So, I know that mostly friends, family and people I know read my blog. But I also know that this blog is public, so pretty much everyone CAN read it if they want to. I do write with that in mind. I don’t like to say where I work, post pictures of the outside of my home that shows my address, etc. I also try to be careful about the pictures I post.

So on that note, I’ll say that I work in insurance. I used to be a journalist, but then I switched careers and am now at a good place.

But anyway, in order to stay as a licensed insurance agent, we have to take classes to keep up our credits.

I recently took a class on windshield installation safety. What’s that you say? Why the hell did I take a class on windshield installation safety? Well, I deal with insurance claims at work, and… well… people’s windshields get cracked a lot. The instructor of the class I went to this week sells the adhesives used to secure your windshield to your vehicle.

So this is why I’m writing about this class – Ummmm…. your windshield is really important. You might be saying… uhh, yeah, Megan, I know. No, seriously, you gotta listen to this. I learned stuff I didn’t know (I guess that’s the purpose of a class, HAHA).

First, in PA, car glass technicians don’t need to be licensed. They can be certified, but don’t need an actual license to operate. And your windshield can easily be installed incorrectly, which is a huge safety hazard. Your windshield is actually a piece of plastic sandwiched between two pieces of glass. In the event of a crash, your windshield may break, but it is NOT supposed to completely separate from your vehicle. In the event your vehicle rolls, your windshield holds up your roof, preventing it from crashing onto your head and breaking your neck. Your airbags are designed to use your windshield as a backboard. Airbags deploy at over 200 mph, and need the windshield to brace off of in order to work properly. So if you have a windshield that is not installed properly, you can have your roof crash on your head, be ejected from your vehicle and have your airbags deploy incorrectly. Kinda sucks, huh?

We were showed videos of quadriplegics who have sued glass technicians for millions because their injuries in car crashes were traced back to improperly installed windshields. He also showed a video of an airbag deploy, and the force of it flipped the windshield about 50 feet in the air. The airbag then flopped onto the top of the hood. Not too effective.

So, please, please, please, make sure you are getting your windshield installed by someone reputable. Ask what training they’ve had and if they hold any certifications. It’s also important to ask about “safe drive away time.” The glue they use to install your windshield needs at least one hour to dry. Some glues take longer. So ask your technician when it’s safe to drive your vehicle.

Sorry, that’s the EVERYBODY PANIC journalist inside me and the insurance agent inside me meeting. Scary, isn’t it?

OK, to lighten the mood, let me show ya a little dinner I made the other week. I found this great recipe for shrimp and it just sounded like it would be so good served over pasta.

Looks good, right? It actually was extremely tasty. BUT, I did not realize until it was already on the dinner plates that I FORGOT TO TAKE THE SHELLS OFF. I felt stupid.

Oh well, it’s still pretty, isn’t it?

Oh, and now I completely forget where I found this recipe. Online somewhere. If I find it, I’ll try to post it.