Mementos (not to be confused with those candy thingies)

Well, it's like a collision of two different TV-worlds. On one hand, we have the classic episode of the Dick Van Dyke show "A Farewell To Writing", in which Rob Petrie tries to compose the 'Great American Novel', but gets distracted by far more important tasks, like playing paddle-ball, or constructing an over-size wastepaper basket. On the other hand is a recent story-arc on South Park, where the locals become obsessed with a fruit called 'member-berries', who chatter away in cherubic-like voices about past enjoyments -- "Member when John Glenn orbited the EARTH?? OOO, I MEMBER!!"

And SO, as the Chicago Jon quest-for-work-World Tour grinds into its fifth month, I find myself trying my best to stay productive in between interviews, job fairs, and other assorted pandering. But Dude, it is NOT easy. I mean, after all, I'm the guy who invented the OLIAS! And while I've yet to take up paddle-ball, I did indeed buy myself a juggling kit. (Were I in vaudeville, my act would be called 'The Amazing Shop-Vac' because I totally suck at it.)

And with that, my latest project is trying to make some sense out of the storeroom, where over 40 years of racing related stuff resides (or, as the wife prefers to call it, all that "crap you won't throw away.") You open up a box, and all of a sudden, it becomes..."Hey, it's an original Joe’s Army 1991 pin I got in the 1000-foot club! Member Joe Amato?? OOO, I MEMBER!!" So you see what I'm up against....

A re-occurring mantra for this could be, 'but it seemed like it was just YESTERDAY'... but the changing face of Indianapolis Raceway Park (now known as Lucas Oil Raceway) is drawn in, with multiple IRP tumblers, and
a drink bottle. Also in the mix were several of the surveys that were handed out when the concourse was built in 1991. OK, think about THIS one for a second: what if every SINGLE one was filled out with wrath and vexations, saying that we the fans did NOT like being squished up towards the starting line, on a giant frying pan, with only Big Macs as a food option. What game show was it, the one with "Newkirk" from Hogan’s Heroes, would he yell, "Survey SAYS ... Tear it DOWN!!" And those corporate-America BASTARDS, would they be all 'Whoopsie-Doodle, guess it's time for a do-over.’ Um, yeah.... right....