stress position

there's a great scene from "broadcast news" in which a hapless editor/engineer makes a mistake on an imminent deadline.

this is important only in that if he doesn't fix it, instantaneously, there's a big hole, live, in the middle of jack nicholson's evening show.

if he screws this up, he'll be fired and probably never work in news again. meanwhile, the show's type-A producer (holly hunter), is encouraging speed and accuracy while he works by loudly chanting in his ear "bobbybobbybobbybobbybobbybobbybobby..."

* * * * *

last weekend, driving to the girl's gymnastic meet, i got us lost.

by the time i discerned that the google maps directions were wrong, we were late for scheduled warm-ups. and march-in. and probably the first event of the sectionals meet.

this was important only in that if the girl didn't compete (and score well) in all four events, there would be no moving on to the state competition.

if i screwed this up, i'd be dismissed from daddy duties and probably be disinvited to some future event (such as, but not limited to, college graduation, an eventual wedding, and babysitting for grandchildren).

meanwhile from the back seat the girl was encouraging speed and additional speed by chanting in my ear, "daddydaddydaddydaddydaddydaddydaddy..."

* * * * *

at this point mrs. spaceneedl demonstrated (yet again) why she's the smart one in the family.

very calmly she got on her iphone, tapped in an address, and conjured up directions delivering us from "lost" to "found."

we still arrived late, but fortunately the girl was competing in the third session of the day...and the first two sessions ran long.

so while my heart missed several beats, she hadn't missed a thing.

* * * * *

epilogue: the cumulative score necessary to advance to state was 32. the girl tallied a 33.8. my most-favorite daddy status was restored and is temporarily secure.

* * * * *

sidebar: there is a slight but finite possibility that there was nothing wrong with the google maps directions.