Ooops, it's not what you're thinking about. Naughty you.

When you're learning how to ride a bike, you'll definitely stumble, get bruises, and embarass yourself.
It's just the same when you're learning to drive (in my case, at least)

And last Saturday, November 15, 2008, I've just done one of the worst "katangahans" of all time.

Nagasgasan/semi-bangga ko yung bago naming Innova.

Well, I didn't really bump into something.

When I was about to turn right sa street namin, I noticed na maraming naka-park sa kalsada (mga leche, hindi magpagawa ng sariling parking lot sa loob ng bahay. Ka-tontohan talaga). And the amateur driver that I am kicked in: nagmadali ako masyadong mag-maneuver ng manibela pakanan, and then since gabi na, hindi ko naman makita sa side mirror sa other side na although malapit sa gutter eh meron palang naka-usling sementong paso dun sa edge ng gutter.

And then, "boom". May tumunog...

Joan: "Uy, may tumunog!"
Ako: *profanities* "may nabangga ako!" *profanities again*
*panics kaya dere-deretso imbes na huminto*
Joan: *notices na nasanggi ko yung side mirror nung isa sa mga lecheng sasakyan na hindi naka-park sa parking lot* "Uy, nasanggi mo yung side mirror!"
Ako: *gobsmacked*

Hay. Yeah, I know, it's really immature of me to blame it on these mofos who buy cars when they don't have a parking lot inside their houses. How stupid of me (wow sarcastic). Double parking pa ang mga leche, masikip na nga ang kalsada. And I know it's really immature of me to blame it on the narrow streets. Talagang maraming ganyan sa 'Pinas.

Well, I admit that I really am stupid. First, I turned at the wrong place and at the wrong time. Second, I didn't exercise proper diligence because I didn't try my best (or shall I say, I forgot to) to check out my side mirrors.

Hay, ang tonto talaga. And sobrang na-stress ako. When my mom saw it, of course she was angry, pero pinagsabihan nya lang ako, kasi ipapagawa ko naman yun. But imagine if I didn't have the money to pay for the damage -- she'll be skinning me alive for that mistake.

So yon. Matindi yung gasgas kasi concrete nga yung nasangga nya. May dent pa. Badtrip. Kaya para matapos na, pina-estimate ko na yung damage. Pero since may iba pang damage yun (na hindi ko kagagawan) eh hindi ako ang magbabayad ng entire cost.

Well, sabi ng pinsan ko, talagang you'll never learn how to drive daw nang hindi mo mararanasang mabangga (or mahuli ng police).

Sa sobrang stress ko eh nilagnat pa ako kinagabihan dahil sa kakaisip. Kahit na latang-lata ako eh pumasok parin ako nung Monday dahil kelangan ko ng pambayad. Hehe :p

But still, I'm thankful to God dahil...

1. Dahil na-ikabig ko agad yung manibela, kaya kahit hindi ako huminto eh hindi nagtuloy-tuloy yung trail ng gasgas (good luck naman sa hitsura ng kotse)
2. Dahil mahina lang yung pagkaka-sanggi ko dun sa side mirror nung isang kotse (namove lang yung side mirror, di naman natanggal or something) or else dagdag danyos pa yun
3. Dahil hindi ako nakabangga ng other cars
4. Dahil hindi tao yung nabangga ko (super goodluck)
5. Dahil sementong paso lang yung nabangga ko -- fully operational naman sya kahit chipped yung tip nya no...susmaryosep
6. Buhay pa kami ni Joan nung bumaba ng kotse
7. Less than PhP5,000 lang ang gastos ko sa repairs

and lastly...

8. Yung repairs lang ng kotse ang problema ko. Hindi ako namomroblema ng pantuition ng anak, or ng kakainin mamayang dinner, or kung paano ko makukurakot ang kaban ng bayan, or kung paano ko pauunlarin ang Pilipinas, or other much pressing concerns

Hay...ang nakakainis ay araw-araw kong nadadaanan yung pasong semento na yon...and everyday it reminds me of my stupidity.

Part of life.

I'm never gonna drive THAT car again. Mamumulubi ako sa gastos.
Bibili nalang ako ng luma. Haha. (as if may pambili)

P.S. Wag nyong gayahin ang ka-engotan ng nagsulat nito :p