Wednesday, December 26, 2012

A 70-year romance that's still sizzling

A project that's finally ready for me to share.

Gloria and Snicks came into my life in April of 2002 when Neal Velgos and I were exploring the former right-of-way of the Pacific Electric streetcar line that ran from Burbank and Glendale to the Subway Terminal Building at 4th and Hill streets in downtown L.A. They were enjoying the afternoon shadows in front of their small, hillside home in the Silverlake/Edendale neighborhood. They threw a warm greeting our way as we paced up their street. Before we passed the next house, we realized that this was a couple we should spend a few minutes with. Before long, it was clear that theirs was a story that we needed to preserve.

In early 2013, Gloria will turn 90. Snicks will be 93. They met in 1942 and got married before his Army division shipped out to Europe. This is the story of how they came together at a time the world seemed to be falling apart. It ends when Snicks and his best friend finally returned to the two sisters they had married before they went to war. This, by the way, is what The Endangered History Project was meant to create. If it moves you, please share it, or even consider participating in the next project. And we always love it when you subscribe to this blog.






Tuesday, December 18, 2012

An unnecessary (and humbling) adventure


I was feeling guilty for keeping my treasured RX7 in the office parking lot I share with my office neighbor. So I took the unregistered Mazda home and parked in on the street.

That was dumb!

I came home one night and there was more room to park in front of the house than there had been when I left. Oh! They towed my car. When the nightmare was over, I felt compelled to confess and reflect. Someone I shared it with suggested I send it to the Car Talk program on National Public Radio. It ended up on Car Talk's blog.

Hey, being infamous is almost as good as being famous.

Enjoy.

 To see it, click on this link: