What I like

Ive been meaning to put together lists of things Ive grown to appreciate in the Bay Area.

The morning fog.

The morning mystery.. will it stay or will it go. I used to think of it as all fog, but now I can tell the difference between fog, clouds and bad weather.

The views

Pick a hill or high point. Almost any one. On the Penisnsula, the East Bay, the Marin Headlands.

Then look out and down on the bay.

Takes your breath away. Even with no fog.

The donuts

Ive tasted em from all over.. but the donuts here often border on the sublime. The Bear Claws mix cinnamon, almonds and cream into an intoxicating mix.

In New York (and Chicago), these places would usually be Greek run.

Here, theyre usually Cambodian or Thai.

The Water

New Yorkers like to say their tap water is the best tasting in the world, coming from the upstate reservoirs.

I never bought into that.

The water in the East Bay (and San Francisco) comes from the Sierras. Water from Yosemite Park an' shit.

TRUE mountain-fed spring water.

Cold and sweet specially when your tap is close to the city mains.

What I miss

Good pizza

Goat cheeses, sun-dried tomatoes, kale .. these are the things that you can expect on a "California" pizza.

Ok, Ive stopped laughing at it, and sometimes its pretty awesome.. but pizza with no cheese or meat and a spread of tomato paste (for vegetarians and non-dairy folk) is NOT pizza, dammit.

2 inch thick dough, gobs of fresh mozarella, tomato paste so fresh you can taste the bits of basil still flooating, gobs of meat or vegetables floating in a pie so heavy that you gain weight simply looking at.. now THATS pizza.

The energy

The place is laid back. There is a lot more room here.

But I miss the concentrated waves of energy that you get in New York.

Here, you gotta generate your own.

Efficient, no-nonsense service

"Special, buttered, kaiser roll, large coffee, lite, 4 spoons sugar".

In New York, that means 2 eggs on a kaiser roll, toasted and buttered, cream in the coffee, sweet and how sweet.

And in 2 minutes at most, youre out the door.

Here, I have to explain myself. Which takes two minutes usually.

Oy.

Good, inexpensive Transportation

There are buses and trains aplenty.

They run pretty regularly and will get you here and there pretty efficiently.

But...

It costs a lot of money to take mass transit regularly.

BART (the equivalent of the NY subway and NJ PATH) costs a fucking arm and a leg, unless you stay local, ie within a few stops.

Unless youre driving or want to spend mad money on a taxi, plan to sleep over if you cross the bay for some late night carousing, because the system shuts down soon after midnight and doesnt reopen until 6am.

You CAN get stuck here.

The transportation here, although well designed - is run sort of like a joke (you CAN get around, but not necessarily where you want when you want).. and thats when you realise the Bay Area is, after all is said and done.. a small town.

Get a car, hope for parking.

I sometimes look at my metrocard longingly...
----
Still, the place kinda grows on you.

VIRGO

You will find what you are searching for this weekend, but you still won't be satisfied. Virgo may be a practical sign, but you are also quite spiritual in your own way and you are beginning to realize that the answers you seek are not to be found in your career or your relationships.

Listen to the still, small voice inside. It knows what you need.

Humming

I Cant Wait - Nu Shooz

Cant seem to get it out of my mind today.

Seems appropos.

I like it. :-)

What surprised me was how casual I was trying to be.

"Did the conversation last more than 2 seconds?"
"Hi/bye? Nah, a couple of minutes. We were catching up. 'How ya doin/How's life', that kinda crap."
"Whooo, take out the life insurance policy. That girl has you pegged."
"Because I was being nice and didnt rush away?"
"No, because you stopped what you were doing, cut off the conversation to who you were talking to to devote your attention to her."
"Hmph. Nuttin' of the sort."

"Aright Joe... all bullshit, all theory, all ifs and buts out of it..."
"What?"
"If you could get back with her.."
"Never happen. We never even got to the point of kickin' it anyway."
"Look, the woman even remembered to the *day* a month and a half ago the last time she saw you, you had even forgotten about it."
"So?"
"My question is the same.. if everything was right, would you get back with her?"
"Hmmmm......"
"*buzzzzzzzzzzzz* You took too long. You would. Everybody else is just a pacifier compared to her.""

I was overly casual when I was with her. Who was I trying to covince? Her? or Me?

Heh, she's smarter than I am anyway. She probably does have me pegged.

Ever notice :

You oft get the most upset when trying to stay calm?

That would be my state o' being today.

Today's horrorscope

The most important thing today is that you refuse to give in to negative emotions, because the moment when you start seeing yourself as a victim is the moment when you invite other people to treat you as one.

You and you alone are master of your ship of fate, so stand tall and give the impression that nothing can blow you off course.

I had to change my schedules around today to accomodate the commands of others.

If you know anything about me, I am Least Likely to Respond to a Command, let alone requests..

Still, I mixed a bit of lemonade by making progress today...

But my state of being would be.... "Irked".

Yeah, thats it. Irked.

The phlegmmy cold and sore throat (never been THIS ongoing sickly in decades, I think) aint helpin matters.

So, Im in heavy Jedi Mind Trix mode trying to change my prevailing attitude from "Cloudy, with the likelihood of storms" to "Some sunshine".

Think of it as a work in progress, only helped by the fact Im making some major progress on the personal and professional level.

Still a bit irked tho.

As the astrologers point out, however:

Yes, there is so much you want to do.

But your impatience could be a serious handicap over the next 24 hours, so temper it with the knowledge that life always presents you new opportunities.

Aright, aright.


-----------
I guess this would fall under the category of an opportunity..

Mail from Tim the Photographer today

--- Tim wrote:
> Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 22:26:49 -0500
> Subject: Fancy a change?
> From: Tim
> To: Joe Pennant
>
> Thought you might be interested or know someone who
> may be interested in the
> following...

> ------ Forwarded Message
> From: **********@hawaii.gov
>
> Aloha folks,
> Our program is looking for volunteers from June to December 2004.
>
> Volunteers must be willing to camp in the field 4 -
> 6 nights per week and
> be capable of working late into the night. Some
> sites are reached by
> hiking 7 - 12 miles in hot weather conditions with a
> 30+ pound backpack.
> Volunteers must possess a valid US driver's license.
> Dorm style food and
> housing provided. ....

Great. Googly. Moogly.

Im still trying to pull my jaw into an upright position.

Of course, I have no DL, I hate hiking with a passion one can only dream of, Im low on the elctronic and camera gear, and no funds to support myself ..

..which would automatically have me taking a pass on even considering this.

But you know, miracles have been made on less.

And the cons sure as hell arent overwhelming the masive Pro of...

Hawaii.

On someone else's dime.


So.

Hm.

*scheme*
--------------

This morn, it felt important to go on IM at the library, even with only an hour to spare:

Kate: I might be out there for a couple of days in march
JPennant: When its good, you'll be here. No hurries hon.
Kate: :-)
JPennant: I was describing you to some people the other day...
Kate: yeah - this girl Kate
Kate: she is crayz
Kate: over sensitive
Kate: nutz
Jpennant: heheheh, trust me
Jpennant: youre only messed up in your own imagination ;-)
Kate: ahhh - I miss ya!
Kate: you make me feel so good sometimes
Kate: I needed this self-esteem boost :-D
Jpennant: I said, "This girl Kate is madd loyal, kind, spirited and wise. Helluva friend."
Kate: :-D
Kate: If I am in and out.. I am sorry
Kate: just got lots to do
Jpennant: gotta go in a few anyway.. I just logged on to give you a hug and a holla
Kate: :-)
Kate: take care:-):-):-)
jpennant: Proud of you sweetheart.
kate: thanks
kate: i am trying :-)
Jpennant: ;-)

That's my buddy.
-------
Me and Clint were cubicle mates together in the Mac support section at AOL.

We spent a lot of hours side by side - we HAD to get along. :-)

McClint: yo joe
jpennant: yo clint

jpennant: Me, me, me, me, me
McClint: wait your turn hehehe
jpennant: <-- channelling the seagulls on Finding Nemo
McClint: hahahahahah
McClint: i woulda had you pegged for the great white shark who
gets a whiff of blood and goes crazy
jpennant: LoL. "Im having me FISH tonight!"
McClint: ... but BEFORE he smells that blood. a gentle giant
jpennant: heehee

There one picture of us, back from 95 or 96 I think, both of us with goatees.

Wish I'd kept that picture.

Second thoughts

"I dont do film cameras anymore, man."
"The way to do it is to get the film in bulk and roll your own canisters..."

"Heh. That reminds me of high school photo classes. Nah, look at the economics.. with film, I shoot 36, I may get 4 or 5 usuable images. EVERY time I shoot, with developing, thats 20 bux blown PER roll. Nah fuck that. With a memory card, I shoot 300 images for free. I have a coupla Nikon cameras floating around in storages around the country for that rerason."

"Still, he's asking 20 bux for each camera."

"Hm, lets go take a look at the camera.. particularly that Nikon he says he has. The lens alone is prolly worth more than that."

So, that how I picked up a Nikon N60 in pristine condition with a 28-80 mm AF zoom attached for all of 20 bux.

Doubt I'll even use it.

Mm.

Although it might be cool to drop in some Ilford B&W and shoot Berkeley's Third Avenue (aka the train tracks) in the moody fog...

Heh.

*twiddle*

Ok. Saturday. I must acomplish *something* toward my goals.

*yawn*

Yesterday, did quite a bit, even got some plaudits. So today, something, something.. but what?

*smack smack yawn*

Wandered the Berkeley Farmers Market, greeted folk who all wondered where Ive been the past few weeks.

*hum*

Mira has gone off to Europe for a few weeks, for the first time. Get to see her guy too. She was so giddy. :-)

*snoar*

"It's Saturday. You dont HAVE to do anything. Plus its a holiday weekend, so chill."

Yeah, but Im feeling motivated NOW. Sorta.

My hawaiian aunty gave me a box of JellyBellies for Valentines, adding to the chocolate and the odd card or two.

*yawn*

Ooh, found a GREAT bagel place this morn. The bagels are *definitely* New Yawk worthy. Although the counter-help had that sweet beatified Cali look when I snapped off an order.

Like I wanted kindness and consideration for a morning bagel.

Cripes.

Me: "Plain bagel, cream cheese."
Help: "Would you like that toasted?"
Me: "If its warm, nah."
Help turns to her father: "Are these warm?"

I goggled. Shit, even *I* could feel the heat coming through the glass of the counter.
*sigh*
Her father comes over, puts a food-gloved hand on the stack of soft, chewy, large plain doughs of goodness that I was being kept from snarfing on as the seconds ticked away.

"Yes." replied her father, patiently. I could tell he had spent time in New York.

She turned back to me smilingly, "So, you dont want them toasted?".

*gnargnargnargnargnargnar* I gnashed internally while keeping a stoic, patient look about my face, as I said, "Nope, no toasted."
GAWD. 8 seconds we'll NEVER get back in this lifetime.

She works in a bagel shop and doesnt know that if the bagel is warm (and it was DEFINITELY warm), you dont NEED to toast. The butter or cream cheese is gonna melt. In fact, its preferable you DONT toast it to keep the warm chewiness intact.

*gah*

Well, she took her time (dude, 40 seconds to wipe a schmeer of cream cheese on a sliced bagel.. C'MON!!.. NY bagelmeisters know that 10 seconds later I should be out the door!!).. and then..

"Would you like coffee or something else with that? Coffee? Anything? "

*ohmygodohmygodohmygod* Did I SAY I wanted anything else????
Waitwaitwaitwait.. I didnt. I didnt respond with sarcasm, edge to my voice, nunna dat. No, my time in California has taught me that impatience and overt brusqueness scares the natives into hurt feelings, resentment and further passive-aggressiveness, so I stilled the internal turmoil, breathed and centered myself:

"Not at all. Thank you."

I put my hand over with cash in hand, the same hand readied to receive the bag.

This confused her. She stared at this sleight of hand, as I held BOTH the bag and money in one hand.

*lord*

Ok, I needed to hurry this along.

I shook the hand. The bag rattled, the bills vibrated. She recognised the intent.

"Oh" her mouth made, she smiled and resumed motion. She took the money.

ANYWAY...

New Yorkers, the bagels are excellent. Taste of the morning. Get your jones there.

Boogie Woogie Bagel Boy
1281 Gilman St., Berkeley

Be nice to the help.

----------

Sometimes, I do forget

Today's horrorscope:

You must stay focused on your No. 1 priority today, no matter how many people try to distract you and no matter how many interesting things may be going on all around you. You are so close to reaching your goal, so close to doing something that you have dreamed about.
One small push could be all it takes. Don't lose your way now.

Yea, verily.. sometimes I do find myself getting caught up in the distractions and forgetting what all Ive set out to do.

Focus, papi..
--------
I stepped off the bus, and stood there, wondering what I should do.

The place didnt open until 10am, and it was all of 8:30. Hm, coffee? Meh.

Then I spotted the short shape of Fabianna walking down the block. I walked over to join the woman who has a BFA from Cal-Berkely, writer, sculptor, former sex-industry worker, as I realized she was headed for an accupuncture session.

So thats how I started my day not with coffee, but with accupuncture.

It took a good 20 minutes before my body involuntarily relaxed section by section and the nervous tension Ive unconsciously carried these past few months sagged away.

Goodness, Ive forgotten how good that feels.

What? This.. is Berkeley.

*breathe*

I feel much better.

Coffee and a donut feels right about now.

Hell. *brightens* A VentiMocha and a Bear Claw!

Right on.

Yes, its a wonderful day.
---------
Last night I had a glass of wine, surprising Mira at her little dinner party, because she assumed I wouldnt want anything to drink.

Normally I dont.

It went well with the meal, and I woke up clear headed. (Although no less cranky, according to the fellas, although apparently I did say "please" and "thank you sir", when I told them to keep the blasted noise down this morning.)

An idea occurred to me. A wine bar for teetotallers like me.

I DONT wanna buy a bottle of wine if all Im gonna have is a glass once a month.

Lemme walk in, have a glass of decent wine, cheese crackers, whatever .. and be on my way.

They can recork and reserve to someone else.

Yeah, that'd be cool.
-----------
Last night as I walked down from Mira's house, a plate of lovingly wrapped veggie lasagna and some brischotta (I think), I passed by a well dressed-man who I at first thought was saying hello.

It was only when he took the plate from my hand was when I realized he was hungry and was in the process of asking for the plate of food to eat.

This is Berkeley. I gave him the food. He needed it more than I. I have food available to me, I wont go hungry here.

Of course, when he asked in his french accent for a few pennies to get a soda when I smilingly told him no, have a nice night, enjoy the food and to move on.

This may be Berkeley, and the kindness overflows here - but some folk will take kindness for weakness.
--
Right down the street from where I was walking is Berkeley's famous Gourmet Ghetto, home to Chez Panisse, the Cheese Board Collective where the finest breem and produce can be had.. people were lining out the doors ...

I realized that the high prices support the overflowing cornucopia which *will* filter down to people that need it.

In Berkeley, there are a ton of folk, aged and young, who cant afford to live there. But you will be taken care of.

Its the Berkeley Way.. something to behold.

Black Coffee

Apparently, it wasnt merely a *bleh* feeling.

My first inkling that something was very wrong was when the thought of a morning cuppa Peet's Coffee made me feel queasy.

I ended up cancelling Noontime tea with Mira.

By Monday night I was vomiting from both ends.

*bleh*

I slept in all day Tuesday.

Im still on the weak side.

I shoulda stayed in.
-----
On the good side, Local Girl proved to be a trooper. Strong. Me being sick didnt faze her.

Heh, said that was no excuse to not see her when she swung by.

'Church, work or school' were the only ones she was gonna accept.

Made sure I was ok, gave me stuff to control the nausea.

Its the ones who you never notice are the ones who come out of the wings and pull through.

Black coffee, no sugar no cream indeed.

Might haveta reconsider my "Do Not Observe" stance on Val's Day.
-------

Still kinda woozy.

In other news

Im an Uncle.

Pretty little thing of Jamaican and Barbadian origin.

My little brother is a daddy.

*grump* Now I gotta be all nice to him.

...

Ok, just one:

She is *far* too pretty be his daughter.


:-D

Congratulations, papi.

You'll make an excellent father.
---------------------
Happy belated, Angeline.

Boy, you sure dont LOOK your age.

Jailbait. :-D

You're entitled.

Monday

Maybe I just need a Mocha...

*bleh*

Or maybe a haircut.

Or tea with Mira as planned.

Loony, moody Cancers make me laugh.

That and Calvin and Hobbes.

Heh.

---------
Sans the (previously seen) Usual Suspects

Recently googled images:





West Broadway




PacBell Park, SF



Puerto Rican Day Parade, NYC




Japantown, Frisco







Cal-Berkeley Optometry students, El Cerrito




Fort Lauderdale




Hoboken, New jersey




42nd Street, Times Square

Liking companionship, desiring solitude, dealing with the high cost of cake.

Today's horrorscope

There are times when you want nothing more than to be left alone with your thoughts, and this is one of them. Don't worry that family and friends think you are being antisocial if you don't make an effort to talk to them - if they don't know your ways by now, they never will.

Be true to yourself - it's the most important thing you can do.

Big developments are afoot which is why you need to take them one step at a time.

You're better prepared than you know for what comes next.

--------
It used to be that being self-contained was enough.

I could deal with individuals and society at my leisure and pace, confident that I could always detach.

Then I realized belatedly that way of life was... inadequate.

Now, learning how to be sociable, while still being able to detach at will.

Hard to do in this town, Im finding.

Very hard to be social while keeping that sense of space.

Or, Im not used to it.

There is a Plains Indian prayer that goes along the lines of:

"Teach us to care, and not to care."

So, Im learning a new way to be.

Sorta like getting the cake you want, but having to learn how to eat it.

Ongoing revisions

"No, the girls from En Vogue went to Oakland High School with my daughter. Theyre all from Oakland. They still talk to each other to this day."

"Tupac was born in Baltimore. But his momma came out here to be with his daddy, who is a Black Panther, so they lived in Marin City then all around West Oakland."

"Joan Baez? She's from San Rafael. She came to Berkeley because of at the time, this was the place of activism and all that..."

"The Doobie Brothers? From San Jose? Nooo, from San MATEO. I used to go listen to them play there all the time. They also hung out in a lot in Sausalito.."

"Sylvester wasnt from Oakland. He's from Alameda. So were his friends from Two Tons of Fun."

"Sheila E. and Pete Escovido are from North Oakland."

"Metallica? From Berkeley?? Hell no. Theyre from San Jose."

"Digital Underground? From Berkeley. Well, on the border of Oakland and Berkeley. When Tupac was with them, they were in Berkeley."

"Green Day from Vallejo? From Berkeley? Nuh-uh. North Oakland."

There is a point to this nonsense. In fact, Im getting a lot of:

"Thats a *great* idea. Im suprised no one else is doing this."

So am I.

A Dragon's Tale

Dragon male:

While not an egoist, he is unmistakably an egotist in every sense of the term.

It is impossible for him to resign himself to taking a backseat or being second to anyone in any field, for he has an excessively high opinion of his own talents.

I try not to copy or emulate other people's techniques when taking pictures.

As much as I might admire the works of others, I assiduously try to never ever seem as if I am following the style of others.

I dont study photo books, the techniques of the masters.. nunna dat.

Thas just how I do.

My own thing.

But I will admit to this:

Noah Grey is a bad man. The work he does, with the technical and creative skill he brings to bear on what he works on.. its exactly how I want to do.

Well, the same but different.

He.. is an original.

His images have the creative simplicity and creative mastery that Im just now becoming aware of that Im capable of.

“I want to capture a certain feeling, a sort of emotional response to the moment,” he explains later. “When I see something I want to capture some sense of the way I feel about it. The trace it leaves on me.”

I feel the same, but different.

Apart from Big Jimmy of Belgium and a few others, I will quickly turn away from browsing through Other People's Pictures. Not because Im envious, but because I will quickly bring my critical nature to bear to analyze and break apart the images.

And then I'll be influenced.

Noah's images tho -- with the mastery of his camera and the darkroom of photoshop fascinate me because ... it's exactly where I want to be.

But different. :-)
-----------

Unlike the Tiger, who tends to exert himself in an anarchic way, the Dragon proceeds with method, adhering strictly to the order of priorities he has established and pursuing his goals untiringly to the bitter end.

The danger of dissipation and futility does not really threaten him, as it does his Tiger counterpart.

-----------
From Greyexpectations

When he moved to California two years later, Noah found himself confronting nature on a grander scale.

“When I saw the ocean for the first time, I felt like I’d come home,” he says. “I felt that being here in California, being a part of the world, was something that I was meant to do all my life.”

I resisted coming out here.

But I came for the blue.

The same, but different. :)

Dude, what happened to my belt notches?

Everything is five dollahs, any New Yorker will tell you.

Only suckers pay more, is the understanding.

When I first came to the Bay, I was hunting for the perfect five dollar meal.

*urp*

Found it.

All you can eat (in two plates) buffet for $4.99 at Naan in a Hurry at the corner of Shattuck and University in Berkeley.

Whoof. Tryptophan overload.

Does anybody remember the score?

Look. There was no nippleage shown (or "nipple-a-go-go" as Marn would say), as a fancy medallion covered it.
Why wear a nipple cover, hm?

It was planned, planned, planned.

Darn.

Here is the SF Chronicle's take on it:

Understatement

"... ok, its working now."
"Wow, I wouldve never thought to do THAT to fix it."
"Eh. I used to do this for a living."
"Youre probably the first person Ive met who can do what they say they can do."
"You see a lot of folk misrepresenting themselves?"
"Yes, telling people theyre more than what they are."
"Nah, not me. In fact, I tend to *understate* what I can do."
"You know... *That's* almost as bad."

I was taken aback at what she said, frankly.

Understatement almost as bad as overstating your curriculum vitae?

Hm.

I leave things out when I talk about my skills and experiences, as many folk have the attitude of "If you can do all that, why are you poor?"

(Left unsaid is the "AND youre a black man... Im not sure I can believe you can do what you say.."
Eh, that's reality.)

So, I prefer understatement.

But, she may have a point.
--------
Among the people who *do* know me, because theyve worked with me and known me on a professional level is Tim the Photographer

He recently dropped me a line requesting a status update

(Imagine a Aussie-tinged cockney accent):

> I was cursing your name as I had to rent an old powerbook
> to shoot a pano with
> recently....something along the line of "that Joe
> Pennant, never heard from
> him again after he made off with mine!?"
>
> Hehehe

Heheheh

> So what's cooking in Berkeley? What's keeping you
> there?
>

That's a very good question.

There is nothing keeping me here. I had intended to skate to LA last summer and then on to Hawaii.

Ive stayed here for a reason that Im loath to articulate, partly cuz Im tired of #(%#*&%$ repeating myself.

Im here because this feels like a home base. This place has serious possibilities.

> Did you ever sort out the i-d saga?

Mostly, although for some reason - Ive had my California ID sent to a specific address.. and STILL the people at that addrerss say it hasnt shown up yet.

Oy.

So the ID saga continues.

> Many questions to ansa
>


Not to piss on the well-intentioned folk, but I can only give answers to those who can already fill in the blanks when I understate myself...
---------
He was around (and was a partial inspiration) for the genesis of this path Im on, so he knows all about what Im trying to do..

> (your projects and dreams). Get that puppy outta the bag.
> And yo, don't anybody tell you otherwise, you're the
> only person you need to
> convince to get shit done.

Im convinced. :-)

> Until we diner again.

Until we Diner again. :-)

No shit.

The more I learn about the Bay Area, the more I keep say "No shit" to things the natives tell me offhandedly.

Before I got here, I knew that many famous musicians and bands came from the Bay Area (The Grateful Dead, Tony Tone Tone, Huey Lewis, MC Hammer, Digital Underground, Etta James etc) but to have people go "Yeah, I used to hang with so-and so, we stole cars together, her daddy lives over there and her daughter had a monkey..."

So, a list of folk I said "No shit, I never knew they came from here..."

"Yeah, Green Day is from Vallejo."
"No theyre not, theyre from Berkeley."
"And the Poynter Sisters are from Emeryville, by 43rd and San Pablo."
"Bullshit, June (Poynter) used to stay by me in Oakland by 53rd.."
"Sly and the Family Stone is definitely from Oakland. And Chaka Khan's father is over here in Berkeley."
"Oh, the Doobie Brothers are from San Jose, but back then they had a more mexican style."
"You cant forget The Whispers..."
"And Dawn from En Vogue is from Berkeley."
"So is Club Noveau, although they started off as the Timex Social Club."
"And the boys of Credence Clearwater are from El Cerrito."
"And Metallica is from Berkeley.."
"Although some of them came from Pinole too."
"You cant leave out Tower of Power. Oakland."
"Oh yeah, and Jodi Whatley is from Berkeley. Her sister is a porn star.. ever heard of Midori?"
"That's Berkeley for you."
"And Jefferson Starship is Frisco."
"Yeah, when they started as Jefferson Airplane."
"Of course MC Hammer."
"Yeah, Charlie Finley and some of the Oakland A's gave him the money to press his first albums."
"Cant forget Tupac. Born in Oakland. His mother was a Black Panther, remember - but she was run out of town by the FBI.."
"Oh, and the Escovido family is Oakland. Pete Escovido and his daughter Sheila E."
"Oh yeah, and Pebbles. Remember when she was with 'A.B' "?
"Who's A.B?"
"We aint that cool for me to tell you, man."
"Boz Skaggs is from the Bay too."
"Johnnie Lee Hooker is too."
"Nah, he's from Chicago."
"Man, he's from 76th and MacArthur. When I was in jail in '88, his son was doing 4 years. The guards used to let Junior out of the cell to tell them stories about when he used to tour with his daddy. I gotta admit, I was leaning by the bars listening too..."
"Oh yeah, and Sylvester is from Oakland. He was buried at the church of the Hawkins Family."
"Well, if you including Sylvester, then you gotta include Two Tons of Fun, although they known better as the Weather Girls."
"Joan Baez."
"She aint from here.. she only came to Berkeley for the Love."
"Nah, the Baez family is from Berkeley.."
"Confunkshon was from Vallejo too."
"So was E-40."
"I thought Too Short was too."
"Nah, he's from East Oakland."
"Then you got Master-P."
"Master P is from Louisiana!"
"Yeah, and grew up in Richmond."
"Oh yeah, Santana."
"Santana is from Oakland?"
"Nah, Carlos is San Francisco. So is Matchbox 20, REM, Journey, Eddie Money and Doctor John.."
"And Bruce Hornsby is from Berkeley. I thionk he still stays here."
"Anybody else?"
"All we can think of right now."


That was the verbatim conversation last night as much as I can remember it.

No shit.