and now a break for an abudance of cute

Just this weekend I managed to finish sorting through and tagging all the photos from the Christmas holiday. I was much too busy for blogging but feel the need to memorialize some of the season's event. Not the least of which was the quality time with Nephew Leland who turned three this New Year's Day.

He's at a great age for the holidays, although Santa Claus (AKA Ho Ho) and Baby Jeus are making him a bit confused. Brother Mac told him that he had to go to church because it was Jesus' birthday, so when they got to church he kept looked for this Jesus kid. "Is he outside?" "Is Jesus on the playground?" Not to mention his expectations for cake and ice cream (AKA "happy to you") Mac telling him that Jesus was everywhere just sort of freaked him out.

Leland also has a love/fear thing with Santa/ Ho Ho. When Bradley (turning 17 this month) and Ellen (now 14) were younger, one of the uncles would dress in the Santa suit and appear at the window during Christmas dinner. Brother Jay dressed up for Leland this year, but the sudden appearance and the reaction of the older kids scared the little baby Bejessus out of Leland.

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However, the rest of the Christmas holiday was filled with super baby fun time. Leland is pretty hilarious and just ridiculously adorable. I love that he loves me so and knows that I am someone special. He is just getting to wrap his head around the concept that I live someplace "else." It's interesting to watch him concentrate and try to work this out, and try to "use his words" to form his queries about where I go when I go away and how that all works. His Uncle David on his mother's side lives in Colorado, and he's getting it together that we are alike in that we are family who love him and are here from time to time but most of the time exist elsewhere.

He also loves that I am silly and always am willing to play with him. He always wants to play with me, and has gotten a little fascinated with the beard. It was just a ridiculously fun time.

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I just melted when he asked me to be the one to give him his bath and his story and tuck him into bed. Mom and I found him a little toddler shaving play set and he got to "shave like daddy."

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He also got a big boy bike. The new thing is the Strider Bike, which is pretty revolutionary in teaching kids to ride a bike, and vastly superior to the tradition of training wheels, which actually are counter-training to balance and bike riding.

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Here's a video from the inventor—



If you have a little one, you have to check this out.

cool exhibit at the Conservatory of Flowers

This month, get out of the rain and over to the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. There is the second annual miniature Golden Gate Express Garden railway, featuring model trains through the gardens and a miniature San Francisco recreated with products from the recycling bin.

Via Laughing Squid, it looks cool.

enough with the Leno

Leno is not coming out of this looking good at all. Why can't he just take his billions an go home?

Speaking of not looking good, there is this photo running with the story on CNN.com. Is it me or does Leno look like some sort of playground perv? Don't take any candy from strangers or overstayed-their-welcome late night talk show hosts.

movie map mashup

This is pretty interesting. There is an interactive map of ten large metro areas showing the 50 most popular Netflix rental patterns by zip code. These are also heat maps showing the intensity (or paucity) of interest by certain movies. In areas like NYC and SF, this is pretty revealing as to neighborhood culture and interests.

Or as the SFist put it: "This all of course prompts the obvious question - why so trashy, Newark/Fremont/Union City? We provide you people with a never ending series of examples on how to live quality lives and you repay us with a love for Adam Sandler? Unacceptable."

Awesome.

how's the gin?

Shilpa: "Wow. Today is slow."
Wilson: "Like the kid eating lead paint."

what's all the hubbub Bub?

In today's newsletter from Grammar Girl, one of my favorite words:

I was writing the word "brouhaha" the other day, and it seemed odd and fascinating, so I looked up its origin.

"Brouhaha" refers to a commotion or an uproar, and some sources call "brouhaha" an imitative word, meaning it represents the sounds you would hear during a commotion or an uproar.

Other sources say that in the Middle Ages "brou, ha, ha" was a cry used by French-speaking actors playing the devil. Some say the cry was specific to players representing the devil disguised as clergy, and that "brou, ha, ha" comes from the Hebrew phrase "barukh habba," which was an announcement made in synagogues that means "blessed be the one who comes [in the name of the Lord]."

Either way, English speakers adopted "brouhaha" from the French in the late 1800s.

right there with you, Honey.

Love her expression.
And totally get it.

actual man whore

It should come as no surprise, but "America's first legal male prostitute" is a bit creepy, and a bit nutters.

trailer

Steve Martin, Queen Latifa, and Goldie Hawn in "Bringing Down the House Sitter"

f•r•i•e•n•d•s

I hate that I have to point this out. Again.

To Straight Women:

Gay men are not accessories. We are not side-kicks, entertainment monkeys nor purse dogs. You cannot "recruit" a gay man to be your friend to make yourself cooler. If you are remotely cool, you will have friends. If you are cool enough, you will have friends who are gay.* Any woman seeking to or claiming to "have gays," doesn't. She just knows gays who are patient enough not to kick her to the curb. Women who do in fact have gay friends would never refer to them as "her gays." They are her "friends." Women who claim to have "gays" have gay acquaintances, apparently with enough manners not to spike her.

Gay men can only be accessories if there is a crime involved.

Which we are not entirely object to.

/rant

*If you are an exceptionally cool woman, you may have only gay male friends.

It may also be noted that this principle does not necessarily apply to Baby Gays and Immature Twinks.

Cowboys up, and online

From alert Reader Johnny N, a husband-and-wife marketing firm has launched a new social networking site for cowboys. I wonder how inclusive it will become.

buy like an Eagle, to the sale

Is that Steve Miller reference too esoteric? Meh.

The Eagle (Tavern) is for sale. I don't know what to make of that. I'll have to check the pink sheets for more news.

central bore

Did y'all hear about this? Phase 2 of the "Central Subway" plan for SF has been approved and funded. Info from the SF MTA on the new subway line from Chinatown to Caltrain (via Union Square and the Moscone Center) here.

Amazingly, no one actually gets shot during the entire movie

doo the zoo

If it's a light day, or if you have a free early evening, consider taking a roadie to the zoo. It's free all day today for SF residents.

And, I've learned, every first Wednesday of the month. Nice.

Class ACT

Favorite local rep the American Conservatory Theater (ACT, or A.C.T.) has successfully raised $30 million to fund their endowment. Right on.

Prior to this effort, ACT had no endowment. Among other things, endowment income is planned to fund improvements to their Geary theater, expand their show offerings, provide a scholarship to their MFA program, and endow an acting position in the core company. (See mention in the SFist.)

I'm looking forward to all of that!

it's a dangerous new year

I'm back from the Christmas break and will hopefully backblog a lot of the super happy fun holiday times before they fade into memory. Photos will be uploaded too. All in all, an exhausting and wonderful trip back to Nashville, and an great turnout for the New Year's Day Chili Party—although it was one of those years where 40 people showed up within mere minutes of one another and made for a tight (but fun) fit in such a small space.

Pollo also launched the new year with her first solo and first Monday Brain Farts Trivia at the Lookout (with a theme of 20s and 10s). While the bar was pretty sparsely populated, being the Monday after a New Year's Day weekend, we were four enthusiastic teams, and Team "16, we're slightly above average" eeked out a win in the final round.

As usual. Shouts to James and Elizabeth for joining the Brain Farts We Three. (Mazel tov, Amigos!)

To entertain you this morning until I can get back to blogging later in the week—I'm preoccupied with work during the day and have been spending the nights dismantling AV equipment and furniture in preparation for the of the delivery of the JumboTron—here is some breaking news from ONN:


VH1 Reality Show Bus Crashes In California Causing Major Slut Spill

Merry!

So much merry Christmasing. Blogging will resume when I can.

This pretty much sums up the past 12 days.

sweating the Christmas shopping

We has just left the Arena downtown in our failed quest for the new third generation special Predators jersey, and I started making our way from downtown out Charlotte Pike to try Costco for some items on the sibs' lists. Mother, sitting beside me, had printed out everyone's e-mail lists (for those that sent them). Brother Mac had forwarded his wife's wish list to her with his annotations (without Emily's knowledge, by the way, and she was later mortified).

Mom: "I think I am going to need some help with Emily's list."
Me: "Okay, just read the e-mail out loud to me while I drive."

Mom read the list, which featured items such as a BluRay player, Wii, additional Wii numchuck, a bluetooth something or other, and sweaters.

Mom finished the list, put it in her lap, then sighed heavily.

"Well," she said, "the only word I know on this list is 'sweater.'"

LOVE the Franna.

Even so, Mrs. Claus picked out a BluRay player with Netflix streaming and a Wii console.

With a little help from Head Elf, now known as "the subordinate Claus."

clocked

My dad has been terribly sick so Mom has been taking care of him, but sleeping in my old room so she doesn't catch it too. Now that I'm home, she's moving to the guest room. I had to find and set up an alarm clock for her (you wouldn't believe how busy she is) before we went to bed.

So I finally move the furniture back from plugging in a clock radio and I begin setting the clock. I'm not wearing my watch. I am working the dials and turn to my mother next to me and ask, "What time is it?"

Mother looks at me, pauses, then answers, "Late...Is that what you wanted to know?"

"Thank you. I'll just set this clock to 'late' then. When I'm done I'll set the alarm to 'early.' Handy clock this one."

Christmas Sing

As a child at Ensworth, as my cohort remembers, the big all-school show was the "Christmas Sing" (includive of the dreidel song and other Hanukkah hits) In later years, diversity correctness lead first a name changes to "Holiday Sing" and Winter Sing" before it was scrapped all together.

Ensworth now has a fabulous new high school, with a campus that rivals most ivy-league private colleges, and the administration has brought back the Christmas Sing, folding into Grandparents' Day, and the winter All-School Assembly into a "Winter Concert" and assembly. My first morning in Nashville, I got up and accompanied Mom to Grandparents' day and was surprised to get to enjoy a Christmas Sing and a heavy holiday dose of nostalgia. However, our Christmas Sings were at night in the old gym on the old campus in a building that doesn't exist anymore.



My nephew Bradley, a junior, was in attendance but not performing. Ellen, not yet in high school, did perform with the junior school, as did annexed niece Grace.



As Amy Grants' kids go here (as do Faith and Tims' and other local famous artists) there were some celeb sightings. Amy was in a grade between brother Mac and brother Jay and I've been around her all my life. Mom used to do a lot of work with her through Theta alumni events. I haven't seen her in a good 15 years but I stopped and spoke, but only got a patient expression without recognition. I can't blame her—I spoke with some of my dearest teachers who didn't recognize me either. Not surprising 50 pounds heavier, balder, and bearded. (I sat quietly next to Bev Roberts and said, "Hi Mrs. Roberts. I'm Wilson Hardcastle." She looked at me hard and said, "Oh my word you ARE in there!" She clarified she meant behind the beard. Mom pointed out Ellen to me by saying she was across teh gym, halfway up "behind that old man in the suit." "Oh my Lord Mr. Katzman is still teaching here. He looks ancient." "Where is he? Do you see him?" Yes—he's the old man in the suit.")

Ensworth has CERTAINLY stepped up their music game. All the junior kids still have compulsory chorus and music classes (inclusive of a handbell choir), but the high school students have amazing elective programs of band, jazz band, and The Ensworth High School Singers.

The whole morning was awash in cuteness and I caught some of it on video. Mother and I were both taken aback, and I felt like a conservative old biddy, at the almost whorish outfits the high school girl singers were wearing. I've seen drag queens in lower stilettos and longer skirts. If I were a straight man I would have had a hard time controlling myself. A couple of these girls really did look like professional sex workers, and they are only in high school. I chalk this up to WAY too much time watching the WB/CW.



LORD knows that I am no prude (as evidenced repeatedly in this blog) but for fk's sake these girls could have at least tried to lower their asses or wore skirts below their petulas for GRANDPARENTS' Day.

I do need to note though, that the performances of both bands and the Singers were astounding. So good. And the soloists knocked it OUT.

Even in the slightly freezing rain, this was a wonderful first morning back.



And here's some clips.

on the whole, I'd rather have uncles

From the new reliable SF newspaper, the Appeal, news that (1) I am not alone in the ridiculous rental unit ant infestation and (2) there's not much I can do about it but spray Raid.

Which is not good news before I lock up for the holidays. I do not want to come back to crawling kitchen.

Epic Misney

My fellow comic book fans (I've always been a Marvel man) may appreciate if not love this graphic mashup of Marvel and Disney characters. There have been several graphic representations of the merger/buyout, but those were more an act of commentary (graphic political cartoons) rather than whimsy or satire.

This is just charming.


The fine print from the site:
Due Credit: T Campbell conceived and commissioned this piece, providing research and direction which was edited and supplemented by John Waltrip. The artwork itself is John's. Legalisms: All characters depicted in the above original artwork are properties of Marvel Entertainment, Inc., the Walt Disney Co., and/or Pixar Animation Studios, with

Country Western meets North Pole

But only the former for dancing. "Country Western dancing" sounds nice. "North Pole dancing" sounds just all sorts of wrong.

Scenes from the Sundance Saloon Holiday Ball and Toy Drive—

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Flickr set.

Yuletide Gay

Lots of hugs and big Ho-Ho-Ho's to our favorite Castro Mountaintop hosts David and Sean!

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Flicker set.

It's beginning to look a lot like Shilpa

everywhere we go!

Wednesday last was Shilpa's birthday, and we gathered for her favorite game: Brain Farts Trivia at the Lookout. But we met her at a beautiful and somewhat secret bar in the Mission: Morac. She recommended this as (1) it's sultry and gorgeous, and (2) it's unknown and we could take it over. Which we did. If you're walking down 16th between Valencia and Mission, don't blink because you'll miss it. There's not even a sign, but there is a dark leather smoking lounge out front. They also serve hookahs, which was much fun for those inclined.


We placed well in the first round, but had our paper taken before we could write in all of our answers (We brainstorm on our own pads before copying over final answers. We take this a BIT seriously.) Even though our absent correct answers would have made us the clear winners, it was more fun to tie as that put Shilpa into the Lightning Round! She pulled some of those answers out of her sleigh and we scraped through to victory (the theme was Christmas songs).


Our team name was "It's beginning to look a lot like Shilpa," and every time it was read aloud, our team would chorus "...everywhere you gooooooo." It's a thing now.

Happy Birthday Shilpa!

Flickr set.

Boys for Tots

This weekend kicked off the holiday party season. This weekend's cavalcade of parties culminated Sunday in the lovely—in style and attendees—Toys for Tots SF cocktail party held at Harry Denton's Starlight Room. Thanks to fab organizers and hosts Brian Backus, Derek Barnes, Julie Candice, Chris Carnes, John Caruso, John Crandon, Ellen Goodman, Marc Freed-Finnegan, Arthur Goodrich, Tony Jenkins, Gregg Lynn, and Will Spendlove.

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Brandon Miller and Mark.........................................Aaron Rainey and Robert Heymann

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Scott Thibodeaux & Steven Spencer-Steigner ................. Natesh Daniel & Wilson Hardcastle

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Lance Holman and Matt Fadness............................Ross Fischer (and Matt's head)

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Brian Lammers and Jason Dorn.....................Brandon Miller and Wilson Hardcastle
Some of the more hard-core holiday revelers managed to get in a wardrobe change afterward and join me for the final few hours of dancing at Sundance Saloon. Which really is the best way to shut down a weekend. The Sundance Saloon holiday benefit/Toys for Tots party is next Sunday.

Flickr set.

Ga Ga for the Cal Bears

Can't get enough Glee? Take a sample of this pretty great performance of UC Berkeley's Noteworthy at the Ninth Annual West Coast Acapella Showcase.



As I've said before, I love people who embrace the silly fun. And these kids perform as if everyone's watching, and they love it.

snow falling on shady pines

After a long hiatus, I finally got to catch up with Guy on Friday night, and we went to the very funny drag rendition of The Golden Girls: The Christmas Episodes! Starring Pollo Del Mar, Heklina, Cookie Dough and Matthew Martin. It runs through December 26 and is an unusually delightful holiday treat, like that battery-operated sweater you can't believe your aunt sent you.


Go and have a good time!

Ho, ho, ho and ho.

dressy casual wasted

Elegantly Wasted 5: Happy birthday Jason Dorn (happy 40th!), Michael DG, Scott Showalter, and Tim Steele. Taken at Fly (formerly Brick at Sutter and Larkin) in San Francisco.

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shopping SPREE

Shilpa and I ducked down to Union Square over the weekend, and while I usually try to avoid Union Square and the insane shoppers and oblivious tourists, in the Christmas madness there is a fun energy to the whole thing. And of course I love all of the ridiculous decorations.

Standing in the star in front of Macy's, I decided we had to take photos. This, however, meant stationing the camera across the street and visually dodging traffic. It was all worth it though, and we both felt a giddy sort of rush from the abject silliness of it all. Only after posing did I notice the two professional photographers covering the "shopping bonazna" scene, and they quickly pounced to catch my pose. And later Shilpa's. I believe we made it into some papers somewhere.

The whole laughable experience made me realize one thing (which bore tweeting):


Life is more fun when you have no shame.

It's sad what joy people don't feel because they are afraid someone will look at them.

Dance like no one's watching! I'm just grateful I can hear the music.

Just listen to the music of the traffic of the City.



Flickr set.

tis the season

To be too busy to blog!

I sat down to crank some out tonight, but it is so cold my fingers are shaking over the keyboard. IAnd I've stayed up far too late back-blogging bits from November.

You'll have to make do with the FaceBook updates while the crazy continues :)

shopping for office holiday decorations

Wilson to Shilpa: Oh my God. You are gayer than I am.
Shilpa to Wilson: It's called being a girl.

decking the halls

Skot Land and the Shilpa came over this weekend for a little nog and apartment decking. For these elves, the holidays are just all about the hats.



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