Stuff Happens To People With Blogs

… and what is the first thing you think of?

It might be the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the list goes on but for me, the first think I think of is *BROADWAY*. Imagine my amusement when the day before I left home to come to the US of A, I discovered that the stagehands union had gone on strike. Oh dear, I thought, I hope that doesn’t last long. I read the NY Times online and discovered that the last such strike lasted only 5 days. Phew! I couldn’t imagine going to New York and not seeing Chicago or 42nd Street or any of the any number of other Broadway musicals. (Well now it’s no longer secret squirrel that I LOVE musicals).

Now, with just 2 days left in the Big Apple, one being Thanksgiving, I am starting to no longer shake my head and smile at the timing. As I walked past the picket lines tonight I was sad - yes, sad that so many people are temporarily out of work and their union is failing to come to an agreement with the theatre heavies - but mostly I’m sad because I want to see a damn Broadway show! Call me selfish, because I am.

… to have cheeseburgers for lunch three days in a row?

I say yes but what do you think? I lunched alone for three days in San Francisco and it seemed that burgers were the easiest meal of all and, when not purchased from a chain restaurant, is actually really nice.

Thank goodness for all of the walking, otherwise I’d have gained about 5 kilos in those three days.

… everything backwards. However, I am not talking politics or religion though I’m sure some topics out of those categories would fit in here quite well.

What I am referring to is that the taps turn the wrong way, the light switches are out at the bottom when on instead of at the top and the toilet bowl is full of water at the start and then empties when you flush. Also they have appetizers and entrees instead of entrees and mains. Some stuff includes tax and some stuff doesn’t so I never know how much something costs until they tell me at the cash register which means I can’t figure out how much money I need to get out.

OK, so perhaps they’re not backwards but is taking some getting used to!

… the “best thing goin’ ’round tonight”. Sure he looked homeless, smelt a bit homeless and was trying to get me to buy a concert ticket that was clearly an old scrunched up ticket that was useless. I decided to take the compliment, keep my hands in my pockets and keep on walkin’.

I am accompanying Jackson on a work trip to San Francisco and we are then shooting over to New York for a few days. Besides being constantly beseeched by the homeless for some spare change San Francisco has been really pleasant. I won’t say it’s been great as for some reason, despite being able to navigate to London Underground, Paris Metro etc with relative ease, I have found San Francisco’s public transport to be somewhat intimidating and inconvenient so I’ve opted to walk. The walking is great as you get to see “people live here” parts of a city, rather than just what the tourism board suggests you should see, but I haven’t really checked out San Francisco’s claims to fame as they’re quite a hike or beyond a hike from our hotel.

However, Americans are very friendly and open people and, although, they’re quite loud, I quite like them. I just have to get used to unintentionally listening to peoples private and personal conversations and then I’d feel quite at home … particularly if people are going to keep saying I’m the “best thing goin’ ’round tonight”!