Jama's Journal

My nickname is SPEEDBUMP.

You know, the little things you drive over to slow you down when you're entering/leaving a parking lot...

I got the nickname because my Junior year in high school I was knocked down and run over by two cars. (Yes, two.)
A friend of mine had pulled up behind me as I walked to my car, planning to slam on brakes just short of hitting me to "scare me." Her little plan didn't work, however, and she slammed into me, knocking me down. The car stopped for a few seconds (about enough time for me to realize, "Shit, there's a car on top of me.") and then shot forward again, (the girl driving panicked and hit the gas instead of the brakes.) The car drug me under the front bumper and over 15 feet of pavement before the driver turned the wheel, sending me under the front right tire.

Once I rolled out from under the car and onto my back (I had been dragged across the pavement on my stomach,) I saw a 2nd car rolling backwards; right towards me. The driver of the 2nd car had jumped out to help but left his car in reverse. It rolled back and back until it rolled right over my hips.

Of course, everyone rushed to my side to help me. My teachers called the ambulance and my cousin, Lucas, pulled off his shirt to cover me up with, (Most of my clothes had been ripped off...how embarrassing.) I didn't feel much pain. I was scared more than anything, but I tried to joke around to ease everyone's minds (including my own.) I remember laying there thinking "Damn, now I know what Julia Lennon felt like....hopefully I won't die, though."

In fact, I didn't even break a bone! I was in the hospital for 3 hours. I was x-rayed and ct scanned from head to toe. It was in the x-ray room my friend Derick, who is the x-ray tech, called me a speedbump. It just stuck! I left with a few nasty road rashes and practically no skin on my knees. There were rocks stuck in my skin which I had to go to physical therapy for a few days to take care of, but all came out well.

I even competed in the school beauty pageant that SAME WEEK (the accident was on Tuesday and the pageant was on Friday.) Most of my injuries were covered by my dress, so I strapped on my high heels and covered everything under the gown in bandages quite like a mummy....It was the most painful thing I've ever endured but I placed 2nd runner up, regardless!

Needless to say, the whole thing was an experience I'll never forget.

Some are silly, some are serious; either way, here's my list!

Things to do before I die:

-Write a book
-pierce a body part (ears don't count!) (DONE!)
-Go skinny dipping
-Learn a new language (and speak it fluently!)
-Learn to play at least 3 instruments
-Hike a glacier(DONE!)
-Catch a shark (DONE!)
-Swim with dolphins
-Own and learn to ride a street bike
-Live on a boat
-Have a "Pin Up" photoshoot
-See a space shuttle launch
-Be someone's bridesmaid (DONE!)
-Visit (an abandoned) concentration camp
-See Anne Frank's annex
-Indoor skydiving (DONE!)
-ACTUALLY skydive!
-Start a scholarship fund
-Meet a President
-Eat an Octopus!
-Knit something (besides the world's shortest scarf)
-Mardi Gras in New Orleans
-New Years in Times Square
-Chase a tornado
-See the Aurora Borealis
-Learn sign language
-Buy a homeless person a meal (DONE!)
-Grow a garden (and my own veggies!)
-Paint a self-portrait
-Restore an old car
-Build a snowman (Hard to do in Alabama!)
-Leave a 100 dollar bill in a book
-Hop a train (even if just for a few blocks...)
-Go to the Superbowl
-PERSONALLY feed starving children in developing countries



Haha, AND...
Things NOT to do:

-Get hit by another car (two is enough)
-Be struck by lightning (again, the first time was good enough for me.)

That's it for now, kiddies. Moar later as I add to the list.

I think that one that fits me best is "Here Comes the Sun" by George Harrison/The Beatles. It's not even one of my favorite Harrison songs, but I think it characterizes me very well. I'm a little down and out right now, more so than usual, but I try to keep a positive outlook on things. I try to hold my head up and push through it and make things as bright and sunny as I can regardless of the circumstances.

Hopefully with this outlook my song will soon change to "Getting Better" ...now there's a groove I can swing to!

Through my search to help others I have found a wonderful little website called http://freerice.com

This website was created by a concerned father who wanted to help his children study for their SAT exams while helping the less fortunate. His solution? A game where you guess the synonym to the word given; in turn donating 20 grains of rice with every correct answer.

Hey, it can't hurt for us all to become a little more articulate, and you're giving to impoverished individuals. How can you lose?

A news clip featuring freerice.com!

So summer is upon us and for some reason during this time of year I feel a strange surge of productivity. I have tons of ideas floating around in my head, and projects I want to begin, but more often that not I don't know where to start! In that case a list is in order...(lists are my specialty, you know.)

Hence I give you:

Summer Goals, 2008:
-Get something that somewhat resembles a job.
-Make it through Yoga class.
-Successfully construct a garment from scratch.
-Make it down Blackwater River (at least twice.)
-Finish my story.
-Finish my art-book.
-Start on a book of poems/short stories.
-Learn some new bass licks.
-Start REALLY reading again.
-Become more socially/politically active.


Moar to come as I think of the multitude of things I need/want to do!