Carline and Other Traffic Idiocracies

I long for the day when I can get in my car, input an address and have my car drive me there.  It could happen, right?  I have serious road rage.  Not so bad that I would get out and hurt someone.  I'm not THAT crazy.   I just have a very low tolerance for bad drivers and what I call "entitlement" drivers.  

My idea of an entitlement driver......
Out Highway 52 past Lowe's just before you get to Trawick Road is what used to be Geraldine's Restaurant.  Coming FROM Trawick, sitting at the light with the Texaco on your right, I see people cut across Geraldine's every single day.  I've seen several near miss head on collisions because of this too.  Since Geraldine's closed and the business was repainted, a wire going across both driveways was erected with a couple of 4x4's in the ground.  That didn't last long.  I sure would like to see the vehicle that busted through that.  I just want a police officer to sit in the Shoe & Leather parking lot between 7:15am - 8:00am and see how many times this happens. 

Another example of an entitlement driver is in car line.  I shouldn't even get STARTED talking about car line, but since this post is regarding my road rage, Ill go ahead. :)  At our school, there are two directions you can come from.  Allllllll the normal people get in line and wait like we're supposed to.  Some choose to get there an hour and a half early, some an hour or some just 15 minutes before the bell.  Either way, we get in line and we wait.  Once the line starts, you take turns going from the two directions.

There are a few people that come from a different direction that try to bee-bop into the car line.  Well, I ain't lettin them in.  They can FUGGETABOUTIT.  It ain't happening and I guarantee if they try it in front of many people, they won't let them in either.  I'm not even talking about patiently waiting for someone to let them in.  I'm talking about them getting their bumper in there a little at a time to squeeze others out.  There are supposed to be cones at the corner so people can't come in from that way but the school doesn't put them out anymore.


Then you have people that like to take chances with their lives and vehicles.  They play Frogger in real life.  In the below picture, I was at the red light on Westgate & Main in front of Walgreens.  You know the place, traffic nightmare.  The tan vehicle was trying to cut across traffic that was stopped for a red light.  A car headed for the turn lane slammed into it because it pulled out in front.  Well.....DUH.  I can go ahead and tell you, if you see me stopped at a red light and you're trying to get across, I'm not letting you through.  Nor will I take the open spot someone offers me to cross.  Seriously, THINK people!  

Can we all just PLEASE learn how to correctly turn in a median?!?!?!?  Lordy!

Now Walmart-North.  Read closely.  THERE IS NOT A STOP SIGN AT THE TOP OF THE HILL COMING IN TO WALMART PARKING LOT NEXT TO BRUSTERS.   STOP stopping! 

School buses and 18 wheelers.......do people not understand these vehicles are HUGE?!?  They have a wide turn radius so give them room!  And for pete's sake, don't pull out in front of them.  They can't stop as quick as a normal car!!!

So tell me, what's you're traffic pet peeve?


I literally fear the day my children get their license.  I know I can teach them the ways of the road, but having to look out for others is the problem.  I am not looking forward to that day, at all.


(Grrrr....I'm all fired up now! )

By the way, to let you all know, Im all blogged out.  I finished my story and have nothing more to tell.  I knew I should have spaced the others out so it would last longer but I just didn't.  I was on a roll and was having fun reliving the old days.  I hope something will pop up in my head or someone will give me an idea of what to write.  Until then.........

Gonna Party Like It's 1999

Fall of 1999:
Josh and I had been secretly dating for a few months.  His parents found out what was going on and......well, lets just say it didn't go over well at all.  I understood it.  He was 17 and I was 25.  He had plans to go to med school and they were worried I would ruin all of it.  The problem was, we were in too deep by that point.  Like I said before, whatever it was that clicked between us locked up and refused to be unbroken. We made sure we worked the same days since we both still worked at Red Lobster.  Every time a new schedule would come out, we would trade off with other people to make sure we were there at the same time.  He would come to my house before work to pick me up, we would ride to work together and then he would drop me off at night.  All the time we knew his parents didn't approve but we just couldn't leave each other alone.
One night while we were leaving work, I noticed a car sitting way off to the side in an empty parking lot.  I told Josh not to look but to get to the truck in a hurry.  We did and took off.  We flew around the mall, cut off at the Shops on the Circle and headed to my house.  Made it.  He went straight home and before he walked in, he put his hand on the hood of his parents car.  Hot.  It was them.  We knew it was.  He was forbidden to see me but the rebel I had created didn't listen.
We continued to sneak around as much as possible until it just became unbearable.  His relationship with his parents wasn't going well (mine was fine because they loved Josh!).  I don't know when or where it was decided but we decided the only way to be together was to get married.  School was ending soon for him and he was turning 18.
For about 3 weeks prior to his birthday, he would bring a couple of things at a time over from his house.  Just a few things at a time so it wouldn't be so noticeable. The day came.  June 2, 2000.  Josh turned 18 and we had a plan.
Josh was on the yearbook committee at school so that morning he told his parents he was going to school to work on it.  He didn't.  He picked me up and we met 4 of our friends at the courthouse.  We Was Gettin' Hitched!  We signed in and paid the fees then waited in the hallway for our turn.  We all watched the hall like hawks, waiting for his parents to turn the corner and stop the marriage.  Instead, the clerk came out and said they had a problem.  She said even though it was Josh's birthday, he was born at night so technically he wasn't 18 yet.  !!!!  Panic set in.  My heart fell to the floor.  BUT, then she said she was just kidding.  *LOL*
Josh was a nervous wreck.  He had some crazy rash all over his eyes that got worse the longer we were there.  All nerves.  Anyway, we went through with the ceremony and then went to IHOP with our friends! Ha! Ha! Ha!  His rash went away after we were married.

Josh's parents told him previously that if he was determined to see me, he would have to turn over his truck.  SO, after we all ate we had a friend of ours take his truck to his mom's work with a letter inside explaining what happened.  Josh knew she was going to be at work that day so after it was dropped off, we came home and waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Nothing.
About 9pm, Josh decided to call his family since we hadn't heard anything from them.  His sister answered and they were all there.  Josh's mom was never at work.  She took off that day because they were going to surprise Josh for his birthday.  Cake and all.  Josh had a copy of the letter so he just told them to check their email.  LORDY, all hell broke loose from there!!!!
Cousins called. Uncles. It was crazy for a while but eventually it settled down.  What's done was done, no going back. 
A week or so went by and I received a call from his mother.  Josh was about to graduate high school and they had family coming in from out of town for a party.  She didn't like what was going on but she wanted to invite me anyway.  I went and I survived.
Things were pretty rocky for a while but eventually everything calmed down and we started our married life together.  We were in the duplex I was renting from Chip Bailey in a rather unsafe part of town.
Josh started college and I continued to work.  He was already working at the medical center so he kept pretty busy.  I worked 8-5, he worked 3-11 and had school.  We didn't see much of each other.  Like most newlyweds, we had growing pains.  We fought, a lot.  I was bad about wanting to run away from it and he was good about keeping the promise of our vows.  We traveled around here and there when we could.  We went to New Orleans for his 21st birthday. I gave him skydiving for his 20th birthday.  We went to San Antonio, visited family in Ohio and went to a few Nascar races (we were at the Daytona race when Dale Earnhardt died).

In San Antonio

He's saying "I Love You Baby!!"

My grandmother's health started to decline so my parents bought the house next to hers.  Since my parent's house was vacant, we decided to move there.  It was the house I grew up in.  Definitely not the best memories.  Things were still a little rocky but we were making progress together.
After being married about 2 years, we decided we wanted to have children.  I should have known, based on my past, that it wasn't going to be easy.....

Inflation

It's now Fall of 1996.

I left Alabama at an easy 125 pounds.  I sure didn't come back home that way.  Personal inflation.

I moved in with Chad's family in Louisiana.  I didn't have any hair, my mouth was drawn up, my eye was still covered because the stroke screwed it up and I was in the darkest place I had ever been in my life.  I stayed in my bedroom literally all the time.  I drank 6-8 Sprites a day.  I had $75 worth of Halloween candy at the computer so I stayed online, ate and drank 15+ hours a day.  In January of 1997, I had eye surgery in New Orleans to try to correct what happened either from the stroke or the OD.  I was awake for that surgery.  (Jimmy Fallon "Ew!" insert). Originally, the doctors wanted to sew my eye shut when I was in the hospital because it didn't close all the way.  NAWP- NADA!  I just dealt with it and had the eye muscle surgery for correction.  Even to this day, that is a lazy eye.  I can't take a picture without looking like a moron because of that eye.  It's just another thing I dwell on every day that I can't stand about myself.
Anyway, eventually I got a job at Outback but I had zero self confidence because of the way I looked so I quit serving.  I then applied for a job at the auto auction.  The lady that interviewed me turned into not only a boss, but a mom away from home.  Pam Lopez.  She trained me, loved me and was there for me through so much.  When Chad and I broke up later and I got my own apartment, she helped me get everything I needed to survive. 
So, now my hair was growing out some and I was starting to feel better about myself.  Chad and I were going out, playing pool and having a really good time together.  I have no doubt Chad loved me.  He treated me like a princess and I never wanted for anything, except to be normal again. He and I developed some problems and ultimately we split up for the final time.  7 years with him.  It was almost like a divorce.  Our lives had been so intertwined since 11th grade and then nothing.  The person I really thought I would spend the rest of my life with was gone.

I had a decision to make.  I could run back home to my parents or I could try to make it on my own.  I stayed.  My job at the auto auction was going really well so I got an apartment on Lake Pontchartrain.  I LOVED my apartment.  It was the first thing that was mine and mine alone, but I was lonely.  Every Friday I got off work, I would literally sit at my computer until Sunday night.  I chatted, built websites and just completely goofed off.  I didn't invest in friendships like I should have. Not REAL friendships, outside of the computer.  I worked with some sweet, sweet girls at the auto auction and we had so much fun at work together.  Mandy.  January. Angie.  I'm sorry that I was so self absorbed that I didn't take the time to really build friendships with you.  I'm lucky enough to still have a great friendship with Mandy and I sure do miss those times back in Louisiana with those girls!

I stayed in Louisiana until 1999.  It was then that my mom was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.  I didn't have a clue what that was but I did know I wanted to be at home.  I quit my job, packed up all my stuff and moved back to Dothan.  60 pounds heavier.  Inflation.

My SINGLE brother.....taking a break from packing all of my stuff to head back to Bama.

 

(He is SOOOO gonna kill me for posting that pic!!!)

I rented a duplex from Chip Bailey, got a job at Red Lobster and started over, again.  Wait, wait wait....HOLD UP.  We gotta back up a few months.
During the time I was sitting on the computer doing nothing, I would look for random people from high school or previous employers.  I came across this guy on ICQ (anyone remember that??) that worked at Red Lobster.  The same one I worked at for years!  He was only 16.  I was 23.  But I was two states away and he was just someone fun to talk to.
Ok, now back to Dothan.  I started back at Red Lobster because I can say with full confidence that I am one hell of a server.  I knew the manager, she knew my situation, so I had a jobby job.  I sashayed my hiney into work one day, walked up to this scrawny kid with braces that worked in the kitchen and said SOMETHING but I don't have a clue what. *lol*  It was the same guy I talked to when I lived in Louisiana.  Joshua Loyd Edwards had now entered into my story.
Josh was 17.  He was probably 120 pounds soaking wet and stood 5'10.  Oh Im SURE I have a pic around here somewhere......

Josh and I became closer friends.  I knew he was too young for me so we just hung out together at work, cracking jokes and playing Rummy online at night.  The more time we spent together, the more I learned that this 17 year old was wise beyond his years.  He had goals.  He had a plan.  He was determined.  We spent more and more time together and whatever it was that we felt for each other completely overwhelmed both of us.  It was, I don't even know how to describe it. His parents found out about me and did not like it at ALL!  It started to get ugly.  I didn't have a good track record with making the best decisions so what did I do?  You bet, I wanted what I wanted and was determined to get it.

Our song became the Cops theme song........