I'm officially licensed to drive in the state now...just took me and my procrastination a while. I think it's because it now means I'm a resident in the state of California but at least I'm still not from here.
Monday I spill coffee on my shirt. Tuesday I nearly burn down my apartment with PopTarts and a toaster. Today, today brought drug sniffing dogs. That's right...it just don't get any better than this. While I was thinking it was just going to be a quiet morning, in the back of my mind was something someone reminded me of yesterday - that things happen in 3's.
Evidently management had cause to do a full out search of the offices which meant they brought in the dogs. No biggie...we joked about it - better get rid of your stash now...good thing you didn't go to a concert last night... Hahaha... It was all funny until the dog in our hall got a hit in my supervisors office. Actually, it was still funny then too. So I guess they searched his desk (where the dog was indicating) and find nothing...not surprising. Everyone is equal though and they have to go through the process - pee in a cup and off with pay until the results come back. It was already set up that I would be acting Team Leader when he was on vacation next week (oh yea, btw - my supervisor asked me to sit in for him next week while he's on vacation...woo! me) so they just moved it up a couple of days. So as of 10am this morning I've been Acting Team Leader - pretty damn cool eh? Oh, but that's not all. I also had another meeting for work where I made the decision on the design of a facility that needs rebuilt. Feeling pretty damn grown up today. Well, besides the fact that someone tied my shoe for me today like I was a little kid.
I felt like a PopTart this morning. I mean, I didn't feel like one literally, but wanted to have one for breakfast. How innocent is that? Exactly. So I throw a couple in the toaster, pop it down and finish getting ready for work. Wanted to get a couple thoughts down into an email before I left. Tickity tick typing away I hear the toaster pop up. FIgure I'll let them cool a short while and grab them on the way out the door. EEEH - wrong. When I walk out into the kitchen I see this black smoke wafting up to the ceiling and spreading out into the living room. I look down at the toaster and there they were charred...incinerated....blackened.
SHITE. I try to pop the toaster up but it's fubared so I pull the plug. I'm suppose to be picking Erin up and instead am running around the apartment throwing open sliding doors and windows, turning fans on and hoping the alarm doesn't go off. It doesn't, but the damage was done. I leave the sliding door open a bit and the fans on hoping it will air out a bit during the day, leave Sara a note ("had a little incident with the toaster - will clean up tonight") and head out the door. The sickly sweet smoke permeated my clothes and I spend the rest of the day smelling it - or at least in my head I do. Same smell when I return to my apartment this evening. So now I sit here reliving the experience, olfactory and all. Eh, at least I didn't burn the place down.
Hmm. I said I would write more about my Chicago trip. Thing is, I don't really want to. I know what I did and that's most of what matters right. Somehow I don't think that's going to fly so here's a rundown. Checked out Navy Pier and Lake Michigan, had a bit of a run in with radio people (the phrase "i live in California but i'm from Montana" is a very confusing phrase to some on air personalities) and got a free t-shirt for being able to answer the name of three U2 tours. Is it just me, or almost all radio stations have the same logo with an elliptical shape around the station's ID? What else...driving around in the ghettos of Chicago (oh how naive i am...saw a seriously scary building that looks like something i've only watched on television) and saw the "while technically not the tallest building in the world they cheated by putting up an antenna" otherwise known as the Sears tower.
Watched Shrek (oh so funny). Hung out with the Uhen family who kindly took me in. Went to a bbq at the Aware offices and meet the people there and Matt Nathanson. Scored some Train matches (to be arriving at mailboxes with other miscellaneous crap soon i'm sure) and picked up some more cds - no shipping! Went to the House of Blues to see Matt Nathanson, Howie Day and John Mayer play to a sold out crowd. Drove in Chicago traffic, a lot. Checked out Jeff Fest (some street fair thing) and saw Bottle of Justus. Saw Momento (f'd up movie). Went to church. Flew to LAX and drove to Bako. The end.
There's a reason for everything. Looking back, I should have stayed up as it was only a couple more hours and I could catch the airport but to LAX. But I didn't. No, I decided to grab a couple of hours sleep and wake up at 2 am. But that didn't quite happen. I think my alarms went off as they were still on when I left. So I must have slept through them. In thinking I would soon be up anyway, I left my IM up with a simple away message...something like "get a couple hours sleep, get on a bus, get on a plan for Chicago."
Reasons for everything - Laura stared to IM me and was going on about something. I'll have to remember to ask her what when I talk to her again. She deserves the Friend of the Month award. It was her damn "beedlebleep" that woke me up. Up with just enough time to run my ass through the shower and book it out the door. It threw a kink in my plans though. No bus for me. That had left a good 30 minutes before I was closing the front door. The only option I was left with was tossing my bags into the r and heading south. Of course I would have to drop my cell phone first. Curse words echoing in my head as I turned onto Gosford. Seems to be broken...more curse words. Slap it against my thigh to see if I can jar whatever back into place and get it working again...no luck. Damn, there goes everyone's numbers. Furthering the "not a good start" morning I'm having. Wait - check the battery...woo...it was only dislodged and the only causality is the time. Time, time I don't have. 4 am, flight at 6:27am, 2 hours to get to LAX 30 minutes to get to the gate if I'm lucky. Drive - got to drive - go fast - need my heart to slow down. Yea - I can always catch another flight but I want to make this one. I know the route nearly in my sleep by now - just need to get there in one piece (i'm exaggerating mom).
Try to call Laura as I know she's up...but online of course. I could really talk to someone to beat out the chorus of curse words in my head and keeping me from checking the clock every couple of minutes. Laura's online and no one else I know would be up at this hour. Music - put in a cd. Soothes the soul, relaxes the mind - if the choice is right. There's a reason for everything. Make a mix cd last night as I often do before I take off on a trip. Front loaded the cd with some songs a friend sent me. As I'm flying down I-5 I feel seperated for a moment from all the chaos of the morning by the first notes to hit my ears. As the songs go by, so do the miles. May be relaxed but I still had a plane to catch and the clock is not my friend. Found out that the gas on my truck will cut out if you try to go a little too fast down hill. Just a little shot of adrenaline that's all. So I make it - to the parking lot, to the terminal, the gate, my seat. And I write this somewhere between there and Chicago with clouds dotting the sky below thinking there's a reason for everything. Just not sure of the reason yet. I'll post the rest of the trip tomorrow with some pictures hopefully.
kayaking tonight, work tomorrow and then i'm off to Chicago. sort of funny that i won't be at work for my official 2 year anniversary at T-co. i think it's fitting actually.
It's just a bunch of CACA. Seriously - i'm on a team at work that what started out as a joke has become our official name. CACA. I'm just glad I have a team leader with a sense of humor.
Ok, so I'm going to Chicago in a weeks time to visit some "music friends" there. Basically it's a good excuse to cut out of Bako and check out a new city and a couple shows at the same time. I'll be seeing John Mayer headline the House of Blues there for the first time with Howie Dayand Matt Nathanson opening. Also going to see Bottle of Justus play on the urging of Mike from Aware Records. So basically the whole weekend is about music...is that so wrong?
Ate cage free eggs for the first time tonight. Sara had bought the cage free eggs and then disappeared. The cage free eggs didn't taste any different than caged eggs, but I ate them with the knowledge that the hens from which they came weren't caged. I like saying cage free eggs.
why am i still up? not sure. i only had 3 hours of sleep last night after driving down to LA for the Bands on the Run concert. in all, it was a very interesting experience. besides getting to see some decent bands (Soulcracker were surprisingly good and Flickerstick rocked) we had a couple celeb sightings. well, pseudo celebs at least. there was a couple from Temptation Island (Kaia and Valerie) and then some guy that looked familiar, but we couldn't place him. probably be watching television sometime and there he'll be.
it's just the drive back that is hell. i've said it before, but i have a fear that i will die of eyelids on the grapevine. Karen came along with me, but she wasn't much help (well, you weren't) as she fell asleep much of the way home. threw in a couple concerts to help bide the time - a little howie day and dispatch. survived to tell the tale and that's all that matters. ok, i think my head is ready for bed now.
here's some friendly advice from Tommy:
alright well goodnight, keep your hair trimmed and brushed
and never drink out of a spoon...
...that's named Fred
My roommate will be the single cause of a black out yet. I've always been a person to shut the lights out behind me (just ask my brother) and I'm still doing it. Came home from being gone an hour or so and she's in her room with the stereo on, yet in the living room, the television is blaring. So I let her know that it's on - in doing so I think I pissed her off. Although I'm one to be talking when I leave my computer up at night for music sometimes - but at least I shut the lights off.
It's a Monday or "a school night" but who cares... Just got tickets for the Bands on the Run reunion show down at the House of Blues in LA. Talked Karen into going with me, so at least I'm not driving alone. This also means that I'll be missing Howie Day who's also playing down there. I wasn't going to go anyway since there's a limited number of tickets being sold at the door. I would hate to drive all the way down there and not get to see him play. Besides...BOTR is going to be filmed...woo.
I've come to find that people searching the internet have stumbled on my page. So far I've gotten hits for "musicforthemorningafter", "sparks on glass", and "plugged ears" - you don't get much more random than that.
Made my somewhat triumphant return to kayaking tonight. They've been paddling for the past month or so but between concerts, weekend trips and being sick I hadn't gone until tonight. Part of it is one of the last times I'd gone I ended up swimming down the river for a spell. I tend to freak out and wet exit when I go over in the river rather than roll. With that in the back of my mind I set up for my first attempt at a roll tonight in the pool. Happy to report that I pulled it off with no problem. Kind of like riding a bike...once you've done it, you don't forget how. Wasn't so sure of that last night when I was trying to think through the motions in my head. Set up and did a few more...no problem. Then I have to go and get cocky about it - get a bit of a paddle in before flipping over. Worked the first time, just not the second when I didn't set my paddle before going over. According to Nick I was leading with my head....there I go again...leading with my head. Ended the night with a good one so 5 out of 6 ain't too bad. Looking forward to getting out on the lake again and then some river runs. Damn this is addicting.
Due to a big booboo on my part (mistaking a reimbursement check as just a paystub) I'm now considering having Lasik surgery. I've worn glasses since the 3rd grade and have poor eyesight. Hold your hand up a foot in front of your face. Yea, that's how far away I can see without glasses or contacts. Now, for the most part, I don't mind having to wear glasses, but I only stay that since I wear them on Sundays, when I'm sick, or my eyes are tired. Thing is I'm sensitive to the sun (damn these blue eyes) and never bought perscription sunglasses. Point is, I think this is something I'm going to check into. Scary thought for someone who doesn't like doctors.
The big two year anniversary of making the big move to Bako and starting work with T-co is almost upon me. Please feel free to email for the address to send presents to. No...I can't believe that it has almost been two years since I packed up my bronco and made the drive west and south. Down through Yellowstone with a stop in Pocatello, on through central Oregon with a stop over in Eugene, south along the coast just crusing, then cutting over to I-5 until I hit the Stockdale exit, then head east into Bakersfield. Parts of the drive are a blur, and others I can see clearly in my mind. Music reminds me of sections...there was Remy Zero in the eastern section of Oregon but Dispatch through the wooded area closer to Eugene where we took pictures with baskets on our heads because Jenn(with 2 n's then) didn't have a scuba mask.
Two long years gone by and who have I become. I have changed, but I believe it to be for the better. I know more of who I am, who I want to be in the morning. Fuck you if you don't appreciate me for who I am. I have friends who appreciate my generosity, my sincerety...me. Yes, I am just that nice. I do not pretend to be someone who I am not and if I consider you a friend, nothing but honesty will flow from my lips/fingers. That's what it comes down to....friends. Those of you who I've let into my heart know who I really am while others merely see a sliver of my true self. Protected against the outside, it might take a while until I spill my hearts contents. Not that there is much to spill, but it is who I am.
Two years gone calls for reflection on the places I've been and the direction I'm headed but I don't know if I can give an accurate description of that path - where its been and where it will lead to.
Where I've been has left some regret in the back of my mind, but that is nothing to dwell on as I can only change the future. I have no effect on the past. But it is the past that makes me stronger, that builds who I am today. I will not forget the past, but I can not be stuck in it. The future is where my hope lies. What it holds in store for me, I do not care. I will create my own future. There much uncertainty in the coming months, with work, love, life, but I believe as long as I stay centered on who I am....I will persevere. Yea, so this is the shite you get to read after I've had a few beers.
