New York Cab Driver in Summer

The summer after I graduated high school, I went to New York with my friend More. I was trying to save up a significant amount of money that summer in preparation for my first year of college, so I was pretty stingy during the whole trip. IE I brought a bag of apples and string cheese, so I would only have to buy one meal a day. But, I had a very good time and saw a lot of theatre and wondrous NY landmarks.

On departure day, it was my job to pay for the taxi to the airport. The driver didn't speak much English. When we arrived at JFK, the meter said the price of the ride was just under $25 dollars. I got out my wallet, and the driver got out of the car, held out his hand, and said, "Theerty dollar." I had obviously seen the real price, but it totally didn't even cross my mind that the cabbie was lying. I just figured there was some other tax I was unaware of. I had never paid for a cab before. I gave him the $30, and then, knowing you're supposed to tip driver, another eight dollars. He looked confused, and I said, "For tip." He suddenly looked extremely ashamed and gave me back the ten. "No..." he said, looking at the ground.

Oh. And then I got it. He saw two young girls and worried he wasn't going to get a tip, so he lied. When, actually, we had no intention of stiffing him. I was even going to give him a bigger tip than the one he fabricated. And then we took our suitcases and went home.

Fact: It's better to get things the right way.

The Beyonce Cleanse

A week ago I began the Master Cleanse (AKA The Beyonce Cleanse AKA The Lemonade Cleanse). If you haven't heard of this via Kelly Kapoor, it is a diet regimen that is meant to detox your system. Beyonce famously did it for two weeks to prepare for her role in Dreamgirls.

The Cleanse:
You drink a "lemonade" of lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup 6 times a day.
You also drink laxative peppermint tea before bed and green tea in the morning.

When I began the cleanse, I told myself if I didn't feel good at any point, I would stop. I honestly didn't know if I would get past one day, but I wanted to try it out. It's been a wild school year, and at the end of every big adventure I like to detox everything. This week, besides Beyoncing I've been meditating daily, deep cleaning my bathroom, sorting old files, etc. You know. Getting refreshed! People sometimes try to use this cleanse for weight loss, but doing it for a week has probably lost me a pound or two (although I wouldn't know since I don't ever weigh myself), but I'm sure as soon as I put something solid in my body,  I'll return to normal. So, I'm not measuring the success of this diet by how I have changed externally--more how it's effected me internally.

Notes on the Experience:
-Deprivation. This cleanse supposedly resets your taste buds to be more in line with your body. IE--no more desire for foods we wouldn't naturally want. At first this was SO WRONG. Day Three was my only day of real hunger, and I spent literally hours of the day looking at restaurant menus and recipes online. But, now, Day Seven, that desire is gone. I'm not hungry really at all. I mean, yeah, food sounds good. I miss chewing. But, if I had to eat something, I'd opt for a piece of bread--not the Reese's Cookie Explosion Brownies that glowed from my computer screen four days ago.
     Two Schools of Thought: 1. Deprivation just makes you want it more. Or 2. Deprivation gets you back on track with what you ACTUALLY want.
-Being Social. I was asked out to dinner this week. Couldn't go. I'm not in school, so I am free as a birdy, and I've seen friends, but I know I'd be seeing them MUCH more if I were eating. HOWEVER, I DID attend my friend JD's graduation dinner. Oh. It was super glam. Pre-set menus, JD's parents footing the bill, ARTICHOKE PASTA, CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TORTE. I just drank water and watched the five courses spin around me. While that might sound like hell, it really wasn't bad.
     1. It's usually difficult to abstain from things we want when they are presented to us. But, I thought, we can get them basically any time. Like, yeah, I wanted that torte, but next week I can make that torte and eat it breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I wouldn't even WANT that, but I COULD. In just a week. Why feel like the world is going to collapse because I can't have it RIGHT NOW? There will always be more to come, you know?
     2. This was the most focused I've been on other people during a meal in a really long time. I never considered how much eating while socializing tears my concentration. Obviously, eating is social, so I'm still going to eat and socialize, but I feel much more aware of first being attentive to people second to my food.
-Good Feeling. I've spent so much time on the couch since finals ended. It's glorious. I did the exact thing last year--on Pookie's couch. I flopped for days watching Netflix, but the difference? I also ate bowl after bowl of ice cream and crackers. I ended up feeling so sluggish. It's been nice to relax while energized. But, of course, I'm happy to stop drinking that nasty potion.
-Cheap. Nothing pads your wallet like surviving on some lemons and a bottle of syrup for a week.

There's probably more, but that's what stands out. Overall, I'm glad I tried this. I do feel bouncier, fresher. I mean, the toxins have really been flushed out of my body. Amped to ease back into food!

LDCAT

Golden Hearts. Germany. June 2011.

Saturday night is Trivia Night apparently. There's a standing date for people in the MFA program to go to this local bar/grill and kick butt at the weekly trivia contest. I decided to go this past weekend. We got second place! But that's not the point of this blog entry. The point:

Festivities start around 8:30, so at 8:15 I was pedaling down a commercial street just off the main hub of weekend nightlife. I was passing closed cleaners and dark bike shops, and then, I passed a Wendy's. It was empty besides a couple sitting in the big glass window. The guy had his arm around the gal, and they were laughing laughs I could not hear. A large yellow Frosty cup sat in front of them. Two spoons sticking out.

THIS IS TRUE LOVE, PEOPLE!

Please note, MY IDEA OF A PERFECT SATURDAY NIGHT IS A MILKSHAKE. If you look up "cheap date" in the dictionary, you find my picture. A picture of me going on my honeymoon to Baskin Robbins.

Think you gotta keep me iced, you don't.
Think I'm gonna spend your cash, I won't.
Even if you were broke, my love don't cost a thing.

Dead

It was my intent to recycle the bouquets I got from directing the improv comedy show and give them to my friends who were in the dance production this weekend. But they are all wilted. The pinks are greys and yellow blossoms have shriveled. Their stems are mushy and spreading out in the vase. They look like they are trying to escape.