everybody's got one!

Asshole list!

Also, i took a new job at a non profit in Berkeley. but enough about that.

i walk around an awful lot (aspect of the job, and i like that) between the different spaces the organization occupies. and I walk on city streets, in downtown Berkeley. which is usually pretty interesting.
A little background - I have mixed feelings about handing out money on the street to homeless peeps (I don't think I am alone on this). Usually I am more open to giving if said street type personage is doing something to earn money, like juggling or singing (entertaining). Maybe this makes me an asshole, but not like that list above.

SIDEBAR, ATTACK! Hell, the juggling guy was really good. He got tips from me every time I went by. And he would buy things to juggle with the money he made juggling. Reinvestment capital! Beeeutiful! American-ski dream! I wonder how his accountant handled that deduction...?

So there is this street musician playing what i think is Erhu. But this street musician is playing poorly. Real bad. It doesn't take much, I suppose, for my western ears to not know what is close to good Erhu, like i would know close to good guitar, for instance.

Here is what it should sound like.

Anyway, i don't know what to tell you, other than i now walk around the block to the other location.

Also, i was talking to my friend on my cell phone outside on the curb the other night, when a person of homeless persuasion approached me and insisted upon interrupting me. After a while i relented, and asked him what he wanted. "2 Dollars! Give me two dollars!" I declined this less than gracious technique, and he muttered "Feck you!" at me. I must confess, the conversation didn't become an open and honest dialog after that line. I fear he and I may never speak again.

buying a car - best quotes

been a while since last post - blah blah...

Anyway, bought a new car (new to us) the other day, been in the hunt since early December, got a few favorite memorable quotes/stories/songs that became to funny not to share with ya'll. The car we bought is at the bottom.

Back story -
We were interested in the (oh so popular) sport wagons. Our 1990 Camry was slowing dying, and we had recently been presented a bill to get her back to normal that was 2 to 3 times her value. Time to head to the dealerships. A recap of our conversations below.

SG = Sales Guy
US = Duh.

The Mitsubishi (or, "Gimpin in the rain")
So we went to drive the Lancer, as I have had a lot of fun watching Evo's tearing up courses throughout the southwestern US. I thought "I bet they are putting some of that great EVO technology into the base Lancer." This was an incorrect assumption. Drove 'meh'. Like that rental you get and say, "well, its a rental" with a disappointing sigh. I'm getting ahead of myself.
We get to the dealership, and no one is there. we are wandering around the showroom, upstairs, looking in all the offices which are abandoned. 5 minutes after we walk in there a guy with a broken umbrella and a rain soaked jacket opens the door, and yells "Is somebody in here?"
I'm ask him "You got any Lancers here in the showroom, here?" He answers, "No" after pointedly looking around at the 3 cars in there, and says "They're all outside". Where it is raining. I became salty at this point, and say, "Well, would you go and look at what you have out there?". He goes. He's dragging his foot. In the rain. You might call it a gimpy leg/foot. It's raining. He is officially Gimpin' in the rain. Cue Gene.

Later - after driving the unimpressive Lancer we get this gem:
SG: So, what is it gonna take to get you into this car today?
US: (Dumbfounded, moment of silence) Wow, you actually said it!

And yet later, after driving the Dodge Caliber (which I liked, but the Doc said she didn't like the admittedly enormous dashboard) we got it again:
SG: So, what is it gonna take to get you into this car today?
US: (Less dumbfounded, still, a moment of silence) Still a good line!

The Honda -
Sadly, not a very quote worthy fella. The Doc says this was her favorite salesman. Too bad he didn't have a car we wanted to buy.

SG: Hi, I'm a nice guy.

The Toyota (also known as the winner) -
1st dealership

US: Here's our (lowball) offer.
SG: No.
US: Ok, thanks. We'll be leaving (make like walkin')
SG: Bye.
US: Oh...(start real walking)

2nd Toyota dealership

US: What do you drive?
SG: Actually, I drive a Sienna.
US: Oh, do you like it?
SG: No, it sucks. I got a big family, tho.
(Note - this conversation happened directly after i put the car in 6th gear thruff the Macarthur Tunnel under the Presidio)
Later, after we lowballed the 2nd dealer-
SG: Ok, well I'll get my kneepads out to go and beg my boss.

The Mazda (or we didn't make it to the Mazda dealership) - short story.

Finally, the winner - (this is the closest approximation i could get to what ours looks like)