Breaking the Law with Attitude

It is no secret that people have bad habits. We all do. Not one of us is perfect. Some of us are closer than others, sure, but perfection simply doesn't exist. And bad habits are just one reason why. 

My worst habit is texting and driving. 

I know. Shut up. I am doing SO much better about it, and now that my new car connects by blue tooth, I can literally just leave the damn thing in the back seat and force myself to knock it off. That said, I have one of the worst bad habits to have, because it is insanely dangerous. 

And also because it can sometimes make you do stupid shit.

Last week, I was heading to a comedy show on a Friday night, and had to pick a friend up on the way. Driving from Vancouver to Milwaukie at 4pm on a Friday, is literal Hell. Traffic was bad. So bad. So bad, I had been on the on-ramp from Mill Plain onto 205 southbound for ten minutes without moving an inch. 

So of course, I found myself messing with the features in the new car I'd bought earlier in the week. Programming the radio stations, getting my phone to connect to the blue tooth, and loading my Pandora stations.So while I was not texting, my cell phone was in my hand.

The weather was gorgeous, so even though I have air conditioning that works in my new car, I had the windows down and the music up loud. I was enjoying the cool breeze with my sunglasses on, listening to Keith Urban's newest single, when I heard a booming male voice from outside say, "get off your phone!!"

Instantly - as I hate to be yelled at - I shouted, "oh my god, fuck off, we aren't even moving!" I mean really, I'd been sitting in the same spot on this on-ramp for more than ten minutes. We were not going anywhere. 

"Excuse me?!?!" shouts the annoyed man out my passenger window.

I look up from my phone, expecting to see some punk-ass looking back at me, just trying to be a dick. He probably hates Keith Urban. And kittens. What a dick.

Instead, I find myself face to face with a police officer.

FUUUUUUUUCK!!!! Fuck, fuck, FUCK!!!

I am now instantly back-peddling, and I lean over and say, "I am so sorry, I thought you were just a random person yelling at me. I am just trying to get my music to sync, I'm sorry!!"

And because the gods were on my side, he just shook his head and said I still had to put the phone down even though we were in traffic, before someone else pulled me over.

Oh. My. God. 

Sets phone down.

Smiles Awkwardly.

"Thank you, and again I'm sorry."

Faces front. Hands on ten and two.

Oh, and then we proceeded to sit side by side, windows down, my music up (he loved Keith Urban) for the entire hour it took to drive from Mill Plain to Johnson Creek at 15 miles per hour, both making occasional side glances.

Me not one time picking up my phone.

Bad habits are a real bitch. Apparently all I need to break this one, though, is to have a cop escort me everywhere I go. 

Must Be Time For a #BlogChallenge

Nothing makes me feel as centered as a good blog; writing makes me feel better, it relaxes my soul and calms my crazy. And in the last several weeks, as I tackle a new monster at work, I have had less and less time to myself to write - and in the rare moments where I do get the moment, I am too frazzled to come up with anything of substance to write.

Cue. Rachel.

Last year, Rachel and I partook in a 30 day Blog Challenge, where topics were handed to us on a silver platter, to twist as we saw fit. Rachel started this new Would You Rather Blog Challenge today, and I have committed to start with her - because I feel like I need a push to stay on my writing even when I am busy and overwhelmed. As a kickoff to the next ten days, here we go with a ten to one countdown...

10 Facts about Yourself

1. I love to read. One of my favorite pass times is snuggling up in my jammies with a good book for hours on end.

2. My favorite food is raspberries. Preferably fresh off the vine, warm from the sun.

3. Speaking of off the vine, I find picking berries to be extremely therapeutic.

4. And speaking of therapy, I go twice a month, and it's two of the most enjoyable hours of every month.

5. I think men who dance are sexy.

6. I enjoy listening to music, but I am unable to ever recall song titles or artists, so I have a really hard time downloading new tunes and generally just beg people to make me playlists.

7. My favorite movie ever, is My Girl.

8. Having this blog about Juno published in an Amazon e-book is one of my proudest accomplishments to date. 

9. I only wash my hair once a week on average, and it's never been healthier.

10. I like to buy heels but hate to wear them.

9 Favorite Songs (well crap, this one is hard for me...)

1. Taylor Swift "We Are Never Getting Back Together" - this one will always be a fave for my mom and me

2. Ace of Base "The Sign"

3. The Temptations "My Girl"

4. Ed Sheeran "Thinking Out Loud"

5. Matt Nathanson "Wedding Dress"

6. Eminem "White America" 

7. Ed Sheeran "Nina"

8. Bethany Joy Lenz "Feel This"

9. Rascal Flatts "Melt"

8 Places You’d Love to Go to

1. Greece!!

2. Italy

3. Germany

4. Canada - specifically in the winter

5. Niagra Falls

6. Peru

7. The Galapagos Islands

8. Panama

7 Things You Couldn’t Live Without

1. Sleep

2. The beach

3. Yoga pants (no, but really)

4. Sex

5. Soft kisses

6. Mousse (don't judge, this curly hair is out of control)

7. Love

6 Favorite TV Shows

1. One Tree Hill

2. Gilmore Girls

3. How I Met Your Mother

4. True Blood

5. The Voice

6. Teen Mom

5 Favorite Foods 

1. Fettucine Alfredo with broccoli

2. Tacos

3. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on white bread

4. Tillamook chocolate ice cream

5. Cheese

4 Favorite Drinks

1. Pepsi

2. Corona with Lime

3. Champagne with berries

4. Blue Moon

3 Things You Like About Yourself

1. Physically? My wild curly hair. 

2. My brains.

3. The fact that I can write well.

2 Things You’re Looking Forward To

1. The END of budget season at work - where I can go back to reality and stop working from my bed every night.

2. Taking the week of Christmas off to spend some quality time with my fella.

1 Quote You Live By 

1. "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do." * Eleanor Roosevelt