Tuesday, January 11, 2011

MAKING A SPECTACLE OF MYSELF

I mentioned a couple days ago that watching me.... is painful. At least when I am functioning in life on my "own". When the Lord is not using me, and therefore not making me better so I am usable... it is truly a painful experience. I have come to find that if there is a way to draw attention to myself in a negative way, I seek after these things. Not intentionally, mind you. For instance, my last day of work I was walking up the stairs from the lobby and I tripped on the step and fell on my face. It made quite the racket and the receptionist jumped. But, when she turned and saw that it was me, she just shook her head. That is a move she has seen too many times before from me. There was another associate in the lobby who was startled, but relaxed once I rolled over onto my back laughing at myself. I felt it appropriate that I would go out that way. I have made that move in front of numerous visitors who were patiently waiting in the lobby over the years.

I have a new way of drawing attention to myself these days. A couple days before Christmas I had returned with the children from Christmas shopping. My oldest, with an agenda I am sure, announced that he would be happy to clean out the car. I was grateful as we had accumulated quite the amount of garbage in there. I called a friend to pick me up and went to his home to wrap gifts. Christmas Eve we were going to dinner with friends and as we got ready to run some last minute errands before heading out of town, I realized I could not find the keys. I questioned my oldest regarding where the keys were. A blank look spread across his face and despite the hours spent that day, Christmas day, the day after Christmas, the week after Christmas... we never found the keys. So, celebrating my free time to take care of such inconveniences, I spent unemployed day two having the car towed about 45 minutes away to our closest Subaru dealership. Apparently, my car is full of security features, one of which is a feature within the key that requires having the car in a Subaru shop in order to make a copy (or a key from scratch).I didn't spend the extra $130 on the little push button thing to lock / unlock my car.. perhaps that indulgence will be for when I am employed again.

Again celebrating my new found time, I left the dealership with my new key and headed for Sam's Club. I manually (OK - by manually, I mean I pushed the button from in the car since I don't have a little remote any longer) locked the door and headed in to do some shopping. When I came out I put the key in the lock and unlocked the car. Upon doing so my car alarm went off. HONK..HONK..HONK..HONK..HONK.. I quickly got in the car and started it - which luckily turned the alarm off. After one more errand with the same results I called the dealership wondering what I was doing wrong. Nothing. Apparently that is just one more security device the vehicle has. For as long as I put off spending $130 on a remote... I won't be able to avoid making a spectacle of myself every time I get in the car.

I have gotten used to it now. But, I just shake my head in awe. It is so me. So painful to watch me trying to function in life. Sometimes I think Chris must get a kick out of watching my insanity!

4 comments:

  1. Oh, Kim, thank you for putting a smile on my face today...and also for helping me to know there are others like me in the world! When my kids trip UP the stairs or do some other klutzy thing, I tell them...sorry, you come by it naturally, I am your mother!
    Other than the keys, how do you like your subaru? I am dreaming of a vehicle some day that doesn't look like it just came from a junk yard!
    Patty

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  2. If you would like to donate to Kim's FOB Charity, please email me and I will arrange the financial logistics.

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  3. My Subaru is OK. I drove a Jeep Commander previous to this. I live in a snowy area, so when getting a vehicle there are a few things of importance to me. 4WD (I will not be hindered by the snow) and heated seats (I hate being cold). When I was looking at the Subaru I was drawn in by the great gas mileage. I asked a lot of sales guys what the difference was between AWD and 4WD. I got answers... but to be honest, I didn't get what the difference was. I proceeded with the AWD-high-gas-mileage vehicle. NOW I get it. There is a difference. The Subaru is a great car. But, it is not 4WD. The difference? I actually have to shovel my driveway if we get too much snow. Or I could get stuck. :)

    Steve - thanks... but what exactly is a FOB Charity?

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  4. Well of course when comparing it with a Jeep it is going to come up short! There is nothing in the WORLD that is as cool or capable (at least daily drivers) as a Jeep! You liking your Jeep better just made us closer. ~tear~

    I can't figure out how to put a link in a comment, so go to Wikipedia and look under Key FOB, and then under under "Access control uses". Your charity balance is climbing.

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