Thursday, after seeing so many mountain stages in the Tour de France, including the Col d'Galibier and Col d'Madeline, I decide is a bicycle commute day. Since I haven't done this now for about a month, I have forgotten how much fun it is. But by the time I am home (after the 16 mile ride to work and the 16 mile ride back to home) I am tired. So I take a quick shower, grab a book, and head for the Library coffeehouse in Long Beach. I've been reading for about half an hour when Brandon walks in. He is as surprised as I am and we have a good conversation about him getting ready to leave for pharmacy school in NY. His friend, who is originally from NY, arrives and we have a fun three-way conversation until I have to go home and go to sleep.
Friday I drive the truck to work because I have to stay late for a retirement party. Ken Kalbfleisch, the guy who hired me in to TRW 15 years ago, is retiring and I have both volunteered and been volunteered to speak. It turns out that I am the only one in a suit and tie - everyone else knowing that retirement parties are supposed to be less formal. Before my speech I sneak around with a digital camera and catch people in embarassing moments. It is my time to speak after top level people at TRW have spoken. I'm introduced with, "Well, we go from the top of TRW to the bottom". I give my introducer a big hug in front of everyone - just to embarass him because he is a straight-laced guy - and proceed with the speech. We share some good moments of life at TRW with Ken, we share laughter, and we share best wishes. I do a reasonable job.
Saturday I get out for a good bicycle ride, visit Dr. L (who tells me to stop the antibiotics and catabolic steroids but stay away from lifting weights and running for another week), and then drive for downtown Los Angeles to see the Warhol Retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art. I had planned to meet Person J_VKPI for the event, but he is nowhere to be found. After a few hours at the event, I turn my mobile phone back on and have four voice mails from Person J_VKPI. I say, "Get on the red line and meet me at the Union Station lobby. I'll be there in 10 minutes." I know that it should take Person J_VKPI 30 minutes to get there, so I start walking from MOCA to Union Station. It takes two telephone calls and two hours before Person J_VKPI is finally at Union Station. Now we start walking back towards a theatre to see a 5:00 movie, but it is pretty obvious that we aren't going to make it on time. But we keep going until it is 5:15 and I say, "We aren't going to make the 5 o'clock showing".
Person J_VKPI gets upset and says, "I'm getting back on the train and going home". So we walk back towards the Pershing Square stop where he gets on the train as I head back for my truck - not a word being exchanged during the walk.
Saturday night I decide what to do and finally decide to meet Person T_V for soda. Except that Person T_V has just eaten and doesn't want soda. Person T_V has something else on his mind. I sense this and keep steering the conversation towards safer topics until we both decide that it is time to return to our respective residences. A waste of time this Saturday night outing! But at least I'll be getting to sleep early.
Sunday I am tired, probably from the discontinuation of the antibiotics and catabolic steroids, but I get out for a bicycle ride, watch two races, run some errands, mow the lawn, and finally, during the mid-day heat and sun, get out for an hour of rollerblading. When I can take no more I head for home along Pacific Coast Highway.
I'm probably driving a bit fast and I get the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach when I see a police car coming up behind me and pulling up next to me at PCH and Cherry. Just as he looks over to either yell at me to slow down or to direct me where to stop for a ticket there is a commotion in the middle of the street. There are two guys running in the middle of PCH - one chasing the other with a broom! Yes - this happens everyday! But the police officer revs up his siren and lights and takes action with the two guys. I calmly drive away as if I see this sort of thing every day. Which, now that I think about it, I do see more than my share of strange occurences.
I don't want to push my luck, so Sunday night is a quiet night updating some websites, answering telephone calls, and relaxing. In preparation for another bicycle commute bright and early on Monday morning.