So here's the back story: When I was around... 9? I was visiting my aunt in San Francisco. We were at a bakery and I was looking in the case deciding what I wanted when this 30-something year old woman comes up right behind and yells something I couldn't make out. I thought she was yelling at me and nearly pissed my pants out of fear. I ran behind my mom faster than I ever knew I could run. Well, as it turns out, she was deaf, and I guess just trying to say hi, or was excited about the cupcakes. I'm not sure, but thus began my fear of deaf people.
It's easy enough to ignore this fear, especially in a work setting. Never ever would I let this fear show when helping a deaf customer, because that would just be rude. So what this adds up to is now at the ripe old age of 23 I have had no more scary deaf people incidents.
Until last Wednesday that is.
I was on the Amtrak [yes, the life ruiner] on the way home to Santa Barbara, when I heard these creepy noises from a few seats back. I quickly realized it was a deaf guy trying to communicate to his friend and tried to just block it out. However, since I was sitting there alone and feeling a bit childish since I was holding a Build-A-Bear, my memory immediately took me back to that day in the bakery. Well, I decided to try and just ignore the sounds, and managed to do a pretty good job. Then finally we got to my stop. No sooner than I had picked up my bag did I realize someone else was holding onto it too. Immediately the fear came rusher back but even more intensely as a realized the person on the other end was the deaf guy. He asked me if I needed help and I replied as politely as I could that I did not. He didn't let go. He asked me again. Again I said no. Still holding on he asked me a third, slightly more aggressive time. I answered "I said no please let me go!" Finally, his friend yells at him to sit down. I got off the train as fast as I possibly could.
So there you have it, it may not be politically correct, but I can't help the things and people my life experiences have made me afraid of!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
12.11.09 This Day of Travel Deserves a Blog!
So, if things went right this blog would look like this:
9:20 board train
11:20 arrive burbank airport
12:40 take off from burbank
3:05 land in phoenix
Well, it didn't of course! It went like this instead:
9:00 forget my phone in my mom's car
9:15 i'm told the train is 2 hours delayed
9:30 get my phone back
11:40 train arrives
2:00 (appx) arrive burbank airport
2:15 get put on stand by
2:30 sit down and wait
4:30 delayed flight boards
5:30 free vodka cran [strong!]
7:00 arrive in az
There were certainly some highlights along the way. Some really nice girl let me use her phone a million times to finally get a hold of my mom and get my phone back. Talked to a UCSB freshman while we waited for the train. He got off at Camarillo. Started talking to the lady sitting across from me, turns out I went to high school with her youngest son. Small world! The train they sent us was the slowest moving train of all time, I was so annoyed! By the time I got to Burbank I was in a pretty bad mood, and to make it better it was so foggy that the air was just wet while I walked to the airport which is about a 10 minute walk. However, my luck started to turn as soon as I walked in the automatic double doors. It was warm! The customer service lady for Southwest was SO nice to me. It was possible I was gonna have to pay around $100 to get on stand by, but it was free. The other lady working stopped to repair a machine and it had a free drink ticket in it so she gave it to me. Can't wait to get on that plane and have some booze! So, even though the flight they put me on is 20 minutes delayed, I am in a much better mood. I have to wait 'til 4:30 for this flight, so since I'm starving I think it's time to eat..
The rest of the story! [Updated]
I ate, I sat, I used the free Burbank Airport Christmas wi-fi from Google. When I boarded the plane I was really confused because it was choose your own seat, but after struggling with my bag and a guy helping me finally, I sat down. I tried to turn on my over-head light to read The Tortilla Curtain, but it wouldn't turn on. Just my luck! The only time I was disappointed by Southwest. So I just waited for the drink cart. It came. I drank. I felt a buzz... Oh drinking in flight! So we landed and I was SO excited. Walked out a little tipsy and disoriented but I found Shar and we went straight to get our nails done. What a day it was.
9:20 board train
11:20 arrive burbank airport
12:40 take off from burbank
3:05 land in phoenix
Well, it didn't of course! It went like this instead:
9:00 forget my phone in my mom's car
9:15 i'm told the train is 2 hours delayed
9:30 get my phone back
11:40 train arrives
2:00 (appx) arrive burbank airport
2:15 get put on stand by
2:30 sit down and wait
4:30 delayed flight boards
5:30 free vodka cran [strong!]
7:00 arrive in az
There were certainly some highlights along the way. Some really nice girl let me use her phone a million times to finally get a hold of my mom and get my phone back. Talked to a UCSB freshman while we waited for the train. He got off at Camarillo. Started talking to the lady sitting across from me, turns out I went to high school with her youngest son. Small world! The train they sent us was the slowest moving train of all time, I was so annoyed! By the time I got to Burbank I was in a pretty bad mood, and to make it better it was so foggy that the air was just wet while I walked to the airport which is about a 10 minute walk. However, my luck started to turn as soon as I walked in the automatic double doors. It was warm! The customer service lady for Southwest was SO nice to me. It was possible I was gonna have to pay around $100 to get on stand by, but it was free. The other lady working stopped to repair a machine and it had a free drink ticket in it so she gave it to me. Can't wait to get on that plane and have some booze! So, even though the flight they put me on is 20 minutes delayed, I am in a much better mood. I have to wait 'til 4:30 for this flight, so since I'm starving I think it's time to eat..
The rest of the story! [Updated]
I ate, I sat, I used the free Burbank Airport Christmas wi-fi from Google. When I boarded the plane I was really confused because it was choose your own seat, but after struggling with my bag and a guy helping me finally, I sat down. I tried to turn on my over-head light to read The Tortilla Curtain, but it wouldn't turn on. Just my luck! The only time I was disappointed by Southwest. So I just waited for the drink cart. It came. I drank. I felt a buzz... Oh drinking in flight! So we landed and I was SO excited. Walked out a little tipsy and disoriented but I found Shar and we went straight to get our nails done. What a day it was.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
12.2.2009 Grocery Store Etiquette
Usually when I go to the grocery store I run into maybe one person who has parked their cart in the middle of the aisle and I have to ask them to move. Today literally EVERYONE I encountered had their cart in the middle of the aisle. Half of them I had to ask twice to move, one guy even three times! Kind of funny that this happens on the day I make a blog where I will write about it.
12.1.2009 Car Kiss?
Do you think this guy parked close enough to me? Come on! He did leave the tiniest scratch, and if I want to I think I can find him, but I'll save that for another story...12.1.09 The In-N-Out Weirdo
So while I was waiting for/eating my food at In-N-Out yesterday, I overheard a strange man talking to three young teeange-looking boys. At first I thought he must know them, but quickly realized that they did not. This man was not even eating anything, just standing by their table and talking to them. Here are the quotes I tweeted, if only I could remember them all...
"You boys chase the white women?"
"Smoke the grass?"
"I'm a fighter, not a lover. You boys are lovers, I can tell."
"I don't coke."
"I have to help you boys, you need help."
"You could have a lot of friends and be alone, did you know that?"
"I'm a blessed person, I don't need anyone."
He was seriously talking for a solid 30 minutes, and you could hear him throughout the whole restaurant.
"You boys chase the white women?"
"Smoke the grass?"
"I'm a fighter, not a lover. You boys are lovers, I can tell."
"I don't coke."
"I have to help you boys, you need help."
"You could have a lot of friends and be alone, did you know that?"
"I'm a blessed person, I don't need anyone."
He was seriously talking for a solid 30 minutes, and you could hear him throughout the whole restaurant.
12.1.09 The Worst Driver EVER
So, I'm sure you have all encountered this type of person: You turn on your blinker to change lanes and they speed up to keep you from doing so. Yes? Okay. Well yesterday I met this type of driver ON STEROIDS. Both literally and figuratively.
So this big beefcake-guido looking guy does the whole 'not gonna let you in' move so I'm annoyed, but then he backs off. Seeing my chance I begin to make my move, but once I am about halfway in the lane he speeds up again! Well, it's not like he can pass me so i finish my completely safe and legal lane change. However, he won't get off my ass. Now here we are, in a long line of cars on the freeway with everyone driving about 80, and this guy is a mere few inches from me blaring on his horn as if I am somehow the one in his way. It gets better... He begins to swerve side to side in the lane! Now I'm not sure what the point of swerving while speeding and tailgating me was, but if it was to prove that he was batshit crazy, then mission accomplished! Eventually we get around the slow truck everyone was passing and he immediately switches to the slow lane, and as soon as the car in front of me gets over he take their place and hits his brakes. Cute buddy, real cute. I am not in the mood for these games so I switch to the slow lane. He follows, cuts in front of me, and slams his brakes again. Fuck you dude, I was prepared for that, you can't fuck with me! Then there is another slow car again so he decides to quit his game and pass it leaving me FUMING in my car. No joke, I have never been so mad in my entire life. My cheeks were shaking. MY CHEEKS! How crazy is that? So I manage to catch up with him and my friend in the passenger seat writes down his license plate number right before we seem him do the same exact thing to another car! This guy is just ridiculous, but shortly after he exits and I continue my drive to school.
After parking and managing to brush off my shakes, I pick up my cell phone and dial the California Highway Patrol. The officer I speak to asks for the license plate number, type of car, and then asks to explain the incident. He explains that they have a 'bad driver letter' he will fill out and send to the guy telling him to 'knock it off'. I feel better after this, because even though it most likely won't have an effect, at least I did something about it.
All I know is, if I encounter this guy on the road again and I am alone, he better watch out, cuz I've got some body damage on the rear of my car and I would just LOVE to brake-check him and make him pay for it.
So this big beefcake-guido looking guy does the whole 'not gonna let you in' move so I'm annoyed, but then he backs off. Seeing my chance I begin to make my move, but once I am about halfway in the lane he speeds up again! Well, it's not like he can pass me so i finish my completely safe and legal lane change. However, he won't get off my ass. Now here we are, in a long line of cars on the freeway with everyone driving about 80, and this guy is a mere few inches from me blaring on his horn as if I am somehow the one in his way. It gets better... He begins to swerve side to side in the lane! Now I'm not sure what the point of swerving while speeding and tailgating me was, but if it was to prove that he was batshit crazy, then mission accomplished! Eventually we get around the slow truck everyone was passing and he immediately switches to the slow lane, and as soon as the car in front of me gets over he take their place and hits his brakes. Cute buddy, real cute. I am not in the mood for these games so I switch to the slow lane. He follows, cuts in front of me, and slams his brakes again. Fuck you dude, I was prepared for that, you can't fuck with me! Then there is another slow car again so he decides to quit his game and pass it leaving me FUMING in my car. No joke, I have never been so mad in my entire life. My cheeks were shaking. MY CHEEKS! How crazy is that? So I manage to catch up with him and my friend in the passenger seat writes down his license plate number right before we seem him do the same exact thing to another car! This guy is just ridiculous, but shortly after he exits and I continue my drive to school.
After parking and managing to brush off my shakes, I pick up my cell phone and dial the California Highway Patrol. The officer I speak to asks for the license plate number, type of car, and then asks to explain the incident. He explains that they have a 'bad driver letter' he will fill out and send to the guy telling him to 'knock it off'. I feel better after this, because even though it most likely won't have an effect, at least I did something about it.
All I know is, if I encounter this guy on the road again and I am alone, he better watch out, cuz I've got some body damage on the rear of my car and I would just LOVE to brake-check him and make him pay for it.
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