"Do this. Don't do that! Can't you read the sign?!"

So today is a very exciting day for my husband and myself: our daughter, who has been in Mexico for 6 months, doing short-term missionary work, is coming home for a month. Yea! 
I had a few things to check off my "to do" list, before picking her up from the airport this afternoon.
First, I needed to mail an item from the post office, prepaid, so I'm off to my first destination. Rather than observe the sign that reads, "Pedestrians must use the corner walkway,"  I willfully chose to ignore it. Earlier this spring, after a good rain, I chose to do the same thing. As a result, I slipped on the wet woodchips beside the sidewalk and fell into the street, headfirst!  A bit scary, yes. Lesson learned? Nope(which rhymes with dope). I knew I had crossed the street this way to the post office before, rather that walking to the corner, and using the marked pedestrian stripes to safely traverse the street. I did it again. The woodships were dry; piece of cake. A lady who parked beside me, happened to glance back at me, and was waiting in line when I took my place there at the counter. Somehow the conversation came up about crossing the busy street, and I proceeded to chat with this same patron, as well as another local.  I told them my story and they laughed, as I was willing to break the law again, just to mail a box. It was a pretty fun chat, as we occupied the line for some time. One lady said, "Hope they serve good meals where you're going!  At least they'll be free!" Only one p.o. worker was at the counter, and the line was now out the door. Another worker comes out, and asks for prepaid items, etc., so I happily jumped to the front of the line, then I made my quick exit. Did I walk to the corner, like a fine, upstanding citizen would do, having disobeyed the law twice before. I should say  . . .not!
Why, after 25 years of teaching young people, and seting and following regulations to a fault, have I now decided to lead a life of crime, out in the open, "in front of God and everybody," as my dad would say? Now I'm back in my car, kicking myself around, and telling myself to "straighten up and fly right," (another "dad-ism.")
Heading for the carwash, I saw a jogger moving very quickly, with apparently no intention of slowing down, not even for a (whole-lotta thousand, pounds) car. I was driving a tinly bit too fast, so thinking I would beat the jogger to the corner before he crossed the street, I zipped on ahead of him. Was there a stop sign for me to observe and obey? Yes. Did I? Nope (again, rhyming with dope)! So as he carefully, and very capably, I might add, jogs around the back of my car, clearly he was unhappy about my choice. He said, "Don't mind me . . . Idiot!"  Ok, now I was burned!  I was ready to turn left, instead of right, stop right in front of him at the next most inconvenient place, and give him a piece of my mind. Did I? Nope! (you know the drill) on my way to the carwash, I kept trying to think of a comeback for "Don't mind me," after he was long gone. I could of said, "I didn't!" 
LESSONS LEARNED: After I wash my car, I put it in the "spin-drive" cycle, to avoid a few water spots (it's a black car *wink *wink) and I got to thinking about the choices I had made within the past half hour.
Could they have been different? Most definitely yes!
However, I would not have had the chuckle with the post office ladies.
AND, had I chosen to observe the stop sign, rather than roll through it in order to get my way, could I have avoided a verbal confrontation with the jogger guy, the upset emotions which followed? Yes!
So the next time the opportunity presents itself, I will chose, not only to read the sign, but obey it, as well. It's the right thing to do.