Here in My Car

I have reentered the wheeled population as of Monday. Dark blue 1993 Chevy Lumina purchased from friends. Having a car is very liberating. Also, expensive. The car was pretty dang cheap for a running vehicle, but it's still a larger than average purchase and then there's insurance/registration/gas. And the less inherent factor that it's much easier to eat out or go shopping or take trips with a car that will probably increase our living expenses.

The freedom that a car produces is like no other. You can go anywhere and so quickly. The extra time! The walk/busride/waitfornextbus/busride/walk commute to work would take me just short of 2 hrs each direction. The work commute is 15-20 minutes one way now. That allows me with a significant amount of extra time in a day that I am so excited about. And grocery shopping will be infinitely easier. I've really missed the proximity to WalMart of our old apartment (and basically nothing else...the new apartment is so much better...almost because it's so much more ghetto).

The day that I bought a car, Allison posted this. And I thought it was a cool coincidence that she would post about wanting a car the day I got the car so I commented about that. But what I actually meant to say is, "Allison, I've got a car now and if you ever need someone to take you to get your hair cut or go grocery shopping or anything else, please let me know and I'm happy to help you out." And that really goes for anyone who is in need of a ride out there who lives in these parts. I've bummed so many rides off the world that I definitely owe the world a few. So let me know if I can be of service.

Though I of course would still want to live in one of these places. I do really like walking. (Also, I want to live in NYC because I've been rewatching Gossip Girl with a friend who has never experienced it, but that's a different story...). Alas, my current residence has a walk score of 48.

Oh, and more NPR in my life. Take me to work, Diane Rehm, and take me back home, Kai Ryssdal.