Must be that new car smell...

Well, I've traded in my car of 7 years and 98,500 miles for... a new car of the same make and model.

But hold on, this new car is special. It's still a Toyota Camry, but mine has a hybrid engine. I'm getting used to driving the hybrid, and so far it's great. There is an additional meter on the instrument panel that shows you your trend in gas mileage, which is pretty cool. Also, there is a separate display where you can track your average miles per gallon from your last fill-up. This is also where you get a little "eco drive level" trend diagram after you turn off the engine - if you get really good mileage on a particular trip it rewards you with a little "EXCELLENT!" at the bottom.

Yeah, I know, if I still drive an average of 14,000 miles per year, my hybrid won't do much of anything to save the Earth. I have no delusions of that. But it will save me some money on gas, and it really appeals to my (shall we say) obsessively practical side.

The photo above isn't of my car, but mine pretty much looks like that - same color, same style.

That most precious commodity

It seems like I've been very pressed for time lately. Not that I've been feeling overwhelmed or anything - just that a lot of my past few weeks has been pretty solidly booked up. I got to present at the Western New York/Ontario ACRL spring meeting, attend the Imagine RIT festival (though much of the day was spent working at the library reference desk), and have a mini-reunion of sorts at Cornell. I also have to work this Saturday, which means that I haven't gotten to various and sundry household chores yet (cf. washing windows). But there were so many things I just wasn't able to get to do. Here are some things I missed:

• Live satellite simulcast of the This American Life stage show
• Kids In The Hall live in Niagara Falls
• Any screenings at the Rochester High Falls International Film Festival
• Screening of the Best of the Ottawa International Film Festival (separate even from High Falls Fest)
• Dreamland Faces at the Eastman House (will be missing this tonight - but I get to go to a baseball game instead)

So what does this all mean? Well, other than revealing that I am a ridiculous nerd, it also shows that I'm a big bad grown-up who successfully prioritizes when necessary. And, on the bright side, I have much vacation time coming up. And it's not like no fun is ever had. I already mentioned tonight's baseball game, but this Sunday I'm going to see Lewis Black, and last Sunday I got to wander through the lilacs at Highland Park without any of the Lilac Festival crowd getting in my way.

Did I mention I'm on vacation for the last week in May? Yeah, I still could use that.