I said,"I don't know, who?"
"Dumbledore." Then he went right back to watching TV.
That hurt my feelings.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Rain Gutter Regatta
It's that time of year. Time for some healthy non-competition in the cub scouts. Matt and Sam got to work sanding, painting and gluing. They were pretty in to it.
Here is a photo of Sam taking a practice blow.
They found that the sail was a tad too wide and it was scraping both sides of the gutter. So Matt got down to the technical work of trimming the sides of the sail....
While Sam got down to the business of playing with a toy he found laying around.
When it came down to it they drew names to see who would race who. Then they moved on to two heats, a winners heat and a not-winners heat. Sam won his first match and moved onto the winners heat.
(You will have to take my word for it because I can't get the video to load.)
But he wasn't so lucky for his second match. Sam wound up paired against the kid who eventually won it all. Not only did Mitchell have the fastest boat, but he also had the loudest cheering section. (He has three sisters.) Luckily, Sam and Mitchell are the best of friends so it wasn't even heart breaking. It's hard to hear, but at the end of this next video Sam says, "Whoa, I feel dizzy."
In the end it was a lot of fun and Sam received the "Most Air" Award.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
9 Years Ago Today
Nine years ago today, Matt and I entered the Oakland Temple and it was there that he became my husby and I his wifey. We were married and sealed for Time and All Eternity. To learn more about Eternal Families read this article written by a modern day Apostle of Jesus Christ.Happy Anniversary Matty Poo!
Monday, August 10, 2009
I attract strange people...PART THREE
Part Three - Other people's children.
Are you surprised? A woman who babysat through her childhood and teenage years, worked as a nanny, works in a daycare and to this day has two children delivered to her house each day who she loves and treats like her own? How could she say this? I like kids in general. And I have a couple dozen nieces and nephews who I love and adore, and even more neighbors who are some of the cutest and most entertaining kids ever. But, I get sick and tired of kids who don't know me, yet they thrust their expectations on me, act entitled, and fail to use their manners, which hopefully their parents are teaching them.
Have I ever told you that I have a huge problem with people, kids and adults alike, who have entitlement issues? I do. I can't stand it. Why are there people out there who think the rules that apply to everyone else, don't apply to them?
Ok, tangent over for now, back on topic. One day at the park, we met up with a friend of mine and her kids. Sam brought along some toys, which I don't normally allow ( and haven't since). We're going to the park, you don't need toys. Well this time he got away with it and he brought one for himself and one for each of the kids we were planning to meet. We got there a few minutes early so our friends weren't there yet. As I was setting up my chair and laying out our blanket Sam went to the playground to commence his playing. A few minutes later I saw Sam with a kid near by. They were talking quietly. Shortly after, our friends came so the kids ran over to join Sam. Within two minutes I could tell there was a problem. All the kids had stopped moving and there was a thick awkwardness in the air. I started to listen in and the kid from earlier, the one we don't know, was telling Sam that he needed to share his Darth Vader. Sam said no, he brought it for his friend. The kid was insisting and even started to take it out of Sam's hand. I called Sam over thinking the kid would go away when he realized Sam's mom was paying attention to what he was up to. But the kid, who will hence forth be know as Herpes because of the ginormous cold sore on his lip, followed Sam over, and by the time they got there the kid had the Darth Vader in his hand. The following conversation ensued:
Me: What's going on?
Sam: I brought this toy for Nathan, but this boy wants to play with it.
Me: Do you know this kid?
Sam: No.
Herpes: I want to play with these toys. And I don't actually want this Darth Vader Toy, I want that Transformer, but they won't give it to me.
Me: Oh, well I'm sorry, we brought those toys to share with our friends. Please give the toy back and go play with your friends. I see you and your mom are here with a large group and you have lots of friends to play with.
Herpes: No, I want to play with these toys.
Me: No, they are not for you.
Herpes: But I want them.
Me: Sorry, No.
Herpes just stared at me. So I took the toy out of his hand and said, "Go Away." in a somewhat stern voice. He still wanted to discuss it. I told him we were done talking about it and that he needed to go to his mom. He finally left, went to his mom, pointed at us and crying told her that we wouldn't let him play with our toys. I ignored them. Well, really, I kept my eye on them the rest of the time because he cried the rest of the time and wouldn't play and he and his mom ended up on a bench separate from their group while he threw his raging fit that fluctuated between screams and crying to pouting with his arms folded. I eventually put all the toys away because I didn't want to torture the kid, but nothing changed. It was weird.
Fast forward to this summer, same park. We were having a lovely time at the park. We'd had a picnic and told each other stories while we ate. The kids were playing on the playground when a group of boys around 11 years old came. They were all toting guns. Two were wooden rifles, one was a plastic machine gun that made a really loud shooting noise. One was a Nerf gun with no darts. (Side note: I don't like toy guns. Squirt guns and Nerf guns don't bother me that much, but as soon as Sam shoots at someone who doesn't want to be shot at or who is not expecting it, his privileges are revoked and the gun goes into hiding. Oh, and I really like to shoot Sam with the Nerf gun. He likes it too. I believe in the right to bear arms and I have no problem with gun owners who store their guns responsibly. I just don't like gun play.) So the boys were running all over, they were kind of loud, but it's the park, so no big deal. But Sam and Emmy immediately gravitated towards me. Emmy said the boys were scaring her. She didn't like their guns. I said, "Did they say something to you." She said no so I just let it drop. But Sam and Emmy played at my feet. Then I started to listen to the boys and they were talking about how they were going to shoot each others "nuts" off. I ignored it at first but when I heard the same kid say it for the third time I AAHEMed really loud. (It kind of made me feel like Umbridge.) He looked right at me. I gave him the look and they stopped. They even started to calm down, talking more quietly and moving less aggressively. But a few minutes later Sam and Emmy said they wanted to leave - which they never do. We packed up and left. I was bugged because I wanted them to play while I read. It was a nice day. Ruined.
I think my kid(s) should feel safe at the park. Especially when I'm with them.
Kids should also feel safe at the community pool. One day Matt, Sam and I were at the pool. Sam was jumping off the diving board. Matt and I were treading water nearby just in case he couldn't make it back to the edge on his own. He was having no problems and had jumped off four or five times. Then, after one jump a kid slightly older looking than Sam stuck his hand out in front of Sam's face while Sam swam towards the edge. Sam adjusted his course and went down the wall a few feet and grabbed on. I thought, Oh, I guess that kid was feeling crowded by Sam, maybe Sam was getting in his space. But a split second after Sam was holding on to the wall the kid turned to him, put his hand on Sam's face and shoved. I was furious. I swam over there and without letting on that I was Sam's mom, asked Sam:
"Do you know him?"
Sam: No.
Me to the kid: Do you know him? (pointing at Sam).
Punk: No.
Me: Then what are you doing touching him like that?
Punk: He told me to. (pointing at his friend).
Me: Not smart. Keep your hands to yourself.
Punk: Okay.
I swam away, and Sam got out to jump again.
Matt told me I shouldn't have said anything to the kid, but I disagree. That is beyond bullying. It's a safety issue. What if the next time he doesn't let Sam get to the edge and Sam gets tired and drowns. It shouldn't be happening anywhere but especially not in the pool.
A few weeks later there were some tweenage girls harassing anyone who crossed their path. Sam told us the girls were being mean to the kids in line for the diving board, we told him to just ignore them. A few minutes later, a group of girls who weren't there with an adult came and told us the same thing because they were feeling so threatened. So Jeanna , my sister-in-law who was there with us, my sister Becky, and I swam over to the mean girls just to make our presence known. We didn't say anything to them, just swam near by. They stopped and eventually got out of the pool. About an hour later while we were getting ready to leave they started yelling at Sam and his cousins, right up in their face. Jeanna broke it up and told the girls to act their age and stop harassing little kids. Again, it was weird.
I wasn't always the nicest kid, but I don't remember harassing people I didn't know for entertainment. My sisters and brother, of course, but strangers, no way. I don't even know where that mentality comes from.
Ok, now let me know of a time when someone else's kids did you wrong. I gotta know these things don't just happen to me.
Are you surprised? A woman who babysat through her childhood and teenage years, worked as a nanny, works in a daycare and to this day has two children delivered to her house each day who she loves and treats like her own? How could she say this? I like kids in general. And I have a couple dozen nieces and nephews who I love and adore, and even more neighbors who are some of the cutest and most entertaining kids ever. But, I get sick and tired of kids who don't know me, yet they thrust their expectations on me, act entitled, and fail to use their manners, which hopefully their parents are teaching them.
Have I ever told you that I have a huge problem with people, kids and adults alike, who have entitlement issues? I do. I can't stand it. Why are there people out there who think the rules that apply to everyone else, don't apply to them?
Ok, tangent over for now, back on topic. One day at the park, we met up with a friend of mine and her kids. Sam brought along some toys, which I don't normally allow ( and haven't since). We're going to the park, you don't need toys. Well this time he got away with it and he brought one for himself and one for each of the kids we were planning to meet. We got there a few minutes early so our friends weren't there yet. As I was setting up my chair and laying out our blanket Sam went to the playground to commence his playing. A few minutes later I saw Sam with a kid near by. They were talking quietly. Shortly after, our friends came so the kids ran over to join Sam. Within two minutes I could tell there was a problem. All the kids had stopped moving and there was a thick awkwardness in the air. I started to listen in and the kid from earlier, the one we don't know, was telling Sam that he needed to share his Darth Vader. Sam said no, he brought it for his friend. The kid was insisting and even started to take it out of Sam's hand. I called Sam over thinking the kid would go away when he realized Sam's mom was paying attention to what he was up to. But the kid, who will hence forth be know as Herpes because of the ginormous cold sore on his lip, followed Sam over, and by the time they got there the kid had the Darth Vader in his hand. The following conversation ensued:
Me: What's going on?
Sam: I brought this toy for Nathan, but this boy wants to play with it.
Me: Do you know this kid?
Sam: No.
Herpes: I want to play with these toys. And I don't actually want this Darth Vader Toy, I want that Transformer, but they won't give it to me.
Me: Oh, well I'm sorry, we brought those toys to share with our friends. Please give the toy back and go play with your friends. I see you and your mom are here with a large group and you have lots of friends to play with.
Herpes: No, I want to play with these toys.
Me: No, they are not for you.
Herpes: But I want them.
Me: Sorry, No.
Herpes just stared at me. So I took the toy out of his hand and said, "Go Away." in a somewhat stern voice. He still wanted to discuss it. I told him we were done talking about it and that he needed to go to his mom. He finally left, went to his mom, pointed at us and crying told her that we wouldn't let him play with our toys. I ignored them. Well, really, I kept my eye on them the rest of the time because he cried the rest of the time and wouldn't play and he and his mom ended up on a bench separate from their group while he threw his raging fit that fluctuated between screams and crying to pouting with his arms folded. I eventually put all the toys away because I didn't want to torture the kid, but nothing changed. It was weird.
Fast forward to this summer, same park. We were having a lovely time at the park. We'd had a picnic and told each other stories while we ate. The kids were playing on the playground when a group of boys around 11 years old came. They were all toting guns. Two were wooden rifles, one was a plastic machine gun that made a really loud shooting noise. One was a Nerf gun with no darts. (Side note: I don't like toy guns. Squirt guns and Nerf guns don't bother me that much, but as soon as Sam shoots at someone who doesn't want to be shot at or who is not expecting it, his privileges are revoked and the gun goes into hiding. Oh, and I really like to shoot Sam with the Nerf gun. He likes it too. I believe in the right to bear arms and I have no problem with gun owners who store their guns responsibly. I just don't like gun play.) So the boys were running all over, they were kind of loud, but it's the park, so no big deal. But Sam and Emmy immediately gravitated towards me. Emmy said the boys were scaring her. She didn't like their guns. I said, "Did they say something to you." She said no so I just let it drop. But Sam and Emmy played at my feet. Then I started to listen to the boys and they were talking about how they were going to shoot each others "nuts" off. I ignored it at first but when I heard the same kid say it for the third time I AAHEMed really loud. (It kind of made me feel like Umbridge.) He looked right at me. I gave him the look and they stopped. They even started to calm down, talking more quietly and moving less aggressively. But a few minutes later Sam and Emmy said they wanted to leave - which they never do. We packed up and left. I was bugged because I wanted them to play while I read. It was a nice day. Ruined.
I think my kid(s) should feel safe at the park. Especially when I'm with them.
Kids should also feel safe at the community pool. One day Matt, Sam and I were at the pool. Sam was jumping off the diving board. Matt and I were treading water nearby just in case he couldn't make it back to the edge on his own. He was having no problems and had jumped off four or five times. Then, after one jump a kid slightly older looking than Sam stuck his hand out in front of Sam's face while Sam swam towards the edge. Sam adjusted his course and went down the wall a few feet and grabbed on. I thought, Oh, I guess that kid was feeling crowded by Sam, maybe Sam was getting in his space. But a split second after Sam was holding on to the wall the kid turned to him, put his hand on Sam's face and shoved. I was furious. I swam over there and without letting on that I was Sam's mom, asked Sam:
"Do you know him?"
Sam: No.
Me to the kid: Do you know him? (pointing at Sam).
Punk: No.
Me: Then what are you doing touching him like that?
Punk: He told me to. (pointing at his friend).
Me: Not smart. Keep your hands to yourself.
Punk: Okay.
I swam away, and Sam got out to jump again.
Matt told me I shouldn't have said anything to the kid, but I disagree. That is beyond bullying. It's a safety issue. What if the next time he doesn't let Sam get to the edge and Sam gets tired and drowns. It shouldn't be happening anywhere but especially not in the pool.
A few weeks later there were some tweenage girls harassing anyone who crossed their path. Sam told us the girls were being mean to the kids in line for the diving board, we told him to just ignore them. A few minutes later, a group of girls who weren't there with an adult came and told us the same thing because they were feeling so threatened. So Jeanna , my sister-in-law who was there with us, my sister Becky, and I swam over to the mean girls just to make our presence known. We didn't say anything to them, just swam near by. They stopped and eventually got out of the pool. About an hour later while we were getting ready to leave they started yelling at Sam and his cousins, right up in their face. Jeanna broke it up and told the girls to act their age and stop harassing little kids. Again, it was weird.
I wasn't always the nicest kid, but I don't remember harassing people I didn't know for entertainment. My sisters and brother, of course, but strangers, no way. I don't even know where that mentality comes from.
Ok, now let me know of a time when someone else's kids did you wrong. I gotta know these things don't just happen to me.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
I attract strange people.... Part TWO.
PART TWO - I don't enjoy going to the movies.
Of course there are the usuals: getting the back of my chair kicked, people talking through the movie, the crinkle of candy wrappers and popcorn bags, and the slurping of the straw for that last drop of soda. All of which drive me up the wall. I am NOT a touchy felling kind of person, so just the fact that I have to sit so close to a stranger in the theater is enough to get me feeling feisty. Yes, I'm a very intolerant person. But only towards rudeness and a lack of common courtesy or common sense. I know I have a lack of patience when it comes to my fellow men and women, but I have the worst experiences at the movies.
While watching the new Super Man movie a few years ago, the dude in front of us let his two-ish, maybe three year daughter sing the whole Hokey Pokey, at the top of her lungs. Dad just kept watching the movie no matter how loud I sighed or how many times the guy in front of him turned around to glare. In that case Matt told me to "shift my paradigm". I don't know what kind of life that guy has or the trials he's going through. . Maybe he's totally stressed out and feels like his world is caving in around him. Maybe, if I say something to him like, "Could you SHUT that KID UP?!!!" which is what I wanted to say, maybe that would be the last straw. His life wouldn't be worth living any more, or something like that. Blah, Blah, Blah. OR maybe he was just rude.
Speaking of rude, when we went to see the second Harry Potter movie, the theater was full and a family who snuck in ten minutes into the movies stood in the back and talked out loud through the whole movie. In that case, Matt eventually got tired of me turning around and glaring at them and told ME to cut it out.
And on the talking out loud and coming in late topic, there once was this lady who climbed over us 15 minutes into the actual movie (including the previews she was like 30 minutes late) but her husband managed to get there on time. So after crawling over us she plopped herself down right next to me and immediately started speaking OUT LOUD in a different language to her husband. The really "funny" thing about this was he would answer back in a very soft whisper. After about three minutes of this I turned my whole body in my chair to face her and said," You may be speaking a language we can't understand, but we can still hear you." Her head whipped around and she gave me a look that said loud and clear, How dare you interrupt my conversation. I smiled at her. She turned and tried to continue her conversation but her husband quickly shushed her. And Matt leaned into me and told me to just watch the movie.... I can't remember which movie that was, but I see that lady all over town and I often wonder if she recognizes me, like I do her.
And the crowning moment, the incident which I truly hope will never be topped happened during the third Harry Potter Movie. We waited in line like true fans on opening day. When they opened the gates we power walked our way to the best seat in the house. A couple who was on a date, which I gathered from my pre movie eavesdropping was one of the first by their awkward conversation. (Yes, I know, I'm rude, but this guy didn't have a theater-date-night-type of voice and he was RIGHT next to me.) He also saved his snacks and popcorn until after the movies started, which isn't so strange, I guess.
Once the movie started though he was chomping into that bag of popcorn like there was no tomorrow. I could barely hear the movie over his really loud, open mouth chewing. Between that and the fact that he turned to his date and asked her (out loud) why Harry lives with his Aunt and Uncle I was starting to get annoyed. Once Harry got away from the Dursleys he started saying, "Who's that?" when characters like Ron or Hermione entered the scene. WHAT? WHY are you here on OPENING NIGHT for the THIRD movie in a series you have clearly never seen, read or, possibly, heard of? WHY? All this while he munched away on that popcorn, which didn't last long. I know, because as soon as he was done he wadded up the bag as loudly and annoyingly as possible. He then leaned forward to toss it under his chair and as he sat back up he wiped his greasy, buttery popcorn hand on MY LEG! I gasped and jerked away and Matt sat up super fast and looking past me, glared at him . He shirked back, leaning into his date with both hands waving in the air in an I surrender type of action, while saying, "Sorry!, I'm so sorry!"
While I wanted to scream and cry and MAKE HIM PAY WITH PUBLIC HUMILIATION, I turned back to the movie and tried to focus. Within five minutes he was leaning my way and scrounging around in his pockets for what turned out to be gum. And then the loud open mouthed gum smacking started. I turned to Matt and didn't have to say anything, he just stood up and switched me places.
Have I ever told you how much I love Matt. He is such a gentle man. In hindsight we should have moved and gotten the manager involved by getting that dude kicked out, and then sued him for the price of four movie tickets and a new pair of pants since mine had greasy hand prints on one leg.
Let me end by telling of a time I wasn't the best neighbor in the movies.... I was around twelve years old and we went to the dollar theater to see Turner and Hooch. Talk about an intense movie. At one point Hooch, the super slobbery police dog that you can smell through the movie screen, is running and chasing and being chased and there were guns involved so it was super scary. So in my tensed up worry for this disgusting dog I yelled really loud, "GO,HOOCH!" at the screen.... And then I remembered I was in a theater surrounded by people, including my sisters, my brother and my mom. We pretty much laughed through the rest of the movie.
Ok, now I want to hear your worst movie experience. Write it in my comments section or if you would like, do a post about it on your blog but be sure to let me know you did so I can check it out.
(Clip art courtesy of www.aperfectworld.org)
Of course there are the usuals: getting the back of my chair kicked, people talking through the movie, the crinkle of candy wrappers and popcorn bags, and the slurping of the straw for that last drop of soda. All of which drive me up the wall. I am NOT a touchy felling kind of person, so just the fact that I have to sit so close to a stranger in the theater is enough to get me feeling feisty. Yes, I'm a very intolerant person. But only towards rudeness and a lack of common courtesy or common sense. I know I have a lack of patience when it comes to my fellow men and women, but I have the worst experiences at the movies.
While watching the new Super Man movie a few years ago, the dude in front of us let his two-ish, maybe three year daughter sing the whole Hokey Pokey, at the top of her lungs. Dad just kept watching the movie no matter how loud I sighed or how many times the guy in front of him turned around to glare. In that case Matt told me to "shift my paradigm". I don't know what kind of life that guy has or the trials he's going through. . Maybe he's totally stressed out and feels like his world is caving in around him. Maybe, if I say something to him like, "Could you SHUT that KID UP?!!!" which is what I wanted to say, maybe that would be the last straw. His life wouldn't be worth living any more, or something like that. Blah, Blah, Blah. OR maybe he was just rude.
Speaking of rude, when we went to see the second Harry Potter movie, the theater was full and a family who snuck in ten minutes into the movies stood in the back and talked out loud through the whole movie. In that case, Matt eventually got tired of me turning around and glaring at them and told ME to cut it out.
And on the talking out loud and coming in late topic, there once was this lady who climbed over us 15 minutes into the actual movie (including the previews she was like 30 minutes late) but her husband managed to get there on time. So after crawling over us she plopped herself down right next to me and immediately started speaking OUT LOUD in a different language to her husband. The really "funny" thing about this was he would answer back in a very soft whisper. After about three minutes of this I turned my whole body in my chair to face her and said," You may be speaking a language we can't understand, but we can still hear you." Her head whipped around and she gave me a look that said loud and clear, How dare you interrupt my conversation. I smiled at her. She turned and tried to continue her conversation but her husband quickly shushed her. And Matt leaned into me and told me to just watch the movie.... I can't remember which movie that was, but I see that lady all over town and I often wonder if she recognizes me, like I do her.
And the crowning moment, the incident which I truly hope will never be topped happened during the third Harry Potter Movie. We waited in line like true fans on opening day. When they opened the gates we power walked our way to the best seat in the house. A couple who was on a date, which I gathered from my pre movie eavesdropping was one of the first by their awkward conversation. (Yes, I know, I'm rude, but this guy didn't have a theater-date-night-type of voice and he was RIGHT next to me.) He also saved his snacks and popcorn until after the movies started, which isn't so strange, I guess.
Once the movie started though he was chomping into that bag of popcorn like there was no tomorrow. I could barely hear the movie over his really loud, open mouth chewing. Between that and the fact that he turned to his date and asked her (out loud) why Harry lives with his Aunt and Uncle I was starting to get annoyed. Once Harry got away from the Dursleys he started saying, "Who's that?" when characters like Ron or Hermione entered the scene. WHAT? WHY are you here on OPENING NIGHT for the THIRD movie in a series you have clearly never seen, read or, possibly, heard of? WHY? All this while he munched away on that popcorn, which didn't last long. I know, because as soon as he was done he wadded up the bag as loudly and annoyingly as possible. He then leaned forward to toss it under his chair and as he sat back up he wiped his greasy, buttery popcorn hand on MY LEG! I gasped and jerked away and Matt sat up super fast and looking past me, glared at him . He shirked back, leaning into his date with both hands waving in the air in an I surrender type of action, while saying, "Sorry!, I'm so sorry!"
While I wanted to scream and cry and MAKE HIM PAY WITH PUBLIC HUMILIATION, I turned back to the movie and tried to focus. Within five minutes he was leaning my way and scrounging around in his pockets for what turned out to be gum. And then the loud open mouthed gum smacking started. I turned to Matt and didn't have to say anything, he just stood up and switched me places.
Have I ever told you how much I love Matt. He is such a gentle man. In hindsight we should have moved and gotten the manager involved by getting that dude kicked out, and then sued him for the price of four movie tickets and a new pair of pants since mine had greasy hand prints on one leg.
Let me end by telling of a time I wasn't the best neighbor in the movies.... I was around twelve years old and we went to the dollar theater to see Turner and Hooch. Talk about an intense movie. At one point Hooch, the super slobbery police dog that you can smell through the movie screen, is running and chasing and being chased and there were guns involved so it was super scary. So in my tensed up worry for this disgusting dog I yelled really loud, "GO,HOOCH!" at the screen.... And then I remembered I was in a theater surrounded by people, including my sisters, my brother and my mom. We pretty much laughed through the rest of the movie.
Ok, now I want to hear your worst movie experience. Write it in my comments section or if you would like, do a post about it on your blog but be sure to let me know you did so I can check it out.
(Clip art courtesy of www.aperfectworld.org)
Sunday, August 2, 2009
I attract strange people.... Part ONE.
It's a fact of life I have had to live with since an early age. A problem I am trying to get used to. My husby, Matt, has the same problem, which is probably why we were attracted to each other.
This is the beginning of a three part (for now) series which will include several of my past experiences of people behaving badly, and some where I do too.
PART ONE - I avoid public transportation.
It doesn't matter how empty the bus or train car is, the weirdest person on the route will always sit right by me. I once rode the light rail in San Jose from the Cottle station to down town. To my immediate right sat a woman who, despite her obviously questionable personal hygiene, felt very strongly about the appropriate length of her finger nails. She chewed each one until it bled and then moved on to the next one. I got up and moved when she was on her third nail, and after she asked me if I had any band aids. (It just so happened that I had one.) I, of course waited until the next stop, so she would think I was getting off and then I sat outside of her peripheral view. I didn't want to hurt her feelings even if she was hurting herself.
When I flew (not technically public - I know) home from New York for a Christmas visit with the fam, I sat by a young lady who seemed fine, until the flight attendant wouldn't give her a vegetarian meal. When the flight attendant told her that her name was not on the list for vegetarian meals she shrieked, "WHAT LIST!" I slumped down in my seat as heads turned, hoping other passengers wouldn't assume we were together. The Shrieking Vegetarian thought she was entitled to a specially planned and prepared meal without the hassle of having to pre order it. She didn't get her way and guess who had to sit by her while she huffed for another 4 hours - It was me, and I savored every bite of my mystery meat in flight meal.
Besides these two, there are others. I don't remember them all but I only recall one or two trips on public transportation where I felt 100% comfortable the whole trip. And I won't even taint you with the things my school mates did to each other on school bus trips. You are welcome.
On the flip side, I distinctly remember a time in New York when my friends, Rachel and Michelle were with me. We had spent the day at the Statue of Liberty and on Ellis Island. On the way back to Grand Central we took the subway. The car we were in wasn't very crowded, meaning there was plenty of sitting room. We were seated across the isle facing a large family who were on vacation. I sat, watching them. There was a lot going on. There were five kids ranging from about 15 to about 7. And they were excited about all they had done and seen that day. I had seen them earlier at Ellis Island. I remember wondering where they were from. Several stops into our subway ride, Rachel turned to me and said, "All three of us have been flat out staring at that family for a good ten minutes." She was right. We weren't talking to each other, or looking out the window at the dark tunnel or even pretending to read the over head ads acting oblivious to their conversations. No, we were blatantly staring at this family. Then we became so embarrassed at this realization that we started to giggle which became uncontrolled laughter. In hindsight that poor family probably thought we were laughing at them.
Visit my comments section and record the trip you wish would travel out of your memory for us to enjoy. Or just comment on mine.
This is the beginning of a three part (for now) series which will include several of my past experiences of people behaving badly, and some where I do too.
PART ONE - I avoid public transportation.
It doesn't matter how empty the bus or train car is, the weirdest person on the route will always sit right by me. I once rode the light rail in San Jose from the Cottle station to down town. To my immediate right sat a woman who, despite her obviously questionable personal hygiene, felt very strongly about the appropriate length of her finger nails. She chewed each one until it bled and then moved on to the next one. I got up and moved when she was on her third nail, and after she asked me if I had any band aids. (It just so happened that I had one.) I, of course waited until the next stop, so she would think I was getting off and then I sat outside of her peripheral view. I didn't want to hurt her feelings even if she was hurting herself.
When I flew (not technically public - I know) home from New York for a Christmas visit with the fam, I sat by a young lady who seemed fine, until the flight attendant wouldn't give her a vegetarian meal. When the flight attendant told her that her name was not on the list for vegetarian meals she shrieked, "WHAT LIST!" I slumped down in my seat as heads turned, hoping other passengers wouldn't assume we were together. The Shrieking Vegetarian thought she was entitled to a specially planned and prepared meal without the hassle of having to pre order it. She didn't get her way and guess who had to sit by her while she huffed for another 4 hours - It was me, and I savored every bite of my mystery meat in flight meal.
Besides these two, there are others. I don't remember them all but I only recall one or two trips on public transportation where I felt 100% comfortable the whole trip. And I won't even taint you with the things my school mates did to each other on school bus trips. You are welcome.
On the flip side, I distinctly remember a time in New York when my friends, Rachel and Michelle were with me. We had spent the day at the Statue of Liberty and on Ellis Island. On the way back to Grand Central we took the subway. The car we were in wasn't very crowded, meaning there was plenty of sitting room. We were seated across the isle facing a large family who were on vacation. I sat, watching them. There was a lot going on. There were five kids ranging from about 15 to about 7. And they were excited about all they had done and seen that day. I had seen them earlier at Ellis Island. I remember wondering where they were from. Several stops into our subway ride, Rachel turned to me and said, "All three of us have been flat out staring at that family for a good ten minutes." She was right. We weren't talking to each other, or looking out the window at the dark tunnel or even pretending to read the over head ads acting oblivious to their conversations. No, we were blatantly staring at this family. Then we became so embarrassed at this realization that we started to giggle which became uncontrolled laughter. In hindsight that poor family probably thought we were laughing at them.
Visit my comments section and record the trip you wish would travel out of your memory for us to enjoy. Or just comment on mine.
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