Wrapping Up 2016

Where has this year gone? I haven't even been keeping up in the blog much this year. Been almost a year since I've written anything.

It hasn't really been a good year. 2016 started with me moving out of Baraboo. It's a little bit of a trek to get to work now, but it is $75 less rent and no water bill. I'm not quite spending that much extra in gas, but the apartment is exactly the same as where I moved from in size... like the building is identical... it was a great find. Gets a little lonely sometimes, but it's ok. Then half the time I wonder why I even have a two bedroom apartment and king size bed since I almost always sleep in the recliner in the living room.

I didn't get to travel as much as I would have liked to this summer. More about why later.

My old high school sweetheart got in touch with me last November. In December, I drove out to Colorado to see him. Alone. That was quite a trip. I took Thursday and Friday off work, got back Sunday morning around 0200, and had to be to work at noon on Sunday. Fun trip. I have never done that before... it was kind of fun. Lonely, but I encourage you that if you ever get a chance to take a trip across a couple states by yourself, do it.

I went to visit him again in June. This time I took the northern route across MN and SD and stopped in Sioux Falls. Hence the new cover pic here on the blog. On the way home on that trip, I got pulled over three times within an hour for a burnt out headlight.... once west of Omaha, once in Omaha, and once just across the border in Iowa... all by State Troopers... Apparently in Nebraska they care more about burnt out headlights than the idiot who flew past me going way beyond the speed limit just a moment prior...

Then we went to see him again in July. This time my Dad drove and we took my niece with us. Took her to see the Falls also. Brought him back with us. That lasted about two months... on Sept. 2nd I packed him up and dropped him off at the Greyhound station and sent him back to CO. Wish it would have worked out.

So that's been about the extent of any fun this year. We went to Noah's Ark on my birthday. I haven't been there in about 8 years, and it wasn't as fun as I remembered it. I don't know if it's because I am bigger (vertically and horizontally) or just because I never really cared for that water park to begin with, but at least we had a nice hot day for it. I tried to have fun. It wasn't much fun. It was actually kind of terrifying. Once we got in... that was a slight battle... including me snapping on some customer in line behind us due to him interjecting his opinion that wasn't necessary. Going airborne in the tubes on the slides and landing hard, ouch. Waiting in line for rides. The best part of Flash Flood (the bridge) was closed. We mostly hung out in the Wave Pool and the lazy river. I'd rather have Riverview Park and Waterworld back.

The biggest reason my fun was limited this year is because I got my first DUI in May. That was an experience I never want to go through again. Aside from having to make this phone call at 2:30 in the morning:

"Happy Mother's Day Mom.... can you come pick me up?"

"Where are you?"

"Reedsburg Police Department..."

Yes, it was Mother's Day... the early morning hours... I was coming home after a night of drinking with some friends at their place, didn't even consider trying to find a place to stay. Stopped at a red light in Reedsburg, look in the mirror, nobody there, look in the mirror again, squad car behind me. As soon as the light turns green, he lights me up. I barely had the open bottle in my hand dropped into the cooler on the seat next to me and he is at my window.

My brake lights were inoperable.

And so was I.

I didn't try to hide it. There was no way I could. I failed field sobriety tests. I blew a .149 on the PBT.

I get arrested and taken to the PD. They were nice enough to have another officer come and park my vehicle on a side street instead of towing it.

Then they need to do a blood draw. Paramedic can't find my vein. That results in being handcuffed again and shackled and off to the ER in the squad car.

On the way to the ER, I got pretty upset. I told the officer now I have to pay for an ER visit because the city had an incompetent paramedic. The officer replied "trust me, he wouldn't have been my first choice either."

In and out of the ER. On the way back to the PD I asked the officer if the brake lights being out was the only reason I was pulled over; was I driving fine?

He replied yes.

But he continued to say that he is glad he stopped me because he would have hated to respond to find me wrapped around a tree or worse.

By the time we got back to the PD, my parents were there to fetch my car and drive me home. I walked out with a citation for the open container, one for driving under the influence, and a third for operating with a prohibited alcohol content.

I was told my license would be revoked on June 13th. Which is why I went to see my friend in CO the week prior. Discovering that while I was in CO, my license was revoked... but I lucked out big time... I was not valid when I got pulled over those three times in NE and IA... but I don't think they checked... that was a huge stressful mess... I was freaking out... but completely lucked out.

Then began the process of trying to get an occupational license so I could still drive to work. I call my insurance company... they didn't know how to handle it as I had to get SR22 insurance. I called the Baraboo branch of my company and they were able to help me out, but I had to have nearly $300 down and then my insurance would nearly double... in May, I paid $69 for full coverage on the car. In June, I would be paying $143, and then $140 a month for the next five months. Ouch.

The process alone at the DMV was a nightmare. Essentially it took about three hours and two different visits on two separate days to get it all straightened out to where I was somewhat valid to drive; at least I could get to work. $50 to get that. It'll be $200 to get my regular valid license back next week.

Then came the driver safety assessment. I had to put $50 down to schedule it, then pay the other $200 on the day of the appointment.

Then there was court and the fines, totaling over $1,000.... paying monthly on that forever I will be...

And a week later I get a speeding ticket in another county. Oy.

Yes, I hope 2017 goes much better for me.

Don't drink and drive.