Gust in 2017

I got a new car on Tuesday. I’ll have to take a picture and post it, since that’s a thing that people do I guess. It was necessary. My Aveo soldiered through last week well, but by the end it was clearly done. I drove a shitton last week, got a flat on Sunday night, and went in to the tire place Monday. That was 200 bucks, because both front tires needed replaced, and there was more wrong with it, but that would have been an extra 300 bucks. I already wanted to trade it in. I hit up a friend knowledgeable about cars that I semi-often hang out and play video games with.

We combed craigslist and autotrader for vehicles, and found a 2012 Toyota Corolla that seemed suitable. It had a lot of miles on it, but had been taken in for maintenance every 5000 miles, which is…significantly better care than I’ve ever shown to a vehicle I’ve owned. We went out to the dealership, test drove it, everything seemed good…but I wasn’t approved for it. My credit is not great, and apparently banks don’t like to give out loans for cars with over 100k miles on them. That one was 8600, I assumed I wouldn’t be able to get anything over 10k. The salesman suggested another car that was 14000 something, though a 2016 with only 20000 miles on it. We test drove it, it seemed really good, definitely a nicer car than the other one or my old car. Somehow, I got approved for that one. I guess that makes more sense for a bank to give out a loan, since the car will last longer due to being used far less. I dunno.

Regardless, it worked out, I drove it home, and they even gave me 1500 for my ailing Aveo, which was basically what I owed on it. I think I got lucky, I was honest with them about what was wrong or would need fixed. It seemed like they were just gonna sell it to a car auction, so I guess that works. Anyway, this is step one. I got a car that I can rely on for work. Now I can drive a bunch and make as much money as I can this month. The next step is finding a place so I can stay in Portland. Hopefully a studio or one bedroom, but I will find a stranger for a roommate if I must.

My last car was in great condition when I got it, but it was cheap and cheaply made. The Scion iM I have now(dunno what the iM stands for, I’ve been joking it’s for Instant Messenger) is clearly higher-quality, but it also has a bunch of shit I’m not used to, even if it’s very standard these days. Remote control to lock and unlock it, power windows and locks(my 2011 Aveo had manual ones, though I didn’t mind), a big ass touchscreen stereo thing that can hook up to my phone with Bluetooth, and also a back-up camera when I’m reversing. Even some little screen thingy on the dashboard that tells me how Eco my car is being at the moment, whatever the fuck that means.

Today I’ll be able to go to the Lyft office and get signed up, since they were closed for the 4th. I guess I might as well get signed up for Uber again too. It worked out well enough when I used it last year, but I’ve read some really sketchy things about them, specifically how they treat and how well they pay drivers. Of course there’s a ton of sketchy shit in general, though I feel that’s the case for most gigantic companies. The bigger they are, the more room there is for greed and corruption. Anyway, as soon as I’m good to go, I’m gonna drive a bunch. I drove 45-50 hours last week, somewhere around there. Far more than I had done in a week previously, and I made 900-ish bucks with the various bonuses and stuff. If I can keep doing that, or even making a little less, I’ll be okay.

One of my friends from Medford is visiting this weekend, so that will cut into the driving. She’s going to some concert, and then she’s going to stay for several days and see some stuff. Not sure how much she’ll be hanging out with whatever friends she has that live here and how much we’ll hang out. I’ve known her for a few years, though she’s really quiet and a few years younger. Kind of like the little sister of the group, though in her early 20s now. Should be fun, I just need to plan some stuff out so I can show her the usual touristy spots, maybe some haunted stuff too. Supposedly a bunch of stuff in Portland is haunted.

I’ll have to try not to eat total shit…aside from yesterday and today, I’ve been on a keto diet. High protein and fat, no carbs or sugar. Well, very little carbs, you can’t have 0 generally. Still, no rice, no bread, no pasta, no beer or cider, etc. All things I love, but I don’t love the shape I am in. The whole high fat part seems counter to what I’ve been told all my life, but apparently that’s important. You eat things with fat and not carbs, and since there isn’t much glucose or whatever, your body learns to burn the fat for energy instead of other stuff. We’ll see. So far, I feel pretty good. My stomach hasn’t hurt like it has been the last couple months. I’ve only felt bad when I had carbs. I made an exception yesterday, since Ray was helping me out with car stuff so I bought dinner. Today, well, no real excuse, other than free pizza, haha. I’m gonna stick with it though, if nothing else I seem to feel a little better. I keep seeing meat on clearance at the grocery store, so I keep buying shit and throwing it in the freezer. So much meat. Meat and veggies, but a lot of meat. Much meat. A meat bonanza. The goddamned Meatpocalypse of 2017.

I think I’m just a night owl now. It seems to work better. Last week, I’d drive from 5 or 6 until 3 or so in the morning, go to the gym, and then come home, stay up for an hour or two and sleep until noon or so. I could see myself keeping that schedule, especially if I get my own place. Less of a reason to be social, plus I gotta stay focused on driving a lot now that I have a reliable car. Not sure how I’ll fit school into that when I go back next term, but I’ll deal with that then.

One part of my survival plan is down. One half I suppose. Now the search begins(again!) for a place to call home, in whatever reasonable capacity I can find one.