Splurge

when it is that perfect kind of late summer late afternoon thick summery sunshine out, my biggest splurge for myself is to take the long way home. i drive all city streets instead of the highway, bring my front two car windows down, open my sunroof shade (but not the roof itself b/c hi that messes up my hair for reals), flip through my cds in my player or my much-beloved satellite radio, and find something that is perfect to drive to and crank it. there is literally nothing i love more. i drive all the time for fun...it's been a habit since the minute i was allowed to drive. i know all of the speed traps, how each light'll go when i hit a red, and what are the most heavily driven roads to people watch on. even when it's over a hundred out like it was today, i drop my windows down (better acoustics that way) and turn up my a/c. probably not totally eco-friendly but i figure it's my gas money so hey. my decision. i also do it at night, when i can open my sunroof because i can have my sunglasses on my head to hold down my hair. i play everything from sublime & weezer (late afternoon songs) to bass bumping rap and cheesy popular pop. one of my favorite things about doing this is upsetting stereotypes/expectations...you hear bass pounding behind you, it's usually some acne-fied teenager kid trying to bust his speakers and look hard. i kind of have fun being the one that they're looking at - especially when i wear my popped collars and pearls out. i get lots of double takes. it is my biggest pleasure to go driving aimlessly and learn every in & out of my little suburb; it's always been worth a couple bucks in gas money, and i know there are a few people out there who have gone on these excursions with me and can identify. now i've got the urge to go driving...

which ps makes me wonder how often my mom actually believed me when i would leave the house at 10 or 11 at night and say, "i'm going driving, i'll be back in a while." for the record, i always really did just go driving. way cheaper than clubbing or drinking or drugging, and way more fun.