Category: friends

Brrrrr!

That was an exceptionally cold night at the ballpark last night. Tim Lincecum on the mound, sadly got his first loss of the season. I’m pretty sure that ump blew that call on the balk, but it’s hard to tell from the center field bleachers, you know. It’s all OK, though, because at least I got to go to the game. Also, I got to yell at some Dodgers’ fans. Seriously, the Giants were playing the Rockies. Where’d the Dodger-blues come from? AB got a kick out of some of my random baseball utterances. “Run you slow slow slow . . . .little man!”

You know what’s really hard? Sending text messages when you hands are frozen solid. But I managed, and I have to say, I’m becoming much more of a fan of text messaging and picture mail. Especially when I get random ones in the middle of the night that make absolutely no sense from what I can only assume are very drunk friends. I hope some day to get one that is actually important, something along the lines of “water broke. baby coming.”

Anyway, by the time the game was over, my feet were completely numb. It’s so weird to walk around like that, and to have to assume that you’re touching the ground. When I got home, I went right into the shower to try to warm up. Went to bed around midnight. Woke up at 1:35 by random text messages. Two within a minute from two different friends. Then continued waking myself up every other hour for no apparent reason all night long.

I’m tired. I’m crabby. My throat is a little sore from the hollering.

Monday I’m going to an A’s game. Crazy.

Crazy Single Girl Life

Last night I had a meeting at a Lucky 13 with Pedro, and we discussed our plan for world domination, the soccer team we’re going to buy, and doing rails off of prostitutes asses in dressing rooms. I don’t want to put the cart before the horse, so I’ll write more about this when I’m actually officially in the band. Oops, did I just let that cat out of the bag?

Oh – funny side note, since I’m on the health kick, and I’m not drinking, I ordered a cranberry juice at the bar. I was sitting for a while, waiting, and there was another guy there sitting by himself. After a few minutes, this guy turns to me, and goes, “Excuse me, did you really just walk into a bar and order a cranberry juice?” What an ass cheese! So, I replied, “Yes! It’s both refreshing and healthy.” He didn’t really know what to do with that, so he just went back to crying in his beer, or whatever it is that ass cheese does.

Anyway, I was pretty amped up after meeting Pedro, and on the way home, I remembered that one of Baby Brother’s bands, Monster Pete and the Chiefs, was playing. I couldn’t remember where it was exactly, so I gave him a call. Hotel Utah in The City. I hopped on the freeway in Oakland, and I was there in about 15 minutes. (Gotta love living in Oakland.)

It’s been a long long time since I did something so impulsive and spontaneous. It was awesome. And I got to go out and see Baby Brother, and have a nice chat with him. And Monster Pete tore it up. I didn’t stay up too too late. I left right after the set, and was home by 11:30. By the time I loaded the CD Pedro gave me onto my iPod, flossed, and climbed into bed, it was maybe 12:10. I passed out. No insomnia last night.

When I woke up this morning, I had three picture mails, and a text on my phone that I had gotten in the middle of the night.

There’s a lot of little things that I didn’t realize I had let go of over the last few years, but now I’m getting back to myself. And myself, I am the girl whose life revolves around music, and who decides at the last minute that I want to go see that band, and I love when my friends reach out to me at all hours, just to say ‘hi’ and share some randomness with me.

And yes, Cam, those are some crazy mad props!

Comedy of Errs

I just spent the last two weeks not speaking with one of my oldest, bestest friends, because we’re both gigantic dorks.   Each of us thought the other was not talking to her.   So, I wasn’t talking to her, because she wasn’t talking to me, because I wasn’t talking to her.  The great miscommunication of 2008.  What a pair of fools.

I’m glad we got that all sorted out, Mama Bear.   Now we can go back to being silly in other ways.

Quote of the Day

This one is from the best writer in America today. Me.

Who needs straight men when gay guys think you’re fabulous just the way you are, and don’t want to take advantage of you?

Of course, I’m a little biased at the moment. I just met the most intriguing gay man in the Castro. He gave me his number. I gave him my number. Maybe it’ll never turn into anything, but I’m hoping we can hang out, and have fun. I think that’s what I need now, more than anything – someone who loves me for the fucked up mess that I am, and doesn’t want me to be anything more or less than that. It’s the perfect symbiotic relationship: gay man/straight woman. I don’t know why it works so well, but it just does.

I’m looking for blind admiration and fruitless flirting here, folks.

Just sayin’.

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night – Starry Plough

This past Saturday I trotted down to the Starry Plough in Berkeley to see S.O.L., Monkey, and Los Hooligans. Beforehand I talked to Momser about how my life is changing. She was telling me that it was a grieving process (in more than one way) and that I needed to respect that and allow myself to go through it. She suggested a short wake, where I raised a glass to the life I knew, bid it a fond farewell, and accept its passing. I decided to celebrate life past and present with some very good friends, and, you know, beer.
I took many photos throughout the evening, but unfortunately didn’t remember that I had my
camera until after S.O.L.’s set. I really enjoyed their set, and was really intrigued with how they’ve changed over the years. I hope they play again soon, so I can maybe give it a closer listen.

Kelly made it out Kelly

Adam was on top of his game
Adam Looking Hot

I was looking my best (SYKE!)
So Cute

RAYMOND!!!!!
Raymond and Me

AJ showed me an iPod full of pictures of his family (Side Note – have I shown you the pics on my iPod?)
Me and AJ

I really like this Dark and Mysterious Curt
Curt

Hi Sarah!
Sarah

Micah was holding it down
Micah Drumming

Dustin Monkey
Dustin

Brian Monkey
Brian

I guess I didn’t get a picture of Dan or Donelle playing, but I got Adam dancing
Adam Dance

Los Hooligans
Los Hooligans

Donelle Grooving
Donelle Groving

Curt doing Artibella with Los Hooligans. (I saw you with a fella)
Artibella - Curt & Los Hooligans

Adam & Donelle
Adam & Donelle

An artsy fartsy pic I took, through the looking/pint glass.
Wake

Some may go, but I think these friends are here to stay.
Me & Adam & Donelle

Fare the well, old life. It was more fun than not while it lasted, and I’ll miss you terribly.

The Hi-Jinks Perpetrated by the Mischievous PLW and J4

I frequently hang out with a group of bikers, even though I don’t ride myself. They’re a fun group of people, and some of them are really good friends. Some of them are nuts. I think that could be said of any group of people. I usually see this group every Wednesday night. We get together and socialize at different bars around The City, like Molotov’s on Haight or the Hi Dive on Embarcadero. There’s a lot of taking the piss with one another, and several little pranks that folks in the group like to play on each other. My favorite is the kill switch.

On a motorcycle, the starter is different from a car, in that there’s the key and then there’s a button. To start the bike, turn the key and push the button, basically. To turn the bike off, push the button. The thing is, unlike a car, everything is out in the open on a motorcycle. Also, when you’re riding with a group of motorcycles, you usually pull up to stops and what not side by side.

One night, months ago, after leaving the bar, J4 explained the prank while I was sitting on the back of his bike at stop with Dub next to us. He hadn’t really been meaning to encourage me, but I caught on pretty quickly. Just as the light was about to change, I reached over and smacked the switch on Dub’s bike, and J4 took off, leaving Dub sitting at the now green light. I thought this was hilarious.

Last night, we were out as usual, only we had taken my car instead of one of J4’s bikes. As we were leaving, several of the others were pulling away on their bikes. One fellow, who I’ll call Yellow, came to the first light with us on my side of the car and waved. At the next light, he was on the passenger’s side. I said to J4, “you know what would be funny is if you could lean out of the car, and get his kill switch.” The difference between this and what we did with Dub was that I really was trying to encourage J4. Well, it didn’t take much.

J4 leaned out of the car window, and couldn’t quite reach the switch, but he did manage to turn the key, and shut the bike down. Just as it died, the light turned green, and J4 pulled himself back in. We heard the most awesome, “AAAAAHHH” from Yellow as I pulled away from the light.

We were pretty freaking pleased with ourselves, and we giggled all the way back to Oakland.

Butternut Squash Risotto Night

 

A couple of weeks ago, M and I were talking about how we both love fall and winter food, especially butternut squash. I thought to myself, “self, I wonder if I can find a good recipe for butternut squash risotto.” So, I Googled it, and found a recipe I liked on CDKitchen, and I asked M if she wanted to plan a night to get together and make the risotto. We decided to set a date for a few weeks out, and from then on referred to it as “Butternut Squash Risotto Night.”

This last Saturday was the night.I picked up a good sized squash at the Farmers’ Market at Grand Lake. We went together to the grocery store to pick up the remaining ingredients, and then headed back to M’s house. That was when we realized that we were missing an ingredient. This all added to the fun. We got back, and it was time to get to business.

I decided that I wanted to take on the squash. It was a big’un, and it took quite a bit of heft to get it cut in half. I’m sure M thought I was going to lose a limb. Once I had it halved and the seeds removed, I had to figure out how to get the peel off. I tried the big scary butcher’s knife, which just slid across the skin. M tried a cheese slicer, but that was just as ineffective. Finally I was able to get through the tough and slick skin with a serrated steak knife.While I skinned and chopped the squash, M worked on onions, garlic, cheese, and lemon zest. We did quite a bit of talking, so of course it took us a while. I don’t even know what time it was when we started.

Finally, with all the prep work done, we actually began cooking. M got the butter, oil, onions, and garlic going, then we added rice and started adding squash. This is where the, “are we doing this right?”s began. At first we were afraid that the squash wouldn’t cook. That maybe we were supposed to pre-cook the squash or the rice. Though the instructions didn’t say that. It became clear. though, that continual stirring was necessary.

As we began adding in the wine and started adding stock, we weren’t really sure what to expect, I don’t think. I stirred, and M added additional stock. The mixture became thicker and fuller with each half cup. Soon it was beginning to resemble something edible. But yet, the squash still seemed to be under-cooked. I stirred and stirred. We yammered on and on, as we do.

Finally, just as the pot seemed to be getting to small, we both realized that both the rice and the squash seemed to be just done. We added in the cheese and final seasoning. Then we dished it up with chives and basil on top.

100_0300.jpg

Of course there was enough for M’s husband to have some, too. We all three sat around the Tivo with our bowls of risotto and a glass of wine. M’s kittens were very intrigued by the risotto, too.

It was awesome. It was some yummy, cheesy, and good. We all decided that it was the perfect fall and winter cozy, comfort food. Making it together was a lot of fun. I am looking forward to making the dish again, and I highly recommend the recipe. I also am looking forward to getting together with M or any of my friends to make something new.

Crisper Full of Beer

Last night, J4 and I had some friends over. As is usually the case, we had way too much food for the number of people who came. Of course, everyone who came brought at least a six pack of beer. So now, I have a fridge full of burger fixing and vegan chili and the left over beer. Basically, the only spot for the beer is in the crisper. Right next to some celery.

I’m going to go make myself a vegan chili Boca burger.

Molotov’s – Lower Haight, San Francisco

Wednesday night, I was hanging out with some bikers. I’d never been to Molotov’s. When we got there, Johnny Cash was blaring on the jukebox. The bar wasn’t packed, which was nice, but it also wasn’t empty. There was just enough for there to be a nice crowd, but not crowded. There were a few hipsters, but I didn’t see a single yuppie. It was that fabulous warm day, and so even at 8 in the evening, they had the door and windows open, and I was perfectly comfortable in my short sleeved shirt. After the Johnny Cash songs, some Beastie Boys and other songs that I didn’t recognize came on the jukebox, but smack dab in the middle of the night, out of nowhere, “The Israelites” by the eternal Desmond Dekker. And as we were leaving, more Johnny Cash. Coming and going to Johnny Cash is OK by me. Needless to say, I now have a crush on this bar.

So, we were sitting about, discussing the trip that J4 is planning for his birthday. He was to moto down to the tip of baja. As I am a “satin ass,” I’ll be flying down to meet the gang. Of course we got to reminiscing about previous trips we’ve taken togeter. Vegas last Labor Day, and Hawthorne, NV in May. I’m sure that if we make this trip, I will have lots of stories to tell. Wednesday was just a nice chill evening, hanging out with some friends in a cool spot.