you had me hooked

I hate to judge a book by its first page, and yet I tend to do
that. Maybe because I spend so much time wandering around
the big box retail store straightening books, noticing which
authors have been in to sign their work and flipping open the
front cover to read just a graph or two before I'm inundated
with a quick question, or a broken escalator, or an overflowing
toilet. But let's stay positive this morning, shall we?

Ms. Messud was in to sign this book and here is one of the
reasons I brought it home.

"Come in, darlings, come in." Lucy moved behind them and
herded the trio toward the party. The Leveretts' living room
was painted a deep purple - aubergine, in local parlance - and
its windows were draped with velvet. From the ceiling hung a
brutal wrought iron chandelier, like something salvaged from a
medieval castle.
Click Here: Check out "Random House Academic Resources | The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud"

here they are ~ the top 100 books

I was just bemoaning the fact that I haven't been reading
enough to a co-worker today, and now we can all feel extra
guilty.  So I brought home The Emperor's Children by Claire
Messud. Already I know it's a winner.
Click Here: Check out "100 Notable Books of the Year - The New York Times Book Review - New York Times"

sorry, no such thing...

When the big block box mortar chain bookstore is packed
with people, an anxious customer will often tug at my sleeve
and say, "I have just a quick question." There is no quick
answer in a bookstore, except maybe, "the cafe is on 2 and
the bathrooms on 3." But they persist. I try to explain that
I am helping another customer and have one waiting on the
phone, yet they are persistent. The difference between our
business on Friday (we could manage) and Saturday (we
managed, but ooooooooh-eeeeeee) was phenomenal. And
yesterday they were wall-to-wall from the moment we
opened the door. The good news is that 3 weeks from this
very day I will be walking at Crissy Field after opening a few
low key presents under our merry little smell-good tree.

One time when Husbando and I were young and poor we
bought a damaged tree and our friend John called it the
"Jesus Tree" because only He could love it. That remains the
tree we remember best...

woody loves a mystery

Last week we rented this fun little movie ~ great scenes
of London. Click Here: Check out "Scoop DVD - Scoop movie - Scoop"

3 weeks and counting

not rudolph
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Thanks to our blogmaid for this nice reindeer photo ~ see them at the SF Zoo! My own particular zoo is getting busier, but we are all holding up just fine. I have finished hiring now and I guess I've interviewed, checked references and hired about 30 temps since the first of November.

the theme was love

Last night in our writing group, we all wrote about
various aspects of LUV. Without planning too, as so often
happens. It was a glorious evening. Such talent, tears
and laughter.

Karen ~ on finding love through craigslist.com
Jane ~ a lover from the past (so sensuous)
Will ~ remembering a prep school teacher
Sarah ~ her mother and their relationship
Doug ~ his new granddaughter (pure beauty)
Me ~ San Francisco

We force each other to keep on writing, I need that.
A rare meeting when everyone wrote on my piece, "it's
perfect, send it!" And so I shall. (With love.)

thank you again, adair

As so often happens in this life, one of those strange and
wonderful coincidences occurred yesterday. (My friend
Michael calls this "shrimp", but I can't remember why.)
Anyway, on Tuesday, I was going through my old notebooks
looking for inspiration and came upon an old SF Chronny
column by Adair Lara. Title: Women Have Rights; Ladies
Have Privileges.

I don't have the date on this photocopy, but I would guess
this was in the early 1990s. "Someone calls me a lady, and
I feel as if I'm standing in a flowered dress and a hat with a
veil presiding over a jumble sale in Leeds, England, or that
I've been promoted to the English gentry."

Then yesterday when I was referred to as a "lady" way too
often, I decided to use Ms. Lara here to catapult me into
my piece for Tiapos tonight. This is my favorite graph of
this particular column: "BUT WOMEN. Women smell of oil and
sweat and musk and baby powder and sour milk and blood.
They read the Wall Street Journal, pornography, poetry,
novels, chemistry texts and the scribblings on bathroom
walls. They buy tools, iguanas, Harley-Davidsons and drum
sets. They drive tanks and pilot planes and take their chances
at being killed along with the boys, on the wild supposition
that women are no more innately precious than men."

This is a big and important subject to me and I already know
that I can't possibly do it justice in my feeble writing attempt
for tonight. But I'll try. (Come back, Adair.)
Click Here: Check out "AdairLara.com :: author, columnist, teacher"

do you call that WORK?

Today I worked an offsite at a fancy downtown hotel. We
sold 100 books and the charity made lots of money and
we got to look at 800 socialite-type women. I saw seven
different Diane Von Furstenburgs, lots of big diamonds and
pearls, boots with heals, blonde hair with dark roots (that's
in now), one African American and one Asian woman. Most
of the women were from the suburbs (we think) and many
were sipping white wine at 10am. I loved being out of the
store, of course, it was like a day off for me.

"How you doing, Ladies?" quite a few of the organizers
asked us. I guess they don't know that I hate that Lady
business. Woman is a perfectly fine word, so now I know
what I'll write about tomorrow for my writing group.

early tuesday morning warmth

tuesday morning
Originally uploaded by the omster.

It's cold here, but who cares with this welcoming fire? When we bought our tiny home many years ago I had two requirements: a view of the city and a fireplace. Now, of course, I'd probably request a decent-sized bathroom with actual shelf space, but we have to make choices in this life. Thanks for the thoughts both on the blog and via email. I will buy a tree and ask K. and RR to help me decorate. That makes it all worthwhile, doesn't it? At 8am we will watch Jon Stewart and then I'm having lunch with my old friend Ken. Perhaps a nap and a movie this afternoon, a solo walk and some reflection.

the yearly green decision

It's time for the annual Should We Get A Tree or Not?
thought process. Husbando couldn't care less because he
didn't grow up with this tradition, and I am torn because it
is a lot of work and always a mess to clean up afterwards.
So I'll go through the pros and cons these next 10 days
and reach some sort of conclusion.

Frankly I get enough of the Great American Excess from
working downtown and hearing Christmas carols 8 hours
a day. I feel bad for people who are forced to buy presents
when they don't have the money and in the past 10 years
we have cut waaaaaaaaaay back on how much we spend and
whom we give to. As the 25th approaches, the irritability
factor increases and I hear parents snapping at their offspring
when they should be holding hands and singing jingle bells.

But there is an empty feeling in la hacienda without a tree
and that's a fact. I love all the lights, too, and of course
we need that glorious green smell. Maybe I can find a can
of evergreen smell encased in little twinkly multicolored lights...

recommended for your queue

Husbando and I enjoyed this Christmas movie which is
based on a true event during World War I. Very sweet.
Joyeux Noel

feeling reckless?

Craig Lucas is an outstanding playwright ~ his work
includes The Dying Gaul and The Secret Lives of Dentists.
Now through Dec. 30th we have his Reckless playing
on Sutter Street and it's a fabulous holiday journey filled
with humor and pain (as in champagne). We loved it
and now I'll encourage The Great Plotnik to go see it
and we all anxiously await his review. In the meantime,
it's truly a treat. Go!
SF Playhouse: The Power of Live Theatre

where's the nonfiction?

We started this morning shopping (!) at Macy's at 6am.
The first time we've ever done this crazy thing, but we
wanted to get a Cuisinart® for $80. It was actually
fun because I used my generous company's parking
space and Husbando (an ex-retailer) wanted to see
what the traffic was like. Macy's was as busy as it is
any noon time ~ one woman bought 6 electric panini
makers and our Cuisinart was selling briskly too.

Then I went to my own little retail wonderland to face
customers, some who don't go to bookstores any other
time of year. I did get my first where's-the-nonfiction-
section question of the season, so that's how I know
that the happy holidays are here.

But so far no frayed nerves or signs of irritability from the
customers. That won't last forever, alas...

pristine indeed

table before
Originally uploaded by the omster.

...our table before the first guest sat down. I love setting the stage...

after party disarray

table after
Originally uploaded by the omster.

...we had a fabulous time, much laughter. Of course we were all trencherpeople.

such a day!

It's clear, sunny and beautiful today after days of grey.
I love this holiday and I have been puttering and cleaning
since about 6am. Three hopeful phone calls to make us
thankful for our friends.

We are nine today. The "good china" serves 8, so I will
use the "cementware" (as my friend N. calls our everyday
stuff) but my happiness today is being with these people ~
watching everyone enjoy themself and ALL the food.
(I would be happy with a Melmac® plate on Thanksgiving.)

After dinner and dishes I will send the before/after dinner
table photos to amuse you.

willie is obscene

I took two photos of our 16 lb. Willie Bird soaking in his Chez
Panisse (Husbando approved) brine, but I think I would either
be arrested, or my readership would have a brief spike from
the porn lovers. So no picture, sorry.

Today at yoga my instructor mentioned a class especially for
people with sleep difficulties, so I might go to that next Wed.
night. She said that lying on one's back with feet up against
the wall is especially good for insomnia. Better than those pills
they advertise on tv every 20 minutes, I bet.

Huge spicy lunch at Pakwan on 16th Street and Guerrero. I
could just nibble on the onion nan and be more than content,
but had some chicken dish too. Husbando had the lamb and
we discussed how all this plus a tip could be under $20.00.

Working in the garden and getting ready for our 4pm dinner
tomorrow night is such a pleasant way to spend my day off.
I will bake a pecan pie in the morning, after email hour.

crazy folk circle the square

I'm trying to get out every day with my sandwich instead
of working at my desk. So I head for the square where they
are putting the lights on the big Christmas tree and there
were extra seats and tables available for a change. I like
Union Square, by the way...it's a true gathering spot in the
European tradition. No, it's not a park, it's a square.

So I'm sitting there peacefully watching people and pigeons
and a man comes and sits directly across from me. There
were many other places available for him, of course. He
stares at me and then takes his electric razor out of his
pocket and starts shaving, all the while looking straight at
me. It could have been worse, but I did finish my egg
sandwich in a hurry, then crossed the street to visit my
friends at Macy's.

a shock of color!

dragon face
Originally uploaded by the omster.

For a year (it seems) one woman in overalls has been on her hands and knees putting tiny tiles on this most delightful dragon. On a whim I took my camera for my solo walk today and was rewarded by this surprise. This little park on 24th Street (Bryant) is open and it couldn't be more enticing. I always love walking on 24th, with the smell of Mexican food, the south of the border music piped from stores and passing cars, and now we have a place for the neighborhood families. It's right across the street from the Roosevelt Tamale Parlor, so head there after the park visit. Aren't we lucky to live here?

the kids love it!

24th & bryant (tail)
Originally uploaded by the omster.

This is the tail of the dragon and there are small spurts of water where those yellow spots are. Just enough to get everyone wet on a grey winter day.

my busy sunday

I won't have time to write later. I'm 6 to noonish at work,
then a party (!) to celebrate the upcoming 3rd b.day of
the fabulous RR. Then an all-store meeting from 8:30pm
to maybe midnight.

Of course the party is the highlight, down in Pumpkinville
with some special women that I haven't seen in a long
time. I don't socialize much from now until mid-January,
because the holidays in retail are rather exhausting, to
say the least. So I look forward to today, plus I actually
slept well. The meeting tonight will be (errrrrrrr) not
exactly to my liking, but it will be quite an experiment to
be up that late at night.

Last night I made scalloped potatoes for the party. Tom's:
4 cups sliced, cooked and peeled potatoes
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup celery
2 sprigs parsley
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups milk
3 T. flour
lots of shredded cheddar cheese
sprinkle w/ paprika

Place potatoes in greased 1 qt. baking dish.
Cuisinart® onion, celery, parsley, flour, butter, milk.
Pour over taters, sprinkle w/ salt and pepper.
Cover w/ cheese and a little paprika.
Bake at 350º for about 50 minutes. Serves 6.
Leave dishes for Husbando.
Who was Tom?

someday ~ beware

I have not yet written here about being a feminist. I am,
and often a strident and irritating one. I guess I'm afraid to
unleash all of that in commano, but I will one day.

"No male writer has written primarily or even largely
for women, or with the sense of women's criticism as a
consideration when he chooses his materials, his theme,
his language. But to a lesser or greater extent, every woman
writer has written for men even when, like Virginia Woolf,
she was supposed to be addressing women."
Adrienne Rich

Dancing Jen and Jon G. treated me to a lavish dinner at
Kuleto's last night after work. Of course there was a little
work-gossip and lots of laughter ~ excellent food, and I then
rode home on BART with a little box of redolent penne
pasta for Husbando and a nice warm glow for me.

The above quote is from the signed (!) book that Jen
gave me, which I am devouring before breakfast this
morning. Remember when Ms. Rich refused the National
Medal for the Arts in 1997? I've always admired her.
Arts of the Possible: Essays and Conversations by Adrienne Cecile Rich

timely update from Bisbee

Woman found guilty

Herald/Review BISBEE — A Mexican woman accused of trying to smuggle one million dollars worth of narcotics into the U.S. under the spiritual guidance of a scythe-bearing skeletal saint known as Santa Muerte was convicted in Superior Court on Thursday.

A jury deliberated for three hours before finding Guadalupe Vega Galaviz, 33, of Cananea, Sonora, guilty of one count of transporting cocaine for sale and one count of transporting methamphetamine for sale. The convictions carry a possible combined sentence of five to 10 years in state prison.

saint of the disenfranchised

I have done a lot of private writing about how difficult it is
to live in SF and watch people move away. Mostly it hurts,
but there is the upside of learning about other parts of the
country. This is from a recent email from Mary, who moved
to Arizona, Bisbee, to be exact. I keep telling her to start
a blog, but until she does, I am going to steal her material:

The latest revelations from the Border. 

There is a woman on trial at the Bisbee courthouse for smuggling large amounts of drugs from Mexico.  She is evidently a devotee of Santa Muerte - who - it is reported - has a large following among smugglers of drugs and people  and also the poor in the border areas.  People get tatoos - there are evidently shrines established for her along certain trails and  roads.  I googled her and found not only photos and websites but  even a report that was commissioned by the military down here on her - all very official looking (see attached).  Why hadn't I heard about this before?  Life is an education.  Hmmm.

Santa Muerte photo - Yoann Gauthier-Manuel photos at pbase.com

The Death Cult of the Drug Lords Mexico’s Patron Saint of Crime, Criminals, and the Dispossessed
Thanks, Mary!

nice rib rack!

ribs at roadside
Originally uploaded by the omster.

I refuse to retype the post below, even though I have a typo. That alone will let my readers know that I am human. Here is my lunch yesterday from the Roadside BBQ ~ delicious. Next time I'll try the brisket sandwich.

let's start with dessert

dessert foreign cinema
Originally uploaded by the omster.

This is a meringue (sp?) cookies with strawberries ~ a little awkward to eat, so I just picked up the cookie quarters and dipped them in the sauce.

a food-filled day in frisco

I have two colorful photos from yesterday, but Flickr® is not communicating with Commano and I'm getting frustrated. So I'll just write now and send pictures later.
Started the day at Costco ~ I know some people hate it, but not me. Husbando said, "she only likes two stores: Costco and Macy's" and he's probably right. Anyway, then we had an unusual lunch out on Geary and 2nd Avenue at the Roadside BBQ. The Plotniks treated us and he will be writing a glowing (I hope) review giving the place a 5 fresh-baked corn muffin rating. Really, it was terrific and I had to get rid of all that cholesterol, so I came home and napped for two hours. www.roadside-bbq.com

Dinner at the Foreign Cinema on Mission at 22nd. We've been there now maybe four times and are still impressed. It can get cold outside, so we sat in near the fireplace last night. I had lamb chops and Husbando the chicken. So many interesting (ahem) people to watch and it's terrific that 4 or 5 new restaurants have opened in that less than elegant neighborhood. You will need a reservation here: 648-7600. Photos to follow...

jon carroll in new york

I'm sure our local columnist would want me to quote him
here. His columns on NYC this week are extra special. This
from 11/13 is a keeper:

A minute in the park: The writer John Gregory Dunne, who was my cousin and a friend, died three years ago next month. His daughter, Quintana Roo, died last year. His wife, Joan Didion, wrote a memoir of John's death and Quintana's illness called "The Year of Magical Thinking," which is now being made into a one-woman play starring Vanessa Redgrave.
The real estate agent who sold Quintana's apartment after she died did not feel right about taking a commission, so she used the money to dedicate a bench in Central Park to Quintana and John's memory. It's on the right, five or six benches in from the 69th Street entrance off Fifth Avenue.
It was a windy fall day, and the orange leaves were eddying on the walkways, and kids were walking by in Halloween costumes, and we sat on the bench and stared south, and thought about things that sometimes don't come with words attached. And then we continued our walk, the same but different.

work hellos and goodbyes

You'd think I would be used to people moving on and changing
jobs in my big box chain mortar bookstore, but not so. I have
been madly hiring 3 temps every week and so far that is working
out just fine. But I continually miss the people who have left:
Jen, Jon G, Mr. Black and now #88 with his vast book knowledge
is but a warm memory on the walkie talkie:

"88, are you here this morning?"
"Yes, #1, at your service."
"Good, I can relax now."
"Roger and out."

(Please don't be confused, I am not #1 in mind, heart or deed.)

One time I left a message on the employee bulletin board for
#88 and some concerned young person accused us nasty
management folk of treating people like numbers. Don't
you love it?

baseball in november with bob

I was up with some "issues" last night, so I finally listened
to the freebie CD with Bob Dylan and 17 snippets including
"Joltin' Joe Dimaggio" and "Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit
That Ball?" The learned notthat called it an Odd CD and he
is so right ~ Mr. Dylan is the complete monotone background
for all this baseball emotion. But listening to this at 2am took
me back to our wonderful days at The Stick and soothed my
restless mind. Pitchers and catchers report in ______ days.
Below is one of my favorites from the CD (I'm afraid my
browser and the blog might write this differently than Mr.
Ferlinghetti did ~ apologies):
 
Baseball Canto
  Watching baseball, sitting in the sun, eating popcorn,
reading Ezra Pound,
and wishing that Juan Marichal would hit a hole right through the
Anglo-Saxon tradition in the first Canto
and demolish the barbarian invaders.
When the San Francisco Giants take the field
and everybody stands up for the National Anthem,
with some Irish tenor's voice piped over the loudspeakers,
with all the players struck dead in their places
and the white umpires like Irish cops in their black suits and little
black caps pressed over their hearts,
Standing straight and still like at some funeral of a blarney bartender,
and all facing east,
as if expecting some Great White Hope or the Founding Fathers to
appear on the horizon like 1066 or 1776.
But Willie Mays appears instead,
in the bottom of the first,
and a roar goes up as he clouts the first one into the sun and takes
off, like a footrunner from Thebes.
The ball is lost in the sun and maidens wail after him
as he keeps running through the Anglo-Saxon epic.
And Tito Fuentes comes up looking like a bullfighter
in his tight pants and small pointy shoes.
And the right field bleechers go made with Chicanos and blacks
and Brooklyn beer-drinkers,
"Tito! Sock it to him, sweet Tito!"
And sweet Tito puts his foot in the bucket
and smacks one that don't come back at all,
and flees around the bases
like he's escaping from the United Fruit Company.
As the gringo dollar beats out the pound.
And sweet Tito beats it out like he's beating out usury,
not to mention fascism and anti-semitism.
And Juan Marichal comes up,
and the Chicano bleechers go loco again,
as Juan belts the first ball out of sight,
and rounds first and keeps going
and rounds second and rounds third,
and keeps going and hits paydirt
to the roars of the grungy populace.
As some nut presses the backstage panic button
for the tape-recorded National Anthem again,
to save the situation.

But it don't stop nobody this time,
in their revolution round the loaded white bases,
in this last of the great Anglo-Saxon epics,
in the territorio libre of Baseball.

Lawrence Ferlinghetti

why we work retail...

One of the major benefits of working for a big box chain
bookstore is the discount for employees. Normally it's 25%
(33% for part timers) and full time people receive a $30
gift card every month. I'm one of the weirdoes who save
my cards, so today I bought a big bunch of books and
mostly used the old monthly cards. We have a few days
here when employees can buy books and CDs for 40% off, so
I make a list throughout the year (mostly children's books
and one CD) and I did splurge on one great DVD (Wordplay)
for 20% off. I brought home two giant bags filled with
books and that felt like Christmas to me...

the poet from Topeka, Kansas

NO MATTER HOW BIG YOU MAKE A TOY, a child will find a
way to put it in his mouth. There is scarcely a piece of
playground equipment that has not been inside a child's
mouth. However, the object responsible for the greatest
number of choking deaths, for adults as well as children,
is the red balloon. Last year alone, every American choked
to death on a red balloon.

Ben Lerner
Angle of Yaw

Click Here: Check out "Writing Instructor Ben Lerner a National Book Award Finalist - California College of the Arts"

is it christmas weeK?

Today at lunch I walked down to the new Westfield Center
and the streets were jam packed with people ~ inside
the new mall all the escalators had one person per moving
stair. Honest to God, it was a zoo.

Our store wasn't too crazy, thank goodness, and the elevator
is working again, so my day was better than expected. I'm
still interviewing and hiring temps and I had to wade through
127 tedious emails because I had the nerve to be gone for
three whole days. Here is what the emails covered:
1) sickies ~ who called out, who wandered off the job
2) plumbing problems in the women's chamber of horror
3) the all-store meeting on 11/19 (oh joy)
4) gift wrapping for the holidays (we use fund-raising groups
     who make tons of money)
5) people stretching 10 minute breaks into 30 minutes
and so on and on.......

H20 link

Click Here: Check out "Netflix: Water"

blogs and bloggers battle fatigue?

For some reason the email to blog feature is "down" and
I don't like writing to the formal dashboard block, so I
struggle to get some words posted because I said I would
write everyday, and I'm a rough taskmistress when facing
semi-strict promises to myself. I know that isn't healthy,
but that's not the point right now. See, a whole graph already.
(Also, I don't know how to link on the dashboard, but it's so
easy with the email feature. Sigh.)

I'm sorry Ed Bradley died ~ I've admired him for years. Tough
yet gentle. A rare combination for a newsman. I liked the
earring and the sparkle in his eye when interviewing someone
like, for instance, Bob Dylan.

Tonight Tiapos (our writing group) will be small because
Dougo is in L.A. with his new grandchild and Chef P. has
been working too hard in GourmetLand up north. Spotty
West is teaching at a new school and he warned us that
he'd be under too much stress to read and write with us
this Fall. So only four of us? I'll take something old,
something borrowed...maybe something blue.

celebrating the thumping

Well, I didn't dare to dream that the democrats would
take the senate too. What a fine day this is and I feel
better about this country than I have in years. Good
job everyone, especially Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi and
of course the brilliant Bill Clinton.

We watched CNN on and off all day with some breaks
for yoga this morning and lunch with a friend. Then
this afternoon we finally settled in to watch "Water",a
film about an 8 year old girl who is forced to join an
ashram of other widows when her 50 year old husband
dies. It is an extremely beautiful and moving story and
my favorite line is when the little girl innocently asks,
"Where do the men widows have to live?" Yes, I'd give
this movie 1 1/2 Kleenex®.

friends and dems = much happiness

Yes, the Pet Shop Boys were a huge draw and the store was
filled with (ummmmmm) excitement all day. And still no
elevator. But that was then...and now I have 3 days off!

Today I was happy to have a few moments with Kristin and
RR outside the swimming pool at the Janet Pomeroy Center
down on Skyline ~ the thick fog was just burning off and
the rest of the day was clear and warm. Little Ryan takes
her swimming lesson there and was most anxious to get
into the pool, but it still was nice to see them both and to
get Kristin's thesis on Lillian Hellman and give a few books
on Thanksgiving to Ryan, her horse Erin GoBraugh (sp?) and
Carol the rider who always travel with our favorite 3 year old.

I stopped to visit Dancing Jen at her bookstore on West
Portal and we had a good and gossipy chat. I surely miss
her at my big chain bookstore, but everyone knows that.

Husbando and I headed to the SF Symphony to buy a gift
certificate for our friend Frank, then walked around the
Hayes Street area, ending up sitting in the sun and enjoying
a light lunch at some small nameless cafe. I forgot to
bring my camera ~ don't let me do that again.

I love election night the way some folks love the holidays.
I mean I LOVE it ~ every beautiful blue win. So I took a two
hour nap because I want to stay up as long as possible. Of
course there have been years when I've gone to bed in
disgust, but this won't be one of them. We switch stations
and listen to some half baked theories and smirk when
Santorum's family looks all teary eyed. What fun...

Our thoughts are with The Plotniks (The Great Ones) who
are in L.A. waiting to become grandparents.

chris and neil - our 6pm event

Thanks to Ms. K who inspired me to do my homework here
in anticipation of my day of great sales and horrendous chaos.
No wonder the phone has been ringing with so many questions
in so many different languages, some even a little demanding.
I know, that's a surprise, isn't it?

These two sound like winners to me, so I feel better about
today. I will say "brilliant" and "lovely" a lot and they will know
that I've been to London. I will offer to carry them up all those
stairs on my back because of course they need a green room
and that will either be in or next door to my office.

Click Here: Check out "Pet Shop Boys Song-by-Song Commentary"

could it get any better?

First Foley, now the preacher man in Colorado. Oh how I
love the hypocrites with their Family Values. Really, if
one wrote a movie script about the current political
events, it would be tossed out as being ridiculously far
too dramatic and unbelievable. 

Yes, the elevator was still out today. I walked up and down
those stairs with nary a complaint. Talked to a customer
who said that people who work in bookstores tend to have
"an edge" about them. I glared at him and he said, "oh, I
meant that in a good way". Right.

Tomorrow will be a mess. The Pet Shop Boys will be in at
6pm. I've been calling them the Petco Guys. I will report
in tomorrow night. Send nice thoughts my way, please....

sorry for the inconvenience

Stairs - Vatican Museum
Originally uploaded by kohvitass.

Our elevator is broken and won't be fixed until Monday. Of course we have escalators, but getting from my office to the first floor is no easy task, especially with carts of books or boxes of DVDs. I didn't bring my camera to work, so I used a photo from Flickr® that pretty much resembles our stairs at work. I hope you feel sorry for me, I certainly do.

the two californias

When I worked in a big box chain bookstore in Berkeley,
Ishmael Reed used to come in all the time. That was one
of the few good memories from that particular experience.

Here is one of his poems from a just published book,
New and Collected Poems,1964 - 2006.

UNTITLED

When California is split in two
The Northern part will be called
The Republic of Jambalaya
The Southern part will be called
Summer Camp

Ismael Reed

media day with won tons

Grey and rainy so I spent most of the day indoors and
Husbando termed it Media Day since we started out this
morning watching Jon Stewart at 8am, then moved to
The World's Fastest Indian, an inspirational true story
starring Anthony Hopkins. Oh, I did vote this morning
before I started on my computer ~ it took me one hour
and the entire kitchen table. Tonight I think we'll watch
Water - A Deepa Mehta Film, but it sounds a little
depressing. Submitted a short piece for rejection, but
at least I can file it away forever.

Lunch? Out to 34th and Balboa for won ton soup and
steamed buns at the Shanghai Dumpling Shop. Can
you think of a better rainy day? 

they spoil the vines & tender grapes

We both loved The Little Foxes at ACT last night, but
first I want to talk about the amazing discovery that there
were TONS of kids in costumes in the heart of downtown!
And better yet, it seems like those little grocery and liquor
stores give out candy by the fistful. It was so touching
to watch the little ones of multi multi ethnicities, some
with parents and some without, carrying their huge bags
of candies. And there were some unusual costumes and
even a few children in wheelchairs. Because I'm such a
city woman, I loved this about 400 times more than I
would those bland burbs with expensive decorations and
formula Halloweeniness.

But now to the vines. Here is where Ms. Hellman found
the title ~ from Song of Solomon (2:15):
Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines for
our vines have tender grapes.
(alluding to the rich capitalists who crush their own history
and all the people who happen to be in their way, but you
already knew that - pardon my preach)

You will not be disappointed in this play! The set for one
thing ~ rich red and dramatic with a long winding staircase
begging for emotional speeches. Glorious costumes and
some fine acting. But, as always, it's the writing...the
words and the characters that kept me wide awake after
a full day of work and a big sandwich from
Lefty O’Doul’s - San Francisco Restaurant Review

American Conservatory Theater - ACT San Francisco

pre-work halloween post

I have a very sane 9 to 6 work schedule today, then we are
going to ACT to see Little Foxes, so it will be too late to
write tonight when I get home. I usually dress down for the
holiday (jeans, at least), but I'll have to be somewhat
professional today due to after work theatre. I will wear the
pumpkin earrings that K. gave me a few years ago.

Checked Flickr® for a ghost photo, but couldn't figure out
how to steal one for my blog. They have 99,313 of those
and I started getting lost browsing, so figured I had just better
get to the writing. Our prompt for Round Robin today was
Ghosts, so I wrote about ex-employees coming in and me
not knowing their names and not particularly caring about
them either, to be perfectly honest.

I have been substituting for the Round Robin and am better
for it these past 8 days. Thanks, Mistress Jane!

i love a mystery

I am thoroughly enjoying this new novel about a 16 year old
girl who disappears for a few weeks. The reader never knows
what is true and what is fantasy. I don't know why it's titled
the same as Bettelheim's book about fairy tales, but I'm
quite sure it wasn't an accident.

Click Here: Check out "Powell's Books - The Uses of Enchantment: A Novel by Heidi Julavits

On the way home tonight on BART a young Asian woman
was completely engrossed in Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina",
I enjoyed watching her read, I hope she didn't miss her stop,
I've done that from time to time.

how do you say dysfunctional in spanish?

Last night we watched Only Human ~ and I would rate it
two out-loud giggles. It is a Spanish movie about a young
Jewish woman (a tv reporter) who brings home her new
college professor boyfriend, who just happens to be
Palestinian. Her family is quite crazy even before this,
sort of a Meet the Fockers de España. Don't read too
many reviews because the pivotal plot element is more
fun if you don't know in advance that it's going to happen.
(It's only about 90 minutes, so you aren't investing too
much of your shrinking leisure time here.)

now how much? by the pound?

pumpkins 2006
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Every year I buy our pumpkins from the Mexican guys on a truck (two trucks this year!) on Harrison, around 22nd Street or so, I guess. I think I pay twice as much as I would at Safeway, but they are always so nice and help me drag the pumpkins to my car. I wanted 7 this year, but Husbando pointed out that they take FOREVER to compost, even with very active worms, plus we all know that I don't like to see pumpkins in December, so they have a limited shelf life at our house. So I only bought 4 this year, but they are big mothers and beautiful in their own orange way.

Sunday, Oct. 29th - meet Eric (and Jane)

Don't miss this unusual author event for the book I
discovered last week. I'll be there to have my copies
signed ~ excellent holiday gifts for those creative types
on your gift list who just happen to love/live in our City.

Click Here: Check out "The Writing Salon :: Events"

we'd rather eat than write

the day ends
Originally uploaded by the omster.

...and lame ageist jokes are always good this time of year.

pink and gold and filled with calories

the day starts
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Sunrise from our back deck ~ the most perfect time of year. Busy day off including a flu shot at the Public Health Department (so organized) and then an unusual b.day lunch at Original Joe's in the Tenderloin with The Great Plotniks. Like going back in time before we worried about cholesterol and our blood pressure. Or how to decorate a restaurant, for that matter. We enjoyed ourselves immensely, as we always do with TGPs. Then tonight at Tiapos (my writing group) we celebrated two birthdays and discussed why so many writers are Scorpios. TGP said he is a Scorpio with Clueless rising...

photos and recipes

Two things I can never seem to throw away. I have a pork
chop recipe here from Susan when I was at the Univ.
of Colorado about 200 years ago. It's awful, too. Photos
I can understand, but what's this attachment to old
recipes? It's not as though I cook more than twice a year.

So last night Husbando asked me if I could make some
waffles for dinner tonight. Turns out that we are both too
full from lunch at Boulevard today, so I'll make them
another time. When I looked for the recipe, however, I
had to think about the source. Frank was the ex-husband
of Pat. Pat died about 18 or so years ago. We never
met Frank, but these waffles are delicious ~ unusually
light and tasty.  I'll photograph them, maybe, when we
do have them. That's something for you to look forward to.

Frank's Waffles
Sift together:
one cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Mix together carefully (?):
1 lb. sour cream
4 egg yolks
the flour mix from above

Beat the 4 egg whites with a
little salt (make sure no yolk is
in there (why?)

Fold mixture into beaten whites slowly.

That's it folks, get out your waffle irons.

Paul, Eric, Jane and shellfish

I picked up this book at work because I so love the illustrator
(Paul Madonna), but then I noticed that the author used to
teach at Jane's Writing Salon The Writing Salon :: Welcome
so I brought it home and now I will buy it because it's truly
wonderful. Oh, the author is Eric Maisel, and I probably met
him at one of Jane's soirees. Anyway, here is a quote from
this little gem of a book:

San Francisco and Paris are sister cities. They are not
connected by architecture, class structure, or climate.
They are not connected by their shellfish preferences (in
San Francisco it is crab, in Paris it is mussels), their history
(Wild West provincial versus urbane royal), or their
museums...
They are connected by being two of the world's very few
bohemian meccas. Each is an important, well-marked stop
on the bohemian international highway.
Amazon.com: A Writer's San Francisco: A Guided Journey for the Creative Soul: Books: Eric Maisel,Paul Madonna

where else?

fort mason
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Sometimes I get jaded and have to remind myself that not everyone going to the theatre gets to walk a few extra steps to see something as exquisite as this...

a little more magic

Yesterday when we went to the Magic Theatre out at Fort
Mason, I asked Husbando if he thought Elaine May might be
in the audience and he said, "Yes". Even better than that,
she was introduced before the production of Moving Right
Along and that was such a treat as I have admired her
for a long, long time.

Three one act plays, not easy to do because of the set
changes and other technical obstacles, but these all work
because of some fabulous acting (Marlo Thomas and Mark
Rydell in particular) and May's excellent writing. The last
one ("George is Dead") was my favorite, but all 3 are
well worth the price of the ticket.

Magic Theatre - San Francisco's home for New Plays

And we found free parking, so my karma has returned...

getting ready to run

from our cafe
Originally uploaded by the omster.

For some reason taking photos from inside our cafe didn't work very well, but at least you'll get an idea of our great view. Post and Powell streets were wall-to-wall happy women. The race began a little after 6:30am. I love working downtown, but you know that.

thousands of women runners at 6am

nike marathon
Originally uploaded by the omster.

This year I brought my camera and the good Doctor J went up to the roof to get this photo. A lot of streets were closed off this morning for the Nike® event, so I ended up parking in the company parking space. When I walked to work it felt like the middle of the day as the streets were filled with women of all colors and ages in their shorts and tank tops and baseball caps. There was so muich electricity in the air and when we watched them all from the cafe on the 2nd floor, they were jumping up and down with excitement. It was a perfectly warm morning for a good run. It's a whole new running world with the addition of cameras and cell phones now! Despite the inconvenience, I love having this happen right under our noses so early in the morning.

and I'll take one of those, and those, and those...

italian bakery
Originally uploaded by the omster.

This is often my destination when I take an afternoon walk. Perhaps that is why I don't lose the final 5 lbs. Everything here is exquisite, but we are partial to the almond torte, cookies, napoleans and cakes. It's on Mission at 26th, if you've never been there.

my single day off

So far I've sent 3 reminder emails to me at work, so this
is why I need two days in a row, which I'll have next week.

And file this under ~ HAS SHE BEEN IN RETAIL TOO LONG?
Within the past year, I have had these experiences while
shopping/standing in line at other stores:
1) Walgreen's ~ I was waiting for the photo clerk and
     someone asked me where the toothpaste was.
2) Williams-Sonoma ~ at the counter and ready to pay,
     and a customer requests that I help her find the
     ramekin dishes advertised in the catalogue.
3) Last Monday at the post office. A line of 10 people,
    I am in the middle. A man zooms over, selects me
    from all the rest and says, "Where are the green forms?"
    Not feeling helpful, I respond, "sorry, not my responsibility".
    "I know that", he says gruffly. I relent and point them out
    and do not say, "under the Forms sign".

Beautiful clear and sunny day today ~ I will get a long solo
walk and think non-retail thoughts for a couple of hours.

heavenly hurt it gave me

Thank you, Mary, for suggesting this poem when I was doing
battle with the blues a few days ago.  Emily knew...

There's A Certain Slant Of Light

There's a certain slant of light,
On winter afternoons
That oppresses, like the weight
Of cathedral tunes.

Heavenly hurt it gives us;
We can find no scar,
But internal difference
Where the meanings, are.

None may teach it anything,
'T is the seal, despair,
An imperial affliction
Sent us of the air.

When it comes, the landscape listens,
Shadows hold their breath;
When it goes, 't is like the distance
On the look of death.

Emily Dickinson

a rewarding little lunch break

Yesterday I hopped down to 49 Geary Street to check out
the Richard Avedon photo collection at the Fraenkel
Gallery. A small group of some impressive photographs by
Diane Arbus, Irving Penn and Henri Cartier-Bresson. It's
times like this when I really appreciate working downtown
and I vow to venture out and away from my desk more
often. And NOT just into another retail store! (I had
trouble opening this web site, but maybe that's because
it is so early for the rest of the world.)
Click Here: Check out "Fraenkel Gallery"

ah yes, the hills...

fog burns off!
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Here is the view from the 7th floor of our reknowned General Hospital. I know enough that it doesn't help the poor patients in the psych. ward here, but at least the staff members and visitors get to enjoy this visual treat. The fog on land and in my mind/heart burned off yesterday before noon and I feel calm this morning. Vigorous walking often does the trick and I need to remember that.

fighting with fire

Winter is upon us. Time passes too quickly and we are
bogged down in our idiotic work worlds and there is gloomy
sadness in the air. "Depression attaches itself to whatever
is handy", a shrink friend told me. This morning, when I
should be sleeping in, I am doing my best to wrestle the
demons ~ here are a few of my time tested methods:

1) purple and blue flowers on the dining room table
2) fresh, hot, dark, deep French Roast coffee
3) big/fat pumpkin spiced candle burning next to me
4) a roaring fire in the fireplace ~ the first of the season!
5) some Verdi playing loudly later in the day
6) a walk to General Hospital to give the psych ward 2 bags
    of fresh magazines, 1/2 in Spanish ~ freebies to us from
    when we had the business 12 years ago. Tenacious.
7) stop for a nonfat latte and watch people & their electronics
8) I will read some poetry - maybe CK Williams or Maxine Kumin
9) writing friends and emphasizing the positive: good health,
    enough money, feeling safe and close to a few individuals.
    I have so much more than most people on this earth...but
    I'll be honest too re the melancholia of this mid-October.

These split days off don't work for me ~ some like them, but
I can't really relax and get back to being me until the second
day. Only another week of this.

Thanks for listening, I feel better already.

she likes us!

Just published ~ Amy Sedaris has a hot new book.
I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence and it's
going to be a very big seller. She will be on Jon
Stewart's program this week, according to the web site.
The book appears to be a legitimate how-to-entertain book,
with all sorts of whacky Amy comments, some
unusual recipes and wonderful art work.

Click Here: Check out "Amy Sedaris Rocks"

for your convenience...

Click Here: Check out "Brian Gross Fine Art: Artists: Robert Arneson"

the genius of robert arneson

minuteman 1983
Originally uploaded by the omster.

We both admire Robert Arneson ~ remember when he did the Moscone piece? So much controversy. If you look closely you can see the missile embedded in the charred cross. The horribly disfigured head speaks to the atrocities of war, it is not easy to look at, but beautiful in its way. This is new (to us) in the sculpture garden behind the de Young.

three links for the post below

Click Here: Check out "de Young Exhibitions"
(Chicano Exhibit)

The Quilts of Gees Bend

Costco.com

a multi-cultural kind of day

two great exhibits
Originally uploaded by the omster.

We started out at Costco and ended up in Gee's Bend. My friend #88 works at the de Young and he said that a customer asked him where the Bee Gee quilts were, so of course I kept wanting to say that (and not to be cute), it's just all I could think about, you know how that goes. Anyway, let's skip Costco, except to say that the blueberry season is over. Drat. This fabulous Chicano exhibit is over in a few days so please do yourself a favor and see it! The bold, no apology colors simply blew me away and I remembered when my friend Ginger first moved to S.F. and she would drive up and down Mission Street (no easy task even 20 years ago) just so she could enjoy the experience. This is so much better than I expected, and I had heard only good things about the many paintings owned by Cheech Marin and others. It's a 15 city (I think) tour and we are so lucky that it's here. I loved the whole Gee's Bend exhibit, but Husbando has low quilt tolerance, so I'll go back by myself one day soon, I hope. The de Young is now a year old ~ I don't know when Costco came to our city.

is this a first?

I'm going to our writing group tonight without anything
to read. Usually I can pull something out of msBook, but
I decided that I'm just going to listen and enjoy the
work of my fellow writers. This has been a strange week,
off on Wednesday and Friday and then next week on
Monday and Friday. I'm the sort of woman who needs a
little more order (it calms, as we learned from the Amish)
and of course I need two days off in a row. But since I
preach the gospel of adaptation to the staff, I'd better
practice it myself here for a couple of weeks. Will do.

However I sent a begging little email to Bossman saying
I need 3 days in a row before the happy holidays. I'd like
to take Husbando to Mendocino...my favorite spot on earth.

the bad reporter = very good time

asmussen @ borders
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Here is the promised photo and a few more details. First, the staff at Borders helped me (as always) to set up the pesky movie screen, locate and plug in assorted cords and plugs and talk up the event to customers. We couldn't turn off the overhead lights, but that all seemed to work out just fine and wasn't worth all my excess worry. Don answered many questions after the delightfully funny slide show and customers stopped me afterwards to thank us for hosting him. I forgot to have him sign the remaining books, so I'll email him tomorrow and ask him to do so. He admits that he gets many emails after one of his strips ~ not all of them complimentary. Surprise. Even I, worried host, enjoyed myself totally. So buy his "Dog vs. Cat" book ($10.95), it's full of little treasures.

success!

I'll add a photo in the morning, but suffice it to say that
Don was terrific and we had a great turnout (maybe 50
people) and sold some books, too. So that was a relief,
because one never knows with these events. We could
have had 3 or 300. I was grateful to see my Tiapos friends
there to support me and have a laugh or two. One woman
said she read my blog after typing in "Asmussen"...she
complimented me on commano, so of course I liked her
immensely.

grown-up comedy

Tonight we Flixd® Thank You For Smoking and I would
give it 2, maybe 3 butts. It wasn't laugh out loud funny,
to me, but certainly worth your time, especially between
baseball games these next two weeks.
Thank You for Smoking (2005)

Tomorrow night is the Don Asmussen event and I'm just
a little nervous. 7pm Borders Union Square. Should be fun!

plain and simple

About 10 years ago someone gave me this little journal
by Sue Bender. It features colorful quilts along with very soft
and gentle 3 to 4 lines of verse to contemplate quietly.
Ms. Bender lived with the Amish to learn about their quilts,
but of course there she found the courage to change her
busy life and leave room for the unexpected. Her book
is 151 pages and took her 5 years to write. Plain and
Simple is the title of both her book and my still empty
journal. I turn to it during times of unrest. My work life is
ruling my real life lately, and I don't like that one bit.

Here, from the journal ~ and just in time:

Sometimes we confuse what we do with who we are.

Lists engulf us ~ creating the illusion that our lives are full.

To simplify we have to say no.

The ordinary can be extraordinary.

Order calms.

two wives = double trouble

After work we went to the San Francisco Playhouse up
on Sutter to see Miller'sThe Ride Down Mount Morgan
which was first produced in London in 1991, and even
though it is a comedy, it is still Arthur Miller, so there
is plenty of top notch drama here. There was some
fussing around with the seats and first-afternoon type
pre-play confusion, but after the lights went out, the
audience quickly settled down and enjoyed the performance.

The hero neglects to divorce his first wife who is surprised
to meet his other wife after he endures a nasty car accident.
(Yes, it's been done before, but it's still effective as a plot,
probably not as a way of life.)

My ever generous company provides me with free downtown
parking on Saturday, so we like to take advantage of this
treat whenever we can. We have season tickets to the SF
Playhouse this year ~ very reasonable, by the way!

(The Great Plotnik will also review this play because he and
his Ducknik also enjoyed this play earlier in week.)

The Playhouse Theatre

taking the J train

I explored a little tonight on the way home ~ took the F
street car, then the J car up to Cesar Chavez. Stopped
to talk with my friend Ken at Books, Inc. on Market
Street. But, get to the point. Riding along up Church Street
there is this magnificent view of the City. There were
some tourists from Great Britain on the car and the
woman tapped her husband on the shoulder and said
"Look mate!" as they both admired our glorious city,
which wasn't at her best what with the grey weather.
Everyone near them on the J car smiled and forgot their
promblems for just a moment there...

three kleenex®

OK, I know it's predictable and definitely a feel-good kind
of movie, but I loved Akeelah. I even shushed Husbando when
he tried to make "guess what's going to happen next?" kind
of comments which usually elicit like responses from me. The
little girl is terrific. To my surprise it was produced by Starbux,
the coffee company ~ perhaps you've heard of them?
Interesting tid bit here: the sound track is a relatively top
seller at our store.
(Nice to see so many plays and movies about words recently!)
Click Here: Check out "Netflix: Akeelah and the Bee"

a little space, a little freedom

Like a bird on the wire,
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.

I have worn out the Leonard Cohen CD that Dancing Jen
gave me a few years back. I am a devoted Cohen fan. I
remember a Tiapos meeting in Sausalito when The Great
Plotnik spotted a bird on a wire ~ he had memorized this
entire poem/song! And he's a Dodger fan, imagine.

But I have a point here. Or I'll try to build one. I was
working in my home office this morning and listening to
Leonard. I know this makes me sound shallow and self
absorbed, but one of the happiest times in my life was when
we decided to build me a little room all of my own in our
garage. We know I crave alone time and privacy and this
5' x 7' (approx.) office has served me well over the years.

So I was noodling around down there today, listening to
Leonard, using my old msMac instead of msBook, thinking
about freedom and how I still love my office. I remember
when our big clown of an Irish Setter would wind himself
around my feet, pulling out various plugs before he finally
sighed and settled down. The cats too considered this
cluttered space a little slice of heaven, mostly because it
was forbidden due to car tires and instant death fears.
Cats love keyboards with moving fingers on them...

Realistically, there isn't a lot of freedom for people who
have to work for the man. It's not like we can take off
and travel or write for 12 hours a day (yikes, who could?)
and when someone has been married for eons, we tend to
think in "we" terms. Nothing wrong with that, but it can
be a struggle sometimes to find the space and time to
think in the "me" way.

I have tried in my way to be free. (Jane would suggest that
I lose this corny last line, and she would be right as usual)

back under the dome

I wasn't going to write tonight, but I had an email from my
friend Mary saying that she reads commano every day, so
I thought, "oh, what the heck", just keep typing.

Today I met Husbando at the new mall and we had lunch
down in the basement. It was early (11am) and by noon
every table was in use! We just had Korean noodle soup
and of course we could have walked about 5 blocks further
for better food at less money. And no free water, I hate that!

He had walked around before we met and pronounced the
whole thing "too L.A." and in truth there are many stores
catering to the very thin 18 year olds with lots of strange
ruffles and layers ~ the clothes, not the girls. So when we
parted he said he was going to Mitchell's to get a gallon of
pumpkin ice cream and, in fact, I'm going to serve it now.

Two days off coming up ~ I'm more than ready for them.

want to meet the big bad reporter?

I'm too tired to write tonight, so I will try to encourage
you to attend a fun event I'm hosting next Tuesday night,
October 10th. About 10 years ago I worked with Don's wife,
so I felt comfortable inviting him to the store.

Bad Reporter - Friday, September 29, 2006

7pm
Tuesday, Oct. 10
Borders Union Square
Don Asmussen
Cartoonist
to discuss and sign his new book
Dog Vs. Cat

I understand that he has a hilarious slide show
presentation and I'm look forward to this event.
Join us!

see you at spring training!

OK, let's talk baseball for a moment. You can sashay on
out of here Mistress NoPlot.com.

The Snowglobe queen (Sal) emails us that it's only 138 days
until the pitchers and catchers report. Husbando always
compares baseball to life: you can plan ahead, do everything
right, practice until your body explodes and then something
unexpected happens and kaboom! you lose the game. The
best example of course is Steve Bartman (poor guy) and the
Chicago Cubs. And yet, despite all of this, there is always
hope. Again, pretty much like life. So we say good-bye to the
Giants until Spring and look forward to the playoffs which
to me are a lot easier to watch without investing all of my
emotions in the home team.

Because of The Great Plotnik and his shrine, I'm hoping that
the Dodgers can at least beat the Mets. I understand this
all starts on Wednesday and maybe I'll even wear something
blue for a few days to show my support for Dodger Doug.
I hope the A's do well too, but I'm not a fan of the American
League with their sissy pitchers who can't hit, it's pretty
boring until the final game when they play the National League.

bits and pieces (to fill)

You will be happy to learn that the new Bob Woodward
book is flying off the shelves! I'm going to sink into a
novel by Mark Haddon entitled A Spot of Bother. For
movies? Tonight we Flix'd Lucky #Slevin which was OK,
not fabulous, and extremely violent. But worth seeing,
I guess, just because the plot was so convoluted. So
I probably won't read this hot book, but I'm glad it's selling:
Powell's Books - State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III by Bob Woodward

the hype, the mall, the dome

the dome returns
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Of course if I lived in Peoria or Wichita, there's no way in hell I'd visit a new mall, but in SF it's all dressed up as nostalgia and design and elegance. I scampered over there today on my lunch hour and yes, it's just another mall, but my oh my, it is impressive. I didn't get to Bloomie's, but I checked out the new and beautiful Borders (4th Floor) and walked around just a bit before my time was up. I had an interview and had to rush back to my store. I kept looking down at the enticing food court and will return there on my next trip. Yes, it was very busy, but not too crowded to enjoy the whole spectacle. I heard the sound of cash registers...music to many ears.

almost 3 hours of clever!

Wowza ~ I had exchanged our tix due to my Santa Barbara
vaca last week, so we sat in the 2nd row last night. Better
to hear every single perfect word and watch some superior
acting by our old friend Geoff Hoyle (Pickle Family Circus)
and René Augesen, as well as Gregory Wallace, and more.
Travesties by Tom Stoppard is way better than I expected
and so I recommend it to everyone who loves words and
history...not to mention the colorful costumes and sly,
sweet movement of eight fabulous actors. What a treat!
Click Here: Check out "American Conservatory Theater - ACT San Francisco"

chocolate in between the slices

dessert ~ fried
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Does this look like The Great Plotnik's blog? Today I work 8am to 5pm and then we have ACT tonight, so I wanted to do my daily post early as it will be late tonight, if we stay for all the innings....

southern mission hospitality

dinner on 29th St.
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Our little nabe has lots of wonderful new little restaurants ~ Al and Tipper Gore even ate here a couple of weeks ago! We really enjoyed ourselves at The Front Porch on 29th Street off Mission. You can see (below) that the prices are reasonable and there are some dishes you can't find amongst the all too typical 6 entres in most restaurants. Husbando had the fried chicken and I enjoyed crab in a corn and porridge dish. Freshest green salad ($4) possible and a fried dessert that we did not need.

reasonable prices, unusual food!

Click Here: Check out "the front porch • san francisco"

my kind of challenge (maybe)

Karen from my writing group emails us that the Washington
Post will pay $100 for 100 words. We know that I specialize
in brevity, but when working on this today (between a solo
walk in the Mish and a stroll on Fillmore Street with Husbando),
I discover that it's hardly any words at all! Sheeeesh. Hello.
Good-bye. No time for foreplay...
The guidelines: find a way to give insight into your life in
under 100 words.
(At least I'll have something to bring to Tiapos Thursday night.)

sam shepard's newest play

Yesterday afternoon I left work early and we saw The God
of Hell which is all about the most dangerous plutonium pit
in Colorado, Rocky Flats Plant. I didn't realize that it only
takes inhaling a few missed particles of plutonium to cause
cancer, so of course this is still a huge concern, especially
to landowners surrounding Rocky Flats. It's one of those
hush hush government messes and Shepard's one act play
manages to be scary and amusing at the same time. We
both really enjoyed the tight script and of course the acting
is superb, especially from Anne Darragh and Michael Santo.
The latter plays "the government guy" with just enough
Pres. Bush in him to be almost as frightening as the actual
plutonium. It is a short, intense play ~ go.

Click Here: Check out "Magic Theatre - San Francisco's home for New Plays"

saving you some time...

Click Here: Check out "Think Progress » FULL TRANSCRIPT: Clinton Takes On Fox News"

This Wallace is the son of Mike, by the way. Smarmy...

renew orleans

blues festival
Originally uploaded by the omster.

This 34th annual Blues Festival was a tribute to New Orleans, so lots of people were wearing beads and feathers ~ when we were standing in line to enter, the woman with the bullhorn announced, "no guns, no knives, but alcohol and marijuana are OK". The music began before the scheduled 11am and lasted until 6pm, of course we left earlier than that. You can see that our seats were pretty close to the stage. It goes on for another full day today and if you love blues and people-watching, it's the place to be. But I return to work today, still relaxed from my wonderful vaca. Until I read about the 3rd email, I suspect...

great meadow at fort mason

very sf setting
Originally uploaded by the omster.

You couldn't dream up a better location for the SF Blues Festival. The booths have all sorts of fabulous food: BBQ pork, jambalaya, corn bread ~ the smokey food smells add to the overall ambience and thanks for the glorious weather!