Five days left!

I have a real good feeling about this guys. I'm so excited for the election, I almost don't want it to be over!



I've been tearing up looking at this photo essay by Callie Shell. Pretty powerful images.

Thank god almighty

Tacos are free at last. Call me cheap, but I do love me some free tacos.



I'll have to cook some kale for dinner to make up for it.

Jack'o'lanterns we can believe in

Very proud of my very first politically-charged pumpkin.




Inspired by Yes we Carve.

Arachnophilia

This month, I’m reminded of one of my favorite parts of growing up in the Bay Area – spider season. Unlike many of my fearful friends, I love the little eight-legged fellows. This is not to say that I’d enjoy one crawling across my pillow, but I’ve always taken the time to appreciate their delicate webs splayed across the trees and railings in my yard. I guess Charlotte’s Web had a big effect on me as a kid.

My home in San Francisco currently features a particularly audacious arachnid. He (she?) has chosen to build his web right across the doorway from the backyard into the laundry room where I keep my bike. Every morning and evening I have to duck to stoop through the bottom right corner of the doorway, contorting my body into unnatural shapes to avoid breaking the masterful work of art.

One morning last week I accidentally caught one strand on my sweatshirt and he was huffily respinning as I headed off to work. By the time I got home, the web was good as new.

I hope he appreciates the effort I go through. Actually, if anything, he’s probably pissed off he hasn’t caught me yet. I’m reminded of the old Farside cartoon in which two spiders are discussing the web they’ve spun across the bottom of a playground slide. One says to the other, “If this works, we’ll eat like kings.”

Here’s a pic I just snapped of the stubborn little guy. Pretty impressive, no?

Phonebanking for Hope

"Hi, this is Audrey, I'm calling from the Barack Obama campaign. How are you doing today?"

"Fine."

"Great. May I ask whom you're planning to vote for this election?"

"John McCain."

"Oh, um. Are you sure about that?"

"Yes."

"Totally sure?"

"One hundred percent."

"Okay, well, we're just calling today to tell you that the election has been postponed. See you at the poles Novemeber 11th."

I'm just kidding. I would never say that. If there's one thing I'm even more opposed to than John McCain, it's' voter suppression. I did talk to some nice Obama supporters today do. Let's keep our fingers crossed for November.

The big one nine.

I've used this picture once before, but I'm going to use it again since it's so cute.



Katie, you've gone from trying to do everything me and Eliza do to doing, and accomplishing, everything that you want to. I'm so excited for your first year of college. I have no doubt you'll go very far in life. I can't believe you're 19!

Happy birthday from your big sis.

Reason why I love San Francisco #458

In a single weekend, I can spend one day at the Hardly Strictly Blue Grass Festival in Golden Gate Park enjoying greats like Iron & Wine


and Emmylou Harris with thousands of other mature San Franciscans.


And the other day at the Love Fest watching all their teenage kids wig out on drugs.



Check out all the baby ravers on the steps of City Hall. So cute.


Now that’s what I call diversity.

Deal breaker

My friend told me a story recently about how she was about to hook up with a guy. A guy she’s known for a while and hooked up with before. But this time, for some reason, they got to talking about politics. She found out he was an avid McCain/Palin supporter. They argued about it for a while. The result: he’s still trying to get McCain in the white house (hopefully unsuccessfully) and he’s still trying to get in my friend’s pants (definitely unsuccessfully).

I’m sorry, but that’s a deal breaker.

I’d been brainstorming with some friends about what some other deal breakers might be.

Say you meet a cute boy in a bar, you’re about to give him your number when he says “Hang on, let me get a pen out of my patchwork, floor-length fur coat.”

Another deal breaker.

Or how about, “Nice to meet you. I’ll come by tomorrow on my unicycle.”

Deal. Breaker.

It happened on Sunday. I was enjoying the Hardly Strictly Blue Grass Festival and talking to a cute guy next to me. We were hanging out, having a good time. When the band ended, he got up to go.

“Which stage are you headed to now?” I asked him.

“Oh, we’re gonna go slackline.”

“Sorry?”

“Ya know, put up a loose rope between two trees. And walk on it. You should come by.”

“Um. No thanks.”

Yep, another deal breaker.