Entries from December 2007 ↓

This morning it was very quiet on the train. I sat, almost sleeping, waiting for the transfer station. A loud, forced laugh tore through the silence. Another laugh, one not caused by something humorous, followed the one before it. I never saw where the creepy laughter came from, and it has followed me all day.

“There is this new iPhone commercial that has some punch line like “how did you ever live without an iPhone?” To be honest, the commercial makes me a little sick to my stomach.”

Even though I get the urge, I do not think it is wise to blog about work. I have a hard time distinguishing boundaries, so it is best if I just avoid talking about work-related items altogether. However, I cannot not tell you that last night I was the only person working on the CBS5 website when a tiger got out at the SF Zoo and mauled a person to death. I was just filling in for someone. I managed to get the story up and video cut and posted, but I utterly failed at some other things. There were tears. It wasn’t pretty.

Anyway, I worked on the top national news story last night, and even if it wasn’t perfect, I think it’s pretty cool.

“So I won’t bother Pam, in this world, but I look forward to seeing her again in that other one. And you can’t tell me it’s not real. Why would you want to?”

Reading about those who came before me, so I can learn from their mistakes.

Reason for the season, blah blah blah. Check out what I got!

The Haul:

• rice molds
• tiny bento sauce containers
• dark chocolate bar w/ vanilla
• Bed, Bath & Beyond gift certificate
• Bubba Gump’s gift certificate
• Rubbermaid 31 piece plasticware set
• fixed bike! (The Boyfriend put new handles, tubes, tires and a new seat on my mountain bike.)
• lounging robe
• Strangers on a Train
• Barcelona
• dog calendar
• purple coat
• Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans
• magazine/tissue holder
• photo mobile
• 3 Women
• reusable grocery bags
• reusable coffee cozy
• Peanut Butter candy pretzels
• Snoopy cocoa
• frog socks!
• necklace w/ matching earrings x 2
• tiny travel umbrella
• lemon cream body lotion and body scrub
• teal fleece jacket
• long, blue sweater hoodie w/ snaps
• black slouch boots (don’t fit; must return)
• blue sweater with gray stitching
• 1000 Vegetarian Recipes
• The Almost Moon (book about matricide bought for me by my Mom)
• sheer curtains
• awesome starburst wall mirror
• cash (rock!)
• lovely sentiments from friends and family back home
• long sleeved Tennessee shirt (Seriously, this is one of my top 3 favorites.)

Christmas wasn’t the same this year. My family wasn’t with me. I have to work. I’m in California. All these things make this holiday a strange one for me, but if the above list isn’t an indication, I am loved. Not that presents mean someone loves you, but still. I am blessed beyond my ability to comprehend. Thanks to everyone who took time to make my first Christmas away from home very special. Can’t wait to see you guys again.

Working in a newsroom in a much, much bigger market means I see and read about a lot more death and violence than I am accustomed to. They sneak up on me sometimes, all the horror stories.

People shouting, just to shout. One person drowns out the rest. He represents the TN GOP.

Headline of the Day!: Don’t slam the bridge on your way out

Last night I fell in random vomit. It was just as horrifying as you might be imagining, but it could have been worse. I should say that right up front, lest the karma gods rain on me. It only got on the soles of my shoes, my pants a little and a tiny bit on my hand. But holy gross, I fell in someone else’s puke. Your brain simply shuts down after that. You can’t think about it; how can you? You have the contents of a stranger’s stomach on your shoes and on your pants, which are wet from walking in the rain, so you can’t really tell what is stranger vomit and what is perfectly normal city street sludge, and if you think about it at all while still wearing a person’s regurgitated lunch, you too will puke.

But I could smell it. The smell of your own throw up is one nasty thing, but someone else’s? ON YOU? You have to disassociate from your befouled body. It is too much to take.

I had just had a lovely dinner with Kelly Stewart at LuLu, along with two cocktails. The drinks weren’t even that strong. After we departed I made my way to the Montogomery St. station. I saw a short line and got in it. I didn’t notice the next train was still 10 minutes away, so I made my way over to a bench when all the sudden I went down. Someone said, “Oh! You okay?” When I said, “Yeah, I just fell in…” And that is when I discovered what happened. There was smeared vomit on the ground, and I had been standing in it. The woman who asked if I was okay hightailed it as soon as she saw the reason for my spill. I wasn’t the least bit mortified, because I was too busy being revolted. As carefully as I could I rolled up the pant legs so the pukey area would not be touching my skin. Then I rode home, trying not to lose it.

Lesson learned: If the line is short, and all the other lines are super long, don’t stand there. You will slip and fall in bile and other bits of unthinkable grossness. This goes for bus seats, too. If a seat is empty, and bunch of other people are standing, leave it.