The Long and Winding Road....

...carries me two states away.  Next week, I go college visiting with Daughter.  She's chosen a college, and they've chosen her, so the match is made and with it, our Spring Break plans.  So, some brief updates before I head out.

A funny conversation with a student this week:

Student: "I can't see my online course anymore, and I need to get to it."
Me: (tappity tappity on my keyboard)  "Was it an early term course?"
Student: "Yes, it was."
Me: "That term ended last week."
Student: "No, that can't be right because I still need to take the final."
(pause)
Me: "That term ended last week."
Silence.

Early this week, it occurred to me that with Daughter graduating, I no longer needed a larger car to haul her bass drum.  This meant I no longer needed a larger car payment, either.  With my car no longer in warranty, it was time to consider alternatives.  Perhaps I could save enough to help Daughter get a car when she turns 18.

My folks have recently worked with a great sales person to get a new car, so I went there.  I found what I wanted and set to negotiating.  My dad was there, too.  He's a stern negotiator, where I tend to be...wishy washy.  He props up my backbone in these cases.

I stated what my payment needed to be.  We negotiated the price.  It helped to know (and say) that a competing dealership in a nearby larger city had 36 of the same car on their lot for $1,000 less.  Then, we got to trade-in and interest rates.  They lowballed my trade-in, of course.  And their initial interest rate was so insulting that my dad about blew up.

Talking to the finance manager was an exercise in intimidation tactics.  The thing is that intimidation doesn't intimidate me; it pisses me off.  Don't try manipulating me.  I dated Ranger.  I know what manipulation can really do.  It just makes me think you're an asshole.

They finally said they could get the payment I wanted IF they could get their company to approve such a low interest rate and IF my trade-in checked out fine.

They did.  It did.  I have a new car.  And it's cute and spiffy and has nerdy gadgets and I love it.

Jacob hates it.  That first night I had it, he spent a good long time sitting in it, poking at things and going, "Ew," and making disgusted faces.  He'd had a bad day, and I was catching the brunt of it.  Bluntly put, he shit all over my parade.

Daughter noticed this and put it in perspective later.  "It's not about what he wants," she said.  "It's about what you want and need to do, so he can suck it up."

She's blunt, but I suppose she's right.

When I made the decision, I texted him and said, "I know it doesn't thrill you, but I decided to get the car."

He replied, "I'm glad for you."  So, that's something.  A couple of days later, and he's getting used to it.  He spent today trying things out on it and not making the "Ew" face.

One more tidbit, and this one made me smile.  I was chatting with my new boss and said something about the age difference between Penny and me, as she's been vocal about being close to retirement age.

The boss gave me a strange look.  "I thought you were in your thirties."

I smiled big.  "No, I'm 44," I said.  To my new favorite person.