How to get past the memories

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of my car crash, in which after stopping at a stop sign (in a cornfield) I went through an intersection that didn't require cross traffic to stop. The result was a 360 degree spin that came after a big swerve to the left that caused our cars to meet at the front corners, but swung me around hard and also caused our backsides to meet. No one was hurt, but with my pulse way up I declined medical attention after the ambulance guys gave me a quick check. My friend who I was going to visit before heading down to Evansville, IN for a fraternity meeting came to pick me up from the scene after my car got towed away. The night was filled with panic and anger, and the worst pizza ever and "Into the Woods." Though the car drove home the next day, insurance declared it a total loss.

I planned to commemorate the occasion by staying home and not driving - why risk a second accident on the same day? Unfortunately that was not possible to do, because banks and cleaners won't wait for me until Sunday. Driving safety was on my mind all day, but I made it home with everyone and everything in one piece. I haven't thought about the accident in as much depth in many months, but it still seems very clear and very real. It's not something I look forward to having happen again.

How to temporarily sidetrack the future

The school year has begun for many, but this year I'm voluntarily postponing my educational calling in order to do some work that makes a bit of consistent money during this slow-for-subbing part of the year. So thanks to a fellow Brother, I've landed a temporary job at Quinlan and Fabish music in Burr Ridge, IL. That's 25 miles down the road - not exactly the greatest thing to have to do with gas prices, but I've taken it into account and it won't be a noticeable loss in the end.

The first week on the job is complete, and it was a tough one. I was thrown into it without the full breadth of knowledge I need to be comfortable. The result is I've botched a few customer calls, offended one to the point she hung up, and forced my co-workers to clean up some of the mess. The good news is that Friday went well, with no significant errors. It's a very repetitive process of taking instrument rental orders and processing them, so it's not terribly fun and can be quite time consuming. Sitting in that desk chair in front of a computer with the phone ringing non-stop (most of the time) is a different work environment than I'm used to being in.

Overall, I can't say it's a bad job. It's music, it's related to education, and it will last only to October. What more could I ask for for $12 and hour and no homework?