So, I’m still not feeling any particularly burning theological discussions that I need to share right now…

I’m still trying to get my mind back into novel-writing mode…

So how about I yammer about general life again?

OK, I’ve got a new vehicle.

It’s an SUV.

I swore I’d never own an SUV.

Thing is that I like modest-sized, gas-efficient vehicles. My pride has never, ever been tied to my car or truck. I just don’t get caught up in that. If I have a reliable automobile that is ugly, I don’t give a damn what you think of me or what assumptions you want to make about my personality, lifestyle or social worth.

But Son of Blue is 6 feet, 3 inches tall. I have a little girl. I have a wife. I live in a state where people are constantly leaving great pieces of furniture and other household essentials on their curb with signs that say “free.” And we do our shopping in stock-up spurts.

As a result, I needed a bigger vehicle, for comfort and utility. For it truly sucks to buy a nice item at an electronics store or a used/consignment store, and then have to pay for delivery because my side doors and back seat won’t accommodate the item(s).

Since my grubby, fuel-efficient car was in its death throes, Mrs. Blue and I went car shopping. We were strongly leaning toward minvans for their utility, since neither of us wanted to make the leap to SUV ownership, since we see too many SUVs used like weapons on the road around here.

We were down to an 2003 SUV and a 2004 minivan, and while they both had nice features, the minivan had too much rust for my taste underneath.

So I own an SUV. I have resolved not to turn into an asshole and thus make it an “FUV” instead. But still, it’s odd having a vehicle that allows me to either look down on or look in the eye three-quarters of the other SUVs on the road.

I’m not liking the upcoming expense of keeping the tank filled, nor the guilt over petroleum consumption, but there are some nice things:

• Being able to see where I’m going when I leave a parking spot, after an F-350 has parked on one side of me and a Navigator on the other.
• Not having my scarf or the bottom of my coat getting caught in the bottom of the driver’s side door.
• Being able to scoff at snow banks at the end of my driveway.

So, anyone else have to wrestle with the concept of buying a big gas-guzzling whale?