07/07/11 - 9:36 p.m.

So I put a small dent in the front of my car. But I just bought it, like, a couple of months ago. I'd been thinking of it as being "nice" -- in good condition, according to my mechanic. Dent!

You always feel ashamed, like you made a mistake - like there's some failure. I was making a three-point turn, and the front hit the curb. (It seems like my previous car could go over the curb without there being a dent. Maybe it's just getting used to the new distance from the ground?) That's part of the frustration - I don't really know what happened.

But I know people saw me. A kid on the sidewalk pointed out that I hit the curb three times. (Is my depth perception off with these glasses I'm wearing?) There were also people in uniform watching me from the street fair -- though I think they were just security and not cops (which I eventually realized). Maybe I was just afraid of getting in trouble with "the law".

Anyways, I feel bad inside now - like I have hurt feelings. I just wanted to drive my car over to that parking spot.

And now it has a dent.