And the computer tech portion of my life is back. If my brother, Brian, would just stay employed, he wouldn't have time to play with his laptop and feel the need to call me for help. Today he is trying to figure out how to sinc Photo Stream, iCloud, and his HP clone laptop. I made the mistake of telling him he needed to backup his music and photos already on his laptop and the Cloud to his external hard drive. This nearly made his head explode. As little as I know about these computers, I still; a. know more than he does, and b. have had the experience of losing a shitload of data when my old computer's hard drive crashed. (Yes, 'shitload' is the technical term for the amount of data I lost. It was somewhere between 4 and 16 GB.)

I'm seriously contemplating starting another blog called Rude-ass Drivers I See on CA Roadways. This blog would include the description of the car (color, make & model, if I know it), time of day of the incident, general area of the incident, and a description of the driver. I think I could get in big trouble if I post the plate number. It would get the 'how pissed off I was at witnessing the incident' off my chest and give my readers something to relate to if they have had a similar experience. I don't think anyone reads this blog, but if you do, what do you think? Here's an example of what happened yesterday...

I had a delightful time at the DMV - no really. My opinion is, if you don't make an appointment, you should plan on having plenty of time when you go to the DMV and just chill out until they call your number. I made several new aquaintances...but I digress.

I completed my business in about an hour and was wainting at the stop sign to get onto Diaz from whatever that street is, WITH MY LEFT TURN SIGNAL ON when this IDIOT - I can only judge him by his behavior - pulled up beside me ON MY LEFT!  I looked at him and, through his and my closed window, said "really?" I was patiently waiting for the big-ass white utility truck coming from the right and the little red car soming from the left to go by when the IDIOT pulled out in front of them both and turned left! After he was gone, I called him an asshole, waited until it was safe and then turned down the road to follow WAY behind the IDIOT and the untility truck. When I got to Winchester Road, the IDIOT, the untility truck and I waited for the light to turn green and we all turned right to proceeded onto Winchester, NB. IDIOT  and the UT (I'm done typing utility truck) went into the #1 lane and I stayed in the #2 lane. Now ahead of me, in the #2 lane, on the other side of that bridge over the wash was a delivery truck of some sort. All the traffice was going into the #1 lane to try to go around this truck, assuming it was going to move at the speed of smell. I stayed in the #2 lane and was coming up behind the truck which was moving at a pretty good clip. Sweet! Well IDIOT veered into my lane and damn near hit me - evidently the rest of the world's existance isn't as important as his. I hit my brakes and my horn simultaneously and avoided hitting IDIOT. I didn't gesture, I simply started shaking my head and called him a "fu**ing asshole" and kept driving. Evidently, IDIOT reads lips and didn't appreciate my head shaking and slammed on his brakes. I was supposed to rear end him but I didn't. Now I know I'm dealing with not only an IDIOT but a wack-a-do so I backed WAY the hell off. He continued to inch down the road tapping his brakes and finally pulled over and stopped about a car length ahead of me with his window down looking at me in his side mirror. I am now stopped in the #2 lane waiting and the car behind me tapped on their horn. I was afraid to proceed past IDIOT but knew that I couldn't impeed traffic so I proceeded and IDIOT douched my windshield with a full soda. Now I was PISSED! I turned on my wipers and washers at the same time and from my earbud called 911 and, after being on hold, asked if it was illegal to throw a drink onto someone's windshield. The dispatcher said yes. I told her my location the desciption of IDIOT'S vehicle which was two cars behind me and that I couldn't see his plate. I was going very slowly since it was Winchester Road approaching the bridge over I15 and traffic is slow there almost all the time. I was hoping that there was an officer nearby. Well, they transferred me to Temecula PD and, after being on hold again, I again described the IDIOT'S behavior and his vehicle which had now pulled into the left turn lane to go onto Ynez. I proceeded home on Winchester Road... still pissed off! When I got home, I took photos of the soda all over the front and roof of my car and waited, hoping that an officer could find IDIOT so that I could prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law, including but not limited to jail time. (Yes, I know this is not punishable by jail time but I was angry.) A very nice officer called me back while I was getting the hose ready to clean off my car and I gave him my tale of woe. He listened and was very nice and even complimented me on my spunk. (I guess pissed off sounds like spunk over the phone.) I knew there wasn't anything they could do without a plate number but I felt better giving a description of the driver - an old, white guy with a gray beard and hair - I'm pretty sure his name is Dick - in an older model, piece of shit, white Toyota SUV-ish rig with a roof rack. So, if you are near the DMV or the industrial park off Ynez, west of Winchester Road and you see an IDIOT that matches that description, give him a dirty look, get his plate number and post it to me. I would love nothing more than to have him get a ticket for that assinine behavior.

What an IDIOT.

Welcome to 2013!

This year has started out with a bang! I believe that I asked in my previous post for it to be a better year. That's what I get for asking!

So far

...I've had MY car in the shop - many people are telling me to just get a new car since by now I could have bought a car. I looked through my receipts and since I got this car FOR FREE, I beg to differ. I have not yet invested the price of a car in this one and I've been able to drive it...most of the time, since 1999. To those people I say, nooooope.

...my son pulled off a very successful first time at stand-up comedy. I look forward to his next attempt as he has cleared me for attendance as long as I realize that it is not a participation event.

...my daughter is logging the first anniversary of her 30th birthday tomorrow. Eventually, she and her husband will be the same age at this rate.

...my husband continues to be a source of strength and wonder to me. He drives 67 miles each way to his job which takes him 1 1/2 hours on the way TO work and 2-2 1/2 or 3 hours coming home. I would be in jail if I had to drive CA 91 freeway. The system SUCKS!

...one of my dear friends lost her step-daughter at the young age of 45. This is not the natural progression and my heart is breaking for her and her family.

I would buy a lottery ticket in hopes that things would improve but, seriously, I think I am going to need every dollar I can hang on to... just in case.

I think I have a handle on how to keep my left foot from hurting - besides not clog dancing. I am still working on the right foot. My students are a hoot and a holler. If it weren't for my classes I think I might lose my mind...or what's left of it.

I don't know if anybody is actually reading this blog, but I sure get a sense of relief after I write something. Maybe venting is good for the soul.

Later,
Mary