Thursday, September 29, 2011
don't worry about it?
fyi - this one is a little on the long side
on september 14th, mike and i booked a trip to secrets silversands, cancun. you may have read that post. if not, it was a quickie and you can check it out here.
i would like to take some time today to tell you about how i know my boss really wants me to come back to work after i push out the little human i am brewing... there is some information you will need for this one:
..........jfk..........
on september 14th, mike and i booked a trip to secrets silversands, cancun. you may have read that post. if not, it was a quickie and you can check it out here.
i would like to take some time today to tell you about how i know my boss really wants me to come back to work after i push out the little human i am brewing... there is some information you will need for this one:
- here at my job we are given 10 days of vacation a year - accrued starting january 1 thru december 31. also, we are given 5 sick days - accrued as well - and 2 personal days - accrued - go figure! ** look at all those dashes i used - yikes! ;-) i should revise that but i wont. but basically, what it boils down to is this, you can use your days whenever. even if you technically haven't accrued them yet.
- i have blown through my days already - all of them, with the exception of 1 sick day. truthfully, i had blown through them by about 2 months ago. oof! there are still like 2 months left in the year.
- prior to using up all my days, mike and i had discussed the possibility of going away-away again for our 1-year anniversary. unfortunately, mike was concerned about me potentially being pregnant. as if it wouldn't be possible to go away if i were. so, it was decided that we wouldn't be doing that. so instead, we took a trip to florida in march, i went to georgia in april and then, to wrap up our year's trips, mike and i went to sea isle city with the family in july. just as we have done in years past. that was to be it for the year.
- but we were still unsettled about not going away-away. so we discussed it a little more and agreed that if my boss would allow it, i would take unpaid days off to go away - 2 at the most. this was a long shot, because in my boss' policies, it basically states that unpaid days off are not acceptable. but it can't hurt to ask...
- i walk in to boss-man's office and ask if i can talk with him for a minute. he gives me a look of concern as i shut the door. i begin to explain to him about how i know that i have used up my available days off but that mike and i would really like to be able to do something for our 1-year anniversary, especially since we have this little human on the way and may not be able to do this for a while... but before i really get the baby part out he throws up his hands - sort of like this (see pictures)
- boss-man starts to say stuff like:
"...oh, yeah. sure, no problem..."
"...you should definitely celebrate your first year of marriage..."
"...please, do what you need to do. i just want to be sure you come back..."
that last line, about coming back, was what got me. he seemed frightened that i was not going to return after i birthed this baby... almost desperate to be sure that i would return. it also appeared that he would do anything to be sure that happened. i just sort of looked at him, surprised. then responded with something like:
"oh. yeah, of course i'm coming back. what else am i supposed to do? i still have to pay the bills..." - after that whole awkward exchange, i started to explain how i really only want to take 2 days off - unpaid if i must. i even mentioned possibly using my last 2 sick days, but he said not to worry about it. i found that interesting... like, really? i'm not supposed to worry about it? okay then - however that works.
- but really, 'how is that going to work?' i wondered to myself. so, as i was beginning my approach to the door to leave i said with hesitation, "okay. i will just go and fill out a request form with joyce. what do i tell her... how should i do this?" ** real quick. joyce is our office manager. and when one of us employees want to take time off, we fill out a request form with her and she gives it to boss-man for approval. ** i was beside myself about how this was supposed to go down. especially since i've already received my so-called approval... joyce would have a hissy fit about this one... knowing i don't have the days to take. she always gives people crap about taking days even when we have them let along not having them... but boss-man said not to even worry about doing that! he told me to send him an email recapping our discussion and he will take care of it when the time comes. and once again, he told me not to worry. okay then. not to worry, it is.
- then i went back to my desk.
..........jfk..........
after 9 days, i return
it's been 9 days since my last post. sheesh!
i've had some work here and there at my job - probably the most i've had in 2 1/2 months - but i have also been a little preoccupied in the brain. my brain has been swirling around a bunch of things. i may have mentioned that before. but things like work - or lack there of at my job. yes that still concerns me, even though my boss has made if very clear that he needs me and wants me here... there will be a post on that to follow. freelance stuff, which is sort of a buzz with "potential" projects, but mostly just research and quotes for me to work on and no actual pay checks yet. baby stuff, like the baby room which is now underway. my body, which is a battle field of issues from being pregnant. i will not discuss that here b/c it is classified under t.m.i. for sure. maybe i will put it on my facebook group page - maybe not. needless to say, with all the things i'm constantly thinking about i cannot seem to actually get anything done except eat and sleep. great. i can't even post.
for now, i would like to leave you with some tips on life and living:
...........jfk.............
i've had some work here and there at my job - probably the most i've had in 2 1/2 months - but i have also been a little preoccupied in the brain. my brain has been swirling around a bunch of things. i may have mentioned that before. but things like work - or lack there of at my job. yes that still concerns me, even though my boss has made if very clear that he needs me and wants me here... there will be a post on that to follow. freelance stuff, which is sort of a buzz with "potential" projects, but mostly just research and quotes for me to work on and no actual pay checks yet. baby stuff, like the baby room which is now underway. my body, which is a battle field of issues from being pregnant. i will not discuss that here b/c it is classified under t.m.i. for sure. maybe i will put it on my facebook group page - maybe not. needless to say, with all the things i'm constantly thinking about i cannot seem to actually get anything done except eat and sleep. great. i can't even post.
for now, i would like to leave you with some tips on life and living:
- get plenty of rest when you can
- eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
- eat junk food - in moderation of course!
- don't push too hard (you decide what that means)
- have good posture
- get up and move around
- be smart and don't sign yourself up for more than you can handle
- accept your losses
- procrastinate, just be sure to get whatever it is done when you are supposed to. otherwise, don't procrastinate - loser!
...........jfk.............
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
update on the "move over" situation
after a lot of emails and conversations with my sister in law jen, i have decided to plead not guilty to the citation i received earlier this month for not following the steer clear law. mailed out my plea this morning, along with my check for my fine, plus an additional $7.00 for court fees or whatever.
what do i have to lose, right? here's the way i see:
i searched the inter-webs. but that didn't exactly help. no where could i find an answer to whether or not i would get points... every site i hit defined the offense and stated that it is punishable through a fine up to $250. but nowhere did any of the sites mention points or no points. now, i suppose that the lack of information regarding points could be an indicator that points are not to be given. but still. how am i to know for sure?!
so, i am following the advice i got from jen and her lawyer friends at work. we all have come to the same conclusion. which is, although it doesn't look like i will get points, it can't hurt to plead not guilty and see what happens. at the very least, i can hopefully find out from the judge whether i will get points on my license if found guilty.
.............jfk............
what do i have to lose, right? here's the way i see:
- best case scenario - i am found not guilty and i don't have to pay the fine; which means i should get a reimbursement for the check they required i mail out with my plea
- worst case scenario - i am found guilty and pay the fine; which will have already been taken care of
- even worse case scenario - i am found guilty and pay the fine and get points on my license
i searched the inter-webs. but that didn't exactly help. no where could i find an answer to whether or not i would get points... every site i hit defined the offense and stated that it is punishable through a fine up to $250. but nowhere did any of the sites mention points or no points. now, i suppose that the lack of information regarding points could be an indicator that points are not to be given. but still. how am i to know for sure?!
so, i am following the advice i got from jen and her lawyer friends at work. we all have come to the same conclusion. which is, although it doesn't look like i will get points, it can't hurt to plead not guilty and see what happens. at the very least, i can hopefully find out from the judge whether i will get points on my license if found guilty.
.............jfk............
Friday, September 16, 2011
mind your manners
throughout my day(s), i try to be polite and well mannered - in general. i was brought up to say and/or do certain things that were considered well mannered behaviors, and it really bothers me when i witness others not saying or doing these very same things that were so strongly instilled in me. it's not just out of habit that i still practice these behaviors. i believe in them. i live by them.
i'm going to take some time here today to share with you a list - a list of many of the things that i was taught to say when faced with certain circumstances or situations.
thank you
[dialog example]
person a: holds the door open for person b
person b: "thank you."
[dialog example]
person a: "here's that TPS report you asked for."
person b: "thank you."
[dialog example]
person a: "can you do me a favor and pick up the dry cleaning today after work?"
person b: "sure."
person a: "thank you."
[dialog example]
person a: "would it be okay if i took a vacation day this friday?"
person b: "sure, go ahead. have a good day."
person a: "thank you."
[dialog example]
person a: "i really like your outfit today"
person b: "thank you."
[dialog example]
person a: "you did a great job on your presentation today"
person b: "thank you."
[dialog example]
person a: after person b sneezes "god bless you"
person b: "thank you."
--------------------------------------------------------------------
bless you
[dialog example]
person a: "(aaaaa aaa achooooo)"
person b: "bless you"
--------------------------------------------------------------------
yes, please
[dialog example]
person a: "would you like a cookie?"
person b: "yes, please."
[dialog example]
person a: "would you like cake for dessert tonight?"
person b: "yes, please."
--------------------------------------------------------------------
no, thank you
[dialog example]
person a: "would you like a fifth helping of dinner?"
person b: "no, thank you. i've had my fill."
[dialog example]
dirty bird: "would you like to try anal sex tonight?"
conservative: "no, thank you. that's not my style."
[dialog example]
smoker: "would you like to go grab a smoke outside?"
non smoker: "no, thank you."
[dialog example]
drug addict: "wanna go do some dope?"
sensible person: "no, thank you."
--------------------------------------------------------------------
good morning/hi/hello
** importantly; if someone says it to you first, you must respond.**
[dialog example]
person a: after seeing someone in the morning for the first time "good morning."
person b: "good morning."
[dialog example]
person a: after making (awkward) eye contact with someone in passing "hi."
person b: "hello."
--------------------------------------------------------------------
excuse me
[dialog example]
person a: after belching quite loudly "excuse me"
person b: amused or appalled
[dialog example]
person a: after passing an audible fart "excuse me"
person b: amused or appalled
[dialog example]
person a: after nearly bumping in to someone "(in a friendly manner) excuse me."
person b: if you are lucky "no problem."
--------------------------------------------------------------------
i'm sorry
[dialog example]
person a: after accidentally bumping in to someone "i'm sorry."
person b: if you are lucky "it's okay."
[dialog example]
person a: noticeably upset "my dog passed away last night."
person b: be compassionate "i'm sorry."
[dialog example]
person a: "this isn't what i ordered."
person b: "i'm sorry."
[dialog example]
person a: "ouch! that really hurt when you pinched me..."
person b: "i'm sorry. i didn't mean for it to hurt."
..........jfk.........
i'm going to take some time here today to share with you a list - a list of many of the things that i was taught to say when faced with certain circumstances or situations.
thank you
[dialog example]
person a: holds the door open for person b
person b: "thank you."
[dialog example]
person a: "here's that TPS report you asked for."
person b: "thank you."
[dialog example]
person a: "can you do me a favor and pick up the dry cleaning today after work?"
person b: "sure."
person a: "thank you."
[dialog example]
person a: "would it be okay if i took a vacation day this friday?"
person b: "sure, go ahead. have a good day."
person a: "thank you."
[dialog example]
person a: "i really like your outfit today"
person b: "thank you."
[dialog example]
person a: "you did a great job on your presentation today"
person b: "thank you."
[dialog example]
person a: after person b sneezes "god bless you"
person b: "thank you."
--------------------------------------------------------------------
bless you
[dialog example]
person a: "(aaaaa aaa achooooo)"
person b: "bless you"
--------------------------------------------------------------------
yes, please
[dialog example]
person a: "would you like a cookie?"
person b: "yes, please."
[dialog example]
person a: "would you like cake for dessert tonight?"
person b: "yes, please."
--------------------------------------------------------------------
no, thank you
[dialog example]
person a: "would you like a fifth helping of dinner?"
person b: "no, thank you. i've had my fill."
[dialog example]
dirty bird: "would you like to try anal sex tonight?"
conservative: "no, thank you. that's not my style."
[dialog example]
smoker: "would you like to go grab a smoke outside?"
non smoker: "no, thank you."
[dialog example]
drug addict: "wanna go do some dope?"
sensible person: "no, thank you."
--------------------------------------------------------------------
good morning/hi/hello
** importantly; if someone says it to you first, you must respond.**
[dialog example]
person a: after seeing someone in the morning for the first time "good morning."
person b: "good morning."
[dialog example]
person a: after making (awkward) eye contact with someone in passing "hi."
person b: "hello."
--------------------------------------------------------------------
excuse me
[dialog example]
person a: after belching quite loudly "excuse me"
person b: amused or appalled
[dialog example]
person a: after passing an audible fart "excuse me"
person b: amused or appalled
[dialog example]
person a: after nearly bumping in to someone "(in a friendly manner) excuse me."
person b: if you are lucky "no problem."
--------------------------------------------------------------------
i'm sorry
[dialog example]
person a: after accidentally bumping in to someone "i'm sorry."
person b: if you are lucky "it's okay."
[dialog example]
person a: noticeably upset "my dog passed away last night."
person b: be compassionate "i'm sorry."
[dialog example]
person a: "this isn't what i ordered."
person b: "i'm sorry."
[dialog example]
person a: "ouch! that really hurt when you pinched me..."
person b: "i'm sorry. i didn't mean for it to hurt."
..........jfk.........
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
pepper post #2
i actually didn't do any work today at work. go figure... i did however manage to chat with my husband, then my boss, then my husband again who then booked us an anniversary/babymoon trip to cancun. yay!
we are going to secrets silversands
this is the same resort we went to for our honeymoon. we figure, what better way is there to celebrate our first anniversary and get away for a little before our little human gets here?
............jfk............
we are going to secrets silversands
this is the same resort we went to for our honeymoon. we figure, what better way is there to celebrate our first anniversary and get away for a little before our little human gets here?
............jfk............
pepper post #1
recently i dropped my wedding band and engagement ring off to get inspected and rhodium dipped, which means my left-hand ring finer is necked! what i do during times like this is wear a substitute ring.
currently, this is the ring i have chosen as my substitute:
it's a fabulous little hand-crafted sterling silver ring, with a teeny-tiny diamond accent, that i bought this summer for $10 at a flea market in Havre DeGrace, MD.
love it!
only problem is it doesn't fit my skinny ring finger so i have been wearing it on my middle finger...
i guess this whole situation is not really a substitute for my wedding rings. but oh well!
i wouldn't be in this predicament if white gold didn't yellow. i swear my white gold yellows at the speed of light! i am dropping these things off every 6 months. it seems that everybody's white gold yellows, but at different rates. i've looked in to it - online and at my jeweler.
anyhow, here are some things that factor in to why different peoples' white gold might be more or less yellow than the next and why your white gold may be yellowing faster than their's as well:
............jfk...........
currently, this is the ring i have chosen as my substitute:
it's a fabulous little hand-crafted sterling silver ring, with a teeny-tiny diamond accent, that i bought this summer for $10 at a flea market in Havre DeGrace, MD.
love it!
only problem is it doesn't fit my skinny ring finger so i have been wearing it on my middle finger...
i guess this whole situation is not really a substitute for my wedding rings. but oh well!
i wouldn't be in this predicament if white gold didn't yellow. i swear my white gold yellows at the speed of light! i am dropping these things off every 6 months. it seems that everybody's white gold yellows, but at different rates. i've looked in to it - online and at my jeweler.
anyhow, here are some things that factor in to why different peoples' white gold might be more or less yellow than the next and why your white gold may be yellowing faster than their's as well:
- first of all, there is no such thing as white gold
what we so fondly call white gold is actually an alloy of your typical yellow gold. these gold alloys consist of yellow gold mixed with another metal, like nickle or palladium. and depending on the metal used to for your white gold, the yellow appearance may be more or less noticeable. - what karat yellow gold is used in the (white) gold alloy - like, 18k vs 14k vs 10k
- how thick the rhodium plating is - rhodium plating is what gives white gold its white appearance
- how much wear and tear a person puts it through - like, getting your hands dirty and having to constantly wash your hands or excessive use of hand sanitizer(s) and lotion(s) while wearing your white gold
............jfk...........
it's not what you think
you may be wondering why i've slowed down on my blogging....
it's not because i've been busy at work! though, i wish that were the case. what's been happening is, i'm experiencing a peppering of projects throughout my work days. these pepperings have consisted of just enough work to break up my boredom. and with that being said, my boredom is being broken up just enough so that i cannot fully think of, nor put together, a good post. i'm sorry to those of you that actually check back here for something to read. i know how you feel.
today will probably be much of the same sort of peppering, but i just cannot go another lame work day of peppering without posting. i don't really know what to post about, but i know that i will post!
case and point; i'm posting this little blip right... now! don't worry, i'll be back ;-)
...........jfk..........
it's not because i've been busy at work! though, i wish that were the case. what's been happening is, i'm experiencing a peppering of projects throughout my work days. these pepperings have consisted of just enough work to break up my boredom. and with that being said, my boredom is being broken up just enough so that i cannot fully think of, nor put together, a good post. i'm sorry to those of you that actually check back here for something to read. i know how you feel.
today will probably be much of the same sort of peppering, but i just cannot go another lame work day of peppering without posting. i don't really know what to post about, but i know that i will post!
case and point; i'm posting this little blip right... now! don't worry, i'll be back ;-)
...........jfk..........
Thursday, September 8, 2011
oh - fyi
for those of you on facebook that might be interested in updates on my pregnancy; i have created a facebook group page to keep everyone updated.
i don't want to make this blog, or my actual facebook profile, all about my pregnancy. they each need to have their own separate purpose. you know. my blog is for when i have downtime to kill at work. and my facebook profile is for spying on people, reconnecting with old friends, staying in touch with those that i don't see regularly and keeping everyone in the loop on me in general. and the biggest reason of all for creating this group page is that i don't want to flood all 319 of my friends' inboxes with pregnancy status updates, posts and pictures. not everyone gives two hoots to the wind about it. nor should they. right?!
that is why i kindly made this group page to do all that crap. i added certain friends that i thought would want to be in the pregnancy loop, while also leaving it open to others in case they want to join as well. below is the link.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/269697806385455/
i don't want to make this blog, or my actual facebook profile, all about my pregnancy. they each need to have their own separate purpose. you know. my blog is for when i have downtime to kill at work. and my facebook profile is for spying on people, reconnecting with old friends, staying in touch with those that i don't see regularly and keeping everyone in the loop on me in general. and the biggest reason of all for creating this group page is that i don't want to flood all 319 of my friends' inboxes with pregnancy status updates, posts and pictures. not everyone gives two hoots to the wind about it. nor should they. right?!
that is why i kindly made this group page to do all that crap. i added certain friends that i thought would want to be in the pregnancy loop, while also leaving it open to others in case they want to join as well. below is the link.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/269697806385455/
baby on board
for those of you that don't know yet, i'm pregnant. now you know - it's official!
mike and i found out the big news the friday before father's day this year. we had been haphazardly attempting to conceive a little human for about 8 months... basically right after the wedding. my due date is february 21, 2012. for this particular year coming up, that means i have the possibility of popping out a leap year baby. and as neat as that may be, i don't really like the idea of it. i really don't want to have to explain, in my child's later years, what the deal is with leap year and all. i honestly don't even know anything about leap year except that it happens every 4 years. don't judge me.
so yeah, pregnancy. i'm pretty sure that when this is all said and done, i'm not going to be one of those ladies that says, "i loved being pregnant." already, i'm getting the feeling that this is not my cup of tea. i just want to get to the part where i have a baby in my hands, you know? i didn't get pregnant to be pregnant. i got pregnant because i want to start a family. i can say this; i find pregnancy very interesting. all the changes me and my body are going through are very fascinating. but there is no reason yet, that i have found, to love being pregnant. and in that same breath, i don't think that i am going to hate it either. it is what it is - pregnancy.
now, i must say that i have had it fairly easy up to this point. and if i were to weigh the pros and cons of being pregnant so far, i would say they are at a stalemate. let's throw 'em on the table now.
pros regarding my pregnancy up to this point
- (knock on wood) i bypassed the dreaded morning sickness battles somehow... every now and then i would find myself semi-queasy, but it would pass within 30 minutes or so and i would be fine. i would also get an occasional and nasty headache here and there...
- i haven't had any food aversions and have been able to eat pretty much the same things i always eat.
(there has been one small exception; one day mike cooked a pork tenderloin with this garlic/herb seasoning. i hated it. though normally, i would likely enjoy it) - i hear some women become ridiculously exhausted in the beginning. not me. i really was only tired at night. which is when most people find themselves getting tired anyway. and although i was beat-ass by 8:30 p.m., which is a little earlier than normal, i didn't find it to be too bad.
- the prenatal vitamins have made my nails grow nice and strong.
- some people seem to want to do more things for me. like carrying things or lugging things around that might be the slightest bit heavy.
- i have somehow managed to keep my eating and appetite in check. for the most part anyway. don't get me wrong -i do get retardedly hungry and give in to junk food cravings - i just seem to be managing better than i thought i would.
- i don't sleep well as it is, and now i wake up to pee a lot.
- my skin is breaking out more.
- i'm going to have to accept gaining weight soon.
- i cannot booze it up like i want to. maybe a glass of wine every now and then far and few between**
- i cannot take over the counter drugs like advil and motrin. i am limited to tylenol.**
- i cannot drink a whole pot of coffee during the day anymore.**
- i cannot eat sushi and lunch meats.**
- i cannot work out as hard as i really want to.**
i think that is about it up to this point in my pregnancy. i have like 5 more months or so left to experience new things and add to either of these lists. but i am almost certain that i am not going to walk away saying, "i loved being pregnant." i think it's going to be just what it is, pregnancy. then i will have a little precious human to raise.
............jfk...........
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
move over!
i would like to share something with you. it is something that i just learned over the holiday weekend. i like learning new things. especially if they will save me money and/or from getting a traffic citation. so, for those of you that don't already know, there is a traffic law called the steer clear law. you can read more
here
and here
or here
this law has been in effect since 2006 and it basically states that if a cop or emergency vehicle is pulled over on the shoulder of the road/highway you are required by law to move in to the next lane not adjacent to the shoulder, or wherever the vehicles are stopped. so, if you are traveling in the right-hand lane of a two lane highway and you see a cop or emergency vehicle on the right-hand shoulder, you have to move in to the left lane. if you cannot safely move in to the left lane, then you are required to slow down.
i didn't know this was a law. i. had. no. idea. but i learned it this weekend when i got pulled over for it and cited! now i have a fine i have to pay and i have this citation sitting on my - what used to be clean - driving record.
i'm very upset.
i feel i should have gotten a warning or something first; not a fine and a citation. i haven't been pulled over - oh - since i was 18! and i was honestly apologetic to the officer. who, by they way, was being loud and dick'ish to me. he should have known, by my teary-eyed face, that i was telling the truth. yes, i was about to cry. hormones or something must be effecting me. whatever.
the cops must not have had anything better to do that day other than pull people over for being innocent and unknowing of this law. it was a sting operation and they were setting it all up. here is what went down that day...
figure 1
laddy dady da - that's me driving in the black car.
i think to myself, "hey, look. there are two cop cars that have some one pulled over. i should slow down." so i did slow down. and i hugged the white dotted line as i passed the two cop cars and one civilian car...
figure 2
"hm. that second cop is pulling out. i guess he had nothing to do." you really only need one cop to pull over one car. right? ever wonder why, sometimes, you see two or more cop cars flashing around one car? i have. and on this particular day, i found out why they were doing it...
bastards!
figure 3
"oh shit - he's following me! what the... better pull over. fuck!"
first he asks if i knew why he pulled me over. to which i responded with a long pause and then said, "no. not exactly." and i meant that. so he proceeded to tell me about the steer clear law. this law makes perfect sense. i totally get it. i just had no idea that it existed. so i apologized profusely. then he walks back to his car to do his thing. meanwhile a bazzillion cars continue to pass us in the adjacent lane - breaking the law.
figure 4
so. my copper-copper-crime-stopper comes back with my citation and gives me the whole cop safety thing again. still being loud about it. i couldn't, for the life of me, figure out why he was so loud me. as if he thought that i thought it was bullshit or was giving him lip. i don't know. i just nodded my head and continued to apologize. and at some point during my scolding, the other cop who had the other car pulled over, comes up and parks behind us. i think to myself, "hm. that's interesting. doesn't he have anything better to do?" apparently not i figured.
figure 5
but just wait. not long after copper #2 is situated behind us, does a minivan drive by on the road. in the adjacent lane. breaking the law....
figure 6
and wouldn't you know it!
copper #2 pulls out immediately. so i watch to see what is going on. off in the distance, i could see it all. damn cop. he high-tailed it right up to that minivan and pulled it over!
i now see what is going on! a leapfrog style sting operation to get poor unknowing, unsuspecting people on the holiday for a law that i am sure the cops knew a lot of us had no idea existed.
i do see the problem. if there is a law like that and no one knows it exists, then we have to raise its awareness. and i suppose that the only way to raise awareness is to enforce it. that's fine. do it then. but i think if someone like me is pulled over - someone with a clean record and a nice demeanor and is honestly apologizing to the high heavens about it - that they should be given a warning and not a fine and citation. seriously. save the fines and citations for the people that are rude, lippy and have messy driving records. oh and if perhaps they have have been warned for this violation already. for crying out loud... douche bag coppers...
errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
............jfk............
here
and here
or here
this law has been in effect since 2006 and it basically states that if a cop or emergency vehicle is pulled over on the shoulder of the road/highway you are required by law to move in to the next lane not adjacent to the shoulder, or wherever the vehicles are stopped. so, if you are traveling in the right-hand lane of a two lane highway and you see a cop or emergency vehicle on the right-hand shoulder, you have to move in to the left lane. if you cannot safely move in to the left lane, then you are required to slow down.
i didn't know this was a law. i. had. no. idea. but i learned it this weekend when i got pulled over for it and cited! now i have a fine i have to pay and i have this citation sitting on my - what used to be clean - driving record.
i'm very upset.
i feel i should have gotten a warning or something first; not a fine and a citation. i haven't been pulled over - oh - since i was 18! and i was honestly apologetic to the officer. who, by they way, was being loud and dick'ish to me. he should have known, by my teary-eyed face, that i was telling the truth. yes, i was about to cry. hormones or something must be effecting me. whatever.
the cops must not have had anything better to do that day other than pull people over for being innocent and unknowing of this law. it was a sting operation and they were setting it all up. here is what went down that day...
figure 1laddy dady da - that's me driving in the black car.
i think to myself, "hey, look. there are two cop cars that have some one pulled over. i should slow down." so i did slow down. and i hugged the white dotted line as i passed the two cop cars and one civilian car...
figure 2"hm. that second cop is pulling out. i guess he had nothing to do." you really only need one cop to pull over one car. right? ever wonder why, sometimes, you see two or more cop cars flashing around one car? i have. and on this particular day, i found out why they were doing it...
bastards!
figure 3"oh shit - he's following me! what the... better pull over. fuck!"
first he asks if i knew why he pulled me over. to which i responded with a long pause and then said, "no. not exactly." and i meant that. so he proceeded to tell me about the steer clear law. this law makes perfect sense. i totally get it. i just had no idea that it existed. so i apologized profusely. then he walks back to his car to do his thing. meanwhile a bazzillion cars continue to pass us in the adjacent lane - breaking the law.
figure 4so. my copper-copper-crime-stopper comes back with my citation and gives me the whole cop safety thing again. still being loud about it. i couldn't, for the life of me, figure out why he was so loud me. as if he thought that i thought it was bullshit or was giving him lip. i don't know. i just nodded my head and continued to apologize. and at some point during my scolding, the other cop who had the other car pulled over, comes up and parks behind us. i think to myself, "hm. that's interesting. doesn't he have anything better to do?" apparently not i figured.
figure 5but just wait. not long after copper #2 is situated behind us, does a minivan drive by on the road. in the adjacent lane. breaking the law....
figure 6and wouldn't you know it!
copper #2 pulls out immediately. so i watch to see what is going on. off in the distance, i could see it all. damn cop. he high-tailed it right up to that minivan and pulled it over!
i now see what is going on! a leapfrog style sting operation to get poor unknowing, unsuspecting people on the holiday for a law that i am sure the cops knew a lot of us had no idea existed.
i do see the problem. if there is a law like that and no one knows it exists, then we have to raise its awareness. and i suppose that the only way to raise awareness is to enforce it. that's fine. do it then. but i think if someone like me is pulled over - someone with a clean record and a nice demeanor and is honestly apologizing to the high heavens about it - that they should be given a warning and not a fine and citation. seriously. save the fines and citations for the people that are rude, lippy and have messy driving records. oh and if perhaps they have have been warned for this violation already. for crying out loud... douche bag coppers...
errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
............jfk............
Friday, September 2, 2011
once upon a time, things changed
...when i was younger, say about 12 or so, i had just started to dabble with the concept of babysitting to get some extra money. mostly i just babysat my little cousin. perhaps every now and then i would maybe babysit the neighbor's kids, or my parent's friend's kids. but mostly my little cousin... she was just a baby when i first began babysitting her. oh man - she would get in to everything! though i suppose that's what babies/kids do, right?
** oh. by the way. i know i said i would only blog during my down time at work. but i think i said there would, or might be some exceptions... i'm making tonight one of the exceptions**
so. babysitting. right. it didn't take long after babysitting my cousin before i swore off kids. i was probably about 13 - possibly 14 - when i had finished a solid summer of babysitting that little devil. what. a. nightmare. it wasn't long after that summer when i had made up my mind that i would never have kids, for fear that the little bugger would be a living nightmare - much like my cousin. i don't even know what she did to me specifically. maybe i was too young... maybe all babies/kids were like her. maybe i wasn't meant to be a babysitter... maybe she really was as bad as i remember her being. whatever the case, i didn't want any of my own. no way, jose. ever!
many years passed after that summer - i even babysat a few times after that summer - but i still held strong to the notion of not ever having kids. oh man. i was so adamant about it that my poor mom had slowly started to try and accept that her daughter might actually not ever have kids - poor mom. she started to lean heavily on my brother - poor brother. she would tell him that he was her only hope... begging him to please, one day, give her a grandchild or two... the good thing was that my brother did eventually want kids.
i'm 30 now and i have since changed my mind... you know... it's funny how things change over time. seriously. things change. people change. lives change. times change. everything has the opportunity to experience change. just look. it happened to me. i really didn't think i would ever, ever, ever, want kids. never, ever, ever! but eventually i met mr. right. we fell in love. and i just couldn't see myself not having kids with him.
what this realization of not not wanting to have kids with mr. right meant was, that one day when the time was right, i could see myself having kids with him. one day further down the line, not immediately. but i could see it happening one day... because of who he was and who i was with him. so technically, i guess that meant that i wanted kids, right?
this was a weird feeling for me; "wanting" kids. it actually kind of scared me. and every time i thought of myself with kids i got incredibly uptight. i worried that they would turn out like little individual nightmares on legs. you know. like the screaming, kicking little snot buckets you see out in public and in stores whose parents seem to not give two hoots to the wind about what their child is doing... yowsers! i'm sort of getting uptight now just thinking about that. whatever the case, i had decided that one day i would have kids with my mr. right. and in case you are wondering; mr. right is my husband. he can be seen below in the picture with me.
we have "kids in our future" all over our faces
........jfk........
** oh. by the way. i know i said i would only blog during my down time at work. but i think i said there would, or might be some exceptions... i'm making tonight one of the exceptions**
so. babysitting. right. it didn't take long after babysitting my cousin before i swore off kids. i was probably about 13 - possibly 14 - when i had finished a solid summer of babysitting that little devil. what. a. nightmare. it wasn't long after that summer when i had made up my mind that i would never have kids, for fear that the little bugger would be a living nightmare - much like my cousin. i don't even know what she did to me specifically. maybe i was too young... maybe all babies/kids were like her. maybe i wasn't meant to be a babysitter... maybe she really was as bad as i remember her being. whatever the case, i didn't want any of my own. no way, jose. ever!
many years passed after that summer - i even babysat a few times after that summer - but i still held strong to the notion of not ever having kids. oh man. i was so adamant about it that my poor mom had slowly started to try and accept that her daughter might actually not ever have kids - poor mom. she started to lean heavily on my brother - poor brother. she would tell him that he was her only hope... begging him to please, one day, give her a grandchild or two... the good thing was that my brother did eventually want kids.
i'm 30 now and i have since changed my mind... you know... it's funny how things change over time. seriously. things change. people change. lives change. times change. everything has the opportunity to experience change. just look. it happened to me. i really didn't think i would ever, ever, ever, want kids. never, ever, ever! but eventually i met mr. right. we fell in love. and i just couldn't see myself not having kids with him.
what this realization of not not wanting to have kids with mr. right meant was, that one day when the time was right, i could see myself having kids with him. one day further down the line, not immediately. but i could see it happening one day... because of who he was and who i was with him. so technically, i guess that meant that i wanted kids, right?
this was a weird feeling for me; "wanting" kids. it actually kind of scared me. and every time i thought of myself with kids i got incredibly uptight. i worried that they would turn out like little individual nightmares on legs. you know. like the screaming, kicking little snot buckets you see out in public and in stores whose parents seem to not give two hoots to the wind about what their child is doing... yowsers! i'm sort of getting uptight now just thinking about that. whatever the case, i had decided that one day i would have kids with my mr. right. and in case you are wondering; mr. right is my husband. he can be seen below in the picture with me.
we have "kids in our future" all over our faces
........jfk........
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