One for my homies...

Well, I did it. I bought a car. Well, actually, the bank bought a car that it's allowing me t0 drive. Bygones. Nevertheless, it's official. I am a grown up.

It's been quite a ride, pardon the pun, living the 12 years since I first obtained my license without my own wheels. 4,380 days of sitting on the couch, pretending to read a magazine, staring out the window, waiting for my ride to show up. My car-less existence started out of sheer necessity, never having the funds in high school or college to get my own car and starting a job on the Hill straight out of college that paid somewhere between a bag of peanuts and minimum wage. From that point on, I always focused on living near public transportation and, thus, living someplace too expensive to have a car.

The past year or so, however, it finally got to me. My move sealed the deal now that I have NOTHING in walking distance from my apartment, other than some place called Tippy Taco. Plus, the difference in rent from old to new covers the car payment, and my monthly parking is now cheaper than my new Metro monthly rate would be, so it works out. But the sense of freedom I've felt in the last 24 hours (not to mention the week prior where my friends lent me their car while on vacation) is indescribable. And, honestly, I just feel like a grown up. Well, other than the fact that I was scared to call my dad and tell him, since I didn't consult with him on the financial end of things before making my decision. I opted to distract him with my over the top enthusiasm about my decision and it seemed to work.

I am also genuinely proud of myself for doing this on my own. Granted, I have no doubt that rookie, chick and rookie chick car shopping mistakes were made, but I'm really proud of the research I did and how I pounced the moment I found exactly what I was looking for. The Internet is a wonderful thing for research and the CarMax experience was fantastic. I highly recommend it.

I must, therefore, take a moment to thank all of my friends for carting my arse around creation for the past 12 years. Since many of you read this blog, I realize you have many trips to the airport, grocery store and friends' houses in the bank. I have every intention of paying up.

Looking back, I'm nevertheless completely impressed with myself that I was such a "good citizen" for so long and lived life as a slave to public transport. Granted, now I could never go back (yes, already) but I find it incredibly cool that I navigated my 20s without a car. Not anymore. I have two words of advice for you all:

Target, beware.