Mood:  a-ok

When I first got involved with Burning Man in 1998, I was introduced to Scott Beale, a local event attendee who put together a regular listing of events on the west coast called Laughing Squid. Though I had no idea who Scott was or what he was about back then, I signed myself up at the prodding of a few good friends, knowing I was in for a good thing. Soon thereafter, most of what I did socially came directly from Scott's list, from Santa Rampages and all-girl roller derbies to lectures, film screenings, art openings and all manner of event, get-together and happening. In addition to the events list, Scott always has his ear to the ground, and has a wonderful ability to put people together for events and projects.

It is now 13 -- almost 14 years later -- and Scott's list has come a long way from a simple email list with a few friends, and it now boasts an excellent blog, photo documentary site, and web hosting outfit that reaches millions of people in several major cities (and other places) around the US.

So, if you're newly arrived to a major city and need something to do, check out Laughing Squid by typing in http://laughingsquid.com/ plus the name of the city you live in. Chances are, you'll find a list of galleries, theaters, and events, and if it's not quite good enough for you, then get your butt out into the world and create your own version!

Mood:  celebratory

As a writer looking for things to comment on, I'll often peruse the ads at our local bus stops, on the BART trains, and anywhere else. Usually, I'll come up with a goose-egg in terms of content; many ads are pretty dull, and most of them are for things I'd never buy or participate in, but occasionally I'll see something worth taking a further look at, such as the ads for Christy Green's City Girls Group, which is a social networking site for professional women who have moved from another city to the Bay Area to work professionally.

Christy, who moved to San Francisco in 2005, started City Girls Group shortly after being attacked by the employee of a professional moving company she'd hired out of a local directory. Not having any contacts in the city to refer her to someone good, she did what most people with few resources do, and that's look in local phone and internet directories for a professional. She'd asked all the right questions to ensure that the people she'd hired were professionals, but in the end, it didn't matter. The employee who attacked her was a drug addict, and her mother and the other mover had to protect her from the guy!

These days, with the prominence of sites such as Yelp!, that's less likely to happen, but in 2005, not many people knew what Yelp! was. Christy had very few resources, being a transplant to the city, and City Girls Group evolved out of what she saw as a personal need to connect women moving to San Francisco with one another for support.

Three-and-a-half years later, City Girls Group is a thriving social and professional networking community, and activities range from touring chocolate factories, Stitch-n-Bitch parties and happy hour get-togethers to job networking and life coaching sessions for members. With hundreds of members across the Bay Area, the group has far outpaced Christy's original vision.

If you're outside of the Bay Area and wish to start your own City Girls Group in your adopted city, I suggest contacting Christy and talking to her for some inspiration and technical know-how. A friendly, intelligent person with a knack for connecting people together, she's an excellent resource.

Mood:  cool

Here's a few of my photos from the Alcatraz gathering I wrote about on November 26th.

indigenous Thanksgiving

Mood:  celebratory

My family's genetic history is a tangle of different peoples who have had the crap kicked out of them for generations, namely Cherokee, Choktaw, and Irish. There's a hint of German and some Spanish pirates thrown into the mix as well, but my mother, father and stepfather's concern over the recognition of my Native American heritage has been far more overt than the rest; reclaiming and representing has been a theme throughout my childhood and adult life.

So, in the name of quieting them down a bit, as well as taking part in yet another historic event, I'm waking up at 4am to participate in the Sunrise Gathering @ Alcatraz Island tomorrow. The event commemorates the gathering of tribes and takeover of the Island from 1969-1971, and it also is a call to give thanks, as well as for greater awareness of international and national issues of our time.

From their site: "Join us in this day to give thanks for the Creator's gifts, renew our commitment to protect Mother Earth, honor the many heroes of our struggles, celebrate Indigenous Peoples' survival and build solidarity among all Peoples. Tobacco and prayers will be offered to the fire for the Earth and coming generations, and for All Our Relations. Masters of Ceremonies: Morning Star Gali, Lakota Harden and Bill Means. Featuring the All Nations Drum, Traditional Aztec and Pomo Dancers, and special guest speakers and presentations. All are welcome!"

For more information about the event, go here. To learn about the IITC (The International Indian Treaty Council), go here.

Mood:  chillin'

This past weekend, I took a sailing trip with some friends living in Emeryville. A highlight of the trip was seeing the work on the new span of the Oakland-to-San Francisco portion of the Bay Bridge. Called The Skyway, it's scheduled to be completed in...well...it was scheduled to be completed last year, according to the factsheet at Bay Bridge Info.

Below is a Quicktime movie I made of the progress happening as of last weekend.

 Click Here For Bay Bridge Slideshow

Mood:  celebratory

Yes, it's true!

I'll never forget my first Folsom St. Fair in Victorian drag from last year. Held on a beautiful, bright fall day in San Francisco, the prospect of throwing a proper tea party in the middle of a fine example of San Francisco hedonism seemed like a way to make fest goers laugh, give us something to do on a Sunday, and introduce me to some new teas.

I'll never forget when, during the middle of a sip of fine black tea, I looked up  upon hearing the mad clicking of cameras. The first thing I noticed was the wall of smiles and leather-bound chests...then the cameras...and lastly, about 8 penises in various states of dress. 

Long live San Francisco, long live The Bay Area, and long live the various fairs and festivals that make this city a magical, enjoyable, and interesting place to live.

I took all of these photos with a Fuji Finepix 5000. Click the thumbnail to be taken directly to the photo album.

Wool Is the New Kink!