Back to Blogging:
When I first decided to start this blog, I envisioned being much more active than I have been - posting much more frequently. Of course, as you can see, that hasn't been the case. I guess I come up with reasons for not posting. They range from "not funny enough", to "I'll do it tomorrow". Basically, I have stood in my own way. I'm going to try to post more (where have we heard that before?) and will try to no longer obsess about the content (or lack thereof). One change is that I will no longer try to make everything about humor. If it's funny, great; if it's a serious subject, well that's life, right? Anyhow, here we go.
30 Years?
I have to say that it's hard to believe I graduated High School 30 years ago (some may say they find it hard to believe I graduated....and leave it at that). I attended an admittedly informal anniversary within the last few weeks. I wasn't sure what to expect, although many of us have been in contact recently on Facebook, so there was some recent familiarity. What I found was that everyone, and I do mean everyone, in attendance was great, friendly, supportive and happy to see each other. The only thing I wish is that we had more time, but something tells me we will do something again soon.
How was your day?
We all have bad or stressful days from time to time, and I am no different - having gone through a day-long version not too long ago. The good part about this crazy day was that for some reason, I kept laughing instead of getting upset (although I was close to stressing out at one point!).
Anyhow, it really started the evening before, while I was driving home from work. I was listening to the radio and enjoying my ride home when I heard a "DING!" (system warning sound). I looked down, only to see that my car was close to overheating. I had to pull over and let it cool, then was able to nurse it home. After looking in the engine compartment, I saw coolant was leaking around the water pump - time to take it in. I made the poor mechanic wait for me so I could drop it off, since I had to leave early the next morning for a work meeting/presentation. He was closed when I got there - all his employees had gone home - but he stayed around so I could get my car in. My wife needed her car the next day, so I planned ahead and reserved a rental car for the next morning (they were already closed for the night by this time).
I was going to Hollywood (Paramount Studios to be exact) in the morning, but didn't have to be there until 10:30am, so I thought I'd have plenty of time. I arrived at the rental car place right on time (they had just opened at 8am) to pick up my car. They took a little more time than I thought they would, but I was still good, right? Two things: 1) The front passenger tire looked a little low to me (this would rear it's head later) and 2) I was wearing a nice, newly tailored suit for the first time (this would rear...oh, nevermind).
I go to step in the car, and apparently the seat is lower than in my car. I sit/fall awkwardly into the seat and hear a "rip!". What? It can't be. I reach around to check for damage, and yes, the seat has ripped out of my suit pants. Well, I still have time, right? I zoom home and change into my "backup suit", keeping the shirt and tie combination I had chosen earlier. It didn't really fit as well with the grey striped suit as it did with the full black one, but what was I going to do?
So, I take off. It's now around 8:30, which is making time tight. GPS says I will make it 15 minutes to spare, so I hit the freeway. That's when the "low right front tire" warning light comes on. My thought? You gave me a car with a low tire, I'm driving it (on the rim if I have to) to the meeting with no stops. I'll deal with the tire later.
Meanwhile, GPS keeps tacking more minutes onto my schedule, until I reach the gate at Paramount (okay, I went to another gate first - it was my first visit, okay?). They let me in and give me a map, with my name on it (Paramount welcomes Lance...wow) and yellow highlighting around where I need to be. I had to traverse some back alleys to get there, but a guy told me to take the first staircase I found on the right - the first staircase on the right was a soundstage where I was NOT welcome, but I quickly righted myself - then I found the conference room where all were waiting (including my boss who had just messaged me with "We're starting without you!" - I wasn't earning any points here!) and the meeting goes well.
2 hours later, it's back to reality. I limp the car out on Melrose and turn into the first gas station I see - a dirty looking Arco with lots of neat people hanging around. I pull up to use the air compressor, but there is a guy working on his car (he also lives in it, as I can tell from the curtains around the windows and the toothbrush and toothpaste on the dash) parked in that spot. I park next to him and go inside for change ($1.00 for air and I had a $20).
Inside is just as fun: Two "gentlemen" are buying "blunts" and looking me over; a middle-eastern woman is yelling "where is the gum, where is the gum?", even though there is a HUGE rack of gum next to her. The bored girl behind the glass/counter points to it and says "There is the gum!", to which the lady - okay, now I am referring to her as the crazy lady, because...well, because she is - says "Where is the old school gum?" The "old school gum" remark cracks me up, but I manage to hold it together while the clerk points out the Juicy Fruit and Big Red. The lady buys a 10 cent pack of gum with her debit carding, incurring a fee 350% of the price of the gum....oh well. My turn. Water, Twix (because I have to have my Twix) and change.
Back out to the air compressor. By this time, my friend with the broken car is smoking and singing in what I can only guess is Farsi. I put air in the tire - the hose is so cracked and misaligned with the metal end - and I'm figuring about half of the air is not going in the tire. After a few minutes (and a few verses of his smoky song), the tire is full. I put the hose back and head to the car. I didn't let the hose fly back, but it did make a fairly loud noise when it rolled in - causing smoky singer guy to start talking to me loudly - okay, he was yelling. I just kept the window up and rolled out of there quickly.
I hit the freeway and just started laughing. It was only around 12:30, but it had already been a long, crazy day; and sometimes you just have to laugh - it beats the alternative.
When I first decided to start this blog, I envisioned being much more active than I have been - posting much more frequently. Of course, as you can see, that hasn't been the case. I guess I come up with reasons for not posting. They range from "not funny enough", to "I'll do it tomorrow". Basically, I have stood in my own way. I'm going to try to post more (where have we heard that before?) and will try to no longer obsess about the content (or lack thereof). One change is that I will no longer try to make everything about humor. If it's funny, great; if it's a serious subject, well that's life, right? Anyhow, here we go.
30 Years?
I have to say that it's hard to believe I graduated High School 30 years ago (some may say they find it hard to believe I graduated....and leave it at that). I attended an admittedly informal anniversary within the last few weeks. I wasn't sure what to expect, although many of us have been in contact recently on Facebook, so there was some recent familiarity. What I found was that everyone, and I do mean everyone, in attendance was great, friendly, supportive and happy to see each other. The only thing I wish is that we had more time, but something tells me we will do something again soon.
How was your day?
We all have bad or stressful days from time to time, and I am no different - having gone through a day-long version not too long ago. The good part about this crazy day was that for some reason, I kept laughing instead of getting upset (although I was close to stressing out at one point!).
Anyhow, it really started the evening before, while I was driving home from work. I was listening to the radio and enjoying my ride home when I heard a "DING!" (system warning sound). I looked down, only to see that my car was close to overheating. I had to pull over and let it cool, then was able to nurse it home. After looking in the engine compartment, I saw coolant was leaking around the water pump - time to take it in. I made the poor mechanic wait for me so I could drop it off, since I had to leave early the next morning for a work meeting/presentation. He was closed when I got there - all his employees had gone home - but he stayed around so I could get my car in. My wife needed her car the next day, so I planned ahead and reserved a rental car for the next morning (they were already closed for the night by this time).
I was going to Hollywood (Paramount Studios to be exact) in the morning, but didn't have to be there until 10:30am, so I thought I'd have plenty of time. I arrived at the rental car place right on time (they had just opened at 8am) to pick up my car. They took a little more time than I thought they would, but I was still good, right? Two things: 1) The front passenger tire looked a little low to me (this would rear it's head later) and 2) I was wearing a nice, newly tailored suit for the first time (this would rear...oh, nevermind).
I go to step in the car, and apparently the seat is lower than in my car. I sit/fall awkwardly into the seat and hear a "rip!". What? It can't be. I reach around to check for damage, and yes, the seat has ripped out of my suit pants. Well, I still have time, right? I zoom home and change into my "backup suit", keeping the shirt and tie combination I had chosen earlier. It didn't really fit as well with the grey striped suit as it did with the full black one, but what was I going to do?
So, I take off. It's now around 8:30, which is making time tight. GPS says I will make it 15 minutes to spare, so I hit the freeway. That's when the "low right front tire" warning light comes on. My thought? You gave me a car with a low tire, I'm driving it (on the rim if I have to) to the meeting with no stops. I'll deal with the tire later.
Meanwhile, GPS keeps tacking more minutes onto my schedule, until I reach the gate at Paramount (okay, I went to another gate first - it was my first visit, okay?). They let me in and give me a map, with my name on it (Paramount welcomes Lance...wow) and yellow highlighting around where I need to be. I had to traverse some back alleys to get there, but a guy told me to take the first staircase I found on the right - the first staircase on the right was a soundstage where I was NOT welcome, but I quickly righted myself - then I found the conference room where all were waiting (including my boss who had just messaged me with "We're starting without you!" - I wasn't earning any points here!) and the meeting goes well.
2 hours later, it's back to reality. I limp the car out on Melrose and turn into the first gas station I see - a dirty looking Arco with lots of neat people hanging around. I pull up to use the air compressor, but there is a guy working on his car (he also lives in it, as I can tell from the curtains around the windows and the toothbrush and toothpaste on the dash) parked in that spot. I park next to him and go inside for change ($1.00 for air and I had a $20).
Inside is just as fun: Two "gentlemen" are buying "blunts" and looking me over; a middle-eastern woman is yelling "where is the gum, where is the gum?", even though there is a HUGE rack of gum next to her. The bored girl behind the glass/counter points to it and says "There is the gum!", to which the lady - okay, now I am referring to her as the crazy lady, because...well, because she is - says "Where is the old school gum?" The "old school gum" remark cracks me up, but I manage to hold it together while the clerk points out the Juicy Fruit and Big Red. The lady buys a 10 cent pack of gum with her debit carding, incurring a fee 350% of the price of the gum....oh well. My turn. Water, Twix (because I have to have my Twix) and change.
Back out to the air compressor. By this time, my friend with the broken car is smoking and singing in what I can only guess is Farsi. I put air in the tire - the hose is so cracked and misaligned with the metal end - and I'm figuring about half of the air is not going in the tire. After a few minutes (and a few verses of his smoky song), the tire is full. I put the hose back and head to the car. I didn't let the hose fly back, but it did make a fairly loud noise when it rolled in - causing smoky singer guy to start talking to me loudly - okay, he was yelling. I just kept the window up and rolled out of there quickly.
I hit the freeway and just started laughing. It was only around 12:30, but it had already been a long, crazy day; and sometimes you just have to laugh - it beats the alternative.
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