today today today...

I was headed back to campus this afternoon to meet a friend for dinner and was running late because I overslept, so I was forced to take a cab - during rush hour. I got in, told the guy where to go, and didn't even notice that he didn't turn the meter on. So about a block later and driving slowly, he pulled over in front of some guy and they yelled at each other through the window... it was then that i noticed that the meter wasn't on, and my driver was trying to solicit more people to get into his cab... shadddyyy... now, I didn't really know if this is normal or not because I've never taken a cab during rush hour.. and I kind of thought, "Oh what are the chances that someone is going to the same place I am.." HA. 2-3 people later, a woman gets in the cab.. she gives me a weird look as she gets in the front seat, and still looking at me weirdly, leans over and says "hello!" then asks the man where I am from.. I just laugh cause this is getting a little ridiculous..

We ride the rest of the way to school in awkward silence, all the while I am thinking.. "there is no way I am paying the usual 8.30 for this cab.. crap, I only have a ten. what am I going to do!?" We finally get to school and I ask how much it will be because I want to settle on the price beforehand.. he smugly tells me "shi kuai" (10) I yell at him, "Bu shi!" and tell him I KNOW how much it costs, I am only paying him 8. meanwhile, he and the woman both start giggling... and we settle on 7.5 (the starting price for cabs.) so I had an interesting cab ride for 1 kuai less than usual. :)

After dinner, I headed to Wal-mart (of all places) to look for a baking pan for my thanksgiving dish.. btw, no one bakes here! they have NO baking supplies. ridiculous right?
anyway, I came across... what? the Christmas Aisle. How awesome is that, it's not even thanksgiving yet, and Christmas is already starting in East Asia. But the point of my mentioning the Christmas Aisle in Wal-mart is... this:


how creepy is that??