"Can You Hear Me Now?" "Yes! Shut up!"

Today I had the weirdest response to the question "How would you like your cash back?" It was "Whowherewhywhat?!" She spurted out the words as if I had startled her and that was her yelp. I don't really know what to say except that was just the weirdest thing I had heard in response to a question.

And once again I've been having issues with cell phones. My aggravation flared up while sitting in the waiting room at the doctors. A middle aged lady and her elderly mother slowly made their way to a couple of chairs when the daughter's cell phone began to ring. How is it that so many people tend to find the most annoying ring tone then set it to the loudest setting and just let it ring for a full minute for all in ear shot to enjoy? Once the phone was answered the one sided conversation proceeded to out annoy the ring tone. "Oh I'm just taking ma to the doctors...ya this rain is horrible.....no no we don't have wind here....you have wind there?....huh...nope no wind here......yep....just sitting in the waiting room....I'm gonna see if I can ask the doctor 'bout my ankle....yep yep flaring up again....I know! This rain just won't stop (in my head I'm thinking "why can't YOU stop!") ....ok well I'll call you once we're outta here...buh bye." She hung up and just as I thought I might get a moment to concentrate on my book she flipped open her phone again and started dialing. She still had the phone set at "just how deaf are you!?" and punched one number at a time.. slowly. I could here it ringing and someone pick up on the other side. The conversation need not be repeated. Wasted air and time if you ask me. Nothing needed to be said. We, the forced audience in the waiting room, had no say in the matter of hearing about her personal matters.
This is the thing that gets me. A majority of the cell phone conversations I hear while in line at the check out, in the waiting room, in the book store, at my window all sound so pointless. Have we lost the art of conversation? Must we talk weather? Do you HAVE to pick up your phone while your handing me your deposit slip and call someone to say "oh nothin, just at the bank. What are you doing?"
Maybe this is because I'm not a phone person. I pretty much suck at talking on the phone. I always end up that awkward 13 year old girl who wants to say something important or witty and ends up forgetting what she started talking about because she got ahead of herself. Plus have you noticed how bad reception usually is on cell phones? Whether it's on my end our theirs I miss out on chunks of the conversation and just have to say generic safe things to say like "huh", "thats cool", "well that's how things go". And once I have to revert to that I'm checked out. I'm too embarrassed to ask you to repeat it. So I say I have to go make dinner or that I have to meet someone or my fish jumped out of this bowl and I need to save him....anything to get me out of that uncomfortable feeling.
Cell phones in public is like smoking indoors. Your forced to take it in other peoples crap.

Baby Stepping Stones

Once again I write nothing of bank business.
In a week I will be moving. About 40 miles closer to Hollywood where I take my classes, see shows, do shows, and work in the box office. I look forward to finally being able to take advantage of more opportunities to audition and do some background work.
But as I pack things from my little makeshift room I already feel a sense of emptiness. These "housemates" have become family. Once again I am picking up and moving to pursue my dream and passion, leaving my close connections and dear friends, and feeling self indulgent. I think that until something sparks my heart. Funny how it could be a movie preview, a theatre's marquee, a friend telling me a story about being on set, something that makes my heart jump and say "Yes, that is what makes me alive! Follow that!" And suddenly my fear and loneliness slips away.
I knew in December as I flew home that when I came back a new chapter would start. This first month of the new year has been an interesting preface for the year to come.