Happy Birthday America!

[gordonzola]

Oh, 4th of July. What a strange holiday. I think most of us urban folks get tired of playing fireworks or gunfire? by the early evening and just try to settle in for the night.

My co-worker Freedomcine had an international party of friends come over to watch the Euro Cup soccer championships in the morning. Unfortunately, I’m a stupid American, so I didn’t realize the game would only be an hour and a half. I was informed of this on my way over by one of my favorite cheese customers.

I usually only talk about the customers I hate because, let’s face it, that’s more fun for all of us. But there are quite a few people who I look forward to seeing every week who I know only through selling them cheese. The goth-punk mortician, the teacher who looks like Ray Romano, the chef guy who always has a big plan that never pans out, the sweet older lesbian couple who offer to set me up on dates with friends of theirs, the old woman who grew up on a farm and special orders gallons of raw milk etc.

I was walking past the new mural on Church St. when I heard, "Hey it’s the cheese guy," which I never get tired of hearing. This favored customer lives most of the year abroad, traveling as a professional photographer and when I looked at his website one day I was blown away by how good he is. I told him I was going to watch the soccer match and he said, "I tried to find a place to watch for an hour last night!" Evidently the pay-for-view folks are cracking down and bars/cafes now need to charge per person if they want to show sporting events. Supposedly they even send out people to collect the money if a commercial establishment orders up the game. Fuckers. I invited him to come with me but he looked at his watch and said, "well, it’s over now."

Oh. Heh.

I’ve always felt that schmoozing and party talk were strong skills of mine, it’s what one truly learns in college, but they abandoned me upon entering the party. I was feeling painfully shy and awkward around a large group of people that knew each other well and always gathered for soccer events. Plus they were already pretty drunk and I wasn’t. An indication that it wasn’t my crowd was that every single person who ate one of the cookies I brought, said "What’s in these?" and they didn’t mean "Are they vegan?" or "What’s the recipe?" I snuck out when I felt I had monopolized my host for too long.

I walked by the Mime Troupe show. Nothing made me want to stop and watch.

I was content to be home for the day but twomartinis convinced me to come over to her place for an evening BBQ. I told her I was feeling shy and she promised it would be a small friendly gathering. I baked more cookies because I’m a little obsessed right now and headed over to the fog belt. I ran into the ex girlfriend of my ex wife on the bus and we couldn’t pretend not to see each other like we often do, but it was actually very sweet. I work with her sister’s lover and that’s where she was heading, so I sent my regards.

I was incredibly glad I left the house because Two Martinis made amazing food. One of the guests was a friend of my Arch Cheese Nemesis but I got over it relatively quickly. Then my LJ and real worlds collided.

I know I have some issues about internet friends. No offense, but I don’t trust you folks to not be psycho until you’ve proved yourselves. And I don’t expect my LJ and Non-LJ worlds to meet without planning. Though she has an LJ, I know Two Martinis through arasay, one of my oldest friends. I’ve known Arasay so long that I even went with her to stalk the guy she had a crush on before he became her husband. Anyways, one of the other guests called a friend for a ride home and he turned out to be msjen’s hubby. I have met Ms Jen in real life because she’s a friend of defenestr8r who was my first internet stalker. In a good way.

The theme for the day: San Francisco is a small, small town.



*Just a note about the music. Whipping Boy is the album I dig out every July 4. It’s a great album but good luck finding it. Incredibly unsubtle in that early ‘80s punk way the first song is called "America Must Die". The next song is about "gunning down the President". It’s an unheard classic. I got it from a friend when she joined the Army and got rid of her records. After it ended I put on Carl Perkins.

Comments

[ilipodscrill.livejournal.com]

is that Ray Romano teacher guy still around? the one who brought us amazing stuff that he baked w/ scharffenberger chocolate? i haven't seen him in ages, i assumed he'd moved to another school district. and i'm curious about photographer guy. have i met him, or is he a Saturday regular?

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen Ray in awhile either. But his baked goods will make him live forever in our memory. Photo guy is Black, fairly skinny, sometimes with a beard, sometimes not. His shopping pattern is irregular. He loves true Camembert. He's a total sweetheart.

Here's his website

[bebopmonkey.livejournal.com]

I dont know about "whipping boy," but Carl Perkins! Good good good.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

they have a different style, that's for sure. missed you last night.

[bebopmonkey.livejournal.com]

Man, i'm still sick. As tempted as i am to head out and drink beers, that would just prolong my general feeling of ickiness. Its best for me to recuperate and present my best non-sick face to the public. Did you have fun?

[dirtylibrarian.livejournal.com]

I was walking past the new mural on Church St. when I heard, "Hey it’s the cheese guy," which I never get tired of hearing.

I love getting "Hey...library lady!" too :)

[arasay.livejournal.com]

"Library lady" is the best. Coming from a 10 year old, or the neighboorhood drunk (who forgives me for busting her for drinking in the teen area) it always makes me feel like I picked the right job.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

exactly, oh bearded one.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

It points to being an important part of the community, that's for sure.

[msjen.livejournal.com]

I was very surprised to hear about your chance meeting when I got home! David enjoyed talking to you about tofu ricotta.

Yes, it is indeed a small, small world. I think this isn't such a bad thing. :)

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

heh. before we realized I knew you, she did mention you look great in fetish wear. ;) I like the small world thing, especially when you can still be anonymous if you try.

[msjen.livejournal.com]

I have to wonder how on earth that came up in the conversation...

My reputation precedes me. Who knew.

;)

[arasay.livejournal.com]

I hope you also drank some of twomartinis amazing drinks. She is the master of the pink and fruity knock-you-on-your-ass cocktail. In a pint glass. They've stopped making strawberry stoli, I hear, which might be a setback, but I'm sure she's found a workaround.

Man, I miss her, and you. I'm glad you hung out.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

well, I was drinking beer because I had already started with beer earlier in the day. But TM is still great.

[jinxremoving.livejournal.com]

i was going to ask about whipping boy - there's also a dublin band of the same name.

i'm now checking out samuelwooten.com - thanks!

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

Whipping Boy has not existed for years but were from the South Bay.

[sabotabby]

defenestr8r has to be the coolest internet name I've come across since guy_de_bored.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

ooooooh, Guy De Bored. too bad it's deleted. that is great.

It's the cheese!

[chitinous.livejournal.com]

fyi, I have told a few people about your run-in with the Anusara cult, and whenever I say that you are the cheese buyer, they invariably look super-impressed: "REALLY! That's a cool job!"

Just thought you might like to know.

Re: It's the cheese!

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

that's great. but they might underestimate to occaional yuck factor. so do you think those Ansura people are a cult?

Re: It's the cheese!

[chitinous.livejournal.com]

Yes. The physical alignment principles are right on, but the rest is a fucking crock, and I would be glad to say this to John Friend's face: SHOW, DON'T TELL.

This is worth a nice big fat journal entry.

[prof-southbay.livejournal.com]

you have an arch cheese nemesis?

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

yes, and I just realized I have only alluded to her, never given her her own entry. She makes me too mad!

[sanmiguelmalo.livejournal.com]

speaking of small town sf, i knew some guys in a high school ska band called the defenestrators*. lead singer was a fellow who had a full beard when he was a freshman. people always mistook him for the teacher.

also speaking of small town sf, do you randomly know someone named adam, last name the color that is the opposite of black?


*unless that's not at all a unique ska band name. i feel like maybe it's a phase all ska band kids go through: "hey! let's call ourselves the defenestrators! that's a cool, clever name!"

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

I don't know Adam Opposite, sorry. The Defenestrators is a perfect ska band name.