For a friend’s birthday, I took on the challenge of making a gluten free, dairy free cake. I was a bit worried about how it would come out, but I was pleasantly surprised! The basis was this recipe from King Arthur flour. I actually subbed in the Trader Joe’s gluten free flour and used coconut…
Author:
System Updates
Bones creakLungs wheezeJoints acheI pay them no mindIt’s just the hardware talking My spirit still soarsAt the pulse of a house grooveFresh brioche in the ovenThe expectant silence of Quaker worshipMy beloved’s hand in mine. August 2026
“Gravity” Music Video featuring Panther Skate (and Me!)
I only recently discovered this music video that came out two years ago that features footage of Panther Skate Plaza, including a couple of shots of me. Or more precisely, my skates. Oh and me doing a drop split. The song is “Gravity” by Oakland based R&B musician Xay V. I love the vibe of…
Watching “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” for the First Time
“Play the five tones.” I finally watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). I understand now why this film had such a profound cultural impact. Steven Spielberg’s grounded, realism based film making focusing on the human experience of “first contact” was so different from any other sci-fi made at the time. Richard Dreyfus plays…
Working the McDLT Station at McDonalds
One of my first jobs as a teen was as the designated McDLT cook at my local McDonalds. The McDLT was made on a special machine that had a bun toaster, a grill for the burgers, containers for the iceberg lettuce, tomato and onion, and hose-connected squirters for the mayo and ketchup. The whole thing…
Learning is about Repetition
A short video I made on the process of learning a new skill. I made this inspired by a session focused on executing the “power slide” on inline skates.
Star Trek Deep Space Nine: Okay fine, I get it, it’s amazing!
I finished watching “Star Trek Deep Space Nine” a few weeks ago, and I’m still reeling from the experience. As as sci-fi fan and Trekkie, “Deep Space Nine” (or DS9, as it’s often called) has been on my watch list for literally decades. But I never got around to it, intimidated by the seven seasons…
Fogo Azul Drum Corps (poem)
Bap bap bap bap-bap!Bap bap bap bap-bap!Hits us like thunderFrom a hundred drummersRocking the boardwalk. She’s decked out in a blue tee, green epaulets,blue lipstick, glitter on brown skin.Beats a fierce rhythm with her comrades.“I see you!” we shout.She points at us and drums a little louder. For a milli-second, we’re connected —Us to the…
The welcome sign to the Sibley Preserve is so good
Yesterday, Satise and I hiked around the Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, one of the many amazing local parks in the East Bay. It was such a lovely hike that included two amazing labyrinths. I knew it was going to be a great day when we encountered this sign welcoming us to the park: Robert Sibley…
Coney Island Mermaid Parade 2026: Melanated Mermaids, Drum Corps, and Bumper Cars!
This past Saturday was my first time going to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade as a spectator, not a participant. It was a very different experience, and a lot of fun. Particularly because I got to enjoy it with my partner Satise, as part of her first visit to NYC. It was so cool getting…









