(no subject)
One of only three things I liked about Southern California was the possibility of riding around on my motorcycle on a summer night wearing only sneakers, jeans, and a tank top. Not that I ever did, as it's unsafe, but it certainly was possible.
I wonder how they're going to finagle hooking up the new Oakland Bay Bridge to that tiny tunnel that goes through Yerba Buena Island.
Today, I accomplished:
- Drove my bike over the Bay Bridge for the first time. It's actually less scary than in a car.
- Figured out how to get to, about and find parking in SoMa
- Went to the Brainwash Cafe to see Say Bok Gwai. Cool idea: a cafe and laundromat in one. Wish I'd have brought some laundry; justification to finally get a new set of saddlebags.
- Met Dylan Champagne there. I'd engineered him about a year ago on KALX Live!, and didn't realize until just now at home that he was also playing there that night. (I'm such a dolt. I should have recognized his name on the calendar.) Talked with him a bit, he'd asked me if I was there to see SBG (which is why I didn't think he was playing too), but then I pulled one of these unintentionally uncouth, antisocial things I always seem to do-- after I'd picked up my half Brainwash Salad (rather nice, garnished with the most perfectly dissected grapefruit slices I'd ever had; pure tender flesh and none of that chewy, bitter sectional skin), I sat in the only seat I could find, which was with my back to Dylan still in line. He probably thought I was trying to avoid him or something. Which I wasn't. He's actually a rather decent songwriter.
Things I'd planned, but didn't get to do...
- Actually see Say Bok Gwai. I did introduce myself to Alex, told him I try to play them on my show as often as I can, and that I couldn't stay for their show but would like to buy a shirt. "Hey, maybe you can make next Friday's show!" I later got home and realized that the shirt wasn't the design I wanted. I guess it's the grey ones that have 死白鬼 boldly emblazoned across the front (so that people in my Chinese class next semester will say, “Stupid white guy doesn't even realize what his shirt says.”) But the red one I bought is pretty rad anyway. One reason to head out next Friday.
- The Brainwash Cafe is just 5 doors down from Club 8. I'd wanted to go to Club Dragon tonight; I'd even 'dressed up' (which for me basically means wearing Chucks that actually match). But as I was 'dressed up' and clubbing, I didn't want to be bogged down with the 7 layers necessary for motorcycling, and it was rather cold out. I wanted to get home before it got colder. Another reason to get new saddlebags-- to keep warm clothes in. And another reason to head out next Friday. (Yea, OK, so I did chicken out. I can't recall ever having been to a club before, at least one that I wasn't playing at.)
The wife's mad at me. Something about Skype dropping every other syllable and the lack of context and inference in IMing makes it quite difficult to communicate over 12,000 kilometers. Another reason why I wanted to come home. I'm going to curl up in bed, get lost in my book and get warm again.