Love is Like Liquid Dran-O

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

Happy Single Awareness Day everybody!!! Yes, perhaps my least favorite time of year… but instead of piss-poor weather or heartache and rejection… this weekend was pretty EPIC!!! No, $teve didn’t make a connection or anything of that sort… but good times were had. Though Friday night was pretty much just a night at home with the roommates watching the TV series “Parks & Recreation” (hilarious by the way), Saturday was a little more productive. I spent the morning running errands & getting things as situated around the house (to be completed tonight… after we get rid of the extra couch… FINALLY!!!), then I went to lunch with Bubbles & her roommate at some French bistro place outside the Lombard Gate (probably not going back there, their menu was Eggs Benedict or toast) and then we made plans to go out on the town. What plans you ask? Plans to go dancing & get tipsy!!! Oh… and obviously it was just girls accompanying me on this journey (Bubbles, Jackie D & Carmen).

We started off the night with dinner at The Tipsy Pig, a nice little bar & restaurant in the marina… which actually turned into dinner & a show. Crowded place with a lot of couples, who apparently had been drinking all day, and then Valentine’s drama. THREE separate lover’s quarrels developed right before our eyes… and luckily they put us in the perfect spot, right by the door in the corner, so we could observe everything. Oh… and the food wasn’t bad either. Then we had a few starter drinks at the apartment, so yeah, Bubbles finally got to see it… and she liked it of course. Soon I may have a few pictures to share with you as well… but not right now.

After a few drinks, we took a cab to The Cellar. Our cabbie there was a middle-aged hippie… but an alright guy… and of course, Bubbles made instant friends with him… because that’s just her way. We got to the club… and the bouncer asked, “Are you on the list?” “Oh crap, is there a private party or something here?” “Sorta… are you Jewish?” “Ugh… I could be. I’ve got the nose & the pocket book… and the ladies to bring with me.” “Haha… alright, let these guys in, they’re okay.” See the kind of doors that open for you when you’re walking around with three gorgeous women? Once we got inside, something was a little odd. Granted I’ve only been to a few clubs in the area… but there was definitely something different… and then it clicked, apparently this was Jewish Night. My roommate Carmen told me later in the evening that every few weeks they have it at a different club… and this time it was The Cellar. Mozeltov, mother f**ker!!! Obviously I don’t know Hebrew…

So after a few hours of intense dancing, we were invited to the VIP area next to the DJ by Carmen’s friends who were celebrating a birthday… and then we were able to make our own drinks… so the dancing got even MORE intense. Please observe…

After the club, we were hungry, so we went to Golden Boy Pizza in North Beach, because we were told it was pretty good… and it didn’t disappoint. Great thick pizza, perfect for soaking up booze… and open at 2 AM. After that, Carmen’s designated driver friend dropped us off & we eventually went to bed… and by we I mean us… but to our own separate beds. Like I said, single awareness day… sigh…

Sunday, woke up around 11 AM, then basically just hung out with Jackie D, going to Starbucks, watching some Netflix things like Katt Williams stand-up, then went to dinner at E’Angelo, a nice Italian restaurant in the Marina that we actually tried to go to Saturday night, but they had a line down the block & they’re a small place. It was a new thing for me too… because the Italian restaurant… was actually run by Italians. I’m not used to that in Utah. The food was just as good though. It was just different hearing Italian spoken… and it made me miss Italy a little bit… but hey, we had a good dinner… and I even got some nice chicken with fettucini on the side for Bubbles, who wasn’t feeling too well… because I’m an AMAZING guy. Sigh… too bad I’m still single. Oh well, that will probably change very quickly as I’m looking to step out of my comfort zone a bit & get out there now that I’m somewhat established. I hope that it works out… but hey, I’m good with being me. I just owe it to all the ladies out there to share myself… so here’s some news…

Jerry Sloan Steps Down - Like the impressive mountains that dominate Salt Lake City’s skyline, Jerry Sloan was a fixture in the Utah landscape. Now, for the first time since 1988—three years before Michael Jordan won the first of his six NBA titles—the Jazz will have a new head coach on their bench. “He’s been there like this rock and all of a sudden the rock is gone,” Boston coach Doc Rivers said of the 68-year-old Sloan. “It’s like your franchise moved or something. I don’t know. It’s just strange.” While Sloan expected to wake up refreshed knowing he was done game-planning and tussling with fiery superstars such as Deron Williams, the rest of the basketball world was awakening to a new era. “Man it’s gonna be crazy and weird seeing anyone besides Jerry Sloan walking the sidelines for the Utah Jazz!” Miami Heat star LeBron James tweeted. “Jerry Sloan is the Utah Jazz. Wow.” James wasn’t exaggerating. Since Sloan took over in Utah for Frank Layden, there have been 245 coaching changes league wide—13 alone by the Los Angeles Clippers. Five current NBA teams (Charlotte, Memphis, Toronto, Orlando and Minnesota) did not even exist when Sloan was hired by the Jazz…and LeBron’s Miami Heat & the then Charlotte Hornets teams had just started playing a few months earlier. “As a colleague, we’ll miss him,” said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who along with Sloan and Pat Riley were the only coaches in NBA history to have 15-plus consecutive seasons with a winning record. Sloan stepped down Thursday with 1,127 wins as Jazz coach and 1,221 overall (including his short stint in Chicago). The career total is the third-most in NBA history. His decision came after an emotional loss to the Bulls on Wednesday night, a night that saw his former team and former players help hand the Jazz a 91-86 loss. It was their 10th loss in the last 14 games and third straight at home following a 15-5 start. At halftime, Sloan and Williams clashed, reportedly over how a play was run. It wasn’t the first time. “We had a disagreement,” Williams told 1320-KFAN radio Thursday. “I’ve seen him have worse ones with other players. Jerry’s very fiery. I am, too. Sometimes we clash on things.” The All-Star point guard insisted there is no truth to the rumors that he forced the Hall of Fame coach out, and general manager Kevin O’Connor also said it was false that Williams gave management a “me or him” ultimatum. “I would never force coach Sloan out of Utah,” Williams said, deriding the media for twisting stories. “He’s meant more to this town, more to this organization than I have by far. I would have asked out of Utah first.” Sloan, who was choked up and wiped away tears during his farewell announcement Thursday, said there was no final straw. He simply said he didn’t have the energy to coach any more, and that the losses were getting tougher and tougher to handle. “I could have done it last week, done it a week before that or waited another week,” said Sloan, who has always thought it appropriate to conduct his pregame interviews next to a trash bin. “When it’s time for me to go, it’s time for me to go.” The one thing that did surprise Sloan was that longtime assistant Phil Johnson joined him in retiring. “I came with him and I’ll leave with him,” the 69-year-old Johnson said Thursday. Now I suppose former player Tyrone Corbin will take over as coach from what I hear… but it’s the end of an age for sure. As a player, Jerry Sloan was known for his defense… and being a tough, hard-nosed player who never backed down from a challenge. When he took over for the Jazz in 1988, he took them to the playoffs pretty much every year since… and even made it to the NBA Finals twice to lose to the Jordan-led Bulls. He’s been through a “rebuilding” time with the team in which they still won more games than they lost… and everybody was heart broken when his wife Bobbi’s long struggle with cancer finally came to an end… but he kept on being tough & hard-nosed through adversity & never backed down from a challenge. I mean… the guy coached Karl Malone for a long time. You saw that Phil Jackson could only do it for a year in LA. I mean… think of that one for a minute. We wish you nothing but the best, coach. Enjoy your retirement!

Arnie Returns – Well, former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (still tough to say out loud) has apparently retired as well… from politics. However, he’s looking to get back into the job that only paid him $30 million per three-month stint… and that’s Hollywood movie actor. How did he announce it? He wrote on Twitter that he's ready to start considering film roles again. The former governor tweeted Thursday night: "Exciting news. My friends at CAA have been asking me for 7 years when they can take offers seriously. Gave them the green light today." Creative Artists Agency is a leading Hollywood talent agency. Schwarzenegger's personal aide, Daniel Ketchell, confirmed the tweet Friday morning. So keep an eye out for his next project… which will probably be “Expendables 2” that’s my best guess.

Red Sonja Update – Speaking of Arnie movies, Amber Heard ("Drive Angry," "The Informers") is being pursued to play the titular lead in "Red Sonja" for Nu Image and Millennium Films. "Amber is the new Red Sonja, but she doesn't know it yet!" producer Avi Lerner tells Empire. Catch is while Heard is eyed for the role, negotiations haven't begun (so this is really just an excuse to put up a picture of Amber Heard… but you don’t mind). The character is a fiery-haired warrior in a chainmail bikini who seeks vengeance on those who destroyed her family. Brigitte Nielsen (“Rocky IV” & that VH1 reality show with her & Flava Flav) played the character in a 1985 feature which also starred Arnold Schwarzenegger. Simon West ("Lara Croft: Tomb Raider," "The Mechanic") directs this new incarnation of the Robert E. Howard-created character. If you remember, the film has been in development for a while… but with actress Rose McGowan and director Robert Rodriguez previously attached back in 2008… but apparently they’re thinking of going a different route… which may be unfortunate. Sigh… I hope they don’t try to make this into a serious action movie. Sure, Amber’s got the chops… and Simon West has made some good ones like “Con Air” & “Tomb Raider” but… it’s Red Sonja. It’s a barbarian movie… that starred Arnie & Brigitte Nielsen for one reason… they are HUGE people… and it’s a barbarian movie that requires no acting skills. Who specializes in movies like this and making them awesomely trite? Robert Rodriguez… and let’s face it, he got Robert DeNiro to be in “Machete” for instant credibility. Oh well, I’m sure that the Red Sonja remake will still be great with Simon West at the helm (even though he’s really wanting to do a Con Air 2) & Amber Heard in a chainmail bikini… mmm… and decapitating fools left & right… with hot waves of blood flowing down her bare porcelain skin & accentuating her blaring sapphire eyes… mmm… anyway, yeah, it could be good. Excuse me… do you have a paper towel by chance? Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

Alien Prequel - Ridley Scott's previously untitled "Alien" prequel now has an official moniker, "Prometheus", and Fox has already locked in a March 9th 2012 release date reports Deadline. The two most frequent names linked to the lead female role of Elizabeth Shaw have been Scott's personal favorite Noomi Rapace and the studio favorite Charlize Theron. Now it seems a compromise has been reached. Rapace, the star of the Swedish "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" film series, is now locked to play Shaw, while Theron and Angelina Jolie are said to be circling the other female lead role of Vickers (mmm… girls in space peril with guns… I like). Jon Spaihts wrote the original script which was generally thought to serve as a prequel to Scott's "Alien" and would explore the alien 'Space Jockey' creatures glimpsed during one scene in the original. Now, Scott and Damon Lindelof have been working together on the current version which has expanded the story into new directions. A quote from Scott indicates that the film will probably be set in the same universe as the "Alien" movies, but we probably won't see the xenomorphs at all - "While Alien was indeed the jumping off point for this project, out of the creative process evolved a new, grand mythology and universe in which this original story takes place. The keen fan will recognize strands of Alien's DNA, so to speak, but the ideas tackled in this film are unique, large and provocative." Lindelof added "In a world flooded with prequels, sequels and reboots, I was incredibly struck by just how original Ridley's vision was for this movie. It's daring, visceral and hopefully, the last thing anyone expects." Which to me sounds like a porn without a money shot… but hey, who am I to question Ridley Scott? So… to sum up, casting still continues for the sexy females of this space adventure… that may not have any aliens in it at all… or merely implied aliens… and it’ll be out next year. I’m sure it’ll be a great flick either way… but come on… there has to be xenomorphs even if there’s no Alien in the title anymore. We shall see…

Dark Knight Rises Villains – So after over a year of speculation as to who will be the villains in the next Batman movie (Riddler & Penguin among the best guesses), a press release from Warner Bros. Pictures has confirmed the two key members of Batman's Rogues Gallery that will appear in the much-anticipated upcoming "The Dark Knight Rises" - Catwoman and Bane. It reads "Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that Anne Hathaway has been cast as Selina Kyle in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises.” She will be starring alongside Christian Bale, who returns in the title role of Bruce Wayne / Batman. Christopher Nolan stated, “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Anne Hathaway, who will be a fantastic addition to our ensemble as we complete our story.” In addition, Tom Hardy (“Inception”) has been set to play Bane. Nolan said, “I am delighted to be working with Tom again and excited to watch him bring to life our new interpretation of one of Batman’s most formidable enemies.” Nolan will direct the film from a screenplay he wrote with Jonathan Nolan, from a story by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer. Nolan will also produce the film with his longtime producing partner, Emma Thomas, and Charles Roven. “The Dark Knight Rises” is slated for release on July 20, 2012. The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company." Okay… so reading about as I do, it’s pointed out that Anne Hathaway is to play Selina Kyle… and NOT Selina Kyle / Catwoman as specified with Bale playing Bruce Wayne / Batman. Can Hathaway act her way out of a paper bag? Of course!!! This isn’t a Michael Bay movie for f**k’s sake. Does this make me remember Michelle Pfeiffer in a dirty & perverse way from “Batman Returns”? Absolutely!!! It did when that movie came out when I was ten years old… and probably will until I’m long since in the grave. I’m not entirely sure how Bane is going to be brought to the movie in a way similar to the comics where he’s quite the formidable foe (and I think actually kills Batman a few times) but he HAS to be better than that stupid f**king “Batman & Robin” version. I’m excited… but hey, it’s a year and a half away.

Anyway, that’ll do it for today. Tomorrow is Taco Tuesday… and I’ll also be interviewing roommates for Carmen’s room as she’ll be moving out at the end of the month. It should be interesting… but more on that when it happens I guess. Have a great night everybody!!!

Packers of Green Bay

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

Let’s see… last time was right after George Clinton… so yeah, I think it was mostly work & unpacking during the week. I’ve been getting to know my roommates a bit… and I like ‘em. I approve. For example, Friday night I came home from work… and one of them (haven’t come up with good num de plume’s yet) has started her weekend a little early & is going for the Jack Daniels. You know what? We’ll call her Jackie Daniels… or Jackie D. Anyway, Jackie D was there & I had just gotten back from running a few errands. She is very outspoken & friendly… and we have VERY similar tastes in music, random references & we both know that the Eagles are the greatest team in football. She greeted me with “Happy Friday!!! Drink up!!!” and you really don’t have to suggest it to me twice… so she offers me some Jack in the fridge… but I’m a lightweight… so I want to mix it with something… and my choices were basically water, cranberry juice or what I chose… grape soda. Yes, I like grape soda… and I was convinced that if it turned out to be a good combination, that I would have to come up with a good name for my new cocktail. Gladly, there is no pressure to come up with a name for this beverage. It was like… grape flavored cough syrup… but in no way helping you fight disease.

We watched movies, laughed a lot, drank a bit, just had a merry evening when the other roommates came to join the festivities. Saturday was a beautiful day so I went walking around a bit… but had laundry to do to so stayed in the Presidio. That evening though, another roommate… we’ll say… Carmen since she’s from San Diego (which I believe is German for “the whale’s vagina”) invited me to a cocktail birthday party on Nob Hill for her friend. So we dressed up (as I do so well) and went to Le Club, which has a swingin’ 20’s atmosphere… and met the birthday girl’s family… but we were out of there after about an hour. It was one of those situations where I think she invited me because the only person she knew was the guest of honor… so she wanted me there to talk to, just in case. After Le Club, we decided to go to a bar near our apartment called The Final Final to play some darts. Alas the dart boards were spoken for… but the billiards table was not… so we played a few games, met some drunk gentlemen who challenged us to a game, and I’m pretty sure it was only so that they could see Carmen bend over when she shot… but whatever, we all got a great show.

Sunday was Super Bowl Sunday (in case you missed it) and the three of us (Jackie D, Carmen & Dr Love) went to another one of Carmen’s friend’s parties for the Big Game. The drive over was nice except for a little traffic getting to the 101, but it was okay because we know how to have fun in any situation apparently. The party was great with lots of food & drink, good people, and even the game wasn’t too bad. The commercials left something to be desired… but hey, we’re in a recession I guess. One interesting point was when Jackie D & I were just having a good time and getting each other’s references and just laughing at our own jokes… so one of the guys asked how long we’d been friends. “Well, we met for the first time… what? Two weeks ago? I moved in last Wednesday, then went to Vegas for four days… so we’ve known each like… a week? Maybe?” “Really? Because you guys seem like you’ve known each other for years.” “Well… Game recognize Game” then we toasted as we both got the Snoop Dogg reference. Good times.

Later that night, Bubbles sent me a text saying that she and her friend were watching movies (and drinking wine for hours) at her place, so she invited me over for a bit… and I wasn’t sleepy at all… so I went and saw a Katt Williams “LIVE” standup special… and I approve. Good wine, good friends, good times.

Monday, I basically spent the evening trying to set up my computer, PS3, etc so that they were ready to go… and I also got a special delivery… TWO NEW ROCK BAND GUITARS!!! See, my original had become useless after the four moves that it’s been a part of… so I found a good deal online… and got two of them for future Rock Band parties can involve a little “slappin’ da baaaass” and maybe even guitar duels. I’m still undefeated… though I’ve only done it twice… and they were both against Kyles (well, technically my brother Kiel & Lilie’s fiancé Kyle, but you get the drift). That’s really it that night though.

Wait, I did go wandering through the Netflix menu on the PS3 and found a gem that you might like… called a pretty low budget early 90’s sci-fi thriller called “Cyborg 2”. Why do I even mention it? Well… because it stars Elias Koteas (“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”, “The Prophecy” & now one of the “Law & Order” series but I forget which one), the late great Jack Palance ("City Slickers" for you young'uns) and… wait for it… an extremely young Angelina Jolie as a sexual time bomb. No really… that’s the plot of the movie. She’s a super sexy cyborg… with a bomb in her, set to go off at the appropriate time for a (messy) assassination. Now, I’m not going to lie… but I kinda fast forwarded through most of this movie because… well it was late & you could tell in the first few minutes that it probably wasn’t worth full theatrical attention for nuances and such… but then, as you may have guessed, about ¾ of the way through the movie, BOOM!!! It happened… gratuitous sex scene with full on boobage. See, the Lord works in mysterious ways… but apparently he loves me… and loves us all for sharing this thing of beauty in the most random of places. Do I recommend this movie? Absolutely… but for all the wrong reasons. Besides, if that’s all you’re looking for… check out “Gia” too. Have I done an Angelina Movie List yet? I don’t believe so. In fact… I’m thinking the only Female Actresses I’ve done such a list for… are maybe Milla Jovovich & Elisabeth Shue… and I did do that one of actresses who have worked with Mickey Rourke. Not exactly award winners… but hey, I may have to devise one for Mrs. Jolie-Pitt. Hmm… haven’t done one for Brad either, have I? What was my point? Oh yes, Angelina’s breasticles… go forth & Google away…

Tuesday night, Bubbles wasn’t feeling well, so I got her a bottle of red wine (her request) and she relaxed while the roommates and I had a little Movie Night (though not complete because there was no popcorn, booze, etc). The first movie was “RED” starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Brian Cox, Karl Urban & Mary Louise-Parker (damn fine cast… including Ernest Borgnine… and I know what you’re thinking, and yes he’s still alive). The story revolves around Frank Moses (Willis) a retired CIA operative who in his retirement, has decided to make a move for a girl he talked to on the phone a few dozen times in Kansas City (Parker) but at that time, for some reason people are trying to kill him. He picks the girl up because they may try to come after her next (his only contact the past few years) and that’s how they meet. Nice, right? Well, he starts to find out why they’re after him… and so he asks for help from his fellow retired friends (Freeman, Mirren, Malkovich, Borgnine & Cox) to help him. That’s the story. The movie is actually pretty damn hilarious… and I highly recommend it. It’s not dirty, bloody or anything like that… but just great acting, some pretty ridiculous scenarios & just a lot of fun. I can’t believe this movie wasn’t a bigger hit… but hey, now you can save $30 and just rent it for a dollar at your local grocery store.

Next was “The Social Network” starring Jesse Eisenberg & Justin Timberlake, which as I’m sure you know (since you’re reading this online) is about the story of the founding, business boom & lawsuits involving Facebook & founder Mark Zuckerberg (played by Eisenberg). It’s actually a pretty damn good movie which I highly recommend. It does kind of paint Zuckerberg, the world’s youngest billionaire, as a bit of an egotistical prick of a brilliant man-child… but at the same time, it’s just a great story about our day & age… and how a great idea can be so simple & fundamental… but in the right (or wrong) hands can be completely capitalized or destroyed. Being a nerd, I found certain parts hilarious… and I almost hate to say it… but Justin Timberlake can kind of act. Sure, he was playing the flashy & arrogant founder of Napster Sean Parker who comes along but I’ve seen a few movies with him (“Black Snake Moan”, “Alpha Dog”, etc) and he’s yet to really disappoint (and no, I haven’t seen “Love Guru”). Anyway, great flick from director David Fincher (“Se7en”, “Fight Club” & “Alien 3”).

Tonight, who knows what’s going to happen? I’ve got “Machete” from Netflix, so I’m sure that’ll be involved… and I think I’m going to finally arrange the living room appropriately. See, we’ve been trying to literally give away this old couch but… we’ve been getting the run around on Craigslist… so we may just give it to Goodwill if they’re willing to come pick it up, but I may also be giving them some stuff so… I think tonight we’ll do the final moving around to see what stays & what goes. I’m quite excited about it… because I want to have a big housewarming party with all the neighbors… and right now it’s still kind of an eyesore. Well, enough about eyesores… because as promised…

Angelina Jolie Movie List

Medal Winners

Gold – Mr & Mrs Smith (2005) – Don’t judge me! You know I love this movie… and it’s a great movie… and it made them a family. Deal with it!!! If you haven’t seen it, watch FX. It’s always on there.

Silver – Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) – As you know, I feel that if you want a movie to be a huge blockbuster action flick… just give Angelina a gun & film it. It’s the “high society” version of those films of girls in bikinis with machine guns… you know, like on “Jackie Brown”? This is pretty much the pinnacle of it… because she’s basically in short shorts, tight top, strapped, English accent, and God damn it just look at her. The sequel wasn’t bad either… and she got to work with her dad Jon Voight for a few seconds (though I understand they don’t get along too well… but hey, that’s family business). Other good flicks to check out for this particular fix are “Salt”, “Wanted”, and even “Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow” which I haven’t seen in a few years… but I remember her being a “futuristic” space general with an eye patch like something out of Starship Troopers… so I may have to watch it on Netflix again.

Bronze – Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000) – I don’t particularly care for her as a blonde… or with dreadlocks… but there’s just something about a gorgeous girl getting excited when talking about muscle cars that just gets me equally excited. Sigh… I miss my Baby… but alas, even though this isn’t the finest flick for… really anybody in this movie (Nicolas Cage, Giovanni Ribisi, Robert Duvall, Vinnie Jones, Delroy Lindo, Timothy Olyphant, Scott Caan, Christopher Eccleston, even Chi McBride had better) I still enjoy it on a primal level. Oh yeah… remake of the same title that starred Michael Caine, about stealing cars… for a reason. You’ve all seen it. Please do not front.

Suggestion – Changeling (2008) – This movie was downright gripping at some parts. Directed by Clint Eastwood (so you know it’s good), it’s the story of a woman in the 20’s in LA whose young child goes missing. Well, a little later, the police say they’ve found him… but the child seems different… like completely different… and you would think a mother would know. Did they bring her the wrong child? Why won’t the police (Jeremy Donovan) believe her? Has she gone mad? It’s pretty good… and she gets to flex her acting muscles. Some others that I would recommend are the romantic comedy “Life or Something Like It” with Edward Burns (I remember it because it came out on my 21st birthday), “Taking Lives” which was a fairly predictable thriller with Ethan Hawke, “The Bone Collector” which was a better thriller with Denzel Washington & Angelina as a lady cop (EEooEEooEE!!!), “Gia” which is the HBO biopic movie that made her a star (and aforementioned boobage), “Original Sin” which is a sexy thriller with Antonio Benderas, “Playing by Heart” which is a chick flick that was forced upon me by former coworkers… but actually wasn’t that bad, and did you know that she was apparently in the Fox series “Hackers”? Yeah… I didn’t watch it either. It must’ve been in that Friday night timeslot like “Firefly” was…

Flush It – Wanted (2008) – You know, if I say a movie is too gory, then it probably is. Though I do like the epic voice of Morgan Freeman crying out, “Shoot THIS Mother F**ker!!!” as much as the next guy… and the quick shot of the Jolie’s joli is always appreciated… but yeah, the movie never needed to be made. “Cyborg 2” was pretty close… but boobage. I always rag on “Alexander” because… well, you might’ve seen it, but it wasn’t THAT bad. Just an hour or so longer than it really needed to be. Seriously, he died when he was in his early 30’s, right? It’s not like he’s Gandhi. I also just want to give a little bit of a razz to virtual Angelina in movies like Kung Fu Panda & Shark Tale and such where it’s just her voice… but one movie got it right… and that is “Beowulf” and if you don’t know, now you know.

Future Watch – Cleopatra (2012?) – Hollywood is all abuzz about the possibility of Angelina as Cleopatra & Brad Pitt as Marc Anthony & I think rumors are flying about Steven Spielberg directing or some crap like that but… you never know until it hits the silver screen. I think the DVD for “The Tourist” should be coming out soon… because I missed my chance with this whole moving thing over the past month or so. Looking forward to that. I’ve also never seen the movie that made her an Academy Award winning actress “Girl Interrupted” and I’m not sure why… but it may have something to do with being about crazy chicks. I get enough of those in my daily life. It’s like a firefighter who goes home to watch a marathon of “Backdraft” & “Ladder 49” or something.

Anyway, that’ll do it for today. Thanks for listening to me ramble about the last week or so. Hopefully you enjoyed it. If not, maybe next time. Valentine’s Day is coming up on Monday, so this weekend should be great for those people. Sigh… historically this hasn’t been my favorite time of year… but whatever, I’m thrilled to be in San Francisco… and I’m surrounded by wonderful people… and I’m sure that I’ll find something incredible to do to celebrate the holiday… even if by my own damn self. Have a great day everybody!!!

Godfather of Funk

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

I know… I’m getting sloppy with keeping up with this thing… but rest assured, it’s not for a lack of trying. I’ve just been HELLA busy getting everything squared away with the new job, new apartment, moving in general, and then to be an ass… I went to Vegas for the weekend. I know, right? What the hell was I thinking? I’m glad you asked… because it had been a while since I went to visit my mistress… and I had planned this a few months ago… and I was going to f**k sh*t up with my Wingman… regardless of where I was flying from so… ain’t nothing changing but the tail number on the flight. Now, before that though, I was able to spend one evening in my new bedroom before that. Wednesday night, after work, I ran some errands & then started moving all of my bedroom stuff out of the living room into the recently-vacated master bedroom… and the only tricky stuff was the king mattress up a narrow staircase & the dresser for sheer weight, but it was done fairly easily… and I even set up the projector TV for my roommates… as they went through my extensive DVD collection & we chatted and got to know each other. I think they were more curious about me though… but seriously, what kind of a man has a collection of movies including everything from the Muppets to the Marx Brothers to Marilyn Monroe to Tony Montana to Martin Scorsese to Mariah Carey? Oh wait, that last one was a CD case they found. Don’t judge me. I’m a sucker for sultry R&B singers. Deal with it. They are… and they like it. Anyway, enough about that, on to Vegas…

Thursday after work, I took the BART for the first time… and managed to f**k that up. Apparently, you get off at a certain stop in San Bruno, then switch to another train that takes you out to the airport, even though the signage says to stay on a certain train until the next stop when you get off the train… so yeah, I looked like a dumbass getting off the train & then hopping right back on with my baggage. Luckily, I looked stupid enough that a few people noticed. I sat next to some guys in construction. “Excuse me, you going to the airport?” “Yeah, is this the right way?” “You want to get off on that last stop, go to the other side, and then that’ll take you out there… but now, it’s gonna be about 45 minutes or so cuz you have to get off at the next one at Millbrae, wait for that train, take it back there, wait for another one… you know?” “Ah… lame…” It was about this time that I felt a hand on my shoulder from behind. Luckily I could tell it was a lady hand otherwise somebody might’ve gotten popped.

“Sir, if you would like, I’m getting off at Millbrae & I could drive you out to the Airport if you would like. It’s just a few minutes from where I live.” “Well, I don’t want to intrude or anything…” “No intrusion. It’ll be my good deed for the day.” “Oh well… if it’s your good deed for the day… then it’d be rude to deny you that.” So Soccer Mom was there with a field trip as a chaperon with her daughter… but the daughter wanted to go hang out with her friends at In-n-Out Burger, so it was basically just the two of us running out to the airport. We chatted. She asked me where I was going, from, etc. & somehow we got to talking about traveling the world… and we both yakked about Italy & France (apparently she goes there every few months with her job) and yeah, good times. Then I got to the airport to find my flight delayed about two hours so… that 45 minutes wouldn’t have been a problem but I’m glad it worked out that way.

Eventually I made it to Vegas, met up with the Wingman, and we checked into the new Cosmopolitan hotel at the City Center on the Strip. The last time I had been to the Strip, the City Center was still a bit of an eyesore from my view at the Grand Chateau… but now, it’s a pretty hip trendy place to see & be seen. The hotel is VERY modern contemporary… but still pretty cool. They have a bar shaped like a giant chandelier, LCD screens EVERYWHERE, with images of Jellyfish on pillars, and hip futuristic designs throughout. Very cool, you should check it out if you get the chance, even just the casino. The rooms were pretty nice too… except one little thing. We had a room with two double beds, so intended for a family, right? Well, the shower… has this sliding curtain so you can watch the person shower… or if you’re more conservative, just watch their silhouette bathe. We decided that this hotel room was geared more towards swingers than family. Anyway, here are some pictures…

That night, we didn’t do a whole hell of a lot. Both of us had been up since the crack of dawn… and my flight was late… so we had a great Italian dinner at the Bootlegger & got some essentials at Safeway and then enjoyed the Fountains of Bellagio from the window of our 37th floor room and turned in around midnight.

Friday, we eventually got out of bed & wandered about the City Center & the Strip. Yeah, just wandered during the few daylight hours that we had, ate at Fatburger, grabbed a 100 oz alcoholic beverage by the yard (with a little extra booze courtesy of gratuity) & this started off the evening right… but here are pictures of the day first…

"That's your problem right there... your camshaft..."

Next was the Cirque du Soleil production Zumanity at New York New York. I had wanted to see this show for a while… because you know… I’ve heard great things about Cirque… but daddy also likes strip clubs… so when it came down to one or the other… I always went with the other… until they decided to combine the sensuality of the strip club… without the lingering smell. What is that smell by the way? Desperation? Smut? I think it’s smut. Anyway, this show was amazing… and very sexy & sensual… and incredible performers… and even funny. Don’t know what I need to do to be part of the interactivity with the performers (buy seats closer & be middle aged) but I may have to consider it. I highly recommend it.

This is actual the new Sirens at TI but... no pictures in Zumanity

After the show, we ugh… well… we went where gentlemen do when in Vegas and unattached to any female counterparts. No, not the clubs like Tryst (by the way, my favorite, just for the name), but rather the gentlemen’s clubs… and long story short, we found a great place to get Chinese food at 4 AM called… I think it was Harbor Palace… damn drinks… but they’ll kick you out at 5 AM. Trust me.

Saturday, we arose at the crack of noon, then enjoyed my new favorite Vegas buffet, the Wicked Spoon at the Cosmopolitan. Great food, wide selection, trendy atmosphere, and only $23 (or $35 if you want mimosas & bloody marys). I was severely stuffed by the end of the meal… and I had barely touched the dessert section with various gelatos for my enjoyment. Yeah… it was that good. Oh... and I jumped off the Stratosphere around sunset...

That evening, our first stop was the concert of the amazing Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine at the Green Valley Resort in Henderson (about 20 minutes from the Strip). For those of you who don’t know (apparently new to the blog), Richard Cheese performs lounge version of hip-hop & heavy metals songs. You have the usual quartet of drums, bass, piano & lounge singer… and the fairly standard melodies… but the words are that of popular songs that… just go so well in the format. From the opener of “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails… to the tango of “Insane in the Membrane” by Cypress Hill… to a soulful rendition of “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-A-Lot… to the closer of “Summertime” by Sublime, just an incredible show with plenty of humor to go around. Really considering going to see him again on February 20th here in San Francisco. The only problem… standing room only venue… but it worked pretty well later in the week, but more on that later. Again, highly recommended if they come to your town.

Next, the Wingman & I decided to go see “The Mechanic” starring Jason Statham, Donald Sutherland & Ben Foster. It’s the story of a hitman (Statham) who gets a job from his superiors to take out his own handler (Sutherland) which of course he does. Well, his handler’s deadbeat son (Foster) is hellbent on finding the man that killed his father… but asks the hitman for help. Awkward… and the story goes from there. Basically it’s everything that you’d expect from a Jason Statham movie. Fights, guns, blood, shirtless, car chases, more fights, more guns, steely demeanors, don’t get me wrong, I like Jason Statham & he’s obviously the best there is as far as action heroes nowadays. I’m just saying nobody in this movie will be considered for an Academy Award. Action was okay… story VERY predictable… see it if you’d like.

Sunday, I had an early morning flight, which apparently went to LAX before going to SFO, which kinda sucked… but whatever, I had a seat with good legroom so I let it slide. Got back to the apartment, started unloading a few boxes in the bedroom, got a pizza with the roommates, then… they found the Rock Band. At that point, any plans that I had to finish the bedroom went completely out the window… but a Rock Band Party ensued… so it was okay. I don’t think I need to tell you… but the ladies were impressed with the Golden Pipes… and they haven’t experienced the guitar skills yet (apparently it’s still broken, but two new ones are on the way).

Monday was work, then Bubbles wanted company for her monthly grocery shopping trip… and I didn’t have any food, so I accompanied her there… and to Petco (had Brutis’ back to make sure she got the good stuff). Eventually I made it back home, unloaded some more boxes, then when the roommates started going to bed, I decided to go downstairs & watch a movie, “Repo Men” starring Jude Law, Forest Whitaker & Liev Schrieber. It’s a futuristic story of people basically repossessing organ transplants when hospital bills aren’t paid in a timely manner. Seems to make sense, right? Yeah, if you’re a heartless cretin like me… but apparently it’s a bad thing. It’s a movie full of parellels & metaphors for the human condition… and it’s actually a pretty good flick, though gritty & bloody at times, but nothing amazing. The RZA had a cameo so I had to throw up a WU but other than that, not a whole lot of great things about the movie.

Tuesday was work, even though I was feeling a little under the weather (usual Vegas weekend flu?) then I was able to set up my bed, just in time to go to the George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic concert at Yoshi’s Jazz Club. The venue was surprisingly nice… not sure what I was expecting exactly but this was above & beyond… like a real nice jazz club with seats, waitresses, and of course… a dance floor. Once the music started, this white boy got funky. I hate to say it… but George is getting up there in the years… and I think he might have a throat ailment or two… but he’s still a great performer, full of charisma, and P-Funk is absolutely amazing. The concert was over three hours… and brought out all the classics… and even George’s granddaughter had a nice couple of numbers. I couldn’t quite make out her name (throat ailment or two) but yeah, pretty good. Google it. Even mild illness couldn’t keep me from getting my funk on for hours at a time… but I sure felt it this morning when I woke up. Well worth it though. If you EVER get a chance to see them in concert, do yourself a favor and get seats… or dance floor admission. Whatever’s clever.

Anyway, that’s the week that was. I’ll try to keep up on this thing a little better now that I’m starting to get settled… but hey, if you don’t hear from me, it obviously means that I’m out doing something fun… so I won’t feel too bad about it & neither should you. Have a great day everybody!!!

I'M IN!!!

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

It's getting so close to official it's scary. As of now, my moving van has been unloaded and all my crap sits in the living room of my new apartment. The occupants of my bedroom should be moved out by Wednesday night so that I can move in (and get some of my crap out of the living room) but then... I'll be heading to Vegas Thursday... but it's all good, because when I return, I'll have a home. It's been weird where I've basically only slept a night or two in my own bed since Christmas... but hey, that's what happens with the Holidays, moving to a new city, etc. Anyway, more details forthcoming in the weekend summary...



Friday night after work, I didn't do much because Bubbles was having a bad day... and I wanted to be there for her to help out... but she wanted privacy that night, so I just told her I'd be around & watched "The A-Team" downstairs. I kinda needed to relax (and find out what was going on with my new apartment) anyway, so it all worked out. You know, sometimes I wish I could just... make people feel better. Like THAT!!! Snap my fingers, pat them on the back, let them know how amazing & wonderful they are... and poof, all better. Unfortunately it's just not that way... but damn it, I'm gonna try to help... and she is feeling better now. Sometimes, all you need is time. Anyway, so "The A-Team" starring Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper & Jessica Biel was exactly what you would expect in an action-comedy... or as Bubbles so properly put it "a total guy movie" and she's right... but still liked it. Based on the infamous 80's TV series, this is kind of the prequel (setting up future movie sequels) to the TV series, about four Army Rangers who meet by chance in Mexico, become an elite team for the military, and then are caught in the middle of a fiasco in which they are blamed for a death of a general, stealing a billion dollars (yes, a Billion with a B) & sentenced to 10 years in prison. So obviously they have to break out of prison and clear their names... and then Act 2 begins. It's pretty funny at points, full of action, all the cheesy one-liners & "stupid" love story that you would expect... but yeah, if you like action-comedies, it's a pretty good one. I thoroughly enjoyed it... so much that I had no problems with watching it a second time when Bubbles wanted to check it out the next day.



Saturday, during the day, I wandered around the Presidio to get acquainted with my new home (and let Bubbles sleep in) so I basically wandered down to Crissy Fields... then to Fort Point at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge... and then back towards the Palace of Fine Arts & the Exploratorium... and then I was ready to take the shuttle into downtown for a bite... but the shuttle doesn't run on weekends or holidays (I found out 40 minutes later) so I walked to a burger joint just outside of the Presidio Gate (I think it was Original Buffalo Wings or something). Here are some pictures...



Saturday night, Bubbles & I met up with a friend of hers from Vegas... at a drag show... at a bar called Aunt Charlie's... in the Tenderloin... which I found out... is the ghetto. Luckily I now know where I can get some cheap crack in a pinch... but we were kinda dressed up (definitely by this place's standards) and it's not like we knew exactly where we were going. Alas, we made it safely (I'm kind of an imposing figure), enjoyed the show, had a few drinks & even went to Icon to dance... for about 20 minutes before closing. It was a pretty fun night... and the best part, Bubbles didn't drink herself into a stupor. YAY!!!



Sunday, I met up with the new roommates (ended up meeting all three of them eventually) and they are AWESOME!!! I'm really excited about it. I met two of them around noon, we chatted, discussed bills, house rules, application to live in the area, blah blah blah, you know, roommate stuff... and I brought cookies (because I'm awesome too) and we just got a long great. They're fun, energetic girls in their twenties with college degrees (straight, by the way... but there doesn't seem to be any real sexual tension either way... and I have my own bathroom so no "Oops!!! Wow!!!") and they even offered to help me unload my moving van... after knowing them for an hour. So yeah... they helped a bit (you know, 30 pound limit and all) and then after unloading, we went to a place called Avellino's right outside the Lombard Gate for pizza & a few beers... and that's where we ran into the third roommate. Again, really excited... though obviously cautious since I'll be living with three female roommates... and the only female roommate I've ever had is my mom when it was just the two of us... but hey, I seem to remember that going pretty damn well.



Sunday night after pizza was TPN at Bubbles' household. What's TPN you ask? Twin Peaks Night... in which they watch a few episodes of the incredibly odd TV series Twin Peaks... and in between they have wine, homemade pie & ice cream. Yeah! Perfect! That's what I said too. Since I had helped Bubbles catch up with the last 6-7 episodes of Twin Peaks, I was right there with them... or as right there as somebody can be with the David Lynch show... but yeah, good times. So then after that, I fell asleep to watching Mystery Science Theatre 3000 "Hercules Versus the Moon Men" because I had an early morning... in which I FINALLY dropped off my moving van... and was charged a substantial sum for it. How substantial? Well, when I walked in the door, the guy said "You must be the Reno guy!" "Yes... I am the Reno guy... who's putting your kids through college for the past week." That's how substantial. Oh well, it's done & I now have absolutely no problem with selling my stuff before the next move if needs be... but they probably won't. I plan on sticking around for a while. I like it here. I like the roommates. They seem to like me (but we've known each other an afternoon). The job's great. The people are amazing. There's so much stuff to do that I'm not even taking advantage of yet. I'm liking it a lot. So here's some news...



Nose Bandit - A 22-year-old Salt Lake man was charged Wednesday with felony mayhem for allegedly biting off a piece of another man's nose, court documents state. The second-degree felony count of mayhem, domestic-violence related, was filed in 3rd District Court after a Sunday incident involving Joshua Michael Bowen, 22. A statement by police says Bowen became angry and attacked the father of his girlfriend (yes, this nose biter had a girlfriend). He is accused of biting the other man on the nose, taking off a piece of it and then putting his finger in the man's mouth to rip the side of it open (“Why so serious?”). The girlfriend's 20-month-old daughter was home at the time, resulting in the domestic violence enhancement. Sounds like a great guy, right? Well, this isn’t the only nose-related news…



Snorting is NOT Good - Burglars snorted the cremated remains of a man and two dogs in the mistaken belief that they had stolen illegal drugs (in an urn?), Florida sheriff's deputies said on Wednesday. The ashes were taken from a woman's home in the central Florida town of Silver Springs Shores on December 15. The thieves took an urn containing the ashes of her father and another container with the ashes of her two Great Danes, along with electronic equipment and jewelry, the Marion County Sheriff's Office said. Investigators learned what happened to the ashes after they arrested five teens in connection with another burglary attempt at a nearby home last week. "The suspects mistook the ashes for either cocaine or heroin. It was soon discovered that the suspects snorted some of the ashes believing they were snorting cocaine," the sheriff's report said. Once they realized their error, the suspects discussed returning the remaining ashes but threw them in a lake instead because they thought their fingerprints were on the containers, sheriff's spokesman Judge Cochran said. Police divers were trying to recover the ashes (really? You know those things don’t handle water well, right?). The suspects were jailed on numerous burglary and other charges. You know… it sounds really stupid, right? Well, I’d be lying if I hadn’t heard my friends talk about getting cremated… and then wanting me to snort them. “Dude, no way. Maybe a horrible cup of tea or something, but there’s no w… wait, why the hell would you want that?” This would usually start a rant during which I would question why we were friends… but yeah, it is stupid.



Confiscated Mammoth Tusks - Russian authorities have confiscated three tonnes of mammoth tusks from a criminal gang which tried to smuggle them out of the country (that's right... ruskie tusk smugglers are REAL!!!). The court office of the northern city of St. Petersburg said on Thursday that it had confiscated some 64 full and 14 reconstructed tusks, but would not say when. A small group of criminals has been involved in smuggling tusks and bones from the extinct beasts across Russia's borders since 2004, the court said in a press release. The court said that the tusks come from a species of mammoth that once inhabited the Siberian Sakha Republic, also known as Yakutia (possibly made up). The tusks have survived thousands of years in the permafrost that covers vast part of the region... where their former honors have long since perished. The good news is... that the tusks have been found... and there's apparently a black market for prehistoric skeletons in Russia... so my dream of owning a T-Rex skull isn't a complete fantasy, just an expensive endeavour. Good to know... in case any of you are wonderful what to get me for my birthday and/or Christmas... and Valentine's IS just around the corner...



Iran: Not the US - Our favorite non-Christian country, Iran, has done it again. They have banned the production of Valentine's Day gifts and any promotion of the day celebrating romantic love to combat what it sees as a spread of Western culture, Iranian media reported. The February 14 celebration named after a Christian saint is not officially banned but hardliners have repeatedly warned about the corruptive spread of Western values. Under Iran's Islamic law, unmarried couples are not allowed to mingle (yeah... they just kind of marry... and live unhappily ever after I guess... or stay single & frustrated and blow up market places... think about it). The printing works owners' union issued an instruction on the ban, imposed by Iranian authorities, covering gifts such as cards, boxes with the symbols of hearts and red roses. "Honoring foreign celebrations is the spread of Western culture," said the union's head, Ali Nikou Sokhan, ILNA news agency reported. "Our country has an ancient civilization and various days to honor kindness, love and affection." Valentine's Day has become increasingly popular among the Iranian youth and is a money-maker for businesses in a country where 70% of people (left) are under 30 and have no memory of the 1979 Islamic revolution which toppled the U.S.-backed Shah. "Printing and producing any products related to Valentine's Day, including posters, brochures, advertising cards, boxes with the symbols of hearts, half-hearts, red roses and any activities promoting this day are banned," read the instruction. "Authorities will take legal action against those who ignore the ban." Some nationalists have suggested replacing Valentine's Day with "Mehregan," an Iranian festival celebrated since the pre-Islamic era. Mehr means friendship, affection or Love. That's right... in Iran, I'm referred to as Doctor Mehr-la-Allah-Sherpa. Google it.



What do you think about Valentine's Day? For the sake of argument, let's just agree on the FACT that is just a commercial holiday meant to stimulate the economies of greeting cards, candy, flowers, clothing, dinners, jewelry & top dollar vacations (for us big ballers). It's an absolute fact... and if you don't know, now you know. I'm in the industry. Does that mean that I'm completely against it? Of course not. That's like being against the Spirit of Christmas because I'm Jewish or something. I can still be kind to people... as I can also believe in romance & Love and all that hallmark crap even though my memories of Valentine's are plentiful & primarily sh*tty. Do I think it should be banned? Please. If they're not going to ban St. Patrick's Day because it promotes alcoholism & promiscuious sex (oh... and cultural diversity?) then what chance do you have against banning Love? I'm optimistic about this Valentine's though. Why? Why not? I'm in a beautiful city. I'm a charming man. Worst-case, if Bubbles is still (incredibly enough) single, I'm sure she'd be down for a night on the town... or the roommates... or I can celebrate National Single Awareness Day the old fashioned way, getting drunk with friends watching Scarface or Fight Club or something. Oh... you would think Love Actually or some cheesy romantic comedy, right? F**k that cheesy sh*t. I'm having a good time... and I half-gag when I watch that stuff sober, so after a few games of shotglass checkers, something bad might happen.



Anyway, that'll do it for today. Thanks for listening y'all... and I'll see ya around... probably after an epic weekend in Vegas with the Wingman. Have a great day everybody!!!

I'm Here!!!

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

I know, I know… it’s been too long. Let me assure you, I’ve been insanely busy transporting my life from Tahoe to San Francisco. For example, that first weekend, I went down to San Francisco & checked out apartments… about a dozen in total. For those who don’t know, you kind of audition to be a roommate or to get an apartment in the city because, I guess demand’s pretty high and they want to make sure that you’re a good fit. It’s different to me because every other time has been, “Do you have a check that you can write me?” “Yes.” “Congratulations! You’ve been approved!” So then… we played the waiting game.


That Saturday night, Bubbles, myself & her roommate’s friend went to a club called Icon… did some dancing, had a few drinks, good times… then I drove Bubbles home a little early because she started turning pale. Not good. I think it was just the heat of the club because after a little fresh air and sitting, she was just tipsy. We still had fun until that point though.


Sunday was more apartment investigation, then Bubbles & I went on our way to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl at AT&T Park. Unfortunately just before kickoff, we were having dinner… and Bubbles started having a migraine...so I figured the last place to take her would be a football game with 40,000 screaming fans… so I took her home and we watched some movies instead. Apparently it wasn’t that good of a game anyway.


Instead I watched “Dirty Dancing” for the first time… which is her favorite movie & made her feel better… except for when I threw out a few comments about the movie. What can I say? The soundtrack is great… and chicks seem to love it. Really. I’m pretty sure that it’s the favorite movie of at least one in three women. Go ahead and ask around. Test my theory. It’s basically the equivalent of “Scarface” to men’s favorite movies… and the opposite sex usually just doesn’t “get it” when it comes to the other. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it. There’s dancing, a steamy love story between a young teenager and the older bad boy in tight pants, the annoying older sister, the dad who would do anything for his baby (and by the way, the dad is awesome in that movie… and I think acting perfectly rational throughout), and did I mention the soundtrack was awesome? Is it a favorite of mine now? Hell no… but if it makes the ladies happy, you can’t hate on it.


After that, was the first week at the new job, meeting all the new faces, learning all the new tricks of the trade, getting lost in a maze of offices & back hallways, but through it all the new coworkers & bosses were amazing… and I’m really picking it up quickly. We’ve even already hung out after work a few of the nights at my new favorite bar, Grumpy’s. It’s a nice pub atmosphere place, kind of a locals dive… but the service is great, drinks are affordable, and it’s convenient to my new office so that I can get a quick drink (or two) after a long stressful day. By the way, did I mention that I actually have an office now? Sure it’s a glorified windowless closet in real life… but it is my office… and it has plenty of shelf space for my stuff so it’s not all on my desk in a mess.


Oh… a few days into the work week, that’s when I got the offer for the room that I was hoping for… but there was a catch, the people currently living in it had to get word from the apartment they were looking to move into… but it’s basically the perfect situation for me. It’s the master bedroom (11’ x 13’) with plenty of closet space & my own bath with shower, shared four bedroom, and the other three roommates are all college educated females in their 20’s & not a whole lot more than the clothes on their back. I’m not joking. It’s just about the perfect situation for me, I think. Mostly because I have a lot of sh*t… but also, the roommate situation might be very interesting, you know, living with girls… and being outnumbered. Oh… and oddly enough, it’s less than a block from Bubbles’ apartment. I looked at over a dozen places in the Presidio, about 10 square miles, and the place that calls back with the best offer is a block from my buddy. Like I said… perfect situation for me.


That next weekend, Bubbles & I drove to Tahoe to meet up with my mom, my cousin Alicia & my Tahoe roommate W to pack up my crap, load it into the moving van & then drive it down to San Francisco (still unaware of where it was going to be stored since I was awaiting word on the new apartment’s availability). So why did I do it? It was a GORGEOUS weekend in Tahoe, my mom was going to be there anyway (previous trip planned) & frankly, who knows how the next weekend would be. It worked out for the best though. Everything went smoothly… except for us having a little too much wine maybe… but still good times. Also, the first time that Bubbles met my mom… and she hearts her, of course. What’s not to Love?


The next day, we had breakfast after a late rise (again, wine) and then W helped me load the few heavy items that I had, then it was basically me loading most of the stuff into the van while they cleaned afterwards (because I want my deposit back). It took a while… because I have a lot of stuff… but we got done around sunset & were on the road by 5 PM after a hug goodbye. Bubbles followed behind me in Gretchen… and when the last four moves that I’ve helped with were over 4000 miles combined (three for me & Filly’s), this 200 miles was nothing. We were back to the City by 9 PM and ordering Chinese from Ho’s.


The past few days, I’ve just been waiting to get the word to move into the new apartment (and getting charged $50 a day while waiting) and I’ve only met one of my new roommates… but it’s back to work as usual & exploring the city. I’m really enjoying it… except that I need to get moved in soon. I don’t want to be a burden on Bubbles & her roommates… and they’ve been more than incredible in helping me. I just don’t want to wear out my welcome… and I’ve been sure to give Bubbles her space the past few days. I’m sure she’s pretty much sick of me by now… but hey, I know they understand. We had the discussion when I first showed up that I don’t want to be in their way any more than I have to… and I’m willing to buy dinner, pay rent, etc. but they seem cool with it. Maybe it’s just me being paranoid or something. Why do I care what other people think so much? I should be independent of that by now, right? I pretty much am… but I just keep going to new towns on new adventures… so there’s always new first impressions… and I’d just prefer them to be good ones.


At this point, I would just like to thank everybody who made this all possible… especially Bubbles. Without her, I wouldn’t have known about this job opportunity, wouldn’t have known much about the area from my previous visits, wouldn’t have had a place to crash in the area that I was looking for apartments (and would’ve been MUCH more expensive than it already is), wouldn’t have had someone to show me around the office & introduce me to people, wouldn’t have had as much help moving this past weekend, wouldn’t have had someone to bring Gretchen while I drove the van, wouldn’t have had someone to hang out with after hours & share laughs with while I’m so stressed out, and now you can probably see why she’s sick of me. Like I said, we’ve basically been side to side for nearly two weeks. Anyway, I can never repay you for helping me during this past month… but I’ll certainly try.


Also, my mom, my cousin, my roommate W, all the people at work, everybody out there for supporting me & giving me suggestions & advice, I really do appreciate it… and I’m incredibly excited for the new possibilities that this city has to offer. I’ve already met some fantastic coworkers, someone in the movie industry, a few great bartenders, some of my neighbors while out walking Brutis, & am still finding all the things like… the closest grocery store, delivery places, dry cleaners, hospital, etc. but once I get moved in, it’ll all fall into place like a great puzzle… and I’m curious to see how it turns out. Sure, I miss Tahoe a little bit… but I’m just so excited about my future here… and new experiences… and even the “bad things” about the area like the fog & the rain… really not a big deal to me at all. So yeah… that’s what I’ve been up to in a brief summary. Can’t wait to show you all the pictures… like this one of how much crap I have still…



Have a great day everybody!!!

Fortune As I Desire

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

Well… it’s basically the eve before I go to San Francisco to look for a home (or at least a temporary residence). One more day at work… and then leaving after so that I can hopefully avoid the storm coming in this weekend. Then after a weekend of searching The City for a future pad with or without roommates, then I get an evening of relaxing chaos at the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl (GO WOLFPACK!!!), then start the job at the new office bright & early on Monday morning. Next weekend will hopefully be the Big Move… but first, I have to find a forwarding address. I cannot tell you how incredibly excited I am for this move… and the last few days at work have been INSANELY busy… so it’s made it very easy to walk away from… I can’t lie, I kinda had a f**k it attitude at moments… but I’m a professional & set them up VERY well for some time to come. I will miss all the ladies & gentlemen that I worked with for the past year or so… and though it’s been a sudden switch, it was a difficult decision to make… but it felt like something that I simply had to do… and the time was right (for me, not necessarily the Tahoe office, but whatever, they had their chances).

Now I go to a new opportunity to explore a new city in depth, a job that pays pretty well, meeting new people, experiencing new cultures, there’s so much to do, I seriously already have four concerts (Albino, George Clinton with Parliament Funkadelic & TWO Richard Cheese) in the next six weeks that I KNOW I’m going to… and a football game this weekend. I’m really excited about the new office I’ll be working in and learning & growing with the company, as well as an individual as I hope to get back into doing things that bring me joy… like charity, spending time with great people, working out more, playing basketball & just enjoying all the things around me. Obviously I’ve felt a little lonely & isolated here in Tahoe… but I have a feeling that’s going to change here in the next few weeks. 2011 has already been pretty fantastic so hopefully it will only get better… and maybe some of my good vibes will rub off on Bubbles, as she’s apparently had a pretty sh**ty year so far… but that’s what I’m here for, right?

The real joy of my life is bringing joy to others… and I feel like I’ve been missing that. There have been a few instances where I can make people at work laugh, the roommate loves my sense of humor (watched “Boyz N the Hood” last night & let’s just say, I have a way of breaking the drama) & I can usually make people laugh over the phone… but they’re usually few & far between. I really can’t wait to get out there and see what’s going on in The City and (knock on wood) maybe stay there for a while as at least a pseudo-home. This being a wandering gypsy thing is tough when you have a lot of crap & nobody to share your experiences with (except both of you who read this thing) but you know me, I’d like to establish some roots, maybe set up a family down the line, but I’m pretty free spirited & anything’s a possibility at this point. Oh well, time will tell where this journey leads me… but I’m excited for the next few steps. I really hope that I find a fantastic living situation for me this weekend… and I hope that you all get to visit & let me share my experiences with you. Wish me luck!!!

Fortune Cookie of the Day - "You will have Fortune as you Desire... in bed!!!" - Guess who's gonna be bangin' on a pile of money in the near future... Have a great weekend everybody!!!