Situation? Very Strange Indeed

I was having dinner with an amigo the other night @ Mexico DF. The food is fabulous but maybe out of the price range of some of my favourite starving artist friends.... They have these paintings on the wall that are light-backed and fabulous...

I tried to take pictures of said painings and I couldn't. Then I started trying to explain to my friend how when I tried to take a picture with my camera phone... I saw this fake funny nose and mustache in the middle? Did a gremlin get into my phone? You decide for yourself.

PS --> Yee who laughed @ me that night.... IN YOUR FACE. Hee hee hee hee hee

Save the Date!!!!

contact me for HOT guest list action :-)

i'm so proud of this i could do back flips!!!

Photo from First boom boom woods this season... Inspiration courtesy of people throwing party. What a combo.

20 new plates and i'm rearing to GOOO!

so i did my music homework for 5 days straight before placing that monster order to Juno. i think someone over there loves me to pieces today. i just catapulted myself into titanium status or something like that!!!

all rightey kidz. you've been warned.

i'm so excited to play right now i can't stand it!

CD Release: Enter the Borg (repost)

Well because I'm a supreme airhead and I can prove it... And cuz I mangled the links the first time arround... I'm doing a repost here....

Enter the Borg was recorded in my studio @ Zenomena Recordings in
San Francisco. This set is an exploration of a very specific
sub-genres of Deep Tech House with an emphasis on the
"Tech" in Tech House. I hope you enjoy it! 

This set is available in several formats. This set is
available as a zip archive to promote downloading all the tracks in one
click at both 320kbps and 128kbps fidelity as well as in one track
in both 320 kbps and 128kbps fidelity.

High fidelity [approx. 155.1 megs]: Enter the Borg

Low fidelity [approx. 72.5 megs]: Enter the Borg

Single Track mp3 320kbps [approx. 183.6]: Enter the Borg

Single Track mp3 128kbps [approx. 73.5 megs]: Enter the Borg

Muir Woods Run

Today we did a run in Muir Woods. It was fabulous. We enjoyed a fabulous BBQ afterwards. Here are pics of the run start that I snapped with my phone.

Ana Mandara in North Beach

so some of you may have heard of ana mandara over in North Beach... A new French, Vietnamese restaurant. Here's some pictures I snapped from my new phone there the other night.

One picture is of the bar and the other is the buddha on the wall.
The whole establishment is gorgeous with a wonderful courtyard off of the bar. The menu is both fabulous and pricey. But in my opinion wholly worth it.

Blausthaus featuring Steve Bug of Poker Flat Recordings

Here's a pic of Steve Bug of Poker Flat Recordings DJing during the wee hours of this AM for those of you who missed it.

Steve did a 3-hour set (yes... 3... i danced for three hours straight... don't believe me? ask him yo'self).

I tried to take mostly pictures sans flash as I didn't want to blind him... It's a courtesy thing. Enjoy!

Space Cadet Slightly Less Spaced... Only Slightly

So I'm going through my record collection trying to decide what to move where...

I live in an apt with what is actually a decently generously-sized kitchen.... Until my technics, studio computer, mixing board, etc, etc, etc moved in. Did I mention my record collection and camping supplies???

Anywho, I'm going through my collection and trying to figure out what goes where... What gets moved to the other room...

And that's when I noticed something. I have a sh*T load of schtuffs from: a) Poker Flat Recordings, b) Steve Bug, and c) Dan Berkson and James What. It's no wonder I had a fabulous time last weekend. And I bet I have a fabulous time tonight, too!

And right now I'm ordering a whole bunch more from all of those artists off of Juno.

Sweet and lovely Musik! You gotta love it. Dark, sexy, deep tech house delicious.

Save the DATE!!!! 27 September 2008

we are throwing a PAR-TAY!!!!!

Yo' azz will be a-groovin' all night long. it's time to step up your work-out regimen.

-xoxoxo

Listen Up Kidz!!!

So Steve Bug of Poker Flat Recordings (yes... THAT Poker Flat) is in town for tonight @ Mighty! For those of you who aren't familiar with the rad freaky deepy Tech House delicioso tracks of Poker Flat... it's time you were.

Poker Flat Recordings is just one of the best labels out there. For real.

For those of you who missed the phenomenal set of other Poker Flat artists, Dan Berkson and James What... here's your chance @ redemption!

See you there!!!

I can't resist

So I'm finally going through my scuba pictures from the end of April... Last night and this AM and I guess until it's done... So I'm NOT going to give you the rad pictures just yet...

not til I'm done categorizing them but ....

but i can't resist giving you this one little itty, bitty sneak preview... this pic is sehr cool in it's clarity

Reasons why San Francisco is rad???!!!

Well, DUH! Like 5 zillion. Not the least of which is sunset parties. Especially one where Dan Berkson and James What from Poker Flat Recordings are playing at live. Free outdoor parties @ Stafford Lake.

See for yourself:

Dan OH MY GOD Berkson and James W-h-a-t WHAT!!!???

to all you suckas who didn't reply to my invite to go the Sunset Party this past Sunday Afternoon... well all I have to say is you LOSE SUCKAS!

It was the best set I've seen all year... Just about. Maybe completely! Well, this year's not over yet so we'll see.... Up there in the top 2 at LEAST. YOWSA folks. I had no room left on my media card but here's some 33 seconds of Dan in an ethereal lovely key riff... Enjoy.

For those not privy to the 4-1-1... These gentlemen are in da' hiz-zouse on one of my favourite freaky-deakey deep tech house labels... Poker Flat Recordings.

I just dug in my bag and I have four pieces of vinyl in my bag from Poker Flat... My bag is my active play list. I said 4!

W-e-r-d. POKER FLAT PPL. Most rad. 'Nuff said.

CD Release: Enter the Borg

Enter the Borg was recorded in my studio @ Zenomena Recordings in
San Francisco. This set is an exploration of a very specific
sub-genres of Deep Tech House with an emphasis on the
"Tech" in Tech House. I hope you enjoy it! 

This set is available in several formats. This set is
available as a zip archive to promote downloading all the tracks in one
click at both 320kbps and 128kbps fidelity as well as in one track
in both 320 kbps and 128kbps fidelity.

High fidelity [approx. 155.1 megs]: Enter the Borg

Low fidelity [approx. 72.5 megs]: Enter the Borg

Single Track mp3 320kbps [approx. 183.6]: Enter the Borg

Single Track mp3 128kbps [approx. 73.5 megs]: Enter the Borg

Announcing: Enter the Borg

Right now I'm in the midst of tracking the newly-recorded CD: Enter the Borg... spawned from the off-handed remark by one of my DJ partners... Trev who said...

"You know I really like it when you just really grind the Tech House".

That got me wondering in my mind... "Hey... What *would* happen if I just grinded the sh*T out of the Tech House??? If I just took all my most out-there/interesting/raddest tracks and made them together into a 20-layer sandwich??? HMMMM????!!!"

So now we have a new CD. Enter the Borg! I'm so excited about this one... more than any other... I love it!

Announcing: Enter the Borg

My new CD. I think the title is quite self-explanatory...

A Sad Good Bye to Bernie Mac

One of the first things I heard on the news this AM (i listen to it daily first thing as I'm waking up every morning) is that Bernie Mac died. He's only 50!!!! Apparently it was from complications caused by pneumonia.

I don't even have a TV but I have seen the Bernie Mac show and I loved it... He was wicked talented... I remember him from Ocean's Eleven... I haven't seen Ocean's Twelve yet... I'm way behind on movies...

What a bummer... We'll miss you Bernie! So sad!

A Little Slice of Heavan

One of the Best parts of staying up all night dancing with yo' friends is seeing the sunrise...

Here's a shot of the Saturday AM sunrise in Boom Boom Woods. Enjoy:

A Note to You Denim Manufacturers

I was talking to an Italian (from Italy... NOT an Italian-American) last night... He has several tattoos, a mohawk... and is roughly my height... more or less. He let me in on how difficult it is to shop here in the US...

A paraphrase from my friend G... You know... It's impossible to find a good pair of jeans here in the US! They are all baggy... What are you supposed to do when you have a good azz and you need to show it off???

I'm shopping in the girl's section now!

DUDE!!!

Please denim manufacturers...

WILL YOU HELP A POOR BROTHER OUT??!!!!

hee hee hee hee hee hee

Happy Friday people.

-xoxooooxxxxx

Some Still Movie Exports from Boom Boom Woods Part Deux

I'm still processing the videos and pictures but for now I present these... (drum roll puh-leez...)

Look Ma! I'm On You Tube Continues....

Situation Busy as HECK

If you're wondering where I am right now it's cuz I'm working seriously hard. The only reason I have time to blog is because sh*t's taking FOREVER to download via my company's VPN and I'm too tired from running this evening and then NOT eating dinner to actually get up from my bed to fill this stinkin' drink glass. Yes, I've resorted to working in bed now.

I actually don't *have* to be working quite this way... But I think my life will get a lot easier after I finish building out this prototype and I would rather have the end of the week be more relaxing. So I'm front-loading my week.

Coming up this weekend is Boom Boom Woods - Part Deux (pronounced DUH). When I go up to the woods I want to feel good turning my brain to the completely off position and relaxing the HECK out of myself.

Here's a tip. If you're reading this blog wondering what the heck has happened to me cuz you haven't seen me in forever... You should call. Because if we don't hang out before German class starts up later in August... You can forget about it. I won't be coming up for air until 4 December when class is over.

'Nough Said.

Sunday in the City: Frida Kahlo Exhibit @ SF MOMA

Yesterday I went on a longer fabulous trail run in the Marin Headlands and it was fabulous! I experienced several minutes of runner nirvana whilst barrelling down the Miwok Trail through the clouds/wind/mist/fog almost completely unable to stop.

Then I headed over to meet a buddy @ SF MOMA to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit. It was fabulous! We both did love the MOMA-website-featured Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird (Autorretrato con collar de espinas y colibrí), 1940 but other things seriously caught my eye...

The look of fear/vulnerability in the picture she called Ugly Self-Portrait.... The racey/extraordinary/wonderful nature of the 1933 tone of the My Nurse and I, the way she potrayed her mother as the proud matriach... even down to the sleeves on her costume as she leered out from the painting @ you.

What kills me is the way she saw herself. She was strikingly beautiful... yet in all of her self potraits what we see is an ever-present hint of a moustache that almost didn't even exist in real laugh and super-exaggerated eye brows. And then we see her partner... Diego Rivera.

Diego who she most surely probably thought was quite attractive. I don't find him attractive in the slightest. But she most certainly must have thought he was. This man's extraordinary artistic talent transformed his physical appearance in her eyes... And her lack of respect for herself also transformed her version of her own physical appearance in the opposite manner.

Now *that's* deep.

I'll stop there in order to allow you to reflect on that. It's a brain full.

Boom Boom Woods: It's Alive... Mwahhahaha

What happens when you take a tremendous community of friends, a six-foot disc ball, a rad sound system, and a beautiful campsite out in the woods???!!! Why Boom Boom Woods, of course!!! Well, DUH PEOPLE!

And I finally got around to building out the photos/vids gallery @ Boom Boom Woods .org. You can enter the gallery here: Photos/Video Gallery

Puh-leez :-)

My buddy is first generation italian born in America and he has this bottle of hot sauce in his house.... I'll let you be the judge:

Hello, This is Your Work Day Calling....

So I need to send out a hard copy of a pic to someone w/ a CD which has me going thru pics this AM. And on the plate for this weekend is about 15 - 20 hours worth of work on my website and others.

And my day job just got interesting again so I could end up doing 10 hrs worth of work/work.

And I need to make a couple more major plate purchses in the next two weekends. And I need to get to know these new plates backwards and forwards.

Fortunately my work is all creatively stimulating but I guess I'm not going to be seeing you guys very much for the next couple of weeks. EXCEPT for the Boat Party and tomorrow: 2nd Sunday anyone????!!!

Here's a pic from the KZSU Big Love Show on 11 Feb 2008 courtesy of Jandro (thanks Jandro!).

Hello, I'm Happy

I just wanted to check in right now to say how happy I am!

Many thanks to the DC folks. I really enjoyed returning to my roots. I learned that undeniably I get myself fired about politics... Like a good little Washington, DC native.

I just had a great bonding session with my records.

I can't believe I'm going @ the pace I'm going right now but I seem to feel good.

I really *do* plan to finish up both a) the scuba pics and b) the boom boom woods pics/template/nontemplate this weekend.

Wish me luck @ my workday marathon tomorrow. I will need to work with serious precision. I must figure out what the rsync is having an issue with.

That is all. And may that **#(*$#(ing ntpd problem kiss my azz!

What's Radder than Rad????

Thanks for asking! I'll tell ya' what's radder than rad:

The Smithsonian American Art Musuem!!!

It's got SOOO many great pieces of art work! I took a ton of pictures.

I'll put up a full photo gallery upon my return to San Francisco later this afternoon. For now, feast your eyes on this piece of work:



From the card next to the painting:

Levee Farms
1998 oil on Canvas

Wayne Thieband
born Mesa, AZ 1920

Look Ma! I'm on you tube (part deux or duh)

Plant City

Since I moved into my apartment about 2.5 years ago I have been aquiring plants like crazy. My bromeliad's bloom died and I cut it off and rubber-banded the base of the plant together. I kept the two new leaf groupings (blooms-to-be) filled with water and 20 months later we have two new fabulous blooms! See for yourself:

whoop whoop

people. i was at a dinner last night and really fixated on this 8 GB ipod that was being given away. i won an iPod 4 years ago and another one @ Christmas and the 4 GB one was too small and i priced out Ipods on my last Fry's trip and they were too pricey. but. if i one this 8 GB ipod... problem solved! well i am a weener. i mean i won. whoop!

Chichen Itza Photo Gallery Up... Finally

Here's a few teaser pics on my new gallery of Chichen Itza from my trip to Mexico in April.


Here's a Cenote we went swimming in before the trip. Cenote means underground cave...


Here's Cenote Segrado (Sacred Cenote) from Chichen Itza


And the main temple, the temple of Kulkulkan or El Castillo. This is a time temple... Despite the fact that this temple was completed in 250 AD... It's staircases face north, south, east, and west. Magnetic north even! Think about it... they KNEW about magnetic north back in 250 AD... The Mayans were known to be crazy good @ math...



On the spring equinox and fall equinox... The sun reflecting on the staircases makes a "snake" made out of light triangles creep up/down the staircase... Respectively. I'm going to go now whilst you think about that....

plans are hatched

who's that??

where's my clothes?

DOH! I hate it when *that* happens!!! One minute you have clothes on and the next minute! POOF!

A few preview pics

This is a pic of my friend C n Me although I forget who took it:



And my buddy H n Me...

23 June 08 on the Big Love Show

I'm happily returning to the Big Love Show with Native Intelligence.

What: The Big Love Show @ KZSU Stanford, 90.1 FM (Peninsula, South Bay)

When: 23 June 08
3 PM - 6 PM
4:30 - 6 PM set

Listen Live on the Internet, 90.1 FM (Peninsula, South Bay) : http://kzsulive.stanford.edu/audio/kzsu-1-128.m3u

Who: Native Intelligence
      DJ Zenith (Zenomena, Funkentanzen, Stirty Beats)

--Videos From Boom Boom Woods ---------

Video Download time DISCLAIMER: my new website location has a lot more
bandwidth then the old one but this is NOT streamed so you may have to
wait 1-2 minutes for download in the background...

Video Previews from Boom Boom Woods 08:

Me Digging for Plates:

http://boomboomwoods.org/2008-part-1/video/DJ_Zenith_01.avi

Spinning it just a Little Bit (4 secs):
http://boomboomwoods.org/2008-part-1/video/DJ_Zenith_02.avi

Spinning it just a lotta bit (26 secs):
http://boomboomwoods.org/2008-part-1/video/DJ_Zenith_03.avi

Native Intelligence:
http://boomboomwoods.org/2008-part-1/video/Native_Intelligence.avi

Boom Boom Woods w00t w00t

Hey

Look Mommy... I'm on YOu tube:



Since the other boom boom woods videos aren't on you tube yet you can see a few others here... NOTE: I only uploaded Native Intelligence and my videos FIRST because we're going to be on the big love show today... Your videos will be uploaded soon...

http://boomboomwoods.org/2008-part-1/video/DJ_Zenith_01.avi

Spinning it just a Little Bit (4 secs):
http://boomboomwoods.org/2008-part-1/video/DJ_Zenith_02.avi

Spinning it just a lotta bit (26 secs):
http://boomboomwoods.org/2008-part-1/video/DJ_Zenith_03.avi

Native Intelligence:
http://boomboomwoods.org/2008-part-1/video/Native_Intelligence.avi

Why I'm proud of myself (COMPUTER DORK alert)

I did it! I got my new wireless router to work with SBC. I DID IT!!! i have an internal router again! w00t!!!! w00t!!!

alright. i'm calm now.

Friday night

Friday night I had a strong reminder of why I DJ with Trev & O'Henry of Stirty Beats. When we play together there's a synergy and they both sounded great!!! This coming weekend is Boom Boom Woods '08.

The bass goes Boomty Boomty.

space, virtual and otherwise

so i have now entered the digital age as far as DJing goes... granted... i don't actually *own* a CDJ machine so i'll be purchasing all new tracks on vinyl. however, i have now/am now starting to play CDJs out.

digital format is going to be handy for older plates i think... plates that i don't necessary want to lug to the club/party but plates that i want to have around just in case...

so i'm up now downloading, backing up, and moving stuff around. i promptly ran out of space on my backup harddrive so i will be buying two more external drives this weekend.

and i'm finally, finally, finally dealing with the mound of records that has almost entirely taken over my kitchen. SIGH. this solution involves a trip to berkeley to my favourite store for vinyl storage solutions.

it's amazing all the space that's required to keep up with being a DJ. even with the whole download thing going the amount of drives/space required is just growing by the minute.

if you don't hear from me for a few days... why don't you give a call to my mobile... chances are i got lost with all my music in the studio. seriously. it's like that.

Service ??? We don't need no STINKIN Service!!!

so i called into SBC/AT&T to complain about the fact that I'm consistently only receiving 20% of the download speed i'm paying for. it took me 5 minutes of navigating through the automated system twice to actually get into a queue with muzak in background.

and thanks to the fact that i was calling on my mobile so i could get privacy at work when i actually *got* someone on the phone and that said mobile service is also with AT&T.... i got cut off right after i got through to someone the first time.

so we're back in the queue now 25 minutes later from when i started said process. on hold... they kept offering me service plus. question: Why would i pay more money for service from an organization who so obviously doesn't give a crap about me???!!!!

i know people who have built the infrastructure around these call centers... these companies are purposely cutting corners by not hiring enough folks. you see... if they actually hire enough staff then some of their executives may not be able to get that third yacht they require. life's a b*tch when you're rich & greedy.

sigh. anyway. i've complained. the cost of the amount of time spent on the phone FAR outweighs the amount of a monthly credit that they will undoubtedly offer me.

i say that because at the end of this 40 minute process... the rep told me they would call back in the next 4 - 5 hours on my mobile and i should be ready and keep the phone line free!

awesome! how about that service???!!!!

23 June 2008 on the Big Love Show

I'm happily returning to the Big Love Show with Native Intelligence.

What: The Big Love Show @ KZSU Stanford, 90.1 FM (Peninsula, South Bay)

When: 23 June 08
3 PM - 6 PM
4:30 - 6 PM set

Listen Live on the Internet, 90.1 FM (Peninsula, South Bay) : http://kzsulive.stanford.edu/audio/kzsu-1-128.m3u

Who: Native Intelligence
      DJ Zenith (Zenomena, Funkentanzen, Stirty Beats)

Ana Mandara

Ana Mandara is absolutely beautiful! Freaking beautiful. And the mini-setup O'Henry brought in was really nice for that space.

I got there late last night... The reason is that this mini-setup only included CDJs and I had to download enough tracks to play a set.

I don't know about you folks, you who also have DSL.... but it seems that I'm only getting about 20% of the download speed that I'm paying for. My coworker has noticed the same thing about her DSL. On a side note, I am going to call SBC today and complain from the office.

Anyway, because this was the first time I've ever purchased DJ music in a download format... It took me way longer than it should have. I was learning the search engines of the different sites also. So set-up time combined with glacial-paced DSL service put me there @ 11:45. Did I mention we were playing until 1 AM??

Anyway, my friends sounded pretty dope and we'll be doing this again soon! Stay tuned.

New Gallery Up

Here's a new gallery from my first full day in Cozumel.

Here's my favourite pic although it's a little blurry due to low light... This is the coolest little coffee house called Rock N Java with dirt cheap internet and good food and awesome staff.

Mexico Galleries Index Pages

So here's a link to the first in a series of mexico photo pages. i will be updating that later today and adding more as i finish going through the pictures and uploading the galleries.

Enjoy.

Here's one of my favourite pics so far:

This Just In!!!! Voila

Computer program... finito! this is the first in a series of Photo Galleries that will be posted regarding my trip to Mexico... Now I just have to run my fancy new finished computer script against all the web galleries... But this first one is ready!

Enjoy.

I'm so stoked to be done with writing this computer program that makes these fancy-pants pages I can't even tell you. and it only took me 15+ hours.

Sigh...

D.W. would be proud...

So I have actually been reading about all the bond measures, etc on the 3 June 2008, primary election... and taking notes and getting ready to vote... i'm so proud of myself... i almost broke my arm patting myself on the back... NO, really :-)

who was it that said, "democracy is the responsibility of every citizen??"

out here in san francisco we have a lot more elections than other states... trust me. i have been surprised...

tsk tsk. i know all this is possible because i'm single and don't have any kidz sucking away all my free time.

i really love being single, foot loose, and fancy free.

i think i'm gonna be a permanent bachelorette... by choice! it's fun. i love doing what i want with my free time... :-)

I Wanna YAK!!!!

Subtitle: Yak!!! City

This 3 year-old blonde boi... heretoafter referenced as Kiddy... just through a temper tantrum @ the local coffee shop. Let's set up the scene.... shall we?

Kiddy had an oat bran muffin from the local jewel of a bakery... Arizmendi.

ok. kiddy is 3 and that's wayyyy more calories than he needs for the WHOLE day. but at first i thought him and mummy were sharing the muffin which would totally have been appropriate.

mummy got bagel with cream cheese. apparently misunderstanding happened as follows. mummy asked kiddy if he wanted last bite of said bagel half. kiddy wasn't paying attention. finally mummy proceeds to finish off the bagel half.

kiddy then proceeded to throw a temper tantrum when he turned around and mummy had eaten the last bite!

good grief!

tough luck... kiddy! you don't like that oat bran muffin in front of you? poor, spoiled kiddy!

i was so bummed. i was thinking: "you're three kid... sometimes things don't go your way. it's better you learn that now."

people... please don't raise spoiled rotten kidz... the world doesn't need anymore of those.

thx for listening.

Fantastic Weekend

Lookout.... I'm making serious progress on that picture software and am almost done... So the pictures are almost up on the internet. I'll be sending an e-mail out shortly.

Yesterday I actually remembered that I'm a girl and had some fantastic girl-bonding with my amiga and local inner sunset hood-rat, CC... an irish-lady by ancestry with that stereo-typical fall on the floor laughing irish charm... it twas fun.

saturday night i had dinner at my favourite indian food restaurant with some other inner sunset hood-rats. that was great.

and mad props go out to Pacific Sound... I was only at the party for a few hours last night but it was awesome. Galen through another fantastic set as did Tasho... mad props... give it up!

Memorial Day

Whether or not you agree with the war, hang your head with me today in a moment of silence to those who have paid with their lives while serving in Iraq. Take a moment to honour those who have served in wars past... to protect this democracy we hold dear.

Veterans... I salute you.

Dujeous: City Limits

Dujeous is a NYC Hip Hop band and I am really their album loving City Limits!



I don't know where I came across Dujeous but when I came across a copy of City Limits in Amoeba I picked it's pretty awesome.

So far my favorite tracks are All MCs and Radio Daze. You should check them out!

Mad props to M.I.A.

An e-mail caught my eye a few weeks before i left for Mexico and i picked up a couple of tickets... I was hoping to get someone to go with me so I got an extra...

It's to G's credit that she said yes with the caveat that she liked the music... i provided her with a copy of Kala. it took her less than 24 hours to decide... i got a late night text.

well... it was SOOOOOOOOO worth it! she's freaking awesome. best $35 (+ f*~@!@#~ service charges... boo) i have spent in some time! it was an all around high-energy performance... great music, dancers... of course the costumes were fly. it was great!

also performing was Hot Tub. they were awesomely talented also!

w00-w00! i fealt like i was being ripped from the womb this AM as i got up for my run and i know i was dragging but life in the fast lane is mighty, mighty nice :-)

try to contain your jealousy ;-)

we are one good looking bunch of folks!!!

i'm up ridiculously early once again... mostly because i'm completely snowed under with things to do and burning the candle at both ends.

i'm going through the wedding photos and we are one good looking bunch of people! i'm doing the hand off to the bride later today with my crops and video edits, etc.

than i put the photos up on the web which includes me re-updating the photo-templating software i lost when my hard drive died in january.

stay tuned! this weekend is bay to breakers which will be eating up a significant period of time but i hope to get this done soon, anyway.

karaoke insanity

I'm wayyyyy behind on getting my pictures up on the web... still... but i *did* get this up on you tube! enjoy... my amigo does bryan adams well... no??? and he has his own dance troupe!

trying to get settled

so i must have been home for a few hours when my wall-mounted book shelves in my walk-in closet decided they were too tired to continue. they promptly fell down. they didn't care that they carried precious cargo: my backup record collection amongst as i'm already sore now (not from running... i was wicked sore before i started my running regimen for the week but i can't figure out why i am sore? maybe walking the five flights of stairs in my building multiple times?? dunno). i will be running both tomorrow and saturday and walking five miles on saturday so you if you're curious you may check this blog next week to see if i actually am still alive. other things....

back up record collection you ask??!!!: those records that are so good and/or from a foreign land so i ordered a copy so that i might never have to face life without a copy of that record in it....

yes, tsk tsk. i'm aware there's several twelve-step programs i qualify for.

well, anywho. so the maintenance guy *just* now fixed the shelves this evening... and i reclaimed some of my apartment floor space.

i've been listening to this as i put my shelves back together and it's muy excellente.

i'm way behind on getting the Mexico pictures up... and to complicate my schedule further: a DJ group/friends of mine are having a website emergency right now and because their site had been down the entire time whilst i was frolicking in Mexico i gave them priority over my photos...

despite the fact that i haven't worked with them for a couple of years now. sigh. it's was just one of those scenarios where i'm the only one who CAN help so out of respect for our shared history and because it's the right thing to do I am doing it. despite the fact that i'm completely snowed under with sh*t to do.

however, i'm hoping to get both my pictures and their site done this weekend but i will be doing a 10-15 mile hike on Sunday so this may not be doable... i'll prolly be dead after the hike on sunday...

at least i got an old version of friend's site up. i'm SO nice that i'm actually going to take that older version of their site and rework it to what i left them with back in early 2005. i know i probably shouldn't have offered to do that but i'm always too nice... it's a mental illness, really. i hear myself mouthing the words to sign myself up for too much stuff to do and somehow i seem to be incapable of not doing it!

which leaves me to the conclusion to this post: i am not really calling people yet so if i haven't returned your phone call yet, i'm sorry... i'm just tired and overwhelmed right now... i have been too tired after work to return phone calls mostly. please forgive me.

First Couple of Pics

When you're a gringa running around Mexico... naturally people want to take pictures of you and then sell them to you... and they are well equipped with ploys such as sticking iguanas on your head or parrots on your shoulder.

well... they got me! twice. once on a picture of some of us getting on a boat trip to yelapa:



and then again five minutes before this when i was wandering in an early morning daze on saturday, 19 april 2008.

Mi Querencia and Downtown Puerto Vallarta

I just got back from downtown Puerto Vallarta... I photographed all the statues by day this time sans touristos.

I just had the best meal i've head in my entire time in Mexico... At a restaurant called Mi Querencia. Muy, muy buena.

Downtown Puerto Vallarta is seriously pretty. I photographed a church named after the virgin mary guadalupe... Curiously, catholicism really took off mid-1500s post the virgin mary guadalupe's emergence... She's their equivalent of the virgin mary. Very curiously indeed...

I did some last-minute peso infusion to the Puerto Vallarta economy... Got a gift for a friend... and now I'm due @ the airport in less than an hour. See you soon!

Downtown Puerto Vallarta

Downtown (old town) Puerto Vallarta has statues every 50 feet or so along the road right along the beach. I asked a waiter and was told it's an Aztec tradition... The current president had them brought in from another place and placed alongside the boardwalk... I photographed them last night before dinner.

It is still the Mexican holiday weekend so there were many tourists. What I noticed was how everyone naturally just got out in, took their picture with a loved one in there, and then got out of the way for someone else to have their turn...

There's an inherent "coolness" in Mexicans... More evidence you ask???!!

I was waiting for the bus last night obviously a gringa... I'm taller than most Mexicans and well... I am not dressing the part, either. I was told to look for a bus that said downtown on it... several buses passed by... every 30 seconds it seemed and I was thinking of just getting on one when this older guy walked by me and said downtown as a bus pulled up... Sure enough it was going downtown despite the fact that it wasn't listed as one of the destinations in the window.

It was really nice of him.

There's a pole along the boardwalk that looks @ least 50 feet in the air... A guy stands atop it and starts blowing his fife and playing the tambourine and shaking his bootay and turning around... the four guys are up there with him... Eventually the guys flip off upside down hanging by ropes while the apparatus begins to rotate the four men counterclockwise...

What's the rope attached to you ask??!! Their cajones of course!! JUST KIDDING.
The ropes get longer and longer while the men get closer and closer to the ground. If you can't picture this... don't worry... I got a video of it... I'll be putting pictures and vidoes up tomorrow from San Francisco. The elongation of the rope/lowering of the men takes over two minutes... I bet their faces are purple @ the bottom... It's amazing they don't pass out.

Something I need to get off of my chest

I've finally had the break I needed so very badly and the time alone that I have come to crave... For whatever reason I've become firey and independent... These days I can count the meaningful conversations I have with people per week outside of the office on two fingers.

Which means when I actually *do* attempt to talk to people I need to be listened to and respected... It's hard for me to try to talk to people anymore... Most people are in a constant stream of non-stop conversations with their kids/significant others/families... I have none of these (and therefore don't do this maintenance shallow conversation so well). I tend to have two conversations per week that last a lot longer than this stream of maintenance conversation others have and spend the rest of my time alone... And I have come to rely on that alone time for my mental health.

Anyway... I got plenty of the needed alone time here in Mexico and then some and should be returning to SF with an ear-to-ear smile, a healthy tan, and a couple of scars from the reef on Cozumel and a trip on the cobblestone streets whilst running. Can you believe the owner of the dive shop asked me if I was always in a good mood??? He said he's never seen someone so happy & smiley...

Contrast that with the idiots who occasionally stop me on the street or elsewhere state-side to ask me why I'm not not happy or tell me not to be so angry. SERIOUSLY! You have to be an absolute MORON to stop a stranger and tell them what to do about the mood you assume they have based on your misread of their facial expression... The appropriate thing to do in case of concern is to ask this person if they are OK or if there's something they need. The latter is the best thing you can do, personally.

Some people's mouth's in their natural state turn down @ the corners... It's not a frown... it's their natural facial expression. The offending individual would know that were they not a complete stranger. Which is why they shouldn't be making assumptions about the root cause of a stranger's facial expression in the first place. SIGH.

The funny part is... If I somone actually *is* unhappy... having a stranger attack them about their facial expression would be the WORST thing for it. Now they would have to worry about their facial expression in addition to whatever the root cause was of the facial expression in the first place...

It's what you call a multi-level moron statement.

However, when I return to SF I will patiently explain this DNA phenomena to those who so obviously are at the lower end of the intelligence pool... It's the big dummies that make me really appreciate the smartey pants people I have the privilege and good fortune of hanging out with most of the time....

Speaking of which... I'll close this post with a see you soon! I do love and miss you all.

Accomodations all fouled up

I had quite an adventure when I got back in Thursday night from Cozumel... The hotel I made reservations said I hadn't paid and I thought I had... It was confusion based on the confirmation page... It seems like a common confusion involving the internet.

But the guy @ the desk proceeded to bully me verbally and nobody bullies me, EVER.

The room was not great either... In fact, some might call it quite a dump. I had questions in my mind as to whether the AC was going to work and I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep without it... There were necessary bars on the windows... You get my meaning. So that combined with having the same conversation five times in a row with this guy resulted in my taking my dive gear bag and bandaged/war-zone of a body in search of a new place to stay... at 11 PM.

On a big Mexican holiday weekend... I tried first the place we stayed for the wedding which was probably a bad idea in retrospect... Considering the vigor of the wedding festivities for 1 week solid... I might have asked them to help me further had I felt passionately about staying there.

So I schlepped my gear to the next twice-as-fancy-pants hotel... These guys claimed to not even have a phone book. Enter helpless female... You... yes you reader. Stop your laughing. I pulled it off successfully. With a huge smile and a bandaged hand... I ended up one hotel down @ a nice place for the night and the next day finding a much better place then the original place I started with...

The room I have now is twice as big as anything I've stayed in throughout my time in Mexico for cheaper. This is more evidence of my belief that things happen just as they should... I also met a rapper and vocalist from Vancouver who I have enjoyed hanging out with (Nobody Really & Licorice)....

There's gab about me gigging in Vancouver... I gave them a CD and they enjoyed partying to it last night into the wee hours... I'm going to do what I can to help them out in San Francisco, also... It's all about community after all.

Mostly Healed Now

I'm in Puerto Vallarta right now... I will be heading home on Monday.

I probably could have used those stitches after my dive accident... It will be probably another 12-24 hours before all of the wound has closed over... The reef sliced up in between my ring and pinky fingers on my left hand... That is the part of the wound that is having the hardest part healing over...

It's kind of interesting watching the skin grow over today... It's growing over from the bottom up... Until it's closed I can't run or elevate my heart rate in any serious way... I'm glad I got almost all of my weekly running done in Cozumel... I'm not going to be running again until SF.

I'm completely out of the woods as far as a sinus infection from my diving goes although my ears are still water-logged... I'm hoping that alleviates itself before the plane trip back on Monday.

i'm off

i fly out tomorrow back to puerto vallarta. i will finally rest. as in doing nothing... maybe some sun bathing. i haven't sun-bathed in a week really. i think my skin is happy with me about that.

my only plan is to check out the bungie jumping place in PV. as long as it's not too expensive. and i want to para sail. and get a couple of more runs in. then it's back to SF on cinco de mayo.

see you soon!

love you.

-xoxox

Me

Diver's Log: Day 4

Punta Sur: Devil's Throat

Start Pressure: 3150 psi
End Pressure: 550 psi

120 feet for part of dive up to 80 feet for other part of dive, 35 mins bottom time max

We had to do a quick descent to get in devil's throat. we went through into the sandy-bottomed caverns of devil's throat. it was wicked, wicked cool. we had to go head first... i knew the pressure was going to hurt like hell and it pretty much did.

wilma had done a lot of damage to some of the unique coral formations that jorge wanted to show us. there was a huge french angel fish hanging out next to a sea turtle. i snapped a photo but it probably won't come out. it was an amazing dive.

SI: 1 hour nose bleeds during the surfacing. there was some peacocks hanging out on the shore that i photographed. one of them was happy to show me his plumage... i kept imitating his cooing and he kept cooing right at me. it was fun.

Cedral Wall

Start Pressure: 3200 psi
End Pressure: ? psi

Current was at least 2 knots. I got a picture of a lobster as i whizzed by it. think leaf in the wind. i was proud of myself for getting down into this reef. i was balanced and snapped a couple of pics of a text book trunkfish, smooth triggerfish, and a pork fish. there was this beautiful 1 foot long parrot fish. right there. and i wanted a picture. so badly.

one of my two cheapo cameras wasn't cooperating so i reached for the other one. that's when the current took charged of my hand and sliced it open on the reef.

gushing blood looks like rust under water. i was a little scared. i knew there's like .0001% chance of a reef or tiger shark being in the area... but still. i musta smelled like lunch.

i found jorge and he helped me out of the water... i was upset because the cut looked like it needed stitches... the boat driver did a great job of bandaging my hand and i've been gimp-typing these posts.

i think it really should have been stitched. i am a member of Diver's Alert Network and have insurance for diving accidents but i don't want to do stitches. the wound reopened in the shower but i bandaged it back up.

i had nose-bleeds after this dive, too.

you know what? i'd do it again in a heart beat. there's three things in my blood... the water, horses, and music... these things make life worth living.

i can't tell you how amazing all this was in spite of the nose-bleeds, the pain, the injuries, what have you.

and a big huge thanks to Jorge, the boat driver, and the crew @ Pepe's Dive shop. They are a first-class outfit.

Diver's Log: Day 3

Columbia Reef

Start Pressure: 3250 psi
End Pressure: 400 psi (not being able to breathe means i'm using the heck out of my air

80 ft max, 45 mins bottom time, 70-80 feet for most of dive. We swam through canyons btwn the reef to start. I got 1 probably not-so-good picture of a lobster. i also saw a crab although it wouldn't come out for me... All i saw was twitchy antennae and legs. After coming out from dive and taking fins/bcd/air/weight belt off i saw a turtle swimming so i jumped back on in amidst some teensy box jelly fish and snapped a few turtle pics... It was definitely a hawk's bill turtle.

Surface Interval (SI): 1 hour Jorge put his dive master skillz to use and took a lighter to my mask to help with the fogging issue. it worked. Muy bueno!

Philipe's Chun Chakab

Start Pressure: 3150 psi
End Pressure: 600 psi

70 feet to start, most of dive @ 50-60 feet max. 45 mins bottom time max.

This was my first wreck dive ever! w00t! Wreck dive, 70 feet to start. Swimming through the boat was tricky and fun... You had to be careful not to get hoses & dive lights caught on anything. Saw a sting ray off in the distance and photographed it. Not sure if it will come out or not. Saw a good-sized mackerel and a gag. Spent some quality time photographing a beautiful, healthy-sized french angel fish.

had nose bleeds when surfacing after this dive.

Night Dive: Paradise Reef

Start Pressure: 3150 psi
End Pressure: 500 psi

45 feet maximum 50 - 60 min bottom time

Night diving is THE BEST!!!! It's a not-so-secret-secret. First thing straight off we saw was a baby nurse shark. i hope my pics came out. everyone was helping each other out by lighting up the critters whilst trying not to shine the lights in their eyes and scare them off/blind them. we all had to stick together tightly to not get lost... it's a hazard of night diving... especially night drift diving.

immediately after bitty baby nurse shark we saw a slipper lobster. it was so cool! there were 3 different crabs... two on adjacent rocks... one of which was not about to allow us to interrupt his dinner. wicked cool. there were 3 squid... two right in front of me that flew off as other divers approached. i could have sworn i heard them say vaminos.

i had a honey-combed cowfish SITTING ON MY HAND!!!! it was wicked. i couldn't believe it. it just sat there. i finally removed my hand because i was worried it was bad to touch it.

there were two stingrays... i took many pictures of the one cuz everytime i looked over he was there again. i think he was running from the other divers behind me. they were either clear-nosed or skate stingrays.

this dive was incredible and truly wonderful!!!!

Pills consumed: 9 benadryl allergy sinus, 2 actifed noche

vicious cycle

this post is back-dated as is the diver's log day 2,3 posts... i was wicked exhausted after the diving... diving will wear you down just because of breathing the air and the pressure changes to your body... i spent a large part of the rest of the day in bed....

i went out for lunch after diving and this waiter thoroughly attempted to rip me off and i was sad... he tried to charge me $11 for two drinks with NO alcohol in them after promising me a free drink if i came back to eat with them...

i still ended up paying 5.50 for one non-alcoholic drink which was the equivalent of strawberries in a blender with ice. the owner came out and told the waiter that the drink should be $4 only but somehow that message didn't get through...

bummer. normally i'm an extraordinary tipper (three years of waitressing in school is still etched in stone in my brain) but i stiffed the guy with no qualms. no more will i go to restaurant Mesaicoz. Mesaicoz is still owned by Jorgini and was the restaurant Bianci & Jorgini mentioned in lonely planet Mexico. it's a shame this happened 'cuz the food was quite good.

there is a tropical depression with 80 km/hr winds making weather overcast so i haven't been doing any sunbathing here... spent day/evening in bed although i didn't let the cold keep me from running before diving in the morning.

it's a vicious cycle... the cold is making diving painful and the diving is prolonging the illness. SIGH. but the diving is so fantastic i'm doing it anyways. i'm taking actifed noche before bed tonight and going for it again tomorrow.

Diver's Log: Day 2

We begin this day by the dive master, Jorge telling me to be careful... he noticed I had a nose bleed after the second dive yesterday (no wonder i was having problems with my ears... from now on i will go no where near a friend with a cold for at least two weeks prior to dive trip... :-()

Since the dosage of 2 benadryl allergy sinus no workie the day before, i had popped 3 pills before this day's dive.



Palancar Gardens

Start Pressure: 3000 psi
End Pressure: 0 psi

Saw a school of Sergeant Majors straight off. We swam through a cavern... It was fabulous although painful because swimming head first with the sinus problems is the most painful thing i can do... like knives in my ears.... We saw a sea turtle pretty immediately off. We saw a female coral crab and a male king crab who was only too happy to flash his pincers @ us (nobody likes a flashy pants mr. crab)

I did a bad thing and instead of coming up with 600 psi as instructed i came up with 0. Yes. Goose egg. De nada. I took a breath from my regulator and nothing came out. I won't do that again.

Surface interval (SI): 45 minutes

Delila

Start Pressure: 3200 psi
End Pressure: 300 psi

@ 50-60 ft for most of dive

Saw and photographed a barracuda in first 30 seconds of dive. Also saw a nurse shark. I was having a problem with foggy mask or i could have done better with pictures. This was a drift dive with really serious current. Over 2 knots. Jorge, dive master extraordinaire pointed out some goby's for me... they make holes in the sand and pop their bitty heads out... . I saw a huge parrot fish and got a pic.

Diver's Log: Day 1

Today I dove both Cedral Wall and Yucab (starting towards Tormento). Our dive group today was really good about alerting each other to cool stuff... Which is great. This isn't always the case. People were a-clankin' things on their tank and everyone would swim over and take turns at spying stuffs... And taking pictures.

My ears are causing me serious pain on account of this F*(King cold I STILL have but it's worth it. I had an issue on the first dive which caused me to come up briefly... After a discussion with the dive master he decided to help me go for it and that was that... I don't care if my ears split off of my head people... I'm a-diving.

My ears seemed to get better during the second dive but I will be taking the sinus pills I have religiously for the duration of my diving and also the airplane trips both back to Puerto Vallarta and then back to SF when the time comes.

Cedral Wall: This dive we kept @ between 60-80 feet. I saw three lobsters in this dive. Two of them were doing something with each other... I couldn't tell if they liked or hated each other but I surely didn't want to get in the middle of whatever it was they were doing.

I couldn't figure out this cheapo disposable underwater camera for this dive which is sad. I also saw a sea turtle with entourage.... I've noticed that the bigger swimming animals seem to come with entourages... It seems like some fishes like to roll with the big guy on the block or something like that.... I saw a parrot fish and a bunch of queen angel fishes.

Yucab: This dive we ranged mostly between 50-60 feet. This dive was a drift dive as is customary for most of Cozumel diving. We saw two separate spotted moray eels. The first one just wasn't going to pop his head out for me but he was hanging out next to a purple tube sponge with some brittle sea-stars moving around in there. So I hung out there for at least five minutes.... A teensy crab made it's way in & out of the sponge...

Later on the dive master got a teensy crab to crawl on his hand and that was cool. I sorted out the camera situation (off/on... this thing is a pain in the neck) so I was able to snap a couple of good pics of the lobster I saw this dive. I got a pic of a queen parrot fish and several Queen Angelfish and anything else I could photograph along the way. I couldn't get the camera to work when we saw the spotted moray on this dive... But it was cool anyway. He popped his head out and hissed his hello (as is customary)... It sounds pretty neat underwater.

All in all... this was a pretty good day diving... Tomorrow I will be taking one 27 exposure camera for each dive so wish me luck!!!!

Chichen Itza

So Chichen Itza is pretty cool... I thought the trip was overpriced and the tour-guide moved @ what could best be described as a glacial pace... Sadly, I think that was just fine for most folks... But for me... if I take a 3-4 hour bus ride one way up into the jungle I wanna see everything humanly possible.

That having been communicated I took a TON of photographs and purchased some souvenirs from some Mayans. The Mayans were pretty stellar mathematicians as it so happens... The Temple @ Kulkulkan (or El Castillo) is ostensibly the Mayan calendar built out of stone (as well put by the folks who wrote lonely planet mexico). There are 90 steps on each of the north, south, east, and west facing steps and north on this pyramid is magnetic north. For real.

During the spring and autumn equinoxes the north and south facing steps (respectively) appear to have a serpent ascending, descending down them. This happens between 3:30 - 4:45 PM on the dot... By 5 PM it's GONE. How cool is that? When you consider when this temple was built (900 AD) then you realize how truly remarkable it was.

On the way to Chichen Itza we stopped @ one of the 10,000 cenotes (underground rivers) for a jump in and a swim. This specific one is less than 3 kms away from Chichen Itza and is pretty remarkable. I can't wait to put the pictures up on the internet.

special thank you to KD!!!

my best friend from school ran to the airport @ a moment's notice to hang out with me on a layover on the way here to Cozumel... -xoxoxoox

that was definitely another trip highlight!

thanks! i miss you.

-xoxo

Hola from Cozumel

I'm here in Cozumel and finally getting over that horrid cold that got me my last two nights in Puerto Vallarta. I spent the longest travel leg of my journey completely sick... So much so that when my plane was two hours late after midnight in LAX I purchased a blanket and slept on the floor of the terminal...

I have said many times to many folks that I have a gift for sleeping... When it's time to go nightey night... I'm out. And I proved it. The thing is... most of the flight did this... I had to compete for crash space along the terminal windows.

I'm thankful someone woke me up... I awoke to a, "uhh... Excuse me.... Are you getting on that flight???" I sprang up and into action in time to make final boarding while the people who woke me up laughed at my outburst of "Uh Oh!"

I finished that leg of the journey by making it... before my luggage. But my luggage came on the last ferry from Playa Del Carmen and arrived @ my hotel after midnight last night. Which is good... Because the clothes I was wearing after 3 plane rides and a walk into San Miguel de Cozumel had a special kind o' smelly funk to them. So not sexy. Not so much.

My hotel is pretty nice... It's a newer hotel with a swim-up bar and a ladder straight out of the caribbean ocean to the sand with the beach chairs. There's also a hot tub... I know, poor me. So I spent today getting over my cold... Taking dips in the caribbean to cool off.

There was a lot of wind today which meant that snorkelling was pointless... The sea was churned up a bit which is no good if you want the fishies to come hang out.

I was having a heck of a time with the airplane landings yesterday as my ears refused to pop and let go of the pressure... I decided it would be a bad idea to scuba dive. It would have been the pain of the airplane multiplied by a factor of ten... If you have a cold... scuba diving feels like the effect of having knives stabbed into your ears. I've been through that before and decided to opt out of a repeat of that experience.

Tomorrow I will be on the first ferry to playa del Carmen on my way to Chichen Itza. We're stopping in a pool/waterfall for some swimming along the way... I won't be back to the hotel until after 9 PM tomorrow night.

I'll be doing diving Sunday - Wednesday including some night diving... Think, "The freaks come out at night.... the freaks come out at night!"

This paradigm also holds true for the underwater community. And the freaks are muy, muy beautiful. Think shrimp lounging around in neon purple tube sponges.

Highlights of the trip so far include the dinner I just had @ Restaurant de Choza (mentioned in Lonely Planet Mexico), the trip last week to Sayulita (a little surf town on the central pacific coast), the wedding (of course, of course), and some late night ruthless UNO card game action with the wedding party.

-xoxoxo from Mexico!

Greetings from Mexico

I wanted to let everyone know I'm having an extraordinary time. A special shout out for my friends Kim and Mike who are getting married later today. This hotel is going to be rocked off of it's rocker...

I knew we were in trouble Friday night when we had things a-going with brutal card games, music, and dancing and then the knock came on the door. I said, "Crap... I guess we're finally getting in trouble with hotel security..."

But no... the bar had closed but they were still serving us booze and pitchers personally (not me cuz i don't drink but everyone else)... The problem is they needed to keep a hold of the pitchers so they brought a ton of cups so we could empty the contents into the cups, stick them in the fridge, and press.

In a few days time I have had a rather large iguana on my head, a beautiful parrot on my shoulder, danced the macarena across the pacific ocean, jet skiied, snorkeled, ocean kayaked, done a boat trip to yelapa, sun bathed, shopped, well phew....

Anyway. See you in May.

-xoxoxo

Congrats Kim & Mike! We all love you.

not hot

dude... of all reasons to be up all night... doing your freaking taxes is soooo not hot.

ugh.

and to boot, my turbo tax is now refusing to print for me... SUCKA!

i am going to kick this freaking turbo tax in the azz until it does my bidding. no computer EVER gets the better of ME. i AM an IT professional after all...

then i get up in 3 hours and go running and go to work one more day and then...

drum roll please.....

I'M GOING TO MEXICO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

On to Mexico

If you are curious to why my Where Page looks frightfully empty right now... I'll tell ya' why. My friend is getting married in lovely Mexico and I am going to participate in the festivities.

Then it's vacation time for me... I'll be gone for 3 weeks and I am frantically getting ready for the trip... Including getting my f*#*(# taxes out the door (sorry folks... paperwork stinks. HUGELY)

but i am SOOOO excited. My general itinerary:

fun
scuba
fun
sun tan
fun
swimming
fun
running
fun
friends
fun
mayan ruins
FUN
FUN
FUN

phew.... woo-woo-freaking-woo-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

big thank you!!

thanks to chris, paul & the boyz of el otro mundo for having me @ the EOM sessions last night...

it was one of those sets... the first bit was rough for me and i finally found my happy space. it means so much more when you got to work for it... i can't wait for tonight @ temple... i am in LOVE with my new rekkidz (i mean this)

but more importantly i am so blessed to have friends like chris, paul, and the usual cohorts of in-studio guests (erik, cesar, stella the wonder dog & charles the feline).

thanks!!!

Tonight @ Temple!!!!!

-------- FUNKENTANZEN @ TEMPLE, 4 APRIL ------------>
Last chance to get on the guest list tonight for Funkentanzen @ Temple!!!!

Hit me back for guest list action.







What: Funkentanzen @ Temple

When: Friday, 4 April 2008
10 PM -> end

Who: DJ Zenith (Funkentanzen, Stirty Beats, Zenomena)
O'Henry (Stirty Beats)
Native Intelligence (Rock It Science, Sleevin.com)

what the h#c* am I doing up right now??!!!

i'll tell ya' what! practicing. you silly goose.

i'm really proud of myself for finding my second wind and playing my records tonight. at about 10 PM i thought i was a gonner.

i have been suffering from the lingering cold... i am not at full energy right now. i like that i was able to kick myself into motivation after not even getting home from work until 8:15 PM.

i did mandatory chill time until around 10:15 PM and *then* we had the now or never moment. i love nights like this... almost 3 hours of music later.

i'll leave you with the flyer that Temple left for our event Friday night.

Friday, 4 April 08, Funkentanzen @ Temple

-------- FUNKENTANZEN @ TEMPLE, 4 APRIL ------------>

Come join us again @ Temple on Friday, 4 April

Hit me back for guest list action.





What: Funkentanzen @ Temple

When: Friday, 4 April 2008
10 PM -> end

Who: DJ Zenith (Funkentanzen, Stirty Beats, Zenomena)
O'Henry (Stirty Beats)
Native Intelligence (Rock It Science, Sleevin.com)

Thursday, 3 April 2008 on the EOM Sessions

On Thursday, 3 April 2008 I'll be joining the boys of El Otro Mundo for the second half of the show 8 - 10 PM PDT. You can listen live @ http://deepmixfm.com.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< EOM SESSIONS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Where: Deep Mix FM.com

What: guest DJ w/ residents Chris Leath & Paul Leath (Leath-AL), Stevian

When: 6 - 10 PM PDT,
8 - 10 PM PDT (set time)

Who: DJ Zenith (Funkentanzen, Zenomena)
EOM DJs (http://www.myspace.com/elotromundo)

Happiness Is....

A nice trail run in Pacifica up to a blue-sky view of the craggy cliffs and surf spray of the Pacific Ocean.

For those of you who live nearby the Pacific Ocean and haven't been there lately... YOU'RE MISSING OUT.

funken flyer

flyer for the next funkentanzen

Let's Play Another Game of Tradeoff Shall We?

I've been living in my place for two years now and my downstairs neighbour has been there for a year now at least... Maybe 1.5 years. One the one hand I'm lucky cuz I've DJed @ 3 AM on Saturdays with no issue.

I gave him my number a long time ago and told him to call me if there was an issue. That's the other hand... On the other hand he's now calling me. For the second time in two weeks.

Last night I came home in a great mood to play my new records... Yes, it was 10 PM on a Monday. He called me round about 11 PM I think.

I think the thing I'm bugged about is how low the volume was. I've played way louder than that in the last couple of years... On a weekend, @ 3 AM, with friends.

I'm hoping it is the late/Monday night factor because it would be really sad if something that makes me so very happy becomes a problem!

The thing to keep in mind is that I don't like the music that loud and am constantly bickering with people about having the music too loud.

Wish me luck on this.

Happy St. Patrick's day

thanks to my running group for the link to you tube below:

happy st. patty's day to my irish girlfriend who had already been fed three drinks by her boss by 10 AM. yes, really.

the muppets are my heroes... here's more of why... them singing oh Danny boy:



and i'll leave you with an article on Wikipedia concerning the Blarney Stone

EOM Sessions on Deep Mix FM

Special Thanks to the Black Mamba and Chris Leath for having me down to the EOM Sessions last night! No, I didn't have records with me but it's always a treat to be there... The Leath's and friends (A., C., Stevian) are quite talented officianados of techno and many things electronic. And the studio they broadcast it out of is just hella dope!

These internet radio shows do a lot for the music scene in the bay area! They get our music out to the rest of the world as well as giving us yet another venue to play our new schtuffs...

Speaking of which I'll be on the EOM Sessions on 3 April 2008 with residents Chris & Paul! You'll be able to catch it on Deep Mix FM.com from 8 - 10 PM.

What: EOM Sessions on Deep Mix FM.com

Who: DJ Zenith & Residents Black Mamba and Chris Leath

When: 3 April 2008, 6 - 10 PM
set time: 8 - 10 PM

a pic from Temple

a friend took this @ Temple recently:



other pictures were taken but it wasn't a good picture night for me... between broken head phones and people in/out of the DJ booth every 30 seconds it was all I could do to be polite and mix... the bummer is that people are saying the most awesome things.... "great set, dope tracks, what have you..." it's just that it's very difficult and distracting regardless!

just FYI... for the same reason you don't go talk to a cellist while she/he is playing with the symphony, you don't talk to your DJ while she/he is mixing. why? cause she can't listen to music and the conversation you are trying to have with her at the same time.

i think i'm getting a sign to wear around my neck that says "DJ @ work".

yes, really.

CD Release: Shall We Move - Live @ KZSU The Big Love Show 11 Feb 08

Shall We Move was recorded live @ the
Big Love Show. This is a house music show that has been running for over 10 years. This set is all dance with no sitting down permitted. This set explores the deep caverns of your favourite night club. I hope you enjoy it! 

This set is available in several formats. This set is available as a zip archive to promote downloading all the tracks in one click at both 320kbps and 128kbps fidelity as well as in one track in both 320 kbps and 128kbps fidelity.

High fidelity [approx. 167.3 megs]: Shall We Move?

Low fidelity [approx. 73.5 megs]: Shall We Move?

Single Track mp3 320kbps [approx. 186.6 megs]: Shall We Move?

Single Track mp3 128kbps [approx. 74.7 megs]: Shall We Move?

new CD is ready and being uploaded to internet

normally i have the new CD on the internet long before i have the hard copies... this isn't the case this time. Shall We Move is available in hard copy right now but "not quite uploaded" to the internet.

the different versions are taking forever to upload and are continuing to upload in the background. further i'm ripping the single track version from CD right now and getting that all hooked up to the web page that i made.

i plan to finish this process and get the e-mail out later today/tonight.

almost there!

please feel free to e-mail me with your address if you would like a hard copy of this CD. i'm mailing these out free of charge.

right this minute

i must say that right now i'm listening to: DJ Adnan on KZSU. No one has ever denied that the man is an amazing DJ.