Conquering of a Fear

Today my dad asked me to drive down to Orem and pick him up because he had to drop off a machine. I was fine with that, I had nothing to do. I got ready and grabbed my keys and he asked that I drive his truck in order to keep the miles down on my car. I just about turned inside out. I am literally terrified of backing that thing out of the driveway, let alone driving it out of the neighborhood and onto the freeway. I used to wake someone up in the morning if it was in my way. If a car is any larger than a postage stamp I have a real hard time controlling it. But he insisted. I was convinced I would either kill myself or someone on the road. The only close call was backing out of the driveway when I narrowly missed backing over two women with strollers. I went no higher than 55 mph the entire way, I am sure people loved me. On the way down I imagined myself barreling down the road going about 85 mph in this huge red truck, but couldn't bring myself to leave the slow lane, let alone go above the speed limit. Probably 3/4 of the time I was driving in two lanes because I had no perception of how much space it was taking up. By the time I pulled up to the place I was sweating out of every pore in my body. However I made it. And I can now confidently back that thing out of the driveway without too much fear. But I will do everything in my power to avoid driving it again, it goes against a major belief of mine: Driving trucks is stupid.

Look How Cute

I can't resist letting you in on this adorable feature from CNN.

Keep Your Hands on the Wheel

Today as I was driving back from school I used the controls on my steering wheel to adjust the volume of NPR. As I used the controls I was sent back to the time when the car was being purchased. The salesman informed my dad that with these controls on the steering wheel I would never have to take my hands off the wheel. Then I imagined what I would do without these controls -- both hands off the wheel, eyes off the road, every finger touching any button it can get to, car wreck after car wreck. Thank heavens for those controls.

Spring Has Sprung (Here In My Bedroom)

My orchid has blossomed. I am really pleased with the flowers, they look very exotic. I love the spots on them. I was going to show how the flower morphed over time, but as I added the photos they didn't stay in order and it was too much work to reorder them. Anyway, it took about two days for the first flower to open and now about eight flowers have opened. I hope they stick around.


I am also really pleased with Bosley, who has learned to sit like a human. Now he just needs to build strength in his lower back and hind legs and I'll have him walking on two legs.

Brilliant

Due to the lack of an mp3 hookup in my car, I listen to NPR while I am on the road. Yesterday on the way to school, I heard this and loved it. I think this woman is brilliant. And although I would probably never do what she did due to my extreme paranoia of child predators, I think her premise is great and so is her attitude.

Breaking News

Six or seven times a day I check CNN, just to be sure I'm not missing anything.  Usually I'm not missing a thing.  But I did find this, this and this on my most recent visit.  Oh and this, which just breaks my heart, especially the last shot. 

#1-I just adore kittens so I like to watch this little thing move around, and I like that there is no news commentary just showing this average kitten's markings.

#2- I just adore kittens (someone was telling me about this and I don't remember who) but I ran into it on CNN and thought I'd better share.  I can't decide which part is cuter, the kittens, the bear or the last bear. 

#3-What on earth.  WHY?  Just ADOPT a child. Morons.