Mad Cow Journal Entry #1

The insanity continues! Once I reached that crucial step of admitting that I have lost my mind (or at least part of it), my friend at work, Stephanie, decided that we should have a name for this "disease". She has three kids and has been suffering from this affliction for years. So, we have somewhat appropriately named it "Mad Cow" (anybody watch Boston Legal??).

Anywho, I plan to document as much of my Mad Cow as possible. Who knows?! Maybe this documentation will be used by a mad scientist in some future scientific study to cure the disease!


And now, Mad Cow #1...

Driving has become somewhat troublesome for me lately. I have always considered myself a very good driver (yes, I am assertive, but I am very defensive as well). And I am typically excellent with directions. I have a fabulous internal compass, if I say so myself. Just ask Chip. He calls me for directions all the time, because he is so used to me navigating. In New Zealand and Italy, he drove; I navigated. It works out well. Anywho...

I have had a few driving incidents in the past couple weeks, and due to the frequency, I can't help but notice. I have become a mediocre driver! Hopefully this will not be a downward spiral. If I start sideswiping cars, I am going to make Chip start driving me to work!

Exhibit #1--I wanted to stop at a gas station, and missing the turn from the access road. I proceeded to turn right just after the gas station so I could turn in from the side street, but I didn't see an entrance from that street! Since it was a Shell station, and Chip prefers Shell gas, I turned around and got back on the highway, took the next exit, and looped around so I was on the access road again. This time I didn't miss my turn! Whoop! I got gas and then left the station. I turned right on the side street again (where there had been no entrance before) on my way to a friend's house. Low and behold, there was an entrance there! I am apparently losing my vision due to Mad Cow!

Exhibit #2--I was stuck on 114, and traffic was awful. I decided to take an exit and then get back on the highway further down. This worked very well. I was flying by all those suckers on the highway. I went through one light, and then took the on-ramp to get back on 114. As soon as I got on the ramp, I realized that I took the entrance ramp for 121!!! This would take me a different direction, and traffic was backed up. I ended up getting on 360 and then had to turn around and get all the way back to 114. If you are at all familiar with Grapevine, this forced me to sit in traffic forever by Red Robin, Bone Daddy's, and Buffalo Wild Wings. Disaster! Those "suckers" were probably home by the time I got back on 114!

Exhibit #3--My friend, Kelly, and I went Christmas shopping this past Saturday. I missed probably three turns in the course of the day in the Grapevine/Southlake area. This is an area that I frequent at least weekly. But for some reason, I just could not figure out where I was going half the time! To top it off, I got honked at twice! Considering I usually get honked at maybe twice a year, it's not looking too promising for 2009. And it was definitely my fault when I was honked at the first time--I was hanging over the line into oncoming traffic. It was only partially my fault the second time when I thought I was in a lane that went straight, but then it looked like it might be a turn lane and I was too scared to just go straight (apparently the person behind me KNEW that it was a straight lane and he really wanted me to move out of his way). Again, I will blame my eye sight on the second honking - the paint really needs to be redone on that road! :) Sorry Kelly! I know you are usually terrified when I drive because I am going over the speed limit, but this time you really had a reason to be scared!