This morning I had an evaluation for LASIK at the just-renamed Flaum Eye Institute (formerly StrongVision). I’m not a good candidate for that quick-heal LASIK most people talk about, but I am going to have an equivalent laser surgery called PRK done NEXT TUESDAY. I have now had a total of four surgeries – I don’t hesitate when it comes to scheduling anymore. I am totally worried about how I will function for the coming onslaught of rehearsals and performances, but if it’s the equivalent of a dirty contact (as I was told), I can deal, and have done so in my brief contact-wearing past. I love my current pair of glasses, but $500 every couple of years for the rest of my life? No, thank you.

Then in the afternoon, I went to Greece Town Court re: a speeding ticket. I have not had a traffic ticket in almost 4 years, so I am irritated, but that’s what I get for driving tired in a new place. Anyway, turns out I didn’t even have to be there after all because you can plead by mail, which was mildly annoying but also reminded me of the following story:

If you knew me in high school, you know that I had my license suspended twice for speeding tickets. Virginia is super harsh about tickets you get when you’re under 18: 1 = traffic class, 2 = 3 mo. suspension, 3 = 1 year suspension, and who knows what comes after that – I didn’t try to find out. Anyway, the reason why I had my license completely suspended instead of a provisional for school/work was because my father couldn’t ever come to court with me and, as a minor, I couldn’t go alone. So, I always pled guilty and paid for my tickets straight up, no court involved. Then, one time I paid my ticket and so, of course, didn’t go to the scheduled court date. A month later, BAM: a court summons for being “in contempt” with the threat of ARREST. Apparently for whatever reason, I had to go to court EVEN THOUGH I paid my ticket and nobody thought they should let me know. In addition to that being an incredibly frightening experience, I also had the great pleasure of having my father receive the summons first and assume that I was in trouble for DOING DRUGS.

In case you didn’t know, I’ve never even so much as smoked a freaking cigarette. Sigh.