well, i had my very first crash today. I rear ended the back of a minivan, while AT a stop. It's very retarded, and it was totally my fault, and for some reason my brain stopped working and told my feet to press the accelerator pedal even though the van hasnt moved an inch. It's not like I was distracted with the phone or fiddling with the radio, or looking outside (I dont think) - I must've just zonked out. It's kinda scary that I was brain dead for a split second.

The good part of this whole experience was that neither vehicle had damage (at least to the physical eyes) even though I thought for SURE that my front bumper wouldve been totalled based on the sound upon impact. No paint was chipped, no bumper of any car fell off, nothing on the ground. It's kinda nuts how that turned out to be but I must have gone no more than 5mph at impact, so thank god for that.

The people I rear ended were two elderly couple, Dale and Darlene. I got out of the car to examine the front of mine and the back of his. When the guy came out, he had an air of "I am going to kill you" around him and the first two things he said were "Do you know of a cop in the area" and "I dont care about your car, I care about mine." He must've assumed that I didnt have insurance or what, or maybe it was initial shock and reaction to being rear ended (which is understandable as I would probably have been the same), but I immediately apologized, said that I had insurance and was all flabbergasted by the fact that this happened and that I had NO clue what to do since I've never EVER been in an accident before. Not sure if that was what had mellowed him or if he had initially thought I was just a stupid, young Asian woman driver (and thus the DWA totally applies here), but as soon as he saw my drivers license and my age, and that I was insured by a good hands company and that I WORKED (nonetheless) with the company, and after just being all nice about it and being sorry, and inspecting the damage (which he too has apparently sustained none, at least from what the naked eye could see) - he relented with the whole 'calling the cops' thing and said that he would see what needs to be done on his side first and for me to do the same thing. Then we can touch base and decide what to do. Am glad that we didnt have to file for a report, and even after consulting with a few people, it didnt seem as if the report would even have been filed, especially since there was no apparent damage.

I am hoping that the couple continues to not want to report this (who knows if they may change their minds but they seem like nice people), and that they wouldnt have to fix anything to their car. I dont see anything on mine except for the rubber underpart that came slightly off (which can be popped back in by us). I dont want my insurance to go up because of something stupid like this. I also hope the 'whiplash' effect that supposedly happened wont really be a real chronic pain and that it will go away. I'd hate for this to turn into a lawsuit as well!

Man, more than anything though, I am just shell shocked and completely flabberghasted that this happened to ME and not only that, that it had happened out of the most ridiculous of situations! I should be less tired when driving home, and even more important, I should really start keeping a fair distance away from the vehicle in front of me.

You do have to marvel at the car bumper handleability though - nothing on it! We even joked about the german car towards the end. I am glad they were really nice about it and that the wife was there to temper the situation somewhat. She said 'it's one of those things that can happen and do happen...' and boy is there some truth in that.

Am glad it wasnt a MONDAY thing..... but sure am not glad it had to happen on ANY day at all... =(

I am feeling blue

Today we celebrate our 2nd year anniversary (true anniversary in the matrimonial sense, and not the relationship-ial sense)! It's been 2 years since we have declared our love formally, bound together for eternity, and these 2 years have been quite the ride that I would not have any other way. The 2 year period, so it has been said, is a testament to longevity. Should you last beyond 2 years without hesitation, second thoughts, or wanting to kill yourself because of the other, then you have succeeded pretty much for the rest of the marriage. Other school of thoughts have lent itself to the notion that the first 2 years are the honeymoon years and that the tougher years are to come after this anniversary.

I must say, regardless of that milestone, I couldnt be happier that this day has arrived, that we are still together, and it feels like we will be together for much, much longer.... the length of time we have known each other is readily apparent in the sense that the people that we have known have grown up, friends have become lovers, lovers have become haters, and those who are still happy together, continue to be happy together. I hope that we will be one of those people that can look back 50 years from now with fond memories of this milestone, and say 'we survived one of those!'