daw, i graduated.

...from traffic school, that is.

So I managed to go 35 years without a single ticket. Believe me, it wasn't because I had safe driving practices. I have recollections from my earlier driving days that raise my own hairs. Still, I managed to get away either un-caught or with warnings.

Then, last spring, I got a speeding ticket. The CHP caught me on the I-280.

...speeding.

...at 102mph.

...in a 65mph zone.

...and that was after slowing down from about 115.

:D

So, yes, okay. I deserved that. Completely. I also deserved it for all the times I've sped insanely without getting caught. However, not too long after, I got caught again -- by the Stanford campus police, of all things -- because I rolled through a stop sign. Also something I've done all my life.

THEN, I got caught by the SFPD for going nearly 60 on city streets. In a 35mph zone. ALSO something I've done all my life (when late).

All this happened within 6 months or so. So now I am paranoid as fuck. When I think I see a flash of red-white-blue lights, my heartrate shoots up. I will admit, though, that it's made me a better driver.

That said, it didn't really cure my procrastination issue. After my third ticket (back in like, September), I put it off until the court mailed me the reminder. Then I paid the fine (close to $400, OUCH) and signed up for traffic school. This was back in early December.

After that, I ignored it again until day before yesterday I realized I had to complete traffic school by 2/2 or get it on my permanent record. So I signed on, puttered around, meandered through sections, and forgot about it altogether on Tuesday.

Then today, Wednesday, I suddenly realized I had like 3 hrs left to finish. And this fucking thing is designed so that you're forced to spend some amount of time per page or it won't let you go on to the next page. AND there are mandatory 20-minute movies sprinkled in.

So to make a long story short, it came down to the bare, cutting wire. When I finally finished the "Final Exam", I had 13 minutes left on the clock. I literally would not have finished on time if I spent another 13 minutes at Safeway. Or on the horn with my family (they're having a minireunion with my sis, parents, and grandparents). Or, or, or.

However, it all paid off. Cuz. I got this! :]



Daw, they gave me a little graduation cap. So cute.

In other news, I recently gave kai a boks full of goodies. She really liked it. It made me really happy :] I'm really not much of a giftgiver, but ... yeah. Once in a while I really do enjoy it. Cuz. Yeah! The glow of altruism.

:]

Also, Drak N. Stomy is the best name ever.