117. Welcome our New Baby!

Ross and I are notoriously bad at making difficult decisions. In our work over the last decade, requirements definition is something we're both really good at--and we seem to have a talent for coming up with infinitely more complex requirements scenarios each time we face a life decision. But after much deliberation, we did decide what Ross will be driving to work - a 1970s BMW 2002.

So we returned to the garage tonight to check out his options. There were several 2002s that we drove (and I also insisted that we drive the 3.0 coupes too since I want that to be my car--very sweet ride). We kept poor Evan Esterman of BimmerBrothers.net there for quite a while as we debated and test drove a series of cars, and he shared the histories and intricate workings of each of them.

Alas! We will take this orange 1976 (what a good year!) 2002; it is perfect. All original, Cali car so sweet you could eat it up! So we pay the man and we'll get her sometime next week all fixed up and raring to go.

Strike that. Ross left his driver's license with Evan, so now has to go back and get it. So I get a call that he wants to take the green 1974 (the year Ross was born) 2002tii euro that's sitting right now in L.A. Ok, I say. (Good Grief).

So, welcome our new baby. But don't welcome it like you would an orange one, welcome it like the green-haired, one-european-owner step-child with perfect maintenance records that it is. Ross's new green driving machine.

115. It's Official

About a week and a half ago, I resigned from HFI. That was pretty scary. I've been there most of the last 8 years (took a brief stint off to hike on the AT and another stint when I was at IDX), and it's been a great run. I love consulting. I am close with my colleagues. I love my independence and working in my PJs.

But, the time has come to forge a new path for myself elsewhere. And I'm going off to ebay -- I signed the paperwork today. So it's official. I'm joining a cube-farm, becoming a commuter, and we're a really dorky silicon valley family now.

114. Leggo my... Mini

I'll spare the crowd the gorey details but I'd decided to get a mini cooper--used, reasonable miles--for my commuter car. Yesterday we went to see one, a good deal. There were still two others we were hoping to look at that were comparable. Today, the guy calls and asks do we want it b/c he has other folks interested but he felt committed to us. When Ross called and asked if he was flexible on price, he simply said, "It's OK. I am then going to sell to the people who are here with the money." Ross tried to offer the asking price, but it was "Sorry, it's OK. I am going to sell it to them."

When we went to look at the next one, it was really not in as good of shape, and I walked away. I was so disappointed tho...because I really wanted to get this settled. Somebody is out there driving my mini. Darn them!

So do I take the $5K 1993 Saab? I only ever cared about one other car besides my BMW 325 - and that was my 1990 Saab turbo--that was a great car!

113. City Outing

Sunday brunch in the Castro...

We hit one of the recommended restaurants in the special food book Erin & Bryan gave us--Chow in the Castro.

I had the special: it was benedict-inspired, but rather than bacon, it had spinach & potato gnocchi--fried, with the spinach, muffin, and poached egg, and tarragon in the hollandaise...It was DREAMY!!

After that, we took advantage on this exceptionally sunny, warm day for November in SF. Very enjoyable--I even found jeans! The day could only be better if I'd ended up with several extra hours to read books.

112. Scones & Devonshire Clotted Cream

For Saturday 3 Nov

This is just news unto itself: I baked. If you know me pretty well, you'll find this a little shocking. I was inspired to do it. My scones were golden and delicious. It was quite fun. I'll have to do this more often. (Except...maybe I will have to find things that you bake that take calories OFF instead of add them ON).