I spent Cesar Chavez Day in Santa Monica, lazily perusing shops and enjoying the sun.

Another trip to Pinkberry followed, along with a drive down Sunset to the Elliott Smith memorial wall, where he shot the photo for the Figure 8 album cover. When you compare his shot to mine, you'll notice that he looks infinitely cooler than I do.

After reuniting with my friend Maureen for the most delicious coffee I've ever had and picking up some Pinkberry, d and I headed up to meet my parents at the Griffith Observatory.

I've looked down on LA from this spot many times. It always looks exactly like this. It's comforting.

Started my LA vaca off with a trip to the Coliseum for the Dodgers v. Red Sox game.

The Dodgers returned to the Coliseum to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their move to LA.

115,000 people were in attendance that night - the largest audience in baseball history. It was insane.

Lunch at Ed's digs.

Ed: They should make Singstar: New Jack Swing!

For some reason we've taken to reminiscing about the new jack swing genre of pop music from the early 90's.

It comes up pretty much every time we have a conversation these days.

My boss took the staff out to lunch at the Cliffhouse.

I tried to inconspicuously snap this as we were walking to the restaurant.

It was freezing up there.

I ordered the Johnson omelet as usual.

Watching soccer at Kyle's.

Switzerland v. Germany.

Cassidy: Soccer is a world of intense honor and loyalty

....later

Cassidy: Did that player just make a jack off motion with his hand?

I have a lot of old pictures on my work computer.

I was looking at this one and I couldn't help but notice that a lot of these people have had sex with eachother.

My list of bookmarks has evolved (devolved?) in sort of an interesting way since I started working at State two and a half years ago.

It starts off strong with some travel links, jewelry, clothes....and about half way down we have:

-Intimacy: The Art of Relationships on Yahoo! (Great article btw)

-50 Things She Wishes You Knew, from Men's Health Magazine

-The Ex-girlfriend Project (blog)

- Star sign compatibility, Leo with Pisces

- Break-Up blog on Vox...etc....


WTF! I'm sure the IT guys have come across this during one of their many adventures updating my computer. I'm snickered about around the water-cooler, no doubt.

Party at Isotope Comic Lounge.

This was technically on Saturday night, but it continued into Sunday, so I think it's fair to use it as my Sunday post.

The event was a gathering for fans of a blog that I read. Kind of geeky, I know, but the party ended up being pretty rad if I do say so.

Great atmosphere, open bar, awesome people. Even met some potential new friends.

I didn't take this picture myself, but I used it because I'm actually in it!

When I first moved to the city, I would go out to Ocean Beach fairly often. I only knew one person in SF at that point, so spending time at the beach seemed like a slightly more glamorous alternative to sitting in my dorm room and staring at the wall.

While there I would pull out my disc man (this was 2002) and listen to the Red House Painter's Ocean Beach album. I thought listening to Ocean Beach at Ocean Beach was just fabulously romantic.

So, here I am at the Beach, six years later with an ipod upgrade, trying to channel my 19 year old self. I can't quite do it though. She's too far out of reach.

I feel the songs on the album just as acutely, but for different reasons.






"so much that i can say to you
with affection that i burn inside
you're aching from the distance
avoiding strain that's running still alive
if only i could heal you in the sprinkling of the ocean side
but then you'd know how much i really love you"

Josh and I tried in vain to beat Mario 3.

I haven't played the game in years. Just as fun as I remember but world 8 totally shot my nerves.

Andrew's 25th birthday dinner at Chow.

Me: So...the big two five
Andrew: I know man...quarter life! Like that show that was cancelled after one episode.

According to my straw wrapper test, no one was thinking of me tonight.

Another night with the guys (and Suzanna).

I guess when my shift is technically over, it ceases to be "work" and just feels like hanging out with my friends.

Andrew announced that he was accepted into the grad program that he applied for, hence the obviously staged high five.

Daniel is a graduate student in the film department and therefore has the privilege of TAing.

Daniel: It's so much easier to grade papers when they're actually good!

I read a couple myself. They were pretty bad.

Celebrating St. Patrick at Kezar Pub.

Highlights included pissing in the dirtiest public restroom known to mankind, rummaging through a trash bag full of dozens of VHS tapes that someone left on the sidewalk (90% of which were copies of Jerry McGuire) and spending time with people that I love dearly.

Dinner at Stephanie's place.

I wouldn't eat nearly as well if I didn't have the friends that I do.

Also, I should employ the flash more often.

Nathan took me to a great Chinese restaurant in Potrero Hill.

He was introduced to the place by an old woman who treated him to dinner after hitting him with her car on her way to church one morning.

I thought that was kind of great.

I'm working on re-binding some periodicals that can only be accurately described as "hella old".

Many of them look like they may have mold on them.

Perhaps this is why I can't seem to get over this cold that I've had for the last two weeks.

I met up with Juan after his writer's group meeting at a bar on 16th St.

Juan is always in possession of great eye wear that he finds on the cheap.

These frames don't even have any lenses in them.

After a couple stiff drinks, I found this to be hilarious.

I worked the front desk for a little bit while the kids were in a student/staff meeting. My boss refers to the student assistants as "the kids" and I find myself doing the same thing sometimes, even though many of them are pretty close to my age.

We have a good group of kids this semester. I really like everyone here.

Looking at new cameras at BestBuy with d.

I wonder if I'd still take mediocre pictures if I owned this?

I'm sure it comes down to a combination of skill and camera quality.

I didn't take any pictures on the 9th or 10th. It is surprisingly hard to keep this up every day. I suppose I could just post some old pictures and talk about them, but that's not really the point of this whole thing, I don't think.

These were good days though. They really were.

Vivian had a sweet little tea party for some of her gal pals.

I'm not sure why this picture came out blurry, but I think you can gather that it was totally adorable.

It was fun to hear the other ladies talk about married life, but also a little scary to think about how far I am from having that kind of life myself.

I took a half day because I wasn't feeling well.

Went to the sushi place at the Metreon. It's not bad and it's got a great view of the park.

Sushi always makes me feel better.

Neither Ed nor I were feeling particularly hungry at lunchtime so he bought us some yogurt from Love Berry.

It wasn't bad, though it's certainly no Pink Berry.

We wrapped this outing up with a trip to Hot Topic.

Slurpees for lunch at the beach.

Lot's of sunshine and dogs and little kids.

And Mr. Votolato crooning through my ipod on the way back, "....I just want you near me like you are now, for good".

And that's exactly how i feel.

I remember sitting in this exact spot in the food court at Stonestown about a year and a half ago.

You can look down onto the main entrance and watch all the people walk in and out. It's a pretty choice location if you're alone and just want to stare at people.

Adorable snot-nosed kid: Lets go on the train to the store to buy a book about trains.
Me: Ok

....

Asnk: I found it!
Me: I don't think that book is about trains.
Asnk: I'm ready. Let's go.


Fine, kid. Enjoy Steinbeck's Tortilla Flats, and don't say I never gave you anything.

Ed's family hosted a BBQ at their home in Fairfield to celebrate his birthday, slightly belatedly.

His family is very easy going and funny. After speaking to his dad, you can certainly tell where Ed gets his sense of humor from.

It was a very pleasant day and at times I felt like falling asleep in his backyard.

Much needed time away.

Nathan rented We Own the Night and Beowulf. We watched We Own the Night.

Me: You don't seem like you actually want to see this.

Nathan: No, I rented it because I actually have some interest in seeing it. It's not a hate movie.

Hate movies are movies you rent because you hate yourself.

Ironically, we did end up hating the movie.

Spoiler! : The first five minutes featured a montage, finger banging and titties, but its all down hill from there.

SNL made us laugh, though. No thanks to Ellen Page.