Happy Birthday Murphy!!

Well, the week of July 20, 2004 must be some sort of Multi-Centennial Convergence Celebration on the invocation of Murphy's Law... )

...So it all started yesterday, which had me puzzled as to the correlation with today's events. All I can figure is that this year must have been something special, out of the ordinary, 'cause this year there was a Murphy's Eve. Kinda like Christmas Eve, you only get to open one present... 'the biggest one', why wait till tommorrow when you open the huge one tonight. That leaves the plethora of little ones for Murphy's Day proper.

Anyway. On my way home from work in Marshall ~ 5:00pm Monday (X-phy's Eve) driving west-bound on HWY-80 between the two lights in Hallsville, when I was haplessly pulled over by a police officer who said, (roughly) "the reason I stopped you is because in the state of Texas it's illegal to be driving in the left lane and not passing anyone"(link to TxDPS Law)... and politely issued me a warning for the left hand lane thing, and a citation for my inspection being out of date. My first ever. I've been driving now for almost 10 years... quite a blow. And of course the Judge's office hours are only from "3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday" & "12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Fridays" So I can't even find out what exactly I'm supposed to do about this whole thing I have to wait at least two days, if not until Fri. I don't like that, I like to have things resolved as quick as possible, especially when the law is concerned.

All excuses aside, my inspection was nearly a month out of date, and I was indisputably in the wrong there. As far as the left lane thing goes, there is nearly always someone to be passed on that stretch of road, or else someone wants to pull out from one of the many entrances onto said highway, which I believe was the case. I tend to be polite in this regard and give the drivers entering the roadway an empty lane to get into. This time, there just happened to be a Marshall police officer who wanted to pull out accross east-bound traffic -I guess shortly after I entered the left lane. I noticed him pulling out, and applied the brakes accordingly, to give him the right of way, but by that time he had stopped in the middle of the east-bound lanes (thankfully with no on-comming traffic).

So I suspect I made the lane change in that split second of time when he was looking the other way, and caught him by surprise when I showed up in the lane he was going to pull into. As far as I know, this stretch of road is not marked as the above law states (re:link) , which is IMO (In My Opinion) why I was not cited for the violation. It is marked however, only after the second light on the way out of Hallsville heading west, where the speed limit changes to 65mph.


That was the big present for yesterday... now, for today.

-This morning ~8:30 I head straight for Firestone Tire Center (FTC) for my corrective inspection -because, as it turns out, there are no inspection places open after 6:00pm! -anywhere! *quietly suppresses urge to thrash about in aggrivation* *substitutes large sigh or two* Anyway... From the time I bought the car, the rear brakes have been steadily eminating more loud and annoying noises from the rear wheels, so since I had the chance, and it was cheap ($9.99), and since it won't pass inspection if the brakes are shot, I had them do a check.

Come to find out, all brakes need attn. soon but aren't severe, just noisy. But I needed to have atleast 2 new front tires for inspection, and I had a nail in the right rear, the one I just replaced (w/ a $15 used tire from Lobo Tire) not three weeks ago. So I let them do the brake thing on the rear, but had a place to get cheaper tires.

-After watching the Morman Jeopardy Wizard win his 35th consecutive day ($1.1million +), and a couple guests into the Wayne Brady show... so about 10:15am... I then realize I need money. I cross Judson Rd. to Bank One, to use thier ATM and check my balance, and w/draw $160 in American currency.

-I head back to FTC. A distinct awareness of my situation ensues as I walk back towards FTC. I thank the Lord for easy breath. Finish the Wayne Brady show with Chaka Kahn as the Star Guest. I think they were promptly done w/ the brakes after that. I then tendered them $140.92 for their service and inspection stickerage (not applied yet but paid for, as I found out later).

~11:30am Leave FTC. Headed for Lobo Tire for my cheaper tires, and to check if they had 4 used 195/60r14's in stock, they did. $100 mounting, balancing & all. Told them I'd be back after lunch.

-Went to Todd Malone's house to see if the guys had our every other Tues. lunch together. Nope, didn't 'spect so.

-So I went to Longview Bank & Trust downtown, to use their ATM. I Don't Have My ATM Card!! In my rush to get out of the way of the driver waiting for me at Bank One's ATM, I had inadvertantly left my card in the machine, which I assume it promply ate. So, I head back to Bank One to find out if I can get my card back -nope. Can't get it back. They have it, but the machine cancels it upon ingestion, and "no bank can give back [another bank]s card" (my bank is East Tx Professional Credit Union).

-I utter the inescapable "Sheesh!" as I walk away from the Bank One building.

-I drive (Oh... no more noise from the brakes! Yay!!) over to ETPCU to apply for a check card (works more places than ATM card) which will arrive in "7-10 buisness days". And withdraw $100 the old fashioned way, for tires.

-Go back downtown to Lobo Tire. Get tires. $100.11

-Back to Firestone TC for proper inspection. Passed.

~2:00pm Lunch. KFC Roasted Chicken Strips Meal.

~2:43pm start writing this blog. It is now 7:23pm.