british cowboys

yesterday south africa came up three times - one was a trivial mention, but 2 were south africans i met. it was mostly interesting because they were so random and the people were so very different. the first was on the way to work in the morning - a middle aged gentleman stopped me and asked if i could help him get the train and go to a museum downtown. so, we rode downtown together, because i work very close to the mall. he was very nice - he's in town to run the marathon this week. we had a nice chat, and i gave him my office phone# so we can have coffee sometime. (update: he has called me twice already.)

the second person was entirely different. we met her in a bar. she was drunk, and extremely condescending about everything - from our careers to the fact that we didn't grow up with elephants all over. que? ..about our careers, she kept saying that when we were really ready to do some good work, 'really ready' - and she definitely didn't think we were - then we should find her to talk. but, she wouldn't give us her whole name or any other info. (update: so, i was curious..turns out she's extremely googleable [odd first name], and i could put a link here to a very pompous and empty bio, but i won't.)

anyway, this is all pointless, but these details are a big part of what makes the city interesting to me. two wildly different south africans and a bunch of finnish vocalists, all in one day - we're not in wisconsin anymore.