One Minute

One minute is a long time. In order to improve endurance and speed, our training has moved into the next phase. The past phase was entitled "Get your ass out and run well enough so you don't feel as death is around the next corner". That phase has been successfully achieved. Running three miles no longer makes me feel as though my lungs are going to come flying up and out of my chest while spewing blood out of my mouth. Mind you, I am still not overjoyed at the thought of running however there is a noticeable difference if it isn't attended to every few days. Miss B is in the process of training for the Nike Women's half marathon in October. I am attempting to perform the same training to see if perhaps I can accomplish it alongside. She is officially signed up for the race. I'm just thinking about it and pretending as though I will have to race. We shall see. This phase involves interval training which is running a shorter distance (2 or three miles) and then performing 6 sprints, one minute each. For the love of god, it's hard! Last night while doing these on a flat portion of Church Street in Noe Valley, I felt as though I looked like Phoebe from the Friends episode where Rachel refused to run with her anymore because of how goofy she looked. Seeing as flat portions of streets is a rarity in San Francisco, the same area was trafficked a few times. After the sprints then it is time for the rest of the run which ended up being about 1.5 miles. This training thing isn't easy. No one said it was going to be. Tomorrow is a 4 mile run and upon completion, a series of 6 gradual pick ups. The long run this week will be 5 miles. I don't think I have ever run 5 miles in my entire life. Should be fine. Will update on that as it happens. At least running doesn't hurt anymore...and one minute IS a long time under certain circumstances.

Six Feet Under season three has been out on DVD for a while. I have been avoiding starting the series as once the first show is viewed, it means I am hooked for a while and rather than read at night, it's all about what's happening to Claire, David, Nate, or Ruth. Oi. This is why I really don't watch TV anymore. It's such a time suck. There are times when it is completely appropriate and therapeutic. Zoning out and having nothing to think about from time to time is exactly what the doctor ordered. But not on a daily basis. There is just so much else to do that is time well spent. To each their own...

Miss B and I got to have a lunch date today. She drove me to work this morning, after she made a bagel and got in a stop at the coffee shop. We had to drop her truck off to see what's up with the exhaust system. It's not sounding so good. She then made her way to Palo Alto to hit Title 9 sports to exchange some stuff. On her way back she swung by the Jelly Doughnut Factory and we went out for Thai food. I can get used to this her not working thing. Summer vacation started a few weeks ago and since then I haven't had to cook or clean a whole lot. She does the grocery shopping. Even laundry a few times. Having a wife rocks!

Le Tigre and Beck

Le Tigre has been one of my favorite bands for a while now. Not really because of their pro-feminist lyrics or women with a "y" (spelled womyn) attitude however their fun stage presence and cool beats, yes, that is what ropes me in every time. Went to a show at the Fillmore earlier this fall and it was a great set. Lots of lesbians around, dancing, singing along with the band, and great videos to coincide with the music. Mind you they were headlining so it was inevitable that the folks whom came to the show were there to see Le Tigre and were bound to be into it. Last night at the Bill Graham Auditorium, it was a very different feel. When Le Tigre bounded on stage there were a few claps and some hootin' and hollering from the 15 lesbians in the crowd but that was it. It was a serious too kool for school crowd which San Francisco is famous for, and by god, it's lame. Miss B and I danced and carried on while the white bread crowd stared as if to say "What's their problem?". During the song FYR (Fifty Years of Ridicule, which isn't my favorite song but still a signature track from Le Tigre's repertoire) several men were rolling their eyes, clearly uncomfortable, appearing as though they were thinking "OK, enough with this feminist bullshit, bring on Beck.". Props to Le Tigre for rockin' it and putting on a great show while the stick up their ass crowd of San Francisco stood with their hands in their pockets staring at the ceiling.

The auditorium was much larger than I had anticipated. Thinking it was more of a auditorium than a coliseum, I was soon corrected after taking a look around. The stage was raised up which helped a bit for folks like myself whom are vertically challenged. No doubt about it, I always end up behind the tallest person at the show, which isn't very difficult to do coming in at 5'5". There was no ventilation either which was hard to take between sets. Miss B was on the verge of passing out and we had also done a hard run with sprints earlier that day so it just wasn't a good mix. Not sure I would go to a show here again.

Beck was wonderful. The crowd finally got into it a bit and everyone appeared to be having a good time, with the exception of the woman standing next to Miss B with her hands jammed in her pockets with a huge frown on her face. How can one frown when Beck is on stage? He's this tiny bundle of energy playing every kind of instrument in the book, singing, dancing, and having a great time up there. It was contagious. Everyone in his band was having a blast as well! I was most impressed with his use of the harmonium, which I have only seen used well at yoga class. He rocked it! During the more sleepy sad songs, the other band members would either back Beck up non-instrumentally or sit and play cards while he sang/played. It's hard to pick a best of set because it was all so good. Am glad I finally got to see Beck!

Free at Last! Free at Last!

Life has changed at 327 Highland Avenue....Miss B and I got a washer and dryer! Oh my living lord I cannot even begin to tell you how happy this makes the both of us. No more Friday nights after work spent dragging our laundry across town to spend the evening watching the weirdos of society do what they do to their clothing. Of all household chores, taking laundry to the laudrymat is the least favorite. The last abode in which there was an in house laundry facility was when I lived with the boys on Lundy's Lane. Oh how I have missed it! Miss B and I found these two gems for cheap at a used appliance store called Rancho Grande in the Mission. At one point I was convinced that a new stackable was needed. After some shopping around and a rude salesman or two, Miss B was right, the used machina was the way to go. And for the right price! The set was delivered last night and Miss B has been doing laundry non-stop! It's exciting. I will take my turn tonight and see how it goes. The washer leaks a little but it is under warranty for three months so we will get it checked out soon. Being so excited about the purchase, on Saturday night we told MistyL about it and admitted feeling a little geeky. She said "I'd be so happy that I would get a t-shirt made saying "I just bought a washer and dryer!". So it's good to know that I'm not the only one this excited about home appliances. Think of all the multi-tasking I can do now. And no one has to look at my boy underwear, other than Miss B.

Klutz report. On Sunday I washed my car seeing as it was a beautiful day and well, I like cleaning. When finished, I was walking down our back steps to lock up and somehow slipped. The very last step is made of cement and the front portion of my calf met the pointy corner of the step. It punctured and went pretty deep causing the blood to freely flow. Miss B was a good nurse and helped me get back into the house and clean up. My god this thing hurts! If I don't stay dosed up on Advil, it starts throbbing and hurting. Will be interesting to see how yoga goes tonight. If we have to do any sort of poses on the front of our legs (pigeon and such) there is no way that is happening. From the fall I have also found bruises on my left bicep and right knee. This one is a doozey. Hopefully it will repair quickly. Once again this goes to show that my middle name is not Grace!

Gay Day and Other Things

The 2005 PRIDE celebration has come and gone. Every year I find myself participating less and less in the uber gay activities. My very first PRIDE day parade I somehow got roped into working security. Stood on the corner of Market and 5th letting buses go through and keeping drunken pedestrians safe. Was also forced to wear the ugliest t-shirt ever and vowed never to partake in the security portion of the event ever again.

The Dyke March however is still fun. Dolores Park is overtaken by the ladies and it's a swarm of dykeness which really can't be explained. It's something you have to see for yourself to understand. Prior to the march Ms. Diana Cage was gracious enough to invite a gaggle of gals over to her apartment for good eats and brownies. Miss B and I made three quiches and a strong batch of space cakes. We tried a little "test plot" on the way over and became rather spacey just driving over. Oh dear. Made a serious effort to monitor the intake as it was powerful enough to send one to the corner drooling for hours on end. The usual suspects were there, Hollysan, A, FArlene, and Diana's entourage. The pre-march buzz was a good one and props to Di for a great party. The weather didn't cooperate so well as it was cloudy and cool. There was lots of milling around the park, running into folks whom I hadn't seen in a while. Nothing too monumental happened but again, it's an amazing experience to see so many women all in one place. Once the march started we got as far as Valencia and 18th then taking a right rather than left for a burrito. Miss B's brownies had kicked in full force at this point and she was zoned out like I have never seen before. I was afraid she was going to fall asleep on our bench! Finished up the evening at the Eagle which was mellow but nice and the world's greatest bartender Brian was working. Love that man! We had a little fireside chat with Hollysan and A, eventually it was time to call it a night.

Rather than attend the parade on Sunday, the past few years Adriana and I have gone to the movies at the Castro Theater. The boys and girls shorts are featured. It's so fun! It's a good way to close PRIDE week and see some good films. There were several favorites this year and next year I hope to make it to even more films in the LBGT festival. It rarely disappoints. With the exception of the film called Inescapable which would have more appropriately been termed Incapable. I was really glad to leave all the Castro Queens at the parade and have the theater all to ourselves.

This past weekend we headed to Eugene, OR to visit friends Laurel and Kevin. It was our turn to visit and they are such good folks, how could we not?!?! Leaving on the Friday of the 4th of July weekend was rough but well worth the trip. Eugene is a rather odd place. It's more of a town than a city and it's just so......so....white. Clearly revolving around the university, it was rather dead as the majority of the students are gone for the summer. We did attend a fun wine event where our friend Lara's band Dirty Martini played. We did lots of walking around, eating, made a trip to Portland to see Amy/Brad/Elias, and lots of other stuff. Elias is one long baby! He is almost a year old and my goodness, he is cute as a button. Had fun meeting him for the first time. Showed up at their place with loads of bread, cheese, salami, and other snacks so we could just hang out and do a whole lot of nothing, something perfected in Peace Corps. Eventually the weekend came to a close and we had to hit the road back to San Francisco. Props to Laurel and Kevin for a great weekend and being the hosts with the mostesses, or however that works.

High fives go out to a friend of mine whom after a very appropriate dating hiatus has gotten back out there! I'm so proud of this individual that I am bursting with joy at the steps in the direction towards something scary as all get out and brave to do so! Funny how it all works out and things present themselves in the strangest way. Get on out there you! Hooooray!