Bay Area Love

As I struggle these days with my job, my wedding plans, and the usual day-to-day nonsense, I thought it would be helpful to reflect on the reasons I love the Bay Area (in the form of a list, of course), if for no other reason than to help me keep my sanity.

These are in no particular order, by the way, nor is this an exhaustive list.

1) Vik's Chaat Corner. The perfect mix of India and the Bay.

2) Fog.

3) Cold wind at Ocean Beach followed by a drink at the Cliff House.

4) Hella bootsie Yay Area slang.

5) Pixar.

6) Bi-Rite Ice Cream.

7) Microclimates.

8) Jeremy's.

9) Tons and tons of amazing vegetarian food.

10) Mission burritos.

Bride Wars: Lehenga Edition

Yesterday, I randomly wandered in to Sari Palace, with the hopes of avoiding a trip to Artesia by finding a perfect lehnga to wear at my wedding reception. Immediately, I saw "the one." No alternatives, no questions. I wanted it. It wanted me. It was all so romantic.

Unfortunately, I had to wait for my mom to see it (and pay for it) before I could make it mine. I begged the sales girl to set it aside for me until the next day.

I guess my begging fell on deaf ears, because today I went back, saw the lehnga sitting on the counter, and I was like, "This is my lehnga, I'd like to buy it."

The sales lady says, "But that other customer is buying it."

I was like, "But this is my lehnga."

I cried, for reals. Luckily, the owner felt bad and said she would get a replica custom-made to my measurements, for the same price. Whew!!

However, for a brief moment, I pictured some scene out of a movie in which two women fight like maniacs over a wedding dress, tearing each other's hair out and clawing at each other's faces.

It didn't come to that, but I'd like to think that, if it had, I could beat her down.

Things that Irritate Me

Since top ten (or 25) lists are the thing these days, I thought I'd spend a few moments meditating on the things I can't stand. Here they are, in no particular order:

1) When little kids wear their shoes on the wrong feet.

2) People who mix up there/their/they're, your/you're, where/were/we're, etc.

3) Clowns.

4) People who preface statements with things like, "I'm not homophobic, but..." or "I'm not racist, but..."

5) Guys who use the word "tits."

6) When strands of hair fall onto my arms, legs, or anywhere else.

7) Being yelled at or reprimanded.

8) When my students don't listen to me.

9) Thinking about where milk or eggs come from.

10) Trying on pants.

Ten Books

So lately it seems that my roundabout (read: lame) way of coming up with blog post topics is to steal them from Facebook. So here goes another one (impossible for an English teacher to pass this up)...

The charge is to write the ten books that you have found most influential in your life, without thinking too hard--just to jot down whatever comes to mind. Do it in a note and tag your friends (including me!) to invite them to share their lists with you.

1. Curious George Goes to the Hospital by H.A. Rey

2. Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary

3. Kristy's Great Idea by Ann M. Martin

4. Forever by Judy Blume

5. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

6. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

7. Naked by David Sedaris

8. The Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri

9. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth

10. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone* by J.K. Rowling

*Original UK title

Gumnut Cottage

Dreamy

Love Letter

According to my horoscope,

This would be a perfect week to practice writing love letters. It's not yet a favorable time to actually send the love letters you compose, however. You need some work before you'll be ready to produce the finished products. You've got to drain off the chatter that's at the top of your head before you'll be able to penetrate to the more interesting truths that lie at the bottom of your heart. But if you do your homework -- churn out, say, at least three eruptions of rabid amour -- you'll prepare yourself well to craft a thoughtful meditation that will really have a chance to make an impact.

So here goes a practice run:

Dear Words,

I love you truly, madly, deeply, eternally, ecstatically, desperately. When you are not around me, I fall silent. When I look around, I see you everywhere, and if I don't, I feel confused and alone. As individuals you are powerful, but when I see (or better yet, think of) ways to put you together, you become divine, transcendent, glorious. You satisfy all my senses and always have.

Yours truly,
me