The Thursday Dispatch

for April 10, 2025

You’s guys! I bought a new car!

The most exciting news from the past week is that I bought a new car on Monday! I had been contemplating between Toyota and Subaru, my two favorite car manufacturers. Initially, I focused on Toyota hatchbacks, but after my roommate purchased a Subaru Crosstrek, I shifted my focus to Subaru. I had owned two Subaru cars in the past, both the same model. The illustrious Subaru Justy! I loved those cars (except that I had to replace the fuel pump all the time on the first one).

Not my actual Justys, but the correct models:

The Subaru model that currently captures my heart is the Outback. It has lots of cargo space and all-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is the greatest!

Cars these days! They have so many gizmos and gadgets. It feels like I’m piloting a shuttle craft from Star Trek. In fact, I believe I need to name it like a Star Trek shuttle. I’ve been brainstorming names in three categories: artists, Navy leaders, and Roman virtues. Here are my finalists:

• Da Vinci

• Carravaggio

• Stavridis (retired Navy admiral)

• Pietas (duty, loyalty, devotion)

• Gravitas (dignity, seriousness)

• Fides (faithfulness, reliability)

• Humanitas (compassion, kindness, civility)

Do you want to weigh in on what to name the Shuttle [something-or-other]? Leave a comment!

I met one of my heroes!

Okay, perhaps not a true hero, but a local morning weatherman from the same region of the country as me. His name is Andy Carson, and he works for KPTV Fox 12.

He’s a self-avowed fan of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals. That’s all good in my book. His TV persona is all-around good guy, and from my short interaction with him, that appears to be true.

We talked briefly about the strong start to the Royals season. He asked why I moved out here, and I gave the vague answer that my brother lived out here, so I followed him out. I should have mentioned the weather, because that was a big part. I wanted milder winters and summers. He’s a meteorologist—I suspect he knows about the milder weather.

I also didn’t go into the whole thing about thinking I was a big-o lefty liberal and wanted to get out of the Trump-humpin’ Midwest. (And thus didn’t explain that I didn’t know how left politics could get until I got out here and found I’m more toward the center.)

I didn’t have my phone with me, so I cannot prove any of this. I asked ChatGPT to create a cartoon version of him instead.

Anyway, go Andy! Go Royals! Go Chiefs!