part I: who/what i saw on the bus on friday evening:

-preppy guy with a white turtleneck sweater, loafers, and enormous glasses frantically reading a book less than one inch from his face. what book? "Left Behind" (fundamentalist xian thriller). it brought back memories of someone with that background and those massive issues.

-bag lady wearing saucer-sized headphones and taking up no less than 4 seats with her assortment of target bags.

-starving urban mom screaming to her neighbor about why she likes to keep her thermostat on 90 degrees all winter long.

-acne-ridden teenage sports fan girl insisting that her ma and gramma also keep the thermostat on 90 degrees. "that's the only way to do it"

-very overweight woman with a cane who cites, as she climbs aboard, the federal regulation allowing her to have the first seat on the bus. the four people occupying that first bench get up and stand (the bus is packed) and her girth spills onto all four seats. she then (much to the bus driver's dismay) proceeds to call out each stop on the route 5 to 6 times, shouting "4th street, last call, last call, we're serious here. last call for 14th street." ad infinitum.

---end of part I-----

part II: what i cooked today (in preparation for...)

-crostini

-pita chips

-mozzarella salad with grape tomatoes, fresh basil, kalamata and black olives, red and yellow roasted bell peppers, balsamic

-spinach and artichoke dip

-baby quiches with sauteed shallots and porcini, asparagus and asiago

-orange salad with star fruit, cloves and cinnamon

-creme brulee french toast with grand marnier whipping cream

-italian white bean dip

-tossed salad with radicchio, toasted pecans, purple cabbage, and carrots

-genoa salami rolls with garlic boursin

-smoked salmon spread

-coconut poumd cake with lemon glaze and chocolate sauce

phew!