While sorting out some pictures in iPhoto, in my latest attempt to reach the highest order of organization obtainable on Earth, I needed to establish a date for for one of the photos. This led me to pull out one of my binders of information - binders that one day will be a challenge for my daughter as she sorts through my belongings. I call them my day journals. They are a random and somewhat spontaneous collection of thoughts, observations, plans and souvenirs - collectables from everyday living that reflect my thinking, document my projects, my dinners, and basically, anything that catches my interest. These journals paint a picture of my life better than anything I could tell you.
However, because I was born with the consistency gene turned off, these binders are quite haphazard. Sometime detailed to a psychologically dysfunctional level; other times deficient of things that when looking back, I ask HOW could I NOT have written that down? It drives me nuts. And one day, it will drive my daughter nuts.
But it will also provide some amusing insight, should she have the time to look through them.
In the 1993 folder, I found the answer to my question. The snapshot was taken on August 20, 1993, during an extended business trip that took me from Colorado to San Francisco to LaJolla. Two baseball games, lot of driving miles hotels and restaurants. However, more interesting than the fact that I could answer my original research question was the set of notes I found. Notes that I made while on the trip. It was my way of remembering what I did and what I experienced.
Here are a few of the best form the list:
The no-armed man was from Boulder, CO. - WHAT could this possible mean ? This is some kind of David Lynchian code, I believe.
Terry Mulholland told me he's ready to go this weekend - Terry was a pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. I have no memory of talking to him, but I did attend a Phillies game in Denver.
Had a non-verbal conversation with Harry Kalas - This one I remember strongly. In fact, it was the subject of a former posting of mine.
Joey went out with the mother of "Annie", Andrea McArdle - Joey is my uncle Joey. I forgot about this nugget that was passed on to me by Joey's sister, my Aunt Helen. It was Aunt Helen that I was visiting in Boulder. She loved her brother and was always bragging about him, trying to impress me of this man I never really knew. I never knew Joey because he died young, shot by some jerk outside the bar that he owned in Philly.
A small bag of cookies was waiting in my room and the bed was turned down - I was on a business trip in SF and staying at the Mandarin Oriental. Five nights on the 33rd floor in one of the classiest hotels I've been in, in one of the most beautiful cities in the US. I can still remember the cookies. The next night, I got extra cookies. There is another note that says I left the maid a $10 tip.
"Michael, I wonder if you could bring my car up?" - Yes, I actually wrote this down. I guess I was pretty impressed with the services at the hotel.
"I have about 5 minutes before I pass out. If that happens, pour some sugar in my mouth" - This was said to me about 3 minutes before I started asking every stranger I saw, if they had a piece of candy on them. Danny was a diabetic guy that worked with me. We were on a cable car, heading to dinner. We found some candy.
Freeway accident on 101-S ramp, the car nearly flew OVER me - Holy shit! This memory has been erased from my brain. It must have freaked me out that I escaped.
The LaBrea Tar Pits are the pits! Nothing but a flooded tar quarry... but I did get some LaBrea tar on my shoe - makes me wonder where I was walking.
Passed a cop on I-405 around LA. I was doing 75, the cop was only doing 70 - This was back when 55 was still the speed limit. I remember thinking what the hell, this is LA. It's what you do out here.
SURVIVED LA - this was one of my last notes. It did not refer to the accidents or the tar pits or playing chicken with the cops. It refers to the fact that it was freeway shooting season in Southern California.
Here's the picture that took me down this road today. Maybe I won't try to explain what is going on, but I will say that I love it.
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