think of it as a movable 24 hour B&B

The train was six hours late, I will start with that. Always
being positive, that's me. Good god, what a long day, good
thing we had an itty bitty sleeper compartment (with v.
tiny bathroom) or there would have been Big Trouble on
that long train ride. It was late leaving Emeryville and by
the time we stopped for every freight train (why?) we
finally arrived in Portland around 10pm last night.

I had my little used cell phone and was able to call Mollie
and the hotel along the way to warn them of our late
arrival. The meals were agony ~ shitty food and then being
forced to make conversation with strangers in shorts. Ick.
I should have taken a photo of Husbando's chicken fried
steak last night, with the one bite only and forever eaten.
He finished my chicken while I concentrated on the baked
potato and chocolate cake.

Despite 14 cops of coffee, I napped most of the day, although
I did read:
1) one New Yorker with great article on the South Dakota
abortion mess and the vote-of-the-citizens pending
2) one Smithsonian ~ all articles read and forgotten (swell)
3) the Amtrak® schedule ~ 46 times (so amusing)
4) Allegra Goodman's Intuition book ~ an A-OK read
5) Oregonian newspaper discussing current heat wave

The scenery? Spectacular! Really made it all worthwhile, It is
glorious country and I cannot say enough about that. But
I will, although I will send a couple of photos via Flickr. A
mountain, lake or forest from every window. We skipped
the free wine tasting yesterday in the parlor car ~ I am
well aware of their desire to blunt all rational thought and
numb out the customers so they will stop reading the
train schedule and staring at their watches. Plus they so
want the strangers in shorts to bond...

But let's start today! Great hotel right in downtown
Portland. It's old and the walls are sturdy, so we can't
hear the people next door ~ and it's 100% nonsmoking
and I love that. We have a junior suite (?) and I've had
some much, much needed solo time along with two cups
of coffee and a bunch of nice emails to answer. There
was the momentary struggle with Wi Fi which included
me lugging poor msBook to the front desk, but all is well
now. It's the Mark Spencer Hotel and it is The Best, and
reasonable, too. A block from Powell's bookstore, yeah!

Today is lunch with Mollie and some fine walks. The heat
won't bother us and Mollie has a pool on the roof of her
condo building. And we need some FOOD, and I mean it.
And, yes, I'm really happy to be here! Let's vaca....

next ~ posting from Portland!

Everything is almost packed and I've only had to remove
about 10 must-take items so far. One Foot mentions that
they wash the streets every night in Portland, so I probably
won't need shoes that weigh too much. When I Amtrak'd
to Santa Barbara last year, no one seemed eager to help
me with my baggage and it's not easy going up and down
those train stairs with a 300 lb. suitcase, 60 lb. carryon, my
msBook and the large purse that the Blogmaid gave me
a few merry Christmases ago.

I will write from Hotel Wi Fi tomorrow. Now which way's the
dining car?

think of it as a daily write

I have nothing to say, but I was carefully taught to apply
fingertips to keyboard no matter what. Most of the letters
on msBook are worn off (this amazes friends and strangers
alike), so it makes it a little more difficult to type sometimes.
But that isn't the official reason that I have writers' block.

No more getting up at 4am for the next two weeks ~ vaca
has officially begun. I pushed today to get everything
finished, but I'm not tired tonight. My friend Michael is in
town and we had a fine chat over coffee after work,
then I came home to finish Weeds (first disc, season 1)
and pre-pack a bit. The train (well, bus-to-train) leaves
from the Ferry Building tomorrow night at 8:30. We will
arrive in Portland Tuesday afternoon. Amtrak is always
late, or so everyone warns us. Almost "all aboard!"...
Amtrak

there's a pink one and a green one...

I knew I'd like this program because it opened with Malvina
Reynolds' crackly voice singing about the ticky tacky
little houses. Our heroine (Mary Louise Parker) lives in
a mythical suburb and sells marijuana to support herself
and her two sons. I've always liked her because she
seems to have her own secret joke going on. So I'm
going to watch the next 5 episodes of Weeds which is
available on DVD from the Flix®. Some have described
this as a Desperate Housewives program only a lot
better. How's this for me trying with all my might to
ignore the horrid mess in the Middle East?




Click Here: Check out "Weeds on Showtime: Official Site of the Showtime Original Comedy Series, Weeds"

stealing, yet giving credit

...so maybe it's not really stealing. I don't mind the logo
for the 2007 All Star Game, but I am bogged down in
confusion because I thought this little-watched event
went from the AL to the NL and back. Am I thinking of the
wrong sport or living in a past decade? The Pirates ARE a
NL team, correcto? (Yes, mscommano, don't act dumb.)

I don't know how to actually cut and paste this logo, so
I want you all to rush to notthat's blog which I am linking
here with gratitude. I also don't have anything else in the
WORLD to write about, other than my observation that
there are lots of tourists in SF right now. The streets are
packed and the new fashion stores (H&M, Forever 21, etc.)
are bringing in the under 20 set ~ half baked and half
dressed, but having lots of fun using the credit cards of
their parental units. They travel in fours, it appears.

Click Here: Check out "Giants Got It Right! (Mostly...)"

the chips are homemade

the chips are homemade
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Back in the old days when we first moved to San Francisco, this was about the only restaurant in the Mission that brought folks from Pacific Heights and the Sea Cliff areas to our nabe. Now, of course, there are hundreds of fabulous restaurants and no real reason to venture far from home. First, pardon this photo, I was blinded by the rare sunshine. The Tamale Parlor has gone through a re-mo and is open for business again. Of course the tamales are the best, but do not miss the chips and guacamole to start. Some special blackberry/mint concoction to drink and very fine service. About $10 each for lunch yesterday. We'll be back. Roosevelt Tamale Parlor - San Francisco, CA, 94110-4213 - Citysearch. I'm typing this through Flickr, so I'm not sure the link will link.

two bags full

The Trader Joe's vaca bags in the hallway are filling up
and there is excitement in the air. It has been some time
since our last getaway and we both need some adventure.
A week from right now I'll be walking with our friend Mollie
and I will beg to head for the river area. Yes, msBook
travels with me and I will write an amateurish "my summer
vaca" kind of post everyday. Our hotel has Wi Fi, of course.
Those of you who know me will understand that I loathe
Bed and Breakfast Inns because I don't want to meet with
strangers in shorts and discuss where they are from and
what they do over sherry or tea. I like big and anonymous,
sort of city vs. small town thinking on my part, I suppose.

Yesterday was my official good-bye coffee with my friend
Mary who is moving to Bisbee, Arizona. On my walk back
home I started listing the number of friends who have moved
away from this way too expensive Bay Area. Then I felt a
depression overtaking me, so remembered that with our
computers, we are still quite close. Mary is an extremely
talented writer and she will be a faithful correspondent.

This morning she wrote that the Mission Police Station offers
a Meditation class and this is the sort of thing she will miss
about our less-than-urbane urban wonderland.

four more days

No immediate harm from the chicken! Now we are rolling
into serious pre-vaca planning. A week from today we
will be in Portland. That means that I only have 4 work
days to contend with and I've pretty much reached the
point that when I walk out the work door, I stop thinking
about all the projects, issues, people and irritations of
that world. Not every day and night perhaps, but
certainly for weekends and longer. Something I wish I'd
learned many years earlier. Robin Williams was in the
store yesterday, he was so subdued that few recognized
him. But with walkie talkies, instore news travels quickly.

Hmmmmm, seems to be some thick marine layer this
morning. Sun is for sissies.

success! congratulations!

Click Here: Check out "Lenore's Diary"
The brave and beautiful Loren completed the Avon Breast
Cancer walk this past weekend. I got goosebumps when
I read her blog. Women are so powerful. I am so, so proud of
you Loren, and I thought about you often. Great job!

the colonel comes to dinner

the colonel comes to dinner
Originally uploaded by the omster.

I had KFC once when Karen brought it to our memorable writing group retreat in Inverness. Husbando has never tasted it, but today he decided to buy a bucket ($10) for dinner. We both think it smells great, but we are SF food snobs (what else?) and I'm sure we'll find something snide to say about this chick. He's also serving corn on the cob with chipolte butter (w/ sea salt, cilantro, lime, etc.) and a green salad to maybe, hopefully, counteract the grease del colonel. Then toniight we'll watch the 2003 comedy roast of Dennis Leary, thoughtfully provided by Dr. J. If I don't write tomorrow, call an ambulance.

caché ~ tres compliqué

After watching an exciting baseball game yesterday, we
settled in to the Flix® equally shall-I-look-or-hide? French
movie Caché. Even though the acting is so spectacular
that in a few scenes I probably didn't even need subtitles,
it ended leaving us both with enough questions that I went
online and read aloud what others thought about the film.
Several people suggested seeing the movie twice, but
that did not appeal to Husbando or to me at this time.
Am I glad I saw it? Yes. Warning ~ this review is a spoiler:
Cache - Movie Review - Stylus Magazine

did jeffy hurt his big toe?

I was up too late last night with our exceptionally
delightful writing group ~ a full house for the first
time in many months.  And then I was on my retail
feet most of today, so I am indeed one tired chihuahua.
But instead of going to bed at 8pm, I will probably
stay up until I'm sure that our Giants have taken a "W"
from those scum sucking blue Dodgers down in L.A.
Alas, that dang Jeff Kent won't be in the lineup tonight.
We did win last night. In case you're wondering, yes,
we were at the game when Brian Johnson hit that
spectacular home run that won the game and sent
us to the playoffs. That was '97, right? What a season
that was.

a cheery little cartoon

ouch...
Click Here: Check out "Shiv - Wednesday, July 5, 2006"

melissa and tommy lee

One of the best ever tv series was/still is Homicide:
Life on the Streets (1993) and the beautiful red haired
Melissa Leo played the smart and salty Detective Kay
Howard. Well, to our great surprise she appears in The
Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, a recent movie also
starring Tommy Lee Jones. And bless her middle aged
heart ~ she appears in a nude scene and features a less
than perfect body. This is an unusual film and I certainly
recommend it because of the acting and (always) the
writing. The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)

10,000 plus you say?

That's how many hits I've had on commano since I
started this project. Of course, 9,000 are probably mine
since I never quite get over the pleasure of seeing MY
words in print everyday and reading the comments,
which are often a lot funnier than the post. The Dr.
Demento note from yesterday is an excellent example.
Anyway, this is a FREE service for bloggers ~ my friend
Michael installed mine, but I guess most people who
don't overreact to the spinning beach ball of death (like I
do) could handle this technical task.
Click Here: Check out "StatCounter Free invisible Web tracker, Hit counter and Web stats"

the godfellas threaten

don't jump, angela!
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Great day yesterday under blue (pause for exclamation point) skies and bountiful Vietnamese sandwiches thanks to The Plotniks. Note how Mission High in the background really quite an impressive building. The Mime Troupe reminds us again that we have to work to keep Democracy in America, especially during these times when some want to combine church and state. It was a splendid day and crowd was large and appreciative. And today I will send a check to the ACLU.

walkie talkie talk

We have a big problem (surprise!) with the homeless who
camp out in our store. I'm sympathetic, but way less so
than I used to be, because they can get belligerent when
we ask them to move on. Also they smell. Here is a
conversation we all participated in yesterday, via our
handy walkie talkies:

Emp. #1 - there is a naked guy in the men's room.
#2 - was that the one with the red mittens?
#1 - no, it's the bearded guy who carries the sock monkey.
Me - alas, I'm the wrong gender to help here (my stock
  answer for the constant men's room problems)
Male Mgr. - I'll go in (deep sigh signifying that he isn't
  paid nearly enough for this kind of stuff).
All Employees - good luck! (etc.)
Male Mgr. - he had his bare ass up against the
   electric hand dryer and there was water all over
   the floor. I told him that this isn't a hotel and to
   get the hell out.
Emp. #2 ~ well, maybe he won't smell as bad as before.

Every retail worker has horrible public bathroom stories,
I'm sure, because this is where we see the worst of the
worst. But, what the hey, it's a holiday.

Time to dig out our aged Leontyne Price God Bless
America tape that gives even this caustic left wing woman
goose bumps. We play it every year on the 4th.
About Leontyne Price
We saw her once on California Street, all dressed up and
looking gloriously elegant. Happy Holiday, dear readers.

insomnia ~ my turn

Each of my fellow managers at work has been struck, so last
night it was my turn to toss/worry. What did I do before the
computer? Too tired to read and the stuff on tv is horrid,
I suspect, this time of night. Husbando says that back in
the days of cave people, this is when the wild animals would
try to sneak up and kill the unsuspecting sleepers. I guess
folks trained themselves to wake up, grab big rocks and wait
for upper-upper management to snarl and growl and bare
their very sharp glistening white fangs.

a woman of few words

It is Sunday morning, still dark and I'm gulping coffee and
trying to wake up. We watched two more episodes of
Deadwood (Season Two) last night and I am even more
impressed than I was before. Perhaps it's the character
development (no one is purely good or evil), or all the
authentic details, or maybe because everyone gets to
drink from sunup to tomorrow...but without the writing,
the words and nuances, it would just be a dirty mining
camp in South Dakota, instead of this multilayered ultra
colorful world where I am currently residing. Thanks to
Dr. J for loaning us his precious DVDs!

long weekend (for some)

This morning I'm already planning for a rare holiday off next
Tuesday. Of course I have to work the next 3 days, but we
will go to see the San Francisco Mime Troupe at Dolores
Park on the actual 4th of July. I'll just concentrate on that
while I struggle with customers and their strange questions
in many different languages. So here's the information on
our local treasure:
Click Here: Check out "The San Francisco Mime Troupe - America's Theater of Political Comedy"

thank you, al

Isn't it amazing that An Inconvenient Truth is doing so
well as both a movie and a book? Not exactly a John
Grisham blockbuster, is it? And suddenly Al Gore is a
true hero, I even saw one of those big stamps on a
sidewalk in the Mission: WE LOVE AL GORE. We watched
Al tonight on Jon Stewart's Daily Show and he reminded
us that he's been working on environmental issues now
for 30 years.  It's all very scary stuff, but the good
news is that there is hope ~ if we take this all seriously
and start making some big changes soon. (Alas, our
President is too busy to watch this movie.)

it's all so fleeting

I had a lovely post here (well, at least it was written), but
then when I went to search for a link, the multicolored
spinning beach ball appeared and I had to use the amazing
force quit command to get out of that. Of course that
means I lost that which I had written and now I've lost
interest too. Currently I have that little "why so glum
chum?" mood because the perfect weekend is over and
I could really use another day or two to get some reading
and writing done. Plus we've only watched 3 of the
Deadwood, Season Two episodes and I need more/more.

jolly june, enchanted april

Today our "baseball group" met at The Creamery down
in Palo Alto in the mall. We had 4,556 calories each
and talked about bustiers, pink horses, the Giants pitchers,
Russ Ortiz and the San Jose Giants. All very genteel,
unlike our daily emails. I had a fabulous time!

I booked on Lufthansa for my trip to Florence, Italy
next April. That makes all the difference between a
dream and a real vacation, doesn't it? Leaving April 6
and returning April 21. Quite exciting.

the hook need not be fancy

Today the rep from Harper Collins gave a nice presentation
and we received advanced reader's copies of lots of books.
One great perk of my job. This is the opening graph of The
Lost, a memoir by Daniel Mendelsohn. It will be out in September:

Some time ago, when I was six of seven or eight years old,
it would occasionally happen that I'd walk into a room and
certain people would begin to cry. The rooms in which this
happened were located, more often than not, in Miami
Beach, Florida, and the people on whom I had this strange
effect were, like nearly everyone in Miami Beach in the
mid-nineteen-sixties, old. Like everyone else in Miami
Beach at that time (or so it seemed to me then), these
old people were Jews ~ Jews of the sort who were likely
to lapse, when sharing prized bits of gossip or coming to
the long-delayed endings of stories or to the punch lines
of jokes, into Yiddish; which of course had the effect of
rendering the climaxes, the points, of these stories and
jokes incomprehensible to those of us who were young.

Note how we are with the writer and want to know more,
more, more. Mendelsohn goes on a search for six relatives
who disappeared during the Holocaust ~ he traveled to a
dozen countries on six continents. J.M. Coetzee calls
this "a stirring detective work".

rachel makes us proud!

Our beautiful and talented Tiapos writing group member
Rachel Rodrigues wrote this children's book and it is
featured in the book section of today's Chronny.
Click Here: Check out "An artist's life is no easy path"
My bookstore Mecca is Powell's in Portland and when
we vaca there in a couple of weeks our hotel will be
right around the corner. I will go in and wander all
around and wonder why I don't read more and probably
straighten some books and fill some displays.
And I'll look for Rachel's stunning book and face it
out so no one will miss it.
Powell's Books - Through Georgia's Eyes by Rachel Rodriguez

disturbing (understatement)

We just finished watching Syriana and I'd like to say that
I understood it 100%, but I can't. However, it's riveting
from the very first moment until the dramatic ending two
hours later.  This oil business is messy beyond belief,
but we already knew that.

two dirty days

...with admirable results. I like to see so many more people
taking BART and of course I appreciate not paying. Husbando
(and a few others) has always advocated free public trans-
portation and his reasoning is that since there is never a charge
for the vertical (except maybe at the Empire State Building),
so the same should hold true for the horizontal. So let's
have a few more Spare the Air Days and get people hooked
on our not-great-but-better-than-some transportation system.

busy weekend ends

Last night was a very nice and very large gathering (14
people) at Jane's. Round Robin #9 is over and I don't have
to do any more daily 10 minute writes until mid-July.
Logically, one would think that I'd do more blogging and
essays and the like, but long ago we established that
writing is not a logical nor predictable science. Last
night was fun, hearing people read their pieces and
putting names to faces.

Tonight we will have a small writing group, back at
Jane's. I hope she still has some food left over from
last night. Eric will be there, oh happy day! But Sarah,
Karen and Will are out of town.

The warm and clear and unbelievably beautiful
weather continues. Not our typical June...

hot weather special!

Bossman sent me this one. I like having my commano blog so I
can let everyone play..
Click Here: Check out ""

all this for $6.09

lunch spot
Originally uploaded by the omster.

We went to Togo's for a large sandwich, packed our Cokes® and Trader Joe's potato chips and drove over to Mariposa Street for a picnic. Some day this will all be built up with condos and chi chi restaurants, but for now it's peaceful and a little raw. One of our favorite summer lunch places.

pre-theatre drama

Great consternation last night as I drove into Fort Mason to
park for the Magic Theatre. Now it is paid parking ~ and like
all SF parking, NOT CHEAP. Friends, readers and enemies all
know that Husbando refuses to pay for parking and we have
many stories of me walking in very high heels from Union
Square to (say) North Beach with HIM saying, "it's not the
money, it's the principle" and me not speaking for the rest
of the ruined evening while I soak my feet and worry about
the walk back to the car. The other thing he says during the
long walk is, "It's not much further, another block or so".
Not true, never true.

So I backed up and out of the paid parking area in a most
clumsy fashion and thank goodness there were lots of spaces
outside and he treated me to a coffee and sugar cookie ($4)
to prove that it's not the money.

The play was fabulous. The Great Plotnik reviewed it far better
than I can because he is a professional and I am but a semipro.
It all takes place inside a ratty trailer and there are 5 great
actors and one constant TV. Funny stuff. I did laugh our loud
in several places, especially during the KFC drumstick scene.
Yes, I recommend this play ~ just don't pay for the outrageous
parking. It's the principle of the thing.
Click Here: Check out "KILLER JOE SF"



Click Here: Check out "KILLER JOE SF"

it could have been an agonizing day

...but right before I left work Mr. Gardner came in to sign his
books. We had sold out and I had just put about 40 of them
on the floor yesterday and fleetingly wondered if he'd pop in
while he was in town. As you all know, this is about the best
part of my job ~ that and laughing with my coworkers.

Chris Gardner is everything you'd expect and great looking,
too. Very positive and upbeat and easy to talk to. I gave
him my card and invited him to do a book signing with us.
It's weird because I am ultra shy around celebrities (even
baseball players), but always comfortable with authors.
It must be the words, no?
Click Here: Check out "Powell's Books - The Pursuit of Happyness by Chris Gardner"

hidden talent emerges

Thanks to the Cupcake Sylvia for this astonishing web site.
Just click the mouse to start and to change color.
And here I didn't think I was artistic!
Click Here: Check out "Jackson Pollock by Miltos Manetas"

missing aimee

Sunday is usually my favorite day to work because the customers seem calmer and less demanding. Also I get to drive and park free on the street. But I see that Aimee Mann is going to open the Stern Grove Festival season tomorrow. "Magnolia" was/is so haunting ~ the movie and the music. I would LOVE to see her, sit in the sun and wave the pink section of the Chronicle. We spent many golden Sundays at Stern Grove, back before retail became my way of life. Her concert starts at 2pm, but go early, you lucky people, and enjoy the whole delightful experience. And, it's free.

highly technical information

The much heralded email feature of this blog isn't working and IT'S NOT ME. I checked in the help section and others were complaining. All I said last night (emailed twice) was that we now have Deadwood, Season Two and I'm going to be a person of few words for the next couple of days while I return to the hills of South Dakota. I loved watching the stage coach full of whores come down the road into town. New characters mean colorful new plots and intrigue...

surabaya johnny

I usually get a mild goose bump or two when I hear the above
song written by Bertolt Brecht, music by Kurt Weill. I didn't
last night at ACT, but Happy End is certainly well worth seeing,
with delightful costumes and a clever stage set. The problem
was, I just didn't get involved ~ no laughing out loud nor the
need to scramble for a Kleenex®. Let's say I couldn't relate
to the characters, but I did stay wide awake for the three (!)
acts and it did have a rip roaring happy ending, so I don't
want to be a harsh critic here. Charlotte Cohn (Hallelujah Lil)
has an outstanding voice. Perhaps the problem last night was
that Kurt Weill music (for me) belongs in a dark, smoky,
almost-dirty bar ~ not in a big theater.
Click Here: Check out "American Conservatory Theater - ACT San Francisco"

but where's the meaning?

The best radio is sometimes little stuff that I catch on my
drive to downtown for my 6am Saturday shift. Last week
someone was discussing work and how it is a relatively
new concept that one's job should be meaningful. I'm going
to include this in my Big Essay that I haven't been working
on, entitled "Welcome to Grown-up Land".

Anyway, the pundit reminded me that during the Great
Depression, anyone who had any job was grateful. Think of
the thousands who risk life and limb to cross our borders
to clean toilets here in America.

Compare them to the 19 year old a friend of mine hired to
climb the corporate ladder in her advertising department.
"I can't do paperwork and details", he whined after a week.
"I'm an artist". And he quit that job which had a fantastic future.

OK, I've been miserable in jobs, and I've quit. But these are
rough times and I can see us heading quickly into another
difficult era where corporate greed will rule. I'm glad to see
that the unions are starting to rethink their strategy, but in
the meantime...work is hard. Nasty. Shitty, even. But it
pays the mortgage and, if you're lucky, provides less than
perfect health insurance.

Also, after owning our business, I changed. I see things
differently. I bitch and complain, but I work and try to
remember when we had to meet payroll, buy supplies, pay
the rent and taxes and still be "nice" to our employees.
Man, those were really rough times.

With age comes wisdom, or at least a different perspective.
(it's times like these when Husbando calls me the Andy
Rooney of Bernal Heights)

welcome back, garrison

Garrison Keillor rushed to defend Rep. Nancy Pelosi from attacks by gay-bashing Republicans last week, defending San Francisco, too. "The Bay Area is the cradle of the computer and software industry,'' he wrote in a salon.com essay, "which continues to create jobs for our children. The iPod was not developed by Baptists in Waco, Texas. There may be a reason for this. Creative people thrive in a climate of openness and tolerance. Authoritarianism is stifling. ... Creativity is a key to economic progress.''
(from today's column by Leah Garchik in the Chronny)

a lavish lunch at Quiznos®

On Sundays the Doctor and I scramble for the one good
table and have the exact same sandwiches & chips every
single week: meat balls for him, turkey for me. I'm glad
he's switched to the sour cream potato chips.

Today we discussed our blogs and I told him (again) that
I like to email my post in because to me it feels like I'm
writing a friend. I don't do rewrites or fuss around with
the grammar too much. It's also easier when I'm traveling.
So here, dear Doctor, are the instructions. I copied and
pasted them from the Blogger Dashboard.

In exchange, I will accept Season Two of Deadwood with
sincere thanks.

How do I post via email?

The Mail-to-Blogger feature turns any email account into a blog-posting application. In Settings | Email you can create a Mail-to-Blogger address which you will use to send posts via email to your blog:
To post to your blog via email, you need to configure your Mail-to-Blogger email address in Settings | Email:
The format of the email address is username.secretword@blogger.com. Note that this email address must be kept secret. Otherwise, anyone who gets it will be able to post as you.
Also be sure to specify whether or not you prefer your email posts to publish automatically. If this option is not checked, then your posts will be saved on your account but will not appear on your blog until you log in to Blogger.com and publish them yourself.
Once you have saved your Settings, you can send email to your blog. The subjects of your email letters will be the titles of your posts, and the body of the emails will be the posts themselves.
Notes:
     •     Sometimes email programs append text to the bottom of each sent message; to make sure this cruft doesn't get posted to your blog, put

reserving italy 2007

My tour guide Ginger (Santa Barbara) wrote me with the
dates for our 8 women trip next year. I'll be leaving on
April 6 and returning on the 21st. United and Lufthansa
both fly from SFO to FLR with some stops between here
and there. The price is about the same, so I'll ask a few
people for their opinions before I book. And good
news, Ginger might go to Pompeii with me ~ if not, I
don't mind going alone because I'll have mastered all
the nuances of the Italian language by then.

how low can they go?

There is an article in today's Chronny about the Bank of
India, oooops, I meant America. Of course they are out-
sourcing work to India, but what got my blood boiling is
the unbelievable policy that the poor employees who are
getting raped can't collect their severance packages until
they train their replacements. I mean how humiliating
and rotten can these bankers be? I betcha Mr. Gianinni
is spinning and cursing in his grave as I type. Sheeeeeesh.

the portabella report

I might have to host a Cupcake swim party and BBQ here
because those big door mushers couldn't hold a candle
to Sally's. But they weren't squishy, at least. It was a
quiet dinner, if you get my drift...

it's all sally's fault

The best BBQ'd mushrooms (Portabella ~ meaning big door,
I believe) that I ever tasted were at the Cupcake swim party
in Pathetica (Pacifica) about 5 years ago. It was a woman
only event and Husbando made macaroni and cheese for me
to bring ~ but I gave him credit. We had lots of great food
and that's when I tasted Sally's portabellas. Tonight I
suggested that Husbando might want to marinade the big
guys for a little while before he cooks them, but he was
afraid they'd get squishy. So I told him that Sally drove her
mushers all the way from Santa Cruz in marinade and they
were fabulous. He got all huffy about Sally being such an
expert, but they are in their sauce as I type. We lead a
very exciting life and discuss only important things here.

dinner with friends

Tonight we are going over to Twin Peaks for dinner with
N and F. We have been friends for more than 30 years.
We used to have elaborate dinner parties with exotic
dishes that took us hours to prepare. We would mix and
match wines with every course, get into screaming
arguments about politics and stay at the table until
sometimes 2 or 3 in the morning. Coffee and brandy
would leave us too exhausted to sleep and everything was
exciting and intense back then. The next morning one of
the women would call and we would relive the night
before. Those were the days, my friend...

Tonight N is bringing home a pizza from Costco and we
are taking a carton of coconut ice cream from Mitchell's.
No wine, no brandy and we'll be home by 8:30pm. Very
different, but I know there will be some hearty laughter
and that special feeling of being with long time friends
who have been with us through the good, the bad and
the in-between.

tuesday morning ritual

Several years ago The Fly Lady came to sell her books
and my coworker Mr. Black filled me on this woman who
promotes ostrich (not oyster, as I once called them)
feather dusters and organized housekeeping. I made the
mistake of wearing purple that day ~ I deduced was the
color favored by the Fly Lady and her many fans who
arrived from the burbs around San Francisco.  These
"gals" were not our typical customers. It was a hugely
successful event, despite the fact that I didn't have a
clue about this housewifely person.

While we were setting up her books, the delightful Robb
asked me what was going on. "Well, they call her The
Fly Lady and that's about all I know", I responded.
"Does that mean she eats her own vomit?" Robb asked.
That reduced us to that kind of soul-cleansing totally
uncontrollable laughter that lasted the entire day.

But back to the title of this post. Now, thanks to Mr. Black
and The Fly Lady, I start every first morning of my weekend
off by scrubbing the kitchen sink. How stupid, but somehow,
how fulfilling. And I always think of that v. funny Sunday
and I smile.

congratulations to Loren!

...check out the thermometer here! Good job.
Now all you have to do is walk for a couple of days.
I can hardly wait to read all about that.
Avon Walk for Breast Cancer:

oooopsadaisy

The Great Plotnik points out that I neglected to name Pasta
Pomodoro as the restaurant for the best French toast in
all of America. Strange, but true...

the saturday of my dreams

saturday brunch
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Of course I usually work on Saturday and it is pretty difficult because it is busy and stressful. So not only was yesterday relaxing, the weather could not have been better. This, then, is our reward for the 6 weeks of rain last April and May. We went to the Farmer's Market first to buy some over priced fruit and then just sat on a bench to watch the people and dogs. Also we had put lots of money in the meter and had to use that up. Then to 24th Street for the best French toast in America. Topped with mascapone (Italian spelling) and sliced bananas. Then home to read on the deck and watch some baseball. We finished #11 of the Deadwoods. Yes, Mr. Black, I so agree with your comments on the Shakespeare angle! Now, to get ready for WORK.

magnificent san francisco

from treasure island
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Last night after too much fabulous food at Pazzia (337 Third Street at Folsom), The Great Plotnik and his Duck(nik) drove us over to Treasure Island. At first we thought that there was some craziness emerging, but instead, we found this and more. It was one of those clear-as-a-bell sunsets and the fog floated down over the East Bay Hills and in through and over the Golden Gate Bridge. There was a big group of little boy scouts in tiny round tents and I hope TGP posts his photo of them on his blog today. It was such a perfect dinner and drive, we are indeed thankful for such special friends. Husbando and I will treasure (get it?) this memory....

we love all bookstores

west portal books
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Especially a new one managed by our friend Jen. Be sure to drop by this delightful store across the theater on West Portal. Jen has done a fabulous job of selecting and displaying books ~ this photo is of the children's section and there's a soft bench and carpet for the little readers. I so enjoyed my visit to Books on West Portal today!

I need to get back to South Dakota

At the risk of sounding like RR (age 2.6), I fell in love with
Deadwood before the first episode when I locked eyes with
the big brown horse. He galloped back to camp where his big
front hooves stood in the mud, then he was reflected upside
down in the puddle in front of the Gem Saloon. Oh, such
photography ~ starkly beautiful.

So, yes Doctor J, I love the program. I'm completely hooked
after 4 episodes. It's everything you said it was and more.
Who would have guessed that those two women (Jane and
Mrs. New York) would become friends? That Al has a tender
side? That Wild Bill had a gambling problem? I'm watching the
hardware store being built and checking out the Deadwood
web site where I see that Montana's wife and child will be
with us soon. I am immersed, irritable today that I didn't have
a chance to get my two per day episode fix. Maybe tonight.

Oh, and the little girl. Sweet but not too cutsie. Also the
good doctor, Sol the solo Jew (John Hawkes! Star of Me and
You and Everyone We Knew) and Trixie the hooker. It's
always about the people isn't it?

And I love that it's gritty and dirty and again you were right
when you said I'd get used to the swearing. Now I really
understand why you went to SD last summer vacation.
Thanks so much for the DVD loan and for pushing me to
watch it. We'll talk more on Sunday ~ my turn to buy lunch.

goodbye daniel, hello julia

I've met lots of people who will finish books and movies even
if they don't like them. I'm just the opposite. I try to give a
book 40 pages (where did that number come from?) and if
I'm not hooked by then, that's it. On to the next one. With
movies it's about 1/2 hour. So once again we see how
important "the hook" is.

I was bored with Adverbs by Daniel Handler. Of course I'm
lucky that I don't pay for books ~ one of the reasons I work in
a bookstore is for the book loan program. Luckily I also
brought home the just published The Whole World Over by
Julia Glass. I loved her Three Junes (available in paper back)
and I'm quite sure this will hold my interest.
Powell's Books - The Whole World Over by Julia Glass

The first and second episodes of Deadwood were so much
more than I expected and my swearing has increased seven
fold. I have never been a slouch in that department, of course.

the first of five golden days

I'm taking some days off this week, after the holiday in retail.
This year I did give a lot of thought to the men and women in
our military who have given so much. Whatever I write sounds
trite, so I'll stop. Suffice it to say that this year it seemed like
there was more on TV and in newspapers than usual about
the reason for Memorial Day. But that could just be me.

Our weather is at its best. Clear and warm and brightly
perfect. I have a list of To Do's, but nothing too urgent and
my first priority is to catch up on my sleep, do some writing
and reading and watch Deadwood. All 12 episodes of the
first season. Oh, and tonight Rescue Me returns ~ more good
entertainment from the usually lackluster TV land.

Here is the link from yesterday, to make it easier for all:
Powell's Books - Adverbs: A Novel by Daniel Handler

the miracle is the adverbs

It's about love and it's not about the nouns. That's what it
says on the dust jacket of the new Daniel Handler book
Adverbs that I brought home today. It's getting a lot of
press and not just because he's local, not just because he's
Lemony Snicket ~ but because this novel is clever and
confusing, wonderful and upsetting ~ just like love.
Powell's Books - Adverbs: A Novel by Daniel Handler

Also, the Doctor loaned me the first season of Deadwood
so I have some lazy days off coming up. Sunshine, too!

no strings attached

Well, this was such an unusual play! Three puppets (maybe
3 feet long each) are the children in The Long Christmas Ride
Home by Paula Vogel (How I Learned to Drive) and they are
delightful and realistic. The puppetry is by Basil Twist (from
San Francisco originally) and he directed the play too.
Three actors maneuver these clever puppets and then "become
them" when they are adults.  The warring parents aren't
puppets, but (surprise) they have managed to create the
almost-perfect dysfunctional family. I would have shaved a
few minutes off toward the end, but I certainly recommend
this one act play to everyone. Magic Theatre - San Francisco's
home for New Plays  through June 11th.

halloween in may

I've been thinking about that Halloween Hell piece that I
read the other night. Yes, I am tired of it, but since Loren
and Jane have both heard it multiple times in the past and
both still love the damn thing, it pleases me to read it for
them. But something else occurs to me. When I start
reading it (whether in practice or in front of people) I am
transported back into that time, that store, that misery.
I can see the $99 fog machine, I can hear the toys and
the "who can it be now?" moaning man hanging in the
window. I am all alone ringing the cash register that I
put together and I am yearning for October 31st with
a fierceness that I've seldom felt before or since.

So another benefit of writing ~ clear and total recall.

is this cheating?

I'm going to cut and paste a graph from my daily write
today. The prompt: WRITE ABOUT A STREET. This happened
on my way to work this morning and it made me smile.

My street is Powell Street in the heart of Union Square. In the morning when the dawn is breaking it's pretty quiet with only the occasional party goer or runner out in the world. I walk up from the BART station at Market to my store at Post and this morning there was a most unattractive tranny walking opposite me with his too short skirt and very male legs. His wig was disheveled and he gave me this shit eating grin that to me said, "you poor working woman, I have so much more fun than you'll ever know". And here I was feeling sorry for him/her, so it was a strange little fleeting big city moment.

I end the piece by mentioning the fact that I talk to tourists each
day at work. How they love our city, even the ones who live
in Paris, NYC, or London. They tell me how lucky I am to live
in San Francisco and I nod quietly and agree.

skilling & lay

Guilty ~ good job, Jury.

Tonight is my writing group (Tiapos) and I'm sort of in
a non-writing mood currently. I've been writing a lot, so
I'm going to take a little break tonight. But never fear,
I have my red pen in my purse and I'll be critic, editor
and cheerleader. Plus I need to laugh out loud and I'm
heading to the main headquarters for that, thankfully.

the writing community

the auction
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Here is Loren (right) helping to raise money for her Avon Breast Cancer Walk. Last night was special. Six writers reading their work to a crowd (!) of more than 30 people. One of the great benefits of taking classes at the Writing Salon is that we do join with other people who love books and words. I've yet to meet one who can say, "writing is easy for me", and even that helps. The mutual, yet isolated struggle to put something on paper. We raised more than $400 last night and I want to thank my friends who came out to support me/us. Quite a few of my fellow workers were there too and we all know it's not great fun to stay in your workplace when you've already put 8 difficult hours in. Thanks to everyone and congratulations to Loren. It really was a fabulous event!

breakaleg.com

Tonight I'm reading a couple of pieces and that's a whole
different ball game than the writing of them. Neither is
easy, both fraught with terror. Thankfully, I was carefully
taught by Jane almost 5 years ago Writing Salon Mistress Muses
to practice reading aloud beforehand. Some writers even
read into their answering machines, but I have Husbando
("slow down!") and a tape recorder that I'll use. And lots of
friends are showing up to support us which helps immensely.

I'm reading "The Chosen Baby" a very short essay about
being adopted back before open adoption became the
sensible solution. Thanks to K for finding the tattered
book on eBay for me for the show-and-tell part tonight.
Then the "Halloween" piece that I'm frankly sick to death
of, but Loren loves it and since this is a benefit to raise
money for her walk, how can I say no? Here is her blog
site and info on the event tonight: Lenore's Diary

Thanks to Borders for providing the space and free coffee.

why I don't cook

why I don't cook
Originally uploaded by the omster.

After yesterday's post, it occurs to me that some of my readers might think that I go to restaurants for meals. No, I am blessed with a man who cooks. Here is an example. This was a lovely surprise awaiting me after a particularly nasty day at work. Husbando rocks.

it's better in the morning

I wrote my daily piece before I went to work this morning
and I realize that I should try to do that every day. My
mind is mush (as is one of my nicknames) by the time I've
returned home from fighting the Retail Wars.  Today a
customer was curious about "some book about DaVinci".

So the prompt for today was THE LAST MEAL I COOKED.
I couldn't even remember when that was, but the writing
seemed to flow easier for me than it would have tonight.

hooray for the actorz!

This afternoon we went back to our little theater on Sutter
Street to see Roulette, an amusing and intriguing play
written by Paul Weitz who wrote and directed the movie
American Dreamz. There was just a tad too much frantic
activity for us, and it was quite loud in some places, but
well worth seeing, in my opinion. The six actors did a hell of
a job and we left with a question or two that we'll never
be able to answer. But that's sort of like real life, isn't it?
sfplayhouse.org

an excellent thursday

doctor j graduates!
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Here is the doctor getting his diploma. It was an impressive ceremony and I especially appreciated the main speaker,
a Professor Kennedy of Stanford, of all places. Then the drive to Pumpkinville was no problem and the beautiful RR was in fine form. We 3 adults talked of many things and sat in the rare Half Moon Bay sun, watching the girl child sprinkle the patient cats with her wattering can.

pomp & circumstance

Today will be busy with the graduation over in Berkeley
and then a drive to Half Moon Bay (aka Pumpkinville)
because Michael has never met the most marvelous
RR child (almost 2 1/2) nor seen mama K for a long
time. We all know about the death of the Devil's Slide
area, and 92 is the only route and is not easy to drive
if 4 million other people are doing the same.

So I need to find 10 minutes to write. Here is today's
prompt:
THIS IS THE TASTE OF WHAT HAS BEEN LOST
and I don't have a clue and won't until I start
typing. It has a lot of potential though, doesn't it?

I am meeting Bossman at 8:30 at Sather Gate, so
I'd better get a move on this morning.

revenge & retribution

Last night we watched Munich which is very painful as
you probably already know.  As a result I didn't sleep
very quietly, but I didn't expect to after all that blood
shed and emotion. At first I didn't recognize Daniel
Craig (whom I had seen in Layer Cake, Copenhagen,
etc.) and It took awhile to really see Geoffrey Rush
in his role. Of course I recommend the movie, but try
to watch it at 8 am, not pm.

pink clouds and 3 days off

The sun is already breaking through the marine layer this
morning and I'm content and at peace, planning my days
and answering emails. Husbando washed off the back deck,
table and chairs yesterday, and my newly planted marigolds
and little whites are still healthy and welcoming.

Thursday is the big graduation day at Berkeley and I will
be so proud to see Doctor J graduate. We have suffered
through a few very long and difficult tests and term papers
these past years, not to mention rearranging his schedule
about 6 times a day to accommodate those pesky classes.
Chock Full of Inner Demons

Michael is in town from Santa Barbara too, that means a
few delightful walks and talks. Today will be coffee at
Que Tal and he will help me understand wi fi in public.
I'll be taking msBook and I know he'll be tempted to do
a little desk top rearranging, but no dice.

I have a fine image from yesterday at work. Every Monday
we have seeing eye dog training and the labs and their
trainers work on our escalators. It is so unnatural for a
dog to get on these contraptions, so for some it is rough.
But they always get it. The customers are patient as
they stand and observe and wait their turn ~ we all take
a moment, I believe, to appreciate our lives and how
easy we have it compared to some people. I made eye
contact with a man from Britain who said, "this is so
great" and he goes home with an unusual and unexpected
Life in the USA travel memory.

i love my dictionary

Yes, it was even better than we expected. Do not miss
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee - Post Street Theatre

And again, only $40 for the Sunday night (7 pm) show,
any seat in the house. As we know, I'm not a big fan of
musicals (see snide comments about The Sound of Mucous)
but this is fabulous and very funny.

goodbye, hello

My friend and fellow-manager Jon resigned and left us for
a better job. I never quite get used to this, even though I've
been through a million "good-byes" over the years. We
are close at work because we struggle with the exact same
problems day after day after day. We cover our own and
each others' asses and present a united front, for the most
part. But it's rough when someone leaves, I'll feel like I'm
missing an arm for a month or two. Last year it was Jen,
this year Jon. Mood today = sad.

The "hello" is for Will who managed to get his blog going
again. This is very happy news, so enjoy his delightful
poetry. Such talent.
LargePantsatLarge

full moon thoughts

...from Braided Creek by Jim Harrison and Ted Kooser:

The moon put her hand
over my mouth and told me
to shut up and watch.

stats & cats & hotspots

I wish I'd find one password and stick to it, but I don't seem
to be able to. I usually use a cat's name, but since I've had
five of those, it does get confusing. And, yes, I do write
everything down, but not all in one place. I know, there are
serious problems in Africa, India and now poor Karl Rove is
about to be indicted. Tsk. Tsk. And here I worry about my
password and my blog hits.

Anyway, I'm trying to get into the Stat Counter to see how
many hits commano has had, but there are issues. Wrong
cat or something. Maybe mañana.

Last night as we were breaking up our writing group, Chef P
was worrying about finding a Wi Fi spot for her computer
when she travels to Georgia today. I suggested that she
"Google Wi Fi" for the directory. Will then said, "imagine
15 years ago someone saying 'google wi fi' ~ we'd think
they were coo coo." Here it is, Sarah, in case you are
missing us, feeling homesick and reading this.
WiFi Hotspot Directory, Wireless Internet Access Locations,
WiFi Security, Equipment and News

this is it!

Commano's first birthday. It's hard to believe. Thank you
Mistress Jane for gently pushing us here. And a million
little thanks to the readers and the ones who comment
on and off the blog. Thanks to Michael who does blog
maintenance and to the Google folks for providing this
free blogspot. I still as am enthusiastic about the blog as
I was a year ago, maybe more so.

I have that free hit counter, but not enough time to go and
check it right now to see how many folks have clicked on
my blog. Maybe tomorrow.

With a few exceptions I have tried to write SOMETHING
every day. That was my goal a year ago. I have learned
so much and I always think that is one of the reasons I'm
here, don't you?

mister talese on mister bonds

My coworkers try to notify me when an author comes in
to sign books. Gay Talese (looking dapper, of course)
arrived last Sunday to sign his new A Writer's Life. Of
course he was pleased that we had the book on the first
floor in the memoir section. It was an honor to meet him.
Powell's Books - A Writer's Life by Gay Talese

In yesterday's Chronicle, Leah Garchik wrote:
As a former sportswriter and fan, Talese seems intensely
interested in Barry Bonds, whom he describes as having
been "singled out for crucifixion because he's a superstar
...It's savagery, him being dragged from town to town to
be pilloried. It's like the stations of the cross...I think
journalism should be respectful, not character assassination."

I agree.

cutting, pasting, sharing

I've spent most of the day either in the garden or buying
plants. When I obsessively checked my email the first time
I found this lovely one from my friend Mary who works up
at General Hospital. It's not exactly a posh work environment
as you might know.

m.a. -
I have gotten on friendly speaking terms with the middle aged
black woman who does the early morning maintenance in our  
hall. We are always the first ones here.
When I give her my morning greetings.  "Good morning.
And how are you today?'
She always answers, "I'm blessed! I am truly blessed! 
And how about you?  You blessed, too?"
She says this while she is emptying trash baskets into a big
rolling garbage bin, and she means it.
I hope you get a chance to go out and enjoy this beautiful weather.
mary
  

his sister calls him "Thing"

I have a new novel here and enjoyed the first chapter
immensely. I never did get hooked on Cloud Atlas, even
though it was supposed to be one of the best books of
2004 (or was that 2003?). Anyway, David Mitchell's
new book Black Swan Green takes place in 1982 in a
small town in England. The narrator is a 13 year old boy
and we know they are ALL subhuman, but this kid is so
funny and confused and likable that I was right there
with him from the very first word. Read a few better
reviews here:
Powell's Books - Black Swan Green: A Novel by David Mitchell

why didn't I think of that?

The Salon Mistress starts our first few days of Round Robin
writing with us sending/receiving everyone's daily work.
It's a bit different writing to 25 people, I filter my thoughts
and become (for me) a little more gentle and generic.

One of my invisible online class mates wrote something that
I'll think about for a long time. Now I'll paraphrase:
"If you are always drawn to damaged, tortured people,
you might want to stop telling yourself that you came from
a happy childhood. That nothing much happened, etc......."

By the way, it's great to be writing everyday again. I am
so grateful that I discovered
The Writing Salon :: Welcome

a difficult choice

Yesterday's writing prompt was "a difficult choice". I found
it extremely interesting that four people wrote about
either putting their dog down, leaving him/her with an ex or
giving the little darling up for adoption. How those wiggly
creatures worm their way into our hearts. Or maybe it's
because they are so dependent on us for their very life
and death and their pursuit of the yellow tennis ball.

I still think and dream about our Irish Setter. Sidney was
a Jewish Irish Setter and went from a long puppyhood into
senility without any quiet middle years whatsoever. His
presence remains in our home and I can still hear the
thump-thump of his tail on the wooden landing between
the stairs as he welcomes us home and begs for an ear
scratch. Brave Husbando took him to the vet for his
final shot and I deeply regret that I didn't go and stay
with him for his final moments. This is how we learn...

why I carry my camera

green hornet
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Now you need to look closely at this. Those are itty bitty pieces of red glass (I think) and it certainly does sparkle on one of our rare sunny days. I walked by this car on Precita Avenue one time when I did not have the camera ~ so I learned my lesson. Ginger from Kansas was with me the second time, and it was she who came up with The Green Hornet name. At that time I told her that I would post this when I had absolutely nothing else in the world to say. So now you know....

out of the blue

A couple of days ago Husbando remembered this that his
father used to say:
"The recollection of quality remains long after the price
  is forgotten."
I'd like to report that he follows these pretty words, but
actually he can remember what we paid for almost every
item we've purchased in the past 30 years or so. But
now I have a quaint little quote to use when he says,
"yikes, that's too expensive!"

is that you dan rydell?

Last night was one of the best ACT plays of this season.
Only one hour, only two actors ~ but boy did it pack a
wallop! A Number was written by Caryl Churchill and if
you were a fan of the TV series Sports Night, you will
know Josh Charles who played Dan Rydell, and if you
are a woman, you probably had a crush on him. (Some
men did too, of course.) Anyway, last night he played
3 different cloned sons of actor Bill Smitrovich. The play
not only addresses the whole concept of cloning, but also
the idea that parents sometimes want to create perfect
children in their own image ~ without their irksome flaws.
Lots to think about here, go see this play.
American Conservatory Theater - ACT San Francisco

did you say a rooftop?

I love small, crowded "real" bookstores where women have
long hair past their prime and wear Birkenstocks and smile
easily. And the men too, so alive, despite their grey pony tails
and maybe the same jeans they wore to the peace marches in
the 70's. We went to such a place last night:
Bird & Beckett Books & Records
Our Will from writing group read some of his perfect poems.
One (Happiness, I think) for his wife and the joy he finds
in the everyday moments of their life together. The Great
Plotnik played the piano and multitalented Will was on his
harmonica. Husbando and I had been on different wave
lengths (see how gently I say that?) before the reading,
but we silently forgave each other as the poet's words
reached into our cold, cold hearts. Healing, soothing.
Read our Great Plotnik for Will's cheesy shirt poem...
The Great Plotnik

Another poet (Jane Radcliffe) lived in Lima, Peru at one
time. Poor people rented space on various rooftops and she
lived that way and wrote about it. She was a teacher,
then a dancer and always a poet. So I learned something
new and that's always worthwhile.

un dia sin inmigrantes

Today at noon I walked along Market Street to show my
support for the Immigration Rights march. There were
thousands upon thousands of people and I stopped along
the way to smile and applaud. Check out the Chronicle
for the story and photos:
Thousands march in Bay Area for immigration rights

It was weird and eerie walking home from BART along
24th Street. All the pastry stores, small shops and
restaurants were closed and the usually bustling street
was deserted. I missed the noise, laughter and music,
not to mention the luscious food smells. I'd say this
special May day was a huge success...

jim & ted

When friend Ginger from Kansas was visiting us almost
two weeks ago, she would read snippets from a poetry
book and we would smile wistfully. Examples:

At the tip of memory's
great funnel-cloud
is the nib of a pen.

All those years I
I had in my pocket.
I spent them,
nickel-and-dime.

When she left me
I stood out in the thunderstorm,
hoping to be destroyed by lightning.
It missed, first left, then right.

Jim Harrison and Ted Kooser are longtime friends.
We don't know who wrote what in this delightful book
Braided Creek. The words, the poems are all that
matter. It is my staff selection for May and I bought
a copy for myself to read again and again.
Powell's Books - Braided Creek: A Conversation in Poetry by Jim Harrison

yes, ag, it is a grand thing

I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly,
acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it
all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is
a grand thing.
Agatha Christie, British Writer

ms. strout is a fave of mine

I loved Amy and Isabelle, so when Elizabeth Strout's
new novel appeared last week I grabbed Abide With Me
to bring home on our book loan program. See why:
Actually, the child did not resemble either one of her
parents. Not yet. Not now, as she scuffed through
the gravel of the driveway, clutching acorns in her
hand. There was no indication of her father's height
or her mother's fullness. And while in time the minister's
brow and mouth would appear with startling exactness
on the face of his daughter, right now the girl looked
almost part animal, like she came from nowhere, or was
raising herself, living outdoors on roots and nuts: skinny
little limbs, and hair so fine that in the back it stayed
matted in a big snarl, hung in wisps down the front.

Powell's Books - Review-a-Day - Abide with Me: A Novel by Elizabeth Strout, reviewed by The Atlantic Monthly

the premium rigid search

I would have skipped the movie Everything is Illuminated
because the hero wears those bothersome big glasses
all the way through. But then I read the Doctor's review
Chock Full of Inner Demons and decided that I had to
see it. Smart decision on my part ~ Husbando and I both
loved the movie (he watched it twice) and I wasn't
prepared for the excellent ending. Funny, touching and
sometimes sad...in a good way. Filmed in the Ukraine
where I'll probably never visit, so that was an extra treat.

a labor of honor

her life so far
Originally uploaded by the omster.

I didn't mind working on my day off yesterday, because I have always had great respect for Jane. She was a perfect guest, polite and gracious to everyone, taking her time to talk to each person on a personal level.

Before she started signing, she spoke about how her book came about. She started it when she was 59 and had to tuck her laptop inside her fishing vest when she went to the river with her then-husband, Ted. (Her favorite ex.) She would find a secluded spot and write until the battery died, then go and try to catch a fish before they met up again. Obviously, this husband wasn't supportive about any Jane-centered activities. She felt she had to figure out the first 2/3rds of her life before embarking on the final third.

The crowd was polite and she bravely asked for questions. There were no nasty people yesterday, but we know she does encounter them and she had her body guard and small white fluffy dog to protect her. The dog spent most of the time in her lap, snoozing.

Jane spoke to several of the customers in fluent French and that was a pleasant surprise to me. There were more Barberella (sp?) posters and DVDs than I would have liked to see, but she was sweet about signing them. One woman even brought a tattered copy of Jane's Work Out book, from the 70's, I believe.

Yesterday was very special for me. Thank you, Jane, for all you have done for America, especially women.

writing begets writing

It doesn't make sense, I know, but I can't think of much
to write about since I'm not doing the daily Round Robin
writing. Thankfully, that starts again next week. I guess
some gear in the brain clicks on to "write" and that
way I don't have to fill the blog with cat photos, or why
I love SF thoughts. I have learned to take my camera
when walking about this strange city, some unexpected
treats are always waiting for us, or so it seems. I'm
looking forward to two days off, but you knew that.

luv for sale

waiting for you
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Here's one of the kitties we left behind yesterday. Sabina or her brother Greg, I'm not sure which. I'm so proud of the no-kill policy of our SPCA and wonder if our government could ever be so humane.