shannon noel webb
I should be doing this. Organizing socks or something like that.
But instead I'm listening to Shannon Noel Webb's midnight recording via GarageBand of her original song for our Fix The Toaster PSA to be shot this Saturday.
Can't wait.
And this is how moms get it done.
Fix The Toaster is looking forward to filming a PSA with contributor, comedian, LA mom, singer/song writer, great gal Shannon Noel Webb this weekend!
This is a guest post by Fix The Toast contributor Shannon Noel Webb. Shannon lives in LA and commutes over 2 hours a day to work. This is her wonderfully funny battle with not using her phone while commuting, I think she has won.
When someone tells me to “cut it out,” it totally turns me on.
I’m a strong woman and I need this kind of blunt, somewhat aggressive command to be reigned in a little. Don’t get me wrong. I have to actually know the person commanding me to ‘cut it out’ or at least feel a sense of security with him or her. Let’s not get too dirty here. But…if my husband were to read this post (doubt it) he might find himself getting lucky if he would find a way to simply use these three little words. Oh man, I’m getting off course here – this is not the intended subject of this posts. What I want you to understand is that I love the expression ‘cut it out!’
I use it often too.
Not to turn people on mind you but to reign in my little ones. I have two toddler boys who are awesome and fun and WILD. If I walk in on them say; punching each other in the face, I might loudly, in a low commanding voice yell, ‘cut it out.’ It gets their attention, stops them in their tracks, and allows me the one second opening I need to get down to their level and calmly walk them through some kind of teaching moment.
‘Cut it out’: a multipurpose expression that can be used on various ages. (Noel’s Dictionary 40th Edition) OK, now to the point…
A few months ago I realized that my texting-checking e-mail-surfing the web while driving habit was becoming, to put it simply, STUPID!
I mean really, what was I thinking? I was giving myself all kinds of excuses too; I’m in standstill traffic, I can text safely. I’m using SIRI, I’m not actually typing. I’m just going to check this website for one thing, it’ll be fine. WT? Every day I was reading posts by @fixthetoaster about terrible accidents and loss of life due to this addiction that has taken over me and about 78.4%* of all other drivers on the planet. (*fictional stat to make a point)
I would find myself horrified at the numbers, disturbed by the videos and yet I was STILL finding sneaky ways of feeding my iPhone-while-driving addiction. And then one day I almost – almost- thank GOD, rear ended a cyclist while I was – wait for it – checking FACEBOOK of all things! Holy shit. “Sorry bicycle dude I was updating my status.”
‘CUT IT OUT’ I screamed at myself as I threw my iPhone on the passenger side floorboard.
Just ‘CUT IT OUT!’ This is the moment that I committed to ending this life threatening habit. For my kids. For my husband. For myself. For the planet. I mean seriously people, what are we thinking? Put it on the passenger seat, turn up the volume for all incoming texts and calls and if you must answer a call and you do not have a Bluetooth, PULL OVER for goodness sake.
The best way to kill one habit is to add another.
I commute over 2 hours a day so I do need something – something to take my mind off, but not too far off – the road.
So I chose Audible.com. A great, healthy, not too expensive, new habit. By listening to audio books I can stimulate my mind, entertain myself, and get smarter. (*Maybe I should listen to a book on grammar – nahhh) Since I picked up this new habit I am no longer iPhoning it while I’m driving. This could be the equivalent to donating quarts and quarts of blood, volunteering at hospitals, serving my country. OK, OK pipe down. I do not mean any disrespect to our service men and women, maybe it’s a stretch to compare, but is it? Our roads can be dangerous and by not using my phone while driving I am potentially (probably) saving lives.
For $14.95 a month I get one audio book per month and a clear conscious. If I don’t use the credit it rolls over to the next month. Although texting is hip and social media keeps me current – with Audible.com I have read (cough cough – listened to) over 10 books in the past 4 months. Titles ranging from – wait, I need to keep some things private. But let’s put it this way – you can get ANYTHING (almost) on this website – fiction, non-fiction, self-help, history lessons, comedy, classics, whatever you fancy. A piece of advice – there are SOME books that should not be listened to while driving – you know what I’m talking about. CUT IT OUT!
This is a post by Fix The Toaster contributor Shannon Noel Webb on her struggle to stay away from her phone while driving. I love her honesty here.
Day # 1
Yesterday was my first full day of attempting to NOT text or check e-mails while driving. This must be what a heroin addict feels like on their first day of recovery. Not to make light of such a terrible addiction but holy cow I thought I would lose my mind, I even started to itch all over. Maybe that’s because I used a new detergent but still it was painful and I had nothing to distract me from the pain except, oh, I don’t know – FOCUSING ON DRIVING! I tried. I did.
See I signed a contract.
If I am anything, I am good to my word.
Or at least I thought I was.
I fell off the wagon at the first stop light. I was through two e-mails before I even realized what I was doing. What has become of me? How did this happen?
This constant need for constant communication is insane. This is my only quiet time during the day. Why am I using it to talk, tweet, text and e-mail? I should be listening to some Enya and turning my seat warmers on. (That just occurred to me and I will try it tomorrow) but yesterday I had to sit on my hands. Seriously, is anything THAT important that it cannot wait?
Maybe. I do have two small children, a father having surgery today and a good friend going in for a biopsy. BUT…why would I risk adding injury to injury by texting, typing or doing anything to distract me from the task at hand: driving my car safely to my destination?
Today is Day #2 and I think I will do better. I will keep you posted – WHEN I AM SAFELY AT MY DESK!
This is a post by Fix The Toaster contributor Shannon Noel Webb. Meet Frank.
Frank moved into our neighborhood about a year ago. He’s a nice guy. The quiet type. But he carries a big stick. Literally, he never puts that flag down. And he always wears that red hat. Isn’t he cute? We just love Frank. He’s a safety guard and his job is to save the lives of our children. And let me tell you something, Frank is good at his job.
Rumor has it that he moved across the country to be with us. We did some research and we think he used to live here and that it only cost him $29.95 total in moving expenses.
My neighbors and I feel so lucky to have Frank looking out for our kids. We live on a narrow street in the hills of Los Angeles. It’s steep and curvy. Our front yards are the sidewalks and the driveways and this is where our little ones play. People drive so fast down our little street. We don’t understand it at all. Frank says it’s because everyone is in such a hurry these days. He says people text and read e-mails while they drive. He thinks people are angry and fed up with all kinds of things in the world which also makes them drive faster. He says there’s only one thing to do: Make people notice. Make them have to slow down to pass by. So that’s what he does. He stands in the middle of the street whenever any of our kids are playing and he makes people notice!
And he has saved a life. Look at this:
This is my oldest, almost falling off the curb. This happens, it’s a tough turn for a tricycle. I know some readers might be wondering how I could just stand there taking pictures while this was happening. Believe me, I was having a minor heart attack and running towards him, which is why this picture is fuzzy. But see, Frank was there too. He’s like a secret service man, throwing himself in front of a car or a bullet to protect our kids. And this car slowed down the minute he saw that little red hat. You do not mess with Frank.
We know that Frank can’t do it all by himself. We parents are there, monitoring our little ones, but it takes a village and we’re very happy to have Frank living in ours.
Fix The Toaster is very excited to now have LA based mom, Shannon Noel Webb, contributing to our site. Shannon is naturally funny but she's serious about the impact of car safety. Well the people behind the cars, the whole sha-bang. Here is her first post.
Here is a list of the things I did this morning while driving in my car to work. I cannot even believe it. After talking last night and being uber aware I was still doing these things! Habits run deep. I like Fix The Toaster. It is time to break our habits. Jesus - look at this list! I'm embarrassed, horrified and feeling fucking luck all in one! I'm a good driver, a good mom, more responsible and ocd than I like to admit, I know people who have lost loved ones in car accidents, I bit my own tongue off in a car accident when I was 16, I have been in a car accident where the car was flipped and totaled, and yet I STILL did the following WHILE driving myself to work this morning:
My only excuse is that I am not used to driving my min-van to work so it was somewhat new for me. This would never suffice if, God forbid, I had hurt someone this morning. And my children would certainly not have accepted this excuse if I had hurt myself, their Mommy.
