taking advantage...

sometimes i just can't help making little lists in my head. i'm not a big list-writer, i don't keep a journal and every january i buy a dayplanner with big plans for the new year. by march it's stowed away in a drawer, making only minor appearances in my numerous attempts to organize my life. this year my boss got me a planner, since apparently my mommy-mind is in fullswing and i've forgotten important things, like spitup rags and spare clothes for samil on days that i take him to school with me.

my friend bobbie, who is a peace corps volunteer in the middle east, is a list fanatic. i don't know if it's a new mania or if she's always done it, but quite frankly she's inspired me. i've been keeping a daily to-do list for about 3 weeks. and in my head i've been keeping this weird list... of things that i take advantage of living in the states. i always swear i'll write something down when i get home, but i haven't yet... so here it is:

1. KoalaBear Care stations -- you know the baby changing tables in public restrooms. can you believe that in the pediatricians office there is literally nowhere to change a diaper? to make a point, i changed samil's diaper on the secretary's desk. bitchy, i know. but seriously, a pediatrician.

2. Purse Hooks -- again a public restroom issue. i hate putting my bag on the floor. not because i'm scared it will get stolen, but because public toilets are kind of gross... and even women aim wrong most of the time. we weren't built to pee standing up. which leads to

3. Toilet Seats -- after some investigating, i've learned why most toilets don't have a seat. as it turns out, most dominicans sit right on the toiletbowl when needed and dominican men pee with the seat down. i've been told by a fair number of guys that the seat is just plain uncomfortable. go figure.

4. Cheese Cake -- on the rare occasion the fancy supermarket carries frozen cheesecake but it's expensive. way. out. of. my. budget. i'm not a foodie, but i appreciate good old new york cheese cake.

5. Freedom to have Short Hair -- women's lib happened way before i was born in the states, but it's still in process here in the third world. not so subtle things like women in the workplace and wife beating are shameful even here... but women with short hair are considered lesbians, and if not lesbians weird nonetheless. it's the little things that came with liberation that i think are most important...

6. Free Cell-to-Cell -- i pay way too much money to call anyone. it's cheaper for me to call the states than it is to call amalio at work.

7. Sweat Pants -- now i know that it is never acceptable to wear sweat pants fashionably, but it's pretty taboo for me to slip into my oversized Hanes mens sweats to even go running in the morning. i'm not trying to look sexy while i'm running, so i hate that everyone else out exercising could also walk a sportswear catwalk.

8. Kinkos. -- or really anywhere i can make my own copies. i'm not stupid and it's not rocket science working a copy machine. i don't need to pay someone to copy a page out of a coloring book.