

Congratulations to our grand- prize winner from the

Christmas in July Referral Contest!

2 QualityPlusAutomotive.com

nostics, Part 2

3 Ways to Feel Less Full on Thanksgiving So You’re Ready for Dessert There’s nothing like sitting down to a Thanksgiving meal with family and friends. Everything always looks so good, but all too often, our eyes are bigger than our stomachs. It happens every year. We eat a little too much, and by the end of the day, everyone’s in a food coma. But if you want to skip the food coma and still enjoy all your favorite dishes, there are a few things you can do so you don’t end up feeling like a stuffed turkey! BRING ON THE SOUP! Eating soup before you dig into the main course can help you pace yourself, meaning you are less inclined to pile on the turkey, potatoes, and all the other goodies — and you’ll be ready once dessert is served! One of the tastiest (and healthiest) options is butternut squash soup. It’s delicious, low in calories (about 100 calories per cup), and high in fiber, so it will help you feel fuller for longer. BALANCE VEGETABLESWITH STARCHES. Who can say no to mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, or sweet potato pie? While these are all delicious, they are all starchy carbs — ones that will weigh you down. But you don’t need to cut them out completely. Instead, balance should be your goal. For every starchy dish, have one or two servings of vegetable dishes. Then, as you plate your meal, reach for the veggies first, followed by the proteins, and then finally the carbs (potatoes, casseroles, bread, etc.). KEEP YOUR CALORIES ON THE PLATE. A great way to cut back on excess calories (and to save more room for dessert) is to watch what you drink. Instead of wine, cider, or soda, stick to good, old-fashioned water. Add a slice of lemon, make it fizzy, or drink it plain. This is the easiest way to cut 200–600 calories from your meal — and it’s one more way to feel less full, which means you’ll be ready to dig into the leftovers before Thanksgiving Day comes to an end!

AIR BAGWARNING This looks like a figure sitting down with an air bag (circle) deployed in front of them. The air bag warning is another light that is difficult to self-diagnose. It can mean that any part of the airbag system has failed, including crash detection sensors or the deployment system. We highly recommend that you get a professional to take a look, determine the issue, and address it. BRAKE SYSTEMWARNING This is a red exclamation mark with a circle around it. When this comes on, the culprit is a brake system problem. However, it can mean any number of things, including problems with virtually any part within the brake system. Or it may mean your brake system is low on hydraulic fluid. If this light comes on, do not keep driving. You don’t want to assume anything. Pull over when it’s safe and call for assistance.

3

Wake Forest 919.453.0345 Raleigh 919.231.6164

QualityPlusAutomotive.com 1601 Heritage Commerce Ct. Wake Forest, NC 27587

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

INSIDE This Issue

3 Things I’m Grateful For

1

The Stories Behind 2 Iconic Animal Heroes in Video Games What You Need to Know About 4 Dashboard Lights Take a Break Are Your Eyes Bigger Than Your Stomach?

2

3

Top 5 Healthy Life Hacks to Have an Awesome Morning

4

Top 5 Healthy Life Hacks to Have an Awesome Morning Getting your day started with coffee isn’t always enough. Sometimes, you need to give yourself an extra boost, especially when you have little energy or trouble focusing. For an awesome start to your day, here are five tips to get you going right off the bat. WAKE UP 5 MINUTES EARLY. What’s the power of five minutes? It can be more than you think. Spend this time doing simple breathing exercises or a quick meditation so you can get focused for the rest of the day. If that’s not your style, you can prepare a quick to-do list for your day ahead. Either way, it’s always nice to have a little extra time for yourself without losing too much sleep. STARTWITH GREEN TEA, THEN COFFEE. A cup of coffee at 7 a.m. can leave you burned out by 10 a.m. Try swapping it with green tea for a more gentle wake-up call. After that, you can brew your favorite coffee to keep you going strong. This practice also might help you consume less caffeine overall! TAKE A QUICK MORNINGWALK — AND HAVE YOUR MEETINGS ON THE GO. Morning meetings can make us want to fall asleep again. Don’t spend all of them sitting down if you don’t have to! Not only will

morning walks help you wake up, but they can also add some extra physical activity to your day. WRITE IN YOUR JOURNAL. Who says you have to

journal at the end of the day when you’re tired and ready to sleep? You can journal in the morning about what happened yesterday and the things you’re looking forward to that day. Journaling can remind you of your daily goals and motivate you to stick to your commitments. PACK YOUR LUNCH (OR SNACKS!). Staying on track with your goals starts with having the energy to do them. Plan a healthy balance of fats, vegetables, carbohydrates, and proteins. This can be as simple as assembling dips, carrots, wraps, and salads each morning.

It’s time to try these tactics to superboost your day!

4 QualityPlusAutomotive.com

Family-Owned & Operated Since 1984