06/08/2006: "Six Months in a Leaky Boat..."

Well it was only a matter of time before my Susannah proof Motorola cell phone made a bid of freedom. Being my phone is no easy job to be sure, I’ve driven many from the job, and destroyed more than a few. I drop my phone at least twice a day (unintentionally of course), I’ve done my share of temporary misplacing it, it’s been through the washing machine and now….another water related incident. Or sudsy liquid related incident. Sigh.

I took my phone with me for use of the clock on it into watercourse way for an hour of private decompression. I don’t know why, but I paced my phone in my plastic bag with my razor, shampoo, brush and other bath-time toiletries. It would appear that my phone was thirsty or dirty or maybe just suicidal and somehow drank some cleanser which I still don’t understand how it leaked. Needless to say suds inside the screen did not bode well for poor phone. There was a tense period of surgery as Dr. Justin (Aka Young G, Aka Roommate) used precision tools to completely dismantle the phone (very cool, this was lots of fun), while I swabbed and absorbed moisture in every visible crack and crevice of said phone. The operation was not successful though, and in the end, though I have recovered my LCD backlight screen which was ever so faint from the last liquid attack I have no functionality. The phone won’t actually turn ON, and I can’t SEE anything. And only 3 months from a free upgrade too. If I weren’t acting and directing for the next 3 months, I would say screw it, but the fact that it would be really nice to have a phone if people (or myself) are running late places makes me think I will need to get something between now and said upgrade. Such a doofus I am.

This morning after finally getting to sleep after 1am, I was awoken at 5:15am by a tap tap noise. My first thought was ooooh yeah, Pete the mouse has paid me a visit where is that cute little booger, on second listen I thought, is it raining outside? And on closer examination I discovered it was raining on my foot, inside. Sad. It would appear that after pulling my covers back, there was Chinese water torture occurring in the wee hours of dawn at the Highland Palace. A leak from either Nicolas or Justin’s room from above. I flipped on the light to see what the damage may or may not be occurring to be greeted by a suspicious sizzle sound. The drip was coming from the track lighting. I find it interesting that I took Monday to get a bunch of personal stuff done which included a massive clean of the room. Had my room been in it’s normal state, I would have been much more concerned with this. As it was, I just chucked on my robe and retrieved a bucket from the garage and placed it on my bed to catch the drip. I placed Horatio the laptop in my work bag and placed that in the hallway. Though I have some lovely material objects from my travels I also still have my memories and so my only real valued item from a financial investment perspective that I would be disturbed if it got wet/broke would be my computer with all my writing on it. And my phone….but then we don’t have to worry about that now do we?!

When it rains..it apparently leaks. As I discovered a second leak along the same line and deposited another pot I was reminded of the several years in my parents’ house of leaky roofs and pans and pots everywhere catching drips. I had a money pit vision of the whole roof collapsing. Good to know though that I was consciously aware that my ceiling could in fact cave in and was prepared mentally for the water damage. Not sure if it’s morbid, overly dramatic, or just cautious thinking there, but I took the evasive measures necessary to at least prevent Horatio from being harmed. I was awake so I set a record and got into work by 6:15am. Nice to have 3 hours of catch up in a quite office, but it’s not even two and I’m burnt. Memories of the morning after a 3 day al nighter writing papers in college. Flashback to how great bed used to feel after those. I hope my is dry by the time I make it there tonight.

Justin will keep me updated on the progress. He said he was able to identify where it was coming from and seemingly stop it, but no word on how extensive things are. Apparently it’s not the first time this has happened….that would have been nice to know I suppose before I moved in. All in all, I thought it would be much cooler if it had been blood dripping from my ceiling. Cooler, but harder to sop up and get out of the carpet. Too much Omen I guess, which I saw opening night….Reviews of that and other recent movies later.

I leave you with a couple of interesting links here….

1) This, which Ron bought for me as a joke yesterday. I had it, and though it tasted “fine” I think it did a toxic number on me. Figures…look what it has in it…appetite suppressant. If by suppressant they mean makes you want to vomit afterwards..then yes…mission accomplished. There was no energy to be had, other than my normal perky self.

2) I’m not sure I like this or not. One way, makes me think this is great, I can save the money the cell phone company is dinging me for every little "priveledges" (though in general for the abuse I put my phone through, Cingular is pretty good about these things) but are we getting too nosey? Is privacy becoming obsolete? Food for thought.

3) Get your tickets for my show...http://www.northsidetheatre.com/website/ntc.html

Stay dry my dears!