1. Rescue Me has returned!
And a hearty “Welcome back!” I say. This week’s episode was just as good as they always are. Plus, I hear tell that we are in for a long, 24-episode season. Yippee!
2. My brand new Volkswagen Jetta TDI
Somehow, I inexplicably neglected to mention in the pages of this here blog that I purchased a new car last week. The VW Jetta TDI. It runs on diesel, yo. And it gets fabulous mileage per gallon. On my first tank, I averaged 43.2 miles per gallon.
Righteous.
Long time readers of my blogs may recall mypiece of shit cute little red Nissan with the double-entendre license plates which I purchased in 2002. The one which I believe was cursed (God was punishing me for not buying a hybrid)…well, it is finally giving up the ghost. A whopping 110,000 miles and it needs a new engine.
In my car-shopping ventures I test drove a number of vehicles including the Mini Cooper Clubman (both the regular and the turbo versions) which was just adorable and lots of fun to drive, but it only gets like 30 miles per gallon and I couldn’t really justify that kind of gas mileage for a small car no matter how cute said car looked on me; the VW Beetle (sucky drive! Plus, nobody over five foot three can sit in the back seat); the Toyota Prius and the Toyota Camry Hybrid. The Prius drove just like you would expect a hybrid car to drive. It had no power and you could totally feel when it switched from the gas engine to the electric battery. The Jetta TDI gets almost as good gas mileage (and its emissions are every bit as environmentally-friendly) but it’s more comfortable, has more power and a smoother, quieter ride.
The Camry was very nice. Very nice. And I was quite tempted. In the end, however, I decide to be frugal (The Jetta was about $10k less than the Camry), practical (I don’t really need a car that big and luxurious, do I?) and responsible (while 32 miles per gallon may be good gas mileage for a car the size of the Camry, it still pales in comparison to my Jetta).
I can even use up to 5% bio-diesel in my Jetta! If I want to drive around smelling like I am making french fries in my trunk, of course.
With my purchase of the Jetta TDI, I am getting 6 free months of Sirius Satellite radio. This is quite fun. I have of course discovered the all-Springsteen-all-the-time station which is appropriately called E Street (although they play too much of the new album and...um...I am not a big fan of the new album. Ssshhhh...don't tell anybody), as well as Bob Dylan's show, which they play in five hour chunks on Sunday afternoon. I have discovered the Garage Rock station and the 80's New Wave station. I also discovered the station which plays non-stop Howard Stern, but I quickly changed channel...
And a hearty “Welcome back!” I say. This week’s episode was just as good as they always are. Plus, I hear tell that we are in for a long, 24-episode season. Yippee!
2. My brand new Volkswagen Jetta TDI
Somehow, I inexplicably neglected to mention in the pages of this here blog that I purchased a new car last week. The VW Jetta TDI. It runs on diesel, yo. And it gets fabulous mileage per gallon. On my first tank, I averaged 43.2 miles per gallon.
Righteous.
Long time readers of my blogs may recall my
In my car-shopping ventures I test drove a number of vehicles including the Mini Cooper Clubman (both the regular and the turbo versions) which was just adorable and lots of fun to drive, but it only gets like 30 miles per gallon and I couldn’t really justify that kind of gas mileage for a small car no matter how cute said car looked on me; the VW Beetle (sucky drive! Plus, nobody over five foot three can sit in the back seat); the Toyota Prius and the Toyota Camry Hybrid. The Prius drove just like you would expect a hybrid car to drive. It had no power and you could totally feel when it switched from the gas engine to the electric battery. The Jetta TDI gets almost as good gas mileage (and its emissions are every bit as environmentally-friendly) but it’s more comfortable, has more power and a smoother, quieter ride.
The Camry was very nice. Very nice. And I was quite tempted. In the end, however, I decide to be frugal (The Jetta was about $10k less than the Camry), practical (I don’t really need a car that big and luxurious, do I?) and responsible (while 32 miles per gallon may be good gas mileage for a car the size of the Camry, it still pales in comparison to my Jetta).
I can even use up to 5% bio-diesel in my Jetta! If I want to drive around smelling like I am making french fries in my trunk, of course.
With my purchase of the Jetta TDI, I am getting 6 free months of Sirius Satellite radio. This is quite fun. I have of course discovered the all-Springsteen-all-the-time station which is appropriately called E Street (although they play too much of the new album and...um...I am not a big fan of the new album. Ssshhhh...don't tell anybody), as well as Bob Dylan's show, which they play in five hour chunks on Sunday afternoon. I have discovered the Garage Rock station and the 80's New Wave station. I also discovered the station which plays non-stop Howard Stern, but I quickly changed channel...
3. I just ordered a bunch of new clothes.
Seriously, do I need to expand on that?
4. I just ordered a bunch of new CDs.
Well, they’re new to me. In truth, half of them are quite old. Here’s what I ordered (in no particular order):
Tulare Dust: A Songwriters' Tribute To Merle Haggard - I used to have this CD. Somewhere along the line, at some party or another, somebody must have “borrowed” it and “forgotten” to return it. You know, like disc one of Los Lobos’ Just Another Band from East LA compilation CD and that Melissa Etheridge one with “Baby You Can Sleep While I Drive” on it...anyway, this CD is a tribute to Merle Haggard. Now, I love me some Merle, as much for his songwriting as for his angelic singing; but I am not really big on tribute albums in general so the chances of my liking this compilation were about 50-50. I love it, though. Included are some of my favorite artists (John Doe, Dave Alvin, Dwight Yoakam, etc.) and some of my favorite Haggard tunes (“Holding Things Together”, “You Don’t Have Very Far to Go”, “I Can’t Be Myself”, etc.). I am excited to have this lost favorite returned to my collection.
Country Club by John Doe and the Sadies - Um...it’s John Doe, singing some true country music gems. Need I say more? I honestly don’t even know who the Sadies are.
(Bundle) Chris Gaffney Tribute: Man of Somebody’s Dreams by Dave Alvin and Various Artists ~ and ~ Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women – The music world lost a true original artist when it lost Chris Gaffney in 2008 to cancer. Again, I am not usually much of a fan of “tribute” albums, but A) I have a lot of faith in the love I know Dave Alvin had for Gaffney and would expect him to treat his musical legacy with the utmost care and respect and B) Alvin is the one who orchestrated the Merle Haggard tribute album I love so much so he has a proven track record of putting good ones together.
I will basically buy anything Dave Alvin releases, but I am quite excited about this latest CD, as he is recording with some mighty impressive womens this time.
Angels of Destruction by Marah
Cuz I like Marah and I don’t have this one yet.
Fit to be Tied: Great Hits by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
I love Joan Jett. I think she rocks and I think she’s hot. And right now I do not own a recording of “Do Ya Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)”, which is something akin to a sin in my book.
MIA: The Complete Anthology by the Germs
All of my Germs stuff is on vinyl. Which yes, is where it belongs; but it gets harder and harder to play vinyl on my car’s CD player every year.
And I am just too lazy to get one of those fancy-shmancy machines which will allow me to convert my LPs to CD.
Poor Little Critter on the Road by the Knitters
Likewise, I presently only have this album on vinyl. I'm actually not at all sure how good an album it will be on CD...
5. Because I gamble so much, the Old Man and I get to stay three free nights in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
I made our reservation for September.
Never let them tell you that gambling does not pay, kids.
oooh the boss' station on sirius is addictive. my hubby is from NJ so it is on allll too often at our house!
Posted by: Lusty Reader | Thursday, April 09, 2009 at 05:52 PM
You'll have to let me know what you think of the Marah album. I didn't like it very much.
Congrats on the new car! Sounds great! I've been lusting after a Prius but the Jetta sounds great! You sold me! (I only have about45k miles on my car and $10k left to pay, so I won't be buying a new car anytime soon.)
I just realized that I forgot to read the Springsteen thing you sent me the other day -- read the e-mail on my phone and forgot to go back and hit the link when I got home. I need to do that stil!
Posted by: Andrea | Thursday, April 09, 2009 at 08:17 PM