Headache from hell

So, I have now had a headache for ten days straight. I went to the doctor last Friday, got meds, already finished the antibiotic, and still, I have the sinus headache from hell! I have tried just about every cold and allergy medicine/remedy out there. Usually three Excedrin will knock the headache right out, but no such luck this time.

In the midst of the ten day headache, I am still expected to function, imagine that. Yesterday Sophie and I stayed home and cleaned out my insane linen closet. Not the smartest thing to do when you already have sinus drainage filling your head, ears and throat. Needless to say, I was having major asthma issues yesterday. Five bags of old bedding and kitchen linens later, the closet looks so pretty! The garbage bags are still in my entry, even though I went right by the Good Will truck today.

Today I took Sophie to the park for a picnic lunch with my moms group. Despite my headache and the January weather conditions in mid June, we had a great time. Just remind me never to take a cranky, tired, full of frosted animal cookies toddler to the store when I already have a pounding headache. I had been wanting to go all week to Fred Meyer, and today was the last day of the 25% off coupon I had. I wanted to pick up a few things for Sophie, and I ventured over to look at shoes for myself. Since I have lost a little fat in my feet, I really want some cute shoes. Needless to say, we left with cute new shoes for Sophie. They were a really good deal. And her spring tennies have been worn to shreds since sandal weather still hasn't started. By the time we got to the checkout Sophie had ran away once and had at least three melt downs. I was happy she was entertaining herself with the cart, but the stupid checkout lady kept saying "Mam, she can't do that". Lest you think I am just being mean, this lady has helped me many times, is slower than frickin molasses, and has undercharged me more than once. Mind you, in my past life, I had to scold many a child for their antics, usually directly since the parents were no where to be found. I would speak directly to the parent if they were there and letting their kids climb on the racks like monkey bars, but I never scolded anyone for letting their child push the shopping cart. Payback is a bitch, I guess. Three more melt downs later and we got home where Chet put Sophie down for a nap.

Tomorrow I have an interview. And for the first time since I have been looking, I think I will actually go. I just hope my headache goes away so I don't sound like a blubbering idiot.

Driving part 2

Okay, I am guessing by the lack of comments on my last post that either a) No one read it, or b) I touched a few nerves. Either way is okay, since this is really just an outlet for me to vent. And even then, there are some subjects I feel I can not write about, because I know there are people who may read my blog that will get upset.

Anyway, I do have some things to add on the driving subject. The day after I wrote that blog, Chet was driving me home from the doctor and we drove passed the high school where the boys that died last week were set to graduate from. There is a large memorial set up that you can see from the street. Many times over the years I have tried to get through to Chet about how important it is to drive carefully. Just a few minutes before this we were leaving the parking lot of the drugstore, and as Chet went to turn left to get to the driveway, a car was coming very fast towards us. Chet honked and slammed on his breaks. The guy had his hands in the air, like what was Chet's problem. Technically, the guy had the right away. But if he wasn't speeding through the parking lot, Chet would have had plenty of time to turn. But the guy stepped on the gas, and if Chet had continued to turn, he would have run right into us, right where I was sitting. So Chet was all mad, and said since the guy was speeding, he would have been in the wrong. And I told him, if we were both dead, what would it matter who was in the wrong?! Besides, the guy had the right away, whether he was speeding or not.

In the accident that killed the two young men last week, it happened to be a guy that was drinking that ran into them. But the fact is, they were stalled in the middle of a busy interstate. Anyone that was impaired in any way, be it by speeding, or just turning to talk to someone next to them, could have ran into them. Someone that was going 80 miles an hour at 10:30 at night, up a hill, would not have had time to stop suddenly. Maybe they could have swerved, if there was no one on either side of them. There have been many accidents where drivers have swerved and hit a car stalled on the shoulder.

All of us who drive need to be so cautious at all times. I am far from perfect. Yes, I talk on my phone. I know I can do it and still pay attention to the road, and I always leave lots of room in front of me. I have been trying not use my phone in the car for months, but sometimes I have to. I do have a blue tooth headphone that I have had for years. But I still have to dial from my phone. The thing is, if I have an emergency, I will make a call. If I get pulled over, I get pulled over. Talking on your phone, unless it's hands free, has been illegal here for two and a half years. However, it was not a primary offense, meaning that you couldn't get pulled over for it, but could get a ticket if you were pulled over for another reason, and were also caught talking on the phone. Now it is a primary offense, so you can get pulled over if an officer see's you talking on your phone and driving. The first day this went into effect, the local news had a lawyer on saying that anyone that get's a ticket can challenge it. And, they showed cops out patrolling for drivers on their cell phones. I have even called people who say they are driving, so they have to be careful to not get caught. So essentially for this law, or any driving law to really work and have a large impact, there needs to be cops or highway patrol officers lined up along every stretch of highway, because some drivers, unless they think there is one around, aren't going to follow the laws. The thought of hurting or maiming themselves or others is not enough. Or maybe they just haven't been personally affected by an accident, or think that bad things can't happen to them.

To me it is like the whole abortion argument. If someone is morally willing to kill an unborn child, they will do it whether it is legal or not. And while I do not agree with abortion in the least, making it illegal will not stop it. If we could just cut down on all the violence, and educate people on the value of life, and that when it is over, it is over, maybe the next generations can make better decisions. Like driving carefully, preventing unwanted pregnancy, and generally treating themselves and others with respect. We don't need more laws and more rules. We need people to care enough about themselves and others to treat all life with respect.

Driving is a privilege, not a right.

Last night, two 18 year old young men from the high school near me died in a car accident on the freeway. The car stalled on the interstate, in the mid left lane. The driver put his hazards on, he and his passengers kept their seat belts on, headlights were on, and the driver dialed 911 for help. And then blacked out. A driver, suspected to be drunk and with a drunk driving record, slammed into them. The two men in the back died, one at the scene, one today at the hospital. The driver survived with non life threatening injuries. Two young promising lives, just about to graduate, gone. Over. Done. Another totally senseless fatal accident.

In this new high tech, gimme, gimme world, we have created a society lacking in personal responsibility. While Americans complain about less and less rights, we lose more and more. Why? Because adults have to be TOLD and ENFORCED not to drink and drive. Don't get in the car and not put on your seat belt, don't get in your car and text. More and more laws. Because our society is getting dumber and dumber. So teaching people how to drive, making them take a test, and buy insurance is not enough. We must pass laws, pay law enforcement, and give them incentives to stop drivers that don't wear their seat belt, are texting, making calls, driving drunk, and driving stupid. Because why should people be expected to do these things on their own?

Well, let me tell you, they don't. I would love to say I don't know people who have driven drunk, but I do. I have heard grown adults brag about it. For the longest time I have ignored the ignorant 20 somethings that brag about speeding and multiple driving violations. I dared to call out a grown woman complaining on Facebook about drivers not going 80 in the left lane on this very stretch of freeway. The same one my hubby drives twice a day.

I would also like to say I have never made a mistake driving, but I can't. I do drive defensively at all times. I get honked at, cussed at, and passed all the time. But I don't walk through life with my head in the sand, and I try not to drive that way either.

Really, taxpayers have to pay for law enforcement to sit and watch for drivers not wearing their seat belt. Nevermind that there are stupid, drunk, speeding reckless drivers flying by. They are there to pull over Joe idiot that has chosen not to buckle up. Knowing that if they get hit, they may fly out the window. Don't get me started about child safety. I finally turned my daughter around to forward facing when she was getting leg cramps. I pray every minute of the day that nothing happens to her anyway, so I buckle her up forward facing and pray that some dumb ass that had to drink and drive, or harried mom that thinks it is okay to go 80 miles an hour and text does not cross our paths.

You may think I am just a bitter survivor of a beautiful, full of potential 18 year old sister that died in a totally senseless accident. The thing is, I was being called granny driver long before Cathy died. I always worried when my parents or sisters were very late getting home. Premonition? Maybe. Most people would not play Russian roulette with a rifle, but there are millions of people that do it with a ton of metal. And lots of them brag on Facebook about it. I'm sure some precentage of them drive like a granny too, but just think it is cool to say they drive at break neck speeds. But most really do drive like that. I see it every day. Fucking idiots. I think everyone of them needs to see a computer image of themselves crushed beyond recognition. Because in our self centered world, maybe that will knock some reality into them. Or maybe not.