Watching the Giants in the Mission

I Don't Really Feel Old Enough for This . . .

Taking the parents to Napa and Sonoma today.

The Handshake

Hipsters Anonymous

Somewhere in the Mission or Williamsburg . . .

Rich Iott: Idiot

Rich Iott is running for congress in Ohio's 9th District on the GOP ticket.  Iott was recently exposed as a happy member of the Wikings, a WWII reenactment group that spends long weekends dressing up as Nazi soldiers and playing with guns in the woods.  Iott is clearly an idiot.


Good to know that conservative family values are still intact -- that's right, Glenn Beck thinks it'd be fun to play Nazi with your son.

Folsom Street Fair: Pluralism Baby

Last weekend was San Francisco's Folsom Street Fair.  For the uninitiated, Folsom is a celebration of the leather arts.

My wife and I were on our way to the East Bay during the Fair and passed this Auntie buying fruit while some fair-goers waited for the walk signal.  Two guys in assless chaps and leather cod-pieces didn't faze her at all.  I love San Francisco.

Jury Duty Pt. 2: Criminal Court Brings Out the Characters

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Jury duty rolls on (though I think I may be done sooner than anticipated).  Like I said before, no talking about the case.  But the Hall of Justice has some serious characters in its halls.

I've seen this guy several times waiting on one of the benches outside the courtroom.  With hair like this, I can only guess he's a defense attorney.

This guy was shaving in the bathroom one morning.  His friend was telling him about how he'd gotten rid of things when the cops came.

Jury Duty Pt. 1

I am currently a proud member of a California Superior Court jury!  Jury selection actually took three days and, since I was the very first person called, I had the privilege of sitting through every single question asked of every single potential juror.

Portrait of the Artist Over Three Days of Jury Selection

Of course, since I can't discuss the case, I won't be able to post anything about the trial itself.  But I am in the criminal court building all day, so there's plenty of other material to come.

The Guard: Chapter 2

 Chapter One is Here; click to expand . . .

to be continued . . .

Motown Philly

This morning I was listening to some Boyz II Men.  First, I remembered couples skate at the roller rink, trying to make my hands stop sweating while wishing I could look as cool as the older guys who worked there and never laced up their skates.  Then I remembered that I used to try and convince my mom to buy me some of the clothes Boyz II Men and BBD wore in their videos.

I probably would have looked even worse.

Around the same time, I also had a very long conversation/debate with my barber about why he could not or would not give me a high-top fade.  Hector was a wise man. 

The Castro Safeway

Last weekend, I was standing outside the Castro Safeway.  I was wearing a tie for no particular reason.  This guy walks up to me, stares at me for twenty seconds and says: "I lika da tie!"

I thanked him but he just stood there.  "I lika da tie!" he said again.  Then: "But-a maybeh too formal for Satuhrday!  But I lika da tie!  You look good!"  I'm not exaggerating his accent.  He sounded like this.

Then he walked away.

Welcome Back to Fog City

First sign that I was coming home after two weeks of genuine summer weather in the City of Broad Shoulders -- the connecting flight from San Diego to SFO was delayed for an hour because of fog.

Second sign -- and the real confirmation -- was this hipster I passed on my way from BART to my house:

No one told me about the Russel Brand Look-Alike Contest

Hoosier Mama Pies

The very, very cheerful woman who worked the front counter at Chicago's Hoosier Mama Pie Company.

The Dosa Man

My wife's parents threw an amazing party the other night, complete with freshly made dosa.  The man behind the dosa had this great touch where he'd use the little bowl to ladle the batter onto the griddle then smack it a few times and use the flat back of the little bowl to spread the batter, like a crepe paddle.

That was a party.

One of My Neighbors: The Cigarette Man

Travelling in Chicago right now - so no access to my scanner, just photos of sketches.

Another one of my neighbors - he asks everyone for a cigarette.  No matter how many times you've told him you don't smoke, he'll always ask you then just keep walking.

The Tea Party

Sarah Palin

One of My Neighbors: The Paperback Reader

He stands on our street, leans against a parked car and reads a paperback everyday.  As the sun moves across the sky, he relocates to stay in the sunshine.

Bar Exam Highlights

The California Bar exam is three days long, six hours each day.  It brings out some characters . . .

His hair was like a halo around his head, every day.

Some people found it very important to be as comfortable as possible.

Other people did not.  This woman wore stripper heels every single day.

The Guard: Chapter 1

Now for something a little different . . . (click to expand)

to be continued . . .