*ding* Alex, what is “driving on LA freeways?”

OK… so I had a nice quiet day yesterday and went swimming in something other than what I happened to be wearing. (OK… it was a t-shirt and shorts but I don’t think Lands’ End can get a perfect swimsuit to me before I leave Dodge.)Â? I got back into my in-laws house and was noshing on some lowfat chocolate-mint brownies from Trader Joe’s (chocolate and mint being my weakness and said brownies being almost better than certain earthly pleasures) when I saw that the instructions I was left on getting to DA CHURCH for DA WEDDING REHEARSAL involved me and 210 West getting intimately acquainted.Â? As my father-in-law thinks I’m a sweetheart, I refrained from vocalizing the words that were in my head.Â? I grabbed all the stuff I needed, jumped in the car, took a few minutes to pray, and got on the freeway.

It wasn’t quite as bad as driving Hwy 17 (then again, NOTHING is as bad as that bloody highway) but I did find myself screaming “USE YOUR F-ING TURN SIGNAL!!!!!!!!!!” to various drivers who decided that my Montana plates were an excuse to cut me off.Â? One driver moved back after I laid on the horn so loud that I managed to drown out the music that was vibrating from the car next to me.

When I got to the church, I went up to the groom, climbed up onto his feet, pulled his shoulders down to me, and screamed at him.Â? Everyone was just cracking up (OK… I admit — I’m adorable when I’m getting Irish on peoples’ @$$es) and they made sure that I had surface street directions to dinner that night.

Dinner was at Shakey’s Pizza in Covina.Â? OK… I was a minority in that restaurant — it was 80% Chicano in there and it was a reminder that I need to be respectful of those who face discrimination and who are dealing with being a minority each day.Â? Mountain Dew + pizza = a serious need of ginger tablets when I got home.

Right now, I’m being loved by a fluffy grey cat and listening to Wait Wait.Â? Not quite in hell anymore but dude… yesterday evening was interesting.