Which everyone forgets is a lot of people, since most don't talk about it. I've suffered chronic depression since middle school. I never really thought I needed therapy, I didn't want the expense, didn't trust mind-altering medication.
This year, I finally had enough, gave in, and took meds.

Sweet, sweet relief.

I think of myself as someone deeply introspective, and I still don't think I need therapy. Right or wrong, I was just sure it was a chemical imbalance. Sure enough, there was an immediate difference on 10 mg of escitalopram (generic Lexapro) which actually isn't even supposed to have an immediate difference. I don't feel changed. For the first time in my life, everything is finally going right. The anxiety of existence is just gone. Like a patient with chronic pain, the abraded, raw feeling I had emotionally on a daily basis has evaporated.

I thought the depression triggered the anxiety. Turns out it was the opposite. And I never even realized just how awful it was until it wasn't there.

I'm no different. Just happier. I was so desparately worried about losing myself on these drugs. My family, friends, and girlfriend all agree, thank God. Just.... relief.

Please, get help oppo. You don't have to suffer.

Initial very limited inpressions:
-Boy, this thing sits up high. It doesn't really look like it, bit this thing towers over other traffic.
-Driving experience, despite being objectively worse than the FOST- is immediately more exciting. Maybe it's just the honeymoon period.
-it's fast! Fuck those people who say the 2.3 is "adequate". It definitely feels like 300 horsepower. It may not be numerically "fast", but I'm not going to be drag racing people, so who cares?
-I already miss the FOST's gigantic brakes. But you can't have it all.


So, the dealership. It was... odd.
I get a call about 9:00 AM from the assistant sales manager. Bronco is in, when would you like to pick it up? Well, today, duh! Ok we are open till 8.

I told him I'd be there at 6. I show up about 5:45, come to find out my salesman doesn't work that day, he decided to come in just for me. Oookay. I mean, I could have easily bought the thing any other day. But, fine I guess. Everything goes swimmingly, I think in all the shuffle Ford forgot to charge me for the inbuilt GPS I added after. Double noice. Challenge comes with my FOST trade in. Kbb and some online retailers, noting some minor scrapes, estimate~$20k with 27 k miles (which is nuts). Dealership offers $17,500. So I'm like, doesn't make financial sense even with sales tax incentives, I'll sell third party. My salesman feels confident he can get him to 18,500 to cover the gap. (Yes, I'm familliar with these techniques).
Comes back with 19,500. Inspector thought I had an aftermarket exhaust because he wasn't familiar with ST models. But...why? OK sure. Trade in approved. Next.
Test drive went well, very impressed. The next step takes an age. By now, we are approaching 7:45. I mention that I can come back another day, everyone is all, no, no we'll get this done. OK.
Financing is all over the place. Numbers don't make sense, no payments are much, much higher. I won't be able to get near that number. then suddenly, oh, I put the wrong thing in here, it's actually exactly what I mathed out. My eyes couldn't roll any harder.
Dude also freaking grilled me on getting the extended warranty. I told him I've rebuilt a car in my driveway, I know what I'm getting into. Not gonna argue. I can always come back and get it later.
Despite that nonsense, I thank the guy, as it's approaching 8:45. Offer him a six pack or something for the trouble, he declines. For those wondering, I forgot to take pictures while it was still daylight out, I was more focused on the deal. I got it with what I wanted, for what I wanted, so it was successful in my eyes. Dealership was all over the place with accommodations vs sneaky bullshit, so IDK what to think honestly.

As far as the truck, I'm immensely pleased with everything. The only thing I'd mention that hasn't been given in dozens of other reviews is I'm not a fan of the lower seat upholstery fitment
Hard to tell from pictures, but it's subpar.

More info to come, reviews, etc. when I get some more time, just rushed this out on my phone this morning. Also, my sparco pro corsas are going to be on swappo, for cheap if anyone is interested.

My bronco has arrived today!

Black diamond, 2.3L auto with the mid package.
Or as it should be. I'll be picking it up this evening, if everything goes smoothly at the dealer. I mean, I doubt it. All I gotta say is that I'm a repeat customer here so they better not pull any shit.
Anyways, wish me luck Oppo!

I DID get my bronco. I didn't get out of the dealership till 8:45 at night for... reasons. I'll post about it tomorrow but everything's good, I got it for what I wanted

Remember this old thing? Yeah, I still own it.

Nothing fell off, leaked, or exploded. Brake warning light is still intermittent, but I'm going to put it down as old car, new parts junk. Still needs an alignment.

What's great is that I can hear the air being sucked in by the shaker hood scoop.

So I'll be bringing her to the Vintage Grand Prix. Come say hi for a free beer (or pop, whatever)

This is my local winga-dinga style boomer car show, which inexplicably draws random rare and otherwise weird stuff. Check it. Also cool hotrods.

Why is there a fucking CORD here?

Also seen: new Bronco. I need mine. Velocity blue was definitely the right color choice.

So whoever thought that spiritual manifestation or whatever works is full of shit. You know what you need? REVERSE MANIFESTATION

So, by desiring for my vehicle to get delayed to MY 2023 so that I can switch my paint color to Antimatter Blue- What happened was my bronco was scheduled immediately for 2022! Even though, mind you, people with reservations from 2020 are still waiting!

SUCK IT NERDS!
You know what else? I'm going to die broke and alone. It's going to happen. I want it to happen. I'll never be rich, or have a cool garage of cars.

The opposite of whatever I say is going to happen, happens. I have a super power oppo.

She drives like an absolute dream. Gotta say, I'm Lovin' It (tm). Bonus car show pics!

A real land yacht!
Jeep abomination!
Old heavy duty truck abomination!
And finally, your redneck fix for the day

I may have encouraged her a bit. Thanks to OPPO for the recommendation

Bought at Colussy Chevrolet, apparently they've been in operation since 1918, making them one of the oldest in the country. Salesman was an childhood neighbor of my father's. Go figure.

Long story short, we went there not realizing the one pictured wasn't yet on the lot. That was fine, we test drove a used one, and the one she bought was delivered a few days later. We got very little hassle, so all in all a good experience. The only real funny/awkward thing was that since she essentially bought a poverty spec Spark, (crank windows and manual locks. Oppo will be happy to learn my girlfriend actually wanted that) when we went to configure OnStar the customer service rep had no idea what the hell he was talking about. The salesman jokingly asked him if the Chevy phone app could unlock the doors even though it had no power locks, the rep had to Google it! Even worse, he actually said yes...

So since she's rather new at driving, I drove her home as well as did the on road test drive. The Spark shows just how well along economy cars have come. Steering is nice and firm, pedals are progressive, and the engine is wonderful at suburb speeds. Highway it's still a disappointment, but you can't have it all. The CVT is perfectly fine, although simulated shifts are really dumb. I almost want to see if I can tune it out, but it's not my car (yet). Overall, it compares very well to my FOST. It's loads better than the Cobalt I learned to drive on. Very much reminds me conceptually of the Austin Mini.

Look at this teeny tiny secondary wiper!

But otherwise, very pleased. Interior is unremarkable, except for the weird canted headrests. I think that's going to take some getting used to. I never thought I'd convince someone to buy a Chevy, but here you are!

@Demon-Xanth It definitely stood out in the best kind of way. I was actually a bit starstruck

@Exage03040 I'd prefer a soft top model myself.

Neat find on a random suburban street right by my house.

@trivet needs ham/Canadian bacon. Otherwise, yum.

@Tripper how do you handle power supply then? I've done some basic wiring, I just don't want to burn anything down.

@Tripper So lights like this are pretty easy then? I had two different projects in mind, one custom lamp and another backlighting a clock.

@Just-Jeepin when all that sells is greyscale, you experiment with intereseresting/eye-catching greys. That sells, so you apply it to similar colors.
Nothing surprising about any of this.

@GibbsEmphasis Definitely sun

@Stef-Schrader said in boop/poob:

@ClassicDatsunDebate To be fair to "Meta," "posting to Instagram" is my favorite euphemism for "taking a dump" at track events. Hey, it's a good time to catch up and post a couple 'grams from the race.

I prefer to "use the oval office" or have an "executive meeting"

@MasterMario Acura Legend?