Ain't Nothin' Gonna Break My Stride...

The mantra of my life lately has been "Git' 'Er Done". It actually has been for a long time, but there have been a lot of things to 'git done' as of late. Moving stuff, looking for a better job, setting up the new digs, etc.. I'm more motivated than ever to get my life out of park and into drive.

I've had a number of 'speed bumps' along the way, of course. Pay cut at work, totaling my car, passive-aggressive lack of cooperation from various angles, but conversely, I've had a lot of support and encouragement from friends and family. My dad and grandfather came through with some loans to help me get a new car and root canal, my uncle is sending me a few shirts he's outgrown, my cousin Linda has been a huge source of comfort and encouragement, my friend Jason and his wife Jen have given me some social outlet that I've been lacking and some much-needed laughing by inviting me to dinner, and that's just a few! Most of all, my sister has been all kinds of awesome by not only providing me with her house as she preps for her move to LA, but most all of the furniture I'll need, some leftover groceries in the fridge, a few odd & end necessities, and playing chauffeur when my car was a hulking heap in the junk yard. Beyond that, she's been a great sounding board and source of moral support. My...sister...ROCKS!

There's a long road ahead, make no mistake. This will be a difficult, bumpy trek into uncharted territory. Best part is, I not only have a great team of friends and family ready to prop me up when I stumble and cheer me on along the way...

...but I seem to have an angel watching over me the whole time.

"Truckin, like the do-dah man once told me you've got to play your hand
Sometimes your cards ain't worth a damn, if you don't lay 'em down..."

...In My Brand New (old) Automobile!

Okay, the barbershoppers got that, anyway...

Well, here I sit, in my favorite morning spot once again - the Biggby Coffee in Madison Heights. I haven't been here in over a month and as soon as I walk in, I'm greeted by Paul & Travis like a long-lost friend. I feel like Norm at Cheers here. It's the only place where I can just say, "the usual". I like that. I've been skipping my morning coffee due to time and budget constraints the past month or so. I''ll probably start coming back here a bit more often, but probably just once a week...and skip the muffin.

But now to the point... My car is on the road and ready to go!! I spent a couple hours Wednesday day hitting my insurance agent and the Secretary of State getting her legal. As I ran the errands, I noticed a throbbing sound in the front driver's wheel. I didn't think too much of it, figuring it was a bald spot on the tire or something, but when I hit the freeway that evening on the way to quartet rehearsal, it got insistent. Figuring it a prudent measure to have the new ride scoped out by a knowledgeable and trusted source, I took my 98 Chevy Cavalier to my favorite mechanic, Tony at B.Y.O.P. (Bring Your Own Parts). I dropped it before work yesterday and bussed the rest of the way.

Sure enough, it needed some work. Having only paid $1300 for it, I assumed as much. A while later, Tony calls me with a short list of necessities. I give the okay, he agrees to grab the parts himself to save time (as I was working till 6), and after $228 and a promise to do the brake pads, I'm back on the road the same day!

So, ladies and gentleman, I present my new ride.





Suggestions of a name for her? Monikers my former modes of transportation have gone by include the Blue Bomber, 'Lil' Red, the Teal Tornado, Moose, and of course, the Shitmobile (which - knock wood - will nnot apply here).

On The Road Again!

Okay, it's been a while since I posted anything about what's going on with me, specifically. This one's not getting much into the big picture for various reasons, but is action packed; filled with car crashes, excitement, police, humility, defeat, and eventual triumph!

I love how I can make a simple car accident on I-94 sound like a Arnold Schwarzenegger movie.

Anyway, a week ago Sunday, I was traveling I-94 on the way back from visiting a friend. I was due to visit my friends Jason & Jenn at their place at 8pm and was running right on time, give or take 5 minutes. The weather was snowy (in late March? WTF!?), the traffic heavy, and I was taking all due caution, going about 5 MPH under the speed limit. Rather than take I-75 to I-696 and up Schoenherr, I figured it might shave a couple minutes off to just take I-94 to I-696.

I chose...poorly.

Just as I pass Gratiot, a red Jeep Cherokee comes barreling STRAIGHT ACROSS the freeway and hits my back passenger quarter panel. He was far enough back when the subsequent skidding was over that I couldn't see his plate in the dark, snowy weather. Traffic was REAL heavy for a Sunday night, and between the slick road, heavy traffic, bad weather, and the skinny left shoulder I was on, I was not about to risk getting outside my steel cocoon to talk to the guy.

I call 911, make my report, and wait...for the MI state police...on I-94...in Detroit...on a Sunday...in bad weather. Yea, right. I call Jason & Jenn and explain I may not make our Wii date, then call my Superheroine Sister to see if she can some to save the day, once again. Meanwhile, I'm sitting on the skinny left shoulder right against the berm in a busted car that had no heat anyway with 2 busted windows, my heart racing with every passing truck that shakes my car as it passes at 60+ MPH, missing me by millimeters, it seemed.

Shortly before the State Police show up 30 MINUTES LATER, the offending driver limps his hulking red ass away! I see him moving and start to spout a stream of expletives. The state police show up 5 minutes later aand take care of another accident just behind me on the off-ramp, then completely disappear! Thankfully, a tow truck driver spots me, turn his lights on to make others aware of my existence, and waits for a safe time to haul my shattered Fortress of Solitude onto his flatbed. Another tow truck comes by 10 minutes later to block the lane and secure the perimeter, and just as it's all loaded up, THEN the cops decide to show up.

We pull off the freeway and I give the cops all the info. Hit & Run - not much they can do. Yay. I get the info necessary to just give my shattered means of conveyance to the junk yard, my sister picks me up, and we head to Detroit Metro to pick up Paulie B.. From there I decide to just crash at Val's place to be sure I can get to work, as the public transportation system in Bloomfield Hills is basically nonexistent.

The next week was spent dealing with my incapacitated car (chaufeured by my awesome sister) and browsing CraigsList for a new set of wheels. My best bud, Lou, helped me try and get to see some, but all the posters neglected to get back to me. I managed to get to work via considerate local coworkers, my sister, and the bus. I did, through all that, manage to discover that if you walk 2.5 miles at a brisk pack while conducting Madison Scouts '92, you get a REAL good full body workout!

I had to swallow some pride and ask my grandfather for a loan to get the car. I was keeping my searched under $2k, expecting to just get a reliable beater. I would have needed him to co-sign to get a loan from the bank and didn't want to damage his credit, being that my paychecks have been miserable lately and aren't apt to get better real soon. I figure once I get the money flowing again, I'll talke out a bank loan to pay him back. Thankfully, some of the car searching for said beater panned out yesterday and I looked at a few cars, again through the kindness of my non-pedestrian sister. The last one I looked at had a couple issues, but the seller was a mechanic and fixed them on the spot. It's a 96 Cavalier, 90's Teal, virtually no body damage, VERY little rust, and runs great. It's no Mazzarati and a bit smallish, but for the price, it's pure awesome. Best of all, it has no exhaust problems, a great working radio/cassette player, and (get this) WORKING HEAT!!!

I''ll post a pic of the new one soon in this blog entry.. In the meantime, here's one of the remains of my former Fortress of Solitude:



Total bad car, get a better one for even cheapper. Karma's great that way. :)

So once again, I am mobile. I'm taking thhe morning to grab a cup of coffee att the Caribou and blog, then it's off to my insurance agent, the Secretary of State, MicroCenter for another FM transmitter for my MP3 player, and off to work. Tonight, I have the first rehearsal with my quuartet in over a month, and *I'M* picking Lou up for a change, now that I have working heat!!

Yay me!!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes...

Changes are coming...I don't know how long they'll take. I don't know what will happen.

This isn't exactly new territory for me, but I have a mind on the goal now, rather than just abstract ideas of the interim. I have ideas of the steps necessary, friends & family ready to help me however I need, and a determination to get it right.

It's time to start accomplishing my own personal goals. I have been labeled an 'underachiever' since 3rd grade. At 34, it's high time I started making goals and doing what it takes to meet them. It's time to start trying to be happy. I know what I want. I'm starting to understand how to get there. It will take strength, determination, and a solid work ethic. It's frightening, because as most of you know those are my weaker points. I'm scared, but gaining courage. I'm weak, but gaining strength.

I won't sit quiet. I won't bow my head anymore. I won't bury myself for the sake of peaceful coexistence. Conversely, I won't step on people to achieve my goals, as that's contrary to my nature, but my needs mean something, too.

Change is uncomfortable. Change is chaotic and destructive. Change can destroy many good things in it's attempt to create a greater good.

Change is inevitable. Change is necessary.

Change is long overdue.

The Din of Inequity...

Life's complicated. Work, kids, family, friends...nothing is simple. Seems every aspect in my life is in some sort of state of flux. Not all of it's bad, mind you, so I'm not fishing for sympathy, or even help or advice. Nothing catastrophic is happening yet, it just feels...weird.

Work's going through a pretty bad slump right now with the economy being in such rough shape, and my pay's been cut. The chorus annual show is coming up in two weeks and I've been cast in a character role, so that's occupying some time. My quartet's on the show, so we've been working on polishing up our number for that - more time. Liam's Cub Scout Blue & Gold banquet is next week, so there's another addition to the crowded schedule.

I've had a lot to think about lately, and since the radio in my car stopped working, it's given me time for these thoughts to grow and develop on my various commutes. I'm not sure exactly what they're developing into yet, or if these nuggets of contemplation will result in any kind of change in me or my life. I don't expect them to, as I have a history of not effecting change in my own life, but just working harder in the direction I'm used to going. Still, all of this introspection may lead to at least a deeper self-understanding of how I think and feel.

Thoughts range from what kind of slacks I'll wear at the office or coffee I'll get in the morning, to my career options & educational path, to my kids' behavior and home life, so it's all over the map. No one subject keeps me occupied for very long - which is normal - but lately it's been longer than usual.

No prayers or condolences needed. No validation of my self-esteem required. I just need to find a way to get these various, jumbled thoughts to coalesce into solid decisions or plans of action in their respective milieu.

To sum up, my brain's a jumbled mess right now and the din only grows louder in silence and solitude. Time to pick up the baton, tap it on the stand, and get this orchestra to stop tuning and start playing.

Coming up: On a Lighter Note...

Ubergeek's Alter Ego: SUPERDAD!

Yesterday, I dropped the kids at school, worked 9 hours, came home, tidied up the living room, did several days worth of dishes (by hand - we have no dishwasher) while simultaneously making a nutritious dinner for my family, then did all of THOSE dishes, cleaned the cat box, transferred the laundry, returned a DVD to Blockbuster, returned the deposit bottles, went grocery shopping, refilled the cat box, and took out the garbage.

All without the slightest prompting.

That's right, ladies. Fantasize away...

Fact is, I almost never just walk in after work and plop on the couch. I walk in and immediately start putting things away, gathering the dishes and clothing scattered throughout the house by the younglings, making dinner and/or putting away ingredients and food items left on the counter, throwing away wrappers and junk mail... I simply cannot relax in a cluttered environment, and in my tiny 752 sq. ft. house with 4 people in it...the clutter never ends.

I've tried to do great purges of unused stuff to the Salvation Army, but it's difficult in a family of packrats. Granted, I'm no angel, in that regard. I have a record collection I haven't listened to in years, books I haven't read, a drawer full of small odds-n-ends, etc., but I keep my clutter contained. My stuff has places to go. If it doesn't, I make room by clearing out stuff I don't need.

Also, I generally don't hold on to things that "may be useful, someday" - at least, not for long. I avoid starting optional projects I don't think I'll finish, to avoid more clutter. I keep 'mementos' to a minimum. I regularly go through my drawers and closet to evaluate if I actually wear what's in there and donate what I don't. I have a collection of old band/drum corps/barbershop t-shirts and 1 small box of keepsakes from my youth in the shed - that's about it. Anything else I need, I keep in my car to avoid cluttering the house. Hell, I even keep my guitar at work because there's no room for it at home!

I've often been considered by many of those close to me as lazy and disorganized. I beg to differ. Between 2 jobs, freelance learning tracks, chorus, quartet gigs & rehearsals, Cub Scouts, and keeping the house kept up as best I can, sloth & disorganization is something I just don't hve time for.

Next plan it to reverse the spin of the Earth and turn back time to fit it all in.

Radio Days...

There was a posting on the PioNet (the regional listserv for Michigan barbershoppers) that WWJ Newsradio 950 wanted a quartet to sing a bit at their annual radiothon for THAW (The Heat And Warmth fund), an organization that provides assistance to low-income households with their heat bill in the winter months. The trick is that they wanted the group on a Friday afternoon.

The original quartet they asked was unable to doi it due to work conflicts. Having Dig Dave back in town, I thought I'd look into it. As the venue is only 2 miles from where Bari Dave works, Big Dave and Lou are unemployed, and I could take 1/2 a vacation day, I threw our hat into the ring. After a bunch of exchanged e-mails with Chuck, who was the radio station's contact with the first quartet), I connected with the producer and got us the gig. It's unpaid, but it's for a wonderful cause, and GREAT exposure!! We may get a free meal at the casino buffet, too... Nom, nom nom....

We had a GREAT rehearsal last night to work out the details. The new song is sounding fantastic! We're past the building stage and into spit & polish. We have all the notes under our belts, worked out the coordination of syncopated sections, and have it sounding performance-ready. Now, we just have to iron-out the 'brain farts', fix a few phrasing issues, and work the dynamic contrast. In the Wee Small Hours is still a bit rough, but we've only worked that a couple times. We need to decide on interp and phrasing, but that'll fix most of it.

So, if you're near a radio (locally) or computer (anywhere) between 11am & noon (EST), check out WWJ Newsradio 950 or go to www.WWJ.com and see if you can hear us!

Oh...and hire us. Seriously, we got 2 guys out of work and a convention in Traverse City coming up in 2 months! We need the cash!