I woke on Friday morning to NPR's Story Corps project and heard a very familiar voice. It was the voice of Chunky, a San Diegan who can be spotted on a regular basis at Chiquita's.

On this particular segment of Story Corps, Chunky talks about how his, and other students', name was changed to become more "American sounding"--in his case from Ramon to Raymond.

Names and identity are very important to an individual. Once others define another person's name, the others now own the power.

Listen to Chunky's story here.

The SD Union-Tribune reported the final results of Tuesday's election for San Diego City Council District 3. Here it is:

CITY OF SAN DIEGO COUNCIL - DISTRICT NO. 3
Counted: 86 of 86 precincts – 100.0 percent

TODD GLORIA 7422 40.5%
STEPHEN WHITBURN 5213 28.5%
JOHN HARTLEY 3298 18.0%
PAUL BROADWAY 1124 06.1%
ROBERT E. LEE 669 03.7%
JAMES HARTLINE 595 03.3%

It appears there will be a November run-off since no candidate received over 50% of the vote.

Paul Broadway received 1124 votes, and finished in 4th place. Not bad for a candidate without political connections or financial resources (i.e. Gloria and Whitburn).

Hamilton's Cafe's grilled cheese sandwich was reviewed in today's Union-Tribune.

The review described the sandwich as "a gift from God" because it's stuffed with "avocado, bacon, smoke ham, apple slices and such."

I haven't yet tried the grilled cheese (despite the fact I work a shift at Hamilton's), and to describe anything as a "gift from God"--especially food--makes the simple sandwich very tempting.

The San Diego Public Library had a book sale, from which four books, for a grand total of $9.00, were purchased yesterday. The sale was to benefit the library, to which I am a regular visitor.

Two of the books were Thomas Jefferson related: Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate History by Fawn McKay Brodie (1974) and Jefferson's Children: The Story of One American Family by Shannon Lanier (Author), Jane Feldman (Photographer) (2002). Of the other two books, one was Undaunted Courage by the late Stephen Ambrose (1997) and The Collected What If? Eminent Historians Imagining What Might Have Been (2001), which was edited by Robert Crowley.

All history books, and three of them are hardcovers. An excellent purchase, indeed.

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers' knee needs surgery, according to local sports writer, Kevin Acee, of the SD Union-Tribune.

Rivers, one day after his team's lost to the Patriots, was the prime subject of local sports radio, many calling him a hero for playing with an MCL injury. Apparently Rivers had knee surgery last Monday, and some people (mostly local writers and commentators) knew about it but didn't reveal it to the public.

On another note, the same Acee article reported that LaDainian Tomlinson will not require surgery on his hurt knee, just time (4 weeks).

Gabcast! DB Blas: Mobile Dispatch #9

lei back cafe, originally uploaded by D.B. Blas.

Lei Back Cafe opened in South Park in the Summer of 2007. In a year and a half, this shoe box-sized sandwich shop made a positive difference in South Park's quality of life. I will miss one of my favorite sandwiches: the chicken pesto sandwich. Good bye good place. And good luck to Justine, Jimmy, and the boys.

(AP)

Norv Pulls a Schottenheimer

Norv Turner spoke from the heart the night before the Chargers played the Colts in their AFC Divisional playoff game on Sunday. Charger players felt the emotional tone of Turner's speech and took it personally. So much so that the Chargers beat the favored Colts in a game all the pundits thought the Chargers had no chance of winning (Colts were favored by 10 points).

The Chargers felt as if Turner pulled a Marty Schottenheimer, the coach of the Chargers who was fired at the end of last year, and known for his heartfelt, pre-game pep speeches. The players responded with a win, and now the team seems ready to play an undefeated Patriots team, which will be their second meeting of the season.

At Hamilton's Tavern, South Park's unofficial Charger headquarters, where Charger fans assembled at 10:00 A.M. yesterday, the fans were a bit concerned after the Colts scored easily on their first possession to make the score 7-0. But all concerns flew out the window as soon as the Chargers mounted their first scoring drive in the 2nd quarter to tie the score. The Bolts played lights out the first half and it was clear that they were more physical, and ready to take on the Colts in the second half. And take the on they did.

For food, James Bryant, who is a regular food contributor, prepared a beef stew that was hot, healthy, and delicious. I personally had 3-4 servings. It was THAT good.

Turner has a .750 winning percentage in playoff games. The Chargers are most certainly primed to take the Patriots' record to 17-1, with their emotional victory over the Colts, and to raise Turner's playoff record to 4-1. The Chargers and Patriots tee it off at 1:00 P.M. on Sunday. Are you ready for some football?

Beer Crazed San Diegans
San Diego is beer obsessed, and that's probably a good thing.

Judging from the quantity and quality of comments on a recent article printed in a local newspaper, San Diegans appear to enjoy high-quality, well-crafted ales. As with 99% of online opinions, you'll have the two cents from the "haters," those who hate everything--beer included, and this article definitely brought them out.

The article, written by Peter Rowe, a feature columnist whose specialty is beer, is written like a program (the kind you get at sporting events), and discusses some of the places--good and bad--to get beer.

Download the PDF "program" here.

What To Do After The Fire
NBC San Diego created a to-do list on what to do after the ash stops falling; how to remove it, safely and with the environment in mind, from your home, yard, and car. Here are a few things:

# Determine if ash and debris can be contained and cleaned up without water
# Where it's practical to do so, wash ash and debris into landscaped areas
# Use a damp mop to clean ash and debris from small areas
# Dampen accumulated ash and debris and scrape or vacuum it up using a shop vacuum with adequate filtration
# Take vehicles to a or wash vehicles over a vegetated area, such as a lawn
# Redirect downspouts to landscaped areas when cleaning off roofs
# Use a highttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifh efficiency HEPA-type vacuum to clean indoor carpets
# Use a damp cloth to pick up dust from smaller surfaces, such as counters
# Use a damp mop for nonporous surfaces like tile or vinyl floors

Fire Tracking in East County
Ubie Fuzzman is pictured here at Alpine Beer Company, in Alpine, Calif. Fuzzman and I were fire tracking in eastern San Diego County on Wednesday and returned to SD with two growlers: 1 Alpine Ale (a pale ale) and 1 McIlhenney's Irish Red, which were immediately consumed upon our return.

Family and Friends Update

San Diego Wildfires 2007
Originally uploaded by D.B. Blas.

My area of San Diego, South Park, isn't as adversely affected as northern and southeastern San Diego County. I'm seeing smoke in the skies, as the above picture suggests, and very little ash falling from the sky.

Probably the most affective aspect of the 2007 San Diego Wildfire for me is my inability to make a living as a substitute teacher because all city schools are closed for the rest of the week.

Classes have also been canceled, and that might hamper my academic progress. I'm looking forward to finishing during February 2008, but I will just have to wait and see. I'm not going to complain, either, because there are too many here who are experiencing more significant difficulties, and they're handling it like troopers.

You can follow me and receive real-time updates at Twitter.

My Neighborhood Right Now
This is an image of the sky over South Park. The Harris Fire in southeast San Diego County is getting closer to home.

Get more timely updates on the San Diego Wildfires 2007 via Twitter

Evacuees are taking refuge in a number of different evacuation centers throughout San Diego. Here is one at Steele Canyon High School in Rancho San Diego, a community southeast of downtown San Diego.

Photo: Sandy Huffaker/The New York Times

A snapshot of what's going on inside Qualcomm Stadium

What About Mobile Communications?

Text messaging is an invaluable communications tool during emergency situations, such as the one now. On the few occasions I tried placing voice calls, the "all circuits are busy" message played.

Debi Jones has a nice piece on mobile communications and emergencies.

Latest Satellite Image
Here's the latest picture from space.

A quarter of a million people have been evacuated from San Diego alone.

Qualcomm Stadium has 5600 people camped out there. At this time there is a need for nurses and EMT professionals to relieve the tired medical professionals already at the stadium.

In Rancho Santa Fe, one of the more expensive places to live in the U.S., multi-million dollar homes are burned or burning.

In the South Park neighborhood, air quality is relatively good. Most of the bad air seems to be north and south of here. It's almost as if the smoke and particulate matter is straddling here.

San Diego Gas & Electric, SDG&E the local utility company, has asked residents not to turn off their natural gas feed. Currently there are 30,000 homes without power.

I've heard dozens of reports of good Samaritans, and personal heroism.

I heard a report that some undocumented immigrants were burned today. They were reportedly taken to areas hospitals for treatment.

Evacuate?

Most people believe folks in the central portion of San Diego (South Park, Downtown, North Park, etc.) will not need to evacuate.

Satellite Picture of San Diego
This is what the San Diego region looks like from space.

Where Are The SD Fires?
This graphic from San Diego CBS 8 pinpoints where the SD fires are currently located.

More fire maps here

Just in...
Schools in San Diego will not be in session tomorrow (Tuesday, 10/23).

Air Quality
The high particulate matter in the air has caused the cancellation of practice for the resurgent San Diego Chargers.

San Diego County is tracking air quality here.

It's currently sunny in South Park (92104, where I live); however, when I look north and east the sky looks very gritty.

The local NPR affiliate, KPBS News, is streaming its newscast and it's continuing wildfire coverage.

Qualcomm Stadium is now an evacuation center.

San Diego Wildfires

Wildfire Map is a good map of the current wildfires in San Diego.

Traffic is congested all around the county because people are evacuating.

Wildfires Now More Dangerous
The San Diego wildfires, by all accounts, have become worse overnight.

According to several sources, a large swath of San Diego has been evacuated and more freeways are now closed, with more of both to come.

Power outages have been reported in north and east counties.

As of now, here are the evacuation locations:

-Escondido High School, 1535 North Broadway
-Santana High School, 9915 Magnolia Avenue, Santee
-Mira Mesa High School, 10510 Reagan Road (off Mira Mesa Boulevard).
-Steele Canyon High School, 12440 Campo Road, Spring Valley
-Campo Community Center, 976 Sheridan Road, Campo
-Poway High School shelter is CLOSED.

The I-5 and I-15 have been closed, both between State Route 56 and Lake Hodges

San Diego Fires (Part two)
This is "the worst fire (event) in county history," according to Bill Kolender, Sheriff, San Diego County.

The last time the county went through wildfires like these was in October 2003. Like in 2003, Santa Ana wind conditions are fueling these fires with high wind speeds, coupled with very dry conditions.

Here's a map of where the two San Diego wildfires are located.

The westerly winds are picking up, and who knows what's going to happen. When day breaks, we'll have a better handle as to the extent of the fires.

We have two big problems related to this fire. First, people are not evacuating when they are asked the first time by emergency services personnel. The second is the high wind speeds, keeping fire suppression aircraft grounded.

Jonathan Kozol Lectures San Diego

Jonathan Kozol, a critic of social inequality in education and the No Child Left Behind education law (NCLB, which is up for reauthorization), lectured a teacher-packed St. Paul's Cathedral this week, on Monday. And lectured he did indeed.

Kozol covered three main topics: NCLB & testing, segregated urban schools, and pre-Kindergarten, which are covered in this latest book, Letters to a Young Teacher. As for NCLB and testing, he said there has been no real increase in student achievement, and that the law is a failure. If Congress reauthorizes the law, he would like to see some drastic changes written into the law.

One such change to NCLB Kozol would like to see is on the stick, or the sanctions side. Before any school or school district is penalized for failing to make AYP (Annual Yearly Progress, or lack of), the state must certify that all third graders in the school or district have had two years of pre-Kindergarten.

Kozol believes that pre-Kindergarten, which many kids of the middle and upper classes receive, determines student success in high stakes standardized tests.

Kozol spoke often about race and inequality of education. Download my lecture notes:
KOZOL_LECTURE.txt

The SD BREWING CO has tons of tantalizing ales on tap, and the food is very good, too. Pictured here is their pizza.

Fuzzman Unmasked! (Part 5)Here, in our continuing coverage of Fuzzman Unmasked!, we find our hero (unmasked) at his destination (finally), to return his overpriced "stunners." Fuzzman, looking nervous and out of his element, was having second thoughts, or post-buy remorse (as marketing people would describe), on his initial purchase of "stunners shades," also known as large-sized sunglasses.

There's Sorrow in Chargerville
What about the San Diego Chargers? With three losses in four game, the Chargers appear out of it. Why has it come to this? Just nine months ago they were the best team in the NFL.

Simply the Chargers waited too long to hire a new coach, after A.J. Smith (Chargers' G.M.) fired Marty Schottenheimer 30 days after they lost in the first around of the playoffs.

I like to say if you wait until December 24th to buy a Christmas gift--as the Chargers did--you're going to get screwed (Norv Turner).

It's a Taco Shop - San Diego



San Diego's oldest taco shop, is featured in this installment of the Burrito Chronicles. El Porvenir is located in (Barrio) Logan, and a friend of mine is responsible for my first visit there.

The carnitas burritos there are unlike a typical carnitas burrito; more tender and juicy because the pork is slow cooked to perfection. The tortillas are freshly made, which add to its delectable nature.

Of the three times I've visited the restaurant, there had been no other customers, which is good because the service was attentive.

Fuzzman Unmasked! (Part 4)



In this episode, Fuzzman is followed while he's navigating the lower bowels of the Hotel Del Coronado, trying to find the store from where he purchased over-priced "stunners."

Gabcast! DB Blas: Mobile Dispatch #5 - Bears vs. Chargers 2007

DB speaks with Chris at the 2007 San Diego Chargers home opener against the Chicago Bears

Gabcast! DB Blas: Mobile Dispatch #4 - An Interview with Hank

DB interviews Hank during the pre-game tailgate at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego

BLAS 0597
Originally uploaded by D.B. Blas.

Riddles at Hamilton's Tavern in South Park.

San Diego's Lindbergh Airport (SAN) if offering free wireless Internet! Read the small article here.

Wilco at SDSU Open Air Theater

The Wilco Rock And Roll Juggernaut rolled into San Diego last night and made it be known--in no uncertain terms--they still ROCK.

The Chicago-based band blasted, boomed, swooned, swooped, two-stepped, and delicately dabbled for over two hours last night, leaving a close-to-sold-out house with two encores and excessive smiles on the faces of faithful.

Wilco, with Jeff Tweedy as its captain, have traveled quite a distance, sonically and personnel wise. The departed Jay Bennett, who was introduced to the rest of the world in the documentary movie "I'm Trying To Break Your Heart," can be forsaken. His musical stamps on Wilco are not entirely forgotten, because the new players can duplicate anything (and improve on what) Bennett contributed. The current players in the band are so talented, gifted, and creative, that the absence of Bennett is comparable to Stu Sutcliffe's termination from The Beatles.

From the ashes of Uncle Tupelo, Wilco formed with key members of the former, naming themselves from their response to former Tupelo, Jay Farrar, requesting the band not use the former name. ("Will Comply" = Wilco)

The first record ("A.M."), made almost a decade ago, sounds, and is, a universe apart from the latest release "Sky Blue Sky." For one, the latest record and band members are liberally sprinkled with two very important ingredients: inspiration and talent, two items which seem to be in short supply for most other bands. Wilco had inspiration for "A.M.," but now it's jacked-up on steroids.

The guitar playing of virtuoso Nels Cline and keyboarding of Pat Sansone add an ethereal dimension the band didn't have when they first arrived onto the scene. The creative musicianship by Cline himself is worth the twenty some dollars you'll expect to pay for a Wilco ticket.

The live translation of the new record is lush, dynamic, and at times combustible. Experiencing Wilco's live show now is like no other rock and roll experience. They may be the best rock band on the planet.

Fuzzman Unmasked! (part 3)



In this installment Ubie Fuzzman, the Hungarian, unmasked for the first time, walks closer to his ultimate destination--the high-end, Hotel Del Coronado, specialty boutique, where he purchased an item he no longer finds useful, nor practical.

Fuzzman overpaid for the item and he wants his money back.

Go Fuzzman!

Fuzzman Unmasked! Part Two



Mr. Fuzzman, unmasked for his trip to Coronado, is seen here in the 2nd video installment, walking to the store to return a piece of merchandise. Fuzzman was experiencing buyers remorse when he purchased a pair of sunglasses from the Coronado store.

In upcoming installments, we'll watch Fuzzman in the store, and how he deals with store personnel.

The online news organization Voice of San Diego posted a new tool to summarize foreclosures throughout San Diego County. I used the tool to inquire about foreclosures in the South Park neighborhood, and what I found is very interesting: South Park is experiencing a higher rate of foreclosures (per 1000 unique addresses) than the county in general.

South Park is comprised of two zip codes: 92102 and 92104.

During the first half of 2007, South Park has had at least 256 homes in at least some stage of foreclosure proceedings. That's an average of 22.24 foreclosures per 1000 homes in the neighborhood. The county average is 12.26 foreclosures per 1000 homes.

Might as well blog

It's Halloween. Happy happy.

It's 1:30 A.M. and once again, for the fifth night in a row, I find myself up and unable to sleep. Ahh, the upside of insomnia. Might as well blog.

Just finished an article on Philadelphia public schools' engagement with Edison Schools, Inc., a for profit corporation in the business of delivering education, higher test scores and more to failing public schools. With a big gigantic slump of the stock market, Edison stock has lost much of its value (from a high of $22 to its current value of 50 cents) and that has caused the company to think "creatively" to get its financial house in order. Sounds like a major headache to be in the for-profit business of delivering education. Thank you ffej.org for your ability to scour the web for good reading.

On tap at work today is our Halloween Pot Luck which I have decided to offer up a submarine sandwich. I've no history in the creation of submarine sandwiches but I'm willing to give it a try. French bread, mayo, salami, ham, lettuce, tomato, cheese, green pepper, and Italian dressing are easy enough to assemble. Others at work will be offering up much more "complicated" fare. Not me.

Lastnight, Mike and I went out to Catamaran Resort Hotel's Cannibal Bar to meet Patty, a cousin of a friend who appears interested in me. First off, she asked me to meet her there at 6:30 to see a band she likes. The band was a cover band and the bar wanted us to pony up $5 a piece to experience this forgettable ensemble. That wasn't gonna happen so Mike and decided to head to the Piano Bar which had no cover; however, they sure had pricey drinks. $30 for two rounds. When Patty finally arrived (she was late), with a male friend in tow, Mike really got himself an earload. He was so unimpressed with her tales of woe he had to walk away and find a pay phone to call my mobile about his distress of hearing this lady's baggage. Before Mike found the phone, I had to drop the truth bomb on Patty that I didn't like the band, wasn't going to pay to see 'em, and that we were hungry and not planning to eat there, but to find somewhere more to our liking. She was disappointed. I was happy to high tail it out of there. We found a place much more to our liking -- The Liar's Club.

Located on Mission Blvd at Mission Beach, The Liar's Club is a cool, rock-and-roll infected pub with excellent choices in brew and solid 1/2 pound burgers which are tasty and delicious.

Make up your own Bush speech is good stuff! That's right, you can get the Elvis of All Tools to say what YOU want him to say.

I think I'm ready for more sleep now.

Mr. Nissley was asked to refrain from consuming his alcoholic beverage from outside of this establishment this afternoon.



I took a one hour plus nap at Mission Beach this afternoon. Very relaxing.

Day Eight of Mr. Nissley's visit to San Diego ::

Mr. Nissley rented a (ghey) Ford Focus from Enterprise Rent-A-Car, drove it around San Diego, and surprisingly, stopped and hung-out at the beach. That's Ocean Beach (pictured below).



For dinner, we dined at Red Fox Steak House and Piano Bar. The New York Strips were heaven--cooked perfectly as we ordered ours medium rare.

Day Seven ::



Mr. Nissley and I watched Sunday football at the Pacific Beach Bar and Grill. The Sunday brunch at the PB Bar and Grill kicks ass. It cost $9.95 and the buffet has a Mexican flavor. But best part, all the football games are televised and the wait staff are very customer focused. Oh, the Chicago Bears lost.



After brunch, we walked the two block distance to the beach where we enjoyed the sunny day. The image below is exactly where we basked.



After hanging out at the pier for five-and-a-half hours, Mr. Nissley and I walked to Blind Melons, the epicenter for fans of the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills and it's located right on the beach. The place is NUTS! If you like to drink tons of beer and go crazy--I mean CRAZY--cheering for your team, this is the place for you. I'm simply an observer of individual and group behaviors; Blind Melons is an interesting anthropological specimen.

After a couple of brews, it was back to South Park for a home-cooked dinner and the World Series at Sparky's. The daytime bartender at Sparky's was in customer mode and offered Mike and me Japanese Saki. Nice. Oh, there's a 10% alcohol beer called "The Reverend." It's badass.

Day Six ::

Mr. Nissley and I spent all of Saturday at Pacific Beach. We had a few drinks, threw the frisbee and played catch on the sandy beach.



Pacific Beach is a diverse beach area wih a large visitor segment representing the beer-guzzling fraternity/sorority types. A surfing competition next to the PB Pier was underway. A nice day.

Jason and Buzz have moved onward in their long journey; both are in Los Angeles.

Day Five ::



Jerry passed.

Jerry was accompanied into the after-life by tortilla, avocado, zucchini and cheese assembled omelette style. Jerry's passing occurred around brunch time.

Lobster Jerry was not at all cooperative; he resisted his capture and detainment from minute one.

To Jerry's friends and supporters: if you don't want Jerry's fate, don't take the bait.

Day Five ::



Sunny skies with just a few clouds as of 8:00 A.M. We're beach-bound; to Black's Beach or Mission Bay.

First we must eat Jerry.

I checked on Jerry, our one-and-only keeper lobster, this morning and he seems to be doing as well as can be--considering he's been snatched from his Pacific home and interned in a white styrofoam cooler with an American Flag emblazoned on the outside. Jerry probably feels like a Taliban prisoner in Cuba, detained without charges and with no chance to consult his attorney.

Day Four ::



Mike's the big winner. We arrived at Ocean Beach Pier around Noon and when we left, nine and a half hours later, Mike was the proud owner of the only keeper for the day. His name is Jerry, a fine pacific lobster. We each caught something. Jason a fish (not a keeper) and I picked-up two non-keeper lobsters.

Lobsters can be kinda vicious when they're on-shore. Pacific lobsters are unlike Maine lobsters because they have no front claws. The long antenna, however, are sharp as pins and can pierce skin. Gotta be careful with lobsters.

We used Mackerel, squid and anchovies for bait.

Day Three ::

Mike went all over San Diego via public transportation. He even managed to take a rented bike south from Coronado to the Mexican border using the coastal, and very scenic, CA-75 along Silver Strand State Park.



Jason surprise-visited friends in Orange County and Los Angeles.

I worked and when I returned home the preparations began for fried chicken and mashed potatoes and gravy for dinner. The boys enjoyed the warm, home-cooked meal.



We packed it up and went to the Casbah for some atmospheric, jazz-inspired, Tortise-like stylings of Do Make Say Think and Fly Pan Am.

Today I called in sick and we're headed to Ocean Beach Pier later this morning to employ my two lobster traps. A lobster fest on the beach is a very good possibility if the the lobsters cooperate.

Tonight I make home-made fried chicken.

Day Two :: starring MN, JP, DB and B

Yesterday morning started with work (7:30 A.M.). I left Mike, Jason and Buzz to their own devices. While at work, Mike and Jason visited Ocean Beach and the Mission Bay Golf Course. At Mission Bay, the two took to the driving range.



Since I work less than one mile away, I come home for lunch, and yesterday at 2 PM I stopped off at Miller's Supermarket before home and purchased some carne asada which later became lunch. Marinated carne asada (lime, onions, spice) and rice.



Mike wasn't feeling well when we reconvened at 2PM; I think it was the coffee and yogurt combination he consumed earlier. There's something about California dairy products which can cause concern to a midwesterner. Prior to California, I had not experienced lactose intolerance. Since moving here, I can't drink milk products without some sort of gastro uneasiness. Must be the California dairy. That's what I think is going on with Mike.



Lastnight we had dinner at Turf Supper Club, a cook-it-yourself steak place. Jason ordered the surf and turf and two martinis; Mike and I ordered the Ribeye and one Stoli martini (dirty) each and a beer with dinner. TSC has a wonderful, low-cost concept; however, the steaks were supermarket quality, nor was the grilling station operated at optimum temperature. A fine, tasty steak require a very high cooking temperature for best results. It's a fine place regardless.

After our steak dinners, we took off to downtown San Diego for the Waterfront, a nice little tavern in Little Italy. There we drank pitchers of beers and Jim Beamed ourselves.



We retired for the evening posing as full fucks.

Today the weather, as for the past several days, is overcast and cloudy. Looking out of my office window, I see a continuation of the cloudy gray.

Today, Jason is off to visit a friend in Orange County while Mike has laundry to start. Mike has been sporting the same shorts for the past week and there is evidence he desires to continue wearing 'em while in Southern California.

Day One :: Mike Nissley, Jason Pontius and Buzz (cute little puppy)

Driving from Las Vegas in a white Jeep SUV, the three pulled into casa de Pesotum around 6 P.M. with ice-cold beer in-hand. After a few short minutes of pleasantries, the initial stage of Miller Lite product consumption commenced. Buzz didn't waste any time, either; ol' boy began humping me post haste. (confidential to Buzz: it's allright buddy; you don't need to feel bad about your sexuality. no harm, no foul.)

We listened to some rock music (The Hives, American Nitro, Bill Monroe, Wilco) via the iBook for an hour before we decided to head out into the San Diego night. Our first stop was Scolari's Office, a full-service night club located one mile away in North Park.

Scolari's Office is a local hangout known to be frequented by rocker and goth types. We walked into the darkly lit club with the fully-stocked bar to the right and black round tables to the left. Seated at the bar was a collection of older people either in small discussion groups or drinking solo. The bartender, a man around the age of 39, sported a cheetah-spotted shirt and thick rimmed glasses. We found three open stools at the bar and began the proceedings.

We started with shots of Jim Beam and a round of beers (Jason bought). A younger man, 25 to be exact and toting a skateboard, invited Jason to a game of pool in which Jason won due to youngun's failure to announce a "double-kiss" prior to taking his shot at the 8-ball. On several occasions, the young guy mistook either Jason or Mike's beer for his own. The young man, his name I cannot recall, was very despondent after his pool failure and sat on the stool next to me where we began to talk about skateboarding and pool. I suggested he not shoot all his balls with the high velocity with which I had observed in his contest with Jason. He thought that in order to be a good player he HAD to shoot the balls hard. I said: you drive for show and you putt for dough. He got the message.

After 3 rounds, we headed south to my neighborhood bar--Sparky's Cafe, a local beer-only establishment.

Sparky's is where I usually spend Monday evenings because of the free pool, the nice people and football. The owner, Paul, used to work with Sony where he helped manufacture CRT monitors. Due to downsizing at Sony, he was laid-off a few years ago and his subsequent severance pay was used to buy Sparky's.

Wahoo Wheat, a locally brewed beer, is on tap at Sparky's and that's what I drink. Jason an Ale and Mike a Miller Lite product. At Sparky's, we conversed with a few people, as well with Paul, and the lady bartender who on this evening was on the customer side of the bar. Topics included what was the better beach--Black's or Ocean Beach; local politics and different cities where we've lived. We spent about two hours at Sparky's and then to the liqour store where Mike stocked up on ice and beer. Since we had not ate (10:30 P.M.), we placed orders for burritos at a small corner Mexican restaurant across the street from the liqour store. (Jason, fish. Mike and I, carne asada.) We returned to my studio apartment where we consumed the fine Mexican fare and went into our evening slumber.

This morning, Mike is still asleep while Jason and Buzz or having coffee at Santos Coffee House.

Out here in the West, water is in short supply, and has been since this the United States embarked on the settlement of the West over a hundred years ago. Water is considered "gold" out here. Anyone new to the area (i.e. me) wouldn't think water was scarce based upon the many lush and well manicured lawns.

Something will have to give because by year's end the Feds will cut-off 50% of California's take from the Colorado River. We'll see what the lawn-lovers will do then. Will municipalities begin rationing water? Folks around here ain't gonna like that. Rationing was tried, according to a co-worker and life-long San Diego resident, 15-20 years ago and folks weren't very happy about it. Some home owners were busted by the city's water patrol for illegally watering their lawns. It appears the last thing on the mind of the many image conscience San Diegans is water. If the tap is turned and water come out--what shortage? That seems to be the common thought. I'm oh so curious to observe reactions to water after the year's end.

We've all heard of the electric power shortage in California, right? Well, I'll give you an example of the lost-at-sea mindset as Californians deal with shortages. To observe the September 11th anniversary of the terrorist bombings, San Diego's mayor requested all residents mark the occassion by leaving on outdoor lights. All night, mind you dear reader. I have to think whoever came up with the 9/11 light idea, during this period of electricity conservation, is the genius who will most likely develop the water conservation plan.

I would like to suggest there is no shortage of Enronesqe "leaders" in Southern California.

The mornings, for the past week, have started without a wake up alarm. (That ist rad.) I've been waking up very early, around 5:00 A.M., which gives me the time to read before those damn, loud-ass planes begin flying overhead. Did I report my apartment is directly under the landing path of planes flying to Lindbergh Field, the downtown airport in San Diego? As the aircraft approach the airfield, approximately one mile east of where I live, they are about 1/4 of a mile above and those screeching jet engines make the loudest noises the likes of which hell has not heard. That's the price one pays for low rent.

The national economy, from the perspective of many laborers, has not moved from the crapper. Any talk of an improving economy is wishful thinking. For the working class, any real change of income and attitudes will take place months after the equity markets begin getting "theirs." I sometimes, more often than in the past, feel fortunate I have a job. Although in the freewheeling and image conscience town, I sometimes feel my job is a treadmill, running but not getting anywhere. My relocation plans, as reported here, will be timed to an improvement in the national economy.

This town can keep a Midwesterner in the can; with its high cost and Disney culture, living here can make it difficult to maintain values cultivated from the flatlands of Central Illinois. The artist mindset is rarely on display. Without others whom share a pension for creativity, the can is a very difficult place to grow--spiritually and artistically.

Graduate school is being contemplated because I need a plan of action as I continue to entertain thoughts of relocating back to Chicago. I have many friends there whom I miss dearly, plus the close proximity to family is a definite plus.

San Diego's weather attracts a diverse lot of people and there appears to be economic segregation of peoples here. Like Chicago. I happen to live around people with lower income and education levels. That's where I feel most comfortable, as was the case in Chicago.

The part of San Diego in which I live is one which can suck much of my positive energies, unlike Chicago, but I erect my defenses to fight-off the onslaught. One example of the energy zappers mentioned above occurs at the apartment complex where I reside. I spend a lot of time at home doing whatever, but my typical weekday evenings, after returning from work, are spent in a dinky, second floor studio apartment, reading every page of the Sunday New York Times and wondering "how did I get here?" (Yes, the Sunday NY Times is a large sucker.) Down in the first floor courtyard of the apartment complex, there is a constant buzz of young children crying or playing mostly unsupervised, and like clockwork a single parent will emerge from one of the apartments to deliver some of the most God-awful expletives at one of their kids. It's a very negative environment for these children and I feel sorry for all of them. I hope something positive can happen to these children because they seem doomed to repeat the same patterns of abuse as adults which their parents most certainly were exposed to as kids. A DCFS representative makes visits to some of these kids' homes but I doubt, with the heavy caseload a caseworker is reported to carry, there is any positive change. Police visits are common here as they are called to handle domestic issues. There are a few neighbors with whom I have a communications with; however, most are moving-out because of the regular drama created by the certain dysfunctional few. A sad commentary on children/parent relationships, indeed. I must remember to detach myself from this, if possible, and to reinforce in myself that these behaviors I witness from my neighbors are not right, natural or moral. Such is life in the ugly city. God save us all.

Lastnight at Mission Bay, several music acts performed at the "first-ever" West Coast Music Conference. I, perhaps, should have opted to see the Smiths tribute band at Casbah. The conference, featuring up-and-coming groups from the San Diego area, had an over abundance of bands influenced by Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews and the long-gone genre of grunge. One punk band was okay; however, the set only lasted 15 minutes, which wasn't the amount of time required for the soundman to get their mix settled.

I spoke with a manager type earlier in the evening and his business perspective--"making the big time"--just wasn't hitting on my philosophy of music.

I left with a headache.