What did you learn today?

Growing up, sometimes my parents asked that question, rather than the old standby, "How was your day?"

So what did you learn today, or this week? In the last week I have learned:

• A new alternator, transmission pan and unrelated flat tire cost about $426 to fix.
• You should always, ALWAYS wait until the last week of the month to re-new your car registration. Otherwise, you might do it at the start of the month, for $124, and then end up with a $426 bill on top of that just three days later, and realize, shit. This is what John means when he talks about "sunk costs" and it is just TIME to get a new(ish) car. (Especially when said car has an $1800 problem that gets worse every day and there is no WAY you're ever going to fix that!)
  
• Car salesmen really need to make a sale these days.
• Car salesmen now use text messaging, phone calls and emails to hound you.
• Car salesmen do not have the thick skins they say they do, and when called out on their pricing, with a better deal at another dealership, they are not happy.

What has John learned in the last week? The first is a guess, and the second was his answer to that query at the dinner table.

• He is married to someone who wants more car than she can afford, and she has a very hard time figuring what should be compromised and what should be stuck to. She may well stick to desired color, logic be darned.
• "I learned that I hate cat people like conservatives hate socialists."