water heaters

the third floor tenant's water heater exploded this morning. and her shutoff valve is 6 feet down the side of the building and unreachable. So all the water from her waterheater poured down on me and my neighbor's patios in a torrent - and is still running because they have to get a contractor to turn the water off. My neighbor is a drag queen at Marlenas - and all of his wigs were out on his patio on headforms. its a giant mess. all that got wet on my end was my garbage can. The landlord came by - and responded by posting notes on everyone's door saying that we were not to store things on the backstairs and that effective immediately - anything stored on the backstairs would be confiscated. What an appropriate response to her tenants don't you think? blargh!

Edit: okay - they got the water shutoff. Poor dear upstairs! Who knows how long it'll take to get a replacement water heater. (sigh) We're cleaning up the mess.

blue jeans

okay - cleaning out my closets - doing my Saturday cleaning ritual. and I have a stack of mostly brand new 36" waist 30" length jeans. eight pairs. Jeans are expensive - so if anyone could benefit from 8 pairs of new blue jeans... holler. They are nearly 4" too big in the waist for me now - but some of these pairs weren't worn but for three months before they became too big. But 8 pairs of bluejeans adds up - so someone HAS to need them for the holidays right? I thought so.

edited at 1pm PST: All eight pairs are spoken for :) yay!³

cirque, smuin and time marching forward....

One of the spectacular benefits of my job - is access to folks with seats at great shows. Trading in some favors - I got two seats for tonight's Cirque De Solei KOOZA for myself and my new programming assistant. I'm super thrilled to treat him to the show for Christmas - and it's his first big San Francisco theater experience.

The official Cirque description says KOOZA tells the story of The Innocent, a melancholy loner in search of his place in the world. KOOZA is a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil: It combines two circus traditions – acrobatic performance and the art of clowning. The show highlights the physical demands of human performance in all its splendor and fragility, presented in a colorful mélange that emphasizes bold slapstick humor.

The Innocent's journey brings him into contact with a panoply of comic characters such as the King, the Trickster, the Pickpocket, and the Obnoxious Tourist and his Bad Dog. Between strength and fragility, laughter and smiles, turmoil and harmony, KOOZA explores themes of fear, identity, recognition and power. The show is set in an electrifying and exotic visual world full of surprises, thrills, chills, audacity and total involvement.

It is taking place under a Cirque Tent down by AT&T Park and our tickets include hor devours and drinks before hand. (cool!) but the best part of the night is that K and I got rockstar seats in the 2nd row. I'm simply beside myself - these tickets literally materialized out of nowhere on Friday afternoon. I love my job!

Already scheduled this weekend is a trip to see the Smuin Ballet's "Christmas Ballet" at Yueba Buena with Eric tomorrow night. The 2007 Christmas Ballet includes three new dances by Amy Seiwert, Shannon Hurlburt and Robert Sund, as well as three favorites from their archives themed as 'Blue Christmas,' 'Winter Weather' and 'Cajun Christmas.' Eric and I were simply blown away by Smuin's fall show - and this show will be on the far more intimate stage at Yueba Buena Performings Arts center downtown. So I'm very very excited to see this show. and again - share it with someone I know really appreciates it.

So it's a lovely weekend highlighted with two very different - but equally beautiful shows.

Today I spent scouring the apartment stem to stern and brainstorming ideas for what I'll do here for improvements in the next year. I have decided to stay in this flat - mostly because it's rent controlled and an already great deal only goes up $20 a month in 2008. I couldn't find a better deal honestly - and I can still live by myself and reap those benefits. but - in 2008 - this apartment is getting a paintjob - and some new lighting. I'm so 'over' beige walls. So I've been saving up my clams - and will probably get everything painted in the next couple of months - then save for a trip to HomoDepot for ceiling fans for the living room and bedroom - and hallway track lighting for the entry way. and that'll be my christmas present to myself this year. Part of transforming it will also help me chase away the last of the personal 'demons' I brought in here when I first moved here last February. It'll leave me in a much stronger place!

oh and SF folks? (and those with the urge to travel) Mark March 1, 2008 on your calendars - it'll be the evening of my 2nd Annual Appetizer Cook Off and Houseparty. Last year's party was a giant blast - and this year - well, I've got some new surprises up my sleeve. so stay tuned. But mark the date especially you excessor since it's the only time of the year I get to see you so we can all have a great time eating and celebrating another great year.

ta for now.

Cirque De Solei 'Kooza'

Kooza was hands down the best traveling Cirque show I've ever seen. it was fresh - vibrant - well scored and the pace was perfect. add to it - that the tickets we had were VIP - and there was 30 minutes of cocktails and hors devours before the show - more drinks at intermission - and a 30 minute dessert reception afterwards. I've never sat that close at a Cirque Show - it was overwhelming. It's bright - fun - and had all the classical cirque signatures. I thought it was remarkable. Its heading to San Jose next - then onto Hartford, Philadelphia, Chicago and Boston. I'm a big fan of Cirque de Soleil - and this show didn't dissapoint at all. it had SERIOUS wow factor.