Johnny Rockstar

I couldn’t sleep this morning, because of nerves I suppose. So I woke up early and ended up at work a few minutes early for my last day at Life Plus. It’s a strange feeling to know I will never be in this office again after today. But it’s hard to feel too sad when people keep bringing in treats. There are roasted walnuts, pastries, cupcakes, tarts, and cheese and crackers. It’s going to be a melancholy but delicious last day here.

Posted by Johnny Rockstar at 08:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I haven’t been very good about posting here lately, mostly because I’ve been so busy. However, since I got an email from my grandpa asking why he had to hear from my cousin that I’m moving, I thought I better put up and update.

The big news is that I’m moving to Memphis in just a few days. I found a new job in Memphis and will be moving in with Kathryn this coming weekend. We’ve got a 102-year-old shotgun house one street back from the cultural epicenter of the Memphis art scene. The neighborhood is full of old houses, funky stores, and hip restaurants—some a little too hip, but most have been great so far.

This all happened just as the annual Life Plus Miami trip was coming up, which is one reason I haven’t posted—no time or energy. I had to call my boss, who was already in Miami, on her cell to give my two weeks notice. Then instead of packing my house and getting my affairs in order, I spent five days in Miami. Not to complain, it was a fun trip as always. The timing was just a bit off.

Posted by Johnny Rockstar at 09:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

It’s snowing again today, with a forecast of a twelve inch accumulation by tomorrow. As most people are barricaded indoors at the moment, I took this opportunity to get my hair cut. Just as I suspected, there was no line and everything was going perfect until the hairdresser took the tiny clippers to my ears. After doing the standard close-up around the outside of my ears, she then proceeded to use the clippers IN my ears. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, I’ve reached the point in my life where the insides of my ears have become part of my haircut.

Oh also, accidentally shaved off my beard last night. I was trying to trim it up a bit and took off a big chunk. The only thing to do was mow it all down. It was a sad evening. But now my chin, head, and ears are all trimmed and looking good.

Posted by Johnny Rockstar at 01:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Traditionally, I’ve never been much of a scarf wearer. However, when my big sis started knitting, I got jealous of every else’s handmade scarves and asked her to make one for my Christmas present. She did and I immediately fell in love with it. I never knew the back of my neck could be so warm. I had no idea how much warmer in general my chin and torso could be when I’m out and about in cold weather. This was a couple of years ago. I’ve dutifully worn my scarf every day the temperature dips below 45 since. This past Friday I discovered a new use for my scarf.

Thursday night an ice storm blew through encasing Batesville in a thin shell of ice. By Friday morning the precipitation had evolved into snow, and after accidentally sighing loudly while looking out the window at work, my boss sent me home around ten in the morning so I could drive to Memphis before the proposed eight inches of snow accumulated. Before getting out of town I had to fill my gas tank. This how it happened:

1. Pull into gas station. Get out of car.
2. Put credit card into thingy and turn to open gas cap.
3. Realize new car (thanks again mom) has gas lid opener lever inside.
4. Open door, push dog back, pull lever, close door.
5. Go back to the pump. Notice lid still closed.
6. Open door, push dog back, pull lever again, close door.
7. Go back to the pump. Notice lid still closed.
8. Realize latch must be frozen due to aforementioned ice storm.
9. Open door, shove dog back, pull lever forcefully, close door.
10. Go back to the pump. Realize lid is not going to open.
11. Try to pry lid open with finger nails. Wince and stop.
12. Try to pry lid open with car keys. No luck.
13. Think maybe I loosened it.
14. Open door, shove dog back, pull lever again, close door.
15. Go back to the pump. No luck.
16. Wedge keys into crack in lid.
17. Open door, wrestle dog back, pull lever, hear keys drop, close door.
18. No luck.
19. Wedge keys even further into crack in lid.
20. Open door, wrestle dog back, pull lever, hear keys drop, close door.
21. Still no luck.
22. Try to pry lid open with keys.
23. Measure arm span and discover it woefully to short to reach both lever and lid at the same time.
24. Consider trying to pull lever with foot.
25. Try to pry lid open with keys.
26. Open door, fight dog back, take off scarf.
27. Realize Sarah’s expert craftswomanship made scarf too tightly knitted to fit lever into gap in yarn.
28. Try anyway. Fail.
29. Fight dog back again.
30. Fold scarf in half, loop fold around lever.
31. Walk carefully back to tank with scarf ends in hand, yelling at dog to stay.
32. Dig keys into crack, pull on scarf, cheer in excitement as lid pops open.
33. Put scarf back on, close door, pump gas.

Thanks Sarah. I couldn’t have done it without you.

Posted by Johnny Rockstar at 04:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Something I’m realizing is that snow makes me happy—very happy. I got to drive though a whole bunch of snow and ice this weekend and I loved every second of it. I even enjoyed the harrowing seconds spent passing semi trucks as they spit frozen slush all over my windows. I’m fairly certain more than a few curse words were directed my way as I cruised past other drivers on my way to Memphis Friday while the snow was still coming down. I loved that too, because I knew I was driving within my limits.

At one point I had to stop to knock the accumulated ice of my wipers. When I stepped out of the car I was hit with a blast of near horizontal freezing, stinging, icy mist. I loved it. I loved going into the gas station and escaping the cold for a few minutes, then heading back out into the inclement weather. I loved later in the night when we walked carefully across the iced over sidewalks to a nearby restaurant for dinner. I even loved getting ready for the drive and possible disaster by putting on two pairs of wool socks and my boots before hefting an armload of emergency blankets and candles into my backseat.

I love snow.

Posted by Johnny Rockstar at 04:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)