Toes, Tunes and a Blackout

I must say, I certainly made the most of my one day off this week. First I went to the gym yesterday morning and had the most fabulous workout. If you are not a person who indulges in exercise endorphins, you are truly missing out. After that, I took advantage of the warm sunshine and got my first pedicure of the year! I usually get pedicures every few weeks, but it has been so rainy since December that I haven't bothered this year. Why pay for cute toes if you're just going to shove them inside a pair of boots everyday?

After my pedicure, my newly-painted, exposed toes and I hit Amoeba Records where I dropped far too much money on cd's... although, on second thought, is it really possible to spend too much money on music? My first purchase was the brand new Matthew Sweet-Susannah Hoffs album, Under the Covers, vol. 1. Matthew Sweet is a terrifically talented singer-songwriter type whose tune "I've Been Waiting" is one of my favorite jingle jangle alterna-pop songs of the early '90's. And Susannah Hoffs is, of course, from the Bangles, who were, for the record, an extraordinary band before that "Walk Like An Egyptian" nonsense was released. It was all downhill from there, but they have some great early work. Anyway, Sweet and Hoffs have put together a collection of 60's pop covers, and it's super fun. While still in the store I noticed that one of the covers on this record is of Love's "Alone Again Or". In that moment I was reminded that I was introduced to this song in the 80's by the Damned's version (sorry, original artist purists), and I decided I had to have a copy of that one. So I found a rather expensive because it is out of print used Damned cd and added it my purchase list. I had downloaded the Love version of "Alone Again Or" from iTunes weeks ago, but today I own all three renditions I know exist. Because apparently, unbeknownst to even me, this is my favorite song in the world, and I have to acquire as many versions as possible.

After cd shopping and touring several Haight Street vintage clothing stores, I met Ann Marie at Favorite Bar 2. While we were there a short blackout hit the neighborhood, plunging the bar into darkness. Most of the FB2 denizens paid little attention to the lack of lights and calmly continued to sip their cocktails. But Ann Marie and I jumped into action, falling into a fit of giggles and taking photos of ourselves with her cell phone. I have finally been able to post the very attractive shot that you see to your left. Aren't we just lovely? Actually, I think the photo turned out okay, considering we really couldn't see her black cell phone very well in the extinguished light of the bar. Our amusement may sound lame to you, but we enjoyed ourselves. Ann Marie and I have a keen knack for turning an ordinary evening of sitting in a bar into an Olympic event of fabulousness. Add a blackout, and we become gold medal champions of fun.

Plus, the bartender working at FB2 last night displayed her incredible sense of memory and told me she recognized me from seven years ago (!) when I spent a couple of sessions in the acting class she was taking. I had decided her acting teacher's style wasn't for me, so I think I only attended two or three classes... again, seven years ago. She also said she had seen me in a show but couldn't remember which one. Regardless, it was quite likely a play I did at least six years ago, as I only act very occasionally now. That is one impressive memory. I had vaguely recognized her, but I decided it was just because she looks a little like my friend Camilla. Anyway, our bartendress then participated in Ann Marie's and my funathon for a bit, and she and I compared notes on who we know in common from theatre and other arenas (we came up with Morris, Dawson, the folks in the Rough Theatre Company, Pete and Jeff). San Francisco is one tiny city.