Tuesday 19 January 2010

Mental Blocks


I haven't really had much trouble when it comes to writers' block, but I'm definately in need of some sort of help when it comes to mental blocks.

Today I received my fourth - yes, you read that correctly, fourth - parking fine in six weeks. Now, I haven't had a fine for approximately 10 years, and where I park I need to have paycards for 8 hours each day. So, there are the green ones for 4 units (hours) and the purple ones for 1 unit.

1st fine - dough head here put two purple ones, covering me for a total of 2 hours...
2nd fine - I put one of each, covering me for 5 hours...
3rd fine - was actually for three hours, so put one purple one, yes, you've guessed covering me for 1 damn hour, instead of the required three.

Today, how many did I display? Mmm? Well? Let me see? Yes, that's right NONE!

What the hell is wrong with me? I wasn't early, nor in a rush. All I can put it down to is the fact that my brain, when not at work - ahem - thinks continuously about my newly started book. Arrgh. I'm so annoyed. So, even with the 'pay within three days and get a discount', this now means that in the past six weeks I will have paid £160.00 in fines.

I walked into the house today and said to Rob, "Guess what I did today?"
He smiled and replied, "Got another parking fine?"
Don't you hate it when they think they're so clever?

Nevermind, don't forget to visit my blog on Thursday because I've got a very special 'pick me' competition, which I'd hate you to miss.

27 comments:

DAB said...

Noooo! What a bummer! (not you obviously, but the pounding parking ticket police):o TFx

Suzanne Ross Jones said...

That’s really rotten luck, Debs. And I don’t think it’s your fault at all – the system sounds ludicrously complicated. When you’re in a hurry all you want to do is pay for your parking and get going – who has time to think how many cards you need and what colours those cards need to be?
Hugs.
x

Chris Stovell said...

Oh bad luck, Debs. Grrrr for you. Btw,I do love the cover of that Miranda Dickinson book.

Melissa Amateis said...

I got a parking ticket last week, too. Darn things.

HelenMWalters said...

Oh dear. That is sooooo the sort of thing I would do.

Cheryl said...

I really don't understand those things. Sounds like you have a lot on. maybe you should leave them all out. Gotta be cheaper than a fine.

Jayne said...

That sounds uber complicated Debs! Wowsers!

Becky said...

That looks a complcated system. They have similar cards in the Isle of Man, which you have to carry around in your car.
£160...thats actually worse than my recent library fine !

Faye said...

Oh! That's painful, especially when you think about how many books or other pleasures 160 big ones would buy. For myself I'm to the point in mental sharpness where I have to leave myself little cues so I don't forget the essentials.

Party on Thursday? I'll remember that for sure!

Queenie said...

Grim - but potentially great material; I bet you could turn that into a really funny womag story.

Fionnuala said...

I HATE paying parking fines but am so with you with the whole 'what's wrong with me' thing... I am getting so forgetful and anyone who mentions it might be age related has so far not mentioned it again..! Fx

Carol said...

Oh nooo that's awful!! It does sound like your parking scheme is very over complicated...

C x

Flowerpot said...

Oh Debs that is infuriating. Ever felt persecuted?! What a ridiculous system.

Denise said...

Grrr, how annoying.

I seem to have developed a similar problem with remembering to lock my car. Could go badly one day if I'm unlucky!

Anna Scott Graham said...

Things like that do drive me round the bend, like what was I thinking?

A nice cup of Builder's tea sounds appropriate about now! :)))

B.E. Sanderson said...

Ack, that stinks. Sounds like a seriously screwed up system in the first place, and then add in how busy our minds get... Well, if I was there, I'd be getting tickets all the time.

Kaye Manro said...

I don't like parking tickets either! Men-- how do they do that? Better still, why? I'll stop by Thursday!

Hope and Chances said...

That sounds a strange system, my brain would never cope with that! Perhaps you could offer to simplify their system and in return they could let you off the fines?? :-)

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Thanks ladies. I'm glad it's not just me who thinks this is an awkward parking system.

I've now stuck a neon green post-it note on my dashboard in the vain hope it reminds me to do the paycards each day.

Troy said...

I was going to suggest going to the opticians and purposefully failing the colour blindness test and then you could claim that the fines were a persecution of a disability. But then I got to the point where you said you had displayed NONE and I thought...I can't help you here.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

troy - thanks for trying to help, but I think I'm a lost cause when it comes to parking and fines.

Lacey Devlin said...

Even the meters that have people sprinting outside several times a day (always fun to watch) seem preferable... I'm looking at the paycard and I'm pretty sure it spells out nervous breakdown... I say revel in your lawbreaking ;)

Unknown said...

Expensive price to pay for a small brain cramp. FWIW, we all days like that. I hope the rest of the month goes better for you.

Best

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

andrea - it was rather expensive and very frustration that I'd done the same thing, yet again.

Christine Coleman said...

Hi Debs
I'm catching up on blogs from Nicola's party – I really like your shed!!

And I do sympathise about the parking tickets- I don’t suppose you could plead that writer’s block had temporarily prevented clear thinking of any sort?

A few months ago, when visiting an unfamiliar town, I managed to get the money right, but put it into the wrong machine! (I did manage to get the fine cut in half though - one of those occasions where half of something is far more desirable than the whole thing)

Good luck with parking in the future, anyway.

Christine

Christine Coleman said...

Hi Debs
I'm catching up on blogs from Nicola's party – I really like your shed!!

And I do sympathise about the parking tickets- I don’t suppose you could plead that writer’s block had temporarily prevented clear thinking of any sort?

A few months ago, when visiting an unfamiliar town, I managed to get the money right, but put it into the wrong machine! (I did manage to get the fine cut in half though - one of those occasions where half of something is far more desirable than the whole thing)

Good luck with parking in the future, anyway.

Christine

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

christine - thanks for popping over. Well done for getting your fine cut in half, although what a pain to use the wrong machine. I think it must be a writerly thing that we can't seem to concentrate on these things.