In a Western Place

Like I haven’t spent enough time on a computer this week… why not more?
The previous, temporary design needed to go and I guess work has inspired me somewhat to just sit down and get it done. I have a new design in my head… but here’s an old stylesheet of mine to hold this thing over. I hope to have something up by the end of Thursday (my day off) — in between spring cleaning and the laundry. Oh, my eyes.
I normally refrain from taking my work day home with me in the evening, but I’m still not over the fact that it took forever many minutes of staring into the bowels of my start file, bleary eyed, trying to figure out why the CD-ROM I created for one of my classes in Digital Imaging functioned properly on my PC, but gave me a file not found error on my Apple. Turns out my javascript was calling a file titled m16_s04.html, when the actual filename was m16_S04.html. s, S? Blink blink, are you kidding me? Bloody Apples, you’re too sensitive… and lucky for you I figured it out in time to meet my deadline. Maybe I’m a little too burned out for my own site? Bah, nothing a little Gewürztraminer couldn’t fix.

Random imagery shot between Monterey and Cambria — along the Central California coastline.

Work is busy. Busy busy. Really busy. Busy clippers. Oh, hairdresser on fire.
More later. In the meantime, sun!

My (new) idea of the perfect Friday evening happy hour: go home, throw work stuff on the floor, grab camera, go back outside.

The whale gods have heard my prayers! Here’s hoping they move a bit more into the bay so I can catch a glimpse at lunch. I’m a big fan of whales, if you didn’t already know:

I spotted these three giants back in the summer of 2005 from the backseat of a moving mini van on highway one. They’re also Grey, I think. Hard to tell. Is anyone here a Marine Biologist?

I had a scenic, fog-free, smile-rich walk to work this morning. The sun was shining (after a night of rain) and the flowers at the Grace Cathedral were begging for a picture from my phone. Mmmmmm… I can still smell them!

I was exactly 7 years old back in 1984 when Gremlins came out. And I was exactly 31 years old back in 2008 when I saw the film for the first time. Yep, I’ll admit to it: I watched Gremlins for the first time this past weekend. Some child of the 80’s I am. What’s a My Little Pony again?

I’m kidding. I LOVE YOU BOW TIE!

I didn’t watch Gremlins back in the day because it wasn’t recommended for little monsters like me. And while my 2nd grade classmates back in ‘84 were bragging about how they’re parents let them go see it, I played it cool and pretended. I think I had official Gremlins stickers (in my sticker album) as proof. Anyway, it was still a fairly freaky movie even at this age… and it didn’t help that about three quarters of the way through, Matty turned to me and said:

“I hate to reveal the ending to you, but they’ll only die if they kill the head mogwai.”

“Yeah that creepy dude with the white mohawk, Stripe. He’s bad news.” I said.

“No. Not him. He’s not the head mogwai.”

“You mean, Gi-gizmo?”

“Yes.”

“Noooooooo! I—love—him!”

And for the remainder of the film I was at my wits end fearing that someone was going to off my beloved Gizmo. Thankfully, Gizmo and his trusty pink Barbie Corvette came to the rescue and all was well. Props to Matty for some unnecessary torment. Are we not a match made in heaven or what?

Has anyone seen Gremlins 2 (which I can only assumed is titled, “Billy still isn’t ready”)? Stupid Billy, you piss off the mogwais you piss off Kir! I don’t think I’ll ever watch it. Let’s just focus on the film’s summary delivered by the old Chinese Man, “You do with mogwai what your society has done with all of nature’s gifts. You do not understand.”

Happy Earth Day everyone! Keep it away from light, water and don’t feed it after midnight.

I feel fortunate that I have a lot to write about – but when it comes down to actually sitting down and writing it (or editing what I’ve already written) I get distracted by the boyfriend/wine/tacos/shiny objects. How do you daily post-ers do it?
Alas, it is late Saturday afternoon and I’m at work. Work! Honestly, it’s not so bad. I’m just sitting here at my desk, messing around on the Internet until a file is complete, which takes about 5 minutes to review, then I go back to my own stuff while I wait for the next file. Easy, peasy… and I get a full day off just for coming in for a few hours. Nice.
My new roommates: Yesmeen, Sonja and I went out last night to explore some of what Nob Hill has to offer. We started out with dinner at the Nob Hill Café, a fairly popular restaurant and a rumored favorite of the San Francisco Twins, who believe-it-or-not, were seated in the adjacent window section from us! I had to sneak a picture:

Despite the lack of GF fare, I managed to order a filet of Sole that they supplemented with extra veggies instead of pasta. Delicious! Post dinner, we moved over to the Fairmont hotel to the infamous Tonga room, which I hear, every San Franciscan should explore once.

Then never go back again.




It wasn’t so bad… it was kind of neat actually. Very reminiscent of Vegas, where you find yourself in a hotel hallway one minute, then stuck in a themed paradise the next. It rained, the band played on a boat, and faux floral lays decorated several drunken tourists. And despite never ever indulging in a tropical fruity drink, ever… I enjoyed my overpriced island margarita (coconut flavored). After being talked up by a few inebriated dudes in suits who bought my single roommates a few drinks (I gleefully declined and paid for my own) we finished the night off at my favorite watering hole, Zekis, where I was happily reunited with my Matty and we had a few pints with some funny Northern Irish folks. Ah Zekis, you’re so much more my style.

Now I ponder, “what shall I do tonight?” Also, where is Three Dog Night not performing? Last night marked my second run in with them in a month! Jeremiah was a bullfrog... did I get it into your head, yet?

Shot from my phone on a cable car at the bottom of California street and Van Ness, yesterday afternoon. My photos never seem to convey how steep the hills really are in this part of the city — you’ll have to take my word for it. Some of the sidewalks are like walls, walls I say! I lost my balance a few weeks ago and fell forward (then down, hill). Scary. This hill (leading up to my apartment) is not too bad and I usually walk hike it, but not with flip-flops on my feet and 2 bags of heavy Whole Foods in my arms. Thank you cable car! I also hop on the Powell/Mason cable car line (with the tourists) for half of my walking commute to and from work. While my heart, calves and thighs certainly reap the benefits of a daily hill climb, my knees beg to differ.

I’ve barely had a moment to myself these past few days — aside from sleep and the occasional shower. Yes I’ve been busy, what with the move, visiting Cousins that were in town, Matty’s show in Oakland, working to get my online classes ready for Summer early, getting to know my new super-cool roommates, and filing my taxes at the last minute (6 forms of income in 2 different states, and finding every deduction I could made the process fairly time consuming). I’m not going to feel like myself again until I’m fully unpacked (holy moly, I’ve accumulated a lot of stuff in the last 7 months), send proof of my California residency to Monroe County (in New York) so they won’t expect me to report for jury duty next week (which is funny because I was registered in Ontario County before I left), and getting my renter’s insurance set up; pretty pricey in an area where the ground shakes every once and awhile (the recent scare tactics aren’t helping). Thank gosh I have Thursday(s) off, I need a catch up day!
Until then, I shall resume my regularly scheduled posts er, start posting regularly. Maybe I’ll tell you all about the new place tomorrow. Would you like that? Would you?
Or perhaps I’ll write about the Taco Bell snipper riffle incident in Oakland over the weekend, a sign that my love for tacos will bring me to a serious situation, someday.