7.30.2007

Stern Grove 2007



This week's Stern Grove kicked some serious booty shaking musical social ass, between my dear friends, the lovely energetic yellow clad Emeline Michel [picture her holding her heart: "I just want to stay in San Francisco; you are such blessed souls," and me + 15,000 others screaming back: "You can stay with me!!!") and the equally soul soaring Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective. Not to mention a super fun not too crowded but enthusiastic multi-generational groovin' crowd. One 4 footer-and-rapidly-shrinkin elder was raising her red sweatered arms up over her broad rimmed white straw hat in her enthusiasm. Unfortunately this dance move knocked her off balance almost every time. Despite a couple near disasters, she continued to groove, putting her next in line on my "Elders I Idolize" list (after M.E, who has been rocking the casbah for 96 years).



Me with both a Birthday Girl and a Quite Recent Birthday Girl



So I was on "hard core" duty, which means a 10 a.m. arrival so that Sej the birthday girl can have a fantastic view while showing up 4 minutes before the music starts. So I'm hanging out surrounded by lunchable snackage and blankets and other onesies similarly holding down spaces for their peeps. With a book, a damp but not too cold sky, and an equally prepared but chatty neighbor. His name was Drew? Stu? I think Stew. AKA the self proclaimed "Smoking Police." Light up near this fella? From inside the vest breast he whips out the water glock and dowses our neighbors midlighter flicking all while vocally enforcing the newly codified but old san francisco tradition of banning cigarette smoking (but not toking) from all public land. Here's to Po-Po Stu, who apparently represents a Stern Grove Classic. Should you be in his vicinity, may nothing but condensation escape from your mouth.

7.28.2007

"I Wiped My Butt with a Beetle," and other snippets from Colombia travels

("Under construction?" I swear I will get back to this soon as I take a moment to condense a crazy crazy trip)

7.02.2007

Swap Yer Books, Ye San Franciscans!

They could be good,
They could be bad,
But take them both
And there you have the
Bookstore Swap, the Bookstore Swap.

(sung to the tune of the Facts of Life, preferably off-key and in the shower)

Colombia's a little far to travel back from to make it for this, but I want everyone to go for me please please please! Besides, who among you can resist some drunken book buying?! Spread the word!

Book Swap - Sucka Free San Fran, Baby - July 21

7.01.2007

Least Favorite Thing My Friend Dimple Has Heard Me Say

to people I might date but have never met (and surprisingly, she's had a lot to choose from):

Scene: S and D are chillin at Dolores Park Cafe. The ever-squinting S semi-recognizes a passing fella (formerly known as M, now known as ScruffyMan) from ... well.... the Onion... who has contacted her and with whom she will perhaps go on a date with sometime in the next decade should they ever be in the same town for over a minute.

S (yells and squints): Hey! Are you M?

M (looks scared. Approaches cautiously)

S: Hey this is M, whom I have never met!

D (rolls eyes and prepares for coming disaster)

S: M, this is my friend D. She's visiting from Houston [NOTE: This is definitely winner for the Least Favorite Thing D has ever heard me say about her... since she lives in AUSTIN. Whoops. I knew that. I blame Tourettic-Dyslexic tendencies. Besides, they really do sound similar to the untrained CA-centric ear.)

D: Austin.

S: Whatever. M, you look just like your pictures. How fun!

M: (looking increasingly uncomfortable, eyes look for escape route) I am normally not this scruffy and unshaven.

S: Oh, me too. Haven't even showered recently. (grin)

D (faint groan)

M (blink. more uncomfortable lookingness, eyes dart faster)

S (missing the whole uncomfortable thing): So, I'll see you sometime in August when we are both in SF.

M (emits nervous laughter. shuffles off, making mental note to avoid Dolores Park Cafe for remainder of evening just in case)

Post-Script: It is important to D that the world, particularly the world of people who perhaps have thought to ask me on a date, know that I bathe regularly, even if I don't brag about it. To which I would like to point out that at least I didn't actually think to put my unshaven, um, parts next to his chin and do some kinda scruffy comparison, ya know? I got filters.

But regardless, do us both a favor and spread the word on my bathing cleanliness, k?