I'm still trying to figure out the logistics of buying a car. I really want to get a Mini Cooper, but the nearest dealer is 100 miles away from where I'm moving to. My parents say it's better to buy a car from a dealer nearby, so that they're right there if something goes wrong. I'm looking at a Scion, which I know is much more practical for a lot of reasons, but I kind of feel like I really want that Mini.

100 miles? Are you buying new and are there closer places than a dealership in emergency? I wouldn't write it off.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy a car this weekend. Used. I wish I had someone who knows these things to spot me.

The Scion is also a lot less expensive than the Mini. I guess the first step would be to test-drive the Scion and see how it feels. A lot of cars, even small ones, are really uncomfortable for me to drive, and I know that I'm comfortable driving the Mini. So, I'll see how the Scion feels.

No yummy food, no fun conversation. WAAAH. And we're all so busy not sure when it can be rescheduled, if anytime in the next few weeks. (The one person has a dog who is sick, and the other one was cutting out of work and agreed no point if it's not all three of us...)

oh, I feel your pain. J and L and I try to do dinner once a month. J cancelled at 6:20 for a 7PM reservation, and L and I were trying to decide if we were still going to do it. We did it, and we also decided that our policy would be if one person cancelled, we would go forward.

Hil, may I also suggest testing a Toyota Matrix while you're at the Scion store? A coworker who is 4'11" just bought one, and likes the way it fits her. (This is amusing to me since we have one, and mr. flea, 6'6", likes the way it fits HIM!)

(This is amusing to me since we have one, and mr. flea, 6'6", likes the way it fits HIM!)

This is because Toyota actually uses TARDIS technology. (See also, the Toyota Echo. No one ever believes how much stuff I can fit in my car.)

We did it, and we also decided that our policy would be if one person cancelled, we would go forward.

Yeah, I think if it had been one of the two of us in Seattle canceling, it might've still happened, but we hang out more often, and she was busy with work anyway. Sigh.

A lot of cars, even small ones, are really uncomfortable for me to drive, and I know that I'm comfortable driving the Mini.

I've definitely noticed, driving all kinds of different rental cars, how crazy different they all feel. I got to drive an Infinity miniSUV the other day, which I really loved the interior of (mmm, swanky) but felt like the outside and the windows were shaped all funny and made it hard to see around the car!

Heh. My roommate just wanted to ask me something kind of personal. ...he was concerned about the possible comfort level of the noise of using a riding crop in the middle of the day.

My first thoughts, which I didn't say "...as opposed to in the middle of the night?!? Also, why would you be using a riding crop and not at WORK?"

(what I actually said "er, just like any other sex noise, make some vague effort to cover that shit with some music, but obvi, music only goes so far, don't need to blast it, but try not to be crazy loud?")

The car I learned to drive on, and that I drove for most of junior and senior years of high school (which was actually the last time I drove regularly) was a Camry. I liked that car a lot, but I really hate the new Camrys -- the new body is supposed to be more aerodynamic, but it ends up creating a ton of blind spots for me, and I can never figure out how to adjust the seat and the steering wheel so that it doesn't feel all off-balance and wrong.

There's a Scion xD Zipcar in the space across the street from me now. Maybe I'll rent that for half an hour over the weekend, to get a feel for it.

My sister just bought a 5-door Yaris that is very roomy and comfy.