Car Found

Last Thursday, after some negotiation and a test drive etc, I bought a 2005 Kia Spectra5 hatchback (so 5 doors), 4 cyl automatic, bright blue, new tires, new brakes, mechanic had just checked it over and said it was good. Gets 25-30 mpg in town. It's pretty high mileage (166700) but runs well. Of course, there are some dings and non-working things but they're all minor. I think it'll be just the thing to run around town in. I have to get it inspected and then go back to the DMV tag office to get the tag but I have 10 days to do it. It even has a rear window wiper. I  haven't figured out the window washer yet, and I haven't set the radio stations yet.

I'm pleased with it. It has a lot of pep and I have to have a light touch on the throttle or I suddenly discover I'm doing 20 miles over the limit. Amy says I'm a leadfoot anyhow.

Got rejected for another job. Usual thing -- great interview, then the email with the stock phrases . . . impressive credentials . . . would be asset . . . but we chose someone else. Sigh.

I was offered an opportunity with a transport outfit in Indiana that delivers RVs and small trucks (like UPS ones), but I'd have to get myself out there on my own dime, take the FCC medical and other tests and pay for them myself, pay my park expenses etc during the orientation (two days), and the pay is 80¢ a mile out of which I pay all my gas and meals and lodging and return expense. They advance half up front but, for example, if it were 1000 miles, that would be a $400 advance with the other $400 when you get back. It seemed pretty expensive out of hand and not very profitable over all. So I passed.

Car

I've acquired a little money so I'm now looking for a car. Used, of course, automatic, 4cyl. I'd like something that's a little boxy so I don't have to bend a lot to get in and out, which my knees will like. I'm going to look at a 98 Civic with this description:

Dark Green 1998 Civic LX Sedan
174K miles, in fair-to-good condition.
Automatic Transmission; New Tires & New Front Break Pads; A/C; Power Locks & Windows; CD/MP3 player; Moon Roof
$2,500

So, it's a sedan which means some bending. It's only about a half-mile from where I live so I can walk over to see it, assuming the weather's not too terrible.

There's another car not too far away, a Suzuki Sidekick, which is nice and boxy but is a manual 2-seater with an open back and a soft-top. Probably not too sensible (but cute).

Will let you know.

RIPs

Rick Hautala, horror writer
Chinua Achebe, fiction writer
Rise Stevens, opera singer

Moving Bruce

Bruce, who was Amy's roommate, has been moving a little over the past few weeks, but this Sunday (yesterday) was the big move. He's moving in with his girlfriend Emily so there was stuff coming from both places (and there's still stuff here for him to get). Amy, Tillman, and I helped, and her friend Simone helped, too. We had two pickups, an SUV, and a car, so a lot got done.

They found a really nice apartment at the bottom of King St. by Weaver Blvd. Emily can now walk to UNCA, if she wants to. Bruce will bicycle to his work as brewer at LAB.

Amy's not going to get another roommate right away because she's going to redo her kitchen. It'd be too bad to get someone in and then say "oops, no kitchen available for a while." It's going to be enough chaos for her and me to cope with. I don't cook over there but I do get water. And, of course, it's the main entrance to the house.

So big changes afoot.

I'm going to yet another interview on Friday, for a part-time accounting asst job at a business I know and a person who remembers my bookstore. I hope that's a good thing.

Fix Congress

So, I've been thinking for a long time that the electoral process is a mess. And, of course, I have an idea of how to fix it.

Lottery

All senators and representatives would be chosen by lottery. Nobody would "run" for office; all citizens would be eligible. Random selection. Two-term limit (after all, Congress voted to make the office of president two-term only [boy, did they hate FDR] so it's only fair they should be limited, too.

We'd have a democracy where all citizens serve (or could serve). We'd eliminate the constant electioneering. We'd eliminate the PACs and corporate money buying politicians. The states would still have two senators each. Representatives would be chosen by district, just as they are now, but it would be by lottery. And they'd get paid whatever they're making now, so the citizen doesn't lose out.

Of course, we'd need stringent oversight of the lottery process, but it certainly couldn't be any worse than what we have now. We'd need to set up a system for identifying all citizens so their names would be in the "hat." Registered voters isn't enough, nor is licensed drivers or property owners or even the census. We need a list of all adult citizens. It'd be national service and a way to keep everybody engaged in the process.

There.

Oh yeah. I think all high school graduates should have to spend the next two years in national service of some kind, like military service or the CCC or infrastructure restoration or whatever. Something to make them think beyond themselves.

Rejected dejected

Yep, another job down the drain. Last week, I interviewed for a part-time bookkeeper job at a medical office. The admin and I got along very well, but she needed someone with Expert knowledge of Quickbooks and I'm only Intermediate. However, she's decided to keep me on her list if the new person doesn't work out or something else comes up.

Other than that, very little has been going on. Will go get my hair cut in a couple of hours. Longtime hair cutter has moved to Tenn. so we are going to try Great Clips in Westgate. It's cheaper, too.

Went to Burgermeister the other night with Amy, Tillman, Nicole, and two guys N knows. One of those guys is a CPA and I said I needed a part-time job; he said he'd keep it in mind. Had the fish & chips. Yay for malt vingar on the fries. Boo for too much tarragon in the fish breading. Yay for a shot of gin in my glass of ginger ale. Pleasant evening. Amy, Tillman and I walked home and then played a game of Crazy Rummy (T won).

What else what else. Can't think of anything.

Oh yeah. My insurance just renewed and I got hit with a double premium to start the year, but no payment next month, then the regular monthly premium for the rest of the year. Does that make sense? No? I didn't think so either. But I've paid it and now my play money for the month is severely truncated. Humph.

I see that Dancing w/the Stars is about to begin. I'm excited that DL Hughley is in the cast as I've been a fan of his for many years. This is not so much a dance show but it'll do until So You Think You Can Dance starts up again.

That's all, folks.