I used to be a huge Arnold Schwarzenegger fan, back in the day when I was an amateur body builder. I found Arnold to be goofy, and fun. I found his story fascinating: a man with a dream, in Austria, lifts weights to worldwide fame, and fortune. He motivated me to work the weights harder. I bought his books. I read the magazine articles both by, and about, him. I even dug some of his movies, and marveled at his ability to become a box office wonder, when his English was still very slurry. I joined a gym on Venice Beach, California, in 1982 called The World Gym. Joe Gold had sold his Gold’s gym, I was told, and The World Gym was his new venture. Lou Ferrigno was often on a bench next to me, and Frank Zane, and Franco Columbu…and Arnold:  the giants of body building at that time.

  I had a bad drinking problem in LA, and spent more time trying to hustle a drink, or two, at last call, than I did on the bench press. During one of my gym visits, though, I was in the shower, not the largest of showers, really, and Arnold strolled in and took him a shower while I was taking my shower. I was in a bad mood, hung over, near eviction, because I was snorting cocaine, instead of paying my rent, and I ignored the king of the pump. There was another guy in the shower, also, and he and Arnold chatted amicably.  Schwarzenegger seemed like a nice guy, very personable, but I wasn’t in the mood, right then, to suck up to one of my heroes.

 Arnold isn’t a hero of mine, anymore. Like a number of my other heroes, he has let me down. I don’t need to go into detail; we have all read about his escapades. I will not buy his book. I will never go to a movie that he is in, again, and, if I ever wind up voting, in California, and he is running for something, I will not vote for him.

 At the 2004 Republican National Convention, Schwarzenegger gave a speech and explained why he was a Republican:

 “I finally arrived here in 1968. What a special day it was. I remember I arrived here with empty pockets but full of dreams, full of determination, full of desire. The presidential campaign was in full swing. I remember watching the Nixon-Humphrey presidential race on TV. A friend of mine who spoke German and English translated for me. I heard Humphrey saying things that sounded like socialism, which I had just left. But then I heard Nixon speak. He was talking about free enterprise, getting the government off your back, lowering the taxes and strengthening the military. Listening to Nixon speak sounded more like a breath of fresh air. I said to my friend, I said, "What party is he?" My friend said, "He's a Republican." I said, "Then I am a Republican." And I have been a Republican ever since.”--Wikipedia

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  We found out, tonight, that our car will not cost $1,200 to get fixed because it is totaled. I’m not a great poet, right now: I am the schmuck who totaled his girlfriend’s car by running it up on a median, while coming home, last week.  Any contributions towards a scooter would be really appreciated. We figure to use a scooter until we save for another car. I thank you. This is such a bummer. –Mikel

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