Trepidations

I've been experiencing dreams I don't like, nightmares of windshields and screeching tires or seat belts that don't work. Brought on by drivers education classes for my oldest. He is of age to get a license so when he finishes and gets a waiver he can very well have his license next week.

Friends who were in car accidents are too numerous for the law of averages. The theory I hold on to is that the town was on too accurate of an east west grid. Sunset and sunrise were blinding times to be on the road. Add on small town life livened up by a party school Jr. College and we're talking trouble.

I knew a host of teenagers killed too soon or injured due to accidents. It creeps me out a bit.
-My brother's friend who had to have his jaw wired shut at 17 due to a roll over.
-A couple of friends going over the hood of a driver who didn't even see them on their motorcycle. They hit the curb on the other side. One was in a coma and passed away the next year, the other recovered.
-The brother of a friend crushed in his car as he did a head on with a pick up. He was driving too fast after a party in the country. The fragility of the car plus the speed left no chance.
-Another friends sister in a head on with a drunk driver before I even knew of her existence. An odd revealing moment when I found out there used to be three children instead of two.
-A young co-worker driving home in the morning, a man had a heart attack, met his car head on just as he was clearing construction and killed him.
-A 15 year old cousin in a car driven by someone else who rolled the car in a ditch on a country road.

I think of my own stupidity, leaning down to grab a cassette off the floor, watching the dirt fly up behind me as I try to get back on the road.

The bad boyfriend who buried the speedometer because he was being pissy with everyone. The car was old and floated at the front. The only time it slowed down was when we went up a slight rise.

Sitting in the back seat of the hot red car with the t-tops off going 125 because they wanted pancakes NOW.

Getting stuck because the girl wanted to test out her new four wheel drive. She went right into a shallow ditch and stopped just short of the hill behind it. We got out, luckily.

Getting mud in a friend's mothers SUV because we went too far out on an inlet at the lake. The only way to get out was to back up. It had been raining all week, he couldn't see out and had to unroll the windows. It was such a tight squeeze he asked everyone but one other passenger to get out because he was uncertain if he was going to slide off into the lake. The other passenger watched the other side to tell him if he got too close.

Letting my fifteen year old friend drive in the country. We fish tailed around a corner and headed for the deep ditch before she found the brakes. I took the wheel position back.

Trying to do a 'Y' turn on a mountain outlook almost getting hit by a car going the other way. It saw us just in time as it came around the corner.

I know teenagers do stupid things. It's part of being a teenager. My husband tells me about the stupid things he and his friends did and I review the stupid things I did. And that makes me worried.

I think about the moment of inattention my oldest had while driving a go cart when he was four. He ran right into a wall. Even with the seat belt and padded steering wheel, his appliance replacing his front teeth made his gums bleed. I find more reason to worry.

I take comfort in the fact that he's a good kid. He's a smart kid. He'll know the rules of the road.

But I'm still going to worry.

New Type of Camera?

Not often I find something before everyone else out there. A new camera that let's you focus AFTER you take the picture. Hope it's for real and not a load. I've been frustrated by my lack of skill with my camera and the slowness it can take to snap pictures. And trying to focus on what I want to has been a bit of a problem. I certainly have enough pictures not worthy of showing. 

Treasure in the Darkness

Tornadoes. We got 'em.

Lightening, thunder, we got 'em.

Unbelievable sun set. Oh, yeah. Got that too.

 

The camera couldn't capture that sunset quite like I'd like it to. There was a violet purple in the sky that no matter how I fiddle or how I took the picture, it just wouldn't capture. And I never caught the lightening in those dark clouds. Always went off just before or just after I snapped, no matter how many times I hit the button, heh. I know I could probably put some fake lightening in the clouds but to me it's just not the same as capturing the moment that bolt skipped across the clouds.

Another One Bites the Dust

Drat! Didn't get that job.

Back to the salt mines of looking. But first, I'm going to step outside that zone again and go swimming at the BIG pool. Weee haw!

Quips from Kids

"Oh, no," I said over my shoulder to my teen. "My video has been blocked in some countries." First time that ever happened. I was a little surprised. It's because of the music I picked.

"Oh, no!" he replied. "Someone in Backwateristan won't be able to see your video."

Ha!

Comfort Zones

One reason I enjoyed moving from such a small town to a much larger one is I can take myself out of my life. Now, I know it's hard to believe, but I sometimes get sick of myself. I take this as a sign that I need to go do something new. See a new horizon, new neighborhood or heck, even a new grocery store. I need to explore.

In a town of under 6000 people it was hard to find something new to explore after ten years. Two grocery stores, maybe five restaurants, hard to keep track because they kept closing due to retirements, two parks designated North and South. It was hard to find something around town that would take me out of myself for a bit. I wanted hills too. There were no hills. I could see one end of town from the other. Total dullness.

We moved. 24,000 more people. A newer part of town, an older part of town and some hills to hike. Parks with biking and walking trails, interesting horizons, more restaurants than I can remember and stores to explore. Even the library got an update  and is something to explore.  When I get sick of the same old, same old I can step out of the dull and find something different.

We went to a new to us Chinese restaurant looking for a good Crab Rangoon. We had never been there before, didn't know what they offered or what the best time to go there would be. We were the only two in there. The employees seemed like they were annoyed at us or with each other, still haven't figured which way. I can't tell you what they were saying because they weren't speaking English. Their body language was tired, hurried and nary a smile crossed an employee's face. Hell, for all I know they were annoyed at something minor that had nothing to do with business.  I wondered if a plate was about to fly across the kitchen. The atmosphere began to make us distinctly uncomfortable. We had found a step outside our comfort zone which in it's own way was thrilling. Almost an uncomfortable thrill. I had stepped outside my zone for awhile. I didn't think I'd need to do that for awhile yet.

On the upside,  I can recommend their Crab Rangoon.

Whoo hoo!

Hey! I got a job interview!

That was so nice. Made me feel good just to be considered. I'll go over the moon if I actually get it.