Quote of the Day

“Oh, let’s just be adventurous and get that glass of Spanish wine with our Indian meal. That’ll be our big adventure for the day.”

Setting: I’m sitting in an Indian restaurant with two of my mother’s friends.

Not A Good Sign…

I was in Wal-Mart tonight, finishing up last minute preparations for our cross country drive/camping adventure. This led me to the Sporting Goods section of the store, better known as “Hunter’s Paradise.” Rows and rows of fashionable camouflage outfits, gun accessories for your every whim, it was scary. Being around guns has always unnerved me. Mostly because the people who are holding them are exactly the people who shouldn’t be. Case in point:

As I walked up to the counter in the Sporting Goods section, ready to ask the salesperson where hot/cold compresses were, I heard these words, “Well, I sho’ don’t know *exactly* what this here’s fo’, but I think it’ll work anyhow.” The clerk is assembling, loading, doing something, to a gun there on the counter. (Yes, they sell guns at Wal-Mart, but that’s another story…) These words pique my interest, I look over, on his badge are the words “Clerk In-Training. Please Be Patient.”

The Library

I love the public library system. Always have. I can remember, at age 6, riding my Schwinn bicycle to the Rural Hall Public Library, at that time no larger than a large closet, with shelves and shelves of mostly dog-eared paperbacks. Discovering Sidney Sheldon (people do that?), Danielle Steele, all the others that frankly I’m amazed made it past the censorship committee.

One of the first things I did when I arrived back to North Carolina was renew my public library card. It just amazes me that there is such a plethora of materials available, gratis, for my consumption. It’s like going to a buffet and eating for free.

Yesterday one of the books I checked out was due. I didn’t have time to get to the library before it closed. Today, I made it a priority to return it. As I stood at the “Returns” desk, the librarian motioned for me to just leave the book. But, I think I owe a fine. I’m a day late. “Honey, we don’t charge fines fo’ books. We just glad you returned it.” I was shocked. I was pleasantly surprised. I love the library.

Projects

I am a project type of gal. I love making lists. I love projects. I have spent the day writing postcards to my so-yae grandfathers in Korea, creating a first aid kit for our cross country trip, putting together a roadside emergency kit, packing the camping gear, and jotting down a grocery list for campfire meals. I’ve printed out directions to hard to find attractions (thanks, mapquest), I’ve highlighted routes in the US Road Atlas, and I’ve searched for any winter clothes I might have left behind at my parents’ house. I literally bounce from task to task, I’m so excited (although, the sugar content of the Krispy Kreme doughnuts I had for supper could also be contributing to my energy level…)

Restraint

I spent a couple of days in Raleigh, visiting dear friends from college. Only a year older than me, but a world apart. I look at them, with their steady jobs, their advanced degrees, their church/synagogue leadership positions, their community involvement, their families, and wonder… They just seem so grown up. So together.

At the door, as I was saying my goodbyes, little 4-year-old Jack commanded me to “Wait!” He skittered into the kitchen, quickly returned, and presented me with a ziploc bag of 5 oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, made especially by him. I was touched. “Jack, thank you so much. These will be a perfect snack for my drive home.” He wrinkled his brow, then, with all seriousness, said, “Well. I think you should only eat one in the car. It really is best to save the rest for later.”

Great. Even a four year old has better sense than I do.

Road Trip

My friend Daniel is moving from New York to San Francisco. While I was in New York, he talked at length about whether he should drive across the country or fly. His main concern about driving was that he really didn’t want to drive 3000 miles by himself. Well, that sounded like enough of an invitation to me, or perhaps not, in any case I invited myself to accompany him. He graciously accepted my invitation.

I am my father’s daughter. When my parents decided to travel around the world, my father sent me a 50 page itinerary, detailing where they would be, accommodations, sights to see, etc. I mocked him. I should have known.

I have devoured every book, every website, that I can about tourist destinations between here and San Francisco, via the West and Pacific Northwest. I have seen good websites, and not so good. Informative ones, and not so much.

We set off next week, and I am excited. Very, very excited. This will be the ultimate adventure.

In the evenings, I enjoy running on the track at the local high school. There’s grass all around. It’s peaceful. It’s quiet. Sometimes, I share the track with a few other people. Tonight, I was alone. Mostly.

After my fourth lap, I passed a family. A father, carrying an infant, walking beside the most adorable 3 year old boy, donned in dress slacks and a silk vest. The three year old watched me. I passed, and continued. On my next lap I passed them again. The three year old stared at me, again. The next lap, I walked. As I was approaching the family, the three year old turned around, and exclaimed, “Awwwww. Now I see. You walkin’ *aaaaaaaand* runnin’.” This utterance struck me as incredibly funny. I smiled, laughed, and heard the words, “Sho’ nuuuuuuuff.”

“Sho’ nuff” – where did that come from? I glanced around. I was the only other person on the track. Yes, those words, that southern exclamation for “sure enough” had come from my mouth. You can take the girl out of the country….

Searching…

Believe it or not, during and in between all the travelling I’ve been doing, I’ve also been searching for a job. Which can be discouraging. And highly entertaining at the same time.

I’ve posted my resume on the major, as well as not so major, sites. Today, I decided to post it on CalJobs.

First step in this process, to build a job objective. But, the website makes you choose categories, none of which *really* apply to me. I’m looking for a marketing job (which I realize is next to impossible, but I like challenges). Is that Professional? Sales related? Managerial? I try all of these. But then the next choices are just ridiculous. So I default to Professional, Education. That’s what my degrees are in. And, I do enjoy teaching English as a Second Language.

The next screen asks me to select an occupational category. Before me I have a list of a dozen or so titles, again, none of which *really* apply to me. So I choose “English and Foreign Languages,” which is as close to English as a Second Language as I can find.

The next screen beckons me to choose the job title which best describes my job objective. And there, at the top of the list, is Biology Instructor. Since when is Biology considered English, or a foreign language, for that matter?

I decide to cut my losses and exit.

Favorite New York Moments

Eat The Babke

As we were walking down the city street on an animated Sunday, enjoying the warmth of the late September sun on our bare backs, we spied a cardboard sign, tied with wire twist ties, the kind used with garbage bags, onto a chain link fence. “VILLAGE VIEW FLEA MARKET. TODAY.” Megan and I stopped in our tracks, read the sign, looked at each other with a glimmer in our eyes, then set off to find the flea market. The market housing undiscovered treasures. The market where we would find the next “great deal.” The possibilities. The hopes.

Another piece of ragged cardboard had a wobbly black arrow pointing down a sidewalk. We followed, excited by the prospect of the unknown.

Perhaps we were in the courtyard of a senior citizens’ facility. Perhaps not. A large blacktop was transformed into a market. Card tables, legs unsteady, in an “s” shape, avoiding the tall trees providing shade for the dozens of benches scattered. Treasures, spread out on each table. Packets of BC Powder, appearing to be 30 years old. Bottles of shaving cream. Costume jewelry, the sparkle not quite as bright as in its heyday. Vinyl records. CDs. Paperbacks. This was going to take some effort, some persistence, to unearth our special find.

As we were perusing, the woman behind the table sauntered up to us. “Look at you! Look at you! So skinny – here, eat the babke!” and she thrust a ziploc sandwich bag containing a slice of babke into my hands. I started to protest – we had just eaten lunch, and she waved me off. “Eat the babke! It’s a good babke!” In disbelief, Megan and I opened the bag, and began to eat the babke. It was good. I was transported to 1920’s pre-war Poland. The old women were chatting animatedly around us. Megan told her “thank you” in Polish and we were off. As we left, we heard mutterings, “Such a skinny girls, they need-a the babke…”

Edison Diner

My friend Josh called this a “hidden treasure” – a diner off of Times Square where you can still get good food for a reasonable price. Excited, we hugged, sat down, and immediately began talking, ignoring the menus before us. The waiter came by, brought us coffee and water. He asked if we were ready to order. I glanced at the menu, wondering if I could make an off the cuff decision. I looked at him, shook my head, and asked for just one more moment. He smiled at me, leaned over, and began reading the menu. Literally.

“Well, you see, this section is the sandwiches. Grilled cheese. Turkey. Ham and cheese. Or, you want the deli sandwich, you look here. Nice pastrami, tuna, roast beef. And over here, these are the main entrees. You want something more, you look here. Lots of food. Over here – here’s the soups. Feeling like a cup of soup today? Then, on this side, we got the breakfast. Pancakes, bacon, toast, eggs. What cha’ feeling like today? A nice orange juice? Coke?”

I stared. I’ve never had a menu read out loud to me before. Especially in New York.

Um. The tuna melt. And a glass of orange juice. Josh ordered matzo ball soup and lox. The waiter left. Josh and I stared at each other. After a moment, he broke the silence. “I have never in my life seen that happen.” Me neither. Maybe he was just being nice. Maybe I look illiterate. Or like I forget my reading glasses. “Well, I would say if you were wearing the type of shirt he could look down he was trying to get a peek. But you’re not. That’s the strangest thing I’ve ever seen…”

Fifteen

As my friend Cindy and I walked along a path in Central Park, we noticed a family approaching us. A group. A very, very large group. Of children who were obviously siblings, with the same facial features and matching clothes. We stopped. As discreetly as possible, we counted. Fifteen children. Yes, fifteen. Ranging from baby to teenager.

I was once a kindergarten teacher. With 21 children in my class. There were days that I thought I wouldn’t survive. I stared, in disbelief, at this woman, who around the clock, no breaks, had 15 children to care for.

K-Mart

It was very chilly. Daniel and I ducked into K-Mart to pick up a jacket, a sweatshirt, a fleece, something to provide warmth, for him. He found what he needed, a gray fleece, zippered front, hooded instrument of warmth, the only one in his size. But, it didn’t have a tag. As we were heading down to the cash register, we grabbed an extra one, with tag. At the check out counter, we explained the situation. He wanted to purchase the small, but it didn’t have a tag, so we brought an extra one, price tag attached.

“Oh, my gawd. You are so smart. You are the best customers. You are so smart. How did you think to bring an extra jacket down? You should get a gift for being so smart.”

Daniel and I smiled at each other, desperately trying not to burst into laughter.

Clerk #2 walked by and saw the extra jacket. “What, they don’t want this?”

Clerk #1 came to our defense. “No, honey. Listen to what they did. They wanted this jacket, but it didn’t have a price tag. So they brought an extra one. Ain’t that smart?”

Clerk #2 was now impressed. “You such good customers. You are so smart. I wish all customers was as smart as you. That’s a good customer for you. Good for you.”

When Lori Met Pastrami

I grew up in the south. Delis are a new thing for me. Daniel took me to Katz’s, on the lower East Side. We shared a pastrami sandwich. For half an hour he endured my groans, my incomprehensible mutterings, my expressions of deliciousness. “Oh, my god. Oh, my god. This is amazing. Oh, my god. It melts in your mouth. Oh, my god. This is so good. How come I’ve never tried this before? Pastrami, where have you been all my life?”

Magnolia

I guess Daniel hadn’t heard enough of me moaning and groaning over culinary delights. He guided me to Magnolia Bakery, maybe in SoHo? A small shop, barely large enough for the dozen or so patrons crammed in. We waited for the fresh trays of cupcakes to arrive. We filled 2 small boxes, grabbed a coffee, and found an unoccupied bench across the street. I was paralyzed by the sugary goodness coating my throat. The moist, dense cake. The incredibly sweet, absolutely divine frosting that caused me to lick my fingers, lapping up every last morsel of crystallized sweetness. Loyalties aside, these may rival Krispy Kremes.

Miss Liberty

“Last boat to Liberty Island – 4:00 pm” the sign read, as we stood before it at 4:10 pm. I sighed. I’ve always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty. Always. And for some reason, on my half or dozen or so previous trips to New York, I haven’t been able to. Daniel tried to comfort me. “We’ll come back tomorrow.” I know. I’m just disappointed. I really wanted to see it today. I’ve waited so long. It’s okay.

We continued on about our day, visiting other sights, lounging in the park, enjoying the incredibly hot, incredibly unseasonable summer weather. After dinner, he led me down to the subway. I wasn’t sure where we were going, but I followed his lead. We boarded the Staten Island ferry. A few minutes into our journey, he led me to the rail and pointed.

It was her. The Statue of Liberty. Lights beaming. As was I.

In the Cincinnati Airport

You can’t get directly to or from North Carolina. There’s always a connection. Tonight, it’s Cincinnati. As I was sitting here, typing away, I noticed a woman to my right eating popcorn. Not so unusual, except that her plastic bag of fake yellow, pre-popped corn filled her entire carry on. She munched beside me for a good 20 minutes, staring into space, hand to bag, hand to mouth, aimlessly crunching. When the boarding announcement for her flight was made, she unzipped the limp duffel bag on the seat beside her, placed the bag of popcorn in it, filling her carry on, slung it over her shoulder, and made her way to the gate, motion uninterrupted. Hand to bag, hand to mouth, step, step, hand to bag, hand to mouth, step, step…