Mile Nerd

Unexpected Reminders

If blogs could speak, this one might ask…

What do I want to be in the new year?

Important question. And we’ll get to that answer. But, first, let’s rewind the clock…

It was 3 years ago. Kobe Bryant and his daughter (along with 7 other parents and children) just died in a fiery helicopter crash. This happened 10 miles from my front door. The emotional impact was palpable around me. You could feel it in the air for days. In every room, store, and gas station you entered.

As is often the case, I decided to write a post. It wasn’t really about Kobe. More about the reaction post-crash. Obviously, I’m a people-watching fanatic…eyes glued to the world like it’s a riveting season of Breaking Bad. I find our species so interesting. And strange. I enjoy sharing these observations with you.

Typically, the feeling is mutual.

But not always.

The following is an email conversation after that post. It was my first time speaking with this person. Edited down for readability since it was a 3-day long back-and-forth…

—–

Kobe was an admitted, violent rapist.  Society looked the other way and he got away with it.  The teenager he violently raped had vaginal trauma and neck injuries and he claimed this was consensual.  That so few people talk about this contributes to rape culture.

I feel bad for the teenagers that died in the crash.  I have no tears for the adults that chose to hang around with a rapist. 

The Rapist Kobe Bryant’s early death is some small piece of delayed justice.

—–

I hear you. Believe me, I really do.

If he raped her, yes it absolutely went much like so many other situations. Powerful man overpowering a victim who gets tossed aside. All while the powerful man continues to live a privileged life. If he did it…well, then he shouldn’t have spent a day outside of prison since.

However, I just don’t know that he did it. I wasn’t there.  

—–

We have much more than her statement.  We have her injuries.  They were confirmed on examination by a nurse.  Multiple vaginal lacerations and trauma.  Neck bruises and injuries.  That is not consensual sex.  It just isn’t.   Sex should not leave a woman injured like that.  I am so dismayed that anyone could hear about those injuries and call it consensual sex. 

Rape apologists used to want to say that if a woman wasn’t injured there could not have been a rape.  Now when there are injuries rapists fall back on the ridiculous “rough consensual sex” defense.  Why are so many people willing to do backflips to create doubt when the physical evidence is all there to show rape??

The apology was so important to the woman that she agreed not to use it in her civil suit.  Does that sound like someone who is faking rape?  

—–

Sure, personally I THINK it’s very possible that Kobe raped that woman. And if he did, I think he should have been locked up every day since then. All I’m saying is that I don’t KNOW he did it. Let me tell you some personal stuff so you can understand where I’m coming from a bit better…

Some of the most important women in my life have been sexually assaulted in the course of their lives. Women I love with all my heart. One of them was raped and it changed everything for her. Driving her to drugs and the brink of suicide. I know it happened because I know her. It broke my heart into a million pieces. Which is nothing compared to what it did to her. But I still wouldn’t want to be on a jury involving strangers. No matter the crime. I don’t claim to be good at that kind of thing and I’m certainly don’t pretend to be trained for it.

I would be terrified to let a guilty person go free. I would also be terrified to put an innocent person in jail.

If you or any other stranger were to tell me you have been raped in your life, I would almost certainly believe you. But I wouldn’t KNOW it to be true. I don’t have any relationship or history with you. We are, in fact, strangers. And it is my right to say, “I don’t know.” Because I don’t pretend to know the details of every situation happening in the world. To be clear…

That’s very different than saying, “Kobe didn’t rape her.” I’m certainly not doing that. I’m just saying I don’t know what happened in that room.

—–

(Let’s skip ahead a bit in the conversation)

—–

I am not saying rough sex never happens–just that MULTIPLE injuries and lacerations followed by a rape nurse saying these injuries are not consistent with consensual sex should be good enough for anyone to say yes, rape did take place.  Did you notice Kobe’s victim had a drug overdose years later?  Very common as you know for rape victims.

If one were to err, statistically we are far safer erring on the side of a rape victim—the number of false rape reports is infinitesimally small.  I am asking that you give the same weight to the physical evidence in Kobe’s rape case and say, yes, it did happen. 

I am honestly quite sad that you have said yes, although you do not know, you do think Kobe raped someone and yet still chose to honor him on your website.

—–

Oh, I’m certainly not attempting to honor him. Not at all. I said very openly and publicly that if he did it, he should be in jail. The numerous internet tributes to Kobe Bryant right now completely ignore the rape topic altogether. My post was such a small percentage about him. It was many scattered thoughts about the aftermath of a newsworthy event. There are a lot of things on my mind about the whole thing and I shared some of them. In no way is that post saying Kobe is an amazing guy who didn’t rape a human being. 

—–

Thanks for recognizing the kind of generational trauma that a rape brings on. I am just so tired of how many cases there are of sexual abuse and think our society is not doing a good job of stopping it. 

I used to counsel survivors of rape and sexual abuse and you get to see the common thread through survivors.  Wanting an apology is huge.  So many want an apology and I don’t believe a faker would care one way or the other about that.  

There was a huge power differential. This is another common characteristic of rapists.  They go after the loweliest victims, the ones least likely to be believed.  Why would superstar Kobe “need” to rape a hotel worker?  Remember Dominique Strauss-Kahn also sexually assaulted a hotel maid but went free on this consensual nonsense again.  They go after the help because these are the people least likely to have the resources to fight them in court and win a criminal verdict.  They choose their victims because they get off on the power differential.  Are you familiar with the case of Jimmy Saville in the UK?  That will make your skin crawl.  He targeted girls in orphanages or correctional schools, because who will believe them?  Rape is very much about power.  That is part of why 90-odd year old women get raped still.  It happened here recently.

It all adds up with Kobe.  Every last bit of it.  Please don’t let your experiences as a man cloud it for you.  I think sometimes men over-worry about false accusations happening to them.  

—–

Outside of the trauma and horrific pain a rapist causes…it’s also, in a basic sense, just absurdly selfish. Being willing to hurt someone that badly for personal desires. It’s frightening to know what some humans are capable of.

Like any person in their right mind, I’m not pro-rape. Quite the contrary. We’re talking about a disgusting and incomprehensible act. A violent crime. My mind really struggles to grasp how a man can even physically perform that act while someone is begging them to stop. But that doesn’t negate the fact that our society is in a very strange place right now. In so many ways. For example…

We often expect everyone to KNOW everything about every situation. To somehow be an expert on all current events. And if an opinion about a world event doesn’t fit into the correct box, people can get very upset. What’s my point? Simply that it’s ok for people to say, “I don’t know what happened.” Look, I don’t actually know all the information in that case. That certainly doesn’t make me pro-rape. But I just don’t consider it to be anyone’s responsibility to HAVE TO know what happened in a hotel room with Kobe Bryant.

It’s one thing to be upset with someone who says they know he didn’t do it. But it’s a whole other thing when someone is just saying, “I don’t know what happened.” Particularly when I completely agree that if he did do it, he should be in jail.

—–

There are no nuances in Kobe’s rape case.  Rape is a crime of not having consent.  His statement says he thought he had consent, but that he now realizes the woman did not see it that way.  Therefore he himself admits the woman did not consent.  No consent=rape.   Do you understand that “thinking” you had consent is not a defense to rape? 

If you can’t say you KNOW rape was committed when a man admits he later saw the woman did not see it as a consensual act, well then that is beyond disheartening.

—–

(Let’s skip ahead a bit more)

—–

I’m happy to keep debating with you if you’d like, but I have to ask – what is it that you want from me? I respect women as much as I respect men. I give respect to the majority of people in my life (unless they lose it later through their own actions) simply because they’re humans. To me, real fairness isn’t about saying men are the problem or women are the problem. But, rather, judging an individual on their own behavior. I don’t care if they’re black, white, Indian, gay, straight, male, female, or whatever. But I’m certainly not right 100% of the time. We all form opinions based on the information we have and those opinions change with new information.

I will say that I see people as individuals as well as anyone I know and don’t automatically think less of anyone based on their religion, color, gender, race, or anything like that. I’m not going around raping anyone or preaching that rape isn’t so bad.  I’m just a guy who said he doesn’t know what the hell happened with Kobe and that woman. And it seems like you’re saying that the medical report plus a prepared statement from attorneys should be enough to say, “He did this. I know it.” I just can’t do that.

But I also don’t know why you need me to – with this degree of effort. I’m not on that jury. I haven’t consulted with a dozen different doctors to get their opinions. I’m not a crime expert. Nor a legal mastermind. I just don’t know why you want me to say I know Kobe raped that woman or why it matters to you so much. I don’t want anyone being raped. Ever. But it’s not for me to decide that case.

—–

Dunken hookups can never be consensual.  Drink impairs the ability to give consent.  Impairment is a reason you can legally get out of a contract, so if a drunken person is legally recognized as being unable to sign a contract, how can they give consent for sex?  They can’t.  I am sorry if this is an uncomfortable truth, but having sex with a drunken person is rape.  Having sex with a retarded person is sex.  Compos mentis is a thing.

What I need from you is for you to realize your inability to admit this rape that very clearly happened means you may not be the good guy you think you are.  The ONLY thing arguing against Kobe raping that teenager is his statement that he thought he had consent and that is not credible in light of all the physical evidence and the teenager’s account.  Period.  Anyone who cannot admit this and want to preserve some nonsensical idea of innocence for Kobe is no ally to women.

And it would be nice, given how much you said about Kobe in your post, to amend it to include he was arrested for rape.

—–

Is it possible that you may not be the reasonable person you think you are?

—–

(And the conversation eventually reaches a “conclusion”)

—–

I’m in a war for women’s rights.   I don’t care if someone that can’t call a rape a rape thinks I am unreasonable. 

You are from India, right?  A country that has practically institutionalized rape.  Maybe examine what attitudes about women have been generationally passed down to you before adding to the misogyny problems the US has.

—–

At this point, I find myself caring much less what you think of me. This doesn’t appear to be a situation where I am talking to a reasonable human being. Please realize that you keep saying things that I did, said, or thought…that are not what I’m doing, saying, or thinking.

You’re from America, right? The same country that has school shootings all the time? That means you’re a lunatic who wants to watch children die, right? See where this path leads? Somewhere unreasonable and unfair. So please look in the mirror before pointing your finger so aggressively at people who are in no way against the thing you claim to be at war for.

(Oh, and I’m an American who grew up in Ohio and West Virginia)

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Now, let’s take another trip back in the rewind machine. To a time when I uttered the name Donald Trump in a post. While making it clear that I’m not a super political guy. And certainly not a fanboy of Joe Biden. But I did want to make a point…

That we need to figure out a way to have at least some shared beliefs again. On some of the obvious stuff. Having a basic, shared foundation builds conversations. And relationships. So, yes, we should at least be able to look at the most obvious scumbags – like an almost-cartoon version of a shitty person – and, at minimum, not pretend he’s an awesome guy. That’s all. It has nothing to do with politics. Everything to do with our ability to be honest.

Here were a few of the memorable responses…

—–

Love the blog but sad to see you drinking the Cool Aid about our President.

—–

MileNerd, get out of Commiefornia before they brainwash you. DJT = greatest president we ever had.

—–

Well, I guess you got Trump off your chest.  As for me, I think he’s a very smart business man. Like most super smart people, they lack some other skills like people skills, giving a speech etc.  To look at his good  qualities, they far out weigh his bad. People in leadership respect him.

—–

My replies were various versions of this…

Sorry, just needed a minute to pick my jaw from the floor. It’s one thing to vote for the guy. But, just to be clear…

You actually think the host of Celebrity Apprentice is a “super smart” individual who is respected? Honestly? I mean this with no sarcasm, but it’s really one of the most fascinating things I’ve ever seen. That people actually view that man in that way.

Ok, let me ask you this – what would it take for you to change your opinion of him? I’m genuinely asking. What specifically would you need to see to change your opinion?

(And would it matter if you saw video footage of it? Let’s say it was footage of him doing something to a child. Or a clip of him killing an innocent man. Just as the most extreme examples possible)

I’m asking this question for real. Because if you haven’t seen enough yet, I am legitimately trying to understand what it would take. Is there anything you could see from him that would change your opinion?

—–

No response. And I did also get a few more articulate emails. Like this one…

I like your blog but to believe Donald Trump is all the evil things you hear in social media or news outlets is not healthy. Can he be a jerk? Sure it’s not like Joe Biden is some saint. Everyone has to make a choice for who they think the best leader is.

You seem like an intelligent person and maybe that’s why I enjoy reading your posts. I wouldn’t expect you to change your vote based on some points I could write here but after the election regardless of who wins take some time and do a bit of research into Trump. Sure he can be a blowhard and the Democrats have gone crazy in hatred toward him but there is more to the story. He is not a racist. He has never supported foreign wars, I doubt there are many people who dislike the Russians more than Donald Trump. He is not the evil enemy you may have been led to believe.  Do yourself a favor and look for what lies you may have been told along the past 4 years. Sure you still may not support the President but don’t believe the hype. I’m more worried about you seeing how the media has played the American people than who you vote for. There are larger long term issues at hand. The Social Dilemma movie on Netflix is a good place to start but it is biased to the left so understand it’s a threat to both sides.  Oh and thanks for voting, people have died for your right to vote.

—–

Thanks for the email. In fairness, you’re talking to someone who doesn’t need to pay attention to hype. I have 3 very good friends who have worked for Trump. When that reality show was in production, my closest friend at the time actually lived with me. His job? Working on the crew of that particular show.

I say this with plenty of specific knowledge. The guy is a complete and utter scumbag. And has been for many years. Long before anything to do with politics. Not really a mystery what kind of person he is. Pretty easy to see from decades of his own words and actions, but I’m happy to tell you some of the private stories. Doesn’t sound like you would believe them, though.

I would just suggest one thing…

Instead of telling others to learn more about Donald Trump, maybe the best course would be for you to do that. There might be people out there whose opinions are based on things other than watching the news. People who might have a longer history around the man than you do.

---

Guess how many of those people wrote back?

Zero.

Whether I replied with sarcasm or not. Even if I flat-out said, “I have personal information on this exact subject that you might be interested in knowing.”

They had no interest in it.

No desire for new information.

I’ve shared all these interactions for a reason. The following is what I learned from them…

1 – It’s very rare that a conversation isn’t worth the time. Even the ones above.  

Obviously, these examples aren’t the norm. Through the years, there have been countless kind and pleasant emails. Almost all of them. But there’s a reason I write back to everyone and always have. Even when it seems pointless.
(Editor’s note: If you didn’t get a response along the way, I was either overwhelmed by something and lost track of your email – or you didn’t check your spam folder. As far as I know, those are the only two possibilities)

The thing is, guys…these conversations helped me learn more clearly who I’m not. You probably know some “I don’t wanna talk about it” types. Well, I’m not that. And sometimes the awkward or unpleasant stuff reminds you who you don’t want to be. Some conversations are messy. Some just suck. But, unless a person is legitimately insane, I believe it’s always worth the time to try.

2 – Blind spots.
Obviously, these interactions were good examples of how blind spots work. But I’m not just pointing a finger at others. There are also things we don’t want to feel differently. You and me. Maybe not politics. Maybe not the guilt or innocence of Kobe Bryant. But we do the same damn thing in our own heads. We lock in. Forming our opinions, adopting our beliefs, and shaping our perspectives – and then we build a bulletproof wall around some of them. It’s the basic point of therapy. To help us off our mental merry-go-rounds. Maybe you know what I’m talking about. The stuff we cling to with all our strength.

Admitting you do it too is huge. Being able to see those parts of yourself where you don’t entertain the possibility of bring wrong. Shit, they’re called “blind spots” for a reason, right? Most people can’t see them. We’d rather just talk about what a great flick The Matrix is. And then ignore all the ways we live in our own matrix in our own lives. Seeing is only the first step.

I don’t want to be a person who just believes what he believes day after day no matter what…and then dies thinking all the same shit forever. Too scared to consider where I have things wrong. I don’t want to put myself in such a small box. And I don’t want to do it to others.  I’d like to be better than that.

That’s what I’ve learned.

3 – Final lesson.
It’s easy to look at those emails and think, man, that shit is crazy. But these were also MY worst interactions. My worst communication efforts. And I never felt great about it. My day-to-day conversations go so differently. Sure, some people really are lunatics. But I don’t think any of those emailers were. I’ve learned that people are in pain. From things that happened long before a strange conversation.

Why was it so important for that woman to hear me to say, “Yes, Kobe raped someone in Colorado”? Obviously, she is in pain. In some way that I don’t know or understand. It can get covered up with anger and intensity. But something happened along the way to create it in her.

How can any non-lunatic look at Donald Trump and see an awesome guy? Whether they realize it or not, there’s pain underneath. Caused by people in their lives or bad politicians. Who knows. But something did happen along the way.

Is my job to fix it? Absolutely not. We all need to do our own work on ourselves. It’s an inside job. But I learned that it’s something worth remembering. People are in pain. And that’s so easy to forget.

I’ve had countless amazing interactions through MileNerd. A few of which have evolved into deeply special relationships in my life. I’ve seen it over and over again….you just never know where a conversation might lead. But I think when we’re too quick to discard someone into the “crazy” box, we remove all potential. All possibility. It’s very easy to think of someone as crazy. Shove them in that familiar box and stick that familiar label on them. I’ve learned that I don’t need to be in such a rush to do that. Why not stay a little more open to the possibility that someone might surprise us?  

The final email I want to share with you was the best one from last month. Actually, it was my favorite from the entire year…

—–

Hello Mr. Walia, I’m a churning-obsessed 18-year-old fellow Indian-American from norcal who just came across your blog from some random Reddit post on some CC sub, last night at 2:03am. It’s 8:12am as I write this. Sir, I just wanted to tell you … you’re far and away the most riveting writer I’ve ever come across. Over the last six hours, I’ve cried, let out insanely loud bursts of mirth, and empathized with just so much of what you’ve written (started at Jan ’19). I mean this sincerely, you’ve really changed my perspectives on so much and your wisdom is frankly insane. I’m going to have to disagree with you on the written word not having the potential to change minds — you just have for me. Honestly, I’m simply not quite sure what to say; I haven’t come across a work of art as moving and impactful as this diary of yours. I can’t wait to share this with those I love. I wish you the very best of luck (which there’s quite a lot of, I’ve now learned) in your health, well-being, and future endeavors, and you have a new lifelong reader who can’t wait for the 1st of the month eagerly enough as long as you keep the site active 🙂 In gratitude.
PS Lebron isn’t better than MJ, I agree. But Wilt is…

—–

Obviously, the email made my day. Impossible for it not to, right? But it also helps me with the original question…

“What do I want this blog to be in the new year?”

Man, I haven’t even known how to describe with this is. Sure, I knew what it was. MileNerd was a miles-and-points blog for nearly a decade. A place to go within that hobby without fear of being taken advantage of. But I retired it. And, four years later, I don’t even think MileNerd is an appropriate name anymore.

Today? I assume you are here because you like how I write. Maybe even how I think. And, yeah, I do have a talent for this form of expression – when I take the time to tell stories with care.

But…

That email really clarified something for me.  And not just because he said a lot of flattering shit.

When someone takes the time to reach out to a stranger, any stranger, with such warmth…that is a rare breed. It bridges the gap between us. And that’s what I hope to be in 2023. As usual, one month I’ll tell you a funny story. The next month, I might try opening my heart in a vulnerable way. But it’s all just in the hope of making a human connection.

Of bridging the gap.  

Thousands of people showed up here each day to get information on deals. For years. Over 100 emails awaited me each morning asking for help. Asking for information. Asking for something. Guess how many still reach out to say, “Hey MileNerd, I’m hitting this one hard and just wanted to make sure you were aware of it.”

Maybe two or three.

Post-retirement, there are still a ton of loyal readers. How many of them take the time to express any feedback about the posts that resonate?

A small handful.

That isn’t meant as criticism. Am I asking for that? Hell no. But what I am saying is that’s the kind of person I want to be. Someone who takes a little more time for connection.

I haven’t actually been able to articulate why I spend these hours each month telling stories.

(Not until a rare breed of an 18-year-old made it so damn obvious)

Words can make an impact. Words can connect. Shit, sometimes words can even make us feel less alone.

I want this blog to be about human connection.

And I guess I always did.

But an 18-year-old kid reminded me how much that matters.    

That’s the goal for 2023.

(Also, I’d like to avoid spelling errors)

Happy new year, my friends.

Adieu To ’22

Crazy realization…

It has, somehow, been 4 years since the MileNerd days. Huh? I stopped writing a daily miles and points blog…4 years ago?? Could have sworn all of that was just yesterday. This whole time thing needs to chill, right?

Alas, it never will.

As we accelerate into the holiday season, here are my scattered thoughts and observations from 2022…

• Favorite purchase of the year? Theragun (yes, I’m old).
• Critical things to be great at in this crazy world? I nominate:
  Stress management and ability to focus.
  Massive connection between those 2 things and what someone accomplishes with their time.
• Birthday parties for babies. Why?
• Lessons. They’re what you receive when you don’t get what you want. Wise people pay close attention. The masses lick wounds and wait for that same lesson to appear yet again.
• Movie theaters in airports. Who says no?
• How to know when you’re old? It’s right around the time you start making sound effects when you stand up.
• Seek clarity in your relationships.
• Most underrated skill? You see it in the people who routinely say things like this with ease:
  “That’s on me.”
  “I screwed that up.”
  “Wow, I had this all wrong.”
  Really observe. Watch how those people always seem to grow. Not a coincidence. Most don’t want to see where they have things wrong. They’ll build their entire universe around that avoidance. Remaining stuck until the end. Do everything you can to avoid that mental prison. Search out the ways you are wrong.
• Speaking of babies, why do their clothes have pockets?
• Favorite movie of the year? “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” By a wide margin.
• If you back into parking spaces…reevaluate everything.
• “Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure.”
• How to know when you’re old? It’s right around the time you start asking, “When did college students start looking like high school kids!?”
• As the world keeps score of every screwup in a “Gotcha!” way, it becomes more important to fight this in ourselves. Our world may have forgotten. We must remember. Mistakes are ok. Messing up was never supposed to be a way of proving that someone sucks. We can be better than that.
• Have Apple Pie a la Mode for breakfast at least once before you die.
• Generalize less.
• Listen more.
• Truly forgive someone who has wounded you before you die.
• Favorite meal of the year? Hawksmoor, New York City.
• Still having heavy conversations in writing? Don’t justify it. Just be honest. That comes out of laziness or, more often, fear. And it’s not helping you or anyone else. If you care about someone, this is part of you show it in our new world. Don’t have those conversations in writing.
• Favorite athlete of the year? Steph Curry.
• Confidence is only possible when you show up for yourself.
• Self-loathing is only possible when you believe a lie about yourself.
• Elevators seem like a pretty straightforward process. The people inside walk out. Then, the people outside walk in. How are we still struggling with this?
• Don’t forget to breathe.
• Emotional maturity is rare. Most people don’t even know how to define it. Being obsessively even-keeled and repressing your emotions is not maturity. So, what is? For one thing, not shutting down around emotions (including your own). Being able to handle healthy pain, anger, intimacy, and intensity. Knowing it’s all a normal part of life. And being able to differentiate (A) someone trying to hurt you, from (B) someone just being a human being with feelings.
• If you include politics in your social media bio…reevaluate everything.
• Just because you’re done with your past…doesn’t mean your past is done with you.   
• You are not your crazy thoughts. You are the observer of them.
• If you won’t change habits, nothing will ever get better.
• How to know when you’re old? It’s right around the time you have a favorite mug and form strong opinions about salt shakers.
• Give in to love. Before it’s too late. Maybe you grew up in a home that didn’t show you a healthy form of love. Hurt people hurt people, right? Maybe you never figured out how to put down the self-protection. But there is someone in this world who deserves your trust. All of it. In our youth, we didn’t understand it because we couldn’t. But now it’s clear. There’s nothing more special than love. Allow it in. Accept it with care. And treat anyone who gives it to you with kindness.
• As a society, we literally use “literally” incorrectly.
• Trying to please everyone is a great way to ensure you won’t please anyone all that much.
• Who do you want to be in 5 years? How would that person spend today?
• How to know when you’re old? It’s right around the time you develop a magical ability to drink one beer and wake up fat.
• “A different version of you exists in the mind of every single person who knows you.”
• Fight for yourself and your wants. Nobody else can. There isn’t a cavalry that exists to do that job. Somewhere inside is a person with dreams – and the clock is ticking fast.
• How to know when you’re old? It’s right around the time you strongly consider Birkenstocks.
• Don’t auto-reject the people and things outside of your comfort zone. Turn down the volume on head-shaking. Turn up the volume on curiosity. Swim around in discomfort.
• If you feel it’s wrong for people to use their reclining seats as intended…reevaluate everything.
• Favorite quote of the year? “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”

Finally, I know this has been a rough year for so many of us. In a wide variety of ways. If you need to hear this, please hold on to hope. You. Fucking. Matter. Rich or poor…happy or miserable…popular or lonely. No matter how much the world can make you feel otherwise…you matter. And you always will. It isn’t something you have to earn.

I wish you a very happy holiday season.

See you in 2023.

Tray Tables Locked

Come on. Who misses flights?

But we’re still a long way from the airport.

This isn’t some Sandra Bullock romcom featuring the delightful British actor Hugh Grant. It’s real life. And I’ve never been so late for a flight. It was supposed to be a simple 23-minute Uber ride. How have I been sitting in this slow-moving Buick for over an hour?

My driver has a hard-to-identify accent which accompanies his mysterious odor. I have many questions. Why does it smell like cabbage in his car? How does he have so many vowels in his name? And why won’t he just follow his maps? Nobody is smarter than technology, sir. Nobody!

Ok, just breathe.

Miracles happen every day, right? Paris Hilton has a career…the Kardashians are billionaires…and Herchel Walker impresses actual human beings with his brainpower.

I can make this flight.

The driver with 6 vowels in his first name speaks calmly into his iPhone. Not a care in the world. Does he know how close we’re cutting this? Also, what language is he speaking? It sounds totally made up. How do I know there’s even a person on the other end of that phone line? Maybe this is a movie. A Halloween thriller about being trapped with a slow-moving, cabbage-hoarding lunatic.

Beads of sweat are marching down my forehead.

I decide to initiate conversation…

“Maybe just follow the map? That’s probably the fastest way, right?”

He glares back at me coldly in the rearview mirror without saying a word.

The silence is deafening.

I scroll through ESPN scores as if I’m not trapped in a deathmobile at 3 miles per hour. This is fine. I’ll just ignore the fact that my left leg is starting to twitch. Who needs body control anyway?

Miraculously, the deathmobile begins moving at a normal rate of speed. Then much faster. The Man With Too Many Vowels In His Name has found a hidden reservoir of motivation. We race through town. All of his terrible shortcuts are now working. He’s actually a hell of a driver. It’s as if a switch got flipped – moving him from comatose to caffeinated.

We arrive at the airport. I thank him profusely and he stares at me like I just called his mother a prostitute. Alright, time to go. I hustle over to the Clear security area. They scan my eyeballs and escort me to the front of a very long line. People stare angrily as if they’re all related to The Man With Too Many Vowels In His Name.

I have 9 minutes to make it to the gate. Nothing can stop me now.

(Right then, security stops me)

They need to look through my bag. Either because of liquids or because I’m a hairy brown man with sweat pouring down his face. Not sure which. They run a quick test on my saline and I’m free to go. I now have 3 minutes to make it the gate.

I run as fast as these hairy legs will move.

I can still make this flight.

Luckily, it’s Southwest Airlines. I arrive to find the usual clusterfuck of humanity. Two overflowing lines of confused people trying to figure out where to stand. I’m covered in sweat. So I squeeze in between all of the other flustered, sweaty people. Just in time to board our Greyhound bus through the sky.  

This is quite a group. Even the flight attendants look like characters straight out of The Grapes Of Wrath.

Hungry.

Tired.

Covered in dust.

I stumble to my seat in the back of the bus plane. It’s quite possible the two other people in my row have never been spotted outside of a DMV. One of them is a tall lady wearing the most makeup I’ve ever seen on a face. It looks almost like Ronald McDonald is sitting in that window seat. She’s just staring at the tray table in front of her. Completely still.

No reading.

No music.

Just staring.

Who’s in the middle seat? An elderly gentleman wearing multiple sweaters. At least 3 of them. All underneath his extra-thick winter coat. Do I understand avoiding checked bags? Absolutely. But this guy is a human walk-in closet. He’s overflowing out of his seat area. And why on earth would he choose a middle seat? He’s clearly not with Ronald McDonald over there.

Has anyone in the history of Southwest Airlines made the choices that this old dude is making?

Ok, let’s not assume. Maybe he isn’t aware that he can sit wherever he wants. So, I decide to let him know. He’s roughly the size of Texas right now and could use some extra space.

“Would you like to take the aisle seat, sir? It’s yours if you want it.”

He smiles and nods. And thus begins the lengthy process of watching someone try to roll out of a middle seat cocoon. I debate whether I should give him a hand. Or maybe a push. Eventually, I realize the choice is clear…

Do not touch anyone on this plane.

As I finally settle into my seat between Grimace and Ronald McDonald, I realize something. There’s no way I’ll be able to use the bathroom on this flight. It might take hours or a crane to move him again. Could be wise not to order any drinks. I mentally pat myself on the back for helping out a man buried under 42 layers of clothing. But, wow, it’s a tight squeeze. I decide to request a small bit of comfort…

“Just lemme use the armrest please.”

Grimace nods and smiles.

(And then immediately takes over the armrest for the duration of the flight)

Yup, travel is definitely back.

Monday Night Football

I was in Las Vegas last week.

On the final night, I settled in to watch a game at the crowded sportsbook. Wanted to make sure the empty seat was free. But before I could finish the question, my boisterous seat neighbor bellowed:

“It’s got your name on it, pal!”

We were off and running…

Joel, by his own admission, is in a “sweet spot.” Life is cruising along. He’s a successful 62-year-old attorney from Texas with a magnetic personality. Health, career, and friendships? All good. And, surprisingly, the guy is more than just a talker. Dude really knows how to listen. To the point that I had to ask him about it…

He attributed his skill to two factors:

1. A job that is mainly about being a negotiator. The key to success, according to Joel? Listening.
2. His father. The greatest man he has ever known. His hero and example.

Whenever someone talks about their father as a best friend, it honestly sounds like a foreign language to me. Genuinely hard to comprehend. And when Joel started talking about his parents’ beautiful marriage, that seemed even more alien. But different stories, different impacts…

The football game continued on, the drinks kept flowing, and the conversation kept deepening…

No longer just a run-of-the-mill chat.

We were talking about everything now…

Turns out that Joel has no kids and no wife. But he was married once – three decades ago – to a woman who broke his heart by cheating on him. And, really, by lying. See, integrity is very important to him. That’s how his parents were.

As Joel answered my questions with passion, I was genuinely surprised by what was happening behind his eyes…

This 62-year-old man who had his heart broken at 32…

Was still crushed by this.

Today.

He really loved her. Having gone into it with his heart wide open. With dreams of a marriage like the one his father had.

But, when that didn’t work out, what happened next?

For the next 30 years (and counting), Joel covered up his pain. Much like we all do.

With…stuff.

Careers or drinking or anxiety or whatever else we use. Fill in the blank. It’s all the same attempt to distract ourselves from sitting in our hurt.

Joel still can’t see it after all this time…

The problem wasn’t his going “all-in.”

He just went all-in on the wrong person…for the wrong reasons…

And then “protected” himself for the next 30 years.

Like we all do in our own ways.

We get hurt, learn the wrong lessons, and then try to “protect” ourselves in such strange ways.

But what if you are actually so much more than your self-protection?

Curtains

I’ve had a long, strange love affair with game shows…

1997:
All my buddies were busy making plans. A week filled with keg stands and pretty girls in small bikinis. It was time for spring break debauchery. My plans, on the other hand, were a bit different. All centered around a gray-haired man named Bob. Or maybe I’d call him Mr. Barker. Either way, I’d find out soon enough. No Florida in my future. I was headed out west to try my luck on The Price Is Right. And my 21-year-old brain kept visualizing the same image…

Holding a shiny set of keys.  

The idea of showing up empty-handed and leaving with a new car a few hours later?

It. Blew. My. Mind.

Honestly, how cool is that? Especially for deal people like us!  

Yeah, well, nobody else was even slightly interested in this oddball plan. Kelley (from a different yearslong journey) was the only one who shared any of my passion. But, alas, we were a broke pair of college kids. She didn’t have the cash to make it work and I was still years away from having a fat stack of miles and points. So I jumped on my US Airways jet plane of dreams alone…

California was a bizarre and incredibly exciting place. It truly felt like a different world from West Virginia. I booked a room at the Farmer’s Daughter Motel across the street from CBS. I’m quite certain it was a dump but all I remember is hope and possibilities. I slept maybe two hours that night. There was just so much excitement in the air…

I walked across the street soon after sunrise and joined a couple hundred people already in line. Many of them friendly. Some of them eccentric. A few seemed to be visitors from a neighboring planet. While I didn’t get called down to play a game that day, I did learn a very important game show lesson…

They want lunatics.

If you lose your mind telling producers your name…imagine what might you do if you win a car?

Ah, got it.

I also noticed how the first person in line got chosen to play. Maybe that’s always the case? Interesting…

After scarfing down a quick dinner that night and taking a power nap, I showed up again. Just after midnight. Me and my trusty Farmer’s Daughter Motel blanket wrapped tight. The groggy CBS security guard looked confused. He asked why I was there before quickly realizing the answer. He dished out an enthusiastic high-five for my passion.

The show that day? Man, it was a blur. All the lights, sounds, and nonstop cheering totally hypnotizes people. Everything moves at turbo speed. Before I knew it, Bob Barker called my name and the curtain opened…revealing a car.

YES!

Apparently, I lost that game. It’s hard to remember much of anything since I was floating ten feet off the ground. I left with a bed and a desk. It certainly didn’t feel like a victory. I was there to win a car. And that didn’t happen. Also, I’d never calculated how bad it might feel to lose a car. This would be a very long flight back to West Virginia.

As I left the studio, I walked past a line of hundreds of people waiting for the next taping. They asked how it went and I shared my story. Maybe they felt bad. I don’t know, maybe it was impossible to miss the disappointment in my eyes…because they stood up and gave me a round of applause. That actually felt pretty nice. After doing my paperwork, I checked out of the motel and headed to my jet plane of pain.

Man, I really would love to give it another shot one day. But The Price Is Right stores all that information and it’s once per lifetime. Oh well…

Over a decade later:
On the phone one day, my mom mentioned:
“Hey, you should try The Price Is Right again. You live in the same city now. And you really wanted to win a car in college. Remember?”

Uh, of course I remember.

Annoyed, I explained how it’s once per lifetime and I already had my shot at a car. They keep records…it’s not like I can just sneak in. But moms are persistent. Unfazed, she said, “Just double-check.” I looked it up the next day. And, sure enough, the rule had changed. Price Is Right had a new host and it was now once per decade. Hell yeah!

Ok, no screwing around this time. It’s obvious what this takes:

1. Act like a crazy person to get on.
2. When it’s game time, calm the fuck down.

Everyone gets rattled. Keep your feet on the ground…don’t float away into the clouds with all that noise and excitement…and you’ll have a real shot to win.

Sure enough, I got my chance. This time, I won my game. Just never got to play for the real goal. I left with a fancy Jura espresso machine and $4,500. Great day, of course. But still no showcase. And still no car.  

A few years later:
The dream was technically winning a car from The Price Is Right. But I was 0-for-2 there and couldn’t go back for years. So, Let’s Make A Deal entered the equation. It was the day after Halloween so I quickly grabbed a couple of clearance items. This show requires a costume. Hmm…a referee outfit and a giant bling dollar-sign necklace? Kind of random but I can make it work.

(Editor’s note: It’s not hard to get to play on a game show. Just requires a few seconds of acting like an insane person. The challenging part is getting to play for the right prize. That requires some luck. And, of course, winning that prize)

I showed up bright and early. Said I was a referee who takes bribes, went crazy, and did the whole song and dance. A few hours later, I got my chance to play…

Stay calm, dude. You know the deal. Feet on the ground. Don’t get distracted by the chaos and float away.

Before I knew it, I was up $1500 with a chance to trade it in. Did I want the mystery item behind the curtain? YES!

Hmm, that’s a pretty badass motorcycle. I don’t actually know how to ride one…but, hey, this was a hell of a day. Ideally, it would’ve had a couple more wheels. Maybe I’ll get another shot one day.

But then, at the end of the show, I received a heaping dose of luck…

Do I want to trade my winnings for a chance at the Big Deal Of The Day? Absolutely!!!

Alright dude, you’ve got a commercial break to figure this out. There’s a car behind either door 1, 2, or 3. I gotta pick the right one.

Everyone surrounding me is yelling:
“Three! Three! Three!”

But then something catches my attention…

Sitting right behind me is a mysterious-looking gentleman who hasn’t spoken a word the entire day. While everyone around him is hopping around and cheering, he’s just sitting there silently. Peacefully. Long dreadlocks almost making him look like a medicine man. I turn around and ask:
“What door do you think?”

With a James Earl Jones level of bass in his voice, he utters a single word:
“One.”

Ok, door 1 it is.

The doors open…

My winnings?

2500 bucks, a trip to San Antonio, and FINALLY…

A brand-new motherfucking car.

A few years later:
Another shot at Let’s Make A Deal. Can’t remember if their rule was 3 or 5 years in between. But, by then, the dance was clear. Do the usual lunatic act and then calm down to play. Won a trip to Chicago. Didn’t get a shot at a car.

Which brings us back to the present day…

Another decade since the last Price Is Right attempt…

Here’s the thing, guys. And I’ll be perfectly honest about this. A lot of time has gone by. Things have changed. And, frankly, it’s more embarrassing than exciting now. But it’s still a chance at a car. And I’m not in any position to say no to that. Here’s the issue…

These things tend to be on a studio lot where they film tv shows. Some of which I have been in. Price Is Right, for example, is right down the hall from a soap opera that I’ve recurred on. Which means there are people a few feet away who I’ve had working relationships with. Friends and castmates. It’s potentially very awkward.

(Editor’s note: That is certainly not intended as a brag. Just the reality of the situation. By the way, this is why I almost never mention my job in over a decade of writing posts here. There are always a few people who will get weird if I do. Which makes me feel weird. Whatever. The point is, it’s an embarrassing thing for me to do at this point. Standing in line right down the hall from people I hope I don’t run into, etc)

But, hey, it’s still a no-brainer.

When push comes to shove, it’s a chance to win a car. There’s no way I can turn that down.

So I do my Zoom and give Price Is Right yet another shot. This has been unfinished business for over two decades now. The good news? They want me on Dream Car Week (which only comes around once per year). Suddenly a very different level of opportunity. No Kias and Hyundais at this show. Last year, they gave away an Alfa Romeo, a Corvette, a Maserati, and so on.

So I decided to go to work.

I don’t know how to properly express the level of this weirdness. With a week before the show, I decided to dedicate literally every free minute to memorizing prices. I went full-on Rain Man. Binging episodes from last season, making a detailed spreadsheet, and memorizing every single item. Yes, all of them. It started with cars and just kept going.

-Egg whites? $7.49
-Heated car throw blanket? $39
-Container of parmesan? $5.49

I. Knew. Every. Single. Item.

I had it all memorized. Over 700 rows in Excel. It kind of just happened. Now all I needed was a shot at a car and I’d win one. No doubt about it. Luck would still be a big factor. But I’d reduced that down as much as I could. It was all about getting a chance to win the right prize…one with four wheels.

I asked my buddy Raja if he wanted to join. They like contestants to bring at least one friend. He jumped at the opportunity. I remember having that kind of excitement to go to game shows. But now it was all about taking care of business.

Game time…

The alarm goes off at 5:30, I’m in an Uber a few minutes later, and standing in line at the now-familiar studio lot within an hour. The waiting begins. Raja shows up and greets me with an excited hug. I immediately pull a printout from my back pocket and ask if he can quiz me.

-BMW 840i? $94,756.
-Maserati Levante? $84,395.  
-And so on.

Raja is shocked. Wait bro, did you memorize every single car price?

Yeah, man.

And all the other items too.

After a week of this, I feel like a giant calculator. Overflowing with numbers. I don’t even need to act crazy this time. I might have actually lost my mind for real. And then other people in line start realizing what’s happening. They begin quizzing me too. In between all of their standing-in-line festivities. I get it. Game shows are for people who are just excited to be there and have fun. I really do get it. But I am not here for fun. I’m here for one reason – to win a car. And, frankly, I could use a big win right now. So while everyone else is playing around for the next 3 hours as we wait to go in…I’m working. Just as I have been, non-stop, for the last week.

We finally get to our quick little interview and I go nuts because I know that’s what they want to see. But it’s all an act. The second it’s over, I get very calm and keep focusing on my numbers.

The show begins. I’m not one of the first 4 people called down. To review, my “line buddies” were:
(A) An extremely fun, young black couple who were posting playful Instagram videos for hours from the line.
(B) A white older mother in a motorized scooter. Accompanied by her 20 year-old daughter. Both are very friendly.
(C) A middle-aged Asian lady with an older white man who looks like a friendly Donald Sutherland. Very supportive couple who are exceptionally kind to each other.
(D) A 35-ish high-energy blonde chick who I’m quite certain has killed someone at some point in her life.

The lady from A, the young daughter from B, and the old man from C all get up to bid. Each of them deep in the floating state that comes from all the lights, sounds, and excitement. The young daughter (Shelby) is particularly rattled. She means to bid $2001 and says 201 instead.

Friendly Donald Sutherland plays his game and loses.

They call another person down. Also not me. Everyone is floaty and bidding terribly. The next person loses his game too. Man, I’ll need to get called down soon to have a few shots at bidding…

And then I get called down.

Acting crazy like I know they want…a chest bump, a quick robot dance, and so on. But immediately calming down to go to work. The item up for bid? A robo vac.

Shit.

There are 9 or 10 tricky items that vary in price even for the identical brand. This is one of them. Last season, they used 4 different robo vac brands and this was the one with two prices for the exact same thing. It’s a 50/50 chance. I guess one price but it’s the other. The guy goes up and loses a Camaro.

I knew every grocery price in that game and would have won it. Fuck. That might have been my shot.

The next item for bid is a knife and cookware set. This combination was not given away last season. I throw out an educated guess and win. YES! Now I just need to be playing for a car. Come on, baby.

But…no. It’s a tool set, some Michael Kors accessories, a TV, and a ping pong table. I deflate immediately. Sure, this stuff is fine. But I’m just not here for this. Oh well, there’s still a chance at the showcase. The tool set wasn’t used last season either so I mumble out a guess and end up losing. But these prizes didn’t matter. I’ve got one chance left at the car. All my energy now moves to hoping for some luck at the wheel. If I can just get to the showcase…

In the meantime, Shelby is really struggling. In my game, her bid was $150. There hasn’t been a bidding item priced under $200 since the Nixon administration. She’s totally floating. I’m bumming hard about not getting a shot at the car but Raja is having so much fun that he gestures to Shelby between dance moves. As in, “She needs help, bro.” I walk up to her at the next commercial break and say, “Hey just look at me. I know all of these.”

Shelby looks over for the next bidding item (a trip to Carmel) and repeats the number I shout out. She wins the trip, gets on stage, and the curtain opens to reveal…a shiny black Mercedes. Oh man, I know this one too. The Camaro and Mercedes could have been mine and…instead…a knife set. But Shelby clearly needs a hand. She tries to find me but is floating hard. I put up a 4 but she can’t see around the camera. She loses the Benz.

Next up is the possibly homicidal blonde – Amber. She saw what happened last round with Shelby and asks for help too. By this time, almost everyone has realized there’s a weird rain man supernerd in the room. I give Amber the bid and she wins. Her reward? A chance to play Plinko. She looks right at me for each item and follows my hand signals perfectly. She wins each chip and ends up with $22,500.

At the commercial break, she sprints over. Yelling, “THANK YOU SO MUCH” directly into my ear from half an inch away. She’s the only winner from any of the 6 games.

My final chance arrives. But I’ll need some luck with this wheel. No memorizing can save the day now.

Dammit, I should have had a Camaro or Mercedes but played for a fucking ping pong table!

Stop. Now isn’t the time for that, dude. Stay positive. There’s one last opportunity for the day…

I spin 60 cents. Being first in line, I know I’ll need to spin again for a higher number…

And I go over.

I’m full-on crushed.

Shelby moves on to the showcase against friendly Donald Sutherland.

At least a dozen people come over to hand out handshakes and hugs. By now, everyone knows what’s happening with the rain man shit. But it’s all for naught. Somehow, I still managed to come out of this carless. Raja dances over and says we have one job left…we have to help Shelby.

Friendly Donald Sutherland passes on his showcase. Oh, wait. I think I’m really close on this one. Shelby follows my hand signals and places the bid perfectly. I don’t make eye contact with Sutherland on his turn. I don’t know his showcase as accurately and, anyway, the job is to help Shelby.

Drew Carey reads off the prices…

Holy shit, Shelby is within 98 dollars.

She wins BOTH showcases. Her handicapped mom joins her onstage and is overwhelmed by tears. They both look over and put their hands on their hearts. I’m exhausted, happy for them, and super bummed for myself all at once. A bunch of emotions.

In the room with the paperwork, 20 year-old Shelby runs over and gives me a massive hug that feels like a visit to the chiropractor. She still seems to be floating. This brand-new Audi will be her first car. Sutherland taps me on the shoulder and jokes that he could have used some help too. I laugh politely but feel pretty gutted.

Shelby and her mom ask if Raja and I want to have a celebration drink with them. Sure, why not. Everyone is on cloud nine (except for me). We walk over to the farmer’s market and order a round of drinks and food. They insist on buying our lunch and are incredibly grateful. They politely try to feel bad for me but, come on, it’s impossible for them to feel anything but excitement. As they should. They just had a $70,000 day.

It turns out they really needed a win too. Shelby’s mom broke her back 5 years ago after falling off the roof while patching a leak. Thus the scooter. She’s been on disability for $1000/month ever since. Shelby’s dad just died in December. And the mom has been trying to bounce back after heart surgery a couple months ago. These are nice people. They’ve had a rough go of it and deserve a day like this. We trade numbers and hugs as they say thanks for the 50^th time.

In the end, there’s no deep lesson from my long, strange history with game shows. But I guess I did learn something along the way…

Losing sucks. But it’s better than knowing you never took your shots. And maybe that’s all we can do. Keep taking shots and hope that a few of them go down. Keep shooting in spite of all the misses. It seems like, so often, we can barely slide a piece of paper through the tiny gap between winning and losing. Even with things as random and silly as game shows. So much, big and small, seems to come down to a single moment. And a lot of those moments don’t go our way. It’s not very profound, but I guess that’s what I learned from all this wackiness. Keep shooting. Who knows what might be lurking behind the next curtain…