Sep 25- Step to the Left Please

Hong Kong locals like to take their time. While running errands, heading towards the subway, on their way to work, at the checkout line, or doing pretty much anything, no one ever seems to be in a rush. Even though California has slowed me down a little, I am and always will be an East Coaster at heart. And I'm sorry, but the slow hand-holding couple that's taking up the entire walkway to the subway needs to move over.

While running some errands today I decided to get a manicure at the nail salon across the street. Everyone was really nice, but my manicurist took her time and was so detailed it seemed like she was performing open heart surgery. I lived in NY for 7 years, so I'm used to quick and efficient 20 minute manicures, in and out! The first hour was fine because I don't have a tv in my apartment and this nail salon does. An hour and 15 minutes later I started to get restless. An hour and a half later they asked me if I was in a hurry. Umm, don't you think you should have asked me that an hour and a half ago?? Of course I'm not in a hurry, I don't really have much to do today at all except some reading for class...but who wants to sit in a nail salon all day?

Finally my manicurist started painting my nails. As she was painting all the other manicurists gathered around and started watching. I wondered what they were staring at...are my hands deformed? Are they too small? Are my fingernails yellow? My manicurist messed up on one nail, and all the other manicurists started yelling at her. She must have had to re-do 4 nails during this painting process. I finally realized that she was a manicurist in training, and it all started to make sense. Sure, give the new girl to the foreigner who doesn't have anything better to do all day.

I picked up some nailpolish on the way home, 2 and a half hours later, and decided to do my own damn nails from now on.