Oh yeah

Happy Boithday Fred

I thought it was tomorrah.

Song on current humming rotation:

Romeo - Basement Jaxx

No, I havent been to a gay club in years. Why do you ask?
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Although Im not one for violence, Ive carried a weapon with me for years.

Its not that having it on me makes me feel any safer, and my build and demeanor gives people pause anyway. Its just something that gives me the confidence that I can quickly inflict violence and pain if I absolutely have to.

In other words, its a dissuasion tool, to shorten an encounter.

Its nothing obvious, and it wouldnt arouse concerns during a pat-down in any city.

Correction, for the last month, ever since Ive been in SF, I havent carried that with me.

Its not that I feel any safer than I did in Berkeley or Oakland, in fact the danger quotient is higher here than elsewhere.

"Ok, 5th, 6th and 7th Streets, are the bad areas, where most of the drug stuff happens. You dont wanna hang around there."

Heh. Guess where I hang out at?

The food is cheap and good down that way. :-)

Still, Im thinking it might not be a bad idea to start carrying that item with me again.

Because I think Im getting too lax and relaxed.

This is not Berkeley.
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Heh, this sums up how I feel about the conditions Ive had to deal with the past few years:

'This experience is going to change your life. You'll cherish the experience and never want to do it again. If you fail to enjoy it, it's your fault.'

- The Making of Navy Test Pilots, George C. Wilson

'You'll cherish the experience and never want to do it again. If you fail to enjoy it, its your fault.'

Yep. Couldna said it any better. :)

Because "Ahh, Frisco" just doesnt roll off the tongue as well as "Ahh, Pahree"...

Along with the ubiquitous Germans, Scandinavians and Austrylians ... there are a LOT of french tourists in Frisco right now.

In their native country, Ive heard theyre a bear to get along with, but here, they seem well behaved.

Oft times, I'll be standing at some viewpoint and there'll be some french family/couple.

Then they'll look over at me, smile at me, look back at the view, then look back.

I understand them exactly.

Looking at the view you just wanna say something satisfying like "Ahh, Paree" to sum up the experience of San Fran, but no "Its beautiful" has to suffice.

Cuz you KNOW they wanna say "THIS is what Paris should look like!", cuz thats what they mean.

You just know.

I hear French is the most beautiful language, but apparently it aint the most expressive.

Although, I wouldnt know cuz I dont speak french.
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I saw that San Francisco is a 'sister city' to Paris somewheres.

Maybe that could explain things.

Home district

Riding around The City, Im starting to recognise the distinct neighborhoods now.

Lottsa "For Rent" signs in every district.

Making start to look at the place as to where I wouldnt mind hanging out.



JPennant: Mmm. Housing is coming available here in SF
McClint: how so?
JPennant: two years, this woulda been unheard of
JPennant: Im seeing a shitload of "For Rent" signs in EVERY neighborhood Ive trundled through
JPennant: granted, the majority of these mofos are looking for 4 figure rents
McClint: that one's 500/mo?
JPennant: yar
McClint: is it like a 40sqft closet?
JPennant: LOL. Prolly is. :-)
JPennant: but shit, even this.. as crappy a cockroach hole as it sounds, is unbelievable
McClint: hehehe
McClint: my ex lives in an apt that's about 700sq ft for less than 600/mo here in jax
JPennant: hell I was paying $520 for a 2 bedroom on broward before I left Jax
McClint: sounds about right
JPennant: yup
JPennant: this is San Francisco :-)
McClint: multiply Jax rent by 5
JPennant: the average is closer to $1200 - $1500 for a 1 bedroom. Far more if its a desirable neighborhood
JPennant: Oooh, living in CHinatown http://www.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/37872811.html
JPennant: The noises, the smells
McClint: the weird languages
McClint: hehehe
JPennant: at least I get to catch some of the language.
JPennant: read the menus
JPennant: *very* important
McClint: hehehee
JPennant: :)
McClint: READING the menu is different from actually placing your order in the language
JPennant: my point zactly
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JPennant: If you could, what parts of SF would you like to live?
k a t e: presidio:-)
k a t e: hehe
JPennant: heheh. :-)

(She's joking of course, since The Presidio is a former military base, now part of the Park Service and definitely off-limits to Civilians Without Juice. Then again, she's not really joking, as this place is prime real estate, views and whatnot..)

k a t e: i love up where the castro is. that area...not necessarily the castro, but the surrounding areas around and above it
k a t e: i like near university of san francisco and golden gate park alot
JPennant: ooh yeah
k a t e: why? you gonna buy me a house there?
JPennant: Shoot, I might give you a couch to rest on :-)
JPennant: heheh
JPennant: you should see the "For rent" signs all over the place. In EVERY neighborhood.
JPennant: Been checking the listings on craigslist, wandering the nbeighborhoods
JPennant: I like the neighborhoods youve been talking about...
JPennant: also Potrero Hill, Taraval, Forest Hills too
JPennant: yeah, Im looking
JPennant: I dunno bout buying no house tho
k a t e: buying -- ugh
k a t e: i wish i could
JPennant: You will
JPennant: of this Im sure
k a t e: well, i certainly appreciate the faith
JPennant: Ive never under-estimated your determination
JPennant: yes, some day soon you will be in a position to buy, amazing no one but yourself :-D
k a t e: wonderful!!
k a t e: :-)
JPennant: heheh

The way things are looking, its gonna be the Tenderloin area.

Aint nuthin tender about the place, either.

Announcements

Happy Belated, mars. :)

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His Leica, protected by a handkerchief, was never out of reach.

Henri Cartier-Bresson died today.

One of the acknowledged masters, he's one of the few I admired for technique and philosophy.

He will live on.

Maybe it's a sign

I was on time this morning to the San Francisco Apple Store to see a scheduled demonstration of their remote desktop management software.

I had this scheduled on my calendar a month ahead of time.

Maybe I need to get my consulting practice up and running again for the cash flow, I was thinking. Get my skills back in the mix, I was thinking. Charge outrageous fees. Do contract jobs for the sleazy agencies and businesses out there.

Wear the white fitted shirts and Perry Ellis monochromatic ties again. (With black jeans, natch. Hey, I have principles man.)

Well, holy mercury retrograde Clint - the Apple Remote Desktop expert didnt show. Something about feeling ill an' shit.

So, I saw a Dreaweaver web page design demo instead.

Which did give me a few ideas, in fact.

Maybe this is a sign to leave the IT shit alone?

Maybe.
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A criterion I use to judge how serious people are about the direction they choose or passion they engage in, is to ask the question - "How bad do they want it?"

This is the attitude I use to weed the the people I can tell have the gritz to see things through.

The fire in the belly. The focus. The edge.

Do they want it so badly, they can taste it?

Im asking myself that question now.

Bopping to da beat at the SFPL

Songs on my WinAmp Pro's most played list...

In Love Wit You - Da Brat
Sarah, smile - Hall & Oates
Mary J. Blige - Mary Jane
Diggable Planets - Cool Like That
LL Cool J - Loungin'
Art of Noise - Beatbox (Diversion One)
lil Jon & Eastside Boyz - Get Low
Liz Phair - Extraordinary
Where's Your Head At - Basement Jaxx

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Like its city, the San Francisco Public Library is gritty, pretty, cramped and spacious in odd ways with hidden treasures available when you take the time to look for them.

Just like its city.

The branches all have their charms too. But nary a wireless connection, which is why I dinna bother.

The only thing that the Libary is not like its city, is the nagging feeling that time stopped between the 30's and the 50's.

As much as the developer's wrecking ball is beloved here, the effort to keep the past intact leaves this city feeling like an old movie, almost like New York, without the grimy weathering.

But now I know why gg practically lived here for a time.

Nope, not a bad place to escape the fog and overcast...
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k a t e: IM Administrator: This IM session is being recorded by >big-ass corporation< and may be reviewed for business or compliance purposes.
k a t e: hi again!
JPennant: yes ma'am?
k a t e: whats shaking
JPennant: just at the liberry, using their wireless connection. waiting for the fog to lift
k a t e: :-)
k a t e: howz things going
JPennant: pretty city
k a t e: yup:-)
JPennant: walked across the golden gate bridge sunday
JPennant: very pretty
k a t e: nice!!!!
JPennant: walked from the Marin Headlands.
JPennant: excellent views
k a t e: no pix:-(
JPennant: nope
JPennant: I'll make up for it ;-)

JPennant: Aright m'dear.. the fog has cleared and Im hungry. Im gone walkabout.
JPennant: latah
k a t e: ok
k a t e: have a good one!
JPennant: you too :-)

Situational mirage

Sometimes you get tired (the vicodin I hadda take last night for my aching feet hasnt help the drowsiness), nothing seems to be progressing and ennui seems to have set in.

That's usually the cue for depression and worry and stuff.

Eh.

A) Thats why they call Vicodin 'happy pills'.

B) The stagnation is illusory.

After many years of being able to look back and see progress in spite of the obstacles and deprivations, I dont sweat it anymore. Much.

In fact, I was strolling the Fillmore District this morn, talking to folk about the way things used to be and how it is and looking at the posters of the seminal music district.

Thats when the reasons for being where I am at the time I am really started to make sense.

I also tried to not assume anything, for I have to go with the flow.

Or as today's horrorscope put it:

You're trying too hard to make all the pieces fit. Step back and let events run their own course. Everything snaps into place soon enough.  

Yup.

*yawn*

I need a nap.
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I guess the Hell's Angels convention is over.

I saw/heard/felt several bikes going down Hyde Street with big-assed camping gear/schtuff bungeed to the back of their bikes, headed toward the general direction of the freeway.

Very Easy Rider-ish. :)
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Occasionally, I still get asked as to why I left All That Is New York.

Dori of Saranwarp is going to Portland (I thought seriously of moving there too), and she sez:

regardless, there's a mass exodus taking place as more and more of us head off to what they call 'second-tier cities' - places far cheaper where the risk of your favorite band not coming to town is much higher and there's some sort of weather phenomenon that usually turns people away (i.e. the rain of portland, the heat of austin).

four weeks. i love you, new york, and i can't wait to leave. i already dread coming back (though there's a huge chance the only reason i come back here is to get my furniture, anyway).

Heh. "Second tier cities". Heee.

I cant imagine myself going back to live there. Any time soon.

I wonder if my dragon collection is still in storage.

Man, Im regressing.

One of the things Ive been working on to Improve Myself, is to practice budgeting, primarily of the lean type.

Not to deprive myself so much, but to spend as little as possible on what I NEED.

I dont want to regress to the days of spending money with little thought and not making it work for me.

Ive blown half my budget for the next 2 weeks just this weekend.

Gargh.

That aint progress.

Not having the money doesnt freak me out, but I need to make my money work for me rather than watch it evaporate.

I will do better.
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Excursions today.

Walked across the Golden Gate Bridge.

I took the #76 bus to the Marin Headlands (again, the driver got lost and we did an inadvertent tour of Sausalito), got off at the top of the cliff overlooking the Bridge, and walked down.

Then I walked, err.. strolled... err.. leisurely ambled with many, many stops to gawk at the view thru the fog...across the bridge.

So, it took me a litle under 2 hours to do 2 miles.

My feet hurt.

I resolved to do as little walking as possible after that.

I then hopped onto the #22 Fillmore, thru Pacific Heights.

Eh, I actually hopped off the bus shortly in Pacific Heights with the intent of grabbing the #1 California to get to the Cable Car museum.

At the same time I took the opportunity to snark a Peet's DECAF mocha.

Yes, that was the real reason I jumped off. Eh, I had a coupon.

At the corner of Cali and Fillmore, there are FOUR coffee shops with 3 more within a block. GAWD almighty. How many do they need????

Among black folk in the Bay Area, who still regard the Fillmore District as a predominantly black area (before *quotey fingers* 'urban renewal' happened in the 60's), there is a feeling of haven had 'their' area of San Francisco taken from them.

The feeling is they wuz robbed.

The resentment is still strong, and I can see why with the plethora of chi-chi ness going on there.

Then I got to the Cable Car museum, feet throbbing.

Cool. Now I know how it all works.

And then on to Chinatown to snarf.

*urp*

Good times.