Running on a Bad Leg

On the nineteenth of January I wrote that I finished writing as the train pulled in to Emeryville.  I left my friend alone to adjust her bag and looked at the bus schedules.  It was only a short moment later that we ran for the bus and then she yelled at me for running on a bad leg-- she had wanted to take a cab.

We learned on the ride that protesters had shut down the bridge for MLK and I noted that there was a lot of traffic.  We decided that we would ask my friend’s sister if we could just stay with her after we had dinner with her.  We caught a train to 12th from Mac and then had to take a cab because the bus was slow in coming.  While traveling through the Webster Tube I noted that seat belts are especially dangerous for my friend.

At her sister’s place I hobbled over to the liquor store and bought some whisky and bubbly.  When I returned to the house we broke out the bubbly and and broke the big news to them.  I noted later that my friend shared a bit more than I would have but I also noted that there was still a lot of uncertainty about what had transpired.

We settled into the kitchen.  The baby was set up with yogurt and the cat was happy to see us.  They were making dinner and it looked delicious.  They had to throw in some cauliflower so the took a bit more time.  I fixed up my ankle and joined them.  The sister opened a bottle of wine and we ate and talked.  The baby had great dances and expressions which we mimicked and the sister photographed.

They gave us the Christmas presents they had collected and we made more faces for the camera.  Then we made calls to their mother and discussed travel.  We decided that March was the best date for a trip to Europe but otherwise we weren’t certain about any other location.

The baby had his had his special time then and we noted that the parents had a good routine that he had come to expect.  I had individual conversations with the parents after that until my friend was done reading to him and he was in bed.  After that we had whisky and beer and exhausted the conversation.  My friend headed to bed early and I was asleep at around 12.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

Trains Were So Loud

On the eighteenth of January I wrote that I was in a lot of pain while I was writing with the ice pack the night before.  I texted my friend and she collected me and got me into bed and set an alarm to buy ace bandages and coffee the next morning.  We left the window open but the trains were so loud that we had to close it a little later.

When she left for Safeway at around seven the next morning I snoozed for an hour until she texted me.  I was getting ready to go when she returned with an Ace bandage for my ankle.  I took some ibuprofen and made sure my bag was ready and we went down and checked out before eating the continental breakfast.  I was worried that she might get stuck on the wrong side of the tracks when our train came because she wanted to stop by a coffee shop, so we made to leave.

At the corner of Bridge Street I hobbled away to the station with her bag and watched the crossing to see how things turned out.  Almost inevitably I got a good view of her returning running across the tracks with a cup of coffee as the crossing arm came down as an eastbound cargo train approached.  The engineer had just started blowing his horn as she made it across.

We were talking about how ironic it was that she had met a train at the crossing when a fellow passenger told us that our train was not likely going to be on time.  When it did show up twenty minutes late my bar code didn’t work and they just asked me for my name.  A conductor let us swap our seats but we decided to sneak a couple of other seats to watch Donner Lake and pass.  We talked about social media campaigns until we had passed Emigrant and Yuba Gaps and that was when another conductor came by to kick us out of the seats we had taken.

From there I read the paper and we ate the rest of the snacks.  My friend got us coffee and a sandwich.  I noted that Colfax was a nice town and that I might want to stay there some time.  After that we took photos of the County Courthouse in Auburn and were amazed at the snow plows in Roseburg.

The outlets kept going out from the usage of so many people using them so I had to look around for a better set.  Eventually we moved to the observation car and dickered over our various responsibilities.  I had a glass of whisky and when we started talking about how I felt about the way that she communicates we stopped getting along.

I made the best of it and we decided to head back to our seats but by that time a lot of people had detrained and I started to write in a frantic manner.  My friend had mentioned that we might get picked up but I knew that it wasn’t likely.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

Look into My Appointment

On the seventeenth of January I wrote that I left work with enough time to get to Santiago Street by 330.  I walked to the train but missed BART.  The 28 was okay even after I stopped at the dentist to look into my appointment.  Later at at the clinic I met with the doctor, who indicated that my weight had gone up.  I recounted my exercise and eating and we were both perplexed.

I went to the bank and called my friend and walked home where I settled into work.  I stayed downstairs because I preferred to be alone.  I finished up with my trial notes quickly and noted that one of my slips of paper needed to be located.  I went up to talk to the parents and told them that the birds would be expensive and they told me they would help.  I asked dad about taxes and he gave me his accountant.  Mom also told me that my sister wasn’t away over the weekend but when I called her she said it wasn’t likely that we would meet.

I left a little later with a bag of stuff for my trip and noted that dad was still looking at tax stuff.  I caught an the train to my friend’s house and had dinner.  I drank a beer and finished packing.  I was asleep at a reasonable time.

The next morning I got up early and walked to 16th with my friend getting chai on the way.  We took a train to West Oakland  and then went to Mac on the next one.  Next we caught an Emery-go-round to the Amtrak station and sat down for a while at Peet’s.

I ran to grab a NYT when we went over to the station.  We boarded the Zephyr as it was about to leave and they set us up with a small sleeper.  We settled in for news, books and conversation.  I talked about properties.  Getting to Martinez we tried to decide what to do during our trip.  We looked at the cars in the yards outside Benicia.  At Sacramento we relocated to the observation car just long enough to spy a good spot in the dining car.

We sat across from a couple from Fort Bragg and split a garden burger and a salad.  Later we returned to the observation car and sat with a guy from St Louis.  During this period I had to return to the sleeper to have a quick conversation with my sister over the phone.  She told me she was in Tahoe and was skeptical about seeing us in Truckee.

I returned to the observation car and my friend and I talked about trains, planes and family with the Missourian.  In between conversation and spectacular views I shared my misgivings about my sister but decided that I could check in with her later.  We passed Emigrant and Yuba Gaps and then decided to take a quick nap.  Unfortunately, we had missed Soda Springs by then and couldn’t see it out of our cabin window.  In fact our nap was interrupted pretty quickly after that because we had arrived in Truckee.

I noted there was a fairly large cargo train keeping us from detraining and the streets were fairly icy.  At the hotel the clerk gave us the preferred room.  I texted my sister as we settled in.  After I walked about the hotel to see what amenities there were we took a walk around town and settled on Bar of America.

I noted that we had an ok meal and I noted that the waitress looked like someone I used to know.  We returned to the room then and the two of us took time away from each other for a while.  My friend wanted to a nap and my sister continued to seem disinterested in visiting Truckee.  We went back to the same place a few hours later to have a drink and were in bed around 10.

In the morning of the day I wrote this I was up at six but left at 710 and found that the bus to Squaw was late.  I texted my friend a few times and at Squaw I got equipment and dropped my bag at the center before standing in line for coffee.  Then I bought my ticket and discovered that the large gondola was on wind hold so had to return to the smaller one.  While riding with a group of little kids I noted that the mountain was indeed quite windy.

I had been carrying leftovers from the night before the whole time and was relieved at the top to get a locker for it.  Then I had a second cup of coffee and made it onto the slopes by 1030 which I considered especially late.  My first trip was to the Shirley on the back side and when I made it back to the top I decided that I wanted to stay on that side because of the snow and the crowds.  However, it too was placed on wind hold after several runs.

I went down to the Arc and ate my leftover pizza then and thought I would go down to the lower mountain but saw the bar and decided to get a drink.  There were locals there and I struck up a conversation with a Canadian and a lady gave me her seat as she was leaving.  It started to snow.

I was definitely going to head down to the lower mountain then but discovered Siberia so tried that lift.  I found the wind was terrible the first time but the second it was better.  The third time I was happy.  I just remember that I was catching patches of fresh snow and that was fantastic.  I had been going over the edge on the left of the top of Siberia-- a run that that generally scared me-- but the snow was really good.

My last trip up I went down that same incline at the steeper end and immediately caught an edge.  My leg went the wrong way and as I was trying to make a correction I heard a pop in my leg and went down the hill backwards a hundred feet.  I managed to get my right leg below me to stop but my left ski was quite a distance above me.

A maintenance guy and a regular guy appeared with my ski then and helped me get my ski back on.  I told them I was fine but knew I would pay for the fall.  I was getting a pretty good head rush as they were leaving.  They said bye and I took a long time getting down to the bottom of Siberia.

My leg hurt a lot but I knew it wasn’t broken as I descended to the lower mountain.  It was raining when I managed to start in on the cat track and after a bunch of turns I decided to call it quits.  My leg hurt and I had a hard time making the rental center to drop off my skis.

I interacted with my friend while I was looking at the bus schedule and was bummed that I wouldn’t get to see her old coworkers but that was inevitable.  I had about thirty minutes until the shuttle showed.  Ironically, I got a beer at the Dubliner sitting next to the same lady that had given me her seat at the Arc.

I rode to Truckee then and spent the whole ride talking to the driver about California water policy.  In town I walked to the hotel and interacted with my friend.  She told me I had sprained my ankle and tried to help.  Later I left her alone and noted that my sister was definitely not going to eat with us that night.

We had a drink at the Bar of America until Moody’s called us and shared a delicious meal.  My friend asked the waitress for a bag of ice and then we went up to the family room and started to write.  She sat writing postcards for a while but eventually quit.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

The New Battery Ramp

When work was over I got a ride to the station and I had to go to CT to get to the apartment.  I realized later that I should have walked to SBr.  I got the bike and headed to Butter.  My buddy called off and I got empanadas.  I was surprised to find people had arrived at 7.  I met some new people.

After I picked up some beer, we went to Fort Mason and a guy I had met on the Friday before and a his friend were waiting there.  I was able to catch my breath when we got there and then we headed to the Presidio.  I shot up Marina but the fastest guy passed me on the way up to the new Battery Ramp.  Some guy in a Suburban yelled at us and I gave a beer away to someone before we headed to 25th.

I got passed faster here and the guy from the Friday before and I headed to the top of Lincoln Park together.  I sat with his friend after that and I noted that a person I had know from other rides had arrived along with other randoms.  most of us used the trail to the VA and had to wait for the fast rider before we coasted to the beach.  He had gone the long way  I rode through the park with the person from the other ride before she left me at the Panhandle and six of us headed out on the Wiggle.

I lost everyone then and when I arrived at Benders only a couple of guys were there.  We sat and talked about the ride with a regular who had actually gone on Tower to Tower instead.  Later I found myself exhausted at as I floated off to sleep.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

Crossing at Tennessee Gulch

On the eleventh of January I wrote that I was concerned I was taking too long typing but made it out by 4.  I had to get my phone but fifteen minutes later I was rolling through the Western Addition and past Alta Plaza.  At Presidio I descended to Lincoln and took a few photos of the new crossing at Tennessee Gulch.  I ascended to the bridge then and took more photos of the new access route to the west side of the GG Bridge.

I rode over to the Richmond and then zig zagged through to JFK and at Kezar a cabbie was being crazy and I had to dismount.  I lay my bike on the ground in front of his car and there was a lot of honking.  Another cyclist hushed him but the guy was completely irate.  As I descended to the Wiggle, I was chuckling to myself about how it looked like I had been hit.

I took 14th after texting my buddy, turned onto Harrison and met him at Southern Pacific.  We sat watching the Golden Globes while eating fries.  He told me that he had been working remotely for three weeks and that he had started a new project for which he was looking to find a buyer.  I bought him a beer while we discussed mountain trips.  I suggested he go to the Sacramento Tweed ride.  On the ride to Capp we talked about doing Butter Lap.

Later at my friend’s place, she told me about the party and I made the soup for dinner.  The evening went great.  When we were done I set up a few Tweets and emails for the Sac ride while she did work.  I went to bed by 10.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

The Whooze Returned

On the tenth of January I wrote that I ran to the train between 421 and 435.  I had ipod texted my friend, looked for rides and started jogging.  At the ramps I spied a promising spot, waited for the traffic to clear and hopped the fence.  I saw only two cars as I dashed to the top of the overpass.  There was a cop at Industrial but I just jogged towards San Carlos until the coast was clear.

I made a measured gait to the station and boarded as the doors were closing.  I shared the experience as I cooled down in my bike car booth.  I skipped reading the paper until I had returned to normal.  My friend and I texted about the farm box and when I boarded BART the whooze returned.  I got off at 16th and accidentally made a BART ticket.

I stopped by Venga on the way to my friend’s because she indicated that she would like that.  When we sat down she was in good spirits and would continue to be until we finished eating and I got ready to head to Bike Party.  I noted that I was on BART when her messages indicated that she was feeling better.

I transferred at West Oakland and made the group just fine.  The regulars were mostly there but quite a few that I was used to seeing were not and that made me sad.  I hung out with an acquaintance and a couple others.  We talked and the time wafted by.

The ride went through a few of my favorite parts of Oakland but we only really rolled around the lake twice before falling apart into one group on the peninsula and another, the leadership, at the amphitheater where I was.

I ended up talking to one guy and a ride leader told me that he thought his girlfriend was at the peninsula.  I sat with an acquaintance after that and finished my beer as the rain started to pick up.  I rode to the station then and and was enjoying the confetti effect the ride had had on me.  I texted my friend but she only expressed her regard for me.  Later that night I bought us Zephyr tickets before going to bed.

Later I noted that when I awoke I had omelettes at my friend's place.  Her roommates came in but only briefly.  We spent time in the living room until we came up with the idea of going downtown to get fabric and an umbrella.

We tried to stop at Equator but ended up at Blue Bottle after checking the CVS.  Then after a great meal we headed to Target and then Bloomies before deciding that we would only likely find a cheap umbrella.  We passed through Macy*s before going to Britex.  I had never been in the fabric store there until then.  We went to the top floor and I took a great photo of her.  She picked up bike fabric and some with maps.

We stopped by DSW then and eventually discovered that the bar I wanted was still closed so we took the 7 to her house.  Over the next two hours we planned and executed a plan for vegetable soup while tidying.  While headed to Whole Foods I texted my buddy and my riding partner.

We were eating the delicious blend we had made with salmon when they got back to us.  By the time I had done the dishes it was time to go to Thieves and meet the people for drinks.  I was in bed by 12.   On the day that I wrote this we awoke at 930 and my friend made hard boiled eggs.  I did dishes and my friend had to go to a party.

Later I was writing and called my older sister and my parents about the upcoming two weeks.  My sister said that she was away from her home because of her kids sports.  They both indicated we would talk later.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

Any of His Forks

On the eighth of January I wrote that I left the day before at around 225 and walked to CT with plenty of time.  I tried the 22nd street stop but the 48 did me no favors.  I walked 2 blocks to the 14 and almost got a ticket from inspectors.  I picked up the Crosscheck and went to Pedal Rev where the mechanic fixed it--he called it a tune up-- but refused to show me any of his forks even after telling me what specs I should be looking for.  Back at my friend’s place I texted and she said to come to Oakland.  I left in a hurry but noted on the train that I had neglected to pick up her farm box like I said I would.

At Luka’s I sat for a bit until my friend’s old roommate came in.  I bought her a drink and noted that our discussion revealed stuff.  When her boss finally dropped my friend off we were seated and ready to order.  I tried to interest the old roommate in going on a bike ride but we settled on just stopping by some time.  Meanwhile the girls talked a lot about subtle relationships at the coffee shop and in the apartment that I was becoming accustomed to.  My friend was slow in realizing that I wanted to go but relented eventually and we walked to the station.  The trains came quick and we said bye.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

A Snickers Bar

On the second of January I wrote that I got a ride to San Mateo on New Year’s Eve Day.  I had a drink at O’Neill's and the took the trains until I ended up at the Uptown alone.  I talked to the bartender and then went to my friend’s.  She told me we needed stuff for the party she was throwing and asked me to go to the store as her old coworker came in.  I went to Kinko’s on the way.  I came back with ice and a couple of other things.

My riding partner’s wife had appeared when I returned and the house was ready for the party.  I was between the living room and kitchen for awhile after that.  I had the punch and noted there was a non alcohol version.  The husbands arrived and I remembered that my friend’s roommate had come in too.  The other roommate had the weekend off.  The fun had started a short time later.  There was a taco bar and I at one point even had to wait to make my own.  We were playing Jenga when one of the roommates made guacamole.

Only one person had to leave before the last of the guests arrived.  We had all made crowns by then and the rooms got crowded and confused.  There was one more round of tacos then, cake and finally we started playing cards around ten o’clock.  We did that diligently until midnight and then pretty much everyone had left.

We were cleaning the apartment when I got a text from an old acquaintance and her brother who came to the party late.  I buzzed them in.  We drank sparkling wine with them and they took off for pizza.  We finished cleaning and I was in bed at 330 that night.

I was up around 1130 the next morning and went to Cafe Soleil around two with my friend.  We had some toasted breads with a salad and gherkins.  We then walked up Page and stopped at Stanza before catching caught a bus to my place.  She sat with mom talking for a while and once I had filled up my tire we rode down to the beach for the sunset.

Later we rode back and got warmer clothes before heading out to find a meal.  We discovered that Outerlands was closed so we rode into the park to find something else.  We had trouble near the Polo Fields but I had gloves on.  We went up to Kezar and then down Page to Magnolia where we found that the only parking spot was a fat pole.

Inside we were underwhelmed by the service.  The guy sitting next to me stopped a waitress and complained that I had yet to be served.  The waitress was terrible.  We shared a meal and later talked to the man and his companion.  They were from the peninsula and loved eating salmon.  When we were done we got the bikes aired up at the gas station and headed to Civic Center for Bike Party.

Upon our arrival we found a lot of close relationships waiting. My friend even got to see an old coworker before the leadership took the green flag out to Polk.  We climbed to Polk Gulch and took Chestnut.  One acquaintance asked for a Snickers bar when we stopped at a liquor store on Van Ness.

At the Palace of Fine Arts we took pictures, my Twitter friend and I had a beer and I climbed the “stairs.”  One of the riders lent me his pump and I introduced a lady we knew to the group right before it was time to go.

We rode to Fillmore and up to Union before we climbed to Green on Laguna.  There was a cop around there that wanted to know what we were doing.  We went to Polk and Pacific and then climbed to Steiner and upto the top of Alta Plaza where we interacted with my friend’s old coworker and his friend’s.

When the five of us decided to go I said bye to everyone and led the group to Fillmore.  One guy had trouble with his chain.  However, my friend thought that they were fun and interesting.  After we said bye to the guys and rode through Hayes Valley Charlie and I had cake.  I was in bed around 12.

In the morning of the day that I wrote this I was up at 930 and made some burnt toast with eggs and potatoes.  After a brief interlude by myself I then spent several hours working on a fox for my friend.  She and her roommate discussed things about the party the night before.

I went to the store and had coffee after that.  My friend was headed to a show with her old coworker.  I noted as I was getting my bike together that I had a lot of chores to tend to.  I filled my tire up then and rode through the park and ran out of energy at the top.  I rode to 40th and home after that.  I noted that I did the whole ride in 38 minutes.  I spent hours doing very little then and later started typing.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

New Years and Beer

On the twenty-seventh of December I wrote that I left my friend and my roommate and took the Brompton up Market to Polk and Ellis where I found a fellow beer enthusiast waiting.  He was surprised that the bike folded.  He identified a really good soup.  I told him about my event.  I noted that it had been a while since we had hung out.  I ordered a bit more from the waitress and then we headed up to the cafe where we sat talk about the events we had attended and the postings we knew.  We discussed New Years and beer week.

I went over to see the cat I was taking care of and then headed to my friend's.  I gave her the soup but it wasn’t what she wanted.  I thought that was ok though.  Her roommate had ordered a bit of Chinese.

I headed over to the bar then and gave the bartender a present.  We sat talking about life.  He told me that he was concerned about housing.  I noted that a regular was considering a PhD and an old college acquaintance of ours was likely going to visit.  I talked about another college acquaintance.  He congratulated me after we went out to get some air.

In the morning I was hung over.  I made made breakfast with my friend at her place but I had to take a nap soon after.  When I got up again she had taken the living room apart and her roommate had made coffee.

I left them alone for a while and was about to start writing but decided to go to Japantown.  My friend came with.  We experimented with a taxi and found that it took around 20 minutes.  We got some pictures of birds and rode a two to FIllmore and walked around Japantown where we had some sushi boats.  We were there for a while eating pancakes and looking at books.  She bought a book and we visited the supermarket but it was way too crowded.

We caught a 22 back to Duboce and I interacted with the parents and my sister and asked for a sandwich.  I then headed over to Max’s to meet the ladies and nibblings before they went off to the ballet.  One of my nephews was with the men at Reservoir but the other was there.  We had an appetizer and when the food came it was too much.  I decided I would take some home.

We got into a discussion of Christmas.  One of my sisters said that there is no use trying to change family gatherings because someone is always going to feel uncomfortable.  I noted that I was only trying to apologize for being so angry.

When it was time to go I collected my sandwich and handed it off to my older sister when she deposited her pot pie in the car.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

The Crab Needed Attention

On the twenty-sixth of December I wrote that I ran to the store for cream and juice on the twenty fifth.  My friend was making breakfast and I was excited to see her living room up for Christmas.  When I got in I made beverages.  The meal was great and Christmas turned out fine too.  I did dishes and we sat with our stockings.  One of her roommates had gotten me whisky.  As if on cue the other roommate’s mom came in and I showed her the map book that my friend had gotten me.

Around 11 we all got ready to do our day.  My friend and I were in a rush because we had anticipated being at my house at 12.  However, we had to check on the cat so were a bit late when we ran up the hill then and grabbed an streetcar.  On board I learned that the bus I wanted was just ahead of us and was un-catchable so I chose another.

Dad had finished the turkey and I left my friend to start cooking and wrapped the present that I had for her.  I left it in the living room and started peeling potatoes and washing dishes.  I left her alone about an hour later and by three I was back upstairs and dinner was done but it wasn’t time to eat just yet.

Dad started carving the turkey then and I sat with the crab.  My younger sister came over a bit later with her pea casserole.  The ladies were finishing off the dining room table and I sat with my brother-in-law on the couch.  Dad had the Warriors on and they were winning.  The kids opened their presents and my friend liked hers.  My nephew tried his best to break dad’s train set.

We declared dinner ready then and we sat down.  My niece had a thing for my friend- she had gotten a parasol.  I tried to eat very little of everything while my dad and brother-in-law fell into loud conversation.  That was when I decided the crab needed attention.

I started doing dishes and the kids declared a magic show.  I told her to get permission and went downstairs to give my brother-in-law the Windex.  Later I sat and watched the magic show.  My nephew seemed to want to go through all of the tricks in his magic box.  Then we returned to the dining room to have desert.  I helped with another round of dishes after that and then we started Scrabble.

The kids were really interested in playing and John was not the best for playing and my friend was taking score.  My niece was even putting words down.  At one point Mom opened up a triple word I bungled it and that caused the night to pretty much end.  A little later my sister and her troop left then and I said bye.   My friend and I spent the rest of the night talking about the birds.

In the morning of the day that I wrote this I went up and got some coffee and my friend came up hungry.  I made potato pancakes and mom made more coffee.  We tested the first couple and then set the table for brunch after we fixed the recipe.  Dad joined us when I was finished.  We added turkey to the table just in case.  We talked about the pope and cell phones.

Later I finished the paper and they cleaned up.  We agreed to leave for the park and a bit later we regrouped and ended up at Middle Lake for a walk to the Angler’s Lodge where mom got great pictures the fishermen.  We walked past the toy boat hobbyists hall and saw the bison.  On the way to the car we discussed how to structure family time.  After that  I drove us over to the bike shop and had coffee.  Later my friend and I got our stuff together and hopped a bus to her place.  

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

Empty at That Point

On the twenty-fourth of December I wrote that I had missed my stop at Mib and had to get off at 22nd street.  I tried calling Next Bus but they gave me bad information and I ended up wandering around the Dogpatch until I caught a T.  When I boarded I let my friend know I was late and saw a classmate from elementary school.  I talked to him and learned he was living in the Marina.

The train got redirected at Embarcadero and I transferred to and L.  The wait had been terrible but I was only 20 minutes late.  I was instantly annoyed at Dad while we were eating dinner and I was already pretty angry about the ride all around the city.  My mood improved as my friend and I shared a meal and we talked about Star Wars.

The parents left for a play in town and my brother drove us to the house.  They discussed things and I pulled out a bunch of Christmas cards.  We read them and later started a game of Scrabble.  my brother got an early lead and my friend got a bunch of really good words.  I started catching up in the end but my brother won.

In the morning I said bye to my brother.  He came down and handed off some windex before walking out. I walked out to the coffee shop with my friend to see her old coworker.  She was crazy happy to see us, gave us a bunch of coffee and told us about her life.  I had some coffee and we talked about the coffee business.  She had ordered a bunch of coffee that had shown up late and needed a buyer.

On the way back we talked about Paris.  Later I showed her my tool box and she said she wanted some of my tools.  I had done a bit of laundry and put my stuff away.  I had two boxes that were empty at that point.  We went the cleaners and then caught a seven and saw a bartender we knew from Alembic getting off.  We had quesadillas and visited the magic shop, which, apparently, is famous.

We went to Divis and Geary and we talked about the how we were looking forward to having two birds in a cage.  I noted too that the summer would be rather eventful and that in the long run we had a lot of stuff to go over.

We walked to Best Buy then and she said she would run down to Target.  I checked in with the geeks and at first thought I needed to call Microsoft but discovered that I would want to check if I had been charged for my MS Office product because they didn’t have me in their system.

We missed the 24 and took the 5R to Van Ness.  We split up and later I took an F to meet her at Local Edition which has typewriters everywhere.  The waitress said she didn’t even have to ask for a drink.  When her old coworker showed up later we talked about the event, work and other gossip.  They discussed shows and I asked about Barbarella.  We went to Super Duper and had sandwiches.  

The next day I visited Whole Foods and had a coffee after getting fruit.  Later I went to my friend’s place and she made pancakes.  I made coffee and her roommate sat with us.  I started to write around then.  Eventually I took a breather with them before finishing up.  She, of course, started wrapping presents and we discussed family.  I noted that there was a photo of the new Golden Gate Bridge path in the Presidio.

Later I called an old classmate and tried to call my mom.  After dinner my friend went back to wrapping presents.  My sister called me later and confirmed Christmas events.  The older sister and her family group would be around on Saturday.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.