Car Update

Oh yeah, you're probably all wondering what's going on with my car. "Is he going to buy a new one? What about his old car? How much did the repairs cost?" Well, I got my little green machine fixed and paid less than $500. Right now, it runs just great, but my confidence in it has dropped to about that of one's confidence in Olivia, Jeff, and Michelle walking into a craft store and leaving without buying something. I'm just hoping that everything is okay with just minor repairs left to do. The whole new car thing? Not happening. Too expensive. Unless I get a roommate for the next 4-5 years, I can't buy a new car. C'est dommage.

Holiday

Did I tell you? I'm on vacation right now. It started today and lasts until after the long weekend. Let me tell you what I have planned:

Nothing. Just some good old nothingness. Time to relax with my thoughts and sit and do absolutely nothing.

This is my last chance at vacation until the new year. I'm going to have to plan out my EDO's and vacation days for weekday snowboarding and overnight boarding trips. Rodney, you better let me know ASAP when we can go to Whistler/Apex/Sun Peaks/Big White!

Housekeeping

I read through my old blogs today. There's a lot of unfinished business going on here. I never ended up getting my own domain name, and I never did hand out any prize for my picture contest. Well, let's finish these things. The domain name became more work than I wanted to deal with and just another thing to spend money on. I need to save money, not spend more! And the winner of the picture contest is: (drum roll)...(drum roll)...(drum roll)... I don't remember. I think it might have been Lisa, but I didn't really have prizes anyway. Everyone congratulate Lisa for submitting pictures of some kid (I think it might have been her cousin or something).

Free Money

I'm really making progress on my summer goals. Remember when I said I was going to clean out my garage? I spent one evening cleaning out all the carboard and shit and today I cleaned up all the empty bottles and cans. I just have to take them all to the bottle return depot. You're probably thinking: "Just take them there, what's the big deal?" Well, you haven't seen my garage, have you? There's about 2 years worth of empties in there. Today I filled 5, yes five, garbage bags with pop bottles of various sizes. I had approx. 35 empty bottles of wine, and roughly $20 worth of beer bottles and 12-packs of pop. Its no simple task to just drop them off at the bottle depot. I figure I have about $40 or so just waiting for me. I think I'll buy a new PS2 game.

Car shopping

To be honest, I can't really afford a new car. I really wish I could but I'd need a huge down payment to make the monthly payments affordable. I'm working on that right now ;) Donations are accepted. Anyhoo, I checked out the Kia dealership yesterday and holy crap! The 2004 Kia Spectra has all the options, a 5 year/100000 warranty, lifetime oil changes, and 0% financing for 5 years! The 2005 model has all that, a better engine, better consumer reviews, and 2.9% for 4 years. The models we looked at (which weren't short on options, I tell you), were about $20,000. For that price, a 2005 Honda Civic might have a CD player. I'm gonna go test drive one just for the hell of it. Celia wants a Kia just for all the stuff you get for the price - its just one helluva deal.

I'm Looking for a New Car baby, a New Car. Yeah yeah yeah

So on Friday I went to the Honda and Toyota dealerships. I don't really expect to buy a brand new car - that's just too expensive. I think my options are either a used car (roughly 2000/2001) or leasing. The lease is starting to sound better and better to me. Lower monthly payments, new car every 4-5 years, brand new car. You're probably thinking: "But you don't get anything at the end." So what? I have nothing now. And, I've worked it out: buying the car after a 4 year lease is actually cheaper than financing a car for 5 years. See? The lease is sounding better and better. But, in reality, I can still only afford to lease a cheap little car. I'll probably just end up buying a used car.

Speaking of cheap little cars, Rodney asked me if I was still interested in an Echo Hatchback. Hell ya! I don't care if people think its too small or ugly. I don't think its ugly and the size isn't an issue for me. All I need is a roof rack for my snowboard and I'm set. What do you guys think? The Echo is an economical car and all I really need it for is transportation, I'm not trying to impress anyone with my car. I don't drive fast, I don't go on long road trips, I don't carry much cargo, and I rarely have more than one passenger. Based on this criteria, the Echo is a perfect car for me. Don't get me wrong, I'd love something like a Acura EL or a Mazda 3 Sport, but those are up to $12,000 more expensive.

10 years of green goodness - its all over now

Well, today was the day. I was just about to leave for work when my car didn't start. Didn't even turn. Just some lights. *sigh* Argh. Time to look at a new car. Anyone want to go to the auction? Or does anyone want to just give me a car?

Weird

This morning has been very strange. I took the skytrain today and for some reason the machine only charged me $2. Usually, on a weekday it'll be $3 for 2 zones or $4 for 3 zones. Maybe the machine's clock was off. Then I was sitting on the skytrain and it seemed really really empty. I could have layed down on the seats without anyone complaining. Odd for a Monday morning. Then, when I got to work, the lobby of the hospital didn't have its usual hustle and bustle. No vendors, not a lot of people, empty coffee shop... Am I supposed to be at work today?!!?! Is this a holiday and no one told me? Its already after 8 and there's still only 2 of us in the office. This is like the twilight zone.

I'm a WB Superstar

We went to this karaoke place tonight that I haven't been to in a looonnggg time. Who remembers it? Its called Melody Shake in Richmond. It was a lot of fun. I didn't sing - well, actually I was singing non-stop, but never with the microphone. Who invented karaoke anyway? Whoever it was, thank you for endless hours of fun!

D'oh!!

We were watching TV on Saturday afternoon and my favourite show was on: The Simpsons. Then it was on again. Then we checked the satellite guide and The Simpsons was on all day until 6pm. Seriously, The Simpsons is the funniest, wittiest, and intellectual-est show on TV. Four hours of Homer is time well spent.

Translink rocks!

Since my car is a little un-trustworthy, I've been trying to be as environmentally friendly as possible. I've been taking public transit. I have to admit, its not as bad as I thought. I like the skytrain, but the bus still sucks. Earlier tonight we were on the bus and there was this one girl that kept saying, "Excuse me, bus driver, is this bus going to Fraser and Kingsway?" She must have asked him 10 times. Then there was this other girl on the phone saying, "I lost my bus pass on the skytrain. I'm fucked. I'm so screwed. I can't go to work. I'm gonna get fired. I'm so fucked. No, I don't have friends - they're all drug dealers. I lost my bus pass. I'm screwed." Okay lady, we get it. One thing that I enjoy when I'm out in public is people-watching. At least the bus gives me a chance to watch a lot of people.

Movie Reviews

Anchorman

Hahahaha...it was...hahahaha...and then he said....hahahaha...then he got up and...hahaha


The Village

mieh...

Congratulations! and Finally!

I have this friend (who I won't name for privacy reasons) who in the last 6 years that I've known her has been dating losers, freaks and creeps. A little while ago, we planned to have lunch and on Monday we finally got our schedules synching so that we could actually see each other. When she showed up she had a new guy in tow. As it turns out, he's a health care professional (RT) and he lives in the 'burbs. Anyway, we all had a great lunch and as it turns out, this guy is really nice and pretty cool. Not obnoxious, very down-to-earth, and ever-so-charming. Its about frickin time, Michele! Out of all the "boyfriends" she's had in the past 6 years, this is the only one I approve of. Good luck!

Stupid Car

Does anyone want to just give me a car? I can't afford a new one and mine is really starting to piss me off. I'm gonna start entering free contest that has a car as a prize. That's what I need to do - win a car.