Getaway Car
The Metalhead Librarian Rides Again.
Hope you are having a terrific August so far.
I do love Arizona in so many ways but August in Phoenix is a season unto itself- one that must be endured, as I have learned to do for the last 29 years of living in the desert.
August is my lay-low and take-stock month before my birthday.
In September, my first book, Adventures of a Metalhead Librarian, turns five, I turn 53, and I’ve been retired from my library job for three years.
I’ve come to a few realizations, and I’m finally feeling - I don’t know - settled? At peace? There is an adjustment period, for sure, but I think I’m finally adjusting into my middle age and able to set new routines so that I can thrive into my old age.
At the beginning of the year, I wrote a note to myself that I wanted to take a solo road trip in August, with the idea of maybe a cabin in the high country, or at least a Groupon-cheap local resort pass where I could write and go swimming and take a couple of days away from my mom-wife life.
What happened instead is that I drove to Las Vegas to see my friend Lonn and attend a birthday party & book signing event for him.
And then I met up with my old boss Brian, and watched live stand-up comedy by one of my favorite comics and artists.
No writing got done, but here I am now, and it turns out it was exactly what I needed to recharge my battery.
–
When I was laid off from my job at Metal Blade Records in 1992, Slayer’s manager, Rick, told me to call Lonn M. Friend over at RIP Magazine to see about a job - and it sounded like a great idea.
Everyone knew who Lonn was. RIP was THE premier heavy rock magazine back in the day, brainchild of Althea Flynt, who’d plugged into the punk and metal scenes that had exploded in LA in the 80’s. RIP was published by her husband Larry Flynt, under the Hustler umbrella. I’d been a fan of Lonn’s since he put Guns N’ Roses on the cover of RIP in 1988 when I was a junior in high school.
(If you’ve read my memoir, then you might know some of this…)
Anyways, I wrote Lonn’s number on a post-it note at Rick’s insistence, and stuck it in my address book - and like a fool, I never called him.
It was a week after the Rodney King Riots in LA. The city was still smoldering. It was a strange time. I was debating whether to stay in LA - tired of hustling to survive.
A week later, I was gone.
-
Flash forward to six years ago, early 2018, when I had just gone back to my Librarian job after being treated for breast cancer.
Lonn popped into my Instagram comments. We had a lot of mutual friends of course, but it was a fun surprise to finally meet him this way.
Instagram has turned out to be one of the best tools I’ve used to connect with people. As a writer, it’s been downright magical.
When we first met, I was still writing my memoir, Adventures of A Metalhead Librarian, my hair was growing out, I was still super-weak from chemo - but Lonn gave me some encouragement and attention that I desperately needed as a writer. And as a human being.
We messaged a bit, got familiar via email, and then he came to Phoenix for a visit. I asked him to write the foreword to my book. And we’ve been dear friends ever since.
–
From Phoenix, the drive to Vegas is a mixed bag. It takes a solid hour to get out of the Metro area, even with traffic flowing and no slow-downs. Phoenix - it’s BIG.
The next three hours, the road is terrible but the scenery is magnificent. Desert, cactus, mountains, Joshua Trees, iconic western skies. Then you hit the highway chaos of I-40 for a little ways and cut north through Kingman for a rough and ugly hour’s drive before crossing the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, which is awe-inspiring.
I won’t lie. I listened to Taylor Swift the entire way there.
I thought my Camry was going to lose a part or two on the grinder of a road, but she held together just fine. She’s nine years old now, but in Toyota years, that’s like, three. We bought her last year as a second car, a run-around car, something the teen driver could use without us flinching. For this trip, it was my Getaway Car and she was flawless.
Some days, I have to take the newer, bigger 4x4 SUV out and about on my errands, but honestly, I adore driving the middle-aged, ordinary sedan.
There is something very “metal” about the ordinary. I made it to Vegas on ¾ tank of gas. She’s efficient, comfortable, dependable, non-fussy. A bit of wear and tear and a few nicks, but no major damage. Still looks respectable, maybe even a little edgy since I put black hubcaps on her. She’s built for the long-game, not flash.
As a person, I relate very much to being a reliable, competent, low-maintenance, middle aged sedan. Instead of hubcaps, I put black eyeliner on myself everyday for a little edge. As a human, and as a writer, I’m also hoping for the long-game.
–
Upon arriving at the venue for Lonn’s gathering, I started meeting people who knew who I was, or who had read AMHL, and to my delight, many of them were already my Instagram friends. I had to ask their handles so I could put names and faces together. I also ended up selling the last copies of my book that I had on hand - as well as Garage Sale Vinyl. It was such a fun event.
Lonn’s friends are eclectic, artistic, interesting characters. I met Lisa, and Val, and Mel, and Julia, and so many others. I loved hearing their stories and being able to connect with them. I even met former Kiss guitarist, Bruce Kulick, whom I saw on the Hot in the Shade tour, 1990, Long Beach Arena - which I write about in AMHL, so I gave him a copy. I also made sure he had a copy of Garage Sale Vinyl, since it has a KISS chapter.
What surprised me most were how many people who told me they were writing a book or a memoir. Knowing I’m a writer, and a former librarian - people talked. I loved it. I answered more questions about writing and publishing than I have in a good, long while. Who knows, maybe amongst them is my next publishing project?
A photographer friend who I’d met at the Metal Blade Anniversary party in 2022, mentioned he had extra tickets to see Brian Posehn at a comedy club not far away, so I took him up on the offer, and I ran into my old boss, Brian Slagel, which was awesome. Talk about a small world. We were sat right next to each other one row apart, so we got caught up, and afterwards, he invited me to stay and meet Brian Posehn.
I’ve been a fan of Brian Posehn’s for a long time and I wish I could have asked questions about his long career, his Just Shoot Me, Californication, and Big Bang Theory episodes and experiences - but instead of all that, me and the two Brian’s talked about heavy metal music.
I mean, what else would we talk about? Just look at us.
I made it back to my hotel late, slept intermittently, was up at six to shower and pack up and meet Lonn at 8am for the shockingly decent free breakfast down in my non-casino lobby. We made plans for another visit soon, and I was home in Phoenix by 2pm - exhausted, energized, and extremely grateful for the creative boost, the good energy, the solitude and beauty of a long drive, and all the great people I was able to connect, and reconnect, with.
Writing is a solitary endeavor, and then there are days I am lost in the tasks of life - kids, pets, groceries, laundry, meal prep, plus being a decent partner to my husband, and making sure my mom has what she needs as she adjusts to her new life - but for 36 hours I was just me again, solo, AMO, The Metalhead Librarian, the girl who shows up and expects magic to happen.
I am never disappointed.
Sometimes, showing up is all you have to do.
Thanks, Lonn.
And thanks, Jimbo, my hub, for letting me be me.
–
Part Two: Coming Soon.