New! New! New!

I don't have a new car or a new bike, although it does sort of feel like I paid for one of each.

What I do have is a new muffler and rear brakes on the former--and the Bruise feels like a totally different vehicle. From the outside, it's the same scrappy-looking purple wagon, with the rusting, mismatched hood and absent grill, and the smattering of bumperstickers on the back. From the inside, though, I feel like I'm driving a new car. Instead of shaking and roaring, it now purrs. Seriously. It feels like a real car. I'd had no idea how much extra anxiety I'd been carrying around with its loudness (especially since these days I have to actually drive it to teaching sites). This new muffler has lightened not only my wallet, but my emotional burdens. I'm serious.

I also picked up my bike yesterday from a major tune-up. It's been through a Nebraska winter, two Ohio winters, and now one Minnesota winter, and it too was overdue for a check-up. Now it is clean and shiny, with a new chain, cassette, brake pads, bottom bracket, and a cable or two. I haven't had a chance to ride it yet (it's cruelly ironic that the summer job that funded the overhaul requires me to drive and leaves me little time for biking), but can't wait to see how it does.

I'm rather wishing I could have a tune-up on my legs. I ran twice last week, and am afraid my leg is still not better--or, if healed, just waiting to be reinjured. When I think about the TCM, I get the bad feeling from my nightmare. That reminds me of bad feelings about school and bad feelings about my ability as a teacher (and in turn about politics and the environment and mortality in general, if I'm not careful).

At least I have a quiet car. (Even if it has a loose tie rod end, and shot rear tires, and a leaky power steering aparatus and a seeping headgasket...)