Having a bad couple of months

Has anyone hit a bad personal patch that you just do not see a way out of? I have suddenly hit a bad stretch in the last couple of months. I had things happen to me that has made me out to have qualities that i have worked all my life to avoid. I had a falling out with a couple of friends due to some long held misunderstandings. When it came out, i didn't even know we had these issues extending more than 2 years. Makes me out to be uninvolved, uninterested friend. Then i got dinged at work for not caring enough to work on J2EE projects which i had never signed up for in the first place. Makes me an ignorant Tech Lead who works only in his safe zone.
Today i got a speeding ticket, my second in 8 years. I was enjoying the thrill of driving at a break-neck speed of 42 mph (sarcasm) in a 30 mph speed zone. I had just turned from a street with a 40 mph speed zone onto this side street when a cop jumped me. I didn't even come across a first speed sign so i could slow down. I tried explaining this to a cop and i have always been a safe driver, but to no avail, he wrote me a ticket anyways. I wouldn't mind writing the check for $75 but i have to plead guilty and probation for 3 months. Thus driving under the additional pressure of not getting a ticket in these 3 months. I have half a mind of challenging the ticket and taking my chances in court. But i do not see having any luck with that, i doubt i will get a fair shake in a court with my argument and me being an Indian. I guess i am just going to have to suck it up.
The worst part of this deal is that we were not in a hurry to go anywhere, we were only out for an evening drive. It was 80 degrees for the first time in 7 months in Chicago. This guy ruined our evening and it was my anniversary!! Now i get to be labeled a bad driver!
I feel miserable about being characterized as a person i am not. I wish i knew a way to make it stop. It is eating into my self confidence and into my sleep. Sometimes people need a small 'win' once in a while, i think i could use one right about now.