Ah, so I was lucky in the total loss claim. I actually got a little more money than I owe. Thank God for that. The insurance company is paying the car off directly so I don't have to deal with it. I think it was because I put some down and I had a trade-in, the old PT Cruiser. I thought about getting a used PT Cruiser during this transition period but decided it wasn't worth it. Everyone asks me if I am going to get a new car. The answer is no. I am going to use mom's van. It works and can get me from point A to point B. With us having higher house, debt and utility payments, I think I will take advantage of the situation and do the Dave Ramsey style of driving around a junker. Then take that money and put it into payments and savings for a future car where I could pay for it up front. I've never done that. I can't imagine what it is like to go into a dealership and have that kind of negotiating power - "I will give you XX dollars for this car right now."

As for the future I would like to get the new Nissan Leaf electric car that comes out next year. It actually looks like a normal car and is pure electric. It is like a regular car and can go 100 miles on a single charge. I wouldn't use it to go on any cross country trips, but I would use it to get around Dallas. I estimate I spend $40 a week on gas for just one car. Imagine saving $2000 a year on gas. Then imagine getting a federal tax break of $7500 for buying it. Then imagine not having to get oil changed and having a car that doesn't make any noise and drives completely smooth. I do see gas prices going up next year even higher. I think though the major oil companies know what I know that $4 a gallon is the magic number where alternative sources become sought after. So my guess is it'll be around $3.50 a gallon next year. I just wonder if electric cars we be stolen as well.

In other news I am gutting the houses wires. Yesterday I started unplugging everything. It was unbeleivable how many wires I have in the entertainment center. It looks like spaghetti. Thankfully some wires have tape on them saying where they go to. I actually found the internet connection coming from the wall. My samsung DVD player now will play netflix! To me that represents a major accomplishment. That means that I got the internet router sending it to the home router and then sending internet downstairs to entertainment center. I told Holly I won't just get someone to come in and do it. I have to be the system administrator at home. I need to know what goes where. That's my job. In the end all systems will be talking to one another and I will be in complete control. As He-Man said "I have the power!"