All good things...

...come to an end, and so too have my carefree postdoc days without responsibilities. So long freedom. Tomorrow I start a real job.

Automotive Acquisition

It's not the first time that we've said that we're going to buy a new car, but you don't want to rush these things. Anyway, this time we really mean it.

The Car. It has been clear from the start that we would get a 5-door Honda. So once the minivans and supersized trucks were eliminated, that meant a Fit/Jazz, an Insight (the new Hybrid) or a CR-V. In a close race, the CR-V edged out nearest rival, the Fit, with the option of all wheel drive. Its not really for taking us off-road but for better traction on-road-on-snow when driving to ski fields etc).

The Color. A tough choice, with all options available at the local dealer. Navigating a maze of Green Tea and Urban Titanium our minds changed constantly before arriving at Tango Red Pearl.

The Deal was easier than I expected based on the how-to-negotiate-a-car-price articles I read online and good/great according to truecar.com. Internet quotes rock!
The Drama. No sooner had we paid our deposit and driven away in the faithful old Civic (to pick up the car and the loan on Monday when the credit union opened) than several engine warning lights appeared. Maybe we should have traded it in...
The Delivery. We immediately returned to the dealership to expedite the purchase, taking delivery of the new car and dropping off the other at the service center for repair.

It's a new car!

Ambi-navigatious

I am now legal to drive on both sides of the road.

If it's Friday...

Apparently it takes 6 weeks to recover from cardiothorasic surgery. As such I MUST officially be better now.

Hit 'n Run

The DrG-mobile feels the force of Wisconsin drivers while "safely" stowed in the hotel parking lot.