So I'm sitting there at my mess of a desk which has engineering plans and notes strewn all over every conceivable surface not already occupied by something related to a computer.  (Yes, imagine a typical Engineer's desk...now multiply it by a factor of 100).  Hey...I can't help it...when you're working on 3 different projects simultaneously, it's too time consuming to have only one project out at a time.  What I find especially ironic is that in our personnel manual, it states that (paraphrased here) "before the employee leaves work each day, he/she is to put away all project-related material that may contain sensitive information."  Truth is, no one follows this regulation, and it's not really enforced.  If it were actually the case, I'd be spending several hours each day getting work out or putting it away.  Not a good way to get "billable work" done. 

Again, I digress (I have a bad habit of doing that).  Just goes to show how "nonsensical" my writing is...I'm sitting here trying to write one thing while my brain is off in La-La Land (of which I'm the President, Czar, Emperor of) doing WhoKnowsWhat. 

Where was I?  Oh yes...sitting at the computer, working hard.  Or is it hardly working?  Or is there any difference?  I look up from the computer monitor to see my Co-worker Buddy (who I've mentioned previously) squeeze into my cramped working quarters.  My glazed-over eyes of someone who has been staring at a computer monitor for Too Long take a few seconds to focus as he plops down into the Comfy Chair.  Get this...I have two chairs in my half of the already Not-So-Big office - my non-ergonomic task chair which I always use, and what we have nicknamed the Comfy Chair - because...well...it's quite comfy.  :)  You're probably wondering why I don't use the Comfy Chair.  Good question.  I'm wondering that myself actually.  Probably because if I were to use the Comfy Chair, I'd spend most of my days in a State of Blissful Existence.  Oh wait...I already spend my workdays in that State - NOT. 

Anyway, we start up our usual banter of what new Useless Pieces of Information (UPI) we have discovered since the last time we spoke (which happens approximately every 3.2345 hours during the workday, give or take 0.14152 hours, or 15.32434 hours if it's the start of the workday, whichever the case may be).  After finding out some Truly Useless Pieces of Information - TUPI (as I don't recall anymore what they were - as opposed to UPI which I can usually remember), he says something that gives me bad flashbacks equivalent to watching Saturday Night Fever or Grease (both of which John Travolta starred in...coincidence???  You decide..)

Him:  "Guess who I saw today?"
Me:  <clueless>  "No idea...no clue.  Who did u see?"
Him:  "I saw the <business name deleted> SUV..."
Me:  <in a mournful cry that caused tears to flow from the Heavens> Noooooooooo!!

After I recovered from the deafening wail (at least that's the way it sounded in my mind; in reality it probably came out more like "No way!!"), and got my blood pressure under control, and released the death grip on my armrests, and thought of a million ways to make the "Winner of the Stupidest Driver of the Millennium Award" suffer a bazillion slow deaths, I asked him, "Where?  At the same workout place we saw her last?"  "Nope," he replied, "Just next door to it actually." "Thanks for bringing up *that* wonderful memory," I cursed to my friend, "I didn't need to go into post-traumatic stress syndrome shock today." 

To understand my bizarre Outburst and Reaction, I must take you back to the semi-recent past, dear Traveler.

[Travels back in Time to the end of December, 2001]

So there I am with aforementioned friend/co-worker in my car, waiting to turn out into traffic from the Wal-Mart parking lot.  We had gone on a Hot Wheels run during our Friday Fun Lunch, and CompUSA was our next destination of choice.  "Hey check it out," my companion of the hour says, pointing at the new, black, Jeep Grand Cherokee *Limited* (they should limit this woman's driver's license, IMO) in front of me, also waiting to turn out into traffic.  He points out the UT Longhorn metal logo on the back of her SUV.  "PREE-TIE cool," I say appreciatively (author's note:  Both my friend & I graduated from UT although we didn't know each other at the time). 

So traffic finally clears, and the lady turns right & pulls into the right lane traveling towards CompUSA.  After making sure no one else is coming, I pull out after her, except I'm in the lane next to her (just to her left) about a car's length behind traveling in the same direction.  Also for reference, there is a center turn lane next to me, and then two other lanes traveling in the opposite direction full of traffic. 

Then Idiot-Woman-Driver-of-the-Millennium pulls the Most-Moronic-Moving-Violation *EVAR* to my sheer and utter surprise.  She doesn't try to switch lanes right in front of me.  Nooooo.....that would have been dumb, but not unforgivable.  She doesn't try to switch lanes without signaling (another driving pet peeve in my book, but again, I would be willing to let it slide).  This woman wants to Go Down Big.  She proceeds to pull a U-turn (you read that right, a U-TURN) right in front of me across 3 lanes of traffic. 

"Ahhhhghghhh!" my friend barely has time to yell out.  *Scrreeeeeech* goes my brakes.  *Smack* goes my front end *under* her rear passenger side door.  Again, that's *ahhhhgghhh*, *screeeech*, *smack* (sounds like something out of a children's story).  To say I was surprised and angry beyond belief would be an understatement.  I wanted to lay into this woman (verbally mind you) like Jackie Chan in a room full of Bad Guys(TM).  So she pulls her now-tarnished fuel-guzzling monstrosity up a bit to get it out of the flow of traffic.  My friend & I are still sitting in my car, in shock, getting more & more mad by the second.  She gets out of her car, runs over and apologizes over and over again.  Said she was sorry more than once, says the only reason she pulled a U-turn was because her baby was throwing up and she just had to get home (like *that's* acceptable).  Oh sure, if she had done what she did without thinking, or if a imaginary deceased gopher turtle were to have jumped in front of her vehicle, then it would have been unforgiveable.  But throw a sick child into the equation and that makes everything hunky dorey?  I don't *THINK* so, lady. 

We examine the damage to my car and notice that where my bumper was once a pristine pure white (ok...so it was a bit of an off-white to begin with), it now has a big, black scrape across it.  "Oh...that'll come off...don't worry," she says, rubbing her finger on it, "see?  It's coming right off."  Umm...whatever, lady.  "My brother-in-law owns a body shop", (suuurrreeee he does...and I know Bill Gates personally), "he can fix anything you need.  Just don't call this in, ok?  I could get in a lot of trouble."  After getting her information (except for her insurance - yes, I know, stupid me.  I admit I was an idiot.  Chalk it up as a learning experience on what to do NEXT time), we go our separate ways as the damage was minimal to my car.  Yes, again, I was an idiot for the second time for letting her go & not calling the cops.  Learning experience #2.  So for those reading this, ingrain this into your minds if you have a traffic accident:  #1:  CALL THE COPS NO MATTER WHAT.  #2:  GET THE PERSON'S CONTACT INFO, AND INSURANCE INFO DIRECTLY FROM THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE/INSURANCE CARD.  I guess I was thinking since I had her license plate number & her phone number, I could get any other information if I should need it later.  Talk about WRONG-O. 

We get back to work and examine the car again...except this time we notice that the bumper has been bent down just a fraction on the side that hit her.  We also notice that some of the edges of my light lenses are chipped and broken.  Again, nothing major, just cosmetic damage.  Up until now, I'm upset at the lady, but not anywhere close to how I was going feel two hours from then. 

After going inside and talking more to my friend, and calling DW, I decide that I really need to get this lady's insurance information just so I have it.  Ha...boy, was naive, trusting, responsible, honest, lil 'ol me going to get a rude awakening and a kick into the nether regions (ouch!) into REALITY.  I call Stupid-Evil-Woman-Driver and leave a message on her voice mail to call me back as I need to talk to her.  A short while later, she calls me back and I ask her for her insurance information.  She says there's no way I was going to get it short of having my lawyer contact hers.  WTH??  To make a long conversation short, she starts saying how the accident was my fault because I sideswiped her while she was trying to change lanes, and that I was lucky that she "let me off".  She fails to see the logic when I explain to her there was no possible way that the accident was my fault regardless of how she told it.  As she claims, even if I was trying to pass her while she was changing lanes, then it would still have been her fault that she pulled into me.  Grrr....one thing I can't stand more than inattentive drivers is dishonest, LYING people.

Conclusion to this Tale of Woe:  I eventually decided to stop dealing with Stupid-Evil-Woman-Driver and just let the whole matter drop.  However, that wasn't without plotting up numerous methods of revenge, if nothing else, to appease my vengeful Inner Being.  At the time, we remembered seeing a business name & address printed on the side of her SUV, but could not remember what it was. 

Addendum to this Tale of Woe:  A few months back, out of the blue, I was driving again with my same friend to lunch, and lo & behold, what do we see?  What has been Delivered unto us?  The same black SUV with the same license plate.  "Ah ha!"  I thought, "now vengeance shall be mine."  But it was only a thought, as I wasn't about to do anything illegal to get back at Stupid-Evil-Woman-Driver.  But for a brief moment, how I wished there was something I could do to get some satisfaction.  And just so you, dear Traveler, don't think that the first incident with Stupid-Evil-Woman-Driver was a fluke, this Time she pulled out into the road *right* in front of us causing me to slam on my brakes for the second time in as many encounters.

<rant>  Why can't people take responsibility for their own actions?  One thing that pisses me off big time is people who are clearly in the wrong trying to blame it on someone/something else.  And even with drivers, I know all of us are inattentive at times, we are all guilty of Not-Paying-Attention-As-Much-As-We-Should-Be, so I can see accidents being understandable & forgiveable.  But what this woman did can only be classified as Stupid & Idiotic.  Especially when she tried to blame me for her mistake.  It was definitely a learning experience for moi, and a real eye-opener on the quality of *some* people out there. </rant>  She may have a Longhorn on her Stupid-Uppity-Vehicle, but a True Texan/Austinite/T-sipper she *never*will be. 

Biked 4.7 miles with the family tonight and another 9.8 miles solo (avg'd 13.4mph w/a stiff wind)

Also found out that the O Brother Where Art Thou, Down from the Mountain tour (Winner of 6 Grammys) is coming to the City August 11th.  Featured stars include Alison Krauss & Union Station, Dan Tyminski, Emmylou Harris, Patty Loveless, Ralph Stanley, Ricky Scaggs, the Nashville Bluegrass Band & others.  Seriously considering going to that w/Jen to celebrate our birthdays (as our bdays are only a few weeks apart in Aug/Sep).  :)

Started an Amazon.com wishlist that can be found here.  :)