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.

On December 3rd, Yelp is having their annual member party and they want you to come (don't worry, we'll be there as well to shuttle you home if you've had one too many nogs). They seem to think that there might be just a little bit of overlap between our users and theirs. We couldn't agree more because we love yelp. Well, not in a stalker way. We just like to watch them from afar. Anyways, for all of you crossover Zipster-yelpers just go here to RSVP. For the rest of you, sign up to become a yelper and then RSVP to get your holiday party season started off right.

We certainly hope that our Zipsters have a bunch to be thankful for this year, but we all know that there are plenty of people less fortunate than ourselves. That's why Zipcar San Francisco has teamed up with Meals on Wheels again to deliver a little holiday cheer, and we'd love you to help. That's right; we want you to show off your zip-caring side. So, if you've got the time to spare on Turkey Day to bring meals to the disadvantaged and elderly, then we'll supply the wheels. Just e-mail Leslie at Meals on Wheels SF and she'll get you all set up.

• Shattuck Ave/Addison St—Toyota Matrix Mackley
• Mission St/2nd St (Hines Building)—Prius Peel & BMW 328 Brice

We know that, sometimes, you need more than one bag of groceries. We also know that standing next to a sweaty guy with a neck beard on a cramped commuter bus isn't the best mode of transportation for that loose fruit or head of broccoli. We want to help by cuttin' out that sweaty bus dude. All you have to do is buy 50 dollars worth of eats from either the Potrero Hill Whole Foods from 5-7pm on Wednesday, November 19 or the Franklin Whole Foods from 3-6pm on Wednesday, November 26. If you do that, we'll put you in one of our cars, and you can kiss that sweaty guy goodbye.

We've got to thank all the Zipsters who came out for our Halloween party. Zipcar SF would, literally, be nothing without you. With that said, thank you to MR. for holding the event, Kitten on the Keys for emceeing, Sports Basement, Beach Blanket Babylon, and Teatro ZinZanni for donating our costume contest prizes and to Nuena Photography for taking some amazing pictures. If you happened to come to the party and would like to re-live its general awesomeness, or if you feel a tinge of envy because you couldn't be there, then check out Nuena's site (the password is boo).

For all of you East-coast transplants, it's time for a snow day. The Zipcar Street Team will be at the Presidio Sports Basement next to Crissy Field on Thursday, November 13 from 5-9pm. Those cats at Sports Basement always have some great deals going on, but this year they're offering a free Sugar Bowl lift ticket to the first 200 people who come and spend 50 dollars on some swag. Even if you've already got everything you need, who doesn't like more free stuff? So come out to win some free helmets, goggles, bags and much, much more.

San Francisco is a global leader when it comes to environmental awareness, and the city as a whole is on pace to reduce emissions to 20% below 1990 levels within four years. Zipcar San Francisco is proud to have been a part of this, and we're sure that all of you Zipsters have played a major role in the emission reduction from your new driving habits to your diligent composting. To learn more about sustainable everything, make your way to the Green Festival any day from Friday, November 14 until Sunday, November 16 at the Concourse Center in San Francisco from noon-7pm, and make sure to stop by our booth to say hello.

shine on, mr.

Your mother may always see you as her little angel, but the rest of us don't. There is more to living than breathing, more to haircuts than a sharp pair of scissors, and more to a person than the shine of their shoes. At MR., they understand this, which is why they created much more than a barbershop.

For the month of November, MR. will be extending complimentary shoe shines to all Zipcar members—both ladies and gents. Additionally, they are reducing the $200 initiation fee to $65 and offering a $30 bar credit when you enroll in one of their membership packages. Visit their website at mrthebarbershop.com or contact Taralyn for additional information.

think theater could use more snack breaks?

Teatro ZinZanni wants you to come out to Hearts on Fire featuring Grammy Award ¨ winner Thelma Houston as Madame ZinZanni, owner of the jewel box theater. Hearts on Fire is a magical ride brimming with soulful music, romance, dance, comedy and a five course meal! The show also features two other fan favorites: the outrageous Christine Deaver as Chef Penelope Wild, and El Vez, the one and only Mexican Elvis.

Call the ZinZanni Box Office at 415.438.2668 and mention Zipcar to receive a $25 discount to any weekday show.