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I am superstitious.  On every Friday the 13th I am very anxious until I counteract the unluckiness of the day with a llama.  If I don’t, then all heck breaks loose; and you know how bad a little heck can be, much less all of it.

So I hope this brings you luck as well.

I will now hand out some more of the coveted Golden Llama Awards.

The first award goes to Nick Genes, the former grand poobah of grand rounds and author of the runaway sensation Blogborygmi.  As some of you know, I left my Ipod in a cab in New York.  After going through a period of severe agitation, high blood pressure, and plaque build-up, I resigned myself to life without this Ipod – and started shopping for another.  Much to my amazement, however, I got a call from my Cabbie (I had filed a lost and found report) who said he found it, but needed to get it to someone in NYC.  So I went to my Gmail account and there was a big green dot next to Nick’s name, meaning he was available for chat.

The following chat ensued:

2:10 PM me: Nick?

Nicholas: Robert!

me: Sorry about the fire (call me Rob, by the way)

2:11 PM I need a favor.

Nicholas: ok

2:12 PM me: I left my Ipod on a cab, and the cabbie just called me and says he has it. I need someone in NYC to pick it up and send to me.

I will pay (obviously)

Nicholas: that’s amazing

me: Yes.

Nicholas: HE CALLED YOU

?

I have to be a part of this

me: Yes. I put in the request on 311

2:13 PM He just called me on my cell.

2:14 PM Nicholas: where do i need to go

me: His # is xxx-xxx-xxxx. Tell him it is about the ipod that Robert Lamberts left in his cab. I think he will deliver it to you. I will set up with fedex for you to get it sent.

2:15 PM Nicholas: great

i have heard about cellos and wedding gifts being forgotten in cabs

but assumed stuff like ipods would just get snatched

2:16 PM me: How could you leave a Cello?

Nicholas: yo yo ma did

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F03E5DC1639F934A25753C1A96F958260

me: He says it was so dark that none of his other riders saw it. He found it when he was cleaning up.

Nicholas: hmm

now, I support patient confidentiality

2:17 PM BUT

i am also a little curious

as to what’s on your machine

me: Feel free. Its a large gamut. I have a bunch of Audible books – I like Sci Fi

Nicholas: hmmmm

2:18 PM me: No embarrassing pics.

2:19 PM Let me know when you get it and where you want it picked up. I also want to get the Cabby a reward somehow.

Nicholas: yes

how to proceed? I’ll call that number.

2:20 PM me: Yes. Email me with a progress report. Thanks a ton!

2:21 PM Nicholas: it’s pretty amazing. will keep you posted

me: Thanks!

16 minutes

2:38 PM Nicholas: i’m twittering this because it’s too funny

9:28 PM Nicholas: SUCCESS

PS

You have a dentist appointment tomorrow

me: I just can’t believe it.

The dentist appointment, that is

9:29 PM OK – Where should I set the pickup?

9:30 PM Nicholas:

I can just fedex it to you

there’s spots all over the neighborhood

me: I’ll pay.

9:31 PM Nicholas: no worries

it would be more convenient than to arrange a pickup I think

me: You’ll get a golden llama award for this one.

Nicholas: oh my

this just keeps getting better and better

what’s you’re address

your

me: 222 Llama Lane

9:32 PM Augusta, GA

No, I can’t get you tickets…

Everyone says that when they see I live in Augusta.

4 Miles from the National

9:33 PM Nicholas: um, thanks ok (golf = not my thing)

me: Me neither.

9:34 PM I just need it by Friday – I am going to Chicago and would be lost without it on a trip.

9:35 PM Nicholas: I’ll send it in the AM and it should arrive by Wed no prob, I suspect

and then you are sending me a llama is that correct

are llamas very large? I have a 1-bedroom

9:36 PM me: The Award…check it out on my blog. http://distractible.org/golden-lllama-award/

It’s much coveted.

Nicholas: I am job-hunting and this could go on my CV

me: You’d be a shoe-in.

9:37 PM Thanks a billion.

Gotta kill a cockroach in my daughter’s bathroom.

Nicholas: oh

ok

good luck

that’s another thing an iPod is handy for

9:38 PM me: They call them “Palmetto bugs” down here – it doesn’t make them less nasty.

When the iPod arrived a couple of days later, it came with a CD in it, called “Music for a Distractible Mind,” with the following songs on it:

1. Can’t Find my Way Home    Blind Faith
2. Everything in its Right Place    Radiohead
3. Hidden Place    Bjorn
4. Leaving New York    R.E.M
5. Lost and Found    Taken By Trees
6. Lost Cause    Beck
7. Lost my Driving Wheel    Cowboy Junkies
8. Nearly Lost You    Screaming Trees
9. New York State of Mind    Billy Joel
10. Remind Me    Royksopp
11. Shattered    Rolling Stones
12. St. Elsewhere    Gnarls Barkley
13. Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For    U2

So you see, not only did he send me back my beloved iPod, he sent me some pretty good music.  Thanks Nick; you get a GLA and a beer the next time I am in NYC.

The next GLA goes to Roy, of Shrink Rap fame.  Roy happened to write the 3000th approved comment on this blog.  Since I don’t have a huge check or balloons and confetti to use, I will give him a Llama instead.

Finally, I can’t pass up someone who resorted to major league flattery (it works, you know).  Medrecgal wrote the following after a comment on a post:

And Dr. Rob, I totally LOVE your blog…because even when you’re musing about the headaches of coding and the technicalities of the government system, you still write like a nice guy. Something tells me that I wouldn’t have to ever worry about getting nasty responses from you if I worked in your system IRL, even if I am just an outpatient coder. And sometimes the humor gives me a good laugh, too! (At times I sense an inner “Goofy” hiding under that white coat, which is so cool!)

I would say inner “Goofy” may be an understatement (more like “blatant childishness”), but the flattery is so nice that I can’t let that good deed go unrewarded.  I don’t wear a white coat, by the way.

So I hope this day is now lucky for you all.  Me?  I am going to figure out a way to fix that mirror I broke.