Jeremiah,
Do you remember when people used to get those really really high tension clutches - some clutches were so hard to push in that you prayed you only had to shift when absolutely necessary. 8^)

For me, I guess I have to wait till 2009 also to get the manual. And for me it is just for fun. I would not want to drive a manual in traffic.
I can only imagine the new slap stick or whatever they call it, would have a lock shift feature to give those "clutch challenged" to make believe they have a manual.

-Phil