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SWEET DANGO
ANOTHER SET OF WORDS FOR YOU TO READ -/THEY QUALIFY AS LEAF AND BRANCH AND SEED...
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
DUDE #1032 (1 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
…got out from the library Chronicle movie reviewer Mick LaSalle’s Complicated Women: Sex and Power in Pre-Code Hollywood. Raves on and on about the likes of Greta Garbo, Norma Shearer, but it’s not really registering to me for some reason. I’m can get pretty fixated on women actors, but don’t really take it to the intellectual analysis level like LaSalle does.
And it was a Sunday night, three days ago as of this. In bed naked, alone. On the radio, two of the best hours on that medium, two episodes of To the Best of Our Knowledge. Subject of one hour that night was “authenticity”, what that means. Part of it talked about Lead Belly, the folk and blues musician, as an icon of authenticity.
And reminded myself to get over again to the Café International at Haight and Fillmore for a glass of honey wine. And to walk around that whole little Lower Haight zone. Will have money in a little over twenty-four hours.
And then the next day, biggest in the news, the farewell of Alberto Gonzales from the Bush administration. He represented the excessive influence the White House had on the Department of Justice. All those lawyers he was instrumental in firing. And he had a week to prepare for questioning and he still wasn’t able to answer many questions.
And have seen the poster around for the new Jessica Alba movie. She’s one I like to watch, speaking of actresses. It’s called Good Luck Chuck – she plays a bride of some kind. Gots to Dogpile…some sort of romantic comedy. Anything with Alba’s fine with me.
Then…to Rainbow with eleven cents for a yerba mate tea bag. Found two cents along the way, figured I could get three bags, but turns out each is fourteen cents. But the cashier took the money anyway and I got my single bag. Got to get a whole pound of the loose leaf when I get my money, which I can brew up pretty strong.
And was considering three possibilities of what to do that Monday: back to the hotel and make tea, go to Union Square for the food in the trash, or maybe the library.
DUDE #1032 (2 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
Also, had mentioned bicycle shop Road Rage and owner Matt in a blog, and had extra copies, so headed over there to pass it along. Not open Mondays, so slipped it under the garage door of his place.
And the San Francisco Mime Troupe – their show this year is called Making a Killing. Haven’t seen it yet. Last shows in the city will be at Dolores Park on September 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Gotta see it.
And had an Ambrose Bierce book waiting for me at the library, Write It Right, a compendium of faults he found in the way some use language. But when I got there found out it has gone missing. Bierce is one, I’d say, that people might rip off a lot.
And…guy who used to live in the hotel that I’m still in e-mail contact with – sent me a picture of him from his hippie days back in ’68, looking quite the part. Homeless now, but he’s one that can survive that, has the skills to live on the street.
And was bugged by some idiot talking to himself in the library restroom. Well, I talk to myself, into my voice recorder, in order to turn it into blog material. Guess there’s a difference.
Then…over to the Odd Fellows building. Had copies of my blog I wanted to give to a guy who works there. Then, what next? Over to Union Square for discarded food? Hadn’t eaten so far that day and was liking that feeling. Rode my bicycle down an alley paralleling Market where two weeks previously I’d given away my old boom box and a tape of a live Grateful Dead concert.
Over to St. Anthony’s. Line too long, didn’t wanna wait twenty minutes. Then to Union Square to see what the trash could offer up in the way of food. Started the usual process, hands and head into waste containers on the periphery. I’d got there at a bad time, since it looked like they’d been emptied not long before. Guess I eventually got something – nothing out of the ordinary, a usual thing to do. Then this then that…back in the room. Had the last of a powdered dietary supplement I’d been given by a crackhead alcoholic pot smoker I know on the street. He manages to find a lot of things and has let me have a lot. We help each other out.
DUDE #1031 (1 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
…at the Martin de Porres lunch a few days ago. Usually select a book from their shelves to accompany the meal. Picked a big fat novel set in medieval Europe, a first-person narration by a woman, but really couldn’t get into it at all. But could get into a book review part of a Sunday paper. Featured a list of volumes to be published in the fall – a whole lotta titles and most of no interest to me. Guy across from me, caught him looking at me, and that was annoying, so I put the paper in front of my face to block his line of sight.
And a guy in the hotel has loaned me a tape player, since he knows I like my music and don’t have one now, but it plays sounds back at, like, double speed. Got audio books to listen to as well, but cannot take the accelerated sound.
Then near noon, last Sunday, out to go to the library. Nobody sitting at the outdoor tables at the Hastings law school. Bet the area is tightly guarded so that no non-students can sit there. Might try to one day and see what happens – there aren’t many outdoor public area seating options around with an actual tabletop in the mix.
And noted a tight green shirt on a woman, with Che on it, her breasts giving the revolutionary a real added dimension. Then did a blog at the library, then out again, to the Sunday farmers’ market across the street. No money to buy a thing, but enjoyed a couple of fruit slice samples. Then towards St. Anthony’s, more free food sought. Observed my reflection in the side of a building – could stand to lose some weight around my midsection, tho’ the flesh there’s not egregiously over-accumulated. Don’t wanna be too thin.
And guy sitting as I passed commented on my American flag belt. At first I thought he was offended at that use put to the image, but then figured out he’s really against the U.S., its policies, its government, all of it. Began talking about how Bush Senior killed Kennedy, and what about what was done to the Native Americans, and other criticisms. I guess I took the country’s side, saying that other places were worse, such as China, with its human rights violations, but he was dead set against the United States, and figured I shouldn’t be advertising the stars and stripes.
So did the St. Anthony’s thing, nothing unusual I haven’t mentioned several times before in this. Took another salt shaker, my source for that nutrient. DUDE #1031 (2 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
Then back in the room, listening to Sunday afternoon radio. Interview with actress Cherry Jones, talking about an instance of being very well directed. Funny name – sounds like a Warhol superstar, or a porn movie pseudonym.
Then it was half after one p.m. The library, ever on my mind, would be open for another three hours and a half. But already had over thirty items out in my room, didn’t need more. Really need more places to go to, people to see, things to do. Need to get more creative about that, I suppose.
And began looking at that fall book list, circling items, but didn’t get too far. Feminist brain Susan Faludi’s got a new one due, and there’s a special edition of On the Road commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of that counterculture landmark – gonna be on a scroll, like the original manuscript, and unexpurgated, with more obscenities and explicit sex.
2pm that afternoon, set my cell phone alarm for 8am Monday, eighteen hours in the future. Lotta time on my hands. Could use a woman in my life, but that situation’s not resolving itself. Need to manage my money better so that I can at least get out of the room, get to a coffee shop or something.
3:30pm, a woman in the hotel calls, wants to know if I have money for a drink. Well, there’s a woman, but I just don’t want any woman, geez.
And the concept of a “touchstone” was mentioned on the radio. Reminded me of when I was an English major in Berkeley, studying Shakespeare – Touchstone is the name of a character, one of the Bard of Avon’s fools.
And got a visit then from a guy in the hotel who’d been in my room recently. Weird scene – the dude had lost his prized harmonica somewhere, and he was wondering if I had it. Thing was, he had such a intense bugged-out look in his eyes. Could see him blaming me for the loss and attacking me, he was looking that weird. But I was innocent of that, and remained even in tone. Was making me uncomfortable with that look in his eyes. Things like this remind me to not open the door to anyone.
And clever play on words on a radio program. The question was, what song would be created in a collaboration of Puccini, Frank Sinatra, and Henry Mancini? Answer: “Madame Butterfly Me To the Moon River”. Get it?
DUDE #1030 (1 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
So did my thing at Sparky’s, enjoyed the early morning vibe. Still had six bucks left and decided to ride over to the 500 Club on Guerrero at 17th, get a pint and listen to some music. Was waited on by a cute young lady – name of Sasha – said so on the receipt. And liked the presence of a married couple with a little girl of maybe four, and an even smaller baby child. Found it funny the little girl took it upon herself to go behind the counter to get a cardboard box.
And rode the few blocks over to the 500 Club – it was way past 6am but it was still closed. What’s happening with them? Heard they’re one of the places that opens early, and this is the second time I was wanting in they were shut.
And while at Sparky’s, had called Odd Fellow brother Pat, see what was up with him. Recently was laid up at S.F. General for a blood condition. Have a get-well card for him, signed by several lodge brothers and sisters. He said he was on his way back to the hospital to pick up, I think, syringes.
Then riding past the Brown Jug, the bar closest to the hotel I’m in, but one I’m no longer allowed into, there and Vesuvio up in North Beach. Oh well…musta done something to offend them. Sign for two dollar Pabst Blue Ribbons out front. Heck, I’d be there for those.
Then into my room. Had bought some beer. Turned on the radio, and got caught up in KFOG song programming from 1984. Well, for two bucks can get a forty – a single serving – of Miller High Life, and then enjoy the music for free in my room. But I can like the vibe in a bar, and like getting out a little.
Then later that morning, on the way to the Virgin Megastore and the listening stations. Got a pint of King Cobra on the way. But once there, security guy wouldn’t let me in – had asked if it was okay to bring my container in – had disguised the nature of the beverage in a lidded cup – but wasn’t fooling the dude. Neither my cup nor my person was welcome. Was already over forty ounces into it, so I guess it was obvious to the man.
Then on the bike, circling around. Noted catalogs at the Crate & Barrel outlet and picked one up for a suburban friend I collect Frisco free mags for.
DUDE #1030 (2 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
Not sure just who this catalog’s intended for, but I really don’t know many that have the kind of bread to spend, like, a grand and a half for a space age coffee maker.
And then the next day, a Sunday, in bed alone, as usual, and no money, as usual. Did have good new reading material, a volume called The Portable Beat Reader. Had found it on the street in the Mission. A collection of all the Beat scribes – not just the kings Kerouac and Ginsberg and Burroughs, but many others. Am finding the introduction and the section introductions very interesting and informative. And the cover I like as well: Burroughs elaborating on some point as Kerouac listens very carefully – the photo snapped by Ginsberg. Got into some of an essay called “Beat Zen, Square Zen, and Zen”, by Alan Watts, who I guess can rightfully be included among the Beat crowd.
And got into a little masturbation, what the heck. Stimulus: a really trashy Seventies porn novel called Teaching Her Men, about a female swimming instructor at a small college. Strangely, just after I’d ejaculated, a knock at the door. Didn’t answer. Not interested in anyone in the hotel tuned into me that much, if that was why the knock happened just then.
Then out the door on my bicycle, heading for the free Sunday brunch at Martin de Porres across town on Potrero. Rode by the very active U.N. Plaza farmers’ market – nice wholesome scene. Have sometimes picked up discarded vegetables and fruits there.
Then south of Market on the 8th Street bicycle lane. Passed Trader Joe’s…for sure this coming month must practically vow to drink less beer and drink more things like the excellent green vegetable juice available there. Gotta exert that little bit of discipline.
And was surprised at just how fast I got to Potrero. Slight incline up towards 16th and then was at my destination. And just across the street from the open door of Martin’s, phone call from the woman I used to live with, telling me about the trip she recently took with other Odd Fellows to Yreka, a town near Mount Shasta, where a special ceremony was held in a cave. No doubt quite atmospheric. Missed it myself. Told her I’d climbed part way up Mt. Shasta years ago, during a hitchhiking excursion up north there.
DUDE #1029 (1 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
…shocked at the increasing price of Rejuvelac at the Harvest Urban Market – a buck-89 for a little bottle. But got to the checkout and it turned out to be just the regular buck-59. See www.sproutpeople.com/cookery/rejuvelac.html for what the stuff is. Got a thing against cooked food, tho’ I eat plenty of it – this can help with that habit, providing enzymes. And kombucha is also really expensive – two bucks and 49 cents for the smallest bottle. See www.kombucha.org/.
And took my little drink to the tables outside, along with a schedule of programs from the California Institute of Integral Studies, an interesting and intellectual place. See http://www.dogpile.com/info.dogpl/clickit/search?r_aid=E370F6FE67A2499EABAEEA8E16015470&&r_sacop=1&r_spf=0&r_wsm=0&r_cop=SiteMatch&r_snpp=1&r_spp=0&amp;amp;amp;qqn=bzJLTUo%2C&r_coid=211&rawto=http://www.ciis.edu.
And at the library, the Summer of Love tribute continues…tho’ today, the 30th of August, is the ending date – Labor Day weekend coming up, the end of summer. Interesting was the TV continuously playing tape from a Sixties love-in, slow motion, all the hippies grooving along. Been told the September 2nd Speedway Meadow all-day free concert is still on, so that’s something to consider attending.
And, the day I’m considering…had cash in my pocket since I’d found a ten dollar bill in my pocket. Possible plan, head to the Nitecap bar on Hyde at O’Farrell, get a two dollar pint of Pabst Blue Ribbon and enjoy that on the big comfy sofa there with my Paul Bowles biography. Maybe put two bucks for eight songs in the fine jukebox. And with a dollar tip for the bartender, that would be a pretty decent way to spend five bucks and a half an hour.
And new and interesting in filmland, the movie version of Ethan Hawke’s novel The Hottest State. Very autobiographical, I gather, about a young actor in New York. Tho’ Hawke’s now too old to play the character written about, but he’s directing. He’s a musician, too – guess he played his own music in Reality Bites. Talented dude. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethan_Hawke for a run-down of his life and career…saw him as a teenager in Explorers, from ’85. Very effective in Training Day. Didn’t see that Peruvian cannibalism one, tho’.
And the next day, a Saturday, about 7am, still had a few bucks on me, so decided to ride my bicycle up to Sparky’s and get coffee, get that bout of exercising in. And return the Bullitt DVD I had out from the library, since DUDE #1029 (2 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
for sure I wasn’t gonna be able to get to a player to watch it.
And…coupla three cockroaches seen in my hotel room recently, after not having any for a long while. Not sure why they’re there now. An exterminator comes in once a month to apply the effective killing gel, and I don’t leave food out to attract the insects.
And out the door and on the Frisco streets on two wheels. Little Asian lady in the plaza in front of City Hall, marching along briskly. Probably live to be a hundred, into her health, thin. And there also the usual falun gong practitioners – see www.falundafa.org/. Took note of their sign: “An ancient cultivation practice of mind, body, spirit.” Photographs of five different exercises. Guess it’s a form of chi gung…like tai chi, I think, but without as much movement. Hated by the Chinese government.
Then west through the residential area on the other side of Van Ness. Stopped at a set of advertising posters, including Lucy Liu in the new Gap campaign. The company is on my shit list ‘cause of plans to tear down the excellent bowling alley in the Presidio so the art collection of the founders can be displayed.
Then up Market. Paused in front of the West Coast Growers hydroponics store. Which is appropriately right next to a cannabis club. See www.westcoastgrowers.com/. Picked up a copy of the Oaksterdam paper – the name indicating that part of Oakland so into marijuana it’s comparable to Amsterdam where, I’ve heard, there are stores on practically any corner where the stuff can be bought legally.
And then to Church and Market, where Sparky’s is just one of several cool businesses along a stretch of two blocks, including a head shop and a bookstore, a pub, plus many nice restaurants.
And into my destination, and my coffee. On the jukebox, new was Odessey and Oracle, a Zombies compilation. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odessey_and_Oracle…but, actually, I’ve learned at this entry, it’s not a best of disc but an album, issued in ’68. Says the misspelling of “Odyssey” was a mistake by the LP’s cover designer. Know only “Time of the Season”, picked that. Gotta get into this one and learn it.
DUDE #1028 (1 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
…new addition to the Tenderloin’s dining scene, a Tunisian restaurant across the street from the hotel. Formerly Soul Food City in at least two previous incarnations, and I think something else also. Wish the business well, but with eight dollar plates it’s hard to imagine they’re gonna thrive in this part of town, where many find it a daunting task to come up with a quarter for one Top Ramen.
And was thinking if the term “surfing the Internet” is still in vogue. Then heard a science guy on the radio say it, so I guess some are using it. I recall a friend saying he thought it was a stupid phrase, that typing stuff on a keyboard and clicking a mouse can hardly be considered comparable to riding an ocean wave on a board.
And speaking of what a quarter will get you in the T.L., there’s a little store near the hotel where perfectly fine lighters can be had for that cost. Had to make that purchase recently ‘cause book matches to light my Aurobindo ashram incense just weren’t making it ‘cause of the residual odor.
And also in the ‘hood for a quarter, little chocolate eggs at another market. Haven’t had these yet – might buy a few and give ‘em as gifts.
And was leaving a St. Anthony’s lunch the other day carrying four apples and two nectarines. Worker there made a joke to me that sounds like something I’d say, that all I needed were some branches.
And outside, had the pieces of fruit on a trash can, in order to wipe moisture off them before putting them into my backpack. Well, a guy comes along and takes one, without asking. Just the type of rude piece of excrement that inhabits the T.L. Looked a bit rough, prison rough, and additionally he appeared to have had some sort of serious head injury, so I didn’t chase him down and get it back. But I did turn and issue a curse his way, told him I cursed him, a witchcraft thing. Didn’t impress him much.
And afterwards spent entirely too much time replaying the theft, and thinking of what else I might’ve said to enhance that curse. I think going up to him and whispering in his ear “Choke on it!” would’ve been effective.
Then at the library. Checked out the free magazines at the Fulton Street
DUDE #1028 (2 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
entrance, and picked up three: the new issue of Saturday Night, from Santa Monica – last issue had a pictorial of girls in bikinis, this one had one of cheerleaders – and a catalog for an upcoming “Wisdom Festival”, and something called Conscious Dancer, devoted to, right, dancing. And also picked up from the shelves a biography of Casanova, a translation from the French original, written by one Lydia Flem.
And fulfilled a little fantasy the day in question by finding a folded ten dollar bill in a pants pocket! I’m pretty sure I didn’t put it there myself and forget. The pants are ones I found, so the previous owner may have left it. Called a friend who I thought may have put it in there as a nice surprise for me, but it wasn’t her. Well, for sure it was great to get that bit of cash. Again this month spent all my dough the first week. Really got to work on that so I have something the entire month. It’s nice to be able to, let’s say, ride up to Sparky’s at 4am and get their buck-65 cup of coffee, geez.
And about this time got a letter from the Billy Graham evangelical organization, out of Charlotte. A request for a donation, with this line: “I want to help fulfill the Great Commission.” What’s that mean? Spreading “the Word of the Lord”, I guess. Tossed it. Reminds me of the George Carlin rant about how God is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, the Creator of the Universe, but, gee, somehow He just can’t quite get the money thing together and needs your help.
Then on my bicycle, heading to the library. Saw a guy that lives in the hotel selling books and other items spread on the ground at “The Fence” at Turk and Hyde. Asked if he wanted to call his sister – have let him use my phone to keep in contact with her. And he gave me a dollar as well, so that showed that he had some good character. He said: “That’s the way we do it.”
And that Conscious Dancer magazine – liked a little article by raw food spirituality dude Gabriel Cousens. Need to get more into that state of body and mind and not eat so much cooked food. Also, article on how good coconut juice is as a fuel for dancers.
And then over to the Harvest Urban Market on 8th near Howard for some Rejuvelac. For certain must improve my diet this next month, spend my money on good food and drink and not just beer and jukebox music, geez.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
DUDE #1027 (1 of 4) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
Running through my mind recently, lyrics to “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”. Christmas isn’t too far away. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus_is_Coming_to_Town for details about its history. Debuted on a radio program in 1934. “Instant hit”, says the Wikipedia entry, with orders the next day for a hundred thousand copies of the sheet music. Super-long list of musical artists who covered it. Personally, the “gonna find out who’s naughty or nice” part was significant to me for some reason. Could be and probably has been the basis for a horror flick...St. Nick’s getting a bit personal, stalker-style, with those details.
And also on my mind – it contains multitudes – is Bolo Yeung. Read an article recently at the Union Square Borders in Inside Kung-Fu about him and his memories of working with Bruce Lee. Of course, dude has his own Wikipedia entry, at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolo_Yeung. Born in ’38, which will make him seventy next year. Little photo at the site of him in the Van Damme flick Bloodsport – says he was fifty at the time, and a great looking fifty: “This is what fifty looks like, white devil, and now allow me to snap your neck like a stalk of celery.” Uh...regularly made movies until ’97. This year in something as “Erik’s trainer”.
And...”Beware of Cat”, title for a short story, an erotic one. Got those on my mind lately. Inspired by a sign which had the usual warning about a dog. So, how would the tale go? Woman with a cat? Or a guy? Maybe some witchy element? Would be easy enough for me to come up with some plot and details around a witch woman, which is an archetype that gets to me sexually.
Which reminds me: Fiona Horne, another person I find interesting. Official Website is http://www.fionahorne.com/, and her Wikipedia entry is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiona_Horne. Uh, Australian, born in ’66...has written several books on witchcraft – a Sybil Leek for this time. See http://www.controverscial.com/Sybil%20Leek.htm for something about Leek – wanna reference something besides friggin’ Wikipedia.
And was also recently wondering what the lyrics to “Oye Como Va” mean. Well, Wikipedia has the translation of the phrase in the tune at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oye_Como_Va. It’s “...oye como va/mi ritmo/bueno pa’ gozar...” - which means: “listen how it goes/my rhythm/good for partying...”. And the final word is “mulata”, the feminine form of “mulatto”, which has its own separate Wikipedia entry. So that explains that.
And wanted to mention a recent “run” done by me for Odd Fellow brother P. – handcarted back several cases of beverages for the Club DUDE #1027 (2 of 4) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
Room in the 26th 7th Street building. And took as payment a seven-ish buck bottle of California wine – a Chardonnay, I believe. With no black fly in it – “Ironic” song reference, that is. (Costco has hundred-buck bottles of vino, but I was happy with what I got.)
So got it back to the hotel, and shared about a third of the grape juice with a good dude who lives there – and for sure can’t use that particular adjective for some of the residents. And had the library copy of the Bullitt DVD to share with him, but he didn’t wanna watch, or didn’t even have that kind of player. (Never got around to watching it – the library used to have a set of players but they’ve removed them. Only DVD I’ve had in my possession recently. Well...the famous car chase isn’t what I wanted to revisit – certain scenes only, and the general McQueen demeanour. See http://www.thefreedictionary.com/demeanour for a definition of that word...)
And...my “wallet” is a single rubber band – I carry around my library card, two Bank of America cards, Social Security card, Odd Fellows membership card. Well, was looking for it in my room the other day and it wasn’t to be found. Really friggin’ began to freak out, but then found the thing. Immediately blamed another hotel guy who’d been in my room and who I don’t entirely trust.
And another hotel guy came up to my room the other day to tell me that a resident field trip to that day’s Giants game was about to depart. Told him I wasn’t going. I’d get so freakin’ bored. Same with most movies or TV shows – gotta be recorded so I can fastforward. But I find most humans in general interesting, conversing with them.
And that day I went to Costco and got that bottle of wine for my trouble? Well, a box of Coronas was part of that package, and I removed one for myself on the way back, and then gave two away to a guy on a bus I rode back on. I think because he helped me out a bit with a bus door. When I got back to the lodge this wasn’t setting well with Brother P. – I thought it could just go on a tab. Well, he subsequently had me do an easy run to drop an envelope into a bank lobby box so that, in his words, “wiped the slate clean” – otherwise, woulda owed two bucks each on those three Mexican beers.
And, in the interests of completeness of this blog, the current image I use to masturbate with, a very little photo, about an inch square, of a nude woman from the current Vice magazine. The photo cuts the top of her head off, and also, she’s a bit bigger in the hips than I really favor, but it has worked for me. Thought you’d like to know. Still nothing much doing in terms of a flesh and blood female. Or nine of ‘em.
DUDE #1027 (3 of 4) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
And found a fruit roll-up the other day somewhere on some street, with the Xbox brand on it. Featured brief game tips, such as, for something called Amped 3: “High scores are set when you master the ‘butter’ moves to chain together massive combinations.” Have very little idea about this. Me, am still at the Ms. Pac Man arcade game level, and that’s ancient history.
And, from another good dude in the hotel, one I don’t see often, a copy of an abridged version of Neuromancer, the William Gibson novel, on cassette. He knocked at my door, saying he’d read a blog posting I’d left on the hotel lobby’s library shelves in which I complained about the library not having an audio version of it. So that was so very nice of him.
Trouble is, don’t have a cassette player that works just now. Money coming in less than three days for sure, and maybe even today, if my California renter’s rebate check arrives, so might just have to get to Radio Shack and spend seventy on a nice player. Am missing music. Wanna hear some friggin’ Jackson Browne, for one thing, geez.
And have been getting through Millicent Dillon’s biography of Paul Bowles, You Are Not I. I find him an interesting literary personage. See http://www.paulbowles.org for a lot of material about the dude.
And...a possible source of recyclable cans and bottles is the Club Room at the lodge. But a guy who works there is already taking those, so I won’t be accessing that source. Don’t wanna take money from him. Altho’ Brother P. thinks it would just fine if I did, since he’s at something like loggerheads with the dude at times.
And wanted to again mention the new location of Al’s Comics. I feel a Website link coming on: http://www.alscomicssf.com/. Exploring the site...he’s got, like, Fifties E.C. comics such as Crime SuspenStories #21, from ’54, in, it says, “very good” condition, for forty bucks. Was in there and talked to the man the other day – asked specifically for the first Freak Brothers, the great Gilbert Shelton underground. Didn’t have that, but he pointed me to a rack of other undergrounds – could spend, easy, a couple of hundred bucks.
And...up to the Mint Hill recycling center again about a week ago. Got there a little after noon – a good time, since no one was there waiting to ante up, and just walked right in. Opening hour, there’s usually a line. And the guy who weighs the goods and hands out the checks didn’t believe me when I thought the amount I had was “petty cash” – that is, two bucks or less. Well, he was right – it was two-30. A practiced eye, and one I had no right to question.
DUDE #1027 (4 of 4) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
Then...over to Martin de Porres on Potrero near 16th for their free soup lunch. Passed a bar I’ve been curious about, the Double Play sports one, on Bryant. See http://sfgate.com/eguide/music/barguide/sports.shtml for a little write-up. Well, frankly, don’t like the bar category it’s in, the sports kind. So maybe my interest has evaporated. Me, gimme a good dive and I’m happy, and frig the sports.
And so did the usual at Martin’s. Met a guy I’ve known for a few years, a free meal regular around town. Enjoyed a thick and sweet raisin bread I picked from the many bread selections. Big chunks of turkey in the vegetable barley soup that was served that day. Picked a Keith Laumer science fiction paperback to read while eating, but wasn’t impressed. And decided not to get over to S.F. General to see a friend laid-up there for a few days.
Then back to the hotel. Was wondering, paranoiacally, if something was in the soup at Martin’s that caused sluggishness, ‘cause that was how I was feeling.
Then 4:21pm that afternoon, up from a nap...hadn’t gotten a beer, tho’ I had the cash. The sun had just gone into Virgo, so thought that maybe I’d celebrate by not drinking...
And it was then about time to get over to the Odd Fellows lodge for the bi-weekly meeting. Got a bit dressed up, or as much as I ever get that way.
And out the door on foot...down Hyde. A black hustler-looking guy talking to a young white guy actually used the phrase “Now dig this...” A bit of linguistics of long standing – it was used as the title of a Terry Southern compilation of short writings, some from the Fifties and even, I think, the Forties. (See both http://www.terrysouthern.com/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Southern for the dude and his work.)
And was curious about something that fell from a guy entering a store – thought it might be valuable and wanted to get it back to him if he was unaware of the loss. Turns out it’s a rolled-up cover from a book of matches, a smoking device. Can be used to get the very last iota of smoke from a cigarette or joint. Slang term for it, I believe: a “crutch”.
Now, a “Jefferson airplane” is, if I’ve got my controlled substance intake facts straight, is a paper match split so that a thing to smoke can be secured between the two split halves. Dogpiling...oh, yeah – see http://www.pride.org/slangdrugterms.HTM for a more grace-ful, so to speak, definition.
Monday, August 27, 2007
…Ray Bradbury just turned…eighty-seven, I believe is the number. Look at http://www.raybradbury.com/ for his official site. Heard him speak in person a couple of times in times past.
Last of the man’s I looked up in the library was a short story called “In a Season of Calm Weather”. See http://immersion.raybradbury.ru/english/2/1/ for a little write-up about it. It has also been published as “Picasso Summer”, ‘cause the Spanish painter is featured, tho’ not named. Really a “gem” of a story, to not coin a metaphor.
And currently in new music, interesting is M.I.A.’s new one, Kala. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M.I.A. for the Wikipedia entry. And the Eagles will have a new one later this year, called The Long Road Out of Eden. See http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7080123 for information – ordinarily wouldn’t mention Wal-Mart, but apparently it’s the only source for this one, geez.
And a little before 7am last Wednesday, out of the room to get The Examiner, the free local news daily – one for me, a few extra for the lobby.
And recommended to anyone, Rudolf Steiner and his “biodynamic preparations”. See http://www.rsarchive.org/ for a large collection of material by the dude.
From the library have out a collection of Steiner essays about biodynamic farming. The introduction made me think that there was a connection between Steiner and J.R.R. Tolkien. Just Dogpiled and looks like there definitely was one. See, for example, http://www.crossroad.to/Quotes/spirituality/tolkien-lewis.htm.
And for something completely different, there’s Sasha Grey. She has a new porn flick coming out, a collaboration with musician Dave Navarro, called Broken. Her Wikipedia entry is at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sasha_Grey. Have received a couple of MySpace personal messages from her, with a bit of praise for my blog, so that’s a feather in my cap, to again not coin a phrase.
And…skipping around as usual…liked the Osho (formerly Rajneesh) quote that began a recent Rob Brezsny “Free Will Astrology” column. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajneesh for Osho information, and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Brezsny for Mr. Breznsy.)
And: joke name for a made-up bicycle messenger: Mike Bessenger. (And, relatedly, am continuing to work on fiction. Have made a very preliminary outline for a novel, featuring one guy, nine women. Thought processes go, like: how many Muses were there in Greek mythology, seven or nine? http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/bl/bl_myth_europe_grecoroman_muses.htm says there are nine of ‘em. So that’d fit into a symbolical level of narrative discourse…)
And was riding around…checked out the discarded food at the U.N. Plaza farmers’ market – nothing that day. Was told it’s fed to hogs on the farm – not before I get a chance at it.
And then got a call from Odd Fellow brother P. – could go pick up two cans of paint I’d ordered the previous day and earn a few bucks. On the way, noted a mother crossing Market holding a very little girl. Thing was, this child was already grasping a cell phone. Pretty strong grip – the device was as big as her tiny hand. Not sure that I’d trust such a wee tot to maintain a grip on a cell phone, but I guess mommy knew what she was doing.
And into the lodge building elevator. Also in there, a young woman who had a smile for me – sizable hooters, athletic. Liked her look – and shorter than me, another good point. Probably a dance student, or working with the White Cloud Gyrotonics machines. (See http://themovingbody.com/gyrotonics.htm for a discussion of this movement system, called “yoga with resistance”. A full set of these machines are to be enjoyed at the 26 7th Street building.)
So got a check from Brother P., then to the paint store. (No, on second thought, had paid for them yesterday – not sure why I went up…doesn’t matter, onward…) Got the cans – pretty heavy, but they balanced well on the handlebars. Threw me off a little bit on tight turns, but they weren’t a major problem. And at the store, picked up another little paint sample, this time a red called “Gypsy Love”. Have in the meantime smeared swaths of it onto my left arm – only that arm – and have two-wheeled it to display the color. Then back to the lodge. P. and I went to the Club Room – another lodge brother, Alex, also there. And I bought a couple of Olympias, sat and drank those. And was told I could make more money taking a handcart over to Costco, a few blocks away, and pick up cases of drinks. A football game on the big screen TV, but I turned that down and put on FM music, including some Scorpions.
On the way to Costco, poster for War, the new Jet Li movie, with Jason “The Transporter” Statham. Slogan: “One wants justice, the other wants revenege.” Sure to be an entertaining movie. Have tentative plans to see it with a friend – both of us hardly ever go to new movies in theaters, so something’s gotta be pretty special to make us wanna go there.)
And to save myself some effort, waited on Mission for a free bus ride for two blocks. Then at 9th, waited on another one to get me even closer without having to drag the cart. Talked for a while to a Korean and Vietnam war vet, disabled seriously in an electric wheelchair, very fat. A sign on it indicating the fellow had won a Purple Heart. Got into a little discussion with him about two other Vietnam veterans I know.
And on a passing bus, new Gap campaign featuring, among others, actress Selma Blair. Here’s a little write-up about it, plus the images themselves: http://www.ibabuzz.com/fashion/category/selma-blair/.
And as a matter of fact managed about then to compose a heroic couplet, a sort of tribute to Selma Blair, whom I liked a lot in The Sweetest Thing:
She does deserve much more respect than that,
because she isn’t turning into fat.
And: an idea for a character, a woman…one I like because she knows where the liquor stores are south of Market. Anyway…got a few more lines to fill here…might as well do a little research into Selma Blair, what the heck…trusty Dogpile returns this Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selma_Blair. Pretty good track record: liked her as the Harvard law school nemesis of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde from two-thousand-one. And memorable was her female superior rather vocal orgasm to begin Storytelling the same year. Now that’s entertainment!
DUDE #1025 (1 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
…nice deed done by myself the other day: getting a Star Trek paperback I’d found in the Odd Fellows lending library to a Trekkie (or Trekker, whatever) at the Civic Center Hotel. Hadn’t seen the dude in a while, wasn’t sure he was even still there. Front desk guy had a real problem finding my friend’s room – thought he was, to adopt the vernacular, fucking with me for some reason. Then the Hindu manager comes along and easily locates the numbered slot.
And at Rainbow this same day, picked up for free a copy of Vice magazine, which I hadn’t seen in a while. See their official site if curious: http://www.viceland.com/. Not for everyone – some of the content can get a little extreme. Always a few pages I want to pull out, tho’, with a unique visual style overall.
And had cash and got myself Auribindo ashram incense – orange blossom scent. And a lotion sample for free from the cosmetics counter. Had a dollar-20 left – big bucks. Currently, don’t even have a single penny – last thirteen of those spent not long ago at Rainbow for a single bag of loose yerba mate tea bags. And even then, was short a cent. Had even that much ‘cause I’d found two pennies on the street.
And in a black Macy’s bag I’d found – turned inside out so the logo wouldn’t be visible – had collected a dozen or more free publications available at Rainbow. Myself, already had most of ‘em, but wanted to play distributor. After leaving on my bicycle headed over to the nearby apartment of two friends – hadn’t thought at first to give these to them, but on the moment decided to leave the bag with the mags in front of their door. Interesting white cat with strange blue eyes in front – took that as some sort of good sign. Friendly this feline was, too, and accepted my touch.
And new thing in my room, a ceramic thrown pot created by front desk man Walter. For some reason he had a few of his works in the lobby for anyone to take. I selected a heavy one with an X on it, and am liking its presence in my space, and have put in several small items. Well, he was into the potter’s art pretty intensely for a while, but has given up on it. I think he told me he just didn’t have the talent for it.
And also currently have two books out from the library about Casanova –
DUDE #1025 (2 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
not sure what got me to thinking about him. Don’t really know much about him. Interesting enough to dip into these briefly on occasion. There was a Fellini movie based on the dude’s life, with Donald Sutherland. See http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074291/ for info about that particular flick.
Then a bit later, at “The Fence” at Turk and Hyde – an assortment of stuff someone left, and good stuff as well, including several “Soy Joy” nutrition bars, a pair of jeans (brand: 1969 – company uses that year as its name), plus a white wifebeater, labeled “Rubbish”, from Hong Kong – these I took.
And also around this time from the library took out a collection of Rudolf Steiner lectures on biodynamics – recommended reading. A lot on the Internet about this – see http://www.biodynamics.com/steiner.html for just one relevant site. And se specifically http://mechlinx.com/biodynamic/noro.html for what I found very interesting, the topic of “biodynamic preparations”. Controversial – includes putting herbs into a cow skull and burying that onto land that one wants to make very fertile. I believe it works. Steiner, a visionary genius.
And…got a call 10pm that day from Odd Fellow brother Pat – his white cell count is not what it could be. Currently, he’s out of S.F. General after a stay of a few days, and is, last time I talked with him, staying with friends and family in Berkeley. He missed the recent “cave ceremony” excursion taken by some of the lodge members up to Yreka. As did I – I never go on the outings planned by my lodge. I’m a bit of a homebody, hardly leave the city.
Then back in the hotel room. Opened up what I thought was a fresh bottle of one of those SoBe drinks I’d found on the street, but imagine my surprise when, after taking a bit of a swig, it turns out to be piss! Geez! The screw top seemed untampered with. Well, it’s been a few days since this sorry incident, and it’s behind me. Was really fooled.
And also around this time, had the radio on KQED, and a caller actually mentioned Rainbow Grocery, specifically because of the high cost of hemp milk there. Yeah, tell me about it. Then, naked in bed, alone, considering my situation, at eleven after eleven one p.m. Felt like I needed to lose a few pounds – more than felt, knew it. Missed that day’s food giveaway in the ‘hood. And still had 93 cents, which can be a considerable amount.
DUDE #1024 (1 of 4) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
…toe clips on my bicycle, from Matt, at Road Rage – not sure if they’re really working that well for me – would prefer to have more of the balls, so to speak, of my feet pushing on the pedals, I think. Nearly gave ‘em to me, did Matt – I recommend his shop. See http://www.roadragebicycles.com/ for the site – he’s got some nice sentences there, such as “BOYCOTT SOUTH OF MARKET CHAIN SUPERSTORES!!!!!!” Only mechanics I go to, and I highly recommend this shop for all your two-wheeled human-powered requirements.
And also on my mind, the Caffe Trieste location at Market and Gough. Never particularly liked the original in North Beach – lived near it for three years and went maybe once, and that only ‘cause someone else wanted to go there. Something about the joint I don’t really fancy. Anyway, sometimes pass this new venue on Market…seems, frankly, unauthentic. See http://www.caffetrieste.com/pages/locations.html for their official site…oh, yeah, there’s the Sausalito one as well. And one on Montgomery – or rather, New Montgomery, south of Market. Just not sure about this chain.
And nearby, the Civic Center Hotel. Know a guy who lives there – got hit by a bus and now he’s hobbling along permanently on crutches. The other day, found a Star Trek paperback in the library in the Club Room at the Odd Fellows lodge at 26 7th Street and brought it to him, since he’s very into the Gene Roddenberry science fiction world. (Speaking of the Odd Fellows, go to http://www.ioof.org/ioof_history.htm for information - I’m a member in good standing of the Yerba Buena #15 lodge, located at that 7th Street edifice. Members welcome – contact me through my e-mail if interested – anyone-welcome dinners every second and fourth Thursdays…)
And…was waiting on my bicycle to squeeze by a Muni bus the other day – it was releasing its wheelchair ramp and was taking a long time to get going. Saw a circular silvery item on the ground – didn’t think it’d be actual currency, but it turned out to be a quarter! Hardly ever find money on the ground, not even a penny. So stooped to secure that – the price of a Top Ramen.
Then to the hotel room to fetch cans and bottles to recycle. Had a lot that day, pretty much the maximum I could carry on my bicycle. Volume-wise, that is, ‘cause the weight wasn’t much. Managed to balance the loads on
DUDE #1024 (2 of 4) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
either handle bar and set off toward the facility on Market near Church, close to the Safeway up there.
Going up to the center, usually I go west to Octavia, then south to Market, then up. Newly worked-on roadway on Octavia, beginning at Hayes, including a pleasant little park called Patricia’s Green. There’s a big geodesic plaything for children there, with rope hammocks, plus small benches farther south towards Market. See http://www.sfnpc.org/hayesgreen for info about this place.
Well, that day, was pedaling along with my recyclables, and there I spied a little bottle of amber fluid. I stop for a closer look, and it’s a half full of Hennessy! Not something I’d seek out – just beer for me, thanks – oh, the occasional wine, if my “purse” can handle that - but the price was right on this find.
And at Page and Octavia, stopped to look at the menu for a restaurant called J’s Pots of Soul. Kinduv liked the look of the joint – here’s a site describing it, with customer comments: http://www.yelp.com/biz/txETQghhBvH6dHUN-kNGHA. A highlighted meal is pork chops and two sides for twelve-75. Salmon croquettes are also available. Not for those who are glad to find a quarter on the ground for the next Top Ramen, but some have got the bank.
So got to the recycling center, my stuff sorted. Guy pushing a shopping cart full of cans and bottles said he’d give me two dollars for what I had, and save me the trouble of standing in line. At first didn’t go for this, but then decided favorably. My stuff was probably worth more like three, but it was fast cash. And wouldn’t have to take the check they cut to the bank, either, and wait in that line.
Then back to my room. Got into The Soft Machine, a William Burroughs novel using the “cut-up” method of literary creation. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Soft_Machine for the Wikipedia entry. Also, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_Machine for the English progressive rock band which took its name from the book.
And then got a call from my Odd Fellow brother P., who’d be at the lodge
DUDE #1024 (3 of 4) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
building in twenty minutes – I could go order two cans of paint for a few dollars, and also mail a book for him for a little more. And was also attending to that Hennessy I found on Octavia – had a bottle of Sprite – I think given me my P. – and mixed the cognac down. I never do hard liquors straight – way too harsh on my system.
And got to the lodge building early, but P. arrived shortly thereafter. He was, as usual, calling police about people outside the door drinking. A constant irritation in his job as building manager.
And got into a little discussion with A., a guy who does work on the building. He said he had a bicycle with a two-thousand-dollar frame – that’s for the frame alone. Add the rest, it’s probably more like three grand. Told him I was happy with mine, and wouldn’t buy such an expensive one even had I the cash. And learned that he had three sons of his own, and two adopted daughters. He’s been a bit caustic with me in the past, this A., but that day was pretty nice to me, and I liked that. Used to do serious improvisational comedy, I believe, so that gives his personality an edge.
And got to the work Brother P. had for me: he chipped off a bit of paint from a wall so I’d have a sample to show Benjamin Moore, and he gave me the book, destined for a relative in Arizona – a town called, in fact, Surprise. Joked that any surprise in that part of the country might not be a happy one – such as the sudden appearance of a lynch mob after one’s mangy hide.
So to the post office at Fox Plaza first – exiting when I got there, friend C., who I’d worked with a few years back. Told me he had just mailed a magazine to a sixty-year-old marijuana activist woman he knows who got busted for six-hundred plants, and is now in a minimum-security facility in Dublin. Yeah, a real hard criminal, her. And also, he’s heading to Washington, D.C. for a visit – just got back. Sounds like he’s a bit sick and tired of San Francisco. Great guy, tho’, one deep dude.
And into the line at the post office…P. had also given me a book called How to Get Hung, about the business ins-and-outs of the art world – paintings and drawings and such, that kind of art. Glad to have that interesting reading material, ‘cause dreary nimrods ahead were taking such an idiotic long time getting their worthless items off.
DUDE #1024 (4 of 4) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
And then to the paint store. Picked up a free ball point pen, and a little sample container of “Champion Cobalt” paint, which I’ve since applied to the length and breadth of my left arm more than a couple of times to provide some manner of visual interest as I pedal along.
And got into a little discussion with the paint store fellow who helped me – he saw that the stuff was for the Odd Fellows building, and he said he used to work on the place years ago, and in fact applied gold leaf to stairways there. And he discussed his grandmother, who was a 19-oh-6 quake and fire survivor. And…also picked up a card for a free yoga class at the One Taste orgasm class place. See http://www.onetastesf.com/ for their official site. (Gotta get to their café one of these days – tried once but it was closed.)
Then out the door…the specific color P. wanted wasn’t available, so I didn’t have to lug the cans back then. And looked east and saw that the Road Rage bike shop was right there a block down, and therefore also the One Taste establishment right across the street. And also, the excellent Soma Inn Café – see http://www.somainncafesf.com/index.htm. Been there for a bottle o’ Bud or two or three more than once or twice while I was waiting for Road Rage to open. Like the décor, and the cute young lady servers, naturally.
Then back to the lodge with the receipt for P. – he got me to watching short videos of this guy called “The Amazing Racist” – Jewish dude in L.A. who goes out of his way to offend blacks, Asians, Muslims, anyone. P. likes this more than I do, but I could enjoy the humor for a few minutes. For example, the guy goes into a black-owned dry cleaner with a KKK hooded garment. Or brings a dog to an Asian restaurant and asks that they cook it for him. At least he targets everyone and not any group specifically. “Amazing” is right: amazing that he hasn’t gotten totally beat down yet.
And then, cash in hand, shopping time! Secured a buck-25 24-ounce can of Miller Genuine Draft from the liquor store near the Odd Fellows building entrance, then a buck and change for two batteries at Walgreen’s for my digital voice recorder. Then towards Rainbow Grocery for incense, the kind I like, from the Aurobindo ashram in India. (Final links this time: see http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/105/2280 for something about MGD, and Rainbow’s site is http://www.rainbowgrocery.org/index2.html. And there’s http://www.sriaurobindoashram.org/ for ashram material…)
Sunday, August 26, 2007
DUDE #1023 (1 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
…back to exactly a week ago, fifteen to eleven a Sunday morning, waiting for visiting hours at S.F. General. A friend and Odd Fellow brother laid up – has taken a lot of blood into his system of late. Some sort of condition of that body fluid. Had a pen for the dude that I’d found on the way there – he likes to read so thought that maybe, since he had a lot of time on his hands, he’d pen a few thoughts.
And stayed a while to chat with him – complaints about his roommate, including him playing with his feces for some crazy reason, and worse, leaving his TV on 24 hours, and loud. I inquired about this to his nurse, and it looks like he’ll get a change soon.
And on the way from the hospital, noticed a restaurant called Popul Voh on South Van Ness – ancient Mayan cuisine. Knew what the name meant from my readings of Erich von Daniken: an old text from South America. Von Daniken read into it the presence of ancient astronauts from outer space. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popol_Vuh if you’re the least bit interested in learning about this old New World text.
And that day in my room, cooking up, still, tomatoes and red peppers I’d found at the U.N. Plaza farmers’ market. Don’t have a refrigerator, don’t want one – too noisy – but I can continuously keep warming up stuff in my one lidded pot, so it doesn’t go bad. Yeah, that was a very red diet then a week ago, both the tomatoes and the peppers being very crimson, scarlet, what have you in terms of that color.
And noted into my digital voice recorder about an ejaculation that morning – not the verbal kind, as in: “Geez! Look at how red those peppers and tomatoes are!” So, had myself an additional quantity of the soy powder with vitamins and minerals, to replace the expelled substance, if that does any good. Read somewhere that the loss of a bit of semen equals the loss of a much greater volume of blood. I’ve gotten into Taoist sex manuals, the ones by Mantak Chia, and he generally disrecommends the spurting of that fluid. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantak_Chia for what Wikipedia has on Mr. Chia.
Then later, at the Mint Hill recycling center on Market near Church, with whatever cans and plastic bottles I had then. Enjoyed a large sign there for
DUDE #1023 (2 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
the big bicycling craze in San Francisco in the 1890s. (The area is called Mint Hill because of the presence of an early coin-producing mint on the big hill right behind the recycling center.) See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duboce_Triangle,_San_Francisco,_California for the Wikipedia listing for “Duboce Triangle”, another name for the area the recycling center’s in.
And thought a little about then about a book by a psychologist about sexual desire I have ought from the library. Goes into precise numerical studies comparing volume of ejaculated sperm vis-à-vis frequency of sex, stuff like that. Gets very scientific about how biology affects how people behave sexually. Strange getting that clinical about the subject.
And on my bicycle again a little later – took a turn onto little Washburn street from Mission. Poster there for 3:10 to Yuma – features image of a Clint Eastwood spaghetti western cowboy with two guns. Mostly a guy thing – Peter Fonda in it. I’d like to see that mainly for what Gretchen Mol does in it. Go to http://www.nudography.com/Celebrities/gretchen_mol.aspx for a few stills from movies with the lovely and talented Mol nude.
Then the next day, Monday – over at One-80 Otis to use a free computer. Got there ten minutes early, so went outside to enjoy the sunny morning. Called the woman I used to live with about a guy she knows, a tap dancer, who was mentioned in a newspaper article. Here’s the dude’s Website: http://samweber.org/. So got a blog posting done that morning, then was heading again to the recycling center to get petty cash – that’s what they call any amount that brings in two bucks or less.
And gave my other Odd Fellow brother P., told him I was ready, willing, and able to get over to the Benjamin Moore paint store on 7th where I’d ordered two cans and pick them up. Would get four dollars for that – big bucks. Had done another “run” for him a previous day and took a seven dollar bottle of wine as payment. Thought briefly that that money would’ve been better spent on back-up double A batteries for my voice recorder, Indian ashram incense from Rainbow, and a three dollar copy of a 1966 Playboy I’ve been wanting for a while. (Go to http://playmate.freeweb.hu/html/6602.html for the pin-up of the Playmate from that issue, “Melinda Windsor” – not her real name, I later found out.)
Friday, August 24, 2007
DUDE #1022 (1 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
…a book donation vehicle was in front of the library recently. Called the number on the side, wanting to know the minimum amount of books they would take. Couple of boxes. Have got a few items I value now, but not sure just how well they’d be received – mostly cheap paperbacks.
For example, I have a copy of Mary Sativa’s Acid Temple Ball – traded for it on the street a while back. It’s somewhat valuable, for the Sixties historical context. Dogpiled on it and got to http://www.olympiapress.com/catalog/readertwo.php, a segment of the Website for the Olympia Press. Geez, it’s available for only a dollar. But there’s something about it that’s priceless to me.
Anyway…took out from the library recently a book published in 1899 – that’s rare for me, to get anything that’s even older than, like, the Eighties. There’s a book plate in it that I like a lot – thinking of using it as the cover for something, maybe my planned novel. It’s a phoenix rising from the flames, a symbol of San Francisco, along with a Latin phrase. And also have out a new paperback copy of Neuromancer. On the list of books in front Pattern Recognition is there, so that indicates it’s a pretty recent printing.
And in the non-book world, at the artisan market at U.N. Plaza, saw a couple of items I liked: a ten dollar hand-cranked radio – no batteries needed. Plus a cheap probably Chinese version of one of those mechanical animals. A dog – not remote-controlled, wires connecting the controller to the thing. Five bucks – fun to make it bark and move its head, or move forward.
And there was a big local game happening the next day – these notes from a week ago. Raiders versus the 49ers. Some assholes got real excited about this shit, but I'm one asshole that sure don’t.
And thought of a one-word restaurant review: “Edible.”
And plot idea, which has probably been used: a woman in the future uses mind control technology to enter the dreams of a guy she wants to seduce. Inspired in part by a recent sexual dream I have involving myself and Britney Spears. (Reminds me, there was a softcore porn/science fiction series on cable in the Nineties I remember – got tapes of that when I was in L.A. during that decade. It’s like the Cinemax series Passion Cove, but with DUDE #1022 (2 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
the sci-fi angle. Can’t remember the name.) And: was out to S.F. General two or three times recently to visit a sick friend. Found a box of Captain Crunch with Crunchberries on the way. I avoid that sugary stuff but the price was right. Rode my bicycle south on 7th to where it intersected the beginning of 16th Street, then up 16th towards Potrero, and the hospital. Nice ride through a less-developed part of town.
And got to General, waltzed right in. Visiting hours, I found out later, began at 11am, but I was there an hour before that. They let anyone in there. Reminded me of the Godfather scene where Don Corleone’s in the hospital and no guards are posted to protect him from those who want to assassinate him, so son Michael takes care of that business.
Well, brought a little good cheer to my friend, who’s pretty sick with some condition. Brought reading material too, some science fiction paperbacks I think. I’d been at General a couple of times in recent years, nothing serious – hurt my foot once and got it lanced – in a fleshy part of the foot, thankfully. And I think I picked up some medication for a friend once.
And then, on my two wheels again – passed the Last Gasp warehouse on Florida – see http://www.lastgasp.com/ for the online store. Could spend hundreds and hundreds at this source, and well, too. (Also, just passed the new location of Al’s Comics, on Market towards Church. Used to live near Al’s previous more out-of-the-way location on Guerrero near 16th. Good to see the man’s in a more highly-trafficked site. And he’s expanded his space to about double what it was. Inquired about Freak Brothers undergrounds – he didn’t have the first issue, which is what I’d buy.)
And then, another Saturday night, six days ago as of this typing – got a call from Odd Fellow brother P. – he wanted to know just where the Herbst Theater was, ‘cause he and his wife were going there to see a tap dancing show. I was the first person he called, since he knows I can get fairly encyclopedic about some things. And I didn’t disappoint.
And, yeah, another night alone. Tho’ not necessarily lonely. Did the nerdy thing and tuned in A Prairie Home Companion. The music’s just okay, but I do enjoy Garrison Keillor’s humor – he’s a very literate kinda dude. Liked a funny sketch featuring a reference librarian, even.
DUDE #1021 (1 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
H.P. Lovecraft, a collection of his miscellaneous writings, have that out from the library. Interesting is a section called his “Commonplace Book” – contains little phrases and ideas that he might later develop into something longer. See http://www.thefreedictionary.com/commonplace+book for the definition of that kind of book. A tool for the writerly.
Lately been listening to mostly KQED for the intelligent talk, but sometimes turn on KSAN or KFRC. On that second, recently they played “You Wear It Well”, the Rod Stewart Seventies song, and enjoyed that. A tune liked by a person I’ve known for a while, so that makes it special for me.
Also on KFRC, good thing is the continuing Summer of Love tribute. Someone’s soundbitten as saying the phrase “energy and consciousness” just before “Somebody to Love”. They also occasionally have Tim Leary doing his “Turn on...” phrase.
And was in the lobby about a week ago and there was the mother of one of the guys in the hotel I’m pretty friendly with, waiting for him. Went up to his door to knock.
And got the hotel maintenance guy to fix a broken curtain rod in my room. Broken ‘cause I had a guy in there a while back who took a nap on my bed, then, lurching up upon awakening, reached for something to hold and pulled at the curtain, causing damage. Vietnam vet Marine gunnery sergeant, heavy drinker then, used to inflicting damage, so a curtain rod would present no challenge to his skill at destruction.
And was considering the erotic dream I had involving me and Britney Spears. “Veneration” was a word that came to mind – she’s been given that accolade much. Tho’ her career seems to have stalled. She’s got a very cute little sister as well. The Mountain song “Mississippi Queen” reminds me of Britney.
And spoke with that friend’s mother in the lobby for a while. The dude was taking his sweet time – saw him leaving his room to use the bathroom, but then took, like, twenty more minutes to finally get downstairs. Not a morning person, and needs a lot of time to get ready. Well, for some reason she gave me a dollar, and spent that on a pint of King Cobra.
DUDE #1021 (2 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
And paused this day in question to look at one of the flyers up around the Tenderloin critical of Youth with a Mission, a Christian evangelistic organization that operates in the ‘hood. The flyer said their “shepherding leadership method” involves direct control of members through something called “discipleship training”. And also, it “appears to employ recognized techniques of thought reform and mind control.” Like that’s a bad thing.
And was that morning heading by bicycle to Rainbow to drop off copies of The Loin’s Mouth, the local zine I have a page in. Or more like half a page, since the top half contains a photo chosen, I guess, by editor Rachel Mills.
And thought of a line for some female character: “She reads the Mabinogion for breakfast. Dangerous.” (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabinogion for a discussion of that word.)
And was just a little concerned about a slight outburst by me at the Rainbow cosmetics counter one of the last times I was there. A young woman pointed out that some of the literature I’d picked up there was not, in fact, free. Well, I didn’t know. I believe I got a bit sarcastic with her – she was smiling, but thought that maybe after she might’ve reported me to her supervisor, which in a worst-case scenario would lead to my banishment from the entire store. Well, this didn’t in fact happen as yet, but I felt there was that danger.
And thought to myself that I haven’t heard “Spanish Castle Magic” in a while. Am really in a down time in terms of music. Gave away the cassette player I had and haven’t replaced it. Well, was just listening over and over to old tapes anyway...need to invest in a new CD player and in new music.
And got to Rainbow – liked the music choice on their system: “Rich Girl”, by Hall and Oates...then this and then that...eventually got to the library on foot with twenty more copies of The Loin’s Mouth zine...and had found a pair of nylon pants I really liked, but since they’re too long I had to tape them up from the inside. That only worked temporarily. Gotta get ‘em to a friend who can do that sewing job...then passing the Hastings law school at Hyde and McAllister. Nice tables outside...wonder if I could use them and not be busted by guards? It’d be nice to have that option – not many free exterior tables in the area. Which pose the threat of being commandeered by the homeless.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
DUDE #1020 (1 of 2) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
Signs up around the Tenderloin saying that a local Christian outreach group, Youth with a Mission, is actually some sort of mind-controlling cult. It charges them with brainwashing under the guise of something called “discipleship training”. Have seen their location across from Glide. Well, heck, aren’t all religions cults? See http://www.apologeticsindex.org/y05.html for information about the group and why it isn’t necessarily some evil cult into controlling minds.
And another sight, black woman walking fast along the street, talking really loud into her cellphone. Sample phrase: “I slapped that nigger yesterday!!” I mean, she was talking really loud, sharing her feelings with everyone within several yards.
And passed by the Hartland Hotel at Geary and Larkin. Know at least two guys in there. Know a few folks at different hotels in the area, and sometimes leave messages for them at the front desks, to keep in touch. The Hartland has nicer rooms for the same price compared to where I am – their own bathrooms included. Myself, been living for so many years in hotel rooms without their own facilities, I’m used to it. Had a little studio in the Los Feliz part of L.A. my last few months there, but that was unusual, to live that grandly.
And mentioned last posting about rendezvousing on the street with Rachel Mills, editor of the zine The Loin’s Mouth, to pick up copies of the last issue to distribute at Rainbow and the library, this about a week ago. Took about sixty of ‘em. Several of them still at the library a couple of days ago.
She’s pretty happy with the response from this last one. I’m on her team, as a contributor and a distributor too. She says I can submit stuff for the next one, so I’ve got that on the back burner. I think she puts these out every four months, so I’ve got plenty of time to work on something.
On the way back to the hotel, stopped at the Nitecap bar on Eddy at O’Farrell, to place copies, but there was a stack there already. Shook hands with Lynn, the owner. See http://www.yelp.com/biz/NusX7hDZiK5h43IJaLLpVA for information about the place, and customer comments. And also found this article that mentions the place and the neighborhood:
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http://urbanoutlaw.com/blog/2004/02/02/once-upon-a-time-in-the-tenderloin-san-francisco/. And back in the room, listening to the radio, still currently my only source of electronic news and music. A segment about musician Max Roach, who just passed away – he mentions playing at some after-hours club that was open from 4am to 8am. Guess that must’ve been in New York City, where such venues existed and I suppose still do. Here’s the address for the man’s Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Roach.
Then the next morning, a little before 5am. Been getting up that early lately. Transcribed some notes from my voice recorder. It was the day after Madonna’s birthday. Two pints of Miller Genuine Draft left – I don’t necessarily drink everything that’s there – there’s a method to my imbibing.
And had a stack of books near where I sleeping: the second Sonny Barger novel about life in a fictional motorcycle gang, a collection of H.P. Lovecraft writings apart from his horror stories, William Gibson’s Virtual Light, a collection of Terry Southern short pieces, a biography of Winona Ryder. Yeah, like the pop cultural stuff, and somewhat proud of it.
5:21am, sipping one of the beers, reading a few pages in the Winona biography. KQED radio on after that – news of unpredictable global financial markets. But at least, I think, the California budget stalemate’s been resolved, so I’ll be getting my rental rebate check soon. Tho’ a friend says that’s “iffy” – so those haven’t been included in the new state money plan? Geez…a week until I get my regular money. Just made two dollars and thirty cents recycling today – the big bucks.
Then back to sleep for a while, then up again from an intense and sexual dream about Britney Spears. Didn’t get to actual intercourse, but we were in bed, talking intimately, and I was touching her leg. And then we were kissing, and her mouth was open, and her tongue was flicking back and forth over mine. It was pretty intense.
Well…don’t know what brought that on. Think I read in the paper recently about her finalizing her divorce from that Federline guy. In this vision I was really compatible with ol’ “Brit”. I mentioned to her in the dream her movie Crossroads. Could stand watching it, I think. She’s cute.
DUDE #1019 (1 of 5) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
More from voice notes from a couple of weeks ago:
Guy in the hotel gave me a buck and thirty-five cents in change for some reason. He’s a good guitar player and singer – he was in the lobby one day playing Bread’s “Make It With You”, and I thought he performed it pretty well indeed. But he can be really moody – have seen him with bulging eyes, really upset at something. Crack doing this? He’s doing some drug.
Also, he’s thinking he’ll have mail sent to my box in the lobby, and I told him I want no part of this. Joked that I didn’t want a kilo of heroin sent to me. He seems like the sort of person that may have serious drugs sent through the mail.
And thinking of a male and female character. He would be the navigator, and she the captain. Much like myself – I wouldn’t wanna be in charge, but I think I can navigate, look at maps, make travel suggestions.
And Terry Southern on my mind lately – got three of his books out from the library, including the novels Candy, and Flash and Filigree – from 1958 - plus a collection of short pieces called Now Dig This.
And drinking mostly Miller Genuine Draft these days, when I can get it. After this, gonna head back to the hotel and get two bags of aluminum cans and plastic bottles, take ‘em to the recycling center. Should get about a buck and a half, enough for a 24-ounce can of MGD at a certain store at 7th and Market, near the Odd Fellows lodge building. That’s a great price – usually, it’s a buck for 12 ounces, but this place has that special deal.
And also out from the library, a collection of miscellaneous writings by H.P. Lovecraft, published in ’95 by Arkham House. Was looking for something else on the shelves and happened upon it. Interesting to see all the stuff the man put out besides the famous short stories.
Reading on the back cover of Flash and Filigree – one character is a drunken private detective, in suburban L.A. Kind of identified with that. Have also got out The Big Sleep and Farewell, My Lovely in one volume – two L.A. detective novels.
DUDE #1019 (2 of 5) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
And thought of a line of iambic pentameter: “...the family pleasures carried on by her...” Referring to the lady captain mentioned above? Have got characters and dialogue and plot more on my mind lately, since I’ve begun in earnest, Hemingway, to consider a novel. Or maybe a series of erotic short stories that, taken as a whole, can form a novel.
And it was bingo day in the lobby this day I’m describing – but there wasn’t a chair for me, so I didn’t play. Maybe the woman running the game noticed I was drunk, so didn’t want me there. But got a can of beer to one of the players, a lady in the hotel who’d bought me two Heinekens a while back, so I was returning that favor.
And Deep Purple was gonna be playing at the Warfield. Don’t know their music that well – except for the smoke on the water one. Sign on the marquee says “Doors 7”. Always makes me think that the Doors, the band, would be playing at seven.
And then was at Rainbow Grocery for something. Attracted by bottles of goji juice. Really should be drinking that and do less beer.
And then it was the next day, my next voice note was about looking out from a hotel toilet east, and seeing the Hilton tower totally covered by fog, and it’s just three blocks away. For a while recently it was really foggy in the morning, but by noon the sun was out.
And was riding my bicycle on Market, and there was a bag of bread I wanted to look at. But a guy was ahead of me, him and the shopping cart he was pushing. He did the courteous thing and just took a piece and left the rest, didn’t take it all. I took myself one also, tho’ I’m not much of a bread eater. And thought “Bag of Bread” – sounds like “Box of Rain”.
And up through the Hayes Valley area on my two wheels. Sign for the zone, with the “yes” part of “Hayes” highlighted. Should cruise around there more than I do, get out of the seedy Tenderloin and experience that higher rent part of town west of Van Ness.
And looking at a sign for coming attractions at the, I guess, Herbst Theater. Steve Martin coming to town in January. And Debbie Reynolds has a show DUDE #1019 (3 of 5) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
soon. The notice said that she’d provide “a rousing evening of laughter, song and dance.” Sounds like my everyday life, yeah.
Then back to my room – David Lynch interviewed on the radio. Funny voice, sort of like an old lady’s. Not into his stuff much – my friend was really into Twin Peaks back when it was so hot in the early Nineties, but never got into that. His Dune is pretty good, tho’. His vision’s too weird for me.
And recently was two or three times at the McDonald’s bookstore on Turk near Market – a guy in the hotel goes there to play his guitar sometimes, so I tagged along. He had store credit so I got myself two buck-50 paperbacks: True Britt, the autobiography of Britt Ekland – was wanting this at the library a while back but the copy I know they used to have was missing – and the screenplay of Judge Roy Bean – that for a guy I know who has mentioned that character, that Paul Newman movie, more than once. So that’ll be a nice gift. (Also about him: he has knee surgery coming up next month, so his doctors won’t allow him to smoke – and he’s been into cigarettes for, like five decades and more. Must be pretty tough on him – he’s been a very hard drinker, but seems like he likes to smoke even more.)
Anyway, I recommend McDonald’s as a true Tenderloin-quality bookstore. See http://www.yelp.com/biz/nh86XHTYrWMbWuQL0-q00g for a map and customer comments. Gotta get there when I have money. There’s a 1966 Playboy for three bucks I want, mainly for the Playmate, one Melinda Windsor. Really amazing just how tame the pictures were back then. She’s naked in the centerfold, and not really showing much even then, and I think that’s the only nude image of her – she’s a student at UCLA and there are only black and white photos of her fully clothed, walking around. But I find these pretty arousing – you can generate a nice college girl fantasy around that.
Just Dogpiled on her – see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melinda_Windsor for the Wikipedia entry. Well, it describes a bit of a controversy surrounding this magazine appearance – turns out no “Melinda Windsor” was enrolled as a student there at UCLA during the time she was supposed to have attended. Says she used a pseudonym to protect her true identity. And that she is one of the best-known Playmates of the Sixties. Yeah, can see why, with those DUDE #1019 (4 of 5) starplane.blogspot.com sweetdango@hotmail.com
formidable, very, 38s in her chestal vicinity.
Also, more about David Lynch. He said in the radio interview he’s not a film buff, which is funny, considering how many movies he’s made.
And after the interview, there was a little segment about movies about high school. There have been many of those, including Fast Times at Ridgemont High, To Sir with Love, Stand and Deliver. Among my favorite flicks of all time.
And was out to get beer on credit at the local corner market which does that for me. Ran into a one-legged lady prostitute who I’ve seen hobbling around on crutches but never talked to. Well, she wants to know if I want a “date”. Never been with a whore, and didn’t intend to then, even had I the forty dollars she wanted, and even if I could get over the lack of two proper stems. She seemed nice enough, tho’ – guess she’d have to be extra-friendly to make up for the physical defect. She said I was cute so wouldn’t charge me as much as some others. But wouldn’t give me credit.
And that reminded me of a sex joke the same guy I mentioned above, who’s having knee surgery, told me more than once: “You know what 69 is, don’t you? You do me, and I owe you one.”
And one of the over thirty items I have out from the library is Sonny Barger’s second novel, called 6 Chambers, 1 Bullet. Co-written with a couple of brothers – cannot see the man as so literary as to be able to create a novel all by himself. See http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780060745318/6_Chambers_1_Bullet/index.aspx for information about this. Contains scenes like the main character, “Patch” Kinkade, wrestling into submission one of his motorcycle club mates who’s gone nuts on too much speed, waving a gun around. Very like the similar scene in one of Jane Austen’s.
And it was a little after noon on a Thursday, I guess a week ago exactly as of this typing. Had a choice: get on my bicycle and ride across town to the free soup at Martin de Porres – see http://www.martindeporres.org/ - or hoof it and skip that food. Decisions, decisions.
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...and noted that I was starting my second credit pint of MGD – and had one
in my backpack as a back-up. And changed to sandals – the shoes I currently wear, which I found, are a little tight sometimes, tho’ somewhat stylish. Don’t know if I ever went to Martin’s that day – guess it doesn’t matter.
And got into a Peter Fonda interview on Fresh Air – he’s in the new Western, 3:10 to Yuma – starring two guys and, more importantly, Gretchen Mol. See http://movies.about.com/library/weekly/bl310toyumapicsf.htm for a photo of her from that flick. And also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3:10_to_Yuma_(2007_film) for the Wikipedia entry about the movie.
And got a call from Rachel Mills of The Loin’s Mouth zine – she said to meet her at Geary and Larkin to pick up a few copies of the publication so I can distribute them – I’d offered to do that, take some to the library and Rainbow, at least.
So I missed most of that Peter Fonda interview. Left at a part with a soundclip from The Hired Hand, one of the dude’s flicks after Easy Rider. Some woman is defending herself after a guy’s comment about her having sex with her hired hands. The verb “hankering” is used, as in her hankering after these hired hands. Some sort of period Western, I guess.
And got myself up to the intersection in question, chatted with Rachel briefly, got handed about sixty copies of the zine. She gave me some positive feedback about the short piece of mine she printed in the issue. Glad to have made the connection with her and her enterprise – her fourth issue in a year, so that shows tenacity.
And we discussed another local zine, Gene Mahoney’s Herald. She said it used to be pretty good. Yeah, seems like it’s a little tired, last issue I saw. He used to live in the Tenderloin, and the publication reflected that. Seems like it’s lost its initial creative impulse. Whereas Rachel’s Loin’s Mouth has a lot of humor and new energy, I’d say. Gotta buy her a drink one of these days and return that favor – at the launch party for the current issue she was kind enough to spring for a pint for me, there at the Whiskey Thieves on Geary at Larkin – see http://www.yelp.com/biz/9PbfTTPNw4vTk4x_vkfO0g for a map and customer comments. So there you go again...
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