No matter how many slices I eat, there’s always more.
We pushed forward with car shopping, out of necessity. The special joys of used car shopping with a long list of necessities, a longer wish list, and a limited budget. Conducted under a broiling sun with 95% humidity, to ensure my brain cells didn’t communicate with each other too quickly.
We were on one lot where I swear the salesman was comedian Jon Lovitz. Looked like him, spoke like him, I melted into a chair in the office, clutched my styrofoam cup of water and expected to hear, “Live, from New York, it’s Saturday NIGHT!” Of course, we were in New Jersey, but no matter.
No matter how I searched, where I searched, it turns out my idea of what I should be able to get with my money had no relationship with reality. We found a car, were treated well by the dealership we bought it through, but it has more miles on it than any used car I ever purchased. I’m trying to remind myself that the expected life span of engines/mileage is much higher than it used to be.
I thought I was too old for this. Too old to go back to the days where I’d buy something when I wasn’t 100% confident the vehicle would get me from Point A to Point B without question. At first I thought our budget was enough to buy one of those lovely used vehicles that are termed “previously owned.” You know, about two years old, just turned in at the end of a lease. Then I thought, ok, we can get something a few years older, but we’ll be able to get something that has ALL the bells and whistles, maybe 50,000 miles on it. Oh, Mrs Fringe, you foolish, foolish woman.
Given the realities, I think we did ok. Several of my fish freak friends are also car buffs/mechanics, and they think I did ok, but wow. Those little ice picks through the forehead that remind me of my continuing path of downward mobility don’t stop puncturing my brain.
Buying the car was a two day process. We looked, I sat–yes indeed, with the little back problem I’ve got, top of my list of necessities was how the seats felt and whether or not there was lumbar support–test drove, sat more, looked more, went off site and had a discussion, went back and talked more, began the process, inspection and negotiation of our car for trade in value, went home to NY and got Flower Child and Nerd Child, brought them back to NJ, paperwork, call the insurance company, blah blah blah, “oops, forgot our title.” We agree to bring it back in the morning, leave a separate check for a missing title in case we’re scammers.
Went back to NJ yesterday (the car does ride nicely, everything seems to work, and it’s cleaner and prettier than it ever will be again) with the title, children, and mother in law, deal with the other miscellaneous forgotten bits of buying a car. I swear I don’t remember this ever taking so many, many hours in the past. While we’re waiting for…something, I check twitter, and see a breakdown of how many of each category (middle grade, young adult, new adult, adult) pitches have been selected for the contest I entered. Not looking hopeful for Mrs Fringe. I said some not nice words from the depths of my Brooklyn soul, and think I might have scared our salesman. Unfortunate, because he’s a cousin of Husband’s, likely I will see him again.
Done. Suck it up, take a breath, move forward. It is what it is, I am where I am, and it’s definitely a big step up from our old car by the time it was traded in.
I haven’t done any real writing in a couple of weeks. I felt stuck, I was working on the pitch for this contest (part two of said contest is Friday, so still hope), was lost on a never-ending used car lot of big numbers.
Take another breath and get your shit together, Mrs Fringe.
Argh. And, owie. Glad you got some good wheels, though. And may I say, at least it is not Moose Turd Pie?
😀
I don’t think you did all that badly, really, but I hate having to deal when it’s hot and humid and I am being forced to spend money I’d rather not spend. So you have my sympathies.
And I have, in self defense, decided blog writing IS “real writing”, but I know what you mean there too. Two weeks is not bad, Mrs. F., not bad at all. Try two months. 😛
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Isn’t there an ice cream flavor like that, “Moose Turds?”
😉
I think we did ok, really as well as we could have hoped, but yes, spending big chunks (to me) of money always gives me days of anxiety. Some women are naturally beautiful, I’m naturally cheap.
Blog writing is real, you’re right. And wonderful, and fun, and helpful–but it does nothing for my word count. Two months of not writing is what I’m trying to avoid. I don’t care if it’s 100 words, today I will write.
I hope. 🙂
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sounds ok, you can always put a reconditioned engine in it down the line 🙂
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The tape and patches of life on a budget. 😀
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Congratulations on finding a car! I hope it outlasts all your expectations. Good luck on your contest as well!
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Thank you, and thank you 🙂
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Mrs F, I may have made too obscure a culture reference. Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zb1qsVqjwg
Moose Turd Pie is a classic Utah Phillips song, from back in the day.
Maybe you can write about it. 😀
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Oh my gosh! I know that one, hadn’t heard it in years, completely forgot it! Thanks for the link and the reminder 😀
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I hate car shopping. The time, the search, the negotiating, the paperwork, the regret as I drive back home. Glad it’s over and you have reliable wheels again!
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Who knew I had so much company?
Thanks, arts! 🙂
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getting shit together is harder than we think! I seem to find these days. Still wheels are a GOOD thing and at least you entered a contest.
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Entered, but nothing came of it. Well, one bite, but I’m not sure it’s a road I want to take.
Sigh.
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So my spammification has been occurring for quite some time it seems.
I will loose all my readers.
I shall SUE!!!!!!!
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You can’t, you aren’t ‘Murican. 😉
No, your spammys were just from my last two posts. Here I was thinking you didn’t love the Fringe anymore 😀
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See, that’s what everyone will be thinking – arrrgh. I do hope it gets sorted tomoz.
Shall I have Pimms or a gin, campari, orange and a twist of lime?
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Gin!
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I agree 🙂
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I hate buying cars well what I really hate is when the sales person trys to get me to buy something I am not interested in and tells me I can’t get what I am looking for…………….also the amount of time it can take to do the deal is annoying as well
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Definitely not on my list of fun things to do. Well, hopefully I won’t have to think about it again for a long time 🙂
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