Let's continue the practice of tempering unpleasant news with soothing photos of the natural world. Ready?

Look! It's Bluffs Park in Malibu, the ocean breeze sending clouds across the blue, blue sky.

And look -- it's the Prius, now declared a total loss by my insurance company.

More than $8k in damages and the appraiser wasn't even halfway done yet.

I think that calls for another photo -- this little trail, for instance.

So, car shopping, anyone?