Wazzup 2008

This should be broadcast on National TV regularly until next Tuesday.

Happy Birthday, Boys!

It was on this date in 1990 that Pearl Jam played their first live show at the Off Ramp Cafe' in Seattle. That's a big deal in my world, since two years later (on November 1st, 1992 at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mt. View, CA), I saw my first PJ show. Thus began a 16-year adventure of seeing Pearl Jam live all over the world, 140 times to date - and hopefully counting. The joy, passion, intensity and brilliance of seeing my boys play music live has had a transformative effect on my being in countless ways. My love of this band has brought out the writer in me, brought my best friend into my life, inspired my creativity (I did a fanzine from 1992-1997 called Footsteps, and currently co-edit a website for PJ fans)...loving this band - the way they operate, their activism, their interests and passions - has inspired me to work to be a better person. The Pearl Jam touring community and experience is a source of unparalleled joy. Connecting with others who love my band is beyond sublime...my boys bring out the best in people, and I feel a bond and love for my fellow PJ peeps that I never thought I would have in my life. It's an honor to be a part of that community. So to celebrate the "live birth" of Pearl Jam is an important event in my year! My pal JR put together a bit on the birthday on our site-check it, yo! Happy, happy birthday boys! And many, many more...

The Best Clutter Avoidance Advice

I fancy myself a fledgling professional organizer...She Who Can Organize All. For years I've cleaned houses, organized chaos for friends, and enjoy the challenge of doing so. At risk of sounding boastful, I think I've got a pretty good talent for it. It's no small wonder I'm obsessed with Clean House on the Style Network, How Clean Is Your House on BBC America, and any other cleaning/organizing show that comes down the pike.

As I was sitting at my desk at work assembling all the paperwork I need for my quarterly accounting, I remembered the the best clutter avoidance advice I ever received! It was the phrase: TOUCH IT ONCE WHEREVER POSSIBLE. The mantra "handle it now" reverberates in my head whenever I pick up anything, be it a piece of paper, something I bring into the house, mail, whatever -because of that "touch it once" philosophy.

I'm not perfect, but I've nearly eliminated piles of papers and "things to be dealt with later" from my life. Here is the rundown taken from E-zine articles that embodies what I've incorporated into my daily life, both at home and at work.

The golden rule should always be TOUCH IT ONCE WHEREVER POSSIBLE.

Do not have piles of paper on your desk, in a filing tray or in a briefcase which you keep looking at and then deferring to another time. You can defer something once but then you must take action. But which action should you take?

The following 5-step formula is a very efficient way of handling paperwork.

Destroy -Delegate -Do -Defer - File

Each action should be considered in the descending order shown, i.e. destroy first, file last.

Destroy - this sounds a little harsh but it helps greatly in the decision-making process.

Delegate - does not require your personal attention and can be handled by another member of your team or a professional advisor (eg accountant).

Do - something that requires your personal attention. If it's quick or urgent do it now. Otherwise, defer it (see below).

Defer - a once only action. A firm date for action must be set if it is important to you or another party (probably the sender). Take action on the set date or Destroy it.

File - if it's important and you really must. If possible, get someone else to file it. When filing, consider whether to loose file it or accurately file it. By my definition, loose filing is where you place it at the front of the relevant file but not necessarily with every other associated piece of paperwork. This system saves time on filing only if you believe you are unlikely to want to retrieve it in the future. If you are fairly certain that you will need to retrieve it at some stage then it's more efficient to accurately file it with the associated papers.

Like Neicy Nash from Clean House would say, get to gettin' and start sortin'! :)

We All Shine On

John Lennon would have been 68 today. Sure, I'm terribly sad he's not here, but I'm infinitely glad he was born and I celebrate it! He would have been the BEST cranky old man, dontcha think? Considering the state of our world today- and more so our falling-apart country- he'd have been even more of a vocal activist than he ever was. Here's a song I think John would be singing the hell out of at protests...and I'd be singing along with him! Like the moon, and the stars and the sun...

Rocktober!

Much fun is to be had this month, damn the financial torpedoes, full speed ahead I say! On my musical and otherwise horizon:

Saturday 10/11: Chris Isaak at The Fillmore with Sal -woo hoo!

Sunday 10/12: KUSF Record swap/bootleg show on the SF State campus We've been to these "boot shows" before and found some AMAZING bootleg DVD's! Genesis with Gabriel? Check. Old Floyd w/Syd TV Appearances? Check. Beatles galore? Check. I'm looking for some Split Enz this time around...and maybe some Beck.

Saturday 10/18: Plant trees with Stoney! Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam and many volunteers will be planting trees in the Outer Sunset in SF during the day, then playing The Grand ballroom on Van Ness Saturday evening along with Vince Mira (who apparently is hugely into Johnny Cash) and the Hank Khoir (featuring notable Northwest artists Barbara Ireland and the Roy Kay Trio). I think the Hank Khoir is actually a play on the word Choir and they do a lot of Hank Williams covers. Whatever it is, Stoney's sanging and playing and it's gonna rock, ya'all!

Sunday 10/19: Shan and I are doing the total rock star thing and flying to LA and back in one day. We fly out in the wee early morning hours to walk in Aidswalk LA on the General Hospital/Night Shift team! Our lovely Kimberly McCullough (Robin Scorpio on General Hospital) is the opening ceremony speaker, and Jason Thompson (Patrick Drake on GH), our Pearl Jam homie (he's a huge fan!) will be there too - along with other GH peeps we love (Carolyn Hennessy aka Diane and Brandon Barash, aka hot Johnny Zacchara). Plus it's raising money for a great cause! I've almost met my fundraising goal, thanks to many generous pals. If you feel so inclined to help, here's the link!

Other than that, my month will be spent checking FiveThirtyEight.com and StealBackYourVote.com until November 4th!

PUPpy dogs and ice cream

This is the best video compilation I've ever seen in my life. I want to be the creamy filling in a Steven and Stephen cookie sandwich.

Funniest. Photos. Ever.

I am sorting through the mountainous volumes of photos stored in my laptop, and came across these, taken by dear friend Laurie in Australia on November 18, 2006. This is my pals Jason, Rob and me (along with other enthusiasts) at a Pearl Jam concert at the Acer Arena in Sydney, taken from across the arena. My guess is that it's during "Alive" when the lights are good and up, but I'm not 100% sure. Either way, it's funny as hell to see us "in action", dontcha think? Rock out!

199? Are you out of your mind??????

Today is a day that will live in infamy.

I am still happily skipping down the road of Food Addiction Recovery. Eating abstinent meals, calling my sponsor, working it. In program, we weigh once a month, which I think is wonderful...it shifts the focus from weight loss and the number on the scale to dealing with the addiction. That said, I still do have some number goals with regard to my weight.

Since I've been trying to "kick" food, (I started Weight Watchers in September 2000), I've wanted to weigh less than 200 pounds. I had been weighing myself weekly until I started FA May 17th of this year. For about a month, I still weighed weekly, not knowing the FA Way is once a month. So I started weighing on my anniversary date, my sponsor and I agreed that was okay for me. As I become more engaged in FA meetings, I want to share more, and everyone else that shares their weigh-in numbers does so on the first of the month - that is kind of the "touchstone" for everyone in program, whether in the basic program or in the maintenance program (at goal weight) or not. So as of October 1st, today, I will weigh myself on the first of the month.

So being that it is October 1st, I got on the scale this morning. On September 17th, I was at 203 pounds. Today, I am....(HUGE long drum roll please) 199 pounds!!!! I HAVE DONE IT!!! I broke 200 for the first time since 1984!!!!!! (!!!!!) I got on and off the scale 4 times to make sure it wasn't some sort of mistake. It isn't. I'm going to keep on keeping on, no matter what. The next milestone will be 175 lbs., I guess. That isn't intangible, which is in itself miraculous.

I have wanted this goal for so very long, and saying I want it didn't really mean anything before I started the Food Addicts program. I really began to see how wrapped up my life was in treating myself and soothing myself with food. Now I just feel so free from that. I can feel my feelings, good and bad, and it is pretty damned glorious. Friday I am leading a meeting in San Jose, and have another one scheduled October 25th. So I can share my story of experience, strength and hope with others who suffer. What great timing to have achieved that milestone so I can share it! Huge love to all who are reading this - because if you are, it means you've given me invaluable support on my journey. I couldn't have done it without you!