I just got an Ellie. That’s right: an Ellie. She’s the new Hyundai Elantra that came into my life a few days ago when it was officially time to retire Newbie—my faithful Ford Focus that’s been traveling with me for the last 11 years since my high school days (whom I affectionately called Newbs for short). Needless to say, Newbie definitely had his share of wear-and-tear, seeing me roundtrip from Milwaukee to Orlando, then out to Rhode Island and finally to Princeton. Add to that my 16-year-old mindset of ‘I just got my license and a new car…woo hoo, freedom!’ and, well, I’m sure you can imagine the condition of the car.
Ok, I know what you’re going to ask and yes, my Ford was most certainly a boy car and the Elantra is a girl (Ellie, get it?). I can’t really explain why…I think it all stems from a ridiculous love of Toy Story—and all Disney-Pixar films really, I love them—and the need to give a car an identity (Anyone else? I know I’m not the only one who names their cars. Stand up now!). Ironically (or perhaps not?), Cars is my least favorite in the Disney-Pixar cannon. This has been another useless Natalie fact.
Ellie looks pretty sharp; very aerodynamic and chic (much like myself). She has a sun roof, heated seats (which would probably come in handy more in Wisconsin than New Jersey, but I digress), a roomy black leather interior, and fun little toys like bluetooth capabilities and a trial of XM radio. I can take or leave the XM, but it was kind of awesome to listen to the POP2K station today and relive my high school years via some early 21st century tunes like BSB, Soul Decision, and Sean Paul. Yes, that was indeed me you saw on Route 1 in Princeton earlier, belting out Kelly Clarkson’s Breakaway (a song which, I can honestly say, I haven’t heard since high school, yet still knew all the words to). But wouldn’t you too in a new set of wheels like this?
Tall Girl in a Small State 
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