Week of June 8, 2015

The van started sounding pretty bad.  Like a horrible knocking, ticking as if the engine were on a time limit.  I heard a number of different opinions: "spark plug" "isilabat" (I don't know, it's all nonsense to me).  "Thrown rod".  What IS a thrown rod anyway? I always think of a staff of Moses being thrown into an engine.  I took it to a Jiffy Lube and they said that they wouldn't take my money, and that whatever it was it needed to be fixed immediately.

I took it to a mechanic, and they looked at it after 12 hours.  They said the engine is dangerous.  Drive it around and it might explode, and that wouldn't be good for anyone.  "If you move it, tow it.  Don't drive it."  They said that the only solution is to put a new engine in it.  For how much?  2500 dollars.  Oh yeah, like I have that.  I didn't even bother looking at my account.  I knew that I had less than a thousand and I owed a thousand for rent, as well as utilities.  Bleh.

I sent word out on Facebook and Filmspotting of my situation.  Good places to whine.  My FB friends told me to crowdfund.  One local FS friend offered me a van to borrow.  After three days of crowdfunding, we met the whole amount we needed.  Of course, the van won't be ready for another two weeks, but I can borrow my FS friend's van on Thursday night, so we are set.

Eric and I were talking last night after I took another opportunity to be yelled at by my neighbors.  He just got a home and a job after living in his van, jobless for two years.  He said that he is mystified by how God works, but God always provides.  Always in the last minute, but he always provides.  Yeah, I said, it's that last minute part I can't stand.