if I didn't have to work this weekend

I so love his drawings and delightfully puzzling writing. Maybe you can go? Open
Studio is a great SF tradition

Pau Madonna Open Studio Saturday & Sunday October 1st & 2nd 11am - 6pm 290 Guerrero Street cross is 15th Street Mission District, San Francisco This will be the last public showing of my work this year, so come to my studio and enjoy looking at original drawings in the intimate setting of my work space. I'll have copies of both All Over Coffee collections available, plus some framed work ready to take home and hang on your wall. Come November, I'll be gone traveling to work on my next project, so for those of you thinking about art as holiday presents, plan ahead and come now before I'm gone for the rest of the year. And for those of you that came out for the book launch in April, or picked up the book elsewhere and haven't had a chance for me to sign it, this weekend is a great time to have me scribble on some pages. See you this weekend! - Paul

way more than expected

The Blogmaid and I like this photo of Michael, RR and me in her
backyard. She is using it on her fundraising web page and yesterday
she gave me (as usual) a lot of help designing my two web pages.

May I use the word overwhelmed again? I did not expect so much so
quickly from our friends and we currently have $1,475 that the
Leukemia Society would not have without us. Big picture. Thanks
everyone, we walk in 21 days. Join us!

Feel free to add to the pot! Here is the new MISSING SELHORST
team page.

hints from Billy

A Word About Transitions

Moreover is not a good way to start a poem
though many begin somewhere in the middle.

Secondly does not belong
at the opening of your second stanza.

Furthermore is to be avoided
no matter how long the poem.

Aforementioned is rarely found
in poems at all, and for good reason.

Most steer clear of notwithstanding,
and the same goes for

nevertheless, however,
as a consequence, in any event,

subsequently,
and as we have seen in the previous chapters.

The appearance of finally
in your final stanza will be of no help.

All of which suggests (another no-no)
that poems don't need to tell us where we are

or what is soon to come.
For example, the white bowl of lemons

on a table by a window
can go anywhere all by itself

and, in conclusion, so can
seven elephants standing in the rain.

Billy Collins

Tin House
Volume 13, Number 1 2011

gratitude

This is the first fresh bouquet from our new garden ~ all native
plants that don't require any work, other than some weeding and
watering, of course. It was my only request of our gardener, some
flowers for our everyday lives. Wish granted.

Yesterday I sent out an email for the Leukemia Walk that we'll
be doing on October 20th. I was (as usual) not pleased with my
writing and felt (as usual) that I could have done a much better job.
So I went out walking and stewing. On my way home I checked
my iPhone and the screen was filled with notifications from the
Leukemia Society. I am raising money for a great cause ~ me!
Really, I welled up. I know, shocking for me, isn't it? Thank
you, thank you...

And some friends will be walking with us and that means so
much to me. We will Light the Night indeed.

going feral

Without getting political here, an anonymous friend sent me this
photograph and it's just too cute not to publish. I didn't know they
were born with those sweet masks, did you? (Thanks, Anon!)

Just as Notthat predicted, summer has returned today ~ hooooray.

a librarian and a postal clerk

We both highly recommend this movie about a couple living
in a small rent controlled apartment in NYC. Herb and Dorothy
Vogel have been collecting art all their lives, more than 4,000
pieces. When they were young they would go to art galleries
every night after work, and they would buy what was new and
yet to be discovered. Really, you will love this film, now
available from the Flix®. And lots of cats, too!

gods, men, fog...

This is a dreary movie about 7 French Trappist monks living and
serving the people in a small town in the mountains of Algeria.
They believe that they will be safe from the Islamic fundamentalists,
but to save you time and sorrow, I'll let you know that this was
not the case. Not exactly Bridesmaids which we eagerly await...

The fog horns are bleating with urgency this morning and as the
dawn breaks I see some pretty heavy fog. So much for those 4
days of summer sunshine, I think fall is here.

don't bother

First, I didn't feel complete today because this morning I was
too busy to post in commano. Habits are strange, no?

Now, I read this Fannie Flagg book on the Lindakindle while
relaxing on vacation. I can't believe I read the whole thing, it's
pretty bad. Remember her Fried Green Tomatoes ? Well,
other than being southern, you'd never know it was the same
author. I had to read a Janet Evanovich pulp mystery to clean
my palette on the airplane home. There, I saved you some $$$$.

did they call him Buck?

No, this is Michael Selhorst (aka Seahorse) ~ RIP, dear friend

It's less than a month until I do the Light the Night walk for
Leukemia and I've been working on my fund raising email
and getting nervous because I've never done this kind of
thing before. As so often happens, I ran across this quote from
R. Buckminster Fuller:

There is no such thing as a failed experiment, only
experiments with unexpected outcomes.

a relaxing day off

Here's a sweet photo of RR and the adorable Dorffie. It's not even
noon and I'm already planning my afternoon nap. I'll also do a little
weeding, walking, reading, writing and puttering because I plan to enjoy
this rare almost-hot day. More, please.

home again & back to work

Vance Kirkland is a famous Colorado artist and Marcia loves his
work and all her life she has adored bright colors, so I think
this photo is very cool. There is a lot of his work in the new
DAM, along with many other local and exceedingly talented artists.

Last night husbando fixed a classic caprese salad featuring our
very own garden tomatoes. Finally. It's lovely to be home after
a fabulous vacation. Work today, what the?

a DAM fine day #4

Yesterday I forgot to show you Marcia's official race car.
It's a '72 Porsche.

View from inside the Denver Art Museum

Very red cafe room with grey foxes exhibit

Marcia and Mary Ann inside an optical illusion room

The new DAM

Huge, fun sculpture

The old DAM

Rita and Mary Ann

I loved yesterday. Rita used to work with me at the DY and the
LOH and she moved with her family to Pueblo, about 2 hours
from Denver. While her husband and daughter went to the
Giants game (we won again!), Rita met us for lunch at the museum
and we had a fabulous time talking and strolling and chatting
about everything, including art and artists. It's a BIG double
museum with an old and new section and way too much to see
in one visit, but we did our best.

Downtown Denver looks vibrant and alive, there was a Mexican
festival going on, so there was music, food and lots to see. We
stayed home for dinner last night and relaxed watching the
Emmy's. Hooray for Modern Family!

Going home today after a fabulous vacation ~ thank you, Marcia.

a whole new world (day #3)

This RV usually hauls a trailer holding a Porsche, but yesterday it was used for a pleasure drive to the race track about an hour from Denver.

Marcia behind the wheel of the RV. All skill and confidence.

Bad photo of the track itself, I couldn't seem to zero in on an actual car.

Yesterday was just for Porsche driver education. Marcia teaches as well as being one of the best drivers ever. I met so many really nice people who all adore my friend and respect her ability to handle a car. This was her life long dream and after raising two kids she went for it big time.

Some of Marcia's friends and their cars. Lots more women drivers now and Marcia is both a legend and an inspiration and I am very, very proud of her! Everyone made me feel welcome even though I am about the furthest thing possible from a car person. In my world it's "the little red car" or "who drives the blue truck-like thingie almost in our driveway?"

I wanted to see and feel Marcia's life here now and that was one major
purpose of the trip, so yesterday was a very special day. We then
switched gears (see? I'm learning) and went to her country club for
a huge steak dinner with all the trimmings. A day to remember, that's for sure.

Friday night lights (and before) ~ day #2

I walked here yesterday morning, around Marcia's condo. All

very beautiful and tranquil with lots of nice touches like this.

Here is Marcia and her Porsche. (She also has a large Suburban which

we took for our nighttime sporting events.) We drove in the Porsche

to Boulder yesterday, in the sunshine.

Walking around the campus was an experience. If I had about a day,

and a map, I think I could figure it all out. I was not overcome by

nostalgia, just realized how fortunate I was to be able to come to

Colorado for my education. The buildings haven't changed and

the grounds are exquisite. Boulder itself is almost chaotic with car

traffic, bicycles and students on their cell phones. The campus,

exceedingly peaceful and lush with grass and trees.

I spent many hours here at the Library.

This pathway looked so familiar, I think I walked it many, many times.

I spent too many hours here chugging 3.2 beer.

Last night we went to a football game about an hour from Denver. I

had not been to one of these since I was in high school and it was fun.

The game moved quickly and the cheerleaders in the foreground were

a delight. It was a little cold but we bundled up and yelled "go Bruins!"

and won 44 to 18, or like that. I hadn't seen my godson Greg in about

20 years, so that was a pleasure indeed. And his sons, pictured below.

A busy day, but I so enjoyed every minute of it. Because Marcia is a

race car driver, she doesn't mind getting behind the wheel and she is

one of those rare GREAT drivers even during strange and heavy

traffic. She is always calm and focused. Even coming home last night

around 11pm there was heavy traffic ~ this surprised me! Things,

they change...

Denver ~ day #1

Walking to Coors Field

Fabulous seats behind home plate

The plane ride was smooth and I arrived in Denver where I hadn't
seen the new airport. Huge! This city, as Karen noted, has changed
and grown dramatically. Marcia picked me up in her silver Porsche
and we came home so I could plug in all my electronic devices
and chat outside on her deck before the game. Then, traffic ~ real
traffic ~ like SF or L.A. (well, there's nothing like Stiletto City traffic,
is there?) and we were late for the opening ceremonies. But that's
OK, it's baseball, not the opera, for heaven's sake.

Coors Field is beautiful. I've seen it on TV a bunch of times, but in
the flesh it is as perfect as our Jewel, just not as many fans. It doesn't
look like "a home run park" but it still is. There were a lot of orange
and black people, including myself, and some were exuberant, or
maybe it was all that Coors? Oh yeah, the Giants WON 8 to 5!

Today we are going to Boulder and tonight one of Marcia's grand
boys has a football game. Looks like sunshine today, how great is
that? Husbando is doing well at home in the fog and I miss him,
APU (as per usual).

tripping backward

Today I fly off to Denver to stay with my friend Marcia for a few days.
We have a list a mile (ahem) long that includes returning to Boulder
(where we went to school), a drive in the mountains, the Giants game
tonight, the Denver Art Museum (DAM) and I want to learn all about
her life as a race car driver. Yes, I have my camera and cable, MsBook,
iPhone, LindaKindle and just a touch of anxiety that comes from not
traveling much anymore. We need to remedy that starting now.

another opening...

Theater Season is officially open, the curtain goes up first on Why
We Have a Body at the Magic. We munched on our cheese sandwiches
overlooking the blue tarp-covered boats on the bay once again, and
then hit the 7pm show last night.

One good friend loved this play and one good friend disliked it intensely.
I guess we take the middle road. Great acting, of course, and I loved
some of the lines, especially the ones having to do with memory and
family. It is billed as a comedy, but there wasn't much laughter from
the sparse audience. Definitely a woman's play, but Husbando has
been thoroughly indoctrinated, so he really enjoyed it a lot.

I have pictured the unconventional mother played by Lorri Holt, one
of our favorites. We've watched her for about 30 years, beginning in
Ashland when we used to travel there. I remember once when she came
to Borders and truly, her visit was more exciting to me than the many
other famous stars and politicians who would drop in from time to time.

Now the slight negative ~ some of the monologues do drone on a bit, but
one doesn't want to miss the unexpected nuggets. It's only 90 minutes
and we left with a lot to puzzle over and think about.

my busy day off

MCF - don't go for the decor

Lot of choices

Chinese brisket on white bread

OK, let's take it from the top. A great walk at Crissy Field in
semi-sunshine amongst tons of dogs and their owners. A latte
and girl talk outside at a picnic bench. Then the 3 of us decided
to try one of the new luminaries, Mission Chinese Food at 2234
Mission and 19th. It's another pop-up, this one ranking #2 in
the Bon Appetit nationwide Best New Restaurants in 2011 list.

Is it next door to the pawnshop? Rough neighborhood. of course,
because that's where rents are low. There are no reservations, but we
were early (of course) and avoided the lines. It's somewhat spicy,
Sichuan-inspired, and absolutely delicious. We started with
mussels and then had two of the huge sandwiches pictured
above. One would have sufficed for 3 of us. Another pop-up, how
lucky are we here in SF where creative cuisine is encouraged?

Then at 4pm I hopped on the #49 Van Ness to meet Dancing
Jen for The Debt movie and we had a terrific time. I highly
recommend this movie, and this entire Monday, come to think of it...

let's be calm today

A little dose of Dorf and Josie (thanks Blogmaid!) will help us this
morning. We watched just a bit of the many memorial services
yesterday, and now I want to go to NYC and see Ground Zero for
myself. I'm glad our government went all out on the Ten Year
Anniversary. Pomp has its place.

Don't miss the fantastic short story Town of Cats on page 63 of
the Sept. 5th New Yorker. The author is Haruki Murakami and
although he can sometimes be mystifying to me, this piece
borders on perfection.

We are meeting Ginger for a walk at 9am at Crissy Field. Will
there be sunshine? See this space tomorrow for that and even
more answers and profound thoughts. If possible...

who needs words?

9/24/2001

9/12/2011

London on my mind

I need to dig out my notes from our last London trip. We had
originally planned to go late in September of 2001, but of course we
were grieving and scared, so we actually went in the Spring of
2002. We had an awesome (in the old fashioned sense, not the
everyday common "this ice cream is awesome" usage) time, and
if I can't be walking right on the Millenium Bridge to the New
Tate, I can relive it through my notes. So I'll put that search on my
expanding To Do When I'm Part-Time List right now.

From the Blogmaid's morning email:

Here's a fabulous Virginia Woolf quote I wanted to share
with you: "To walk  alone in London is the greatest rest."

Pissarro is coming to the Legion

I spent yesterday in the quiet tower at the deYoung reading the
the catalog for the upcoming exhibit at the LOH. Camille Pissaro,
October 22 - January 22...mark your calendars.

So who knew? He was Jewish, Danish and also lived in France where he
painted with the Impressionists. He was left-leaning (hoooray) and
seems like an honorable man who really loved his friends and family.
Back in the 1870's there was much disease and death and he lost
several children tragically. His daughter Minette died and his lovely
paintings of her will take your breath away.

I really, really need to read every catalogue before every exhibit. Why
didn't I do this before? I am a dunce.

I know it's not Sunday

(but here's an old daily write that I like...)

OPEN THE BOX! (rr #7)

It's blue, a clear blue like your memories of Lake Tahoe the first time
you saw it. There is a sound inside - tweet/tweet. Birds are chirping
and that is the only noise. It has a gentle warm feel to it - like the
soft croissant that you just had for breakfast. You put enough sweet
butter on that to cause a heart attack, but it was almost worth it.

But back to this box. It's a Sunday, a rare Sunday you have off,
because usually it is your day to open the Borders store and be the
manager in charge that day. You have always liked to work on
Sundays, but holding this special blue box today, you understand why
so many people beg to have this day off. They say it is for "religious
reasons" and for once you don't scoff. For once you understand.

Sunday is so different than every other day, especially in this frantic
city. You have been up for hours, anticipating this special time. You
opened the back door even if there was still a slight chill. This
Sunday-in-a-Box is still unopened, but there are so many presents inside.
But you want to open this gift very slowly, enjoying the luxury of it all.

A Street Fair on Haight Street. Oh, perfect. Lots of people to watch
and a chance to walk in this glorious weather. Lunch outside, of
course, maybe the French toast at Pasta Pomodoro. A walk at
Crissy Field would be perfect. You've already started the Sunday
Chronicle and because you were able to read it over coffee on your
back deck, it seemed like the writing was better. Your husband and
you exchange mindless comments about a few articles you have read.

Everything is more poignant today. The past, the future, but especially
living in this perfect moment with the Sunday Box in front of you, that
you continue to open very slowly so you can savor every moment.

06/13/04
8:50 am Sunday vaca

complete with book bag

I know, it doesn't seem possible, but RR is now in the 2nd grade
and yesterday was her first fine day of the new school year. We
all wish her the very best and look forward to lots of news of
her activities: guitar, piano, friends, reading, horses, tennis,
boogie boarding, biking, raccoon watching, art projects and
trips with her adoring family.

Valencia Street detailed

Still a lot of boarded up store fronts

Many with interesting art

Outside Community Thrift which was packed yesterday

Galleries and cafes galore ~ note new "parklet"

Chain stores are not allowed on Valencia Street, if that tells you
anything. Nor chain restaurants, come to think about it. This
is a nabe in transition and the once-low rents means that there
are lots of unusual new stores, coffee shops, art galleries and
restaurants. And they bring in the young who bring in the rest
of us and it's just a colorful mixture and a treat to walk,
especially on a holiday.

When I'm part-time again (25 days) I'll explore 826 Valencia
where Dave Eggers has his writing school. But for now, I
gotta go, gotta gig (as Will Walker poet extraordinaire would say.)