Hollis-Amtrak to Emeryville, approx. 10:20am - Pixar, Forgetful or Bummed

Pixar, forgetful or bummed about Gerald Ford: The flag on Pixar grounds is still at half staff. It's been exactly a month since Ford died. If the flag is still at half staff on Monday, they forgot about it. If it's not, then they know their Flag Code.

Missed Connections: Elephant Bar

January 25, Elephant Bar last night - m4m - 26 Two ships passing in a chain restaurant.

Hollis-Amtrak to Emeryville, approx. 10:48am - Gimme the Night

Gimme the Night: Around Pixar, George Benson's "Give Me the Night" comes on the radio and the driver's mood is lifted instantly. A woman in chef's whites is spray painting a tree branch white. He yells out at her, "Are ya getting ready for Christmas? Kinda early, innit?" and she smiles and waves. He also honks and waves at the UPS guy. It's like a Diet Coke commercial.

Face it, you're old: Is there a word for someone who looks/dresses young if you look at him/her from behind or neck down, but when you see the face, the person is old? A semi-hip woman wearing a vintage-ish green coat with a fur collar, short skirt, brown suede knee-high boots, and overstuffed red purse looked like she could be late 20s-30s from behind and neck down. Her face was like if Dita Von Teese's face melted: old and haggy with too much makeup in an attempt to disguise the hagginess. Or maybe she just needs a higher wattage light bulb in her bathroom so she can see exactly how much she's laying it on. Yikes.

Missed Connections: Emery Go Round rider

January 24, beautiful women short black curly hair - m4w A potential romance between daily EGR commuters!

Hollis-Amtrak to BART, approx. 5:45pm - Return of PPB

Return of the Ponytail Pretty Boy: Talking at (definitely not "to") another National Holistic Institute classmate. He's stressed out, wants to "go to jujitsu, go snowboarding, cook the salmon in the freezer." Boy, does this guy like to hear the sound of his voice, specifically the sound of his voice talking about jujitsu. There are awkward silences in the conversation. He asks a guy what time it is, then laments he will not be able to make it to the 6pm jujitsu class. Then, he says he would have asked if his female classmate would want to get a beer with him because he's not going to jujitsu but maybe some other night. He asks her if they're going to get lunch tomorrow. She says yes, with hesitation. Dude, she's not that into you. Maybe she'll be more receptive if she's put in a jujitsu half-nelson choke-hold. Also, unnatural jujitsu enthusiasm + NHI = Asian girl fetish? The girl was Asian.

MacArthur BART stop, approx. 10:53am - Business Up Top

Business up top, party on bottom: A Katie Holmes-ish (pre-brainwash, btw) young lady in a crisp, white shirt and a dark overcoat with too-sexy-to-be-businesslike fishnet stockings. #1 on her to do list for 1/24/2007 is: "Price out Martin's loan."

Not quite 20 questions: Every time the Hollis-Amtrak shuttle parks for a few minutes at MacArthur, at least two people come asking if it's the one that goes to the mall or to Powell Street. EGR needs to put up better signage for riders before the drivers go insane answering the same questions. It's driving us insane.

Hollis-Amtrak to Emeryville, approx. 10:28am - Is This Really Jazz?

Is this really jazz?: A very vanilla, chemically-castrated version of "Get Down on It" by Kool & the Gang on KKSF, the "smooth jazz" station. Just because a piece of musical gruel features a sax and has no vocals, it's jazz?

Wheelchair!: The driver secures a wheelchaired passenger at MacArthur BART. The Powell bus pulls up next to the Hollis-Amtrak, and the Powell driver says something to the Hollis driver. The Hollis driver replies, "Wheelchair!" The woman on the wheelchair, who was slumped over lifeless, springs up and says "WHAT?!" No one answers.