I'm 25 and I'm irresponsible, or at least everyone says so. I got bored with C++ 2 yesterday (they're still working on crap that I've had done for a week already), so I ducked out and drove over to my cousins to check out this computer that he's selling. As I'm driving on the interstate, I can't help but notice that a police car is riding my rear (in a heterosexual manner). As I make the first turn, he puts on his lights and I pull over. Well, I've been harassed and even arrested by the police throughout my life, and am already sweating bullets, not knowing what they have on me. He asks me if I know why he pulled me over and after answering "no sir, I don't", he explains to me that my tags are expired. I'm totally suprised, but my memory comes out of sleep mode and I remember that my license expired on 08/23. I honestly intended to get it renewed, but for some odd reason, my brain automatically stores information such as this, in a mind-file named "ignore/forget until too late". Not only is my license expired, but I have no current proof of insurance (it's sitting at home, filed away in my filing cabinet). I then hand him my license (that I know is expired), and he walks back to his car. Another police car pulls up, and even a fire truck makes an appearance, and is waved on by one of the officers. They sit back there talking and running checks (I guess), for about 15 minutes, and then 2 officers approach my vehicle, one on each side. I'm watching them walk towards me, in my side mirrors, and my anxiety level is at maximum capacity (I've been to jail before and would rather not go back, if at all possible). The officer on the driver side explains to me that the situation has worsened. He explains that not only are my tags expired, but my license is expired, and I have no proof of insurance. He then explains to me that he can arrest me and have my car towed, but that he'll cut my a break if I'm willing to park it on the side of the road, walk to wherever I need to go, and not drive again until I get this all sorted out. I agree, and he writes out the proper citation(s). I then walk about 1/2 a mile to my cousins house, and had his father drive my car back to their house, to park, until I can pick it up.

My girlfriend is very angry that she has to drive 30 miles to pick me up and take me home, interrupting her studies, and lectures me for the entire ride, which I can understand. However, there's a reoccuring theme in her endless rant, and that theme is "irresponsible". Now, I'm not one who suffers from low self-esteem, nor one who appreciates harsh criticism, so I become increasingly angry each time she uses this word. We have a mild argument, and I try explaining to her that for some odd reason, I have a hard time remembering things that are bothersome to me. She makes some valid points, and I begin to realize that if I were more responsible, I would have found a way to remember such things, such as marking them in a calendar (although I usually forget to check the calendar).

They say the first step is admitting you have a problem. Hello, my name is MentatMM, and I'm an irresponsible 25-year old. I have a horrible memory when it comes to bothersome issues, but I vow to change this, and that's where you come in. Not only can you ridicule me, and tell me how irresponsible I am, you even have the opportunity to suggest to me ways of helping me remember things that seem so trivial to me, but in reality can cause me and my loved ones much trouble, if I fail to remember them.

Help me Massassi, you're my only hope.

I like being in high school. I get to be lazy and irresponsible for one more year.

i kindof have the same problem, only when i think of something i have to do, i either write it down or do it right then so i don't forget it

Get a dayplanner, get a clipboard, carry it with you EVERYWHERE, mark off your goals to accomplish. Keep it like 5 days ahead of your current day (ie if it's monday, keep it through friday) or even later if you can. It'll help, a lot.

I can't wait until I see you on COPS.


The cop was cool letting you off the hook, though. And that chewing out your GF gave you must have cut you to the quick, so I'm sure you've learned your lesson. BTW, what did you do that they sent you to jail for?



Just make a calendar. I'm sure theres a free program out there that lets you generate them and print them. Write down everything on the calendar sheet and don't lose it.

I used to be a receptionist at a volunteer center, and I used the Post-Its program by 3M to remind me of important stuff, calls I had to make, etc... You can set them to be always on top if you like, or to set an alarm off at a certain date/time, etc.

You got lucky the cop let you off the hook. Hope things don't get rough between you and your g/f and that you can learn from all this

It's not like you shot somebody, it was an honest mistake. Don't worry about it too much. Just file the correct paperwork, ect, and take care of the problem in a logical fashion.

I know what you mean about ****ting yourself when cops start following you...

My car's an 80's commodore(basically young irresponsible hoons car) with a bunch of dents, cracked windscreen, steering column wires hanging out, immobiliser + accompanying cable on the floor and a month old rego sticker I forgot to change. It basically has "STOLEN" written all over it.

Keep a day planner on your pocket at all times and if that doesn't work, put post-its on your arms.

Yeah, get a day planner (or maybe even an palm computer). Dont write down everything you need to remember in it, just a few important things at first. You'll find that after a few weeks of usinig it occaisionally, you'll be writing more and more stuff down in it, and it will become easier to remember to check it.

In California, you have a month from the time your plates expire to get the new tags on. Might want to check that out because if that's the case where you live, the cop had no cause to pull you over.

As the others said before me: keep lists, write stuff down, etc. It really helps.

Also, if you paid for the registration and have the new tags at home, it would have come up that the car was registered when the cop ran the plates. If that's the case,you might want to fight this thing

I have a dry erase board on my front door. I have to pass through there every time I leave the apartment. I also leave my shoes there when I come in, so I have to take the time to put my shoes on in front of the door.

Once I started doing that, it helped me out alot. Just having to see the reminders every day, even if I didn't read it, reminded me that there was something I needed to get done.

I'm the exact same way. I can't stand petty administrative/bureaucratic affairs, such as getting licenses renewed, meeting admissions deadlines, and worthless other such scum of the earth things. I have a phobia of them. I have a phobia of filling out any unpleasant paperwork. This includes taxes, licenses, resumes, workshops, permission, references, mandatory letters, surveys, legal documents, academic contracts, anything. Even writing this stuff down (like on a calendar) is unpleasant for me. I always file this crap away in my mind's lockbox, never to be returned again. I understand totally. There should be different social standards for people like us.

I would like to thank everyone for the advice. You've given me some great ideas to consider. I knew I could count on you folks.

I'm the same way. I would really like to get a palm pilot. I've got a dry-erase bored calander set up for this year that I think will help out really well. I've also got a desk-calender in this room, which also helps me remember deadlines and such.

JediKirby

Yecti also went to the town I went to college in, sat on the square with a top hat and played a guitar. :p

Whenever something comes up that I need to remember, I do something right then that will cause me to remember later. Like setting an alarm on a PDA or cell phone, putting a piece of paper in my pocket, putting a book on the bed or a chair so that when I go to sit down I'll have to move it, etc. Not only will that cause you to remember it, but the action of doing something about it right then will help you remember without seeing the reminder.

Hope this helps.

for long term things you could get a big piece of green paper and tape it to the wall (in a place where guest wouldent go of cource, but you must see it often) with names/places/and dates of things taht need to be done annuly.

You remember weird things, and put them in inappropriate places. :p

WANG PLAYED GUITAR WITH TOP HAT HAW HAW

Have your background be a calendar, and change it everyday to show the things you need to do?