Say What?

Well, as most of you know, I am a big talker. A really big talker. In fact, I have actually been accused of being a Bigmouth more than once. I have also been accused of not knowing when to stop, when to quit, or when enough is enough. These things are very closely related to having a very, very hard time closing my mouth. However, I always figured that this will help me avoid ulcers; I don't really keep anything bottled up. There is usually no mystery as to where I stand. I have finished recounting numerous stories to friends and family only to hear the response, "Wait. Did you really say that?" Of course the answer is always yes.

Anyways, given the fact that I certainly have the gift of gab you would think that I would be good with languages. Guess what? I'm the worst. I think it's because it's the same part of your brain that deals with math and my brain doesn't really deal with math. I think when my uncle told me in the third grade that math was pointless for all but a fraction of the population who would go on to be engineers and physicists, I really took these words to heart. If I want to figure out tip at a restaurant I have to do an invisible multiplication equation with my finger on the table [which I recently noticed my Nana does as well]. However, I usually skip the invisible math all together and put on what my friend Megan calls my "pretend math face" and wait for someone else to figure out the bill. It's just better that way for everyone involved.

Getting back to language, I currently live in Indonesia where I know about 5 words of the national language of Bahasa. Unfortunately, the 5 words I know [what, milk, miss, thank you, help] do not allow me to say anything useful or string together anything resembling a sentence. Being a girl who usually finds it physically impossible to keep her trap shut you would think this would drive me up the wall. But guess what? It doesn't. I almost find it relaxing. All I can do is smile and nod. At first it is disorienting to hear all these words that don't make any sense, but soon, it feels normal. There is no pressure to make conversation with people you don't have much to say to, or be charming. You simply can't. When my driver picks me up in the morning he says "Hello, miss". I say "Hello". With that out of the way we both settle into our seats for 30 minutes of comfortable silence and listen to the radio.

Even speaking no Bahasa it is possible to get most things I need, like credit on my cell phone, as long as I am willing to humiliate myself a little. In a situation like this my need for chit chat totally wins out and I simply go to the phone guy and say "pulsa", he says some things I don't understand , I give him some money, and he gives me credit for my phone. Taxis? I just smile very politely at the English speaking hotel staff and ask them to call one for me and give them my address so the driver already knows where I live before I get it. Easy Peasy.

At the beginning of the post is the second picture I have posted of David Cross. I was thrilled to find this one because he's on a rollercoaster and I also love roller coasters. I do have a mild obsession with him. He is the only celebrity I have ever almost given crazy eyes to in public. I was a little relieved one night when he left the bar I was in because I feared that I had begun to look at him like a crazy, crazy preson. It's not a romantical thing, I just think he is hilarious. When I first heard his CD "Shut Up You Fucking Baby" in my discman I laughed out loud through the whole thing. Unfortunately, I was in public at the time. Fortunately, I was on the 22 Filmore bus in San Francisco so I totally blended in looking no more crazy than anyone else on the bus. Anyways, he had a guest spot on the show Just Shoot Me a bunch of years ago where he plays someone's mentally disabled brother. After a few episodes it is revealed that he is actually not mentally disabled at all and is just pretending because he is really lazy and he doesn't want to do stuff. I would be completely and totally lying if I said I did not relate to this character in any way right about know. It's not like I'm pretending not to know Bahasa, I really don't. However, I'm not sure knowing how to speak it would be much easier. Right now I can get through most situations simply with a nod and a smile. It's kind of a novel experience for a Bigmouth such as myself.