White knuckled driving

It's been raining for what seems like forever; today it finally abated. On Wednesday, I went to work quite early, leaving the house at 6:45am, when it was still dark. It was also raining buckets at the time; so I was commuting with hundreds of others in less-than-ideal conditions. Many of you drive the 680 corridor between 580 and 24, and know that they are attempting to repair some of the asphalt so that it's not so bumpy and pothole-y. In any case, there are still four lanes, but the carpool and the slow lanes are now right up against the k-rail and the lanes are significantly narrower. So, I am poking along between 55-60 because it's pouring, and I thought I was going to die; there were people going about 75-80, people driving without their headlights on, people following too close - you get the picture. I mean, it's the law - you turn on your headlights when (1) it's dark, and (2) it's raining. If its dark AND raining, and your headlights are off, you are just asking for trouble. Plus, you scare people like me who are forced to white-knuckle it on our way to work.

Oh Michelle

Ok, Michelle - this one's for you. I love how you make new friends so easily, how you are always willing to try something new. I am grateful that, even though it didn't work out, you were willing to take in my puppy dog when things went south for Mike and I. You are my fellow clubber (occasionally) and Dublin friend.

An ode to Jeff, Daniel, and Juka

I am grateful to have you in my life. You invite me over pretty much every Friday, and in addition to opening your home to me, you cook (and call me fatty)! I'm glad that you put up with my weirdness, and my admittedly naughty sense of humor. You three are some of the kindest, most generous people I know. You make me laugh, you never force me to watch Avatar, despite repeated threats, and I can tell that you are generally interested in my well-being. Cran Grape!

Wow

So, I just got an email from my friend Matt, that his best friend, and our middle-school and high school classmate has finally passed away after dealing with septicemia, several transplants, and more days in the hospital than out over the past 6 years. Jon Krainock was 31: my age.

Life is short folks, too short to waste on petty BS and too short to live with anger, or waiting for something magic to happen. You have to create your own magic everyday and literally live each moment for itself. So, Jon, wherever you are, the contents of a letter I wrote you back in junior high were essentially this: you jokingly asked me to 8th grade grad dance, and you probably knew that I had a huge crush on you. Yes, of course I wanted to go with you, but thought you were just being a jerk (it was junior high, who wasn't a jerk?), so I basically told you to piss off. I'm sorry, and I am glad we got to chat, albeit briefly, via text last year. You seem to have turned into a remarkable man and father, and at least now your soul can rest from all the physical pain of the past 6 years. See you on the other side.

I can't; I'm Mormon

Most of the time, not eating gluten is so NOT a problem. People often tell me that they don't think they would be able to eat gluten free, or that my life must "suck" because I can't eat those products, but let me tell you how it really is.

When I eat something with gluten, the pain isn't immediate; nope, it waits a few hours and then I have intestinal pain for several days, and nothing else I eat gets absorbed. If I am experiencing malnutrition, I am more likely to be fatigued and grumpy, and no one likes that. When we go out to dinner and they put the bread basket on the table, there is no temptation for me to eat it because I like feeling good, and eating the bread will NOT make me feel good. So many restaurants have at least a few gluten-free options now, and they are quite tasty! I now don't do much think of it as that I can't eat something, it's that I don't want to. I still have that choice.

Here's the flipside: being a Mormon and having Celiac disease. So many functions include baked goods that I will not eat. Today, there was a break-the-fast that was entirely pasta, which I don't eat. I know that no one has anything against me (most of them don't even know), but sometimes it's hard not to feel left out at these types of things. I know I am being ridiculous right now, but that's just how it is.

Global Warming

Global warming is apparently to blame for every kind of weather. Horrible winter with record rain and/or snowfall? Global warming. Dry winter with not nearly enough rain and/or snow? Global warming. Global warming gets blamed for tornados, hurricanes, floods, or the lack of the aforementioned phenomena.

I have therefore decided that I am going to blame everything else on global warming. Had to work late yesterday? Global warming. Social Network losing Best Picture to The King's Speech? Global warming. Tripped over my own feet? Global warming.

Yep, sounds good. :)

Attention all idiots

Who think that the pop star Katy Perry has her phone number out on the internet, and insist on calling me: I will now be posting YOUR personal information here on my blog, along with the date, time, and how many times you called.

2/23/11 - 3 calls between 10:45pm and 10:50pm came from -
(310) 673-3976
Aaron H. Meza
418 Centinela Avenue
Inglewood, CA 90302

Congrats on being the first moron to earn this dubious honor.