Nostalgia

I’m filled with nostalgia today. Why? Because I’m speaking at the Union Oil Alumni Club’s lunch.

Union Oil Company of California was also known as Unocal. I didn’t start my law career there, but I did start the fun part of it. I was an in-house real estate attorney for quite a few years, then did project work for the company after I was no longer an employee.

At the same time, I began my writing career. That’s the subject of my speech today. I enjoyed putting it together, comparing what was going on in the company, and my career there, with where I was with my writing.

I had to do some research to confirm the dates of some of the things I’ll mention in my talk. Plus, the other day, my family and I drove by what used to be Unocal Center, the company’s headquarters. I was one of the lawyers involved with the sale of the property. At the time, we believed the building would be torn down for the new development. But that was during another economic downturn, and that project never materialized.

Now, the site, and the building, are occupied by L.A. Center Studios. I take great delight in seeing where I used to work appear in all kinds of TV shows and commercials.

The irony is that the building was anticipated to be demolished, but the company would go on forever. Instead, Unocal sold off assets and was eventually merged into Chevron. The company’s gone, but the building’s still there.

I’m delighted to be lunching today with a group of former coworkers and telling them more about what I’ve done with my writing.

Do you ever get together with people from your past? What is the biggest irony in your life?