Talented Friends

My incredibly talented friend Kathy D.K. - whose name I'm using because her byline appears here - wrote this terrific article about our F.O.K. weekend. It made me want to go to Calistoga all over again - and it made me happy that I still get to enjoy my friend's talents even though we live WAY too far apart.

The Day the Lights Went Out in San Francisco

We had torrential rains and strong winds today - thunder and lightning and everything! Kinda cool. Then, while I was on the phone with J.N. after we FINALLY managed to catch each other, the lights went out around 11 AM. I had already finished my laundry, so after talking to the 'rents, I decided it was an excellent time for my nap. When I woke up - still no power. Then the lights came on - and off - and on - and off. And stayed off. I decided to venture outside, and pick up some things at the grocery store and drug store down the road. I found that all the traffic lights were out - which helped explain why I heard sirens all day. I got to the first coffee shop in the row of stores, and it was closed with all the chairs up on the tables and a hand-written sign that read "Closed due to power outage." I walked down the whole row, to find similar signs in all but 2 or 3 of the stores. Since I was already damp, and my hair had already been whipped around by the wind, I decided to walk up to TJ's to see if they had power. They did. I bought a sandwich and some other staples. Came home and set up a tray in the bedroom, since my living room was really dark - the windows don't let in much light there.

I've started boring myself. Sorry.

ANYHOO, at about 5 PM while I was on the phone with D.L. and making PB&J sandwich cookies (Did you know I'm domestic? Well, I am.) I heard cheers outside and realized the power was back. It was a moment when it was kind of fun to live in an apartment building, because you all get to share in the joy together.

Bring Me Some Figgy Pudding

Don't know if I'd like figgy pudding, but you know what IS awesome? Trader Joe's Greek style fig yogurt. De-lish. I love living within walking distance of TJs.

Need to get my butt into gear today and take care of some holiday tasks - like finishing up my Christmas cards. Mom called to tell me a family member had sent a card with a holiday letter, and in closing the writer asked everyone to wish people a "Merry CHRISTmas" this year, and not Happy Holidays, with some derisive comment about denying the true reason for sending well wishes in December. I told Mom I had a holiday card that said "Happy Holidays", but I would cross it out and write in "Fuck You!" Mom had a good laugh and told my Dad what I said, then told me "We raised you right."

I'm also planning to make cookies today. I bought some cute bags and stickers for decorating them - the bags, not the cookies. I'm planning on a candy theme. Mint kiss cookies (Hershey's mint kisses wrapped in chocolate cookie dough) and chocolate chip peanut butter cups (Reese's wrapped in chocolate chip cookie dough). Making these will involve - getting off the couch.

Livin' La Diva Loca

Rock stars - should not be expected to go back to horrible desk jobs the next day.

Our show last night was simply fantastic. Lots of people came out DESPITE the crappy time slot (Monday at 10:30), everyone was in a great mood, the band sounded terrific, I had a blast up on stage, the audience was really into it, and people had really nice things to say about the whole thing afterwards.

So how do I get to do this AGAIN? And AGAIN?! And AGAIN?!!! The heart of rock and roll is still beating, but the damn timeclock on the wall is still ticking, too. Such a marked contrast between things I care about and things you can't apparently pay me to care about.

Here's the set list, for those who find lists entertaining, with an (S) designating songs where I solo:

1. "Bertha", Grateful Dead
2. "Keep Your Hands to Yourself", Georgia Satellites (S)
3. "Midnight Rider", Allman Brothers
4. "Chains of Devotion", Katydids (S)
5. "People Get Ready", Traditional (S)
6. "The Waiting", Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
7. "Laid", James (S)
8. "Slave", Rolling Stones
9. "Every Little Thing (He) Does Is Magic", The Police (S)

ExCITEment!!!

You know how you get really excited about something, and it's going to be in the evening on a work day, and you can't stop thinking about it, and can't believe that you actually have to go to work and pretend you care about WORK, and how you're sort of proud that you're pulling it off and other people don't know you're really only thinking about what's coming up?

You know how you get this feeling once in a while that you're going to hit a turning point, that things are finally going to take a turn for the better, and that soon you'll not only be faced with one choice but with OPTIONS?

I kind of feel like that today. Sort of. :-)

The concert is TONIGHT! Tonight! Tonight! The band played our drummer's holiday party on Saturday, which was - well, odd. There were plenty of people at the party, but we played in the basement downstairs and not many people actually came down to listen. Now if YOU went to a friend's party, and your friend was in a band, and playing IN THE HOUSE, wouldn't you go listen? I would. In any case, playing for people (and at one point there WERE more people in the audience than in the band) was fun but I also really enjoyed getting to know the people in my band.

(I think it is SO COOL that I get to use "my band" in a sentence.)

Cats and/or Dogs

MAN but it's nasty outside today. It was POURING rain when I came into work - and was fortunate enough to show up at the bus stop just as the express was rolling in - gotta love when that happens! I even found a seat and was able to read my book, Kick Me by Paul Feig. Pretty funny, and his anecdotes are way more humiliating than anything I lived through in school, thank God.

As I shook off the rain from the crappy umbrella I dragged with me this morning, knowing full well it was prone to blowing inside out which it DID as I crossed Market, I thought to myself - this isn't so bad. Because in most other places in the U.S.? It would also be freezing cold outside.