Argh!

Argh! So this morning I drove all the way to Sewickley (stopped in Shadyside on the way which made the trip longer) to perform a short two minute salsa gig with my salsa partner. Fridays are my creative endeavoring/pleasure day. I get to do whatever I want. So the salsa opportunity came up and I grab these now and then also because you make a little cash on the side, but primarily I do it for fun. Anyway, it took an hour and twenty minutes to get to Sewickley high school, we performed for literally three minutes and then it took me forty five minutes to get back home. But guess what happened only five minutes before I reached my house, I got pulled over by the cops! I got a speeding ticket! ARGH! This totally throws my budget off. Do you know how much I (or more like my parents) have wasted in parking tickets, speeding tickets and towing costs (yes can you believe I actually parked in my high school principal's spot one time and they had the car removed) that I have incurred over the years? Over $1500 easily.* I have such horrible car karma. Seriously, this sucks. I spent three hours making $40 this morning and now I'm at a total day deficit of $100. AHHH.

I don't like to make a big deal about money. Honestly if I had a lot of money I wouldn't think twice about the parking ticket. Money is not a big deal. I'm not like some people who research and search a lot for the right deal and the right price for something. That I think it's a huge waste of time. I mean a little research is fine but I'm not going to drive to another mall just because a coat is $20 cheaper. What is the point of doing this? I'd rather buy what's in front of me, grab a latte and enjoy the afternoon sun. That's $20 spent on my well being and it's more than worth it.

Arghus.

Anyway, you know what's so silly about the whole thing. I was feeling so calm and spiritual this whole morning while I was driving. I was listening to Krishna Das in the car and then at points there were tears coming down my eyes and I was thinking about how I was going to write a well thought out essay on God and Durga and new beginnings and all this wonderful stuff but then my mood totally got ruined after I got the ticket. Man! Now I realize that's how I got speeding! I was so caught up in the bliss of Krishna Das's bhajans that I wasn't paying attention to the speed! This isn't fair! I should get a break. I should be put off the hook because I'm a God loving citizen. Don't I get points for that?! I even told the cop that I was sorry right away and that I was feeling emotional and that's why I didn't pay attention to the speed. But he said he couldn't let me off the hook because of a new initiative to catch speeders on 22. Why me?! Why?!?!

Oh and the other thing is it was right near the Hindu Jain temple! I got pulled over by that light on 22 where you turn to go there. I've spent like half my life in the temple. Does it count for nothing?! Do you know how many hours I have spent sitting at havans and poojas until my bum got numb. Do you know how many hours I spent putting up with a strict Bharatanatyam teacher in the temple! Do you know how many Namastes I've said to God knows how many people there? Do you know how many hours I spent learning hindi and dancing in Sunday School among politically motivated dysfunctionaries (but mostly wonderful, normal uncles and aunties and classmates) Lots! Why is God punishing me! Why?!

But I guess I deserve it. A couple years ago I got pulled over for running a red light (honestly I thought it was still yellow. Whatever happened to the 'you can still go through the intersection three seconds after the light turns red' exception.) I apologized profusely and didn't half to pay a ticket. But honestly the last couple years I was driving much better. I really am a good driver. I just feel that I was one of those unfortunate people out of the hundreds of other people who speed on 22 who got caught. So I'm debating whether I should contest it. Maybe I should just pay and get it over with it. But there's a part of me that really wants to explain myself to the city of Pittsburgh. I want to make the case of the God-loving-Pittsburgh-caring citizen.

In any case, I am here not to affirm that I am not guilty but instead to say that I am in fact guilty, guilty of speeding, guilty of driving 60mph in a 45mph zone. I was listening to bhajans. Bhajans give me strength. They give me peace. Bhajans are.." And so on.

Actually what I may do is form a petition. I'll get at least fifty signatures and then maybe that will help my case. But that will take some time. Time is money.


Time for traffic court.