Depressing highway statistics forced into my brain (its not like I can choose not to read them)

Everyday I drive to Kentucky to go to school in Ohio. Over the bridge and around and over the bridge again. In the mornings, once I get on the highway in Kentucky the drive is beautiful. The best part is driving over the bridge back into Ohio, it is very country still and the trees are changing now. Each morning is different. On some days the fog is so thick I can't see the river or even most of the bridge as I drive back over. On other days the mist is thin and the river and surrounding trees look set for a film. It is a gorgeous way to begin the morning and if I didn't stay in bed so late each morning I would be more tempted to pull over and take photographs to document the changes I see each day.
Unfortunately, the drive back in the afternoon is bleh. The sun is bright and bleaches out the landscape and the worst thing is the electronic signs in Kentucky. Most days they proclaim the 2004 Highway deaths in Kentucky compared to the 2005 deaths. This seemed interesting in September, maybe gave me something to think about...then the 2005 numbers began to climb. It started out in September as something like this
2004-976 2005-630
this didn't bother me too much I kind of figured that it would work out to be statistically about the same for 2005 as it was in 2004.
As of today I think the 2005 number has climbed into the mid 800's. Now I know that this year is not going to end on the low side what with all the drinking holidays coming up. So each day I drive past and wonder what the Kentucky Highway people are thinking about when they program these huge electronic signs. Do these depressing statistics make people slow down and start using turn singles or something? Because I certainly haven't seen that around here. In fact I feel that I get passed by speeding SUV's that are swerving from the left and right lanes indiscriminately with no signal while I am speeding along at a good pace or I am moving along and I get stuck behind a decrepit car without a muffler that is chugging along about 10 miles below the speed limit oblivious to other traffic in the far left lane. I don't want any stupid "have a nice day" sign, but I could use some more optimistic statistics. So far the only break I get is for Amber Alerts and that certainly doesn't help my mood.

commute

I don't think I resent my commute, as much as I resent the fact that I drive 30minutes + in each direction each day to a job for which I don't get paid. whatever.

I also can't get over the fact that I need to drive into kentucky and back out of kentucky to get there. yes I have looked at the map and I understand the river curves here, but it still bothers me.
see.

happy for everyone

Happy Birthday to Caitlin! 22 years
and to new Anna Elizabeth 7lbs10oz
Congratulations to Jamie & Colleen and new Aunts Amy and Maureen. YAY!


Spent 4th of July weekend with Nora's family at their lake house in Kentucky. It was a wonderful time with lots of relaxing and tons of great food. The lake was lovely, but I am still an ocean girl at heart. In the ocean (at least in New Jersey) you must always be on guard because another wave is coming and will hurtle you into the sand if you don't jump around, or in, or over. Lakes are still and quiet and full of boats and fish and turtles.
I am starting to really look into wedding stuff (ick!) so if anyone is really into this and can pass on any suggestions I would love to hear. I am the anti bride it seems because the details seem beyond me. The only way I can get motivated is if I think of it as putting on a big play.
I think I played bride when I was a little girl for maybe a weekend. This can be explained away by the props, I did have that 1st communion veil on hand. I think I spent more time playing 1st communion with Cheez-its for hosts. "body of christ" --place cheez it in hand (or on tongue (ew) "amen". Mom put an end to that one when she stopped laughing I am sure and decided to bring some spirituality back in to the event of transfiguration. Truly I never knew much about that. We were CCD kids and we practiced on Sunday's or Tuesday evenings with unblessed host, necco wafers or inexplicably, tootsie rolls. It is difficult to put on a big production with hundreds of 2nd graders. So I guess a wedding will be easier, non-catholic so I need to get a book or find some vows and poems and things to make it like an event, without the church part. hmmm.

luhval

thank you kate for the wonderful time in Louisville. I saw five plays this weekend....had more culture and beer and wine than I have all year. do y'all know that bars in louisville are open til 4am. (yep now I am saying y'all surely that is what living in the south and then a getting a little too close to kentucky can do to you.)

other stuff:
school started back up yesterday but I dropped my monday class due to mental overload. something about dr's appt, hangover residue, rain and cold, reaffirming my lovely C+ is the "correct grade", finding out from my oh so thorough doctor that my thyroid seems enlarged and being told that I am awfully moley and should visit a dermatologist, coming home and being unable to use my keys to open the outside door to the apartment, standing in the rain, feeling like a moron for not being able to use my keys in the door --but dude they worked yesterday...little bit too long of a day for me.
better
so today I am looking better (I guess), feeling better, aware that there are problems with the profs in my department that I will just have to deal with for another year, aware -thanks to deborah-that my thorough dr.-should not be writing me prescriptions for medication but should instead be asking me to return for tests and should be recommending me to an endocrinologist if it is really something to worry about, further realizing that if she spent more than 5 minutes shooting questions in my direction she would understand that most of my thyroid symptoms are the symptoms of my life....and equal to stress and 2 days of continuous drinking in luaville. la la la....are you still reading, don't you wish I typed slower and used punctuation more. no really ...you love it.
finally
I am pretty sure that my advisor, when speaking about health issues in sped, used the word depository when he meant to say suppository. don't want to know where he does his banking.

talk to you soon, will try to use more punctuation then.