Because I am obsessed w/ "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" - excerpts from an upcoming Advocate cover story...via an e-mail from my pal Sandra.
And yes, I promise, soon...Playboy Mansion update.

Mmmm, some pre-E! Hollywood True Story goodness, re: the early days of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"from the show's original "culture" guy - via Africana.com by way of Gawker.

A rather boring (on my part) and late Friday Five:

1. When was the last time you laughed?
Maybe an hour ago when I was talking to my boss about the Playboy Mansion trip.

2. Who was the last person you had an argument with?
Does arguing a point w/ said boss count? If not then probably the spouse. I know -gee, shock, surprise - a married couple that ocassionally has a spat. Sorry to burst any bubbles, people.

3. Who was the last person you emailed?
My boss. Other than her? My friend Rachel O. in NYC.

4. When was the last time you bathed?
I'm more of a shower type of gal - and that would be this morning.

5. What was the last thing you ate?
Some chopped up sea veggie tempeh. Hey, don't knock it til you've tried it.

Ever pop a CD into your CD player after more than a year of not playing it and then wonder - now why exactly did I stop listening to this? It's marvelous. (A reaction that is so much better than, oh God....what was I thinking?).
Now playing: Kyle Fischer: Open Ground.

Some upcoming things that I am rather excited about:

• The Playboy Mansion this weekend


• Jet in SF next month


• George Jones. October. Reno


• The Groovie Ghoulies opening for Chuck Berry in St. Louis in October.


• Really decent seats to see David Sedaris at the Mondavi Center in November.

After coming back home Saturday night Cory and I turned on the TV and, after watching some CNN and catching a few minutes of a "Saturday Night Live" re-run, we found ourselves sucked into Driven: The Tim McGraw Story. That's right, we watched the whole damn thing. Before watching the only thing I really knew about McGraw was that Will Oldham had covered one of his songs and that he's married to Faith Hill...now I feel very well-versed in all things McGraw, and this is not necessarily a bad thing. I love VH-1.

Last night as we wandered around the K Street mall we were approached by a homeless man asking for change: I'm so depressed he said, holding out his hand.

And I didn't mean to sound so cynical after we walked away, but I couldn't help it: You're depressed? Stand in line buddy, stand in line.

And then, just outside the Cathedral. Another homeless guy asked for a dime.
Can you give me a dime? he asked, retreating before we even answered, all the time staring down at his forearm, clawing at it meekly with his other hand. The last woman I asked nearly ripped my head off.

What do you say to such things? What do you do? How far does your pocketful of change go? How much further should you take it?

OK, check it out...I'm getting all multi-media on your ass. For your viewing/listening pleasure, here is a 20 second video snippet of last night's Haints/Helper Monkey's rendition of "Jackie Howard".
Just a warning: it's a big-ish file - 3.7MB to be exact. So, if you're like me and you just have a slower-than-molasses dial-up connection at home you might want to wait until you get to work and use your company's speedy T-1 connection - or find a friend with DSL. Or, pour yourself a cup of coffee and grab the new New Yorker (check out the 'provocative' Chan Marshall photo and read the new David Sedaris essay) while you wait for it to download. It took about 8 minutes on my five-year-old iMac using dial-up. I know, it seems like a lot of work for just 20 seconds of audio/video that was shot on a Canon Powershot S110 - but really, it's worth it. (If, after it downloads, you don't see the video but just get audio - hit the 'refresh' button on your toolbar - that should fix it...)
Oh, and if you have any trouble downloading - let me know (e-mail, guestbook, comments, etc). I was having trouble w/ my PC, but it worked fine on the iMac....oh... and if anyone knows of a better way to upload files -i.e, how to make them more managable in regards o downloading, please let me know

Last night's Haints' hootenanny was even better than last week's....I'm so glad that Kepi teamed w/ the Helper Monkeys again for "Jackie Howard" so that Cory could hear it - he was just as impressed as I was. It's amazing how beautiful and sad that punk song sounds when it's slowed down and played on an acoustic guitar. Absolutely gorgeous. Also great were renditions of "Route 66" and "The Algebra Song" - which is still one of my favorite Kepi songs ever.

I did take some pictures but I used my new Pop 9 Lomo camera so I won't be able to post them til I finish the roll and get it developed. Speakin' of photos, we're going to the State Fair tonight to camp out to see the Go-Go's and I'm hoping we can sneak in a quick trip to the photo booth (though I know we'll definitely visit the booths during our annual trip w/ Kepi & Roach)...if we do, I'll try and scan the strip in...provided that it, uh, meets approval from all parties.

I absolutely love photo booths - Cory got me this book on the subject earlier this year - it's got amazing old photobooth photos dating back to the early 20th century. Someday I'd like to do some sort of multi-media project and/or historical overview of photo booths - they seem to be a dying icon of instant gratification and self-absorbtion. I remember there used to be one in the Woolworth's downtown (but they took it out even before Woolworth's went bankrupt), I have some great photos from that booth, some w/ friends, some by myself...does anyone know of any other Sacto-area photo booths (and I'm not really interested in the kind that produce those mini-stickers - it's just not the same thing) - or can my love and fascination for them only be satiated at the fair?

This week's Friday Five - on Friday, no less:

1. How much time do you spend online each day?
Cough. Uh. It would be safe to say I spend a lot of time on line. When I'm at work my computer is always on and I always have my browser open to at least a minimum of three Web sites. In between writing, researching, etc, I often skip over to the Web for a little mental break (or further work). I don't spend nearly as much time on line at home, however. Mostly because I'm still living in the dark ages with a dial-up account - so if I'm doing anything other than checking my e-mail it can get a bit frustrating. I keep swearing we're going to get DSL but I've yet to take the plunge.

2. What is your browser homepage set to?
Salon. I've had Salon as my home page for years now - although the site sometimes frustrates me, more often than not I find it to be entertaining, informative, provocative and funny. Plus they have news updates from the AP wire.

3. Do you use any instant messaging programs? If so, which one(s)?
Sometimes I use Yahoo's program but I'm not the biggest IM fan - though back in the day when I was an AOL addict it was a different story.

4. Where was your first webpage located?
Um, I have a 'secret' online journal/diary (that's right, I'm cheating on you!) that I've had for about 2 years now. And no, I won't give you the address. It's secret, remember?

5. How long have you had your current website?
I've had this domain name for more than five years but I didn't start the blog until last March (2002) and the Web site went up last July (also 2002).

Um, yep: (via Sandra)

The LA Times on the songs of summer - (requires free registration) -pretty obvious choices here (Beyonce, Christina)....hello people, it's Junior Senior's "D-d-d-don't Stop the Beat."

In the mix for Thursday (kinda like a bastardized version of the Friday Five):

1. Anniversaries - happy 4th wedding day to the spouse!


2. Jet - I can't get "Are You Gonna Be My Girl?" or "Rollover DJ" outta my head


3. Whale Rider - go see this movie... Cory and I saw it last night at Tower and spent a good hour afterwards talking about it. It's definitely got feel-good written all over it, but don't let that put you off because it's an unpolished gem of a film that manages to defy all of its cliches and actress Keisha Castle-Hughes has a wonderful presence that made me both laugh and cry without ever feeling manipulated.


4. Tofutti Hip Hip Hoorays - sugar-free Eskimo Pie-like soy ice cream bars that are incredibly rich and creamy
   
5. State Fair! Bring on the junk food, photo booth and hypnotist Terry Stokes...
   

So, details on the pending LA trip, as promised below. Next Friday Cory and I are making a whirlwind trip to sunny SoCal to visit the Playboy Mansion...yep, that Playboy Mansion. Concord Jazz, one of the record labels that Cory works with, has a Playboy After Dark jazz series and they're putting on a benefit show at Hef's place with Diane Schur and Pancho Sanchez. Concord's paying for Cory plus a few other people to go to the show (and luckil he gets a 'plus one' or else I'd be very bummed) - the show is outside under a tent so I'm not even sure if we'll get to go inside the mansion proper - but I'm hoping. At the very least we need some bunny sightings...

First there was Friendster. Then Fiendster. Then STD-ster. And now, for the rest of us Introvertster. OK, I admit it, I have succumbed to the phenomenon that is Friendster. God help me. I don't know why - there's something so junior high scrapbook about the whole thing (look at how many friends I have! Check out the wonderful things they say about me! Never mind that I rarely talk to some of these people!) ... but still it's intriguing and kind of fun in a slambook sorta way. It's one of those things I hope people don't take too seriously because it kind of feels like the trucker hat trend of the Internet....Not that I have anything against virtual friends...not in the slightest...the more friends, real or virtual, the better....

Last week's Friday Five, posted today on Tuesday....

1. What's the last place you traveled to, outside your own home state/country?-
Um, other than a trip to Reno with Cory last year to see Elvis Costello, I can’t believe it’s been two years since I last left the state (for the Route 66 trip that Kim and I did) – this is kind of depressing. I need to fix this.

2. What's the most bizarre/unusual thing that's ever happened to you while traveling?-
Kim and I once got picked up on by some bikers somewhere in Arizona. Oh – and then there was the time Jill and I got caught up in a line of Harley bikes out in the middle of Wyoming. Just us and my meek little Toyota Tercel and nothin’ else but wide open spaces and loud hogs around us.

3. If you could take off to anywhere, money and time being no object, where would you go?-
London and Paris. Anyone want to fund my excursion???

4. Do you prefer traveling by plane, train or car?-
Cars and then planes. I love love love road trips – you can see everything up close and stop and start as often as time and whim permits. But I also love flying. I love looking out the window and watching the ground shrink away … there’s also just something very satisfying about the whole process of sitting in this cramped seat with your half-cup of Diet Coke and tiny packet of peanuts. I don’t know exactly what it is but I always get excited when I get to take an airplane trip. Makes me feel like a kid.
Trains are OK – I once traveled from Chicago to Sac by train and while there were some amazing moments in the trip it might have been better if I had one of those nice deluxe sleeper cars. Sitting/sleeping in an upright seat for 2 ½ days is a bit much.

5. What's the next place on your list to visit?-
Los Angeles. We’re flying there next week. Details on that trip to come.

a few random SF photos uploaded to the fotolog ...that is all.

So after my whiny little post yesterday I felt kinda bad when a handful of people came up to me at the True Love and tried to show me some love (which I appreciated)...sorry to be so, you know, needy. And then, after all that, the comments function was acting kind of screwy - but I think that's fixed now and you can really and truly post a comment. In fact you could post an entire book there if you want...

Last night's Haints show was fabulous - I really enjoyed the cover of "You've Got Me Rockin'" and Kepi/Jeffrey's (Helper Monkeys) turn on "Jackie Howard" was just really amazing in this Velvet Underground-meets-the-swampy-backwoods-of-someplace-scary sort of way. Beautiful!

When I got home from the show last night I took a few minutes to go over a short story I just finished. If I get a chance to make some changes I'm going to send it out to my workshop friends over the weekend. As school starts in about three weeks, I'm trying to get some stuff together for my first class workshop submission. Getting kind of nervous about it - but, maybe not as nervous as I was this time last year as I got ready to start my first semester at Mills.

First - I think my writing has improved in the last year. If you go look at the stories in my fiction section (and really, I hope that you won't - I'm planning on taking those down soon), you'll see just how crappy I was. I'm surprised I even got into grad school - honestly. And while I'm no Jhumpa Lahiri, A.M. Homes or Amy Hempel now (I wish), I don't completely hate my stuff anymore. I have a slightly better understanding of what I want to do...now it's just trying to figure out the best ways to do it, it's figuring out how to write clearly - to know what to put in, or more importantly, what to leave out.

Of course, I could be speaking too soon - just wait until I get into the workshop ... the self-loathing will probably start up again big-time...honestly - except for the part where I'm always tired from the commute and all that homework - I wish the MFA program was four years and not two years (or, in my case, 2 1/2 years) -- because I feel as if it's going to take that long to even put a finger on the pulse of my literary voice - to understand what it is I want to be doing. I know I can do that outside of school - outside of paying massive tuition - but it does help to be in an environment with people who are trying to figure out the same thing and instructors who've been there before and can offer support and guidance.
That said, I'm really going to miss Amanda this semester. In addition to her big smile and goofball jokes and awesome shoes and those blue star tattooes, I 'm going to miss her unfailing enthusiasm and support - her never-wavering belief that all of her students would get published and enjoy the same sort of success that she did.

Sami said something very wise to me the other day as I told her about Amanda and about how, when I was in her workshop, I had these conflicting emotions of jealousy and admiration and envy. Here was this funny and smart woman who was a year younger than me and she was teaching the class and had two books to her name.
Well, said the very smart Sami, There was a reason she had to get those books published so young - she didn't have much time.

Very true.

I have no idea what this semester's workshop instructor will be like - part of me is nervous about him, part of me just remembers how quickly I got over at least most of my nervousness last fall....so here's hoping...

OK folks, I'm feeling a bit unloved here. See the tiny "comments" function at the bottom of each post? That's for YOU, dear reader - yes, YOU. That's your place to post, comment, say hi, tell me that I'm full of shit - whatever. Don't just sit there, don't be shy - say something! I know you're reading. I know that I get a nice handful of visitors every day (a true lady never says how many though). Some of you even stay a while - reading quite a few pages. I know that you Google me - sometimes using my name, sometimes using my domain name. I recognize some of your referrals. I know who some of you are. And yet you just come on in, read up and then walk on by. Never saying hi. Never saying whaddup dawg, never saying hey ho!

And, I've gotta tell you, it kinda hurts my feelings. I feel alone. I feel a bit dirty. A bit used. Like - y'all keep coming back for more but you don't want to give me the time of day? I'm really quite nice - I don't bite, at least not hard. In fact, I think someone once called me an apple-cheeked cheerleader. I'm harmless! Like a little kitten.

Sniff. Think about it. Throw a girl a line already....

Anyhoo. Tonight's the very first Haints Hootenanny at the True Love Coffeehouse and if you're in the 916 then I expect to see you there because in as a fine bonus to this acoustic Ghoulies set you'll be treated to some gee-tar playing from the love of my life, Mr. Cory "Guitar Boy" Vick. I'm excited - coffee, True Love vegan cookies and some cool tunes.

OK, now that I'm done whining and promoting, I've gotta run and take the kitty to the vet - it's time for her re-check and Cory & I have to figure out a way to keep her from peeing before we get there (She likes to pee all over the place when she's mad and she gets mad when she sees her cat carrier...you do the math)....
~xo
me

Holy Toledo, I'm tired. Day three of being back to work and I've finally beaten it all into submission. But not without a price. Monday we had to go out on the town for some work stuff and last night I had my writer's group in Oakland - both evenings were late nights and I'm pretty sleepy right now as a result.
In fact I've been planning my afternoon nap since this morning. Tonight=writing for me and guitar practice for Cory and a viewing of last night's Queer Eye for the both of us.
Well, Dianne Feinstein has passed, but Arianna Huffington is going to give the Calif. governor's race a whirl while Arnold has yet to decide. I'm pretty curious by the idea of Arianna running (as an independent). I used to loathe her when her ex was running for the U.S. Senate. But, over the years as I've read some of her columns and heard her speak on TV, I've been intrigued and impressed by her ideas and politics. I'll need to do more research before I give her my vote - I'm not sure about her being a "populist" - but I'm definitely interested in the possibilities.

Just read Radical Reinterpretation of the Text a High Hat magazine piece on semi-obscure rock song covers. Interesting, but how could they overlook Aztec Camera's cover of Van Halen's "Jump"? To me this has always been the penultimate example of how an artist can redefine the meaning of song by changing its tempo, instrumentation, etc. Via Van Halen the song is -at least on the surface - a balls-to-the-wall giddy ode to sex and love. But, as done by Aztec Camera, it becomes this incredibly sad, moody and lonesome number that makes you want to hide in your room alone and burn candles while you contemplate the best way to commit suicide - slashing your wrists or a bottle of pills. From cock rock to mope pop...talk about your aesthetic switcheroo...

a few more Knockoffs 10th anniversary photos on the fotolog....other than that not much else to report other than I am back at work and still feeling a bit frazzled by the sheer workness of it all...

When one must go back to work after a two-week vacation I think that one should get a bonus day to just reacclimate to the emotional hazards that come with juggling work, work politics, ringing phones and 782 e-mails.

Last night was the Knockoffs' 10th anniversary celebration. They played at the Boardwalk with The Mallrats, the Helper Monkeys, the Groovie Ghoulies and 7Seconds...we took a million photos til my camera battery started to die and it literally became painful trying to convince it to squeeze one last snapshot...I've uploaded a few to my fotolog.