All the News that Fits in Print

It must be a very slow newsday. On the paper this morning, the Metro headlines included "Report: They're Hitched!" above a picture of Demi and Aston. There was also a picture Richard Lewis, with the headline, "Richard Lewis is still neurotic." Inside revealed an article with the headline, "His Store Pushes the Envelope." About a hallmark store owner in the Paramus Park Mall in New Jersey that survied Ice storms, snow, and a small electrical fire.

Also, the hard hitting news about Rita includes, "'...I'm hungry and need some beef,' said Yvette Gatling, a 34-year-old lawyer, who got her wish at the meat counter." (from Houston begins to bustle as residents return - Hurricanes' Wrath - MSNBC.com)

Inspiration

I saw one of the weirdest ads I’ve seen for a while. A woman is holding a leaf over her eye and the text says.

Inspiration
It starts with just one leaf.
The season changes and with it we find ourselves shopping – again.
Fresh colors await you at The Shops at Liberty Place.

It is like a haiku written by a compulsive shopper trapped in the forest.

Some questions.
First of all what does inspiration have to do with anything?

So inspiration and season change both start with a leaf. Where does shopping fit in? Is the inspirations for shopping or is the shopping because of the season?

What does the season change have to do with shopping... again? I mean it sounds like we were shopping last season too.

The use of again makes it sound like such a chore and doesn’t make me want to go shopping at all. You?

Did they repaint the shopping center? Or are the fresh colors from the trees in this very urban shopping mall changing colors? Should they change colors being in a climate controlled environment?

Harry and the Potters

My Harry and the Potters CD's arrived yesterday. I love them. I haven’t been this excited about a band that was my own discovery since Moldy Peaches. They are very much in the same low-tech strain as Moldy Peaches or the Pancakes, but all their songs are about Harry Potter books. I don’t know if they would be much fun if you haven’t read the books, but I think maybe. After all, Harry and his friends show us the humanity in ourselves. Deep huh.

I guess they may be suited for me because I’m not so into words anyway. Plus their attitude is something that I can get behind, not angry sarcasm, but not entirely serious devotion either. They clearly an honest enjoyment of the Harry Potter books and at the same time realize how ridiculous it is to devote a band to it. Or at least that is what I hope. Also each CD carries the disclaimer that, "This recording has not been prepared, approved, or licensed by any person or entity that created, published, or produced the Harry Potter books or related properties." I wonder if they will ever get popular enough to face a law suit. Thanks Tracey for sending me their link.

Iron Chef Columbus

A friend asked about my experiences at our Iron Chef Competition when I was living in Columbus. Thought this recap may be interesting to my blogging friends. The battle went like this if memory serves...

It was at my friend Dave’s parents house. It was myself vs Beth. We had four hours to cook I think and we each had a su chef. Sarah functioned as my assistant, and without her labors victory would not have been possible. The secret ingredient was revealed as Tofu, then we had an hour for shopping and menu preparation. We had to share the same stove, so this led to threats of sabotage. My menu consisted of an appetizer soup (tofu miso mushroom soup), main course of friend tofu maki rolls, and a desert of pineapple coconut chocolate tofu pie (using silken tofu which functions to give it a mousse like quality. My opponent had an Italian Themed meal with Pasta with a tofu and tomato sauce and a dessert that was better then mine, though I forget what it was. Dave was the chairman. There was a judge representing the strict dour fortune teller, the bubbly actress, and two guys. I forget who they were exactly. My cuisine reigned supreme and I won the right to call those dishes “award winning.” The actress said my tofu maki tasted like “springtime blossoms dancing on her tongue.”

quotes about katrina

My friend Kathi listed these quotes, some of which are pretty difficult to believe.

blog.myspace.com/revolutionarian

endless summer

Well, I guess I never did finish that San Francisco update… oh well. Maybe I’ll finish it after work settles down. I just wanted to write a quick note about a thought I had today on the way to the trolley. I was realizing how long this summer has seemed. Last winter I had it down so that I would walk to the trolley stop just as the trolley was in sight. Now I'm in the habit of coming early and grabbing the paper and waiting for a while. I guess I'll need to change that come winter. Then I couldn't really remember what winter felt like. I was thinking about how I couldn’t even remember what wearing a coat was like. Or waiting for the trolley in the cold. This summer has seemed endless. Either that or my memory is going.

Sudoku

I've become obsessed with a puzzle game in the paper. I've never been a big fan of crossword puzzles. This is good because it is more of a logic game that doesn't require an extensive vocabulary of short obscure words. Apparently the British are most obsessed with it, despite its Japanese sounding name. I recommend giving it a try. It has made my trolley ride even more enjoyable.

Sudoku Online : home of the Sudokulist

Gift Ideas

I am very excited by the idea of having more of these for the one that is on my desk in my real cubicle.

Cubes

SF day 2

Day 2. The day started after much rest. Beth and I went to get a bagel while Rachel came in from Oakland. Bagels are delicious, especially with hummus. Then Rachel came and good times were had by all. Then Beth went off to work and more disappointing gifts were opened by Rachel, which I ended up bringing back with me. I guess I’m not the best at gift giving anymore. They were lame left over gifts. We then walked downtown along Valencia to Market. We made a brief trip to the Castro where shopping and Thai food eating occurred. I bought the 10 commandments made out of legos here. I’ve got the first two books of the bible in lego form now. The food was really very good at the thai place and I wrote a review of the place on Judy’s book, because I want to get free things. Then we went towards Chinatown down market street. We took one of the city’s historic trolleys, which run down Market. Apparently the fools keep up the old ones out of love and they have several generations of cars running. We were on a 1950’s one with a fortunately broken fare box. Free rides. Actually I think it is pretty nice that they keep the old cars running, but it must be so much work. Anyway, after we got off we met a tap dancer, which gave Rachel some pointers. She vowed to return the next day with her tap shoes… will she? Stay tuned to find out. Then we went to Chinatown and wandered around for a while. It has a very nice 1950’s feel to it. Then we went to the embarcadero, where we read my new books aloud. Then it was off to Rachel’s aunt Sandra’s office. We then went out for happy hour at The Cosmopolitan. Then I went with Rachel to get the train. I met up with Beth again, after a quick stop to get my stuff at the Vans. Beth lives in Bernal Hills (heights?) and it was a fun adventure getting there. I took the bus the wrong way, but it is a big loop, so that doesn’t really matter. The bus driver asked where I was going and said she couldn’t pick me up because she was near the end of the line. So I crossed the street and she picked me up at the start of the line. When I went there was much activity at Beth and Kate’s house. There was ravioli cooking and Zarin and I went to the liquor store, so I got to see a little of downtown Bernal Heights, which was quite charming. Very small towny, except for the singing town drunk in the liquor store. The ravioli’s all stuck together. There was good conversation among friends. Then everyone went to sleep and I saw the Yes Men, which was a pretty good movie. Then sleep.

San Francisco Day 1

I’ve decided it’s better to post the days separately as it is taking me so long to get through this.

Day 1. I wake up at 3 am to get to the airport by 5 am for my 6 am flight. I sleep most of the way there. I arrive in San Francisco around 10 am. Everyone is working, so I start my tour of town. I buy a book (genesis told through legos) and a transit map at dog eared books. I look for the nearest park, which is the great Dolores Park. It has a great view of the city. I sit there for a while, where I discover that everyone in town seems to wear speedos under their clothes for instant tanning. Then I walk downtown. At a farmer’s market in UN plaza I buy the world’s perfect peach. It was sweet, but not juicy enough to make a mess and it separated perfectly from the pit. Every is sick of hearing about this peach, but it still makes me happy thinking about it even today. There is also a great fountain there that one can climb in. Then I go to Union Square through Powell street and discover how helpful and persistent the pan handlers are. Then down to Yerba Buena, which is also a very nice park with a great memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Then I head back to be back in the Mission when people are getting done with work. I buy some pants at a thrift store. Then I meet up with Josh and go to the thrift store where he works and say a quick hello to Matt, who I didn’t see nearly enough of this trip. Then we went to Ben and Zarin’s house know as the vans, though I never noticed that it said vans anywhere, though apparently it does. We talked and I tried to give disappointing gifts, to Beth and Josh’s disappointment. Then it was off in Beth’s dirty car to Bottom of the Hill which is the bar that Zarin is working at. This was followed by dinner of delicious burritos full of fake meat and deliciousness. It was called soyrizo, and it was good. Sorry I couldn’t link this place, but I couldn’t find it on the internet because I forgot the name. Perhaps Beth could add it to the comments. My closest guess is Mariachis, based on an internet search. Then sleep, sweet sleep.

School's in for autumn

There are kids on the trolley and I am happy to see them. I think the public high school started up, but not the catholic schools. I’m sure I’ll be singing a different tune when I can’t find a seat after all three schools are in, but for now I’m happy about seeing the despondent children who are not happy to be back in school on the trolley. They look totally miserable, yet occasionally see friends they haven’t seen for a while, and greet them with slaps of joy.