2002-01-10
Not having a car sucks, posted at 8:18 a.m.
Epiphany in Baltimore has moved to epiphanyinbaltimore.blogspot.com This whole not-having-a-car thing is getting old. I hate having to bum rides and not having the freedom to go where I want.Yesterday, the transmission place wouldn't come and get my car because of the dangerously icy road conditions and the 780 car accidents we had in the city and the county yesterday here. By the time I called back in the afternoon, it was too late to have them come and get it yesterday. I'm calling again this morning.
I'm hoping for a bill of somewhere around $500. I can't afford it until my next paycheck, but at least it'll be fixed then. This certainly puts a crimp in my plans to purchase an eliptical machine, a bench for weight lifting, and a cell phone this month, but eventually I'll get 'em. I've been doing very well with my workouts so far, doing cardio in the morning and weights in the evening almost every weekday since the New Year (I missed a couple morning because others didn't show up to open the gym here at school, and missed an evening workout because I had to push my car about a block. Actually, that was probably a workout in and of itself, wasn't it?)
I've decided that I'm probably going to get my car fixed so I can get some value in a trade-in for it, but that I'm going to start car-shopping before the spring sometime. The city employee credit union is apparently very good with car loans, and will even set it up so it comes directly out of my paycheck - this will be nice, as I can get quite flighty with money. They don't even require payments in the summer for teachers, which is convenient, as I'm a little worried about summer finances. Regardless, It'll be nice to have a new car before the summer. This one doesn't have air-conditioning. I'd love to get a good deal on a small-ish, cool-looking SUV (I just think they look so nice, have lots of room, and Bart and Lashonia's nice Toyota gets better gas mileage than my car), but I'd settle for good deal on a nice car that'll last me five years or so. I'm not looking for a new car - I'm materialistic about some things, but not cars, and don't think a new car is a good investment since it depreciates $3K the day you buy it - but would like a new-ish used car with minimal miles on it. Jim, my dad's good friend back in Michigan who owns a used car dealership, has offered to take me to one of the car auctions so I can pick out a car there. The only thing is, I'm 700 miles away, and they only do it on Wednesdays. If I'm going to do that, I have to weight until the first week of April and spring break. We always get our cars from Jim, though. Maybe he'll just find something good on his own. Dad says he just had a nice 2000 Firebird there with 25,000 miles for $8000.
*****
My old friend Michelle called last night from Michigan. She told me she's been reading all about my escapades here on diaryland, and that was a cool surprise. A big shout-out to Michelle! After talking to her, Jason and I spoke of her with a small degree of nostalgia and maybe even a bit of envy for her life right now... who would have thought five or seven years ago that it would be Michelle who would be married and thinking about being a parent before all others in "the group"? Actually, Jake beat her to parenthood, but Michelle beat him to marriage. And Jenni Larese and Jason Verlinde beat both of them for their two-month attempt at wedded bliss. Anyhow, good for Michelle. I'm so happy for her, and looking forward to her promised visit with Marques this summer.
*****
I'm so glad it's Thursday. I'm looking forward to the episode of Friends tonight, then switching over to see the finale of Survivor: Africa. Even though it's been by far the worst Survivor with annoying characters and stupid challenges, I'm still curious as to who will win. I'll probably end up missing Will & Grace, which I think has gone downhill this year anyway. Last night, Ed was hilarious, and The West Wing was pretty good as well (Has Mary Louise Parker aged a day since Fried Green Tomatoes? She was gorgeous, funny, and made me want to find someone like her.) Ed and The West Wing are the two best consecutive hours of television on right now. Followed by the 90-minute tandem of Undeclared and 24 on Tuesdays on Fox, both of which just keeping getting better and better.
*****
I have a strong urge to go see The Royal Tenenbaums again.
*****This article describes me pretty well.