Well, here we are. It’s the end of 2013. It’s also been about a year since I first started this blog, and what an interesting year it has been. Just like most years, this one has been filled with its share of ups and downs, goods and bads. I’m glad that I started this blog, because it has allowed me to look back over the year I’ve had, to see the highlights and the lowlights.
This year was filled with great music. I had the opportunity to see several bands, not only at GOTR, but elsewhere as well. I made some good music too. With the creation of my band, LoveHate, my brother and I were able to write some music together. I had a pretty awesome year with my piano students too. There were a plethora of amazing albums that came out this year, several of which I have collected on vinyl.
The year was filled with love and loss, miracles and catastrophes. Though a lot of good things happened, a couple of really crappy things happened, right here at the end. I’ve been hosting an internal debate over whether I really want share with you, and THE ENTIRE INTERNET, what exactly the recent catastrophe was. It was a pretty serious event. But at this point, I’d rather give all the details and set the record straight, than have someone Google my name and make assumptions.
Obviously, physically, I am ok. Mentally and emotionally, I am a little bit scarred, but I have and will continue to survive it. It was December 13th. Friday the 13th. I should have known to stay home that day. But I had planned to get a new, pretty kickass, tattoo. I was so excited, I even dressed up for the occasion, wearing my favorite black dress and my hair all done up. My appointment was at 2pm. I left my house at about 1:15 to go to Subway for lunch, then headed over to the tattoo shop. I was almost there, and going a little fast, as per usual. I quickly noticed that the speed limit was 40mph, then saw that I was going 55mph, and then immediately noticed a cop car going the opposite way. As soon as we passed each other, the blue lights went on and I knew it was for me. It had been over a year and a half since the last time I was pulled over, but nevertheless, I still had that sinking feeling in my stomach when you get caught doing something you know you’re not supposed to be doing.
The officer and I did the normal routine: license, insurance, etc… But when he came back from running my information he said, “Did you know that your license had been suspended for over a year?” My stomach sank even further, and my heart was racing even faster as I said, “Uh, no…?”
Indeed friends, my license had been suspended for over a year, since October 15th, 2012. It turned out that a speeding ticket from April of 2012, which I thought I’d paid, never actually got paid. Because I had moved several times since my initial move to Albany, the address on my license was incorrect and I never received any notices that may have been sent to me, regarding my suspension. Really, it all came down to miscommunication and me not taking care of business the way I should have. But because I was driving on a suspended license, I had to be “taken in”. Yep, I was arrested. I was arrested. I was arrested. Nope, no matter how many times I say it, type it, read it, hear it, it’s still weird to think that it actually happened. But it did.
Luckily, pretty much everyone that I dealt with through this whole process was very nice and understanding of my situation. While trying to bust me out of jail, my dad said over the phone that there’s no handbook for what to do when your child gets arrested for the first time. I was so lucky to have him, and that he had so many connections with lawyers and other important and helpful people.
While I was in the cop car, sitting in the back seat, my hands cuffed in front of me, I cried. And once while I was in the jail, I cried. But that was it. That was all the crying I wanted to do over this whole thing. The day after, I called my bff and told her everything. I told her, all I can do now is laugh about it. I know I should be acting more upset about it, and believe me, I am. But I have to laugh about it. There’s no sense in having a pity party every time I think about how I can’t drive right now, or how I’m going to spend every last penny I have, and then some, to pay for these fines. So I just have to laugh.
After getting over the initial shock of what happened, I had to start cleaning up my mess. First I finally made a change of address request with the post office so that I wouldn't have this kind of problem with not receiving important notices anymore. Then I went over to the Smithville City Hall, where I was supposed to pay for the original speeding ticket that caused my license suspension, and paid the fine. In the next week or so, I found out that I can’t really do anything else until my court date on January 10th. That’s when I’ll have to pay for the new speeding ticket and the driving on a suspended license ticket. Then I’ll have to pay a fee to have my driver’s license reinstated. That means that I should have my license back sometime in mid to late January, with the correct address. In the meantime, I’m being driven around town by my family members, mostly my brother, and using my passport for identification.
So that was the catastrophe. It sucked. And still sucks. But, I and my family will get through it. Please learn from my sad tale. ALWAYS make sure that if you have to deal with the law, that you double and triple check that all the paper work has been taken care of. If you move, set up the forwarding address immediately and have the address changed on your license as soon as possible. I know sometimes that kind of stuff can be a pain in the ass, but trust me, it’ll be worth it in the long run.
Here’s to a better start to a better year. May 2014 be filled with love, friendship, excitement, music, new experiences, new adventures, and as few arrests and speeding tickets as possible.
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