blog #018 >> getting to know the neighbors

Well, this one was a long time is getting up. Now it's practically ancient history; it's passed into ledgend. Everyone seems to know this story even if I've never told them. But just in case you've only heard it through the grapevine. My version is as follows:
Dave and Trina (my neighbors and two excellent generous and noble friends) don't like the heat. During these lovely sunny exuberantly/balmy days they prefer to hide in the comfort of a cool air-condioned room. They decided that their old air conditioner was not longer providing the refreshingly frigid tempature they desired. So my wonderful gracious neighbors offered me they're old air-condioner. I happily accepted, and asked them to leave it by the door.
Well... I got home and much to my surprise they had put it in the window. I thought, "Great! It's even in the window." So I went to turn it on... and nothing happened. After I quick investigation I realized, "Ah Ha! It's just not plugged in." I go to plug it in only... wait there's no outlet. Not even close. After a moment of contemplation to consider what should be done. It hits me, "I can't get online with the AC in this window." Well, if you know me at all than you should know. I am simply addicted to the internet. I can't even go a couple of hours without it... "How will I contact the outside world?" "How many e-mails will I miss?" It had to be moved. Yes, it was past midnight. But it was also production week and I needed to know what time to show up to work the next day, by e-mail. So... in my tired mind, moving seemed to be a viable option.
Now I realize these things are probably over half my body weight. But that particular window is level with my desk. I worked it all out in my mind. And it worked so perfectly. I got to work. I cleared off my desk and opened the window, stuck my head out to pull it in... and, "Snap!" the window breaks... It comes down and traps me between the window and the AC... the runner broke and it would only go down and not up. As I was trying to escape and wiggle myself out... I lost my holding on the AC and it falls from my second story apartment... Only I catch it by the tip of the cord. So, I'm still stuck in the window, but now I'm holding a fifty pound air conditioner by the cord. Well, I try my best to pull it up, but let's face it I'm not all that strong. As I'm debating what I will crush if I let it go... one of my other neighbors who was out having a smoke comes up and asks if I needed some help. "Yes!" Is the obvious answer. So, I let it slip gently though my hands and she was remarkably able to catch it! Once I was free of the air conditioner I was able to fiddle with the window and get myself out. Anyhow, after I was unstuck, I went down and my neighbor helped me carry it back up to the apartment.
Then after the adrenaline wore down I looked down at my hands and I had the worst rope burn I've ever had in my life. I ran and but my hands in some cold water and when I dried them off the whole first layer of skin came off too. After getting some frozen peas from the freezer, I really couldn't sleep. And I hear from my open window my neighbor relaying the story to her husband. So, I went out and sat with them and my peas for awhile. It made a very nice fan stand while I waited for someone to help me put it in the other window.
And remarkably it still works and now it is sitting happily in the right window... by an outlet.


Moral of the story: When moving an air conditioner use the buddy system.

blog #017 >> the accordion and i

Yes, I play the accordion... or at least play with an accordion.
Then one day I thought, "I should document this memorable moment." How would anyone believe that I play the accordion if no one is around when I play it? (And they're the fortunate ones.) Of course the answer is simple, take a picture. That way they can see me play without the pain of actually listening. Perfect! But it's not simple to take a picture of yourself playing the accordion. So, I employed Dave and Trina for the difficult task. (Thanks guys!) Armed with ear muffs... well no not exactly... we left for the park. You see, if your going to take pictures with an old accordion, you need to use an old camera. And if you're going to use an old camera, then you need to be outside. And if you're going to be outside taking pictures, then you need to be at a park. So, off to Laurelhurst Park we went. Three of us and a fairly large accordion all packed neatly into little Sophie, the sea-foam green VW Beetle. It was a beautiful day, but I had forgotten, it was Memorial Day weekend. And there where quite a few people at the park. And for some odd reason, when people see someone with a red accordion in a park, they kinda expect them to play it. I did my best without music, but I'm truly just below mediocre in skill. Well if anything, I looked great, and we got a lot of killer photos to send Grandma. (Not that I want to kill Grandma... it's just a figure of speech.) See below for a small sampling.





I was sort of going for the classic mistake box look. For those of you who don't know what a mistake box is... Growing up my mom always put all the family photos in albums, but the ones that didn't turn out or that she had doubles of went into the mistake box. These photos were later used for crafts or cutting up and putting in necklaces or whatever. It was always fun to search through the box for the really strange ones, some were blown out, or people turned at just the wrong time, or someone's head would be cut off, or someone would walk in front of the camera, or you'd just see a picture of feet. I always liked them. Anyhow I think these would have been some of the best in the box.