So long, San Francisco...

It seems like we just got here. Actually, seeing as it was less than 36 hours ago that we landed, we DID just get here. And while we didn't quite do everything we wanted (the Dashiell Hammett walking tour book is out of print, hasn't been at City Lights in years), we DID hit two of my favorite San Francisco stores, tooled around the Haight, saw the sea lions at the pier, and scaled Coit Tower for an amazing view of the Bay. Phe Nom In AL. Went to dinner with a bunch of Risleyites (and out for drinks after as well).

We didn't spend nearly as much time here as I would've liked... I feel like I'd want to do at least a week here by itself to do it properly. But that said, it was still a tremendous time. I missed you, San Francisco, and will be back soon (hopefully sooner than 7.5 years).

Next, on to Monterey... more sea life and fun with friends! More views of the water!

On getting older, and friends with funny names...

I sometimes wonder if I'm turning into my dad a little bit. Schedule1 would be happy to know that his constant irritation about my being late from time to time has worked, and I've started to get serious about being on time to things. He wouldn't be as happy to know that it manifests itself a little like how my dad does it, but it'scertainly made me aim for efficiency on this trip.

We don't have enough time. I spent three weeks in the Bay the last time I was here, and it wasn't enough time.

The other reason I'm feeling a little like my dad and older is I'm up at 7am. GRANTED, it's 10am to me, but still. I need sleep. What the hell am I doing up? And yet, as I look through T's GREAT view of the city, with the sun slowly warming the tops of the buildings, I have this urge to just start walking up Haight until I find a place open for brunch and plopping down... or maybe just walking all the way up Haight till I get to Amoeba (which will undoubtedly be closed, even if I get there at 9am).

Knucklehead was teasing me on the ride from SFO to T's place that "she doesn't have friends with funny nicknames, like Fucko or Horsecock, or Full Boat, or the Shark" and so forth. Well, after I had gone to sleep, Nads woke me with a phone call, and lo and behold, my Risley reunion got one bigger, as Hot Pants is in town from his travels and joining us for dinner. So there's me, Knucklehead, Hot Pants, Nads, TheThirstyWhale, Red Izaac, and JSD. Plus possible sos. Chinese New Year in Chinatown, SF. Not a bad end to the day. The question is, should I go back to sleep, or start it now

Day 1: Stress and San Francisco start with the same letter...

The trip to California started out, uh, rather auspiciously. Knucklehead and I arrived at Kennedy airport to the absolute craziest madhouse of people I have ever seen in my life. And of course, in the madhouse, they lost my luggage, a new bag that was a wedding gift. Plus more madness at the car rental, and arriving in San Francisco at 1pm turned into 4pm.

But the three hours and massive amounts of exhaustion and grumpiness couldn't ruin the day. 60 something degrees, no sheet of ice on the ground, a great walk in Golden Gate park, stumbling on drummers and fire jugglers, and dinner down on the pier. Take that, JFK and Delta Airlines.

So tired from the week that we're passing on the Budos Band show at the Boom Boom Room. Sigh. Had so been hoping to hit that set, but the room shakes when I blink, and I don't want to fall asleep at the wheel on Pacific Coast Highway 1.

We're staying with a friend of Knucklehead's on Haight. The City of Fog is our oyster. Tomorrow: Ameoba Records, City Lights bookstore, a walking Dashiell Hammett tour, dinner in Chinatown with a pack of Risleyites. What could be finer?