REFRESHING!
The removal of this BLACK CLOUD is a process that has started to steamroll!
Just as the negative aspects of life can join and gather strength to create an over welming force the same goes for the positive forces....

The NEW CAR ('04 Honda Element.....SUPER FUN!) carries a wide variety of positive side effects.

First, it is a new car....so many things that my '84 Landcruiser is not....the Landcruiser is not all that dependable, not all that comfortable, not all that luxurious, and not all that safe to drive (the headlights are dim, the wiper blades do not clean the windshield, no airbags, no ABS, no independent suspension, and on top of all that the stereo is not loud enough to be heard over the engine.....and the car is old and although it runs now....it runs the risk of having issues down the road....a new car is a new car and with that New Car Smell come other new car things! Old cars need repairs and new cars need payments.)

Along with the new car I was able to come legal and clean. Having lived in the District for over a decade I have always had a Maryland driver's lisence, even though I lived in Colorado and California (with a Colorado DL) in between my life in Maryland and my life in DC. It just was easier to use my parent's address for the cars I opted to own....before the Landcruiser I had a '66 Nova which I was able to by pass inspection by getting it registered as HISTORIC! And with the Landcuiser I took advantage of the single inspection for purchase vs. the DC inspection every two years! There is no way that the Landcruiser would have passed the DC inspection every two years without some sort of random repairs that seemed less than vital to get me from point A to point B (the trails or the race.)

But now I have a new lisence and I will have DC tags....a little less SKOFF LAW behavior for this father of two.

Another thing....VOTING!
My voter registration seemed to have lapsed. Last election I had my father check the polls in Montgomery County the morning when he voted, I was not on the list in either DC or in Maryland. So I wanted to be registered to vote in time for this year's election. I wanted to be able to say.....


DON'T BLAME ME I VOTED FOR THE OTHER GUY!
That asshole in the BMW with the W Sticker voted for our current president.

So not only do I get to vote. But I do not have to worry that my car is going to get a ticket from the friendly neighborhood meter maid! I will have DC tags and DC parking permits!

YEEEEE HA!

the list goes on
and
I need to get back to work

more later

all is good
the family is healthy and whole
got the PERMIT for the deck
got a new car
now....need to sell the old Landcruiser and finish the deck!