Thursday, September 8, 2011

Funk.

This is me attempting to pound out an update through my funk. Let's get through this, shall we?

Last week sucked. There's really no other way to say it. It started last Monday when my car was slow to start. It finally cooperated and I made it to my chiropractor. And then it started fine after my appointment. I stopped home before heading to work and when I got back in the car, I got that dreaded clicking sound that indicates a bad battery. I called my father just to get his input (he knows car stuff), and he agreed.

Because my Triple A battery was still under warranty, I called 'em and told them the deal. In their defense, they sent someone very quickly. He checked my battery and pronounced it A-OK. What it probably was, he said, was my starter. So off I went to an auto repair shop down the street. I explained the situation to them, including about the battery. $285 later, I had a new starter.

Come Thursday, I headed out for the gym only to discover that my car had the same problem. I went on to the gym, but after about 10 minutes on the elliptical, I thought better of it and left. I showered, dressed, and dropped my car off at the dealership. Turns out it was the battery.

Yeah.

So ... another $160 later, I had a new battery. And bitterness.

Friday I went to my chiro's and on my way back to the car ...

Wait. What's that? No ... what is that? Awww, man! You have got to be kidding me! Yep. There's a dent. And paint scrapes. All along the driver's side rear door.

When I first arrived at the chiro's, I parked in the middle space of three empty spots. When I left, the spot on the driver's side was still empty. I'm guessing someone pulled in, hit the [compound expletive] outta my car, panicked, and moved to another spot.

I called my insurance company (yay for insurance!) and they started processing my claim immediately. I dropped off my car on Tuesday and picked up my rental.

I had some scratches on the front fender (courtesy another bad parker), and wanted to get those taken care of, so I'm paying to have those done in addition to getting the accident damage fixed. It is a greatly unexpected expense -- much like last week's auto repair -- but ... what am I gonna do? I did debate getting the scratches done, but I figured it like this: If I had waited, I would be paying for the scratches and the cost of a rental car, when I could take care of it now while the rental is being paid by insurance. And I won't get twitchy every time I see them. Win-win.

Except the whole unexpected expense part. Between last week's auto repairs and the costs related to the accident and scratches, I'm looking at $1,000, plus or minus a few bucks. Yeah. [Supercompound expletive.]

In other news, I've finally ordered my couch. I've paid for half and will pay the other half when it's delivered. I'll also pay to have hauled away this old piece of crap I'm sitting on while I type this. I will also buy paint and finally get this living room into some kind of shape. Right now it's a hodgepodge of crap. It's not a style one aspires to have.

Added to all this, my dear friend's wedding is this weekend, and I couldn't go because I couldn't afford it. I feel very small. I know it was the financially responsible thing, but that doesn't make me feel better. Rather, it makes me feel worse. 44 years old and I can't go to my best friend's wedding. I'm like a fucking child.

So. Yeah. I'm in a funk.