why i don't miss driver's ed class (a true story)

Yesterday I took my dreaded driver re-training class brought to you by CT DMV. Actually, A Better Connecticut Driver, but who's really keeping track of names? It's still a 4 hour class that's pretty much a refresh of something I learned 6 years ago. People who get caught speeding, running lights, stops signs, etc. have to take this class or get their license suspended. What I learned is that there are all kinds of people out there offending the traffic laws. Besides me, 25 multi-colored-personalities of fun! Fortunately for me, I got to sit at the same table with the chief offender. But we'll get to that in a bit.

This class took place at a local hotel (which actually was a nice blessing since some students had driven a considerable distance whereas I only took about 5-10 minutes). We were all packed into one of the smaller banquet rooms with tiny 3 people-per-table settings. I got there early due to the lady on the phone telling me the doors would be closed and locked had I gotten there a minute past the start time (she told me 5:45 sharp, in actuality it started at 6pm, and I just made it by 5:30... but at least I got a good seat).

OH!! Before we get to the hotel, let me tell you about before I got there. Per the lady on the phone, I had to pay with a money order of $60. (Which brings my total speeding offense to about $360.) So I went to the local money order place I knew of, a 24 hour store down the street from my house that I normally got money orders from. I rarely buy them, and I rarely use checks. So this is somewhat of a hassle for me, but I deal with it. It's about 5pm and the dude says the machine that does money orders is only on in the morning. I'm thinking... WHAT THE STANK?! I don't say it, but I want to. And I feel anger and frustration but I'm too much in a hurry to demand explanations.

I drive down to the grocery store thinking they might have my needs and call my mom on the way, looking for other options. She suggests a pawn shop the opposite way. I love my mom. She was correct. I get there and tell the dude I need a money order and begin to pull out the plastic. He stops me before I go any further to alert me its a cash only deal. It didn't dawn on me at the time. I mean c'mon, it's a pawn shop. He suggests the 24 hour store down the street has an ATM. The same one that turned off their money order machine. Big sigh.

I'm back at the 24 hour store and head straight to the ATM. I pay me stupid $2 to get $80, then grab a Pepsi to break one of the $20s so I have change to buy the money order. (Silly me, before leaving the house I could've grabbed $.60 to avoid this transaction, but the Pepsi comes in handy later.)

I'm back at the pawn shop, I get my money order, and I travel to the hotel. Had I not gone back and forth, I would've been there much earlier. But early birds get the better seats, once you find the room anyway. I helped an older gentleman find the same room too.

Walking in those rooms at evening hours gave me unsettling memories of when I was swindled out out $500 for a pyramid scheme. I don't wanna talk about it.

There's only 3 people in the room when I get there. Three older guys. In my head, being a young guy, I was hoping for some hot girls that happened to be bad drivers. Hey, I can dream. As the time got closer to 6, the room filled up with mostly older men. And what women that did come in, weren't really in my league. One such dude gave me hope when he came in, telling me the last time he had to come to such a class, it was full of girls. He knew me from high school, and he did look familiar, but still after he told me his name, I was drawing a blank. Alas, that night it was the opposite of hot girls.

I don't really like talking about people since I never know who might read this, but one such person who sat at my table... Let me put it like this, I'd never attack a woman. But this woman I think I wanted to duct tape her entire face. I'd leave holes to breathe through and maybe one eye hole, but deep inside, I didn't care much for her. (I wouldn't really do it. Just the sound of the duct tape would make me happy.) If the reason isn't clear, it's because she kept talking. Even before the class started, she was on her cell phone talking to whoever about who knows what. Wasn't really considerate to the others around her even though class didn't start. But while the teacher talked, she had comments. Not helpful or insightful. More along the lines of trying to be humorous. It came off as annoying. Perhaps it was thinking out loud. And when we did the tests? Between reading out loud and pointing out typos, I longed for escape. (I'll throw in the fact she felt like she wasn't supposed to be in this class due to her getting a ticket and it not being her fault. I lost so much interest that I don't remember the specific details of her offense.)

I'm missing a point here. I was at one end of the table, she was at the other. A kind lady sat between us. Like I said, it was cramped as it is. I don't think the lady at the end of the table would've lived very long if the class was 5 or 6 hours. And think, all I wanted to do was duct tape her. I could see the stress and frustration the lady next to me was feeling. She did the best she could to keep it inside, but she was also good with the sarcasm or gestures of "I really hate you right now, please don't speak to me" while smiling or brushing her off completely. At one point she turned to her and said she was giving a little too much class participation when the lady commented on why she doesn't like seat belts. (The lady was a rather large lady, especially in the chest area, and complained TO THE CLASS about having to get out of the seatbelt should there be an accident due to her, um, largeness.)

What made it worse was the dude who knew me (and sat in front of me) was part of the problem, kind of talking or commenting to her or her comments. He was actually making comments all all night to everyone and the teacher and even started a conversation with the teacher about being a teacher. This caused an unseen man in the back to blurt out "Get on with it!" Ironically enough, we just covered road rage.

The other pain we all endured was a man who didn't seem like he followed the whole program. That wasn't the problem I, or others, had with him. It was the coughing. Perhaps it was a smokers cough. I'm not sure. But it was a cough that sounded worse each time he did it. And by worse, I mean it was longer, louder and... uh... moister. I don't want to get too graphic. It just got unpleasant. I wouldn't have been surprised if he coughed up a shoe. In fact, I hoped he would so that way maybe we'd know and be aware "Okay, this guy had a shoe in his lung. Now he'll be quiet and okay the rest of the night."

The whole night could've been a lot worse. I don't want to imagine how. But at least now I'm done with the cops, the DMV and their fees for everything. I will do the best I can to avoid speeding, mostly so I can avoid sitting through another class, and spending hours with people I probably won't ever meet again. God forbid, but how ironic would it be if any of us got into an accident with each other?

write about now

Lately I'm finding more time to myself now that I'm getting other... I don't know... I guess you can call them distractions... but they are getting out of the way. One of the bigger issues was getting Sam back, which I have done. It's not completely taken care of yet since I still owe some $$$ on the repair job. At least it's inspired me of yet another project to work on tentively titled "Adventures in Having a Car." It will showcase the "joys" of operating a motor vehicle. A big segment will be devoted to "The Law" and all the fun you can have going to court for various reasons like driving and talking on you cell phone (which is illegal in Connecticut), driving an unregistered and/or uninsured car, and my latest offense--speeding. In one episode, we'll talk about why and how you can benefit fighting a ticket and what happens if you don't. Then we'll shed some light on yet another reason I might want to leave Sam and CT for the subway and cab-filled city of New York.

To shed some light on where this idea came from, I got a notice from the lovely DMV telling me I need to take a course in driving safety or else my license will be suspended. This is due to me just paying my speeding ticket thinking that it will be over and done with. I was mistaken. Sigh.

But back to the writing--I sit at my console (I love saying that) and I look through my list of projects to work on and never actually get around to working on any of them. I get distracted by other things I have on my table (which is usually half of my bed) which consists of unwatched movies and unread books. Wednesday I got a good 2 hours of harp learning and practice in. Saturday and Sunday I did some Spanish exercises. You can expect me to throw in some Spanish from time to time here. Furthermore, Saturday night I finally watched The Forbidden Kingdom which has been sitting on my bed for the past two weeks. I still need to finish watching Freaks and Geeks so I can return those to Netflix and get more DVDs to sit on my bed unwatched for weeks at a time.

Speaking of my room, I was terrified of a freakishly large spider hanging out on my jeans yesterday. I wasn't wearing them yet, and at first glance thought it was a ball of string. My God I was wrong. I'm not a girl. I don't scream. I voiced a very manly "WHOA!" and tossed them in the middle of the room, watching them cautiously lay there being passively occupied by an intruder with 6 extra legs. I grabbed one of four shoes I found and pounded around looking for this quarter-sized pants-stealer. I found him/her eventually and committed spidercide, then vacuumed the body, put on my pants, and went to church. No forgiveness was asked. I think there's a rule somewhere for spiders thou shalt not touch another man's garments or something.

I wrote an article years ago for my high school news paper about my friend Billy, who was a spider living in my room. He stayed by the ceiling, and we had an agreement that he would never cross the line, and I won't kill him. Unfortunately, my mom told me she killed him and didn't tell me, and an imposter Billy came about, but failed to recognize the treaty. I do believe I killed that one once I learned of Billy's fate. But I find it humorous thinking "what if..." What if who I killed Sunday was actually Billy? Or maybe Billy's offspring seeking revenge? I didn't see a resemblance. Billy was much smaller than this beast. I don't think they were remotely related.

I digress. Severely. I really wanna write a script or something but have a hard time choosing from projects I've started. But I think I'm going to set a goal for myself this week to work on some of the serial works I have. Like the Fickette McSavvy cartoon. At least I can have a pilot episode written. At least. Or maybe my Noah Madison stories. Something. I need the juices to pump and flow. I need the euphoria of accomplishment. Hmmm... I like that. Plus you just don't know how long I've been waiting to throw a word like "euphoria" out and have it actually mean something. I decree that will be the middle name of a future child! Do you hear that future wife and mother to that child(ren)? ______ Euphoria Watson. Heck! It even works as a first name. And it is written. Other names I like to throw in the ring: Jade, Phoenix, Nefertiti... I can't think of the others right now.

I'm not sure when the writing will occur. Possibly tomorrow evening after work and before Fringe. Maybe late on Thursday night. Sometime during Friday or Saturday? Who really knows? Plus I have a number of books to complete/study/skim. So I must make time for that also. Stay in school, kids.

guess who's (what's) back?

SAM'S BACK!!! Finally, after about two months, Sam finally comes home from the hospital and sounds better than ever. It better, costing me about 2Gs. I only paid half because that's all I can afford right now. The longer the doctor made me wait, the more the money burned in my pocket. And it wasn't really me that wanted to spend it... It was the bills that took it.

Fortunately, I negotiated to have my car loan extended, and my car insurance payments dropped. That allowed me to pay off other things like my speeding ticket, AAA membership (I'm now a Plus member, yes yes yall!) and my Espanol classes.

What's left on my tab is paying off Purchase loans and Middlesex loans. My wallet won't ever stop crying. Middlesex first, so I can go back to higher education in January. That's the plan anyway. If I can't make it--prostitution. I JEST! I jest. Drugs. Definitely drugs. Again, jokes. I may just take another adult education class, possibly Spanish Dos, or something else like "How to get published"... I think that's what I saw in the catalogue. But that will be a fun class for me. Then I could put some of my typing energy to use, other than entertain the thousands that read my blog.

I wrote another post earlier today which I don't think I'm going to post, or maybe I'll post it later. It was more of a rant on the bipolar disorder, and how it possibly may be linking it to creative people, like myself. I stopped everything to read it, then I responded via my blog in a much longer entry than I usually write. Like I said, it was a rant. To make a long story short, people have suggested I'm bipolar because of the way I am, how I act, and how I feel which changes on a daily basis. A lot of those traits I have are symptoms of bipolarism. I don't think that's a word, but go with it. According to what I read on CNN.com, those same symptoms can be applied to just being human. A crazy human, but a human nonetheless. I go into more about the crazy part, but I'll save it for later.

I had a long meeting today. It was more of a training class. But it was kinda long. Learning a new process to process our files. It's not important. But I love not having to go to the office for these things and practically everyone is on the phone. Unfortunately, people still don't know how to use the MUTE button. Sigh. Moving on...

I also wrote about some redecorating in my office, but I'll save that for later too. I want to try to take pictures and post them at the same time for once. I was going to take a picture of my car, but I had to get back to work and didn't have time. Plus right now, it's not that deep.

What I really want to do is go to sleep. But I want to watch the debate (on CNN). Then tomorrow, I need to make sure I'm registered to vote. I don't think I am. Before I hear gasps across the nation, let me explain--I am registered to vote, I just need to make sure I'm registered in Connecticut. The last time I voted, I was in New York schooling at Purchase. See? Fortunately, CT laws say I have until the day before Election day. Again, don't worry, I'm not going to wait that long. I'll do it a week before.

I may have another post before the night is through, dealing with books. Why the stank would I have a post about books? Well, it interested me when I read it and I want people to know I read more than just Entertainment Weekly. But don't hold your breath... it's not much of a reading list, but possibly insightful nonetheless. (That's twice I used that word today.) Plus it's me we're talking about, of course you'll be interested in what I do when I'm not writing, watching movies or stuffing my face with nutrients. Cinnabon, anyone? (I wish.)

installation and destruction day

Today was installation day. My mom and I got our phone lines and modems and yesterday our routers came in. Awesomeness all around. Except for the part that everybody was home... Meaning my dad and grandmother. When she teams up with him, the landscape begins to change. By landscape, I mean my yard. This isn't a problem until they recruit me to help. What did I have to help them with today? Making our yard look like a post-hurricane site. My dad rented an extended saw thingy that cut down branches up high. Sadly, some of these branches needed help coming down, or needed guidence so they won't, like, crash into the windows... like mine.

Long story short, every hour or so, I (and sometimes my mom) had been called to help bring down a rather large limb. I finally got wise and got gloves to pull on the rope (for what I was called for) so I could use what mere strength I have to help guide the huge nature pieces down.

I'll post some pictures later. Meanwhile, tomorrow could almost possibly be my 2nd to last day at the office. Maybe not. I don't know.

I just know right now, I'm hungry. I'm feeling a little moody because of a slight headache which might be due to my non-food intake. Why don't I eat something already? I'm still saving money to get my car back, which hopefully is this Friday. I'd almost kill for a pizza. Maybe I'll make a sandwich. I really need a pick-me-up.

I also really need to get cracking on that script. I ordered Our Uncle Sam but I don't think I can wait for it or read all of it in time to finish writing and be ready by the end of the month and most importantly, by the time I meet Uncle Jazzy. I keep repeating myself about this, and I hate doing it so maybe once I get some work on it done, I'd feel better. But now? I need nurishing nutrients.

too much news

Okay... so there is so much happening in the past few days and days to come I can't contain it. So in order to keep the attention to those that do read my rambling blog every so often, I shall keep the events short and to the point while still keeping my wittisms and mannerisms that make my blog true to it's nature of indoobness.

First, I learned yesterday that my church has been confirmed to receive a grant worth $30,000! That's thirty-thousand dollars. It mainly goes to our after-school program that we recently started this past spring and will start again this coming fall.

Secondly, we are awaiting notice of confirmation (which is most likely going to happen within the next week) of a 2nd grant for our church worth $400,000. That's four. Hundred. THOUSAND. Within that hunk of money lies my Mac and whatever else I might need in my studio which is being realize soooo much sooner than I originally planned. What's also in that grant? Paychecks for people who work for the church--which is actually surprising to me--includes me on the payroll. Why? I'm the A/V technician and webmaster. There are other people who do great work for the church too, so they would also be paid by this grant. Most excitingly would be my dad, whom is the pastor, would get paid from this so he would no longer have to suffer driving an hour away everyday at a job that pays him so little for the amount of work he does... PLUS having to leave work and be a pastor which is a much more demanding and important job. Sigh. But alas, this will be so much better for him and I'm so happy about it.

But that's not all. There's one more grant we're waiting for confirmation from. This grant actually sent us two letters so far saying it's on the way. How much is this grant worth? Over Six Million. I was literally in tears yesterday morning after hearing this news. Not only me, but my dad, my mom, my sis, my brother-in-law, and my grandmother. A few other were in tears too... those that know how much we struggle in our personal lives trying to do all we can to make ends meet both at home and the church. There's a reason why it seems like God makes His people suffer. Long story short: It's a test. Moral of that test: Don't lose faith. And rest assured, we won't in the least. Just the opposite. More faith. Woot!

But wait! There's more! Our wonderful grant-writer whom I've known as Rev. Richardson is going to open up her own corporation and is putting in a grant for herself on Wednesday. She included us in on that grant. I don't want to say how much it is just for the pure shock of it. I mean I thought the 6 mil was a head trip, but she's got us practically set for life. Nevertheless, the money will be used for what it's intended for. Overall, enlarging the Kingdom of Heaven. What's that mean? Helping those who need help, like the sick or the lost or what have you... The things churches are supposed to do. That's been my dad's mission since he started this church 3 years ago. And we've never stopped doing what we could since we started. And no, it wasn't easy. In fact, no one said it would be. Even more fact, people doubted we could do it. Sigh... Ye of little faith. That there was something my dad said that really shook me up inside... In the name of God, he's planning on taking over the city of Middletown.

As for other news, I'll be coming home to work very, very soon. Wednesday they will install our cable and phone. thursday we are supposed to get out chairs. Over the past weekend they installed the special program we need on our computers to take them home. All we need is the routers which will be shipped to our house. So my original countdown was off a week, and the new one might've been overshot. We'll see since it all depends on when the router arrives.

All of this news is really exciting, altogether. But I'm taking it in stride, day by day. I can't lose my focus on what I need to do. Even with all the excitement, I still have other projects I need to work on. Sam Cooke for instance. I need to have the screenplay written before the month is over. I was thinknig of holding off until I received Erik Greene's book on his uncle's life. I read an excerpt on Amazon.com, and from that alone I think I know how to start and end it. I'm still going to read the book, but I at least need to start it. Plus it's a screenplay... The majority of it will always be constantly rewritten even while it's being filmmed. In any event, I need to have a complete script by the end of August to meet my challenge deadline as well as have something to show my uncle. Hey, I might as well get ready for the Hollywood world, right? I've always wanted to be the exception to the game, so maybe I will make my own deadlines and play by my own rules and take my Tyler Perry-esque stake in Hollywood.

Did I mention I'm excited? Yes yes yall.

i just can't win

What my faith teaches me is that this life is a spiritual battle, and will remain that way as long as we are alive. Which explains why some things happen to good people. When good things happen, of course we'll be happy and joyous. Or perhaps we just did something for someone else that made them feel great, and so we feel great for helping.

The evil powers that be see this joy and decide they want to steal that joy and break you down. So perhaps they'll throw crazy expensive bills or car troubles or even sickness to you or a loved one to throw you off.

Besides what evil may throw at you, I've learned that God won't put more on you that you can bare. It's yet another test to see how grounded in my faith I am. So I must remain steadfast and keep my faith that everything will work out somehow, someway.

Meanwhile, in more happy times, yesterday was a great day. There are pictures on the church website that I maintain. http://gracemercyministries.com Check out the photo section and look at the Friends and Family Day part... Perhaps I'll see if I can copy/paste the thumbnails on here later. We'll see.

Psych is making me happy right now. :o)

we got work to do

YES! I never thought I'd be so excited to have work to do, but I'm happy that I have some work to do. Unfortunately I might not make my number this week still due to pulling new files today that need 24 hours to be completely completed. Is that redundant? Anyway, they need to run through this thing and get a report. But I can't get that report until I actually start the file. The earlier I start the file, the sooner I can get that report, and the sooner I can finish the file. i found that if I take care of all of that before 8am, I'm good by 3-4pm the same day. Secrets of the trade.

My internet at home isn't working and this angers me. I must have to call Cox and tell them about themselves... as well as Progressive and tell them I don't want to do business anymore AND maybe for them not to bill me tomorrow so I can have enough for Sam in case I need it.

Anyway, I gots works to do, so let me get to it.

i dislike tuesdays

I wrote a poem a few years ago, I think it's corny by the standards I write now, but it was called "Monday" or "Mondays"... I can't remember. But the point of the poem was how much I dislike Mondays and it had a basic rhyming scheme. Well, it was also one of the first poems I started incorporating punch lines, or just a significant ending line to really close out the poem. And the ending (punch)line, rephrased, is that for whatever reason, if I bypassed the trials of whatever usually takes place on Monday, I still have trouble because there's always Tuesday.

Took me a while to make the point, I apologize... But the latest not so great news is once again concerning Sam the car, when a supposedly off-duty cop on a motorcycle pulled up next to me around the corner from my house and told me that my brake lights aren't working, save for the one in the middle. I saw he was off duty because he had the uniform, but his bike seemed, ya know, not police standard. No lights or symbols. Anyway, I was waiting for a ticket or something, but no... Just a precaution and "You should get that check out." Dread sets in.

Earlier today, at work and not working, I looked into whole sale Nissan parts. I now understand why it'll cost $1600 to get my car fixed. The fuel injector is $120. And I need four of them. The head gasket, if I'm reading it correctly, and I'd like to think that I am, is only about $20. And from what I saw, it didn't look anything like what I thought a gasket was. To be honest, I don't think I've ever seen a gasket before. So if I saw it laying in front of me right now... nothing. Sort've like the drive shaft that fell off of the pick-up truck I was driving years ago. I had no idea what it was. Just a long pole looking thing that shouldn't be detached from where it was.

My other woes were just frustrated people on the phone making me a little frustrated. There's no point in explaining what was wrong, let's just say I worked in the shoe department, and she needed the clothes department. However, (and I don't really care) I may some how been able to help had I known more about serious fashion styles and the inner workings of things... but all I need to know and worry about is shoes.

Meanwhile, my co-workers had little issues here and there, but I only help when I'm asked. I feel like i'm butting in, unless of course they are openly talking about the issue at hand. But something a little irritating is when someone asks me a question, then I answer, then they ask someone else as if my answer wasn't good enough. If you don't want my help, don't ask! Sigh. Let me calm down. I need to make some phone calls and get my parents a little getaway that I know I'll be needing soon.

By the way, anyone have like $1000 to just GIVE me? It's not for my car. It's for everything else that has an extended hand waiting to go fishing around in my pockets.