The Snowflake Chronicles

2006 in review

9 Masa’il 163 B.E. - December 20, 2006

"Invalid Item"  "Invalid Entry" 

Normally, I don’t get around to reviewing the year until sometime between January 1 and March 20. Of course, I don’t celebrate a new year until March 21, when I celebrate Naw-Ruz. However, considering that 2006 has been a … I want to say eventful and it’s been that, but stressful or weird might be better descriptions … weird-stressful year it’s much better if I review it before it crawls off into oblivion.

January

I begin paying a ticket for a moving violation that I received at the end November of 2005. I ran a red light or pushed a yellow light (that depends on the point of view of the police, who gave me the ticket and myself). The ticket ways $280.00, now this doesn’t seem like a lot until you realize that I don’t have that kind of money coming in; fortunately the city let’s you make payments. I could pay either $20.00 or $50.00 at a time.

Not only did I have to pay the ticket, but I had to go to traffic school. Her I had a choice of parking. I could park within reasonable walking distance of the Justice Center (that’s where traffic school is held on Saturday’s), take the class and pay $0.25 per hour in the city lot, or I could park in the BankAmerica garage, get a parking stub validated in the bank (I have an account at BankAmerica) and not pay anything. The problem here was that I had to walk two or three blocks back to the Justice Center and walking is sometime difficult. Since it was Saturday, there was no charge in the bank’s garage and I didn’t have to have a stub validated, which was a good thing because traffic school didn’t let out until 3 p.m. and the bank closes at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

February

Served on the 2005 Grand Jury, in 2005 I was picked as an alternate on that jury and I had thought that I didn’t have to worry about serving because the jury was supposed to be released at the end of December 2005 or January 2006. However, the term of the 2005 jury was extended so I got called, which was a good thing because, at least I had more money coming in and managed to pay part of the traffic ticket with what I made sitting on the jury.

Again, the choice between paying $0.25 an hour for parking or walking five or six blocks to the Justice Center. Jury personnel can park in the Red Parking Barn and not pay, but they have to walk to the Justice Center to be on the Jury. So I parked in the garage and walked. The first day I sit on the Jury, I got lost going to the Justice Center despite the fact I’d been there once before. I finally found the building and the basement, where the Grand Jury met.

March

I celebrated Naw-Ruz.

I received information that I had permission to go on pilgrimage.

Accepted at AIU and begin online classes for my Masters’ in Instructional Technology.

April

I received information that I am scheduled for pilgrimage in May 2007.

I got an alternator for the car, I don’t want to discuss the cost. Let’s just say that I had to walk to the BankAmerica branch on Sahara Ave. from my house on Bracken (my guess is one or two miles, but it could be more or less) to get money to take a bus to get the car.

May

I took Ruhi Book 3 Teaching Children’s Classes.

I don’t remember if I had to walk an unusually long distance in May, but I probably did.

June

Finished book 3, but I have to make up a couple of classes.

July

I started Ruhi book 4 The Twin Manifestation, still working on this because we have classes every two or three weeks.

I had to have a blood test and had to pay half the money up front, still owe for the rest.

August

I struggled to keep bank account out of the red.

September

The car started smelling odd, like it was too hot, but the gage didn’t show it was overheating. Discussed problem with someone who suggested it may need transmission fluid. I got transmission fluid, but then realized I didn’t have the equipment to put it in the car.

October

Took car to mechanic and found out problem wasn’t that it needed transmission fluid, but that the leak in the oil was the problem. Had stuff under hood fixed so that it doesn’t leak. It took a while to get the car back and I ended up doing the walk to the Bank branch to get money for bus routine again.

November

I started Ruhi book 6.

It’s cold and I had to turn the heat on.

December

Despite the fact that it’s been an expensive year. That I did more walking this year than I’ve did since high school. I am blessed and things appear to be looking up. Of course, last night was the coldest of 2006 (so far) and it’s suppose to freeze again tonight.

Maybe 2006 hasn’t been a bad year after all!