Look, I just want to know if Tampa tied up the series.

A lunch discourse with my very straight boss.

GreyGoose: Ugh. I'm just trying to look at sports. And there are these two women flirting with me.
Everyone: What?
GreyGoose: I'm on Fox sports.com, and there's this ad! Of this girl in a tank top. She's winking at me, it's distracting! I just want to read sports.
Sugar: Are you sure you're not on foxy sports?
GG: No! Ugh...now she's in her bra and panties! Subversive advertising and there are chicks trying to flirt with me!
Pen: ...Those bastards.
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First ladies get tagged on a lot of things: health care, libraries, international relations. But also a lot of things that don't make a whole lot of sense: chocolate chip cookies, hostessing and their wardrobe choices.
To me, the clear front runner this year has been Michelle Obama. She epitomizes well cut, classic and exemplary American style. She's not trying to be French or European, nor has she resorted to stuffy, ill-fitting pant suits. Girlfriend can wear the hell out of a floral pattern just as well as online favorites from J. Crew. And the Democratic nomination purple dress? Iconic.
And now there's a website where you can view Michelle's wardrobe selections on a daily basis. I kid you not. (What? Like Carla Bruni doesn't have one?) Mrs. O dot org.

ahah! The Review for Rocky from the San Francisco Tribune

ORIGINAL SPANISH TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH via the Google Translator. Fabulous program really....

Grisly show that will make you die of laughter and enjoy the great music of Rock. A classic and cultists, a play super crazy and fun, finally there's a lot we could use adjectives to describe what indescribable, but words are not enough ... you have to see it in shade for you to be the main witness to this crime against the seriousness and the good manners count. The Rocky Horror Show will be presented for the first time in the real drama of the royal court in London; the year: 1973. This book was written by Richard O'Brien, together with Jim Sharma Australian director. In a short time I place the number eight in the BBC radio and the first scene of the musical key. This show has won countless awards and musical theater, and also because it has not received much criticism for his subject as controversial and that no call: crazy. The only downside is that without this madness, without this incredible creativity of someone who possibly take LSD before writing it, had not been the success it is today. As well as music groups of the caliber of the Grateful Dead, which has many followers, this musical also has many supporters and usually presents at midnight. It left the 1973 movie Rocky Horror Show, and was a success. Mostly this movie shown in theaters around the world and obviously they do at midnight, while the effect of horror is more stimulating. The people in the audience are essential and crucial part of this musical so much fun. These viewers are dressed in the costumes more incredible, the costumes imitating sensual and unimaginable of artists. Girls and boys are Negligees, men dressed as women and vice versa, or dressed as Dracula, or beings beyond the grave ... there is no limit to the imagination. These same viewers interact with the players and fun to shout at them all, jokes, insults, lines learned from the libretto, but all with respect and class, but if a lot of atmosphere in celebration, celebration and excitement. The direction of this fun musical is very well done, tant0 the theater director: Cate Caplina, as the musical director Shane R. Ray has developed a Herculean task to bring this difficult production to the stage and do so with an incredible taste. They have succeeded in bringing the audience to a "scary" that kills laughter. This music has its own rock band that gives life to the festive atmosphere in case, we will see James Deprato on guitar, living his own music; Michael Shion on bass; Hermann Lara in the Christian Schnorr saxophone and drums. The group of players is great, masterfully developed jointly and individually, we need to give much credit Al Franken-N-Furtado (Jef Valentine) that puts the gold in this funny musical, Jef is the transvestite vampire who seduces half world and commits the most incredible monkey. Do not miss seeing this fun book, will weary laugh. It is presented until November 15, in the theater district victory of the Mission, 2961 16th St. San Francisco. Reports http://www.rockysf. com/

ahah! Classic. And trust me, with our snarky cast, there have been plenty of jokes made in the last four hours alone. Mostly about who is the monkey. But also that our artistic director is now apparently our musical director. hee hee.

the crucible

"As wonderful as moments of being-to-being union can be, the alchemical play of joining heaven and earth in a relationship involves a more subtle and beautiful dance: not losing our twoness in the oneness, while also not losing our oneness in the twoness. Personal intimacy evolves out of the dancing-ground of dualities: personal and trans-personal, known and unknown, death and birth, openness and karmic limitation, clarity and chaos, hellish clashes and heavenly bliss. The clash and interplay of these polarities, with all their shocks and surprises, provides a ferment that allows for deep transformation, through forcing us to keep waking up, dropping preconceptions, expanding our sense of who we are, and learning to work with all the different elements of our humanity."

-John Welwood, Intimate Relationship as a Spiritual Crucible.

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I think my greatest wish in this lifetime for others is that they would have the possibility of having a friend like Jerrsika who will send things like this to them.

(photo credit: Vaillencourt Fountain - Justin Herman Plaza, SF. Christopher Chan on Flickr)

Material concerns

Status: still partially unemployed. Blah. Kissed a lot of ass over the last couple days. Told Jerrsika, "I can't believe that I am totally thinking of selling my eggs while my boss is comissioning some dude to make two wooden address numbers for his house for $1000." Sent out three resumes. Will have to do lots more this week. I still have to remember that I'm one of the lucky ones. I could have lost my job completely. I could have lost benefits. And I will now be competing for part time work with people who don't have jobs at all and have children to feed or mortgages to pay. Unlike the majority of Americans, I have 0 debt. Really, none at all. My parents are frugal saints and both my brother and I are well taken care of, with cash left over I might add. Though with the state of the market, it might be at $5.00 right now.

The other day, I got to thinking. I used to survive in college on $100 a month. It went up to $200 in junior year. Then in Senior year, I got a job and survived on my one day a week, law clerk job for the entire month. Roughly $320. This bought architecture supplies, food and tiny extras like a movie or a sweater. And I still felt well taken care of. To the point where I was offended if my office asked me to come in on a Saturday. Basically, I didn't go clothes shopping. I didn't purchase magazines, books and relied upon my parent's Costco trips for shampoo, toothpaste and the occasional anti-perspirant. My biggest purchase was a set of contacts. Then full time started and I became an honest to god CONSUMER. Full on. Full-priced items, double lattes, travel. And I invested in myself, put myself through a vocal/acting training program which has benefitted my artistic side as well as provided a type of mental health sanctuary. The only thing I didn't get was a designer purse or a car. Every time I would come home with a bag, my dad would stare witheringly and ask me if I had put any money away recently. And a lot of you will remember the book incident. But you know what? My dad takes two vacations a year, eats delicious, healthy food and can always pay for car repair, insurance and a nice CD/savings bond for my cousin's new baby.

So I'll be cutting back. Something that people around me have been doing for ages. I may have to get another job and stop buying unnecessary items. Ditto. Have go to on more creative dates. Yup. I'll have a real budget. Amen.

The crappiest thing is that I've had to pass on all my voice lessons til January of next year. Put a knife in my heart and I'm done. But at the same time, it's enough to find out what I'm made of. Let's see if 6+ years of lessons can keep this girl maintained.

Gates, who writes Hellafied, posted an excellent entry inspired by her friend DMB Meg. Quite honestly, modern economics was founded on the idea of checks and balances. When one element in a system goes out of whack, another steps in to balance it out. It works in anatomy, it works in nature, and the bigger one element is out of whack - the bigger reaction there is to put it back into balance. For too long, people in our country have been behaving as though they have a money tree in their back yard. Tax cuts for SUVs? Mega mansions that reek of faux finishes and insecurity. TV shows that promote high end and self-destructive lifestyles ie. the Hills or My Super Sweet Sixteen or the Real Housewives? Are we all so sick that we believe that material things make us better human beings? Instead of working on who we are? Or being with one another. I spent this Sunday in the park with my castmates. I brought a $.99 bag of Fritos and some on sale salsa. And had an awesome day in the sunshine, drinking donated champagne and munching on Bi-Rite cookies. Seriously, it was nothing.

You are who you are, not for your car, clothes, shoes or apartment. It's time for my parents to be right. Dear god, I just wrote that.

Hurdling towards fate.

Welcome to the 200th post of Pentemporary!

Milestones can be like hurdles, things that you have to leap over with a huge amount of momentum...as you're sailing over, the sheer extents of your body as it defies gravitational force can be a thing of delight. But what happens if; you're running on quicksand or you trip on your shoelace or the wind factor slows you down or something gets in your contact or you just lose focus? Then the hurdle can hinder, nay stop your acceleration altogether.

But it's all in how you see it right?

This economic climate has not been good for anyone. The stock market indexes look more like a game of Pong (or me drafting after a cup of espresso) than a plumb line. People everywhere are getting desperate. Cars are getting stolen or broken into, 401(k)s have dwindled to mere shadows of their former selves and businesses are closing or losing a significant amount of cash.

My recent milestone? Getting cut to three days a week at my office from full time.
yee-ouch.

And yet, still there are people getting married. Getting pregnant and having children, delighting in theater and having fun in spite of it all.

So there were cuts to be made. Granted, I was one of the least at risk people, and I've been told that it's only temporary til the beginning of next year. I won't lose my healthcare or retirement (or what's left of it) But like this blog, temporary can often mean transitionally what will end up being. Personally, I'll be doing alright and looking for part time work from now on. And, inspired by Jerrsika and our friend Curlie - will be looking at the extra time off as an advantage and opportunity. Maybe I'll have more time to act or sing or hang out with J. Maybe I'll find another high paying job. Maybe I'll just clean the house more often. Who knows.

Come on hurdle. I've got mud in my eye, haven't shaved in a week and I'm wearing flip flops. But I'll take you on, it's all that I've got so I'm not going to sit on the track and cry. I'm gonna race you and try.

ps. another fall out of my car being stolen last week? They have purloined my favorite striped, fingerless Marc Jacob's gloves that were in the bag. Assholes.

Yo yo yo.

So Gala recently posted an interesting query to her readers: what would you be like if you were the opposite sex?
That's such an awesome question, I'm often railing against the stereotypes that come with my sex, I wonder if I would be as offended or bitterly righteous if I were a man. (Note: I don't hate being a girl, a lot of the time I love it-esp. when I get to dress up, but you know there are glass ceilings, periods, thong underwear etc.) And can I be honest? I'd be fat. I love eating way too much-were it not for my current girly desires to fit into cute clothes and a penchant for dance classes, I'd be eating like a delinquent at Jenny Craig. The good thing is that I think I'd still be funny. And I think I'd always be attracted to superficial out-of-my-league pretty girls.

I'd be REALLY good at something like Quake or WoW. I'd spend a lot of time at bookstores, the park and my favorite coffee shop. And probably watching tv with my boys. I would totally go thru some sort of random life-epiphany at age 20 after reading 'The Fountainhead' or Nietzche and lose a bunch of weight, start listening to emo rock and become a hipster fucktard. After having my heart broken by a Kristen Kreuk look alike, I'd frequent Amnesia a lot for gypsy jazz and maybe go to Taiwan or Hong Kong for a year. Then I'd settle into a nice casual pattern of well made, interestingly detailed items that were good for everyday. A more upscale version of Sears? I think my heroes would be: Obama, Howard Roark and Peter Zumthor (who is my hero anyway)


A40 as a Guy by Alexis40

Another Big Gay Weekend.

You know, back in middle school when you had to run the mile, and right around lap 5 or 6 - you started to lose track of where you were and settled into that meditative pacing or just running? But then once you realized you were on lap 8 - and you could see the end of the finish line where you could finally bend over your knees, wheezing in agony, white particles crusting up at the corners of your mouth and grab a drink of warm water from the barely used ancient water fountain at the corner of the gym - it started to hit you about how far away the end of the lap was?

I finished my 8th lap this weekend. Which is a nice way of saying, I went to my 5th and final wedding of the year after we opened Rocky Horror on Friday.

Bratz and her lady finally decided to make it official; but since they currently live in Florida, they wanted to come back to SF to have the ceremony and at least be legally married by California standards. So they were married on Friday in a wonderful civil ceremony performed by a friend of ours who actually works for Gavin Newsom (man meat) at City Hall, and then invited about 50-60 people to a luncheon at the Women's Building in the Mission.

The Audre Lorde room was a wonderful, marigold painted room with white wainscot and molding that was a beautiful fall foil to the decor. Food was fantastic, Bratz's family friend is a chef at the Hilton and he offered to cater the event. So we had:

Cocktail hour: Melon balls in wine, chicken wings, homemade farm pate with blue cheese on country toast, charcuterie plate, crudite plate, dolmas, smoked salmon on rye, roasted peppers on crostini, shrimp cocktail, tapenade stuffed cherry tomatoes and the most amazing fried cheese and potato ravioli (that were closer to pierogi)

Main course: Roast beef with boiled yukon gold potatoes, green beans, spring mix salad and au jus.

The caterer even carved a huge ice sculpture himself with a chainsaw! Best of all, the couple looked amazing. Bratz has been through a couple of relationships with other girls, but her LadyKay is the first one that we've all collectively liked and thought was a good match for our endearing friend.

Congrats Ladies on, what I bless to be a fruitful and long marriage.