Democranet?

Youtube is seriously fucking awesome.

Read this.

I really really can't wait to see it's impact on the presidential race.

Weeeeee democracy!

3 Reasons why I am an environmental activist

Point Reyes/Tomales Bay daytrip


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If need be give up all else...

To a Pupil

by Walt Whitman
(1819-1892)

---

Is reform needed? is it through you?
The greater the reform needed, the greater the Personality you need
to accomplish it.
You! do you not see how it would serve to have eyes, blood,
complexion, clean and sweet?
Do you not see how it would serve to have such a body and soul that
when you enter the crowd an atmosphere of desire and command
enters with you, and every one is impress'd with your Personality?
O the magnet! the flesh over and over!
Go, dear friend, if need be give up all else, and commence to-day to
inure yourself to pluck, reality, self-esteem, definiteness,
elevatedness,
Rest not till you rivet and publish yourself of your own Personality.

Sooooo Gay for the Bay.

12, 13, 14, 15... oh, there's 16. Ten minutes into watching the Bay to Breakers 'race' cruise by off Laguna Street, I had already counted 16 naked people. So I stopped counting. I can't really think of any other city where an event like this could possibly take place. The serious runners finished the 12k run in under an hour. The rest of us made it an all day party. Besides the 'dick in a box' contingents (there were 3 that I saw), my favorite events of the day are as follows:

-Some house on Fell street playing "A pirate's life for me!" on their stereo set to full-blast. Not only because it made me feel like I was in Disneyworld, but because shortly thereafter, one member of my team, who was clearly motivated by the "ARRRGGHs," agreed to do her first (street) beer bong. She chugged with flying colors. Providers of the beer bong still unknown.

-The tortoise and the hare. So fucking adorable I couldn't stand it. Throughout the race, they would separate - the hare would jog up several yards, leaving the tortoise to run screaming to catch up. "Waaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!" So cute, I could puke.

-After the race. Walking through these magical woods in Golden Gate park dimpled in sunspecks with 2 mustaches, 2 cows and 3 brazilians.


Seriously, only in San Francisco.

Serious Cuteness

Gina and Snippet = cuteness monsters

My buddy and me.

On top of the world, today.

Scootin' Shoes

If you know much about me, you probably know that I collect sneakers. And you may also know that I absolutely hate giving up on said sneakers. Even when the laces are broken and the heel is duct-taped leaving my left sock perpetually squishy when it rains, I insist I still have another good month with my sneaks.


But now I'm a scooterist. Now I can't mess around. Riding wear is serious business, so unfortunately I just HAD to buy these sweet new 80s-looking sauconys.



and they say addiction is never pretty.

He did the reading.

He was breathing heavily out of his nose. Partly because of allergies, and partly, I'm sure, due to excitement - like a small pug puppy. The first thing he said to me was "I did the reading!" "Very cool." I replied. I didn't mean it.

It was the first day of my third semester as a graduate student, and I was not impressed. While I didn't do the reading -in fact, I hadn't yet even thought about buying the $84 book and therefore was technically unprepared for the first class - "Tommy" was not impressing me with his chair-nervously-scooting-up-hands-folded-but-still-fidgety demeanor. I'm not exactly sure what's wrong with Tommy, but I do know that he's Canadian. Not that that explains everything, but it helps.

I first met him when we did a presentation together last semester. The thing about Tommy is that he is very, very sweet. And by that I mean he likes to get me things. It's still unclear how, but he is somehow able to procure - at a moment's notice - a seemingly endless stream of carted TVs and DVD players for the classroom, as well as control things like lighting and temperature. "Is it hot in here or is it just me?" He literally asked me as we sat waiting for the professor to arrive. "I'm temperate." I responded. "Because I can lower the temperature in here" he said with big sweeping hand motions. "I'm okay." I responded again. "Thanks though." He can also acquire cups of coffee (or tea), paper, pens, flipcharts, books and printouts of any syllabus or class description I make the slightest mention of.

I imagine a small dark room tucked under the leaky part of the emergency staircase as Tommy's home. Inside, a tangle of wires leads to half a dozen computer monitors, all set up to watch for permutations in lighting, acoustics and temperature. Tommy sits fidgeting in a black plether armchair, petting his 4 gerbils, reading, highlighting and tabbing his book for next week's class so that once again he can squirrel his seat up next to mine, and, breathing heavily, exclaim in a sing-songy voice"I did the reaaaadddding!"

It's going to be a long semester.