I was not posting from beyond the grave just now and punking you all into thinking I am still alive*. AS FAR AS YOU KNOW.

Pffft. I'm totally posting once I'm undead. Ouija boards come with wi-fi these days, right?

Yes, that would be a Reverse Gus, otherwise known as a Sug.

Just got the first estimate. It's the primary oxygen sensor, which is NOT one of the ones under recall, and to fix it will be about $600. ::sigh:: At least I have a job, but I haven't even received my second paycheck. And with the IMA battery likely to go, and the starter being finicky, I think it's time to start looking for a new (to me) car. Probably a small SUV or small pickup with an extended cab.

Bollocks.

It's the primary oxygen sensor, which is NOT one of the ones under recall, and to fix it will be about $600.

I have a hole in my exhaust system (the front pipe, IIRC, and possibly elsewhere). Back in May the dealer told me the whole exhaust system, from tailpipe all the way through the catalytic converter, would have to be replaced, to the tune of $1800-ish.

I have since been advised by car-ish people that the dealer says the whole thing needs replaced because they are not inclined to cut out sections of pipe and weld in new ones, like an exhaust shop will.

So it could be less expensive at an exhaust shop, but I'm still braced for a huge bill. Bah. And I really need to get it in this week.

Cars! What are they good for?

Part of me wants to friend what's-his-face in order that I might make Special Comment face in his general direction(of course, if I had glasses, it would work better.) He can't help being weak and pathetic...in retrospect, I do wish I hadn't wasted so much time believing I was entertaining a man in a sickbed, but actually that was probably the only honest thing he said about himself. A true Special Comment on such a subject might feature a quote from Marshall McCluhan, and Casey Stengel, or somebody, but I'm not feeling very profound right now, so(looking at second camera) Mr. Straley, or, you know, let us be honest, whatever the hell your name really is(maybe Lazarus), your problems were, and remain, deeper than the internet. I have one piece of advice for how you may reclaim the tattered shreds of your identity. Do the world a favor, and disconnect now.

a man in a sickbed, but actually that was probably the only honest thing he said about himself

Why do you say that?

Cars! What are they good for?

Absolutely nothin'!

(You forgot the "good God, y'all" in the middle there.)

Just my way of joking that the Man Ain't Right, ita. No inside track here. I kind of blame myself for my role in that debacle...needing to be needed is kind of a trigger for me. Being a manipulator, he probably smelled it like cheap perfume. But you wouldn't have to be a super-genius to guess that the crippled girl might feel pushed aside, every now and then. Duh.

Not really. It's a personality disorder. They simply lack the capacity to feel empathy. Your best bet is to train them to be a stockbroker.

This cracked my shit up today. Thank you.