Poor Fido :(

Fido, my 10 year old, red VW Golf, is in the shop.

This sucks for so many reasons, including
1. My mechanic is in Mountain View.
2. This will cost money.
3. Fido is not worth that much money.
4. Fido and I are nearing our six year anniversary (coincides with my birthday) and I was hoping to be together at least seven years... through my expected MBA graduation date - May 2008.
5. I don't even drive that often, but I'd like to have a reliable car.
6. Smog check is due on the 22nd. It failed. Check engine light & a misfiring fourth cylinder. Can't Fido just use the other three and call it a day?
7. I really wanted to go for a run this afternoon. It cleared up and was a beautiful day near the ocean. Instead, I'm in Mountain View. AND I had to drive past my old house.
8. DHL is supposed to drop off a box for my laptop and I wanted to get it shipped back to IBM/Lenovo today.

This doesn't suck because:
1. I'm at Red Rock Cafe in Mountain View. One of my most favorite places to study.
2. Tom, my auto mechanic, is really good and really fast.
3. It got me out of the house.
4. Red Rock Cafe is working with Project Rwanda, an organization that is "Furthering the economic development of Rwanda through initatives based on the bicycle as a tool and symbol of hope." I may have to buy a bag of beans to support this one.
5. This is a reminder that I really shouldn't drive that much. Effing cars. (Not you Fido, I <3 you, please don't be really broken)

Fido's saga to be continued...