Moody to SF

Today - America gets a new leader! The three of us watched from our hotel room as B.O. became the 44th President of the United States.

Our only schedule for today was to be at Sutter Street for dorm check-in between 2 - 5pm, so we took a cab to 79 New Montgomery for a tour of the school. Our cab driver was from Bangladesh and he was using very foul language about President Bush. The Art Academy front desk was very nice and sent us upstairs for a tour - Very informative staff, great school, very organized, mucho equipment for film and directing, huge library and students from many different cultures. We had to wait approx 30 minutes for the tour to start and I was taking pictures - C was a little cranky [nervous I think] and as I snapped a picture of him - STOP that Nancy! Who is Nancy? - My Aunt Nancy takes pictures of every move and it irritates me to no end - OK - I will not take anymore of you without permission. My take on this is: C was nervous, getting his bearings, searching for his element, mind racing, figuring it all out, etc. etc. He was short tempered with his mom and snapped at her to act human. Yikes! J was so nice and patient - she just pinched him on the arm in the elevator - I would have ......let's not go there. Thank you Jesus for being with us as we walked this journey.

Then to Pier 39, Bubba Gumps for lunch, I had mahi mahi sandwich, C wanted to expand his palate and ordered [shrimp heaven sampler with boiled, coconut, fried and stick shrimp]. Both of my friends have very picky taste buds and there were times that I was appalled by what I learned. C decided to eat a boiled shrimp first [he had never had one before], I watched with anticipation showing him the cocktail sauce for dipping [nope - picky taste bud came into play]. I glanced down at my food and when I looked back at C - he had the whole shrimp - shell, tail and all in his mouth with this nose scrunched up and eyes wide. Spit it out - He did - You have to take the shell off - I don't like it - Well I am sure you don't I wouldn't either - J and I showed him how to peel and eat the shrimp, but I don't think he will be ordering anymore of those while in SF. We walked around Pier 39 and into some shops, then off to see the dorm.

Cab back to hotel for luggage and C's belongings, a small crying scene as J was preparing for the departure. C was so sweet, while J was in the bathroom, he asked me to please take care of her and I promised I would, then to 860 Sutter Street for dorm check-in. We arrived at the house - very nice and clean - pool table in a large rec room looking onto Sutter - vending machine - sofa lounge for studying or visiting - nice cafeteria for meals - RA office for information. C's room, 310, student names on each door, metal bunk beds, Jack and Jill bath with claw foot tub and circular shower curtain, desk, portable closet and wire baskets for storage. C's roommate had already come, moved in and gone so all we knew was his name, Alexander. The view from C's third floor room is of fire escape exits backing up to each other as you see between two vintage concrete buildings - it is amazing and feels so much like an Art Academy scene. J and I left for BBB while C unpacked and got acclimated.

Taxi to BBB was insane - cabby looked like John Lennon with music blasting, little round glasses, long unkempt hair and a foot that was either pushing the petal to the metal or off the petal - the car was jumping and spurting through intersections out of control. The BBB in SF was not like ours - it was several floors and we could not find a thing. We purchased coat hangers, pillows, black pillowcases and a blanket. Leaving South of Market [BBB], we crazy - no cab to be found. As we walked through this parking deck, we asked a security guard where to catch a cab - they don't come down here, you have to call them - Really - onto the street we went with giant BBB bags and our purses. We looked to the left underneath an expressway - scary - to the right looked very industrial - we walked to the right barren corner - waiving at cabs that we saw blocks away. Two security guards came walking from the industrial park and advised us to call a cab. As they [security] dialed the cab company number - a yellow cab drove up on the other side of the street - There you go - We ran across a four-lane road to get to the cab and as we approached - HE DROVE OFF! J wheeled around to ask security to complete that call - GONE - they were no where in site. I began praying for a ride out of this danger - a cab came from around this bend in the road to pick us up. Thank you Jesus!

Back to the dorm - C has met his roommate from London and they connected immediately with many things in common. We simply dropped off the BBB bags at the door and were off to Hotel Whitcomb. We ate dinner at the Market Street Grill in the hotel for the 2nd time tonight. We had this waiter named Sol.

NOTE: I have this yellow micro bead mushy pillows that I take everywhere. I rub it on my face, lay on it, shake it, toss it, swing it in the air, etc. etc. C asked J - what's up with the yellow pillow! This is hilarious.

At our home, we watch sports, history channel or news. C and J watch movies, movies and movies. I was so lost with their conversations and quotes. I am so amazed at people who can remember this sort of thing!