Makes me wanna dirty the carpet....

Over the weekend, Sonoma County

I spent the last two days amid incredible natural beauty of Sonoma County with my friend Scott. Saturday morning we drove across the Golden Gate and up the 101 to Guerneville, a very friendly resort town on the Russian River.

The first image is from a hike through Armstrong State Park. Before trekking off into the woods, Scott and I had a couple sandwiches from the Safeway deli back in Guerneville. We also opened a bag of Tuscan Three Cheese Kettle chips, the latest of my new favorite flavors, as I've been making my way through the entire line of ridiculously yummy gourmet potato chips. It's up there with the Spicy Thai and Honey Dijon. I would've taken more pics in the woods, but my camera was not dealing well with the low-light under the thick Redwood canopy. Also, it was a rather relaxing walk that became more about contemplating and experiencing the natural beauty around us, rather than trying to capture images of it; most of the time Scott and I didn't really talk, but every now and then would make a comment about this or that tree or view we saw or sound we heard. The space of the forest had a very solemn effect, and encouraged the sort of introspective, whispered conversation appropriate to a cathedral.

The next day we drove back from Guerneville along the coast, pulling off at one of many amazing vistas of the Pacific Ocean; I can't quite remember the name, but I feel like it was something about a schoolhouse. Anyway, I snapped a few more photos before my camera went dead, including that last one of Scott wearing a fleece and looking out to sea which to me is very Nautica.

This is where i work...

My desk is in the very front of this photo, on the right. I like my spot; it's closest to the street, and thus to all the homeless people screaming.

Crazy talk

The denizens of the Mission District are an eclectic bunch. It's a very "urban, gritty , colorful" kind of neighborhood, ie it's mostly poor, black and hispanic people. Also, because this is SF, Asians, too. Basically, not a lot of white people, which is fine by me, being from the Chocolate City myself. Anyway, it's an endless carnival of humanity, making for an entertaining walk each morning to work. (Yes, I am now gainfully employed if you didn't know. I am sorry if I have been out of touch with some of y'all, but hey I been busy.)

So this morning I hear a deranged homeless woman talking to herself: "He makes me look like a lunatic in front of the whole world!"


It was very unclear who "he" was, but I just love random hyperbole, and really appreciated her use of the word lunatic.