We're really not beating around the bush here. We could sing it, or do a little dance, but the bottom line is this: your Zipcar should be nestled snug in its spot when your reservation is over. Starting soon, not returning your Zipcar when you say you will could put your membership in jeopardy. (And no one wants to have a carload of presents to haul and no Zipcar to haul them in.)

The good news is that you now have an online snapshot of your recent reservations. Check to see when you've been on time (thank you), and when you've been late. View your reservations here.

And don't forget about text alerts, the easiest way to know when it's time to head back or whether or not you can extend your reservation. Learn more and sign up here.

No matter what, always call Member Services at 866.494.7227 if you're going to be late. It gives us the opportunity to make other arrangements for the next member.

We're sprucing up zipcar.com! As we grow, car sharing becomes available to more and more people. When new people come to our site, we want to make sure that they feel welcome. We also want to be sure they're getting the best information and a feel for who we are.

As it turns out, who we are is you. It sounds really deep, but all we mean is that the Zipcar community is made up of real people who use Zipcars to do real things. If you've got a story or photo to share, we'd love for you to do just that. We'd like to do more than tell people about the benefits of Zipcar; we'd like to show them. (Or rather, we'd like for you to show them.) Send your stuff (in .gif or .jpg format) to share@zipcar.com and we'll send you some driving credit if we use it on our website.

You'll soon see that the member website is also getting a little makeover. Don't worry, everything (i.e. making a reservation, checking your invoice, etc.) will still work exactly the same way. We're just doing this to create a more consistent experience across the site as a whole. Very soon we'll be reaching out for your ideas on how we can continue to make things better. If you have something you want to tell us now, just email share@zipcar.com.

Stay tuned for next month's newsletter where we're planning to give you a sneak preview of the website before anyone else (shhhhhh...).

Say what? Gotanother. If you've "got another" family member or housemate who mooches rides in your Zipcar, you should know that it's a cinch to add people to your household account. Send them here to begin the application process. We'll walk them through it.

When it's that easy to add new peeps to your account, there is no reason for anyone but you to ever be using your Zipcard or driving your Zipcar. Think of it like a sacred experience that should only be shared between you and your chosen Zipcars. Break the covenant and you could lose your membership forever. Not worth it for a mooch!

Important note: adding someone to your account means liking them enough to be responsible for THEIR charges on YOUR credit card bill. If you don't like them that much, you can always refer them instead and earn some driving credit.

So you think you're smarter than the average bear? Prove it by answering a riddle or two, and win a prize, too! On the 3rd Monday of each month, we will select a couple of "special" Zipcars. Drive 'em, and you win whatever special goodies we have available that month! Which cars, you might ask? Answer a riddle, and you'll know. We'll also send you a congratulations email once your reservation is complete as an extra pat on the back.

November 17
The first two drivers of these "riddled" Zipcars will win two tickets to an upcoming Portland Center Stage production. Any additional reserving members will receive $15 in driving credit. Just solve these riddles ...

Zipcar #1:
The tale of this man from a somnolent town
Teaches fondness of food and fear of phantom
How he disappeared, no cause ever found
But broken fruit implies a victim

Zipcar #2:
Why use a fork?
Why use a knife?
Just use your hands
To chow down this delight

• EastBank Commerce Ctr—Impreza 5-door Ivan
• 735 St. Clair Apts.—Prius Pocatello
• Adidas Village—MINI Manzanita, Prius Pinot
• SE 11th/Belmont (Lot)—Prius Petermann, Element Erin

It can't rain all the time, can it? We know that the winter months are hard on top-down driving, but that doesn't mean that you can't take advantage of Portland's unexpected sunny days. We want to help you out by discounting our convertibles. So check out MINI Convertible Martell, MINI Convertible McAusland, MINI Convertible McGann, or Miata Multnomah, for just $9/50/hr or $69 a day.

white bird

White Bird Dance Company is pleased to offer Zipcar members 20% off on tickets to its 2008 Series. Catch the upcoming "uncaged" performance of Kidd Pivot at Reed College's Kaul Auditorium. The performance takes place nightly on November 12-15. Want tickets? Purchase them here.

Free tickets, free tickets! We've got free tickets to Portland Center Stage's upcoming productions and we're going to pass them on to you. Want a couple? If you don't win our Monday Madness contest, you could still win. Just check the glove box of any Zipcar you reserve in November and there might be a voucher for 2 free tickets to an upcoming show.

for my innovation

Try out fmyi [for my innovation], an online workspace that's as easy to use as a social networking site, and can help you create a reference library, manage projects, and track contacts. There are sustainability features built-in that measures your team's sustainable commuting, offsets the non-renewable energy portion of the electricity is takes to run your computer, reduces ink used if you need to print, templates for sustainability initiatives, and more.

Zipcar members receive 50% off the first month of service (coupon code: zipcar08).