on real jobs

Right before closing yesterday, I helped a patron and the series of answers we found had led to a pretty interesting discussion on race and socio-economics in San Francisco. I mentioned that this topic was particularly interesting to me because my father is a sociology professor, but I didn’t think that the patron even heard me because he was pretty far deep into his own rant. A few minutes later, he suddenly busts out with, “So why didn’t you decide to get a real job like your father? Too hard?” It was so blatant that I thought it was a joke, so I laughed. My laughing slowly tapered off as I realized that he was completely serious. We stared at each other for a few moments, because I truly had no idea what to say that wouldn’t cost...

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Posted on 23 Aug 2008 | 12 comments

nostalgic redux

These mornings are so foggy in the Sunset. Foghorns remind me of my beloved. I wrote a poem about an evening of ours, years ago, set to the soundtrack of a foghorn. Ever since then, I cannot hear a foghorn without thinking of him. I realize now how apt the symbolism is. This Saturday will be the fifth anniversary of the day I kissed him goodbye on the eve of his move to Scotland.  Coincidentally, it was my half-birthday, so I never forgot the date. I tried. I tried to forget so much, but I kept hearing foghorns.

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Posted on 20 Aug 2008 | 1 comment

omnivorous

omnivorous

The Omnivore’s Hundred, as seen on Ultramundane: Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions. Bold all the items you’ve eaten. Cross out any items that you would never consider eating (or eating again). Optional extra: Post a comment http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results. To make the filling out of this form and generating the HTML for it a bit easier, reddywhp has played around with some PHP. Go to http://reddywhip.org/lj/foods/ and fill it out there. After filling it out, you will be given the code to copy and paste into your blog. Livejournal users, remember to use your LJ-Cuts! Venison Nettle tea Huevos rancheros Steak tartare Crocodile Black pudding Cheese fondue Carp Borscht Baba...

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Posted on 17 Aug 2008 | 1 comment

betrayal

Enthusiasm cored, unborn, glassy, turgid: that moment between the noise you do not want to recognize and the opening door. Once taken aback, you cannot take it back. The door swings away from you, pieces of stomach scuttle like marbles down a ramp. — Halsted M. Bernard

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Posted on 15 Aug 2008 | 3 comments

nostalgic

It is gray inside the building today, which reminds me of December, which in turn reminds me of last December and my last job. Our big project was just about to launch. The launch had been pushed back, and the new launch date conflicted with my holiday vacation.  The team changed the launch date again so I could be present. I felt very lucky to be so cherished.  I also felt overwhelmed and disenchanted and other things. To think that I have not once visited a website I used to visit hundreds of times a week. In the moment, we tend to think that our little importances, good or bad, will extend forward indefinitely. But the moment after this one, and this one, and this one, always proves that wrong. I miss certain aspects of every remembered moment of my life, be...

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Posted on 6 Aug 2008 | Comments Off