We'll be somewhere in the pinkish-beige

lost coast map.gif
Originally uploaded by Ms E.

Back to school song of the day - Tuesday

Cat Power, Moonshiner

Back to school song of the day - Monday

Joanna Newsom, The Book of Right-On

We shall pioneer

This Labor Day weekend, I am going to the Lost Coast, a span of untouched coastal wilderness between Mendocino and Humbolt Counties. The group will eventually number 10-12, but I am going with three other people EARLY Friday to set up the first base camp.

I haven't camped since 1997, so I am a little concerned about my ability to pull my weight. This is the real deal - backpacks, boots, mess kits, defecation trowels, water purification devices, GORP, waterproof matches and sockliners. The trip we have in mind for this weekend involves descending 2,500 feet (3.5 miles) onto a rugged beach, where you hike for up to five additional miles on wet sand and rocks to a campsite of choice along the next creekhead.

I don't do well with damp, so I hope my new waterproof Vasque boots deliver on their promise of dryness.

Has anyone else gotten "Lost"?

Off to the wilderness

Off to the wilderness
Originally uploaded by Ms E.

Songs of the Day - Friday

Camera Obscura, Books Written for Girls from Underachievers Please Try Harder

Recuperation Song of the Day - Thursday

Stephen Malkmus, It Kills, from Face the Truth (2005)

ipod wedding cake - a perfect compromise?

ipod wedding cake - a perfect compromise?
Originally uploaded by Ms E.

It comes in waves they say (engagements)

The other night, as I was putzing around and pouting about a very recently-cancelled drink date, the phone rang. No, it wasn't my mother calling from the wrecking yard. It was my best friend from high school, A. What a gal. She reads this blog at times, although not a devoted reader I suspect, so of course this description of events will not contain the slew of far-fetched exaggerations that normally find their way into my writing (wink, wink).

So the big news is that she's engaged! Hurrah! I wonder when the wedding will be? It will be nice because I will surely be out of school when it does happen. Therefore, I can be more available to be involved in the wedding affairs. This is one wedding where I promise not to take time-outs for! Also, the good news is that they have a tremendous idea to have a small wedding in Belize. That's what I heard last, anyway. Note to self: renew passport, it expires this January.

This summer I have only been invited to one wedding. For the last several years, I have been invited to about 3 each summer. I always check the box, "Sorry, cannot attend" on the response card. What a stinker I am. The truth is, I can usually attend. It's just that I am poor, and probably shouldn't go for financial reasons. But then I turn around and spend money on an ipod and new laptop. Go figure...

Well, A., the good news is that I just got a new laptop and ipod, I will be getting out of school next year, and will hopefully have an abundance of open time to spend on the wedding details with you. Deal?

Mine is a 4-door sedan...blue-grey

Mine is a 4-door sedan...blue-grey
Originally uploaded by Ms E.

My mother called from the wrecking yard

I will begin this entry by making the observation that my mom is awesome. Really. In terms of helping me out, assisting me in life, doing nice things for me, my mother is up there with the saints.

To preface this story, one should know my mom excels in doing projects. She's great at planning things (she plans international travel, weddings, parties, etc.), sewing (I am short, so I always need things hemmed, Halloween costumes), fixing stuff (she completely re-wired my espresso machine a few years ago that I accidentally placed on an electric stovetop burner), etc. Her latest project is one I am quite excited about. Currently, my mother is putting in an A++ effort to fix up the car I had in high school. For the last 8 years, this vehicle, a 1989 Volkswagen Fox, has been in the possession of my older sister, and, most recently, my younger step-brother Brian. Needless to say, the car isn't exactly in the pristine condition I left it so many years ago. Nevertheless, my mother in enthusiastic about fixing it up and driving it down here to the Bay Area for a reunion with its original owner. So far, she's replaced the clutch, several belts, the windshield, and some other smaller bits and pieces that required a visit to the local Portland wrecking yard.

On Saturday, my cell phone rang and it was my mother. She reported to be at wrecking yard casing out defunct Volkswagen Foxes for parts (rear lights, door moulding, door releases, etc). She was very excited - she loves the wrecking yard because it's like a treasure hunt of sorts. Plus, she gets to use tools and rip apart cars as well as talk to roughneck wrecking yard employees. Sounds like fun to me. Anyway, this sounded great and everything, but to be quite honest, I felt a little left out. I felt like I should be at that wrecking yard with her to have this experience, too. After all, I really doubt I will ever go to one myself on my own volition. In this day and age, I would probably find it easier to pay someone to go find that '89 VW Fox door moulding part I need. Or, more likely, just sell the car and get something better.

It's like a dream deferred, I guess. My wrecking yard curiosities will go unresolved for now.

When innocent people deal in used bikes...

On Wednesday evening, from exactly 6:27 p.m. to 9:52 p.m. I parked my bicycle at Rockridge BART station. It was at this location and during this time interval that my bicycle was looted of its rather decrepid seat piece. It all seems so strange to me; my bike is an absolute piece of crap. I've left it overnight at the same station two nights in a row and never has it been disturbed.

This exact location is regarded by most people to be quite safe, sanitary, and probably one of the nicest BART stations around. It's sandwiched between the 24, which runs parallel along with the tracks and by College Avenue. Here, College Avenue is characterized by a succession of upscale boutiques, expensive restaurants, second hand clothing stores, and many specialty shops devoted to the legions of infants, babies, and toddlers that seem to have overtaken North Oakland and South Berkeley (or Oakley).

The absent seat has meant an inability to commute by bike to my office building in downtown Oakland since Thursday. So today, Saturday, I made it a priority to find a reputable used bike and parts store to procure an adequate and deserving replacement seat. The idea of a "reputable used bike and parts store", however, is kind of an anomoly in Berkeley. Basically, these shops deal in stolen bikes and accessories. They prefer to charge prices for used stuff that nearly approaches retail, too. It's quite an operation they have going! In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if I found my seat at one of the several shops like this in town.

I decided on Re-cycles bike shop, down on Sacramento and Prince, in Southwest Berkeley. The two guys at the shop were nice, but to be quite honest, they were a little slow. While I was there looking for seats I decided to get some other work done on my bike that was way overdue. It took the guy about 4 minutes to use a calculator to add up a quote for the following itemized parts and services from his scribbled receipt:

1. used tire, $8
2. used seat, $10
3. adjust brakes and put on tire, $15

I kept looking at the same piece of paper, and thinking, "$33. $33. $10 plus $15 is $25, plus $8 is $33!" But still, he kept keying the numbers it into the calculator...ever so deliberately. He did it twice, just to make sure of his totals. Then he had to figure out the tax. This went on for another minute or two.

I left the shop for about 45 minutes and went to Walgreen's while he worked on the bike. I returned to find that he had put a mountain bike tire on my front wheel. The other tire, which I didn't replace, is a medium sized road tire. It all looked very disheveled and I immediately protested. Of course, they found a better tire hanging up overhead.

Lesson 1: don't be afraid to argue if a second-rate greasemonkey puts a completely inappropriate tire on the front of your bike. It's a game, and you have to play with them. If you don't play, you'll end up riding around on a bike that people make fun of.

While they replaced the second tire, some novice came in the shop to buy a bike. He said his budget was $20-$80. Of course, they showed him a bike that is marked $130. This guy really had no idea about bikes; he even admitted that in the shop: apparently some East Coast private school transplant or something. He did know something - he would stick to his budget. He got the guy down to $75, which I admired. I really think he should have kept to himself the comment about not knowing a thing about bikes. In Berkeley, people will write you off for that in about two seconds.

Friday's song

Elliott Smith, Pretty (Ugly Before)

To plan for - live music in the city

Lovemakers, GAMH, August 25
Medeski Martin & Wood, Saratoga Garden Theatre Villa, August 25
Hot Buttered Rum String Band, Mystic Theater, Petaluma, August 26
The Samples, Cafe du Nord, August 26/27
Son Volt, Fillmore, Sept 9
Decemberists, Fillmore, Sept 11/12
Blackalicious, Independent, Sept 26
New Pornographers, Bimbo's, Sept 27/28
The Notwist, GAMH, Sept 30
Frames and Josh Ritter, Fillmore, October 1
Deerhoof, GAMH, October 15
Architecture in Helinski, Slim's, October 18
My Morning Jacket, Fillmore, Nov 11/12

So, anyone hear of anything else you think I'd like?

Wednesday's song

Josh Ritter, Last Ditch Effort

Out of whack, out of time

This week I have been so stressy. It's so uncomfortable. I realize it has much to do with the fact that I will be going back to school in about 10 days. This year will be incredibly busy, and I am just not psyched to get so busy so fast. In fact, I kind of wish things could slow down even more.

I didn't accomplish something I needed to get done this summer, which was to line up my client for the professional report required for graduation. I am working for a good potential client right now, but internal politics and recent happenings at the office here kind of leave me unsure they'd be able to define a problem and help me design a report format in the way I'd want them to. They are just incredibly busy, catching up on stuff from 3 months ago, and trying to plan for their national conference in early November.

Moreover, about half of my friends from school ARE really excited for school to begin again. So I am confronted with the fact that they've obviously been preparing for school in ways I haven't been, which is kind of discouraging.

Then, having met some great people this summer, I am realizing I won't be as available to nurture those friendships or relationships during the academic year in the ways I'd like to.

One more thing: we have a new roommate, which sort of adds a small level of discomfort, only because I don't know what to expect. But for the last few days it has been fine. J. leaves for his construction job at 5:30 am everyday, so his only evidence of being in the house in the morning are the enormous wet footprints he leaves on the bath mat.

Talk about pre-school jitters, eh?

Ms. E's weekly music picks

This week there are some pretty good shows to sample!

Tuesday: Pirate Radio and This Union Standard playing at Hotel Utah. I know people in both of these bands, although I don't know them all too well. I work with the guitarist of the former. I spent last Thanksgiving with members of the latter. I just saw Pirate Radio two weeks ago and they had a soulful slide guitarist who played a few numbers.

Wednesday: anyone?

Thursday: Erin McKeown at the Independent

Friday: Liz Phair at the Swedish American Hall

Saturday: Loquat and Citizens Here & Abroad playing at the Great American Music Hall

Ms. E's Mission pick

Although it was only my second time there, last Wednesday evening I visited what I'd say is my favorite watering hole in the Mission. At 22nd and Valencia there is a nice establishment called the Latin American Club. It possesses several interesting things that amuse and entertain me. First, the entrance is a dutch door. In all of my experiences, dutch doors make for good bar scenes. It's something about the open-for-business feel they give off. Next, the LAC has a fake dorado fish hanging above the bar. The one notable fish I ever caught in my life was a dorado. I caught it off the coast of Loreto in the Sea of Cortez in 1990, though it was only about a 20 inch juvenile. So the mounted fish over the bar just feels comfortably hokey. Next, there is a nice, small stage in the back of the bar where one large table is perched. It looks like a fun place to sit - you have a good view of the nice ambience of the place and its handsome patrons . The place has great lighting, too. Just dark enough.

The one downer about the LAC is that the service at the bar is kind of pathetic. There are plenty of bartenders, it's just that they appear to be enjoying themselves just as much as the patrons - there's a lot of drinking, flirting, and carrying on that goes on behind the spacious bar space. No harm done, however. I was happily distracted with the company I was with so my empty glass presented a nice opportunity to sample what my date was drinking. So in that way, I cannot really criticize the lack of service too much.

I've not been to the LAC with more than one person, but it looks like a great place to come with a small group of friends. Especially if you can score the stage table.

Getting change is hard to remember

I rarely ride the MUNI lines in San Francisco. If I do, it's because I am usually meeting someone in the city for drinks, dinner, what have you. Whenever I do take MUNI (about once a month lately) I inevitably forget about the coin system. MUNI only takes 5 quarters. But rarely do I have five - sometimes I have two or three - but rarely five. You can't get change from the booth. Rather, you get change out of one of the BART ticket machines (and you can't get coins from the machines marked "Change" either - those only work in bills).

Yesterday evening, two people gave me detailed directions about how to get change without me having to even ask or make eye contact with them. They just see me idling around the MUNI turnstiles with my paper dollar and one quarter and figure they should help out. Usually the help comes from men who want to show me how to push the "H" button on the BART ticket machine to get four quarters.

Is that weird? My memory for operational stuff like this is always so bad lately. I have to get help everytime. Maybe next time I'll think ahead and remember the "H" button.

Intern plight continues - dirty gym clothes

I think this morning marks an all time low in my interning morale. Today, a fellow intern (who's younger and an undergrad) asked me if I could take a bag of dirty gym clothes home to Berkeley and deliver it to former intern (Betsy) who left them here at the office by mistake. Betsy finished her tenure at this organization last week. However, it appears as though she left a legacy of sullied lycra and putrid gym socks for us to reconcile. And the bag isn't small. There are at least two changes of clothes involved.

In summary, the clothing will get priority delivery service in my bicycle basket during this afternoon's 3.5 mile commute north from Oakland to South Berkeley. All without wincing or vocalized complaining.

I like Betsy anyway. She will be Robert Reich's assistant/GSR when he starts his professorship at The Goldman School of Public Policy. You do favors like deliver dirty gym clothes to people with access to the influential. It goes without saying. Karma will reward this deed, I declare.

E-mail snooping (intern's duty)

Today my supervisor told me that I needed to get login and password information from our IT person in order to hack into one of our co-worker's email accounts. This person is on vacation and we need to find a contact name somewhere in Outlook that she forgot to write down for us. So basically, I have been given the order to snoop, and snoop diligently.

Such is a proper assignment to be handed off to an intern. I took on the challenge without any reservations; it's a nice change to what I have been doing lately, such as making phone calls. However, after 3 hours of combing through her mess of an inbox (whose isn't a mess, though?), I have yielded absolutely nothing relating to this item of inquiry. I have, however, learned some interesting things going on in the office.

Now I let the reader know I approached this assignment with the utmost care and consideration: I resolved I would not open personal emails unless I really, really, really thought what I was looking for might be in there. I have absolutely no interest in doing such a thing, anyway. And I lived up to that promise. However, a lot of the time, you can make a pretty close guess about what an email might be about from the subject or RE: line. At least you have enough information to let your mind wander. So consider my position: I have to carefully read, weigh, and consider these subject lines in order to make a judgment call to investigate further. It's part of the job, afterall.

Examples of highlights I found, but dared not open:

RE: I am worried about Noami, too --> (hint, she's another intern here, readers)
RE: educational coordinator position in SF - your application has been received!
RE: Naughty Survey, part II
RE: the things I get myself into...

As a rule, people, do not mingle work with personal email. You never know what intern will be assigned to snoop through it when you are on vacation.

Respectful, professional, always collected

Respectful, professional, always collected
Originally uploaded by Ms E.

Peter Jennings has past

The loss of Peter Jennings last night is really making this week a glum one despite all the things and people that make it an amazing one.

Ronnie's federal office building (cornerstone laid by Clinton of all people)

Ronnie trumps Madison

Ronnie looms

Originally uploaded by Ms E.

The Gipper's lackey

This morning, NPR reported yet another worn-out attempt by one individual in Congress to "honor" former president Ronald Reagan by renaming things in Washington, DC after him.

Enough. Enough I say. Stop the madness.

Reagan has an airport! He has his name on the largest federal office complex in the world! He has his presidential library! He has a commonly-quoted term in economics named after him! He has a nice corner at the Hilton on Florida Ave. NW where he was shot. Not to mention the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier. He probably has a hell of a lot of other things in this world that I don't care about. The street they are proposing to rename Ronald Reagan Boulevard is 16th Street. This street runs North-South through the very center of DC. You know how DC is kind of diamond-shaped? 16th Street is the road that bisects that diamond. Also, 16th Street is what makes the White House have the address 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (it's located at the intersection of 16th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue). Listen to the NPR story and you'll understand why changing the name of this street to RR Blvd. is a ludicrous idea and also disrespectful to the local people of Washington who should get to determine what their neighborhood streets are called.

Having worked for 4 years in an enormous building called "The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center", I feel I am qualified to rant a tad. Everyday I experienced Reagan. Everyday, people. You should have seen the place when he died last year - I haven't seen so many Reaganites moping around since the Iran-Contra hearings.

Despite my sourpuss attitude, I decided to sidestep my principles momentarilly to go down in history that fateful week: I signed one of the goodbye books that are kept at his library. I wrote something like, "I was a kid when you were voted in, so I grew up with you, and it's been an experience. Ms. E."

The above tirade does not mean I have no respect for the guy. He was a president we needed in the day and age of the time. Good and evil, remember? But I just don't want to see the great city L'Enfant planned be torn to shreds more than it already is by some lackey politico from Texas. I don't think Nancy would approve, either.

Rant over. Here's to the weekend. A Reagan-free one, at that!

Thursday's happy song

Drink To Me, Babe, Then, A.C. Newman

Meet Shorty and his tongue.

How's my breath?

How's my breath?
Originally uploaded by Ms E.

Indie record label snob

Minty Fresh, a small record label out of Chicago, has the whole Husky Rescue debut album on their website available for your listening pleasure. Ta-da!

There's also a handful of other artists you can listen to. My friend Mei-Ling told me about Minty Fresh many months back...thanks M-L!

This week's live music outings

Sunday, July 31: Went to see my a band that a friend of mine went to school with at Middlebury College. They were called Hijack the Disco and they played at Cafe Du Nord yesterday at 8pm. Good set. Kind of loud, but good set.

Wednesday, August 3: Tegan & Sara playing at the Great American Music Hall. Tegan and Sara recently were featured at Lollapalooza in Chicago at Grant Park on July 23/24.

Thursday, August 4: Pirate Radio, Last of the Blacksmiths, and the Welcome Matt playing at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco. One of Pirate Radio's band members, Brentt Brown, actually works in my office here in Oakland. He even offered to buy people from the office Irish coffees if they showed up. What a swell person. I just heard Last of the Blacksmiths are pretty good, too, according to my roommate C.

Friday, August 5: ?

Saturday, August 6: ditto

So it's August, month of Leos

Today is August 1st. Two weeks ago, at a bar, I had a conversation about how terrible it would be when August arrived. With the beginning of our eighth calendar month comes the begining of the end of summer. Ah, glorious summer: period of whimsy, getting actual sleep, overseas adventures, weeknights out, lazy strolls, 7.5 hour work days, spontaneity, leisurely afternoons on the beach, etc.

Well, the good news is it's not so terrible right now. The bad news, well, the bad news is that my days of freedom are very much numbered.

And also coming up is my 28th birthday. Hello late twenties!!! I am stoked...I just found out our office doesn't celebrate birthdays. For the last 8 years, I have never had office sheetcake for my birthday. For that I am immensely grateful. I always managed to be out of town or hiding in some way or another. I would argue that all office birthday parties should be banned (as well as oversize baby strollers, though quite unrelatedly). People should strive to spend their birthdays doing tremendous, uplifting things or going to fabulous domestic and overseas destinations such as Rio de Janeiro, Istanbul, Montreal, or Portland, OR.

Follow my lead and you will find happiness in aging.