Adventures in San Francisco

Finally....

2009-03-07T20:32:00.001-08:00

I've been in my new job now for about 3 weeks and I finally feel like I'm a bit settled and getting back into a routine. And I've been sick, so I haven't had much time to post but now I'm feeling caught up. Lots has happened since my last post.

The motorcycle class was great. the classroom portion was really boring but during the weekend, was the riding portion and they pretty much put you on motorcycles right away. This was a bit scary for me as I've only been a passenger a few times and it's all completely new to me when it comes to driving. But it was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be. I got the hang of it pretty easily but kind of screwed up the test. Still, it wasn't so bad that I didn't pass. But I feel like I need more practice before I go out on the street. Being in a parking lot is very different than on the street. Still, how do you practice without a bike? And why get a bike if I don't feel good enough to use it? Still, it might happen soon - I need to get more practice. And my work commute is LONG! So, I might need it.

I started taking one bus line to work which goes through crazy town and stopbut it literally took 55 minutes door to door, and if I miss that one bus, I'm late to work. The first week, I had to take a cab to work twice because of getting stuck in the building with contractors. It was not good. I now take another two buses and it only takes about 45 minutes but still goes through the janky downtown tenderloin druggy area. The other day, i got to listen to a guy talk to his lotto scratcher card for a whole 15 minutes. I sure hope he won. I bet he would put that money to good use.

The job, however, is good. I love it. It's busy, but I feel like there is lots to do and lots of systems to improve and my coworkers and the students seem really good. So, I'm glad I made the move. I definitely like being at a school too that focuses on health and wellness. I just feel better by being there - I guess by osmosis or something! I haven't yet gone to get an acupuncture treatment though but I'll try it - I get a staff rate of $8! I think that's about as good as it can get.

Valentine's weekend was fun. We went to Wicked on Friday night. It was my third time, but Kurt had never seen it so I got him tickets. And they were VIP! So, we got free drinks before the show and during intermission (like you have enough time to have a drink and go to the bathroom anyway). The funny thing is, in San Francisco, the lines for the bathroom are always longer for the men's room because of so many gay men going to the theater. Damn the queers!

then that Saturday night we went to a dance called Blowoff which was really fun. We had been before and it's just a really casual crowd. No druggies or tweakers. But it was a big Bear weekend here in San Francisco, so there were large hairy gay men dancing all over the place, but the bears are good people, and it was a lot of fun.

Oscars 2009 was a good time. I saw all the Oscar nominated movies and liked them all. I was particularly glad that Milk won for two awards. I was also pleased that Sean Penn beat Mickey Rourke. Good for Mickey with the comeback, but enough with the chihuahua and please wash your hair. I love Kate Winslet so that was also a good win. And generally, I liked the format of the show. I liked how they gave multiple awards at once and reduced the number of presenters. I liked how the acting awards were given too. And even though I didn't see Pineapple Express, the little Judd Apatow comedy bit was really funny.

Kurt's been out of town for 8 days now and comes back on Monday. I'm excited to see him. He was back in NYC packing up his apartment there. He decided to get rid of it and shipped everything here. But when he gets back we have to go see the Watchmen and I can't wait to catch up with him about Lost and Battlestar Galactica - the two best shows on TV!

Now, I think I'm going to eat some dinner and do some laundry. Good times on a Saturday night!

I'm Back

2009-02-03T22:03:00.000-08:00

Wow - so I didn't think it would be almost three months since I last posted, and my last post was so angry. Sorry to keep all of you waiting. It's nice to know that so many of you actually do read it. I had no idea until I stopped posting! So, here's my last few months sped up!

Thanksgiving - good times with friends. Great turkey. I made TWO types of stuffing - one was traditional w/chestnuts - the other was Jalapeno cornbread stuffing with chorizo sausage and pine nuts - delicious. We ate a lot, drank a lot and played fun games.

Christmas - home to visit the folks for 6 days and Kurt went off to Michigan to see his family. Had a good time, did a LOT of visiting, etc. Ate a lot.

New Years Eve - I flew back here.

January - I had a final interview for and accepted a new job as Director of Student Services at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine - www.actcm.edu. I'm very excited. It's more responsibility, more variety, and more in line with my interest in holistic health. I finished up at the Academy of Art on the 28th and I start my new job on the 9th.

I had a massage special that meant I had a LOT of business in January, which kept me very busy. The month generally flew by, but I helped celebrate some friends' birthdays, attended a Golden Globes party, and recognized Australia day with my friend Matt who has finally moved here to SF.

Oscar season is upon us. here are movies I've seen in recent months with quick reviews:

Doubt - liked it on stage better but I thought it was a good adaptation. All of the actors were good.

The Reader - depressing but good. A little slow in the end but very impactful.

The Wrestler - I get why Mickey Rourke is getting all the attention. He was great and it was very hard to watch the movie in parts, but the movie overall was just standard. And Marisa Tomei is topless for a large part of it.

Slumdog Millionaire - See it. Made me alternately cry, laugh and cringe.

Milk - See it. I also cried. Sean Penn is great and it was very motivating movie for me.

Curious Case of Benjamin Button - visually, it was great, but I don't get the Oscar hype. I liked, but not loved it....except for Tilda Swinton, who I always love.

Frost/Nixon - surprisingly, I liked this one a lot. Who knew a 2 hour movie about an interview could be so entertaining?

Quantum of Solace - not as good as the first Craig 007, but entertaining nonetheless.

Valkyrie - I hate admitting I saw this given that douchebag Tom Cruise is in it. But it was actually pretty good, except for Tom Cruise.

There are plenty more I want to see and wish I'd seen but top on that list is Revolutionary Road and Gran Torino.

I think that's it for now! Coming up in February:

My long to-do list for the break between jobs - will I get it all done?
Motorcycle Safety School
Wicked: The Musical
Blowoff: A Dance Party
Valentine's day reports
Oscar 2009
Tales from the Muni commute to my new job (there will be many!)

See you soon!

Election Results

2008-11-16T22:22:00.000-08:00

So, I haven't posted in a while, mostly because I've wanted to respond to the election but hadn't quite figured out what to say. I keep trying to write about it but haven't really been successful at sounding good.

Let me explain. Obama won - YAY! This made me happy. But it was hard to maintain this happiness because of some other election results. I had written about Prop 8 in California. Well, it passed and thus the right of same-sex couples to marry in San Francisco was revoked. Other states passed some anti-gay legislation as well, including Arkansas which took away the right of individuals who aren't married (gay or straight) to have foster children or to adopt.

Well, like I said, this has made me very upset and made me realize my difference more and more. In San Francisco, we live in a bubble and I was surprised at California, but really if California's vote against the gays, that must mean that we aren't nearly as close to equality as I had thought.

So, we elected a black man (and in no way do I think this means racism is dead in America) but gays are even more behind. I'm frankly outraged and tired of being a second class citizen. No more "tolerance", no more "acceptance", no more "buts", no more Mr. Nice Gay. I will only settle for equality. Either you think I'm as good as you or you don't. If you in any way think I should not be able to be married or have the same rights as others, then you still think something is wrong with me and that will not fly. My new mantra is either, you're with me or against me. I've been going to protests and talking to folks about it. I'm boycotting businesses that are anti-gay and ask that you do the same.

I still don't feel like I can talk clearly about this, but invite dialogue. In the meantime, I leave you with these two links from folks who are more eloquent than I. Read, think, and decide. Are you with me?

http://nofo.blogspot.com/2008/11/proposition-hate.html (warning - strong language and thoughts)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4xfMisqab8

Proposition 8

2008-10-31T14:20:00.000-07:00

So, I think most of my blog readers don't even live in California, but either way, you've probably heard about Proposition 8. Earlier this year, the California Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to not allow same-sex marriage. Proposition 8 was then put on the ballot to change the California constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. It needs a simple majority vote to pass and it's very close.

There are a lot of reasons that Proposition 8 is wrong. Regardless of your views on marriage, I believe that any proposition that takes away rights that have already been granted to people is wrong. The last time this happened in history was Prohibition....and we know that didn't work out. Constitutions are written to protect rights and they shouldn't be altered to unfairly discriminate against different groups. It wasn't so long ago either that inter-racial marriages weren't allowed. That changed and the world didn't come to an end.

Also bothersome is the way the Prop 8 supporters have been handling the campaign. First of all, almost all of their funding has come from outside of California. Millions of dollars have been sent from Mormons and Evangelical Christians who do not live in the state but want to ban gay marriage. MILLIONS OF DOLLARS! Think about how these churches could have alternatively used this money to benefit their communities rather than worry about what people elsewhere are doing.

The ads for Prop 8 also are very fear-based and not factual at all. They say that if this Proposition passes all children will be taught about gay marriage. That's not true. There was a similar case in Massachusetts, but in California, parents always have the right to take their kids out of classes or sessions that they don't believe they should be learning about. But guess what folks? There are going to be children in schools with gay parents regardless of if they're married or not and it's going to come up in the classroom and be talked about regardless of if this prop passes.

They also say churches will be sued if they won't do gay weddings or they will lose their tax-exempt status. Another lie. The court decision clearly states that churches do not have to act any differently as a result of the ruling.

Even more ridiculous is the idea that people can be sued over their personal beliefs. Um....I'm pretty sure we're not always in agreement in the state and I don't see a lot of lawsuits flying around because of it.

Plain and simple, the Yes on Prop 8 folks are just homophobic and willing to do anything to push their agenda, including spreading the lies above. It's meant to scare voters into voting yes on a proposition that is discriminatory and takes away rights. So, a vote for 8 is a vote for hate.

Vote no if you're in california. And if you want more info or want to donate: www.noonprop8.com

Random Thoughts

2008-10-30T15:22:00.001-07:00

Yes, I know I haven't posted in a while - so shoot me. Nothing particularly exciting going on recently to blog at length about. But I thought I would share some quick tidbits with you.

I've been thinking a lot about people's ears and how different they are. I don't think we pay much attention to ears unless they are really big, but there is a lot of variation. Really, start taking a look. I notice it in my clients and now I'm more cognizant of it.

I don't understand how we can have computers and machines that run factories, perform surgery, and keep track of zillions of dollars in bank accounts, but then we have voting machines, which are basically big calculators, that are getting glitches.

I'm sad that it's going to rain on Halloween but going to make the best of it too.

I'm in politics overload. I can't wait until Tuesday but in reality, I know that will just start entirely new conversations. I know it won't be over.

If you believe in God, what do you think he/she looks like or how do you picture God when you think about it? I've been thinking about that too.

I think people are on their cellphones and PDA's too much. It's like we've lost the ability to be alone without some outside stimulus. When I walk around the city, people don't seem to pay attention to what's around them but rather seem sucked into their devices. I worry that this type of technology will kill social skills altogether and eventually be the death of our civilization. I'm not anti-technology and love the gadgets. I'm just thinking we need to have more balance.

I've found I'm most unhappy when I'm thinking about all the things I don't have that I want, even though I don't really "need" anything.

Oh, and a long time ago, I asked what celebrities you would like to have to dinner. I've thought of a few, but not the whole 7. I think I would definitely have Dolly Parton. She's earned it. Meryl Streep I think is an amazing actress. Steven Spielberg is a maybe, as is Ellen DeGeneres, just because I think she'd be fun at a party. Also, maybe Tina Fey. You can obviously tell I'm more of a TV/Movie person than looking at authors or artists, but for now, that's where my list stands. I don't really know why I'm taking such a long time thinking about it. It's as if I think when i get the perfect list, it will actually happen.

That's it - happy halloween!

I'm Back!

2008-09-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

Hey hey hey everyone! So, what a week! Kurt and I traveled back to the east coast to see my family last Saturday. We flew Virgin America, which I still love despite that they fly into Dulles. But it was cheap and I love that when you want food, you just order it on the screen in front of you and they bring it to you. The seats are comfy too.

So, we arrived Saturday evening and had dinner at Fuddrucker's on the way home. I love the buns there! I think mostly because they are grilled with butter. Yummy. We got home late where my sister, Amy, was waiting to meet us. She had not met Kurt before (my parents did last summer when they visited here) and was anxious to do so. We chatted for a while before heading to bed.

Sunday, Pete, Daisey, Kurt and I went to Fort Delaware. It's a Civil War fort that was used as a POW camp for Confederate soldiers. When you take the tour, all the people you meet act like it's 1864 so it's really quite educational and interesting. It looks like a castle because it has a huge moat around it and it's on this island that you can only get to via ferry. So, you can see why it made a good prison. We ate the worst hot dogs ever at the concession stand there, but Kurt did get singled out to help with a reenactment of firing a cannon. He got to scream out all the orders to the other "participants" and give the command to fire. And he got to wear a fun hat! That night we went to Amy and Cecil's (her boyfriend) house for dinner. A very yummy dinner of smoked bbq pork roast and mac and cheese. Yummy.

Monday, we went fishing on Cecil's boat, but only caught three fish. Stupid fickle fish! You never know when you're going to catch any. It was windier than we had wanted, but it was still a nice day just relaxing on the boat. That night, Daisey made my favorite Chicken Pot Pie for dinner.

Tuesday, we went to Rehoboth Beach to shop a bit at the outlets (I got some new luggage which is going to be my Christmas present), walk around the boardwalk, eat some Thrasher's Fries (yum again) and have dinner. We headed back home that night and my friends XL (Jon) and his wife, Cathy, stopped by to visit. It was great to see them.

Wednesday, it was back to the airport, but we did meet up with Seth for lunch on the way at Macaroni Grill. He met us halfway, we ate, and then he drove us back to the airport. Thanks, Sethie! Daisey only cried a few tears. I think she's getting better :-)

I went back to work briefly before Kurt's friend, Rodrigo came in for the weekend. We had some great meals while he was here at Conduit and then at El Dorado Kitchen when we went to wine country. Sonoma was great even though I was designated driver. We rented a little Mini Convertible through zipcar which was a lot of fun, but I got a farmer's tan! Curses! The rest of the weekend, we shopped, ate, drank, and went to a street fair.

And then Monday, I had to go back to vacuuming and work and teaching math class :-(

But it was a great trip overall. I was reminded of what a wonderful family I have. They are so openminded and accepting - the true definition of unconditional love! And it was wonderful to see friends I hadn't in a while. And it was great traveling with Kurt, as always, and spending time with his friends, who are also incredible. I hope you enjoy the pictures from our adventures! I know I need to figure out how to arrange them better!

Visiting the Swains

2008-09-19T19:35:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning, Kurt and I travel east to visit Pete, Daisey, Amy and Cecil. I'm excited and sure that good times will ensue. I'm still packing. Nothing like waiting until the last minute.

It will be good to get away, even if it's brief. The summer went by so quickly and I feel like I need some time to breathe. I'll miss all you SF readers and will post again upon my return!

A good week

2008-09-12T19:55:00.001-07:00

Well, I taught both of my classes this week and the math class will be pretty easy to teach and the students seem nice. My freshmen seminar only had 8 of the 16 people show up. If it stays that way, it will also be great. Generally, it was a busy week at work and in the building where I had to meet with some contractors.

Massage continues to be slow.

I was told today that I would probably be the type that goes crazy and talks to myself when I'm old. I don't know how I feel about that.

I had more nightmares about Sarah Palin. Ack!

I had a mouse in my apartment last night. I think he/she got away though. I certainly hope so but I'm going to buy a trap.

And my funny story for the week: MUNI has had these 'testimonials" from drivers plastered on the buses for a few months, but they always make me laugh. They basically tell memorable stories that these drivers have and I think it's supposed to be marketing to make MUNI seem more personable and part of the community. But I think whoever did this marketing should be fired. It doesn't make the transportation system look good at all. Take these excerpts for example:

Shirley remembers: "A passenger was having a seizure on the bus. I kept calling central command but they weren't responding." Thank you, Shirley for bringing to light the poor management of MUNI.

Juan recalls: "A passenger came up to me in tears because she was heading to a job interview and we were running late that day". A wonderful reminder of MUNI's unreliability.

And finally, Yvette shares: "A crazy homeless guy started yelling at me and ran up to the front of the bus and kept pushing on the accelerator and grabbing the wheel from me. I couldn't stop the bus and we kept going through red lights. Finally, I was able to push him off the front of the bus. Thank goodness it was late or we may have all BEEN KILLED!". Really makes me feel safe as I ominously eye the crazy homeless guy sitting across from me (which is ALWAYS the case). Thanks, Yvette.

Hosting a Dinner Party

2008-09-05T19:38:00.000-07:00

Don't ask me why, but I've been thinking a lot about celebrities this week and who we consider to be celebrities and why they are worthy of our attention. So, I propose to you this question: If you could invite seven currently living "celebrities" to a dinner party with you, who would they be and why? I'm going to think about my own list as well and post it soon.

Brevity

2008-09-05T19:31:00.000-07:00

So, I realize I haven't been posting a lot and I think that's because I feel like I need to update the blog with a chronological recount of everything that's happened to me since last time I've posted. Well, of course that seems intimidating every time I sit down to do it. So, in the interest of keeping you, my faithful readers, in the loop, I will be trying to make more frequent, albeit shorter, posts. So, in the interest of time, here is the brief recap since last time I posted:

Massage business is slow - damn economy! I've created a more rigid budget.

I've seen only one movie - Vicky Christina Barcelona - my first Woody Allen movie. Different, but I give it 4 stars.

I have not cooked much but am considering joining a CSA that delivers local produce to my door bi-weekly to inspire me to do so.

We've started the semester so the last week has been filled with orientations and lots of meetings. Classes start for me (teaching) next week.

Kurt and I both got colds this week - ugh. But I'm feeling better! (Kurt - not so much).

That is all!

Recent Movie Reviews

2008-08-25T21:12:00.000-07:00

Lots to catch up on!!! First, last weekend, Clark and I saw Bottle Shock. It's a cute, feel-good movie about the competition in 1976 where Napa Valley wines beat out French wines in a blind tasting. The side story about the family involved was a little cheesy, but the music was good and I loved Alan Rickman. If you love wine and Napa valley, you'll love the movie. Otherwise, you'd probably just think it's okay. So, this hovers somewhere between 3 and 4 stars.

This past weekend Kurt and I saw two movies. The first was Tropic Thunder. I thought it was pretty funny and it gets 4 stars. Some people think it's offensive and too politically incorrect. But I think they're being too sensitive. Robert Downey, Jr. was hilarious as an Australian actor who died his skin to play a black actor. Jack Black plays a drug-addicted comedian trying to act in a different type of movie. And Ben Stiller is a fading action star. The humor was crude and sometimes the plot seemed longer than it needed to be, but overall, I'd go out and see it.

What I wouldn't see is Star Wars: The Clone Wars. We saw it because we're gullible geeks. But it was really just another way for George Lucas to capitalize on an idea that ran out of steam many years ago. It was so horrible. And Jabba the Hutt has a gay drag queen for an uncle. Who knew? Literally - that bad! Don't see it....ever. No stars given.

Massage class

2008-08-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

I realized I had yet to blog about my massage class last weekend. It was in Sports Massage and focused on frequent issues athletes have and how you can do pre and post event massage as well as maintenance massage in the off-season. It was a great class overall and I learned a lot which will hopefully help my cyclists and runners that come to me on an regular basis. It was all very practical and not too "new age" so I liked it a lot. Most of it could be done clothed or not, which is good because it means I can incorporate some of it into shiatsu if I want too.

What I will say about massage classes that I've taken is there always seems to be certain "types" in every one. I mean, obviously massage attracts a certain type of person but seriously, it's like every class has the same cast of characters including:

The skinny, shaved head white guy who is very flakey and can't seem to follow along with what the instructor is saying, preferring instead to just do the same massage techniques they always do.
The female student who seems to be an expert in the subject matter already so why they are in the class is a mystery to me. They enjoy constantly expanding on what the instructor is saying to prove to everyone that they are smart and knowledgeable. This woman is usually shorter and stocky.
The Asian women who can hardly speak English, but who are usually very nice and try hard. I just always pray they aren't learning to then go use their skills in the downtown "gentlemen's spas".
The super beefy gay guy on steroids who insists on taking his shirt off whenever he can. "Time to massage feet and ankles". "Wait, let me take my shirt off".
The former dancer who is constantly displaying her contortionist skills with weird stretches and postures whenever the instructor is lecturing.
The person (male or female) who always tries to trip up the instructor by asking difficult questions or pointing out right away if they misspoke. This person's motivation for doing so is unknown.
On the flip side, the person who asks the simplest questions just to look smart. Well, they don't really ask questions, they comment or make "connections" that all of us already know, but they just like to hear the instructor say "That's correct."
And finally, the person who just loves massage so much that they continue to work on their partner throughout breaks and into lunch when everyone else is done just because they are such a "giver".

Who am I? I guess I'm the one that always sits in judgment of all these other folks :-)

Fire! Fire!

2008-08-19T21:08:00.000-07:00

So, this past Friday night at 1:15 in the morning, the fire alarm for the building went off. When I first heard it, I thought I was back in the dorms. So, I threw on some clothes, got the fire alarm keys, went upstairs and found that some people had burnt some food and set off the alarm so I silenced it. Of course, the fire department still came and I had to meet them but they didn't stay long when they found out what it was.

Here's what gets me. Who's cooking food at 1:15 in the morning? And these people that were, get this, have done this same thing before. In my time here the fire alarm has gone off twice, both times set off by these folks. More importantly, they didn't even apologize when i went up there. The guy just looked at me with this dumb face, said nothing, and went back into his apartment. His wife was trying to fan the smoke detector with a pillow. I told her it was too late, she stopped and went back in too. No "sorry for waking you up". No explanation of any sort. Also, hardly anyone else in the building came out of their apartments. Two people out of 28 units came out to check. The rest didn't. Now, some probably weren't home but still, I think in the event of a real fire, these people might just stay in side and burn up. I'm not sure.

And in other building news, there was more dog poop on the roof today. I'm not touching it.

That is all. I will update you on my latest movie and the massage class in my next post.

The Best Laid Plans

2008-08-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

Well, because I had a massage class scheduled for Friday to Sunday of this weekend, I decided to take Wednesday and Thursday off to get some things done and maybe even find time to relax - crazy I know! Well, let's just say that things didn't quite go according to plan....and for those of you who really know me....you know how upset I get when things DON'T GO ACCORDING TO PLAN!

Wednesday started out pretty lazy. I knew I had a lot of time since I didn't have a client until 6:30 PM. So, I got up and sent off some e-mails and decided I was going to order cable and internet through comcast. I figured it was time to rejoin the modern world again. So, first I cancelled my ATT internet via the phone. You would think this would be simple, but it literally took almost 30 minutes. I was on the phone with this southern woman who just kept saying, "I have to put in a few more codes". She must have said this ten times. Shouldn't there just be one code that says "cancel service". I couldn't figure it out. Of course, they try to convince you to stay so I had to lie and said I was moving to an apartment where they were already hookedup with service, just because I didn't want to have to deal with the sales pitch. So, now it's 10:30 AM.

I went online to order comcast and after filling out all the order information and my preferred dates for installation, I was connected to a "Live Chat Representative" to complete my order and schedule my installation. This person was the slowest typer ever. It took 5 minutes for him to get out Hi - How are you? Anyway, after talking with him for while, and giving him even more information, I was told I couldn't order online and had to go to the comcast store which is down in Potrero Hill (not close for non-San Franciscans). I then asked him if I would need to place a new order there or would they have my information. Five minutes later, he typed back that I would have to place a new order. I was so frustrated. That was 45 minutes of my time wasted. It's now 11:15 and I decide to eat lunch (I know it's early but I was hungry!).

While making my lunch, I had a person call to see if they could schedule a massage. I figured I could move some of my errands back a day if I scheduled him for 4:30. It was inconvenient but I still had time to clean the building and go to the gym and get there and I could use the money.

Okay, this is getting long - abbreviated version - stupid person moving furniture out in the building without telling me and they left a complete mess and damage so it took longer to finish up in the building. Got to the gym - power outage - couldn't work out but hadn't showered, so had to head to another gym where I had enough time only to do 30 minutes of cardio, shower, and dash to my 4:30 who I had squeezed in only to find he was paying with a gift certificate (CURSES!) so I squeezed him in for no money. Other client was fine and then I went and watched the Olympics with Clark, Larisa, and Justin - that was the best part of the day.

Thursday - more plans including my postponed ones from the day before. All were thwarted by a dreaded MIGRAINE! I could feel it coming right after I put my laundry in. So, I had a horrible 5 hours of taking hot showers and still feeling cold, using the toilet in more than one fashion, and scampering in the dark like a roach (or a Gremlin) because the light was too bright. I felt better around 1 so ate something and went to the gym only to have it return so I headed back home and napped for a few hours until it mostly went away. Then I felt sorry for myself and pouty so I watched Superbad (FUNNY!) and because Netflix has been screwed up and I didn't have anything else here, I watched the full length cartoon movie where He-Man finds She-Ra on youtube. Don't ask me why. I also drank a Capri-sun while I did it. Maybe I felt like being 8 again.

Anyway, that's the report from the last 2 days. Not what I had planned for sure. Oh, and I was still so frustrated with Comcast that I called ATT and cancelled my cancellation (it only took about 38 "codes").

I'm Really Bad at This

2008-08-13T10:15:00.001-07:00

So, the whole idea was that I would post regularly to this, but I'm finding it's harder and harder to do. I'm going to try...so here it is....another "WEEK IN REVIEW"!

Last week was pretty standard for the most part. Work and clients and vacuuming, etc. But we did go see Dolly Parton! Kurt and my friends Brian, Travis, and Jay all went. She was amazing! Here's the complete set list:

Two Doors Down / Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That? / Jolene / Thank God I’m a Country Girl / I’m Little But I’m Loud / Backwoods Barbie / Drives Me Crazy / Shattered Image / Coat of Many Colors / Only Dreamin’ / Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show (into gospel medley) / (Intermission) / Baby I’m Burning / Better Get to Livin’ / Shinola / Do I Ever Cross Your Mind / Little Sparrow / Here You Come Again / Islands in the Stream / 9 to 5 / I Will Always Love You / Jesus and Gravity

She danced and joked and told stories. She actually did make you feel like she was only performing for you. Very impressive and it makes me love her even more!

What else happened last week? Let's see.....work mostly. I was supposed to have a reflexology class over the weekend but it was cancelled due to low enrollment. I managed to squeeze in a couple clients instead though, so that was good.

The opening ceremonies of the Olympics were great if you missed them. Very impressive. But they did spend 300 million dollars on them, so they better be. The big controversy now is that the little 7 year old who "sang" the Chinese National Anthem actually didn't. She was lip-syncing to a recording sung by another little girl who was deemed too "ugly" by the Chinese officials to represent their country. Eeek! Poor little girl. But overall, they were quite a site to see. Saturday night we went to not one, but two drag shows. I got my fill for the year....of that and alcohol. I was quite hung over on Sunday.

I also worked out my legs on Saturday and they still hurt today. I've been hobbling around all week because they are so sore. I don't know what I did, but let me tell you that massaging four clients (two each the last two nights) on these wobbly legs was harder than you might think. Now my lower back is killing me!

I baked yummy scones last week for work. It was such an easy recipe from Alton Brown on Food Network. I would definitely make them again. I made a batch of cranberry ones and chocolate chip ones. And I swear, it was almost as easy as making something from a box mix.

The scones and the drag shows might have clued you in, but my plan to alter my diet by cutting out alcohol, cheese and fried things hasn't really worked. I'm going to try again though - we'll see. Last night, Kurt and I actually got a cheese plate as part of our dinner at a new place on Haight Street called Uva Enoteca. Eating cheese! With a fork! This is hardly eliminating cheese from my diet. But go there...it's good but pricey. It's all very small plate/sharing/charcuterie type stuff. But good.

In other big news, Kurt and I are going to visit my family in September for a long weekend. Virgin America was having a pretty good flight sale, so we jumped on it. Should be fun to visit the family. It was my birthday gift to Daisey (what better gift than to see me!). And speaking of Daisey....you better look out Alan O! You're on her S**T list for suggesting I get a motorcycle! How dare you suggest something so dangerous for her favorite son. Tsk, tsk!

That's all from here...for now! Will try to write more regularly.

The Weekend

2008-08-04T15:35:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a good one. Friday night, Kurt had a car for a work meeting that day so after work, we went to Target and Trader Joe's to do some shopping. We also moved the microwave from my office to his apartment. I never use it in my office and he needed one.

Saturday, we went to breakfast, the gym, and then to do a bit of shopping for Kurt's niece's birthday present. She's 8 and really into bugs and I think that's so cute - a budding entomologist! So, Kurt bought her a framed beetle (not of the John, Paul, Ringo, George variety) from a really interesting store on Valencia. This beetle was very colorful and different. The store has all sorts of "curiosities inspired by nature" according to their sign. I forget the name, but will try to find out and post it. I then had a client and later that night, we went and saw the Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. My score: 2 stars (didn't like it). Don't bother, people! I had not seen the previous two but generally, this was a simple story, acted poorly in parts, and with bad, bad dialogue. Still not as bad as the Happening, however.

Sunday, I watched a friend in the marathon, had brunch with other friends, went to the Chihuly exhibit at the DeYoung (highly recommended), and then Kurt and I had dinner with our friend Pablo. All in all, a good weekend, but because it was so packed it went by way too fast!

Should I Be Worried?

2008-08-04T15:16:00.001-07:00

Those of you who have known me a long time, know that I have a rather vivid dreamlife. Well, I should say I used to at least in high school. In recent years, I've slept like a log and usually through the night....until the past two months or so. Now, it seems I have to pee a couple times, I wake up with really bad night sweats, and my crazy dreams are back.

Take last night for instance: I was on a Greyhound bus that stopped at my high school. But I didn't want to get off at the high school. I really needed to go to Hurlock (the local nearby town) but the bus driver wouldn't tell me if he would go or not. So, I had to get off and my friend Julie and I went inside the mall. (Now, there is no mall near my high school, but it was there in the dream). We wanted coffee and got in line. A woman way down the counter said she could take my order so I walked down there.....behind the counter....where I gave her my order of a cup of coffee and was scolded to go back around front. When I got around front, however, she did not have my coffee. Instead she was making me a grilled ham and cheese sandwich which I did not want. So, we left, and went to an outdoor auditorium to meet up with my good friend - Miley Cyrus. Well, she was my good friend in the dream. She was practicing for her upcoming Hannah Montana movie and the Jonas Brothers were her opening act. Now, my friend Julie was very upset because she too, was apparently an up and coming Disney singing sensation and didn't like that I was friends with the competition. So, I had them talk and they became friends and decided they would put out a holiday album together in December. Then I heard that there was another big event that was going to happen in Columbus Ohio the same time that Miley's concert was going to happen so I had to convince the city council to move it so they would not conflict. All I remember is that the city council was about 100 people all dressed in super puffy heavy down jackets because of course, Columbus is cold in July. Then I woke up....no wonder I'm tired in the mornings.

In other recent dreams:
As a contestant on Project Runway, I got to have a barbeque with Heidi Klum who told us our next challenge was to redesign the rooms in a house being flipped by a lesbian attorney with a bad haircut who lived in Newark, NJ (I think this was somehow all of Bravo's reality shows collapsed into one).

Lots of dreams about beaches and boardwalks...in San Francisco (of which there are very few in real life) and back home in Ocean City and Rehoboth.

What do you think? Can anyone interpret?

Look! No Training Wheels!

2008-08-01T07:49:00.001-07:00

So, I rode my bike to work and back yesterday. It's the first time I've ridden my bike in probably 3 years! It was actually nice and fun, and certainly cut my commute time, but I don't know if I'll do it again or not. First, I was sweaty when I got to work and my hair was a mess. Secondly, I can only really do it when I'm going directly home after work which is rare. Usually I go to my massage office or to see someone for dinner, etc. I guess I could change when I got to work, but that kind of defeats the purpose of saving time by biking and my clothes would be wrinkly. However, I think I might try biking some in the morning before I vacuum, etc. I found that it was really good exercise and probably is better cardio for me than the precor at the gym. Plus, once I'm more used to riding my bike again, maybe I won't get so sweaty and can actually use it for work. Speaking of which, I have to get to it.

The Week (or 2) in Review

2008-07-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I haven't posted for 2 weeks! I'm a slacker. So here, categorized for your convenience, is my life in the last 14 days.

THIS WEEK AT THE ACADEMY
Not too much new. We've been working on a project where we are interviewing people about their career paths and I'm going to edit it into a movie or two that we can show our struggling students to help inspire them. The most exciting part of this is that we went down to Cupertino to interview my friend David who works on Iphone for Apple. The interview was great but even better.....he invited us to eat in the Apple Cafeteria! Yummy! The campus made me feel like I was in some futuristic sci-fi movie because of the architecture, and everyone was so casual. It was a good trip.

THIS WEEK IN THE BUILDING
Well, the poop is still on the roof, and I'm not moving it. There were many more smudgy fingerprints I've cleaned and light bulbs that have been changed. We recently got a Dyson vacuum cleaner for the building and I was really excited, but I have to say, I don't think it's worth the money so if you're thinking of buying one, I would investigate some other options. I've also been very busy meeting with contractors about the boiler, wrapping some steam pipes, security in the building, and a plumbing leak....but it's still worth the free rent. A few weeks back we had a break in and the video cameras caught the guy. Someone in the building actually came up to me and whispered softly "Was he black?" Can you believe that? I told her I thought she was needed back in the 50's. And for the record he was very white.

THIS WEEK IN MASSAGE
Generally, my massage business is down a bit due to the economy, but I'm still keeping busy enough. In fact, yesterday I saw four clients! So, that's a total of 6 hours of massaging. I was beat last night and luckily didn't have any clients today so I could recover. I'm also taking a reflexology class in two weeks and a sports massage class in three weeks! I'm very excited about those. I've been complaining to my landlord in my office building though. The bathrooms are constantly running out of toilet paper and paper towels and I've been restocking. I don't mind doing this every once in a while, but it's been excessive lately. Hmmm, maybe I can negotiate managing that building and getting free rent there too!!! Kidding. I definitely don't need a fourth job.

THIS WEEK AT THE GYM
You are brilliant, little Italian man who is always at my gym! At first I thought you were crazy and although I have not disproved that yet, I have finally figured out your ingenious plan. See, I thought you were just fanatical about the gym, because every time I go there, you are there. If I go at 1 PM, you're there. 2 PM - you're there, 3 PM - yes, you're still there. Even when I've gone to the gym on the weekend - you're there. Sometimes I've seen you at other 24 hour fitness locations as well. Well, I decided to put my Encyclopedia Brown skills to work and I have your number now. Clue #1 - you were napping that day on the couch in the locker room. Clue #2 - you have one of 2 outfits on always. Clue #3 - you have neither lost weight nor gained muscle despite all the time you've spent at the gym. Clue #4 - I saw you bartending at the W hotel around the corner. Finally, it hit me. You LIVE at the gym. Genius! You have found a way to avoid the high costs of San Francisco apartments. You keep your three changes of clothes (work, gym #1 and gym #2) in your locker. You shower there, you sleep there, and you survive on food from the vending machines (most likely supplemented from libations and garnishes at the bar). You have inspired me to find more ways to circumvent the system. If I was sure you weren't crazy I would question you about it, but I still think you might be....but not as crazy as the woman with Turret's who pretends she's playing a drumset between weight sets and alternately screams at people and kicks her leg out.

THIS WEEK IN HEALTH AND BEAUTY
Listen up folks - I have had my beard for three years. PLEASE stop coming up to me and commenting that you like the new look. It's not new! Which means you obviously don't pay much attention to me, which hurts my self-esteem. Thanks a lot for your backfiring complement.

THIS WEEK AT THE MOVIES
So many to write about. First of all - best movie of the summer - SPACE CHIMPS. I'm kidding. Here's a rundown of what I have seen:

Wall-E (finally): Very well done and very cute protagonist. Not my favorite of Pixar's movies but I did like its anti-consumerism message. People said it was "dark". I didn't think so. I get why they said it, but I thought it was still pretty upbeat. As with most Pixar movies, good for kids and adults. My score: 4 stars (Really Like It)

Mamma Mia: Oh, Meryl Streep. You really can do no wrong and again, you are the saving grace of this rather mediocre movie. Well, you and the ABBA music. Cheesy, but fun, I give you and your fellow cast 3 stars (Liked It). Except for that Pierce Brosnan fellow. He should have never auditioned for a musical, let alone been cast in one, next to someone as brilliant as you, Meryl. Can't wait to see you as Julia Child!

The Dark Knight: I love superhero movies, and there has been a lot of hype about this one. But in this case, I say the hype is right. It's certainly a newer and better class of superhero movie that actually makes you think and the acting of Heath Ledger was good (Oscar-worthy? Eh - I'm not sure). Now, if Christian Bale's Batman voice didn't annoy me so much, this would probably be 5 stars, but it will have to settle for 4 (Really Liked It).

The X-Files: I Want to Believe: I love Gillian Anderson and she delivers in this movie. The plot is pretty standard, but if you were a fan of the show, you will enjoy revisiting these characters again just as much as I did. I think the relationship between Scully and Mulder is one of the most interesting ones portrayed in TV History, regardless of if you're a sci-fi fan or not. Even if you didn't watch the show, you can enjoy the movie. My score: 4 stars (Really Liked It).

THIS WEEK IN FOOD
I cooked a lot in the last few weeks. For TV night I made moussaka and avegolemono soup (chicken lemon rice). These were two recipes from my co-worker's greek cookbook. They were pretty good. I also made a really good chicken parmesan and some beef enchiladas with whole wheat tortillas that were yummy. I'm trying to cook more so I can take food to work and save money. And I'm trying to alter my diet again. More protein (hello, cottage cheese), less carbs (good bye tortilla chips). I've been gym-ing it now for over a year and I do see some difference, but I really want to get rid of my gut, so I'm going to attempt to cut out three things for 2 months: alcohol, fried things, and cheese (of the non-cottage variety). Do I think I'll last two months? No, but I can cut back at the very least. I've also discovered that the gourmet grocery store a block away makes prepared food and they have the best roasted brussel sprouts. I'm in love. I just went to the grocery store and stocked up on chicken, turkey, tofu and other protein-rich and healthy options. But I'm craving pizza...ugh. 2 months is a long time.

THIS WEEK IN FINANCE
Quarterly taxes - how I loathe you.

THIS WEEK IN POLITICS
California banned Trans-Fats. I think this is dumb. Yes, it's healthy and yes, it could mean less tax money spent on medical care for the uninsured. But where is the personal responsibility? I'm all for labeling of food and mandating nutrition information, etc. But if I want something fried in trans-fat, I'm an adult and should be able to have it. We should spend more time educating people and less time coddling them and changing policy so there is no decision but the "right one". Similarly, San Francisco is trying to restrict places people can smoke even more to include outdoor cafes. I'm not a smoker and I love that bars and restaurants here are smoke free. However, if we get any more restrictive you're going to have to have little enclosed smoking huts dotted around the city for people to use. And generally, it's just so inconsistent. Tobacco use is as much a health risk as trans-fat, but that will never be banned.

Of course there is also all that presidential stuff going on - but I'm sick of that.

THIS WEEK IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Same old, same old. I got to sit next to a woman crack user who kept rocking and shaking and speaking to another guy in English but I swear they were the only two who understood what she was saying. Yesterday, a very stinky man sat next to me and kept talking about how he smelled body odor "but it wasn't him". Oh, but it was. The people in Chinatown still can't seem to master the bus system despite the fact they ride it every day. And I'm tired of hearing 10-13 year olds curse like sailors. That's reserved for adults like me. Frankly, I'm just tired of the amount of time I spend on the bus, which I now calculate to be approximately 10 hours a week. I like being environmentally friendly, but it's really getting old.

That's it! I promise not to wait so long to post again.

I won't do that!

2008-07-14T08:41:00.001-07:00

This morning when I did the walkthrough of my building, I found dog poop on the roof. Not on the deck, mind you, but on the roof. Meaning that someone was enjoying there sunny weekend day on the roof with their dog and when little Fido had to do a poo, they were too lazy to take them outside....and then too lazy to clean it up. And I'm not doing it. It's going to stay there until the next torrential rainpour and I hope everyone can see it so they know how lazy their neighbors are.

Movie Review: Hellboy II

2008-07-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

Kurt and I saw Hellboy II this past Friday. Now, I saw the first one, but didn't love it because I think I was trying to do a couple of other things while the DVD was playing. But I rewatched it at some point and found it to be enjoyable. The second one was actually really good. Directed by Guillermo del Toro of Pan's Labyrinth fame, it was funny, had a good amount of action, and some really good creature scenes and special effects. My rating: 4 stars out of 5. I think this was the perfect blend of things for a summer movie. The first half was definitely more engaging and interesting than the second, where the movie just sort of took a formulaic action movie type path. But del Toro certainly is imaginative with his creatures and keeps things interesting.

Recipe Box - Salt-Kissed Buttermilk Cake

2008-07-10T21:23:00.000-07:00

I just tried this new recipe and it is delicious! The recipe below calls for berries, but I used fresh apricots since one of my coworkers gave me a whole bag. It turned out great. It's not a sweet cake - very much like a morning cake with coffee or tea. Very easy too!

From 101 Cookbooks:

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup fine-grain raw sugar (or brown sugar)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled a bit
zest of 2 lemons
1 cup of raspberries (more if you like)
3 tablespoons large grain raw sugar
1 teaspoon large grain salt

Preheat oven to 400F degrees, racks in the middle. Grease and flour (or line bottom with parchment paper) one 11-inch tart/quiche pan. Alternately, I've done this cake in a 9x13-inch rectangular baking dish - just keep a close eye on it after it has been baking for 20 minutes.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and sugar and salt in a large bowl. In a separate smaller bowl whisk together the eggs and the buttermilk, whisk in the melted butter, and the lemon zest. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the flour mixture and stir until just combined - try not to over mix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, pushing out toward the edges. Now drop the berries across top. I like to smush them a bit between my fingers before letting them fall to the cake - no so perfect looking and the juices meld with the sugar. Sprinkle with the large grain sugar and then the salt. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until cake is set (or a toothpick in the center comes out clean), and a touch golden on top.

Serves about 12.

So long, Sethie!

2008-07-09T22:04:00.000-07:00

Seth, after giving California a good 3 year try, has decided to leave and go back to the East Coast. We had lunch yesterday to say goodbye. I'll miss him even though I didn't see him that much. I probably saw him more in the last two months than I did in the previous year! Safe travels, Sethie. And remember to text every day so I know you're not lost (or dead! eek!) on your cross-country drive.

Yaz!!!

2008-07-09T07:40:00.000-07:00

Monday we flew back and our flight was a little delayed, but not so much so that we missed our Monday night concert to see Yaz. Kurt had really wanted to see this concert, but the tickets sold out quickly and we missed out. But last week, my friend Jay had extra tickets so we jumped on them and it was a great concert at the Oakland Paramount Theater.

Yazoo (as they are known in the UK) are the two people in the picture: Alison Moyet and Vince Clarke. They formed Yaz after Vince left Depeche Mode and released two albums in 1982 and 1983. Apparently, they never got along very well and split up before the second album's release. Alison continued with a solo career mostly in the UK and Vince went on to form Erasure with Andy Bell. They decided to tour again this year to mark the 25th year of the band's split.

Anyway, I knew none of this before we got the tickets. I didn't know any of the music until I downloaded it from Itunes! But it's very electro-pop like and the concert was amazing. Alison has a really powerful voice and the crowd was really into it, most dancing the whole time. Check them out on Itunes if you're a fan of the '80's.

Portland - Day 2 and 3

2008-07-09T07:28:00.000-07:00

First of all, apologies. I took no pictures! Kurt did take a few, but I don't have them yet to post. The rest of Portland was fun. Saturday night we had another really nice dinner at a restaurant called Ten 01. We had almost the same exact meals as before except Kurt got chicken instead of steak. This restaurant was super good and highly recommended if you go to Portland. Then we went to a street party for the gay softball teams which was fun and then we checked out a couple of other bars before heading home.

Sunday morning we got up and had breakfast, but Kurt did not feel well, so he laid back down and I went to the Portland Art Museum which was really nice. It was interesting too, because it wasn't very busy so there were times when I was the only one in a gallery. A little spooky. The museum was much larger than I thought it would be. I checked out the exhibits of some local artists they had as well as some of their permanent contemporary collection. I also viewed the Klaus Moje exhibit. He does some really interesting glass work.

Kurt was feeling better by this time so we went and had lunch in and explored the Hawthorne district, which I would equate to San Francisco's Haight. It was a much more residential area and had a lot of little shops, second hand stores, music stores, bars, etc. We then headed to the gym and out for one last dinner at a yummy Peruvian tapas place. Overall, a good day. I would suggest heading to Portland if you've never been. It was a nice walkable city and it made for a great weekend trip.

Day 1 in Portland

2008-07-05T17:16:00.001-07:00

So, Kurt is napping and though I tried my hardest, I have a hard time just sleeping in the middle of the day. So, I'm in the nice lobby, next to the fireplace, drinking a free glass of wine (they have free wine every day at 5) and checking the news.

An eventful day yesterday. Even though we were only flying to Portland, since they were free tickets with miles, we had a layover in Eugene. Well, the first leg of our flight was delayed to the point where we'd miss the second leg. So, we had the choice of taking the first leg and getting stuck in Eugene for the night. Or we could change to a direct flight to Portland 5 hours later but we still wouldn't get our luggage until this morning because it was too late for them to pull our luggage off the plane. I was angry and got a little rude with the woman (I know! Me....rude! Amazing!) because she said it was weather related which was a crock of...well, you know. They only say it's weather because then they don't have to do anything about it. Anyway, we opted to come to Portland direct without our bags. I then felt bad for being rude and apologized....big surprise there.

But we were lucky and got on an earlier flight on standby so only ended up getting to Portland about an hour later than we were supposed to. AND our bags somehow miraculously made it here with us. The nice United baggage guy told us that they say they can't do it just in case they are unable to, so people won't be disappointed. Then, if they are able to do it, people are pleasantly surprised. Which we were! THEN...we got to the hotel and they gave us a complimentary upgrade to a "Starlight Room" which is on the top floor and has a huge window that looks out over the city. Very nice.

We found out there is a gay softball tournament here this weekend because there were tons of guys in the lobby when we came down for dinner and of course, Kurt got hit on....well, I did a little too. So, that was fun. And the little free wine social last night was crowded and busy. Then we went to this great French restaurant Fenouil, and sat outside. It overlooked a park with a big fountain that kids and dogs were frolicking in. I got Steak Tartare and yummy scallops cooked with bacon (I like all my seafood to taste like pork....yummmm) and Kurt got Tuna Tartare and Filet Mignon. We shared a side of Truffle fries. Delish.

Then we ran off to the fireworks and watched them - which were really good and not far from our hotel. Then we were beat and headed to bed.

This morning, Kurt got a facial and massage and I got a massage. I like massages of course, but I get annoyed when spas try to hock their products a bit too much. He started the massage by saying he was going to take me on a "scent journey" and I thought I was going to crack up but I contained myself. Then we went to lunch and wandered around shopping and now...well, napping and blogging. Later - dinner, and the bars I think. I'll fill you in next time I get a chance.

Off to Portland

2008-07-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

Kurt and I leave today for Portland for the holiday weekend. We both have Monday off as well. So, it should be fun. I'm hoping not too much rain. We hadn't been to Portland to explore really (I've been there briefly before for a conference) and thought it would be a good weekend trip, so we'll see what we discover. I'll report back when I return!

Dirty Fingerprints!

2008-07-03T07:03:00.000-07:00

I'm convinced in some ways that we never grow up. Or at least don't get all the genes required to be considerate all the time. Case in point:

As many of you know, I clean the common areas of the building I live in, and in exchange, I get to live here for free. "Sweet!" you say. Yes, "sweet", but I swear when I'm old, some doctor's going to tell me my arm has to be cut off from it's previous history of over-vacuuming.

Well, the building also has an intercom system at the front of the building that is brass. Yes, brass which requires polishing. And I don't mind polishing the brass or cleaning the three large plate glass windows at the front door and foyer. I like to make them sparkly clean!

HOWEVER, after cleaning them yesterday, I look at them this morning and there are smudgy fingerprints on both! And let me tell you, this is not a rare occurrence. It's as if visitors to the building are so exhausted by the two steps up to the landing that they just have to lean on something to catch their breath and "WAIT!, there's a pretty, shiny, brass intercom I can push my big meaty hand against. Woohoo!" Similarly, people do not use the handle of the front door to swing open the front door. No, it's much more fun to push against the glass. If truth be told, I really blame the UPS guys for this one....I'd be inconsiderate too if I had to wear those brown shorts.

Off to get my brasso and windex!

It's Back to School Time!

2008-07-02T22:21:00.000-07:00

I was on the Muni today on my way home and passed a huge sign in the Walgreens' window that said "Think Back to School". I checked my calendar just to be sure. It's freaking July 2nd! Students just got done with school! Why they hell would they want to think about going back already? I would be so pissed if I was a school aged child. Stupid Walgreens. I ought to boycott out of principle. But seriously, businesses keep promoting holidays and seasons much too early for my taste. I remember as a child, I would get excited because the day after Thanksgiving, all the Christmas decorations would go up, and Santa's house would magically appear in the parking lot of the Woolworth's shopping center. Now, it wouldn't surprise me if Santa doesn't peak out next week. It causes the holidays and special events to seem much less special.

And while getting ready to exit the bus, I overheard two acquaintances who had just run into each other:
Woman: Hi, so good to see you.

Man: You too! You look different with your new Amy Winehouse hair.

Woman: I like to mix it up.

Man: You had a birthday party recently.

Woman: Oh, yes. It was a really fun bonfire.

Man: Yes, I HEARD....but I wasn't invited.

Me (loudly): AWKWARD!!!!
then I stepped off the bus.

Gay Retreat 2008

2008-07-01T21:52:00.001-07:00

So, for the past three years, a group of friends and I have gone up to the Russian River for a weekend just to relax and enjoy time together. The Russian River, for those of you not on the West Coast, is an area up in Wine Country that's very rural and lots of people have vacation homes up there. Anyway, we use the home of some friends of ours who are generous enough to allow it. This year, since the house was larger, we expanded our group to include four more friends: Todd, Rand, David, and Alan.

We grilled burgers, sat in the pool and hot tub, drank some M. Night Shyamlemonade (again, DO NOT SEE THE AWAKENING) and played games (Trivial Pursuit, Smart Ass, Loaded Questions, and Celebrity). Overall, it was a very relaxing weekend, although it could have been a bit warmer. I can't believe it's July already. Summer's going too quickly.

I'm Becoming My Mother

2008-06-26T17:37:00.000-07:00

Now, not that that's necessarily a bad thing. Daisey is a wonderful person! But I do notice as I get older that the things I made fun of her for (and Lord knows the woman has put up with a lot of abuse), are things I do more and more often.

I can not tell you how many times we'd get in the car or even out the driveway, when suddenly, we'd hear: "I think I might have left the coffeepot on" and of course we'd turn back and check. Now, granted, the coffee pot was always on in our house, so you would THINK it would become the norm to check it before leaving the house...but I digress.

In all seriousness, though, I do find myself becoming much more of a worrier. My grandmother O'Day (Daisey's mom) was a worrier with the best of them. And Daisey's a bit of a worrier. And now I'm becoming one too. I think we worry about different things but I do find that I'm constantly thinking about ways to make sure things go okay and according to plan. And when I entertain, I'm definitely like my mother: too much food, and constantly second guessing decisions I've made about what to serve.

I also always gave my mother a hard time about never sitting still. We'd sit down to watch a movie and she'd be trying to do a million things at once, up and down, up and down from the couch. It was hard for her to not always be "doing something". I have found recently that that's who I am now too. I'm finding it harder and harder to just relax. And when I do have down time, I can't just enjoy the moment. Instead, I think about what I'm going to do next.

It does make my wonder about genetics. How much of our personality is genetic? Or is it just that we observe our parents and take on those traits? It's certainly hard to say. I just hope that I age as beautifully as Daisey :-)

These are a few of my favorite things

2008-06-25T18:57:00.000-07:00

So, I'm not Oprah. But I still am allowed to have my list of favorite things too. And I'm going to share two of my favorite new websites with you. First of all, there is HULU! It's this great streaming video site and you can watch all sorts of old TV shows, clips, commercials, even full length movies - FOR FREE!!! (if you watch a few commercials). I personally have enjoyed some of the Saturday Night Live Clips, but I also use this to watch some of the current TV shows that I miss (as they often put up episodes a few days after they air online). Here for your viewing enjoyment is one of my favorites of the SNL clips:

Check out some of the other great things on Hulu.

My second favorite thing this week is the website Clean Scores. It's a site that lists the health inspection scores for various restaurants in this city and many others. I like to know that where I'm eating is clean and this site pulls directly from the public record so it's very useful. But be warned....some of my favorite places did not score so well, while some real hole-in-the-wall type joints I know of, did fine. You may be surprised!

Weekend Update

2008-06-23T06:54:00.000-07:00

The weekend was really good. Friday night I had people over on the roof for a party. The weather was beautiful and we snacked on some chips and nuts and had white sangria, cranberry vodka iced tea, and beer. It really was a great night and I'm so happy the weather cooperated. Here are some pictures. Kurt has more on his camera, so I might add some later.

Saturday, Kurt and I went to lunch, then I had a client. A trip to the gym and then out that night and met up with our friends David and Alan. Sunday, we went to the gym and then met other friends for brunch and to see "The Happening". My score: one star. DO NOT SEE THIS MOVIE! It was bad. Well, it started out interesting, but then went no where and the acting and dialogue was bad. This is the last time that M. Night Shyamalamadingdong gets my money. And I mean it this time.

He's Your Man

2008-06-21T13:59:00.000-07:00

Thursday night, Kurt and I traveled to San Jose for the George Michael concert. It was great! George looked a bit older, but he still had the same hair, signature sunglasses and perfect stubble. And his voice sounded great. He didn't use a lot of back up tracks, instead opting for 6 backup singers and the band on a tiered scaffolding behind him. This to me, shows he doesn't need a lot of techno gizmos to cover up for his voice.

To the best of my recollection, here was the set list:
I'm Your Man
Fast Love
Father Figure
Everything She Wants
One More Try
Teacher
Roxanne (cover)
Too Funky

20 minute intermission

Faith
Kissing a Fool
Spinning the Wheel
Feeling Good (cover)
Different Corner
Flawless
Amazing
Outside

1st encore: Praying for Time and Careless Whisper

2nd Encore: Freedom

The crowd really was into it and on it's feet most of the time. The stage was really cool. The whole backdrop was one big monitor which then curved down and became the floor of the stage as well. All sorts of graphics, images, and videos were displayed throughout. It was very well produced. If you get a chance, go see him. Here are some pictures! We actually had good seats but only had cell phone cameras so the pictures aren't great. :-(

Kurt - very excited to be at the concert! :-)

Waiting for it to start.

George on the very cool stage.

George on screen.

Movie Reviews: Incredible Hulk and Kung-Fu Panda

2008-06-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to write these reviews for a while, but this week has just been busier than anticipated. I have decided to change my system of rating from letter grades to a 5 star scale with:
Five stars: One of the best movies ever (everyone should be required to see)
Four stars: Loved it (highly recommended)
Three stars: Liked it (but you might not or might want to wait until cable or DVD
Two stars: Disliked it (would not recommend)
One star: Hated it (don't waste your time)

I hope there will not be a need for a "no star" category.

Friday, Kurt and I saw "The Incredible Hulk". My rating: 3 stars. We're suckers for superhero movies, thus we always rush out to see them, but this one just wasn't as great as say Iron Man (4 stars). Now some people are huge Hulk fans and maybe for them it was what they wanted. In terms of the lore or story of Bruce Banner and his alter ego, it wasn't really that bad. And they did use the theme song from the TV show at one point, which I appreciated. But I've never found the Hulk to be that interesting. He can't talk (or at least not a lot) when he's big and green which certainly leaves little room for dialogue. And the dialogue that was written was not very good at all. Special effects were pretty good, but ultimately it's pretty formulaic with a big fight between two big things in the end. Really they only made this movie so they could make an Avengers movie down the road.

SKADOOSH! This is what Po, the portly Panda says in Kung Fu Panda from Dreamworks. I thought this was also pretty formulaic but then again, most animation movies are. I actually really liked it. My rating: 4 stars. The animation was great. The story was amusing and of course, came with the requisite empowering message. I think it's definitely good for kids and for adults.

So, if you have the option, check out Kung Fu Panda first, unless you want to wait for the tiny Iron Man/Tony Stark cameo at the end of the Hulk.

Congrats Phyllis and Del!

2008-06-16T21:28:00.000-07:00

Today was a historic day here in California. Same sex marriages officially became legal. Phyllis Lion and Del Martin, octogenarians who have been together for 55 years were the first couple married by Mayor Gavin Newsom. And I say, bravo, it's about damn time that a love like that could officially be recognized by our government. Now, as many of you know, there is already a ballot initiative in CA for the November election that would amend our state constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman. I would ask that, if you live in CA, you vote against it. More info at Equality California.

Now, I know this is a hot button issue for some, but I just feel like I need to get up on my soapbox for a bit. *Stepping up* I personally do not feel the need to get married. I do not feel like I need my government to validate the worth of my love. However, for those who want to get married, I think everyone should have the right to do just that. And I have yet to hear a convincing argument against it. For instance, I hear all the time that allowing same sex couples to marry will destroy the sanctity of marriage. How, I ask? How can two people who want to publicly declare there love for each other do anything other than strengthen and confirm the validity of couples in the same situation. What destroys the sanctity of marriage are things like adultery or domestic abuse. Things where someone is actually hurt. I don't understand how love between any two people is a bad thing. Love is sacred. Not the title "marriage" and not legislation from our government. And let's be realistic here, we all know some married couple, where there really is no sanctity there. There are married individuals that we all know shouldn't be. That does more harm to the "institution" of marriage I think. Society has always tried to sexualize same sex relationships, characterizing us as promiscuous and self-destructive. And when we want to actually form legally binding committed relationships, that's wrong too. Doesn't make sense to me.

The second point I'd like to make has to do with religion. Like I said, Love is sacred. Government permission to be married or recognition from a church does not make it sacred. Love is sacred. In all it's forms. We here from childhood, "God is love". But now I'm being told, "Not your kind of love." Well, what about the love between a non-Christian, or non-religious man and woman? Is that not valid? Now, admittedly, not all Christians feel this way, and I know that sometimes they get lumped in with super conservative right wing fundamentalists. And this argument will go on for years. What I know is that my God is a benevolent one and He lives inside all of us. I do not see Him as being judgmental. Rather when I rejoice, He rejoices. When I am sad, He hurts too. I don't think God is out to make our lives miserable. He wants us to be truly fulfilled and happy because we create our heaven on earth. And quite honestly, I think God is probably more concerned with wars, poverty, killings, emotional abuse and all the other sins we inflict on each other than he is on two people who are in love. God, in my eyes, is never anti-love.

Finally, from a completely practical perspective, I'm not sure why the government is even in the business of legislating love. I understand that there is a civil contract there. In my eyes, that should be all the government should legislate. Any two people who want to form a civil contract should do so via the government and receive all the rights and privileges associated with that. Then, if they want to get "married" or not, they can do so via the church of their choice. This is really one instance where there is no separation of church and state in our country (that and printing on our money and swearing on the Bible in court). *stepping down*

I know my thoughts aren't groundbreaking. They've all been said before and I could go on and on about this (as could the opposition - and they probably will). But what it boils down to simply is love. We dream of it as children. It fills the lore of our stories, fairytales, and dearth of romantic comedies at the cinema. But we have the hardest time putting it into practice sometimes as human beings. We don't love each other, not only in the romantic way, but in the brotherly way as we should. I think that's what would disappoint God most of all. My hope though is that this is a move in the right direction and one day everyone will be able to love much more freely.

Satan prefers Peet's

2008-06-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

What a crazy Saturday afternoon I had. Two clients, then a trip to Chipotle - where I had to have my tacos despite my ongoing tomato protest. Then I headed to the gym, but the overly long hour on the bus home is what was so interesting. As I was waiting for the bus, a guy in his twenties walked by with a leather jacket on with "Satan" embroidered on the left chest pocket. Now, first, I don't know who would want to take on that name, but more importantly, I thought to myself "What DOES Satan do on a sunny Saturday afternoon in San Francisco?". So, I watched him walk. Now, I'll tell you now, Satan was relatively attractive but very awkward. He walked like he either had something up his butt or had been riding a horse bareback for weeks.

More importantly, he walked right by a Starbuck's and went into Peet's. Now, I'm not sure what Satan prefers to drink as my bus arrived at this moment. But know that unless you want to support Satan's minions and causes, only drink Starbucks (or better yet, independent coffeeshops).

Well, the bus was packed and as we drove through Chinatown, I was seated in the back of the bus (because I'm just that cool). Then up near the center door of the bus, there was all this commotion. I took my earphones out to see what was going on. All these short little Chinese folks were yelling at this couple who had just gotten on. Apparently, they were accusing them of stealing an elderly woman's wallet as she had exited the bus. One little woman just kept yelling "Call the Police! Call the Police!". The muni driver was no help, mind you, which isn't a huge surprise. Anyway, like 10 men descended on the couple and started opening their bags, reaching in their pockets, etc. And sure enough, out came the wallet. Of course the couple continued to deny that they had taken it even after it was revealed. Then, everyone wouldn't close the door until they threw them off the bus. Now, that's a community taking care of itself :-)

Finally, we went by the North Beach Festival on my way home and the bus became full again with all these drunk yuppy revelers. One of them had a "Trust Me, I'm a Doctor" shirt on, so I asked him about the recurrence of my "itchy foot" issue, but he just stared blankly at me with his bloodshot eyes. Oh well, guess he's not part of my HMO network. Boy, I love Muni

Can I please get a damn tomato?

2008-06-13T17:10:00.000-07:00

This recent tomato salmonella outbreak has me peeved. Not at the tomatoes, but at the people's reactions to it. Everyone is now fearful of eating ALL TOMATOES. And I can't get one for the life of me. Yesterday, I ordered a turkey panini from a local lunch place only to find it had no tomato on it, despite what was advertised. Today, I went to Chipotle for my favorite crispy chicken tacos only to find a sign saying they were not serving any fresh salsa even though....get this....all tomatoes from their suppliers had been deemed safe by the FDA and CDC. Then why can't I get my fresh salsa?!?!?!?!?!

The bigger issue that bugs me is that people these days seem to live in fear. We're so worried about what's going to kill us or make us sick that we forget to enjoy life. It makes me sick. This case of the tomatoes for instance: There have been 228 documented cases of salmonella from tomatoes since mid-April. So, it's not even like this tomato thing was just recent! It's only now because the media picked it up that everyone is afraid! And it's only in certain states. They've tracked the distribution and know where you can get safe tomatoes, but it doesn't matter. All tomatoes are now discriminated against. But I digress, out of these 228 cases, only 23 have required hospitalization and no one has died as a result. Hell, I would probably hospitalize 23 people from my cooking a year if more people would eat it. 23 cases of hospitalization cause 50% of the population to stop eating tomatoes (according to an informal poll) all out of fear. It's really sad in my opinion.

The Rocker

2008-06-12T18:30:00.000-07:00

So, Wednesday night, my friend Seth drove up from Santa Clara. He had free passes to see a movie called "The Rocker" about a has been drummer in a heavy metal band who, 20 years later, joins his nephew's high school band. My rating: "C". It wasn't horribly unwatchable, but it wasn't very good either. It comes out officially in August. Seth said it best with his description "It was like a Saturday Night Live skit drawn out into an hour and a half". And it was. It had plenty of extraneous filler, some unneeded gross-out humor, and a lot of watching a sweaty Rainn Wilson of "The Office" fame drum with his mouth open. I would suggest waiting for DVD or multiple airings on TNT if you ever feel the need to watch it at all. It did have some funny parts though, my favorite being this quote from Howard Hesseman of "WKRP in Cincinnati" fame: "There are two things I don't trust in this world: Cell phones, since they give you brain cancer, and marionettes." It's really random, but I liked it.

Anyway, then Seth and I went to Mel's Diner and caught up one on one which we hadn't done in a long time. He's moving to Washington, D.C. in a month, and although it makes me sad, I think it's the right decision for him. Not that he needs my validation or the validation of anyone else for that matter!

And today was Summer Semester Orientation. Five hundred new students! I had to go to work at 7 AM, so I'm beat now. But I always love the first day, particularly since they are all students. It's fun to look at how they dress. Some of them think they have to look unique, or super put together, or not put together at all. We play "guess the major" based on what they wear, which is fun. But it is really exciting to see how pumped they are about starting a new pursuit. That's what keeps me working with students...there is always a lot of energy.

Time to Blog!

2008-06-10T14:30:00.000-07:00

It's good to have friends. And luckily, I know a lot of people in a lot of places. Unfortunately, I'm HORRIBLE at keeping in touch with them. Time differences, hectic work schedules, etc. I could make excuses for days, but I'd really like to try to make an effort to keep in better touch with all the people I know. Hence, I've decided to blog.

Now, you may say that this is a very one-sided form of communication. I agree that it is, and that's partially why it took me so long to jump on the blog bandwagon. But this is where you come in. It would be great if you read and comment and I'll comment back or better yet, e-mail or call you! (This is something I am still telling myself I'm going to try to do more - but this time I mean it!) Regardless, I'm hoping it makes me better connected with everyone I love.

So, mostly this blog will be about daily happenings and things going on in my life. And quite possibly as I get more tech savvy, perhaps it will include links, videos, pictures, etc. Already, you can click on the picture slideshow to the right to visit my flickr page for recent pictures (although looking at them, they're not that recent) which I'll also hopefully keep updated on a more regular basis.

Quick primer update: Not much is new in terms of large scale things. I am still working as an academic coach at the Academy of Art University, still seeing massage clients three nights a week and on Saturdays and still being "the help" for the condo building I manage in exchange for rent. And of course, still dating Kurt. All in all, life is good and that's why I want to share it with you. I hope you'll follow this blog and help me keep in touch!