It’s been a long week.
I feel like I have hit my first road block with my blog. I want every day to bring posts filled with inspiring stories exemplified with brightly colored photos that send you running for the subscribe button. But then life happens… and the stories aren’t as uplifting and forget about photos, have you seen the floor of a DMV? ugh.
I feel like someone just crammed down a HUGE piece of humble pie down my throat.
So remember my last post where I signed off saying..
“Hopefully the next time I post I will not be sitting in this plastic chair, have new plates on my car, my taxes (er extensions) filed and a new appreciation for time well spent while waiting.”
that was only the BEGINNING of my problems. That day I can I assure you I found neither new appreciation nor humor in what unfolded. Frankly I still am a little shell shocked at how things can go so terribly wrong so quickly.
Back up to the moment I clicked send on my phone via Poster maybe 5 minutes later my phone battery expired, that’s it cut off from the outside world. Luckily the last call I made was to my daughter’s preschool to let them know I would be tardy, but not too tardy.
3 minutes pass “B083 window number 21″ (OMG I know my number… PTSD) I get up to the counter and God Bless the gal working, she actually smiled at me. She handed me my plates and I was so happy. Happy they didnt say madchik… although that kinda works too.
I grabbed those suckers and bolted for my car. Keys in hand I popped open my trunk threw everything in, grabbed a screw driver and proudly mounted my new plate. Out of the corner of my eye I can see a line of cars forming behind the one gal who is waiting smack in the middle of the aisle, for my space. These spaces are like GOLD people, friggen gold. I rush, I drop a screw, I get it back in, last one tightened, throw the screwdriver in the trunk, grab my purse and slam the trunk shut. Reaching for the door I realize its still locked…hmmmm I don’t remember locking the car. Of course you don’t you IDIOT the only thing you unlocked was the TRUNK! I dig deep listening for the jingle of my keys….. silence. Oh no….. no no no no nooooooooo. Cheese & rice this can not be happening. No keys.
No keys.
No phone.
DOA in the parking lot of the DMV.
Pick up was in 5 minutes at the Preschool how was I ever going to get her in time? and what about my 12 yr. old home sick with the flu by himself? Minus 10 points for mommy today.
Don’t cry… do…. NOT….. cry. I checked the trunk just for good measure, yep still locked. Stood there waving every person eyeballing my space to keep moving on. Thank you to the guy who yelled at me for just standing there… that felt really warm and fuzzy!
I scooped up my silent purse and headed back to the DMV. No pay phones…son of a b*tch. So standing in front of the line of would be DMV victims I announced that I needed to borrow a cell phone because I not only LOCKED myself out of my car but that my cell phone had died. Well let me tell you, of those who actually understood me, 90% of them either looked AWAY or at the ground! What happened to paying it forward people! I grabbed eye contact with one couple from Florida (God Bless them) and he handed me his phone and started offering solutions.
Its times like these when you realize how dependent you are on technology. Do you think I remembered ONE phone number? Nope. Preschool? nope. Roadside Assistance? nope.
Long story short I learned a few things that day.
- My car is too old to have the REMOTE UNLOCK feature.
- My car is like Ft. Knox and even David, a self proclaimed car-jacker was unsuccessful even with his arsenal of break in tools.
- Keeping your spare key in your wallet is a better option than the junk drawer at home.
- DMV people are angry people. (when I asked for suggestions for help with my situation I was give directions to the nearest McDonald’s pay phone, gee thanks I think I’ll ponder my predicament over a Happy Meal.)
and the most important one of all I learned is that I have people that I can count on.
My current facebook status says this:
If it was not for the kindness and willingness to drop everything for a friend by Kimberly Magette Rimel I would not be sitting here tonight with my sanity left intact. Words can NOT describe my gratitude for her friendship today
I never want to take this down because I want the world to know how important her friendship is to me. When all else failed that day – Kimberly came through. The ONE phone number I memorized!! (good things its almost identical to mine) paid off in spades that day. In the midst of carpool pick-up, dance lesson drop-off and a workout appt. she dropped everything and drove to my house to pick up my one spare key and drive it to the DMV. I was saved.
Three hours late I finally made pick up. No penalties and no tears they said she completely enjoyed her extended stay.
The 12 yr old finally got food only to refuse my choice of ‘sick patient’ cuisine, go figure.
I sat down to write about my day and just stared at the screen in disbelief of my day. “I hope those plates were worth it” my husband said, “if not at least you can blog about it” and there lies my dilemma. To use my power to write about the forces good or evil?
Maybe its about finding that silver lining in every cloud. Yea that’s the road I want to take. Its’ not about bitching about locking your keys in your car or the crappy way you were treated its about your perception, your take on the situation. That day I chose to focus on one thing, I was lucky that I didn’t lock my child in that car along with my keys and that I am as strong as the people I surround myself with. Take a look at who gets your time, your energy. Would they drop everything for you at a moments notice? or would they expect you to “save” them without reciprocating? Who do you surround yourself with? and how do you give back to them?
we return back now to your originally scheduled blog…
Check back this weekend for announcements about the next GIVEAWAY
from modchik’s favorite ETSY vendor BugUnderGlass.
I am still laughing, but empathetically. 🙂 Great post Linz!!!
thank Ginell – refresh I just changed and and fixed all the typos — I was a little jumpy to hit the publish button today 😀
Great post, very touching. Thanks for sharing the frustration, the agony, the humor, but most importantly the silver lining. That silver lining of compassion is a noble quality indeed, a character trait that can benefit everyone. ((hugs))
Love it. Just love it. Well the plate…not the horrifying day.
And so nice to have a friend you can call!
.-= Marcy from The Glamorous Life Association´s last blog ..When you aren’t sure what to blog about… =-.
“LAKERMN” approves of the vanity. I’m glad that your friend took a “special interest” in your problem.
Really proud The Modchik is in MY wallet, along with a spare set of car keys!
My younger sister, and I say this with as much love as possible, is the most selfish person I know and surrounds herself with the most stand up people in the world. Her friends have done things such as packed for her, moved her things, and set them up in her new apartment all while she was at work. Holy moly, right?
Glad everything went smoothly after it all went awry. I can not believe people were not more willing to help.
Today was a great day because you go through it without any scratches. Maybe tomorrow, there will be less chances of getting scratched.
Geez, I sound all proverb-ish!
Followed you over from our discussion on etiquette on Sits!
OK, All I can say is holy hell of a day! But you’ve proven my point from one of my earlier posts that moms ALWAYS find a solution! And thankfully we have fabulous friends that usually can help us find our way! But regardless of your day, you found a bright spot in it all and you wrote an amazing post!!!
Best of luck for a better weekend (and I love the plates BTW!)
.-= Shanna – My Favorite Everything´s last blog ..friday favorites =-.
Isn’t it amazing both how rude/uncaring people can be, as well as how amazingly kind others can be? This reminded me of the day I was in Chicago with mom on a mini trip. My mom’s wallet was stolen from her purse the day we were due to fly back, and of course she had just about every piece of identifying information unwisely inside (including her SS card, her checkbook, all her credit cards…). Let me tell you, getting on a plane post 9-11 without a scrap of identifying info was no easy task. Also, I amazingly only had a little bit of cash on me (CCs were back at the hotel). We had to ask for a lot of help that day — to get to the police department, to get back to our hotel, and of course to get on that plane! We saw the best and the worst of people.
BIG BIG HUGS! WHAT A CRAP DAY! I am so glad you have a great friend that could come through for you that day. And the plate is adorable.
Oh Linz!
As I read your descriptions of the on-going saga of “that” day….All I can tell you is I TOTALLY RELATE! Good thing your gal pal came through for you. Here, in good ol’ ND we just call the local car lock guy when we leave the diesel truck running with a small dog in it and it’s raining and we find ourselves at a MacD’s with only a cell phone that does work! I actually kissed (on the cheek) this total stranger named, Mike, who told me after testing a whole bunch of keys, “…it’s #10!” Who-Hoo! In ND people usually don’t lock cars, running or not, and if they are are locked-out the local car/lock smith has ALL the keys! Let’s call it one of the few perts to living in this region.
Love your plates…and so proud of you taking charge of that totally devastating moment to have the courage to announce your need to a group of strangers at the DMV. I think this is movie material, so be sure to save your writing on hard copy someday…. “The Day in The Life of Modchik!”
Oh Linz….sorry you had such a rough one. Keeps us grounded, huh? I just love your blogging….even though your day was awful I sure enjoyed reading about it 😉 Oh, BTW, you don’t know my number??? I would have dropped everything for you 🙂
awwwwwwwwwwwwww ((( GROUP HUG )))
I can not tell you how happy I was to see
1011 comments awaiting me this morning! So gratifying and just what I needed to push through the weekend – thank you everyone!Kathleen thanks to your trick I will never forget your number now!
Marcy its’ your voice I hear when I feel the urge to get all snarky so thanks for the encouragement to stretch
Shanna I figure if mom’s like you can get through the day then what is MY problem? so can I!… it takes a village right?
Steve I love your plates too… branding is never wrong right?
Melissa I think we all know people like that and wonder how do they keep that up? there will be fallout one day for her I can assure you… thank you for sharing your story and I’m so glad you found me!
Leslie H – the perks of being in Costa Mesa? not many… sad that the most willing person was from Florida – what does that tell you? a book? a movie? world domination? I love it! You know Pioneer Womans book is almost done and she has a movie deal!
Susie at least the people in Chicago are nice? Right? that’s what I remember but even so there’s always people unwilling to help which bites… but the timing of 911? and the horrors of identity theft? your story made me weak in the knees!!
Les you know I know ur number(s) and how you’d be there too smooches just wanted to save you hour trip. 😀
Lisa you’re in my back pocket too!
Love your posts… Love ya!
All I have to say is I’m jealous! You have a wicked cool plate!!! Lucky!
Peas Out!
~daddy b.
.-= daddybookins´s last blog ..Green Monster =-.
thank you! that was a long day — but I do lurve my swanky plates 😀 — glad came by!!
I just wanted to share with you a comment that touched my heart on your featured post at Sugar and Spice.
“Oh. My. Goodness.
Just came to your blog from the SITS pretty kitty tribe and I’m hooked. Also, I’m hooked on ModChick as well.
You know how every now and then you come across new blogs and get really, crazily excited to read more? Totally felt that here. Can’t wait to keep reading
Linds”
Love to both a new friend and old. How strange, both named Lindz.
~K