Last night I watched "Quills" with Geoffrey Rush playing the infamous Marquis de Sade. This was an intensely disturbing movie. Not because of the sexual content - that's why I got it. No, the disturbing part was that the good guys didn't win. It was a tragedy right through. The evil bastards won complete victory and the true-hearted lovers ended up dead or insane. I prefer movies where justice is seen and the good guys end up with something better than they had before.

I also had to have my car towed to the dealer. After work I got in the car, turned the key, and heard... nothing. No clicks, no grinding - nothing. The dash lights came on, there was a gentle bonging sound like a door was open (it wasn't), and no starter.

Either the battery or the alternator or both have appapently died. I'll know more tomorrow - until then I am car-less. On the good side, the fellow at the Saturn dealership mentioned a fairly decent deal on the new Vue SUV. :) We shall see. For roughly 2/3 the price of the Subaru Forester, I can get a 250hp engine (larger), with pretty much the same options as the Forester, but a better warranty and I know Saturns are good. I have some reservations about the fit and finish - mine leaks in the rain. I'll compare the Forester and the Vue fairly closely before choosing. From what I saw today though, the Vue is a very nice vehicle.

Why the rush? Well, the alternator is a minor thing - the transmission is (I think) on its last legs as well. On any sort of uphill start the trannie slips, like the clutch wasn't releasing all the way, letting the engine rev up without very much acceleration. Strange sensation which cannot be good. Perhaps I should cut my losses and get a new car now, then pay it off once the house sells in a month or two.