Hi again Priscilla! I'm loving your blog, so I hope you don't mind if I keep snproeding. Don't feel like you have to respond to my comments.I was also scratching my head over that shopping is like sex comment. They have about as much in common as an apple has with the human heart. I guess they can both be done compulsively, have mood altering effects, can be used for comfort. But sex is also mixed up with the deepest issues of the human heart: receiving and giving love, calming fears of abandonment and worthlessness, healing shame, enjoying companionship etc. etc. Makes me suspect that the publishing factotem who composed the blurb was doing a little bit of point-and-click writing there: Write about sex, my boy! That'll bring the eyeballs! I also really hate shopping. I guess I'm getting crotchety in my old age, but I'm getting sensitive to when people try to rob me of my humanity. The most important part of my humanity is my free will, and to have my choices guided by what gives my life the most meaning. I feel hundreds of grabbing hands, hear hundreds of honeyed enticements, trying to steal my freedom to choose. When talking about this, I tend to lapse into metaphors involving animals. The PR departments and advertisers that brainwash me into believing and buying stuff are predators; upper level managers of large corporations are ranchers packing workers into iron cribs to have their labor, hides, meat and organs taken from them. Just like the dairy farmers who have found that cows give more milk when they play Elvis records over the speakers, we have a huge media infrastructure that mollifies all the domesticated animals into accepting the priorities of the wealthy and powerful. Back in the days when I was a good Christian at Harvey Mudd, I read that Bonhoffer book Life Together. One of his points (hopefully my 32 year old memory is getting this right) was that in true Christian community, no person has a direct relationship with anyone else. Every relationship is mediated by Christ. Thus, when I'm interacting with someone, I'm not scraping and clawing that person with my grabby needy little hands, hoping that consuming a little bit of him will fill my need for comfort, or love, or self esteem. Since all of my needs are satisfied by Christ, I can treat each person with respect, love and tolerance. That idea bothered me when I first read it. I love giving and receiving love, encouragment and affection. I felt that the connection of love with another person is what brings about God's presence between us. I felt that love and affection, having a good heart towards that other person, has to come first, and then Christ mediates the relationship. But now I kind of see Bonhoffer's point, especially since I'm so often blind to when I think I'm giving love freely when in fact I'm manipulating the other person into liking or affirming me, or trying to get some other need met. I'd write more, but I have to go shopping.

Any chance they'll offer the C30R in an AWD cofniguration? If so, I think I've found a serious contender for my next vehicle purchase. (Of course, I'll wait a year to take advantage of the almost 70% first year depreciation common to the Volvo brand.)One of my favorite Matchbox cars ever was the little white Volvo 480 hatchback. I even think the current C30 looks awesome, much to the chagrin of many of my friends. I would LOVE to drive one of these cars.

Volvo_C30_T5_R Design.. Tiptop :)

Volvo_C30_T5_R Design.. Bully :)

Volvo_C30_T5_R Design.. Nifty :)

Volvo_C30_T5_R Design.. Awesome :)

Volvo_C30_T5_R Design.. May I repost it? :)

Volvo_C30_T5_R Design.. Not so bad :)

Volvo_C30_T5_R Design.. Awful :)

Volvo_C30_T5_R Design.. Dandy :)