Planes and automobiles

My new car is lovely--nice new car smell--every surface is new and shiny. I am disappointed with the leather, though. It feels like cheap vinyl and it gets really hot in the sun. I had something very soft and luxurious in mind when I ordered it. I prefer it to the alternative which was that sticky microfiber cloth that I can't stand, but I'm still disappointed. And then there is the seat. Something is wrong with the seat. I just can't get comfortable. I guess I am getting used to it and it will save gas which was really part of my goal, because driving is somewhat taxing on my derriere. Saving gas is rather cool. Usually after one week of driving, I am down a half of a tank of gas and really glad that I haven't used a whole tank of gas. It's been one week and the fuel has only moved 1/10th of the way down (there are little bars). The computer says that I am averaging 40.1 miles to the gallon and I've gone over 100 miles, but the fuel gage is so cute with all those bars still in place.

I went on a plane this week for a business trip. I had to book at the last minute and was pleased to pay less than $300 to go to Sacramento. There was a time that I would have considered it ridiculous to spend more than $100 to fly somewhere in state (and still not have been able to afford it), but I was actually pleased to get this price. Of course, I forgot my book, but I was able to look at the magazine of all the cool things there are to buy that no one can afford on the flight there.

After court, I had about two hours to kill so I walked over to the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch. Yes, I bought another tee shirt. I was trying to do the math and I think I have owned over 100 tee shirts from there. After I purchased the tee shirt I realized that it would not fit in my purse and my briefcase was stuffed, so I was a little concerned about bringing it on the plane, but I made some room in the brief case. At one point I was staring into space looking at a commercial for the Hard Rock Cafe hotel in Chicago, day dreaming that I should go there and a manager stopped to say hello. She told me that I could join the Hard Rock Cafe club to get discounts at the Hard Rock Cafe and went into a speel. Now I don't buy into clubs, I don't use coupons, I don't buy warrantees, etc., but this gal had me at hello. There's a list of all the Hard Rock Cafes around the world on the back of the card--that alone was worth the price of admission.

My seat was too small on the airplane--sardines have more room in a tin can. With my thigh smashed against my neighbors thigh I remembered that I paid for this privilege and was happy with the low cost. Lamenting at the sorry state of my life, I ran across a quote from Dennis Leary in his book about America which was something like, we are so privileged in the US and have been for several generations, that we don't even realize it and feel completely entitled to more.