phyncke

It gets old - we are on our 4th night of protests here. I am sympathetic - I really am (and I think we need some reforms on Police procedures) but living right in the middle of the protest zone is getting old. Helicopters over head, roaming bands of anarchists, looters and pillagers. It is very chaotic and very stressful. It is at the point where the average person does not want to be on the street after dark because of their personal safety. We keep getting alerts at the Uni about what is going on and early release time so that we can get home safely before the protests start in the evening.

Last night they blocked the 80 freeway - a major artery through here - they stopped an Amtrak train and they closed the Berkeley BART station down. I guess that would mean they are being effective since they are getting national coverage. But living here - well it gets old. It is weird seeing your town covered on the news all the time - in real time - live and up close.

I think with a major storm coming in tomorrow night - that will shut it down. Protesting is a fair weather activity.

Anyways - that is all I have - got some Christmas shopping done - all online - woot. And I have sussed out some gifts to buy from some local shops - so I am in good shape here with my holiday cheer.

Tomorrow is my holiday party at work and then I am going to see Yo Yo Ma at the local theatre - he is giving a talk on art and culture. Should be interesting. I have been into this speaker series the the Uni lately - broadening my mind.

Anyhoo. That's it for me. Hope all is well with you!



by yishui on livejournal

This week I was walking to work and saw that city work crews were filling our neighborhood pool with dirt. I have been participating in an effort to get Willard Pool reopened and this depressed me more than I can say. I live in Berkeley's South Side and while the rich neighborhood gets to keep their pool open, our lower income neighborhood loses its pool. I feel this is a class issue and here is the reply I made to the board member who tried to explain herself and their decision:


Thank you for your reply. This seems deliberately aimed at South Side. Why our pool? Willard Pool was very busy in warm weather and provided swim lessons, relief from the heat and programming. It is more than just a "pool" really. It represents the decline of the neighborhood. I see it as a larger issue and a lack of investment in the neighborhood in general. North side keeps their pool while South Side of campus goes into decline. Trash on the streets, no community pool and urban blight. When you frame the issue in that context it is clear that the richer, more affluent neighborhood gets to keep their resources while we - don't.

I do appreciate all that you are saying here but I cannot help but see it as a class and neighborhood issue. North side is pretty much left alone. Drive through south side sometime and see what is going on there - homeless people, trash and abandoned store fronts and a pool that has been filled in. It is completely sad. When is Berkeley going to invest in this community? We are also Berkeley residents and deserving of resources. I have lived here for 16 years and watched it decline month by month and year by year. This issue is worth fighting for as it represents more than just a pool and money - it is our community and we do mean to fight for it. It is time to stop the discrimination here.

I feel very strongly about this. I work hard and would like to walk across the street and take a swim but I cannot anymore. I cannot hear the sounds of free swim and children splashing in Willard Pool. That depresses me more than I can express.

I respect what you are saying but you have to respect our right to fight for these resources and for our community.

Best to you,

signed, me


by tsukisagi

Deep in the wilds of Berzerkeley, California. *coughs* Well actually I am at the auto place and they have computers here for addicts like me to use. I am getting Noldor 3 smogged and please let the car pass inspection. Otherwise I am screwed.

Lovely day here. Sunny, warm.

I have strained my neck...probably the old brachial plexus injury flaring up. I tried to get in to the chiro on Friday but sensible woman takes Fridays off. I will get the soonest appointment I can. I am on the ibu and ice plan. And I have to say the pain appears to shift location...so I don't know what that means. It travels. Anyone know what that means?...advice is welcome on that.

I have to get some things done but I am going to try and take it easy. A little R&R.

Long weekend. Woo. I love the long weekend.

Porsche just drove in. Woo. I will never own one of those but they are nice. Engine has a nice low rumble. Yah, baby. Black, classic. Yeah.

Update: The car passed the smog inspection! Woo hoo!

And I have done my last laundry for 2007. That sort of feels like a milestone. Went to the laundry and did my last two loads for this year. I saw the laundry mat lady and we had a nice little kibbitz. I really do like my neighborhood and the funny thing about living in a college town is that we get it back during the holidays. It is quiet and the streets are ours again. This time of year is when you feel like a local...you live here and this is your town. Some years I am back east, and some years I am here. It feels good to be hanging with the homeys.

New Year's is up in the air but I really want to have a steak...with potatoes and broccoli. I think I will line that up. I want low key and I really don't want to be out there driving. Don't want to be a statistic. All sorts of idiots on the road new year's eve. I have not been a party girl since I was in my 20's. Those days are long gone. I may even stay in this year as my friends are being cagey and indecisive and I have about had it with that. Make up your mind, will you?

A good movie and some Baileys...hmm. It is all to be decided.

I actually like the turning of the year. Makes me think about things and reflect. Good that.

So I am on my way home. I walk down the Avenue as I do every day during the week, iPOD on, nice long stride. There are lots of cross streets so I stand in front of the curb each time waiting for the light to change and then cross. There is a lot of traffic so you have to wait for the walk signal.

So I am standing and some people cross before the light changes. They ticket for that...little $120.00 ticket for jaywalking so I don't do that anymore. Someone I know got fined for it.

Anyways, I digress...I stand in crosswalk and observe big personnage lumbering across towards me. Now I figure it is his responsibility to go around me. I am stationary, he is moving. He should sidestep me and go around.

Well holy invasion-of-personal-space batman...if he does not come withing centimeters of me...like way close...like in my face close. We are talking...fucking close. Had I had the presence of mind, I would have said something but I was too busy not getting stepped on and knocked over. I scrambled out of big boy's way.

Now I walk this street alot. I am a local, a Berkleyan so to speak. You do not invade like that. You give people room here. This is the great open spaces of the West Coast. Manifest destiny...blah blah blah. We got room and we use it. Let people be sardines on the East Coast.

WT-everloving-F?!

So it was a typical mid-week blah until I decided to go to the Roach Coach. Yep, that's right. The divey little mexican stand in front of my building here at work. They have kick ass food and awesome enchiladas verde with no payback later. Mm mm mm.

In the interest of chronicling every little miniscule moment of my life, I took piccies for ya. I KNOW you want to see them.

( Roadside delights... )

And larian: I will post the piccies of that car. I just need to get my *bleep* together. Heh. I am so behind in my picspam.

Word.

So I am like the first astronaut or something. One step for mankind...yada.

Anyways. I figured out the camera part and uploading pics. Be very afraid. Here are some shots of the area around work.

( The Avenue and the Uni... )

Stay tuned. I am sure I will post more. I did not edit the pics so I have no idea how they look. They seem a little fuzzy to me. I am not a professional here.

I am having a hell of a week here in Bezerkeley and I just found out that Cody's, the best bookstore in teh world is closing. It is right down the street and is local and has everything you would ever want to read. What is the world coming to? It is the death of my neighborhood. This is just one in a series of stores closing around here. This area is going down. High rents are killing the small, local business.

So in an effort to cheer myself up, I present for your icon pleasure, the MEERKATS. I had been thinking of recutting some icons of them for a while. So here they are. They are the cutest little things. Photo credit to Hans Boddeke on www.photo.net. Icon by me. Credit and comment are welcome. Please do not hotlink.

( The meerkats... )

I do feel better.