BoTB Results, Car Crash Update, and Music & Words Award

This is going to be another "combination post." In this post, there will be results for Battle of the Bands, an update on my car accident, and my answers for the Music & Words Award. So, buckle in, peeps, because it's about to get hot in here. First, let's go over how it all shook out for Battle of the Bands. The song was I Could Not Ask For More. The contenders were Edwin McCain and Sara Evans. By golly, that turned out to be a neck and neck battle all the way up to the end. (A mighty fine battle, if you ask me, which you didn't, but I'm still saying it.) So, how did you guys vote?

Edwin McCain: 11

Sara Evans: 12

This is one of those rare occasions when my vote actually COUNTS. If I vote Edwin, I get a tie. If I vote Sara, she gets the win. So, what's the verdict? Let me tell you, this is tough for me. I like them both. However, since I HAVE to vote, I'm choosing Sara Evans. I like her sound (always have). Congrats Sara!

UPDATE ON THE CAR ACCIDENT

If you missed my post about the car accident, click HERE.  

A few days after the accident, which was on a Wednesday, I noticed that my right leg hurt. My right ankle, in particular, hurt like the devil. When I peeled off my sock Friday night, there were deep indentations from my sock. With a bit of inspection, I could see that my ankle was swollen and beginning to turn green. My lower back was also giving me trouble, so I called my doctor Monday morning for an appointment. She sent me to physical therapy. Nothing "major," but she said I'd heal faster going this route.

I've had two appointments thus far. I can already see a big difference in my ankle and right leg. I can also see that my lower back is going to be the thing that takes longer to heal. BUT, it will heal.

Alas, my car will not. The frame was bent in the accident. State Farm decided to total it out. They paid all of my car note, but $1400. Fortunately, I had gap coverage. They will pay the rest of the note. That is a relief. The stress comes in the form of needing another car with no trade-in. I've been running like a chicken with her head cut off since Monday (when this was decided) lining up pre-approval on a car loan and looking at cars.

If you haven't bought a car recently... when did they get so darn expensive???

I loved my Verano, but my mom had difficulty getting in and out (as I feared she would when I bought it). Back then, she kept saying, "Just get what you want." I think she was still under the delusion that she would be moving out soon. So, this time around, her tune has changed. She really wants a small SUV. I'm okay with that (it feels sturdier, and I'm now a bit gun-shy about driving). The problem is that my budget isn't working so well with a small SUV with low mileage and the features we want.

My stress level has been through the roof over this entire mess. I'm constantly reminding myself that worrying is a useless occupation.

If you're the praying type, I could use some. Stress and migraines... not a good combo. You can also factor in therapy and car buying. I think that covers it all!

Let's move on to something fun...

Here are the rules: 

Once accepted, the award process has five steps:

1. Link back to the person who nominated you
2. Answer the questions with words AND music
3. Pass the award on to 5 bloggers who inspire you with their posts about music
4. Tag your post with #MWA, for Music&Words Award so that we can all find you down the line
5. Quote these 5 steps and the award icon in your post. You can display the icon on your sidebar as well. 

The person who nominated me for this award is Stephen T. McCarthy  at STMcC Presents Battle of the Bands. If you haven't visited his site for Battle of the Bands, I encourage you to do so. He always chooses excellent contenders. He also keeps an up-to-date list of everyone who's participating in BoTB on the 1st and 15th. Thank you for the award, Stephen!

Q and A

Q1: What does music mean to you?
There is an excellent song by Alison Krauss called I Don't Know Why. There is a lyric in that song that goes, "If there were no music, I would not get through. I don't know why I know these things, but I do." Music is the thing that makes me happy. Music is the thing that raises my spirits when life feels too hard. Music is the thing that cuts through all of the garbage and reminds me that there is good stuff in the world. There has to be. There is music.



Q2: What is your first music-related memory?
I had a turntable (record player) as a kid. My mom loved to garage sale. Thanks to her garage sale prowess, I had quite a few albums. She also bought a yellow and black record holder full of 45s. I had a couple of Sonny and Cher albums, as well as this one by Cher:

I listened to this album on repeat AND spent many moments hoping I'd turn into a full-grown woman with brown skin and long black hair. No, that never happened. The woman part? Yes. The rest? No. I used to walk around the house with an orange towel wrapped around my hair (it was the 70s!) pretending I was Cher had long hair, like Cher.
 
Q3: What was the first album you’ve purchased yourself? 
I think the answer to this question is an album that I purchased from a TV commercial. I've looked on Google images to see if I can find it (nope, I cannot!). I'd swear it was called "Can't Stop Dancing," and was purple with a huge high heeled shoe on it. My mother saved the letter I wrote to accompany my payment for this montage of disco fantastic-ness. I can't recall how much it was, but it was something like $6.99. In my awesome letter, I told them how much I wanted the record, thanked them for sending it (in advance), and included my $7.00. I also gave them my return address so they could send back the penny. I think I was eight years old. Did I really want the penny or was I trying to impress them with my math skills? Probably both. I could still buy a gumball with a penny back then...
  
Q4: What was the latest music you purchased? (No online streaming or free downloads, I’m talking about cash here!)
This question makes me realize I haven't bought a CD in a very long time. It's not that I don't like them, though I don't play them nearly as often as I used to... Even so, there are several that I would like to have that aren't in my collection. I think my lack of CD buying goes back to my shortage of funds since I quit working and live on disability. There simply isn't the room for the extras there once was. That said, I'm pretty sure my last CD purchase was back in 2007 (that blows my mind!). 

I still love this CD in its entirety. Makes me remember why I like buying CDs... There are so many gems that never make the radio. Those songs often end up becoming my favorites. I was going to include the big hit, Watching Airplanes, which is an excellent song, but I think I'm gonna go a different way (and play a B side). Enjoy!




Q5: Which song did you listen to last? (No cheating, come out with the dirty pleasures!)
That would be East to West by Casting Crowns.
 
The hardest part of this award is nominating 5 people. Hmmm.

Holli over at Holli's Hoots and Hollers
Elizabeth Seckman at Elizabeth Seckman, Author
Julie at Empty Nest Insider
Kim at ReInVintaged
Mike at Mike's Ramblings

So, You've Got A Fast Car...

We* interrupt our** previously scheduled posts*** to show you this:

*there is no "we", it's really just me
**there is no "our," again, it's just me
***I had no previously scheduled posts... rocky start, no?

Let's put up some "traveling music" to help us get through this post. It's optional, but recommended.



Well, as you surely surmised, I made a "boo boo" with my car today.

When I left the house, I was a couple miles out when I attempted to make a call using the Bluetooth in the car. Nothing. I forgot my phone at home. And that is the precise moment I said to myself, "Oh dear. I hope I don't have an accident. It would really suck to get into an accident and not have my phone." That internal dialogue was followed up with mental reminders that I'd driven for many years before cell phones were around. Long trips even. Did I have an accident? No. Did I get lost? Horribly. But, I survived it. Really, I was just being a baby about the whole thing, and I decided to (mostly) not think about it.

But, I couldn't help but mention it to the clerk when I was checking out.... again indicating that I intended to drive exceedingly safely because I'd forgotten my phone. We both agreed it was a real pain when you forget your phone, and I was on my way. Less than 2 miles later... kaboom.

So, you must be thinking, "How did this happen with such a deliberate intent at avoiding said accident?" (You do know that I kinda knew this was going to happen before it did, right??? Usually I'm not all that psychic about myself, but I had a feeling.)

THE CRASH

I was making a left hand turn (busy intersection). The light had gone yellow. I'm out in the intersection. OBVIOUSLY, I thought it was clear. I thought the oncoming car was too far to make the light and went. BUT, this is Jacksonville and "yellow" doesn't mean stop, but instead means "go faster." So, I turned and she went faster... and kaboom.

The crazy thing was I didn't even see her until she was impacting my car. After pulling my car onto the triangular median (and off the road) a Navy Corpsman (as well as several non-Navy folks) stopped to ask if I was okay. I was. Surprisingly, I was. I don't know if the not seeing it coming prevented me from tensing in anticipation or my guardian angels in heaven wrapped me up and held onto me, but I was good. Not a scratch.

So, as I waited the hour for the police to arrive I noticed several things. 1) I didn't melt down. I didn't even cry. This is major progress, people. I simply prayed a little prayer and thanked God for bringing me through this whole thing. I also thanked the good Lord that my mom was NOT in the car (as she hit the passenger side). 2) I felt really good about people. So many people who were turning right (directly in front of my car) rolled down their window to ask if I was okay. That was outstanding. Made me think that people really are good at heart (once again).

THE AFTERMATH

 

Tonight, as I moved further into the contemplative I wondered if this accident was a wake-up call. Was this a prod from up above to start living? I've pretty well been living like Benjamin Button, but I'm not actually getting any younger. Instead, I've been idling for years in the land of hoping and wishing that my life will improve. Not saying I'm doing nothing, but I haven't been attacking life with ferocity and vigor, either. Truth be told, I've kinda just been hanging around waiting to die. I hate to say it so harshly, but that's pretty much the truth. My enthusiasm for the living got buried in the pain of the migraines. Not to mention that it's just easier to not do it. Not go out. Not meet people. Not give anyone the opportunity to emotionally wreck you. Just not.

But, that isn't living. And when that car crashed into me I realized that I didn't want to die. I wasn't ready to die. I'm young. I don't exactly have my health, but I'm gaining on it. I'm not ready for that hotel in the sky.

So, I'm going to get back to my novel, join that Meet Up group, and say "Yes" more. Don't let me skate on this stuff. If it looks like I'm lounging around just waiting to kick off, give me a jab in the rib cage. I most certainly don't want another car crash to remind me to live.