MOVE

This blog has moved to wordpress: http://breeniebee.wordpress.com/  I like the layout much better. There is already a new blog about the naked men in Castro.

My other blog will be moving to wordpress shortly.

NEW website http://breeniebee.wordpress.com/

13. The Good Life

Lesson: Let the people who do what they love to do for no money inspire you to rekindle the passion for what you love to do.

I'm sure the guy standing next to me on the M train was famous. Sure he was the only one who heard the beats through his headphones, but he was two decibels and 1 dance move away from giving an all out performance. I'm not saying he was in slight bit entertaining, but I could tell he was passionate.

12. Control

Lesson: Relax. There are somethings you have no control over and it's o.k.

It wasn't until I got the the train station did I remember I had a quiz at the very begining of class. If I would have remembered before I got to the station, I would have left home 15 minutes earlier. Instead, I left on time, and the train was 10 minutes late. After I boarded the train, it was held up in the tunnel. Then the street light froze (very unusual) and we were sitting at the light for at least 2 minutes. Of course, we stopped at every stop. To make a long story short, I eneded up running late to my class. I made it for the last 2 minutes of the quiz by the skin of my teeth.

After trial and error from before, I learned that alternate routes would take me out of the way and it would be a bigger gamble since I would have to transfer to a bus. The only control I really had was to leave earlier, take a taxi ($15 for a 5 point quiz), or run right when I got off the train. After that I really had no control over the situation.

11. Companionship

Lesson: We all want to be a part of someone else's story.

One of my favorite events on the bus is when two or more people by chance meet up on the bus. Today, I got on the bus with a male and female college student. A few stops later an older man got on the bus and recognize the male student. After chatting it up for a while, the boy introduced the girl. When the girl said her name the man immediately knew who her mother was. The guys started talking about the "good old days" and it made me a little bit sad.

10. Mittens

Lesson: Dogs bring people together... at least they do in S.F.

Taking a dog on the MUNI can be a good experience or a bad experience. Luckily, my dog is small, adorable, and quiet and I rarely get hassled for trying to bring her on the bus... or not paying extra fare if her transfer pass expires.

9. Bag Lady

Lesson: Just get out of the way.

Today I had an encounter with a woman I will call the Bag Lady. I don't see her often, but when I do it is always on the 33 Line. The 33 line starts/ends on the outskirts of the city and goes through The Mission. The Mission is home to a lot of homeless people. S.F. in general is home to a lot of homeless people, but they gather in certain areas such as the Mission.

The first time I had an encounter with the Bag Lady is when she walked on the bus without paying.

8. Immunity

Lesson: What doesn't kill you will only make you stronger.

If someone coughs on my neck, sneezes on my bag, or wipes their runny nose and touches something on the bus one more time I think I will cut them.

I think I have been exposed to every strain of the flu, anthrax, bacterial pneumonia, Clostridium dificile, Ebolavirus, Hepatitis A-E, and leprosy on the San Francisco Muni.

Then I realized I have not been sick in a long time. It's very unusual since I get sick for 2 weeks four times a year. 

I guess what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. 

7. Being Your Best

Lesson: If there is something in life that you can't do, it's probably because you choose not to do it. 

I used to HATE running. I walked the "mile run". My benchmark for success was to just finish before the intellectually disabled kids. (I'm was filled with shame when I wrote that). I joined track. That lasted a solid 3 weeks until I ended up in the hospital due to sports related injuries.

Then I moved to the city.

6. Be Memorable

Lesson: Since your alive, you might as well leave a lasting impression.

Every so often I have to take the UCSF shuttle. I hop on the Grey line at the Parnassus campus and take it to the Mission Bay campus. Then I hop on the Green line from Mission Bay to the Minnesota building. The Green line only takes 6 minutes to get to the Minnesota building (but 20 minutes if you walk) and usually nobody is on it.

Now there aren't that many black people in all of S.F. The bus driver (on the Green Line) was black. I'm black. And there was nooooo body else on the bus, so we had talk to each other. That is an unspoken rule of the black people- you must acknowledge each other when you are in areas where there are not many other black people. Its the rules. I ended up talking about my favorite living thing- my dog Mittens. I don't think he cared that Mittens gets blueberry facials or that it always rains when it is time for her to get a bath. I don't think you care either.

5. Honesty

Lesson: To Thy Self be True.

The only guys that hit on me are grimey homeless guys. This time, I was stuck on a crowded bus with one (as in there was no where to escape).

He asked 5 million questions. Even though I gave quick answers, turned my back towards him, the questions kept coming.

By the end of my ride I had become Lauren. A 21yo fashion design student as SF State University who has a faithful boyfriend that she would never cheat on.

4. Sharing is Caring

Lesson: Don't get on the bus with an Easter dinner plate (that smells delicious) and think that nobody is going to say nothing to you.

Today on the "M" train, I got on with my warm Easter dinner. Sat down and got lost in my thoughts until the train conductor yelled at me. 


He said, "Forget the money, I want your food!"


I wished him a happy Resurrection Sunday and went about my day when I reached my stop.


Here is my appreciation for the bus drivers and train conductors that had to spend time away from their friends and families to make sure that the citizens of S.F. got to and fro.


Thanks a Million!

3. Know Where you Are

Lesson: Know where you are in life relative to where you want to be.

I watched the 22 bus drive by... without me. The next bus wasn't coming until another 20 minutes, and I actually had to be someplace on time.

I walked 3 blocks, hopped on the 'T' Train, got off on Church, and hopped on the 22. I arrived at my destination to find that I was in the wrong place. I hopped on the 1 bus, and arrived 2 minutes before the speaker began.

2. Don't be Sorry, Be Empowered

Lesson: Don't say your sorry when your not sorry.

If you had to stand around and collect signatures all day where would you stand?

 In front of a store?

 How about a bus stop where people feel obligated to stand and wait? They can't give the excuse, "I don't have the time". They are more likely to sign the petition because they can't get away from you.

1. There is a Market for Matchmaking on the Bus

Lesson 1: Your soul mate may be one stop away.

Did I find my true love today? No. Was I close? No. It's o.k. because I think if I can turn bus rides into a legit dating service.

Intro

Lesson: Live a life that would be interesting to a complete stranger.

So, the other day I entered the bus and sat next to an elderly man. At the next stop, another man got on the bus and sat on the other side of the man. While I was getting lost in my thoughts the two men started a conversation.