You have got to be kidding me

[cleolinda]

@cleolinda: Text from Mom: "Well, I just found out my car [repair] is going to cost $2850. Too much wrong with it to put in this text."

@cleolinda: So... people said I should sell the e-book for $5 instead of $3. I... I think I may do that now. My GOD, what else could we have to pay for?

@cleolinda: (Don't answer that.)


Also, Scout is throwing up.

And now I can't find my bottle of High John the Conqueror, or even the imp (vial) I used back when I was writing the 15M book (IT IS AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE), although in frantically rifling through two BPAL stashes I did find a few of the Conjure Bag blends (Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo, yay!) and AN ENTIRE VIAL OF SIREN THAT I DID NOT EVEN KNOW I HAD. There are no special "powers" attached to that one--it's just the general catalogue ginger/jasmine/apricot blend (not the "magickal" Twilight Alchemy Lab blend that, apparently on purpose, smells like decomposing roses)--but it is my favorite working scent because the ginger gives me a ton of energy and focus for some reason (and also, I love peach and apricot). Sadly, my family hates the way it smells on me (I think the way my skin amps the ginger bothers them?), so usually I don't wear it--I use it as a room scent, in MY room, so if you don't like it GTFO, etc. But since I'm working at the family computer, I'm wearing it so at least it'll leave the room when I do--in theory, although some of the scent will probably linger. And you know what? The depth of my not-caring is phenomenal at this point. I need to finish this Harry Potter thing and we need the money. Keep in mind that my sister ALSO got handed a mechanic's bill for $1300 at the end of August.

(Don't be concerned about September, though. The car repair relates to a concrete something or other my mother drove over in... August.)

(And since people have been asking about Secret Life of Dolls--I need to take a picture, and I think my iPhone will be good enough for the purpose, but I don't know when I can post a new thing, what with the frantic writing for laptop funds and car-repair moneys.)

So... that's my day. So far.

ETA: An email from my mother, re: what's wrong with the car:  "Apparently everything.  I need a new water pump – very labor intensive to replace (which means lots of $$$$); timing chain is cracked – that’s what actually makes the car run; front and rear brakes are 95% worn and rotors are warped; transmission fluid is black – it’s supposed to be clear; air filter is filthy and has dog hairs in it; it’s also time for an oil change (way past due………..) and I need two new tires – the front two apparently are bald.   Like I said, I guess I’m glad I actually got home last night."

 

Comments

[celestinenox]

People are asking about SLoD after reading about all you've been through?!?

People! Have some sense, will you???

(In other talking of sense, I realized how very wrongly my response to your D*C/PAX question post could be taken... I don't intend to spread internet wank, I'm just still pissed about how that was handled, so will say anything anywhere. Should someone find me here saying something, I wouldn't actually respond to them. I do learn. Slowly.)

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Well, not everyone reads every little thing I say, so I don't assume that they all realize that times is hard right now.

[firegatka007.livejournal.com]

$5 still sounds completely reasonable. good luck working!

[diddakoi.livejournal.com]

I would pay it, and so I think would almost everyone else here. So that's $10 of my money that will definitely come your way, assuming you get out both the HP and vampire-themed collections. (Especially now that I have a job, and moneys!)

[greedyskunk.livejournal.com]

Whoa. And repair bills like that make me (almost) happy that I don't have a car.

Hooray on finding the hidden vial of Siren! Now, if only you could find that extra $1000 you tucked away in that ratty old coat several years ago.... ;)

[clodia-risa.livejournal.com]

$5 seems completely reasonable for the amount of work you're putting into it. $3 seems like a steal, $5 seems like a good value.

[kittybacklash.livejournal.com]

I was gunna say just that. $5 is bargainous.

[hopeandmemory.livejournal.com]

jeez, at this rate, i'd just get a new car. O_O;;

[vivian-shaw.livejournal.com]

Jesus. There's not any way you could get the work done by someone who isn't charging $400 an hour to replace bits? Also, if it's an automatic, the transmission fluid is supposed to be red or yellow. You can replace the air filter yourself, that's the kind of crap Jiffy Lube charges $30 for.

More to the point, $5 seems a bit cheap given all the crap that you've had to deal with recently.

[urox.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking does she want to go by the local tech college and see if they want to work on her car for a reduced price.

With the transmission fluid being black, they may want to try to flush the system.

I've got to be missing some earlier posts about this car. That laundry list sounds like a new car is in order (timing chain cracked? seriously?) And how to rotors get warped that a normal shaving doesn't restore them?

[lenamoster.livejournal.com]

Have you thought at all about bundling your SLoD entries and selling them on lulu.com for $5 like you're doing with the Harry Potters (just not annotated)? I know I personally would be willing to put down $5 to have them prettily bundled at my fingertips and that would be another right-there (not much extra work required) way for you to make a bit of money. And if you feel guilty about bundling it before the SLoD story is "done," you could always break up the story into Volume 1 and Volume 2 or something like that. Actually, the Littlest Bella and Edward getting together could be a good stopping point. I dunno, I haven't really thought this through all that much, but I feel like this could definitely be an option for you.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

The problem is, there may be a number of trademark issues with the characters' names. I know that the Tolkien estate, for example, is pretty litigious. And then you go, well, it's humor/commentary, that's Fair Use, but the thing is, Fair Use is a defense. You'd still have to go to court and defend it, even if you won. I mean, I can bundle it; I just couldn't charge for it, which would be the point in this case.

[nicolars.livejournal.com]

My GOD, what else could we have to pay for?

I totally misinterpreted this on your twitter and thought you were looking for a hypothetical list of things to buy! Sorry about your mom's car, it sounds like the family has hit a real bad patch repairwise this summer.

[rhoda-rants.livejournal.com]

I will totally spend $5 on my very own Cleo e-book. Hell, it's the least we can do, considering all you've been through.

[http://users.livejournal.com/jane_drew_/]

I agree with folks who have said that now might be the time to look for a used car. Possibly Craig's List? At the very least, search and see what you can find for, say, $2000.

*hug* Good luck with repair/replace efforts!

[diddakoi.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but God knows what's wrong with that used car. Better the devil you know than the one you don't, I say.

[eleigh.livejournal.com]

I need a new water pump – very labor intensive to replace (which means lots of $$$$)

I had to have my water pump replaced and while labor was more than the actual part it still only cost a couple hundred and that was pretty standard. Unless your mom has some weird car I would really suggest she take it somewhere else and at least get another opinion/estimate.

[sirius20-81.livejournal.com]

yeah, i had mine replaced a few years back and it cost me $200 at the mechanics. and the part alone shouldn't be costing you more than $85, unless you're getting ripped off.

[xerinmichellex.livejournal.com]

So sorry to hear about your mother's car! My mother's car is also starting to bite us in the butt. Figures after we pay off the sucker the brakes, tires, differential, and everything else start to go.

Bumping up that e-book thing to five dollars doesn't sound so bad. Maybe it's because I like round numbers...

[lylassandra.livejournal.com]

Is there any way to exorcise a month?

Sell high, buy low

[cadee49.livejournal.com]

Do YOU have a car? Because if you don't, DO NOT BUY ONE. And if you do, sell it immediately and depend on public transportation. Because your fam has some bad car karma going on that no amount of aromatherapy is going to fix.

[erica-roo.livejournal.com]

I'd get a second opinion on the car. I'm not saying all mechanics are shady, but you might want to see if someone else agrees that all of these things need to be done, particularly if she wasn't have car trouble previously.

[robinmc.livejournal.com]

This.

Also, I don't know if you've gone to this mechanic before, but it might also be worthwhile to ask people you know and see if any of them have a regular mechanic they know/like/trust. I saved $100 on my brakes that way.

Also also, I think $5 sounds more than reasonable. You have a very loyal and dedicated audience, and unless you were charging something completely outrageous (not that you ever would), I don't think you'll have any problem selling your work.

[cacopheny.livejournal.com]

I'd pay more than $5 for the ebook, easily, but that's just me.

Also, I agree with the other folks: get a second opinion on the car. At the very least, you could go to someone else and say "they want to charge me this; can you beat that price?"

[aranel13.livejournal.com]

I'm going to throw some things at you feel free to ignore them.

Cafe Press: M15M and SLoD. Throw the graphics up, sit back and rake in the $ (oh how I wish I had an audience like you do).

Put up a donation button. Face it. We love your writing. We can't get more of your writing when you're so stressed out. Let us show our appreciation in a purely selfish and greedy way (for us). I haven't got much more than a few bucks to toss in the kitty jar, but every little bit mounts up. We want our witty, cheerful, non-August afflicted Cleo back, mostly for YOUR sanity's sake. Please?

[subversivecynic.livejournal.com]

I'm seconding a donation button. I'm likely to donate a dollar or 5 a month to artists I like... much more likely to do that than to buy stuff (cause I just don't tend to do that, I guess).

[chulacabra.livejournal.com]

Suggestion: take pre-orders for the story. That way you can have some cash flow while you finish it up.

Signed,
Anxiously Looking to Unload $5

P.S. For lulz, have you tried doing a search for Twilight in Etsy? (http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=handmade&search_query=twilight&order=date_desc&ship_to=) It's hilarible.

[starherd.livejournal.com]

I am setting aside $5 for this ebook.
Because it means that when I find myself doomed with sudden unexpected bills, I too can have hope...
*hugs* Good Luck!

[edda.livejournal.com]

I have some High John the Conqueror if you'd like it, although it's a couple years old and might be stale-ish.

Timing belt, water pump

[ab257z.livejournal.com]

You should replace the timing belt as per the car's manual (usually every 90,000 miles). If it breaks it could trash your engine. A timing chain never needs to be replaced, but is usually only on trucks now. You should also replace the water pump whenever the timing belt is replaced, since it takes no extra labor to replace it, just the parts price (don't let them charge for water pump labor and timing belt labor). But unless your water pump is leaking, or not pumping (engine overheating) it wouldn't need to be replaced on its own - usually with a bad pump the car won't go at all. A lot of mechanics try to 'upsell' by getting you to replace your belt early.

Re: Timing belt, water pump

[chibimitch.livejournal.com]

THIS! Timing belt & water pump are done together, don't let them over charge for labor!

When worn timing belts snap, engine replacing is not fun (ok, well, it was fun for me, but thats because of the boy & I had never replaced a top end before... I'm guessing you won't find it fun...).

[dreamingenigma.livejournal.com]

Jesus, and I thought $700 to fix my car recently was bad :/ I agree with what others have said about the car: get a second opinion, maybe thinking about getting a used car or something. That just seems like so much money to get it fixed...

[onlove.livejournal.com]

I am convinced that Corollas just wait until the worst possible moment to break. I had one and the transmission broke two weeks before I came home from school, right when I was preparing to try and find a job.

[eilonwey.livejournal.com]

Would it make better sense for her to buy a used car in good condition at this point? It's always sad to throw good money after a car on its last legs...

[lemone.livejournal.com]

I was going to suggest this myself. I mean, you can get a pretty good car at an estate auction. I got my first car at one for like $300, though she was just an old hoopty.

Or at least a second opinion on fixing this one...

[kijikun.livejournal.com]

I'd pay 10 and up for your ebook, Cleo. Consider how much I've paid for sketch books with about four sketches in it that seems fair to me.