Looking like an asshole right away

I think it's fair to say I've looked like an asshole to most of my family and closest friends at some point. It's pretty easy to let go of that horrible feeling because, deep down, I know they know I'm usually a very nice, responsible, respectable person.

But what really feels crappy is when I'm doing something new and I make a complete ass of myself right off the bat. And let's just say this happens not infrequently.

Like my family's decision to only have one car. Most people I know, who know me back, think this is a fairly admirable decision. I'm not Mother T or anything, but I'm making an effort at conserving energy and bringing simplicity back to family life.

But now my oldest girl in in kindergarten and I'm responsible for getting her to and from school (which is only a mile away) every day without a big yellow school bus. So we bike. It's a pretty awesome mode of transportation for such a short distance.

At least it is 99 percent of the time.

Today, on the second full-day of school, storm clouds rolled in as 3:15 approached. I saw my girl, grabbed her and ran for the bike just as the rain started to fall. In the seven minute ride home, I will say that I looked like I had been hosed down a very mean crowd-control officer. While other parents pulled their kids under umbrellas and into cars, I was pedaling as fast as my fat ass could pedal, which isn't nearly fast enough.

Hello injury. Meet insult. It stopped pouring instantly upon pulling into the garage. I can just hope the other parents were so wrapped up in the chaos of the event to notice the crazy biking mom cutting off minivans in a mad rush to get home.
*Photo courtesy of kids in bike trailer. I also think it's The Worst when your ass looks bigger than you think it looks in your own head.