Court
What an interesting place to visit. I wish I was back in 5th grade visiting the local court house. Not the case on January 26th when I made my 3rd appearence. Why do they even schedule a time? I made sure I was 10 minutes early for my 1:30 appointment. I sat quietly with my dad on one side and my attorney on the other. Finally, about 2:30 my attorney asked the judge if he would kindly call my case. I don't have a file on a Mae Roberts, he replied. Thank God, does that mean my case was thrown out? Ha! not a chance. Just another set of hoops for us to jump through. My attorney met breifly with the posecuting attorney and an agreement was made. Based on the evidence, the officer had no grounds to pull me out of the car and perform the field sobriety testing. That is good news right? The charge was reduced to a wreckless driving, the same charge you would get if you ran a red light. That is good news for my record, but they want to sentence me as if I was charged with a DUI. What that means for me is: $1500.00 fine, drug and alcohol classes and a minimum of 48 hours in jail. WTF! And, not to mention, the 120 day revocation still remains. The court system is backwards...
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The Pig Skin
As I contemplated my upcoming Sunday and how I was going to spend the day the last thing I would have expected myself to ask one of my co-workers was what time do the Vikings play tomorrow? His unsure response required a look at the local tv listings and when that was unsuccessful a call to my sister in the great state of Minnesota confirmed a kick off time. I understand that part of the sudden interest in the pig skin was my upcoming trip to visit my sister which happens to fall on Super Bowl Sunday. It would be extra exciting if the local boys were involved in the biggest sporting event of the year. I also understand that the interest comes from knowing that my day will be spent inside my small, humble abode in result of the recent sentence. So why not pop up some popcorn, snuggle up on the couch with the kids and watch football. People live for this shit...right? Go Vikings....
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Public Transportation
Public Transportation...
Today was the second day, in a row that I rode the bus to work. I found it very interesting how the clientele differed from one day to the next. Friday the bus was full of business men and women reading their books and papers, trying to capture just a few more minutes of filling their heads with information before they get to work. Saturday morning there was a much slower pace. The bus was still full, but with half asleep, or possibly still inebriated people that smelled of stale beer and old cigarettes. Maybe I should have thought of the bus before I hopped into my car after being at the bar.
I have to say, riding the bus was very convenient. I just walk literally outside my front door and catch one bus, ask the driver for a transfer (since I don't have a pass yet) jump on another bus, walk a couple blocks and I am at work. But don't worry, the mornings are cold and the air is terrible, so I still have plenty to complain about.
Today was the second day, in a row that I rode the bus to work. I found it very interesting how the clientele differed from one day to the next. Friday the bus was full of business men and women reading their books and papers, trying to capture just a few more minutes of filling their heads with information before they get to work. Saturday morning there was a much slower pace. The bus was still full, but with half asleep, or possibly still inebriated people that smelled of stale beer and old cigarettes. Maybe I should have thought of the bus before I hopped into my car after being at the bar.
I have to say, riding the bus was very convenient. I just walk literally outside my front door and catch one bus, ask the driver for a transfer (since I don't have a pass yet) jump on another bus, walk a couple blocks and I am at work. But don't worry, the mornings are cold and the air is terrible, so I still have plenty to complain about.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
This is for you Dad!
Selfless adj. Having, exhibiting, or motivated by no concern for oneself, unselfish
Selflessness, the act of sacrificing ones own interest for the greater good.
This describes the way my father lives his life. He is the definition of selfless. He has spent his entire life giving to others regardless of how it will effect his own.
So, to bring it back to my current situation, who else would I have called to bail me out of jail? My struggle came in knowing that the ride home would not be pleasant. My father is selfless, but he is not always Mr. Niceguy. I knew a lecture would follow. His eye would twitch. This trait was identified early on in my childhood and was always a sure sign I was is trouble. But in the end, I knew he would love and support me through anything. Now, my phone rings everyday with him on the other line checking in to make sure I got to work safely. Finding out when I have a day off so we can run errands together. Whether it be to the grocery store of course, I get his imput on what I should and should not be eating for dinner or to start my car, filled it up with gas, wash it and drive it around for a while to make sure it was alright. I can't thank him enough for all that he has done for me in my life (as if bailing me out of jail wasn't enough). What an amazing example to have. Now I am looking for a partner in my own life...Who will ever measure up?
I love you Dad!
Selflessness, the act of sacrificing ones own interest for the greater good.
This describes the way my father lives his life. He is the definition of selfless. He has spent his entire life giving to others regardless of how it will effect his own.
So, to bring it back to my current situation, who else would I have called to bail me out of jail? My struggle came in knowing that the ride home would not be pleasant. My father is selfless, but he is not always Mr. Niceguy. I knew a lecture would follow. His eye would twitch. This trait was identified early on in my childhood and was always a sure sign I was is trouble. But in the end, I knew he would love and support me through anything. Now, my phone rings everyday with him on the other line checking in to make sure I got to work safely. Finding out when I have a day off so we can run errands together. Whether it be to the grocery store of course, I get his imput on what I should and should not be eating for dinner or to start my car, filled it up with gas, wash it and drive it around for a while to make sure it was alright. I can't thank him enough for all that he has done for me in my life (as if bailing me out of jail wasn't enough). What an amazing example to have. Now I am looking for a partner in my own life...Who will ever measure up?
I love you Dad!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Little Pink Houses
My "stranded" day turned out to be much better than I had anticipated. My daughter had gone off to a play date with a friend so it was just me and Luke. My plan was to stay at home and do laundry, instead Luke and I decided to walk up to one of the local strip malls, not on the freeway, of course. As we were walking we had great conversation, about school, movies and some random comments like: Mom, would you want to live in a pink house? Of course, I looked around to see which pink house he was speaking of, but there was no pink house. So I asked where that question came from. He answered, Just wondering. Interesting what goes on in the brain of a 10 year old. With that thought in mind I asked Luke what he thought about me loosing my license. It gives us a good opportunity to get some exercise. Was his first answer. I was suprised at this to say the least. My mind goes to the negative first, and his mind went to the positive. He continued on by saying that he thinks we should do this all the time, even when I can drive again. If it is not too far, that is.
That makes me wonder...Is negativity a learned trait, or are we born with it?
That makes me wonder...Is negativity a learned trait, or are we born with it?
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Stranded
The first thing I hear as my 10 year old wakes me up this morning is What are we going to do today mom? Still a little rummy, thoughts run through my head like: movie? grocery shopping? skiing? road trip?...And then reality sets in. I pull myself out of bed and begin to think about other possibilities. We could take the bus to the mall, but, wait- we live in Utah, and the buses don't run on Sunday (practically nothing runs on Sunday in Utah.) My son suggests walking to the mall and then asks, Mom can we walk on the freeway? We could take a taxi somewhere. God, I feel like a loser!
Maybe it is just a change in perspective. Instead of thinking that I am stranded all day here with a bored 10 year old, I could think that I am going to spend a nice quiet day at home with my son. That sounds a little better. I mean, I know plenty of people that have the ability to drive and choose to stay at home anyway. They take pictures of themselves and their dog. They make candles out of teacups. My parents rarely leave the house and they seem fine with it. My son did say to me I mean, it's not like we would go anywhere even if you could drive. A bit cynical I think.
So laundry it is. And when that is finished, watching movies with Luke. Sounds pretty good actually. Life is a highway, and we are going to ride it all day long.
Maybe it is just a change in perspective. Instead of thinking that I am stranded all day here with a bored 10 year old, I could think that I am going to spend a nice quiet day at home with my son. That sounds a little better. I mean, I know plenty of people that have the ability to drive and choose to stay at home anyway. They take pictures of themselves and their dog. They make candles out of teacups. My parents rarely leave the house and they seem fine with it. My son did say to me I mean, it's not like we would go anywhere even if you could drive. A bit cynical I think.
So laundry it is. And when that is finished, watching movies with Luke. Sounds pretty good actually. Life is a highway, and we are going to ride it all day long.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Going Postal
My second day of walking, and I am an old pro: better shoes this time and much less clothing (bras still a must). It was amazing to me how good I felt when I got to work after a brisk walk. Exercise does help clear the mind. Maybe that is why this journey was much more contiplative and not just about evaluating the meaning behind my outdated playlist. What is the moral of this story? How do I explain this chapter in my book of life lessons. Heavy right? Thank God my mind wandered away from that as soon as I was kindly greeted by the local mail carrier, wearing shorts...What the hell is that about. His legs were as pink as the belly of a baby pig. Still feeling a bit sorry for myself, and grasping for some perspective, I began thinking about how much a mail carrier walks on a daily basis, and by choice. My curiosity on this subject haunted me through my shift at work. When I returned home I hopped online and pulled some interesting statistics to cure my 8 hour obsession.
Mail carriers average about 1906 steps per hour, 15,251 steps in 8 hours or 6 miles. Not as many as I would have guessed. Comparing it to my own situation in which I am walking 2.7 miles in one hour. I must be keeping a much faster pace- thank you, Justin! I feel so proud! Speaking of mailmen, why is it that there are so many adages in our culture about them: going postal, the mailman's baby and so on... walking seems to calm me down. I certainly didn't feel any need to whip out my AK47 and unload it. As for the lonely housewives waiting at the window with Fido for the next delivery, I think maybe, just maybe they have found their cure at the bottom of a prozac bottle (or that trusty case of jell-o.) Then again, maybe the mailman's knees weren't pink from the cold.
Mail carriers average about 1906 steps per hour, 15,251 steps in 8 hours or 6 miles. Not as many as I would have guessed. Comparing it to my own situation in which I am walking 2.7 miles in one hour. I must be keeping a much faster pace- thank you, Justin! I feel so proud! Speaking of mailmen, why is it that there are so many adages in our culture about them: going postal, the mailman's baby and so on... walking seems to calm me down. I certainly didn't feel any need to whip out my AK47 and unload it. As for the lonely housewives waiting at the window with Fido for the next delivery, I think maybe, just maybe they have found their cure at the bottom of a prozac bottle (or that trusty case of jell-o.) Then again, maybe the mailman's knees weren't pink from the cold.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
These boots weren't made for walking.
Drumroll, please.... I did it! It's day 12 and I finally walked to work. Truth be told, it was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I did not come out of the ordeal unscathed: a few war-wounds (blisters) from my untried and untrue Wal-mart boots. I suppose the lesson there is you get what you pay for, right. I guess that little saying could apply to my predicament overall, couldn't it?! I kept close track of the time- one hour almost to the minute. You mathematicians out there could help me with a few calculations- how many calories did I actually burn? Feel free to round up.
I started my journey bundled up with enough layers to clothe all of Detroit: hat, gloves, shirt, sweatshirt, two bras (to prevent bouncing,) etc.... 2 blocks into it and I am already peeling off the layers (bras remained in tact- I don't like too much bouncing). Apparently 20 degrees with an elevated heart rate does not require full snow gear. Once I found the proper clothing-to-output ratio, I settled in to my pace and began to realize a few things. First and foremost, I desperately need to invest in some new music for my I-Pod. Keeping time to such a sorry playlist including Justin Timberlake and Mariah Carey was not adding any spring to my step. Then the realizations went one level deeper: When the hell did I ever like that music? What meaning did it ever hold in my life? The biggest realization came when I caught myself not just peeking into strangers' windows, but downright leering. I never fully allowed myself so much voyeristic pleasure until that walk. The dim light from the smog in the air afforded me the ability to see right inside all of the houses. I think what I may have been looking for was a glimpse of Mr. Right, but of course he was working. Instead I was mostly greeted by Fido barking furiously at me as I stared at him or FeeFee meowing at me as if to say, "what the hell are you doing walking in those cheap boots to that stupid music?"
F**k FeeFee. Blisters and all, it was a pleasureable experience with minimal bouncing. What's next...public transportation? Maybe Mr. Right takes the bus.
I started my journey bundled up with enough layers to clothe all of Detroit: hat, gloves, shirt, sweatshirt, two bras (to prevent bouncing,) etc.... 2 blocks into it and I am already peeling off the layers (bras remained in tact- I don't like too much bouncing). Apparently 20 degrees with an elevated heart rate does not require full snow gear. Once I found the proper clothing-to-output ratio, I settled in to my pace and began to realize a few things. First and foremost, I desperately need to invest in some new music for my I-Pod. Keeping time to such a sorry playlist including Justin Timberlake and Mariah Carey was not adding any spring to my step. Then the realizations went one level deeper: When the hell did I ever like that music? What meaning did it ever hold in my life? The biggest realization came when I caught myself not just peeking into strangers' windows, but downright leering. I never fully allowed myself so much voyeristic pleasure until that walk. The dim light from the smog in the air afforded me the ability to see right inside all of the houses. I think what I may have been looking for was a glimpse of Mr. Right, but of course he was working. Instead I was mostly greeted by Fido barking furiously at me as I stared at him or FeeFee meowing at me as if to say, "what the hell are you doing walking in those cheap boots to that stupid music?"
F**k FeeFee. Blisters and all, it was a pleasureable experience with minimal bouncing. What's next...public transportation? Maybe Mr. Right takes the bus.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Saving my bottom
11 days down, 109 to go and I have yet to actually walk to work. With that said, I would like to throw out a dedication to all of my great friends.
The King of Krump: were I ten years younger and believed in Prophets, we would be together for all time and enternity.
Pretty Poop Shooter: The gal I would like to be- funny, artistic and down right groovy.
The Sterling Gentleman: Getting me caught up on Howard Stern and always willing to share his love of turkey.
My sister from another mother: We didn't share the same womb, but we share the same spirit.
My Bontia Amiga: Always willing to provide free therapy over stuffed burritos.
A Gem of a GM: Rode into my life on his white steed, and hasn't stopped saving the day since.
(in all fairness my ex-husband did pony up one ride, but this is likely the last mention of him)
"I would thank you from the bottom of my heart, but for you my heart has no bottom"
Anonymous
Thanks for saving my bottom!
The King of Krump: were I ten years younger and believed in Prophets, we would be together for all time and enternity.
Pretty Poop Shooter: The gal I would like to be- funny, artistic and down right groovy.
The Sterling Gentleman: Getting me caught up on Howard Stern and always willing to share his love of turkey.
My sister from another mother: We didn't share the same womb, but we share the same spirit.
My Bontia Amiga: Always willing to provide free therapy over stuffed burritos.
A Gem of a GM: Rode into my life on his white steed, and hasn't stopped saving the day since.
(in all fairness my ex-husband did pony up one ride, but this is likely the last mention of him)
"I would thank you from the bottom of my heart, but for you my heart has no bottom"
Anonymous
Thanks for saving my bottom!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
I-Pod, check. Boots, check. Wallet, check. Shoes for work, check. Pepper spray, check. Hat and gloves, check. My God, it sounds like I am getting ready to climb Mt. Everest, but I am just walking to work. It is not that big of a deal. The weather is beautiful. It is even sunny outside. I guess someone is looking out for me today.
Of course, the thought did cross my mind, I could just climb into my car and make the quick drive to work. I mean, what is the worst that could happen? Get arrested for driving on a suspended license? It might be kind-of cool to end up with the likes of Coolio and Paris Hilton. Well, maybe not. Surely, I wouldn't be as dumb as Paris Hilton and forget to turn on my headlights, right? Best not to leave it to chance. With my luck Grandma next door would rear-end me, and then I'd be facing not only 120 days but also an additional 12 months without my lisence. So...
Here I go, walking that is, not driving. I figure it will take about an hour. I have my gear loaded and my boots on. But wait: is that my phone I hear? My phone rang indeed, and another one of my great friends to the rescue. She just happened to be in the area and would be happy to take me to work. We even had time to stop for a cup of coffee on the way. Bonus.
Like I said, someone was looking out for me today.
Of course, the thought did cross my mind, I could just climb into my car and make the quick drive to work. I mean, what is the worst that could happen? Get arrested for driving on a suspended license? It might be kind-of cool to end up with the likes of Coolio and Paris Hilton. Well, maybe not. Surely, I wouldn't be as dumb as Paris Hilton and forget to turn on my headlights, right? Best not to leave it to chance. With my luck Grandma next door would rear-end me, and then I'd be facing not only 120 days but also an additional 12 months without my lisence. So...
Here I go, walking that is, not driving. I figure it will take about an hour. I have my gear loaded and my boots on. But wait: is that my phone I hear? My phone rang indeed, and another one of my great friends to the rescue. She just happened to be in the area and would be happy to take me to work. We even had time to stop for a cup of coffee on the way. Bonus.
Like I said, someone was looking out for me today.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
How I got to work today
Statistics state that between 7pm and 3am on weekends, 10% of all drivers are impaired. Most Americans drink alcohol and over 80% of those admit to driving after drinking. I took a poll among my friends and family and about 95% of them admit to driving after drinking. I unfortunately, got caught.
What a way to end a great evening. Spending time with an old friend, going to watch one of our mutual friends' band play at a local bar. Driving home having great conversation and all of a sudden I am on the side of the highway standing on one foot counting to 30. What does saying the alphabet starting at D and ending at S say about being drunk or not drunk? And then there is jail...A full body search, mouth, hair, everything. Talk about humiliating. I am just glad I am not famous. I don't want my mug shots ending up on E.T.! Not pretty. The jailer pointed to the blue phones on the wall and told me to call a bondsman and someone to come and pick me up. The sign over the phones read something like, collect calls to land lines only. My question is who has a land line anymore, and if they do, who knows anyones phone number from memory? Don't you just go to your contact list on your cell phone and hit send? The only person I could call in that situation was my dad...On the bright side, I did feel like I was reliving my high school days. And maybe, just for a minute, dad felt 20 years younger too.
Time for bed, I have to get a good night sleep in preparation for my inaugural walk to work tomorrow!
What a way to end a great evening. Spending time with an old friend, going to watch one of our mutual friends' band play at a local bar. Driving home having great conversation and all of a sudden I am on the side of the highway standing on one foot counting to 30. What does saying the alphabet starting at D and ending at S say about being drunk or not drunk? And then there is jail...A full body search, mouth, hair, everything. Talk about humiliating. I am just glad I am not famous. I don't want my mug shots ending up on E.T.! Not pretty. The jailer pointed to the blue phones on the wall and told me to call a bondsman and someone to come and pick me up. The sign over the phones read something like, collect calls to land lines only. My question is who has a land line anymore, and if they do, who knows anyones phone number from memory? Don't you just go to your contact list on your cell phone and hit send? The only person I could call in that situation was my dad...On the bright side, I did feel like I was reliving my high school days. And maybe, just for a minute, dad felt 20 years younger too.
Time for bed, I have to get a good night sleep in preparation for my inaugural walk to work tomorrow!
Friday, January 1, 2010
How am I going to get to work today? A question that, I don't believe, I have ever asked myself. I just climb into my car filled with gas and make the short 2.7 mile drive to work, right? That is, of course, until I received the letter in the mail stating: your driving privilege is suspended effective 26 Dec 2009 for a period of 120 days or until you reach the age of 21, whichever is longer. Well, I am almost 37 years old so that means 120 days or 4 months or April 26, 2010. So now I ask the question, How am I going to get to work today?
The negatives: Right now there are still so many negatives in my mind that I think I will just focus on the positives...OK
The positives: I have been looking for a way to shed a few of those extra pounds so, I will walk to work. I would like to do my part, you know live greener, so I will use public transportation.
It would be nice to save some money on gas. Let's see $100 a month for 4 months, an extra $400 would be great. I could use the money on some new clothes after I loose all of the weight.
The first day I have to go back to work after the holidays is a Sunday. Buses don't run on Sunday so I will walk. 2.7 miles isn't that far. Forecast for January 3 in Salt Lake: high of 31 low of 17. Not so bad. At least I don't live in Minneapolis!
Ok one day down 119 to go. How am I going to get to work tomorrow?
The negatives: Right now there are still so many negatives in my mind that I think I will just focus on the positives...OK
The positives: I have been looking for a way to shed a few of those extra pounds so, I will walk to work. I would like to do my part, you know live greener, so I will use public transportation.
It would be nice to save some money on gas. Let's see $100 a month for 4 months, an extra $400 would be great. I could use the money on some new clothes after I loose all of the weight.
The first day I have to go back to work after the holidays is a Sunday. Buses don't run on Sunday so I will walk. 2.7 miles isn't that far. Forecast for January 3 in Salt Lake: high of 31 low of 17. Not so bad. At least I don't live in Minneapolis!
Ok one day down 119 to go. How am I going to get to work tomorrow?
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