Zoom Zoom

Before I begin today’s rant I just wanted to point out some bulletin items that need to get addressed but have no real consistency with what I intended to talk about.

1. Woot.com is in the middle of a Woot-Off. If you don’t know what that is, look it up and quick. These things don’t last that long.
2. Cinnamon Toast Crunch is delicious. (This was probably a given.)
3. Go buy Halo Legends on DVD/Blu-Ray. If you can’t afford it, get chummy with someone who does have it.
4. Don’t mess with 67-year-old men on a bus.
5. If you’re looking for a job. Go to www.glassdoor.com before you ever interview. VALUABLE INFORMATION!
6. My favorite author sent me another copy of one of his books signed! Woohoo!
7. I hope all of you went and set up volunteer time for free Disneyland.

So lately I’ve been working tons. I mean we’re talking 28 hours in two days kind of tons. Were talking so many tons here that it puts professional sumo wrestling in our lightweight feather boxing division by comparison.

Hopefully, the sacrifice was worth it. Now that I’ve busted my hump to fix my store, it’s smooth sailing for as long as I’m there.

I finally returned my rental car today. It was a hefty total, but I figure it beats taking the bus (SEE: 67-YEAR-OLD MAN). I’m still waiting/hoping/praying that my bio-dad helps me out on this front as he kind of took the reigns out of my hand and promised me results. So far, I haven’t seen an inch of effort put into this, but I’ll give him one more week before I open up the auto trader and close my eyes and pick something with 4 wheels. I’m that desperate.

On the upside, I’ve been driving a lot of cars lately to get a feel for what I want. The cool thing about that is that I get to see all the new gadgets and gizmos that people come up with. From MPG pedal displacement to his and her atmospheric controls, I’ve been a little surprised at some of the things car manufacturers have conjured up in the last 5 years. For example, I really didn’t know that nowadays, dealers try and fake a car’s appearance by using those ugly solid black wheels and then bolting a fancy plastic cover over them. Who knew? I certainly didn’t.

The common new “it” feature? The iPod dock/port. While no car except BMW has a physical place to put your iPod into, every car has a cable or a navigation system so you can rock out to High School Musical like it’s no one’s business. It makes me feel way behind the times with my little FM receiver.

Now I guess we just have to see if they integrate the new iPad with the 2011 models. (Is anyone even interested in buying the oversized, can do everything but make calls, iPhone?)

I’ve driven everything within my price range and I’m kind of sold on the Nissan Altima. I really liked some of the VWs as well, but their size really isn’t my forte. I didn’t really test drive Toyota given the current circumstances, but I bet you American automakers are breathing a little easier knowing that consumer’s trusts have been shaken. Talk about getting cut a break at the best possible time.

People keep asking me if I could pick any car, what would it be? I get a little disappointed that people don’t realize it would be a Delorean. I mean come on, how else am I going to race in the Cannonball Run?

But when they ask me seriously and still don’t like the Delorean answer, I tell them a Jeep Wrangler. I really miss having my jeep. Sadly, it’s just not something that suits what I need right now.

That’s kind of the problem with America and where we are. Sure the economy is bad right now. Sure, we’re moving towards Socialism at break-neck speeds. Sure, Obama jumped the shark trying to propose universal healthcare. But really, when it comes down to it? The people who are weathering the storm best are the ones that never operated outside their financial confines. All these people with too large of a home, or six power toys who don’t like having to tighten the belt and pull up the boot-straps are the loudest complainers.

I guess we really bring things on ourselves.

Anyways, I need to go slave away. I’ll talk more about CVS soon I promise. There was something someone told me once and I want to share it kind of as a hint of what I’m going through.

Never live to work. Work to live.