Cars, kids and other comedy sports!

I know it's been a while in between posts, but in my defense, CQ was over here with Kitten and Falling Leaves and they were all...CQing and Kittening and Falling around, so we couldn't concentrate...so...yeah...! Also, if you read my other blog, this is only KIND of a crosspost. I updated some stuff and added in some boxing news.

Anyway, it's been a crazy couple of days, the worst of which came last Thursday. I'm just gonna preface this by saying "No sprites, Highlanders or teenagers were harmed in the making of this incident!"

The Highlander and I were in a car accident Thursday night. We hit two teenagers that we know through their families at school (I actually do an afterschool reading team with the mom of the passenger and had the little sister of the driver in my GT class). We were coming down the main road going home and the driver turned in front of us to make a left on our green light. When he saw us, he put his brakes on, so they slowed down instead of speeding out of the way. We slammed our brakes and tried to avoid them, but there was no way to go but into their car.

Even now, it's like a bad dream where things NEARLY happen, but nothing quite comes of it. There were emergency vehicles everywhere and lots of broken car parts, but no hurt people...even the kids were fine. Our airbags didn't deploy, but the seatbelts were enough. I had this horrible moment where I thought the Highlander was injured, and another when I thought we'd hurt the two kids, but none of that came to pass. Our car was totaled, so a sheriff had to drive us home, but the rental people got us another car yesterday. And even though we had initial worries about this being a huge problem (two teachers hit local teens, or local kids fight insurance claim), the family accepted full responsibility and all our needs will be paid for. Heck, while visiting the doctor yesterday, we found out our favorite nurse hates her green 1995 Subaru Legacy (the EXACT car we totaled!) and would LOVE to trade it for our gas guzzling GMC Sierra that we've had off the road for months!

I guess the only piece of this that makes this real is that yesterday, we were both home and safe on a school day without some sort of debilitating illness being involved (you guys KNOW what I'm talking about!). We slept in and rested pretty well, so all we have is stiffness and my tongue being sore from biting it. I actually had a UTI that I should have stayed home from work on Friday for (and wasn't going to), and the Highlander (who's a sub and part time at a lab) has had no paid days off since...um, last year at this time when he was still considered full time at the lab! If not for the car being totaled, both of us would have been stretched thin at work and come home exhausted. Had it even been just a fender bender, we'd have had to handle all the insurance stuff while TRYING to work.

This whole episode has become a weird blessing in disguise, I guess. Sure, the Highlander's neck is in bad shape currently, but still...it's the kind of day where you should hug the ones you love, call the ones you miss and thank God that you've got your health.

In less "holy !@#$" kind of news, I auditioned for Comedy Sportz in Buffalo and made it in! I haven't gotten to do much improv outside of my normal classroom goofiness lately (plus I've forgotten what a pain it was to drive into town and do late night shows...oh, wait...). Okay, STILL, I'm gonna do it. The minute they start letting me do shows, I'll be sure to let you guys know and make a Comedy Sportz stamp to commemorate it all. :-)

Also, as Odyssey of the Mind in New York State draws ever nearer, I find that I might be in Binghamton with one or more of the Lockport teams on March 28-30. If anyone wants to meet up and exchange, contact me after March 8th. I'll know for sure whether I'm going or not by then.

Until then, keep your cars on the road, your odysseys in mind and a bit more comedy in your sports!

The (glad to be still alive, using our brains and FUNNY) Sprite & the Highlander