priorities

 yesterday I wrecked the car. My first non-deer wreck in over 30 years of driving, but according to a friend, "if you both drove your vehicles away, it wasn't a real wreck." I ran a red light, one I've almost missed several times before. The sheriff suggested I contact the regional road board in an adjoining county to let them know that light needs something - a hood, or flashy mechanism.

In all, it was a very cordial traffic accident. But that's not really what I sat down to type about... but I'm getting there!

On the way home I stopped at the insurance company and got the paperwork rolling to fix the other guy's little Chevy and deal with his hospital bills if he develops any. I have a splitting headache, but since I didn't hit my head (or anything) --my airbags didn't even deploy-- I assume that's just tension. If it gets worse I'll go get it checked out.

So then I went home, pulled into the neighbor's driveway and when she poked her head out the door I pointed to my hood. She gasped and got him to come out and look at it.

So the damage is, I need a headlight (the whole assembly), a hood and hinges, the bracket that goes over the radiator (He said I'm lucky I don't need a radiator or a windshield), the entire front bumper, and some assorted small pieces. He made some phone calls and quoted me a price under $300! The car's a '99 Sable. He said, "but they'll be green." Are you kidding me? We'll paint the whole car green! This is awesome. I think in factory parts we'd be looking at $3000, not $300.

I sat around a while, and in the course of conversation his health came up, so I explained how the kidneys work and why taking too much potassium is more dangerous than not having enough, also gave some advice on how to lower his cholesterol and thereby help control his blood pressure. It's different for everyone - for him it was finding a helpful food he likes (sardines) enough to eat every day. He's not going to give up beer, cigs, or salt. I like having this knowledge to share.

Then, this neighbor, who has helped us so much over the years, stunned me (I feel so much in his debt) by telling me he had told his mom how lucky he feels to live where he does, "with a nurse on one side and a school teacher on the other." If he needs "some figuring" done he goes to one, if he has health questions he comes to the other. He's dyslexic, so he didn't do well in school, but he's a genius when it comes to timbering or mechanical stuff. I'm sure the retired school teacher on his other side feels the same way I do. Who is the luckiest one? We're a village!

So I need to drive the truck now, till the car is fixed. It's got a manifold leak (LOUD! Shouldn't have washed it! It was the moss holding the exhaust together, LOL!!), but as my headache got worse last night and was still there this morning I decided to take another day off school. This is a problem, my truancy, and that's really what I sat down to write about.

There's so much going on in my life I'm having a hard time prioritizing, putting school at the top of the list. If the silly ones are right and the world's going to end December 21 of this year, I wonder, will I have wasted my time? Will my life have been fulfilling. There are days I put "staying home and cleaning house" above "going to school" in importance. I have the books, they are here for me to read.

I don't seem to get much out of listening in class, and that's new. Previously I'd always managed to do well just by paying attention to lectures, no studying necessary. Again, I don't know if this is because of all the stress in my life or if it's a personality defect (am I just lazy? nobody but me seems to think so). Driving an hour each way to sit for four hours and, quite honestly, get next to NOTHING out of it, seems like such a waste of time. But they want to penalize us for missing class. It's a quandary.

So what I do, when I feel like I need a day off, I take one. Again, if the silly ones are right and the world comes to an end, I'll have enjoyed my time and hopefully made my little corner of earth better for having been here. And if the world only partially comes to an end, if I'm a survivor, and nurses are needed? Well, apparently I already have enough knowledge to help the neighbor, and I have the books. I'm not quitting school, as a matter of fact I'll be studying harder than ever, but I am through fighting my instincts, which tell me sometimes there are things more important than attendance.