I Can't, I Can

Here are some things I can't do and don't really think I'll ever fully master:

1) Put on a sari.



I've tried using how-to videos, books, tips from friends and family...I still suck.

2) Understand the mechanics of manual vs. automatic transmission.

3) Run.

4) Sew.

5) Make rice without it sticking to the pot.

On the flipside, here are some things I think I can do pretty well:

1) Parallel park.



2) Read fast.

3) Make people laugh.

4) Multi-task.

5) Name things (usually inanimate objects, like cars, stuffed animals, etc.).

Thought it would be a good day for self-assessment.

Rhymes with "Hate"

Ugh, I think I just got gay-bashed, SF-bashed, and Arab-bashed all at once, and I fall into none of those categories.

Walking to the shoe repair shop with JSS, we decided to take a stroll by these random "Yes on 8" protesters creating a hullabaloo on the corner. We live in the heart of all that is feared by conservatives, so I've never actually seen any of these "family values" folks around before (thank goodness). As we got closer, I was heartened to see some brave "No on 8"-ers in their midst.

We crossed the street and were greeted with shouts like, "Yeah! A man and a woman! Yes on 8!"

I was like, "Hell to the no. We do not support your values. No on 8!"

They seemed dumbfounded. "You mean you two aren't together?"

JSS: "Yes, we're together, but we don't agree with you."

This got them really ignited. Suddenly it was, "Fuck you! Go back to San Francisco!"

And then, out of nowhere, "Go back to Arabia!" and a butt was pointed in our direction. Meanwhile, one of their kids was shouting for us to "shut up."

Awesome. THESE are your family values?? I have to admit, I burst into tears on the spot. People of color spewing hate at us? What about solidarity? What about agreeing to disagree?

I am not amused.

Blockhead, Part II

NKOTB!!

My lifelong dream of seeing NKOTB in concert has finally come true. It truly was a momentous occasion. Honestly, I had verrrrry low expectations (possibly even lower than when I went to see the "Sex and the City" movie). I figured these guys were no longer capable of their old dance moves and vocal stylings.

But actually...they were really good. It was quite miraculous. The ones who could sing well in the first place (Jordan, Joey, and occasionally Donnie) were still really good singers. And when Jordan hit that high note on "I'll Be Loving You Forever," I have to admit I shed a little tear. Sounds crazy, but it was like, at that moment, all was perfect in the world. It was my youth encapsulated into a single note, reverberating in a hall of 15,000 people, all of whom were probably thinking the same thing. Well, except for the guys who just got dragged there with their girlfriends and wives. But who knows? Maybe a few of them were doing the "Right Stuff" dance, too.