jessteronimo

Car Shopping

 Last month I gave my car back to my little sister when she moved back from Philadelphia, so I've been driving Ben's car for the past month. I've been looking for a new car for me ever since, but car shopping isn't as easy as it may sound.  I was looking for something very specific, and I was paying cash, so that made the search even harder (car lots get kick-backs from banks for financing, and they hate that they can't talk you up in price). I had planned to buy from a private seller, but KSL Classifieds was disappointing, to say the least (tip to sellers: when you're trying to sell a vehicle, stay in the State, be able to produce the keys for test drives, respond to potential buyers in a timely manner, and be available--or at least say when you'll be available!). What a nightmare!

I started with a lower budget, but as I started looking at the cars in that price range, I realized that those cars weren't going to cut it. They were horrid little death traps that had been severely lacking in love during their lifetimes (more tips for sellers: "you can always paint over that" and "it's got a new engine!" are not selling points). So I appealed to Ben's darker side to press for a loan. In the end, it turns out that he had the difference I needed in a savings account (yes, he is the Devil).

So, armed with a higher budget, I set out yesterday determined to find my new car. I spent the entire day walking around car lots, calling and talking to private sellers and professional salesmen (I say salesmen because I saw not a single car saleswoman; shameful to the industry? or just wise women?), and test driving vehicles. I was getting very discouraged by the afternoon when, hot and sunburned and tired, I stopped at a downtown SLC used car dealership. It didn't look like they had any hatchbacks on the lot in my price range, let alone the three models I was looking for: Dodge Caliber, Pontiac Vibe, and Toyota Matrix. The salesman approached me as I was on my way back to my car leaving. He asked if he could help. I said, "I doubt it. It doesn't look like you have what I'm looking for." He asked what that was, so I rattled off my list. He said, "We had a couple of those cars turned in as trade-ins yesterday." So I followed him out back to where a line of about a dozen cars were waiting for the inspection and detailing station. There, in a perfect row, were a sparkly purple Honda Fit (obviously out of my price range, but fun to look at), a black Pontiac Vibe, and a gunmetal grey Toyota Matrix. I was stunned at my change in luck. I steeled myself and walked past the Fit to the Vibe. It was a stick, which I haven't driven in a while. During the test drive, I killed it twice. The experience just humiliated and rattled me, and I almost left right then. But the thought of spending my Monday day off doing this again sickened me, so I drove the Toyota. So glad I did! I fell in love with the car by degrees during the short drive, and I realized while inspecting the car that it had been more than loved during its one-owner life. He was showing me how the back seats fold down to create a hard-shell cargo hauling area when I turned to him and said, "Can I buy this car from you?" Two hours later, I'd written a check and signed a contract to continue loving my new car (at least that's what I think it said). They are detailing and inspecting it for registration, so I get to pick it up on Wednesday. I found exactly what I wanted. The search is over! Yeah!

My New Toy

You know when you get a new toy and you play and play with it for hours on end, trying to discover all the new things you can do with it and just basking in the toy's coolness? Sometimes you become disillusioned with the toy or with certain features of the toy. Sometimes it is so cool that you incorporate that toy's features into your daily life. That's how I'm feeling about my new cell phone. I have been playing with it trying to learn how to find and apply ringtones. I learned how to use the camera, and how to send photos using picture messaging. And I've learned how to text message, my new favorite feature. I bought a text messaging plan, so I've been sending text messages to various friends in my contact list, even people I've never messaged before (so don't freak out if you have gotten one--or if you haven't). It's been fun learning about the new phone, but I've also had some trouble with it. For example, I'm having trouble with answering my phone, ironically. The flip portion kept slipping out of my hand and hanging up on people, so I had to change it to answer when I push a button instead. And I can't switch to vibrate easily, which makes moving in and out of meetings troublesome. But when I leave it on vibrate, it doesn't vibrate noticeably enough, so I keep missing calls. And there are other quirks. So be patient with me if you're in cell phone contact with me. I'll continue playing with my new toy until I get it figured out.

Hello? Can You Hear Me?

I can't hear you. With my old cell phone, that is.

I promised to help my friend move this morning, but when I called her to find out which house she was at, old or new, I couldn't hear her at all. My phone line said Connected, but there was no sound. I tried again but got the same result, so I hung up. But then she called me, and I realized she must have been able to hear me. Something was wrong with my phone. Horrors. I was suddenly out of touch! I didn't know if I could actually survive it, but I went for an entire day unintentionally, unexpectedly out of touch. Well, almost an entire day. As soon as I was finished helping my friends move, I grabbed Ben and dragged him to Verizon to switch providers and get new phones. So now I'm "In," like my sisters, I finally have a camera phone, and best of all, I can hear the person on the other end of the line!

Simon's Back!

Hey, everybody, look! Simon survived his finals! After several weeks of going into seclusion to study for and take his law school finals in the freezing land of Michigan, Simon has emerged unscathed. Congrats, boy! And welcome back to the cyber world. Dare I say we missed your pithy comments?

Ifre Ifre Ifre

I just got a call from my little brother (he's 28, but I still get to call him that). He's had a bit of a emergency. He came home from work to find that his apartment was filled with smoke. The source of the smoke, he quickly discovered, was a shorted space heater in the bedroom that had caught on fire. He tried to put the fire out and thought he might have it under control. He went next door to call the fire department, and by the time he got back, he couldn't go into the room. So he got to stand and watch his apartment burn down. He and his girlfriend were just getting on their feet again after a string of other unfortunate events. Apparently the streak wasn't finished. He's never been a lucky guy (bad luck runs in our family), and he always seems to get the shaft. But this is pretty extreme even for him. And to add insult to injury, his mean, crazy neighbor told the cops that he had a meth lab in his house, so he'll probably have to file a statement against her.

One tiny spark of hope in all this--aside from the fact that he survived a fire--is that they got renter's insurance last month on a fluke because it lowered their car insurance. How often does that happen? So now he's got a small relief check to get some essentials while the claims process kicks into gear, he's living with a buddy's family until the apartment can be remodeled, and he's begging donations and calling in all solids from his friends and family to start his life over again.

And you thought you were having a bad day!