highway don't care

I'm driving down the road, leaving my family at the lake to go to a meeting. I usually tend to have a hard time remembering to wear my seatbelt, and this day was no different, except I had a feeling that I needed to buckle up. Immediately I strapped my belt across myself and continued driving. It was about an hour long journey, and I was running a tad late, so perhaps that combination caused a lapse in appropriate surrounding judgment.

I was passing a car in a double lane when the road changed. More abruptly than I anticipated, I pulled up behind a car that was going a great deal slower than I was (not even really speeding.) However, the car was going so slow, that the force I had to put on my brakes to not rear end it caused me to lose control of my own car. I flew off the road, heading for a ditch and a huge bush when I blacked out. I woke up hanging upside down. Looking around for my phone in hopes to call someone, I noticed my car leaking fluid. Immediately my mind flashed with scenes of movies where the rolled over car leaks fluid and blows to kingdom come. My only thought was that I needed to get out of there as soon as humanly possible. I unbuckled my seatbelt and dropped to the ceiling. As soon as I was upright, my nose started bleeding everywhere as I frantically unlock each door and try desperately to get out. Much to my dismay, all of my doors were blocked by the walls of a ditch I had landed in. Reaching for the last door in the back, I prayed for strength to get out of that car. Luckily the door had been smashed by the bush rather than the ground, so I was able to open it enough to grab onto a fence above me and pull myself out.

I stumbled around and away from the car to hear a woman calling out for her son go help me. I feel an arm around me and realizing the magnitude of the situation, I lost all composure. A group of people gathered and helped me, calling 911, trying to get a hold of my family, staying with me, comforting me. I don't know how I was so blessed to come across such compassionate strangers. An off duty firefighter stopped by and checked me out while the ambulance made its way over. Finally the paramedics arrived, put me in a neck brace, and strapped me to a gurney, on which they took me to the ER. Extended family showed up and one of the ladies that found me and called my parents waited with me til my family could get there.

After what seemed an eternity, my parents arrived. They came into the room, and I looked up at them, strapped to a board, neck brace still in place, blood everywhere, crying, when the officer showed up to issue a ticket. +10 point for sensitivity, man. I spent the next few hours getting x-rays, a CAT scan, which was fun, because when they were prepping me to get scanned, I had to tell them I was wearing extensions with metal clips. It then took the doctor and 3 nurses to roll me over and take them all out. Note to self, next time you're going to roll your car, don't wear extensions. After being discharged, having no broken bones-miraculously-except possibly my nose, my parents took me home. During the drive, my dad called the tow company that had my car. Nothing could have even possibly been salvaged. The entire undercarriage had completely detached from the top. Everything was smashed--my wonderful, beautiful, first car that I bought myself, was totaled. That same lady that was so kind that came to the hospital with me had said she watched the whole thing happen. According to her and anyone else on the scene, I should have been dead, or at least severely injured. When I flew off the road, my car was air bourn, and when it came in contact with the ground, it landed on the nose, flipped up, and rolled over. I am positive had I not been wearing my seatbelt, I wouldn't be writing this post. My only prompting was to put it on. This was supposed to happen. What my next steps are will take some praying to figure out, but I am so thankful that I was protected. I'm so grateful to not be paralyzed, or even dead. I'm beyond glad I was the only one in the car, and that no other vehicles or people were involved. I thank my Father in Heaven for this miracle. I lost my car, my phone is less than functional, basically any and all earthly possessions I own are gone, but they are just things. I wanted to express my gratitude for all of you--for your concern, your words of comfort and encouragement, your love. I'm thankful for those strangers who were able to get me to the hospital, and my family who has taken care of me and watch over me. I'm not really grateful for the cop that fined me though. But I love this life I get to keep living. Never forget what is important. Cars, phones, money, its all replaceable. Human life is not. Its fragile and precious. Love those around you, after all, you never know if you have tomorrow.



And that's how I broke my nose the third time...

But seriously.

but ramses is not dancing, he does not dance at the partyyy

LESSON 26: DON'T BE LIKE RAMSES

This is a shout out to the seemingly exponential increase in tools that for some reason think it's acceptable to call me (or anyone) up late to "watch a movie." Especially in the last week. At least try and be original once in a while. Every time your name pops up on my phone, I only have this to say:

Stay classy.
xoxo

so, do you like...cheese?

LESSON 25: TAKING HER TO DINNER

This is a post written by the ever clever, ever dashing Zack Oats, for the fellas wondering what to do after she says "yes." You can find more of his words of wisdom at: http://www.eastercloset.com/

How to Pick a Restaurant for a Date--The 4 Steps

 

First of all, if you didn't know guys, a date, 99% of the time, includes food. If she is sacrificing an evening of the Bachelor to spend with you, you should at least feed her, you cheapo. 

Now, there are two main approaches, making food and going to eat. This post is going to cater to the latter.

You ask her out, she has a lapse of judgement and says yes, and the date is set. 

Stay classy, fellas. 

STEP 1: The day before the date, give her a call in the evening

and give her SOME details on your plan. (Oh, STEP 0 is make a plan.) Don't spoil it, but do let her know what attire would be appropriate Note: do NOT tell her what specifically to wear, but rather I usually say, 'And as far as what to wear, don't worry about wearing stilettos and you can leave your hiking boots at home. We will be mainly in doors.' And let her know that you will be feeding her. Ask her if she has any allergies or any food she hates.

STEP 2: Look in the area of the activity (because you better have an activity planned or you have not read enough of this blog) for a restaurant that fits the allergies and food preference of the date that are within your budget. If you're not sure what your budget is, take a personal finance course. Honestly, man. 

STEP 3: Choose TWO restaurants that look really good to you. For this example, I will choose PF Chang's and California Pizza Kitchen.

STEP 4: When you pick her up and you are on your way to the area of the date, make sure that she is still hungry and didn't just eat by some turn of fate...funerals, surprise bridal showers, roommate breakup consolations are all things that may have happened right before the date. If she is still hungry, ask her which TYPE of restaurant she would like. For my example, I would say something along the lines of, "Awesome! Well would you prefer Chinese or American food?" Let her choose, without telling her the restaurants and then just drive there and surprise her. If she ends up hating that particular place, that's fine because you have your backup. 

This works so much better than just taking a girl somewhere without her having any say or even worse...the kiss of death, "So...where do you want to eat?" I've found that while women might not always know what they want, they know what they do NOT want. 

If you ask "Where do you want to eat?", they are likely to respond, "Anywhere...I'm fine with whatever!" And the following conversation will ensue. 

What happens when you don't feed people that should be.

"Denny's?"

"No..."

"Arby's?"

"Not a huge fan."

"Chef's table?"

"Not really my thing."

"PF Chang's?"

"I've only eaten there once and it wasn't amazing."

"So where do you want to go then??"

"Whereever...I'm not picky."

Listen, fellas, dating can be a lot better if you just plan ahead. As painful as it may be, a poorly prepared date is much worse for the girl. Follow these four steps to picking the restaurant for a date and you will find your evening full of delicious enjoyment and sweet conversation.