This was in front of a shopping center with a Starbucks, an old car museum, a plastic surgeon, and some upscale restaurants and apparel stores. However, it was lovely to watch the sun set into the swan/duck pond while the yuppies sipped lattes and passed us in their BMW's.

Happy Hollowdays.

I gave up on birthdays a long time ago. I get uncomfortable and feel selfish when I am dragged into the center of attention. I usually turn off my phone and try to hide. New Years has always been a let down, and Halloween recently has fallen into that category. It is an evening with a lot of expectations pumped into getting dressed up, hammered and waiting for some sort of magic to happen. This year, Thanksgiving has been etched into that list of false hope. With family 3000 miles away, it's difficult to get excited about fatassing a huge meal, falling asleep on a sofa and pretending I didn't do that last weekend. So to shield myself from disappointment, I have my apartment to myself, a 4 track recorder, some left over pizza (maybe), and cable on demand (and two 30 Rock episodes I haven't watched yet).

At 26, Christmas still has magic. And until someone can try to prove to me that a fat man doesn't actually climb down my chimney with a bottomless bag full of presents, it will continue to be my favorite day of the year.

Columbia, South Carolina I will see you the evening of December 21st through the evening of January 1st.

One thing I will miss when I leave this city is the view from anywhere. Standing in shitpiles along Van Ness, on the red rocks in between Castro and Haight, on a rooftop in Nob Hill, on Treasure Island looking from bridge to bridge... San Francisco is the most beautiful place in the world. Period.

"my weekend" - by jordan

FRIDAY NIGHT

This is a terrible picture, but necessary to illustrate the caliber of the event at hand. This is the judge panel from the New York Night Train Friday the 13th Soul Clap & Dance Off. Here you are looking at the host, Ian Svenonious (Weird War/Scene Creamers, the Make-Up, Nation of Ulysses), followed by the panel of dance contest judges: Ty Segall, Karla Lavey (founder of the 1st Satanic Church/daughter of Anton Lavey), Sam Green (director of "The Weather Underground"), Irene Hernandez-Feiks (Chillin Productions), Matt Gonzalez (Green Party)... Also, Jello Biafra was one of the guest D.J.s.



This is one of the better pictures from the dance contest. One lucky winner took home $100. Despite the top notch indie celebrities present, I still feel like the G.C.S.P.S. spins sicker, funkier shit and I would have easily traded the happenings of that night for a Sindoolah party at the Whig (but in San Francisco...). Columbia, you guys have something good going on. Cherish it.



Outside the bar, Jose was helping some intoxicated friends catch a cab. He caught a limo. The driver said $25 for all of us, but the drunk party took too long to agree and he drove off. Jose shouted "there goes our white stallion!" to his friends and we had to take puke-stenched owl home.

SATURDAY
Adrienne's sister came into town, and her parents surprised everyone and flew in as well. So we spent the day hanging out. Then that night we went and saw POINT BREAK LIVE!!!

If anyone gets the chance to experience this, don't miss out. $25 for a ticket, but worth atleast double. A great time was had.

TODAY
I waited for the cable guy. Now I have internet and cable. And HBO. Then got pizza with Patrick McLaughlin. On my way home, I was maybe hit on by a tweaked out foreign guy. He kept asking about "the thing" then asked if we were going to my house or his. Then a fat drunk homeless guy in a Santa hat couldn't stand up and puked on the wall of a bus stop. Now I am home (without the foreign guy) and it is time for bed.

THE END

channeling 10th grade through 5 music videos

After over a year of living here, I have finally found a couple of bars that I somewhat enjoy going to. One is called "Grandma's". It is across the street from my house. An old ex-military guy runs it and takes really good care of the pool table. They also have a sweet juke box. When I went to go put some money into it, he said "just to warn you, there is no rap or heavy metal." I took a gander and it was filled with old Stax compilations, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Warren Zevon, Johnny Cash... pretty much a cluster of soul and country. I put in my dollar and could faintly hear my song in the background. When asked to turn it up, he said: "I can hear it just fine." I have been venturing other places, too, and feel as though my social skills might be coming back. So hooray for alcohol and the ability to talk to strangers!

Bleakend at Bernies.
This guy vibed me hard for filming. Granted it is his house, but that is definitely the most unwelcome I have felt at a punk house.

O-Town

I took this picture in Oakland last night at about 1 AM. I was alone and trying to figure out how I was going to get back to San Francisco with no cash, a messed up ATM card that only works in Bank of American ATMs, and no real knowledge of Oakland's geography. I turned the corner on to MacArthur only to see a shadowy someone walking towards me. She looked around to make sure no one was watching and then stuck her hand into the deep pocket of her windbreaker. After noticing the look of accepting my certain fate, the sketchily approaching middle-aged woman started laughing and said, "I'm just playin' I ain't gonna fuck wit you!" She laughed a lot, but I don't think pretending to pull a gun on a lost white kid in Oakland is a good practical joke.

Three days ago I realized how out of shape I am. Monday morning I got out of bed, which required the motion of basically doing one sit up. Since then, I have felt like I finished a week of ab ripper x.

Only I haven't. I have sat at a desk, snacked and done basic math.

Best job ever: I was asked to be the photographer for the Mr Roboto Presents 2009 Halloween Party/costume contest.










To view all of the contestants, go here.

Dusty Highway - "#1 Daddy" from Jordan Bee on Vimeo.