Sunday, September 30, 2007

Summer Round Up

Ok earlier this summer I posted a little message about appreciating the moment, taking a minute when you're in the middle of an experience to understand why it's so important. That was my goal for the summer. It's awesome how this way of living opened doors for me.

I made new friends, I became less fearful and less anxious. I saw more of my city. I appreciated where I've come from, where I am now and why. I've stood up for myself more. I'm more confident in my opinions. I know who my friends are and who are wasteful energy sucks.

I'm not afraid of myself anymore. And I'm much happier for it.

Part of all this reflection and happiness must be attributed to my husband. Because of him I have had a lot of time to pursue my goals and to think about my life. I hope that I can give back to him as much as he has given me.

Being in a good place now makes me realize how valuable the tough parts are and how they are just as essential to your happiness as the great parts. Yet I always forget this in the middle of angst.

Here's to the oncoming of fall.

GG

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

I Always Did Have A Small Crush On Wesley

Read this, and imagine him speaking as Wesley Crusher and get giddy all over again.

Now I'm going to google "I had a crush on Wesley Crusher"

aha ha ha ha ha

GG

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

I Live In San Francisco And You Don't #3

It's officially autumn and right now it's my favorite time of year to visit the local museums.

The summer crowds begin to disappear. The parks surrounding the museum start to lose their leaves.

Some cities are lucky to have 1 museum to serve their cultural needs. We have four outstanding institutions. The SFMOMA downtown, The Asian Art Museum in Civic Center, The DeYoung in Golden Gate Park and The Legion of Honor at Land's End. Soon there will be a fifth in the Presidio. I've always wanted to try going to all four museums in one day, but your brain can get kind of screwed up with so much information.

Out of the three the Legion of Honor is my favorite. They have a superb collection of Rodin sculptures. And the Legion of Honor is across the road from a golf course and I like to watch the drunken golfers crash their carts and make rude gestures with their golf clubs. I'm serious, they whiz by you, beercan in hand ala Homer Simpson.

You just can't believe that everything you stereotype about golfers is true. And then you notice that the only person actually swinging their club is a woman.

I love this city.

GG

Monday, September 24, 2007

You Said You'd Marry Me If I Was 23

The Paolo Nutini show was ok. It was really great if you were a girl under 18. The audience was mainly them and their middle aged parents. And then me and my husband. It was a half empty show, which makes sense since this was a the replacement gig for the Amy Winehouse show that P.N. was supposed to open for. Music was ok. Didn't stay for the encore. Mr. G remains a fan.

Yesterday's trip into the Haight was ok. I should have gotten out of the door earlier, but I was busy buying concert tickets and Mr G needed some attention because of his cold. I hit the main shops I was looking for. Found a skirt for the school reunion. It's an AWESOME skirt, the only problem being that it's so awesome that it will be difficult to find an appropriate matching top. Did also find a nice pair of black jeans that just need to be overdyed.

Had lunch with mom and dad. Its so convenient that they live close to the city now. I'm much more likely to stop by now. Watched some football and the end of the Dirty Dozen with dad. Football always makes me laugh.

Also saw Death at a Funeral, I laugh too loudly at the movies, but then I love to laugh, and the sound of it makes me laugh more.

GG

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Saturday

Slept in until around 10:30.

Went shopping. Became slightly depressed when I realized that everyone else already bought the fabulous black jeans I was looking for.

But then found the fabulous fall boots on sale. Yay Boots!

Spent rest of the afternoon knitting whilst Mr. G played Fifa soccer on the xbox and watched Survivorman.

Tonight: The Paolo Nutini show at the Warfield. Unfortunately Mr. G has a cold so it will be a subdued evening, but the music should be good. I'm hoping to hear Jenny Don't Be Hasty.

Speaking of Jenny I hope she visits me soon!

Tomorrow: get up early to buy Feist tickets. And maybe go into the city to shop on Haight Street. Anyone want to come with?

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Courtney Love Must Be Really Broke

The newest episode of Cold Case is supposed to feature all Nirvana music.

My outrage proves that I am officially getting old.

GG

To do:

1) go to post awful, I mean post office
2) get lunch (thai? indian? mexican?)
3) go to best buy get color ink cartridge and dvd of Elizabeth
4) watch The Golden Age trailer for the a 6th time.*
5) visit Warren at MFA


*I feel about Elizabethan costume drama a passion that usually is associated with Lord of the Rings fans. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed Lord of the Rings, but you don't have 5 different cinematic portrayals of Elizabeth the 1st for nothing. This is the only movie I would ever show up in costume for and I don't even participate in Renaissance Fairs (mainly because I am no good at staying in character -I just like wearing the clothes).

Monday, September 17, 2007

I Live in San Francisco and You Don't #2

http://laughingsquid.com/remote-control-bus-stop-rave-flash-mob





Does anyone want to go with me to dance in the street next Friday?

Corner of Haight and Fillmore....

Grenadine Girl

Lights Out San Francisco October 20th

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/09/17/lights-out.html

What will you be doing with the power out?

I was thinking that maybe I should have a party...

GG

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Shoe-down

Ok kids,

I've gotten the hair into its autumnal red hues so that means it's time to finalize the perfect fall boot:

it's down to either:



or



Please note that I already have a rocking pair of knee-high boots with a tall heel and the boots I'm looking for now are meant for every-day use.

GG

Cue Patrick Swayze

Friday highlights:

1) Remembering at 10am that I have tickets to see Guster at the Warfield that night.
2) Finding a willing partner to drag to the concert -via text message no less!
3) Reading Equal Rites and Sourcery at work.
4) The meatloaf sandwich I had for dinner at Mel's on Mission (with curly fries)
5) Hearing Banana Man live by Tally Hall
6) Hearing Tally Hall's version of Biz Markie's Just A Friend
7) Clark's last cigarettes
8) My Satellite Live (and 4-3-2-1)
9) The guy wearing the Patrick Swayze t-shirt
10) After concert drinks and karaoke at the Mint (made me think of James)
11) End of night Chamomile and Mint tea.

but the thing that made Friday night one of the best nights ever was singing Blister In The Sun at karaoke and killing it. I put Britney Spears to shame!!!!

It so doesn't take much to entertain me.

GG

PS: Why is there a crazy flailing hippie at every concert I go to? And why is she always the person directly in front of me? I should have known better when as soon as I took my spot she asked me for a pipe or papers...

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Thursday, The Author Recovers

Its been a rough week, but there be light on Thursdays.

I'm happy because:

1) not 1, but 2 finished projects this week

2) I've discovered the humorous joy that is Terry Pratchett.

3) The huge bundle of unread comics in the Yarn Closet

4) The sale at Tuesday Mornings of high quality yarn for only $3 of the American Dollars per skein. I'm talking silk/alpaca/merino blends in Grenadine Girl approved colors.

5) The new Knitty is up and I'm surprised that there are 3 knittable projects for me.

still waiting on that Ravely invite tho...

Can't win them all

Grenadine Girl

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

The Hummingbirds Are Back

A long time ago I was in high school and I had a boyfriend named Mark. He and I met at a friend's birthday party where we played spin the bottle. Mark was the guy I ended up kissing and he left quite an impression.

He was a boyfriend as much as one can be in high school. We went on a few dates, went to prom together. He was a regular guy, looking for his dream car, which was some Acura something that he couldn't really afford with his $3000. He played Magic, liked rap music (ugh) and was a devout Christian. He was normal except that he was in remission from Leukemia when I was dating him. When we started going out I made a promise to myself to treat him like any other guy. Unfortunately that meant that I dumped him when I lost interest. Over the brief time we dated I realized that we really didn't have much in common and he wanted me to be more committed to him than I was. The final straw was when he made fun of the kind of music I liked when I had tolerated his sexist rap crap for hours at a time. I broke up with him unceremoniously and didn't return his stuff until weeks later.

Regardless of my short tenure with him he remains imprinted on me. He told me stories of how he got cancer and how he tried to survive chemotherapy. He held the hummingbird in high regard. If I recall correctly, the hummingbirds appeared in his back yard just shortly before he was diagnosed, and they appeared continuously through all of the seasons during his treatment. The were a symbol to him of faith and his belief in god and his will to survive.

Mark and I lost contact after I broke up with him. I felt guilty about it. It didn't seem very nice to heartlessly break up with a cancer patient, but I felt it would be just as wrong to stay with someone I had nothing in common with out of pity.

A year later I got word that Mark was in the hospital. My friends urged me to visit him, but I thought he really didn't want to see me. I thought I would be a reminder of the pain. I couldn't imagine that he would have forgiven me for hurting him. I excused myself from visiting him, thinking that he was a survivor and that he was too young to die.

A few weeks later, I returned home from labor day camping to the news that he had died. It was such a shock to me. It didn't seem possible. It made me feel worse for the way I had treated him. I attended the funeral with friends, and I couldn't help feeling like a fake, that I was the bad friend. I didn't even visit him in the hospital.

But there isn't a year that doesn't go by that I don't remember him. And now with a hummingbird feeder in the back yard I remember him often. And hummingbirds have become more meaningful to me, not just because of Mark.

Grandparents don't always know the best gift to offer their grandkids, but one year my grandfather sent me a hummingbird feeder. I was skeptical at first. I had never seen any hummingbirds around my house and it seemed unlikely that they would start magically appearing because of a silly feeder. But there they were, in droves, draining the feeder on a weekly basis.

Shortly after the hummingbirds arrived we got word that my grandfather had pancreatic cancer. I know it's just a coincidence, but I now associate hummingbirds with death.

We just put the hummingbird feeder up again last Sunday and our first hummingbird appeared on Monday, the same day that James died. Since then they've been dropping in on a regular basis, reminding me of everyone I've lost...

there's one now.

GG

Monday, September 10, 2007

I didn't see it coming

Good friend James Stafford died today. He was 83 years old.

He became a surrogate uncle to me when my family made the jump from the east coast to the west. He was a feisty one. He loved reading Rolling Stone for the politics and drinking scotch. He served in world war two in France, just as it was being freed from the nazis. He recalled offering a Coke to a French woman who proclaimed that it was trop fort (or too strong). Since I knew him he would often send me postcards from his travels. He was a thoughtful and thought provoking friend.

It is also my wedding anniversary. These photos were taken three years ago today and they will be how I remember him forever.






The sad thing is that I mailed him a get well card this morning. And now he will never get it. And I was supposed to visit him in the hospital tomorrow.

I'm so sad.

Grenadine Girl

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Music In My Car

Rilo Kiley - Under The Black Light
Mika - Life in Cartoon Motion
Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
Feist - The Reminder
The Killers
The Waifs - Up All Night
Regina Spektor
Plain White T's
Brett Dennen
Lily Allen
Paolo Nutini
Guster
Gorillaz
Keane

Saturday, September 08, 2007

I Live In San Francisco And You Don't

As much as I long to travel I'm still thrilled that I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. A city full of character. San Francisco is filmed so often, and is occasionally featured in video games that it feels so culturally familiar. You can't help feeling like you're in the center of the universe. I'm sure New Yorkers also feel the same way, but I don't really want to argue with them. They probably think SF is too pretty for them.

This may be a big stretch, but historically I think that San Francisco is going to be seen as a very important city for this era.

OK I'll stop. Any minute now someone's going to reference the Prius episode of South Park.

First a quick movie crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. I cross this sucker at least 3 times a month and it's awesome every single time.



GG

Friday, September 07, 2007

Saturdays Are For Comic Books

It's the beginning of the month and you know what that means.

Another crazy ride with Izzytart and Beergeek to Isotope Comics!

This time I'm bringing my camera!!!!!

GG

PS: I may even set foot in the yarn shop too. You know, just for shiz and giggles.

PPS: It's official. The class reunion is less than a month away. And I haven't started knitting a damned thing for it. Too busy knitting something for my in-utero niece.

Oh yeah. And. The. Book.

Ok, honestly nothing much has been done on the book b/c I've discovered the joy that is the xbox (gd Oblivion!!!!), but after the foray into comicsland I'm getting right back on it.

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Down By The River

The highlight of my Labor Day weekend:

hanging out with Luke by the river at Samuel P Taylor park:



check it out on my flickr page:

It was as relaxing as my honeymoon.

GG

Sunday, September 02, 2007

The Boot Search Continues

And it becomes more complicated.

Never one to be satisfied with three choices I've found a few additional contenders for my perfect fall boot.

But perhaps we need to go over some of the parameters for what makes the perfect fall boot for me.

1) boot must be black, gray or blue - Brown tends to wash out my freckles.

2) boot must be mid-calf to mid knee.

3) preferably a wedge heel

4) leather must not be too glossy and absolutely NOT patent, despite current trends.

5) They must be between $100 and $300 of the American dollars.

6) They must be for everyday casual wear for jeans and skirts.

Voila the additional contenders:

We're on a Nine West Kick right now:


These so far are my favorite. They seem the most fashionable of all my choices.


I really like these, but I would prefer them if they were mid-calf.

I kinda like these, but I'm afraid that the buckles will make too much noise when I walk...


This pair is from Born, and I like them for the heel (i know -not wedge) and the nifty Victorian-like button detail


So please help! (The Manolo are you out there?)
I can't decide...

GG

Saturday, September 01, 2007

The New Fall Boot

Such is life. I'm on the magnificent search for the perfect fall mid-calf boot, but I end up buying the fabulous late summer Camper sandal on the 50% sale instead.


Well worth the shopping detour!

But I return to my quest.

Strangely enough I find myself returning to an old friend: the Dr. Marten boot.

There are lots of different choices, and not just the old 8-hole standbys either:

First the fabulous hunter/gatherer boot -naturally I'd want it in black


Then there is the somewhat outlandish blue velvet DM's, which appeal to the blue-haired raver girl in me:


Or do I want to get the ultra-modern slouchy leather/suede combo?


When you put it all on one page the choice becomes clear. But if you have any suggestions or alternatives, let me know.

By the way the tickets arrived for the Class Reunion, along with a small note in tiny print: Dress code IS NO DENIM -only dresses, skirts or slacks* for the ladies.

So I guess we're going to revert to high school anyway and wear the knee-high black boots and LBD. Might as well dye the hair red for the occasion too, just in case people don't recognize me.

Grenadine Girl

*slacks is one of my least favorite words. Something gross about slacks.

Meteor Right?

I did it, got up for the meteors. With the assistance of my husband who didn't finish video-gaming until 3am I dragged my ass across town to pull up a lawn chair.

And it was great being out under the stars for a bit. Saw only a few meteors streak across the sky. Oh and the occasional large winged creature.

but it was worth it. Made my day that much more interesting, with minimal effort.

Pow! To the moon.

GG