It's kind of hard to believe, but after months and months and months and months of largely fruitless and frustrating searching, I am finally moving into an apartment in San Francisco starting December 15th! My new place is located in the lovely Inner Sunset neighborhood, just a few minutes by foot from the Cal…
Young Science Geek Charlieiscoollike Nerding Out on Saturn (video)
I love this video of Charlieiscoollike (aka Charlie McDonnell) completely nerding out on why he loves Saturn so much. His love of science and discovery is so genuine and infectuous. [Hattip: Bad Astrology blog]
Bad Boys + Boys II Men + Men in Black = EPIC (video)
This just made my day. Jordan Vogt-Roberts brings you "Bad Boys II Men in Black." This could be an epic movie, actually. (Okay, the "Men in Black" part is kind of a stretch, but it's awesome nonetheless.)
Send a Free e-Greeting Card from Claude the Albino Alligator and the Cal Academy!
Nothing says the holiday season like an albino alligator. Tell that special someone that you are thinking of them with a California Academy of Sciences' e-greeting card! http://www.calacademy.org/ecard/holiday Choose from two different styles, and include a custom message and one of three different digital gifts. Bonus: here's a video of Claude our albino alligator doing…
Alan Watts (with help from Parker and Stone) on the Purpose of Life (video)
I love so much this excerpt of a talk from British-born philosopher and longtime Northern California resident Alan Watts. And this animated version of his talk done by Trey Parker and Matt Stone of "South Park" fame adds a funny, whimsical element to this already great talk. Now if you will excuse me while…
Watch “SwingNation” ep 8: Meschiya on Film, Rob Van Haaran, and Our Holiday Gift Picks! (video)
Last night, we recorded another fun episode of the "SwingNation" talk show. This show we brought in the lovely and insightful Miss Ann Mony to sit in for Nicole, who wasn't feeling well. Get better, Nicole! It was a fun show to produce. We talked about a new documentary on swing chanteuse Miss Meschiya…
Umami Mart: an Adorable Japanese Foodie Shop in Downtown Oakland
My friend Kayoko and her partner Yoko launched a couple of years ago Umami Mart, a foodie-oriented store focusing on Japanese products and other fine barware, glassware and kitchen gadgets. I finally stopped by their downtown Oakland shop this weekend and was very pleased with what I saw. Inside the shop, they have a carefully…
Beyond Buffets: Less is More
Here's a picture of a typical buffet spread at my family's gatherings. For most of my life, I've loved a good buffet meal. The idea of endless choices of dishes and heaping plates of food has been a fantasy of mine. A lot of this comes from my family, who throw lavish potluck meals…
Cute Overload: Bali the Doberman Puppy Enjoys Weed (pic)
Yesterday my sister's doberman puppy Bali got his first exposure to actual dirt, grass and weeds yesterday, at at my cousin Ryan's house in Vallejo. Once he discovered a bit of nature, Bali wanted nothing to do with concrete or the indoors. Who can blame him? It's fun to roll around in the dirt! Bali…
Unexpected Thanks
I have so much to be thankful for, today and everyday. As Quakers, we are reminded that “thanksgiving” is a state of mind, a way of living. Still, it helps to have a special day on the calendar to be especially and publicly assessing what we are thankful for. There is the usual list of…