Overbid...

I decided not to buy the car. It was a really hard decision, but now that I have made it, I don't regret it. That may be the biggest indication that it was the correct choice. I loved it, and will probably get one just like it when I'm graduated at have a real job and my Super Saturn breaths her last gas fumes, but it just wasn't feasible right now. The estimate on financing game back too high.

The gentleman called me again today to tell me that the car was still available for a test drive, should I want to. Why? Why would I want to go reaquaint myself with the car I cannot have. And I do know that. If they were willing to adjust the financing, perhaps we could do a deal. They are not. I told him I'd keep him in mind when I do decide to buy a new car. I will keep his card, but I don't feel any particular loyalty to him. After all, he was just doing his job.

Now, on to more pressing things. Like homework and makeup and daydreaming. NOT in that order.

…A NEW CAR!!!!!

Why is it when I think of my actions in the last two to three days, I am reminded of Wheel of Fortune? I wish that were the case, and the car I’m thinking about was free. It would be such an easier decision then.

It is noon on Monday. Today is the day I decide if I buy the car I ‘sort of bought’ on Saturday(pictured here). To explain: Saturday Katie and I went to the Saturn dealership to get the oil changed in our cars. We were not first in line. So we turned over our keys and went out onto the lot to take a peak at the used cars. Out came the salesman. I got talking with him about what I was looking for in a “new car”. New to me, you understand, not necessarily a brand new with no miles on it. So, there I was, explaining what I wanted and out from his mouth comes the ‘perfect’ solution. The 2005 Vue with all these options and this great pricing…So I take one for a test drive and I like it and I have my old car appraised for trade in and do some preliminary financing and tell them I’m definitely interested. They will hold the car through Monday at the end of business for me. At this point I still don’t know if I want the car for sure. I mean, I love the car, but do I need a new car right this minute? Wouldn’t it be easier to wait until I’m out of grad school to have a car payment? Shouldn’t I start saving for a house and not worry about a new car on top of everything else? I called the insurance people. The new car would cost a grand total of 17 dollars more per 6 months. That is not the issue. Mom and Dad are leery, but they say this is ultimately my decision. It would be so much easier on me if they just said yes or no, or if they gave me a really good reason to say yes or no. They brought up some things I didn’t think about, such: What if I don’t find a job right away? What about the fact that I don’t have a garage? Do I really want to be spending that money on a car payment, or would I rather use it for something else? The thing is, my car has about 2 years left in it…maybe more. I could finish school, get a job, and then buy a car. A new 2006 or 2007 car, or even buy a hybrid car. Do I really need to do this now?

It’s now 1:22 on Monday. I’ve talked with Saturn, they are applying for the car loan for me. It’s not necessary that I buy the car yet; I’m trying to determine my financing. What will my payments be? In the interim, I was talking with Cliff and he told me Missy is looking for a new car, and what will I sell mine for? I tell him blue book, and then tell him about my random electrical gremlin, and give him a price. He calls Missy. He calls me back. They will look at it tonight at 6PM. What they will give me is more than trade in value. Mom is looking for the Title for my current car. It’s still not a for sure yes. If I do sell it to Missy rather than trade it the amount of my down payment goes up. The Saturn Financier knows that I may do the trade in, or I may do simply cash down. He’s pricing both options for me. I still don’t know if I am ready for this. I know I can afford it, but is that the point? I want it, but is that the point?

Why is this so hard for me? I should be able to make the decision. Saturday night I was so gung-ho. Sunday I talked with Mom and Dad and had some doubts thrown in. I talked with my friends some more and was about 50/50. Today I have to make the decision. Now I know my old car could help a friend who needs a vehicle, and I could still have my new car. I had anxiety dreams last night. I feel like this is going too fast. I have til 9PM today. I can still say no. I can still keep the Super Saturn until she dies. Still, the new car is essentially half off, and will most likely never be this good of a deal again. So much to think about, and I don’t have so long. I am tempted to say, put it back out on the lot. I’ll think about it a bit more, and call a credit union or two. If it sells before I call you back, it was not meant to be. Is that the answer, or is that just hedging the decision.

Here I thought I had gotten better at being assertive, and at decision-making. If this is what I’m like today, how bad was I in the past? How will I be at buying a house? In this case I even know the car I want. It’s not like I am trying to decide whether or not to buy and what to buy. The longer I think, the more I think I should wait. But will I wait or take the plunge? Who knows. I don’t. I hope to by 9PM tonight.

I am going to go do homework and encourage a 7^th grader. That is from 3-5:30…but in reality from 2:30 to 6 (with drive time). At 6 I’ll have Cliff and Missy and I take my car for a test drive. They can decide if they like it. At 6:45 I’ll be headed to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead. So by 6:45 I have to call Saturn back and say yes or no. I really should decide before I let Missy drive my car. If she likes it, and then I say…but I’m not selling, that would be cruel (though it would answer the question about if she likes Saturn’s…) I have homework to do, I should not be doing this. I really need to not get my oil changed at the Saturn dealership. See what happens when you are not first in line???

My 2nd Northshore Inline Marathon

I had three goals for my 2nd marathon...I met 1 of them. I managed to finish. I didn't finish faster than last year (by 7 seconds), and I didn't manage to not fall down. If you take a peak at the picture below, you will see me sporting a new pair of elbow accessories. I fell twice. The first time I bruised my left hip and took some skin off my left elbow. The second fall was straight onto my tailbone/lower back and took the skin off my right elbow (and a little more on my left elbow. I looked up my condition on WebMD and have what is politely termed, "a high energy fall onto the buttocks". There is a nice purple bruise forming there (no picture included). All in all, I have a very bruised bottom and lower back, and sitting is a pain in the ass. I can't lay on my back in bed either, I have to choose the stomach or side options. Still, I'm getting better each day, and the marathon was still fun, even though I crashed and burned twice. I'm looking forward to next year when I will kick the races butt, and manage to finish faster than 1:47.

Our team probably took 2nd (the team results aren't posted yet). Karin went with me and was also a bit dissapointed in her race/finish, but we're confident in next year's race hopes. Tessa (Lance's older sister)talked about doing it; we should hold her to that.

Now I just have to figure out how I'm going to sit through class tomorrow...maybe I'll bring a fleece sweatshirt just to sit on :) I think I'll ride the bus standing as well.



Me after the race. Notice the nice new elbow decorations I've aquired? Yeah, oops. At least they gave me a wheeled version of an albatross to wear around my neck. My very own 10th year Anniversary Wheel for the NSIM.

Five members of the MPCA Inline Skate Team. We Roll! 

Another year had been and gone.

Yesterday I celebrated my 25th b-day with a whole bunch of friends. It was so great! I figured if you are going to turn a quarter of a century old (or young) you should throw a bash. We went to Olive Garden for food, they have the all you can eat pasta bowl thing going on right now. Good food, slow service. We got there about 7, but they didn't have a table ready. By the time we sat down, ate, and left it was 10 PM. We came back to my place and I got some really cool cards and presents from people...including the InuYasha movie 3...Just wait til that shows up in the mail. Then there will be a watching party for all interested in the genre. (Lance, Katie and I for sure...any other takers?) I also got a most wonderful gift certificate to B&N...now the question is, what do I get there? There are so many options! After all that we ate the cake - a most delicious ice cream cake for Dairy Queen. Between the 16 of us here, we still didn't manage to finish it, but that means there are leftovers for me for today. Yay! Then there was some random games of the trivia persuasion, and then people had to leave.

Over all, it was one of the best B-days I've had in ages. I was surrounded by people who are great friends, and had a great time. Thanks all! Now, the only b-day present I have to buy myself is a new Eeyore. My 9 year old Eeyore has had a stuffing hemmorage that was (and is) unfixable with stiches. Anyone want to go to the Disney Store with me and help me to pick out another Eeyore to love?

Here we all are at Olive Garden celebrating my 25th. All but Amanda, who is behind the camera. Good food but slow service. We kept ourselves from getting bored by chatting and playing Telephone. 

Lee, Elyssa, and Amanda. They all live together next door to where Chris used to live (and Lee used to live as well). Amanda took the nice group picture. 

Here is the wonderful b-day cake in question. Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cakes rock. Oh, and so does haveingt Strawberry Shortcake as the decoration. 

Just one week left

I have one week until I do my second inline marathon. The Northshore Inline Marathon is set for next saturday (so by now I'd be done) at 7:30 AM. Of course, since you don't do loops, that means loading a bus no later than 6:30 AM in order to reach the starting point for the 7:30 start. I'm really looking forward to it, but I'm just a trifle scared as well. Part of me is convinced that I'm not in the same shape I was last year, which means I'll so worse, and then I'll be grumpy. Hell, just to finish two years in a row will be an accomplishment in my book. I just finished rotating my wheels and cleaning and oiling my bearings in preparation for said race. My hands feel milky soft now from the cleanser and oil. Hehe, I also smell like citrus cleaner.

I'm house sitting again this weekend. So nice, as it has decided to turn hot, and this house has A/C. I'm very medicated, watching the puppies requires oodles of allergy meds during the ragweed season, but they are fun too. We went for a walk this afternoon, first Addy and I for a half hour and then Dylan and I for about 15 minutes. He is a puppy, and still learning the finess of walking. Mostly he jumps at the leash. By the last five minutes he was doing really good, so I decided to end on a high note.

Tonight Katie and I are going to chill. I'll do homework tomorrow!

Back to School

Here we go, back to school again. I started my two at-school classes today, but haven't yet looked at the content of my online class. I know I should, but I think that is a project for after dinner. I just finished rollerblading, and it was one of the least rewarding experiences I have had in the sport in awhile. I probably did 10 miles, and it took me a whole hour (very slow for me), and the whole time I was doing it nothing felt right. I think I will have to rotate and clean my wheels tonight and give it another go tomorrow. On the drive back from the trail my car turned off its cruise control by itself (maybe it felt ignored if I wasn't pushing the pedal) and then did the random gages-going-to-zero-and-then-resetting-themselves-trick (she really likes that one). I am about to eat some pizza and hopefully make my grumpyness go away. And then I'll take a shower and make my smelliness go away. And then I'll get into the grind of schoolwork. Doesn't that sound like barrels of fun? I think I'll make some tea too.

This weekend was really cool. Karin and I went to Door County and did much winery tours. I came back with a case of wine. All different sorts. I am excited to drink them as well - I got a cool toy to keep the wine fresh. It is called a vacuvin and it pulls the air out of the bottle to keep the wine fresh with it's specially designed 'cork'.

I am thining th ebeginning of this semester will be a breeze, and the end will suck. Personally I am a bit afraid of what might happen. More on that later. I haven't posted pictures in a while, maybe I'll get around to that later tonight as well.