The Price Family Home Companion

2004: Year in Review

One of my favorite links towards the end of the year is the Google Zeitgeist. The Zeitgeist gives you an intriguing peek into global social trends.

This year they have a fascinating interactive version to recap 2004.

Houston: Say it Ain't Snow

The End of an Error

I met her nearly 8 year ago. It was love at first site. In my haste to sweep her off her wheels, I hardly noticed the baggage she carried.

She tried to hide it, but she was treated poorly before I got my hands on her. She was beaten; her body was damaged. She rode with a limp (the passenger-side rear tire still wobbles to this day). I didn't realize then how high maintenance she would be.

Yep. A college kid like me had no business getting involved with a dame like that... but I couldn't help myself. Her engine purr was my Siren song; her repairs, my sea of destruction.

Two stereos were stolen from her frail frame. My best friend tried to kill her once (he swears it wasn't his fault); so did my boss (he, unlike my "friend", generously gave me $ to fix her up again). She even tried to take her own life (in Temple, TX) rather than move to Houston with us.

But as much grief as she has given me, it was still hard to let her go (I donated Shelly to the Salvation Army). My eyes were a little moist as she took off into the sunset, in the arms of another man.

Good times. Noodle salad.

No Expiration Date

Last night, Chantell rather emphatically insisted that the term expired not be used (whether in eulogy, obituary, or tombstone inscription) to describe her ultimate demise.

I'm not a food. I don't just 'go bad' or 'expire'...

Come to think of it though, she probably wouldn't be terribly fond of ultimate demise either...