Through the past few weeks I have a lot of time to myself. Especially when I'm here in McKenzie. My parents go to work, I wake up, eat lunch with my folks, then try to occupy myself by reading photography books or watching TV. All of the time has given me so much time to think, analyze, and self-evaluate my life and personality. Those of you who know me can back me up or disagree with these next few observations. I feel that I am an "easy sell." By that I mean I am easily influenced. My laid back personality allows me to give little thought and just go with whatever sounds best. I like making quick decisions and taking risks. All my life I have lived to please others. I am not trying to sound arrogant by that statement, but it feels like many of my decisions are based upon how others will react or think. Another part that affects my decision making is my tendency towards conflict avoidance.
This little introspection leads me to understand why choosing my next move is proving to be so difficult. I want the success I will have after 10 years right now and I want 1,300,450 different jobs and skills now. The problem, obviously, is that I cannot have either of those and it sure as heck won't happen overnight. Another problem goes back to being an "easy sell." Every time I have a conversation with someone I feel like my plans are slowly changing. Each time someone suggests a new job idea or new place to live, I want to try it. So then everything winds up being put into my brain as a busy picture with lots of colors and lots of patterns. So many different jobs and so many things to do in life but which one do I do NOW?
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
When it rains, it pours
Especially with me and car trouble. I realized yesterday what a terrible driver I am. Remember how in the last blog I talked about getting my car out of the shop and waiting. Well it would have been much safer if it had stayed there for another couple of days. I was headed up to Michigan for an awards banquet with Southwestern. About a quarter of a mile from getting on New Circle off of 68 I rear ended someone. Don't text and drive. So $6,200 and 2,400 miles in a rental later I made I finally got my car back...again. My car has practically had a 50% of it's exterior replaced in the last 4-5 weeks.
As I was talking with Bill on the way to dinner, I started thinking about my driving record. Let me retrace you through all my actual wrecks and actual tickets.
Age 16 [April/May ish] - I was in a hurry backing out of my driveway and bumped into a visitor's car. The bumper had to be replaced. (the funny part about this story was that it was an Asbury admissions car)
Age 16 [4 months after I had my license] - Totaled a 2005 Mazda B3000, it's like a ford ranger. My parents bought it for my sister and I to use in High School. Oops.
Age 16 [a week later] - Speeding ticket 65 in a 35 in my mom's minivan (this ticket was removed from my record as long as I went to driving school. In my town driving school includes watching a 30 minute video and the police officer telling you all sorts of tips like driving with your lights on makes you look slower, red cars always look faster, that sort of stuff)
- after those last two I couldn't drive for a while...
Age 17 - speeding ticket in NC, 75 in a 55. And it was a construction zone. (this one also got taken off my record because I hired a lawyer who told me that if I did not get another ticket in the state of North Carolina for 3 years it would be removed.)
Age 18 - hit my friends car as I was backing out, paid about $400 to get his front end replaced (didn't go on my record because I just wrote him a check and didn't go through insurance)
Age 19 - ran over a teammate's foot at our end of the year tennis party. (Claim still open.)
Age 20 - rear ended someone in Cleveland (never had to pay or keep record because no real damage happened. It was like a 5mph nudge)
Age 20 - Speeding ticket in New York. We were late and I think I was doing like 75 in a 65 or something. (went on my record)
Age 21 - Speeding ticket in North Dakota 85 in a 55 (this road was the flattest, straightest, most wide open road I had ever seen. I had just gotten to ND and was 5 minutes from meeting my host mom for the summer. Pretty sure this one is on my record)
Age 22 - No speeding tickets so far, but...
Age 22 - rear ended someone because I was a moron and tried to text and drive..
Wow. That was kind of depressing. I have never recalled every single account until just now. The funny thing is, almost all of those incidents happened when I was by myself in the car. I hope my insurance agents don't read my blog.
As I was talking with Bill on the way to dinner, I started thinking about my driving record. Let me retrace you through all my actual wrecks and actual tickets.
Age 16 [April/May ish] - I was in a hurry backing out of my driveway and bumped into a visitor's car. The bumper had to be replaced. (the funny part about this story was that it was an Asbury admissions car)
Age 16 [4 months after I had my license] - Totaled a 2005 Mazda B3000, it's like a ford ranger. My parents bought it for my sister and I to use in High School. Oops.
Age 16 [a week later] - Speeding ticket 65 in a 35 in my mom's minivan (this ticket was removed from my record as long as I went to driving school. In my town driving school includes watching a 30 minute video and the police officer telling you all sorts of tips like driving with your lights on makes you look slower, red cars always look faster, that sort of stuff)
- after those last two I couldn't drive for a while...
Age 17 - speeding ticket in NC, 75 in a 55. And it was a construction zone. (this one also got taken off my record because I hired a lawyer who told me that if I did not get another ticket in the state of North Carolina for 3 years it would be removed.)
Age 18 - hit my friends car as I was backing out, paid about $400 to get his front end replaced (didn't go on my record because I just wrote him a check and didn't go through insurance)
Age 19 - ran over a teammate's foot at our end of the year tennis party. (Claim still open.)
Age 20 - rear ended someone in Cleveland (never had to pay or keep record because no real damage happened. It was like a 5mph nudge)
Age 20 - Speeding ticket in New York. We were late and I think I was doing like 75 in a 65 or something. (went on my record)
Age 21 - Speeding ticket in North Dakota 85 in a 55 (this road was the flattest, straightest, most wide open road I had ever seen. I had just gotten to ND and was 5 minutes from meeting my host mom for the summer. Pretty sure this one is on my record)
Age 22 - No speeding tickets so far, but...
Age 22 - rear ended someone because I was a moron and tried to text and drive..
Wow. That was kind of depressing. I have never recalled every single account until just now. The funny thing is, almost all of those incidents happened when I was by myself in the car. I hope my insurance agents don't read my blog.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)