Full Moon Friday

I woke up this morning having the worst coordination and the foggiest brain...EVER. (I am NOT dramatic). Walking to BART, I realized I was late because...well...I started out late (amazing what the difference of a couple minutes makes), and my large toe was hurting and slowing me down. I called my boss, Tracy, and left her a message. Right after I got off the phone, I got a stitch in my side. I felt rather like a more polished version of Quasimodo.

I finally limped into the BART station and my people-watching ensued. I looked around for interesting goings-on and also for eye candy...Hey! I'm only human! While sitting and watching people, I noticed a very good looking Italian guy in the seat across the aisle. Some lady in a huge quilted coat kept blocking my view. I was irrationally, but only slightly, annoyed. Whatever - the guy's eyes, and thumbs, were glued to his blackberry. This is a person who will no doubt have problems with his thumbs later in life.

Then I spied an older woman, perhaps mid-50's, standing against the go-between BART car doors. She was nose-deep in a Harlequin-esque paperback...I snickered silently to myself (meaning, no one saw - it was a "snicker on the inside"). I texted my friend Amber in Utah - I had to tell someone who would find it as amusing as I did.

As I was thinking and writing down comedy ideas, I had an epiphany - or rather, a brilliant thought come to me: cupidity - noun: Meaning "awkward in the art of love/dating"
I was giggling to myself - this time out loud. I don't want to look it up in the UrbanDictionary because I'm afraid someone else has claimed it. Dang it - I looked it up...but I like my definition better. Oh, well.

I saw a surprising talent on the BART yesterday - some woman was BART surfing (balancing on the train) while applying make-up! I didn't look long enough to see how good a job she did...but I was impressed at the attempt, nonetheless.

After work, I didn't know what I was going to do, so I did my default Friday Night activity: BART to Embarcadero and look out on the water. Sometimes I take pictures - but my camera doesn't pick up night shots well - or I just haven't figured how to work it on my camera, yet. On my way to Embarcadero, I got stuck next to some really loud Gen-Y's. I'm sure they meant no harm...but loud guffawing, and the typical "laughing and scratching" (my Mom's term I now use) that occurs between buddies after a long day at college/work started to grate on my nerves. So I decided to move to another available seat.

On my way, I saw a familiar little furry face - Samantha the Homeless Himalayan Kitty. Her owner was carrying her and I felt a rush of affection for this man and his little beloved pet. I didn't stop them, however, because he seemed to be in a hurry. No matter -I'll see him again.

Upon reaching my destination, I made a beeline for the Ferry Building. Feeling a gnawing sensation that I recognized as loneliness, I texted my friend Hector and I called my friend Amber. Amber and I talked for a long time. She cracks me up! And what's really nice is she actually finds me funny, too. I walked along the waterfront, my Farrah Fawcett hair blowing in the bay breeze. I spied a neat little scene (I thought it was neat...): a crane-looking type bird perched on a rusty ladder leading into the water. I tried to take a picture of it...I'll post the result as soon as I can figure why my camera is being stubborn.

I decided to find a place to eat - and I wandered along Market Street towards Westfield Mall. As I meandered up the street, I noticed so many interesting people...some a little too interesting, which I deliberately did not make eye contact with. One older, greasy-looking businessman started towards me with a slurred "Hi..." and the rest was garbled. I looked him in the eye (because I meant business) and said, "Don't talk to me, please" in a very neutral but firm voice. As I walked on, I heard him slurring something to effect of - "I wasn't going to say anything bad..." Then I walked into the coolest Toy/Comic Book store. In the front, they have the limoge (spelling?...pronunciation?...) boxes I adore - especially if they have surprises in them. I also some pretty rockin' replicas of battleships and war machines (dang! Can't think of the name of it...) - oh, wait - tanks. I love the look of camouflage. As I walked through the store, I looked in a mirror and was a bit embarrassed...my hair really did have that distinct early-80's flavor to it...so I dragged out a barrette in my completely uncoordinated hands (the perils of caffeine), and clipped up my bangs. Decidedly better. I left the store and continued on.

I then saw a couple that made me think this thought: "If she can find someone, why can't I?" I won't go into what she looked like, or what her deal was, but it made me wonder about it in a moment of self-pity. When that moment was over, I focused my attention on finding food.

Panda Express popped into my head. Who knows why. I usually end up feeling like an itchy Jabba the Hut after eating there. Still...I made my way to the food court, although I was getting annoyed with the people that blocked the way for people to get through...a-nnoy-ing. On my way to Panda Express, I witnessed a delightful show of PDA from some teens. It wasn't particularly disgusting...more like kinda cute. I was surprised at how unannoyed I was.

After I got my food, I sat at a table near some dark-haired cuties (whom I kind of ignored because I was in strict people-watching mode). They kept discussing music and one guy kept humming lines of a song, while the other guy imitated another instrument (I couldn't tell what it was)...I pretended I was cracking up at the Reader's Digest I was reading - but really, I was amused at the tenor (*snort*- get it?) of their conversation. Some guy came panhandling into Panda Express. He started over at the next table so I had an answer ready. I firm, but nice, "Sorry, no." One of the workers finally ousted him. After he left, she was chuckling to herself, I suspect at his cheekiness.

After the dark-haired cuties left, an adorable Filipino family -I'm guessing at their ethnicity, but it seems accurate- sat at the table next to me. I had watched them walk in because the little boys (about 8 yrs old) were twins...and the accompanying girls (about 13 yrs old) appeared to be twins, as well...They were really cute kids - sweet, too. They smiled at me.

On my BART ride home, I sat in a four-seater (where the two seats face two seats). The guy sitting there looked familiar...and decidedly attractive, although, again, I was simply in observation mode. I dragged out my notebook and started recording the events on and surrounding my ride on BART. I soon finished and decided to draw a couple of pictures. They turned out pretty well. I need to get back into it, though - a little rusty, I'm afraid. At the Walnut Creek stop, the lady next to me noticed my drawing and asked if I designed clothes. I said "No - but I've thought about it. I don't sew, though." She was really sweet and said, "Well, you should, those are really good." (Basking in the warmth of a stranger's praise...)

As I was looking around the train, hoping I didn't catch the eye of some creepoid, I did catch the eye of a friendly Middle Eastern/Indian gentleman who gave me a genuine smile and a little wave from across the train. I grinned back. He wasn't creepy. The guy in the seat across from me looked up and smiled at me. I smiled back. It was a nice, pleasurable exchange. Then, close to my stop, I went into what I'm starting to recognize as "Ice Queen" mode. Dang. I'm not a snob - I just get shy, sometimes. So, unfortunately, I completely ignored the guy from the seat across from me, who also got off at Pleasant Hill. I am such a dork.

My story of Full Moon Friday ends with me walking home in the bitingly, slappingly cold night air. My teeth were chattering but I got home, went in the house to talk to my awesomely adorable family - and headed to my room to bed down for the night...and write in my blog for the first time in, well, a long time. It's rather cathartic, really.

More to come...