#I am in quarantine til Sunday and I wanted something to do

[craftinghellkite]

So I got another one. HMM Red Horn. A classic Zoid in my book. Having had the motorized version for myself, I can tell the changes in some of the details. For a change of pace, this one really wants some parts glued down, so I obliged. I need to get some new colors, but I've started detailing what I can. Maybe decals tomorrow?

[lockdownuk]

Lockdown Diary Part 7

A personal account during the lockdown in the UK due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

23/03/2020 8:30pm Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister, gives a live address to the nation to, effectively, put the country on lockdown to stem the spread of the deadly coronavirus strain, Covid-19.

Many of us have been self-isolating for days but this latest development within the UK in reaction to the pandemic feels very serious and very scary. I decided to keep a simple diary and where better but online.

Day 181: Typing on day 182. I received an email from someone at DSM who had got my CV from Helen Proctor (she was the manager that interviewed me along with the founder) and wants me to interview for a IT business consultant role for a shoe firm (Loakes) in Kettering. I called the chap and had a quick chat and arranged it for Wednesday.

A few beers, as it’s Friday, and caught up via video chat with Foggy and Irish Mike (Foggy’s on quarantine having holidayed in the south of France). It was a late one and they were both pissed, but nice to chat. Andy and Ham were meant to join but were no shows - Ham had his sister’s funeral this week - might explain it.

Day 182: I messaged Ham - he went round his folk’s house after work last night as his two sisters were there. I have to admit, I am ignorant of all of Ham’s brothers and Sisters so he may well have meant one was Preaya in an urn.

Someone on the Oundle Chatter FB group asked about Google Hangouts (on behalf of her son who is attending college and they have online classes using it. I am now about to look into it for her. Why did I get involved. It’s 8pm on a Saturday, ffs!

Update, I researched it and messaged her - seems I hit a nail on the head and she seemed suitably grateful. Booze and pizza coming right up (at 9:15pm)

Day 183: Up at just before 2pm - I drank shed loads last night and went to bed after 4am. Faffed about but did manage my stair climb, a 10km walk and I am now making a roast dinner-ish tea (chicken breast stuffed with red leicester and wrapped in bacon) with all the veg and yorkies (I am trying to empty the freezer as it needs defrosting).

Day 184: I posted on FB that today was half a leap year of lockdown (that’s wrong, should have been yesterday). Rachel replied that it isn’t lockdown anymore. I replied that it is for me but that got me thinking - are we officially in lockdown still? Checked, and we are. Posted that on the same thread and Badger replied that the current level of lockdown has been uprated to level 4, whatever that actually means. Rachel’s post worries me - 1. ‘cos it’s indictative of the far-too-relaxed attitude and, 2. I wasn’t even sure even though I’m still observing the same lockdown behaviour that I was before Boris made his announce on March 23rd. Scary how facts bleed into fiction. 

Jim contacted me today, asked me to call. I did so, he says I’ll be asked to return to work (from home) on the 5th October (two weeks). Shirley from HR will be in contact. I’ll believe when I see the email from her! 

Day 185: Boris announced a tightening of the relaxed lockdown including pubs shutting at 10pm. None of it really affects me since I’m still in as full a lockdown as when it started.

Received an email from John Morton at DSM for an interview at Loakes tomorrow (Wed) at 09:30am.

Received a Facebook message from the editor at Oundle Chronicle - he wants to do a short article about the photos I take and post on the Oundle Chatter fb group.

Day 186: Interview went ok.

Called Dad and Rita to let them know that I received an email from RCI confirming that I will be back at work on the 5th of October.

In the evening, Facebook had posts concerning somebody walking round Creed Road with a knife in his hand, and the police getting involved!

Day 187: Spend spend spend. Paid my speeding fine today £357, my water bill £147, bought two new duvet cover sets and two new sheets £58, a new pair of walking boots (my relatively new Hi-Tec are leaking and falling apart) £75. Oh, and the car insurance renews day after tomorrow, £230. Thank fucking fuck I’m being taken off furlough!

Day 188: Friday and I’m going to have a few beers and watch a couple of films.  I’ve been trawling through Seinfeld and am most the way through S3, and it’s brilliant. The Kramer character is mentally good. One episode had the actress who played Janice in Friends - that episode is a classic - which also included an scene whereby the cast are all exclaiming ‘Saturday night’ similar to the Friends TikTok trend. Got a call this morning about a service delivery lead role for EPM, a education service provider, based in Huntingdon. It’s a good role, very involved, reporting directly to the head of IT. But it’s only £32k pa. I replied to the email the recruiter subsequently sent to say I am interested but that salary is less than £5k pa than I am on now as a 2nd line support techie!  Lastly, I am well on my way to doing 500,000 steps in September!

Day 189: I was woken by the doorbell - a delivery of one of the duvet cover sets. On the door mat was a missed parcel delivery note from Ryal Mail (I have to get whatever it is from Warmington PO) and a note from next door (No. 34) asking for me to turn my music down at 10.30pm. That’s fair enough but....10.30pm! What are they, 80 years old? I have felt low today. There is no rhyme nor reason as to my moods suffice to say I am not of the happiest dispostion on a permanent basis, resigned to being alone. In fact, I have come to terms with the fact I’ll die alone but, it seems, some days I cope with it a lot worse than others. On that cheery note, it’s 8.45 pm on a Saturday night so, I am about to launch into some beers, weed and pizza. I think tonight I’ll seek out the second John Wick film - watch the first last night - so fucking good. You gotta love Keanu!

Day 190: Hopefully the last Sunday of having an enforced no-work-on-Monday so I’m going to have a beer or two (it’s now 8:20pm - just cracked open a Bud), watch American Sniper and eat Chilli and naan bread and onion rings. I did a 12 km walk today - I recall a time when 40-45 minuts walking was enough. Today’s walk was 2 hours! I know it’s only walking but I feel fitter than I have for years; still unfit, but fitter. Day 191: Well, I enjoyed the decadence of boozing last night but it meant getting up at after midday! Still managed two walks, trip to Tesco’s in Hampton after picking up the mystery parcel from Warmington PO. It was two unknown bottles of beer for a marketing campaign I entered a few days ago! I have to not open the beers until I receive instruction whereby I’ll be joining in with other drinkers in video chat! Day 192: Smahed 500k steps for September with one day to go! Cleaned the kitchen - I’m going to do the whole house over the next few days while I have the free time since I’m back to work on Monday.  The lad from next door called round this eveing to ask if I got the note. When I said yes, he told me they (he and his partner) can still hear music. FFS! I asked where their bedroom was, it’s along side mine, so I guess it’s the TV sound that is travelling up and disturbing them. Great, fuck knows what I should do if I want to watch anything after 10:30pm. I suppose going back to work is good timing..I shall be going to bed around that time myself, especially if I want to get up early to get a walk in before starting at 09.00 am.

Day 193: Typing on day 194. Only managed one walk today, before 9.00am. It made a great change walking that early. I then set about doing housework (which I started yesterday) - I want to clean the house from top to bottom before going back to work. i.e. while I have time during the working week. I did the Kitchen yesterday and the whole lounge today. It’s fucking knackering. I managed 519k steps in September, works out at 9.6 miles per day, which is good and, also, annoying. I have taken delivery and laundered all my new bedding. It’s brushed cotton lushness, can’t wait to try it. Last ‘happy hour’ of (this current) furlough, so I had beers (and a fucking spicey sausage casserole)...hence penning this a day late.

Day 194: I didn’t get out of bed until nearly 2pm, FFS. Spome with Ricky Roberts about kayaking, it sound sliek something I could take up but, I would need to join the boat club to have somewhere to get in and out!

Day 195: Sueanne from work called to let me know she’s taking over from Jim ‘til new yer and that the team are looking forward to my return - lovely. Dad called, he and Rita are fine as usual - lovely.

Day 196: Got up fater 2pm. I was seriously fucking wasted last night. Had a video chat with Fog - just checked, it ended at 02.04am and I did a lot more drinking and smoking after that. I still managed a 9.7km walk and am now going to settle down to a few (just a few!) beers, shepherds pie and watch Casino. Day 197: Quiet Sunday with some bizarre results in Super Sunday in the prem. Man U lost at home to Spurs 1-6 and Liverpool were thrashed at Villa Park, 7-2. Work tomorrow, feeling a little apprehensive, not sure why. Got to go to the office (to reset password) at 09.00am

Day 198: Back to work. It went OK. I had to go to the office so that my a/c could be enabled and password reset and t get VPN working. There were a few problems but I was back home and logged in OK in the afternoon. Saw Mark in the office - he’s lost weight and was telling me about a cycling accident - I knew about it, but I didn’t realise he had been in hospital and had a plate put in his shoulder. He also has the exact same issue with codeine as me! I am pleased to be back at work but it’s different - no Jim and Sueanne in charge is the main thing. I’m just going to keep my head down; it’ll be for the best.

Day 199: Second day back at work and I’m (trying to) crack on with it. It’s all coming back... New walking boots arrived today (I have them on as I type); I reckon I’ll be OK to walk in them with no breaking in. That’s just as well as my evening walk took me by the marina and the path between the lock, the small bridge and, especially, the larger bridge into the field at the bottom of Basset Ford Road was flooded, no way my boots will be dry for tomorrow.  I did my stair climb before work, 3.5 km walk at lunchtime and then a long, second one, as mentioned, later. I want to try and do a short walk before work in future, hopefully. On the way back from the lunchtime walk, I saw the lad from next door who thanked for me keeping the music down as per the note he left, so, that’s all good.

Day 200: I’ve started a work diary,  à la ENDC....nowhere as urgently required but I just think it’s a good idea.

I wore my new boots for the lunchtime walk (3.6km) and they’re fine. However, I didn’t use them in the evening, they niggled the left foot a bit, so some breaking in is required. My usual ones were just about dry enough having been sat on the radiator! Day 201: Popped into the office today to pick up my full headset dongle, did a quick shop at Asda. So, only one walk today. I have not yet managed to get a walk in before work, just the stair climb, so missed out on a lunchtime walk today since I was shopping. Did 8.5km in the evening. Bought a card online for K’s birthday. Not sure why, we seem not to be communicating - I haven’t heard from her for over a month now which, as mentioned before, I shouldn’t find as hard as I do. The card’s pretty cool though, a quip about just getting a card as a present would involve non-essential travel. Now I am back at work, I want a to do loist app. I recall a smart one that was a linear/curved affair that I saw on Producthunt but, fuck me, I couldn’t find it after over an hour looking. Then I checked Google apps and there it was (Lightpad.ai) - I was chuffed and relieved. The lad from oundle School has been trying to get hold of me via Messenger (he tells me by email) so he can interview for the article in the Chronicle. He has pencilled in Saturday at 6pm.Fuck knows if it will go ahead, the whole thing is sketchy. Day 202: First week back at work over and done. I ordered some stuff from Amazon (slippers and socks) and they offered a free trial of Prime, which is the norm, but, seeing as I have had a free trial under that a/c, I assumed it would error, as I have seen before. This time it didn’t! So, tonight, I just about to have some beers, eat pizza and watch The Gentlemen,. It was suggested by Miles on FB when I asked for  recommendations. It’s been on my to-watch list since its release. I need some cheering up, I’m having a low ebb today.Day 203: Typing on day 204. The Gentlemen was pretty good. I had lots of beers and smoke and went to bed fucking late, gone 4am. Up at lunchtime. I was meant to be going up Foggy’s for a few beers and to listen to Cobblers vs Posh but I sacked that off. I went for a walk at tea time when it got dark fucking quick and pissed down. I didn’t mind ‘cos Posh won 0-2. I watched two films in the evening: Master and Commander: Far Side of the World and Official Secrets. Both excellent. Day 204: Another late night, so up at just before 2pm. 12.64 km walk! I’m going to make stirfry and watch Knives Out...taking advantage of Amazon Prime.Day 205: I didn’t watch Knives Out last night, Amazon Prime was playing up. Tonight, however, after uninstalling and reinstalling the LG app, it’s working again. But, rather than a film, I have started watching The Boys series. 3/4 through the first episode and I’m kinda hooked. Another long walk tonight (I didn’t go out before work or at lunchtime), over 5 miles. My new boots are a marvel...they’re still new - I can tell I’ve got a little bit of wearing in still to do, but, pretty much from the off, I can walk long distances in them. I’m impressed. I think, because they are so light, they may be susceptible to the cold, especially now I can walk for longer periods without hypo-ing. The snow and frost will be the test.Day 206: Bit of a frustrating day at work. I am pleased I have a diary of events to update, that’s all I will say on this potentially public diary. Had a chat with Mark about certain aspects of the day, it was a good chat whereby he agreed with some of my gripes. In the evening I took part in a Ipsos marketing test of two beers with a whole bunch of people online. Ultimately, you have to choose one of two beers you prefer and answer questions why. It’s then revelaed which beer you chose. The beer I iked best was Stella but 4.6%, I think that’s the next product iine for them. You don’t get to find out the other beer. I shoudl recieve a £15 amazon voucher for partaking. If that actually happens, I’m going to buy a pair of gaiters. My new boots are fab (although I did turn my ankle last night) but their insides don’t half attract gravel and debris.Day 207: A productive day incorporating ToDoist with work and GCal, I have sacked off Lightpad.ai (it was too cumbersome moving tasks between dates) - so I managed to tick a few things off the task list as a result (responding to Jo Broom’s voicemail, chasing an eye appointmen, for example). Tim came round and did the garden, nice chinwag. I saw little Derek the other day, as well, he’s not coping great with the whole pandemic atm, certainly now lockdown has relaxed, he’s not as social as before. Day 208: Had a chat with Sueanne today, which is not unusal, and I was asking about creating KBs...she remarked how well, and quickly, I getting up to speed. It pleased me. I am having battered fishcakes, potato wedges and peas for tea. I am looking forward to it the most ridiculous amount (it’s cooking as I type). I shall eat as I watch more of the rather excellent The Boys. Seinfeld is on the back burner atm. Day 209: Emily Folgate’s room mate at uni has tested positive for Covid19! Marc’s avoiding the pub and I am glad I didn’t pop up there last Saturday! Bumped into Ash and Dee when i walked past the vets, chatted for 5 mins, it was really nice to see them. The lady next door (38) stopped me outside to say she recently realised that it was me who posts photos to FB, and said they’re ‘amazing’! End of week 2 back at work. As I type, I’m on my first beer, about to have many more and a smoke, half way through The Trial of the Chicago 7 on Netflix. Living the dream! Day 210: Things got messy last night. Sugar levels were a mess. I couldn’t even make it upstairs at one point, laid down on the long rug nursing a big bottle of coke. Got up at around 1pm and did usual shit, now having a beer, spicy sausage casserole in the oven (and it is fucking spicy) and I’ll pick a film to watch in a bit. Posh won, 2-0 at home to Oxford, up to 4th, one point behind Lincoln.

[lovemesomesurveys]

Amazingly new questions, you ready? Well, I know there won’t be “amazingly new questions”, but yeah let’s get goin’.

What is something that is bothering you right now? All the coronavirus virus stuff. 

Will you be in a relationship one month from now? No.

Could you go a day without talking to the last person you kissed? We’ve gone years now, so yeah. We don’t talk anymore.

Who was the last person to see you cry? My mom.

Do you drink bottled water? Yeah.

What was the last thing you drank? Starbucks Doubleshot energy drink.

Do you hate the last person who called you? Nooo. I love my mom.

Where is your best friend right now? She’s asleep.

Do you believe in love? Yes.

Name something you dislike about the day you’re having? I always do these surveys in the middle of the night, so I don’t have much to say yet with questions like these. If you’re being extremely quiet, what does that mean? I’m often quiet, so that’s not unusual. I’m just doing my own thing. However, it can also mean I’m in my moody mood. I don’t want to talk when I’m feeling like that. If someone tries to talk to me, I’m very short and it’s just obvious I’m not in a good mood.

Last person of the opposite sex you texted single? Yes.

Tell me about the short your wearing: It’s a long sleeve blue shirt with Powerline from A Goofy Movie on it.

How long have you lived in your current home? Almost 10 years. 

You never know what you have until it’s gone. True or false? That’s often true. Or just perhaps you know, but you take it for granted and maybe don’t appreciate it like you should. 

Are you scared of loosing the person you like to someone else? I don’t like anyone in that way currently.

Have you ever talked to someone when they were high? Yeah, many times. With a lot of different people.

Will you be in bed in the next 20 minutes? I am in bed. I’ll be awake in 20 minutes, though.

Which of your friends have the worst temper?

Do you laugh at inappropriate times? I did when I was high yearsss ago and I still remember it because a friend was talking about something serious, but I just couldn’t help it. I felt so bad and kept apologizing, but kept laughing. :X

First person to speak to you in 2011? Probably a friend I had who liked to have a small party at her house for New Years. That was when I had a social life and did stuff. *gasp*

Do you think you can last in a relationship for 3 months? Not currently because I’m not wanting a relationship right now, but otherwise yes. Assuming things were going well.

What time did you wake up today? Lately, I’ve been sleeping in until 1PM.

What’s something you want to purchase at the mall next time you go? I don’t have any plans to go to the mall any time soon that’s for sure. But even before all this stuff I very rarely went to the mall. I do my shopping online.

Would you rather be single all your life or grow old with someone? I’d like to grow old with someone, but I honestly don’t see it happening.

How many bracelets do you have on right now? None.

How long have you liked the person you like right now?

Do you have someone you have late night conversations with? Not really.

Is there someone of the opposite sex you can talk to? About some things.

Do you like mac n cheese? It’s okay. I’m not obsessed.

Do you get mad when people don’t text back? I don’t text much, so it’s not a thing really. Like I don’t have ongoing conversations, they’re just quick text exchanges. It only bothers me if I’m needing an answer about something right away. Back in the day it bothered me when I was texting with certain people that I wanted to have ongoing conversations with.

What does your phone do when it receives a text? Makes a ding kind of noise.

How late did you stay up til last night and why? I go to bed around 5AM.

Are you going out of town soon? Nope. It’ll be awhile.

Think back to February, how was your love life?: I don’t have to think that far back to last month, ha. Especially about something like this, which was and still is non-existent.

Will you regret your next kiss? I hope not. 

What is in your pocket? No pockets.

Do you reply to all your texts? No.

Did you wake up in the middle of the night last night? Well more like early morning for me since I don’t even go to bed until 5 in the morning, but yeah a few times. I usually do. :/

Are you happier now or 5 months ago? Neither then or now. And now there’s the added stress and anxiety due to everything going on.

Are you usually wide awake when you wake up? Pffffft, no. Never.

Can you remember the last person you texted without looking? Yeah, my mom.

Can you sleep without blankets covering you? During the summer.

Do you listen to music everyday? No.

How long have you known your first phone contact? She was my friend since 6th grade up until a few years ago.

Who are all your texts in your inbox from? My parents, brother, Nana, a couple of my aunts, and one of my cousins.

Do you have a hard time making decisions? Yes.

Are you gonna be home alone tonight? No.

What are you looking forward to? The pandemic being over. The day-to-day uncertainty of everything is so stressful. Not knowing if they’re going to implement more travel restrictions, or a full-on quarantine… not knowing if my husband’s employer is going to do mass temporary furloughs… not knowing for how long this will be killing the economy… it’s all so insane. <<<< I’m with ya. I really look forward to the day when it’s finally contained and under control and we see a real decrease. I can’t wait for the mass hysteria and panic buying to stop. It’ll take awhile, though. :/

Are you a morning or night person? I’m barely a person.

Are you excited for this weekend? Saturday and Sunday are just another day for me.

What are you wearing on your feet? Socks.

If there was a large spider in your room, would you stay in the room? sfljdskfjsd DON’T SAY THAT.

[bracedwithbeauty]

Songs with Strangers Sunday

In the first few weeks of quarantine, the whole world found ourselves adjusting to the new normal that would continue for the next few months (and, for some, is still continuing now). And since everyone was spending a lot of time locked up in their houses, Abner and Amanda decided to do something they’d been wanting to do for a hot minute: write a song with a complete stranger. Thus, Songs with Strangers was born.

Songs with Strangers website.

Songs with Strangers Soundcloud.

Songs with Strangers Spotify.

(All of the money from the Spotify streams are going to charity!)

Week 2: ‘TIL WE GET BACK AGAIN with Taylor Adams

You ever hear a song at exactly the right moment in your life, where the words are so much more than words and every inflection in the song has meaning? This is that song for me.

This is the week that many of us hit our wall. It was at about the 1-month mark and I certainly know that I felt it. We were finally accepting that this is the new normal, that life will never be the same. And it hit hard.

It was a rainy day in LA, which really set the scene for “’Til We Get Back Again”. Written with Taylor Adams, who works in youth ministry in the LA area, it is a song about moving forward in the midst of chaos, and learning not to take what we have for granted. Simply put, it’s gorgeous. 

I fell asleep during the livestream before the song was released, woke up halfway through the afterparty @ Justine’s live, tuned in for a while and fell back asleep. So my first listen wasn’t really until the next morning when I wasn’t so tired I couldn’t see straight. 

I cried all day long listening to this song.

Am I an objectively emotional person? Yes. Do I normally start crying when I so much as listen to a song? Not at all. It proves the power of music. The power of relevancy. The power of creating art as a coping method.

[glynmzbtch-blog]

'DO what you LOVE, and LOVE what you DO!'

I want to ask you a question, how do you spend your time during the quarantine?

Read a book? great.

Watch your favorite series? awesome.

Spend time with family? nice.

Browse on TikTok? wonderful.

Its pretty understandable that we will do different things to save ourselves from the boredom of being isolated.

I chose a different path though.

For the first few months of the quarantine, I admit I did some crazy things just to save myself from boredom. Venturing out in the middle of the night and ended up being chased by 'tanods', watching my favorite Thai series 'til the sun shines, laughing at my favorite memes in Facebook and so much more.

But as they said, New Year comes with new beginnings.

When I woke up in the afternoon of January 3rd, I was asked by a baffling question, 'Gusto mo daw bang mag-frontliner sa simbahan?' (Are you interested at being a church frontliner?).

I was totally baffled that time because I have no idea what she is talking about. I was like, frontliner? who the hell are those? what are they doing? I haven't been out of our street in months then suddenly I was being asked if I'm interested at such. I agreed though, since I still have 3 weeks left to burn before the 2nd semester starts.

A supposedly 3 weeks affair turned out to be something I am so used to now.

I am not a person with a retentive memory but I can still vividly remember how my first days of being a volunteer frontliner turned out.

And it was unexpected.

I could still remember how I was forced to wake up at 3 am on a Sunday. 3 AM ON A SUNDAY!. Dress in a simple jeans and white shirt, we're good to go.

Upon arriving, I realized its gonna be a challenge for me to get along with them. Being a shy person who rarely talks when I'm in an unfamiliar situation, I know I would be having a hard time building relationship with them.

But it turned out differently, as some of them immediately initiated talking to me which made me a little less tense.

3 weeks have passed and the thought of backing out because of my studies vanished from my mind. As I start to get along with them, I realized that being in here isn't bad and I might learn some valuable lessons from them.

My first big major event as a frontliner was the town fiesta. Imagine waking up at 2 am, walking outside at 3, being chased by dogs, being questioned by the tanods, stressing over how in the world will I get there since there are no transportation available yet. But for some reason, I managed to get there, fulfill my duties and the rest was history.

Not everything goes as smooth as you might imagine, I also experienced some unpleasant things with them but we're able to manage though.

Right now, I'm still with them, many things have happened, a lot of faces already gone, but the core remains intact, and we have done so much together as a family.

Anyways, to end this, I just want to emphasize how greatful I am for meeting this people who change me for the better. How during this times, I can say I have din something not just for the people but for also God and the church.

[where-rooster-crows]

Bathroom Confessions

It’s really strange how you remember certain moments in your life.  I don’t recall my birth, my first teacher, or getting spanked for the first time.  But I do remember my first kiss, first school dance, first fight, my daughter’s birth, first car wreck, and where I was on 9/11.  And while my career has had it’s up and downs, I definitely have memories that help define my journey.

“I don't remember being born, I don't recall what I got for my first Christmas and I don't remember when I went on my first outdoor picnic. But I do remember the first time I heard the sweetest voice in the wide world.” - Forest Gump.

A life of memories defined by success and tragedy.  My career has certainly had a few of each.  And while my career is still progressing, I’m hoping I have more years behind me at this point.  There is one more category of memories that sits ingrained in my data bank.  Often overlooked if your not paying attention, these lost memories can be vital to avoiding mis-steps.  They serve as life lessons that are often thrown at us in the most unexpected ways.  The wise can catch these moments for what they are.  They see the value and take them as a life lesson.  For most of us, we aren’t Gandhi, and we often don’t even recognize these little memories.  They’re unfortunately fleeting for many of us.  The sun sets most days, and most days I can’t recall the sunset.

These moments are important.  They are pivotal moments that help mold and define us.  Obviously moments of tragedy, like a car wreck, instantly are stained into a permanent recording to be recalled on will.  And then there are equally important brain food that I can’t remember if my life depended on it.  5 years of Spanish.  2 years of finite math.  3 years of piano - chopsticks!    

But yet, moments of consequence, like a child’s birth, are as vivid as a photograph years later.  As if it was all part of a master plan, this thought is somehow foreshadowing a pivotal moment in your life.  We’ve all had these moments.  Whether we locked them away and threw out the key, they are there.  Just sitting in the corner of our mind, waiting to awake when we least expect to be reminded. 

I’ve got a few of these moments ingrained in my skull.  And looking back, I can’t even believe how they foreshadowed inevitable future events.  With zero sales tax, Delaware served college grades during the summer with a plethora of retail jobs to choose from.  There were no shortage of these retail jobs.  And while some were more tragic than others, most were a walk in the park.  McDonalds,  movie theaters, warehouses, department stores.  I was the king of summer gigs.

The easiest summer gig by far was working in a Jewelry department at the now defunct department store Service Merchandise.  Since I was too much of a numskull to be trusted with selling fine jewelry, like diamond tennis bracelets, I was kept busy with the grunt work of changing watch batteries and hawking cheap knock-offs in the land of Cubic Zirconia.  As I was changing a watch battery, I zipped out the saloon door of the gold annex to use the head before lunch.  So there I am, in the bathroom washing my hands, and the janitor walks up behind me.  

“So the ladies tell me your an aspiring animator?”  

Caught a bit off guard, I say “I still have 2 years of college left, although I plan on moving to Los Angeles to work in a studio”.  Looking back, I realize I was unbelievably naive and cocky.  I really should have known better at this point, because I already sent out at least 10 demo reels (later, it would be hundreds) without an inkling of a reply.  Back in the day, these demo reels were on VHS tapes, so the process was insanely painstaking to create them.  One frame could take hours to create and there were 30 frames per second.  If you were lucky, you managed to squeeze out 1 to 3 minutes.  I somehow squeezed in 3 minutes of complete dog-shit into my reel.  How I managed to continually send these into the void only to get either a rejection postcard or no reply is beyond me.  Chalk it up to my thick-headed nature I suppose.  This is something I now call “persistence” to make it a useful life lesson.

And look, I had no idea what I was really trying to do.  As a college sophomore, with about the worst looking art and animation a portfolio one could offer, I was sending it to the likes of Disney and Sony Pictures.  Big dreams I had.  Looking back, this effort, while showing persistence, was potentially a message of things to come.  But hey, that’s a sunset I don’t remember.

Back to the janitor’s interrogation.  So he continued to describe his short occupation in Hollywood, working 2 years as a camera man filming Lakers basketball games and live events.  Hunched over the counter washing my hands listening to his life story, I thought “Interesting, but completely different from animation. What is this guy getting at?” After telling me a bit about our comparable career paths, he then says, 

“You know, I wouldn’t pursue animation.  It’s brutal out there working in entertainment, and most likely you won’t make it.  You should save yourself some time and pursue something more stable.”

And with that, I said, “thanks for the advice, but it’s not relevant for me”.  And he gave me this look I remember til this day.  He looked at me in a discarding manner, like as if his face was saying, ‘alright kid, do what you want, but your an idiot’.  Looking back, I’d have to agree a bit.  

- Fast forward 26 years

On a lazy Sunday afternoon, as I’m laid out in my hammock, I can’t help to let my mind start to wander again into dangerous territory.  I guess idol minds are the devil’s workshop.  Tomorrow marks week nine of the Covid-19 quarantine, and the thought of this going on into July is a bit depressing. I’m not sure how they are going to keep Californian’s away from the beach once we hit the summer months.  Yes, that’s right, fast forward all the way til I’m out in California.  I somehow managed to squeak in a career in film and now I’ve actually moved on to greener pastures.  Over the last year, I’ve started to think more about the logistics of retirement.  How? When? and Where?  Being 45 years old now, it’s a fair set of questions to ask.  

I can’t help to ask myself, “Who am I to even start to complain about my circumstances?”.  I mean, even though I’ve had to jump through so many grueling career mis-steps, I’ve been blessed with a lot.  Peering out over the edge of the hammock, and over the fence, the San Gabriel mountains glisten a lush green for my backyard’s backdrop.  This is no “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” movie backdrop, but it’s my home’s view from the hills of a little Los Angeles suburb.  No starlet mansion with a view overlooking bikini clade models sunning themselves.  My home though, even with it’s issues, is still what many would consider a nice 4 bedroom piece of paradise.  

With all the hardships of working in entertainment, I often ask myself if it was worth it.  I loved working on the films, being among the talented crew, and basking in the perks of a studio; it was all wonderful.  But there was a tremendous amount of stress to staying relevant in the studio system year-after-year, and I can’t help but ask myself this question.  

Was it worth it?  

And then I remember the janitor at Service Merchandise warning me.  And I can’t help to think, what if I never pursued my dreams.  If I stopped.  I’d be wondering all these years later.  Armchair quarterbacking it.  And I can’t help but be content with my choices, to know that I’ve really built a life based on my persistence to push past the naysayers.  There will be so many people that will tell you not to pursue something in life, although to get somewhere special, you need to keep following your inner voice.  Never waver.  And even if the outcome is somewhat unexpected, it’s still a magical moment to finally bask in the sunlight as you come down the mountain.  I mean, not everyone is meant to summit the mountain.  But at the very least, you can say you gave it your best shot.

[andycoch]

Coronacles (Part 1)

Let me start by saying, welcome back. I know it’s been a while. What did I miss? Lol that’s a song from HAMILTON! What a great show! I can’t wait til the all white version comes out. HAM(and cheese sandwich with extra mayo)ILTON!

Anyway. I’ll be honest. I have been LOVING quarantine. 

WOAH WOAH SAY WHAAAT! <-- That’s my impression of you reading this.

Am I pro death? Heck flippin no! Am I glad that people are getting sick and/or losing their jobs. No sir! Am I having a good time, regardless? Oh yeah.

Lemme also say this. Yeah I know I’m privileged. Uhh no shit. I’m a straight white handsome comedian for Christ’s sake! Keep in mind that I’m joking. I could write a blog about how sad the world is, but yeesh. I know that people’s lives are FUCKED right now, but mine’s not so ROCK N ROLL BABY!

Quarantine, has straight up slapped! I guess I’ll just walk ya through it. 

THE BEGINNING

So COVID started in China (for those of you that didn’t know that.) And when that shit started I was like “Puhlease! That’s all the way over there!” Then it came here and I was like “Oh snap!” Then people started working from home, and I had a naughty thought. I thought, “Summer Break question mark?” (I said question mark out loud to be quirky.)

SUMMER BREAK

Sure enough, it happened. I was back in North Carolina working from home until this thing blew over (spoiler alert, it didn’t blow over.) How did I keep myself entertained? A little diddy called Animal Crossing. My town is fucking sweet, there’s a waterfall and-oh-I’m done playing that already. Well then I bought Final Fantasy 12 (because Animal Crossing wasn’t enough to keep the ladies at bay.) That game is a ton of fun! I love how you-oh-got bored with that one too. Well then I bought Super Mario Odyssey and-oh-beat it in a week. Well...summer break seems to be going-oh-I’m already back in Chicago.

CHUCK E CHEESE

So after two months of laying horizontally for so long that part of my back has gone permanently numb (not a lie, still numb, kind of concerned) I came back to Chirado. While everyone else was used to being locked in alone, I was starting my personal quarantine in May. I showered sparingly and I played 127 hours of Assassins Creed Odyssey. I think I receded back into virginity. If you’re at this point in the blog (and honestly..why? stop reading this garbage) I want you to know, I’m not shaming anyone that plays video games. However, I will fully shame myself and call myself a virgin for playing 127 hours of Creed. If you play games, awesome! You’re probably not a Virgin. Anyway, outside of rotting my brain, I was also rotting my stomach. Every Sunday to be exact! My good pal Marty Hasler (a.k.a. Hasman a.k.a. The Has a.k.a. Jim Jones) would join me to watch Last Dance (a Documentary about Michael Jackson or something.) Being two hungry boys, we’d order personal Chuck E Cheese zas from Door Dash. FOLKS! You are straight up FUCKING UP if you don’t capitalize on this deal before Chucks goes under. It’s $20 for TWO large one topping pizzas AAAND 600 motherfucking tickets DAWG! We’ve ordered this deal about 7 times now so do the math (4200 tickets.) I can’t wait to cash those in. Two heavy set, mustached men walking into a Chuck E Cheese. We’ll be like kings.

About halfway through writing this, I realized that I’m being long winded. So this concludes Part 1 of my Coronacles. I was gonna call em COVID Chronicles but Coronacles kinda looks like testicles, so.

Here’s a joke for the blokes the made it this far.

I bought a selfie stick to give myself colonoscopies at home. Turns out they aren’t meant for that, but how I was I supposed to know? Everyone said “Those things are for assholes.”