Sweet San Fran

I went with a good friend down to San Fransisco this weekend. It was a delightful trip: good weather, great people, amazing food, and delightful walks in pleasant neighborhoods filled with homes that I will never, ever, be able to purchase.

I spent a surprising amount of time trying to convince myself that we weren't going to have an earthquake. My fear of those things has been huge ever since I checked out this site.

I also took some photos. Here's one. Click the "Read More" link to see more.


During the 5+ hour drive back to Ashland, we listened to Barack Obama's first book, Dreams From My Father. It's not Noble Prize caliber or anything like that, but it did get solid reviews in the NY Times and the Washington Post, and I liked it. I certainly feel like I have better insight into a man who may be our next president.

My problem with the whole story is how plain vanilla it all is: White mother from Kansas, black father from Kenya, childhood spent in Hawaii and Indonesia, studying in California, then working as a community organizer in Chicago, before finally meeting his extended family in Kenya...

...BOOOOOOOOOOORRRRING.

He wrote this story in the mid-90's, shortly after becoming the first black president of the Harvard Law Review, and before his political life really gets rolling. I'm assuming he continues his story in his newer book, The Audacity of Hope. We'll see.

Speaking of boring, my plan is to read the autobiographies of the top candidates from both parties before I vote. If anyone wants to join me in this thrilling journey, please let me know. (I'm not holding my breath...)

***

Here are those photos I promised. Click on them for a closer look.

A panorama of the bay.

We went fishing. I caught this. Then I rode it. This is the custom of my people.
Palm trees!
These crazy things were chasing us all over town but we finally lost them by ducking into a Safeway. Looking back at these photos, it kind of seems like they just wanted a hug. Still. Better safe than sorry.