Argh.

[jazzfish]

Written 2004-12-27, 22:03. Supposedly the hotel has wireless in the lobby; I'll be checking that out as soon as I finish writing this.

Update 2004-12-28, 11:05. Wireless in the lobby refuses to play nicely with Dana; people behind the desk insist that my IP should be other than it is, the piece of paper they gave me insists that I shouldn't use a static IP and should use the one they give me. Less than useful. Waiting on J. to cart me away.

Spent an enjoyable couple of hours on Boxing Day talking with scathach, who gave me nifty stuff, the name of a wine to try, and a potential vagueish lead on maybe an internship at the Guthrie. Also, quite good tea and tasty cookies and wondrous conversation. Watched some of the Redskins / Cowboys game, which was a great game right up until the two-minute mark at which point the Skins forgot how to play defense. Grr. Also watched A Knight's Tale, which was cute and light and not much substance.

Today had Thai and wandered in Compleat Strategist and Game Parlor [and Ross, Strategist has both Thunder's Edge and the expansion] and then headed for home. At about six the normal engine rattling got slightly worse. I said "Huh, guess I'd better get that looked at when I get in." Quarter of seven it got a lot worse, straining to go up the hill. Then the power started draining away, and when I looked in the rearview mirror I saw a yellow-orange glow, as of THINGS ON FIRE. Side-of-the-road ignition-off hazards-on shoes-on out-of-car, and retreated to a safe distance. The yellow sparks I could see under the car didn't really make me feel any better, but they died out quickly enough. Called USAA, and while waiting for a tow truck the fire dept. was kind enough to stop by; apparently someone had called in a car fire.

Waiting for the tow truck was FREAKING COLD. I now understand what people mean when they talk about having cold feet. Yow. Got towed to Harrisonburg, and left the car with a mechanic who'll look at it in the morning. Tried to rent a car; all sold out. (Xmas and all.) So, I've gotten a hotel room next door to the mechanic, and the eminently blessed jedibfa will be along tomorrow to take me back to Bleaksburg.

Damn and damn and damn. I expect that repairs will take Quite a While, if they can be accomplished at all; I may be in the market for a new car. (No, not Adam's brown thing. I said "Car.") This, in a word, sucks.

At least I can take a bath tonight.

Comments

[beracjade.livejournal.com]

"Watched some of the Redskins / Cowboys game, which was a great game right up until the two-minute mark at which point the Skins forgot how to play defense. Grr."

actually, they did well until that 4th and 10 with something like 56 seconds remaining. i was LIVID. i had listened to the game the whole drive down from pennsylvania, and watched the last 1:35. i should have just sat in the car and kept listening.

[laughin.livejournal.com]

The Redskins have a defense???

Sorry about the car. Been there with the fire thing. Oy. Much sympathy!

[rubinpdf.livejournal.com]

They have the number 2 rank defense in the league. The problem is they have one of the worst rated offenses in the league as well.

[wyrdone.livejournal.com]

Hey my old car is a perfectly fine thing. It just needs two new front CV joints or at least that is all it needed when I sold it to him....it probably needs new tires by now after not being driven for years.

[uilos.livejournal.com]

And a radio that doesn't drain the battery, a new battery, brake fluid, someone to shovel it out to find the floor, a liscense plate holder that will actually hold the liscense plate, and something to maitain the pressure of the transmission fluid as of a year or so ago.

You left those out.

[wyrdone.livejournal.com]

The Radio isn't the drain last time I checked.
The battery was only 6 months old when I sold it to him.
Brakes were fine and had never needed topping off when I owned the car.
Shoveling it out is Adam's fault. It was empty when I sold it.
Yeah it probably needed a license plate holder.
And I never had a problem with the transmission fluid level.

Granted it's not a new car, but it ran and got me around town and got 35-40mpg in town.

[scathach.livejournal.com]

It was really nice to see you, too. I got home last night and got your package with the mail - thankyouthankyou! I will watch it soon-ish. Sorry about glin-DOOOOOR - I promise the new-car-thing is possible...my piece of shit was about $2K, and I've only dumped about half that again into it in repairs in the last year and a half, which in my book means I'm still coming out on top. Just make sure to take them to be inspected by a mechanic you trust before you buy.