First, thanks to Led Zeppelin for my title inspiration. Their version of that song is everything that blues rock should be. Always.

When it rains, it pours.

I don’t even really like that phrase, but in this case it’s pretty damn fitting so I shall leave it.

Disclaimer-I am in a particularly “grrrr” mood today so please do not judge me or my probable snarky disposition. I am working on it.

So, for those of you who aren’t in the know, I wrecked and totaled my car a few weeks ago on the way home from the airport in an attempt to save the life of a misplaced hunting dog. By misplaced, I mean he galloped directly into the road in front of me as I crested a hill. If he wasn’t on a suicide mission, he did a grand job of making it appear that way.

You know the drill…screeching of tires, the smell of burning rubber, Sylvia (my Scion) getting a little too cozy with the guard rail, bumpers flying, radiators spewing fountains of water and steam, and many other misc less than pleasing sounds and sights.  Getting a mental picture? Good. So, when all was said and done, the dog was unscathed and lived to see another sunrise. Sadly, Sylvia did not fare so well. I managed nothing more than a few bruises so it could have been much worse.

In those moments after I determined I was not going to die and all of my appendages were intact and nothing was dangling, protruding, or gashed, I thought about all of the things I haven’t done in my life that I want to accomplish. All of the trips I want to take, adventures I want to have, words I want to say that haven’t been said. It was a little overwhelming in two ways-thankfulness that I still have the opportunity to do those things and the realization that none of our tomorrows are promised. It really puts life and priorities into perspective and has been on my mind a lot since then. Life is far too short to live in any other way than finding what makes your heart and soul afire with passion.

If you know me at all, you know that I nearly have a panic attack at the mere thought of being stuck without transportation. This is worsened by the fact that I am an obsessive researcher and can’t just go willy nilly and buy the first car I see. I need facts-user reviews, safety ratings, cost breakdowns by mileage, etc… Car shopping is stressful to me in a way I may not have words enough to describe. I detest car salespeople and cringe the moment I see one come out of a dealership with that  “wolf in a henhouse” look on their face. I got chill bumps just typing that sentence.

So, I am currently without a vehicle and had planned on going to procure a rental this weekend and check out some rides. I get home from work yesterday evening and am met by an intense wave of searing heat when I open the front door. Upon further inspection, I find that our BRAND NEW central air is not working. It’s 88 degrees in my house.

88 freaking degrees, people!

I am hot natured in general and typically keep the thermostat at an arctic 67 degrees so you can imagine how much fun it was to come home to air that felt like Florida in July. Oh, it’s also important to note that I get really really ridiculously irrational when I am hot.

Like really. Embarrassingly. Irrational.

I do not allow the general public to witness this as a rule-not my most complimentary character trait. But, it’s who I am so I am learning to embrace even the ugliest aspects of LB. No one is perfect, right?

After extensive amounts of unsuccessful troubleshooting (thanks to my Lowe’s background in Repair-woot!) that included multiple instances of resetting buttons, flipping breakers, and language that would make even the saltiest sailor proud, I MAY have thrown a tiny temper tantrum. And by may have, I mean did. I will not, for my ego’s sake, describe what this entailed but imagine it was not pretty or ladylike in any fashion.

The best news??

This morning I find out that the compressor that is needed to make my home less than a fiery pit of hell is not available and will have to be ordered. Wait, it gets better. Since it’s a holiday weekend, no one can order it until TUESDAY. This means at the earliest it will be THURSDAY before we can actually get it installed.

FML. Times ten.

I have been tempted at multiple points over the last 24 hours to just sit down and cry. Or throw things. Or both simultaneously. BB and Cooper (my cat and dog) will have to be moved elsewhere so they don’t melt into blobs of fur on the carpet. I will have to lug all my crap to mum and dads and figure out transportation for the upcoming week. I have had a headache for the last two days that isn’t showing any signs of diminishing. Life is freaking fabulous!

Did that sound spoiled and whiney enough??? I hope so because when I sat down to write this blog, those were my initial thoughts. Then as I sat here, I realized something. These are actually pretty much laughable first world problems.

Yes, having no car sucks but I have money to purchase a new one when I find the right one. I have the most amazing friends and coworkers on earth that have driven me to work, brought me home, covered my hours at work, helped me research cars, and been super helpful in any way they can.

No air conditioning is total bullshit on 90 degree days-nothing changes that fact. What does make me feel grateful is that I have parents that I can go stay with until my AC is fixed. They have taken care of me and been there through 35 years of life’s “mini crisis” situations and I know that I am the luckiest squirrel on earth to have them.

In short, my problems are minuscule in the greater scheme of life. I have food, shelter, water, family and friends. There are many people on earth that would beg, borrow, cheat and steal to have even a portion of those things. Some people live in conditions less sanitary than sewers. Many literally starve to death daily or are so weakened by malnutrition that they can barely function. People live with physical, mental, and verbal abuse from those who claim to love them. Life, for many, is a daily struggle to survive.

It’s really all about perspective. When you are having a “woe is me” moment, try to remind yourself of all the things you take for granted every day. You will likely find that you have a lot to be grateful for, even on the most challenging days.

Storms may come throughout life and take on many forms but drowning is not an option!