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[Work seems to be getting to other people, too.]
kaleja i am aboard a luxury ocean liner. unfortunately, it has been
kaleja infested with wood-boring beetles on speed, and holes are
kaleja appearing randomly in the hull. fortunately, i have an
kaleja unlimited supply of chewing gum.
kaleja unfortunately, i have to chew it myself before plugging holes
kaleja with it.
dodd can anyone else on the ship help you chew gum?
kaleja no. one of them is fighting off several thousand killer
kaleja seagulls, armed with an infinite supply of toothpicks. one is
kaleja making sure that any unsightly limbs are immediately lopped
kaleja off of other crewmen's bodies.
kaleja many of them are busy having meetings.
kaleja some of them, it would take longer to explain how to chew gum
kaleja than to just chew it myself.
kaleja oh! that's the other thing. ten crew members are busily asking
kaleja people what they're doing and what they need other people to
kaleja do, then passing that information along through a lossy data
kaleja channel to the others, such that i
kaleja eventually hear that someone's taking care of the holes in the
kaleja hull, and i ask how, and they tell me that someone's plugging
kaleja the holes! with chewing gum! and i say "oh yes that's right"
kaleja and carry on.
Our Father, who art in Building One, hallowed by Thy Name.
Thy OS come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Cupertino.
Give us this day our daily build.
Forgive us our bugs, as we forgive those who code bugs which affect us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from Beige.
For Thine is the platform, and the hardware, and the glory, forever and ever.
Amen.
[i think work is getting to me.]
Today we went on our contractor's inspection for the new place - it was fascinating. (Beca warned me i'd love it, and she was absolutely right.) No huge suprises, but Dave did uncover a few things that the pest inspector missed, which was great. He was funny, knowledgable, patient with my incessant queries, had way-cool gadgetry and it turns out, is a secret cook. So i got a lot of great advice on how to put in a pro stove/venting system, the order to do it in, and where to shop for things in SF for the best buys. Double bonus! At any rate, it doesn't look like there's going to be any problem removing contingency, and we may be able to close early, on the 18th - which means we could move in over Labor Day weekend! The excitement! 8) (The photo is of one side of the backyard, featuring one of 3 grown-up birch trees. I love birch trees. I love mature trees. I'm so happy this house has some. Photo courtesy of Todd!)
Tomorrow: Homeowner's insurance.
This morning we open escrow on a fantastic house in Bernal Heights. Yep, it's complicated - it's not the house i wrote about on Monday. It's a different one. It's bigger, and the location is better (but still in Bernal Heights). If you want the gossip, it'll have to be over a drink sometime.... In the meantime, hoorae! Escrow has opened! If nothing goes poorly, we'll be moving in about 6 weeks. Goblin just doesn't believe me. Myself, i almost can't believe this is actually happening. Writing big checks helps, though. The next step: Contractor's inspection on Tuesday afternoon. [realtor listing]
The trees on Hill street are in bloom right now. Last night, we're walking home from dinner with my parents.
Dad, 1 door away from home: You're going to miss the smell of these trees.
Me, entering my house: I'm not going to miss the smell of this hallway.
There are so many things i'll miss about the Mission and Hill Street. The Circus is not even near that list.....
Is Manic Monday anything like a traditional Seussian Wacky Wednesdsay? Seemed like today was that.
Up at 5am. 2.5 hours of work after a week away before heading to BJ Droubi.
Wrote offer #4. Was probably a bit flippant, but Naomi was up at 5am working too, is a doll, and deals with morning like we do, so i think all was AOK.
Went to work. Gave R the car. Had a serious fucking MONDAY. Good lord.
Random big-ass dimsum lunch.
Taken away from work at 5:30 by an angel named Adam. Made guacamole, meriko-style. Shared it with Adam, Russell and a big parrot.
On the way home, got the call - OUR OFFER WAS ACCEPTED.
Went to meet up with Naomi, saw a great place we can't afford, and finally, after years, went to Sacrifice. Was loud and empty. Metal night. Where's Forrest & Todd? Great time with Naomi. Wrote a big-assed-check.
Wonky. Here i am. Tomorrow might be less surreal.
What has she got in her pocketses?
I think the current bunch qualifies me as girl-geek-lush:
front left: wallet
front right: compact & lipstick
back right: cell phone
back left: flask of 10yo Laphroaig
What have you got in your pocketses?
Another week, another house to make an offer on? This one is deceptive from the outside - it's much bigger on the inside than you'd guess from the front (sorta like a hobbit hole!). Much has been redone in the last 3 years on the inside, but there's still a fair amount that could be done to make it even nicer. About the right mix for us - we'd like to do some work, but we'd like it to be livable at the outset. That's not a pro stove there, but it's a perfectly nice Kitchenaid gas beastie - and it's on an outside wall, so it would be fairly easy to ditch the microwave above, install a hood, and drop in a Wolf or Viking range when the time does come. Offer being written at 8am on Monday morning; they're due at 1pm on Monday. Hopefully we'll know where we stand by Monday night. In the meantime, Sunday will continue to be our normal prowl and snoop through as many open houses as we can get to. Hope springs eternal? [realtor's listing]
It's been a long while since i've taken a vacation, just for myself. Stayed home. Not gone to see family. Not met family somewhere. (And while i love them all, it's different than a true vacation.)
This week, i get to do the things that i want to do - enjoy my city from the inside. Happy hour at my favorite bars. Enticing friends to leave work a little early to join me for cocktails and then dinner. Cook a nice meal, on a school night for Russell. Join my fantastic realtor out for brokers tours during the week. Take 6 hours to scrub down the house without feeling like i am destroying my one day away from work in the week. Enjoy the clean house, and remember why i like to live here. Enjoy the sun barely peeking out from behind the grey (my favorite San Francisco weather). Go to MOMA. Go for walks. Work on arts 'n' craftsy projects. Maybe even drag out the quilt top and see if i can't finish it off. Succumb to the new bead store across the street. Go to Osento. (Any girlies listening who want to join me?) Spend an afternoon reading in a cafe. Flirt with bartenders. Stay up too late. Have a glass of wine at 2 in the afternoon because the weather and the snack of cheese demands it. Go out dancing. Catch up over oysters with my best girl. Some of these i've done, some of them i will do, some of them i won't get to.
What would you do with a week off, in San Francisco?
No dice on this one, either. Who the hell puts down more than 50% of the price of the house in cash as a down payment, anyway? Sunday we'll be pounding the pavement again...
Two high bids. We're one of them. They countered both of us. We have the counter. We have until tomorrow morning to decide if we accept the counter.
I hate playing chicken.
I think we're going to accept the counter in the morning. We'll see what the rest of the morrow brings...
... the charm - that's how the saying goes, right?
Wrote an offer for this one tonight. 41 Bessie, in Bernal Heights, very near Precita Park. Current decor is horrid, but it's big, Edwardian, built in 1904, and i like it. (I'll like it more with MY paint on the walls. Beca, you're the official Paint Chip Inspector to make sure we're choosing wisely.) Pictures here. Cross your fingers - offers are being presented Tuesday at 4pm.
I'm a little late to the game, but i'm finally sitting with a glass of wine, ready to attack the interview questions Heidi so kindly sent my way a few weeks ago.
1. I'm holding a gun to your head. What's your favorite Ani song?
If the gun is loaded, Joyful Girl.
If the gun isn't loaded, Shameless.
If we're playing Russian Roulette, Carry You Around.
2. What is the name of your alter ego? Hint: she dances burlesque.
Cassiopeia Swingset.
3. Describe your ideal bar.
Mmmmm. Not too bright, but light enough (just) to read or write a letter. The decor has to have some character or funk to it - the theme can be arbitrary, but big armchairs, bookshelfs, nooks & crannies, and a long polished darkwood bar are all good starts. Not too crowded, but neither deserted. A small cadre of regulars, who are happy to chat or leave you alone, as you please. (And they have a sixth sense of which mood you're in at any given time.) A bartender who not only knows your favorite cocktail, but your favorite wine, too. She is skilled in the classics, but has a few tricks with infusions and new mixes up her sleeve, too. He is thesort who will chat and keep you in line when you're venting, and will pour you an extra glass when noone else is looking, because you've had an especially good or bad day. (Yes, that was my tricksy way of telling you that my bartender can be a boy or a girl.) Good mix of background jazz, and a kickass jukebox with all your old favorites, too. A few perfect snacks should be available. Not the priciest, nor the cheapest drinks you've paid for, though there are a few execeptional top-shelf single malts and brandies to be had. There's a backroom you can descend on in the event you have a passel of friends to entertain for one reason or another. Candles.
And walking distance from wherever it is that i live. 8)
4. what is your favorite educational science exhibit?
For most recent discovery, the "Count the basketballs" game in the sight exhibition at the Exploratorium.
The childhood favorite is a run between the Exploratorium "Hold a spinning bicycle wheel on this rotating seat" and any exhibit involving a tesla coil.
5. You have just founded your secret society of crack special agents. What acronym represents your group, and what do the letters stand for?
I.O.N. The significance would rotate with each short story, sometimes making more sense than other times. Instars On Neutrinos, Irrational Oval Napkins, Ironic or Not. You get the picture.
May I interview you? Post a comment and let me know. (Right. Then you drop this same offer at the bottom of your answers, and the thread continues. Get it? It's neat.) Originally from anoisblue, but the irreverant paraphrasing of the meme is my own.
jD makes me so happy:
tapeworm: or better yet, leave a meriko-dress in the center of the
tapeworm: living room, place some jewelry, shoes, and a meriko-wig on
tapeworm: it, then paint a crop circle around it
tapeworm: they'll think you've been ABDUCTED
tapeworm: and the crop circle will let htem know it was aliens, not
tapeworm: kidnappers
tapeworm: so they won't have to worry so.
mo: nothing you can do about aliens
tapeworm: except call weekly world news
tapeworm: though meriko is on WWN quite often, so it could get kinda
tapeworm: suspicious
tapeworm: "SF Woman Sees Nyarlathotep In Creme Brulee!"