Out there in the world: Happy Birthday Big Gay Frank, homeowner, and now cat-owner. And Happy Birthday Brie, and thanks for writing such hilarious haikus:

August 2006:
One year in Cali
Ashley and Cian get hitched
I just used "Cali"?

September 2006:
Internet research.
WebMD is for suckers,
More like: FearMD

October 2006:
Life changes so fast.
Space aged chairs and vitamins
But still no answer.

As for me, I arrived last night in Westhaven with NZ Jess as a passenger. She's an old monkey comrade who I haven't seen since the summer of '04, visiting the states again and bestowing us with brilliant kiwi logisms such as "the hard yards" -- whatever's difficult and often avoided, but also generally rewarding -- and "overtaking" -- as an alternative to "passing" when driving. Definitely helped make up for the lack of stereo on the drive.

It's good to be back. Mark returns tonight and we'll be doing a fair amount of Burning Man prep over the next couple weeks. Should be a fun series of projects. The Rastafarian Navy will have a shower no matter what the devils of Babylon try to do to stop us!

Other things that are going on in my increasingly bourgeoise life:

• Thinking about how to work out a Pied-à-terre in the Bay. My experience of subletting and being in the office was good, but what I want isn't a full sublet, and I don't want to have to bounce around every month. Would be good to have something steady.
• Need to start saving money. It's a whole new world. Any suggestions for what I can do with my extra cash? A lot of it will go to the tax-man in about six months, but in the mean time it seem dumb to just leave it in my checking account; time to start "hacking money" as my man Dave put it. Ideas?
• I'm thinking more seriously about creative projects, and political projects, and kind of zeroing in on some ideas involving video and promoting the long-run progressive culture, etc. The main thing is to start pushing out some content, getting in front of people and/or recording and posting. Nothing like the impending threat of embarrassment to drive quality.

For now though, I'm catching up on loose ends with work and enjoying being back out in the natural beauty of Westhaven.