Not Thirteen Minutes.  Twelve.

Mellow Larry was anything but.  A youth sports coach with creaking knees and a cranky disposition, he served as a nickname role model for the kids.  Namely; the best nicknames are the opposite of how you act.  Larry had a particular obsession about the sanctity of the playing surface even during practice, and woe be to those who trespassed minutely upon it.  His playing surface OCD wrath was visited upon me a few times as I watched the kids at practice, and thus he will always be Mellow Larry when Malin story time comes round. 

When the kids asked if I ever had a nickname, I told them I didn't (well, not that I know of) but I was hoping for “Slick”, back in the day.  They would laugh heartedly, since I’m anything but. 

The e-mails are coming over the transom at a pace that interrupts Thanksgiving break regularly.  And the two-hour time difference has me up past midnight, trying to be responsive.  My fault, for putting my personal e-mail address in the Seaside media release.  Not exactly slick.  But open as is typically the case and, by one account, “badass” (or is that the reverse nickname thing?). 

Hard to tell by e-mail.  Interest groups.  Reporters.  Bloggers (one with 15 e-mails and counting, so far).  Cephalopods.  Everyone with the e-mails and Googler running at dual core processor speed, trying to shape the new guy on the way in.  Doesn’t anyone use the phone anymore?  Or wait to say hello in person?  That’s so last century.  Much better to stake a claim on / put your spin on the Iowan now, and the faster the better. 

Flying back from interview round two, a faster the better blast from the past buzzed through.  James, now working for Durham, NC, had some encouraging words about the exit interview and offered a suggestion.  James did a great job for Davenport in the Stimulus Days, latching onto federal cash for a variety of “sure, they’re shovel-ready” projects.  Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.  His suggestion was to follow-up the exit interview with staff’s favorite “Malinisms”, explaining that his most memorable was, “James, I need those numbers in 12 minutes.”

12 minutes.  That's somewhere between specific and how / why on earth would you be that specific?

I don't remember and can't really answer but I’m sure it was true, and can picture the scene.  I needed some information for a Council meeting, figured out how much time I had to review / package / print / copy / distribute the info and gave James the remaining time – 12 minutes.  I’m sure he did a good job on the task I can’t remember, and I’m sure he could have done a better job if he had a few more minutes.

I’ll be in town on December 3rd for the Council Meeting, and will stay through the 16th.  That’s … carry the one … now multiply by sixty … 18,270 minutes on the playing surface before I start work.  Or ... divide by twelve … 1,560 James units.  Even factoring in sleep and getting lost a couple times, that’s plenty of time to stop by, say hello, chat and rest the Googlesphere for the important work of holiday shopping from your work computers.    

Have a great (and non-ironically mellow) Thanksgiving.   

See you soon.