Careful What You Wish For

This morning I was frustrated that I couldn't think of a single thing to post. For the second day in a row. Other than begging for more compliments.

But the Fates intervened on my behalf---in the form of a speeding ticket. I got pulled over on my way home from lunch. I apparently/allegedly was doing 45 in a 30 zone. Oops. Now I had noticed that the Austin PD was ramping up its speed enforcement in my neighborhood. About a week ago, one of speed reader signs went up. You know, the ones that flash how fast you are going. And today a cop was sitting on his motorcycle. And he got me.

And, of course, it became an everything-goes-wrong-at-once moment. My driver's side window decided that it was no longer going to work. I didn't have my current insurance card in the car. I was half expecting that a kilo of cocaine would pop out from under the seat and I would discover that a drug cartel was using my car as a mule.

Fortunately, the police officer was very nice (and I do think that most of them are nice people and are simply doing their jobs). He knocked five mph off my speed so that I'd fall in the lowest infraction level and he gave me a pass on the insurance (which I really do have and I realized after I had pulled away that I had a bill in my purse that would have proved my current insurance).

So I guess I'll be spending my weekend watching the Defensive Driving DVD---which I had been meaning to do anyway because it would save me a little on my insurance---and taking my car to the shop to fix the unworky window. Please let it be still under warranty!

I guess I was due. My first speeding ticket and I'm almost 30. It's my second ticket in Austin; the first was a parking ticket that I got at the library when I parked in a metered spot 5 minutes before the "free parking" time and didn't have a quarter. My third ticket overall. My very first was when I was 25 and rear-ended another car.

And at least I have something to write about!