#620: Changes....

Looking ahead, the New Year might B a little diffrent around here....

DOING MY PART FOR THE ECONOMY: After years of driving broken-down wrecks, I was basically forced in2 buying a reliable good-quality 2nd-hand used car after putting more in repairs in2 my last beater than the thing was worth.
I'm now the proud(?) owner of a 2009 Pontiac G6, the nicest, newest car I've EVER owned. I'm still in shock about it, still can't believe my bank financed it. (They approved ME 4 a loan? No WONDER there was a banking crisis awhile back....) This is the sorta thing Xmas bonuses were meant 2 go 4, right? Still can't believe there R actually places where they'll sell decent non-broken-down cars 2 people like me. Isn't America wonderful...?
I'll keep you posted on how this works out -- I can swing the payments, but its gonna B TIGHT, & there's probly gonna B some 2nd-guessing when the 1st payment comes due early in Feb. Should B fun 2 watch....
But after my $$$ adventures with my last 2 cars, it was basically either do this or walk. & I'm 2 old 2 walk.
Which leads us 2 Item 2:

I'M ON A LOW BUDGET....: Needless 2 say, with so much of my future "disposable" income now locked-up 4 future monthly car payments, my days of $100 shopping sprees at Amazon.com R pretty much over with. & that might B a good thing.
I still have a pretty-good-sized stack of stuff that I grabbed cheap last Winter & Spring that I either haven't listened-2 or read yet, or have barely sniffed at. I will B forced 2 Deal With this stuff now 2 fight musical & literary boredom, + I still have 1/2adozen Strange CD's that Crabby sent me last Summer that I've barely gotten in2.
I will get 2 all this stuff in due time, tho it may take awhile. These items include:
MUSIC -- Mike McGear, Eric Burdon's SUN SECRETS, Be-Bop Deluxe's RAIDING THE DIVINE ARCHIVE best-of, Illusion's (2nd) & ENCHANTED CARESS, Soft Machine's THIRD & OUT-BLOODY-RAGEOUS best-of, Nektar's RECYCLED & DOWN TO EARTH, Barclay James Harvest's HARVEST YEARS best-of, Nick Drake's FIVE LEAVES LEFT, David Sancious and Tone's TRUE STORIES, The Wackers' HOT WACKS, Kracker's EL FAMILIA, & lots more.
BOOKS -- Hunter S. Thompson's FEAR AND LOATHING IN AMERICA (2/3rds of the way thru 4 the 2nd time, huge but pretty great), THE PROUD HIGHWAY & HELL'S ANGELS; Christopher Wren's HACKS, Lewis Shiner's SLAM, FOREVER CHANGES: ARTHUR LEE AND THE BOOK OF LOVE, Bee Lavender's ADVENTURES IN TAXIDERMY, NEVER COMING TO A THEATER NEAR YOU, & more....
Knowing me, this stuff will likely take most of 2013 2 get thru. But I've got nothing but time. & thanx 2 those new car payments, I've had 2 put-off my planned Caribbean cruise....
+, as of last June, I hava new girlfriend who's getting a lot of the free time I useta lavish here, so....

KEEPING UP THE PACE: So I'm thinking all the above stuff will likely get reviewed here, but at a slower pace than usual. + there'll likely B the usual Nostalgia pieces & attempts at humor. Meaning, when I have something 2 talk about, I'll post it, like usual. But my big post-a-day plan 4 Dec DID NOT WORK. I made it 2 mid-month B4 I hit the wall -- which was probly a good thing. & most of You Out There seem 2 B reading the Olde Stuff instead of the newer stuff, & that's great, thanx 4 reading here, & maybe someday I'll catch up....

LATEST PLAYLIST: Well, there isn't 1. I'm still playing off-the-wall music 2 keep me motivated at work, but it's pretty much the Same Old Stuff. No major shocked reactions 2 report, Xcept 4 1 drunk guy who LOVED Crabby Appleton's "Go Back"....