"Worst Day Ever"

Thought I'd be productive and write from the Toyota dealership this morning since I have to be here from 8-11am. No, it's not on one of those boring routine checkups. I actually wish it were. 

I'm at Toyota because someone stole my keys this weekend so I have to get my entire car system reprogrammed. Yep.

I was carrying in multiple bags of groceries Saturday and, admittedly, left my keys in the door. Less than an hour later I'm leaving again and can't find my keys. I open the door and find my apartment key still in the lock and all my other keys -- car keys, mailbox key, gym key, and gate clicker to get in the apartments -- gone. 

WHO DOES THAT? Who takes someone's keys?! I feel like it's Courtesy 101 to knock on someone's door and let them know they left their keys hanging. Clearly, I didn't do it on purpose. I had too much in my hands and too much on my mind. Or if you don't feel like interacting with people, LEAVE THE KEYS THERE. But do not take the time to take off all the keys on my keyring and be so considerate to leave my apartment key in the door. 

So instead of having an easy Saturday, I had to move my car out of the parking garage (because they could have easily found it) and park at another complex all weekend and continue to walk back and forth to my apartment. I had to wait until someone came into the building before I could even get in to my complex because I had no gate clicker. I couldn't check the mail. Thankfully I had a spare car key otherwise I would have been even more screwed. It cost me 150 to change the mailbox key, 130 for a garage clicker, and Toyota is 300 for reprogramming the vehicle.

Finally had a breakdown about it that night. Got home from work at midnight, parked my car down the road, walked to my complex alone that late, and waited outside the building until someone drove in so I could get in. By the time I got to my door, I was an exhausted heap of frustration and anxiety.

Then, I look on CNN and see that Zimmerman was charged not guilty. And read that Cory Montieth was found dead in his hotel room.  And remembered that my own boyfriend is back home dealing with a sick father. 

Even though shitty things happen, there is always, always someone who is going through much worse. Yes, getting keys stolen is extremely stressful, I've had to drop hundreds of unanticipated dollars I don't readily have in the last 48 hours. And I've been paranoid walking by neighbors. 

But in Florida, a mother and a father are dealing with the tragedy of their son's wrongful death. In 2013,  racism is still very much alive and breathing. A girl, celebrity or not, is trying to wrap her head around the too-soon death of her soon to be fiancé. Yes, Lea Michele and Cory Montieth were engaged. I don't care if she's a celebrity, she's a person, and woman to woman, my heart hurts for her loss. My boyfriend is spending his nights beside his father in the hospital. There are countless of other stories in the news as well as the thousands that go unreported daily. 

So, things I am thankful for from this weekend's experience:

1. They didn't take the apartment key. They easily could have. They could have damn near robbed me. I was actually in the shower when all this took place -- one try at unlocking the door, and I would have been home alone with them. For their decision to leave the key, I am thankful. Not to them, they're a piece of shit, I mean I'm thankful to the universe. 

2. I found a spare car key in an old shoe box. Toyota initially quoted me at 600 dollars, but because I found a spare key last night, I didn't have to pay for a new key as well and it dropped to 300. 

3. I had friends who let me keep my car in their gated complex for the weekend so it'd be safe, friends who reassured me it was an accident and not to blame myself, and to let them know if I needed anything. The first thing that both my parents and Alex asked when I told them what happened was, "Well, are you okay?" As pissed as I was for the costs of all the new keys, everyone who loves me made me realize I am more valuable than those things. 

I end with this quote that made me feel better when I was in the middle of it all and wondering how I was going to pay for everything.

"When things go wrong as they sometimes will;

when the road you're trudging seems all uphill;

when the funds are low, and the debts are high

and you want to smile, but have to sigh;

when care is pressing you down a bit-

rest if you must, but do not quit.

Success is failure turned inside out;

the silver tint of the clouds of doubt;

and you can never tell how close you are

it may be near when it seems so far;

so stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-

it's when things go wrong that you must not quit."

- Author Unknown 

I'm not trying to be a debbie downer. Usually I'm into more bubbly and self-depricating posts. But, sometimes, your "worst day ever" is a day someone else would gladly trade with you. So acknowledge your shitty day, hell have a meltdown if you want to, then remember it could always be worse. And say a little prayer of light and love for your brothers and sisters who are experiencing their worst day ever, too. I guarantee it will make you feel at least a little better. That, and some dark chocolate, of course.