Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Gentrification in The City
So....I am still living in my little in-law. You know the one with the sinking toilet.
It should come as no surprise that any place that features a sinking toilet isn't in the best of neighborhoods. Yet I still found the emotions to be surprised after seeing my cross street featured on the news this morning. Apparently there was an early morning shooting and the trains were skipping by my stop while the police "collected evidence". Sure enough when I left the house 15 minutes later, the police had partioned off a part of the street for an entire block.
As I waited for the train, I began to wonder when the neighborhood I lived was going to turn around. The houses are gorgeous and relatively cheap. The neighborhood, while not centrally located is close to both highways that cut through the City. It was a shame that all attempts at gentrification seemed tohave no impact. When I got on the train, my mind was quickly made to eat my earlier thoughts. Sitting across from me (oh why was that the free seat!) were clearly two crackheads.
Mind you I came to work early this morning. We had a meeting and I needed to be here at 7 am to prepare. The only people on the train were people on their way to work and the crackheads that were sitting across from me. Of course I wondered where two crackheads could be going so early and I wanted to keep my valuables so I was watching and listening to them like a hawk. I was floored when one crackhead awoke the other from his drug induced sleep (he had been fading in and out of consciousness) to excitedly exclaim that this was their stop. Why was I floored? They were going to Starbucks!!
It's nice to know that gentrification has made some headway.
It should come as no surprise that any place that features a sinking toilet isn't in the best of neighborhoods. Yet I still found the emotions to be surprised after seeing my cross street featured on the news this morning. Apparently there was an early morning shooting and the trains were skipping by my stop while the police "collected evidence". Sure enough when I left the house 15 minutes later, the police had partioned off a part of the street for an entire block.
As I waited for the train, I began to wonder when the neighborhood I lived was going to turn around. The houses are gorgeous and relatively cheap. The neighborhood, while not centrally located is close to both highways that cut through the City. It was a shame that all attempts at gentrification seemed tohave no impact. When I got on the train, my mind was quickly made to eat my earlier thoughts. Sitting across from me (oh why was that the free seat!) were clearly two crackheads.
Mind you I came to work early this morning. We had a meeting and I needed to be here at 7 am to prepare. The only people on the train were people on their way to work and the crackheads that were sitting across from me. Of course I wondered where two crackheads could be going so early and I wanted to keep my valuables so I was watching and listening to them like a hawk. I was floored when one crackhead awoke the other from his drug induced sleep (he had been fading in and out of consciousness) to excitedly exclaim that this was their stop. Why was I floored? They were going to Starbucks!!
It's nice to know that gentrification has made some headway.
Monday, June 19, 2006
Save Screech's House!!
Hey All,
I'm sure by now everyone has heard that Dustin Diamond (Screech from Saved by the Bell) may be losing his house. Thanks to a combination of bad credit, land trust deal, and a snarky lawyer who was supposed to help broker a deal.
Anyways, Dustin is resourceful and has started a grassroots campaign to keep his house. If you would like to throw some support to Screech then hit him up at
www.getdshirts.com
Help out Screech, remember all the laughs and if that doesn't move you then help him because he's got 10 inches. And yes, it's been verified on the Howard Stern Show.
I'm sure by now everyone has heard that Dustin Diamond (Screech from Saved by the Bell) may be losing his house. Thanks to a combination of bad credit, land trust deal, and a snarky lawyer who was supposed to help broker a deal.
Anyways, Dustin is resourceful and has started a grassroots campaign to keep his house. If you would like to throw some support to Screech then hit him up at
www.getdshirts.com
Help out Screech, remember all the laughs and if that doesn't move you then help him because he's got 10 inches. And yes, it's been verified on the Howard Stern Show.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Life Lesson
I didn't do much or even have much happen to me this week, so in the absence of an observation to share I thought a life lesson would be appropriate. Enjoy!
Nick the Dragon Slayer
Once upon a time, and far, far away lived a beautiful Queen withvoluptuous breasts. Nick the Dragon slayer knew that the penalty for hisdesire would be death should he try to touch them. One day Nick revealed his secret desire to his colleague, Horatio thePhysician, who was the King's chief doctor. Horatio the Physician exclaimed that hecould arrange for Nick the Dragon Slayer to satisfy his desire, but it wouldcost him 1,000 gold coins to arrange it.
Without pause, Nick the Dragon Slayer readily agreed to the scheme. The next day,Horatio the Physician made a batch of itching powder and poured a littlebit into the Queen's brassiere while she bathed. Soon after she dressed, the itching commenced and grew intense. Upon being summoned to the Royal Chambers to address this incident, Horatio the Physician informed the King and Queen that only a special saliva, if applied for four hours, would cure this type of itch, and that tests had shown that only the saliva of Nick the Dragon Slayer would work as the antidote to cure the itch. The King quickly summoned Nick the Dragon Slayer. Horatio the Physician then slipped Nick the Dragon Slayer the antidote for the itching powder,which he quickly put into his mouth, and for the next four hours, Nick worked passionately on the Queen's voluptuous and magnificent breasts.
The Queen's itching was eventually relieved, and Nick the Dragon Slayerleft satisfied and touted as a hero. Upon returning to his chamber, Nick the DragonSlayer found Horatio the Physician demanding his payment of 1,000 gold coins. With his obsession now satisfied, Nick the Dragon Slayer couldn't havecared less and, knowing that Horatio the Physician could never report this matter to theKing, witha laugh just told him to get lost. The next day, Horatio the Physician slipped a massive dose of the same itching powder into the King's underwear.
The King immediately summoned Nick the DragonSlayer...
The moral of the story - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pay your bills.
Nick the Dragon Slayer
Once upon a time, and far, far away lived a beautiful Queen withvoluptuous breasts. Nick the Dragon slayer knew that the penalty for hisdesire would be death should he try to touch them. One day Nick revealed his secret desire to his colleague, Horatio thePhysician, who was the King's chief doctor. Horatio the Physician exclaimed that hecould arrange for Nick the Dragon Slayer to satisfy his desire, but it wouldcost him 1,000 gold coins to arrange it.
Without pause, Nick the Dragon Slayer readily agreed to the scheme. The next day,Horatio the Physician made a batch of itching powder and poured a littlebit into the Queen's brassiere while she bathed. Soon after she dressed, the itching commenced and grew intense. Upon being summoned to the Royal Chambers to address this incident, Horatio the Physician informed the King and Queen that only a special saliva, if applied for four hours, would cure this type of itch, and that tests had shown that only the saliva of Nick the Dragon Slayer would work as the antidote to cure the itch. The King quickly summoned Nick the Dragon Slayer. Horatio the Physician then slipped Nick the Dragon Slayer the antidote for the itching powder,which he quickly put into his mouth, and for the next four hours, Nick worked passionately on the Queen's voluptuous and magnificent breasts.
The Queen's itching was eventually relieved, and Nick the Dragon Slayerleft satisfied and touted as a hero. Upon returning to his chamber, Nick the DragonSlayer found Horatio the Physician demanding his payment of 1,000 gold coins. With his obsession now satisfied, Nick the Dragon Slayer couldn't havecared less and, knowing that Horatio the Physician could never report this matter to theKing, witha laugh just told him to get lost. The next day, Horatio the Physician slipped a massive dose of the same itching powder into the King's underwear.
The King immediately summoned Nick the DragonSlayer...
The moral of the story - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pay your bills.
Monday, June 12, 2006
World Cup, anyone?
Is anybody else cracked out on the World Cup??
In 2002, I watched a couple of matches, mainly because my then boss was a big fan and I could either watch a match or do work. However, since I no longer work at that company, my soccer watching has dissipated. Two weeks ago, I didn't care at all about soccer. However I was experiencing some major sport withdrawal. I am a Cubs fan, and frankly there hasn't been much to watch in regards to that and the NBA playoffs are more drawn out this year than the Dallas episode of "Who Shot J.R.?"
So when a friendly office pool for the World Cup came along, I dutifully filled it out, not really caring where I placed. That all changed this past Thursday. In my ignorance, I had made good picks! I was that annoying girl who wins the NCAA pool only this was the World Cup. I called the Sweden v. Trinidad-Tobago tie AND the Australian upset. The same people who were chuckling at my upstart picks are now poring over my entries before calling their respective bookies.
Of course what goes up must go down. I lost 2 out of 3 matches today. I better not show up at my favorite watering hole, I got a feeling people may be looking for me...and not to give me a pat on the back.
In 2002, I watched a couple of matches, mainly because my then boss was a big fan and I could either watch a match or do work. However, since I no longer work at that company, my soccer watching has dissipated. Two weeks ago, I didn't care at all about soccer. However I was experiencing some major sport withdrawal. I am a Cubs fan, and frankly there hasn't been much to watch in regards to that and the NBA playoffs are more drawn out this year than the Dallas episode of "Who Shot J.R.?"
So when a friendly office pool for the World Cup came along, I dutifully filled it out, not really caring where I placed. That all changed this past Thursday. In my ignorance, I had made good picks! I was that annoying girl who wins the NCAA pool only this was the World Cup. I called the Sweden v. Trinidad-Tobago tie AND the Australian upset. The same people who were chuckling at my upstart picks are now poring over my entries before calling their respective bookies.
Of course what goes up must go down. I lost 2 out of 3 matches today. I better not show up at my favorite watering hole, I got a feeling people may be looking for me...and not to give me a pat on the back.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
And the winner is...
Tuesday was primary elections here in California.
I was a good citizen and voted. Thank goodness for absentee voting, I really couldn't be bothered to try and find my polling place, which according to the Dept of Elections is in a garage two blocks over. My voting was a draw, I was on the winning side of some and the losing side of others. However, we did manage to celebrate at my job today since one of my coworkers is running for office and (gasp!) won his primary!!! Hey, he's in a different party and lives in a different county but I'll cheer and take free lunch like everyone else :-)
After seeing all this civic virtue (and being a little pissed about some of my candidates not winning), I decided to bone up on exactly who my elected officials are. The one office that I thought I didn't need to check were my representative. Everybody knows that if you live in San Francisco, Nancy Pelosi is your representative. Er....well if you live in SF except the side of town where I live.
I was starting to sweat, I already lost my gubernatorial and attorney general candidates, now I'm losing my representative too?? With dread I looked at the House website to find out who my true Rep was only to find that I had.....Tom Lantos!!! Tom "Holocaust Survivor/Getting arrested for taking a stand on Sudan/Ranking Dem on International Relations Committee" Santos!!! All I gotta say is you can keep Nancy Pelosi.
I got an upgrade.
I was a good citizen and voted. Thank goodness for absentee voting, I really couldn't be bothered to try and find my polling place, which according to the Dept of Elections is in a garage two blocks over. My voting was a draw, I was on the winning side of some and the losing side of others. However, we did manage to celebrate at my job today since one of my coworkers is running for office and (gasp!) won his primary!!! Hey, he's in a different party and lives in a different county but I'll cheer and take free lunch like everyone else :-)
After seeing all this civic virtue (and being a little pissed about some of my candidates not winning), I decided to bone up on exactly who my elected officials are. The one office that I thought I didn't need to check were my representative. Everybody knows that if you live in San Francisco, Nancy Pelosi is your representative. Er....well if you live in SF except the side of town where I live.
I was starting to sweat, I already lost my gubernatorial and attorney general candidates, now I'm losing my representative too?? With dread I looked at the House website to find out who my true Rep was only to find that I had.....Tom Lantos!!! Tom "Holocaust Survivor/Getting arrested for taking a stand on Sudan/Ranking Dem on International Relations Committee" Santos!!! All I gotta say is you can keep Nancy Pelosi.
I got an upgrade.
