equal time

If you ever need cell phone reception out at the Legion of Honor, be sure
to visit the Bowles Porcelain Gallery. You could stand behind the potted
plant, next to the windows and read all your texts and emails. Of course
if you are a retail employee, your iPhone would be in your locker, where
it belongs. By now we all understand that...

quiet museum day

I like to work in the Tower at the deYoung unless groups of loud school
children are roaming around. People go ga ga over the satellite map, trying
to find their homes or local landmarks. It has been unusually sunny and
bright so I can read my New Yorker and work on my To Do Lists. Also,
there is iPhone reception up here on the 9th floor, not that I'd break every
rule and actually carry the damn thing on my person while working. No
not me, I obey company policy. A new exhibit (Modernism) starts in a
week, so we won't be quiet for much longer, alas.

I'm 2 - 1 in 2014

Husbando and I had a great day in the sunshine yesterday at the Jewel. Even
though Timmy had some problems with (ahem) control, we beat the hapless
Cubbies 5 to zip. The hot dogs and garlic fries were gourmet quality (and price).
For some extra special reason, the Muni was cooperative too. Excellence all around.

RIP Maya Angelou

AWAKING IN NEW YORK

Curtains forcing their will
against the wind,
children sleep,
exchanging dreams with
seraphim. The city
drags itself awake on
subway straps; and
I, an alarm, awake as a
rumor of war,
lie stretching into dawn,
unasked and unheeded.

Maya Angelou

another goodbye

2009 engagement party

reading my goodbye letter - Sunday last

Living in the city means lots of goodbyes to people who simply can't afford
to live here. Lucybelle and I bonded when I first started at the museum and
she was a huge help to me and I will miss her so much. She and her husband
and baby Flora are moving back to Indiana where she grew up. We took a
final walk down on Ocean Beach and it was a sad drive home for me. But
her family comes first and we will stay in touch electronically. OK, now
everyone just stay where you are - no more goodbye hugs 'n tears.

music, sun, color, costumes!

Carnaval 2014 and no fog! Very unusual because the dancers (in high heels,
no less) could enjoy some sun along with the applause. As you all know,
I used to work every Sunday, so it was a treat to walk a few blocks to see
this yesterday morning. In the afternoon I went for another friend goodbye
and we'll cover that tomorrow. Now I need to walk the nabe and feed some dogs.

the shrine is built

Joseph Dispenza suggests this in his book The Way of the Traveler and so
I created this before leaving SF last week. Of course the primary purpose is
for me is to keep everything organized and easy to reach. The clear
plastic zip-lock folder has all the notes, maps and print-outs including Air
France, hotel reservation, emails from friends, etc. My travel shrine to
Paris brings a smile to my face everyday when I enter my office.

back in SF

Joan and Ginger charmed by Husbando

Ginger and your Blogger (in a subtle orange)

Ginger, Bliss, Auri and Shalley

Here are some photos from Friday in Santa Barbara, before the shooting last
night at UCSB. Christ. Ginger and Hoan treated us to lunch at the Boat House
and it was all quite lovely. I swear, my friends from college look exactly like
they did way back when! It was a very, very relaxing vacation and I am so
loving "Frog Music" and having the time to put my feet up and relax. The
drive home today was boring, but no major traumas or traffic, to speak of.
Of course it is wonderful to be home, but you know that.

rain, reading and pasta

Strange weather yesterday, a light rain for about three hours in the afternoon. Much welcomed as there is a drought here too. It was a wonderfully lazy day! I read "Frog Music" and Husbando is in Boston with "Gardner Heist". We napped a bit too and prepared for dinner at Gianfranco's in Carpinteria, one of our favorite restaurants. Today I'm walking with Hoan and then four of us will lunch at the Boat House, which used to be the Pelican. I will leave this mini iPad at home here, so no photos until after I return to the trusty laptop.

ah, summerland

Here we have Auri and Shalley relaxing after breakfast. The dachshund Bliss is back asleep, snuggled under a blanket or comforter somewhere. The three humans are up, moving leisurely and looking forward to a morning reading on the back deck. It's lovely to be here and I feel rested and refreshed this morning. Yesterday Ginger and I and the three dogs took a long walk, stopping to sniff every two or three minutes while we women discussed everyone we know and think we do. Dinner at home last night and tonight we take our hostess OUT. Oh, I almost forgot - yesterday Husbando and I had lunch in Carpenteria at the Cajun Kitchen and then walked on the beach. Perfect sunshiney day, not too hot and the breezes so gentle and refreshing.

practice, practice

I will use my mini iPad in Paris, so I didn't take the laptop on this trip. We are

in Pismo Beach and I'm sitting in the lobby at the Edgewater Inn, where we

spent a restless night. I miss my laptop, my own strong first cup of coffee

and my bed. But other than that, we had a lovely day yesterday and I

will try to attach a photo or two here. The drive was easy and I had a good

swim when we arrived. After our search for some fruit for breakfast, we 

will head to Santa Barbara to stay with Ginger and the three dogs. By

Saturday I should be used to this iPad, no?

it's a jumble in there

How often do you see six Aussies tumbling around? I'm sure they will all
have been adopted by next week, but it was great fun watching them play
and try to pull off each others ears and tails. Not easy to get a photo in
this room of constant motion.

the writing Seminar

Cast of Seminar at the SF Playhouse

Oooooooh, this is a great one act play by Theresa Rebeck. Seminar takes
place in a smart apartment in NYC and the pompous guy standing there
is the writing instructor. He is the opposite of supportive, he's mean as
a snake, but he is "connected" and he uses words as weapons as he attacks
his students who paid $5,000 each to hear his opinions about their work.
We both loved this play, but I especially was riveted. Through June 14th.

oh, oh - here I go

Yesterday I had an email from the Flix® telling me that Season 3 of Scandal
is now available. I was thrilled, even though I realize that they know exactly
what I watch. There are 16 delicious episodes and I limited myself to one
yesterday and I was not disappointed. Political soap opera at its best!

San Francisco, 1896

San Francisco was never an "easy" place to live. Frog Music is based
on a true story about the murder of a young cross-dressing woman. It
is fiction and I like the writing a lot, and it seems just right for my trusty
LindaKindle2®. Our heroine, Blanche, used to be a circus performer
in France, so I get to mispronounce a few French phrases as I read.

a heady display

The World

Washington, DC

Top of The World (delightful details)

Two of Steve Silver's creations from Beach Blanket Babylon are on display
at the deYoung and tonight they will perform at the museum. It's been so
long, we used to hit BBB every year or so. I wonder if I would still get
goosebumps when they sing "San Francisco, open your Golden Gate."
Oh, yes, most likely.

bleacher bums

For the first time ever, Ginger and I sat here yesterday and had a terrific
time because (thanks to the Blogmaid) we had stadium seats and cool
breezes off the Bay. And the Giants won and of course we didn't really
know everything that was going on due to distance and lack of the
Jumbotron®, but we had a fine day just talking and high fiving with
our neighbors. There were a lot of Google Android people there, note
cap logo on blue shirt man. I took Lyft® home and may I extol their
virtues again?

and now for inspiration...

Dear Dancing Jen is making our plane reservations - honestly, it's like having
a travel agent (remember those?) and she is so easy to communicate with.
So today I bring out my old standby, The Way of the Traveler. Here is how
the author Joseph Dispenza feels, and so do I:

Every time we leave home and go to another place, we open up the
possibility of having something wonderful happen to us. When we move
out of the familiar here and now, we set in motion a series of events
that, taken together, bring about changes at the very root of our being.

'tis the season

Kitten Season is officially here and there is a big selection this year.
I like how their names reflect what's going on in SF and on TV: Timmy,
Buster, Hector (all Giants) as well as Fargo, Chummy, Trixie, Draper,
etc. Of course they will get their new, permanent names when they
reach their forever homes. And then, of course, the cat will come a
running when you call their name. Not.

how did she do it?

Yesterday, when I should have been helping customers, I was looking
at another book about Frida. All that pain and she just kept on creating
beautiful work and inspiring everyone - especially the Blogmaid and me.
And then today I found this poem which says so much about many things...

Frida Kahlo Tattoo

I wear a temporary tattoo
of Frida Kahlo believing

I can change the world

and if not the world,

then a lightbulb, the channel, 

change the binoculars from blurry

to focused gaze.

I'm walking through a museum
wishing I were someone
else, trying to determine

if inspiration is taught
or a god-given gift. 

Either way, I'm tired.

Frida and a stranger take notes 

on my insecurities,

Frida and the museum guard, 

Frida and the exit sign.

I don't believe we should carry backup

plans in life's suitcase—

they're too easy to unpack

like living a life in yoga pants, 

so comfortable our hips spread

into new timezones, 
apathy becomes less rare.

Frida is tired of my mindtalk,

my head-in-the-oven, finger-on-bake

attitude. How many hours have I lost

because I wasn't paying attention?

She tells me to quiet, as if she won't

rub off soon, as if I can survive 

without having her near my skin.

Kelli Russell Agodon
Hourglass Museum
White Pine Press
 

mother's day 2014

Thanks to Nancy for these glorious flowers, such a fine and loving step dot.
I am one lucky not-official mother. And I have to work today - the closing
of Georgia O'Keefe and many customers unhappy that we are out of so
much merchandise. Yesterday was indeed rough, but today maybe folks will
stay outdoors, it is absolutely gorgeous weather here in Frisco. Go play at
the beach, everyone!

a taste of India

Husbando treated me to a Mother's Day lunch yesterday at the new (to
us) Holy Kitchen on 24th Street near Diamond. It was terrific, especially
the onion bread and the chicken curry dish on the right up there. I'm
using a stock photo of the interior, yesterday the restaurant was quite
busy, so I'm sure it will be around for some time. We hope so and we
will return. (No, we don't get the Holy business, but don't be afraid.)

this makes it oh-so real

Dancing Jen and I are booked here at Hotel des Marrionnaires in the 6th
arrondissement (ahem) St. Germain, Paris, France. I love working with
Jen - all emails and texts and laughter. We stay here for 11 nuits from
October 9 through the 20th, surrounded by chestnut trees, we assume.
This hotel was recommended by two people we used to work with at the
big box: Kristin P. and Kevin M.

an absolute treasure

The Suit is a glorious 70 minute play that you should not miss. Congrats to
our artistic director (Carey Perloff) for having the foresight and courage to
bring this to ACT. It is so simple, so powerful and those funny/sad feelings
from stories and images stay with us and we have to marvel once again about
life, love, betrayal ~ in South Africa in the 1950's, yet so universal and so now.

...probably in 3rd place

Fargo is a bit violent and bloody, but it is a Coen Brothers TV series and
who minds the gore if you can witness Martin Freeman and Billy Bob
Thornton in the same bleak Minnesota snow covered landscapes? Good,
dirty midwestern fun. Tee hee...

and the runner-up is...

Silicon Valley on HBO is totally perfect as we watch these guys create
the next multi-million $$$$$ company. Sharp humor and the splendid
attention to details (like the 7 different garbage cans outside Google or
Apple or whatever) and the brilliance and inexperience of the genius
characters. I sit next to these guys when I'm out having a latte in this
city and they do indeed speak the language. Check it out, SVP. (please
in French)

My favorite in TV land...

Honest to God, VEEP just gets better and better. One might expect Season 3
to lose a little luster, but that just doesn't seem possible with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
and her loyal campaign/office staff. So very, very funny - don't miss it!

and yet another boss party

Bossman John

Last night I joined some old big box friends at John's place up on Hyde
near Filbert. He lives in a matchbox studio apartment, but it features
this amazing view on his front deck which is large enough for a picnic
table, two sofas, one cat (Bogo), a fireplace (necessary) and a BBQ.
I had a really, really nice time and because Dancing Jen was there also,
we got to talk about Paris amidst all sorts of envy and ooooohs/ahhhhs.

a fancy deli

Porcellino's opened where Incognito used to be - Church Street and Duncan.
Probably the BEST meatball sandwich ever devised, I was so busy woofing
it down that I forgot to photograph the food. We went for lunch yesterday
and then we also bought some sausages for later. Highly recommended!

another goodbye

party at Don Ramon's on 11th Street

fans of Dennis

a true Giants fan

Last night was the retirement party for Dennis, the only boss I could order
to check the baseball score NOW, please, or I'm walking off the floor to
do it myself. He understood my need for pre and post-breaks (well, not always)
and I know I got away with a lot of shit because I have known him for
12 years. First at Borders where I showed him the ropes, and then at the
museum where I could make him laugh on a difficult day. The past might
glow for him, but there were some really stressful times and I hope he
loves his much-deserved retirement and maybe I will see him at a game or two?
But for sure, I will miss him. Now, no more goodbyes for awhile, please.

Ruby's a SoCal gal now...

Of course she is adapting beautifully to San Diego. Mother Tanya is having
a bit of trouble with the extreme heat, but it is warmer than usual here too.
And I miss the texts:
.are you off today?
.can you walk? meet at the park? coffee first?
.ooooops, she's napping now, how is an hour?
.leaving now
.I'm walking on the sunny (or shady) side of Precita