Throwing Money Around

Happy Friday to all you readers out there in the real world. While everyone else is getting ready to enjoy a nice summer's weekend, I'm gearing up to spend my 'Tuesday' slaving away under the bright lights of this fair city. I really can't complain, though. I've worked a lot harder for a lot less money (and in much worse places) back in the day.

I spent most of my day out running errands--it's nice to have wheels again to be able to do such things. But I've been out peeling off hundred-dollar bills like dead skin off of a sunburn. Before I lived here, I'd think nothing of spending a few days in Vegas just throwing money around like beads from a Mardi Gras float. These past few days, however, the money hasn't exactly been for entertainment purposes.

Today I spent my time shopping around for 'real' insurance for the truck. I got a month's worth of 'drive off the lot' insurance from the dealer, but even the guys at the dealership said that the company they use is a fly-by-night operation, existing only to satisfy the letter of the law, and I should hurry up and get my own policy as soon as possible. My first stop was at American Family, on a recommendation from a co-worker. Unfortunately, the gal in the office was a complete freak. Huge rack, but still koo-koo-ka-choo. And their coverages and prices were kind of on the high side. I left there and walked next door to Farmer's and had a much better experience and saved a little bit of cash on my premiums. I got my full coverage along with towing, rental car, and glass replacement, and in six months my bill automatically drops $35 per month. The gal there at Farmers also helped me avoid the un- and under-insured coverage (accidental medical coverage) that is mandatory at American Family--she told me that her husband also works for Station Casinos and our standard health insurance policy covers all of that, so I didn't need it on my auto policy too... Got me a discount for having renter's insurance, also, so if somebody wants to come by the house and steal my obsolete computer, now would be the time to do it.

After another marathon session of signing my life away and forking over another $375, the truck is now somewhat legal--I'm just waiting for the paperwork from the dealer to come in so that I can go down to the DMV and write them a check for $500, ensuring that the State of Nevada gets it's cut. But since I'm "in for a penny, in for a pound" as they say, I'll just go ahead and give 'em an extra fifty and get me those HRCNMKY vanity plates. (ANGY'S BOY TOY just wouldn't fit...)

Once the insurance was bought and paid for, it was off to the Cingular store to get a new cellphone. The one I had looked like it'd been out on patrol for several months with the 101st Airborne over in Iraq--just beat to hell. And everyone complained that whenever they called me it was too static-y. So I dropped another hundy plus in there--not on the Razr--just a new Sony Ericsson model, and hopefully that will elimate all of the bad connections I seemed to have had lately.

After all of the errands were run and the cash was spent, I was hungry and needed a bite to eat. Luckily I got a little taste of Nashville today--they've just opened a brand new Lenny's Sub Shop about a mile away from my house. Lenny's is a great lunch stop--there's one down in Franklin very close to my old office back in Tennessee. I used to eat there about once a week, and if both of us could get away at the same time, I'd meet my sister Amy there for lunch on occasion, too. So today I had myself a #6 Lenny's Club Sub on wheat, read the paper and felt for a few minutes like I was back in Nashville. Luckily it was only for a few minutes, though... Vegas is much better.

Now that all my running around and spending money is done, I'm going to spend the balance of the afternoon assembling my new office chair and folding laundry, or just lounging in front of the TV watching the US Open highlights. My money is on the latter.

Mikey