4 Months and 40 Minutes. . .

[WhoIsTheLeader]

Almost exactly 4 months ago, I arrived in Atlanta for my freshman semester of college. Since that time, I've driven a total of 40 minutes across three separate times. I drove my own car twice during that time frame and I drove down the block and back in a 4Runner for some not very good reasons.

So, basically, I have to make up lost time with my carbon footprint. I think I'll use it up in a new 911 GT3. What's that, that's not how this works? Dang it, SPEED AND POWER is what I crave.

I'll be very happy to be back home and able to drive my car again. When I went back home last week for Thanksgiving, my dad very kindly did an impressively thorough detail on it as it had gotten quite dirty in the intervening months. Of course, both times I got a chance to drive my car it was pouring rain but I got to appreciate it while it was clean.

I'll miss Atlanta a lot though. I desperately needed a change of pace after the lockdown and this has been it. The past few months have been very kind to me even if it included more long nights of work than I wished (and I predict at least two more before this semester is over). Going carspotting downtown on the weekends was a great way to relax and I managed to capture some truly wonderful machinery. My favorite of course would have to be the Citroen H Van that came to me, though the classic 500 and Fiat Panda are high up there.

https://drivetribe.com/p/down-on-the-street-citroen-hy-van-CmOHxsH4R0y37JPB-pSwAg

I love living in the city but it's nice to escape every now and again. I managed to get away from the hustle and bustle on some adventures with a small group of friends a few times, including a trek to this spectacular view.

Though yeah, freshman semester sucks for trying to make friends and dodging 'Rona at the same time. I've been very blessed to have this amazing community of people to keep me company during the times when nothing was going on.

So before this gets too sappy, greetings from Atlanta and thank you.

[CarsOfFortLangley]

Too bad I never got to go. Got sent to fuckin Regina instead.

[WhoIsTheLeader]

@carsoffortlangley Sent where? To Atlanta? It's a place that is very much its own thing. It doesn't feel like anywhere else I've been. It's a city whose identity rests in it not having a set identity. It's hard to explain so here's a photo collage of my wanderings.

[BaconSandwich]

@carsoffortlangley said in 4 Months and 40 Minutes. . .:

Too bad I never got to go. Got sent to fuckin Regina instead.

Could be worse.

Winnipeg.

[Chariotoflove]

@whoistheleader
You're a good kid. Glad you got home safe.

[WhoIsTheLeader]

@chariotoflove Well now, that's a bit preemptive. I'm still here for a few more hours. I'm excited to get to go home though. Thank you.

[Chariotoflove]

@whoistheleader said in 4 Months and 40 Minutes. . .:

@chariotoflove Well now, that's a bit preemptive. I'm still here for a few more hours. I'm excited to get to go home though. Thank you.

Oh, sorry. Don't want to jinx the trip. Also, I sounded like patronizing old dad-guy. No offense.

[Just Jeepin']

I love those photos. One looked particularly familiar. Chicago, 2013.

[WhoIsTheLeader]

@chariotoflove I don't think so.

[WhoIsTheLeader]

@just-jeepin I like those sorts of photos too. That's a good one. You can see the Willis tower quite nicely though I don't recognize the others. One of the things I like about the one I took is how it shows all the buildings at different angles because of the convergence of different angled streets.

[RallyDarkstrike]

Good write-up friend! I missed driving when we were in lockdown back in the start of the year....as stereotypical as it is, just driving anything with a stick is therapeutic to me, and I love my little basic crapcan.

[BicycleBuck]

@whoistheleader I'm glad you made it! My daughter is also wrapping up her first semester. She ran into roommate problems and is moving to a new dorm room as I type this. The school has an involved process before they allow a student to change rooms and they don't allow students to just move around willy-nilly. So, I guess the issues were bad enough that the staff decided she would be better off with some different girls. I can't say I thought they friendly when we helped her move in.

Enjoy your winter break. I'm sure it will be a well-earned change of pace!

[WhoIsTheLeader]

@rallydarkstrike At this point, even driving my mom's unfortunate Volvo would be therapeutic. Also, long live base models!

[RallyDarkstrike]

@whoistheleader said in 4 Months and 40 Minutes. . .:

Also, long live base models!

Amen!

[WhoIsTheLeader]

@bicyclebuck Sorry to hear that. Randomly assigned roommates can be very hit or miss. I still remember stories of my brother's first roommate that was, well, VERY strange indeed.

Fortunately I am rooming with my best friend from HS in a three person room but it's just us two so there's a good deal of space. He left last week though.

[BicycleBuck]

@whoistheleader said in 4 Months and 40 Minutes. . .:

Fortunately I am rooming with my best friend from HS in a three person room but it's just us two so there's a good deal of space. He left last week though.

I made that error my freshman year. We didn't kill each other, but we didn't leave on the best of terms at the end of the year. We've since reconciled, but it's taken a lot of time to let bygones be bygones.

My second year I roomed alone. My third year, I switched schools and had to have a roommate again. After that, I was an RA and lived alone for the rest my time as an undergrad. I ended up having three more roommates at different times after I graduated. Then I got married and haven't lived alone since.

Strangely enough, having roommates helped prepare me for being married. It helps you learn what things are important and what things you can let go.

[WhoIsTheLeader]

@bicyclebuck I always have and still do when I'm home share a room with my brother. It's been good for both of us and there isn't much of an alternative in a relatively small house. This friend hasn't and has always lived in a very large house, but we are still getting along fine. Might be a different story if it were a two person room as he has a space hogging keyboard he has set up on the unused desk. But I took two chairs so it's fine. We have a pretty agreeable distribution of space and agreed upon rough bedtime.

[ForSweden]

@carsoffortlangley Regina is cool though

[spacekraken]

"Though yeah, freshman semester sucks for trying to make friends and dodging 'Rona at the same time."
@WhoIsTheLeader I can only imagine, yikes. Really lucky that was a couple years ago, cause other than through various discord servers making friends through school now is hard.