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Dependence

I have an hour-long commute door-to-door and have had it during my time teaching at my university. When our kids were toddlers I went for trunk size for their tandem stroller and gear, otherwise I prefer a small car with good mileage and I have historically maintained my cars pretty well. In response they last for a while.

Aside from my car there are a few folk that could give me a ride to work but fewer than in past years. I depend heavily on my car.

We had intended to take my car (new to me as of September, when I bought it with 35,000 miles on it) on our visit to see family this past week but three days before our scheduled departure my car battery was completely dead. My garage (which I have learned to trust over the decades) said the battery tested okay (charged up after I jump started it and drove it to them) and suggested more detailed diagnostics at a dealer.

We took our trip using my wife's car and today I took it to a dealer, who after three hours of diagnostics could not find anything wrong with the car. 

I have a small portable jump-starter in the car and so I'm not personally insecure about driving it but I will need to have more successful experience before being comfortable driving others.

I have always been aware of my utter dependence on having a car and the carbon footprint I have because of it. I'll be retiring in less than a decade so the issue will soon expire.

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