Above three photos sure signs you're in the mission.


It would be very easy to miss Clarion Alley. But there's a lot going on here today.








The Tamale Lady!


And my tamale.

::Download Flash Video::

It's easier to capture it in a movie.
(I have to apologize that I shot this movie holding my camera the wrong way. I rotated it in QuickTime Pro, but exporting it for estrip it got stretched again. D'oh!)

Today was pretty insane. Three street fairs (that I know of), two within a short walk of my house. Guess it's the last blow-out before the rainy season.

I hit this one fairly early, since it's a short walk from my house. It's still pretty mellow.
























Took the opportunity to get a picture of this house around the corner from me. I need to start thinking about paint colors for my exterior.

Decided to try the Postcard Row shot during the day time. Got a late start, so it's kind of hot and hazy already. Grabbed a few more shots along the way.


Fall color


Fillmore Street


Drum practice in the park


Hazy.


You can see the dome of City Hall, and I can pick out the Bay Bridge too in the distance too, but didn't really capture it here.

Since it was so hazy I decided to grab some shots in the shoe garden.

Well, the jury is still out. But let's see how these look online.

Keep in mind, by the time I got the thing home and charged the battery, the fantastic light from earlier today was fading fast. So these are mostly in much lower than optimum lighting, especially if you haven't read the manual yet.


If I had more time I could frame this right. Check out the ordinary citizens exercizing their dogs off-leash in front of City Hall. Don't forget to scoop!


I'll have to try this shot again. Was hoping for more detail.


Civic center buildings are still impressive, nevertheless.


This is not my container garden.


Folks enjoying the California "summer" weather at Moma Toby's, down the street from me.


Even in this light you can see why they call this Postcard Row. If I added 5 stories to my house, this would be the view from the top floor, haha. In the meantime, I have to walk four blocks uphill to see it.

These photos are not really "wowing" me, but I have 10 days to work on my technique and decide. Although I'm afraid to take the manual out of the shrinkwrap in case that won't count as returning it in it's original packaging. D'oh!

(Photos all shot between 6:10-6:50PM within walking distance of my house using the Canon PowerShot SD700.)

Paul, we just missed Eddie Brickell at The Fillmore last Tuesday. It would have been too damn depressing to go by myself so I missed it. Although I could have borrowed Larry's friend's stealth bootlegging gear and taped it for you, haha. But then you wouldn't have gotten to see all the concert posters. Cell phone pic below does not do them justice. All the walls upstairs are covered with them.



Oh well. Gives me a good excuse to change my usersound to your Eddie Brickell opening track. If my life was a movie, the isolated Alameda years would be cut to this tune.

Speaking of lousy cell phone pics, I have to either get a new cell phone or camera SOON! Or both. It dawned on me the other day while I was hunched over my computer reading camera reviews and examining sample photos, the last time I did this would have been October 1999 when I was still with Mark. I know this because I spent weeks researching digital cameras online and in stores. The house was strewn with highlighted and annotated camera reviews and it was all I could talk about.

Then Mark bought one for me at CostCo as an early Halloween gift. It wasn't any of the cameras on my short list, but you can't really be mad at your boyfriend for buying you a digital camera, right? I mean, it was great having it in time for Halloween (I was going to order my top pick online and I knew it wouldn't make it by Halloween, so I was holding off making the decision.) Still, it wasn't just about timing or money - it was about choosing the one I wanted.

Anyway, I have bought another digital camera since then. I knew I really needed a new one just for me when Alamedalink came along (which would be the "birth of a child" scene in my life movie). I was stoked to deck out my new baby with photos and banners to show that godforsaken island just how cool it could be. I had a tough but inspiring act to follow with all the cool photos and banners on (e:strip) from (e:Paul) and (e:Matthew) and countless other peeps. I just wanted to get the hell out there and start shooting - so I did a minimum of research and bought the best camera they had at CostCo.

I thought I was getting a step or two down from (e:Matthew)'s camera, but turns out mine wasn't even in the same league. Not that it would have made that much difference, since I still would have been the photographer. But at least I would have had a fighting chance.

I don't want to make that mistake again. A camera is not something I'm going to buy that often (I hope), but every time I look at the pictures, I don't want to wish they weren't so blurry, grainy, captured .07 seconds too late, etc. The rest of their defects I take complete responsibility for. ;-)

Anyway, I was remembering all this because I'm freaking out about getting a camera before (e:Paul) and Halloween arrive. In fact, I really want one before tomorrow so I can take pix at the [inlink]twisted,452[/inlink] block parties. The weather has been unbelievable lately. I didn't want to say anything because I know it's been crappy there, and I don't want to jinx it for Paul's visit. Larry was complaining it was so hot he had to walk on the shady side of the street yesterday. Which is pretty much the definition of "hot" out here, haha.

Speaking of Halloween, I happened to notice tickets for the Cramps are going for $72 online for some reason. That's crazy, since I'm pretty sure I can still bike down to the Fillmore and buy them for $25, which is still a lot, and there's already plenty happening on Halloween. But maybe I'll pick up a pair anyway. If we decide not to go I can always sell them to some out of town yahoos for $72 bucks, haha.



Ok, I really have to get out there now peeps. Time to "winterize" my container garden, which means throwing in some more pansies. Then some serious camera shopping. Wish me luck!

It's late, so I developed my own lazy [inlink]jenks,260[/inlink]soundtrack shortcut. These are all culled from the 86 tunes I sent to (e:Paul) [inlink]paul,2304[/inlink] lo these many years ago. (Wow, almost exactly two years ago.)

Speaking of coincidences, I just reloaded that playlist this morning. I had to reload it because it was lost in the tragic MP3mageddon of '02, which I don't think I ever told you guys about it, but it was very sad. Anyway, I had a hankering to listen to it again with Paul coming the week after next. Turns out it was also the perfect starting point for my soundtrack (the lazy version, that is).

Opening Credits:
Oscillate Wildly - The Smiths

Waking Up:
I Saw the Light - Todd Rundgren

First Day At School:
Stay Free - The Clash

Falling In Love:
At My Most Beautiful - R.E.M.

Breaking Up:
Ever Fallen In Love - Fine Young Cannibals

Prom
Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order

Life's Ok:
Follow Your Bliss - The B-52's

Mental Breakdown:
Walking on Broken Glass - Annie Lennox

Driving:
Driving Away From Home - It's Immaterial

Flashback:
Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before - The Smiths

Getting Back Together:
Hello It's Me - Todd Rundgren

Birth of Child
Up All Night - Boomtown Rats

Wedding Scene:
Perfect Day - Lou Reed

Final Battle:
True Love Wars - Erasure

Death Scene:
Victim Of Love - Erasure

Funeral Song:
Walk On - U2

End Credits:
Instrumental - Galaxy 500

Hey, that was fun! Thanks (e:Jenks) !

Stopped for a taco snack today on Market Street - panhandler central. The guy out front was doing his best to look down and out, but it was hard to take his "Broke, Hungry, Please help" sign seriously, especially since he flipped it over to "Need A Girlfriend!" whenever a girl walked by, haha.

I can't believe Halloween AND (e:Paul) will be here in less than two weeks! We are talking about two of my favorite things in the world AT THE SAME TIME! How crazy is that?

Oh ya, Paul, I reviewed the Halloween paraphernalia I've collected so far, and we could easily go as a roving rave if we want to mix it up. Especially when I get my battery operated disco ball motor. Which I need because I don't have a ceiling fan here, so how else can I get the flying bats in the belfry effect? I hope it works - seems like it should.

I was really hoping there'd be a good show at the Fillmore while (e:Paul) is here. It's an amazing venue, and it's cool to see the posters of all the previous shows since the '60s. And if you're lucky, you'll get a poster for that night's show on your way out. The Cramps are playing their usual Halloween show. I saw them in Boston way back when. Not sure if you'd be into them, but they're very appropriate for Halloween. The only shows I specifically remember seeing on Halloween were The Damned, and Human Sexual Response. OMG! That was a great show. I love HSR! Hit "play" on my usersound to see why.

Anyway, if we did go, and happened to get posters, the 1998 Cramps concert poster is now going for $48. So that could be a good investment! haha.

In any case, they haven't listed all the shows for the week you're here yet. And Marianne Faithful cancelled for Nov. 3, so depending on who they put in that slot, it could be a possibility. Although I did kind of have my heart set on Scissors for Lefty at The Rickshaw stop that night. If you were here right now we could see Yo La Tengo (at the Fillmore tonight through Saturday), and go to the Lower Haight block party and the Clarion Alley block party, both on Sunday. Oh wait, you're leaving on Sunday! But you haven't even gotten here yet!

I found myself back at CoolNeon today picking up my order of techno strobes (always good to have a few on hand this time of year). It's been a year and a half since the last time I was there [inlink]twisted,139[/inlink] to pick up my naked skaters card from one of the naked skaters himself. Small world! Even smaller, when I walked through the door today, they said, "Hi Lisa!" They actually remembered me! I really should look into joining the midnight rollers now that I live in the city.

As usual, I'm not sure what to make of this. I met Mr. Coffee for [inlink]twisted,447[/inlink] movie night in Dolores Park last Thursday. He wasn't as hard to take in person as I feared. You might need a decoder ring [inlink]twisted,438[/inlink] to figure out his emails, but he was actually pretty easy to talk to. Despite the fact that approximately 5 minutes into the conversation he asked me if I was a "brainiac." WTF? No, I'm not a "brainiac." I might think a lot, but I'm not a brainiac. "What do you think about?" "Everything." "You're a brainiac." FUCK YOU TOO!

Anyway, I really don't know what he means by brainiac, so I'm not sure if I should be offended. Besides, it was so off-hand, I gotta give him credit for taking a stab at whatever his impression of me might have been. Still. Where does brainiac come from?

I may be a little sensitive about it since it immediately brought back the memory of 6th grade when the other kids called me "the brain." They also called me "Jeannie" since I sometimes wore my hair in a high ponytail and must have vaguely resembled Barbara Eden at the time. A resemblance that has long since worn off unfortunately. But the brain? That's got to be a crazy coincidence, right?

The reason they called me that in 6th grade was because I read all the time (another trait that has sadly worn off). I wasn't reading when I met Mr. Coffee, but I was characteristically reserved. I think that's where the brainiac thing comes from. Which is completely ridiculous. Since when does quiet = smart? Makes more sense to assume quiet = stupid. Or quiet = boring. It's nice that he gave me the benefit of the doubt, but I'm still kind of floored by it.

I guess I'm just not motivated by some things the way most people are. It's a curse really, since the world operates on a fairly standard approval system, which I understand and can appreciate, but is still foreign to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally thankful for it - the world would be a quiet and boring place otherwise. Maybe it's just that my timing is just off - I need a 5-second delay. Somehow I've managed to work around it all my life.

I remember being with my parents at a parent/teacher open house in junior high school. My social studies teacher was bitching about what a lousy student I was. My parents listened politely until he was finished. Without missing a beat, Mom summed up her reply: "she's a good student when she's motivated." Zing!! Way to go Mom!

Anyway, I could say a lot more on this topic, but here's an article from The Atlantic that really sums it up for me. If you ever wondered why some people are "unnaturally" quiet, this might be of interest to you. Or there's always the stupid / boring theory, haha.

(Usersound compliments of Mr. Coffee's band. Yeah, everyone is a performance artist out here. Hell, finding a parking space in this town is performance art!)

Movie night at the park was fun. I haven't seen The Graduate since I moved here. Interesting how much more tuned in I am to the location now that I live here.

Not that I can compete with 2 feet of snow and 300,000 homes without power, but my Friday the 13th was kind of weird too. Arrived for my last day of work, and 15 minutes later get a phone call from Brenda. When she started her car, it went haywire and the lights started flashing, horn started honking, CD ejected. Not something you hope for on a good day, but certainly not first thing in the morning in an enclosed garage. Luckily, she figured out locking the doors turned everything off. So I swung by and picked her up and we made our own private carpool to Milipitas, CA for our farewell lunch.

Funny thing is, when I emailed my family about the company's farewell plans, turns out my brother's company is also planning a "corporate event" at Dave & Busters in NYC on November 4th. (e:flacidness) - if you're working that day, you'll have to look out for them.

Word to the wise: I think I sprained my thumb on this damn rollerball game. Do NOT pick San Francisco for your location! Freakin' hills!

Since this corporate event did not sponsor alcohol, we had no choice but to take the after party to the tiki-lounge in Alameda, where mai tai's were on special. So I had four, which is a lot for me. Although I remember the days when I'd have two at lunch-time. Ironically, that was when I worked at the New England Journal of Medicine. Ha!

After my fourth I decided I'd better head across the Bay since I was supposed to meet Stevil for a show at the Elbow Room. Walked outside and was confronted with the surreal scene of a friend who was coming there to meet us filling out a police report. A biker rammed into her car while she was waiting to pull into a spot. The biker broke his leg and had to be taken to the hospital. Needless to say, she was pretty shook up, but handling it well. After contributing what moral support I could, going back inside to let everyone know what was going on, deciding another mai tai might not be in order, given the cop outside, I finally fled the scene with visions of flashing lights dancing in my head.

Found a great parking close to home (not easy on a Friday night), and grabbed my few personal possessions from work (tampons and soy sauce) from my car. Between locking the car and switching hands, the bag fell out of my hand and smashed into a million pieces. Wasted approximately 5 seconds wondering whether to salvage soy sauce infused tampons. The answer is no.

I decided with all the weridness already that day, I'd better sit tight at home. So I cancelled on Stevil. Oh yeah! I forgot to mention. I think I did tell you how every time Stevil & I have gone out so far, something has gone wrong for one or the other of us? Well, the last time, I got stopped on the way home from Mission of Burma because my headlight was out. The stupid thing out here is, when you get a fix-it ticket, you have to get the problem fixed in so many days, get it verified by a cop, then appear in COURT to get your violation stamped, and pay a $10 compliance fee! WTF! So anyway, with that experience still fresh in my mind and everything thing else that day, I decided a date with Stevil on Friday the 13th might not be a good idea.

p.s. - It took me three tries to finally finish this post. I think if I'd written the whole thing at once I would have been bored long before it was finished, haha.