Biomechanical

Biomechanical. Such is the term to describe a tattoo that resembles machinery of some sort, or in the case of my search, tattoo based on HR Giger's art. I am aching for a tattoo. I got my first one when I hit 30 and I had planned to get one each year. But finding true meaning for each tattoo can't be placed on a schedule. If it is to have meaning, the thought and emotion behind it should find you....and I feel that I am getting close.

I discovered Micah Parker's tattoo art and I'm considering coming to her studio in Utah someday to get my old tattoo reworked and add a new one as well.

WTF: where are our priorities?

On the way to work, I read this article in the San Francisco Chronicle about prison inmates raising money to help keep the Salinas Free Library open. It was heartwarming to hear prison inmates express their belief that libraries are important, and that it can easily be associated with education; most of them stating that they would have never been in prison if they had more opportunities for education; and that the prison library actually has helped them find more meaning in life, whether it be education to prepare them for life in the outside, or knowledge to help others who still have a chance. The article is here if you want to read it.

I just can't understand why schools and libraries are closing down. If the country can afford to rebuild war-torn countries, why can't it save our schools and libraries? Don't you think that when prison inmates start talking about the importance of spending more on libraries than prisons, that it's time to pause and reflect on this matter?

I had a really long walk from the terminal to the office. It was a sad way to start the day.

You Never Know

I bumped into an old classmate....well more like seminar attendee....at the train station today. I really didn't see him and if it were not for him calling me out twice, I probably would have never looked his way. It only took me a few seconds to remember who he was....though I have to admit I am juggling between a two to three names in my mind. I said hello and was very enthusiastic to see how he was doing and what he had been doing outside of "class".

He didn't say much and I found myself leading all the conversations. If I didn't say anything, there would be dead silence. So I tried to keep it going, but by the fourth station I was mentally exhausted and out of ideas so I just shut it down, and true to form, there was dead silence.

This did make me think about this situation. I remember that back in our seminar, I sat next to him, and though we did have a few laughs and shared stories, I always felt that this guy didn't like me and I just had to stop being friendly and just leave him alone, which is what I did. So it does surprise me that he actually called my attention at the station. Hell, he could have just completely ignored me (and I would have never known it), but he went out of his way to come over and say that I looked familiar and that he probably knew who I was...and so I probably stand corrected.

I should have turned things around the first time. I'm a loner myself and I'm not fond of socializing myself, and even though I think leaving him alone may have been the right thing to do, feeling negatively about was the wrong mindset.

I hope that the next time I see him I will feel better about it.

Drill Bit or Capuccino?

It started out as your typical quiet Friday morning here at work. Then this load grinding sound....was someone grinding coffee beans?....I wish...it's a drill....someone must be having their cube "ergonomically adjusted".

Smells a Kinda Like Teen Spirit

San Francisco 11:55am

While waiting for my friends, I sat on one of the granite steps around the water fountain at Rincon Center. There was a guy playing the Kimball grand piano. His hands were rather high or elevated as he played. I'm guessing he has some classical piano background, but not necessarily a strict classical piano repertoire...as he was playing tunes from Nirvana and Oasis :).

Morning Glory

It was the second day after the long weekend (4th of July Holiday). Everyone was expecting the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) strike to begin today. The deadline for negotiotiations was midnight July 5th. For some reason, I woke up around 3am, so I turned on the TV, flipped through the local stations, and finally found a "ticker tape" message on channel 2, stating that an agreement had been reached and the strike was averted. TV off. Adjust alarm clock. Back to Sleep.

I guess I was only half-awake because I could have sworn I switched the TV off. Still I could faintly hear news reporters talking....maybe it was all in my head. I opened one eye and saw that the TV was indeed on. But I was half-asleep so I couldn't move (or maybe I didn't want to) so I just left it on.

It's been a horrible couple of weeks. I haven't been able to get any more than 4 or 5 hours of straight sleep a day. I always end up waking up at 2 or 3am. More often than not, I'm on my way to sleep between 11:30pm - 1:30am...that's between Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien's shows. Jay's great but over the years I've come to like Conan more and It'd be nice to see him earlier so I can doze off when it gets to the next show. I may get my wish since Conan is replacing Jay when he retires. I wonder who will cover Conan's spot?

Anyway....