SWEET DANGO

SPEAK FREAK #9

An end-of-the-year message to myself and mine...being of sound mind and sonic body...

the last day of two-thousand-and-four...a few minutes past high noon...

by accident couldn't get a Word file on this library computer...

so this is done in Blogger.com itself...got my Ancient Age in my pocket...anyway...

Have been much, much taken by the Victor Bockris biographical collaboration

with Bebe Buell...Miss November of seventy-four...

perhaps the greatest book ever written, the Bebe story...

and I am not exaggerating by much; it's just the right book for me just now.

Recommended. Further comments later. Google on her name and get into the Playboy site about her. Tasteful nudes photos from the Hefner mag are there. Anyway...

This past year, got much personal business and pleasure done...am caught up with whatever needed doing psychically...am at good peace with myself about whatever...have proper plans, such as they are, as much as I make plans, for Year 5...am psychologically rather efficient, not much friction in my psyche, I feel.

In terms of current icons, guess I gotta give it up to Heather Graham...current filmic icons, I mean. Tho', of course, Winona is always heart-istic...just thought you'd like to know. Heather just seems like such the funny one, and very physical. She seems like she would be so much fun to be with.

And, got much done in the way of grooving to good music in two-zero-zero-four, as any blog readers have an idea of.

And: that Bebe Buell book is called Rebel Heart, by the way. Well worth it for the rock and roll insight it provides. After this, going back to my hotel room and delving into it, enjoying it with some more whiskey.

Well, I could be working off my notes, as usual, but I'll keep this short today, give myself a little break, tho' I enjoy the concentration that's usually offered up in this blog. Like in that Manhattans song, "Just One Moment Away" - "...imagination, concentration,/beauty and love all through the night..."

Spent the morning hanging out in United Nations Plaza here in San Francisco...drank a bit more than I needed to last night, because I felt a little sick this morn...but I got over it. Thanks to Bayer, two tabs, in no small part.

So that's about it, really - plenty of details in my notes, but this is what this is like without the reminders...perhaps, oh, a bit of iambic pentameter in honor of the muses...

They say the muses number nine, but, see,

I do believe there might be thirty-three,

or even ninety-nine - who is to say

just how so many muses came to play?

So do believe, because this is our way,

and please believe, without a slight delay,

because it's really all so quite okay

'cause muses do their thing - they're here to stay.

So that about says it all...got twenty minutes left on this machine - courtesy of the San Francisco Public Library - but I'll turn it off for now...back at you when I get on another machine...

...the language virus, its true emphasis,

resides in purely metaphoric bliss.

We leave you now with something like a kiss,

this special dispensation, hit or miss.

posted by Velcro # 1:09 PM

Thursday, December 30, 2004

SPEAK FREAK #8

…back to where we once belonged…and now belong…was in the hotel room of a friend in the Mission…on the box, my selection, from a female rock star compilation, some Carly Simon, “You’re So Vain”, from the long-gone Seventies…like the line about the apricot-colored scarf…Mick has got backing vocals on that one…

And was enjoying friend’s mead, the honey wine, the Viking drink…Lord Tennyson was mentioned on the label…the stuff is out of Chico…from Rainbow Grocery…ten bucks, I think it was…good stuff…not sweet…

And then some of the original “Lady Marmelade”, not the recent reworking by Pink of Philadelphia and the three others…then some Go-Go’s – I tell you, this stuff, from twenty years ago…from the Fast Times at Ridgemont High soundtrack…

And Pepys mentioned also on the mead label…pulling out all the literary stops…then some Kate Bush – she was running up that hill…then some Bangles, “Manic Monday”…wondering where the Scissor Sisters are, okay?

Then, I supposed, some Tina, Al Green…then out the door, out on 16th…Built for Speed does their three-way deejay thing at Delirium on Albion at 16th on Thursdays – worth seeing, fine venue, the back room is quite happening ‘round about midnight.

And saw sign thereabouts for Fernet-Branca – 40 herbs, said the sign, in that brew, plus 5 mushrooms, which struck a chord with me.

And met friend Judy on the street – she’s staying at the Altamont, a hotel in the neighborhood, not the late Sixties fiasco…tho’ she seems to have been part of all of that. She told me she’s only paying 25 bucks a month through the Housing Authority in San Francisco…

Then, a visit to Adobe, after a visit to some liquor store – two bucks offered me by some individual there, a worthy one – how often does anyone offer you two bucks, a total stranger with free cash? So…then, to Adobe…spent quality time with the fine male cat there, name of Leo…was sitting, that feline, on a chair in back, sleeping, tail a-wagging when I touched him.

And a fine new J.G. Ballard collection of quotes is available up front at

SPEAK FREAK #8 (Page 2 of 2)

Adobe, from, I believe, the good folks at Re/Search. Read quote about deserts, their pristine potential, along those lines.

Now…at Adobe there on 16th near Guerrero also found fine postcards for a New Year’s Eve event called “Punkadelik Tantra” – really fine art work on that…somewhere South of Market…

Then I guess it was back up to friend’s hotel room…some Bowie remade by Tina Turner, his “1984”…and got a call from my Zimbabwe friend…then some more Tina, Al Green’s song about not being able to stand the rain…

Then I put on an unusual disc that re-does Steely Dan, instrumental versions of all those top tunes…it’s called No Static At All…if yer a fan of the Dan, then it might be worth looking into – not if you are not.

Then perhaps a visit to Abandoned Planet Book there on Valencia near 16th…Scott Harrison is the proprietor there…sometimes one can find there Sixties underground newspaper icon John Bryan…

Then on my bicycle back to the Tenderloin…thought of a name for a line of bikes: Broomstick Bicycles – feeling a bit witchy riding my two wheels back across town, like a warlock demon in flight.

Then back to the Jefferson…met hotel mate Thomas, and Tokay as well…into my room, radio on – FM 88.5…some author was talking about Raymond Chandler, male friendships – taped it for later review…

And thought of lines of iambic pentameter:

…Venusian/Martian Westerns, novelties
producing apprehensive locked-up keys…

So that’s it for these two pages…am typing this out at the San Francisco Public Library Main Branch…good venue…no free copies like at the Otis location, but it really works…don’t have to go as far.
So that’s it for now…one more day in Year 4, then into the fifth in the series…got some state or federal cash this morning, directly deposited into my Bank of America account, so I’ve got a few bucks on me – started out with 80 this morn, been spending, and spending it well…gonna go back to the Jefferson and see a flick or 2 with a pal…so here’s signing off from San Francisco…one more day and then it’s a whole ‘nother smoke of an annum, you all…will be back at this on the morrow…parting’s such sweet…

posted by Velcro # 4:01 PM

Wednesday, December 29, 2004

SPEAK FREAK #7

…and: been enjoying a remix of “Low Rider”, the War song…the last track on a compilation of that band that I got recently at Rasputin’s there on Powell…I also had, some while ago, a version with Spanish lyrics. “Take a little trip with me” en espanol is “tome un viaje conmigo”…they didn’t translate the “little” part, which seems important.

And a coupla days ago watched with neighbor in the hotel Steve his library copy of Some Like It Hot, a total classic, a real classic, not one of the “instant classics” that sometimes appear. Much, much enjoyed it, the both of us…and helping that was the Ancient Age I’d brought along, and the 50 cent can of Nor-Cal brand lemon-lime soda – a clone of 7Up, but 25 cents cheaper, in Tenderloin price terms. (Ancient Age can be had for two-twenty-five in the TL – bought a bottle on 16th near Valencia in the Mission a coupla days ago – the price was three!)

So then it was back to my room – this being two days ago, Monday – about 9:30pm got a call from Lodge Brother Pete Sellars…don’t quite remember what he called about – he’d just finished some sort of meeting related to the Odd Fellows, one that I wasn’t qualified to attend, I guess. One of Pete’s standard phrases is “Stay positive.” – I keep telling him that we are both Scorpios, therefore both, astrologically-speaking, negative signs. He responded in mathematics terms: two negatives make a positive. So I agreed with that. And after the call, turned on some Phoebe Snow on my music box…

And then, back to Steve’s room for the second part of a double feature, another of his picks, Reese Witherspoon in Freeway. Remembered this coming out but didn’t see it then…seemed to have caused a bit of a stir, and I soon saw why. Pretty far-out flick, a variation of the Little Red Riding Hood story. Recommended viewing – was much impressed with Miss Witherspoon’s acting prowess. Kiefer Sutherland played the wolf-in-man’s-clothing role, and was remarkable as well.

Then, the night and the morning thereafter…another call from Brother Pete – he wanted me to go into the office and open the door for the SBC man, who was coming to install telephone or DSL connections. And Pete said his cat Taco needed to visit the vet because of worms.

And about this time, took over some food I’d made to Naz – I don’t have a fridge and I had too much to eat – pasta noodles and rice and two potatoes – enough carbs for you? And in exchange, Naz gave me two partially-filled bottles of vodka – whiskey, of course, is my choice, but the price was right.

So down to the lodge hall at some point yesterday, about 24 hours ago…Jim was on the elevator…spoke with him a bit – helped myself to a bottle of Calistoga water and one of 7Up, still in the fridge in the hall from the meeting last week.

SPEAK FREAK #7 (Page 2 of 3)
And on the way out, in comes Richard Perri, current Grand Noble of our lodge – he too was there to open the office door for the SBC guy…we chatted a bit…he was there at the Poet’s Gallery (see previous blog) when I made my little scene. So I explained myself…he had his perspective on alcohol use, and feels it’s the alcohol talking when something like that happens. Another friend thinks the alcohol only brings out what’s already there – Richard disagreed with that. I tend to go with that second view.

And then…whatever – the notes are not too clear…I bought some of the 50 cent egg drop soup at the Chinese place just a few doors down from the Odd Fellows Building…plus more Ancient Age…and waited for 30 minutes until a friend was done with her class at the San Francisco Dance Center, also in the building.

So I went back in, went over notes and papers, sipped my drink…am considering writing to the Ancient Age people, e-mail ‘em, since, as it says on their bottle: WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM OUR CUSTOMERS! The address is age@bourbonwhiskey.com.

And then, gave a copy of the last blog to Jim, and to Pete S., who works in the building, a copy of lyrics to a Cowsills song he was wondering about – he knew only the line “flowers everywhere”, but that was enough, through the magic of Google, to retrieve the name of the song, the performer, and the lyrics. He is a real music fan and was happy to get the words.

Then my friend came out of class, and we headed over to Rainbow Grocery for some stuff to put into her rice cooker…we passed through the South of Market area…stopped at the Rolo clothing store on Howard at 9th – saw some free literature and flyers in the window that I wanted…and at corner newspaper racks, the latest from that tidal wave disaster – thousands and thousands have died.

We stopped also at Big Nate’s barbecue joint to check it out – my friend wasn’t really curious, but I was, had meant to go in there but never had – the man in the name is Nate Thurmond, basketball legend…there are plenty of photos of him inside – there he is with Barry Bonds, and Nate absolutely dwarfs that Swat Sultan. And as far as the food goes, you sure get the goods there in terms of serious carnivorousness – I was intrigued by the “Memphis Pork”, at a shade over seven bucks. “Mean Greens” are also there to be had.

So, over to Rainbow, where the only Memphis Pork would be the faux variation made of tofu…possibly John Coltrane on the sound system, some saxophone work…so friend and I went around and around, got brown rice, Tibetan goji berries, hijiki (at nearly 50 bucks a pound), two bottles of Beverly Hill kombucha. And a bottle of mead – that is, honey wine – from Chico, with a Viking theme on the label. The drink for pillaging and looting.

Then back to her place, she set about cooking. I put onto her music player a free CD I’d gotten at Positively Haight Street a while back, the String Cheese Incident, a jam rock band in the lineage of the Grateful Dead, sort of a next generation Dead. And enjoyed the mead…was surprised that it wasn’t very sweet – I am used to the intense sweetness of tej,
an Africa-derived honey wine found in Ethiopian restaurants around the city. Guess I

SPEAK FREAK #7 (Page 3 of 3)
prefer the less-sweet kind. To check it out, go to http://honeyrun.com.

And so friend and I sat there – she set up a small circular table she bought a while back in Chinatown – and we listened to the music, drank the mead, conversed…she mentioned something about some poet who was better than Sappho in that love category, and I was surprised at that…this was mentioned in the Italian historical novel she’s been reading, I think. Turns out this is supposed to be Catullus, and I thought this was like comparing avocadoes and mangoes, since Catullus is a guy, right? And Roman. And not lesbian. Whatever. I’ll stick with Wordsworth.

And friend showed me a book by dancer and choreographer Twyla Tharp called The Creative Habit…looks really good, but I didn’t wanna even open it at that point, maybe later. And we put on some James Taylor, and were enjoying the buzz from the mead – literally that word, since it’s honey-based – friend said she could taste the insect flavor in it, the bees’ knees, she said, funnily. And we listened to songs like “Sweet Baby James, “Fire and Rain”, “Country Road”, all those great, to my mind, mellow hits…

And friend mentioned a line from a blog of mine – I used the words “merciless” and “invective”…we discussed these…looked up the words…she felt invective has a negative connotation…wasn’t sure of that myself – her dictionary said it was “abusive language”. I said there are times when that is just the kind of language that is needed. And I thought of my first line of poetry, iambic pentameter, in a while, and it went exactly like this:

“Invective, merciless, and very kind…”

And now, a companion line to complete the couplet:

“…because it’s necessary, you will find.”

And about that time – really getting into that mead – made a tribute to Frank Sinatra. I think because my friend pointed out a little statue of St. Francis of Assisi that she had. I felt “The Chairman of the Board” deserved more of a tribute – tho’ now, the next day, I may have been wrong. Well, here’s to both Franks! Doobie-doobie-doo, all y’all little birds!

And friend brought out her copy of Shirley MacLaine’s The Camino, and we talked about that for a bit…and she put on a Bob Dylan compilation put out by Victoria’s Secret recently…me, I’m not a big Dylan fan – wouldn’t have minded hearing “Desolation Row”, but that wasn’t on the disc – a good live version is on an “MTV Unplugged” disc Mr. Tambourine Man put out a while back.
Then friend put on a “Women in Rock” disc featuring various female performers, like “Move Over” with the Janis vocals, and “You’re No Good” by Linda Ronstadt…and “Diamonds and Rust” by Joan Baez – appropriate after the Dylan since the song is about their relationship. And good was “Our Lips are Sealed” by the Go-Go’s…and that’s about it for these here three pages…thanks for your attention – you are dismissed.

posted by Velcro # 1:08 PM

Tuesday, December 28, 2004

SPEAK FREAK #6
Back two days ago to Sunday, in a friend’s hotel room in the Mission – she was cooking up a bit of food…she’d bought tofu that it turned out had gone bad, so that didn’t go in in the mix…and on the music system, the Isley Brothers compilation that I’d gotten from the San Francisco Public Library – see http://sfpl.org. The song “For the Love of You” played – I knew the number but for the life of me I wouldn’t have known it was the Isleys – learn something new all the time.

So – friend is reading a long historical novel set in the Italy of a few centuries ago…full of lusso it is, she says, which is “lust” in Italian…but I guess “lust” and “Italian” go together like “merciless” and “invective”, don’t they? And the Isleys kept on playing – skipped some romantic numbers and went directly to “It’s Your Thing”, probably their most famous song, and justifiably so.

And noted to myself to get ingredients at Rainbow Grocery to add to my friend’s rice pot mix at future meals – like olive oil, lentils, hijiki seaweed…and enjoyed another Isleys song, “Take Me to the Next Phase (Parts 1 & 2)” – love that title…the Isleys did a whole lot of songs with that two-part structure going.

And friend gave me a copy of a recent Dr. Strange comic book…checked it out – not the classic Steve Ditko work from the Sixties, not nearly as good in my estimation…they are reworking the storyline too…this new material reveals a different origin of that superhero. Is nothing sacred?

And then, the final track on the Isley disc, one that I knew, “Caravan of Love”…and the rice mix was done by then – she’d put in nori and sunflower seeds and olives, so it was quite a blend of good edibles.

And then friend and I were headed to South San Francisco to visit the home of a mutual friend for a holiday time dinner…went downstairs to wait while she got her stuff together – the Macondo Café was open downstairs, I was glad to see – a fine venue for study and conviviality…and then went across to the Adobe Bookstore to set a spell, glance at a book…there was champagne out on the front table for some reason…and the books, as I noted in a previous blog, were all arranged by color of the spine.

So I found a good tome to spend time with – Ken Kesey’s Garage Sale, a rare one, and worth the twelve-and-a-half bucks being asked…a rather peculiar literary enterprise it is…featuring Neal Cassady, among other lights of that era. Was quite impressed with a Kesey paragraph I happened upon – really trippy, as they say.

And then went back across 16th Street…popped in briefly at the Artist X-change store – have been getting e-mails from them – it’s a fun location to look into if you’re in the area, tho’ bring your cash. The name on the e-mails was Scott Mitchell, and there was a guy at

SPEAK FREAK #6 (Page 2 of 3)
the desk in there who turned out to be the very man himself, so I introduced myself. I wouldn’t mind getting more people to read and read into this blog, so maybe that’ll set him off in that.

So friend and I got on BART for the short ride south…but not before pausing at Stagi’s Liquors for a bottle of port to add to the festivities. And so we rode down there…me drinking from my mix of whiskey and something whatever to cut it with – I never drink that stuff straight…found newspapers to read, so I was happy enough.

And we got down to the South City BART stop and waited in front of El Camino High School for a few minutes til our ride arrived…and there at the home was my long-time friend and his sister and their mother, and I and my friend made five for dinner. So we had ourselves a merry enough time, turkey and trimmings. Well, I was feeling the effects of the whiskey I’d been drinking – plus, that bicycle accident rib ache was bothering me – so I laid down for about an hour on the living room couch, awake…and played two cassettes of music I’d brought along – the usual decent tunes, which, even in the background, add, I believe, to the ambiance of anywhere.

Then it was the BART ride back to the city…friend let me stay overnight…and the next morning, yesterday, Monday, a rainy one – rode my bicycle over to one-seventy Otis to blog and do research on the Internet…then a ride of about twenty minutes in some serious rain back to the Jefferson Hotel.

First thing I played when back in the room, a disc returned to me the previous night that I’d loaned to my long-time friend, an interview with Joan Crawford from 1973 – she’s being serious but it’s really truly funny in a weird way. Taped it for my neighbor Steve, and was regretting playing it a bit – I had to laugh, and laughing made my rib injury hurt more.

And during this, a guy in the hotel came by with a little Radio Shack color television for sale, one of those handheld kind – twenty-five bucks, and probably worth it, but I didn’t have that to spend…I verified that ABC, Channel 7 locally, came in well – that’s the spot for Desperate Housewives and Alias – just those two alone would make it worth the while to have that little unit.

Then out the door for errands…got a can of Coors for a buck from a store on the way – been a while since I was in that place, and noted the quality, high quality, of items for sale there – like some barbecue sauce with a basting brush included.

So to the post office on Hyde for stamps for two letters – two of the Andy Warhol cat cards, in fact, previously mentioned. Warhol had a thing for cats…and turns out Brother Pete of the Odd Fellows is also, like myself, a cat person – he called this morning and said he had to take his Bombay cat Taco to the vet to be de-wormed…so that’s another thing I have in common with my bro’ Pete. (And no, he didn’t call to tell me about his cat – he wanted me to go to the lodge before 11am-ish and open up the office door for the SBC guy – we’re getting more lines of communication into the building.)

SPEAK FREAK #6 (Page 3 of 3)
And so, yesterday, over to the lodge…turned some Chuck Berry on on the music box in Pete’s office…he told me he’d gotten complaints from my “performance” (and I use that term loosely, very) at the Poet’s Gallery the previous Thursday night…turns out one of the participants at the event is Philip Hacket, a poet of some reknown…and I made a bad impression on him and his at that time. Oh well…I felt it was the thing to do at the time. Don’t think I’ll be drummed out of the Odd Fellows for my little outburst, tho’…told Pete that it was a bit of, like, theater. He wasn’t there and he trusts me, pretty darn much.

And at the time, got a call from a friend who was thinking of moving to a shared house in Noe Valley and wanted to use me as a reference – I said gladly, would speak well of her. And she said she’d gotten some mead – honey wine, that is – from a Plumpjack outlet, I guess on 24th in Noe Valley. Sounded good to me…Plumpjack is one of the businesses of our beloved mayor Gavin Newsom…as is the wonderful MatrixFillmore down there in the high rent quadrant of the town. Been there a coupla three superb times.

Anyway…Brother Pete was busy typing up the quarterly Odd Fellow lodge newsletter, and I helped, in my role as secretary, putting address stickers on the envelopes to be sent to the 91 members currently numbered for our lodge – that is, Yerba Buena #15 – see http://yerbabuena15.org. Anyone interested in joining? Contact me – 359-4999, 415.

And on the sound system, more music selected and sequenced by me, including Guns n’ Roses (“Paradise City”, which I had to fast forward through to get to the Pink). From her: “Don’t Let Me Get Me”, and “Get the Party Started”…enjoyed hearing both of those tunes….she’s really one of my favorite performers – the girl can’t help it.

And so I sat in the office alone with the music while Pete went out to do something…drank my whiskey, my Ancient Age, mixed with some Nor-Cal brand soda (out of Sacramento – buy locally)…and listened to “Radar” from John Fogerty’s new solo album, about his little daughter…& considered the hundred envelopes for the Odd Fellow business in front of me…it’d be good to increase the membership, for certain.

And more music: “Moneytalks” by AC/DC live (appropriate since Pete and accountant James were preparing year-end financial reports), and “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” live as well…and Elvis Costello’s “Waiting for the End of the World”…and Cat Stevens, his “Oh Very Young” (I don’t think Pete cares much for that guy’s work)…and Pete asked if I liked Jim Croce, and I said yeah. Pete likes Queen, I think, but I can really do without ‘em. Our taste in music is slightly different, but we agree pretty much, mostly.

And I looked at the highlighted big double letter As on the bottle of Ancient Age and was put in mind of AA, Astrum Argentum – that is, “Silver Star”, the esoteric magical order founded by Aleister Crowley after he was expelled from the Golden Dawn, another magical order. (Guess the letters could also stand for Alcoholics Anonymous.)
And about then or so was out of the lodge building…exchanged a few words with Jack, the secretary of the Apollo Lodge, another Odd Fellow affiliate in the same building…then back to the hotel, and this and that and the usual…more later, you all.

posted by Velcro # 1:29 PM

Monday, December 27, 2004

SPEAK FREAK #5

Have been up in the Mission area recently, where I used to live for three years…hello said to Scott Harrison at his Abandoned Planet Bookstore on Valencia near 16th, and to Reda Darwish at his Multikulti emporium across the street, both worthy of your interest. Noted that the Urban Forage raw food restaurant had closed…the one on Fillmore in the Lower Haight is still in operation, last time I checked – unusual items to eat there – wheatgrass and rejuvelac, for example. And…visited the very unique and beautiful cat at Valencia Street Books.

And popped in to say hello to Al at Al’s Comics on Guerrero near 16th…have bought copies of The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers there in times past, probably my favorite underground comic book, by the very funny Gilbert Shelton.

And there was the 500 Club at Guerrero and 17th that a friend and I passed by…I was very much liking that they had the Dead’s Shakedown Street on their jukebox, and didn’t like it when I returned once to find that it had been removed. I’ve got a copy in my hotel room…so, the 500 Club’s never felt the same to me since. Good off-the-beaten track atmosphere to the place, tho’, unlike some of the bars along the main 16th Street stretch.

And friend and I paused at the bench in front of Faye’s Videos on 18th near Guerrero – was impressed with their selection and display of films, with the care with which they presented their goods. Leather Tongue on Valencia is also recommended.

Then up to my friend’s room in her hotel to chill…she had James Taylor on her music system, then a collection of Seventies songs including “Temptation Eyes” by the Grass Roots, and “Day After Day” by Badfinger…must thank this friend also for the milk thistle extract she gave me in a dropper bottle – been drinking a lot of alcohol lately and that milk thistle supposedly helps the liver.

And said friend had a bottle of Jack Daniel’s to share, and I had some of that, watered down a bit – can’t drink it straight…and I perused the Osho (formerly Rajneesh) “Zen Tarot” deck of cards she had…and on the sound system, a CD of mine, Tower of Power, their “Oakland soul” sound, which always gets me into a fine mood.

And so we whiled away some time…on the way out of the hotel, paused to visit on a guy I know on a lower floor – he was in his room with his lady, and asked for a dollar for bread, which I gave him.

Then back to the Tenderloin, Christmas Eve, about 7pm…visited friend Naz in his room – he was working on his computer, trying to get it to run, and there was some Zeppelin on “The Bone” on the radio… & turned on a video I’d bought for a buck recently, a copy from the TV of Force of One, the Chuck Norris epic…was surprised at the cocaine use depicted.
Also in that movie, martial artist and movie star Bill “Superfoot” Wallace, as a bad guy –

SPEAK FREAK #5 (Page 2 of 3)

he just has the looks of a bad guy, but he’s probably “Supernice” in person.

Then this and then that…it was Christmas morning…had enough for two cans of the least expensive beer, but skipped that and got, for a dollar, two cans of “Nor-Cal” brand fruit punch, from Sacramento – 50 cents a piece, Tenderloin prices, as opposed to the 65 cent each Hawaiian Punch. Later, wished I’d got that Hawaiian Punch instead, since it’s not carbonated, like the Nor-Cal brand is. Live and learn.

And tuned in early that afternoon to KQED radio for a Jonathan Winters reading of A Christmas Carol, him doing many voices and putting on a great show of that classic story.

Then began a little cooking in my room – went over to neighbor Steve’s for bay leaves, rosemary, and other spices to add to my noodles and rice…and…and…

Later, brought food over to friend Naz that I’d made – he musta been hungry ‘cause he sure ate it up, and I’m not the best cook in the world, to say the least. He had on a library copy of the Robert Redford mountain man flick Jeremiah Johnson, and I was riveted by it, pretty much, for twenty minutes before pulling myself away. Naz, apparently, has lived a similar wilderness lifestyle in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and could really identify with the flick, but I didn’t find much attractive in that kind of existence. I like the city well enough and take my chances there.

And continuing then, and even now as I type this, an aching right rib side from a bicycle accident a coupla days ago – the handlebar turned and poked me hard and it aches pretty much when I turn the wrong way, which is nearly any way. Should go away soon – don’t think there’s any serious damage…

And about this time, listened carefully without break to the latest Steely Dan CD, Everything Must Go…I’m a big “Dan Fan”, and this is their usual good and professional material.

And also listened through most, without a break, of Madonna’s Bedtime Stories, from ten years ago. More high quality music…and had yerba mate tea with Cellfood and milk thistle extract.

And then, it was yesterday, Sunday, the 27th…in the lobby, read front desk man Walter’s copy of “The Pink Section” for the latest in current and upcoming entertainment news…the Scissor Sisters are coming to the Warfield – haven’t heard any of their material, but from what I’ve read about it I think I’d love it…wanna listen to more current music, that’ll be a thing to do in the coming year, Year 5.

And there will be a “Bill’s Birthday” event at the Fillmore Auditorium to honor Bill Graham, that on the 6th of January…and Duran Duran will be in San Jose soon to promote their Astronaut disc…recently purchased at Rasputin’s Powell Street store a greatest hits disc from them that I’ve been grooving to.

SPEAK FREAK #5 (Page 3 of 3)

And at the Konocti venue, Z.Z. Top will be doing their Texas rock thing…and Merle Haggard will be there as well (on a different night, it needn’t really be said, I guess – tho’ there seem to have lately been odd pairings of musical acts).

And elsewhere in the Pink Section, Joel Selvin, long-time pop music critic, gave his run down of the top discs of two-thousand-four, including Donovan’s Beat Café, and the solo John Fogerty (both of which I bought). And there was another news blip of how Courtney Love listened to Neil Young to help her get over a Xanax overuse. And still elsewhere, a 1994 Herb Caen Christmas column was reprinted – his annual rhyming recitation of the names of many local people of note in his world.

Then over to the Odd Fellows Lodge – see http://yerbabuena15.org - to see what mail had come in…and I got the Stones double disc Live Licks to elevator man Koichi, on loan – he has surprised me with his love of rock and roll…and up to the mail drop – a bill from SBC related to installation of an Internet connection for the lodge’s laptop…and was pleased to see that three Miller Genuine Drafts in bottles were still in the fridge…had two of ‘em.

Then back to the hotel…visited a bit with neighbor Steve…we walked down to the San Francisco Public Library main branch – see http://sfpl.org - he picked out some videos, including that Spider-Man-on-a-horse one…and I sought out the Victor Bockris biography of William Burroughs – thought Steve would enjoy it, particularly an interview featuring Bockris and Burroughs and Terry Southern…but the book wasn’t on the shelf where it was said to have been…so I just ordered it and other Bockris books through the computer and will wait for their arrival.

And on the way out of the library on the way to meet a friend in the Mission, saw I guy I recognized – turns out I met him once, George, at an Odd Fellows gathering…he seemed really pre-occupied, but he’s a lodge brother nonetheless, and I felt for him in a fraternal way, despite our differences.

And riding the bicycle across town to the Mission, remembered for some reason the name “Jonah Hex”, a Western comic book character from decades ago…Google on that – http://google.com - for information…this is the West.

Then a pause at the superlative Adobe Books on Valencia near Guerrero – they’ve utterly redone their shelving system – all the books are put together by color of their spines, and it’s quite a sight, and site…praise to Andrew McKinley, owner, for doing this…doesn’t do much for sales, I think, but it’s quite a vision. He must not need the cash. Mr. McKinley wasn’t there, nor was this other guy who I know who doesn’t want to be named – but there were two cute chicks there, so that made up for that.
Then up to my friend’s hotel room…had an Isley Brothers compilation on disc from the library, and a Phoebe Snow collection from the same source, and we listened to those, this being yesterday afternoon, maybe 18 hours ago as of this…and, and…only one more line left on these 3 pages, so there you go for now…more next time.

posted by Velcro # 8:58 AM

Friday, December 24, 2004

SPEAK FREAK #4

To continue: been wishing the best of the season to several locally…yesterday, me over at the Tenderloin Housing Clinic – the THC – to say hello to my worker Sarah and Nate, the main man at the front desk. Through the auspices of the THC I am able to get my Jefferson Hotel room for a hundred-and-fifty off, at a rate of just about four-hundred-and-fifty a month, so that’s a good thing. I am appreciative.

And called my man and former co-worker Clark on his cell – he’s up visiting friends in the city of Mendocino and having, so to speak, to speak freak, a high ol’ time, a very green Christmas, 4 sho’…he is, in fact, the one who told me about Blogger.com, the service, free, upon which I am promulgating this to you all, so he must be thanked.

And…in no particular order: read the Amy Alkon “Advice Goddess” column in the North Bay paper Pacific Sun…relationship advice. In the letter I glommed on to, a guy is concerned about how much sex with so many different partners the woman he was “seeing” (not necessarily in the Castanedan sense of that term) has had…and how open and unaffected she is about that. Amy gave a lot of good advice…one thing, the guy should realize that while she’s had sex with many, she didn’t have relationships with all those other guys, so he should consider himself in a special category, not just a one-night paramour.

And: Brother Pete Sellars of the Odd Fellows – Yerba Buena #15 is the lodge – check us out at http://yerbabuena15.org - the site is being worked upon – Brother Pete has been using the ‘net to study up on child molesters in the area, the Tenderloin and 6th Street areas. Plenty to be had hereabouts, and very many on Eddy Street near the Jefferson, tho’ none in the Jefferson itself, or none known about. There are many younger females taking classes at the San Francisco Dance Center, which is residing in the Odd Fellows Building, so he wants to be cognizant of the presence of any who don’t have the highest tendencies regarding them. Amen. Kinda weird to see photos of all those guys.

And: Pete M. at the lodge hall questioned me about lyrics to a song…”flowers everywhere” was all he could remember, and that didn’t ring a bell with

SPEAK FREAK #4 (Page 2 of 3)

me. Well, I told him, I could easily Google on that phrase and see what came up – and, just having done so, the answer is: the Cowsills did the song, and the tune is called “I Fell in Love with the Flower Girl”. Case closed. Next case…thank you Google, for so much information!

And message to the Donnas, one of my favorite bands – and even more so since they are currently happening, and big. Well, ladies: you done real good on Motley Crue’s “Too Fast for Love” on your CD The Donnas Get Skintight. Now try “Dr. Feelgood”, if you please.

And struck much by a line from “The Jungle Line” by Joni Mitchell from the album The Hissing of Summer Lawns: “…those cannibals of shuck and jive/would eat a working girl alive…” Been so much enjoying listening to that album from her – true and real class and style in all aspects of musicianship. Gotta get more albums from that period of her career.

And the Odd Fellows had their bi-weekly meeting last night, and I served as secretary, and well did I serve, according to Brother Pete. I’d prepared well and it showed…a good turn-out, including Brother Tony, one of my favorite people…Darick and Sam were very new members of the lodge who attended and who seem quite psyched to continue.

And thanks to Bro’ Pete for the “apple juice” he turned me on to…mixed it with some orange juice – can’t take that apple juice straight – and it worked well for me. And I played good music before and after the meeting, taped material, the usual type of music…particularly relevant was “California Nights” by Sweet…

And got my officer pay for the meeting to the tune of 25 for last night and 25 from the previous…gotta make sure this doesn’t affect my SSI disbursement from the state and feds…would hate to endanger that…and…learned at the meeting of an event in North Beach at the Poet’s Gallery – 1462 Grant – and figured I’d pass it up, but then decided elsewise. But first I had to cash the check at the Money Mart at 7th and Market – they took their three buck minimum fee, but I was agreeable – I’ve got a Bank of America checking account and coulda kept that three, but no B of A was open at that hour…so…

SPEAK FREAK #4 (Page 3 of 3)

Up on the bicycle to North Beach…caused a bit of entrance scene at the Poet’s Gallery…won’t get into it now…was set off by a guy talking when I walked in about making inexpensive movies. I said to myself, geez, I thought this was a poetic gathering, not some movie b*llsh*t. Anyway, a friend was there who decided to leave with me - also attending there was Lucky, current “Grand Noble” in the lodge, it must be noted. Lucky’s term is over after the next meeting, and congratulations to Paul Tardo for being the next Grand Noble, for 2005.

So friend and I walked down Grant – had cash in my pocket and told her I’d treat her to a drink…wanted, actually, to go into Tosca, there down Columbus across from City Lights and Vesuvio, but there was some police presence and a metal fence around the front door – we figured some celebrity was in there. Not a scene I wanted to get into…

So it was across Columbus to Vesuvio, to check to see if it wasn’t crowded…wasn’t…especially upstairs, which was nearly empty…so up we go, and we had two Bohemian Coffees – that is, amaretto plus brandy plus coffee plus a shard of lemon peel equals a tasty and warming coffee beverage. As opposed to the more famous Irish Coffee, which features a dollop of whipped cream, minus the amaretto and brandy. Bill was eleven bucks for the two of us, including a buck and a half tip – decent price, including in the free high level of bar buzz from the others gathered in Vesuvio, much holiday conviviality.

And as for the music played at Vesuvio last night, was happy that someone played “Happy” by the Stones on the box – tho’ I have a live version from the two-thousand-two Stones tour that I’m even happier with back in my hotel room – and “Tax Man” by the Fab Four was also good at the time. Not the best jukebox in the city, but I guess it does OK.

Then friend and I over to City Lights to check out the goods…bought a button created by Lawrence Ferlinghetti with the words “F*CK ART – LET’S DANCE” on it – minus that asterisk – he’s into free speech, is Mr. Ferlinghetti…and: there’s more to relate, but this will be limited to three pages this time…also visited, friend and I, Neverland, owned by Robert Hemphill, for groovy incense – then also next door to Mr. Hemphill’s Dreaming Room – quite the place it is…’til next time, ciao, ciao, ciao...

posted by Velcro # 11:37 AM

Thursday, December 23, 2004

SPEAK FREAK #3

More musical thoughts: been wanting to hear “Fill My Eyes” by Cat Stevens lately…had a copy on a multi-disc Cat box a while ago but I sold it. Whatever I’ve been buying lately in terms of CDs I’ve been keeping, tho’…I’ve got a Cat Stevens greatest hits package that I am selecting tunes from, but it doesn’t have “Fill My Eyes” – a really lovely song. Thought you might wanna know, all you enquiring minds out there.

And: decided to call this new set of blogs Speak Freak, as you may have noticed.

And more in music: yesterday’s Examiner featured a small item about the Morrison Hotel in Los Angeles, which was featured on the cover of the Doors album of the same name as this lodging place. Seems the tenants there are filing a lawsuit against the slumlord owner of the place for multiple violations of housing standards. (Been listening, as I said, to a recent rarities collection of Doors material…”Woman is a Devil” is a surprise – it’s a super-bluesy number…the band doing, like, Robert Johnson.)

And: surprised that the Guitar Center on Mission at, like, 8th was shut down – was passing by that intersection on my bicycle yesterday and saw that it was no longer there, those great musical legend murals covered up – or at least I think they are covered up…anyway, the store has moved to a place on Van Ness near California. I’m not a musician, but I liked that store being there…haven’t been to the new location.

And in guitar observations: at the United Nations Plaza there was a guitar player and meditator strumming his instrument, purveying pamphlets of a spiritually informative nature – my eye caught by one with the title “Is It Lust or Love?” Guy wanted a buck and a half for it – didn’t have that – so he let me browse it for free. By some enlightened being named Jagad Guru. Good material…in a nutshell, lust takes and love gives, says the guru.

And: yesterday listened to “Wooden Ships” by the Jefferson Airplane – at six minutes and 27 seconds, a fairly long song. Included it on a cassette with the Carpenters for a fella who works at the Odd Fellows Building – another Pete, Pete M. – not Pete Sellars, the building administrator. Gave a good listen, in fact, to several Airplane and Starship songs because the other Pete said he liked the band.

And: played a bit of the deejay last night at a lobby party held at the Jefferson Hotel…Chinese food served up in plenitude, with sodas, courtesy most likely of General Manager Brian Samuel…I brought down my music box and played some discs…before I started up my selections, “Freakshow on the Dance Floor” was playing on the radio…now, someone said it was by Cameo, but I begged to differ – wasn’t sure who it was, but didn’t think it was them. Just now, Googled on this and it turns out it’s the Bar-Kays…case closed. Sheesh! And this from one who is funk-challenged, okay? (Or at least I used to be.)

And I brought down to play: Cameo, Earth, Wind & Fire (live in Rio), Rick James, and Creedence Clearwater Revival live in Europe in 1972. Wanted, personally, to get right to the CCR, but felt that party crowd needed a transition into that so first it was other stuff. My selections were well-received…Brian said I was a good deejay.

And suggested by fine lady Keeta, on the Jefferson Hotel staff, Fantasia’s Free Yourself, a CD she’d just bought. She was one of those American Idols, I believe. Good work…she covered, surprisingly, or maybe not so, a Gershwin tune. And also had one called “Good Lovin’” – not the Sixties song the Dead covered, tho’.

So that about covers it for the musical portion of this program…got a few more lines to fill with this…

Got at least one compliment on my “mud flap honey” belt, if that’s what the chrome-y images of naked woman all around my red belt are. Neighbor Steve tells me they are featured on big truck mud flaps. (Just Googled on this – yup! They are called “Mud Flap Honeys”!) Considered “gaudy”…well, I do fancy myself in my best or worst moments as something of a “gaudy bard”. But not much of a bodyguard – too hot-headed for that.

And thanks to neighbor and soon-to-be Odd Fellow Naz for turning me on to straight up cash recently – four bucks this morning as he was returning from breakfast, guitar in hand, and three yesterday. Not to mention a portion of a Taaka vodka bottle. Much appreciated, brutha! He really likes it that when I did have cash in October and November, I took him out to the famed and historical John’s Grill, among other treats.

So…22 lines left to fill your eyes on these two pages…plenty to relate, but I’m being selective, giving you the best of this lust, the lust that keeps on givin’, and groovin’…

Yesterday met some of the real “Gangster of Love” members of the Odd Fellows, including trustee Albert Fluehr…interesting to hear these OGs talk with Brother Pete…a lotta influence among them, of a benevolent nature. Meeting tonight at the lodge hall…have better prepared for my secretarial role this time than in previous weeks, so I should play a much more enhanced part in the proceedings. [FLT, Brother Sami!]

Been listening to an audio book of G. Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales from the San Francisco Public Library, but I fear, (failed) English major tho’ I am, that I won’t get through it…interesting enough, tho’. Words from 600 and more years ago that the man used have changed meanings in the intervening centuries. For example, we have a good idea of what “gay” means these days, but back then, saieth the scholar who introduced the reading, it meant only “splendid, well-dressed”.

And finally this time, during that listening to of “Wooden Ships”, considered parody names for various Sixties and/or music figures, to wit: Barty Malin, Kaul Prassner, Brenny Luce, Fen Bong-Torres, Kaul Pantner. Kinda like, if you are familiar with it, that Monty Python episode where Hitler and his inner circle have taken up post-war residency in a bed & breakfast somewhere in a small English town but are still planning world takeover over their morning scones.
So there it is…& thanks to my man Thai for fixing my sink this morn…yer th’ man!

posted by Velcro # 10:06 AM

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

#2 (Page 1 of 3)
Back at 170 Otis, with their fine six free computers…and quiet, professional environment…and free copies.

Yesterday, was over at the Odd Fellows Building to perform duties related to my secretary-ship in Yerba Buena Lodge #15 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Found some potato salad and three Olympias in the fridge near the office, and glad I was – Pete, my brother in the lodge, musta left ‘em in there. And then I attended to various letters sent to the lodge…notably, the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society thanked us for some benevolence the lodge sent their way. I think it’d be great to have more of an affiliation with that organization.

And in another letter, from Saratoga, the Grand Lodge there, read minutes of a meeting in which Brother Pete took much part.

And visited with Pete as well – he was cleaning out his office…there was a very well intact letter from 1909 regarding the burning down of the previous Odd Fellows building in the ’06 fire and quake, and the laying of the cornerstone of the new (and current) building.

And a mutual friend stopped by in the office to give Pete a Jerry Garcia tie…they are together attending an upcoming more formal Odd Fellows event, therefore the tie. Ironic, in the Alanis sense…Jerry never wore a tie. Mentioned this to Pete – he says Garcia was buried in a tie. Really? Better woulda been his black short-sleeved t-shirt and jeans. Maybe he shoulda left it in his will to be laid to rest in that attire.

And: Pete turned me on to a 1988 Kodak slide projector that he was gonna toss out. I took it over to 6th Street, a pawn shop there, in the hopes of getting whiskey money at least. Guy there said he didn’t want it – too outdated to be desired, but yet not antique enough either – maybe it’d sell in a few years. For sure someone woulda taken it someway, maybe through eBay, but I wasn’t the one to pursue that. Asked the pawn shop guy if he thought anyone else along 6th Street woulda taken it, but he said for sure know, and I took him at his word. Left it in front of the store for someone to pick up…it was quite intact, maybe not even used yet. Didn’t wanna pursue the selling of that any more.

And: nice page of information included with the slide projector – the case it came in was good enough to be “hand carried” but not shipped, due to the possible rough handling along the way.

Then back through Stevenson to the lodge…Pete tells me that that alley will soon be shut off – too bad…like, I do, those little side streets, colorful.

Back in the lodge building, helped myself to two bottles of Guinness in the Club Room…my current tab is something around eleven bucks. This morning, was sitting in the hotel lobby, the Jefferson lobby, and down comes friend Naz with a friend…Naz

#2 (Page 2 of 3)
turned me on to two bucks. Told him I could use another quarter to get whiskey – he gives me another dollar. So there’s my beverage money for this morning – the twenty-second of December two-thousand-and-four, by the way…only 2 shopping days until Christmas.

So I sat around while Brother Pete got busy and busier with Odd Fellows business in his office – drank my drinks, had music turned on, tapes I’d made…like, oh, “Union of the Snake” by Duran Duran…and from his computer, Pete turned on something I’d not recognized – didn’t sound particularly good…he played more by the same band and finally I figured the name out – it was Kiss, doing “Beth”, a good tune.

Then, this and that…back to the Jefferson – friend Naz paid a visit, we sat in my room…listened to music. He was a bit down because of comment made to him about, like, going back where he came from – which is Santa Cruz – he was wearing a shirt with that city’s name on it. I told him there were stupid people out there who said stupid things. Naz wondered what anyone would find objectionable about Santa Cruz. I said, well, maybe they were too laid back, especially for the citified of San Francisco. This seemed to ring with him.

Then by myself in the room…had on a recent Doors rarities disc featuring a ten minute “The Soft Parade”. Was burning incense Pete had given me…there’s a line in there: “…cobra on my left…” – reminded me of “Union of the Snake” – and also, at the San Francisco Dance Center, located in the Odd Fellows Building, there’s some sorta class in dancing like a cobra, serpentine.

Then, a bit later, up to Union Square for a bite to eat – this was sometime around 3:30pm yesterday. Naz was going to Glide for a free meal, but I was gonna take my chances in the receptacles around Union Square. On the way, got a two-buck-and-twenty-five bottle of Ancient Age…and groundscored a nice item on the way, near the Powell Street cable car turn – checked in a trash can for food, found a new pair of blue women’s pants…unisex, basically, tho’ the zipper zipped on the “femme” side. So I thought they might fit – got ‘em back to the hotel afterwards and they sure didn’t – got a friend I’m gonna give ‘em to.

So it was up Powell to Union Square, the edible treasures to be found on the perimeter of Union Square. Found a fair amount of food – at least a thousand calories of discarded Chinese food, some soda to cut my whiskey with. The Christmas shoppers were out in force, the purchasing force was with them.

Then back to the Jefferson…secured from hotel mate a big bag of videos that I’d loaned him, over twenty…these from night desk man Keith. Made good use of those videos over the past coupla weeks. Keith’s got some more that I can borrow from him.

And turned on the radio for a while – KQED, at 88.5 on the FM…happy that advertisers include Google, and Flax, that local art store.

#2 (Page 3 of 3)
And downstairs at the Jefferson, more free food, courtesy of General Manager Brian Samuel and his connection to the Foodrunners organization – turkey slices, beef slices, pickles, brown rice.

Then, relaxing until a 6pm tenants meeting in the downstairs social and/or movie lounge…dozed a bit – had been drinking that Ancient Age…listened to more of the aforementioned science fiction audio book…not gonna get through the entire thing – a bit bored with it…tho’ some would eat it up like gravy.

And just before six, tenant representative Prince knocked on my door and others to signal that the meeting was gonna begin. Went down and took part – only about six of over a hundred tenants of the Jefferson showed up.

Three representatives of the Central City SRO (Single Room Occupancy) Collaborative were there…various matters discussed…for one thing, supposedly bad service from Comcast (cable) into the hotel…one of the guys I knew in the hotel said he received bad service, but it turns out it was probably his antiquated television and not Comcast. Guess I’d go with Comcast if it comes to it – Naz will probably get it next month in my name.

So I stuck around for the entire meeting, eyes closed, dozing again a bit…I didn’t have any issues to bring up – was happy for the free fruit punch soda there – bad sh*t, really, but it kinda hit the spot.

And took notes during the meeting on elsewise that was on my mind that occurred to me…like the six Prozacs someone had turned me on to – he warned me about strong they were…have them still…they are powder in gel caps – might just open one and take a slight fingertip taste just to get a sense of ‘em.

And I recalled talking to a Roman Catholic young man at the Powell Street cable car turn during the run to Union Square. He was critical of Freemasonry, and that caught my ear, my third ear, me being an Odd Fellow and all. Brought this up to him, and he had little, actually nothing, to do with “secret societies” – his term. This made me laugh and I told him, like, “You don’t think Roman Catholicism is a secret society?!” His answer was that he thought the current leadership in his church weren’t truly on the level. So I bought that.

So that’s about it for now, three pages in hard copy – blog readers don’t get a sense of the paper form…and on my schedule for today…buy a bit more whiskey with the cash Naz gave me…head over to the Odd Fellows hall…I’m on my bicycle – also thanks to Naz – gave him sixty for it, plus additional cash afterwards…then…back to the hotel, listen to music…re-read these pages…it’s sometimes a surprise to me to see what’s been set down…

And so, that is the way it was, and is…and what will be will be…someone once told me: “If it’s meant to be, it’s up to thee…” Hee-hee-hee…wheeeeeeeeeeee! See?

posted by Velcro # 8:35 AM

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

[Note to blog accessers: it's been a long time since this rocked and rolled...coupla months or so...this basically continues the same so-called thought process of the earlier one-hundred-and-fifty-six installments, but I feel those are all of one workful play and this one begins a new set...whatever...]

…variously: surprised the other day to hear a unique song on “The Bone” FM-107.7, not the usual material they always seem to play. The tune was Steppenwolf’s “Rock Me”…it’s usually “Magic Carpet Ride” or “Born to Be Wild” by them…so perhaps this indicates something. I think that station, during certain programming hours, plays better songs…they need to do more of that, if possible. I have spoken.

Thanks to Brian Samuel, general manager of the Jefferson Hotel, in the Tenderloin, where now I live, for continuing to be integral in getting us residents so much food to eat. Yesterday, saw him emerging from his apartment there with potstickers he’d done up himself – had one, it was tasty. Tho’ not vegan.

And thanks also to friend (or reasonable facsimile thereof) b for taking me out a few days ago to the superlative Moonstar Chinese restaurant on Market across from the Orpheum Theater. If you’ve got ten bucks the lunch buffet awaits – an incredible variety of all kinds of foods, all-you-can-eat. You won’t be disappointed.

And me, of late, as of always, for a while, jaywalking across Market, often with an unbagged beer can in hand – breaking the law twice simultaneously. Got busted three times this year by the fine officers of the San Francisco Police Department for this crime, but it hasn’t happened recently.

And in other eatery suggestions: the Oriental Restaurant there on Market near 7th is a fine place – a dollar for a large fried fish, for example. Took buddy Nic there not long ago, treated him to what he wanted. And b also treated me to one of those fish and some noodles not long ago.

And am making more of a presence felt at the Odd Fellows Hall Association – hello to Brother Pete, Brother Sami…and Alex and Jim and Koichi on the elevator…and many more related individuals – you know who you are, or at least some of you do.

And from the library, the San Francisco Public, have out currently two music compact dics: a Delfonics collection, and a selection of Jimmy Buffett numbers. Three in that last one particularly stand out for me: “Margaritaville”, “Come Monday”, and “Changes in Latitudes…” – just thought you wanted to know.

And listened also closely to “Cheeseburger in Paradise” by Buffett – talk about not being vegan. There’s one of his Margaritaville restaurants in Sausalito – passed it by…could be okay. Wonder what’s on the jukebox there, if there is one.

And speaking of the Odd Fellows, am getting more into my role as secretary at the bi-weekly meetings – just got a letter opener to fulfill one of my functions – that is, opening all the mail that comes into our lodge…was there yesterday, spoke with good Brother Pete, dealt with some letters. And happily found a stash of three cans of Olympia up on the 6th floor. Pete also treated me to another can of those old school suds.

And also yesterday, b and I went to the Momi Toby’s “art bar” on Laguna in Hayes Valley – she bought a twenty buck bottle of fine and dry and white wine. I had a good time – not entirely sure about b…she had on her a copy of an Odd Fellows history book that she is studying…interesting pictures…a motto of the group is “FLT”, which stands for “Friendship, Love, Truth”.

And more about Momi Toby’s – the music comes through an iPod unit…when b and I first got there, some Johnny Cash was playing – okay, but I wanted to rock and roll. Didn’t wanna commander that iPod, tho’…at least not until given the go-ahead.

And, in other, related news, watched much of last Sunday night’s Desperate Housewives on ABC at 9pm…recommended – glad it’s displacing those crime scene investigation programs. And the new season of Alias will be starting on January 5th…Wednesday nights – 9pm on ABC, I think…and thanks to the wonderful Teri Hatcher and the lovely and talented Jennifer Garner for providing so much enjoyable TV time.

And: it was a Sauvignon Blanc from Morgan Hill that b chose at Momi Toby’s – enjoyed it much. And, said the counter man there when I asked him about the music playing, it was from some band called Magnetic Fields…current sounds, I think. Good – don’t wanna just be all involved in tuneage from 40 years ago.

And now – 25 more lines to go to fill out these 2 pages of 12-point text…

Recently found, on Eddy Street outside the Jefferson Hotel, a copy of No Doubt’s first album, Tragic Kingdom, and a Carpenters disc of love songs. Have been much loving the voice of Karen Carpenter, the doomed Karen…found at the same time, in the same cardboard box on Eddy at about 5am when I was out to get a Mountain Dew, about a dozen audio cassettes – cleaned ‘em up and am taping much music on them.

And speaking of No Doubt, am giving that disc a good listen – don’t particularly like the “ska-pop” sound they are sending out, but the vocalizations of Gwen Stefani are interesting, to say the least…she has a new solo disc out…not sure how much I like how she is merchandising it and herself, to beat the band, so to speak…but she’s a fund – I mean, fun – one.

And, and, and…last night watched with friend Naz at the hotel a library copy of the 1978 Goldie Hawn movie Foul Play – much in that to like – the San Francisco scenes used well and the sex appeal of Goldie not the least.

And: it has just occurred, the winter solstice, just this morning. So there.
And am listening, on a library copy, to the audio book version of David Brin’s The Uplift War, a long science fiction epic – 28 hours, 19 cassettes. Not sure if I’ll get through it all…first choice was an even longer audio book, the complete Don Quixote, but it had been snagged when I returned for it. So that’s it for these two pages – more forthcoming, I suppose.

posted by Velcro # 10:12 AM