You always try not to show it, not to let on,
But it leaks out
Through your eyes
And spills over everything.

I can see
When you try to contain it.
The sheep are drowning in the gush from that dam
The room reverberates with the vibrancy of your secret.

Everyone can sense it, everyone knows
Just from a tilt of my head or one laugh
The trumpets sound and the announcement is made.
Our boat crashes on the rocks, no longer held adrift by the rushing waters.
The flood slows to a tickle, and the parched riverbed cracks under our weight.
I may be exaggerating,
But you know me
And my flamboyant use of hyperbole.

In years past, the holiday season has always been my favorite time of the year. As soon as I saw the red cups from Starbucks and the peppermint/gingerbread/eggnog steam rising from them, I knew that a month of stripy scarves, outdoor ice skating, and general holiday cheer was on the way. The city gleamed with decorations and everyone put in a little more effort to be happy despite the infamous fog and rain of San Francisco.

This year, however, my outlook on the holiday season has suddenly changed. As I looked at the baubles and bells nestling in every possible corner of the mall, I saw only the well-planned incentives to make people spend more money. Santa is just an unfortunate old man who can’t find a better job, the rewritten holiday songs advertising appliances and clothes are simply crude, and the entire ordeal seems to be one materialistic fiasco.

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against true holiday cheer and the spirit of giving. A good deed or a personally significant gift goes a long way, and holidays are as good a reason as any to better yourself and the world around you. I just don’t believe in spending entire days looking for the best deals, buying products for the sake of buying. Every store claims to have the “perfect gift,” every commercial asserts that you won’t find deals like this anywhere else. Between the radio, television, internet, billboards, and stores themselves, there is not a minute when we are not reminded of the fact that “tis the season,” and we had better get “a-shopping” before it is entirely too late. And if you’re not searching for the best presents for your family and friends, why not indulge and buy yourself the “fill-in-the-blank” you’ve always wanted? Sure, it’s the end of the year and we all deserve a treat to congratulate ourselves on yet another year well-spent, but shopping and buying should not be on the forefront of the American agenda.

A class conducted wholly in past tense
Shoddy construction
Garment, garden, garter
tap your foot
twiddle your thumbs
stare at your fingers.
Pink Hat, you look like a flapper. Maybe you want to.
Must you always rebel, even when writing your name? What’s your cause, rebel?
Are you such a huge Giants fan that even your drink must be orange?
Does “fat paranoia” make women fat?
How much sugar was in my tea?
Is everyone’s life deserving of a biography?
Ex-per-teez, tees, teas, tease
when something is left to the imagination
Smoke and mirrors, mystique.

From my experience, Muni is one of the most convenient things our city has to offer. Most buses come very often, with wait times ranging from two to three minutes to twenty at the maximum. There are many lines of buses, cable cars, and trolleys that go both north/southbound and east/westbound, so it’s possible to arrive anywhere in the city within an hour (a statistic I have personally proven many a time). And whereas in most other large metropolitan areas public transportation costs about two or three dollars, a ride on Muni will only put you back a measly 50 cents for students (the full fare is $1.50). If that doesn’t mean saving on gas money, I don’t know what will.

Speaking of gas, not only is the Muni system efficient and easy to use, it’s also environmentally friendly. If 100 people ride the bus to work every morning, that’s like taking a hundred cars right off the road! Not only is this an improvement on busy urban traffic, but it also cuts out the frustrating experience of having to find parking in the crowded city street or shelling out even more cash for space in a parking lot. Muni also has new hybrid-electric buses, which are energy efficient, and programs like "Spare the Air." A "Spare the Air" day is an especially hot day when levels of ozone pollution in the air are predicted to be unhealthy. On these days, people are encouraged to drive less, and all Muni lines can be ridden free of charge.

In addition to the aforementioned benefits of riding public transit in the city, Muni offers a few special perks which make using the system incredibly easy. If you dial 3-1-1 at any time of day or night, an operator can give you to-the-minute information about schedules and arrival times of any bus or trolley line. All the vehicles are mostly clean and well-maintained, the drivers are well-trained and experienced, you can meet interesting strangers.

Of course, the public transit system has its downsides as well. You can occasionally be stuck waiting for the bus for what seems like FOREVER, especially if you’re in a rush, and it’s unarguably a longer journey by bus than by car. The bus you’re on could be crowded, forcing you to stand for an hour squished up against a large man with a scratchy coat. The driver could be irritable and "accidentally" miss your stop or refuse to move the bus until the guy in the back gets off for his obvious infraction of the "no eating on buses" rule. You may just want some peace and quiet on your way home from school, but loud kids jumping from seat to seat, smelly hobos, too-enthusiastic conversations across the aisle, music blasting from various headphones, and jabbering businesspeople on their cell phones can definitely interfere with this simple desire. Still, as outlined above, the benefits of Muni far outweigh the disadvantages, and the system is something everyone in San Francisco should definitely try out if they haven’t already.

I remember eating all 100 Froot Loops off my necklace on the 100^th day of school in kindergarten.

I remember the carefree feeling of skating down Lake Street.

I remember falling asleep in Russian class.

I remember pickled cabbage with apples from the bright blue store on the corner.

I remember the first time I tried a Hot Cheeto.

I remember the Halloween Carnival.

I remember being Aphrodite for the school paper in 8^th grade.

I remember sporks, skip-its, hand games, monkey bars, and hopscotch.

I remember never getting into Sailor Moon or Pokemon.

I remember being allergic to lactose, chocolate, peanuts, citrus, sugar, pollen, dust, and fish.

I remember doing my hair ridiculously for the high school placement test.

I remember playing house.

I remember naming all of my dolls Liza.

I remember good and bad day camps.

I remember my first and only physical lfight with a girl named Sierra.

I remember buying new jeans by myself in 8^th grade and then wearing them to a white elephant party.

I remember Club 18 dances.

I remember a lemon popsicle at a picnic and being afraid to jump into the pool.

I remember green medicine flowers on my chicken pox.

I remember the day my brother was born.

I remember hazelnut gelato in Italy.

I remember the ice cream cart at Dolores Park.

I remember tying bows to my grandpa’s hair.

I remember pulling up carrots at the summer house in Russia.

I remember my first discovery of instant oatmeal.

I remember eating Ramen noodles raw.

I remember wiggling loose teeth all day until they came out.

I remember sliding down carpeted stairs on my bottom.

I remember the metal bottoms and translucent ribbons of my shiny black tap shoes.

I remember being stuck at the top of the rocket ship at the playground.

I remember thinking that everybody but me in the world is a monster that only turns into a human once I look at him, and turn back when I look away. Now I think that that was a very twisted way of thinking that the world revolves around me.

I remember band-aids always falling off.

I remember the pointlessness of gym class.

I remember the 7th grade trip to Yosemite.

I remember hoping for a rose to be sent to me during homeroom on Valentine’s Day, and the only time I ever got one was when my friends were playing a prank on me.

I remember the 7th grade trip to Yosemite.

I remember that the pads of my bra fell out in 8th grade during lunch, and Max saw.

I remember correcting my friends’ grammar until they started keeping track of it and made me cry.

I remember the time Becky’s mom read my diary.

I remember loving Kool Aid and Wonder bread.

I remember getting my ears pierced in the mall when I was 3 and getting a lollipop, like after a shot.

I remember everyone going crazy over "buy 1 get 2 free" tapioca bubble milk tea at Quickly.

I remember putting tally marks on a dusty car for every day we walked by it and it still wasn’t cleaned.

I remember whimit.com.

I remember when my grandma could play soccer.

I remember throwing up in ski class and then everyone had to go back to the lodge because of it.

I remember summers at Pinecrest Lake.

I remember hating all my haircuts until I was 10.

I remember being afraid to feed the goats at the petting zoo because I thought they would bite my fingers off.

I remember that giraffes have the same number of neck bones as humans, the bones are just longer.

I remember that Ms. Ho and Ms. Webb from middle school may or may not be sisters (but we’re almost certain they are).

I remember that the bassist in that New Orleans jazz band went to the same Passover Seder as we did.

I remember, in first grade, thinking that Christianity and Judaism were the only religions in the world.

I remember playing pirates, cannibals, monkeys, squirrels, and adventures with Grisha.

I remember making peanut butter cookies out of all the peanut butter no one would eat.

I remember being unimpressed by animals doing tricks at Marine World when I was 3. They still don’t impress me.

I remember my green jeans that I wore all the time.

I remember my dad’s studio apartment on the roof.

I remember trying in vain to find a craft-like hobby. (Now I knit.)

I remember taking the bus to the end of the line and having an adventure.

I remember getting in trouble for making fun of the substitute teacher with Ellen and Lydia.

I remember that Drew dance and Mark.

I remember my expanding cow collection.

I remember getting my bear.

Unlike many of its contenders, Bazaar Cafe is known not only for the food, but for the atmosphere as well. The cafe is furnished with comfy couches and armchairs, has a listening station that features CDs of local musicians, an “instrument corner” with a piano, violin, and two guitars, and paintings and photographs by local artists hanging on the walls. Located just outside the back door is a luxurious garden, complete with lawn gnomes and statues. This is a favorite place of customers to relax as they enjoy some of the best coffee in town. As stated on the Bazaar Cafe website, www.bazaarcafe.com, the garden is “a peaceful haven adorned with beautiful plants and whimsical art,” and “has become an oasis of peace and a favorite gathering spot.”

Coffee, however, is by far not the star of the Bazaar Cafe menu. Along with sandwiches, soups, and salads, the menu boasts specials such as quiche and homemade curry. And the carrot cake is to die for! Not only is the food varied and tasty, much of it is organic or locally produced. All the quiches, pies, and soups are delivered a few times a week by Aunt Nettie’s Bakery and Kitchen in Santa Cruz, and the cakes and pastries are from Blissful Bites in the city.

You might just be looking for a nice place to do your homework or browse the Net, plug in your laptop and connect to the free wireless Internet offered at Bazaar Cafe. In addition to the delicious food and vibrant atmosphere, Bazaar Cafe hosts an impressive array of nightly entertainment. Stop by in the evening for a live performance! With musicians, “Ask a Scientist” nights, and “Study Halls,” there is something fun going on at Bazaar Cafe every single night of the week!