E-merge-ncy

Everyone has something. Most of us have more than one thing. One of my many things is merging onto highways. Of course sometimes I have to do it, although given a choice, I will always drive extra miles and/or minutes--even hours--if there's a back way. It's not that anything bad has ever happened to me while merging. I've had more mishaps in parking lots than on the road. But for some reason, if I have to go somewhere that involves driving on a highway, I will toss and turn most of the night, my stomach churning with anxiety.

Such was my state in the early hours of last Friday, when I had agreed to drive my Jordyn to school--about 30 minutes and three separate highways away. I had no trouble getting out of bed at 5:00. I'd been awake for hours. Several cups of coffee with my good friends at The Weather Channel, and Jordyn and I were ready to hit the road. (One of us might have only been pretending that it was no big deal.)

"I feel like we're starting off on a vacation," I said, feeling positively adventurous as I lowered the visor against the early morning sun and pulled out of the driveway. With Jordyn as my co-pilot, I knew I'd have no trouble finding my way...it was just all those e-merge-ncies!

As always, my worry was for nothing. Cars pulled over to open the lane for me, and I tried to be a considerate driver, accelerating to near lift-off speed before I pulled out. I used my turn signals appropriately, and stayed in the slow lane, even though I was driving considerably faster than I'm used to. Twenty-five minutes later, I was dropping Jordyn off at the main entrance of Allen Jay Preparatory Academy. (And I didn't even pull away before she had a chance to retrieve her gigantic backpack from the backseat, although she has no idea how close I came to doing so!)

Only one wrong turn in the school parking lot which left me feeling slightly rattled, and I was once again merging onto Business 85...

Business 85! This can't be right! I wasn't on Business 85! How did I get here?!!

Just as full-blown panic was starting to set in, I saw it: Guilford College Road Exit 2 miles!

I practically live on Guilford College Road! I knew if I could just make it to that exit, I could make it home in a safe and relaxed manner, even if it took me until lunchtime!

And guess what--it only took a half-hour. Five minutes more than it would have if I'd used the highway. The relief I experienced was well worth those extra minutes. I think I have a plan for the rest of the year...

Agitation...

...When you have something to say, and you know it's important for someone to hear, but even in your imagination you can't conjure up one single person who will want to listen.

...When there's a long list of things that have been bugging you about your husband--maybe even longer than his list of things about you--but you know you shouldn't write it down; but still, you can't forget about all the things that are on it.

...When you feel sorry for yourself because your kids treat you (when they bother to treat you at all) like some annoying crazy person that they wish they didn't have to deal with, but they do. And then you realize that that's just Karma showing off.

...When the f*!@ing cat can't decide whether she'd rather be inside or outside, but is incapable of dealing with her indecision on her own, so you have to keep getting out of your chair to help her make up her mind.

...When life is good--especially yours--and you know it, and you think you should make a list of all the things that make you happy, but dammit, today you just don't feel like it, so you write a blog listing all your complaints. (Because you know no one will listen to you anyway.)