If your repairs cost more than a monthly payment

i've been told it's time to get rid of the car. well, how about if the repairs are not just one but three, and you've known about the one for about a year but were willing to put up with the hassle for the financial benefit? the total comes to @$500. is this completely unreasonable? (transmission problems, muffler replacement, etc.) the brakes apparently are simply caused by the metallic brakes/pads and is fairly normal. i'm much looking forward to having transportation back tomorrow, just in time to be housebound by small children.

found out that katie and i are staying at a hotel room in kokomo that is non-smoking and has a pool and two separate beds. you don't know what you've got till it's denied you by apathetic hotel workers. i guess i started blogging after the whole dashboard show sordid ordeal. it was, all in all, a splendid, relaxing weekend, but coming home with a bag full of rank-smelling clothes/items put a little damper on it. as did being given wrong directions from the aforementioned hotel worker while trying to find the hotel at midnight.

oh, i have a belated report on student impact, the teen accountability program i'm leading in. two of the girls who i've had the past two years had decided they were overcommitting themselves in their senior year and opted out of the course. as of last sunday, they were back in. i'm very excited about this, as they bring a zeal and consistency to the group that is characteristic of what we really need this year, i think. our youth group has been cycling around to the "satisfaction" stage, resting upon past experiences/successes to fuel their spiritual growth. we're really aiming to hit them hard with truth that will force them to fight for or against the downward momentum. it's all been quite refreshing to see kids coming more alive than they have been in the past year and tackling some of the issues.

need to get some physical recharging before the weekend. today's SOTD ...

My December/Linkin Park
This is my December
This is my time of the year
This is my December
This is all so clear
This is my December
This is my snow covered home
This is my December
This is me alone

And I
Just wish that
I didn't feel
Like there was
Something I missed
And I
Take back all
The things I said
To make you
Feel like that
And I
Just wish that
I didn't feel
Like there was
Something I missed
And I
Take back all the
Things I said to you

And I give it all away
Just to have somewhere
To go to
Give it all away
To have someone
To come home to

This is my December
These are my snow-covered trees
This is me pretending
This is all I need

And I
Just wish that
I didn't feel
Like there was
Something I missed
And I
Take back all
The things I said
To make you feel like that
And I
Just wish that
I didn't feel
Like there was
Something I missed
And I
Take back all the things
I said to you

And I give it all away
Just to have
Somewhere to go to
Give it all away
To have someone
To come home to

This is my December
This is my time of the year
This is my December
This is all so clear

And I give it all away
Just to have somewhere
To go to
Give it all away
To have someone
To come home to