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Jiggity Jig
Home again, home again. I was in California last week visiting my brother. The first half of my trip is described in today's column, which brings you up through Sunday.
On Monday I met with two nerdcore rappers from my Internet forums. I was hoping to have a freestyle jam, but they don't freestyle, so they wrote rhymes and then traded lines of those while I freestyled.
Tuesday, I went to meet an old college friend who works at a museum. I didn't realize it was mostly a kids museum, so my morning was a little disappointing, but it is one of the more hands-on awesome (for kids) kids museums I've seen. Also: Cow eye dissections on the hour. Later that afternoon I went to meet![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
eeblet and A. for dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant, which is always fun. We then dropped by a party of dwhistler's where he was not only serving up tasty baklava, but also wearing a stylish hat.
Wednesday, though, was really the day that took the cake. Or at least, the steamed bun. I returned to Chinatown to feed my Cha Shao Bao addiction, and went to four different bakeries and got one from each. So tasty, and so cheap. Perhaps I shall learn how to make these. I then returned to the tchotchke shops, and looked longingly at a giant General Kwan statue, who reminded me of a character named Guan Yu from an old Street Fighter clone. I left the store, but couldn't stop thinking about the statue, so finally returned and ended up buying it.
Then I went to a Chinese bakery because my brother's girlfriend had requested a winter melon cake. I was about to buy one, when I thought, "Perhaps I should make sure I will have enough money for my train home before this purchase." This was a good thing, because as it turns out, if I had purchased that little cookie, I would not have had enough money for the train.
The bad thing was, even though I didn't purchase the cookie, I was still a dollar short for train fare home. I got lost on my way to the train station, and had to consult my visitor map. I finally found the train station, but it only contained Muni and Bart trains, while I needed a CalTran train. The woman working the both was completely unhelpful when I asked how to find a CalTran train.
So, I hit the streets once again, referring to my map and trying to find landmarks I remembered passing on my way in. I passed a line of people in line at a theatre, and attempted to sell sonnets for a dollar, but nobody wanted to buy one. I realized my brother wouldn't know when to pick me up at the train station, but this seemed largely irrelevant since I couldn't find the train station, or afford my train if I did. I figured I would keep searching, and do some street rapping and beg for money at the station. Grimly determined, I set off on what I presumed would be a very unpleasant afternoon.
And then I hear, "Seth!"
I turn around, and like unto an angel of mercy, there was abobsquatch. I walked with him for a bit, and we sat and caught up, and then he pointed me to the CalTran, lent me his cellphone to call my brother, and gave me a dollar for the train. I arrived back in Stanford safe and sound, saw a bunch of Rodin statues, and flew back the next day.
Also, no airport security trouble on the return trip. I'm starting to think that Albany airport may just hate beards more than the rest of the world.
On Monday I met with two nerdcore rappers from my Internet forums. I was hoping to have a freestyle jam, but they don't freestyle, so they wrote rhymes and then traded lines of those while I freestyled.
Tuesday, I went to meet an old college friend who works at a museum. I didn't realize it was mostly a kids museum, so my morning was a little disappointing, but it is one of the more hands-on awesome (for kids) kids museums I've seen. Also: Cow eye dissections on the hour. Later that afternoon I went to meet
eeblet and A. for dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant, which is always fun. We then dropped by a party of dwhistler's where he was not only serving up tasty baklava, but also wearing a stylish hat.Wednesday, though, was really the day that took the cake. Or at least, the steamed bun. I returned to Chinatown to feed my Cha Shao Bao addiction, and went to four different bakeries and got one from each. So tasty, and so cheap. Perhaps I shall learn how to make these. I then returned to the tchotchke shops, and looked longingly at a giant General Kwan statue, who reminded me of a character named Guan Yu from an old Street Fighter clone. I left the store, but couldn't stop thinking about the statue, so finally returned and ended up buying it.
Then I went to a Chinese bakery because my brother's girlfriend had requested a winter melon cake. I was about to buy one, when I thought, "Perhaps I should make sure I will have enough money for my train home before this purchase." This was a good thing, because as it turns out, if I had purchased that little cookie, I would not have had enough money for the train.
The bad thing was, even though I didn't purchase the cookie, I was still a dollar short for train fare home. I got lost on my way to the train station, and had to consult my visitor map. I finally found the train station, but it only contained Muni and Bart trains, while I needed a CalTran train. The woman working the both was completely unhelpful when I asked how to find a CalTran train.
So, I hit the streets once again, referring to my map and trying to find landmarks I remembered passing on my way in. I passed a line of people in line at a theatre, and attempted to sell sonnets for a dollar, but nobody wanted to buy one. I realized my brother wouldn't know when to pick me up at the train station, but this seemed largely irrelevant since I couldn't find the train station, or afford my train if I did. I figured I would keep searching, and do some street rapping and beg for money at the station. Grimly determined, I set off on what I presumed would be a very unpleasant afternoon.
And then I hear, "Seth!"
I turn around, and like unto an angel of mercy, there was a
bobsquatch. I walked with him for a bit, and we sat and caught up, and then he pointed me to the CalTran, lent me his cellphone to call my brother, and gave me a dollar for the train. I arrived back in Stanford safe and sound, saw a bunch of Rodin statues, and flew back the next day.Also, no airport security trouble on the return trip. I'm starting to think that Albany airport may just hate beards more than the rest of the world.