« A Message From My Liver | Main | Oh, Sweet Lord, the Boredom! »
October 09, 2005
You Take the Good, You Take the Bad
You take the both and there you have my Saturday.
The good: Kara, Angie and I made a little trip to Gordon's Stoplight Diner, est. 1948, for Jumbo Burgers. That would be a crispy little grilled burger swimming in grilled onions, barbeque sauce and slaw. And yes, it's just as delightful as it sounds. I'd eat another one for lunch today, if I had one.
The bad: While I was perched on a stool at the counter, I had my right ankle cocked at a weird angle. When we were ready to leave, I thought, "Hmm, it seems my foot has fallen asleep. Oh well. Feet fall asleep. No big deal." I jumped off the stool and started to the cash register, only to have my entire foot go numb.
Well, numb until the seering black pain of my ankle ligament twisting brought an end to the blissfully unaware numbness.
Yelling "Oh shit!" in the middle of a tiny small-town diner where many little old ladies are enjoying their onion rings? Probably not a good way to entice the diner to send a regular supply of Jumbo Burgers to my doorstep an hour away.
The good: After lunch I had a meeting with the editor of the new print edition of Arch City Chronicle. You see, they have hired me to write restaurant reviews for them. So go subscribe, okay?
Anyway, we were meeting at a local coffeehouse to discuss the particulars. Very cool. Totally different than my last professional magazine writing experience, which makes me very happy.
Over the past few weeks I've emailed with the editor and sent quite a few clips of my writing, but I never mentioned my blog. I mean, if you were trying to get a job, would you send the URL to your expletive-filled verbal vomitting recepticle? Of course not. But someone directed him to my blog.
"And you still want to hire me? Really?" I asked.
I present to you, the opposite of "dooced". I have been "poppied" - hired because of my blog.
The bad: Of course, I was a bit off-kilter when I arrived at the coffeehouse. I had just driven 45 minutes with a very sore ankle, and I was facing, essentially, a job interview, even though I'd already been offered the job. The coffeehouse is in a residential neighborhood with off-street parking. I arrived just in time for my meeting, parked, and hobbled to the meeting spot.
I had been at the coffeehouse for the exact amount of time it takes to make a latte - five minutes, tops - when a man stuck his head in the door and annouced, "Does someone here drive a green Ford truck?" I immediately stepped up and said that I do. "It's blocking my driveway."
I apologized profusely and immediately - immediately - darted out the door to fix the situation. I admitted that I made a stupid, careless mistake by accidentally blocking three feet of his driveway, and hopped fast to rectify the situation. All while the offended party stood in his yard, snarking, "You can't tell me that you didn't notice you parked in front of my driveway. Surely you're not that stupid."
He continued slinging insults my way the whole time I was moving my truck until finally, I got out of my truck, stood in the middle of the street and screamed, "I am so, so, so sorry for the awful, horrific mild inconvenience I have thrust upon you. I hope to God you're able to recover from my terrible oversight!" before storming back to the coffeehouse.
Well, storming back as well as my grapefruit-sized ankle would allow. The guy wasn't even going anywhere, nor did he have someone trying to park in his driveway.
And can I just say that I really hate myself when someone's being an asshole and I can't resist the urge to stoop to his level? I would have loved to have done some awful things to this guy. I really would have. And that makes me feel sick.
I just don't get people. I really don't. Yeah, I know I'd be pissed if someone blocked my driveway. It's happened before. I also know that when I ask the person to move the car and they're apologetic and willing to do so, I don't stand in my yard and hurl insults at the person.
So, good: awesome lunch with great friends, and a fab new job.
And bad: I can't walk and my faith in humanity has taken another blow.
Seems like a fair trade-off.
Posted by Robin at October 9, 2005 11:52 AM
Comments
I'll bet another one of those burgers would make your ankle feel better. I think it's worth a try at least.
Mmmmm...slaw...the wonder cure of the century.
Congrats on the writing gig! Being Poppied will soon become a part of the blogging lexicon.
I get what you mean about how the asshole and his driveway. I think living below the Loud Family has made me into a nastier person and I don't like that. I'm hoping that moving will snap me back into myself.
Posted by: DixiePeach at October 9, 2005 02:58 PM
Congrats on the new job!
See! You are such a good writer!
And this blog rocks!
It's awsome that it helped you get hired!
Posted by: Johanna Cagan at October 9, 2005 03:17 PM
Congrats on being poppied!
That's GOT to just reinforce your belief that this is going to be a pretty cool gig. :)
Posted by: beege at October 9, 2005 06:08 PM
he he he
Where is that place? I have never heard of it?! SOunds AMAZING... I mean in a heart attack, cholesterol kind of way ;-)
Posted by: Crits at October 9, 2005 08:16 PM
I got Poopied last night, but I think my "poopied" is different than your "poopied".
BTW... 33 has always been my favorite number. 33. Hmmmm - does that number have any significance to you? This month?
Posted by: Big Daddy B at October 10, 2005 05:46 AM
Yay, for good bosses! Yay, for you!
(i've not had my coffee, yet.)
Posted by: Jane at October 10, 2005 08:24 AM
Yay on the job! I love, love, love that you've been Poppied, and I think that you should be Poppied by even still MORE publishing enterprises. Cause girl, you can write.
Sorry about the ankle thing. I am the queen of my foot falling asleep cause I have this habit of tucking my right foot under my left leg. I think I should learn from this injury... I really should.
As for the driveway guy... Cut him some slack. He has prolly been blocked in so many times he can't discern between three feet of blockage and total blockage. I know of what I speak, having been the feminine version of Asshole Driveway guy in a former life. (My garage in New Orleans used to get blocked CONSTANTLY. Always by various Mercedes.) At least he didn't have you towed.
Posted by: Julie J at October 10, 2005 11:00 AM
Yay for the new job and good food, and boo for the ankle and the asshole.
And yay for Monday!
That tips the scales. Yay.
Posted by: Summer at October 10, 2005 11:12 AM
Big Daddy B, I can't believe you didn't wait until your wedding night. So much for wearing white next week!
Posted by: Poppy at October 10, 2005 11:30 AM
Congrats on the new gig!
Posted by: carrster at October 10, 2005 03:48 PM




