The Day I Had The Talk With Kirsten

I have a suspicion that my texts move in slow motion. 

The good news--selfishly, but whatever, she said she was, too--is that Kirsten and I finally had the talk and it seems like we're on the same page. "Seems," I say, because you honestly just never know. I think the main reason I followed through with the impulse, putting aside a general attraction to one another, was because I could sense that we were already on the same page. Heavily disappointed with our past relationships and with ourselves. Like attracts like. Anyway, it was nice to say this out loud to each other. We're not sure exactly what we're doing... But whatever. 

It's been strange, this slight twist on my life. Kirsten has brought me to gambling, drinking more often, showing up late to work (three times). None of it do I regret, other than last night's poor outing to the mystery card roulette table, and perhaps the nights I stayed up a little too late with a little too much booze in my brain. It wasn't long ago that I felt like a completely different person. I think it's been a strong push toward a fuller personality. I think it's giving me the edge I've needed.

My internship with Sacramento Press is almost done. December 10 is the date. Next Friday. 

Right now I'm working on an article about a hip-hop battle and a political antiques sale. Yesterday I posted the Kings game coverage I did. Perhaps these are the last three articles I write for them, as an intern. I think I'll turn around and start publishing stuff like Lindol French has been doing. He's a funny guy and since he's not an intern or a paid employee, he can write in his own style. I could start doing that, from now on.

That said, I think I've made the choice to try the Peace Corps. I'm working on the application right now and I've just got to write a few essays and find some people to write me letters of recommendation. They could send me anywhere, give me any job, and pay me anything... I really don't care. It's an adventure in the making. I think what's going to happen is I'm going to get Paul to lessen my lease to zero or six months (instead of 12) and fill in "Earliest Join Date" on the application accordingly. If Paul won't let me lessen the lease length, I anticipate another strange twist on my life. There's no fucking way I'm paying 550 without getting some deal in this fuck-over. Either way, I want to leave by May. 

Meredith's boyfriend came to town from Santa Cruz, so she's been in a good mood. Apparently they've worked things out. Meanwhile, I've had to delay meeting up with Celena to Wednesday, if not longer, after missing the chance to hang out on Sunday night. Kirsten and I had decided to go back to the casino and by the time Celena texted me, Kirsten and I were getting ready to leave for Thunder Valley. Short story: we left with frowns. The plan is to go back on Sunday after pay day, and hopefully with Sean. The plan with Celena is still forming about Wednesday. 

She came in yesterday with a young guy and this older couple. I have no idea how they all knew each other, but I'd also just found out that Celena is an actress. Already I'm weary of her performance-oriented personality, adorable as that performance may be. 

The Kings game was a unique experience. Had a hamburger for dinner in the Press Room on the first floor. Wasn't much of a social butterfly in this room of reporters and sports experts, save for my time with the freelance photographer, David Alvarez. From the seductively placed hands of the near-naked chick on his business card, you'd think he photographed pornography, not Sacramento events (or maybe he does). During the game I sat at these white tables on the second tier with a slightly-angled view of the court, flanked by reporters ten to forty years my senior, chatting about basketball stats and Thanksgiving. I chimed in enough to feel like a participant, doing more listening than speaking, but felt pretty good about mingling with the guy from the Observer, and the guy who I thought was from The Bee. I'm always impressed with people who can read sports like the plot of a film, who can understand the strategy and spot the penalties as easily as exposition spelled out on a page. I really wish the Kings would've won. These people came here hoping, but not expecting, the same thing, and when the Bulls beat them badly in the fourth period, they began to leave with disappointment on their faces and deadlines to meet. I found my way home and then went out to meet Kirsten at deVere's. 

I guess I'm also going to grow a beard.

Hot Italian is my favorite restaurant in Sacramento. I've yet to have a pizza I haven't mouthgasmed from. I also want to mention that I'm becoming a wine-person. Three out of five times, I'll order a glass of wine instead of a beer. It's like something just clicked in my head. Wine's good shit. I'm digging the Sangiovese, apparently. It's sweet and strong, great for sipping, a nice bold balance to dinner. It was Kirsten's first time there, Sunday evening before the casino.

Worked with Sierra, the new baker girl, who was being trained by Stephanie. Good girls to be around during a dull shift. Sierra's a culinary-school graduate from Roseville, adorable and sweet, and I can't help but consider ways to hang out with her outside of work. Stephanie, always cheerful, even on her stressful days, is a good spirited woman in a web of unfortunate regrets and bad fortune. I lulled about and closed and went home and called Kirsten to have "the talk." 

Shaun has another show next Saturday, which I'm looking forward to. 

So here's to the Peace Corps, musician friends, lessened leases, great pizzas, casual sex, the second twelve, and red, red wine.

- Left to Fry

The Day Known As Thanksgiving

Ran 5K in the Run To Feed The Hungry, wrote an article about it, then went to dinner at Monkey Cat in Auburn with my mom and grandmother. Good day. Good day, indeed.

I'm thankful for my heater, Holmes.

I'm thankful for Tuesday's good luck at the casino.

I'm thankful for chocolate-chip banana bread.

I'm thankful for marijuana.

I'm thankful for those who tip.

I'm thankful for Grocery Outlet across the street.

I'm thankful for fast metabolism.

I'm thankful for being single.

I'm thankful for questionable morality.

I'm thankful for electricity.

I'm thankful for beautiful women.

I'm thankful for the internet.

I'm thankful for an open mind. 

I'm thankful for religious indifference. 

I'm thankful for the view from my room.

I'm thankful for time.

I'm thankful for reassuring horoscopes.

I'm thankful for Pink Floyd.

I'm thankful for good people.

I'm thankful for having a car.

I'm thankful for having a job.

I'm thankful for having life.

I'm thankful for photography.

I'm thankful for the songs birds sing.

I'm thankful for sleeping in.

I'm thankful for friends who feel like family.

I'm thankful for family I can be friends with.

- Left to Fry

The Day I Woke Up In Kirsten's Bed And Found Out They're Re-Painting The Front Porch On Thanksgiving And Won 700 Bucks At Thunder Valley After Getting Celena's Number

Kirsten talked me into going to the casino again, for the third night in a row, because she was wearing her lucky squirrel shirt. We'd walked away with frowns last night, after breaking about even the night before that, so it seemed like a hint that gambling wasn't my thing. Fun, yes, and worth the experience, but probably nothing I'd actually get into. Tonight changed that. Tonight I also felt lucky because Celena had come into Old Soul and I totally got her phone number. We'll see if that leads anywhere, but it's still a nice development. After our first good interaction about a month ago, I hadn't expected to really ever see her again. It was a bit strange, admittedly, to ask for her number while Kirsten was there, waiting for me to close so we could go to the casino. 

Stranger, still, because we've been having sex together all weekend. Once that very morning, actually, twice the day before that, Sunday night after the first casino trip, and for the first time Saturday when she spent the night to be closer to work for her opening shift with me the next morning. Not the most surprising twist considering we'd shared a bed a few times already and have been spending so much time together. Unsurprising as it may be, I'm not complaining. She's an attractive woman. Smart, good-hearted and friendly. What's difficult, however, is predicting where this plot-line is going to take me. 

I don't want to be a boyfriend and that's all I'm focusing on. 

Emma was in town on Saturday night for a Young Democrats Club meeting at the Radison Hotel. We met at the lobby and shared a bottle of Sonoma-grown white wine (nostalgic for our college-days) and talked about our lives after graduation. Emma was my first friend at SSU. Now she's working some office job in Lancaster, living at home after a three-month stay in Australia. She's doing this Democrats stuff because she had nothing better to do, but has already shaken hands with Obama and Bill Clinton, and she's starting to get good at politics. She looks good, too. After so long, it's fascinating to notice how much more grown-up we're starting to appear. Put plainly, Emma looked more like a woman and less like a student. We talked about plans for a springtime road-trip through Canada with Kayla, then I left to go meet Kirsten.

My family made a surprise pit-stop at Old Soul during a busy Sunday shift. They lulled about Midtown for an hour until I clocked out at 1:40, after which we had lunch at Paesanos. At around 1:20, Aly came by with a friend to say hello, back from her trip to Reno or San Francisco or both or something. So I've got my family, Aly, and Kirsten in the same room together: mother and grandmother, a pseudo-girlfriend, and a woman I've just become romantic with. During the shift, I felt like everyone around me could tell what Kirsten and I were doing, like it was stamped on our faces, like we were high and everyone could smell the pot. But it wasn't strange and it wasn't weird. It was so normal, I think, that we felt compelled to do it a few more times.

I am nervous. I can't help but think of Cameron Diaz's character in "Vanilla Sky." 

I don't want to be a boyfriend, but I don't want to turn away from any life experience that appeals to me. All I want to do in the meantime is not hurt anybody else. I don't want another AJ (and Kirsten is astonishingly similar to AJ in many ways, which makes me curious). And no, Kirsten and I haven't really talked about what's been going on. It just started happening. 

700 bucks is not bad. That's not far from an entire month's paycheck. Two hundred of it was loaned to Kirsten the night before, when we weren't playing so hot. Roulette's been the game and the middle's been the hottest. Kirsten puts a chip or two on every spot across the 2nd 12 section of the board and splits the zero's with a hefty stack on the three-to-one bar. Every time. Almost always the same play, the same strategy, and it can either pay well or knock you out fast. Dealer spins a wheel of cards with numbers on them corresponding to squares on the board, picks the one where the Wheel-Of-Fortune arrow points, and distributes chips to the winners accordingly. 

First night we won some and lost some and left 100 up. 

Second night we went with only my 500 and I lost 100 and loaned her 200, which she lost.

This time we each went with 200. We won 900 and 500, with her all-out strategy working more often than not, and my play-it-safe campaign working enough of the time to keep me playing. She gave me back that 200 I loaned her last night, leaving me with 700 bucks of winnings and 900 in my wallet. 

Just like that. 

Kirsten may be a bad influence on me.

Any 80's song that comes on the radio, she'll ask me, "Who's this?" and three times out of five I'll know. It's crazy how different our musical knowledge is with a seven-year age gap. My expertise shines with the modern bands, which she's otherwise ignored since Y2K, and because of this little game we play I have the opening line of Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane" stuck in my head forever.

Standing on the corner, suitcase in my hand...

So my mom and grandma are coming to Sacramento to get dinner at a restaurant for Thanksgiving. My sister is with her dad's family. My aunt is in Portland, I think. I'd planned, sort of, to go see my Dad for the holiday, but I barely have time between the Run To Feed The Hungry and opening at Old Soul Friday morning. 

Pretty sure this will be the first time I've not had a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal.

Meredith knows about Kirsten and I. She could see it on my face. I think Hank knows to, or he at least has a feeling that something's up. It was hard to be nonchalant when we walked in together on Monday morning before my shift started. Never had a work romance before. It's basically an act of keeping a big secret from everyone else. I'll probably tell Joe, who's going to ask me anyway.

Hank got accepted for Law Enforcement training. He's excited and I'm happy for him, but I'm reminded that our time together is quite short. He'll be gone by January. Shaun has also confessed to plans to leave the area and I think he's going to move to Alaska to become a fisherman (no joke) after he finishes college. Meredith had to go to her sister's house and help her deal with a ghost dog (no joke).

Also a new fan of Billy Collins' poetry. "January in Paris" is my favorite, so far.

- Left to Fry

The Day I Went To The Opera With Meredith

Kirsten spent last night in my bed, with me.
I'm going to dinner with Meredith tonight, and afterward to the opera.
Next Friday, it's wine at 58 and Holding with Stephanie.
Harry Potter on IMAX next Wednesday at 7:30 with Sean.
Casino on Sunday after work with Kirsten.
Emma's coming to visit tomorrow evening, we'll probably get dinner.
Kirsten's spending the night again tomorrow.
Run For The Hungry on Thanksgiving with Team Sac Press.
I just remembered that today was pay day, for me.

- Left to Fry

The Day I Went To A Law And Legislation Meeting And Watched Steve Cohn Walk Out Of The Room To Prevent A Vote To Decide What To Do About Chicken Keeping

Went to probably the most exciting Law and Legislation meeting, ever. Then I got to write an article about it afterward, focusing more on Steve Cohn's walk-out than the chicken ordinance ideas being pushed by the supporters of chicken keeping in Sacramento (CLUCK).

Also saw the movie Unstoppable with Sean. The only saving value of this movie was the fact that it was playing on Century's new XD screen, which is like a miniature IMAX screen. Just another way for movie theaters to charge more money for tickets and make up for all that money lost to pirating. 

Otherwise, my day was spent at Old Soul, at City Hall, Sac Press, Max's Apartment and the driver's seat of my car. Also bumped into Paul, who was the husband of that young couple I met at Jay Schenirer's election-night party two weeks ago. He'd mentioned being involved with politics, so I guess it's not surprising that he'd be at a city council meeting like this. I still think him and his wife are the best kind of friends to have--politically savvy with a hippie's heart. 

Kirsten got locked out of her house last night and spent all her money for an after-hours locksmith call, which means we've postponed the casino trip for Sunday. I've got the opera Friday night and I've got a day left to decide if I want to buy tickets to the special yoga event at Yoga Shala. Tyler's reminded me of it every time he comes into Old Soul. Depends on ticket prices, I guess. Casino on Sunday.

Until then, it's two closing shifts and a little bit of nothing much.

Oh, and this happened at work this morning:

- Left to Fry

The Day I Saw A Movie With Aly, Smoked A Joint With Max, Got More Assignments From Colleen, Bought Two New Tapes And Invited Meredith To The Opera.

First off: I started writing a new story today. I'll be posting this one online, just for fun. 

For all I know, today was the best day of my life. It was confrontation-less. It followed a manageable schedule. It had no stressful encounters. It featured fantastic weather--hot, but with a strong breeze. The autumn leaves are beautiful. A cooperative attitude about the city, the kind of day where no one plans on doing any harm to one another. People smile and nod back when you pass them on the street. Cashiers are friendly. Friends are cheerful. It was, in the end, of the best days of recent memory.

You have to appreciate days like this, no matter where you are in life. They're rare. Generally, things can't all go your way, no matter how careful you are. I've had days like that. I've probably written about a dozen days like that in the past few months. I think I'm just still coming down from a strange weekend, like how the first day of school seems like it's a bad dream until you come back the second day and realize it's real. 

Any day when I don't have to work behind the counter at Old Soul, however, can be considered a good day, no matter how stressful Sacramento Press can be. Work is basically an eight-hour block of my day when I'm unable to make progress. It keeps me from writing, it keeps me from Sacramento Press. It's my cement shoes. So today was already better than usual because it's a day of freedom from the oppression of capitalism. That and I don't have any articles to write.

So I took a walk to look at the trees.

I had a mocha at Old Soul and asked Meredith if she'd want to go to the opera with me on Friday. She's going in to the doctor tomorrow to see her test results, however, so depending on how that goes for her... But she does want to go. I think she'd be fun to go with. I'm excited to go, nonetheless. 

Walked to Sac Press around 1:00 after taking all of these pictures. Colleen has a way of seeming incredibly annoyed in her e-mails, but is completely friendly in person. I tend to go into the office expecting her to tell me I've done something wrong. But no. She's always pleasant. Gave me some assignments today and put some pressure on the week--but that's what make life interesting, I guess. Tomorrow I have to go to a city council meeting to hear an argument to allow chicken farming in Sacramento. The organization who supports this is called CLUCK, and that's not a joke. Not to mention I have to write an article about the opera I'm seeing on Friday, which means I shouldn't--but probably will--partake in Meredith's pre-party ritual, if she's able to go, that is. I can't think of who else I'd want to invite. Kirsten doesn't seem the opera type.

I met Max's girlfriend today, Kat, who is ten weeks pregnant and beautiful. Max invited me over to smoke a joint and, after a quick stop in his small apartment (general stoner's decor: movie posters, tons of books, a Wii), we still ended up walking back to my house to smoke in the yard. Kat's become sensitive to the smell and I only live two blocks away, so it wasn't a big deal. It was a quick visit. I'd made plans with Aly to go see Fair Game at the Tower, and I didn't want to be high when she came over, so he was gone by 5:15. It's crazy to meet him at Week 10 of the biggest event of his life. I'm curious to watch that storyline unfold. 

So then Aly and I saw the movie Fair Game at the Tower. It was about Valerie Plame's little CIA incident when the government released her name to the public and destroyed her career. A fantastic film, no doubt. Today was the first day of mine and Aly's friendship, I felt, and it went well. She's taken a new job and is fervently looking for a place to live closer to Midtown. I wasn't too high by the time she arrived, either, after spending a half hour in my car listening to the Forest Gump soundtrack on tape. It was either that or a Bush tape, but I've been in an oldies mood since playing Black Ops. 

I've also got a hole in my jeans. Perhaps the one bad mark on the day. 

- Left to Fry

The Day I Was Late To Work

Despite being late to work, it was a surprisingly good day. Stressful, yes, and chaotic, but quite entertaining when I allowed myself to surrender to it. That's what I'm all about these days: surrendering to whatever may be. For example, last night Kirsten slept over and we shared the bed--not that we slept much, having stayed up to about 4:00am drinking beer and lulling about my room. She left at 5:30 to open and I slept through my 7:20 alarm. Jason called met at 8:12 to ask me if I had plans to come into work today.

Nothing worse than waking up late to work. Thank God I live a hundred steps down the alley, otherwise I would've been super screwed. Part of me remembers being late once or twice earlier in my Old Soul days, but not being nearly as afraid as I was today. Jason was working behind the counter. It was packed inside. I hadn't even put on any deodorant. My first plan was to work my ass off and make sure the bosses noticed; an apology with action before an apology with words. I think I kept the waters calm. And Kirsten was a good coworker to carry me through the morning rush. 

We had plans to go to Thunder Valley Casino tonight after I got off work. Plans changed when she got home and realized how exhausted she was, and I'd lost the urge as the last hour of my shift rolled around. I think we're going Thursday night instead. 

But yeah, it was terribly nice to have Kirsten in bed with me. There's a part of any relationship that can't be replaced, no matter how bad the break-up was, and that's the presence of another warm body in your bed. I miss that feeling almost as much as I miss Banjo. The bottom line was one of us would otherwise have to sleep on the floor, and it wasn't like we were strangers anymore. It felt like a very adult moment. My bed is small, so I wrapped my arm under her and we slept in a partial-spoon. Nothing more than sleeping and hand-holding happened under those blankets. Instincts within me were ready for more, but it's likely for the better that it stayed PG. Her air-raid siren alarm was waking me up at 5:30am before I knew it, and after letting her out the front gate, I went back to bed and overslept. 

Kirsten has a compelling openness about her and, after a recent divorce and her mother's passing, a newfound view of life that makes a lot of sense to me. She's also kind of a bad-ass, though a tad reserved in social situations. She knits, listens to good music, and she's smart without being pedantic. The conversation was good, the night was fun. Kirsten has a clear goal and vision of the future that I can't see myself being a part of, so I am not sure what's to come of last night's Lost In Translation moment, but we shall see. 

I think the thirty-year-old's I've befriended recently like me because they see how willing I am to learn from their experiences, their stories and advice. Alternatively, I look to them for hints of the future, like asking a river guide what to expect around the next bend. I'm able to relate to situations years ahead of my time, but I think a lot of that comes from this passion for discovering the nuances of a human being, and a real fascination for the tiny details. Where those relationships lead, I can never tell, but it's all part of getting to know someone as a person. At thirty or twenty-three or sixty-four years old, I like to touch the nerve that compels people to share themselves. Because, if we're not sharing, then what are we living for? 

- Left to Fry

The Day I Woke Up To The Sounds Of People Tearing Down And Repairing The Front Porch Steps

Kirsten stayed the night--nothing happened--and we stayed up surprisingly late considering she had to wake up at 5:30 this morning to go to work. Mostly just sat around talking about work, relationships, music and Sacramento until we put on The Royal Tenenbaums, which is when I fell asleep on the floor. She's staying the night again tonight. 

Had a chance to smoke with Max in the backyard yesterday when we found out we're basically neighbors. It was a good way to end work. It was from that conversation that I decided paying 550 for my rent is still a really good deal, kind of, and if I can't barter for a lesser lease, then it's nothing to get upset about. Max works at Old Soul in Oak Park. We talked about Prop 19 and the mayor and other things that weed erased from memory.

Kristen (not Kirsten) came to visit this weekend from Portland with her boyfriend, Ian, and they stopped by yesterday to visit Old Soul, where she worked when I first started. Apparently Ian's grandfather is having an art show tonight. I don't know if I'll bump into them again this weekend, but it was neat to see Kristen again. Ian said Portland is amazing. I feel like at this point, with so many people moving to and loving Portland, it would feel lame to follow along. I want to find my own amazing city to move to and love. Portland is like the iPod of cities. 

Shaun's back from his back-packing trip. Hank said he should get the results for his law enforcement test soon. Finally got a chance to play Black Ops online. I visited Sean in Auburn on Thursday after my interview with the Bass Trackers Club President and five hours of tea-training. We didn't throw a pumpkin off the Foresthill Bridge as planned, but maybe next time. 

Speaking of the Bass Trackers: I posted this article yesterday. 

Also really into this band called "The Naked And Famous."

- Left to Fry

The Day I Saw A Play With Aly After Finding Out They Want To Raise My Rent

"It just sucks because I really, truly loved him. I saw our future. I wanted to have kids with him. I wanted to push him in a wheelchair when he was an old man. I wanted that. I saw that. And when that's no longer an option, now... It's bizarre. It's so bizarre. But it tells me something, you know? It tells me that I'm capable of that." - Meredith 

Today was an important day with some noteworthy plot developments, scattered here amongst memorable quotations plucked from the day's interactions. This was my first "Day Off" in a while, which I mostly spent at the laundry mat, the Starbucks in Carmichael, and the B Street Theatre when I wasn't playing videogames in my bedroom or making quick stops at Old Soul.

"Chris... I do like you, but as a friend." - Aly

I'd pushed my laundry to the brink. My final shirt. My final pair of socks. Today I lugged all of my wardrobe two blocks to City Suds for my third-ever Laundry In The City event. Wasn't so bad. Always good to have peanut mnm's from the vending machine for breakfast. 

"I have a weird favor to ask you. I have to open on Saturday and Sunday, and I don't want to have to drive all the way from my house--so I was wondering if I could crash at your house on Friday and Saturday night." - Kirsten

Hank made me the best turkey cranberry sandwich.

"That's a sharp haircut you got there." - Hank

"Have you tried online yet?" - Sean

Then I went out to Carmichael to meet AJ at Starbucks and get my half of the AT&T bill. She brought Banjo along and it's still hard to see that dog and not miss him like all hell. He was a great dog. I tried my damnedest not to get too attached to him while AJ and I were together, knowing we were doomed, and yet I've come to realize that I miss him a lot more than I expected. Seeing him was nice. Seeing AJ was nice, too, in knowing we have the potential to be honest friends, and much more so than when we were actually together.

"Maybe pay an extra fifty the next two months for the back-pay, and pay the 550 starting next month. I'm sure this isn't the best news to hear. I don't know how it happened. It was advertised at 550. So anyway, how's work? How's Old Soul? Still kickin' ass?" - Paul

Fuckers figured out that they'd been under-charging me 100 bucks for rent the past two months. I guess that extra 100 is for utilities. But the lease, which Paul and I both signed, says the rent is 450. It's a year-lease and I'm half-tempted to say "Fuck off." But the nicer part of me wants to barter, instead. They give me a price-hike on the rent and shorten my lease to 6 months. I might ask for a no-lease option, then see if they try to bargain for 6. That way, I figure I'll have the option to find cheaper rent, or fucking leave Sacramento altogether. Who knows? 

"One night I came home during break and she had, I kid you not, 10 people in the living room. And we had just talked about how I felt about unexpected guests like two nights earlier. It reminded me a lot of what would happen with you. Except, you know, she talked about it. But she's a woman; we're programed to be that way." - AJ

Meredith came by after she was done at Old Soul and we smoked a bowl. She talked about her break-up and I tried my best to be wise and comforting, which went well, for the most part. I'm happy she's become a bigger character in my life, more than just a coworker. That was the best part about Aromas in Santa Rosa because my coworkers became real friends, over time. I'm glad to see that happening again.

"You gonna be at tea training tomorrow?" - Jason

The day was rounded up with a few hours of Black Ops (the single-player campaign is intense and, as one reviewer said, "should be rated by IMDB, not IGN") and then a trip with Aly to the B Street Theatre. I'd gotten tickets for "Well" at 7pm. We grabbed a slice of pizza from Luigi's and ate quickly in the parking lot outside the theatre before the show. Got good seats. The show was great and complicated and emotional and well-acted. For the last twenty minutes, I had my arm around Aly's shoulders--partly because it was more comfortable, and partly as a litmus test. Turns out she's neutral: she's not interested in anything more than friends, which takes a lot of pressure off my chest, knowing where the boundaries are. Can't say it wasn't an uncomfortable moment in the car ride back to my house, but it passed, and it's gone, and so Aly is a friend. I guess now things just go on normally. 

"If someone handed me a burger and said, 'It's human,' I'd say, 'Just don't tell me where it came from,' and I'd eat it." - Anthony, the barber. 

- Left to Fry

The Day A New Baker Girl Was Trained At Old Soul While The Rainy Weather Brought In Big Crowds And Stress

Just like last Sunday, today was a clusterfuck. It started with the time-change, which I thought my phone would handle on its own during the night. When I woke at 5:20am, I thought it was time to get ready for work, and so I did, and when I showed up at 5:45 to start brewing coffee, Jack told me I was an hour early. Went home, slept an extra half hour, and came back at the right time for a second take. 

Positive Thing #1: Sierra, the new baker girl, is adorable. Not sure why she's here or where she came from, but it's always nice to see a new face, especially a cute one. 

The rainy weather seemed to slow the morning down, but it inspired a hefty brunch-rush that kept Kirsten and I from keeping up with chores, which meant the place was a mess behind the scenes. I was having trouble pulling good espresso shots all morning because the humidity fucks with the grind, so half the time I was adjusting for a decent pull while keeping up with a steady row of drink orders. Something about working with Kirsten makes the shift feel chaotic, since part of my role is to show her the ropes while respecting her as an experienced barista. Sunday, which is usually my Friday, is also the day I tend to have the least enthusiasm for a morning spent behind the counter, so that makes it tough to stay cheery. Even worse, today wasn't my Friday, but became my Wednesday due to scheduling changes. I gained an hour and lost a weekend.

Positive Thing #2: The Raiders beat the Chiefs. 

After work I wanted nothing more than to smoke a bowl. Laundry was on the agenda, at first, but the exhaustion of the morning convinced me to put it off for another day or two. I took a walk down to Chipotle for dinner, but otherwise spent the afternoon being lazy in my room. Wrote a little, read some "Under The Dome," and got myself excited about the new Call of Duty game. Also want to try and see 127 Hours sometime soon. Made plans with Sean to go to Hidden Falls sometime this week. Still hoping Aly wants to go see that play with me. Today might have sucked, but I know things will feel better tomorrow. 

Tessa came in today with what appeared to be her boyfriend. Not the most encouraging sight to see on an already dismal day, but at least it answered some questions and put my mind straight. The bead store girl is no longer on my menu. 

People Updates: Hank says he did really well on his law enforcement exam, said it was "the easiest test he's ever taken," and actually had to ask the prompter to explain parts of the test where the grammar was so bad that the questions made no sense. Kirsten was bit by her sister's dog yesterday and seems to be recovering alright, while also starting to show signs of another cold. She is one of those people who is constantly falling apart, though rarely from her own doing. Shaun's backpacking at Emigrant Gap. Aly's out of town. Meredith's doing good, waiting for test results. Sean's equally excited about Black Ops. Drew, my upstairs neighbor, is done with his volunteer teaching gig. AJ called to ask me what my schedule is this week so we might go take care of separating our joint AT&T account. 

Positive Thing #3: I'm covering the King's game on the 17th for Sac Press. Free tickets, press-pass treatment, and a mark on the calendar to look forward to. 

Speaking of Sac Press, I still haven't heard back from the people at Sacramento Bass Trackers. I'm supposed to write a profile about this fishing club, but... That's not always easy to do when people are hard to get in touch with. I'm actually looking forward to this one, thinking, mostly, that I might get invited to go out fishing with these folks. I can't even remember the last time I went fishing...

- Left to Fry

The Day I Was The Delivery Driver

Skipped yoga for a nap after my ten hour shift at Old Soul, which started with a 4:30 - 7:30 delivery route that took me as far out as Shady Coffee in Roseville and ended with the 8 - 2 register shift behind the counter. Not a bad day. Chicken marsala for lunch. Hank was there to help me with the first three drops of the delivery route--seriously the big brother I've never had. Tried the french toast for breakfast, with the goat-cheese and spinach egg scramble, which is five times as delicious as it sounds. Still no word on the sixty bucks I'm owed from that event I worked at the Crocker with Kirsten. My paycheck felt a little lighter this time... Woke up from the nap to meet Meredith for the bonfire. Drew and his gang of friends came and chatted around the flames. Ed and his friend from San Jose, Tracy, and Dark Drew, Amber and Keenan. Interesting group. Nice fire. Walked Meredith home, came back, considered the night over. Then Kirsten got off work, texted, and I brought her over for a tour and a beer at the bonfire. We talked for a while as the group died down with the fire and then Kirsten left and that was curtain for the day. I feel like I should mention that Kirsten is the first girl since Zoe that I've felt this urge to break the "don't sleep with coworkers" rule I've felt obligated to follow. I don't know what to make of these feelings because I've yet to ever pursue them (the way I guess I never pursued crushes I had on substitute teachers). But that's also a storyline I'm not ready to start up. I don't think. I don't know. It was a long Saturday and I was a little too tired to be the lively host I could've been, but she seemed to be enjoying herself, so that's good. 

- Left to Fry

The Day I Went To Shaun's Show With Meredith And Tried Yoga For The Second Time And Made Forty Bucks In Tips From A Busy Morning

Shaun's band, H. Letham, was pretty damn good. Shaun, the lead singer, no less, became an almost entirely different person (screaming, rocking, thrashing about) other than the modest way he said "Thanks" at the end of each song. We were both really impressed. 

Meredith was fun to hang out with. Got to talk work and philosophy and listen to live music. Next Friday we're going to look into a reggae night at Capitol Garage, which tonight we spent twenty minutes circling around downtown on one-way streets trying to find and failing repeatedly. 

Yoga, the second time, made me sweat twice as much. Felt like I was improving every-so-slightly, though keeping my balance on one foot or doing any manner of hand-stand seem like my biggest challenges. I also can't do that goddamn pigeon move--not quite that flexible, yet. 

- Left to Fry

The Day I Probably Should Have Done Laundry Before Work But Watched The Royal Tenenbaums Instead

Last night I had a dream that Sean and I solved a murder and stole a smart car. 

To be honest I've been over-analyzing my relationship with Aly so much that it was frustrating me, so I'd decided that instead of being entertained by the adventure of getting to know her better, I'd find entertainment in figuring out what halted that process entirely. Was it something I'd said? Something I'd done? I was under the impression--since her early departure with LG on Halloween--that she'd lost interest in me. Can't say what gave me that feeling, but it was there, and it was annoying, and it made me angry at the female species. 

Then she texted me last night. It wasn't the conversation I'd expected, but it was something, and so I guess the Aly storyline will continue, though I don't see it becoming the focus of the plot.

Meredith is supposed to go see Shaun's show with me tomorrow at the Boardwalk and I'll be kidnapping her if she tries to change her mind. The update on her medical status is that they've found a tumor in her brain and she's 99% sure she'll need surgery, but that means she'll have to find a neurologist, and those suckers are expensive. Luckily she's got good friends who can help. Also, to top that off, her boyfriend in Santa Cruz apparently broke up with her.

Yet, through all of this, she is still the same happy Meredith I've known since May, and that's just incredible if you think about it. 

Posted an article about the Heart Clothing Boutique and my preview of "Well" during work last night, which is always stressful because I hate getting caught on the internet when the bosses walk by. 

Think I'll go get lunch at Old Soul before work starts. 

Here are the photos I took when I drove out to B Street yesterday:

- Left to Fry

The Day I Experienced Newsroom Election Coverage And Had An Interview With Elizabeth From B Street Theatre

5:45pm

I don't know what else to do, so I order a Fat Tire and start talking to people. MVP Bar and Grill is pretty empty at this hour with most of the six customers watching the basketball games on TV. A group of pretty waitresses huddle around a table waiting for customers. The bartender shoots the shit with the regulars. I feel like a duck during hunting season. There was supposed to be an Election Night shindig at MVP tonight, but apparently I'd been misinformed, and it was "Nothin Special But What's On Tap" night. 

The first people I talked to, this older couple, were a pair of state workers who didn't want to tell me their last name after barely saying anything useful for my report to Sac Press. 

Next I tried chatting with the pretty waitresses to see if any of their young minds had something fresh to say about the election. None of them had voted. One was unregistered. The other thought she'd be able to vote tomorrow. I'm not saying anything about their value as people, but I certainly gained nothing from them during this conversation. I did get one good quote from the unregistered girl, though, who had no nice things to say about Meg Whitman.

After that I finished my beer and texted Colleen to find out what I should do next. 

8:20am

I'm awake. It's not long after leaving my dreams that I'm thinking about running around Capitol Park. Should I? Before I can weigh out the options, I get out of bed and put on my shorts, my running shoes, and I leave the house. It's already sunny outside--chilly, but not cold--with bright blue sky overhead. Before I can go running, however, I need to vote. 

The polling place is two blocks down Capitol in the lobby of a cheap apartment building. I give my name, get my ballot, and take a pen. All the booths are full so the woman offers me the digital machine, instead, which scans the ballot and takes my vote via touch-screen. Done, it prints out my ballot with the appropriate marks and I put the votes into a second machine, which counts them. Brown, Yes on 19, No on 23. Those are the only three votes I can remember.

I walk past Grocery Outlet and then start with a slow jog up 17th until I reach R, where I make a right. I pass the Shady Lady and make another right, heading toward the Capitol. I'm out of breath and feeling like my left calf is on fire, but I'm able to trick my mind enough to push forward, at least until I get back to O. 

Where I pushed myself for no good reason was when I thought it would be good to run a lap around the Capitol. I made it about a third of the way before stalling to a brisk walk, and then a u-turn, and a nauseated walk back to my house. 

Showered, refreshed, and then I went to Old Soul.

10:15pm

I met the nicest couple at Pangaea Two Brews Cafe, where Jay Schenirer was having his campaign party while the District 5 City Council votes were being counted. The girl was very beautiful, a student. The guy was an early politician working closely with neighborhood politics. These were the kinds of people I'd want to go on a double-date with. Smart, yet humble, with equal wit and charm. They disappeared sometime after Bill Burgua invaded my personal bubble. 

2:20pm

I'm interviewing Elizabeth about her role as Lisa Kron in the play "Well" that premieres this Sunday at B Street Theatre. She's a lively person, as most actors are, with a knack for emphasizing and gesticulating more than the average person. I like her. She has an adorable spaniel dog with her named Lucy. She tells me a little about the "blocking" part of rehearsal that comes after the "table reading." Then, when we've moved to the other stage, when more of the cast starts to show up, a guy from the crew comes out and tells me to leave.

So I leave. Fuck that guy. It was funny how everyone immediately started apologizing for that guy's bluntness, and I wonder if it's because they thought I'd got home and write an article about B Street's staff being full of assholes. Not true. They were all great people. Truth is: I was ready to go, anyway, and I just couldn't think of a polite way to excuse myself. Hence, the universe supplied another route. 

6:15pm

After getting double-stamps for my I Voted sticker at Yogurtagogo and a tasty yogurt bowl, I head over toward Old Soul to (hopefully) find some customers to talk politics with. Of course this isn't my expertise, nor do I consider myself informed enough to discuss politics, but what choice to I have? I need some interviews and photographs. Readers are depending on me! 

I happened to see Meredith with her friend ("sister") Christina sitting outside at Crepeville. I complained to them about my frustrating outing to MVP, then continued along. In Old Soul, Kirsten and I talked about voting and Obama. There were no customers I knew. I stole one of Kirsten's quotes without telling her, and then I had to make up her last name in my report because I don't know what it is. 

Young.

8:00pm

Jay on the left

I show up at Jay's campaign party first. About two blocks further up Franklin, Peter Kennedy is having his campaign party with the same theme: "Win District 5!" Only one of them can win, of course, and I have to visit with both. Luckily the initial count is so close that neither party can celebrate, so the mood remains cool and collected at both locations. Jay picked a coffee-shop with a full bar. Peter went for the art-gallery attachment alongside a coffee-shop. Based on location alone, Jay gets my vote, though Peter made a much better speech. 

Speech time for Kennedy

There's a photographer there from the Sacramento Bee who appears to hate his job. 

I meet Jay and the campaign manager and Jay's mother and Jay's friends. They all say the same thing, which won't make for a very interesting report, but what can you expect? At the time the votes were less than 30 apart. It was like watching two snails race. 

After a while I decide to go check out Peter's party down the road. It doesn't have the bar, but there is wine and beer. He's actually not even there yet, when I arrive, and that's precisely when the videographer, Jim, shows up with his camera. Sac Press hired his crew to film our Election Night Coverage for a documentary of some kind. Jim and I and the impatient guy from the Bee all wait with these people and their Peter Kennedy stickers. Just when Jim and I go to leave for Jay's party and better footage, Peter shows up.

I interview him outside for a moment with the camera rolling, a microphone clasped to my shirt, and spotlights on our faces. I asked him about who helped him the most--he said the Latino community--and I'm sure I asked some other trite question or two after that. Jim stopped rolling and had to head back to Sac Press with the footage, so I stayed at the party a bit longer before calling Colleen to ask if she wanted me back yet or if I should go back to Jay's party to see if anything had changed. 

By this point it was apparent that Jay was going to win. Colleen told me to go check it out.

11:00pm

For two hours I sit at the Intern Station in Sac Press and write about the evening. I can't even explain why this took as long as it did. First, I suppose, was my mistake of sending Colleen nothing but quotes from the night and not an actual article--which I would have to write later, anyway. That took time. Sending photos with Google was an issue, as well, with errors and disconnections that made a simple task feel like yanking out pubic hair. With pizza and pleasant company, however, the night wasn't so bad, even though I didn't get out of there until 1:20 in the morning. 

I also got a parking ticket. Colleen says I can challenge it.

I mean, come on... It's Election Night. 

- Left to Fry

The Day After Halloween

Thought it was strange that half the Blue Moons that Sean bought had upside-down labels. Makes you question the whole bottling process. Which employee blinked at the wrong moment when they put the labels in the machine? I hope they know they made Halloween night all the more magical for me. 

At work I dressed up as a coffee-bag. Not as itchy as people would think. Also didn't get us as many tips as I'd been hoping for. Worked with Kirsten for the first time since the Crocker. Good shift. I'd thought Jenn was coming in for her final day at Old Soul (she's going back to Naked Lounge), but I guess they let her go a day early, and so Jenn is officially gone. Another character in my life who feels like they've disappeared as quickly as they arrived, leaving those memories, those little life lessons behind. I'll miss you, Jenn. It was nice knowing you. 

Sean came over later with a corn-starch based face paint and bottle of baby powder with the intention to whiten our skin like vampires. We ended up looking like zombie vampires, especially after we added splotches of ketchup to our faces. Plan was to go out to Old Sac and meet up with Aly and her friend, LG, for some bar hopping by the river. This was after a long talk with Sean about the dynamics of male/female relationships. He talked me out of making an appearance at the bead store.

The night was okay. Aly and LG found us in Old Town and we had our first drinks in a crowded bar full of costumed patrons and noise. Aly and LG hadn't dressed up, and both Sean and I were pretty sure our costumes were already starting to fade away. Conversation was friendly banter mixed with stories and political discussions. We left the first bar for a three-story place around the corner where we sat on the third floor with the arcade games and drank another round in a booth. To be outright: it was an awkward evening. I hadn't expected LG to be involved. I was analyzing every gesture and word I shared with Aly, constantly questioning my motives, wondering if I'd have any time alone with her later. They left kind of early and Sean and I tried one other bar before leaving Old Sac for the walk back to my house. A bowl later, I was passed out on the floor. 

Today was breakfast at Crepeville, a visit to Jason, a talk with Crystal about Legos, an interview with Vanessa from the Heart Clothing Boutique, the writing of an article, a phone chat with Elizabeth from B Street Theatre, and a watching of The Social Network, which was fantastic. 

Tomorrow's the big Election Day. 

Now it's time for a bowl of Cheerios.

- Left to Fry