Run, Run After It.

No one is going to make sure your life is awesome.  So when you want to be a part of something, you gotta buckle up and chase it.

I had plans last Friday to go to Malibu and sit on the beach with Courtney, a sweet girl who was a high schooler on my Thailand trip a year ago.  She's now going to school in Malibu, and we had made plans to beach around and eat Thai food.

That would have been a lovely time, but nothing to blog about.  Sorry, Court.

Fortunately for all of us, I am still an avid follower of  The Buried Life, and stay interested in their goings and adventures, trying to always add some awesome into my life the way that they do.  On this Friday, approximately 8 minutes before I was about to leave for the 'Bu, I saw that they announced an invite to be present for the taping of an episode of the show.  Dave, the wide eyed baby brother of the gang had taken it upon himself to knock out the item of "participate in a mixed martial arts fight".  Pun intended, of course.

uh, I was so there.

I drove all the way out to Malibu, scheming up ideas to get Courtney to want to go.  I came up with this:

me: "ok Court, so here are our options.  A, we could go to the beach, have dinner, and probably frozen yogurt later.  or B, you can commit to an adventure with me.  It involves a lot of driving, packing an overnight bag, and spending the night at my apt because I'm not driving you back here after our event.  Make your decision, this is all the information I am at liberty to divulge to you."

Intrigue, yes?  She would have been an idiot and thus someone I do not associate with to not choose the adventure.
So we took off for El Monte, for an address 57 miles away and far east of LA that I had never heard of before and was an impossibly long pilgrammage from the beaches of Malibu.

It took two hours.  We left at five thirty and drove across the greater LA area on a Friday evening.

but this?  worth it.

Might I mention that Court is like a little sister to me?  Literally?  She's seventeen and the first thing we see upon arriving at the fight venue is a sign saying "If you look under 25, be prepared to show ID"  I didnt even consider her age as a factor here.  So before we left the car I gave her my best pep talk including everything I've ever known about sneaking into a bar:

"walk in like you own the place"

"don't hesitate to make eye contact"

"leave everything in the car; your story is that I just picked you up from the beach and you had no idea where we were going and have nothing with you"

"for the hail mary, offer to let them write black X's on your hands to mark you as underage."

"flirt as necessary, don't take no for an answer."

I didn't think she had it in her, but the girl just blew right by the security guards like nobody's damn business, and even waited for me while my 12 year old looking, (but actually 24!) self got carded and braceleted.  Shiest.

oh yeah, and we got kicked out of the VIP section.  twice.  Those TBL boys need to hold educational conferences to clue me in on this business.

It was sick.  Awesome night, new appreciation for MMA fighters.  Don't miss episode 8 of Season 2 on The Buried Life.  Season Premiere tomorrow night on MTV, homes.