Here's two writing challenges I'm currently aware of: 

1)  Kween_of_the_Queens puts out a monthly challenge, and here's this month's:  kweens-challenge-2008-14.html.  The end of July is the deadline. 

2)  lyricsninja's second contest is going on:  Lyricsninja's Contest.  Here are the rules:  contest rules.  The contest closes on July 29th at 11:59 PM. 

I just stumble upon these contests/challenges, so I don't go out lookin' for them.  So please let me know if you know any.  I think they are fun to do.  :)  Give 'em a try  

This is really not my week!  I'm not sure how I should be feeling right now because my phone decided to malfunction on me.  It's a Samsung D807, and I took pretty good care of it.  Maybe it's just time?  I did change the battery recently.  When I slide the phone open, it's just blank.  I can't even make a phone call.  I have to remove the battery and turn it back on just to call out.  I'm going to have to borrow a spare phone.  I can't really afford to get a new one and I certainly don't want to start up a new contract.  My family isn't happy with AT&T/Cingular, and we've been a customer before cell phones were common here. 

Well, that really hurts my job searching efforts!  It's not very easy to reach me without my phone and when my home computer is busted.  I'm pretty much cut off! 

I take public transportation, and I count on my phone just in case something happens.  I had some pretty close calls before (oh I almost got robbed once), and it helped that I had a phone.  I call the transit line if I get lost so I could get directions and bus routes. 

I do have a backup of phone numbers, but they're all on the computer.  Thankful I do have back-up files.  I really didn't count on my phone just to die on me?  Maybe it was trying to warn me and I didn't realize it.  Today I've been getting angry at it that I felt like throwing it, but it passes.  Then it would be really broken! 

I'm really not complaining.  I'm just a little baffled really.  I shouldn't be surprised.  I'm pretty sure something else is going to go wrong.  They come in bunches I think!    *sighs* oh well.  It will pass.  I'm ready. 

I have no sympathy for drivers!  I talked about how I don’t like drivers making right turns because often they turn and go as I’m about to walk or walking.  I had my share of close calls.  Does right-of-way mean anything?  It’s for safety and a rule of the road.  As a pedestrian, I know better than to exercise my right-of-way because I don’t want to be a traffic fatality! 

Today I was at an intersection.  I was about to cross the street because the lights said it was safe for me to walk.  This car pulls up and blocks the entire cross walk.  Since he did a full stop to check his left, I did think for a second that I should walk in front of him.  Of course I knew better than to get hit, so I decided to walk behind the car.  I don’t know if I’m more upset at cars that just go or cars that block. 

Anyhow, from across the street, I saw another car do the same thing to a guy.  The guy was rolling himself on his wheelchair across the street.  A car blocked the ramp to get on the sidewalk.  The car didn’t go because of oncoming traffic.  So the guy on the wheelchair wheeled himself backwards.  Of course he could’ve just waited for the car to move, but I don’t question these things.  If I were him, I probably don’t want to be hit since it is not easy to move around in a wheelchair. 

So some days I just want to buy a slushie and throw it at a car.  Drivers have to be more careful with pedestrians because, obviously, hitting a pedestrian can deal great bodily harm or death while the driver is safely inside his mobile pile of metal.  Anyhow, I’m not going to throw anything at a car.  That’s not only wrong, but the car could just turn around and run over me or something.  Me vs. a car?  I just let it go. 

One time when I was walking, some people in a car scared the heck out of me.  “BAAHH” or something they yelled out of the car.  I was a little jumpy.  But that’s just mean.  I might have wanted to throw something at them, too.  Even though they won’t just turn around and try to run me over, it’s really not worth my time and effort.  I just let it go. 

Not too long ago, someone urinated on the bus.  I guess he couldn’t hold it and I’m not going to judge the guy.  Anyhow, the bus driver put some paper over the seat in hopes people would avoid it.  When I saw the seat, I knew better than to sit on it.  For the first few stops, people warned the passengers not to sit there, and eventually they gave up.  Eventually the passengers gave up warning the new passengers, and people began to move the paper.  It would take like 3 seconds before they felt the wetness, and they would spring up all surprised.  Why didn’t I say anything?  Well, I was sitting at the back of the bus and I was feeling ill that day.  I could hear myself trying to yell across the bus “Don’t sit there,” but only a whisper came out.  It was hardly audible and I didn’t even hear myself at all.  Maybe I shouldn’t have gone out that day.  Instead of trying to whisper a warning that they would never hear, I took out a sheet of paper from my backpack.  In my ill state, I first thought of writing “There’s pee in this seat,” but I decided “Don’t sit here” in all caps would be enough.  People got the message.  I’m sorry I couldn’t save three people from sitting the wet seat.  I hope they washed thier clothes and showered after the bus trip.