Well, I think the title says it all today.
Today is 11/11. In numerology, some New Age believers often link 11:11 to chance or coincidence. It’s an example of synchronicity. For instance, those who might be seeing 11:11 on a clock often claim that it could be an auspicious sign, or that it might signal a spirit presence. Is it true? I don’t know. But, what I do know is that 11:11 comes around twice a day, every day, and it’s a good reminder that second chances are possible.
So, every day at 11:11, I make a wish.
I can’t really tell you what I’m wishing for because, as I’m sure you know, if I did that would be cheating, and then as per the rules, my wish wouldn’t be able to come true. What I can tell you though is that these wishes typically range anywhere between how I want my day to go, what kind of wordcount I’d like to see by the end of the day, how I’m feeling, to wishing that the people I love and care about are having a good day even if we can’t talk all the time. -but not every wish you make has to be practical because, I’m a fantasy author, so I think it’s great to have fantasies.
I believe in magic. I’m not even afraid to admit it. Do you?
-side note, I learned how to ask if you believe in magic in German, thanks to Duolingo. Which apparently got an update today, which means I have to go back and redo section one since there are a ton of words they added that I don’t know! And while I’m on the topic of Duolingo- I feel the need to point out that I’ve almost been doing it for 200-days. Today marked day #181, and that’s both incredible and shocking to me. But, I’m having fun with it, and I love learning new words and phrases.
Glaubst du an Magie?
Do you believe in magic?
But, 11/11 also marks something else for me- today is my one-month anniversary with Nightmare, my Jeep. I know some of you out there are probably rolling your eyes at me because, it doesn’t really seem like that big of a deal but, I assure you, it is. Together, we’ve driven almost 2,000 miles. Some of you out there (and my Grandma included) probably have your eyes bigging out of your heads, and you probably think that I’m fucking nuts.
And you know what? That’s okay.
I know that you’re all probably thinking that, that’s a lot of driving but, there’s a significance to it. Because, getting Nightmare, meant getting my freedom back… and that’s something that I didn’t truly realize until recently. Now, I’m not saying that Roswell wasn’t amazing because, she was. She was fast and zippy, and she’s the car that I first started teaching Pip, my little brother, to drive in. She’s the car that I taught Angel to drive in, during those long 6-months together last year. But, most of all, she’s the car that I really started learning how to drive in. She was also broken, and had started becoming both unsafe, and an unparalleled source of my anxiety.
Because getting Nightmare, meant getting my freedom back, and I didn’t realize that until recently. Roswell was amazing. She was fast and zippy, and she’s the car that I started teaching my little brother how to drive in. She’s the car that I taught Angel how to drive in. She’s the car that I really started driving in. But she was also broken, and she was the cause of a lot of stress for me. Her tires were bad. Her brakes were bad. Her transmission was going- the engine was clicking, and a lot more that I’m sure I don’t even know about because I don’t know much about cars.
I was always worried about whether Roz would start- and then if she’d start again when it was time to go home. I was worried about the constant blowouts when it came to the tires. I was worried about how hard she idled- and she idled hard. She was a good girl but, she was an old girl, and she was ready to rest.
But Nightmare? My precious Spoopy- I don’t worry about her. I don’t have to worry about her. I fill her up, and I’m guaranteed 400-miles per full tank of gas, at least. She averages 35.3 miles to the gallon right now. She was given to me with a brand-new oil change in her, five new tires. Five! I’ve never had five good, brand-new tires. I’ve never had a real spare tire period; Roz only had a 50-mile donut… and it saw far more than 50 miles. She came to me with a new battery, and new brakes. Automatic lights, fog lights, and bright’s that all work. She has heated leather seats, and a heated leather steering wheel. She has the space I need to go trash panda. She has the space for Pip, who no longer has to scrunch down, and worry that I’m going to hit one bump and he’ll be bashing his head on the roof of the car. She’s got 4WD, and I can finally feel safe in the winter, and the rain. Nightmare was an investment. An investment in both my future and myself, because now, I have one less thing to worry about.
I feel good about jumping in my precious Nightmare, and just driving up to Elkhorn, WI for gas. I don’t have to worry about what may or may not rattle off of Roz anymore. I don’t have to worry about check engine lights, funny noises, or harsh idling. I don’t have to worry that she’s going to overheat, or she’s burning too much oil, leaking oil, or whatnot. I have three working windshield wipers. All brand-new, also. For the first time, I didn’t buy someone else’s problem. I bought a beautiful dream come true. Because that’s what people forget to tell you- Nightmares are dreams too.
(And yes- for the record, I do drive out of state for gas. Every. Single. Time. Gas down the street from my house is 3.65 a gallon. Gas at Love’s in Elkhorn is currently sitting at 3.09. There’s a method to my madness.)
My one massive complaint, however? A dear friend of mine told me that the second I began customizing my Spoopy, I became a Jeep Girl. I have two things to say about this. Firstly, I never saw myself, and still don’t see myself as a Jeep Girl. Or, a Jeeple as I call them. (Jeeple = Jeep People) I don’t do the “Jeep Wave” and half the time when people do it to, or towards me, my first thought is still why are they flipping me off? Secondly, I see and realize now, that I’ve customized Nightmare more than I ever customized Roswell. That hurt me a little bit but it’s true.
Roswell had her special “Area 51 Resident Alien” license plate holder, given to me by my dear friend Frank and his wife Diane. She had my leather, Nightmare Before Christmas steering wheel cover with the purple bats, Jack faces, and skulls. She had the Team Mystic vinyl on the side, that I had made when Angel and I were doing a lot of Pokémon Go last year. Finally, she also had a Jack Skellington vinyl on the black window. She may not have been tricked out to the max but, she was really, truly loved.
Nightmare, however, has two yellow bats on each of the back upper-quarter panels. There’s a Jack face on the gas cap cover, and her name, Nightmare along the front quarter panel by the wheel, with a little Jack face- there are four of these same faces, all over the Jeep. One by Nightmare, a happy, and a mad face on the back bumper, and then another on the passenger’s side. There’s an iridescent vinyl that says “Fucks given” with Zero the ghost dog clip art and a small Jack face on the right lower corner of the back window. On the left side, is an iridescent Oogie Boogie vinyl with the quote “I am the shadow on the moon at night.” And once you enter my Jeep, one of the first things that’ll catch your attention is the Jack Skellington seat covers, floor mats, or the Zero “mood light” turned dashboard ornament.
On top of that, inside of the Jeep, you’ll also find Jack and Sally latte themed air fresheners, Oogie, Jack, and Zero mini plushies attached to the front seat cargo net, and a mini–Jack Skellington Squishmellow in the net itself, and finally, I have Jack Skellington face cup holder inserts. When I tell you that I’ve tricked her out, I mean it. And honestly? More is yet to come. If Roswell’s steering wheel cover could’ve fit in the Jeep, it would’ve. I also have Lock, Shock, and Barrel decals coming in the mail. Will I do more to her? Maybe, maybe not but, as of right now, I love her.
I love her, and I trust her, and I know that if I want to jump in tomorrow, or next week, or next month, and go on a roadtrip, I can because I trust her to make it. Nightmare, my Spoopy, is a good, strong vehicle. She’s in good shape, with low mileage, and most importantly, she makes me feel safe. She makes me feel more comfortable on the road, and more confident going out. What more could I possible ask for when it comes to a vehicle?
-Sky
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