Thanks, (e:southernyankee). Keep up the [inlink]southernyankee,109[/inlink]great stories, with or without pix. I love exploring new cities, and seeing DC through your eyes. estrip should have a roving reporter in every town.

I've been incommunicado for 14 hours now, so this may be outdated. But there's now a reciprocal site to our national confessional[inlink]lisa,156[/inlink]. We are not alone.

Please accept my apologies if I'm not making any sense.

(overheard on BART)

1st homeless guy: "can anybody spare 75 cents? any spare change?"
2nd homeless guy: "hey dude, stop doing that. you're giving homeless people a black eye doing that."
1st guy looks nonplussed, says nothing.
2nd guy: "dude, you're giving homeless people a black eye doing that. don't do it!"
1st guy: "did you already ask them for change?"
2nd guy: "dude, don't do it! you don't bother people on the train! you're giving homeless people a black eye doing that."
1st guy: "but I don't have anywhere to live."
2nd guy: "I'm just as homeless as you are, dude. you have to try harder. I'm only going to tell you one more time. don't bother people on the train!"
1st guy, (after pause): "all right, I'll stop."
2nd guy: "don't stop, dude. just don't do it!"
1st guy: "all right. I won't do it."

(other scenes from my brief trip to SF)


Global Exchange offices


As long as I'm in the Mission I'd better pick up some more veggies. Anybody know how to prepare cactus?

I have to move back to the city.

at the farmers' market







Biked back along the beach and stopped for a sip at the water fountain.

Weekly phone call with Dad. They're on their way to Augusta with bikes strapped to the bike rack (last year's "big" xmas present) to bike along the canal. I think this was just a not-so-subtle way to remind me of his one-item list for this year -- a weather station like the one his cousin in Germany has. Preferably in English since Dad's German isn't that good.

For someone who never used to abide by "the list" Dad certainly has embraced it now. I'm not sure how I feel about the whole Christmas gift registry concept myself. I never go by the list either. Although the one big ticket item per person thing could work. Then maybe I could get the digital camera I really want. On the other hand, maybe we should all just be "allowed" to buy ourselves whatever it is we want for Christmas. Seems a whole helluva lot easier and more likely to be successful. Yeah, that's not going to fly.

Dad would have loved the martini party last night. At least they got to meet everybody at the August pot-luck BBQ at Brenda & Kathy's.

My 7-year-old nephew sent me this joke:
Where can you dance in California?
San Frandisco!

...before you start spilling your guts about things you aren't ready to spill yet? I would say five. I left after four. My friends already have enough ammunition on me.


Norm mixing my 1st martini / Kathy and Candy


The beautiful people


Mary, my dance partner for the evening / Sam & Justin


I could explain this, but some things are best left to the imagination


Yep. The party's in here guys.


bling close-up / self-portrait attempt

Earrings, wrap and boa scarf were big hits. Don't get much chance to wear those any more. I used to wear the earrings to work, and made that scarf for "Boa Fridays." Good times. I suppose I could still have"'Boa Fridays" but since I work at home alone, seems kind of pretentious.