Cold

I have been reduced to wearing socks indoors.  This practice distresses and confuses the dog.  He knows that I do not put things on my feet unless I am going out.  'Why oh why is the human putting things on her feet and not taking the dog out? '
Why indeed.

Recovery and Slacking...

I've spent most of this month, and this past week in particular working long hours without days off. I don't really notice until finally there is a point where productivity drops off or when I have a half day. This was my half day. I had about two hours of work to get done that didn't happen until this evening. This morning was spent catching up with The Daily Show in my pajamas... this afternoon was spent at the Berkeley Marina reading my Alastair Reynold's novel... I love this place.


Hopefully a half day will get me through another week... life in the arts is so glamorous.

Old Windows

Artifacts find a life of their own as time takes its toll,

layers of paint, wear from light, and wear from use

make that which was once mundane beautiful and unique.

New Blog...

I've added a new blog to the call list on the side... I when I was reading this last night I was laugh/crying because I had to laugh quietly at 1am but wasn't doing a very good job at it. Oh my sides, the pain, the hilarious pain... Click HERE to read "Hate spiral" and then explore the rest of this fantastic blog...

Berkeley Love

Some days my little city has some awesome people in it... This guy just decided to hang out here for an hour waving at everybody on the street. No fliers, no schpiel, just this sign.

Breaking up is hard to do.

(paraphrased somewhat)

IC: Oh I'm so sorry to hear you're leaving us. This month was our 8 year anniversary!
A: Uh-huh
IC: Can I ask Why you're leaving?
A: I just found someone who can give me more
IC: You mean for the same price?
A: less actually
IC: Well maybe we can rethink this, make it better
A: No I just don't think so. Every time I need you I just can't depend on you
IC: We just got together with someone else... maybe we can ask them to make you a deal
A: I've already asked for a new quote. Just cancel my damn auto-insurance policy and stop calling me.


Why is it auto insurance wants to make you feel like you're a jerk breaking up with them? I'm sorry; What have you done for me lately? Nothing! You take my money and when I need help I can't afford it. Buh-Bye!

--Meh!

More evidence of my Mom's awesomeness

I confess, I keep every letter I ever receive. I've kept notes passed to me in high school. I've kept misspelled Valentines from 2nd grade... so sue me. I also keep other random papers if I really like them, like this;

In college I got very sick and my mom flew out to take care of me, while recuperating we played hangman... only that stick figure guy is just too predictable... these are the more creative ways of killing stick figures with words.

I think this explains a good deal about me. Thanks for indulging me Mom.

Random internet stumble...

Traffic was slow this Sunday evening. Between the Folsom street fair, a Giants game and the usual Sunday tourism it took a long slow crawl to get to the bay bridge... but I tell you it is impossible to get road rage when the road looks like this;



I love San Francisco.

Growing troubles...

I have the most sickly looking tomato plants I've ever seen... and yet they are fecund.

Yes this one is supposed to be yellow... I wonder if perhaps I didn't give them enough dirt to grow in... The lemon tomato plant even had a couple of branches just rot off towards the stem...

The cherry tomatoes seem to be doing better...

Anyone out there know anything about growing tomatoes? Advice would be appreciated for next year.

Catalina

I spent a day on Catalina with my best friend this weekend. Getting to SoCal I had two flat tires on the way down the state followed by one of the replacements being flat by morning... so my car's doughnut had its maiden voyage on the way to the ferry. There was minor panic about actually getting there but we got there with enough time to grab good seats.

The water was warm (nearly 70F!) the ocean was calm.


We didn't see any unusual wildlife for the area; mostly kelp bass, sardines and garabaldi... but the water was perfect and clear.
At one point I was floating there marveling at the giant kelp that is as beautiful as any land based forest on Earth, when a swell came and swept a great mass of kelp over me. I love kelp. I love swimming through kelp, it was so fantastic I started to giggle. Giggling in a snorkel mask leads to breaking the seal of the mask and consequently swallowing a good deal of salt water. It was still fantastic.


--all photos and video on this post were taken by my friend Shaggy (underwater cameras are cool)

Carmel after...

It was a long week in Carmel. I wound up only spending one night sleeping next to the creepy gnomes. I find that I am allergic to the backstage there. I needed to take Claritin every day and still walked away sneezing with puffy eyes whenever I had to dig through storage. The show itself I took only a half dozen photos of on my film camera, so I will most likely need to beg for photos from the company... I honestly wasn't content with the look until first preview. Ultimately the show turned out to be not so bad. Thank goodness I had actors and a director I adore. I suppose that's it for now.
Sometimes there is little time for reflection when you are barreling forward at such a hard pace.