I think so, yes I am. Often I overreact and I KNOW I am doing it. I am working on , shrugging and saying "whatever"
Tonight We invited a couple to join us for dinner tomorrow evening. As I had just done a boatload of grocery shopping, I thought dinner here would be nicer, more relaxing. The last few forays at places have been not as relaxing as I had wished and I have an anxiety filled week ahead ( more on THAT in a later post- maybe). I offered to make my ( world-famous) Spaghetti and meatballs. Apparently the wife is on a no carb diet. I asked what she COULD eat ( if you have eaten here you know that is my M.O.- I ask what you can eat and what you WON'T eat if I invite you to my home.)
She said no. I couldn't make the food she could eat and she would bring her own.
We are going OUT to dinner instead, but I am wounded! I consider myself to be a pretty fair cook and I think I could have rustled up a meal that met her dietary needs (the Mediterranean place we are going is NOT that complicated.)
Sigh
So. Weigh in. Is this an insult or am I being overly sensitive here? I can't even think about making a meal for half the guests and have someone bring something she picked up at the local "takeout" because I could not understand her dietary needs.
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
an LA Story
I went last night to hear my friend, Renaissance Man, Sheldon Wright perform his piece at an "Unheard LA" event at the Little Tokyo Library. There were three speakers. I came in late and missed the first, but there is a website and I will be looking at and listening to the stories over the next few days.
Sheldon talked about his LA Marathon experience. It was a wonderful piece. He asked me if I planned on applying for this, well probably not, but it DID challenge me to write a piece that might be a phantom part of it, sort of an exercise.
It's supposed to be five to six minutes. Someone said about 150 words is a minute, but I looked it up and they said 750 words is a five minute speech. Fine. Three pages.
I can do this.
HA!
Here is my LA story ( it's a nicer one than I thought about and spoke with Sheldon about last night)
I used to take the subway to work. I got on at North Hollywood and rode the nineteen minutes to 7th Metro. Riding the subway made me feel like a real commuter, like all those movies and stories about living in New York that my mom used to tell me. Actually, I felt connected to my Mom when I rode the subway, as she used to do.
One morning I got on the train and headed back toward my preferred seat at the rear of the train. North Hollywood was the last stop and the train was usually empty when I got on. There was a woman fast asleep in the seat. Now, sometimes street people get on the subway and sleep. It's probably safer to them than sleeping on the street or maybe they are just tired. In any case, this woman was dressed professionally, so I touched her arm lightly and said "Ma'am, you're in North Hollywood" She started "what?" she said, looking confused "You are at the end of the line" I said "did you need to get off here? The train is getting ready to leave" "Oh NO!" she said I needed to go to Wilshire and Western" Well she was about 20 minutes away and on the wrong train. To get where she needed to be, she would have to switch trains at another station. She was lost. She started to cry a bit, telling me this was her first day taking the train, she had just started this job and had decided the train was her best option. Now, she was going to be late. "Don't let me fall back to sleep" she said to me "Don't worry, I won't" I replied. We talked about nothing, just jobs and taking the train and how worried she was about her boss being angry she was late. I told her how to get to the train and what to look for on the header signs, so she didn't wind up going the wrong way. We were soon at her stop and I sent her off with a wave and a small prayer that her boss would understand what had happened to her and be forgiving.
That day at work, I thought about her and wondered how she was doing, but figured that I would never really know. The chances of meeting her were pretty much slim and none, as she had been on the wrong train to begin with.
At the end of the day, I felt a real sense of urgency to leave the office on time for a change. It was really... weird. I kept feeling like I HAD to leave. NOW. So I packed up my stuff and hurried to the train station. Usually, I meander, clear off with the Security guys about whatever is going on and stroll to the station. On this day, I actually hurried. Normally I would go to the bottom of the stairs and turn right, going all the way to the end of the platform. Getting a seat was always easier in the rear car at that time of day. This time, I turned LEFT and went toward the front cars. I looked next to me and SHE was standing there; the lost woman from the morning. I laughed and said "Don't tell me you're lost again" She JUMPED and stared at me. "YES" she said " I AM" and I was standing here praying "Oh please Lord, send me that woman from this morning and here you are!"
I was able to ask her how her day went . Her boss was understanding and she said she would be able to get to the right train going. I told her how to get to the train going home. She was standing on the wrong platform when I found her. I got her to her train and headed home myself.
I no longer take the subway. I moved to another part of the City and the subway no longer works for me. I miss it sometimes and sometimes I think of the lost woman and hope she is doing fine.
I think that's the ONLY time I have been the direct answer to someone's prayer.
Sheldon talked about his LA Marathon experience. It was a wonderful piece. He asked me if I planned on applying for this, well probably not, but it DID challenge me to write a piece that might be a phantom part of it, sort of an exercise.
It's supposed to be five to six minutes. Someone said about 150 words is a minute, but I looked it up and they said 750 words is a five minute speech. Fine. Three pages.
I can do this.
HA!
Here is my LA story ( it's a nicer one than I thought about and spoke with Sheldon about last night)
I used to take the subway to work. I got on at North Hollywood and rode the nineteen minutes to 7th Metro. Riding the subway made me feel like a real commuter, like all those movies and stories about living in New York that my mom used to tell me. Actually, I felt connected to my Mom when I rode the subway, as she used to do.
One morning I got on the train and headed back toward my preferred seat at the rear of the train. North Hollywood was the last stop and the train was usually empty when I got on. There was a woman fast asleep in the seat. Now, sometimes street people get on the subway and sleep. It's probably safer to them than sleeping on the street or maybe they are just tired. In any case, this woman was dressed professionally, so I touched her arm lightly and said "Ma'am, you're in North Hollywood" She started "what?" she said, looking confused "You are at the end of the line" I said "did you need to get off here? The train is getting ready to leave" "Oh NO!" she said I needed to go to Wilshire and Western" Well she was about 20 minutes away and on the wrong train. To get where she needed to be, she would have to switch trains at another station. She was lost. She started to cry a bit, telling me this was her first day taking the train, she had just started this job and had decided the train was her best option. Now, she was going to be late. "Don't let me fall back to sleep" she said to me "Don't worry, I won't" I replied. We talked about nothing, just jobs and taking the train and how worried she was about her boss being angry she was late. I told her how to get to the train and what to look for on the header signs, so she didn't wind up going the wrong way. We were soon at her stop and I sent her off with a wave and a small prayer that her boss would understand what had happened to her and be forgiving.
That day at work, I thought about her and wondered how she was doing, but figured that I would never really know. The chances of meeting her were pretty much slim and none, as she had been on the wrong train to begin with.
At the end of the day, I felt a real sense of urgency to leave the office on time for a change. It was really... weird. I kept feeling like I HAD to leave. NOW. So I packed up my stuff and hurried to the train station. Usually, I meander, clear off with the Security guys about whatever is going on and stroll to the station. On this day, I actually hurried. Normally I would go to the bottom of the stairs and turn right, going all the way to the end of the platform. Getting a seat was always easier in the rear car at that time of day. This time, I turned LEFT and went toward the front cars. I looked next to me and SHE was standing there; the lost woman from the morning. I laughed and said "Don't tell me you're lost again" She JUMPED and stared at me. "YES" she said " I AM" and I was standing here praying "Oh please Lord, send me that woman from this morning and here you are!"
I was able to ask her how her day went . Her boss was understanding and she said she would be able to get to the right train going. I told her how to get to the train going home. She was standing on the wrong platform when I found her. I got her to her train and headed home myself.
I no longer take the subway. I moved to another part of the City and the subway no longer works for me. I miss it sometimes and sometimes I think of the lost woman and hope she is doing fine.
I think that's the ONLY time I have been the direct answer to someone's prayer.
Word count on this piece is 708. Close enough!
Saturday, May 4, 2019
May the Fourth be with you
Ok I know it is something of a hackneyed cliche, but hey!
I remember seeing the original Star Wars back in May of 1977, I was engaged to be married and we went to see the movie a total of- I think- seven times that Summer ( in between, we got married)
We saw it at the drive in. Back then, you hooked the movie up to your own sound system and relaxed in your car with the snacks you brought. It was better than the theater.
We probably smoked a few while we were waiting for the film. Don't judge! It was the 70's it was a thing.
The things I remember about it are how blown away we all were at the graphics and the "magic" that Industrial Light and Magic brought to our eyes. We rooted for Luke, thrilled when Han showed his true colors and loved Leia for her spunk.
I hated when Disney took over the franchise. I REALLY hated when they sanitized the bar scene and made it so that Han did not just shoot first. It made his "redemption" as it were, at the end of the first film so much better. We all know Han was an asshole. He should have remained that way in the later releases.
The later films were just ok. There is a saying in film that "a sequel Never equals" and even though these films were created to be a series, I was not wowed by the others as I was by this one ( I'm looking at YOU JarJarBinks)
I wish I had a copy of the undoctored film somewhere. That would be a treat to watch today
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