The last 4 days have been a horror show. I don't think I have had one thing go right. If you didn't read, go ahead and take a look at the earlier Schedranfraude thread and how I locked my keys in my car on Thursday night. It get's worse. That 's just the beginning.
I give up on life. It's over for me. I wish there was a distraught sports writer hot line.
Here is my, belated, diary of cataclysmic events.
And remember, don't laugh too hard about my misfortune. Your next.
Friday (morning): I get assaulted by a security guard at Bradley Airport and get my laptop picked apart for no other reason than it was me and I have bad luck recently. Darn Red Sox game. I got patted down and I had to take off the shoes and empty all my pockets and electronic equipment. Of course I struggled getting off my sneakers because I have yet to master the art of tying shoes. It is one big knot.
In the course of doing all this stuff (because of a pinhead with a bomb scare in Boston), I somehow misplaced my $75 Blue tooth headset. Maybe it went to Quantico for explosive testing. The trip is off to a wonderful start
Friday (afternoon): I get into Pittsburgh and of course go over to get my reserved rental car -- Hertz. But wait, my reservation is Saturday through Monday. I need Friday-Sunday. No problem, I have a Football Writers' Association discount. Two days for the cheap priuce of $90 something dollars. Fine. Waiting in line with me is Chip Malafronte of the Register. He doesn't have a reservation. Later, when we meet up at a place called fat heads, Chip tells me he got a car for the weekend at $50 total. He then asks if there is GPS in my car. I say no. Chip says he didn't order it and thought it was standard. So I then ask him about the $50 car and he says he went economy. I curse my expensive tastes and then he asks me what I am driving. I say a Mazda 6. He has a big smile and says, "That's what I am driving too!"
Yes, that's right, Chip was behind me in line at hertz with no reservation and got the same car $40 less and with GPS thrown in. Grrrreat start to the trip!
Back at the hotel I am listening to Mike and the Mad Dog on the internet and they are giving updates on the Cubs-Pirates game. I am in luck! I am in Pittsburgh so I try to find the game. Guess what? No Pirate games are on in the hotel. Hotel doesn't get FSN Pittsburgh or WGN. Are you kidding me?
Friday night: As stated above we went to a nice place called Fat Heads with 40 beers on tap. Yumm. I meet Shawn Courchesne from the Hartofrd Courant there and he complains about his Dodge Charger rental that he was forced into. The thing growls. Shawn can't even see over the dash. I think he could beat Ted Christopher driving that thing. Anyhow, he was upgraded to it because they were out of other more professional automobiles. Shawn then was complaining about it and how silly he looked. Let me get this straight, being upgraded to a muscle car and complaining? That is so Hartford Courant (kidding Shawn).
Anyhow, I took a cab there from the Mariott downtown and chatted with a nice cabbie. It was a $6 cab ride and I hand him some cash and say I want 2 bucks back. He says "thanks" in a pretty enthusiastic tone and I am a bit taken aback. When I go to buy my first beer I find out why --- I thought I gave him a $10, but no, I gave him a $20. That's a $14 tip for a 5 minute cab ride -- Brilliant.
Check out Runway Ramblings for a recap of dinner -- I threw my wings away.
Later back at the hotel, where I paid only a $6 cab ride back I order room service. It was pretty good. when I go to put the plates outside my foot slides off the door. I am locked out, luckily I am in shorts. I have to call down to the lobby and have the kind receptionist let me in. I wanted to wear a bag over my head.
Saturday (game day): How come I have to park in the East Clark lot (1 mile away from Heinz), while every other guy on the UConn beat, EVERY OTHER, had a 1/2 mil walk from the well lit Red 5 garage? I walked under an underpass into an abandoned and dim lot and somehow managed to find my way back to the Mariott. Why am I the only one in an abandoned lot a mile from the field? How am I still alive?
The Heinz Field security is ridiculous. I got patted down and had to turn on my phone, ipod and computer. I wish I had my blue tooth on me to show that it wasn't a bomb too. Do Islamic terrorists even know where Pittsburgh is?
6 a.m. wake up for flight. Time actually closed my eyes? 4 a.m. And no, I didn't go to a postgame party. I wrote a story for scout that becaused of technical difficulties has yet to appear on the website.
Sunday: Things are looking better though I am tired. Get my work out of the way and no hitch on the flight. Head to the Toby Keith concert for a great time, and much deserved. Had my wife take care of the specifics. She put the tickets in my wallet (I actually forgot them at home during one concert this year) and we are off to the Meadows. we get there, eat some ribs and go upgrade our tickets to Pavillion seats. It is awesome. Then...Toby Keith begins his show. Sound guy must be going deaf because the concert is so loud people are headed to the lawn. It's unbearable. I listen to the concert with my fingers in my ears. Wife and friends are miserable. So am I. We leave early because it is so loud. Of course, stuck in traffic for an hour on the way home.
I pick up my 11 month old daugther Julia and see she has a bad fever. She is up all night crying and whining (which is so cute). I feel helpless. I DVRed the Giants game and am pleaseantly surprised. I can't enjoy it however. First off my daughter is crying, secondly, it's 3:45 a.m. and I have been up 22 straight hours. If the Giants lost that game I wouldn't be here. Not that game, not this weekend, not at this time of night/morning.
Monday (5 p.m.): I have had issuess with a laptop of mine. This computer store has been jerking me around for 3 months since I brought it in to get the AC adapter fixed. I had to return it twice and am out $225. I haven't heard from them in a month, so I am delighted when i go there to pick it up. After about 10 minutes searching for the power cord they give me the computer back and I go home. Of course when I plug it in and turn it on there is no response. The thing is non-functional.It is busted. Upon further inspection, the thing is missing 5 screws.
Of course I head back to the store to yell, bu the place closed 5 minutes earlier for the day. Life sucks. I am late for work now. Of course Hartford traffic makes it an hour to get in instread of a 20 minute ride (I hate Hartford).
Ohh, and the Yankees lost.
So I am here, tired and cranky. Keys in my pocket, and ready for some volleyball scores.
So how was your weekend?
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