The Tire Iron and the Tamale

Posted on 25. Mar, 2011 by in The Goo Blog

By JUSTIN HORNER  - Justin Horner is a graphic designer living in Portland, Ore. This essay was adapted from a message-board posting on reddit.com.

Published: March 4, 2011

During this past year I’ve had three instances of car trouble: a blowout on a freeway, a bunch of blown fuses and an out-of-gas situation. They all happened while I was driving other people’s cars, which for some reason makes it worse on an emotional level. And on a practical level as well, what with the fact that I carry things like a jack and extra fuses in my own car, and know enough not to park on a steep incline with less than a gallon of fuel.

Each time, when these things happened, I was disgusted with the way people didn’t bother to help. I was stuck on the side of the freeway hoping my friend’s roadside service would show, just watching tow trucks cruise past me. The people at the gas stations where I asked for a gas can told me that they couldn’t lend them out “for safety reasons,” but that I could buy a really crappy one-gallon can, with no cap, for $15. It was enough to make me say stuff like “this country is going to hell in a handbasket,” which I actually said.

But you know who came to my rescue all three times? Immigrants. Mexican immigrants. None of them spoke any English. (more…)

Pretty

Posted on 31. Oct, 2010 by in The Goo Blog

People Are Driving Me Crazy!

Posted on 25. May, 2010 by in The Goo Blog

It feels like I have no patients anymore.  I seem to be frustrated and angry at everyone.  Seriously!  It seems like everyone I meet, no not really the folks I meet and speak with, more the people I encounter driving, riding my bike, walking down the sidewalk, in the aisle at the store.  Yeah, those non-descript knuckleheads are the people that are driving me nuts.

It is like nothing they do is right.  They are moving too slow or blocking my way or making dumb decisions.  How inconsiderate can these people be?  I feel like I am in a world filled with idiots. (more…)

Dealing with Change

Posted on 06. Feb, 2010 by in The Goo Blog

I had lunch with my friend, Jill,  yesterday.  It was good to see her and catch up, but for some reason I left our time together feeling very sad.  At first I could not figure out why.  Jill is someone I care for and think a great deal of.  I usually feel great when I get together with her and can’t wait to see her again.  This time I was not sure when or if I wanted to see her again.

She was in this huge negative victim space.  Not fun to be around.

Later in the day I was telling another friend, Sandy, about this situation and she helped me see what was happening. (more…)