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taz_39WEDNESDAY
I was up early after a fitful sleep, for today was the day I'd sell my constant companion, The Car.
For those of you who grew up in cities, or with ANY sort of public transportation options, not having a car may not be a big deal.
But I was born and raised in Central Pennsylvania, basically ON state game lands, in a town with a population smaller than most colleges. My high school graduating class had less than 100 people in it. And the only "public transportation" was a single local taxi service consisting of two cars, and the Greyhound bus that went to Philly and back once a week.
In the town where I lived for the first 20 years of my life, if you didn't have a car you were, for lack of better words, screwed. There was one grocery store and it was miles from downtown. There was no Uber or Instacart. Either you had a car (or a horse), or you had to beg rides or walk, and those were the options.
Since turning 15 I have ALWAYS owned a car. For my entire life since turning 15.
My car has been my house, my storage space, my bed, my emergency escape, my place to scream or cry or just get away with no one to stop me. And it has always been my freedom, my independence...my means to earn a living. To be without a car is incredibly disconcerting. It feels naked and vulnerable, and like I've given up a huge personal freedom (which, no bones about it, I have.)
But the world has changed, and my career and lifestyle have changed. There's rideshare, food and product delivery, online banking and commerce, and all kinds of services that used to require transportation and don't any more. And for years now while traveling with the circus and on national tours, I've gotten by just fine without a car. And if I need a car again...well, that's another thing I can buy in minutes, from my house, with the touch of a button.
Which is why after breakfast I drove--first to Whole Paycheck for shrimp, then to the dry cleaners to drop off my blazer--and then to Carmax to sell my car. My final rides in my dear companion.
I had an appointment right when they opened and the salespeople knew I was coming. Three of the guys tripped over themselves trying to get my sale (I could hear them quietly and quickly duking it out away from the counter after I'd checked in.) After a few seconds one of them won out and came over to introduce himself with a big smile and a lot of excitement over receiving my car. It's just a 2016 Corolla, but I really have kept it in the best possible condition. It needs very little work, has four new tires, a clean record, and most importantly a clean interior which is ridiculously rare for a used car in Orlando. My car will go to Carmax auction with very little effort on their part, and they will certainly make a profit. Hence the excitement over it.
The transfer of ownership was so easy. The only thing that took time was waiting for the paperwork to process. At the end of it I had a stack of signed documents and a check for the agreed-upon amount, which I deposited immediately using my banking app. And then I was in the back of a (free) Uber for the ride home.
Something that I haven't mentioned previously: I bought this car because the car before it got rear-ended and totaled. The other party's insurance paid for more than half of this car's cost. I never paid even close to the top value of this car, and got many good years of use out of it. Therefore, I really AM getting a decent deal even if it's not the very-bestest price I could've gotten.
Anyway it's done, and 2026 will officially be my first year without a car.
I have feelings to process about it, but overall I think it was the right decision.
Back home Jameson was up and trying to take it easy in anticipation of tonight's very long, very chilly, very crowded gig at Magic Kingdom. I do not envy him, and he admits that this one was not worth the trouble and stress after all. We've all taken gigs like that. We had lunch, Jameson gamed and relaxed, and I cancelled my car insurance (I just paid it so I'll get all that money back) and closed my SunPass toll transponder account (a small refund there too.) I will need to get my plates to a DMV at some point. That done, I typed up this post and chatted with family about their NYE doings and eventually made cocktail sauce and braised the shrimp for tomorrow.
The shrimp are "colossal"-sized because it felt decadent to get bigger shrimp. The braising liquid is lemon, tarragon, peppercorn, broth, onion, crushed garlic, and Old Bay, and it smelled fantastic. Here it is heating up on the stove while I sip High Noon from a Welch's jelly jar. Not a bad way to start 2026 if you ask me.
Soon after Jameson grudgingly left for his gig, and I had been thinking to do a contemplative walk but the cold deterred me. Instead I cleaned: bathrooms, dusting and vacuuming, running the dishwasher, doing a load of laundry, putting out our trash. And then it was a quiet New Years Eve by myself. Reading and sipping tea. Thinking about how incredible 2025 has been for Jameson and I, and wondering if that will continue or if we'll have obstacles to overcome in 2026. We can't know, so the best we can do is go into the "new year" with positivity, hope, and determination to do our best with what we are given.
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THURSDAY
Jameson got back from his NYE gig at 2am, limping. He has a genetic condition that weakens his connective tissue, and he is outright missing muscles in some parts of his knee. And sometimes they just....POP OUT. This happened to him last night while he was loading out; his right knee came out of joint. He managed to, uh...put it back in? Catch it in time? All I know is that it didn't fully dislocate, so he was able to get back home. He was clearly shaken up over it, and I hugged him and tried to be reassuring. He must have seen how upset I was too, because he kept saying, "It's ok!" over and over...maybe to reassure both of us. Eventually he calmed down and we both fell asleep.
Sheesh. What a way to start a new year!!
I was up early the next morning for no reason. Jameson was up much later and watched the finale of Stranger Things. I watched the Magic Kingdom fireworks display on YouTube. It was actually REALLY good. The way that the lighting, audio, and pyro all came together seamlessly was really impressive. It even seemed that the songs themselves were placed in an order to make best use of the pyro smoke; for example during the Haunted Mansion theme the pyro smoke was coming off the castle in such a way to make it look like green ghost flames, and after that during the Little Mermaid medley they lit the sky with aqua hues and it really did seem like everything was under water!
And some of the fireworks were like none I've EVER seen. Well, you can see for yourself!
I also watched Epic's fireworks display. It was good--I especially liked the way they used the fountains and water features!
Anyway, eventually I stepped away to make us a New Year's Day Finger Food Feast!
The Cold Bites: Colossal shrimp cocktail, sturgeon caviar with creme fraiche and blini, and cut veggies with dip.
The Hot Bites: My much-loved air fryer buffalo wings, spanakopita (from frozen), and bagel or naan pizza bites.
It was fun and party-like, and since I'd cooked the shrimp the day before it wasn't much work at all.
After eating Jameson gamed while I practiced bass for a short 30 minutes, packed some clothes for tour, and went for a neighborhood walk. It was sunny and just slightly chilly. The neighborhood was eerily quiet. The quiet of the day after the holidays.
Back home a little time to rest, then I made another batch of wings and reheated or laid out everything above. Jameson's eating schedule is all screwed up from pulling all-nighters, and I love snacking, so why not snack all day! I cracked open one of the bottles of sake he'd gotten me and it was very good.
And that was our New Year's Day.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday: Jameson will work from home. I'll work on Foodie Finds, call the local tax collector's office to see about sending my plates in, practice, and pack.
Saturday & Sunday: I have no idea. I'll have to Uber to pick up my blazer from the dry cleaner and might pick up ingredients for dinner. Other than that....???
I was up early after a fitful sleep, for today was the day I'd sell my constant companion, The Car.
For those of you who grew up in cities, or with ANY sort of public transportation options, not having a car may not be a big deal.
But I was born and raised in Central Pennsylvania, basically ON state game lands, in a town with a population smaller than most colleges. My high school graduating class had less than 100 people in it. And the only "public transportation" was a single local taxi service consisting of two cars, and the Greyhound bus that went to Philly and back once a week.
In the town where I lived for the first 20 years of my life, if you didn't have a car you were, for lack of better words, screwed. There was one grocery store and it was miles from downtown. There was no Uber or Instacart. Either you had a car (or a horse), or you had to beg rides or walk, and those were the options.
Since turning 15 I have ALWAYS owned a car. For my entire life since turning 15.
My car has been my house, my storage space, my bed, my emergency escape, my place to scream or cry or just get away with no one to stop me. And it has always been my freedom, my independence...my means to earn a living. To be without a car is incredibly disconcerting. It feels naked and vulnerable, and like I've given up a huge personal freedom (which, no bones about it, I have.)
But the world has changed, and my career and lifestyle have changed. There's rideshare, food and product delivery, online banking and commerce, and all kinds of services that used to require transportation and don't any more. And for years now while traveling with the circus and on national tours, I've gotten by just fine without a car. And if I need a car again...well, that's another thing I can buy in minutes, from my house, with the touch of a button.
Which is why after breakfast I drove--first to Whole Paycheck for shrimp, then to the dry cleaners to drop off my blazer--and then to Carmax to sell my car. My final rides in my dear companion.
I had an appointment right when they opened and the salespeople knew I was coming. Three of the guys tripped over themselves trying to get my sale (I could hear them quietly and quickly duking it out away from the counter after I'd checked in.) After a few seconds one of them won out and came over to introduce himself with a big smile and a lot of excitement over receiving my car. It's just a 2016 Corolla, but I really have kept it in the best possible condition. It needs very little work, has four new tires, a clean record, and most importantly a clean interior which is ridiculously rare for a used car in Orlando. My car will go to Carmax auction with very little effort on their part, and they will certainly make a profit. Hence the excitement over it.
The transfer of ownership was so easy. The only thing that took time was waiting for the paperwork to process. At the end of it I had a stack of signed documents and a check for the agreed-upon amount, which I deposited immediately using my banking app. And then I was in the back of a (free) Uber for the ride home.
Something that I haven't mentioned previously: I bought this car because the car before it got rear-ended and totaled. The other party's insurance paid for more than half of this car's cost. I never paid even close to the top value of this car, and got many good years of use out of it. Therefore, I really AM getting a decent deal even if it's not the very-bestest price I could've gotten.
Anyway it's done, and 2026 will officially be my first year without a car.
I have feelings to process about it, but overall I think it was the right decision.
Back home Jameson was up and trying to take it easy in anticipation of tonight's very long, very chilly, very crowded gig at Magic Kingdom. I do not envy him, and he admits that this one was not worth the trouble and stress after all. We've all taken gigs like that. We had lunch, Jameson gamed and relaxed, and I cancelled my car insurance (I just paid it so I'll get all that money back) and closed my SunPass toll transponder account (a small refund there too.) I will need to get my plates to a DMV at some point. That done, I typed up this post and chatted with family about their NYE doings and eventually made cocktail sauce and braised the shrimp for tomorrow.
The shrimp are "colossal"-sized because it felt decadent to get bigger shrimp. The braising liquid is lemon, tarragon, peppercorn, broth, onion, crushed garlic, and Old Bay, and it smelled fantastic. Here it is heating up on the stove while I sip High Noon from a Welch's jelly jar. Not a bad way to start 2026 if you ask me.
Soon after Jameson grudgingly left for his gig, and I had been thinking to do a contemplative walk but the cold deterred me. Instead I cleaned: bathrooms, dusting and vacuuming, running the dishwasher, doing a load of laundry, putting out our trash. And then it was a quiet New Years Eve by myself. Reading and sipping tea. Thinking about how incredible 2025 has been for Jameson and I, and wondering if that will continue or if we'll have obstacles to overcome in 2026. We can't know, so the best we can do is go into the "new year" with positivity, hope, and determination to do our best with what we are given.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
THURSDAY
Jameson got back from his NYE gig at 2am, limping. He has a genetic condition that weakens his connective tissue, and he is outright missing muscles in some parts of his knee. And sometimes they just....POP OUT. This happened to him last night while he was loading out; his right knee came out of joint. He managed to, uh...put it back in? Catch it in time? All I know is that it didn't fully dislocate, so he was able to get back home. He was clearly shaken up over it, and I hugged him and tried to be reassuring. He must have seen how upset I was too, because he kept saying, "It's ok!" over and over...maybe to reassure both of us. Eventually he calmed down and we both fell asleep.
Sheesh. What a way to start a new year!!
I was up early the next morning for no reason. Jameson was up much later and watched the finale of Stranger Things. I watched the Magic Kingdom fireworks display on YouTube. It was actually REALLY good. The way that the lighting, audio, and pyro all came together seamlessly was really impressive. It even seemed that the songs themselves were placed in an order to make best use of the pyro smoke; for example during the Haunted Mansion theme the pyro smoke was coming off the castle in such a way to make it look like green ghost flames, and after that during the Little Mermaid medley they lit the sky with aqua hues and it really did seem like everything was under water!
And some of the fireworks were like none I've EVER seen. Well, you can see for yourself!
I also watched Epic's fireworks display. It was good--I especially liked the way they used the fountains and water features!
Anyway, eventually I stepped away to make us a New Year's Day Finger Food Feast!
The Cold Bites: Colossal shrimp cocktail, sturgeon caviar with creme fraiche and blini, and cut veggies with dip.
The Hot Bites: My much-loved air fryer buffalo wings, spanakopita (from frozen), and bagel or naan pizza bites.
It was fun and party-like, and since I'd cooked the shrimp the day before it wasn't much work at all.
After eating Jameson gamed while I practiced bass for a short 30 minutes, packed some clothes for tour, and went for a neighborhood walk. It was sunny and just slightly chilly. The neighborhood was eerily quiet. The quiet of the day after the holidays.
Back home a little time to rest, then I made another batch of wings and reheated or laid out everything above. Jameson's eating schedule is all screwed up from pulling all-nighters, and I love snacking, so why not snack all day! I cracked open one of the bottles of sake he'd gotten me and it was very good.
And that was our New Year's Day.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday: Jameson will work from home. I'll work on Foodie Finds, call the local tax collector's office to see about sending my plates in, practice, and pack.
Saturday & Sunday: I have no idea. I'll have to Uber to pick up my blazer from the dry cleaner and might pick up ingredients for dinner. Other than that....???
no subject
Date: 2026-01-02 10:16 am (UTC)Your New Year's Finger Food Feast plans were much smarter than mine, lol. I made the mistake of deciding upon homemade pizzas, and that ate up pretty much my entire NYE. Was still cooking at midnight. I'm gonna file away your menu for next time. Especially the frozen spanakopita because I freaking LOVE those. Might even buy some spanakopita today just to have.
Being without a car IS really weird to start! Growing up in extreme rural Alabama where autos are not optional, and being a former rural mail carrier who had to use my own vehicle on the route, I definitely get feeling unsettled about not having a car of your own. Although, when I went without one from tail-end 2018 to summer 2023, I actually found myself quickly enjoying the freedom from car maintenance and other responsibilities. Not to mention the savings since I no longer had to deal with driver's insurance, gas, repairs, or personal property tax. No more stressing over getting flat tires, snapped belts, breaking down, having the battery die, someone distracted plowing into me at a stoplight (again), or my whole entire car being stolen (again).
The few times I needed to make a long drive, I rented and still came out ahead over paying to keep up my own vehicle. At home, I borrowed my partner's car as needed and just kept it filled up when I used it. I LIKE my current car, don't get me wrong, but I wish I'd never needed it. If someone offered to buy my little Corolla for at least most of what I've spent on it, I'd sell. Though I'd be a little sad about it since I DO finally like it now that I'm used to it, haha. So, yeah, your having feelings to process makes perfect sense.
no subject
Date: 2026-01-02 02:49 pm (UTC)Oh, I'm just LAZY haha. I'd never made my own cocktail shrimp before either so thought to give it a try. Other than that, the wings take about 25 minutes per batch in the air fryer, so I'd just get those going and then do the spanakopita and pizza bites halfway through that cook time, meanwhile leaving the cold stuff out for us to nibble as we waited for hot stuff. It worked out.
Ah so you get it! Also my dad instilled in me the importance of having a car for emergencies, so you can, idk, hit the road if there's a nuclear war or if society collapses? But as a child we several times needed to escape the house quickly due to flooding or winter storms, and then as an adult during hurricanes when the power was out for days I was glad to have a car with a full tank of gas. So this was a valid argument to me. Even this week I was fretting about it with Jameson's knee. I mean yes I "can" drive his car if I needed to go somewhere in an emergency, but...idk. Having my own has been very important. It's going to take a while to get used to, after 26 years of having one.
But I AM excited about the savings that you mention! The past several times I've come home there's always been something to repair, and not even from regular use but from the car sitting in the elements and in FLORIDA in particular. The heat does incredible damage here. And nature is always out to attack anything that sits still too long here. Anyway thanks for understanding, I can see from your background that you totally get it :)