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My first car is totaled. My second car is a mural. September 29, 2007

Posted by Niels in : Personal , add a comment

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I got a call from the insurance company last Wednesday. My blue Geo is officially totaled (the dent on the front drivers side - didn’t take much), and the other driver has accepted liability. Which means a $1513.18 payout for me! Nice. Not bad for a $300 purchase. Even after the $600 worth of maintenance and fees and emissions things, I’ve come out ahead! Plus, I’ve learned to drive a stick shift.

I even have the option of keeping the car, in which case the insurance company deducts the estimated resale value of the car. Which is $172.43. I wonder if they factor in the $20 of gas that I just put in it.

The car still runs as well as it ever did - I’ve been driving it all over Seattle. The problem is that to get a salvage title, I have to get it checked out, and while the body damage from the accident is not an issue, there could be an issue with:

So that’s that. Ten weeks after buying it, I am giving up possession of a perfectly serviceable (if somewhat dangerous) running car for the princely sum of one hundred seventy-two dollars and forty-three cents.

Even better, it took me less than twelve hours to find a replacement on Craigslist. I wondered how I would ever find a car with more personality than my last one, but the mural painted all over my new Corolla helps. It cost five times as much as my old car, but it’s nice to be able to run errands without fearing for my life. Things have worked out very well.

Your thoughts?

I’m spotted in Seattle. Sort of. September 28, 2007

Posted by Niels in : Beauty and the Geek, Personal , 12 comments

At a bar in Seattle:

Her: Hey, this is silly, but can I ask you something?
Me: Sure.
Her: My friend thinks you’re the guy from Beauty and the Geek.
Me: Now why would she say that?
Her: So you’re not?
Me: No, I am.
Her: You’re full of shit! (walks away)

Your thoughts?

My hair stinks September 27, 2007

Posted by Niels in : Personal , 3 comments

Every time I shower the chemicals in my hair come out and the whole house starts to smell like a hair salon. I’m just about to keel over. I can’t get away from the smell!

This is a lot more hassle than I expected to deal with to dye my hair THE SAME COLOR that it already is.

Your thoughts?

Super secret seminar Friday! Newbies only. September 26, 2007

Posted by Niels in : Dating coach, Personal , 3 comments

And by “super secret” I mean “feel free to invite your friends”.

Last Friday was great. We had over ten people and I want to keep the momentum going. See you this Friday, 7-9pm, Nickerson Street Saloon.

We’ll do some more banter exercises, continuing to keep the focus on being natural and spontaneous. I’m going to keep focusing on first impressions for a while, with things like touching, psychological space, dealing with approach anxiety, and having fun when you’re being tested.

Eventually I want to get into the good stuff - how to really connect on an emotional level, dropping all the games and being sincere, and eventually… of course… meeting people during the day.

But first things first - you gotta walk before you can run.

Logistics:

I don’t want exclude anyone because of their financial situation. At the same time, I’m no longer teaching workshops, I have no income, and I’ve got to make rent. So there’s a tradeoff. My proposal:

Everyone who attends brings a sealed, blank envelope. Weigh what you can afford vs. what the evening is worth to you and put that much in the envelope (cash, or a check made out to “Niels Hoven”). I’ll open them later, so everything will be anonymous, but hopefully I’ll remain motivated to keep doing this, no one will be excluded because they can’t afford it, and we’ll all live happily ever after.

See you Friday! If you haven’t attended before, RSVP to me by email.

-Niels

P.S. Please buy a drink or a snack from Nickerson Street Saloon so they continue to tolerate us.

P.P.S. If anyone has an idea for a new venue, let me know. Ideal place would be quiet/private and near Fremont (or perhaps Belltown) and CHEAP.

P.P.P.S. Newbies only, as always.

Your thoughts?

Groovy Tuesday, rocking the house September 26, 2007

Posted by Niels in : Personal , add a comment

The Tuesday potluck finally came together last night as Craig and I envisioned it months ago. About 15 people, from old high school friends to Ironman competitors to the girl I met at the grocery store the previous night, came together for a great night of food and conversation. Some people we knew well, some people we hardly knew at all, but we now have memories of a fantastic evening and a refrigerator full of leftovers.

It’s time to step up the pace and meet some new strangers for next week - the Groovy Tuesday Potluck is going weekly.

Your thoughts?