Monday, February 23, 2015

Dream Come True

I think it was about 4 years ago that we took our little family on a trip to California and I passed the time by letting my OCD run wild keeping track of the license plates I saw.  I really wanted to see plates from all 50 states on the way there.  When I failed to do so, I tried to complete the list on the way back home. Failed again.  Curses!  After the trip I found that as I drove around town my eyes kept darting to the bumpers of the cars all around me.  The sickness had begun.

Oh dear. Here's the part where I yet again reveal just how very kooky I am.  I can't stop!  I have so much fun (yes, I'm that lame) keeping track of license plates. I used to just keep a checklist until I saw all 50, promising to let it go as soon as they were all checked off.  But I noticed that there were a few plates that were very hard to find - thanks a lot Deleware, Rhode Island and Hawaii - and I almost never found them.  I decided to turn it into more of a monthly quest.  Happily I found a fun little app (you wouldn't believe how many are available - glad we OCD folks can unite) so I can just check them off as I go.  Never while the car is in motion of course.

Sadly, in four years of my OCD-game have I seen all 50 plates in one month.  Make that 51.  Washington D.C. has its own license plate.  And then, a miracle. Last month, January 2015, I finally saw them all.  What a rush! (Only kidding. Kind of.) You know, it really got down to the wire there at the end.  I had this miraculous month where I found the three most challenging plates, those I previously mentioned.  You would think Alaska would be on that list as well but surprisingly there are Alaskas all over the place.  It always makes me wonder what brings all these people here.  Anyway, I got those tough three but still was missing one: the NEVER elusive Indiana:


It was really weird!  I always get Indiana, but I just couldn't find one anywhere, even down to January the 31st!  Nail biter, I tell ya.  It was a Saturday (I mentioned the OCD, right?) and had a cello-mommy conference in Sandy. Miles and miles of freeway.  As I drove past a large semi I caught a glimpse of the Indiana plate and let out a whoop.  I'm not kidding about that, I really did.



I can now consider that chapter of my life complete.  Except ... this month I've seen everything but Deleware and I still have 5 days to find it.....can you IMAGINE getting all the plates two months IN A ROW!?!?!

I am now hanging my head in shame.

1 comment:

Linda Ross said...

You are too funny. I love your honesty and how the simple things in life bring you joy.