Due to the family situation back in Los Angeles, it is probable that I may return to California early. Even then, it will be late December. I will need to tend my parents' place and pets while they visit Alaska for the New Year.
I will still have time to meditate, to do my road trip within South Korea, and to fly to Hong Kong, before returning to Los Angeles. Whether I need to come back to Seoul immediately, or a few months later, will depend on the progress of my treatments.
Most importantly, my parents won't get to nag me as I make my "emotional" decisions regarding my Samsung TV and my BMW. As my BMW ages and its electrical gremlins become more frequent (it is already out of warranty), getting rid of it may actually make financial sense too. I've done my homework on trade-in values for my BMW, pricing for a new Hyundai Genesis, insurance quotes, and more. I also count myself fortunate in that I have the money to pay for the Genesis without the need for a loan.
I've even checked with California DMV regarding the vanity plates for the new car. It looks like the plate I want is indeed available. It will really stink sinking more money into the undeserving California state government for the privilege, but getting that plate, and putting it on a Hyundai, will really honor my Seoul meditation - not to mention the South Korean people's drive for democracy and equality (as well as their Buddhist tradition). Most importantly, the Obama Presidency heralds the beginning of a new era in the US, and I want to make sure to enter it in an appropriate car (which will NEVER be a BMW product).
Vanity plate or not, I also look forward to christening my new Genesis (a very appropriate car name for a new era, at that) with a San Francisco road trip.
