I didn't go to bed early, so I accidentally hit snooze for about 30 minutes this morning. Rushed through getting ready, banged my bruised toe again. Who knows if I forgot anything -- shit, malaria pill. Will take that after I get through Security.

When come back, tattoos?

Totes, plus vacation math.

I'm cleaning my house because my 10-year-old neighbor is coming over in preparation for cat-sitting next weekend, and I'm afraid his mother is coming with him, and I'm pretty sure she's a judgmental bitch. So.

Once again my world travels are making my mother nervous.

My mother was horrified when my oldest sister went to Finland during the 80s--and then my sister took a trip into the Soviet Union! Mother was sure Sharon would end up in a gulag for just being there while American.

Thank you, Zen. I'm glad you can keep us updated.

Ginger, so much ~ma is headed your way.

Hey lisah -- I just found a check you wrote me months ago, so I am going to cash it!

Last night's whiskey was The Dalmore 15 year old which was really... interesting. In a good way. I liked it. It was complex. The reviews make it sound a bit like the cilantro of whiskey. [link]

I need to get out and run all the errands.

We're ready to buy a car, and neither one of us is any good at negotiating. But I don't want to just cave and pay the list price because I'm a wimp.

Also? For real, I don't know the answer to this because I've always financed my cars in the past. We're paying for it outright (we've been good little savers), but what do you do when you've reached an agreement to buy the car but need to get a giant check cut from the bank? Leave a down payment and go get the sacks of cash with big dollar signs marked on the outside?

Buying a car is one thing that is not in my adulting wheelhouse. I've only ever bought 2 cars in the past, and in both cases I REALLY needed them, so I didn't negotiate, and I financed them. This is a totally different process now. We need a newer car, but not so much that we MUST buy the first thing we see.

Any advice on this process would be SUPER welcome.

(We have our choices narrowed down to a Corolla, a Civic/Civic hybrid, a Fit, or a Soul, all 2012 or newer.)

I wouldn't give a downpayment unless they're letting you drive away with it. If you're going to pay all of it at once, they should be willing to hold the car for a business day or so. Though I think they make more money if you finance.

Also, a cashier's check or something would probably be the way to move that much money around.

Though I think they make more money if you finance.

They totally do, but we've been good little savers and don't want a car payment.

Also, a cashier's check or something would probably be the way to move that much money around.

I figured that, but I just wasn't sure what the process was, once we've decided on a car we want and agreed on a price, we obviously won't have a cashier's check with us at that moment (because we couldn't know the final price until we negotiate), so mostly I was wondering what's required to get the dealer to hold the car for us and not sell it to the next person who comes along while we're at the bank.