This has been a glorious day! Bright and clear, with a gentle breeze. Not too hot! High of 76 degrees. I wouldn't mind the whole summer staying like this.
Weather wise, that is. It was a strange day, people wise.
I was up bright and early. Had a nice hooping session. Then I hopped on the bus and delivered a large bag of clothing and shoes to a drop off station near the mall. My move is nearly completed! One more haul with my nephew on Friday.
To celebrate, I took myself out for a nice healthy breakfast, grabbed an iced tea at the corner Starbucks and then got on the bus headed to outer southeast where I had four piano students. It was getting late. I didn't want to be late my first day, so I pulled up my Lyft app and ordered a ride. He was there in 1 minute!
As much as I resist technology, I was most thrilled to be getting there early. And my driver was most engaging. I told him I was on my way to teach piano. He told me he studied as a kid. But gave it up after a few years for guitar. He told me his 9 year-old son is now playing guitar. But he said he made the mistake of trying to teach him himself. We chuckled. I told him I felt his pain. I could never teach my own kids. Somehow we got on the subject of this generation of kids. Growing up in a world with cell phones and the internet.
"My wife and I call them cyborgs", he grinned. I laughed. I told him how I resisted technology. My daughter made fun of my refusal to use GPS.
"I have a map in my head!" I told him.
He told me that he felt the end was near. He said he was ready to be part of the 'resistance'. He was laughing. But secretly I felt he was right.
The ride was too short to expand on our conversation. He got me to the center 15 minutes early. I thanked him and bounded out of the car.
It is a new location for me. The students who take lessons at this center get free lessons! I am still paid. It was highly rewarding to be able to bring music to kids who might not otherwise be able to afford lessons.
The center is in a busy, rather rough lower income neighborhood. But it was clean and spacious. The staff smiling and friendly. And the music room is so cute! It's a little black box at the corner of the center. It has foam padding on the walls to muffle the sound. I only have an electric keyboard to teach on. But it is digital and full size.
It was fun to be in a new location.
After teaching, I walked across the street to the bus stop. I only had a 2 minute wait. I have two more new students. I will be teaching them in their home. The parents do not speak English and are unable to drive them to me because of their schedule. One of my student's moms referred them to me. This will be my last home teaching family. Since I will be living in Vancouver, I will only be in Portland 3 or 4 days a week. At music centers or the church I teach at.
It is always difficult for me to say no to a new student, but I need to keep my life calm and manageable with such a long commute.
Plus I need enough energy to chase after my granddaughter, who is now crawling! :)
And I certainly do not have time to date. Especially young men I meet at the bus stop who cannot stop talking about my toes.
My toes! Have I told you my brother called me "Fred Flinstone Feet" when I was young? That is because my toes are all the same length!
A young man sat down on the bench beside me at the bus stop. We exchanged pleasantries. Then he complimented my toes. Well, the nail polish, at least. He said his favorite color was purple. I told him my favorite color was green. I felt like I was talking to a student. I handed out folders today. I spent several minutes with each student discussing their favorite color.
So, my antennae were not out for any inappropriate behavior. Plus, I was in a friendly mood. Relieved that my first day at the new teaching facility had gone well.
The young man spoke softly and slowly. I had to lean in to hear him. He asked me what I was up to. I told him that I had finished teaching at a community center and was heading to teach some private students. He asked what I taught.
"I'm a piano teacher," I smiled.
"I'm a sous chef", he smiled back. He had a nice smile. But his eyes told a different story. I told myself to not give out any personal information.
He told me he had always wanted to learn to play the piano. He had a guitar at home, but hadn't played it much lately. I told him music is good therapy, especially after a long day at work.
Our bus pulled up just then. I got on and headed to an open seat in the back of the bus. He followed me. I thought the conversation was over.
It was not.
He sat in the seat opposite me. It was a crowded, noisy bus. I think my sense of smell may be returning. On a hot, crowded Trimet bus, I wish it wouldn't.
He asked me a question. I couldn't hear him. I leaned forward.
"Do you have a business card?" he asked. "I seriously would like to take piano lessons".
I rummaged in my purse. I was honestly relieved that I could not find any.
"Sorry," I said. "I guess I'm all out of cards".
Then he started talking a bit about his work. How he was raised in Portland. But his family was from Mexico. I relaxed a bit. He was probably about my son's age. Why was I feeling uncomfortable earlier? I am a grandmother! Men don't try to hit on me anymore.
I'm glad.
But I was wrong. Shortly before my stop, he asked if he could give me his phone number.
"Please call me and give me information about piano lessons", he said with an innocent smile.
He gave me his number. I put it in my phone. I asked him his name.
"L", he said.
Then I did something stupid. I texted him. "Hi 'L'!" I wrote. "Zita the piano teacher here." :)
And now I am paying for it. He texted earlier when I was on my way to teach my new students. I texted him back that I was working.
Then came an avalanche of texts. About my feet. How pretty my toes look with the shiny purple polish. And then how attractive he finds me. I did not answer. Then came more texts. Some too crude to share. I deleted them. Then my phone rang. I declined the call. I thought about blocking him. I may still.
Then came the texts of explanation. He was sorry for being so forward. He just finds me so attractive, and well, he has a bit of a foot fetish. And he really thought I was into him too...
I will probably just block him. I do not feel like explaining. I've been down this path before. But, suddenly I have a bit of compassion for this young man. I do not need to hurt his feelings. But any explanation on my part would unearth an avalanche of questions. That has been my experience in the past.
How do I say I am celibate, but I am friendly. And perhaps some day I may find love again. Maybe even marriage. But I am not interested in him. He is too young, too crude, too obsessed with my feet...
How do I say that?
I don't. I block.
On another note, after I taught my new students (they were two young sisters, sweet as could be!), I came up to the library. I passed a graveyard. It is obviously a new homeless camp. Tents, bicycles and grocery carts were lined up on the sidewalk against the fence. Several people were sleeping on the sidewalk. I paused to take a picture. It came out pretty fuzzy. I got a little spooked when one of the campers yelled across the street at me.
But he was only teasing me. "Selfie!" he shouted, laughing. On the bus, as we passed Fred Meyer on Johnson Creek Blvd., I heard some people talking behind me. They said the rumor is that Fred Meyer's is closing that location due to extreme loss of revenue because of theft. They talked about how many stores were closing. That food was going to be mostly prepackaged and more people were ordering grocery online to be delivered. They talked about how this was the "digital generation" and the zombie apocolypse was happening soon. And this generation would not know how to function without their cell phones and other electronic devices.
"Cyborgs", I said to myself.
Then my phone vibrated. Excuse me. I need to block a caller.
Talk to you tomorrow!
If there is no zombie apocolypse!
Love,
Zita
Here is today's hooping video. Day 353!
Weather wise, that is. It was a strange day, people wise.
I was up bright and early. Had a nice hooping session. Then I hopped on the bus and delivered a large bag of clothing and shoes to a drop off station near the mall. My move is nearly completed! One more haul with my nephew on Friday.
To celebrate, I took myself out for a nice healthy breakfast, grabbed an iced tea at the corner Starbucks and then got on the bus headed to outer southeast where I had four piano students. It was getting late. I didn't want to be late my first day, so I pulled up my Lyft app and ordered a ride. He was there in 1 minute!
As much as I resist technology, I was most thrilled to be getting there early. And my driver was most engaging. I told him I was on my way to teach piano. He told me he studied as a kid. But gave it up after a few years for guitar. He told me his 9 year-old son is now playing guitar. But he said he made the mistake of trying to teach him himself. We chuckled. I told him I felt his pain. I could never teach my own kids. Somehow we got on the subject of this generation of kids. Growing up in a world with cell phones and the internet.
"My wife and I call them cyborgs", he grinned. I laughed. I told him how I resisted technology. My daughter made fun of my refusal to use GPS.
"I have a map in my head!" I told him.
He told me that he felt the end was near. He said he was ready to be part of the 'resistance'. He was laughing. But secretly I felt he was right.
The ride was too short to expand on our conversation. He got me to the center 15 minutes early. I thanked him and bounded out of the car.
It is a new location for me. The students who take lessons at this center get free lessons! I am still paid. It was highly rewarding to be able to bring music to kids who might not otherwise be able to afford lessons.
The center is in a busy, rather rough lower income neighborhood. But it was clean and spacious. The staff smiling and friendly. And the music room is so cute! It's a little black box at the corner of the center. It has foam padding on the walls to muffle the sound. I only have an electric keyboard to teach on. But it is digital and full size.
It was fun to be in a new location.
After teaching, I walked across the street to the bus stop. I only had a 2 minute wait. I have two more new students. I will be teaching them in their home. The parents do not speak English and are unable to drive them to me because of their schedule. One of my student's moms referred them to me. This will be my last home teaching family. Since I will be living in Vancouver, I will only be in Portland 3 or 4 days a week. At music centers or the church I teach at.
It is always difficult for me to say no to a new student, but I need to keep my life calm and manageable with such a long commute.
Plus I need enough energy to chase after my granddaughter, who is now crawling! :)
And I certainly do not have time to date. Especially young men I meet at the bus stop who cannot stop talking about my toes.
My toes! Have I told you my brother called me "Fred Flinstone Feet" when I was young? That is because my toes are all the same length!
A young man sat down on the bench beside me at the bus stop. We exchanged pleasantries. Then he complimented my toes. Well, the nail polish, at least. He said his favorite color was purple. I told him my favorite color was green. I felt like I was talking to a student. I handed out folders today. I spent several minutes with each student discussing their favorite color.
So, my antennae were not out for any inappropriate behavior. Plus, I was in a friendly mood. Relieved that my first day at the new teaching facility had gone well.
The young man spoke softly and slowly. I had to lean in to hear him. He asked me what I was up to. I told him that I had finished teaching at a community center and was heading to teach some private students. He asked what I taught.
"I'm a piano teacher," I smiled.
"I'm a sous chef", he smiled back. He had a nice smile. But his eyes told a different story. I told myself to not give out any personal information.
He told me he had always wanted to learn to play the piano. He had a guitar at home, but hadn't played it much lately. I told him music is good therapy, especially after a long day at work.
Our bus pulled up just then. I got on and headed to an open seat in the back of the bus. He followed me. I thought the conversation was over.
It was not.
He sat in the seat opposite me. It was a crowded, noisy bus. I think my sense of smell may be returning. On a hot, crowded Trimet bus, I wish it wouldn't.
He asked me a question. I couldn't hear him. I leaned forward.
"Do you have a business card?" he asked. "I seriously would like to take piano lessons".
I rummaged in my purse. I was honestly relieved that I could not find any.
"Sorry," I said. "I guess I'm all out of cards".
Then he started talking a bit about his work. How he was raised in Portland. But his family was from Mexico. I relaxed a bit. He was probably about my son's age. Why was I feeling uncomfortable earlier? I am a grandmother! Men don't try to hit on me anymore.
I'm glad.
But I was wrong. Shortly before my stop, he asked if he could give me his phone number.
"Please call me and give me information about piano lessons", he said with an innocent smile.
He gave me his number. I put it in my phone. I asked him his name.
"L", he said.
Then I did something stupid. I texted him. "Hi 'L'!" I wrote. "Zita the piano teacher here." :)
And now I am paying for it. He texted earlier when I was on my way to teach my new students. I texted him back that I was working.
Then came an avalanche of texts. About my feet. How pretty my toes look with the shiny purple polish. And then how attractive he finds me. I did not answer. Then came more texts. Some too crude to share. I deleted them. Then my phone rang. I declined the call. I thought about blocking him. I may still.
Then came the texts of explanation. He was sorry for being so forward. He just finds me so attractive, and well, he has a bit of a foot fetish. And he really thought I was into him too...
I will probably just block him. I do not feel like explaining. I've been down this path before. But, suddenly I have a bit of compassion for this young man. I do not need to hurt his feelings. But any explanation on my part would unearth an avalanche of questions. That has been my experience in the past.
How do I say I am celibate, but I am friendly. And perhaps some day I may find love again. Maybe even marriage. But I am not interested in him. He is too young, too crude, too obsessed with my feet...
How do I say that?
I don't. I block.
On another note, after I taught my new students (they were two young sisters, sweet as could be!), I came up to the library. I passed a graveyard. It is obviously a new homeless camp. Tents, bicycles and grocery carts were lined up on the sidewalk against the fence. Several people were sleeping on the sidewalk. I paused to take a picture. It came out pretty fuzzy. I got a little spooked when one of the campers yelled across the street at me.
But he was only teasing me. "Selfie!" he shouted, laughing. On the bus, as we passed Fred Meyer on Johnson Creek Blvd., I heard some people talking behind me. They said the rumor is that Fred Meyer's is closing that location due to extreme loss of revenue because of theft. They talked about how many stores were closing. That food was going to be mostly prepackaged and more people were ordering grocery online to be delivered. They talked about how this was the "digital generation" and the zombie apocolypse was happening soon. And this generation would not know how to function without their cell phones and other electronic devices.
"Cyborgs", I said to myself.
Then my phone vibrated. Excuse me. I need to block a caller.
Talk to you tomorrow!
If there is no zombie apocolypse!
Love,
Zita
Here is today's hooping video. Day 353!
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