magicbeans. nothing if not awkward.

the whole insurance industry is such a fucking scam. last week i requested a quote online from one of those direct insurance companies. early this week i got an email back with a quote for my vw and my van for only a couple dollars more than i'm paying for my vw alone now. sounded like a good deal (as much as shelling out $1k a year for absolutely nothing can be considered a good deal). i called them up and found out that i couldn't get an insurance card before i left for my trip, so i wouldn't have been able to register the van. so i decided to add it to my current policy until i got back, and then to switch. yesterday i went into my insurance agency to pick up the card for the van and pay the first installment of the next years policy, and the down payment had risen to over $300, about a third of what a year with the new company would be. granted it was 17% of my policy or something, but it would only count for the first month. so i got all upset at them, but really had no choice. when i got back to the office i called the direct company, told them i wanted their insurance; the van was registered, so what if i didn't have a current card after that as long as it was insured. they promised to give me a call back last night at home. so i stay up waiting for their call, and nothing. this morning i call them myself, ready to give them my money. and they say well sorry, our credit check shows that you don't qualify for our insurance. i said what? i'm paying a quarter of the policy up front and you don't want my money? they guy said if you pay the whole thing up front you wouldn't qualify. our studies show that bad credit correlates to bad driving. i said that's why i have a fucking spotless driving record? and i don't even have bad credit. i just have no credit. so i swore at the guy a bunch and then hung up on him. fucking scam. the whole fucking industry. what makes someone want to go into the insurance industry? when i grow up i want to make money by exploiting people's fears. yeah, that's what every kid is thinking.

okay. breathe.

breathe...

okay, called george, told him the tires are being changed on the van, i'll be there noonish. calmed me down a little.

i prolly should zip off little notes to people just to say, hey, i'm out the door. but if i don't, you all know who you are and so, hey, i'm just about out the door.

and speaking of personal notes, i figure i should offer a public apology for forgetting about alex's birthday last week. friday night (already two days late at that point) i remembered it, and then promptly forgot it again. so happy birthday alex. hope you had a good day. and really, i hope every day is a good day.

the day that i remembered also happened to be ernie and scott's birthday. so even tho i haven't talked with either of you for a year or more, happy birthday too.

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on any given day of this trip i should be in full service beeper range at some point, so if you ever feel like it, just beep me. i also should be able to plug my "new" laptop in somewhere along the way, but email will be irregular at best for the next two weeks.

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okay. 1245. i'm out the door. i'm sure i'm forgetting a million things. i'll get over it. have a nice trip. oh wait. that's me. seeya.