Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Weather Woes


Have you ever gotten stranded at the airport?  Probably.  Most people have.  I had my first experience this last weekend in beautiful Newark, New Jersey.  With all the madness going on with cancelled flights, 8 hour delays, cramped in a plane for 3 hours waiting to be "de-iced" again, it is definitely not something I would like to do again for a very long time.  But what can you do?  Scream and yell and get really, really angry?  Sure you could do that, but it wont change anything.  It wont make the snow stop falling or the ice from melting off the tarmac.  As a person in the customer service industry, it was quite a social study of how people handle themselves in certain circumstances.  For the most part, it was a complete cluster f@#&.  Passengers crying and lethargic agents, not very much fun.  One lady, Joan, was the best.  She spoke clearly and directly.  I stood next to a woman who was screaming at her, "if I have a heart attack it's your fault, and I will never forgive you!"  Geez.  Like Joan can do anything about the snow.
I think my point Im trying to make here, is that sometimes we just have to take what life gives us and deal with it.  Luckily, I have a friend in Brooklyn that I got a hold of and could stay with.  I got passed the fact that I wouldn't spend my birthday with my husband, and moved on.  Several agents had already informed me that there was no availability to SF until Wednesday the 24th, so thats what I went with.  At the desk, I asked for the first confirmed seat to SF, no standby, no nothin!  Just get me a seat and let me go home.  He starts writing on the old boarding pass...and just shy of a miracle, he got me a seat.  Don't know how, or why; I didn't ask because he said not to.  There I was, after 32 hours of just shy of hell, on my way home.  
What does this have to do with sake?  None, they don't have sake at airports...yet.  I wish they did though.  
Enjoy your holiday season.  Be kind to one another.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008


December is finally here and with it the "cold" weather of San Francisco.  It seems that my thick skin I gained in the mountains has worn down.  But, alas, it is still (almost) winter.  Most trees are barren, with only their skins to protect them against the elements, this seasons seeds barely holding on.  One can now see clearly the elegant lines of the branches as they reach upwards towards the sky.  
Over a beautifully subtle glass of fermented rice and water, two people can connect, find a common interest and then from that create a new friendship.  It really is wonderful.  Thankfully for me, this happens all year long, not just in this season.  Being somewhat of a social butterfly, my job as a Sake Sommelier is perfect.  Floating around, talking about sake and life.  How lucky I am, and how grateful I am of the luck!
Sometimes it is about connecting with the person on the other side of the counter giving you your coffee.  Or maybe the bus driver, or the person standing in line with you at the movies.  Life is short and beautiful, opportunities for love an friendship abound and it could be sitting right next to you.