My new doctor: So, tell me, what should I know about you?
Me: Well, I've lost 50 pounds in the last two years.
Doctor: That's quite a chunk!
Me: I feel much better.
Doctor: Your back is probably better too. So tell me, how did you do it?
Me: Diet and exercise.
Doctor (with mock disbelief): Nooo, really?! That works? You lost weight by changing your diet and exercising?
Me (laughing): Well, yes.
Doctor: You should write a book or something.
Me: With all the stuff that's already been written?
Doctor: Well, they always say 'Try this! It really works' and then the diet and exercise part is usually a much smaller section.
Me: So I guess I'm almost where I want to be...I mean, you tell me...
Doctor (looking at a table): You're about how tall? 5'11"?
Me: Yes.
Doctor: 172 and you weighed in at...(checks my chart)...174? Okay, and that's with your clothes, and your heavy necklace, and your shoes...
Me (laughing): Yeah. So now I guess I need to figure out how to eat for maintenance. I've been eating to lose for so long, and now I am going to have to figure that out.
Doctor: Well, you're still going to have to pay attention to your weight a bit.
Me: I know. I can say that am unlikely to gain it back unless I have a terrible injury or something.
Doctor: Well, good job.
Showing posts with label conversations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label conversations. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Weekly moment of comedy
My life yesterday resembled a sitcom yesterday and here's why. A guy friend of mine first sends me an instant message (names have been changed):
At least I can vouch for each of their characters. That is good. I'm trying to convince Jane to hang out with me at some kind of social function where the guy would be present. That would truly make it a sitcom situation.
this is random... you know jane smith? musician?That same evening, I run into Jane....
54 minutes 12:29 PM me: yes.12:30 PM we have played together many times.12:33 PM F: cool12:34 PM me: where'd you meet her?F: long storyis she cool?me: totally.F: hip?me: why?F: smart?cute?me: check, check, and check.why are you asking about cuteness...do you like her?12:35 PM I think she's cute, but I'm a girl.F: well, technically i've never met hergrossjkme:you know what I mean.I just rolled my eyes.F: niceme: we're friends...F: crazy12:37 PM small worldme:I'm now very curious.12:38 PM F: just a random connectionme: friend of a friend?F: yeahme: did they date?or something?F: um, i don't knowmore like friend of a friend of a friend12:39 PM me: ah. 3rd degree connection.or 2nd if you use me as one. :)I see her a lot.we talk occasionally.she's a good musician.12:40 PM I'll prob. be seeing her tonight at rehearsal.F: crzydon't say anything, that would just be random. she doesn't know who i ambut i thought i would just askme: yeah I won't.12:41 PM F: ask who she isnice, thanks for the randomness12:42 PM me: yeah. no prob.I enjoyed it immensely
J: Robyn, I HAVE to talk to you. Do you have a minute?This is so amusing. So they both know that I know both of them, but they do not know that they have both talked to me. I also know that they have seen each other before, last year at a wedding I played in. They were both present. They might have even been briefly introduced. I am so amused.
R: Yeah what's up?
J: Okay. So my friend R met her boyfriend on Craigslist and she convinced me to post an ad and give it a try. I was getting all these responses and they were all mostly from guys named "snake." But there was one guy who seemed really cool. I stalked him online and saw that you were friends and I didn't know if you were just online friends or actual friends.
R: That is so funny.
J: So do you know him?
R: Yeah, we're friends.
J: Is he nice?
R: He's really nice, loves God, loves people...
J: Really? So you think I should meet him?
R: I think he is a friend worth having.
J: Okay, I don't know what I am going to do. Don't tell him I talked to you, okay?
R: That's cool.
J: Do you think I should tell him I know you?
R: That's up to you. If you don't want me to say anything, then I won't.
At least I can vouch for each of their characters. That is good. I'm trying to convince Jane to hang out with me at some kind of social function where the guy would be present. That would truly make it a sitcom situation.
Monday, August 06, 2007
What happens in Vegas...
...stays in Vegas, well, except for this.
Went out with the girls for a bachelorette party in Vegas last weekend. At one of the clubs we met a guy who is from my hometown. He turned out to be really cool, was kind to me and my friends, and was a gentleman. He told me that he was in school to get a Doctorate in Psychology. After spending a good portion of my evening with him, this is what transpired:
Amy (grumpily) to me: Ugh. I just need to lean against the bar, but I don't want any creepy guys near me. My feet hurt and I'm tired.
Me (in her ear): Well you can lean on it here, and don't worry, this one's nice (referring to the guy from my hometown).
The guy to me (after eavesdropping): Did you just call me nice?
Me to the guy: Yeah, why, did you want to be referred to as something else?
The guy: I guess not.
Me to the guy: Because let's be honest, since that's going to be your new profession, would you want to be anything other than nice?
The guy: No, not really.
Me: Well, okay then.
Of all the girls in the group, I would have voted myself "least likely to meet a guy in a bar in Vegas." Just goes to remind me that nothing is impossible.
Went out with the girls for a bachelorette party in Vegas last weekend. At one of the clubs we met a guy who is from my hometown. He turned out to be really cool, was kind to me and my friends, and was a gentleman. He told me that he was in school to get a Doctorate in Psychology. After spending a good portion of my evening with him, this is what transpired:
Amy (grumpily) to me: Ugh. I just need to lean against the bar, but I don't want any creepy guys near me. My feet hurt and I'm tired.
Me (in her ear): Well you can lean on it here, and don't worry, this one's nice (referring to the guy from my hometown).
The guy to me (after eavesdropping): Did you just call me nice?
Me to the guy: Yeah, why, did you want to be referred to as something else?
The guy: I guess not.
Me to the guy: Because let's be honest, since that's going to be your new profession, would you want to be anything other than nice?
The guy: No, not really.
Me: Well, okay then.
Of all the girls in the group, I would have voted myself "least likely to meet a guy in a bar in Vegas." Just goes to remind me that nothing is impossible.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Conversation With the Random Tow-Truck Guy That Towed My Car
Me: Rascal Flatts always has one really sad ballad on each of their albums.
Tow-truck guy skips to a track called "What hurts the most": You don't think this one's sad?
Me: Well, that one's sad too, but its not a ballad in the traditional ballad sense...actually, now that I think about it, the whole CD is sad. All the songs are about break-ups. Its the post break-up CD.
Tow-truck guy: Why do think I'm listening to it?
Me: Oh, did you just break up with someone?
Tow-truck guy: Yeah, three months ago. And it happened just like in the song.
[On the radio: What hurts the most, is being so close, and havin' so much to say...]
Tow-truck guy: Ooooohhh, I really had a lot to say...
[The song continues: And watching you walk away...]
Tow-truck guy: YEAH. That's exactly what happened.
Me: What happened?
Tow-truck guy: She just left. Started dating some other guy.
Me: How long were you together?
Tow-truck guy: A year.
Me: That stinks.
-------------------------------------------------------
Maybe it is easier sometimes to talk about stuff with random people you will never see again. Then again, we were on kind of a road trip. My car broke down on the 15, in Wildemar. I was on my way to my parents' house because I was having car problems, so the breakdown wasn't completely unexpected. But tow-truck guy had to tow me 60 miles into LA County, where my parents live. Good times.
Also, tow-truck guy loved Rascal Flatts, and had no problem belting out the lyrics to the songs he knew in front of a complete stranger. It was refreshing to meet someone who had so much self-assurance. It made me smile.
Monday, June 26, 2006
Black Eye
Me: Adam, do you want to see my ugly face?
My brother: Hold on, let me put my contacts in...
Me: Okay...
My brother: MMMha ha ha. Nice.
I do have a black eye at the moment, in addition to everything else that's swelling on my face.
My brother: Hold on, let me put my contacts in...
Me: Okay...
My brother: MMMha ha ha. Nice.
I do have a black eye at the moment, in addition to everything else that's swelling on my face.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Saturday Adventures: The Break-in
So today, I knew I had to finish my paper. Still haven't finished it yet. It is due by midnight. Thought I would be writing all day. Thought it would be a boring day. I was wrong.
So we walk back, looking for the earring, didn't find it. We get back to her apartment and she says, "Oh no, the bottom part of the door is locked."
I said, "I locked it when we were leaving."
She says, "I don't have the key, we're locked out."
I said, "Well, is there a way to break in? Is your slider unlocked?"
She said, "No, and there's a stick in the window."
Sure enough, there was a window stick, designed to keep intruders from breaking in.
I said, "Well, let me see if my arm is long enough...I might be able to reach around and get it, do you want me to try?"
She said, "Yes."
"Okay." I said. And I started emptying my pockets. I pulled out my phone, my wallet, and all my money so that I could work unhindered by all the stuff I carry around with me.
So I pull the screen off the window, open the window as much as I can, and stick my arm in.
"My arm isn't long enough...is there a stick somewhere?"
"Yeah, let me find you one." She hands me a long stick.
"I'm gonna get your blinds dirty."
"That's okay."
So I start trying to use the stick as a wedge to lift the other stick out of the window's path.
"You almost got it!" She said.
"I know...this is harder than it looks!"
"Oh, you got it, you got it... just a little more...what if you try to slide the window as you're lifting up?"
"Okay," I said, and lifted up and pushed the window open at the same time. "I got it!"
She was laughing. And took my picture in the open window because she thought it was so funny. So not only did I lock her out, but I was able to break into her house. We started talking about breaking in.
"So you've never had to break in before?" I asked.
"Nope, never."
"Not even growing up?"
"Nope, my mom was always home."
"Yeah, my brothers and I always had to break in, I always forgot my keys."
I was one of those latch-key kids. My mom was almost never home after school, so I got really good at getting into my house if I didn't have my key. Yeah, I got skills.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Conversations 10 - Lost and Found
"Sherry? Hi, its Robyn... I'm stuck in traffic on 7th street. Is there an alternative route I can take? Cause this is really bad..."
Sherry is one of my mom's best friends from high school, and I was already 30 minutes late for dinner at her house with her husband, son, and my parents.
"Hi Sweetie, yes, can you turn left at B Steet?"
"Yes, I'm actually right at that intersection."
"Okay, then you're going to head south, and turn onto 4th."
"Got it."
"You'll hit 2 or three stop signs, and our street will be on the right. Do you want me to stay on the line?"
"No, I think I got it." So I continued to drive, looking for the street where I had spent a majority of my childhood.
All of a sudden, there it was, and I was going too fast to turn. So I kept driving, looking for a good spot to turn around. There was a lot of construction past their street, and I knew it was not going to be easy to go back the way I came. In fact, it was going to be impossible. I turned left at a stop light and figured I would be able to just go around the block. No such luck because there was a canal in my way, and no option to cross it anywhere in sight.
As I was driving east, looking for a point to cross, my phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hey!" What's going on?" It was Sherry's son. I am older than he is by exactly five days, and I always hold it over his head. We hadn't talked to each other in about three years.
"Not much, what's going on with you? Where are you?" I asked him, confused...
"I'm at the house, where are you?"
"I think I'm lost. See, I missed your street, and there's all this construction, so I can't get back the way I came, and there's nowhere to cross the stupid canal..."
"Uh-huh...What are the cross-streets?"
I told him my location, and then said, "Yeah, I think I'm going to make a U-Turn."
"That's probably a good idea. Where are you exactly?" he asked as I drove back to the street right before the intersection that was blocked by construction.
I said, "I'm sitting at a stop sign across the soccer field from your house, looking at a baseball dug-out." I gave him the cross streets.
"Stay there."
"Why?"
"I'm coming to find you."
"Okay," I said, "I thought I was kind of far away."
"You're not. I'll jog..." There was a pause in our conversation, "Now I'm winded," he said. "Can you see me?"
I looked around, but didn't see him anywhere. "No, not yet," I replied. I just sat in my car looking at the park across the street. I can remember playing in the park with him when we were young. I was on one side, and his house was on the other. I waited, and watched to see where he was coming from. He was still on the line.
"What are you driving? Are you at a stop-sign?" He asked.
"A little white car," I said, "And yes, I'm sitting at a stop sign."
"I think I see you...Do you see me? I'm on your left."
I looked to the left and saw him walking toward me. He looked a little different from the last time I had seen him, but was still the same.
He said, "I'm going to hang up now."
"Okay," I said, closed my phone, and then unlocked my passenger side door.
He came around and let himself in.
"Hi," he said.
"Hi," I said, "Thanks for coming to find me, I don't think I would have been able to figure out how to get to your house from here."
"You're right," he said, "there is a lot of construction, this is ridiculous."
He then directed me to the house. Turns out I wasn't that far away, but it would have taken me a long time to figure it out on my own.
I parked the car and we both got out.
"It's good to see you," I said.
I locked my door, and he locked his, and I walked up to the sidewalk.
He offered me a hug and stepped back. We were both grinning.
"Good to see you too," He replied.
And we walked inside.
Sherry is one of my mom's best friends from high school, and I was already 30 minutes late for dinner at her house with her husband, son, and my parents.
"Hi Sweetie, yes, can you turn left at B Steet?"
"Yes, I'm actually right at that intersection."
"Okay, then you're going to head south, and turn onto 4th."
"Got it."
"You'll hit 2 or three stop signs, and our street will be on the right. Do you want me to stay on the line?"
"No, I think I got it." So I continued to drive, looking for the street where I had spent a majority of my childhood.
All of a sudden, there it was, and I was going too fast to turn. So I kept driving, looking for a good spot to turn around. There was a lot of construction past their street, and I knew it was not going to be easy to go back the way I came. In fact, it was going to be impossible. I turned left at a stop light and figured I would be able to just go around the block. No such luck because there was a canal in my way, and no option to cross it anywhere in sight.
As I was driving east, looking for a point to cross, my phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hey!" What's going on?" It was Sherry's son. I am older than he is by exactly five days, and I always hold it over his head. We hadn't talked to each other in about three years.
"Not much, what's going on with you? Where are you?" I asked him, confused...
"I'm at the house, where are you?"
"I think I'm lost. See, I missed your street, and there's all this construction, so I can't get back the way I came, and there's nowhere to cross the stupid canal..."
"Uh-huh...What are the cross-streets?"
I told him my location, and then said, "Yeah, I think I'm going to make a U-Turn."
"That's probably a good idea. Where are you exactly?" he asked as I drove back to the street right before the intersection that was blocked by construction.
I said, "I'm sitting at a stop sign across the soccer field from your house, looking at a baseball dug-out." I gave him the cross streets.
"Stay there."
"Why?"
"I'm coming to find you."
"Okay," I said, "I thought I was kind of far away."
"You're not. I'll jog..." There was a pause in our conversation, "Now I'm winded," he said. "Can you see me?"
I looked around, but didn't see him anywhere. "No, not yet," I replied. I just sat in my car looking at the park across the street. I can remember playing in the park with him when we were young. I was on one side, and his house was on the other. I waited, and watched to see where he was coming from. He was still on the line.
"What are you driving? Are you at a stop-sign?" He asked.
"A little white car," I said, "And yes, I'm sitting at a stop sign."
"I think I see you...Do you see me? I'm on your left."
I looked to the left and saw him walking toward me. He looked a little different from the last time I had seen him, but was still the same.
He said, "I'm going to hang up now."
"Okay," I said, closed my phone, and then unlocked my passenger side door.
He came around and let himself in.
"Hi," he said.
"Hi," I said, "Thanks for coming to find me, I don't think I would have been able to figure out how to get to your house from here."
"You're right," he said, "there is a lot of construction, this is ridiculous."
He then directed me to the house. Turns out I wasn't that far away, but it would have taken me a long time to figure it out on my own.
I parked the car and we both got out.
"It's good to see you," I said.
I locked my door, and he locked his, and I walked up to the sidewalk.
He offered me a hug and stepped back. We were both grinning.
"Good to see you too," He replied.
And we walked inside.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
No Excuses
Me as I'm trying to climb a rock in Joshua Tree: "I CAN'T DO THIS!"
My friend down below: "YES YOU CAN, WHAT DOES THE BACK OF YOUR SHIRT SAY!!!"
Me: "I DON'T KNOW, I CAN'T REALLY SEE IT RIGHT NOW!!!"
My friend: "MAKE PLAYS, NOT EXCUSES"
"Darn," I thought to myself, "I forgot I was wearing that shirt."
Attitude adjustment. Then I climbed. And made it to the top.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Tow Truck Story -- Conversations 9
“Triple A, this is Candice, how may I assist you this evening?”
“Yeah, hi, I need a tow.”
“What is your membership number?”I read the digits off of my card.
“Are you blocking traffic?”
“No.”
“Are you in a safe place?”
“Yes, I’m at my apartment.”
“Where’s the car?”
“It’s parked on the side of the road.”
“Okay, what city is the car in?
“San Diego.”
“What’s the exact location of the vehicle?”
“It’s at the intersection of Texas and Polk.”
“And where do you need it towed to?”
“4035A Pacific Highway.”
“Okay, the tow truck will be there between now, 7:58pm and 8:27. Is there anything else we can help you out with this evening?”
“No, thank you, that’s it.”
“Okay ma’am, have a nice evening.”
Then I called my friend Cathy.
“Cathy, the tow truck will be here in about 30 minutes. Are you ready?”
“Yeah, I’m just going to get directions to the garage, grab a sweater, and then I’ll come over.”“Actually, I’m going to head over to the intersection to wait for the tow truck.”
“Where is your car?” she asked.
“Its on the corner of Texas and Polk” and I gave her the directions.
“Okay, I’ll see you there.”
Cathy’s car had refused to start the previous day and I bailed her out. Perhaps my car was experiencing empathy pains. I was at a stop sign, and my car just sputtered and died. So I put my hazard lights on and got out of my car to try and figure out what to do. I was blocking traffic, so I began to wave people around me until a guy and a girl in a jeep asked if I needed help. I had noticed that there was a parallel parking spot right behind me on a downhill slope, and I thought I could possibly get the car in that spot while I figured out what to do. So I said, “Yes, actually, I do need some help. Would you mind helping me park the car in that spot?”
They were engaged, and so cute, and really nice. The guy helped me parallel park my car while it was in neutral, and then they offered me a ride home. The guy says, “You know, I just hope that if my girl ever got stranded, there would be someone willing to help.”
I agree.
They turned out to be the kind of neighbors who frequently walk their dog in front of my house and the kind of neighbors you want to be your neighbors.
I made my way over to the intersection where my car was parked and settled in to wait for the tow truck. Cathy arrived about 10 minutes later and was waiting on the side of the road. She couldn’t turn her car off for fear that it wouldn’t start back up.
There was a guy on the opposite street corner waiting for someone as well. Occasionally, he would ask me what time it was.
After about 30 minutes, Triple A called me back to inform me that my tow truck driver was running behind schedule, but that he would be there in five minutes. “Great!” I thought. I ran to where Cathy was waiting and told her, “Five more minutes!” Then I went back to the street corner to wait.
I was getting antsy because I had called a garage, and the guy told me he would wait for me, and that he would be there for another hour. That was 30 minutes ago, so I felt like I was running out of time. Finally, the tow truck arrived, and I was glad. Then the driver started talking.
“Awww, why did you park it there? Okay, try to start it.” I try to start the car, and it turns over but won’t catch.
“Do you have gas in it?” implying that I was just a ditzy girl who had run out of gas.
“Yes!” I said, I have a quarter of a tank.”
“Do you know who owns that van? It is going to be tough to get it out.”
“No, I don’t, do you think you can push it out?”
“I don’t believe this,” he mumbled to himself, but more so that I could hear him. Then he tells me, “I ain’t even supposed to be here!” I can tell he is getting increasingly upset.
“Well, let’s try to move it” I said, ignoring his last statement.
I got in the car, and he got behind me to push. “Are you ready?” I asked.
“Yeah!”
I let my foot off the break and said, “Okay, go!”
I feel him try to push the car, but it didn’t really move anywhere.
“I can’t move this!” he says to me, “You should have just left it at the stop sign! You won’t get no ticket!” and then he heads over to his truck and starts yelling at someone on his radio. He was obviously mad.
I decide to get reinforcements, so I recruit the guy waiting across the street who had watched us block traffic for about 15 minutes. I cross the street and start talking with him.
“Hi,” I said. “Are you busy at the moment? “Would you mind helping the tow truck guy push my car? He’s kind of in a bad mood, and I need some help. Were you waiting for someone?”
“Yeah,” he says, “But I don’t know where my ride is.”
“Well, can you come help?”“Sure, I suppose so.”
We wander back across the street where the driver is getting increasingly frustrated.
“I found some help” I told him.
He didn’t answer me, and just got in his truck and started maneuvering around.
Some people pulled in across the street, and another guy comes over to ask if we need help. “Yeah, the tow truck guy is in a really bad mood” I said, “And I think we need help, but he won’t tell us how to help him,” referring to the other guy I had pulled off of the street to help.
Finally, the tow truck is in place. The three guys position themselves behind my car. I hear the driver say, “I ain’t even supposed to be doin’ this, I ain’t got no workers’ comp!”
I tell them, “Okay, go!”
They push the car about 5 feet out at an angle, and the car is now in great position to be towed. I watch the driver hook my car to his truck. “Where are you towing it?” he asks.
“4035A Pacific Highway” I tell him.
“I’ll follow you over” he says.
“Okay,” I responded. I wasn’t initially upset at the situation, but his attitude made me upset.
I thanked the two random guys for their assistance, and then went to talk to Cathy, who has been waiting for me this entire time.
“This guy is so pissed off right now,” I tell her.
“Why?” she asks, “Is he mad at you?”
“I’m trying really hard not to take it personally,” I tell her. “He wants to follow us to the garage, so which way do we start?”
“We’re going to turn left, and then left on El Cajon,” she tells me.
“Okay, thanks,” I said, “I’ll be back.”
I tell the driver, “Okay, so we’re going to turn left, and then left on El Cajon.”
He barely acknowledges my presence as he finishes hooking my car up to his truck. As soon as he’s done, I tell him where we’re headed, and then get in the car with Cathy.
“He is so pissed off right now,” I told her. Then I told her what had happened. As we were driving, I told her, “If we get lost, he is going to be really mad, so I hope we find the garage okay.”
We get to the right street, and I start watching the street signs for numbers, then we passed the block where the garage was, so Cathy and I make a U-turn, and I said, “ooohhh, he’s going to be so mad!”
Cathy looks at me and says, “Its his job to tow cars, and I don’t care how mad he is!”
We see the garage, and she drops me off, parks and goes to flag down the driver. I tell the two guys, “Okay, this tow truck guy is so pissed off right now.” Then I tell them the whole story. Then I said, “I’m so mad right now I’m shaking!”
They tell me, “Well, you’re here now, its going to be okay, just let it go. We can take it from here.” I thought it would be a good idea.
Meanwhile, Cathy is outside, trying to flag down the driver. Apparently he was very close to driving off with my car, but Cathy got him to bring the car over to the entrance. She gets out to talk to him, but he’s being a belligerent jerk, and Cathy was yelling at him too.
As soon as he got out to unhook my car, he had nothing to say to either me or the guys at the garage. As soon as he was done, he got in his truck and drives off in a huff.
“Triple A, this is Michael, how may I assist you this evening?”
“Yeah, hi, I just called you guys to get my car towed this evening, and it was, and thank you, that was awesome, but the tow truck driver? He wasn’t very nice at all. He was really mean. I didn’t have a problem with you guys at all, just the driver.”
“Oh, let me get your name so I can get my supervisor to look into it.”
“What’s your name?"
I gave him the information.
“Thank you, I will have my supervisor look into this. Is there anything else I can help you with tonight?”
“No, that’s all, thank you.”
And I hung up the phone.
“Yeah, hi, I need a tow.”
“What is your membership number?”I read the digits off of my card.
“Are you blocking traffic?”
“No.”
“Are you in a safe place?”
“Yes, I’m at my apartment.”
“Where’s the car?”
“It’s parked on the side of the road.”
“Okay, what city is the car in?
“San Diego.”
“What’s the exact location of the vehicle?”
“It’s at the intersection of Texas and Polk.”
“And where do you need it towed to?”
“4035A Pacific Highway.”
“Okay, the tow truck will be there between now, 7:58pm and 8:27. Is there anything else we can help you out with this evening?”
“No, thank you, that’s it.”
“Okay ma’am, have a nice evening.”
Then I called my friend Cathy.
“Cathy, the tow truck will be here in about 30 minutes. Are you ready?”
“Yeah, I’m just going to get directions to the garage, grab a sweater, and then I’ll come over.”“Actually, I’m going to head over to the intersection to wait for the tow truck.”
“Where is your car?” she asked.
“Its on the corner of Texas and Polk” and I gave her the directions.
“Okay, I’ll see you there.”
Cathy’s car had refused to start the previous day and I bailed her out. Perhaps my car was experiencing empathy pains. I was at a stop sign, and my car just sputtered and died. So I put my hazard lights on and got out of my car to try and figure out what to do. I was blocking traffic, so I began to wave people around me until a guy and a girl in a jeep asked if I needed help. I had noticed that there was a parallel parking spot right behind me on a downhill slope, and I thought I could possibly get the car in that spot while I figured out what to do. So I said, “Yes, actually, I do need some help. Would you mind helping me park the car in that spot?”
They were engaged, and so cute, and really nice. The guy helped me parallel park my car while it was in neutral, and then they offered me a ride home. The guy says, “You know, I just hope that if my girl ever got stranded, there would be someone willing to help.”
I agree.
They turned out to be the kind of neighbors who frequently walk their dog in front of my house and the kind of neighbors you want to be your neighbors.
I made my way over to the intersection where my car was parked and settled in to wait for the tow truck. Cathy arrived about 10 minutes later and was waiting on the side of the road. She couldn’t turn her car off for fear that it wouldn’t start back up.
There was a guy on the opposite street corner waiting for someone as well. Occasionally, he would ask me what time it was.
After about 30 minutes, Triple A called me back to inform me that my tow truck driver was running behind schedule, but that he would be there in five minutes. “Great!” I thought. I ran to where Cathy was waiting and told her, “Five more minutes!” Then I went back to the street corner to wait.
I was getting antsy because I had called a garage, and the guy told me he would wait for me, and that he would be there for another hour. That was 30 minutes ago, so I felt like I was running out of time. Finally, the tow truck arrived, and I was glad. Then the driver started talking.
“Awww, why did you park it there? Okay, try to start it.” I try to start the car, and it turns over but won’t catch.
“Do you have gas in it?” implying that I was just a ditzy girl who had run out of gas.
“Yes!” I said, I have a quarter of a tank.”
“Do you know who owns that van? It is going to be tough to get it out.”
“No, I don’t, do you think you can push it out?”
“I don’t believe this,” he mumbled to himself, but more so that I could hear him. Then he tells me, “I ain’t even supposed to be here!” I can tell he is getting increasingly upset.
“Well, let’s try to move it” I said, ignoring his last statement.
I got in the car, and he got behind me to push. “Are you ready?” I asked.
“Yeah!”
I let my foot off the break and said, “Okay, go!”
I feel him try to push the car, but it didn’t really move anywhere.
“I can’t move this!” he says to me, “You should have just left it at the stop sign! You won’t get no ticket!” and then he heads over to his truck and starts yelling at someone on his radio. He was obviously mad.
I decide to get reinforcements, so I recruit the guy waiting across the street who had watched us block traffic for about 15 minutes. I cross the street and start talking with him.
“Hi,” I said. “Are you busy at the moment? “Would you mind helping the tow truck guy push my car? He’s kind of in a bad mood, and I need some help. Were you waiting for someone?”
“Yeah,” he says, “But I don’t know where my ride is.”
“Well, can you come help?”“Sure, I suppose so.”
We wander back across the street where the driver is getting increasingly frustrated.
“I found some help” I told him.
He didn’t answer me, and just got in his truck and started maneuvering around.
Some people pulled in across the street, and another guy comes over to ask if we need help. “Yeah, the tow truck guy is in a really bad mood” I said, “And I think we need help, but he won’t tell us how to help him,” referring to the other guy I had pulled off of the street to help.
Finally, the tow truck is in place. The three guys position themselves behind my car. I hear the driver say, “I ain’t even supposed to be doin’ this, I ain’t got no workers’ comp!”
I tell them, “Okay, go!”
They push the car about 5 feet out at an angle, and the car is now in great position to be towed. I watch the driver hook my car to his truck. “Where are you towing it?” he asks.
“4035A Pacific Highway” I tell him.
“I’ll follow you over” he says.
“Okay,” I responded. I wasn’t initially upset at the situation, but his attitude made me upset.
I thanked the two random guys for their assistance, and then went to talk to Cathy, who has been waiting for me this entire time.
“This guy is so pissed off right now,” I tell her.
“Why?” she asks, “Is he mad at you?”
“I’m trying really hard not to take it personally,” I tell her. “He wants to follow us to the garage, so which way do we start?”
“We’re going to turn left, and then left on El Cajon,” she tells me.
“Okay, thanks,” I said, “I’ll be back.”
I tell the driver, “Okay, so we’re going to turn left, and then left on El Cajon.”
He barely acknowledges my presence as he finishes hooking my car up to his truck. As soon as he’s done, I tell him where we’re headed, and then get in the car with Cathy.
“He is so pissed off right now,” I told her. Then I told her what had happened. As we were driving, I told her, “If we get lost, he is going to be really mad, so I hope we find the garage okay.”
We get to the right street, and I start watching the street signs for numbers, then we passed the block where the garage was, so Cathy and I make a U-turn, and I said, “ooohhh, he’s going to be so mad!”
Cathy looks at me and says, “Its his job to tow cars, and I don’t care how mad he is!”
We see the garage, and she drops me off, parks and goes to flag down the driver. I tell the two guys, “Okay, this tow truck guy is so pissed off right now.” Then I tell them the whole story. Then I said, “I’m so mad right now I’m shaking!”
They tell me, “Well, you’re here now, its going to be okay, just let it go. We can take it from here.” I thought it would be a good idea.
Meanwhile, Cathy is outside, trying to flag down the driver. Apparently he was very close to driving off with my car, but Cathy got him to bring the car over to the entrance. She gets out to talk to him, but he’s being a belligerent jerk, and Cathy was yelling at him too.
As soon as he got out to unhook my car, he had nothing to say to either me or the guys at the garage. As soon as he was done, he got in his truck and drives off in a huff.
“Triple A, this is Michael, how may I assist you this evening?”
“Yeah, hi, I just called you guys to get my car towed this evening, and it was, and thank you, that was awesome, but the tow truck driver? He wasn’t very nice at all. He was really mean. I didn’t have a problem with you guys at all, just the driver.”
“Oh, let me get your name so I can get my supervisor to look into it.”
“What’s your name?"
I gave him the information.
“Thank you, I will have my supervisor look into this. Is there anything else I can help you with tonight?”
“No, that’s all, thank you.”
And I hung up the phone.
Monday, October 18, 2004
Conversations-8
Chelsea, my step-sister, came into the library last night.
"ROBYN!" She yelled at me in a whisper. We were in the library. "Don't you want to do something with student life?" she asked me.
"Yeah," I said slowly, "what about it?"
I may have someone for you," she told me excitedly,
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Well," she began conspirationally as she sat down on the stool at the reference desk, "Do you know Brandon? He went on a retreat with us this weekend. He's thirty."
"Does he work in community life?" I asked her, "I thought he was older."
"Yeah, you know him?" she asked me with surprise.
"Yes. Funny story actually," I told her, "He graduated from the same grad program at the same time I did. I have seen him once or twice, and whenever I'm around him, I sort of feel like a loser."
"Why?" She asked with an indignant look on her face.
"Cause he has a great job in the field and I'm still working at the library" I said.
"Oh...well, he worked at the same place for like 10 years," she told me. "He came from a place where he knew everyone, and came here. He told us at the retreat we went on that it has been hard coming here because he just doesn't know as many people. I think I'm gonna set you up. Would you be interested in dating him?" she asked me.
"I don't know," I responded. "It seems to me that if he had been interested in the first place, he would have pursued something after we first met. But he didn't. Plus I thought he was married or had a girlfriend."
"Well, he doesn't. He's single," she informed me. "And I think he needs more people to hang out with. He hangs out with my friend Jeff all the time."
"Where does he live?" I asked, "Does he have a church he goes to regularly?"
"He lives in Flex," She told me, referring to the on-campus apartments. "And I don't know where he goes to church."
"What made you think of him for me?" I asked, curious.
"Well, he is a Christian, and after our quiet time, he seemed really sincere," she told me, "AND he knows a lot of random information. Like, did you know the flabby part of your elbow is called a 'tweenus?'
"No its not," I contradicted, "Its called a 'weenus.'"
Chelsea started laughing..."No way."
"I'm serious. You better go look it up." I said with a straight face.
One of Chelsea's friends had been listening in to the conversation. "I'm gonna look it up!" he said. He went over to the computer."
"See?" Chelsea said, laughing, as if to indicate that Brandon and I had things in common.
Chelsea's friend came back. "She was right!" he said, referring to my knowledge of the weenus.
"Yes!" I said, and I put my arms up in a gesture of victory. "I was right!"
Chelsea started laughing really hard. "That's so funny! I think you guys would be perfect for each other."
"Well, do you want me to tell him about you?" She asked.
I said, "Well, I always thought that the guy I started dating would be my friend first, so if he's interested in making some new friends and meeting people, then yeah, tell him I know a lot of people around our age. It's going to be hard for you to introduce us because we've already had an initial meeting."
"Hmmm," She was thinking.
"You could tell him that he was wrong, and that I was right..." I said helpfully.
"Yeah!" she said excitedly. "Okay, I'm gonna do that. I gotta study."
Chelsea walked away from my desk and started talking to her friends. I had to tell her to be quiet about three times. But I love her.
"ROBYN!" She yelled at me in a whisper. We were in the library. "Don't you want to do something with student life?" she asked me.
"Yeah," I said slowly, "what about it?"
I may have someone for you," she told me excitedly,
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Well," she began conspirationally as she sat down on the stool at the reference desk, "Do you know Brandon? He went on a retreat with us this weekend. He's thirty."
"Does he work in community life?" I asked her, "I thought he was older."
"Yeah, you know him?" she asked me with surprise.
"Yes. Funny story actually," I told her, "He graduated from the same grad program at the same time I did. I have seen him once or twice, and whenever I'm around him, I sort of feel like a loser."
"Why?" She asked with an indignant look on her face.
"Cause he has a great job in the field and I'm still working at the library" I said.
"Oh...well, he worked at the same place for like 10 years," she told me. "He came from a place where he knew everyone, and came here. He told us at the retreat we went on that it has been hard coming here because he just doesn't know as many people. I think I'm gonna set you up. Would you be interested in dating him?" she asked me.
"I don't know," I responded. "It seems to me that if he had been interested in the first place, he would have pursued something after we first met. But he didn't. Plus I thought he was married or had a girlfriend."
"Well, he doesn't. He's single," she informed me. "And I think he needs more people to hang out with. He hangs out with my friend Jeff all the time."
"Where does he live?" I asked, "Does he have a church he goes to regularly?"
"He lives in Flex," She told me, referring to the on-campus apartments. "And I don't know where he goes to church."
"What made you think of him for me?" I asked, curious.
"Well, he is a Christian, and after our quiet time, he seemed really sincere," she told me, "AND he knows a lot of random information. Like, did you know the flabby part of your elbow is called a 'tweenus?'
"No its not," I contradicted, "Its called a 'weenus.'"
Chelsea started laughing..."No way."
"I'm serious. You better go look it up." I said with a straight face.
One of Chelsea's friends had been listening in to the conversation. "I'm gonna look it up!" he said. He went over to the computer."
"See?" Chelsea said, laughing, as if to indicate that Brandon and I had things in common.
Chelsea's friend came back. "She was right!" he said, referring to my knowledge of the weenus.
"Yes!" I said, and I put my arms up in a gesture of victory. "I was right!"
Chelsea started laughing really hard. "That's so funny! I think you guys would be perfect for each other."
"Well, do you want me to tell him about you?" She asked.
I said, "Well, I always thought that the guy I started dating would be my friend first, so if he's interested in making some new friends and meeting people, then yeah, tell him I know a lot of people around our age. It's going to be hard for you to introduce us because we've already had an initial meeting."
"Hmmm," She was thinking.
"You could tell him that he was wrong, and that I was right..." I said helpfully.
"Yeah!" she said excitedly. "Okay, I'm gonna do that. I gotta study."
Chelsea walked away from my desk and started talking to her friends. I had to tell her to be quiet about three times. But I love her.
Thursday, September 09, 2004
Conversations-5
Yolanda and I met up for dinner on Friday night. She had called me a few days earlier to tell me her big news: She and Kelvin just got engaged. I pulled into the Albertson's parking lot and tried to find a spot. I hate parking in San Diego. The spots are always so narrow. But I finally found one and pulled in. Then I went to go find Yolanda. She was waiting for me at a Teriaki fast-food place called Samuri Sam's.
"Hi Yolanda! Congratulations!" I'm so happy for you!" I gave Yolanda a big hug.
She was in the midst of ordering but paused to respond, "Thank you so much! I'm so excited!"
I said hello to Dennis too. Yolanda had called me just a bit earlier to tell me that she was already at the restaurant, and had run into him there. I ordered my food, got my drink, and then sat down at the table where Dennis was sitting.
"Did you guys plan this?" I asked, referring to how they were both at the same restaurant at the same time.
"No, it just sort of happened," Yolanda said.
Dennis added, "Yeah, I was just going to get this to go and then go watch the US Open."
"Well this is cool," I said, "Good times. How is school going for you? Didn't you start this week?" I asked Dennis.
"Yeah, I have one honors section, and the rest are regular," Dennis is teaching chemistry at one of the local high schools,
"It's going pretty well." At that point in time, our food started to arrive. After we were all situated with food, utensils, and appropriate sauces, we prayed for our meal.
Then Dennis asked Yolanda, "So, are you wearing your ring on a chain?"
Yolanda laughed. "No, it's getting resized. It's too big."
"What size ring do you wear?" I asked.
"I'm a six. I have pretty small fingers," She said. I gave her my ring to try on. "Yeah, this is a bit too big," she told us. "Is this a six?"
"Yes, but it might be on the big side," I told her. She handed my ring back.
"So did he ask you on the mountain?" Dennis asked. Yolanda and Kelvin had been in Vancouver for a vacation, and did some hiking while they were there. Dennis and Kelvin are good friends, and Dennis knew that Kelvin would be asking Yolanda while they were on vacation.
"No," Yolanda told us, "He told me later he was going to, but when we were there, it was cold, rainy, and foggy. It wouldn't have been as good a moment. We were freezing that day. He actually proposed to me the next day. We went on a hike, and then on the way back, we got bored and started going off the trail. We were standing in this beautiful clearing, and he handed me this poorly wrapped package and told me to open it. It was a turtle that he had painted. Then he asked me if I would marry him. I was so surprised! And then I asked him if the turtle was the ring."
"You know, cause us girls are all about the ring!" I told Dennis.
Yolanda laughed, "You know it!"
"So where was the ring?" Dennis asked.
"It was in the turtle. You know how ceramic things are hollow?" She asked us. We both nodded our heads. "Well," she continued, "The hole in the turtle was plugged with a plastic thing, and the ring was inside."
"You know why he sold his car right?" Dennis asked Yolanda.
"Well, now I do," Yolanda exclaimed, "He told me that he had a friend who needed a car and so he decided to lend it to him indefinitely. Well, it was a very Kelvin kind of thing to do." We laughed. There was a comfortable silence.
Yolanda thought for a minute and then informed us, "I think I'm worth at least a cow." Dennis and I both started laughing again.
"Yeah, two goats at least!" I added.
"And a few sheep and some chickens! I always wanted some chickens." She told us.
"Well, a woman's worth used to be tied up in the land that her family owned, so a dowry was paid to compensate the family for the loss of their land and their daughter." I told them. "And somehow a woman's worth also got tied up in her virginity too." I thought for a minute, "I'm still not exactly sure why, but virginity was a really big deal. It still sort of is today." We thought about that. "Did you know that the reason why you wear the ring on your fourth finger is because it was believed that there was a vein that ran from that finger to your heart?" I both asked and informed them, "I did a research project on the symbolism in medieval marriage in college."
"Really?" Yolanda asked.
"Yes, it was quite an interesting project," I told her. "I had trouble finding resources cause nobody wrote anything in the medieval ages except for monks and priests. Did you know that the bride and the groom would exchange shoes as a symbol of the contract? The ring is a symbol of eternity of course, and in the morning after the consumation of the marriage, it was traditional for the groom to leave a gift on his new wife's pillow to compensate and thank her for the loss of her virginity."
Dennis and Yolanda both laughed at that.
"I think you should tell Kelvin about that tradition," Dennis suggested with a gleam in his eye. We all laughed.
"Did you know he was going to ask you when he did?" Dennis asked.
"I had no idea," Yolanda told him. "I was so surprised. If he had proposed to me on the mountain top, it would have been more predictable. But I liked this better anyway. You know, there are hundreds of clearings off of that trail, I don't think we could find the spot again if we tried. I was sort of lost."
"But you can spend the rest of your lives trying to find it again," I informed her, "That's pretty neat."
"Yeah, and I kind of feel like it was an analogy for marriage, you know? Climbing up the mountain, going off the beaten path, but coming back to the trail in the end. It's something you have to work at, but God is guiding you to beautiful places."
"That is cool. What did you say when he asked you?" I asked.
"I was like, 'Really?' She said.
"You really said, 'Really?' I asked, "That's really funny." I started laughing. So did Dennis.
"Hey, look who's here!" I said. I had a view of the door and saw Kelvin coming in. Dennis and Yolanda turned to see who it was.
"Hey!" Yolanda greeted Kelvin. "We were just talking about you."
"Congratulations!" Dennis told him.
"Yeah, congratulations!" I echoed. "I told Yolanda when she called to tell me you guys were engaged that I had been thinking about you a few days earlier, and I thought to myself, 'I think they're going to get married.'"
"Yeah, she told me that. It's so nice when people can confirm those kinds of things for you" Yolanda said. "It's really encouraging."
"Well, I think it's great. I'm so excited for you guys." I replied.
There is more to this conversation... Part II coming soon...I'm too tired to finish this right now.
"Hi Yolanda! Congratulations!" I'm so happy for you!" I gave Yolanda a big hug.
She was in the midst of ordering but paused to respond, "Thank you so much! I'm so excited!"
I said hello to Dennis too. Yolanda had called me just a bit earlier to tell me that she was already at the restaurant, and had run into him there. I ordered my food, got my drink, and then sat down at the table where Dennis was sitting.
"Did you guys plan this?" I asked, referring to how they were both at the same restaurant at the same time.
"No, it just sort of happened," Yolanda said.
Dennis added, "Yeah, I was just going to get this to go and then go watch the US Open."
"Well this is cool," I said, "Good times. How is school going for you? Didn't you start this week?" I asked Dennis.
"Yeah, I have one honors section, and the rest are regular," Dennis is teaching chemistry at one of the local high schools,
"It's going pretty well." At that point in time, our food started to arrive. After we were all situated with food, utensils, and appropriate sauces, we prayed for our meal.
Then Dennis asked Yolanda, "So, are you wearing your ring on a chain?"
Yolanda laughed. "No, it's getting resized. It's too big."
"What size ring do you wear?" I asked.
"I'm a six. I have pretty small fingers," She said. I gave her my ring to try on. "Yeah, this is a bit too big," she told us. "Is this a six?"
"Yes, but it might be on the big side," I told her. She handed my ring back.
"So did he ask you on the mountain?" Dennis asked. Yolanda and Kelvin had been in Vancouver for a vacation, and did some hiking while they were there. Dennis and Kelvin are good friends, and Dennis knew that Kelvin would be asking Yolanda while they were on vacation.
"No," Yolanda told us, "He told me later he was going to, but when we were there, it was cold, rainy, and foggy. It wouldn't have been as good a moment. We were freezing that day. He actually proposed to me the next day. We went on a hike, and then on the way back, we got bored and started going off the trail. We were standing in this beautiful clearing, and he handed me this poorly wrapped package and told me to open it. It was a turtle that he had painted. Then he asked me if I would marry him. I was so surprised! And then I asked him if the turtle was the ring."
"You know, cause us girls are all about the ring!" I told Dennis.
Yolanda laughed, "You know it!"
"So where was the ring?" Dennis asked.
"It was in the turtle. You know how ceramic things are hollow?" She asked us. We both nodded our heads. "Well," she continued, "The hole in the turtle was plugged with a plastic thing, and the ring was inside."
"You know why he sold his car right?" Dennis asked Yolanda.
"Well, now I do," Yolanda exclaimed, "He told me that he had a friend who needed a car and so he decided to lend it to him indefinitely. Well, it was a very Kelvin kind of thing to do." We laughed. There was a comfortable silence.
Yolanda thought for a minute and then informed us, "I think I'm worth at least a cow." Dennis and I both started laughing again.
"Yeah, two goats at least!" I added.
"And a few sheep and some chickens! I always wanted some chickens." She told us.
"Well, a woman's worth used to be tied up in the land that her family owned, so a dowry was paid to compensate the family for the loss of their land and their daughter." I told them. "And somehow a woman's worth also got tied up in her virginity too." I thought for a minute, "I'm still not exactly sure why, but virginity was a really big deal. It still sort of is today." We thought about that. "Did you know that the reason why you wear the ring on your fourth finger is because it was believed that there was a vein that ran from that finger to your heart?" I both asked and informed them, "I did a research project on the symbolism in medieval marriage in college."
"Really?" Yolanda asked.
"Yes, it was quite an interesting project," I told her. "I had trouble finding resources cause nobody wrote anything in the medieval ages except for monks and priests. Did you know that the bride and the groom would exchange shoes as a symbol of the contract? The ring is a symbol of eternity of course, and in the morning after the consumation of the marriage, it was traditional for the groom to leave a gift on his new wife's pillow to compensate and thank her for the loss of her virginity."
Dennis and Yolanda both laughed at that.
"I think you should tell Kelvin about that tradition," Dennis suggested with a gleam in his eye. We all laughed.
"Did you know he was going to ask you when he did?" Dennis asked.
"I had no idea," Yolanda told him. "I was so surprised. If he had proposed to me on the mountain top, it would have been more predictable. But I liked this better anyway. You know, there are hundreds of clearings off of that trail, I don't think we could find the spot again if we tried. I was sort of lost."
"But you can spend the rest of your lives trying to find it again," I informed her, "That's pretty neat."
"Yeah, and I kind of feel like it was an analogy for marriage, you know? Climbing up the mountain, going off the beaten path, but coming back to the trail in the end. It's something you have to work at, but God is guiding you to beautiful places."
"That is cool. What did you say when he asked you?" I asked.
"I was like, 'Really?' She said.
"You really said, 'Really?' I asked, "That's really funny." I started laughing. So did Dennis.
"Hey, look who's here!" I said. I had a view of the door and saw Kelvin coming in. Dennis and Yolanda turned to see who it was.
"Hey!" Yolanda greeted Kelvin. "We were just talking about you."
"Congratulations!" Dennis told him.
"Yeah, congratulations!" I echoed. "I told Yolanda when she called to tell me you guys were engaged that I had been thinking about you a few days earlier, and I thought to myself, 'I think they're going to get married.'"
"Yeah, she told me that. It's so nice when people can confirm those kinds of things for you" Yolanda said. "It's really encouraging."
"Well, I think it's great. I'm so excited for you guys." I replied.
There is more to this conversation... Part II coming soon...I'm too tired to finish this right now.
Monday, August 02, 2004
Conversations-4 and other things
So much to say...so little time...
Here's what I did this weekend:
Friday:
Went to work, went to a luncheon for a co-worker who is retiring. Drove to Carmel Valley and let Michael drive my car to a wedding (We were running late, and he knew where the wedding was. I didn't). Played cello at a wedding in Del Mar, outside, in a grassy park, overlooking the ocean. Lost and found my car keys. Went to the beach and went swimming, went out for pizza, drinks, and billiards.
Saturday:
Found my cello outside my front door in the morning (a true "What the heck did I just do?!" moment). Went to the Del Mar Race Track. Pooled my money with Dennis and his friend David. Played blackjack with 100 fake dollars:
Dennis retrieved a deck of cards from his pocket. "What do you want to play?"
"How about Go Fish?" It was a question, but was really a suggestion. And I didn't really want to play Go-Fish, I was just trying to be funny.
"Uh, let's play Blackjack," Dennis suggested instead.
"Ok," I agreed.
"I'll be the dealer," Dennis told me. "I'll give you $100 fake dollars."
I laughed.
"All right, what do you want to bet?" He asked.
"Well, which table are we at?" I wanted to know. "Are we at the $20 dollar table? Are we at the $5 dollar table?"
Dennis laughed. "We're at the dollar table."
"OK," I said. "Then I'll bet $5.00."
We played a few rounds, and I pretty much broke even. Dennis started instructing me on Blackjack. "You had an 11? You should have doubled-down. That means you double your money, then I give you one card, and you don't look at it. But if you win, then you win double."
"Then next time I get an 11, I'll double-down," I told him. We played another hand, and I lost.
"We should play for push-ups!" Dennis suggested.
"Dennis, I can only do like, 15 push-ups total. Maybe a few more if I really pushed myself," I said.
"Ok, then you can do girl push-ups," he said. I let the comment slide, and we played a few more rounds.
"We could play for pieces of candy," I said.
"What kind of candy?" he asked.
"Do you like M&M's?" I asked, "Or we could play for gummy bears..."
"OK, we'll play for pieces of candy," he said.
We played between races. Final result? I lost $40 fake dollars or 40 pieces of candy on Blackjack.
On with my day:
Lost a total of $2.60 real cash on the races (out of $10.00--not bad for a rookie), went to a potluck.
Sunday:
Played cello at church (9am morning for me), met some new people. Went to lunch with friends from church. Drove home, called some of my other friends. Did my laundry at the laundromat. Called Megan while doing my laundry. Got picked up for a concert in the park. Took an unintentional navigational detour. Spent some time with my friend Melanie (pronounced Mel-awww-nie) from South Africa. She and I found an English Pub and hung out. Went home. Chatted with my roommate and her friend about why we don't have cable (He works for the Cable company), music, her new digital camera, and living in San Diego.
Points to ponder:
At the wedding on Friday, the pastor talked about the marriage relationship being not 50-50, not 100-100, but being 100-0. Meaning you give 100% to the relationship, expecting nothing (0%) in return. I started to think about how this could apply to other relationships in my life. Real love is giving of yourself, expecting nothing in return, and risking possible hurt, heartache, rejection, and pain, and having a realistic view of what you can expect of people. (Read Romans 12:9-21...we studied this in church on Sunday) Do I sound pessimistic here? I don't mean to be. Of course, having people in your life who love you brings joy, happiness, security, and freedom, because you can be the person you were meant to be around those kinds of people.
I hope that I can be that kind of person...one who encourages and fills others with hope. I still have a ways to go, but that's the person I aspire to be.
Here's what I did this weekend:
Friday:
Went to work, went to a luncheon for a co-worker who is retiring. Drove to Carmel Valley and let Michael drive my car to a wedding (We were running late, and he knew where the wedding was. I didn't). Played cello at a wedding in Del Mar, outside, in a grassy park, overlooking the ocean. Lost and found my car keys. Went to the beach and went swimming, went out for pizza, drinks, and billiards.
Saturday:
Found my cello outside my front door in the morning (a true "What the heck did I just do?!" moment). Went to the Del Mar Race Track. Pooled my money with Dennis and his friend David. Played blackjack with 100 fake dollars:
Dennis retrieved a deck of cards from his pocket. "What do you want to play?"
"How about Go Fish?" It was a question, but was really a suggestion. And I didn't really want to play Go-Fish, I was just trying to be funny.
"Uh, let's play Blackjack," Dennis suggested instead.
"Ok," I agreed.
"I'll be the dealer," Dennis told me. "I'll give you $100 fake dollars."
I laughed.
"All right, what do you want to bet?" He asked.
"Well, which table are we at?" I wanted to know. "Are we at the $20 dollar table? Are we at the $5 dollar table?"
Dennis laughed. "We're at the dollar table."
"OK," I said. "Then I'll bet $5.00."
We played a few rounds, and I pretty much broke even. Dennis started instructing me on Blackjack. "You had an 11? You should have doubled-down. That means you double your money, then I give you one card, and you don't look at it. But if you win, then you win double."
"Then next time I get an 11, I'll double-down," I told him. We played another hand, and I lost.
"We should play for push-ups!" Dennis suggested.
"Dennis, I can only do like, 15 push-ups total. Maybe a few more if I really pushed myself," I said.
"Ok, then you can do girl push-ups," he said. I let the comment slide, and we played a few more rounds.
"We could play for pieces of candy," I said.
"What kind of candy?" he asked.
"Do you like M&M's?" I asked, "Or we could play for gummy bears..."
"OK, we'll play for pieces of candy," he said.
We played between races. Final result? I lost $40 fake dollars or 40 pieces of candy on Blackjack.
On with my day:
Lost a total of $2.60 real cash on the races (out of $10.00--not bad for a rookie), went to a potluck.
Sunday:
Played cello at church (9am morning for me), met some new people. Went to lunch with friends from church. Drove home, called some of my other friends. Did my laundry at the laundromat. Called Megan while doing my laundry. Got picked up for a concert in the park. Took an unintentional navigational detour. Spent some time with my friend Melanie (pronounced Mel-awww-nie) from South Africa. She and I found an English Pub and hung out. Went home. Chatted with my roommate and her friend about why we don't have cable (He works for the Cable company), music, her new digital camera, and living in San Diego.
Points to ponder:
At the wedding on Friday, the pastor talked about the marriage relationship being not 50-50, not 100-100, but being 100-0. Meaning you give 100% to the relationship, expecting nothing (0%) in return. I started to think about how this could apply to other relationships in my life. Real love is giving of yourself, expecting nothing in return, and risking possible hurt, heartache, rejection, and pain, and having a realistic view of what you can expect of people. (Read Romans 12:9-21...we studied this in church on Sunday) Do I sound pessimistic here? I don't mean to be. Of course, having people in your life who love you brings joy, happiness, security, and freedom, because you can be the person you were meant to be around those kinds of people.
I hope that I can be that kind of person...one who encourages and fills others with hope. I still have a ways to go, but that's the person I aspire to be.
Monday, July 12, 2004
Conversations-2
"How was your trip?" Dennis asked me as he helped me put my bags in his trunk. Dennis is a friend of mine from church, and he organizes the Ultimate frisbee games that we tend to play on Saturday mornings. He had agreed to pick me up from the airport. I had just flown back from Oakland, where I got to spend some time with Laurel, one of my best friends from college.
"It was good, we had a lot of fun," I replied. "I got to spend some time with one of my best friends from college. She took me to a Sarah MacLachlan concert." I paused for a moment, thinking. "I missed you guys."
Dennis gave me one of those 'you're kidding me right?' looks and I amended my previous statement, "Well, maybe just a little." I showed him how much with my thumb and forefinger.
Dennis was still looking at me, "Just a little bit, huh?"
"Yeah, thanks for picking me up." I said, and settled more comfortably into his passanger seat. "What else did we do..., well, I went to her church and we just did what girls do. You know, stay up real late talking about girl stuff. You know, like a slumber party."
"Girl stuff, huh..." Dennis responded, "I haven't been to a sleep-over in forever."
"So did you have sleep-overs when you were younger?" I asked.
"Oh yeah. But we don't stay up all night talking, its more like we would just mess around." Dennis told me.
"Yeah well, I suppose its different for guys," I stated. "I'll bet there was lots of wrestling, giggling, farting..."
"Yeah," Dennis laughed. "Pranks..." he added.
"Tormenting the first guy who fell asleep..." I also added. "I have brothers, I know what happened.
Dennis laughed again. I laughed a little with him.
I changed the subject, "What did you guys talk about in church? What are we on now, Romans 11?"
Dennis thought about it, "Umm, what did we talk about...Romans 11, uhh...oh yeah, 'saved to works...'" Dennis paused, "You know, we are saved, not by works but for good works."
I shook my head in mock dismay. "Bob, Bob, Bob," I said, "He's always trying to come up with some catchy phrase." Bob is our pastor and is always trying to simplify things for us with catchy phrases. Last week it was 'Gospel in, gospel out.'
Dennis laughed.
"I love how he gets worked up about the gospel," I said, "It's his favorite subject." Bob could preach for hours just about the gospel message. "But he doesn't need to come up with all the catchy phrases."
"Yeah," Dennis added, "The funny thing is that I think he works hard to try and come up with those concepts."
We both laughed. I like Bob. He's a great pastor. He just has his quirks like everyone else.
I changed the subject again. "Did you guys go hiking on Saturday?"
"Yes, we did," Dennis replied. "It was about a 6 and-a-half miler round-trip."
"Where did you guys go?" I asked. "It always bums me out a little when I go away knowing that there was some kind of event planned, like hiking."
"It was almost in the desert off of the 8, but really far. And two people didn't bring any water. It was beautiful, one of those hot summer days, but we were all really thirsty when we were done. We basically ran out of water," Dennis said.
"Oh man, that's a bummer. If I had gone, you probably would have had enough. I usually keep a flat of water in my trunk. And just so you know, I usually have it when we play frisbee too," I informed Dennis. I thought about being thirsty in the desert. "You know," I offered, "It gives new meaning to that verse, 'As the deer panteth for the water so my soul longeth after thee.'" I continued, "I think every Christian needs to have two experiences in order to understand God better...being thirsty in the desert, and then being lost, and found, whether that's by your parents, friends, whatever."
Dennis nodded his head in agreement but didn't say anything.
As we continued driving I pointed to the City Wok, a Chinese restaurant on the left, "Look, Cheri pointed this out...its kind of funny. Get it? City Walk?"
"Oh yeah, that is kind of funny," Dennis replied.
"I love all the neon signs in this part of town," I stated. "Like Hillcrest...Northpark, University Heights...It's unique."
As I continued to point Dennis in the right direction to take me home I told him, "There's a hill coming up that if I were a cross-country runner, I would run up it every day."
Dennis told me, "You're still a cross-country runner."
"No, I'm not," I replied. "I hate running. I only did it to get in shape for soccer and it worked."
I continued to direct him toward the hill. "I refuse to ride my bike down this hill, it's too scary." We started the descent. I told Dennis, "If you drive too fast coming to this hill, you'll bottom out at the bottom."
"Really," he said, "I could see that."
I continued to navigate, "Okay, you are going to turn left after a few blocks."
Dennis said, "I don't think I've come this way before."
"I know," I said. I thought about Dennis and his love of doing unexpected things, 80's music, and high school chemistry, "I decided to take you the wacky route. I figured you'd be down with wacky."
"Yup," he responded.
"Turn here," I said, "My complex is that one right there on the right."
Dennis got out to help me with my bags again. I said, "God bless you brother, thanks for picking me up."
Dennis held out my book bag and put the strap over my head, as if awarding me a medal for an olympic event. In an awkward moment of comraderie he gave me a small shove on the shoulder and said, "Anytime."
We both kind of looked at each other and laughed. I offered him a hug. "Thanks," I said. "I'll see you later."
I walked up the stairs and opened my door, and as I did, I heard a car drive away.
It is good to be home.
"It was good, we had a lot of fun," I replied. "I got to spend some time with one of my best friends from college. She took me to a Sarah MacLachlan concert." I paused for a moment, thinking. "I missed you guys."
Dennis gave me one of those 'you're kidding me right?' looks and I amended my previous statement, "Well, maybe just a little." I showed him how much with my thumb and forefinger.
Dennis was still looking at me, "Just a little bit, huh?"
"Yeah, thanks for picking me up." I said, and settled more comfortably into his passanger seat. "What else did we do..., well, I went to her church and we just did what girls do. You know, stay up real late talking about girl stuff. You know, like a slumber party."
"Girl stuff, huh..." Dennis responded, "I haven't been to a sleep-over in forever."
"So did you have sleep-overs when you were younger?" I asked.
"Oh yeah. But we don't stay up all night talking, its more like we would just mess around." Dennis told me.
"Yeah well, I suppose its different for guys," I stated. "I'll bet there was lots of wrestling, giggling, farting..."
"Yeah," Dennis laughed. "Pranks..." he added.
"Tormenting the first guy who fell asleep..." I also added. "I have brothers, I know what happened.
Dennis laughed again. I laughed a little with him.
I changed the subject, "What did you guys talk about in church? What are we on now, Romans 11?"
Dennis thought about it, "Umm, what did we talk about...Romans 11, uhh...oh yeah, 'saved to works...'" Dennis paused, "You know, we are saved, not by works but for good works."
I shook my head in mock dismay. "Bob, Bob, Bob," I said, "He's always trying to come up with some catchy phrase." Bob is our pastor and is always trying to simplify things for us with catchy phrases. Last week it was 'Gospel in, gospel out.'
Dennis laughed.
"I love how he gets worked up about the gospel," I said, "It's his favorite subject." Bob could preach for hours just about the gospel message. "But he doesn't need to come up with all the catchy phrases."
"Yeah," Dennis added, "The funny thing is that I think he works hard to try and come up with those concepts."
We both laughed. I like Bob. He's a great pastor. He just has his quirks like everyone else.
I changed the subject again. "Did you guys go hiking on Saturday?"
"Yes, we did," Dennis replied. "It was about a 6 and-a-half miler round-trip."
"Where did you guys go?" I asked. "It always bums me out a little when I go away knowing that there was some kind of event planned, like hiking."
"It was almost in the desert off of the 8, but really far. And two people didn't bring any water. It was beautiful, one of those hot summer days, but we were all really thirsty when we were done. We basically ran out of water," Dennis said.
"Oh man, that's a bummer. If I had gone, you probably would have had enough. I usually keep a flat of water in my trunk. And just so you know, I usually have it when we play frisbee too," I informed Dennis. I thought about being thirsty in the desert. "You know," I offered, "It gives new meaning to that verse, 'As the deer panteth for the water so my soul longeth after thee.'" I continued, "I think every Christian needs to have two experiences in order to understand God better...being thirsty in the desert, and then being lost, and found, whether that's by your parents, friends, whatever."
Dennis nodded his head in agreement but didn't say anything.
As we continued driving I pointed to the City Wok, a Chinese restaurant on the left, "Look, Cheri pointed this out...its kind of funny. Get it? City Walk?"
"Oh yeah, that is kind of funny," Dennis replied.
"I love all the neon signs in this part of town," I stated. "Like Hillcrest...Northpark, University Heights...It's unique."
As I continued to point Dennis in the right direction to take me home I told him, "There's a hill coming up that if I were a cross-country runner, I would run up it every day."
Dennis told me, "You're still a cross-country runner."
"No, I'm not," I replied. "I hate running. I only did it to get in shape for soccer and it worked."
I continued to direct him toward the hill. "I refuse to ride my bike down this hill, it's too scary." We started the descent. I told Dennis, "If you drive too fast coming to this hill, you'll bottom out at the bottom."
"Really," he said, "I could see that."
I continued to navigate, "Okay, you are going to turn left after a few blocks."
Dennis said, "I don't think I've come this way before."
"I know," I said. I thought about Dennis and his love of doing unexpected things, 80's music, and high school chemistry, "I decided to take you the wacky route. I figured you'd be down with wacky."
"Yup," he responded.
"Turn here," I said, "My complex is that one right there on the right."
Dennis got out to help me with my bags again. I said, "God bless you brother, thanks for picking me up."
Dennis held out my book bag and put the strap over my head, as if awarding me a medal for an olympic event. In an awkward moment of comraderie he gave me a small shove on the shoulder and said, "Anytime."
We both kind of looked at each other and laughed. I offered him a hug. "Thanks," I said. "I'll see you later."
I walked up the stairs and opened my door, and as I did, I heard a car drive away.
It is good to be home.
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
Conversations-1
"How tall are you?" Michael asked me. Candace, Michael, and I were taking a walk to the pier and back at La Jolla shores, mostly because it was freezing, and we needed to warm up a bit. The beach had been my idea because I finally had a Sunday off of work, but it was cold and windy.
"5'11," I told him, "Well, technically, I'm 5'10" and a half." We had just been talking about relationships...again...and had started conversing about dating and tallness. Candace and Michael had been dating for almost a year, and Michael is only a few inches taller than Candace.
I asked Candace, "Would you ever date anyone shorter than you?"
"No way!" she said. "But I'm shorter than you. That would just be weird. When the guy is shorter than me, it makes me feel less feminine. Would you ever date someone shorter than you?"
"Maybe," I thought about it, "But it would depend on the person. It would take someone who was very confident in his skin. Do you know what I mean by that?" I asked. "Someone who is not intimidated by my height."
Candace and Michael nodded.
I continued, "For example, I have a friend who says, 'I feel so short' everytime he stands next to me. I'm okay with my height, but I've had past insecurities. I had to tell him to stop that cause it was going to hurt my feelings. I can't change how tall I am any more than he can change how tall he is. It makes me feel more insecure when guys are insecure around me."
We walked some more in thoughtful silence. I sighed, "There's a lot of short people in San Diego."
Candace and Michael laughed.
Then I stated,"You would think that there would be some tall athletes at least...I mean, we have a pro-football team, a baseball team, a minor league hockey team...So where are they all? Did they get sucked into the void?"
After we laughed some more there was another thoughtful silence.
"So if you guys have any tall, single, Christian friends..." I let the rest of the sentence hang.
"We'll let you know," Candace replied with a smile.
We got back to where we started. "Anyone up for coffee?" I asked.
Everyone was agreeable because it was freezing and besides, what else do people do when they are in their twenties? Maybe that tall, single, Christian guy will be there...
"5'11," I told him, "Well, technically, I'm 5'10" and a half." We had just been talking about relationships...again...and had started conversing about dating and tallness. Candace and Michael had been dating for almost a year, and Michael is only a few inches taller than Candace.
I asked Candace, "Would you ever date anyone shorter than you?"
"No way!" she said. "But I'm shorter than you. That would just be weird. When the guy is shorter than me, it makes me feel less feminine. Would you ever date someone shorter than you?"
"Maybe," I thought about it, "But it would depend on the person. It would take someone who was very confident in his skin. Do you know what I mean by that?" I asked. "Someone who is not intimidated by my height."
Candace and Michael nodded.
I continued, "For example, I have a friend who says, 'I feel so short' everytime he stands next to me. I'm okay with my height, but I've had past insecurities. I had to tell him to stop that cause it was going to hurt my feelings. I can't change how tall I am any more than he can change how tall he is. It makes me feel more insecure when guys are insecure around me."
We walked some more in thoughtful silence. I sighed, "There's a lot of short people in San Diego."
Candace and Michael laughed.
Then I stated,"You would think that there would be some tall athletes at least...I mean, we have a pro-football team, a baseball team, a minor league hockey team...So where are they all? Did they get sucked into the void?"
After we laughed some more there was another thoughtful silence.
"So if you guys have any tall, single, Christian friends..." I let the rest of the sentence hang.
"We'll let you know," Candace replied with a smile.
We got back to where we started. "Anyone up for coffee?" I asked.
Everyone was agreeable because it was freezing and besides, what else do people do when they are in their twenties? Maybe that tall, single, Christian guy will be there...
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
The Black Lung
Scene 1
At Christiane's place, on Monday evening, Robyn and Christiane are preparing to practice music for a wedding they will be playing at on Saturday...
Christiane: Robyn, you say the chord sheets are on the CD?
Robyn: Yeah, its a CD-Rom.
Christiane loads the CD in the computer in her room, Robyn is in the living room.
Christiane: Shoot, I don't think I have Acrobat Reader.
Robyn: Well, you can download it from the Internet.
Christiane: Yeah, if I had the internet.
Robyn: You don't have access?
Christiane: No, its a long story.
Robyn (looks at her watch, the time is 7:15pm): What if you called the boys down the street?
Christiane: That's a good idea.
Robyn: You might want to hurry though, I think they have their Men's Bible Study tonight at 7:00pm.
Christiane: Yeah, yeah, Okay.
Christiane picks up the phone...
What's their number again?
Robyn: I don't know, something 1015.
Christiane (laughs a little): Well I knew that...
Christiane finds the number and dials the guys' number...she gets an answering machine...
Hi guys, it's Christiane, are you there? I know you have your Bible Study tonight...Please pick up... I know you are there... (begging) please? Pretty please?
(Imitates Zoolander) cough, cough.... I have the black lung...cough, cough...I am writing my oogoogally...cough, cough...
Dennis finally answers the phone
Dennis (laughs): Yup?
Christiane: Were you guys in the middle of prayer or something?
Dennis: No, someone was giving their testimony...what do you need?
Christiane: I'm so sorry, I need to use your computer, can I come over and download something and print it out?
Dennis: Sure.
Christiane: Thanks, Robyn and I will be over in a minute. We are trying to rehearse for a wedding on Saturday. See you in a few. Thanks again, sorry for interrupting.
Robyn and Christiane successfully obtain the chord sheets they need from Dennis' computer and proceed to rehearse the music.
Scene 2
Approximately 2 hours later...the phone rings
Christiane: Hello? (pauses) oh, hi Dennis...thanks so much again for letting us use your computer.
Dennis: yeah, when you first called, we thought about unplugging the answering machine, and then you said that part about the black lung, and we had to answer it.
Christiane: Yeah, I know how to get what I want. The whole time, I was telling Robyn, "I feel so bad for interrupting." You can ask her...
Dennis: Well, we all had a good chuckle about it later.
Christiane: Good. Thanks again. I'll see you soon.
Dennis: Yeah, talk to you later...bye
Christiane: Bye.
Epilogue:
Robyn and Christiane had a productive evening. The rehearsal went well. They were both very thankful to Dennis and the Men's Bible Study for bailing them out. The wedding will take place on Saturday at 4:30pm where in addition to providing the music, both Christiane and Robyn plan on fighting for the bridal bouquet and eating lots of cake.
At Christiane's place, on Monday evening, Robyn and Christiane are preparing to practice music for a wedding they will be playing at on Saturday...
Christiane: Robyn, you say the chord sheets are on the CD?
Robyn: Yeah, its a CD-Rom.
Christiane loads the CD in the computer in her room, Robyn is in the living room.
Christiane: Shoot, I don't think I have Acrobat Reader.
Robyn: Well, you can download it from the Internet.
Christiane: Yeah, if I had the internet.
Robyn: You don't have access?
Christiane: No, its a long story.
Robyn (looks at her watch, the time is 7:15pm): What if you called the boys down the street?
Christiane: That's a good idea.
Robyn: You might want to hurry though, I think they have their Men's Bible Study tonight at 7:00pm.
Christiane: Yeah, yeah, Okay.
Christiane picks up the phone...
What's their number again?
Robyn: I don't know, something 1015.
Christiane (laughs a little): Well I knew that...
Christiane finds the number and dials the guys' number...she gets an answering machine...
Hi guys, it's Christiane, are you there? I know you have your Bible Study tonight...Please pick up... I know you are there... (begging) please? Pretty please?
(Imitates Zoolander) cough, cough.... I have the black lung...cough, cough...I am writing my oogoogally...cough, cough...
Dennis finally answers the phone
Dennis (laughs): Yup?
Christiane: Were you guys in the middle of prayer or something?
Dennis: No, someone was giving their testimony...what do you need?
Christiane: I'm so sorry, I need to use your computer, can I come over and download something and print it out?
Dennis: Sure.
Christiane: Thanks, Robyn and I will be over in a minute. We are trying to rehearse for a wedding on Saturday. See you in a few. Thanks again, sorry for interrupting.
Robyn and Christiane successfully obtain the chord sheets they need from Dennis' computer and proceed to rehearse the music.
Scene 2
Approximately 2 hours later...the phone rings
Christiane: Hello? (pauses) oh, hi Dennis...thanks so much again for letting us use your computer.
Dennis: yeah, when you first called, we thought about unplugging the answering machine, and then you said that part about the black lung, and we had to answer it.
Christiane: Yeah, I know how to get what I want. The whole time, I was telling Robyn, "I feel so bad for interrupting." You can ask her...
Dennis: Well, we all had a good chuckle about it later.
Christiane: Good. Thanks again. I'll see you soon.
Dennis: Yeah, talk to you later...bye
Christiane: Bye.
Epilogue:
Robyn and Christiane had a productive evening. The rehearsal went well. They were both very thankful to Dennis and the Men's Bible Study for bailing them out. The wedding will take place on Saturday at 4:30pm where in addition to providing the music, both Christiane and Robyn plan on fighting for the bridal bouquet and eating lots of cake.
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