As you can tell from the photo, my car is toast. The good news is, now that it's 1/2 the size it used to be, it is officially suitable for European streets. Who needs an engine, a trunk and leg room? Those things are way overrated.

In spite of my newfound auto-Euro-enlightenment, I took the cash Geico offered me. At first I was quite thrilled; I got a good bit more than I thought I would. But then I thought about it a little further, and realized that my settlement is roughly equivalent to six months rent.

That damned economics degree has ruined my enjoyment of life.

Economics. Just Say No.

Meanwhile, I have determined, at least for the time being, to try to go car-less.

That’s right, I have decided to reconnect with my hippie roots. No more car for me. From now on, it’s by bus, by foot, and bye bye social life. No dating (as if that was happening anyway), no hanging out after school (that has been happening and now is going the way of the Passenger Pigeon) and no more trips to Trader Joe's. Geico is paying for a rental car through Friday, so I’ll be running up the miles on that car as much as possible. I’ve made several trips to Costco, as I have stocked up on 800 rolls of paper towels and 6000 bottles of water so I don’t have to drink rust. I took a quick tour of Hollywood, which it turns out is only a few miles from where I live. Nothing special is going on there that I could tell. I hope to get to Joshua Tree State Park or some other area by Friday.

School is going well. I am still the guy that doesn’t shut up and says stupid stuff all the time, so nothing has changed there either.

I hope all is well with you, wherever you are. Stay in touch.