from A to B

I do not own a car but believe me, it is such a relief. No worries about gas (approx. $3/gallon here) insurance, maintenance etc. I coudn't change a tyre to save my life but that's what
AAA is there for. When I was in college my sis Bonita and I shared a car and that's when I finaly learned how to drive. I had no choice unless I wanted to spend years within a 2 mile radious since there was no public transportation available. I quickly realized that when you made plans to go see a movie with friends, it meant that everyone would drive their own car and you'd meet there. You know how when you get to a city there are no people walking on the sidewalks because everyone is drives 2 minutes to go the the grocery store. No wonder there are so many obese people.

I usually take a metro train to and from work. The last thing you want to see is one of those super obese people get on during the morning commute. Yes, they are human too and deserve to be treated with respect yada yada but tell me how respectful you'll feel with 300 or 400 pounds squeezed next to you. You understand why I'll sometimes give them dirty looks when I've had to stand for half an hour on high heels because someone is taking up enough space for 2 or 3 people. Thankfully, this city has one of the best public transport systems in the whole country. You can easily get around with little or no hassle. Majority of the people who live here use public transportation to work because it is convinient and it is very difficult to find parking for a car.

Other times when I'm running late or feeling lazy or both I'll take a cab. Especially late at night after a night out on the town. One of the services we use is run by these Chinese drivers. For the most part, they are prompt, efficient and cheap. I said, for the most part because the efficiency applies to all the other drivers exept Mr. Hu.
Problem 1: His car. It is a white honda (I think. or a Toyota. definitely something Japanese) that has been involved in a couple of fender benders and still has several dents to prove it.
Problem 2: Communication. Mr. Hu loves to chatter away and tell us stories as he drives. Actually, it is the same story every time but I have absolutely no idea what it's about. The only words I understood were "yellow cab". I think that he tells it in English but it could be Cantonese or Mandarin or gibberish for all I know. I gave up trying to figure it out after the third time.
Problem 3: Direction. He never knows how to get us to our destination yet he makes his living as a cab driver. He's sure to take the scenic route to wherever it is we'd like to go. I heard he also works as a waiter in a dim sum restaurant. Perhaps he'll decide to do that full time instead.

At home, my family lived in a rural area so I'd walk everywhere. To the market, church, to visit friends and to school. Before you start imagining that it was those 20 km treks our parents used to talk about, I'll tell you that everything was within 15 minutes. For anything further than that, Dad would have to take us there in his beloved car that was the same age as me. Ahh, the memories of the good times in that car. Like when it would skid in the mud on the dirt road during the rainy season but get us home safe anyway.

I went to a boarding high school, so parents (several kids in my community attended the same high school) would hire a 'Nissan' or two to take us on the 8 hr + trip. With a parent as chaparone, of course, to make sure that we did not convince the driver to make any detours on the way. I remember how I used to envy schoolmates who lived in other countries and got to fly in every term.

In France, I learned about l'auto-stop. My friends and I would stand on the side of a road, arm extended, thumb up and hitch-hike our way to town. One time my friend Bijou and I got on a train without a ticket and spent the whole time hiding in a toilet to avoid the ticket inspectors. Ok, so it wasn't the smartest idea but it made sense at the time.

du vin blanc and television

I'm sipping a delicious chilled gewurztraminer. It's crisp, slightly sweet, slightly spicy, with fruity, floral and musky notes. Mmmmm. I lived in a picturesque wine producing region - one of the most famous in this country - for a while and acquired a taste for the stuff. Il ne faut pas etre un grand cru; as long as it's pleasant my palate is satisfied.

On to television
There's an endless parade of reality shows on tv. The surreal life features z-list celebrities living in a house together. I'm using the term 'celebrity' very loosely considering that I don't recognize most of them who seem to be way past their watch-by date.

The real housewives of Orange county is a lot more entertaining. These women live in a wealthy gated community in southern California. Botoxed to the hilt, silicone keeping their breasts eternally perky (and several sizes larger than the originals) they are clutching a youth that has already slipped away.

I woudn't trade my life for theirs because I think that my life is really fabulous as it is especially with my natural Ds. But I'll be stranded on a deserted Island any day with Naveen Andrews from Lost. I am obsessed with that show. And did I say that Naveen is absolutely devine?

TV shows that I watch in no particular order:

1. Lost
2. Perry Mason
3. Matlock
4. American Idol
5. the OC
6. The Sopranos
7. reruns of Friends
8. Various shows on the food channel
9. Nic @ nite when I can't sleep
10. Infomercials when I really can't fall asleep
11. Shopping channels when I'm wondering who on earth buys all those ugly clothes and jewelry.
12. I know I watch other shows but I'm too lazy to think of them
13. oh yeah, kenyamoto.com check it out if you haven't

All is well that ends...

I woke up as soon as my alarm clock rang Thursday morning, went into the living room and promptly went back to sleep on the couch. The next thing I knew, it was 7:20 am-the time I'm supposed to be at the bus stop to catch the metro train for the 40+ minute ride to work. My dilema: do I skip the shower, jump into some clothes and make a run for it? I could get to work just in time. HELL NO! Thanks to my childhood training, there was no way I could leave home without taking a shower no matter what the circumstances. Better late than stinking. Besides, I had to take my time and dress carefully in an outfit that could work for both the office and the event I would be attending in the evening.

Digression:
I'm sure we've all come into contact with people to whom a shower is a special event that is carefully rationed. I remember going to school with a girl who would only bathe approximately once a week. There were showers and bathtubs with hot water a-plenty but she couldn't be bothered. Even in the warmth of the Kenyan sun. Except, of course, her blond tresses that were always kept clean and well conditioned. Go figure.
End digression.

I scrounged around and found that I had just enough money for a cab. I washed, dressed and called the taxi company at 7:45. If they got there in 15 minutes, that would be plenty of time to get to work before 8:30. A few minutes after 8 am and still no sign of the cab. I started to panic and cussed myself out for going back to sleep. There's nothing I hate as much as being late to work. I am a closet control freak so I can't stand that helpless feeling when circumstances are so out of my control. The taxi finally shows up at 8:15 and I arrived at work ten minutes late.

That is when I realized that it was the 13th. Not that I'm too superstitious or anything but I braced myself for a day full of mishaps. Actually, the rest of the day went rather well complete with the sun coming out and breaking the monotony of the record breaking rains we have been having.

Right after work, I went to the legion of honor with my sister for a cocktail party and dinner hosted by her job. There were breathtaking veiws of the Golden Gate Bridge and the water. It was a fantastic evening of great wine, delicious food and pleasant company. We enjoyed the photo exhibit of the city then and now in celebration of the 100 years since the earthquake. Amazing how so much has changed yet some buildings and landmarks are exactly the same.

Happy Friday tout le monde!

And another one bites...

Ok, so the blogging bug just bit a huge chunk out of me and I've decided to join. Let it not be said that there's a trend that La Belle was not part of . Under the influence of a loved one, I have been checking out some amazing blogs for some time now so why not give it a try?