I have problems with authority

Apparently I have too much respect for it.

This last week I was in San Francisco for the Google IO developers' conference at the Moscone Center West.  It was tons of fun, super nerdy and pretty much everything I hoped it would be; but that's a different story.

Instead, today's look into the life of B-Rob comes from his voyage out to San Francisco.  You see, instead of fly (boring!) and then have to find my way around the peninsula relying on other people for transport and so on, I decided to drive.  This last Monday I was chugging along through the Reno Nevada area on the phone with Mom and Dad, when suddenly I noticed a police marked SUV hovering around me.  Naturally he started making me nervous.

To make a long story short, he pulled me over for "following too closely, changing lanes without using a turn signal, and weaving within my lane."  He also mentioned that he didn't get me on radar, but had a feeling I was going too fast.  Good thing they can't give out tickets based on their feelings.  He said he was going to let me off with a warning this time (third time in my life I've been pulled over, and I still haven't been ticketed).

He couldn't get over the fact that I was nervous for some reason, though.  I suppose I look like suspicious when I don't shave or something.  He wanted to ask some more questions, and so I obliged.  The conversation went something like this:

"Why are you going to San Francisco?"
"I'm going to a developers' conference for google."
"Where will you be staying?"
"With my cousins in San Jose."
"Are you carrying anything for anyone?"
"Well, yes...I guess I am, I am helping a friend of mine that is attending the conference move some stuff because he's starting a job in Sacramento and didn't have room in his car for it."
"Do you have anything illegal in your car?"
"No, (of course not, I think, I'm a mormon boy).  "You can search it if you really want."
"Are you volunteering?"
If you're asking, yes.  "If you want."

Then he handed me a form to sign, and I started filling it out right there.  "Did you read it?"  Why do I care?  I didn't do anything wrong.  "Oh, ok, well let's see...looks good."  Signed.  Then he made me stand a good 50 feet away while he went through my trunk and pulled out all my friend's baggage, hangers, clothing, and other odds and ends.  After about five minutes he seemed satisfied and told me not to be so nervous, that he thought I looked like I should be in trouble.  I told him I'd probably take a break there in Reno for a bit, get some gas, then head back out onto the road.

So ends my latest encounter with law enforcement.  I'm not sure what to take away from the experience, honestly.  Am I not supposed to be scared of being pulled over?  I guess I have too much of a criminal look; hopefully I never get framed.

There's a new guy at work now.

He's here to replace me, since today is my last day at work here in Provo.  Based on the following chat from yesterday, I think he'll do fine:

Conversation with Drew - 257 on 5/13/2010 3:41:05 PM:
(3:41:07 PM) Me: hi dres
(3:41:10 PM)  Me: *drew
(3:41:10 PM)  Drew: dres?
(3:41:12 PM) Drew: Gotcha
(3:41:15 PM) Drew: I am so offended
(3:41:20 PM)  Me: fine, I quite
(3:41:22 PM)  Me: *quit
(3:41:32 PM) Drew: You can't quit...
(3:41:34 PM) Drew: YOU'RE FIRED
(3:41:43 PM)  Me: you don't have that authority
(3:41:48 PM)  Me: ...yet
(3:41:51 PM) Drew: Brian asked me to tell you
(3:42:01 PM)  Me: hey, just fyi, your pants are on fire