Oh, my aching hands from raking in grands and breaking in mic stands

Finally

Wed, 30 Nov 2005 00:44:00 GMT

Snowing in Kirkwood, CA. Yum. Will open Dec 1.

Giant Squid Observed in Wild

Wed, 28 Sep 2005 18:16:54 GMT

One of those science stories I've been fascinated by for years. The beast was finally photographed in the wild.

the recovered section of tentacle was still functioning," they continued, "with the large suckers of the tentacle club repeatedly gripping the boat deck and any offered fingers.

Rickey Watch

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 17:47:00 GMT

This isn't likely, with the A's and Angels likely needing all the remaining Oakland home games next week to resolve the AL West--but it'd be sweet.

Also see David Grann's article "Stealing Time: What makes Rickey Henderson Run?" in the September 12, 2005 New Yorker.

3637

Tue, 09 Aug 2005 07:08:02 GMT

And the iTunes calls the music as I cross the 37ibicon.

When I was 36 it played: Heebie Jeebies, Louis Armstrong--My Only Friend, Magentic Fields--These Days, Joy Division

Then Midnight and:
37=Flux=Rad from Wowee Zowee
Well chuffed!

I use a word that don't mean nothin', like looptid

Sat, 09 Jul 2005 21:20:37 GMT

Yes, a really big head. It was used in the digital undergroud music video for "The Humpty Dance". Now is your chance to do the dance. You must haul it away, it comes in pieces, but I don't know how, and can't help you.

It needs to go soon.

Please someone bring this to the desert. Please.
Your chance to do the Hump.

Meme Morefecta?

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 12:12:42 GMT

As Merlin mentioned, I settled into my NYC hotel last night and snagged a quick meme trifecta. I got a bit overambitious methinks when I hoped to exploit the fine mirror to bring in the Leonard Cohen-Ween thing.

Wrens Boarding

Fri, 10 Jun 2005 20:01:58 GMT

This winter I boarded a black diamond run for the first time at Kirkwood, CA at 9300'. Didn't fall. My lucky Wrens shirt kept me safe.

Good Afternoon, Wiffle Ball

Fri, 10 Jun 2005 18:14:13 GMT

I just called Wiffle Ball. There's a birthday party for a friend in Golden Gate Park Sunday, and I'd like to play some Wiffle Ball. We bought a bat and ball at Cliff's a few weeks ago, but when Kim and I played for the first time the ball took one minute to find a pipe in the sidewalk just big enough for it to disappear into--so I need replacements. They answered the phone in Connecticut "Good Afternoon, Wiffle Ball."

BloodBack

Fri, 27 May 2005 07:47:28 GMT

I have this sensation that my back's bleeding between my shoulderblades. Not teaming, more like spots. When I hook my index finger below my collar back there, I feel cooled liquid and pull it out, expecting to see blood. Nothing, not even moisture. So at least I have that going for me.

Sweet Overambitious Friday the 13th Eve

Fri, 13 May 2005 22:01:19 GMT

This makes for a fun SF night--when lots of good stuff doesn't overlap, and lays out across the city with convenient geographic sequence.

5:45 Yummy Citrus Club for dinner. Noodles and shrimp with sweet creamy coconut sauce. I'll be cutting that sweetness with some Nuac Cham.
7:00 Yummy Spoon rock music. Across the street from dinner. Free. They delight me to no end.
8:00 A drink at Persian Aub Zam Zam, a windowless oasis with a medieval Persian theme. Opened in 1941.
8:30 Hopefully yummy A's game at SF's "A's bar," Thieves' Tavern. Actually painted yellow and green--with pool, pinball, and great jukebox. Not really a sports bar, as much as a flash point for lots of SF subcultures. Tom Waits and the Replacements and Van Halen and singing along to Hedwig. And the troubled A's play the Yankees.
10:00 Our pal Annie djs at the Attic, playing pop/dance/indie/non-indie rock music from the 60's to the hits of today. Always an air of folderol.
12:30 DJ Jester, the Filipino Fist at 12 Galaxies. Jester will drop Pavement onto Willie Nelson and segue to Jay-Z. He does not care. At all. Also free, for the Onion's party. And the Dead Hensons, a muppet cover band plays at some point. Might have to juggle this with Annie.

Yummy Spoon

Tue, 10 May 2005 06:09:19 GMT

New Spoon make me all melty happy.

Trifecta

Tue, 26 Apr 2005 19:15:10 GMT

Swimming Under San Francisco

Sun, 24 Apr 2005 00:46:28 GMT

This morning at 3AM I was swimming under San Francisco. The Albion Castle was a brewery built in 1870 over fresh water springs in southeast San Francisco. The current tenants include our friend Paul, who hosts great karaoke nights in SF. He's moving, so it was the last chance to have a party there.
This photo's from one of the two caverns. The second was further back in the hillside and lit by a single candle. The water was cool, but there was enough humidity in the cavern to make it bearable.

San Francisco International Film Festival

Mon, 18 Apr 2005 20:07:47 GMT

Here's where we'll be:

Street Angel
American Music Club accompanies a 1927 silent film.
Sat, Apr 23 • 9:00 pm • Palace of Fine Arts

The State of Cinema Address with Brad Bird
Incredibles director on retaining the communal experience of going to films (vs. building a 16:9 nest in the home).
Sun, Apr 24 • 5:00 pm • Kabuki

The Last Mitterrand
Fictional dialog between Mitterrand and his biographer as they try to establish where France has been and where it's going.
Sun, Apr 24 • 9:15 pm • Castro

5X2
Rewind look at the arch of a relationship, starting with divorce proceedings.
Mon, Apr 25 • 7:15 pm • Kabuki

Shape of the Moon
Indonesia's tearing religious, class, and ethnic facets via the story of a poor family.
Tue, Apr 26 • 9:00 pm • Kabuki

Almost Brothers
Two men who began as friends and are now a senator and a drug-dealer frame Rio and Brazil's evolution from the 50's to the 70's to the present.
Thu, Apr 28 • 6:30 pm • Kabuki

Duck Season
Day in the life of 2 Mexico City suburban 14 year-olds. Won Best Film, Director, Actor, Actress and Screenplay at the Guadalajara Film Festival.
Fri, Apr 29 • 6:30 pm • Kabuki

In Casablanca, Angels Don't Fly
Mountain villagers descend to Casablanca and try to make it in the face of prejudice, while retaining faith and ties to home.
Sat, Apr 30 • 12:00 pm • Castro

The Power of Nightmares: The Rise of the Politics of Fear
BBC examination of how fear is increasingly the weapon of mass induction worldwide.
Sun, May 1 • 2:00 pm • Kabuki

Me and You and Everyone We Know
Magical tour of suburban Americans trying to invent and accept themselves.
Sun, May 1 • 9:00 pm • Kabuki

Take My Eyes
An abusive husband and his wife strive to understand themselves. Won Best Film, Director, Original Screenplay, Actor and Actress in Spain.
Wed, May 4 • 9:15 pm • Kabuki

We'll Get Wild, Wild, Wild!

Sun, 17 Apr 2005 19:35:17 GMT

If you want to hear a 36 year old man belt out a very sharp and vaguely lyrically accurate version of 'Wild Boys,' you should get to my house in SF right away. Wild. Boys. Al. Ways . . . Shine.

'Mats Video

Wed, 13 Apr 2005 00:08:45 GMT

Swoon.

Iowa, Ohio

Wed, 03 Nov 2004 07:04:19 GMT

Looks like Iowa will be tomorrow (Thursday) and Ohio later? (maybe 11 days out). But Kerry's not looking good (yet!?). Lawsuits queued. John Henry's (Red Sox owner) plane queued.

Finally the Curse of the Super Itchy Johnny Damon Tribute Beard is Broken!

Sat, 30 Oct 2004 16:44:57 GMT

Just after Game 4.

Non-affiliated.

Back to normal.

WWJDD?

Sun, 24 Oct 2004 17:17:53 GMT

Before the ALCS began, I committed to the Red Sox. I'm an A's fan first, Giants second, but usually have a team I follow and root for til the end. In tribute to Johnny Damon I began growing my beard out and promised I wasn't shaving it til the World Series was over.

There are some connections: Kim's whole family is from New England, Tim Wakefield is my dad's former administrative assistant's son (so dad can quote stats for him back to minor league), and the hat in this picture is from Fenway. It was free--the promotion was only for 14 and younger kids, so I walked through the turnstile on my knees and said with a big smile and squeaky voice, "I can't wait to get my cap." They had to give it me. Go Sox.

Incroyable!

Mon, 18 Oct 2004 05:56:54 GMT

Saw 'The Incredibles' today over at Pixar--a preview screening with some friends that work there. My favorite Pixar movie to date. Everything great--story line, pace, dialog, characters, soundtrack, titling, effects, sets, voices (Sarah Vowell!). And a tour of all the concept art after. I think it'll be huge huge huge.

All OK

Sun, 26 Sep 2004 11:10:17 GMT

Just talked to dad--they are OK. Broke the news that the 122-mph winds moved over Vero Beach (2 miles to his east, on his house). We'll have to wait a while to see if there was any damage.

Waiting til Morning

Sun, 26 Sep 2004 08:21:13 GMT

I've told both my sister and parents to call at anytime if they want to talk. It's almost 4AM there, so if they're sleeping (and might need to deal with a lot of stress in the morning) I don't want to wake them. Just get to watch the Ominous-soundtracked CNN report from Melbourne, with Anderson Cooper about 2 miles from where my sister is. Apparently my parents house was under 122-mph gusts. Vero Beach, where their house is, took the slice o' vicious-est winds right at the north edge of the eye. Earlier my dad talked about how pissed he was that we spend "billions of dollars on predicting these, and it hasn't helped" (though I think it's been expected to hit where they were for several days.) When I reported to him (he has no power, no battery-free radio) that the eye would be there in a few hours, he joked, "I'll go out and look at the stars."

Writing this made me call Pam--they're up, since her friend Tony (a Melbourne cop) called to tell them at 2AM (2 hours ago) that "our ass is getting kicked." Sez they had moved 340 special needs people from a shelter that had it's roof blown off and in the middle of this, they had to move all 340 to the community college up the road from Pam. She's in a more giddy, positive mood then before. We'll see, we'll see. 113-mph winds 5 miles north of my parents house (122-mph there) at Sebastian Inlet, where I lifeguarded for 4 summers (and enjoyed the thunderstorms that raged each day). Pam still has power.

Scary

Sun, 26 Sep 2004 03:01:01 GMT

Just talked to my sister, camped out with her kids at a friend's in Melbourne FL, and my dad, south of her with 2 other couples and my mom in Vero, FL. They both sounded rattled (there's a 115 mile-an-hour hurricane centered about 50 miles from my parents and heading directly towards them at 13 mph). My parents have no power, so it's just listening to the gusts and waiting. My sister has power, but fears it won't last long. With no power, you just feel more vulnerable. Every big gust might be a tornado--as my sister says, "You're just hoping it's not that train--you hear it start up and wonder, 'Is that the train? Is it coming for me?"

A lot of people didn't move out of the area this time, numbed from all the activity a few weeks ago.

5¢ Ho?

Fri, 17 Sep 2004 08:14:59 GMT

I think I have a crush on the new nickel.

McSweeney's Future Dictionary of America (with Barzuk's Future Soundtrack of America)

Thu, 15 Jul 2004 23:43:53 GMT

$28 Pre-order now.