Limes with Orange

5.19.2008

Ripley's Return

I finally have Ripley back, my beautiful '95 Honda Civic! But it was a battle royal. The insurance company wanted to write her off. Said that to make her pristine would cost over 80% of her value. My outside voice response was "she was in very good condition before she was stolen, but certainly not pristine." My inside voice response was "value according to whom?!" Because I Ripley is my baby. So I fought for her and in the end the insurance company gave me a settlement that would allow me to keep Ripley and get her fixed. I know the insurance guys thought I was nuts. The mechanics at the first garage thought I was nuts. But it was worth it to me.

Looking back, I realized that out of the six cars that I've owned in my lifetime, three of them have been Honda Civics. I've also come to realize that my devotion to Civics is not isolated. Apparently, people who love their Civics, really LOVE their Civics:

Labels: film, pop culture, ripley

# posted by Weirdgrrl @ 8:27 PM | add comment (1)

4.04.2008

Ripley's Rescue

Well, my car Ripley has been found. She is currently being inspected to make sure that her damage isn't greater than her value (as determined by the insurance company, obviously, because her value to me is unquestionable). I am fully covered this time, unlike with Newt. But I now understand, in a visceral rather than intellectual way, why people say they feel violated when they see the state of their car after it was recovered from theft. There was garbage and various oddments that they obviously didn't care to keep littered throughout the car, all of my cds plus my subwoofer had been stolen, the extra programs that I had picked up at the $100 Film Festival to use for future grant applications were gone, my glove compartment had been rifled through and the whole car stank of cigarette smoke and had butts on the floor. I felt sick to my stomach and wanted to cry at the same time. I tried to tell myself that I should be grateful that Ripley had been found at all and that so far it looked as though she could be salvaged, but my guts are still trying to fall in step with my brain. I think it might take a little while.

Labels: ripley

# posted by Weirdgrrl @ 6:41 PM | add comment (2)

3.27.2008

Grand Theft Auto

Well, I never got around to writing the retrospective post about buying a car to replace poor Newt who got smashed last summer. But I did end up finding a beautiful '95 red Honda Civic SI coupe with tinted windows and a flowmaster exhaust (which I thought I was going to replace but I've actually learned to love it). I called her Ripley because--being a bigger, faster Civic--I kind of thought of her as Newt's older sister. (That will make sense to fans of "Aliens" but probably nobody else.)

But I never took Ripley's picture and now it may be too late. Ripley was stolen on Tuesday night. I think I'm still in denial, as I'm remarkably calm. Mostly.

BUT I WANT RIPLEY BACK!!! So if anyone sees a '95 red civic coupe (generic photo shown) parked or driving around Calgary, with a crack going straight up the front windshield on the passenger's side and a burnt out headlight on the driver's side (plus moon roof, rear spoiler, tinted rear windows and flowmaster exhaust, which you cannot miss hearing)... please call the police and report it ASAP. Thanks muchly.

Labels: newt, odds and ends, ripley

# posted by Weirdgrrl @ 9:00 PM | add comment (0)