Valiant Brewing - 1st Year Anniversary

Q & A

For Christmas I got a book that gives you a question a day for a year, and space to answer it for 5 years.  And I actually get to write it out.  Which is exactly what we were just talking about.... leaving my handwriting, thoughts, and daily ideas for generations to come.

It's not perfect, since it's set questions.  But it's not bad.

Day 1 - What is your mission?
Day 2 - Can people change?
Day 3 - What are you reading right now?

Real or Not Real

Do you believe in Santa Claus?  Did you ever?  Jolly Old Saint Nick.  Red nose.  Belly like a bowl full of jelly.  That guy.
I was just having a discussion with my younger sister about if we ever believed in Santa Claus.  I don't remember that I ever did.  She doesn't think she ever did either.

When we were little Santa came to visit us a few times.  Deep down, I really knew it was Grandpa dressed up in a Santa suit, but I think I really wanted to believe it was really Santa.  You know that song about mommy kissing Santa Claus?  That totally happened, except it was Grandma of course.

This is not a perfect blog.  I don't know why I can't finish it.  I can't figure out what the story should be.

Payphones and Y2K

I was thinking again today about the huge milestones in my life.  You know... not just MY milestones, but the milestones of the world, that I've lived through.  There were 80s things of course, but those things I barely remember.  Like earthquakes, and the Lakers winning lots of basketball games.  Weirdly I remember walking up the front lawn of my parents' house and having someone tell me that Magic Johnson was HIV positive.  That was shocking!  I don't even know what that sticks out in my head.

Oh.  I just thought of something.  Guess what?  In high school... Let's just make it clear that I graduated high school in 1999.  That, right there, is another story.  That whole Y2K thing.  Yes.  Everyone did think our computer system, and with it the world, would crash.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.  ... In high school I did not have a cell phone.  True story.  I remember having to call my my parents after practice (tennis, basketball, softball) ... and sometimes after Friday night football games from a payphone.  Yes, a payphone!!!!!  Are payphones even around anymore now?  They are very rare. That's for sure.  Even when typing, the word payphone is not a word.  Maybe it should be pay phone.  But... that's not the point.  The point is, I didn't have a cell phone.  And when I did get a cell phone, my freshman year of college, my younger sister and I had to share it.  Whoever got to drive the car, got the cell phone.  It was more of a safety thing.  Now, if I forget my phone, or need to turn it off on a flight I go a little bit crazy.  It's irrational.  I know.

Okay, let's get back to Y2K.  Where was I on the eve of the turn of the century?  When everyone thought our virtual infrastructure would crumble?  I was sleeping on the street in Pasadena, CA.  I don't even know why we thought this was a good idea.  I mean, I know why we went.  A whole bunch of us went to camp out for the Rose Parade.  As it approached midnight, cars were driving by throwing tortillas.  Yeah, tortillas are the thing to throw.   They don't make a mess.  Birds will eat them.  AND, boy do they fly.  

It was crazy.  I have no idea what we were thinking.  It was scary and exhilarating.  Like we were doing something wrong.  But so many people had the same idea I guess because it was just as crowded as it ever was.  Perhaps more so.  With all the end of the world crazies.

That's really the end of the story.  Nothing happened.  We slept in sleeping bags.  It was freezing.  We woke up at dawn to people walking by us on the sidewalk.  That is not really the best way to wake up. We walked to get coffee and saw the stealth bomber jet fly over the parade route.  It was loud and awesome.  Awesome in the way awesome should be.  Jaw drop, no words awesome.  And that is all that I remember.

Writing Life

I had a discussion with S recently about writing.  We talked about how important it was to leave some sort of impression on the relatives that come after you.  

Let me explain.  Right now I'm reading the book The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.  This book is set in Chicago during the time of the World's fair.  So... around 1893.  And I think it's really cool, because I had family living there around that time.  So I feel a connection.  S was saying, how cool would it be to be able to dig up a letter or a journal from a great great grandma to read her thoughts on the fair.  Letters are important.  Seeing handwriting is important.  

S also asked me what, in my lifetime, has had real significance, that generations after us would want to know where we were in relation to it, and how we felt.  This was a harder question than what I thought it would be.  

Of course September 11, 2001 is the very first thing that came to both our minds.  I still have this vivid memory though.  It was my junior year of college.  I was in Southern California.  So pretty much the opposite side of the country.  I was sitting on the floor of my dorm room, which happend to be the 2nd floor of a building called Newport Hall.  I was putting on makeup while looking in the big closet mirrors, when our suite mate came storming in our room and cried "A plane crashed into the two towers."  Shocked.  We watched what we could on tv, but I had to get to an 8am class.  It was marketing class and we still had class, like nothing had happened.  Later of course, when we finally knew what was going on, all classes were canceled.  I was on the softball team at the time, and practice was cancelled.  And that never happens.  My younger sister, who also went to the same college as I, hopped in the car and drove home.  I remember seeing my best guy friend's truck as I was about to leave.  I opened the window, touched the bumper, and secretly told him I loved him. Yes. Secretly.  

I think the best advice S gave me was to just write.  Don't edit myself.  It doesn't really matter how I say something as long as the points get written down.  

So.... I will begin to think about significant events in my life that should be documented. 

These should really be written down. By my hand. In a notebook.  Hopefully I get around to that. 

Late Night with The Devious Means

Live music is one of my all time favorite things.  So it comes in handy that my best friend is in a band.  I get to see and hear them play all the time, and even so… they still manage to entertain me.  I like these people.  They’re fun.  

See my review of their album HERE. 

This! This is why I'm Awesome.

I got an email from Google Voice last night saying that my number would expire if I didn't call or text from it in the next 30 days.  So... why not send some anonymous spooks?   I sent it to about 10 people, and the only one to respond was Mr. R.  SO... I decided to have some fun.   Right off the bat he thinks he knows who it is?  So wrong. Yes, of course I'm going to play along.  I'm pretty proud of myself... so I'm sharing. :) 

Me: When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam, May luck be yours on Halloween. 10:28 AM

R: Marcy...sorry for the lapse in communication... thanks for haunting me today 10:33 AM

R: ! 10:33 AM

R: You dressing up as anything? 10:33 AM

R: Wait...who is this??? 10:34 AM

Me: Your apology is accepted, the haunting is expected. Only dressing up as me, because who else would I be? 10:40 AM

R: Approached with rhymes and riddles...apparently I am dealing with a proper villain...my curiosity is piqued ..please tell me with who I speak... 10:44 AM

Me: Riddles and rhymes are exciting at times, you really must agree. Just enjoy the day, may the spooks be at play ... as to who I am, we shall see. 10:54 AM

R: It feels like I am being eaten alive by fire ants...the curiosity may indeed kill this cat! 11:17 AM

Me: Calm yourself and your cat. The ghosts did not want for any of that. They mean you no harm, so please disarm, your brain can now relax. 11:26 AM

R: Can you provide any other clues? Or will you just hide and bemuse? 12:13 PM

Me: Howls and haunts do not like to flaunt, their identity it's true. In time dear mate, the rhyming and bait, will end and you'll know who. 12:25 PM

Me: Boo! Are you ready? The reveal is coming. Here we go, stay steady. Start the roll of drumming. 1:53 PM

R: Drop it! 2:07 PM

Me: Don't be too bitter, just check in on twitter. Take a quick peek for the answer you seek. 2:18 PM

R: Wow... just wow.... that was what my intuition said... 2:20 PM

R: Is this your work phone? 2:51 PM

Me: This number that's used is not on the job. The number that's used is to keep away the mob. 2:54 PM