Even after deciding to make my BM wardrobe this year a little more practical I couldn't pass up a new pair of furry boots. Black ones are on the way. These will go fabulous with my new labcoat.
I finally, finally, finally gave my notice to vacate my studio. Its been almost year since I've actually "lived" there and over five years since I moved in. Its time to move on and become more of a permanent resident at Ford's. I do happen to have the lights still up from my last shoot with Tracy, and may keep them up for a few impromtu "fairwell photoshoot free-for-alls" until I get down to packing the garage. Interested? Shoot me an email.
Sunday night I joined up with Janice at Supperclub for round three of a girls night out, birthday style. We wined and dined and listened to opera and loved everything but the avocado soup...it tasted like runny guacamole dip.
On Monday I met up with Janice again on West Portal for brunch and to run some errands. All was good until I noticed that my car keys had come off of my handbag. I've clipped them onto my bags for quite some time now, and somewhere along West Portal they'd come loose, I didn't hear them drop. I backtracked my steps three times and asked every single shop owner along the way if anyone had turn in any keys. No luck. I am thinking maybe a child picked them up since there were a couple of "toys" on the key ring - my very first string doll: Jo Ninja, and a hot-pink plastic Gloomy Bear - which was my favorite Gloomy Bear and bitch to get in blind assortment. To top it off, a very nice Prada key ring. Not only did I lose my only car key, but a hundred bucks worth of key-chains, too. I made a spare key a couple of years ago, and for the life of me could not remember where I put it. I searched everywhere. Since I did not have a key, and the wheels were locked from parking on a hill, the tow truck had to tow my ride dragging sideways for about a mile, until we parked it near my studio on a relatively safe street without meters or time restrictions, just the usual street cleaning restrictions. The looks on the faces of passer-bys was priceless. I counted three mouthed "oh shiiiits" as we drove on.
Today I managed to get a mobile locksmith over there and he made me two keys and didn't lecture me too much. I moved my ride to a different street to avoid the rest of the street cleaning for this week, and will be able to go get it if not by tomorrow then on Sunday. Ford just had orthoscopic knee surgery and is in no condition to drive. He is doing well but hobbling about on European crutches. I rather enjoy playing nurse for him.
So much going on, I haven't had the time to catch up and blog. I've been busy on both sides of the camera, looking for a "real" job and trying to figure out a new school schedule. The "real job" may force me into part-time school, but I am prepared to take whatever comes my way. To top it off, I am switching majors - again.
I've been packing boxes at my studio, making it a long and slow goodbye. I'm not thrilled about putting all my belonging in storage, but especially lately it has become apparent the studio has its uses, but just isn't economically feasible with an impending new semester.
Burning Man is soon and I just picked up a sweet new ride - a hot pink beach cruiser. I look forward to pimping it out.
Nasal packing sucks major ass. I have to sleep sitting up with an airline pillow, the end of my nose resembles a clown's, and I wake up constantly to drink water from a straw. Oh, how I can't wait to get the packing out tomorrow.
Huzzah!
My first clinical hours were spent with SFFD Station #29. Medic 29's ambulance was stationed there for its last week, since now the ambulances are to become rovers and be based off of Evans St, and not so much the Stations. I was sooo nervous! Not only had I never stepped inside a firehouse before, I'd heard horror stories about the hazing of ridealongs. I showed up in my spiffy medic uniform and introduced myself to the lone fireman that was there waiting to get off of shift. The rest of the house was out on a call. I watched the news for a little while and sports I could care less about. I didn't dare ask to change the channel.
When the crew returned, I met the paramedics and they were awesome. The whole house was very welcoming and it put my nerves at ease. I hopped in the ambulance to go get coffee with the paramedics. On the way, we clipped a guy's side-mirror on his Ford Ranger. The next hour or so we spent waiting for the Battalion Chief, and the PD to show so we could take care of the BS paperwork that goes along with accidents. The owner of the Ranger was totally cool, apparently his father was a fireman and invented an apparatus on the fire hoses for the trucks. He didn't want to file a claim, and after an hour of bureaucracy, we finally got coffee at Philz. Philz Coffee is liquid crack made an individual cup at a time.
After that we headed back to the Station and had lunch. Let me just say, firemen can cook! We sat on a long table with china dishes and proper silverware settings, pitchers of water, and a fabulous spread of bbq hamburgers, veggies, fruit, and chips. I was impressed. I mean, I had heard they can cook, but all the manners to go with? Awwwesome. After lunch we watched 300 and waited for a call. We actually finished the entire film before we got a call for a minor car accident a single block away. Civic vs. FJ. Both drivers OK, just shaken up. I was told it was the curse of the ridealong, that as soon as I went home, they'd get blown up with calls. It was just a Monday...
The entire house was really generous and showed my around (but not upstairs) and gave me the rundown of the firetruck and the ambulance. SF is one of the last cities to still use wood ladders, for tradition. The ladders are damn heavy.
Running around, guerilla style photos for the SF Weekly
Things have been insane. I really do miss you and will visit soon with the goods.
