Is it just me, or am I sensing a theme for the week...

You're the United Nations!

Most people think you're ineffective, but you are trying to completely save the world from itself, so there's always going to be a long way to go. You're always the one trying to get friends to talk to each other, enemies to talk to each other, anyone who can to just talk instead of beating each other about the head and torso. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, and you get very schizophrenic as a result. But your heart is in the right place, and sometimes also in New York.
Take the Country Quiz at the Blue Pyramid

Pleasant surprise

The daily morning email check brought me a great surprise today.
Thanks to Gill for picking me as her blog-of-the-day!

I'm NOT the only one

...who gets random songs stuck in their head. For no reason whatsoever.

Witness This Fish's April 27th entry "sing a happy song".

I'm so glad I'm not the only one!!

"From my point of view," said the polyglot, "it is open to many different interpretations."

AZ and I went to see "The Interpreter" last night. I loved it (big shocker). Great film, with only a few lines that are too cheesy to be reprinted, even in this blog.

Love Sean Penn. Great in his usual on-the-brink-of-falling apart-but-must-plow-on-and-get-the-job-done-dramafest-intense-gazing-prodding-eyeballs-etc

Nicole K - love her. Strong-smart-but-in-over-her-head-with-cool-nationality-mix-and-determination-for-justice-and-peace-and-also-plays-the-flute.

And, of course, this movie made me want to drop everything and go work at the UN. Or really, just bolstered me on in the pursuit of learning languages and studying culture. Yes, they also help me in singing. (It's very frustrating to have to sing something, without really knowing what you are saying. And don't even get me started on trying to translate a language when you don't even know rudimentary grammar. Practically impossible).
And yet, it goes deeper than that for me, and always has. It's that 25-years tug-of-war that continues in my brain, my heart, my gut, between music and language. I've written about this before (see October 21st), and it is something that waxes and wanes. It is a skirmish (not quite a full-scale battle) that I have to keep in check. I don't know yet how to reconcile the two parts...we'll see. I'll keep you "posted".
As for now, I've started taking Spanish classes, which I love despite the fact that half my answers come out in Italian. Ack.

AA for cell phone users

"Wherever your business takes you, count on more bars in more places."



Was this tag line for Cingular conceived during a night of heavy drinking, or what?

how to meet people in the city

At work we are in the process of going through stacks of resumes. Stacks and stacks and stacks which I go through because I am the Administrative Assistant and that is my job.

It's actually rather fascinating.

If there were no ethical reprecussions, I would totally cull some of these for my personal file. Some of these people look - at least 'on paper' - soo interesting! I just want to meet them, and ask them about their life experiences.

It's like dangling a carrot in front of bugs bunny, you know?

SO, here's my thought. Call it an idea for social change (albeit, a tongue-in-cheek one). You know we all carry around business cards, right? To hand out when we meet someone interesting, either for business or pleasure. Why not just carry around extra copies of a resume to hand out as well? That way, you know some background on the person, and could really decide whether or not you wanna go have coffee/drinks/dinner/business lunch. This would practically eliminate the need for smalltalk, and would give you some great conversation-starters.

I'm just suggesting....

How to enjoy a Tuesday night

5:00 - 6:00 Spanish lessons in the Mission with Carrrrrlos.

6:00 - 6:25 Drive down 101 (yes, fun!) listening to drumming music.

6:30 - 7:00 Hear about AZ's crazy weekend in Seattle, while going back UP 101.

7:00 - 7:25 Head back toward the mission with AZ.

7:25 - 7:33 Circle. Look for parking. Repeat as necessary.

7:33 - 7:35 Find a spot. Parallel. 1/2 a block from destination (MCCLAA)!

7:40 - 8:45 Salsa class with AZ, J'aime [sic], Adonai (yes) et al!

8:45 - 9:00 Drive down Mission. Find *sweet* parking for dinner at...

9:00 - 9:45 ...Baobab restaurant. Drink "rose" (vodka, ginger and cranberry).

9:45 - 9:55 Double back down Mission to Mitchells.

9:55 - 10:05 Enter, taste and order ice cream. Notice the LACK of line!

10:05 - 10:30 Drive down Guerrero, Fell and Lincoln all the way to AZ's. See large, red, London-style double decker bus coming through Golden Gate Park.

10:30 - 10:45 Head home.

Thanks AZ, for a fun Tuesday night!!

April fool, part II

I would like to comment on the previous post. That post was written BEFORE I saw my ex for the first time since we broke up. I was nervous about it, I think.

I don't know if any of you have been in the situation of being friends with an ex. I'm told it's rare. It's kinda nice - if not a little surreal.

We're now just playing games with each other.

And, of course, I mean that literally. I kicked his ass in Trivial Pursuit over at Albatross, and he kicked mine in scrabble. We have a rematch/tiebreaker scheduled for the near future sometime.
----------------
ETC.

-I would like to point out that when spellchecking my last post, the word "blog" came up as unknown to the blogger [natch] spellchecker. Now THERE'S a proper use of irony for ya, Alanis...

-Spent an enjoyable couple hours at the Red Devil Lounge last night, hearing M.O.V.E.. They are the bomb, check out their site.

-I bought a t-shirt with Johnny Depps' picture on it. Rock on.

April fool

So I notice it's been awhile. I've even emailed myself (more than once, mind you) with things to blog about over the last two weeks. I've just not had any time!
-------------

Here is something I wrote on March 28th, unedited and posted here for posterity:

"The bottom line? Don't deny your feelings; deal with them. Attraction is a megawatt force that can sweep away your good sense, and even your values. That's why you need to respect how powerful chemistry truly is, and work as hard as you can to avoid letting your physical desires unravel your life."
The above was taken from this article

So, i happened upon this in an MSN women article on line today, and it just struck me.....b/c i know exactly what it means. For a long time, i thought i wasn't prone to this -- i mean, c'mon how stupid is that?
maybe i just didn't believe in something so powerful as just unbridled animal attraction -- all that talk of pheromones and stuff? you know....

a few posts ago, i let loose a torrent of french. towards the end i said (for those who can't read french -- and even if you can, it was written hastily and full of errors!) "that my head, heart, body and soul were all in a war against each other". a feeling that i have felt, perhaps, before in my life, but just not quite so strongly as at that particular moment.

in romans, paul often writes that he knows what is right --he KNOWS it, and yet, he continues to do what he does not want to do. the flesh and the spirit are opposing forces. Obiviously, the applies to the statement from the MSN article -- how, when left unchecked, physical desires can indeed unravel your life. isn't it amazing how people are wired? highly intelligent, rational beings with the capacity for greatness, genius and discovery....and yet we are completely susceptible to dissolving into piles of mush when the right person just even glances at us. crazy. and fun. a lot of the fun in life stems from the chemistry you have with others (and not just sexual chemsitry, either)....

anywho. I'm with Paul AND the article. i know that "working as hard as i can" not to let my physical nature win me over will never be enough. i will never, ever be able to work hard enough. i know myself too well to claim that. So, I will call on G's help for this. it is through His strength only. "Therefore, be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." Rom. 12.

Detail

I forgot to mention that my friend Ayelet and her husband have a large, blue hookah on their back patio. Awesome. It makes me think of the opening song in "Aladdin" --


"combination hookah and coffee maker! also makes julien fries..."

when worlds collide

bollywood meets hollywood for a thoroughly delightful 2 hour comedy in the film "bride and prejudice".

truly a great film. very fun and funny and makes you wanna dance. go see it, people.

also, finally watched "i heart huckabees". very interesting and thought provoking in some ways. i wanna watch it again....

l'enfer, c'est les autres

Je sais pas ou commencer, sauf que je ne savais pas que quand qq'un dans ma vie trouve qq'un autre -- je ne savais pas que tout cela me couper comme ca. Je me sens mal a l'estomac, mais, a la meme fois, je sais que c'est bete ca. J'ai aucun droit d'avoir envie de qq'un qui, en tous cas, je dois pas avoir un certain type de rapport. bon....alors pourkoi me sens-je comme ca? comme qq'un m'a battee?? c'est stupide. peut-etre c la malediction d'etre feminin. nous n'avons pas la capacite d'etre 'separee' de nos sentiments. pfff...j'ai pensee que j'etais differente, que moi, j'avais un coeur ou un esprit de pierre ou de fer. mais. c'est pas vrai.
et en plus, je le savais. je suis une creature SI sensible...des que l'enfance. ma duh!

mon dieu...qu'est que j'avais fait? quelle 'drogue' avais pris-je? tout cela ne m'aide pas comme enfant de dieu (ou bien, peut-etre oui..), mais ... en tout cas je sais que l'artiste en moi se profitera bien de cette experience. le pire est la guerre qui se continue entre mon esprit, ma tete, mon corps et mon coeur. C'etait presque finit (j'ai pensait...) avant ce soir!! Mais, avec les merveilles de la technologie moderne, ca recommence un peu. helas. "le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connais pas".
NB: j'ai tire le titre de cette post du 'huit clos' par sartre, parce que j'ai regarde aujourd'hui un film tres existentiel. selon moi, le but du film etait le sentiment que l'enfer, c'est les autres....

This post has been a long time coming....

I've had so many fun, crazy, and even odd experiences this week that I've wanted to write about. But I haven't had a chance until today! This week has just contributed to my "why I LOVE living in the Bay Area" attitude.

Sunday, March 13
I had my first Philly Cheese Steak today. Well, okay, technically it was chicken, but it was really good. Then, went to Mitchells for the best ice cream in SF with AZ, Alexis and Ashley. mmmmmmmmm.

Tuesday, March 15
Went to Berkeley for a Persian festival to celebrate Persian New Year's (which was actually this morning around 4:33am). There was music, dancing, and even jumping over fire. Then, afterwards, went the Kiki and some of her family to Jupiter for drinks and hearing live jazz. This trio was great -- hadn't heard good live jazz in a while. We also have a sip of vodka from the bottle that was snuck into the restaurant.

Wednesday, March 16
Salsa class at Social Salsa. Having SO much fun learning this. I know I'm killin' AZ with all this dancing craze -- but she did express that she appreciates my "exploring her culture..." (were those your words? :P heee hee.

Thursday, March 17 *St. Paddy's*
Up brignt and early to take the aforementioned best friend to SFO. On the way, manage to get the song "yeah, yeah....." stuck in my head. Awesome.
After catching a quick nap, head to El Sobrante for breakfast with my friend Ayelet. We eat some traditional Israeli food (can't remember the name) that was delish! Head to Oakland for a lesson and then San Rafael to meet Tyler for the rest of the afternoon. We trek up to Sonoma for some wine and general merriment.
It was a gorgeous day.
Later that night, head out to The Irish House for holiday festivities. Wear my Guinness shirt and socks(!) and there is more merriment, dancing, and Guinness-drinking. San Franciscans love to celebrate!

Friday, March 18th
Had the odd experience of being the ONLY passanger on a Muni bus for 15 minutes. I had my own private bus - down MARKET street, even. The #7 just didn't have that many takers. Eventually, we had up to 8 riders. Strange, as that morning we were so crowded you couldn't even turn around.
After work I crash, but then decide to head to The Independent (just down the street) for a concert to see one of my favorite bands, Berkeley locals O-maya. They brought with them Brazuca Brown (Brazillian!) and Bayonics (latin/hip hop fusion) as their openers. MAN was it a hot concert. Dancing, and yes, even more merriment! I love this venue, too. It's a great, not-to-big space. I was in the front all night. I could've joined in on the timbales had I wanted to. I was that close.

Saturday, March 19th
To San Jose to go to Great America with the queen! Her work sponsored a private event there and we had the park to ourselves. We didn't even get rained on! The best roller coster, by far, was Top-Gun. Smooth, fast and thrill-seeking without the whiplash. The least enjoyable was the stand-up roller coaster. This coaster had awful, unconfortable banana-seat things (feel sorry for the men who ride it!) and was extremeley jerky. Not worth it.

For Saturday night I had tried to recruit my people to head out to Cocomo with me, but there weren't any takers, barring one of the guys from my Wednesday night class. We had a lot of fun and danced for 4 hours, staying to shut down the club. And, I think I finally figured out the shoe situation, so I can avoid blisters! I'm glad E met me there ('cause it would be weird to go totally alone - as a girl), but I think he was hoping for a little more than dancing. Flattering as it is, I'm just not feelin' it....)

It's now Sunday afternoon, and as I write, I'm being serenaded by several different things. One: NCAA basketball on the TV (oh yes, I'm BITTER) and the improv piano stylings of my roommates' 8-year old brother, who's been crashing here for the weekend. It's really cool to see the two of them together. R was super excited that his bro was coming up from NC, and just watching them, I can see that he is his younger brother's hero. What a trip.

Those of you who know me

might be surprised to learn that my inner 'gangsta' came out to play tonight.

Well, okay, so I'm not a gangsta (by ANY stretch of the imagination) but I DID give a damn good rendition of Coolio's Gangsta's Paradise at tonights Karaoke-fest.

When that song dropped, I bought the single on cas-SETTE, man. I played that tape over and over and over and over until I knew it cold. Before tonight, it'd probably been 10 years since I heard that song, but it came back in a flash.

Good times, ya'll....

If Sir Mix-a-lot lived in Calistoga Springs

I
like
mud
baths and I cannot lie
You other folks can't deny
When you're sinking in
to the hot muddy paste
A cool towel on your face
You'll look young-
er than you're lookin' now
and your friends will all say 'wow'..............

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm gonna stop now before I get out of control. I could totally be a rapper, don't you think?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The queen and I went to Calistoga yesterday. First, it was beautiful up there, and NOT crowded at all (hello, off season)! Second, we actually did do the mud bath thing. It's pretty gross, but in a cool trippy way. You're like suspended in this mud mixture. But it does make your skin oh so soft. This is followed by a hose down, jacuzzi, warm blanket wrap and a massage.
Then, we went wine tasting. The ultimate relaxing day. You MUST try it.
Check out Golden Haven Spa. Off season rates are spectacular, and well worth it!

Hang Ten, dude

Everyday from 9-10 am and again at various times throughout the day, you can find me practicing a new sport.

I call it Urban Surfing.

No water, board, wetsuit nor swimsuit required.

What you DO need:
-briefcase or large bag
-iPod with headphones (or, in my case, slightly beat-up discman)
-MUNI pass
-Flat shoes (beginner); high heels (pro)
-crowded express bus (or street car, train, trolley)
-San Francisco Hills

The trick is keeping the knees soft and keeping balanced while being hurled down California street at breakneck speeds during the rush hour commute. When the driver decides to slam on the brakes behind a double parked car, you better hope you've trained enough not to fall over and take out your neighbors with a gnarly domino-effect topple. Not as easy as it appears to be.

Happy Surfing!

Imagine my pleasant surprise

when my flourescent-light induced headache was suddenly lifted as I paced the aisles of Office Max. What was this miraculous cure, you ask?

"Aruba, Jamaica, oooh I wanna take you......."


Oh, yes. It really was on the loudspeaker. And there WAS much merriment.

Brian Wilson said it best:

Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I wanna take you to
Bermuda, Bahamas, C'mon pretty mama.
Key Largo, Montego, Baby why don't we go down to Kokomo
We'll get there fast and then we'll take it slow...
That's where you wanna go: way down to Kokomo

I have always loved that song. I went through an intense Beach Boys/oldies phase in elementary school, and that was one of my favorites! I still jam out to it today if I ever happen upon it on the radio.

But, I digress. The kokomo in question here shall thus be renamed Cafe Cocomo. As evidenced in more one recent post, my February shall thus be renamed "Salsarary." (Unless you're AZ, then it can stay Red February).

I just wanted to describe my first encounter at the famed Cafe Cocomo.

My friend from Berkeley Opera and SFCM, Fabs, and I finally arrived (see yesterday's entry) at Cocomo around 9pm, just as the intermediate class was ending. We grabbed a drink, found a place to sit just off of the dance floor, and waited for the DJ (Chata Gutierrez!) to get the crowd going. It wasn't too terribly crowded, yet.

Let me set the stage for you: there are two of us, single, not-unattractive women waiting to dance. One of us (me) has limited salsa experience, but is eager in spirit and has plenty of rhythm. Plus, am boosted by a certain someone's comment (you know who you are) that I am not 'hopeless' when it comes to salsa. Then there is Fabs, who used to compete professionally as a Latin dancer. Yeah. She knows her s*#t, man! I did get to dance Saturday night, but really, I wouldn't have called the night a waste if I had just sat and watched her dance with some of the excellent leaders there---they were just that good.

The evening proceeded with a little caution, much fun, and, of course, various dance partners. Oh salsero, salsero, let me count thy ways . . .

1. Young black male. Totally inexperienced leader. It was the blind leading the blind. But we both had fun just trying it out. An non-threatening way to wade into the salsa-ery waters. We would dance a couple more times throughout the evening.
2. Cue Miguel. Fortunately, he was a decent dancer - and not many levels beyond myself. Unfortunately, he was eye level with my 'girls.' (Well, maybe not unfortunate for him, but it sure makes turns a little difficult). As an added bonus, he tells me he plays the pan flute.
3. After some egging from Fabs, I ask a tall (!) Latin man to dance. He was a really good dancer, and a great leader. I just felt bad that I didn't know enough to follow him very well. But he was very patient, kind, and explained some things to me. I must admit, however, that my merengue wasn't too shabby. Later on in the evening, he asked me dance again, checking to see what I'd learned so far.
4. Bald white dude, Sam. Told me I should've come earlier for the lesson, but that I wasn't doing too badly. Showed me some more moves and led well, but had really bad BO.
5. Suave black man. Asked me to dance, and was (again) not too upset that I was a beginner. He was just showing off, though, in his leading. All over the place -- more Cuban style, too.

All in all, I learned enough to know that I need to know more to have the confidence to really get out there and do it (and not feel bad when asked/asking to dance). HA! But, it was SO MUCH FUN!!!!! Tonight, I went to a beginners' salsa class. It was fun, and I am going to stick with this and see what I can learn. Keep an eye out for more salsa-craziness!

What a difference a day makes

LOVE that song! But what I really mean is TGIPresidents' Day. I was thankful for the morning to sleep in (even the phone ringing at 8:30 this morning did not keep me from staying in bed until 10). Yay!

It was a crazy weekend spent driving all over the bay. And, somewhat unnaturally, getting lost almost every time I hit the road. I blame a certain online map making site.

Incident one was Saturday morning. It was raining and gross. I had to be in Oakland for a competition at 10:30. I basically knew where I was going, but I printed out directions, just in case. I follow the directions and end up in some canyon in Piedmont. Despite its magnificent beauty and lush vegetation, it was not the Mount Zion Lutheran Church off of Park Boulevard. I see an old man walking his dog, so I roll down my window to say, "Excuse me, can you help me? I am in the wrong place." He looks at me -- all big red lips, diva hair and sparkling earrings -- and says, "You sure are." Classic. He points me in the right direction and the day continues.

Fast forward to incident two, on Saturday night. Still raining. After a much needed and fun afternoon with Bettina and the Queen, Fabs and I head to Cafe Cocomo to get our salsa on. Fabs brought internet directions with her. Those of you who have ever been to Cocomo know that it is in a middle-of-nowhere industrial part of SF, nearish Potrero. There are no street lights here. After asking ourselves "Was THAT Indiana street?" and doing a U-turn or two, we finally made it. GREAT night of dancing, but that's another blog.

The third incident was Sunday afternoon. On our way to catch West Bay Opera's production of Lucia di Lammermoor, SW brings out the directions she got online. However, they are not to the right place. ALAS. We make our way, eventually, to the theater. I must say that this production was amazing. Beautifully sung and incredibly powerful all around.

Now I am at home, and not planning on getting lost on my next trek (down to the supermarket). If you don't hear from me in a week, send out a search party!

Why I love MUNI

I know, I know. There are several reasons why San Franciscans tend to curse MUNI, and complain and whine and so on an so forth. Having lived here for almost 4 years, one would think I would know MUNI better. But before I started commuting via MUNI last week, I really didn't.

Sure, I was grateful for MUNI when going to the ball park, the library or the beach. Even the occaisonal trek to the movies. But I was a tourist. I drove. I still do, drive, but not nearly as much.

So why do I love MUNI? Because I get to read, don't stress out about the crazy SF drivers, and can just sit back and observe.
And boy howdy, there have been things to observe. Here is a list. Most are from MUNI, but I've thrown a few non-MUNI ones in as well.

• Middle school kids are LOUD. No one else on MUNI speaks to one another. Ever.
  First, it was a trio of middle school girls, just out of class. They would shreik every time the lights flashed. Shrieked every time they said the name of (I'm assuming) their crush. LOUD. Next, a gaggle of middle school boys, talking very rapidly in a combination of english, spanish, and pubuescent voice cracks - all punctuated with the bounce of a basketball. LOUD. The MUNI driver shushed them (but not, curiously enough, the girls!) They quieted down until they disembarked, when they went out of their way to annoy the driver, who retorted "HEY, I remember faces, guys." Whoa dude, *scary*. It was quite funny; the rest of my fellow passangers and I were totally (if silently) cheering for the boys.
  
• This morning, as I exited the trolly car, so did three guys. They RAN FULL OUT across the street and down the sidewalk and jumped into some bushes. WHAT? As I walked by, I noticed that the bushes concealed the backdoor to a restaurant. I glanced at my watch. 9:01. They had *just* made it!
  
• My job is located very close to the base of telegraph hill -- under Coit tower. About 3/4 of the way up the hill is a large house. One morning last week I saw the garbage man (waste management specialist, for your PC'ers) descending the stairs. He was about half-way down, and was dragging behind him a rather full recyling bin. Felt bad for the guy, but at least on the way back up the bins are empty.
  
• Because I ride the trolly, not just the normal express buses and so-forth, I get to see a lot of tourists. I love it. I love trying to guess where they are from--before hearing them talk--based on their clothes, accessories (fanny pack? backpack? man purse?) and attitudes. Some might say this makes me judgemental and stereotyping. I prefer to think of it as honing my skills of observation for when I start up my own PI firm. Besides, I appreciate these tourists, and empathize with them. As a traveler, I am familiar with the adrenaline rush that accompanies riding foreign public transportation: a curious mix of trepidation ("Did I miss the stop"), curiousity ("what's that?") , excitement ("Can't wait to get there!) and frustration ("What kind of ticket do I need and why do I have a pocket full of useless centimes ?!!?"). Always an adventure.
  
• Normal MUNI-ite activities: reading, staring, listening to music, sleeping, drooling, foot tapping, talking to oneself (special circumstances), continuous glancing at watch, and
  seat-shifting.
  
• Things MUNI-ites avoid at all costs: eye-contact, talking to fellow passengers, using a cell phone (!), being seen with a map, eating, smiling, flirting and PDA.
  
• I haven't figured out yet why some mornings the bus is super crowded, and other mornings the same bus isn't.