Posts from — June 2007

I had to take Bart home yesterday after work, which began with a ride on the Emery-Go-Round. This isn’t a whirlwind of fun as the name implies. It’s a free shuttle that takes folks from Emeryville to the Oakland BART station.

As I took a seat in the shuttle, I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation that had already begun among a few people. They were talking about passports and citizenships since one of the girls was thinking about getting her passport soon.

One guy spoke of how in England, you can’t get a British passport unless you were born there. He then mentioned that in here in the U.S., you can’t be a citizen unless you were born here.

Here’s the thing with confidence: If you speak with it, no one will doubt you are wrong.

I thought of interrupting (nicely of course), to say that he’s wrong on both counts. For instance, my parents were not born here but they came here legally and then eventually became citizens back in the 80s and got U.S. passports.

But then, I didn’t say anything. I didn’t want to embarrass the guy and I didn’t want to intrude. I just let them keep on thinking what they were thinking and be blissful in their ignorance.

The End.

Yeah, I know you’re probably thinking “What was the point of that entry?” Nothing, really. Well, actually it’s proof that I don’t always talk incessantly.

Nothing makes one want to lose weight more than being patted down during a random security check at the airport.

More about my trip later. . .

Yesterday started off like any other.

I settled into my cubicle at work and in a little while, I got up to go to the restroom. While I walked, I heard laces hitting against my shoes. This is strange because the Nikes that I usually wear with my jeans don’t have laces. I looked down at my feet.

Left foot - My black Nike shoe
Right foot - My black Asics gym shoe.

My shoes are scattered in one area in the garage and these two pairs are right near each other. In my hurry, I had just slipped my feet into the shoes, limped to the car, and adjusted them while I was driving.

I stared down at my feet for a little while longer. I didn’t. . . I mean. . . I wouldn’t, I couldn’t right? But I did.

I wore two different shoes to work.

I told a coworker about it and when he looked, he said he wouldn’t have noticed. They were both black and looked similar from the top. However, from the sides the shoes looked different.

I didn’t quite know what to do so I just went to the restroom as previously planned. As I walked, I noticed that I wasn’t level because, as a gym shoe, the Asics shoe was more cushioned. Therefore, I wasn’t balanced. Hence, I felt like a fool.

Here’s the thing - I probably could have kept out of sight for the rest of the day and try to hide my shame, but I had to go somewhere after work. I couldn’t possibly wear two different shoes. Even though the possibilities of someone really noticing them were slim, I couldn’t take the chance. It didn’t matter if anyone else knew because I knew.

At lunch, I walked over to the shoe store (like an unbalanced moron) and tried to find something. Not just a pair that could tide me over, but a pair that I actually wanted. And, a pair that wasn’t black.

I eventually found a pair and changed my shoes in my car. I felt better, less dork-like.

This is one of those things, folks. If you ever feel bad about yourself and wonder, ‘gee whiz can there really be anybody stupider than me,’ read this entry. Because at least you didn’t wear two different pairs of shoes to work.

Pictures (at Soerha’s request) - First the top view. They don’t look too different:

Side view- They look more different here:

Previously, on Caffeinated Muslim: My camera unexpectedly broke.

I found out late last week that the latest Canon digital camera was out, the one I had been waiting for. So, I ventured out yesterday to see if I can find it in stores.

I hit up Best Buy first. They didn’t have it on display. I asked the guy about it and he said something about the difference in naming of Canon cameras between the U.S. and Europe. Using hand motions, I explained that I knew about the difference but that there actually is a new model out, not just in name. He hadn’t heard of it.

I went to Circuit City. They didn’t have it on display. I asked the guy about it and, while he actually knew what I was talking about, he said he wasn’t sure when Circuit City will get them.

So then Fry’s. They, too, didn’t have it on display. As I was waiting to talk to someone about cameras in the unexpectedly busy camera section of Fry’s, I peered into the digital camera drawer as one salesperson was getting a camera out for a couple.

There I saw it, the Canon SD850IS. Boxes of them.

I tried so hard to contain my excitement that I didn’t notice the lady next to me asking if I need help. I calmly told her about the 850IS in the drawer and how I was interested in that. She took it out for me and, pointing to the features listed on the box, told me how many megapixels it is and what the zoom is. “I know,” I told her. There’s no way I’m going to buy electronics until I know all there is about them.

And then it all went too fast.

Right away, she took the box over to the computer and started getting my information. I started to panic inside. Yes, I did need to get a camera. Yes, I knew how much it was going to cost. Finally, yes, I did want this particular camera. But lady, just give me a second to breathe and take it all in, y’know?

She starts talking about having only 15 days to return it and, if the seal is broken, there will be a 5% charge. Do I want a 2 year warranty? 4 years? 5??

I started talking nonsense: “So, you know, people that buy them, right? What is the percentage of the ones they buy that are defective that they return?”

The lady looked at me with a blank expression. “What?”

I clarified my rambling by asking about how many actually are returned if they are defective. She told me that it doesn’t really happen.

I started feeling a bit better and I got it. Although, I have yet to open it. It’s still sitting on the floor of my room in a Fry’s bag. After I gain a bit more confidence, I’ll break the seal.