People:
1. How did you find out about/why did you become [a member of] of estrip?
(e:j3sse) . Although (e:Paul) convinced me it was ok for me to join. (author's note: haha paul! no editorializing.)

2. How "out" are you about having a publicly accessible online journal. Do your friends know? Does your family know? Do your co-workers know? Does your boss know? Do you use your real name? Do you use your real photo?
I finally came out of the closet when a:link was born, so now everybody knows. But for most of them it's like "haven't you moved on by now?" They may have a point.

3. How many epeeps have you met [in] real life?
A handful on my one trip to b'lo and (e:Ajay) when he moved out here.

4. How has estrip changed the way that you meet people, on and/or off line?
That is a subject for an entire post.

5. How has estrip affected you[r] love life?
What love live? (Ha!)

6. How many of your friends have joined estrip because of your influence?
Go ahead and rub it in. Hey, I'm the only fucking one out here and I tried my best.

7. Are you from Buffalo/do you live in Buffalo?
No/No. See Q.#1.

Equipment:
1. What type of hardware or software purchases have you made as a result of using estrip?
I can't answer that. The West Coast investors wish to remain anonymous.

2. Have you used the mobile version of estrip? Why or why not?
I LOVE posting from my cell. I can't browse from there though.

Lifestyle:
1. In what way has estrip changed your Internet surfings habits? Describe the amount of time you spend on estrip, when you use it and about how long?
I plead the 5th.

1a. How many journals do you usually read per day?
All. Eventually. Although sometimes I skim.

2. In what ways has estrip changed the way you perceive your local community?
That is another subject for an entire post. I don't know if I would have gotten so hooked on (e:strip) if I had been living in SF instead of Alameda when I first discovered it.

3. How has journaling about your life affected the way you spend your free time?
Pass.

4. Has estrip changed your living situation in any way?
In ways you couldn't possibly imagine, and I couldn't possibly explain.

5. Do you find that you mediate/document more of your experiences now that you share them with others?
Yes.

6. Has publishing on estrip affected the way that [you] write?
Prolly. ;-)

7. Do you have other online journals? If so, with what service and has estrip affected your usage of that journal?
No.

8. Have you ever gotten in trouble for using estrip at work?
I wish!

9. If you have stopped using estrip, why?
Keep trying to. Haven't been sucessful yet.

For reasons I don't want to go into, I find myself reviewing my real estate closing documents. This standard disclaimer in the California Statewide Buyer and Seller Advisory just caught my eye:

Item 22. Errant Golf Balls:

Buyer and Seller are advised that if the Property is located adjacent to or near a golf course there is a possibility that golf balls may damage the Property or injure persons or pets on it, as well as the possibility that persons playing golf may enter the Property to retrieve errant golf balls or for other purposes. Broker recommends that buyer investigates this possbility during Buyer's contingency period. Brokers do not have expertise in this area.

Some day I'll post about the Red Eyed frog habitat contingency.

This dog-sitting gig is funny. Jack and Margaret picked me because they wanted someone willing to snuggle with their dog in bed. And Margaret says Brodie likes to go into town, but sometimes he's too tired to walk back, so it's better to drive him. I'm thinking, are you looking for a pet-sitter? Or an escort service?

Anyways, while I'm in Alameda I get free home-cooked dinners with B&K almost every night, so I can't complain. Tonight is jambalaya, followed by a soak in the hot tub. Why did I leave Alameda again?

Oh, but back to the title of my post. I have to take Brodie out to check his pee-mail on a regular basis. He doesn't seem very discriminating about what offerings he sniffs, but he sure as hell is judicious about where he leaves his own reply. I wish I knew the story behind all of that.

My life has totally gone to the dogs. Brodie this week, while his Mommie and Poppie are in Italy. And Maggie the following three weeks, while her Mommies are in Germany. Maybe I need to take a vacation myself so I'm not so available.

My brother got a summer job in San Jose. He arrives next Friday and starts the following Monday. Anybody know of a good summer sublet in the San Jose area?

And I probably already told you this, but my ex arrives next Saturday for a week. If my user images weren't broken on a:link I could show you, but the "art installation" (quotations mine - as an outsider I may roll my eyes a bit, although maybe I'm just jealous) he and his friends did at Burning Man last year is getting a second showing in SF. So he's coming out for that and to plan for this year's extravaganza.

Re: Batman

This is really an AP story, but I read it in the Chron, so here's the link:

URL:

Re: Nymphomaid (e:Metalpeter,653)

Not sure what this is worth, but my co-contractor, Steve, is a 38-year-old not-much-to-write-home-about in the looks department, but still very interesting guy. Oh! But did I mention he's a DJ? And apparently SF is full of 18+ DJ groupie wannabes, not to mention fresh off the boat clueless but beautiful underage girls looking to latch on to someone. Well, I get to hear the stories every day. I offered him the keys to my place in the city for tonight's date. He DJ'd last Friday, and an under 20 Asian "girl" (they're all girls to him, but this one really is a girl) latched on to him. Luckily he was with a couple friends who speak Japanese, so he actually got set up with her, even though she's only been here 5 months and knows approximately 5 words in English. Although it turns out she has a twin sister. I wish I could remember their names, because they're so damn cute you just want to commit hari kari thinking about it.

So tonight he's taking one (or maybe both) of them out for Chicago style pizza in my neighborhood. I can't wait to hear this story tomorrow.

I might have to quit this site. These California people posting all the time are getting on my nerves. Oops, never mind. ;-)

I'll make this quick. Tried to post last weekend but gave up after technical difficulties. Now it's a freakin' mission.

Saw some fireworks sponsored by a local radio station from an amazing vantage point last Saturday. We took a boat across the Bay from Berkeley.


Also a good vantage point to see the new earthquake-resistant eastern span of the Bay bridge, in progress.


Somehow my camera got set to B&W mode. Oops.


The fireworks actually were in color.

Met some friends for a picnic at Bakers Beach the next day -- which turned out to be a picture perfect beach day. We don't get many of those here. It may not get cold in the Winter, but it also doesn't get hot that often in the Summer. Last Sunday was hot.



Plus, I had my first craigslist sighting! I know it's not as exciting as an (e:peep) sighting, but it's all I can reasonably expect. I recognized this guy at the picnic who always posts his picture on his ad. I couldn't remember his ad (or why I remember it but never responded to it) so I didn't bring it up with him. Although he was cute, and seemed nice, and he went out of his way to get an introduction to me, and brought up how hard it is to meet people to date in the Bay Area. Yeah, maybe I blew it. We'll see what I think when I find his post again. At least now I know he looks just like his picture, haha.

Then today more than 75,000 mostly costumed (or au naturel) participants surged past my block in the 95th annual Bay to Breakers 12k race.


View from my front steps


And up the block at Alamo Square


Closer up


The stragglers and the street cleaning crew, turning donuts at each intersection.

It's pretty much a 7.5 mile block party, where everyone who lives along the route hangs out their windows, fire escapes, roofs, front porch, blaring whatever music they think is the appropriate accompaniment. And toss treats the naked people running by. Kind of like Mardi Gras.

Although even the mayor complained there weren't enough naked people this year. I couldn't help noticing that too. Still interesting to check out the pix.