Closing Chapters

A chapter has closed here in Sassyland, gentle readers.

For the last five years, I have written a monthly column for one of San Francisco's neighborhood newspapers. It being a very small operation, the paper's publisher hasn't been able to pay me for my contribution, but that hasn't bothered me. I like to write (why else would I have a blog?), so I figured I'd do the column, which is a sort of a cool things happening around town guide, as a volunteer side job. I've spent 60 months tipping readers off to what I believe to be the best in live music, theatre, book signings, parties, museum exhibits and other San Francisco happenings. It's been a bit of fun, and every once in a while researching my column would lead me to a neat event I wouldn't have known about otherwise.

Good things sometimes come to an end, however, and I decided in January that five years of writing for free was enough. So my last column is running in the paper's current issue. It's the end of an era for me and the (few dozen at most) people who read my column with any regularity.

From now on, if you want to know what I believe to be the cool things happening about town, you'll have to ask me directly.

On a significantly more shocking and unfortunate note, I learned this afternoon that a major chapter has closed on a guy who frequented my favorite karaoke den in town. He died. I didn't know this gentleman very well; in fact, I didn't even know his last name. However, he was a staple at this karaoke joint and was very nice. He sang everything from Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darin to Disney show tunes and 80's pop, and he would always work the crowd. He was young, as well... probably about my age. And yes, I still consider myself to be young.

I bring this up because it's a pretty clear example of how none of us knows what tomorrow holds. So live everyday and pursue happiness, gentle readers. We all get caught up in our routines and get stressed out and worry, but it's important take time to do things that make us happy. For me, those happy pursuits include singing songs, going to music shows, exercising, giggling with my friends, reading good books, crushing on silly men and visiting L.A. and Hawaii. In fact, I'm posting a picture I took in Waikiki a few years ago because that beach is one of the happiest places on earth, in my opinion. Just looking at this photo makes me smile.

I hope looking at it reminds you to pursue your own brand of happiness, whatever that may be.