NIMBY.

I'm not certain I completely understand the underlying purpose of Critical Mass other than to piss off drivers, which isn't necessarily a bad thing because so many drivers are complete and total numb-nuts, but this article is very telling. I continue to feel extremely fortunate to live on the west coast.

Back to School.

Today is my daughter's first day of her junior year in high school. She looks so beautiful. She wears her hair in a little librarian bun real close to her head now, with a single blond streak. Now all she needs is some little librarian glasses and she's a shoe-in for student body president.

Her friends Shannon and Eddy picked her up at seven sharp. I offered to make her a turkey and homegrown sprouts sandwich for her lunch but, in her snottiest sweet little voice she said, "But I don't want a sandwich."

Ah, memories. How cute is that.

Jurispru-dunce.

Bad Idea #92: When sitting as a prospective juror, after you have been interviewed once by the judge, once by defense counsel, once again by the judge and then by the prosecution, and after you have told each and every one of them that you have no issues preventing you from being a fair and impartial juror and additionally that you have no legal hardships preventing you from sitting on a jury, don't come in the next day and say that you suddenly do. It makes people kind of mad. Especially the judge.

Diversity.

This morning I felt privileged to be able to go outside, pick a grapefruit from a backyard tree, and squeeze it for my morning juice. "Nowhere but here," I thought. In a complete turnaround, I finished my lovely breakfast on the way to work by scarfing down a lowfat cereal bar, in my car, behind a precariously overloaded gardener's truck underneath the overpass still being forged at the intersection of 237 and 880. Yearight. Anywhere but here.

Thirsting at the Water's Edge.

Playing in the band at the San Mateo County Fair did not exactly go as well as expected. As in, "You can lead a horse to water...". If it weren't for the rickety stage were were crammed onto, and if it weren't for the louder band on a larger stage less than fifty yards away blowing our sound all to heck and back, our band would have sounded far better than we did. We certainly deserve another chance for all our hard work. Wind was a factor, timing was a factor, our drummer got a flat and it all turned out pretty third rate. We'll see if we can't get it right someday.

Bon Voyage, Julia.

Our beloved Julia Child has passed away. This woman truly changed the world. Rest in peace and spirit and for you and your flair and passion for cooking, for your pioneer heart showing us all how to be good chefs at home, thank you, bless you, and bon appetit.

Texas Top Hat.

Ah jus' luvs mah new cowboy hat. And yes, those are bottle caps around the brim.
(Taken 7/24 at the Bettike Family Music Festival with Elvin Bishop in Groveland, California, by my brother, Matthew, who did the sound.)

New Hat.JPG

And The Oscar Goes To.

Henry. If there were an Academy Awards for friendship, Henry would deserve the Oscar for Best Supporting Friend. Hats off. My computer is back and I'm back and everything is beautiful.