Week 5 of 52 in the Rebuilding of Ben Quam

Wednesday, September 29 2010
2:14pm

“You Learn Something New Everyday”

If you can open yourself up to them, life is filled to the brim with lessons. Sometimes I’m floored by the interesting places and moments you can learn something about the way life works or how you interact with the people around you, and sometimes it makes me want to break things because I’d like to believe at some point that I can look out and say, “Ok. I get it.”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that life is this ball of mystery that we all just stare longingly at, waiting for answers. I’m just saying that if you keep your eyes peeled, there’s a lot out there to take in…so you have to be ready for it. Never be too old to learn something new or see something in a different light.

For instance, the art of Parkour (a.k.a. FreeRunning) is not for me. I have maintained a very happy and cast-free existence for most of my life. I’ve broken 2 bones, and they were both in my face. Being my size, I actually pride myself on how graceful I can be from time to time. But, every now and then, that sentiment goes to my head and I decide that I too would like to have been in the opening sequence of “Casino Royale” chasing down a freerunning terrorist. As I was explaining this to some friends walking into a parking ramp I ran and jumped on the ramp wall, then to a pillar, then went to jump down to a sitting position and wave.

My butt landed perfectly to cushion my jump, but as I went to arrogantly wave to my clapping friends, I remembered something that I learned years ago: I also have a giant head. Giant, heavy things tend to keep their momentum much like throwing a bowling ball and not releasing your fingers. Ass-over-tea kettle I went over the wall, did a complete flip, and slapped the ground as hard as I could with my body.

“Ouch. Wow. Ok. Quick pat down. No blood? That’s good. Teeth are all here. Also good. Hmm…foot hurts, but I can move it. Why is my watch in the bicep of my sleeve?”

Bruised foot and broken favorite watch, but alive. Lesson learned.

I’ve also learned to stop and take in the beauty around me. I know, I know it sounds cliché, but any of you out there that actually know me know that I tend to sprint past a lot of amazing things just to get to that set of shiny, jingly keys at the end of the block. Since I’ve been here in La Crosse, I’ve been trying to appreciate it all; the old architecture, the amazing autumn weather, and the chance to take it all in because my phone isn’t ringing off the hook every day. Of course there are a few people that I’m a bit hurt haven’t even called to see how I’m doing, but by and large it’s been great have it as quiet as it’s been.

I can go on walks and not have to turn my phone off.

I can leave it on at night and not worry about being woken up in the middle of the night.

I can go on a date without getting a barrage of work ca…oh wait, no, I can’t.

I almost made it, but the powers that be weren’t ready to let my lucky streak go that far. I met an amazing woman here by the name of Meesh, and we were chatting about where in LaX I can go to find some tasty foods. I’m used to my Minnie (and the retard lil’ bro Pauly) and its myriad restaurants, and the foodie in me is acting like the trophy wife going to a cabin for the first time.

“We have to eat WHERE? But I wanted BONE MARROW!”
*Lesson just learned as I typed that: my inner-foodie is a bitchy, middle-aged woman, apparently. Would’ve thought it looked more like Andrew Zimmern. Hmph.

Anyway, I inquired about sushi, as my cravings were becoming almost unbearable. She responded that she also craved sushi, and we figured out that our day off lined up for that Thursday. We called it a date, and I marveled at how long it had been since I was on a legit, proper date that wasn’t with a friend I’d known forever. Picked her up looking fantastic (her, not me) and we rolled to the spot.

(side note: what is it about asian restaurants that makes the owners decorate them in 1987’s finest pastel neons, lacquer and gold decore, and horrible, horrible wallpaper? I felt like the movie “Rush Hour 2” and a set from “Scarecrow and Mrs. King” had sex, and left the offspring in LaX to fend for itself)

(Side-er note: I’m really happy I just got to make a “Scarecrow and Mrs. King reference)

Food was great, company was better than great, and we decided to see a movie. I couldn’t believe how excited I still was, not working, getting to know a fantastic new person, and about to see an awesome movie…

Bzzzzzz…bzzzzzz….

Dammit. Vibrate. But wait, it’s her phone!! Ha! For once I’m not the asshole! Take that, XM! Then she showed me what the text said…

“Hey, can you have Ben call Dave ASAP? It’s an emergency.”

Fuck me. Really? I’m a half an hour into a thriller? Fine. I once again have to do the “Look, I’m really sorry, it’s work. I have to make this call.” How many times have I said that? And, even worse, to how many people? How many of those amazing moments have I missed because I was returning a call for work, trying oh-so-desperately to fix whatever was broken remotely so that I wouldn’t have to leave whatever it was I was doing.

So I somberly trudged back into the movie theater to say, “I’m so sorry, I don’t know what’s wrong with the sound system. I need to be there to fix it.” She smiled, said it was ok, and off to the car we went. Sigh.

There are a lot of lessons I learned that night. Patience is a virtue, but can be run out of town in a night if you lean to heavily on it. Sometimes, even when you think you’re happy, you discover new layers of smiles and laughs just getting to know someone new. For a guy with no formal sound, wiring, or computer training, I’m pretty decent with all three. She looks amazing in the color red. I could go on and on, but I digress…

The biggest lesson is that after a little more than 5 weeks, I really feel like me again. Work is great, the staff is amazing, I have a sushi copilot that doesn’t resent me for answering a work call during a movie, my apartment looks like a home now (especially now that I’ve cooked a few meals in it!), and we’re putting a bid on a hot tub for our deck in. That’s not a lie. A hot tub, jerks.

Wanna come stay??

Talk at ya soon,
BQ