I have to gripe real quick about something, and I feel like this is the only place where I might get sympathy. I was supposed to go to this Motor Press Guild trackday here in California the other day. It was a bitch to get it all lined up, but after a lot of paperwork and everything, I finally got it straightened out. Then it turns out my editor got laid off at the LA Times.

I felt really sorry for her and was also pretty upset that I might not get to write for the Times anymore.

What also really upset me was that I was going to miss out on this track day, I haven't driven on any sort of fun road in a long time and was really looking forward to the event.

So my editor writes me and said that she is still going and would like to pay for my entry fee so I can go too. I refused (the woman was just laid off after all) and just tried not to think about it.

I talked to her about it later. What cars were there? Oh nothing big...
Gallardo SuperVeloce LP 670-4 and Gallardo LP 560-4, a Lotus Exige S260, Panamera was there, Taurus SHO, Cadillac CTS V...

Arghhhhhhhhhh! I should have just let her buy my entry fee!!!!

Dumbass.

whatever "truly" makes you feel better at the end of the day man. But yea, you did the right thing.

Damn Dr. S, does it ever keep you up at night, thinking that you and I picked the wrong profession?

Sometimes. Don't really know what else to do though.

I tell myself that a lot of weekend warriors will be getting out of the business freeing up some space. Hopefully that's true.

I have also been told that there is no substitute for real experience, so I think we're doing the right thing, working for very little money, gaining publication credits.

Why don't you go, and offer to cover the costs for yourself so she doesn't have to?

^Exactly. Just a presumption, but that makes you more of a dumbass.

I don't really have the money. I would have if I could have afforded it though.

How much was the entry fee?

I paid ~$60 to join the Motor Press Guild, and it was another ~$140 to do the track event. Not to mention two days of missed work and gas money. It might not sound like much, but I don't make enough to pay for cost of living out here right now so $200 is a lot of money.

Oh well, there will be other chances to drive fun cars I'm sure.

It was really nice of her to offer to pay for you, but I would have said the same thing. She just had been laid off, and should probably save whatever money she has to find a new job. I mean, after all, they are just cars.