Only the Irish

Ok, so I'm posting far too much for my first day. However, I was just on the phone w/ my best friend and told her this story. I think it's hilarious so decided to share w/ whomever (if anyone) is actually reading this thing.

My birthday is at the end of May. This year it was on a Tuesday which sucks because who can go out and party on a Tuesday? Sure, when I was 21 I could, but at 28 it's a bit harder than it used to be. Especially when the client is selfish enough to actually expect you to perform the next day. You mean you *want* me to earn that money?

Anyway, I decided to celebrate the Saturday before. Went on a fabulous hike with a buddy of mine. That night a group of us went out for dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant. My Midwest-self immediately thought of several non-PC items about this. Note, if you're offended by non-PC things, stop reading now. Some of the jokes are just for me. So, what came to mind you ask? Well, 1. The Unicef truck is going to be pulled up out back, 2. It's going to consist of a handful of grain that I have to go forage for and 3. There's just not going to be any food there. But hey, I figured it might make me a better runner. Ok, for those of you offended you can start reading again.

So, we had this amazing meal. It was AWESOME! Really tasty. It was cool b/c they brought it out on this tray that was literally like 3' in diameter. Pretty cool. After, we went to a pub in the Haight. Did a little drinky-drinky. Most folks left and my buddy BJ and I went to another bar for last call. Then we wanted a slice of pie and since everything in the Haight is closed at that point, we headed over to Nizario's Pizza. Mmmmm. We were standing outside chatting and eating our pie. Then he took off home. Well, as I was finishing up my slice of pie this cute Irishman (yes, I'm a sucker for the Irish) from Cork came up and started chatting. Yours truly was drunk and next thing I know we're snogging. He lived not far from there and said, "you're coming home with me." Drunk girl replied, "As long as you know that we're only snogging. I'm not going to shag you." He was fine with that so off we went.

Well, at 6am on Sunday morning his freaking alarm goes off. I'm thinking, wtf? Well, apparently Cork was in a hurling match that morning at 6:30 and Martin and Mack's pub was showing it. Being the good lad from Cork he had to go watch. I said, great, I'm going home. He replied, "No you're not." Ummmm, why not? "We'll discuss this when I get back." Which was kinda cute. So he goes and leaves this perfect stranger alone in his house while he goes to the hurling match. I just rolled over and went back to sleep. Then he comes home after the match and gets back into bed. Later he says, "I need to go to the store." I said once again that I would go home. He then asked why. Am I the only one that thinks it's odd to leave some random girl in your home alone while you go run errands? So he drove me home and that was it. No information exchanged, we just had a fun random evening.

Now, I know what you're thinking. I should be offended that he did the whole, now you're a priority, now you're not, but when I come back you will be again thing. Instead, I think it's one of the funniest things ever. Only the Irish. Gotta love 'em.

So here I am thinking that's it. No no, not to be. After a free concert in Golden Gate Park two Sundays ago (now this is about 3 weeks after my bday incident) I ended up back in the Haight at a pub w/ a couple friends. About 8 mint julips later I see someone do a double take at the other end of the bar. I look up and sure enough, it's the Irishman. The worst part, I don't even know his name. I know it starts with D-O so he's just known as "Do" (or more appropriately, "Doh!") around the house. I just started laughing and buried my face in my hands.

In thinking about it later, that probably wasn't the most encouraging move ever. However, I was just so surprised to see him. Of all the gin joints in all the world, he had to walk into mine. This run in has started a trickle effect...but that's for another blog.

I'm reminded of a great toast: "As you slide down the bannister of life, may the splinters all be pointing the right way."

Slainte

Why the fascination?

What is the fascination most folks seem to have with other people's lives? Why do people spend hours in front of the TV to catch a glimpse of their favorite celebrity or spend a fortune on bad magazines to learn the favorite food of someone? Why do we care who is dating whom? Why do people constantly slow down and screw up traffic even more so they can look when an accident has occurred? Is it some sense of morbid curiosity? Does it directly impact us? No. So get over it!

What brings this up? Well, the other day I was chatting with a new friend. I met S at a campout down in SoCal a few weeks ago with the Hash House Harriers. I love the hash. It's a fantastic group that allows you to just be yourself and you don't have to apply a filter. Plus you get to drink lots of beer after exercising. You also get to meet great folks from all over the world. However, as one friend said, "The great thing about the hash is anyone can come. The bad thing about the hash is anyone can come." It's true of any group I suppose.

One thing I've noticed in the hash is that everyone always wants to know who is sleeping with whom. Does it really matter? The gossip that goes around the hash is worse than 13 year old girls with too much time on their hands and cell phones. It's almost impressive...almost. Anyway, at the campout S and I ended up snogging. Then he slept in my tent. No big thing. Perhaps I should state that I am the random make-out girl, not the random shag girl. Just not my style. However, in the hash it is generally assumed that if you snog someone, you're going to have sex with them. Don't ask me why. Probably because a lot of that does happen there and God forbid if you don't follow the crowd. Anyway, you can read more about the night's antics here. For the record, S and I were the two on the couch who 'seemed to have a bit of class.'

Very few, if any, stories exist about me in the hash. There's a reason. If I do make-out with someone, it's not done in a public setting. I don't feel the need to share it with everyone or make a big deal about it. I guess I just believe certain things are private matters. However, I learned that someone either found out or guessed about S and I from the campout. Then this person took it one step further by assuming we had sex. To make it more complicated, there's one hasher that both S and this other person, let's call him P, both like. Apparently P feels the need to tell this hasher everything S does in the hopes that it will ingratiate him to her. So, to top it all off, P went to this person and told her. So suddenly, what was a rather innocent evening has turned into "ammunition" in a battle that only exists in two y chromosome's heads. And now a wider audience knows that S and I snogged.

It just makes me wonder wtf? Do people who spread the gossip and especially those who use the info in the manner in which P has think it makes them look cool? Do they really think it is going to make them look better in someone else's eyes? To me it just makes you look like an idiot. Worry about your own life. This isn't the playground. It's not time to go tattle to the teacher so you can get an A on the next test. Personally, I wouldn't want to date someone who felt the need to do that. I either like you or I don't. You bad-mouthing someone else who likes me isn't going to suddenly improve my opinion of you.

I just don't get it. Is your own life really that boring that you not only have to live vicariously through someone else, you have to tell others about it as well? When did society deem it okay for your "friends" to take private affairs and make them public? Are people really so unhappy in their lives that they need to feel they play a part, however miniscule it may be, in someone else's?

How It All Began

My friend MB was kind enough to share his blog with me several weeks ago. Since then I've been entertained on a rather frequent basis between his postings and glib gal's musings. I emailed MB one time sharing my random observation for the day and he stated that I really did need a blog. I figured he was right (don't let it go to your head) so here I am. I thought it's only fair to post that random observation that started it all as my first post.

I do consulting work and my current client is Genentech. For those of you (is anyone actually reading this?) who aren't familiar with Genentech, it is a bio-tech company that has created quite a few cancer drugs as well as numerous others. It's a pretty large company and has a large campus.

Travel back, if you will, to a week or two ago. I had gone to the gym in the evening and showered when I got home. I hate going to bed with wet hair. Those of you who know me know the kind of hair I have (really thick w/ natural curl). In other words, not the kind of hair on which you want to use a blow-dryer. Well, not unless you're heading to a 70s party and the 'fro look is a good thing. Anyway, I put my hair up that night while still wet and went to bed. I took it down the next morning to let it dry. In the middle of a meeting I pulled it back again because it was driving me batty. Apparently I wear my hair down a bit too much around these parts. No fewer than seven people commented throughout the day on the fact that my hair was pulled back. Even the security lady who works in the freaking cafeteria made a comment. Granted, they were positive comments which was nice. However, are you kidding me? This is the big news around campus that I decided to wear my hair back? Are there more people than I'm aware of that actually look at me every day? I'm still a bit confused by it all really.

Anyway, there you have it. The random observation that started it all.

Additional note: Today at lunch, the same security woman made a comment again - "You changed your hair again." Yep, I pushed sunglasses up on my head to pull the hair back from my face. I'm such a rebel!