Who threw that chicken at me?

Sorry I've been lax on posting, but I really haven't had a moment to relax. I have, however, had a few experiences and observations that I will share with you now.

I'm ready to admit it. Yes, I am a little princess. Shock, I know, but I thought the with the move here to San Francisco, I would shed my materialism, drop some baggage and live a care-free life with few possessions and just the joy of life to keep me happy.

Yeah, um..no.

As much as I try to spin it, I'm really living in a dump. Calling it a "pension" or "hotel" or even the charming "boarding house" isn't going to cut it. It's a dump. I realized that yesterday when my linens were changed and my sandpaper sheets had holes and old bloodstains on them, and my white see through towels smelled like poo. Oh yeah, and had PUBIC HAIRS embedded all in them.

GROSS!

So I dropped a few hundred dollars at Macy's yesterday and now have damask peacock blue 400 thread count sheets which cover a doubled over egg-crate to shield me from the springs in my "mattress" (and I use that term loosely). I also picked up some extra fluffy Ralph Lauren towels and wash cloths, pubic hair free. I had the first good nights sleep I've had since I moved here, and my towels were so fluffy I wanted to wear them to work.

See, things do make you happy.

I've also started braving the bus system here. I've pretty got the MUNI down, which is the subway system here. However, the MUNI doesn't take you UP the goddamned steep that kill your legs hills that I have to climb every day, so I'm exploring the bus lines. A few days ago, I braved the Chinatown express (actually the number 30 but it goes right up through C-town) and actually felt like I was in Shanghai what with all the animals on the bus. See the Chinese markets here sell live chickens, fish, etc and you can either have the store staff "dress" them for a fee, or take them home. I've learned that the Chinese are VERY cheap, so they take their animals home to kill them. Best Value.

In Chinatown this isn't a big deal. But, a lot of people live outside of this district and still shop there. So the other day I'm on a bus around where I work, down in SoMa (south of market street) and a little Chinese grandma tries to board the bus. If you live in SF or have been here, you know the type - frizzy gray hair, wrinkled little turtle face, sweat suit, Dr. Shoals, pink bags, cane to whack the round eyes with. Well this one was carrying a live chicken as well, not uncommon but also not really appropriate outside of Chinatown,where she was obviously coming from.

Well, La Shonda our bus driver from Oakland (the ghetto) wasn't having it! She wagged here 4 inch nails and said "Um, you can't bring that bird up in here. It's alive!" I was kind of in agreement with La Shaonda. Well, Grandma Mei-Ling obviously had a plan of her own. She took the chicken by the head and gave it a twirl.. CRACK and wrung its neck. "It no alive no more" she grumbled and got on the bus.

I could write about the heart attack that La Shonda had for the next 4 blocks, but I don't have that much space.

Jai Jan Gurhl!