January 10, 2001

I got my first traffic ticket today. Yes, me, the person who has her hands on the wheel at ten and two at all times, the person who makes full and complete stops at 2 am, the person who uses her turn signals even when no other cars are in sight. I am a model driver, a nerd even. Me. A ticket. As Heather B. would say, "This is some bullshit." Imagine my surprise as I look in my rearview mirror and see red and blue lights flashing for me. I always wondered how I would react to getting pulled over, but I was surprisingly calm, mostly because I had no idea what I did to warrant a ticket. Apparently I had turned left at the intersection when the light had turned red. The intersection in question is a very broad one, and as I remember, the light turned red when I was in the middle of it, not when I was turning, so that is just some bullshit. Bullshit or not, I got an $85 ticket and a condescending "don't let this ruin your day" lecture from the cop.

This week has been busier than most. I'm taking one night class with my sister-- Media and Society, which is ridiculously easy. I only wished I had majored in Communications from the get-go, instead of English. I love having my sister in my class because it totally puts me at ease in an otherwise boring and potentially nerve-wracking situation. I even pointed out to the class today how MTV creates culture and is dangerous for impressionable viewers because it's telling them what's cool and what's considered talent and quality instead of the other way around. My sister was impressed.

J has left to go back to school, so the pressure is off to spend time with j. Thank god, because it was driving me insane. The other night they came over to return my stereo, and I felt so...awkward. I tried to busy myself by getting something to drink and rearranging the clothes in my closet. It wasn't an unpleasant visit-- they were all getting into a Lifetime movie and making fun of it, which was funny, but I couldn't help feeling like I didn't fit in with them anymore, and I sensed that they knew it, too.

Right now, though, is peaceful. It's 10:30 pm, I've got the Fight Club soundtrack on, it's very chilly (this cold weather snap has not ended YET), and my sister is on a date with her quasi-boyfriend, so I have hours on end to entertain myself. Knowing me, I'll probably ebay myself into an oblivion before the night is over.