The New Purple

The FiDi Predator

2009-06-16T12:06:00.000-07:00

As seen all over the news as of late, a territorial blackbird nicknamed "Swoops" attacks from behind in the Financial District in San Francisco. The bird divebombs pedestrians walking near a nest in a nearby tree. As the bird plunges from his perch it smacks the unsuspecting in the head.

Productivity has sharply declined as people gather in their office windows for a birds-eye (heh) view of the mayhem. The sidewalks are also filled with onlookers during their lunch break.

And the angry dude even has his own blog!!
http://frontstreetattackbird.blogspot.com/

Check out the 2 minutes of fame he got on CNN!!
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/offbeat/2009/06/09/vo.bird.attack.pedestrians.cnn

Who wants to go to Schroeders for lunch???!?

TFLN and Drunk Dialing

2009-04-24T14:56:00.000-07:00

Drunk Dialing. Its a pop-culture phenomenom denoting an instance in which an intoxicated individual places phone calls that he or she would not likely place if sober. And now drunk texting is now making its way and is potentially yet more embarrassing for the sender.

It may not be one of our finer moments, but we have all done it.

Well, now there is a site that you can post these ridiculous messages. Their catchy headline is: "Texts From Last Night. Remember that text that you shouldn't have sent last night? We do."

http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/

This isn't the most appropriate site ever, but it does offer up a few good laughs. And in sticking with the whole bird theme, and the fact that my parents read this, here is a G rated text.

(763): I think I just ate a pigeon feather. FYI.

*Please note, the 3 numbers indicate the area code the text was sent from. Happy Texting!

My View

2009-03-19T19:48:00.000-07:00

I think I might be one of the luckiest girls alive all because I live in an amazingly beautiful city....San Francisco. It doesn't get any better than this.

And this is just one view of the city...from the rooftop deck of my apartment. It is simply bliss!

Do you see that? That is the Golden Gate Bridge glowing in the sunset! Enough said.

F U, Penguin

2009-03-09T09:47:00.000-07:00

My friend on Twitter posted this link...and I think it might be my new favorite blog.

F*** You, Penguin

Its a blog about a guy who talks crap on animals, but in the most hysterical way. And of course he used the cutest feathery friend as his first punchline.

"GODDAMMIT penguin. You think you are SO F***ing CUTE. I'll show you, penguin. Maybe not today. But soon, penguin. Watch your adorable f***ing back..."

And so the blog goes. (And the new book....)

Pidgin Chat

2009-03-06T08:22:00.000-08:00

Okay, so seriously, this has to stop. Everytime I try to post something new, birds are waiting for me at the next corner. What is going on!?!

Here is the latest bird talk:

Pidgin is a chat program which lets you log in to accounts on multiple chat networks simultaneously. This means that you can be chatting with friends on MSN, talking to a friend on Google Talk, and sitting in a Yahoo chat room all at the same time.

It is actually, quite a clever name considering that carrier pigeons were used as flight messengers, carrying vital messages. Now this pigeon will carry messages via the internet.

Check it out for yourself: Pidgin Chat

How did I find this, you wonder?? Dont worry, I am not searching the web for all things birds, or pigeons. Seriously, take my word on that. My friend from Bulgaria had the link posted to her Google Chat message.

And I must say, I love that the cute little pigeon is awesomely PURPLE!

Why do men call women birds?

2009-03-05T07:58:00.000-08:00

My freind was telling me a story of his old roomate from Ireland. He said he always called girls birds. He'd be all "I was out yesterday talking to this cute bird." Or "You should check out that bird." My friend thought he was really talking about birds, not women. Just thought he liked birds a lot. So where does the expression come from??

The use of the word bird to mean a young woman is dated back to sometime in the 1800s. But I couldnt really find a reliable source to ensure the accuracy of that. Here are the only bird-related euphemisms for women that I can think of.

Bird = chiefly British slang meaning a girl or young woman
Chick = a girl or young woman
Hen = a woman, especially a busybody or gossip; a fussy or nosy old woman

And to prove I am not a crazy bird lady (because we all know I am a cat lady at heart), here are other terms for women:

Sheba = a woman with sex appeal
Dumb Dora = a stupid femal
Tomato = a female
Jane = any female
Bimbo = a young woman considered sexually attractive but of limited intelligence
Bearcat = a hot-blooded or fiery girl
Dame = a female
Skirt = women regarded as sexually desirable
Fox = sexy, extremely attractive, desirable
Bunny = a cute girl
Floozie = a mistress or girlfriend
Broad = woman or girl
Amazon = a physically masculine woman. Usually implies tall. Often implies unattractive. Sometimes implies ill-tempered.
Troll = an ugly girl
Moll = A gangster's girl

I really like the old school ones. Can you think of any others??

Food for Thought

2009-03-04T10:59:00.000-08:00

Food for thought is anything that provides mental stimulus for thinking.

So....did the same person who came up with the name pigeon, come up with the name penguin??

Even that Comcast cable commercial featuring the Madagascar characters get the penguin and pigeon mixed up. King Julian (of the Lemurs) thinks he's tossing a carrier pigeon off the cliff, but it's one of the penguins.

"Stretch your wings!"

(I tried to find the actual commercial but it looks like it has been deleted from YouTube. If anyone finds it, please send me the link.)

Telegraph Hill Parrots

2009-03-03T07:40:00.000-08:00

I work in downtown San Francisco, but not in the heart of it all. My office is down the road a bit, away from the high rises, and men in pressed suits. I am actually in the vicinity of a few parks. One park in particular, on Clay and Drum. Here you will find the Parrots of Telegraph Hill. These wild green birds gather in the trees in the park about an hour or more before dusk. And yesterday was no different.

The Red Masked Parakeets came from escaped and deliberately released pets in the 1990s, and they apparently quickly found an ecological niche. The flock started out with a single breeding pair, but today, the wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill have exceeded 200 birds. And you seriously cant miss them. Their flock is huge, and their crackle of a voice even bigger.

The flock was popularized by a once homeless "birdman" and now a successful author. I will definitely have to check out the book and documentary, both titled The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill. To learn more about the birdman, go to Mark Bittner's website.

They swoop down like winged pilots, fitted in velvety green and red, squawking pompously to announce their arrival at sunset. Magnificent. Just magical. If you see it for yourself, you will fall in love; it's one of those... "Only in San Francisco" moments!

(PS, do I have a thing for birds?)

Pictures taken from my friend Jenny's iPhone. The white specs on the cement are fallen blossoms, but I can say, we were in pooping range!

Another Pigeon Post

2009-03-02T15:08:00.001-08:00

My friend was checking out my blog on Friday and noticed that I had a lot to say about pigeons. I get to work this morning, and wouldn't you know it, my daily calendar was about Pigeons!

I dont really have a lot to say about it other than the fact that its true; some pigeons have the homing instinct.

Power Source

2009-02-24T16:40:00.000-08:00

David is still awaiting a response from 360 Burrito, and to be honest, I am not sure he will be getting one. I just hope they take him seriously. However, his letter did prompt a response from a friend of ours:

Hi David,

I read your letter to 360 and it provided me with a lot of insight as to how passionate you are about pick-an-ingredient menus that have wonderful veggie options. I know this place is a little far but I thought of you when I walked by:

Power Source Cafe

In addition to be incredibly healthful and having a pick-an-ingredient veggie bowl menu, they are a juice bar and I know how much you love juice.

Best,
Jenny

I will keep you posted.

One Bad Burrito

2009-02-23T14:44:00.000-08:00

You know those times when you say to yourself, "Dawgonit, I am gonna write that company a letter"? And it's almost always to complain about something. But do you ever actually write in?? Probably not. Well, a friend of mine was so bothered by a restaurant’s new menu, he wrote the following consumer complaint letter:

February 23,2009

360 Gourmet -

I'm writing in regards to the new menu design at the San Francisco 360 Gourmet in One Market Plaza. Apparently you are testing out a new style of menu design and I think it is ridiculous. I love the previous menu.

To begin with, while visiting my family and friends over the Thanksgiving break, I actually raved about your unique menu design and how you can pick your flavor, style, meat/veggies, and extras. I told them it was ingenious because you could have a different meal every day of the month. It was so simple and straightforward and I was surprised that I had never seen this layout before. My favorite meal has been the 'Cajun' 'Tofu' 'Quesadilla' with 'Avocado'. Delicious! Also, it's a combo that I would not have typically tried before.

On a darker note, once I returned to SF and walked to 360 Gourmet for my lunch break (I'm willing to walk several blocks out of the way to get to 360 Gourmet), I was horrified and appalled and dumbfounded to see that the menu had changed. All of a sudden it was confusing and just like so many other menus that randomly list out various meal options. It was cluttered and did not appear to have any order or structure to it at all (except for the breakfast menu). It completely took the fun out of it and I noticed the concerned looks on other customers faces as well. Although the workers claimed that the menu still includes all of the same items, I saw nothing that resembled my Cajun tofu quesadilla. They were willing to make it for me, but now I feel like some kind of bozo walking up there and ordering it when it is not on the menu. I did not see anything that even mentioned the Cajun sauce. The Cajun spices sautéed with bell peppers, red onions, and cilantro are a great compliment to the quesadilla and adding tofu gives it a fun vegetarian-friendly twist.

The shock and dismay at the new menu saddened me and has slowly put me into a downward spiral of depression and misery. To think, I voluntarily raved about the menu to my friends and family back home. What if my poor grandmother decides to take the bus all the way to SF to see the menu that inspired her grandson, only to find that it looks nothing like he described. She would either think I had grown up to be some sort of liar or con-artist or she would think this was some inventive practical joke I tried to play on her. She would probably walk around the city in a daze wondering how her grandson could be so cruel. She probably spent all of her retirement money on the bus ride to the city and will now be forced to beg for change on the streets. I fear that my grandmother and the rest of my family will most likely shun me from any further family gatherings if the menu is not changed back to the original design.

Part of me is curious how this disaster happened in the first place?? Who's idea was it to mess with and destroy something so great? Why would you try to fix something that is not broken? Would you walk into the pyramids in Egypt or into the Sistine Chapel and begin modifying and reorganizing everything for no good reason? It does not make sense. Is this just the result of a corporate 360 Gourmet meeting where someone in marketing or sales demanded a change to increase profits? Exactly who said that and exactly who said that altering the menu would make sense? I suggest that they be immediately removed from your headquarters. I suspect that they may have infiltrated your company to spy and cause havoc from the inside. I know that we are facing tough economic times these days, but I do not feel that this type of shock to your consumer base is going to have a favorable impact.

Before you dismiss my letter as the ramblings and nonsense of a lunatic, I would like to say that I am a savvy consumer akin to this subject. I have an undergraduate degree in graphic design as well as a masters degree in business. I work in the advertising industry and I have discussed my frustration over the new menu design with individuals in our User Experience and design departments. They support my opinions and are also upset about the changes that have taken place.

Please, replace the menu with the previous version as early as you can. It was perfect just the way it was.

Thank you,
David

Can't wait to see if he gets a response!

Nothing but Love

2008-12-30T13:45:00.000-08:00

As I stated in my previous post, my family is CAL fanatics. But when I think about it, I think all CAL fans are seriously obsessed, so it's not just my family. To prove this CAL love, here are some oldies but goodies.

(Even back in the day I loved purple.)

I am not exactly positive what these events were called, but as a kid, we used to be able to go down on the Basketball court, meet the players, and get their autographs. I think we were even offered to be the towel kids. You know the kids that wipe up the players sweat off the floor. Not very glamorous, but quite an honor as a kid.

Another classic photo. My CAL cheer leading outfit. Oh yes, that is right. My sister and I went to the CAL cheer leading camp one summer and trained with the CAL cheer leading squad. We even performed on stage and on the field.

I may not be the ultimate CAL fan, but I know all the CAL anthems and songs. I have been to tons of games, grew up knowing not to wear red to games, and have tons of CAL paraphernalia to last me a lifetime. I love my CAL memories, and still love going to the games. What more is there to say other than....

...Go Bears!

Emerald Bowl

2008-12-28T19:13:00.000-08:00

If you know me at all, or you know my parents, you know they are die hard CAL Berkeley fans. My grandfather went to CAL, followed by my dad. And growing up we didnt miss a game. We have gone to football, basketball, volleyball, and even a few baseball games for as long as I can remember. Our family vacations were even planned in accordance with the CAL football schedule, or my dad's CAL golf alumni schedule. We have travelled to Hawaii, Washington State, and Florida all in the name of CAL. And this year was no different.

A couple days after Christmas, I met my family in San Francisco to attend the Emerald Bowl. Cal vs. Miami at AT&T Park.

I wish I could recall the game in a play by play series, or even quarter by quarter. But we all know I don't follow the games that closely. Yes, I watch the game, but I dont know names of players and can hardly recall game winning plays days after a game. I'll remember that it happened, but if you want specifcs, I would check another source.

I have been to AT&T park plenty of times, but never for a football game. The stadium is so small that the two teams had to share a side line.

24 to 17 Cal Victory = Happy Cal fans

(Me and the family. Jenny couldn't make it.)

Christmas at David's

2008-12-27T19:25:00.000-08:00

After the usual Christmas morning in Berkeley of opening presents with the family, I headed to the state's capitol. Sacramento! I was spending the remainder of the holiday with my boyfriend and his family. It wasn't a big deal considering I had hung out with his family loads times before. It was nice spending time with them nonetheless.

(Jessie, Lucy and Mia.)

It was a bit different than the typical Christmas day at my parents house. No entertaining of guests (unless you count me), and no real pressure of anything. We vegged out, watched movies, and got take out Indian for dinner. I have to say, I think it was my first Christmas without a home cooked meal.

(Claudia, David and Don.)

There is nothing like good food, good company, and cats that spoil you with love.

Working for the Weekend

2008-12-23T15:00:00.000-08:00

When I first started working for my company, there was rumor that we closed around the holidays. Rumor because it had happened in the past, but was not policy. It was just another one of the perks of the job. Well, the rumor was true. And I was looking forward to it again all year. And wouldn't you know it, we are shutting down shop!! From Dec. 23rd, 2008 to Jan. 5th, 2009, our office is closed!

My co-worker snapped this with her new fancy iPhone as I was packing up for the holiday. (Please note my fabulously PURPLE sweater!)

Rat-tastic!

2008-12-18T18:43:00.000-08:00

Like any big city, it comes with its fair share of rats...

...dead ones...in the gutter. ICK!

This shot was taken just down the street from my apartment (with the ever so trusty camera phone).

My response

2008-08-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

Here is the letter I drafted up, but never ended up sending. Just call me a coward...or lazy.

August 21, 2008

Dear Argentina,

I wanted to apologize about startling you on Tuesday night when I entered the apartment through the garage. I assure you there was good reason for this. I was locked out of the apartment, and Clare gave me the code to get in since she was not home. This was an emergency situation, and I did not have my keys.

But I am also very hurt and angered that you think I would ever put the building or the tenant’s safety in danger. I want nothing less than the utmost safety where so many of us live. I have been a very respectful tenant, keeping the apartment clean and with great care.

I find your two notes you left on my door Wednesday night entirely inappropriate and harassing. I would like to ask that you stop leaving harassing notes on our front door. In the future if you have a problem, please call me and we can discuss it to find the proper solution. But leaving distressing notes on our door is an unacceptable resolution. According to San Francisco Tenants Rights, I have the right not to enjoy my apartment without being harassed by my landlord. I truly believe you have failed in this sense. This is not the first time you have harassed Clare or I with rude notes claiming something false.

In your note dated August 20, 2008, you stated that I used the garage to exit the apartment on the morning of the 20th. This is false on all accounts. I have no need to exit the garage and you are mistaken. I exited in the morning around 8:00am through the front entrance. And as such, I would not have caused any damage to the garage motor.

Again, I would like to ask that you stop leaving notes on our door. If this continues, I will take further action. Should you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.

Thank you,
Jessie

On Why My Landlord is a Little Nutty

2008-08-21T22:10:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday night, I was locked out of my apartment because I left my keys at work. I called my roomate Clare to see if she was home but unfortunately she was not. Bust! Good news is that she gave me the code to the garage so I could get in to use the hidden spare key. I opened the garage and Argentina was there digging around in some boxes. She shut the garage when I entered and that was that. She didn't really say anything and I went in to my apartment and went to sleep.

The next night I come home to find 2 notes taped to my door! Here are the notes. And please keep in mind, these are just black and white versions. All those bolded words are in RED.

Note 1:

Note 2:

Oh man, oh man. She is now accusing me of breaking the garage door and putting everyone in the building at risk because I entered through the garage. The garage is connected only to our apartment, and no one elses. Additionally, nothing was damaged. The door opened and shut per usual. She is simply cuckoo.

Lots Going On

2008-08-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy couple of weeks. First, I got promoted!!! Then, I celebrated my 26th birthday. And now I am going to be an Auntie!!!!

And how did I find out?? My sister and brother in law came down to the city for my bowling extravaganza and gave me a birthday present. It was this really neat (yes, I just used the word neat) farmers market fabric lined shopping basket. And inside the pocket was stuffed this little onezie.

I heart my Aunt Jessie! Heck yeah the little bugger will! I screamed and hugged them both. It was a very exciting moment for the family; I just cant wait to see my parents reaction. Tears are to be expected.

Evite what!

2008-08-09T16:57:00.000-07:00

I have been back home now for one year (one year on August 11th, the day before my birthday). And what a better way to ring in another year older then with friends and a friendly game of bowling. But like with most parties, I prefer not to plan them, especially my own. So, my good friend Alli sent out this evite:

It's Jessie's Birthday...Dont end up in the gutter!

What did one bowling pin say to the other bowling pin??? ...You're a knock out!

Come see if Jessie can bowl a score better than her age. It's time to celebrate another year older as she turns 26! So roll your balls down that alley and hope to score!

Afterwards, we can head from the Presidio Bowl over to the Marina...and maybe hit up Finale Finale.

(Do you know how hard good bowling jokes are to come by?!)

The Obama Buzz

2008-07-21T11:45:00.000-07:00

During an election year, there is always so much buzz around canidates. Well, this year is no different. Here is a litte Barack Obama Buzz on Union and Fillmore in San Francisco.

An old Volvo covered bumper to bumper in...bumper stickers!

Taken from my trusty camera phone.

Hess Winery

2008-07-06T18:08:00.000-07:00

Over the 4th of July Weekend, David and I decided to embark on a low-key wine tasting trip. I have only been to Napa once before, with my sister and Mandy, years ago. And I remember stopping in this one winery that was so unique and unlike any winery I had been to before. They of course had wine, but they had more than that to offer. They had art.

At the Hess Collection entrance, there are three flags gently fluttering in the breeze that beckon one onto the stone, ivy-covered, building that runs the length of the courtyard. Inside, they have a barrel cellar, wine tasting bar, wine shop, and a self guided art gallery.

There are two floors of art to explore. It is not all pleasant or comprehensible, but it is thought-provoking, striking, powerful, and sometimes a little weird. An example? How about one gallery room with rock things strewn around and a mud splotch with tire tracks?

And the one piece that drew me back to Hess was the photo-realist painting by Franz Gertsch, Johanna II. Gertsch, a Swiss artist, paints from a projected transparency using a quasi-camera obscura technique. Yeah, I dont know about all that but what I do know is that Johanna II is quite a compelling work. Upclose and afar, her face captures that of a photograph, its hard to believe it is in fact a painting.

Enough of the art mumbo jumbo, time for wine.

Bubble Tops

2008-07-01T22:21:00.000-07:00

And I am not talking fashion here. Cold drinks look as good as they taste in Disposable Clear Drink Cups and Dome Lids. Rolled rims ensure enhanced drinking comfort and a secure closure using the snap fit lids. Sturdy, shatter and crack resistant material adds to overall strength and makes these domes, lids and cups stand out as the clear choice in beverage containers.

But is it the clear choice?? (No pun intended.) Most of the time, these types of lids are more of a nuisance than anything else. You walk into Peete's or Coffee Bean or whatever, order some iced blended sugary goodness of a drink and the barrista almost always asks if you want whip cream on top.

I opt no thanks. And here are my reasons. One, I dont really like whip cream. Two, it is just not the healthy choice (not that my Caramel Frappachino is really all that healthy but why add the extra calories). And three, I hate the bubble lids that they put on any whipped cold drink. The lids dont seem to be as sturdy as they claim and tend to pop off. If they arent popping off, they are leaking delicious drink all over my cup, hand and lap!

If you want my advice, just say no to the ridiculous bubble tops!

Flashback: Oakland Hills Fire

2008-06-14T21:57:00.000-07:00

Looking back on the 1991 Oakland Hills Fire. I was 9 years old just going into the 4th (or 5th)grade I believe. I was home with my mom and brother and sister when the sun turned a dark orange color tinted from all the smoke in the air. The fire was moving quickly and we were evacuated. We threw everything in the van and went from one friend's house to the next, hoping they hadn't been ordered to evacuate as well. We ended up in Orinda with good family friends and waited for the fire to be contained. I remember being so scared, and scare for our cats. Days later, my parents were allowed back into the fire area to assess the damage. All that we lost was a huge maple tree, cut down by the firefighters to save our house. We were lucky.

Just the other day, a brushfire broke out in the same area as in 1991. This time it was contained and no homes lost. Here is the article published in the Chronicle.

OAKLAND
Scary brushfire is contained quickly
Thursday blaze was in neighborhood near 1991 disaster
Carolyn Jones,Jaxon Van Derbeken, Chronicle Staff Writers
Friday, June 13, 2008

(06-12) 16:43 PDT OAKLAND -- Oakland hills residents were on edge Thursday as a brushfire came perilously close to houses, condominiums and schools in a neighborhood near where the disastrous wildfire of October 1991 began.

The three-alarm fire charred about 2 acres of grass, bushes and oak trees on a steep slope by Buckingham Boulevard and Charing Cross and Tunnel roads above the Caldecott Tunnel, close to the center of the fire that killed 25 people and burned 3,200 homes nearly 17 years ago.

Thursday's blaze was reported at 11:18 a.m. and was contained in about 90 minutes. There were no injuries, evacuations or damage to structures, fire Lt. David Brue said. The cause was not immediately known.

Crews credited calm winds, the Fire Department's efforts to cut back dry grass and brush and its cooperation with neighboring fire districts for the quick containment.

"We're now in a position to go after these things aggressively," Brue said. "These steps make it easier for us to get fires like this under control."

Seventy firefighters from Oakland, Berkeley, the East Bay Regional Parks District and the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection battled the blaze. State helicopters scooped water from nearby Lake Temescal to help extinguish the flames.

Firefighters will continue to monitor the area today for flareups, Brue said. They will pay close attention to the wind.

"If the weather changes, that could change everything," said Battalion Chief Lorenzo Frediani. "That is the wildcard - the cooperation of the weather has really assisted us. If that changed, it could really cause us grief."

The sight of smoke, flames and fire trucks unnerved hills residents, many of whom lost their homes in the 1991 fire.

"It's really scary," said Joyce Gaskin, a resident of North Oakland who was visiting her son at a condominium complex that was briefly endangered by the flames. "I was here in '91 and I saw four houses go up in 10 minutes. So I know how quickly it could spread."

She said she was worried about the winding roads causing bottlenecks for firefighters and residents.

"You feel so helpless," she said.

Michael O'Toole was warned about fires when he moved to the neighborhood two years ago.

"It's something you think about every day," he said. "When I saw the smoke today, I thought, 'It's finally happened.' My second thought was, 'I should have gotten renters' insurance.' "

(This article appeared on page B - 5 of the San Francisco Chronicle)

Speaking of Pigeons

2008-06-12T09:34:00.000-07:00

Not sure if you noticed my profile picture but there is a pigeon on my head. I am standing in the middle of Plaza San Marco in Venice, Italy feeding the birds (Summer of 2006). There are tons of bird seed vendors that supply tourists with the small bags of bird seed. And these gluttonous pigeons are so accustomed to this that they fill the square, and feed from the hands of strangers. Even end up on their heads. I am just thankful the birds never dropped any poop on my shoulder.

Venice and pigeons seem to go together hand in wing.

Grafiti

2008-06-11T21:46:00.000-07:00

I take the bus to and from work everyday. And on a number of occasions, the bus breaks down. Or more accurately, the wires on the muni bus come un attached and thus not giving the bus any power. During these instances, I usually opt to walk the remainder of the way. On my most recent walk, I happened across a bit of grafitit. Pigeon grafiti.

A close up shot.

I guess it is not so much of grafiti art as it is a simple stamp spray painted on the street sign. There were several other ones along the way as well. I was unsure how I felt about the message being portrayed. Afterall, a pigeon seems to be nothing more than a rat with wings. But after a little research, Pigeons are much more than the dirty little scavengers of the sky I once thought they were.

Pigeon Fun Facts!

· Unless forcibly separated, pigeons mate for life.
· Pigeons have been known to live over 30-years! (How many years is that in Pigeon years?)
· In the 17th century, King George I of England, decreed all pigeon droppings to be property of the Crown and the lofts were policed to enforce the law! (Pigeon manure was used in making gunpowder)
· A famous WWI homing pigeon named Cher Ami finished his distinguished career by delivering a vital message: The location of the famous Lost Battalion. That mission alone is credited with saving nearly 200 human lives! Cher Ami was awarded the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for his heroic service. He died of his extensive battle wounds.
· One WW II homing pigeon named GI Joe saved over 1000 allied soldiers lives in a single mission! He was awarded the Dickin Medal, the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross. His average speed on that flight was 60 mph!
· With the ability to beat its wings up to ten times per second, and maintain a heart rate of 600 beats per minute for up to 16-hours without rest, the racing pigeon is the unequalled athlete of the air!
· The pigeon has the rare ability for a large bird to be able to fly nearly straight up.
· Racing Pigeons routinely maintain flight speeds of 50 to 60 mph!
· Some pigeons reverse-commute, feeding on grain in the country, while living in the city.
· Advanced studies at the University of Montana conclude: Pound for pound, columba livia (the pigeon) is one of the smartest, most physically adept creatures in the animal kingdom. (Don’t they have anything better to study in Montana…well, perhaps not.)
· A research recently established that trained pigeons were more than twice as reliable as humans and much swift in spotting red and yellow jackets floating on water and thus could be efficient life-savers.

So next time you kick that bird lurking under your table at your local cafe, just remember, that one day they might save your life.

(Pictures taken with my camera phone.)

What to write??

2008-05-04T22:01:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I last thought about blogging, and even longer since I actually wrote anything. Before, I had daily inspiration in my home away from home. Bulgaria and everything I was experiencing there seemed interesting and worth writing about. Even when I wasn't writing about BG, I still thought anything and everything was worth going on the blog.

Now, I am back at home and settled into my life here. Who wants to read a boring blog about my daily happenings? Cuz really, all that really consists of is the same thing most people's days consist of.

1) Willing yourself to get out of bed.
2) Opening the closet door to decipher what in the world you wore the day or week before so you can actually pick out an outfit for today.
3) Head to work where you do your job, make awkward small talk at the water cooler or in the elevator, and head home.
4) Figure out dinner and watch your favorite TV show, depending on the night of the week it is.
5) Go to bed hoping you wake to Saturday Morning, only to realize it's only Tuesday. You havent even reached Wednesday hump day.

I mean, obviously there are some variations in there, but needless to say, it is not really worth reading about, is it?

So what in the world am I going to write about? Well, pretty much the same thing I used to write about....all those boring happenings, but here in San Francisco this time. My blog wasn't really that exciting before, why does it have to be now? Grab your coffee, and stay tuned.

Hello to the New Purple!

2008-05-01T19:02:00.000-07:00

I thought it was time I started a new blog. It was such a good outlet when living abroad and away from family and friends, so why not continue it here while stateside. It definitely won't be as exciting as my old Peace Corps blog. No stories with goats roaming the streets, or strange happenings on trains, or the random meeting of a rap superstar. But hopefully it will be a worthwhile mindless read for some. And what a better way to start off than by posting a great comic from Dan Goodsell with a purple eggplant!

Wish me luck on my future writings and enjoy!