Every time my car gets really dirty and it's time to get it washed, my mind explodes with all kinds of crazy thoughts. This is usually how it goes.

1) I start thinking about how I am so not a "car wash" girl. I am a "wash my car myself" kind of girl. I hate spending money on something I can easily do myself.

2) The problem with #1 is that I live in an apartment where it's a little harder to wash your own car. They have water you can use but you need to have your own hose. I know. Lame. Where am I going to keep a hose? Under my bed? So then I think that washing my car at my apartment/buying a hose is out of the picture. Which brings me to thought #3.

3) I can wash my car at my Mom's house. The problem with this is that I don't know when I'll be there next. Also, when we do go we usually take John's car b/c it costs half as much to fill up. So eventually I decide that washing my car at my Mom's will probably not work out.

4) Okay, I guess I can go to the car wash. I always spend the most time on this thought because I had a bad experience at a car wash in the past. A few years ago before we had Devan I had a brand new special edition civic that I LOVED. It was my first new car, and first non-American car, which made me love it even more. I decided to take it to the car wash on my way to school one day. The car wash was right next to our apartment and it looked empty so I thought it would be quick. To make a long story short, they drove my car into the car ahead of it while it was coming out of the wash! I cannot even begin to tell you how irate this made me. And the worst part was that they didn't even offer to refund me my money, I had to ASK for a refund! They paid for the repairs but that's all. If I owned a car wash and one of my employees did that, I would be offering the customer free car washes for life, at least!! One more reason why I hesitate to go to the car wash.

5) So once I finally decide to go to the car wash, like everything else in my life I try to find the best deal. I will collect all the car wash coupons I can find. Usually I find several in those money mailer things that come with your mail. So once I find a good coupon I check out the place first. For instance, the car wash closest to our apartment has a special on Wednesdays where every car wash is $2 off.

6)Tipping. I agonize over this. How much should I tip? This thought alone almost makes me back out of the whole thing. Part of me feels like they shouldn't get much because it's their job, and part of me thinks they really need the money more than I do and I have a van and it's hot outside etc, etc. And then I'm in a part of Orange County where the car wash guys are probably used to getting big tips. And then I feel bad because my car was a gift and theres no way I'd have this fancy of a car if I were paying for it and I don't want them thinking that I can afford to tip them more because I really can't! So today I tipped the guy $3. I felt like it was enough until I saw the girl sitting next to me with her claim ticket and a 5 dollar bill. And she had a tiny car. Oh well.

Have you ever wished you could just stop thinking for a while? I wish this every day but my mind just keeps going. How much do YOU tip the car wash guys??