I Got the Power!
Life, Rants April 19th, 2008No, I’m not a super hero. Unfortunately I can’t fly like Superman, I still have to drive my car to get places. I cannot bust through walls like Kool-Aid man, I have to use the door and I can’t change my clothes faster than Wonder Woman, but 7 out of 10 times, I can change a red light to green. I’ll tell you how later, but first let me tell you about my week. Since you already know what I’m blogging about, I thought I’d give you a behind the scene of how I’m living, well partially.
So, I’m still trying to figure out what’s going on with my daughter’s stomach (btw, she came home with a new word for underwear: “tighty whities”…apparently the teacher’s aid doesn’t wear a belt and her “tighty whities” have been showing and she’s the talk of the 2nd grade)….anywho, I called the doctor’s office for an appointment and receptionist asked for the patient’s date of birth.
I said, “10-6-99″.
She said, “Is the appointment for a child?” Silence.
Now I’m looking at the receiver thinking: It’s too early for this. I wanted to say, “No, the patient is actually a leap year baby and she’s a lot older than her birth date indicates.” Yes it’s for a child! 1999, do the math or not do the math. How many of your adult friends were born 8 years ago? Instead of delivering my facetious remark I replied “Yes”.
I try not to be a smart-aleck, okay that’s not true, I try not to say everything I’m thinking but sometimes people make you. Like one morning I’m walking from the parking lot into the office building and here comes Exhibit A. I have manners so I say: “Good Morning”. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Not a word. It happens a lot and today was going to be different. I turn and say real loud: GOOD MORNING! Now I get a response and I’m back to feeling cheery again. What’s wrong with saying good morning, some people act like you stole something when…..
The only person I’m really trying to avoid right now is the PoPo (police) because my left brake light is out. Cops in my area don’t have too much to do and will pull you over in a minute for a blown out bulb, so every time I see a cop car I have a mini stroke and rethink my decision to never wear Depends. Either I try to slow down without having to press the brake pedal or I speed up to put some distance between us. I don’t know why I think the cops are after me, but if anyone is to be pulled over for something like this, it would be me. It will get taken care of soon or…..
Maybe I could just use my super powers to turn all the lights green and not have to stop at all. I’m not advocating this, it’s just something that I do and not often. I’m a trained professional driver*, so do not attempt this while driving. If you have an accident while trying to change traffic lights, I will deny knowing you and this blog three times. Seriously though, have you ever noticed that when you’re in a hurry to get somewhere, that every traffic light is red. It’s like the lights know and turn red on purpose.
For reasons I’ll explain in another post, most times I like to keep something to read with me so when I am stopped at a red light or in traffic, I can read it. I’ve noticed that every time I go to pick up a book, the red light would turn green. Even when I see a red light and think: goodie I get to read, it turns green. Call me crazy, but I think I can change lights. You can’t fake the feeling though, you have to really want to read the book, it works. I do catch a few of them, but on my daily route, not as many as I normally would. I guess you can call it positive thinking, I’m sure people who follow the law of attraction would agree with me. There is power is positive thinking and……
I used some of that power at the charity bowl early this week which was aired on TV. Nobody asked me for a press release, but we had a lot of fun. There was someone there from the NY Giants who didn’t look any bigger than the water boy and a ESPN Sportscaster who could have been a center for the NJ Nets. They raffled off signed memorabilia I thought was going to the high bowler, which happened to be me. I was all ready to put my goodies on eBay…I guess I counted my chickens before they hatched. I thought I did enough bowling to at least win a tube of Ben-Gay because I was all tuckered out and….
Just so you know, I really don’t have the power. Actually the firemen, cops and the electric company had the power last night. My neighborhood lost power 3 times while I was writing this post.
*no I’m not.

April 19th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
it’s a fact of life red lights know when your in a hurry…:)))..I made an appointment to have my physical for my trucking licence..when I walked in I handed the for to the receptionist.. and she filled out what ever form she needed..age name date of birth and “what is your occupation Mr. Bourne”.. I almost said ‘Pilot” just to throw her off..:)
April 19th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
A sure fire way to avoid red lights is to apply makeup on while driving. I always see these women drive by without a worry of a red light which applying lipstick, or mascara.
Annoying.
Jinksy’s last blog post..John McCain Eats Puppies
April 19th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
I believe the lights do Robert..just thought it was interesting that every time I want to read at a red light, I can’t….and you should have said pilot. What the?
Jinksy, well that’s kind of bad to do while driving. I really can’t do too much cause I’m shifting, but I have learned to do a little more than I thought I’d be able to, but I try to just drive, but if I come to a red light, well then I have 45 seconds or longer to do something, right?
April 20th, 2008 at 2:17 am
You read while at red lights? LOL. I give people who do that evil looks!
But I get the light to change by trying to find something to listen to on our satellite radio. As soon as I start scanning for something worth playing… BAM!…. the light changes. Very very annoying.
I would get smart if someone asked an obvious question, but I recently did the same thing soooo… I’d feel like a hypocrite if I mocked anyone for that!
Jillian’s last blog post..The Case of the Missing Propyhlactic
April 20th, 2008 at 6:56 am
Yeah Jillian, it’s true….I read at red lights. I try not to be the first car in line so that people won’t beep at me for not paying attention.
Well see there you go…the radio is your remote. You have the power too. Not caring if the lights are red and wanting to do something else is key.
I try not to get smart, usually if I know I’m going to ask an obvious question, I apologize first….like that makes a difference.

Natural’s last blog post..I Got the Power!
April 20th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
I hear you on “good morning” (or some other greeting.) When I get no reply I typically say, loud enough to be heard, “Or not.” Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. I try not to care, either way. I’m getting too cynical & crotchety for someone in their 40s, but that’s life, I guess. <:\
BTW, I’ve linked you up in my blogroll, if that’s okay.
Lana’s last blog post..Recent Dreams
April 20th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Lana, normally I would let it go, but it happens a lot in my neck of the woods. Strangers used to tell me to smile, so I’m collecting my “good mornings”
Thanks for adding me to your blogroll!
April 21st, 2008 at 3:16 am
What a great story.
The age thing reminds me of the comedy routine of “here’s your sign” (”I’m Stupid”)…don’t know who to give credit to but I think it’s part of the redneck comedy series. In our house, if someone asks a silly question, we now just say “here’s your sign”. LOL
Barbara Swafford’s last blog post..Blogging - Year One - Lesson Five
April 21st, 2008 at 7:56 pm
It’s the same principle as being in a restaurant and waiting for your food which STILL hasn’t arrived, and I go to the restroom and the food is almost always there waiting for me!
Cameron’s last blog post..Harps and Chainsaws
April 21st, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Barbara, I heard that saying before…an old friend of mine used to say something about: where’s your sign. Well since I have to possibly meet that woman tomorrow, I’m printing out a few signs for just in case.
Really Cameron? I don’t think that works for me, but glad you found your power. Next time when I want my food served quicker, I’m going to give it a try. A friend of mine was dining alone and she went to the bathroom after her food came…guess what she returned to when she got back. Nothing! They thought she was done. LOL
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:24 am
That’s funny! For me it’s when I go to pick up my coffee mug. The lights will change… but when we go into town, my Other Half nearly always insists on me driving because he says I make parking spaces appear.
Jay’s last blog post..Tired of Google?
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:55 am
It’s so true Jay….the minute we want to do something at the light it wants to turn green. I suck my teeth at it. lol. We all have the power. This is cool, I didn’t know. Thanks for the SearchMe post you did…very nice!