Car Luvin'

Indulge me for a moment, if you will, while I talk with you about a subject that is very close to my heart: my car. What, you were expecting something more deep? Not in this post.

I will start by pointing out that I am a car guy. I don't mean this in the... let me check under the hood to diagnose the problem... here, I'll change the oil myself... pardon the grime under my nails- type of way. I am talking about the... read car magazines... shop for cars when I'm not actually looking to buy... hey, did you see that '04 Ferrari 360 Modena Spider just drive by? I wonder if it is the F1 or standard style- type of way. I love cars for their form and function. I enjoy looking at them, driving them, and thinking about them. Even my wife joins in on the fun of appreciating cool cars that go by, or at least she doesn't roll her eyes at my excitement anymore.

So, imagine my joy when I recently went looking for a new car for real, and finally. By finally I mean I was looong over due. Back when I first decided to go back to school to get my real estate license and start my new business, I knew money was going to be tight for a few years. That meant that I needed to sell my everything-you-do-to-me-is-expensive-but-I'm-worth-it baby and buy the uber-practical-and-reliable Honda Accord. The Honda was a fine car, low miles, one owner who treated her well (I knew them). She was nothing fancy, but I was sure I wouldn't have her for too long. Just until I had my business foundation set. Seven years later, she was still with me. This is mainly because, for all of my dreaming, my fiscal sense normally wins out. I sometimes have trouble spending money on something that won't make me money. Plus, I had bought the car outright, so not having a monthly payment was nice too. Then over the past year or so, I started playing the step game. You know, after this step happens, I'll get a new car; no, after this step happens I'll get a new car. Finally near the end, besides really showing her age, she started having one issue after the other. It got to the point where it was just time.

So, after much researching, searching, and hagling, I have a new car. I ended up with an '06 VW Passat:

The color of the picture isn't right. Mine is more of a steel blue than the baby blue above, but you get the idea. I've had her for a little over a month now and I couldn't be happier. I am so glad I ended up where I did. I looked at some fancier cars, but again ultimately my practical side won out (by the way, did you know the fancy-pants guys don't like to hagle as much?) Am I going to pay more for an Audi when this car has the same engine and interior (VW being the parent company to both)? Nope, not at this point in my life anyway.

I hope you don't think that I'm doing a la la la, look at what I have dance here fellow readers. I am just very excited to finally have something I'm proud to drive again. I want to share my excitement with the world. As Ron Burgundy put it:

I am so happy that I wanted to shout it from a mountain.

But, I didn't have a mountian, all I had was this.

Sometimes it's the little things that make me happy. Other times it's a car.