Hammer

New Prius Helps Environment By Killing Its Owner | Video | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Stung

Oh my science experiment! I'm actually going to Pimp My Ride over the next few months. My counselor thinks that the reason that I was/am so sad about my Prius is because it's symbolic of a new beginning for me and the ending of my fairy tale with my husband. I am my little red Prius, AH and our marriage was the fancy, slick, fast SUV (my fairy tale.) AND the fact that I literally downgraded myself and it's human nature to want something that's nicer when given the option, so naturally that would bum me out a little bit too.

Don't think I'll be adding any murderous devices to it though, Hammer.

Stung

The best article I've read about the Prius and I kind of heart this guy: Screw You, I Love The Prius

Florence

The Prius is your Ugly Baby!

Remember "screw you, I love this prius" when your AH starts tempting you with fancier rides and fancier roadways. xx

Stung

I totally thought the same thing as I was driving away from her office!!! And that's when I decided that my ugly baby needs some TLC and some cool gadgets to make her special...and maybe some roof racks and maybe *I* need to take up a fun new hobby to need roof racks for. AH has already tried to talk me into swapping cars with him since he still has a fancy little sports car (that is too small to hold a stroller! Stupid, stupid purchase) and I have already told him no twice.

JustAGirl1971

Lol. What is it with men and their stupid, fancy sports cars? After my sister had her last baby, her hubby bought a 2 seater... guess that was his way of telling her he wouldn't be dragging the 4 kids around anywhere?

Stung

Mine actually told me that his car could be our "date night" car. He also went out and bought his car brand spanking new and didn't consult with me first.

lillamy

Yet another quote I should have tattooed on the inside of my eyelids! (Don't worry. It'll go on my fridge with the others!)

Here's a comparison for you -- different scenario, but still. I've always been a gym rat. Working out is my way of shutting my brain up for a while. I was in the best shape of my life the last few years I was married to AXH because I had to work out every day to stay sane.

A friend of mine said she'd love to join me "after I've lost 25 pounds" because she said "I can't go to the gym being THIS fat! People will stare at me!" I assured her that the people that went to my gym, every single one of them, was there for themselves and that nobody would look at her and think "what is that fatass doing here?" I think like you, she was externalizing her own judgment of herself, believing that other people could see on the outside what she was feeling on the inside about herself.

Truth is, for better for worse, that most people are too busy with their own garbage to pay attention to what other people drive, wear, eat, or think. And I think you're absolutely on the money -- it's not other people judging you, it's you judging yourself.

It's difficult to change your parameters for what "success" is. In the past six months, I've had health problems that have prevented me from going to the gym. It has allowed me to realize that I judge myself by how fit I am. If I can see my six-pack abs, I'm a good person. If I can run a half-marathon, I'm a good person. Well -- becoming out of shape and overweight, I've had to take a hard look at those parameters and see them for the bullsh*t they are. It hasn't been easy. It's still not easy. But if I can do it, so can you.

Hammer

For all the joking and harassing -- you know I think your re-tooling (is that better than down-grade) to the Prius is Really Smart of you.

Dunno what it says but Mrs. Hammer's Sponsor has a Prius, and that is what Mrs. Hammer wants, herself. Maybe you are becoming a Crazy Chick or something?

I was looking Really Hard at the Chevy Volt. Could not believe when the idiots cut the back seat down to two seats. Chevy is Idiots. 1 Hammer + 1 Mrs. Hammer in the front + 3 chilluns in the back is my math was saying. But I suppose she keeps on her present track and the numbers may work out.

Chevy Volt's dumb was part of Elon Musk's inspiration for putting 7 seats in the Tesla S. That has my eyeball, now. He is an EE with 5 kids.

Elon Musk: Why Tesla's Model S Beats the Chevy Volt - YouTube

Why did America’s most frugal man buy a Tesla? - YouTube

Stung

Teslas are all over the place here, and they look really slick. BUT I can't justify the $$$ on one and I don't really want to burst into flames while I'm driving one. Kind of a downer to burst into flames on the way to the beach.

Tesla Model S catches fire after battery puncture, Musk responds

Seren

Fuzzy dice? I've always wanted fuzzy dice!

AnvilheadII

not to rain on the parade here, but it's JUST A CAR.

i'm on my...4th?...yes 4th Subaru. first one was my soccer mom car, legacy wagon. loved that car. sold to my then husband's daughter for way cheap (just to give her some pride in ownership) as she had two little boys.

2nd car was my midlife crisis car...Rally Sport, the european road racing model....i loved that car....and then gave it to my daughter as a college graduation present.

3rd car was my "tuff girl" car...Subara Baja...loved that car. and then gave it to Hank after he sold his toyota to some kid who wanted a "drifting" car.

4th car is my sedate non-descript serviceable Impreza...dark grey, cloth seats, came with standard stereo...does have a boxer engine with a bit of zip. do i LOVE this car? not like the others, but it is a perfectly fine car. decent gas mileage, hank put in a better stereo for me, keep it maintained and it runs like a champ. gets me around in virtually any type of weather, hatchback is great for grocery getting, and we managed fine on our 5,000 mile road trip to Wisconsin and back WITH the dog.

about all it needs is a good bath, but it's not even making it to freezing right now so that can wait.

detach. it's just a car. you are not your car. or your clothes. jewelry. crystal. or even address. i'm not sure we BUILD self esteem as much as we shake off the layers of crap that cover it up.

Florence

Heh. I have a ten year old paid-off Jeep. It's only the second car I've ever owned. I will probably drive it until it's dead because I can't afford a car payment. It's a tool -- it's not an extension of me. I need it. It doesn't reflect my self-worth.

Hawkeye13

Despite 2 MA Degrees and a PhD, as a university professor with large student loan (I paid my own way all the way through), my salary is such that I cannot afford a new vehicle and repayment of loans. So I'm 49 and have been driving used cars / hand me downs my whole life. I've never had car payment, and that is a big plus as far as I'm concerned.

For some folks transportation is just that and not about status at all. If it is safe, gets good gas mileage, and is cheap to insure I like it. Honestly, I've had no real choice but to like it--now I'm finally getting to the place where I could almost afford a basic new car but now no longer want it.

Just a different perspective--I bet you'll end up loving that car in the end Stung--thanks for sharing

SoaringSpirits

I love your post. I'm laughing because I really do need a high mileage car yet I'm hanging onto my fancy SUV too!

Hey, the Prius is not forever. Meantime, here is your new theme music. Enjoy!

Stung

Oh, I know and agree, it's not really about the car at all...it's about me. Which was what I was trying to prove to myself but ended up doing something else entirely. Cars, handbags, clothes, they're all just things. I KNOW this but have a hard time not basing my worthiness on my things. I don't need to get rid of the things I have (it's okay to have high quality stuff that I already own) that will just be sort of like punishing myself. In the future I just need to be aware of whether I'm buying something because it gives me an elite image or because its something that I actually want. In the meantime, this is the car I chose and I need to live with it. It does represent starting over for me though and that's a little scary and sad, which is why I want to dress my car up and make it exciting and fun rather than sad. It's just an exercise for myself. Buck up, doesn't work for me. That's what my mom would tell me...only maybe not as nicely.

Stung

I really admire this! Good for you! I had zero help putting myself through college either and worked full time while doing it. It's hard but it makes that degree (degrees in your case, Professor!) all the more valuable.

Stung

OMG! I just died!! HILARIOUS!!!!

soberhawk

If you guys new how much taxes we put on cars and gasoline here you would be shocked. Prius is a fine car – a new priors costs around 70.000$ here.

Aygo is getting rather popular.

People that drive around in SUV's here are either bachelors or rich, normal people drive normal cars.

I have been in the US a couple of times and was rather puzzled by a lot of SUV's – the roads are rather good, I did not understand the need.

JustAGirl1971

Lol. Yes, my car is as old as my kid.... but it has low mileage, is in great condition physically (interior, exterior, and mechanical stuff), and has no payment attached It will make a great car for ds when he gets his license.