Finally....

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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?

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!

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

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!

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.