So, that night, I lay awake and got practically NO sleep, thinking about yet another van repair bill. And that very Sunday morning, I had been boasting to my parents that I had the van back in cherry shape for the first time since the accident. And that came at no small expense, either! Around $1500 by my reconing, plus another $250 the Dept. of Rehabilitation sank into it.
"Pride goeth before a fall," as the saying goes. But then Monday morning I had the brilliant idea of getting Rehab back involved. I called Cathleeen, the counselor, and she got back to me about 4:45. The next day I had my van towed to the garage, where, unfortunately, it has sat ever since.
The whole stinking job is just a bad alternator, which should take no more than three hours. But, the state's precious paperwork comes first. The result is that my van is sitting at the garage on Miramar Road, instead of my parking space at Esplanade. And I will be stuck inside my home all weekend.
Argh!! But even with all the frustrations, I'll take slow and free over fast and expensive.
Laissez les bons temps roulez, mon fils!
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
L'Ecume des jours
This has been an odd week. First, Harold and I drove to Ralphs in Mira Mesa to shop around 10:30 Sunday night. I've been going shopping with Harold lately, so I can get the food I want, rather than the generic crapola he usually buys on the cheap.
Oh, I should have known things were not about to go well, when we missed my tall red head at the cashier's. Yipes! Not looking good there, after 3 missed weeks. Anyway...
We left the store about midnight, groceries in tow. When we got into the van, we discovered it wouldn't start. The battery was as dead as King Tut's mother. While Harold went back to the store to see if anyone had jumper cables, I used my cell to call Western Towing. They promised me a tow truck within 35 minutes. By the time I hung up on Wester, Harold was back, so he tried starting the van again. And it cranked right over as though nothing had happened. "Yippee!" we thought.
Well, a block from Ralphs, at the light at Mira Mesa Blvd, the van started to stutter, lurch, and die. Somehow we got through the intersection in tact, then slunk our way home down the side streets to my complex. Lights off, rolling on momentum only, we dreaded every corner stop sign. Luckily, Mira Mesa at midnight Sunday is the Dead Zone. They roll up the sidewalks as soon as the Philipinos hit the sack (i.e., early).
Once we got home, we got Brad to jump my van enough to get the lift down and get my cold ass out....
-- More tomorrow.
David
Oh, I should have known things were not about to go well, when we missed my tall red head at the cashier's. Yipes! Not looking good there, after 3 missed weeks. Anyway...
We left the store about midnight, groceries in tow. When we got into the van, we discovered it wouldn't start. The battery was as dead as King Tut's mother. While Harold went back to the store to see if anyone had jumper cables, I used my cell to call Western Towing. They promised me a tow truck within 35 minutes. By the time I hung up on Wester, Harold was back, so he tried starting the van again. And it cranked right over as though nothing had happened. "Yippee!" we thought.
Well, a block from Ralphs, at the light at Mira Mesa Blvd, the van started to stutter, lurch, and die. Somehow we got through the intersection in tact, then slunk our way home down the side streets to my complex. Lights off, rolling on momentum only, we dreaded every corner stop sign. Luckily, Mira Mesa at midnight Sunday is the Dead Zone. They roll up the sidewalks as soon as the Philipinos hit the sack (i.e., early).
Once we got home, we got Brad to jump my van enough to get the lift down and get my cold ass out....
-- More tomorrow.
David
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Go Tell the Spartans...
... Their movie sucks! Actually Harold and I went to the Mira Mesa theater and watched 300 last night, at the late show. The movie didn't really "suck," but I was a little disappointed over it. I admired the graphical ingenuity and the way the "graphic novel" (i.e., comic book) was translated to the Big Screen. And Gerard Butler has been a favorite action star of mine since he played Atila the Hun on a USA Network movie a few years ago.
Overall, though, the characterization was flat. Leonidas, his wife, and everyone else pretty much played on a single emotional level. I, and most people, would like characters we can truly get involved with on MANY levels. We all are, when you consider it, personalities with more facets than a diamond.
300 was a good movie for the 13-year-old in all of us. That's why the Greeks ended up fighting Orcs and Ogres in the middle of the melee, and broke ranks in the heat of battle. I really would have liked to see Peter Jackson or Ridley Scott take on the subject matter.
Still, ancient and medieval history is a rich subject. I'd really like to see one of the above-named directors tackle the story of Alfred the Great, Charlemagne, or Clovis. Justinian and Theordora, with their fabled romance and historic struggle during the Nike riots would also serve as excellent subjects, as would Arminius's revolt of the Cherusci against the Romans.
Overall, though, the characterization was flat. Leonidas, his wife, and everyone else pretty much played on a single emotional level. I, and most people, would like characters we can truly get involved with on MANY levels. We all are, when you consider it, personalities with more facets than a diamond.
300 was a good movie for the 13-year-old in all of us. That's why the Greeks ended up fighting Orcs and Ogres in the middle of the melee, and broke ranks in the heat of battle. I really would have liked to see Peter Jackson or Ridley Scott take on the subject matter.
Still, ancient and medieval history is a rich subject. I'd really like to see one of the above-named directors tackle the story of Alfred the Great, Charlemagne, or Clovis. Justinian and Theordora, with their fabled romance and historic struggle during the Nike riots would also serve as excellent subjects, as would Arminius's revolt of the Cherusci against the Romans.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Snoozefest
This week has been pretty good, in terms of work. I actually have put in near to fulltime hours, for the first time since last September. The work can't come too soon either, since I still have to pay off my damn dentist and car-repair bills.
My parents have been gone all week to Cabo. I haven't heard from them, but I'm assuming they're having a good time. :)
LOST was okay this week. It was good to get back into Hurley's life, and see Cheech Marin playing his dad. But, the VW Bus segment was unbelievable. After all those years lying on its side as a wreck, the van would have lost its gasoline and other fluids, and the engine would have been frozen up. Not to mention, the tires would have been very, very flat.
I know the island's supposed to work miracles, but the episode lacked credibility. We'll see what next week brings!
I missed ROME this week; it was a rerun. All the networks are afraid to run competition to the Academy Awards, though God only knows why they are afraid of that drab, long-winded snoozefest.
My parents have been gone all week to Cabo. I haven't heard from them, but I'm assuming they're having a good time. :)
LOST was okay this week. It was good to get back into Hurley's life, and see Cheech Marin playing his dad. But, the VW Bus segment was unbelievable. After all those years lying on its side as a wreck, the van would have lost its gasoline and other fluids, and the engine would have been frozen up. Not to mention, the tires would have been very, very flat.
I know the island's supposed to work miracles, but the episode lacked credibility. We'll see what next week brings!
I missed ROME this week; it was a rerun. All the networks are afraid to run competition to the Academy Awards, though God only knows why they are afraid of that drab, long-winded snoozefest.
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