It looks like a new car is in my forecast sooner than I thought. On my way to work this morning, dear, sweet Lucy began to lurch and seize. In flashing amber light she cried to me : "Check engine! Check engine!" I calmly steered her to the nearest gas station, checked her oil and topped off the gas. It may have helped a little. She shakes when she idles and sputters accelerating at low speeds, but she got me to work alright.

Ah, what a little trooper. What did I say earlier? Love will keep her on the road! Oh, I shall miss her greatly.

I used to think that winter was a lovely season with snow on cedars and naked deciduous trees. I loved the left over fruit clinging to the long, bare limbs of snow berry bushes and crunchy grass silvered from the frost. I liked being snug and warm indoors, reading a book or watching a movie with one dear soul near me while the earth chilled outside. Right now, I'm tired of this cold weather. I can't wait for the witch hazel to bloom or to see the first crocus push through the ground, a yellow or violet beauty promising warmer days ahead. I'm so ready to shed this heavy wool coat and feel the sun on my arms and play catch at Boulevard Park. I want to hear the morning chorus and the frog song again. I want to wear sandals without getting frost bite.

Ugh, I think I've finally caught it. That bug many in the Pacific Northwest get from November to February that I never understood until now... Winter gloom.

Yeah, weather control cannot come soon enough.

When Lucy and I met, it was love at first site. This slightly beat up, blue, four door Dodge Neon. Upon meeting her original owner I offered her two thousand right off the bat. That girl was slow to meet my offer and I almost lost her to a Honda Civic, but just in the nick of time I was called and asked if I was still interested. Like a school girl in love, I was smitten when the title was signed over to me. The girl who owned her before called her "Blue Balls" but I knew that was not her true name. "I am Lucy." The blue car revealed on our first drive up Old Day Creek Road.

Our relationship saw drives between Mount Vernon and Clearlake during the week. On weekends we went to Bellingham where we now live. When we felt like it, we'd take Chuckanut home or Highway 9 or Lake Samish Way. Serene cruises through the countryside, just her and I and whoever was on the stereo. Lucy had it rough though. She needed tires, brakes and a tune up. She had an exhaust problem and not to mention, leaked oil and transmission fluid. The left blinker worked sporadically, the speakers on the passengers door functioned much the same and the back door leaked the winter rain. There exists many many other problems, but I love her anyway.

Despite the abuse, she is still going strong, like a bustling grandmother with glaucoma and bad knees. Like an old mother cat with kittens in her teeth. Like a tired ship over rough waters... like Serenity.

Sometimes, I fear she is like an old dog that I should put down. She's lived a good life, I say to myself, but maybe... just maybe, there's a year or two left. And when I search Craigs list for a new car, she senses this and stops her whining. "Hold on." I hear her saying to me. "Hang on, don't leave yet. I'll be good. I promise!" I should wait, I think to myself as I pat the dashboard affectionately. Love. Like Captain Mal says. Love will keep her together. When she heaves and gasps for breath (or fumes, your call), when her timing is off and the alternator belt is squealing, or she's sputtering down I-5 and I think she'll just bust apart... love will keep her on the road.

... ... ...

Alright, guys, I'll stop being sappy now. Sometimes, I am just too sentimental.

with a space weapon even!

So my myspace account was hacked today. I fell for one of those bulletin scams, following a link to what was supposed to be some pictures a friend(another hack victim) thought I would like. I was redirected to what I thought was the myspace login page asking for my username/password again. I thought it was a problem myspace was having. I was so wrong.

Damn sloppy! That's what I get for not checking the url. I have never been hacked before. Seriously, this is the worst shame I have ever felt.

Many thanks to Aaron for making this image for me. Robots are cutesy.

Robots have rights too!

I put my first ad on Craigs list today. Heh, I feel as if I've crossed a great milestone, not unlike editing my first Wikipedia article or wining my first item from Ebay. Is my excitement over something so mundane a little ridiculous? Maybe, but I don't care.

I'm not selling anything. I'm offering a service. I want to walk your dog!

I've always had this fantasy of walking the railroad tracks alongside Chuckanut with a big, goofy, drooling, tail-wagging dog to love and protect me as I meander on my own. I know it would be much easier to just get my own dog, but having a large animal in my apartment complex is impossible and maybe even a little cruel. Until my living situation changes and that's not likely to happen any time soon, I'll take what I can get.