Slice of Life

As much as I love quick instant updates through social media and blogs, I'm also well-aware that we always self-edit. I'm especially guilty of this because while I may live my life a little bit publicly here, I almost never touch upon topics that really get me riled up.

I don't like fighting with strangers. And even friends. I reserve all my snark for the boyfriend. (Poor guy.)

I've always wanted to change that about me. I feel like in my quest to avoid any and all conflict, I take away my ability to truly relate to people dynamically. Nothing is always sunshine and smiles. Except for the noble unicorn.

Anyway, here's a slice of my life (aka my uncharacteristically early morning today):

• 6:05 AM - The alarm goes off and I quickly hit snooze. I contemplate getting up but man, it's hard. I open my eyes again and it's 6:36 AM. I give in and get up.
• 6:40 AM - This morning's rituals bypasses the shower (I showered yesterday... I think?). I rinse my face quickly after brushing my teeth. I remember to apply sunblock. Today's outfit includes my free Gap jeans, my purple t-shirt, my tuxedo-like wool coat, and my pair of green ballet flats. My outfit probably cost me, cumulatively, $40. At most. And all was second-hand except for the free jeans.
• 7:00 AM - I drive to West Oakland BART and park my car parallel to the post office. I'm still working out the kinks of my commute, but all I know at this moment is I'm (1) too lazy to walk the 2 miles from home and (2) too cheap to pay for BART parking ($5/DAY!!!).
• 7:05 AM - Whoa, the train is here already - commute win! The train ride was only slightly awkward as I caught someone's eyes. I kind of just like looking around at people, things, shoes, and I try my best not to catch people's eyes ('cause it's kinda awkward!). He and his boyfriend were super adorable together, sharing their commute. I thought that he was a little too perfectly manscaped (his plaid shirt was nearly half unbutton and he basically had no chest hair whatsoever). He was also wearing kick-ass cowboy boots.
• 7:15 AM - I'm walking to the Blood Centers of the Pacific location on Bush Street. I don't actually remember where it is so I pull up the confirmation email on my cell phone with the address. Ah, found it! I apologize for running late and the nurse'ceptionist eyes me and asks if I weigh at least 110 pounds. I contemplate lying to her, but opted not to. I was very disappointed to find that they absolutely will not take my blood if I don't meet the weight requirement. D'oh....
• 7:20 AM - I console myself with a small latte from Starbucks and a $2 veggie breakfast sandwich. It's not bad, but then I realize I could make something like this from home for a lot cheaper. Umm, not the latte, but the breakfast sandwich. I was completely overwhelmed with the choices at Starbucks but seeing the prices right next to the caloric content made the selection a little easier.
• 7:27 AM - I saw about three people who were panhandling on my way to work. I thought about whether I was a complete asshole for not helping them out, especially in lieu of splurging $4.xx on my breakfast. (I made up my mind that yes, I am a bit of an asshole for my inhumane semi-indifference to their plight. I'm still trying to reconcile my yuppie guilt and balancing that with actually helping people in a tangible way. It's a work-in-progress.)
• 7:33 AM - I'm at work and notice that there's no coffee. Although I have my latte, I start making a pot for the people who'll be rolling in soon. Sure, it's a nice thing to do, but I really just like making coffee.

The end, for now.