I hate deer

A long day at the office, got some really cool work done, excited about new projects, everything is going good. Driving home, I find gas at $1.81 a gallon, a "bargain" compared to the local average $1.95 or more. I left work earlier than my normal times in the last couple weeks; I departed at about 6:15. A comfortable drive in my 2001 Honda Accord, which I just purchased with cash in April 2004. You know where this is going. The roads were dark, the speed limit 55, and a 50 degree turn at the top of a hill. On the other side of the turn and hill, a deer right in the road. The rain-moistened blacktop did not provide enough traction on the shoulderless, two-lane state route. The deer struck my car at about 35 mph. The damage wasn't too bad. The car is still drivable, but the hood is seriously warped at the frontmost, preventing its open; the front bumper is cracked in several places, but the Honda trademark H is fine (why can't the rest of the car be made like that?); and from a basic examination, it appears that part of the internal frame between the bumper and the engine was slightly bruised as well. Don't worry about the deer. It's in a better place—regardless of if it's even anywhere, it's not the one stuck with a $1,000 deductible from USAA. Any tips, tricks, or recommendations for getting repairs at a much lower cost? As with all people who go through events like this, I tend to think, "What if I hadn't stopped for gas at that station? What if I hadn't spent those couple minutes talking to a coworker before leaving? What if I hadn't replied to that email just before logging off?" I'm not a calvinist, so I don't believe that this was "God's will." But I'm sure there will be interesting life lessons through this event. Next time, I'll opt for the audiobook.