Cars, houses, and books

**a very random post I wrote when I was bored

Cars 

 Life doesn't always go the way we want it to go. I was enjoying not having a car payment and planned on putting as many miles on my 2004 Chevy Malibu as possible. That was the plan until I totaled it a week ago. It is not a good feeling to know your car is totaled, but at least no one was injured in the accident.

 I drove my parents mini van for a week while I waited for the insurance to get sorted out. While I waited, I car-shopped online. This may sound odd for a guy my age, but I have never gone car-shopping with a particular car in mind. I have always looked until I found a car in my price range, and bough it no matter what kind it was. This time was different. I have been eyeing Chevy Cruzes for quite a while, hoping to get one some day, so that is what I started looking for online. I looked on a nearby Chevy dealer's website and found a few promising Cruzes in my price range, and then I tried auto trader. It brought one up at a Toyota dealership near me. This one was a 2012 with only 27,700 miles on it. And the car wasn't white. My last two cars were white, and I did not want another. I called about it, and they still had it..... but I didn't have my check yet from the insurance. Friday was my second of two days off, and I was hoping to get a car. My insurance agent was able to meet me and give me my check. I headed straight to Boardman where the dealership is.

  After depositing my check, I headed for the dealership. The car was just as nice as the pictures showed, and I decided I wanted it after I did a test drive. They came down in price enough to make me happy, and the financing went through fine. I was handed the keys, and after waiting for my parents to pick up their van - they were in Boardman also - I drove home in my new car. I know my insurance will be higher because of a newer car and an accident that was my fault, but I am focusing on the good: I have a new (to me) car that is the newest I have ever owned, with the lowest mileage I have ever started with. And I love the color. The only bad thing about the car is there is no cruise control, which isn't something I use a lot anyway. A big plus for me is the audio jack to plug my iPod into. I have never had that in a car, and would take that over cruise control.

Houses

  I am beyond discouraged with my house hunting. There have been a few I was interested in, but someone else was buying already or outbid me. Right now, I am driving 32 miles one way to the closest hospital I work at, and another 15-18 miles to the other hospital. My plan was to buy a house in East Palestine, OH which would cut that trip in half. I'd be as close to work as I could be while still living in Ohio. (I work in PA) It would also cut out some hills that can be bad in the winter and the worst areas for deer crossing. I honestly don't know what to do at this point. Should I try to get an apartment instead? I have a lot of stuff, and am not sure I'd fit into one. Should I try to buy a house where I am at and just deal with a long drive to work? I really need my own place again, but nothing seems to be working out. And to be honest, owning my own place again has me worried about affording the upkeep.

Books

  While doing a Christian fiction scavenger hunt online, I ran across an author who was new to me. Her newest book intrigued me. It is a fictional story about a young man with same-sex attractions. I entered to win it and commented on why I was interested in it. The author contacted me with an offer to review it.....which I of course accepted. I am looking forward to reading and reviewing it.

  I started writing a similar book 6-7 years ago or so, and never finished it, mostly due to severe depression at the time. The few people I shared the 50,000 words with thought it was good. Maybe I will finish it some day.