Ever been Roof-ied?
Well, I hope not but in case you need to know, it sucks. Not that kind of a roofy. I bought a used camper and it's awesome, except for a tiny problem, the roof leaks. Oh, and it was decorated to appeal to your grandma. So we had to fix both things, pronto. I estimated the job of doing the inside and roof to take about 10 days. Welcome to day 25! We are nearly done and back on the road. We fixed up the roof real nice like and no damage was done to the interior so we dodge our first bullet there. We plan to head south next. But first it's off to so-cal to film a TV commercial.
What? yep. A big company heard our story about changing the trajectory of our lives and wants to tell it. So I can't tell you what company or anything like that, but if you see my ugly mug and sweetie's graceful beauty on the TV, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you.
Someone recently asked me about my email auto sig, which one is of my personal motos: Take Risks. Way back in the day, once upon a time, I was a young, bustling, staffer to a Member of Congress on Capitol Hill. She had an event honoring the two sitting women Supreme Court Justices at the time. (I know, Chicks. Right?) So it was my job to escort Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg from the car out front of the Capitol Building to the Old House Chamber where we were having the event. It took us about 10 minutes to walk (mainly because Ginsburg is older than dirt (see side story below) and it was just the three of us. I chatted them up. Ruth would have none of it, content to frown, hunch, and rot away. Mrs. O'Connor was a talker, though, and we sort of hit it off, I think anyway. She asked what brought me to DC to work in politics. I told her how I moved to DC with no job, no real political experience, and not even really knowing which party I would affiliate with. And, how I had formed my beliefs, and found a Member of Congress to work for whose ideals I aligned with. She asked about my motivation to move to DC in the first place, and I told her the only reason I really do anything, for a girl. Married her, so that worked out for everyone.
Justice O'Connor laughed and congratulated me for taking a risk saying something about how most people do not take enough risks and that taking a risk doesn't guarantee failure and how everything should be a learning experience. Everything she said made perfect sense to me. I have always been a nothing ventured, nothing gained type of guy, but never thought of myself as a risk taker until that moment. The ladies seemed to enjoy the event, I think it was tea party or something. :) Event went well enough and I got the Justices back to their ride. Got that old bag of bones Ginsburg into the front seat and the delightful Justice O'Connor in the rear. Sandra Day O'Conner started to roll up her window, we made eye contact and I said "Take Care" and she looked at me with a wise, knowing smile and said, "No young man, do not take care, Take Risks".
Actual photo from that day with the justices. Meet my co workers Danielle English and Cameron Gilreath. Spring 2000
Side story on Ruthy. There was a six inch riser behind the podium so she could see over the top of it. I had to physically lift her onto and off of the riser, she couldn't lift her leg high enough to climb the SIX INCH RISER. That was over 16 years ago. She still serves the Supreme Court today. Plus when I asked if I could take a picture with them on the way out O'Connor said yes and Ginsburg said no at the exact same time. The lovely O'Connor grabbed me and put me between the two of them and Capitol Hill Cop took our picture. So my extreme dislike of Justice is entirely personal, not political, i assure you.