Haha. My little green bear post has been categorized at Popdex as Kobe Bryants Accusers Picture. Which is funny, because although I know what happened to Kobe, I am only vaguely aware of who he is, and I certainly don't have any pictures of the people involved.

BTW, I'll be at Shakespeare in the Park at noon today, if you'd like to meet me there! And it's not going to be sunny, so dress warm.

UPDATE: the weather wasn't great, but it wasn't that bad either. The show is funny and well-done (especially Moth)

Today's literary insult: yegg (yeg) noun: A thug or burglar, especially a safecracker.

Please use in an imaginative sentence. Thank you.

After a series of MRIs to investigate an unclear brainscan, a friend relates the following:

Friend: woohoo! i don't have an aneurysm!!!! or a tumor!
Me: yay!! do they know what it was?
Friend: lol. yes. a FAT VEIN. i'm a fathead
Friend: better to have a fat vein than a fat anything else...
Me: are there any potential health risks from being a fathead?
Friend: nope.
Me: whew!!
Friend: i'm just a freak
Me: well, yeah. and you have a fat vein :D
Friend: [Friend's name] - now with 25% more!

A co-worker and I have decided that Sarah Jessica Parker is probably a marsupial, and her baby was carried in a designer sack.

Don't ask.

Friday. Finally.

Alrighty folks, unlike every other red-blooded American, I do not have a 3-day weekend coming up. That's right, as you are all getting wasted on Sunday because you know you don't have to go to work on Monday, I'll be going to bed early so that I can get up at the normal 5:30 a.m.

So I want to make the most of the rest of the weekend. This is the weekend that San Francisco Mime Troupe: Veronique of the Mounties ends and Shakespeare in the Park (SF): Loves Labour’s Lost begins and I think I can do both.

But I don't want to do them alone. Join me! We can take blankets and lunch and have a grand time, even if the weather is crappy.

Today's literary insult: saponaceous (sap-uh-NAY-shush) adjective: Soapy, slippery, evasive.

Actually, this sounds kinda fun.

amigovernorornot.com. My favorite is the Hat Pirate. [via Jessa]

Morning music on KFOG was less than wonderful, so I only got to hear a bit of the discussion on IKEA rants or tips.

One said "IKEA is Swedish for 'Don't come on Saturday.'" Another said that the "don't follow the arrows" advice was the worst, as you quickly begin to feel like a rat trapped in a maze you can't find your way out of. And yet another advised doing some meditation to enter the Zen state before heading into the madhouse.

The last giggle I had before getting out of my car, however, was when a man called in and said that you really should eat before you go. Otherwise, it's like going into an adult video/bookstore while horny - you never know what you're going to come out with.

UPDATE: the new IKEA opened in East Palo Alto on Wednesday, and apparently the traffic was sooo bad (how bad was it?), that it made the Amber Alert signs.

Today's literary insult: dasypygal (da-si-PYE-gul) adjective: Having hairy buttocks.

From the moderator: A related word is dasymeter, an instrument for measuring the..., no, not that, rather the density of gases. Another related word is callipygian, having a beautiful behind.

Use any of these words in a sentence, and I'll buy you a drink next time we're out at a bar together.

Bonus:
The fetters imposed on liberty at home have ever been forged out of the weapons provided for defence against real, pretended, or imaginary dangers from abroad. -James Madison, 4th US president (1751-1836)

The fog here in the Bay area is so specific sometimes, it's amazing. I used to have a dorm room that looked out over the Richmond district. I could see over the Presidio, the tips of the towers of the Golden Gate and the Marin Headlands on the other side. Sometimes I watched the fog drift in to the Bay - but only over the water - snaking in between the green of the Presidio and the gold of the Headlands and leaving the red of the Golden Gate towers to show the link between the two. It was pretty impressive.


Sutro Tower and the Fog
August 6, 2003

Today's literary insult: ventripotent (ven-TRI-pot-ehnt) adjective: Having a large belly; gluttonous.

Ack, this is certainly one that could be used on me.

I meant to go to the gym today, but I made the mistake of going to Target first. I actually had the thought that perhaps since today was the first day of school for many of the kids in the Bay area, it would not be a madhouse.

I was wrong.

In the 20 minutes I spent there looking for a combination lock for the gym locker I never saw and a birthday card for my brother-in-law that's going to be late anyway, a woman circled me at least twice with her two crying children corralled in her shopping basket, another child peed his pants as his family stood in the checkout line, and a chorus of children began whining/crying as they were simulateously denied their treats on the way out of the store. It was eerie how they all started at the same time.

By the time I got to the gym, there were at least 5 cars in the parking lot waiting for someone to leave so that they could park. I skipped the gym and went home to do more useful things with my time, like shop for a new computer and go to Lit at the Canvas, which was awesome. They all Rawked!

Can you believe that I haven't seen the second LoTR movie?

I know! Neither can I.

Any other geeks out there who haven't seen Two Towers yet? Anyone out there who would like to see it again on the big screen? How about joining me on Wednesday? (ps - it's in Berkeley!)

Wordsmith's theme this week is literary insults. Today's word is facinorous (fuh-SIN-uhr-uhs) adjective: Extremely wicked.

How would you use this in a sentence?

Wondering what to do tonight? Kevin is hosting another Lit at the Canvas at 9th and Lincoln at 8 (but I'd suggest getting there earlier, as couch space is limited).

If you're interested in getting something inexpensive for dinner beforehand, lemme know and we can meet up.

Heard on the radio this morning:

"The only place to find gas for under $2/gallon in the Bay area is the value menu at Taco Bell."

So true, so very very true.

Ah, memories.

I think everyone should have a chance to kiss someone the first time on train tracks. Then again, DANGER! PELIGROSO! might have saved me some heartache later on. :) -Jane

Finally! Thursday!

Little Green Bear on a Big Blue Recycling Bin
May 26, 2003

You know that wall? The one that means "You have accomplished all that you're going to accomplish today."?

I have a bruise from hitting that wall.

In other news, I had my teeth cleaned yesterday. Despite the nails-down-the-chalkboard scraping sensation, I'm am most happy with the results and Amy says they gleam. I hereby promise to brush and floss twice a day to avoid the experience in the future - or make it less awful anyway.

Five Simple Rules of Happiness

1 .. Free your heart from hatred.
2 .. Free your mind from worries.
3 .. Live simply.
4 .. Give more.
5 .. Expect less.

[via Dawn, Aug 14, 2003]

Can you believe it's only Tuesday?

Looking for that light at the end of the tunnel

Treasure Island Tunnel, Bay Bridge, Aug. 14, 2003

Well, it started out as a good day. It has recently taken a sharp downturn. Keeping my fingers crossed that things will improve dramatically.

UPDATE: site is down. This doesn't look good.

UPDATE: site is back. We'll see how it goes.

Happy Birthday Wendy and Rannie!!

My Day at Stern Grove:



Napping and doing laundry for the rest of the day paled in comparison to this zebra-striped thong peeking out over the camoflauged pants.

PS
I am not evil. It's not my fault that he could do things with the cards in my hands without having touched them. I'm still interested in finding out how he did that.

Since Thursday morning ...

Got stuck in the worst traffic I have ever experienced in the Bay area since that time I tried to take 101 from Mountain View to San Francisco on a Friday at 4 p.m. (2 hours). That was just 'everybody try to have a good time at the same time' traffic. This time it was caused by 1) the A's game getting out right about then, and 2) the first 49's/Raiders game of the season at Candlestick. Or preseason game at 3Com. Whatever. (1 hour to get to San Francisco from Emeryville.)

Got a very nice haircut.

Got my car tuned up for hundreds of dollars less than what I imagined I would be paying.*

Went to a magic show. I was personally involved in one of the tricks the guy performed, and I'm still unclear on how he made it happen. It's a fucking awesome show and you should go see it. Tonight, if possible. Wait, too late now. Go see it next weekend.

Attended a lovely brunch with a bunch of very nice people, to celebrate the ousting of a roommate who decided to screw everyone out of her share of the rent. They are well rid of her, but I believe they'd be better rid of her if they had the money she owes them.

Drove like a bat out of hell to Gilroy (in my tuned-up truck!) with Jane, to my new favorite store, where I made some wise purchases (which I'm sitting in as I compose this post).

Went to see Pirates again, this time with a new friend. Although my time management sucked and then I feared running out of gas, she was very gracious and everything turned out ok, naturally.

Now I'm home again, for the first time since Thursday evening. I'm tired (it's really 12:30 a.m. now that I'm finishing this up). I'll be sleeping in tomorrow, till someone calls me about going to the last concert of the year at Stern Grove

* There's more to that story, but you wouldn't be interested, so I'll let that go. Suffice to say that I've had this car for 11 years and other than irregular oil changes and gas, I have put about $1800 total into it for two tune-ups and 1 new differential. And that's at 150,000 miles. Yay me.

So who else is indescribably happy that today is the last day of the work week? (and payday to boot!!)

Superdiamond is coming back to the Bay area this month- anyone want to see them with me?
***
I hate sunscreen. I know I have to wear it to avoid skin cancer, and I think a lot more people should wear it regardless of the amount of pigment they have in their skin, but that doesn't mean that I like it. Mostly I hate how it feels - even if it's not greasy, it still feels like a layer of stuff on top of my skin. I don't wear much makeup for this reason. It's not like moisturizer that soaks in, or makeup that eventually wears off during the day. It stays there, making my skin feel dirty and that every time I touch my face, like I'm rubbing it in further.

So I'm looking for suggestions. I've tried Banana Boat, which is the best of the straight sunscreens, as far as I'm concerned. And after polling some girlfriends, I'm now trying Shiseado (?), which is better than most moisturizer/sunscreens, but I still get that cakey feeling.

What kind of sunscreen do you like? Better if you have a suggestion for a moisture/sunscreen of at least level 25.
***
And I just got word from Netflix that Amazon Women on the Moon has been moved to my "DVDs Awaiting Release" section. This follows a note this weekend that a few movies had been removed from my list. It's a good thing that I have 200 movies in my rental queue. Whew!
***
And let me warn y'all to get in shape. Today, if possible. I thought the coughing of my last bout of allgergies/bronchitis was the worst I had to endure. But no. The secondary effects have been worse and longer-lasting than the cough. I appear to have pulled a muscle near my ribcage, making breathing difficult even now, not to mention laughing and standing up straight.

Speaking of the ex-roommie, we were talking last night about cats, and I sent her the links to two spit-your-drink-at-the-screen pieces on the joys of cat guardianship. She reminded me of this pee-your-pants-funny video. My computer couldn't handle it last night, so I'm watching it at work, hoping that there aren't any accidents.

Ex-Roommie in Seattle went to see Hells Belles the other night, an all-girl AC/DC cover band. Apparently they are not to be missed. Too bad they were just in the Bay area, and not due to be back any time soon.

I posted a few more galleries last night - Random July pics that don't belong anywhere else, my trip Home earlier this month, and Kevin's 30th birthday party.

Happy Birthday, Sarah!

Chihuahuas in the news:

I'm not a big fan of small dogs, although a good friend has two adorable members of this particular breed. Not to malign my little friends, I found the following stories to be both sad and hilarious at the same time:

Wild Chihuahuas Saved

A breeder seems to have allowed the little ones to sort of get away from her. They were breeding like, well, like rabbits and I guess they all went feral. After Animal Control relieved her of her charges, they were put in the county shelter, where packs of the little ones would attack and kill dogs from other packs. They have been saved from extermination by kind people who will take a few a piece and try to tame them.

Trained hawks grounded after Chihuahua attack

"I sincerely believe the bird mistook it for a rat because it was in the shrubbery," said Thomas Cullen, the falconer hired to run the anti-pigeon program.

The weekend:

Given that I worked on Saturday, Friday night was quiet, and I finished the Return of the Jedi and messed around on the internet.

Saturday I got up ridiculously early and went to work. Couldn't believe the traffic on the Bay Bridge at 6:45 a.m., which was exponentially worse at 4:20 p.m. heading back into the City. Finally arrived at home at around 5:30, and fell asleep on the couch - I'd been up early and it was going to be a late night.

Woke up a few hours later, ate dinner and started the Bad Star Wars Movie, then got ready and headed out to attend Kevin's 30th birthday party. it was a hoot and a holler and we stayed very late.

Unfortunately, the evening ended in a feline death. I have never hit something with a car except a wall, and I feel awful. However, everyone reassures me that, as it was a black cat running across black pavement at 2 a.m., it's not entirely my fault. The cat didn't look at me till the very last moment (when I knew it was there from the reflection of its eyes), and there was no opportunity to avoid impact. I wasn't even speeding.

Yesterday, I had planned on going to the new San Jose Public library for a library-geek tour with Jessa, who will be starting library school in a few weeks. [Mercury News articles re: the new library] We had lunch, then spent a few hours catching up with each other in a coffee shop, and by the time we were ready to go, realized that it was a Sunday and the library had closed already. Oh well, we then spent another few hours talking, then went to dinner and then home late. A field trip for another day, I suppose, but a Sunday extremely well-spent.

The true power of Photoshop, and why you should never compare yourself to the women (or men, as the case may be) you see in magazines: Greg's Digital Archive

We frequently have to dial into sites in order to do work on their machines. Programmers add dial messages to give important information regarding what software release a customer is running, or if they have any special code.

I came across one of the most interesting of these today:

later-than-approved happiness.c installed

I'd like to have this installed on my machine too.

Ah, Saturday. Too bad I'm at work.

You know, I don't think the Ewoks were that bad of an idea.

So my brothers both ditched me this weekend ... not to hang out with their other friends or do young people stuff, but to hang out together and have dinner or go see a movie.

I feel so uncool all of a sudden.

This week is someone's birthday and we're going dancing tonight and there's a party on Saturday. At the mention of the times these events begin (10 p.m. tonight, and 9 p.m. on Saturday), I find myself exclaiming "But that's when I go to bed!" It doesn't really help that I have to be at work at 7 a.m. tomorrow and Saturday.

I feel so old.

I'm going to blame it all on the cough and hope that, sometime in the near future, when I can climb stairs/laugh/talk/eat without coughing, then I can kick all their asses and be the coolest chick on the block.
'Cause you know that's what I'm all about.

From a co-worker:

Over ten million animals are abused, neglected or abandoned yearly. You can help!

Visit The Animal Rescue Site every day and just by clicking a button, you can give food to an abandoned or abused animal -- at no cost to you.

Funding for nutritious food, paid for by site sponsors, is generated when you click on the "Feed an Animal in Need" button on the Home page of The Animal Rescue Site

The Animal Rescue Site was launched in July of 2002 and generated 22.9 million bowls of food for animals in its first year, thanks to caring supporters. With your help, many more animals will benefit. It all depends on the number of people who visit the site.

So, please visit The Animal Rescue Site once a day and help spread the word to your friends and family about how a simple click helps give animals the happy, healthy lives they deserve!

If you're late for work, the best way to ensure a green-light-only path to the freeway is to make yourself really want to put on makeup.

I believe this works best if you are the sort of person who does not like to put it on when the car is in motion.

It's bad when you're in a customer service position and all you can think all day is "I wish those danged customers would just leave me alone!!"

Yeah, it's one of those days.

Happy Birthday, Shannon!

Let this mark the day that I have started Les Misérables, the unabridged version.

If When I'm done with that, I'll read The Count of Monte Cristo.

Let's hear it for fulfilling some of my high school dreams.

You're beautiful.

Happy Monday!

Turns out that due to the cough, I was effectively off work all of last week (I'll be working weekends and holidays for a while to make up the lost time). Someone very nice watered my ficus tree. I am now fearing my voicemail, which has been blinking at me since I got in this morning.

My parents are leaving for a 2-week Mediterranean cruise tomorrow. I went Home this weekend to celebrate their 24th anniversary and my dad's birthday with them before they left. We sat out on their porch in the excellent weather, with the bouganvilla blooming and the wind chimes chiming, and I looked at my mom and said, "I'm really happy that you worked so hard for all this, so that I could enjoy it this weekend."

Actually, I enjoyed everything this weekend. I think it's because I'm late with the pictures I was to take for the 26 things project - I was looking at everything to find the beauty and meaning in it. I took some good pictures - probably not for the project - but not nearly as many as I wanted, since, as wonderful as my camera has proven to be, I know that it often cannot capture my point of view, or the depth of feeling/beauty/color that I see when I point and shoot.

I also found out that I will be aunt to a niece next month. I cannot tell you how excited I am.

So Bryan asked a big question and got a good answer, and Karen was asked a big question and gave a good answer, and their lives will be changing for the better for the changes in their relationships ... but will Amit's relationship change for the better soon as well?

Btw, Shannon has linked her wedding photos.

Ah, August. Perhaps this month will be as sunny and healthy as July was foggy and unhealthy. Keeping my fingers crossed (but not holding my breath!).