I love Lucy

I often joke that my life is a *comedy of errors* that I somehow muddle through with the support of fantastic friends, family and a variable sense of optimism. I manage to clinch some small success every now and again such that I can shrug off most roadblocks within the hour, day or week. I confess that I did go through a 3 week funk last summer but that has been the extent of my *depths of pessimism*… well, that is aside from an entire year of listening to The Smiths’ song “Asleep” when I was 17, and crushing on a boy that never smiled.

This past weekend challenged my sense of optimism in multiple ways… from the minor to the dramatic to the sentimental…

Saturday morning – Show up at Hertz location at 6am to pick up rental car… they don’t have one so I have to wait one hour
Sunday afternoon – Ride my bike for an easy four hours but am unable to walk by the time I get off because my shins are so sore… new injury? Ugh!
Monday morning – Walk over to street location where I parked the rental car, only to find the passenger window was completely smashed in. Four hours of “please hold” and filing administrative reports at Hertz, police station and with Visa
Monday evening – I remove my Tiffany heart necklace (given to me by my sister on her wedding day 15 years ago) and by sleight of hand drop it down my bathroom sink
Tuesday morning – wake up with a sore throat and really bad headache… first signs of a head cold!

Thankfully, today I was back in the office (how much trouble can I cause there) and despite the head cold deteriorating, the day was uneventful. This evening I was blackberrying a colleague/friend about work stuff, our upcoming trip to Hawaii and my weekend of woes…

Read on for the aforementioned email exchange… apologies that it’s long!

Tim: Feeling any better or are you legitimately sick?

Jordan: I’m sniffling, blowing my nose and swallowing hard? How about you? Btw, have you talked much w/[XYZ] since she got the feedback on the equity trading role?

Tim: I spent about 10 mins w/ her on Fri after she heard that she probably won't get it (which in Sobel-speak means absolute 0% chance). She seemed bummed, of course, and concerned that she doesn't have a path to anything else. My advice to her was 1) get/stay committed and 2) to talk w/ you.

Jordan: Running out the door but I want to run some things by you about her sitch, if you're willing to be a sounding board? We did have a long chat today.

Tim: Sure, of course. I don't have any voice at all, though (literally). I can mostly listen or you can jot thoughts down in email. Or we can talk when my voice is better (a day or two, I hope?).

Jordan: Sure. Let's catch up in Hawaii. I just spent a couple of hours packing and now I am completely exhausted! This cold better be short-lived!

Tim: You fly Thurs? If you have the optimism to pack, planning to race, you are better off than me. And we know what happened the last time you raced sick. :-)
If you aren't getting a car, you are in luck. I'm picking up my San Diego friend, Tim (Flood), who gets in at 11:08. Happy to get you at the same time. We have a minivan.

Jordan: Thanks for the offer but I’m getting a car. Also, I'm just jotting some thoughts down on XYZ... Not sure if I should email or just use as talking points when we catch up...

Tim: We can talk. Probably easier. I just spoke w/ Mark. We may come over from the airport for a bit on Thurs. That might be a good time. Or if you are going to Sandy's Sat night dinner at the Hilton.

Jordan: Not going to Sandy's dinner...Mark and Jay want a chill dinner at home. Fine with me. I'm going to run errands when I land, get my bike tuned, go to Safeway and buy myself an M-dot necklace (lost my precious Tiffany necklace down the sink this weekend!)

Tim: Down the sink? Another soap opera moment. What with the car trials, now this and the injury/illness?!? What are you, the English Lucy Ricardo?! We may overlap on Thurs. Or, maybe after the Fri am swim. Or sometime around registration or bike check. You'll be up our way a couple times. Hang w/ us for lunch, or we may have an early dinner on Fri.

Jordan: Yeah, shitty friggin' weekend! I've had that necklace 15 years...classic tiffany heart. Who is lucy ricardo? What about sunday? Post-race?

Tim: That is a bummer. Did you try removing the p-trap? It likely would've been caught there. Might still be there, seriously. Sure, post-race, or awards ceremony (assuming you go). Lots of time. Lucy Ricardo... Of "I Love Lucy" fame from the '50s. Always had stuff like that happen.

Jordan: What's the p-trap?

Tim: Does your drain pipe go straight down from the sink? If so, pull the drain plug up and shoot a light in there. You might be able to see inside the bottom of the p-trap.

Jordan: It goes straight down and then is u-shaped and turns backwards towards the wall.

Tim: The "u" is the p-trap. See how it would use gravity to trap water? See if you can look directly down it w/ a flashlight.

Jordan: There's water down there, hard to say if there's anything else...how would I dismantle it?

Tim: Depends on the plumbing used. Really old stuff is tricky. '60s and later is better. New stuff is cake. Is it white plastic (pvc) black plastic (abs) or metal?

Jordan: hmmm, doesn't exactly screw off at the intersections of the pipe joints either...prob a good thing by hand!

Tim: It doesn't have to handle any pressure, just water. No need for them to be super tight. Thus the cheap pvc is ok to use. Metal fits looser and is harder to do. It likely uses rubber o-rings in the joints to prevent leaks. You need a plumber or a handyman. I'd do it for you if close by. The good news: it ain't goin' anywhere if it's still there.
Try this. Unwind a coat hanger. Bend a hook in one end. Fish it down there and see if you can hook it. This may work.

Jordan: Better yet, I'll try and call Manuel (the handyman) to see if he can stop by tomorrow.

Tim: The coat hangar could well work, or let you know if it is for sure there, and take you 2 mins....

Jordan: Genius...

Tim: Did it work?!

Jordan: Yep... Coat-hanger clutched the charm necklace and a few stray hairs (gunk) from the jaws of the p-tube!!! So I have to buy you a mai-tai or three this weekend!!!

Tim: P-TRAP. :-)

I'm very glad. All this construction knowledge in my head is rarely useful at work. Made the sore thumbs worth it!

Jordan: Makes me reconsider the benefits of a guy around...

Tim: LOL. Some things are better outsourced... Bedtime. May we both wake healthy tomorrow.

American Irony

Is there any irony in the fact that on the same day (today) that I submitted my Labor Certification/Green Card application for permanent US residency, I received a letter and award from USA Triathlon to let me know that I achieved *All-American* status in 2006?