There were two ways I would have really fit in down at the Golden Gate Park tree-lighting ceremony tonight. Had I been looking to score some dank smelling weed* from one of the feral-looking tweakers at Haight & Stanyan, that would have been timely. Or had I been the lesser half of a wholesome looking couple sporting one or more childrens (aged four to six) doing some civic tree tourism, that would also have been ok. I am neither of those things. Regardless, a nice night for a walk, and despite a near-trampling, pretty cool police horses.

*and/or get shot ala Brandon Evans. The worst part about getting shot in the park (besides dying) is you know you’re going to get railed on as an idiot by sfgate commenters for being in the park at night.

Check out this panorama from stage right of The Raconteurs set back in Austin. I found myself in two minutes, plus (bonus!) one of the two short people I was with. You can find us faster? Regardless, a fun effect at full screen.

UPDATE: I don’t know why you guys are having trouble with this. It’s as plain as day. Just find this part.

It’s December. You’re unfortunate enough to be somewhere cold and snow-banky like Chicago. Go see KKV’s A Very Neo-Futurist Christmas Carol opens there next week, on the 11th.

Also (& most exciting) our first guest Deconstructing Dinner! This is Death to Mushrooms, with what one assumes is a custom soundtrack.

The dog seems to have survived her seven hours in the American Airlines gulag well. There’s no visible physical and minor psychological damage (we’ll be able to work through that in counseling). We got in late last night and (your bed vs my bed issues aside) have been getting along pretty well, sorting out our respective positions with regards to the new living situation. I say I’m the boss, she says someone who claims to be the boss should be able to shut off the damn heat. I’m also re-remembering why I like the forced mobility of having a puppy all over again. Today we walked a prospective running route down through Golden Gate Park, past a buffalo pen that eventually will provide material for a better cross-over post tagged both as charasmatic megafauna and urban wildlife. We also found a pretty cheap nine hole public golf course on the other side of the buffalo (key phrase with ambiguous interpretation: Alcohol must be purchased on premises). Then on to Ocean Beach where we ran into a two hundred person mob of what must have been a yappy dog meetup (none taller than six inches allowed?). My peoples are not so organized yet. All in all a good day #1. Tomorrow, The Presidio!

As is custom, an annual moment of gratitude. I’m thankful for my family - specifically my parents who with characteristic kindness were (without comment) willing to wake and take me to the airport at 4:30am. I’m thankful for my various sisters & their assorted hangers on. I’m uber-thankful to see the fuzzy one after a too-long break, thankful for getting to see both NYC & DC during the holiday. I’m thankful to have been able to see so many CNY & EP friends over the break (& Z!) and am immensely thankful to finally get my girl out to California (& to VC for rescuing both of us from SFO).

I’m also thankful for Team HB for a fun and motivating realsgiving race at the Gobble Gobble Gobble this morning, thankful the city of Somerville has fairly modest hills, thankful for the grandma rocking the double stroller who passed me on the homestretch. I have to say though - grandma, if I see you (or your ilk) at the Bay to Breakers, you’re going down.

So you’re thinking about purchasing the new hot newness, the Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization? Most likely so since you’re itching to get SJH’s definitive treatment on hagiography (inferior background can be found here). Purchase through the handy link on the left and quasify will rake in 0.2% of your $17000 purchase price allowing us to retire on a boat somewhere photogenic and shark-infested. All purchasers are of course welcome to visit anytime, rum, coconuts and scuba gear will be supplied.

I love my dad’s shot here, and the possibilities suggested by the two relevant tags. Note: if this plate had had marshmallows or raisin bread on it, it would have already be devoured.

A long, interesting, difficult day. Up stupid early at 3:30, went down to our sub-branch of the FDA to present some work stuff, then over to the really quite stunning Union Station to meet up with Z before heading back to Boston on the Acela Express. It’s a great way to travel, infinitely more comfortable than being shoehorned into an airplane with the added benefit (one hopes) of having a lesser chance of accidentally cratering in an unsuspecting neighborhood. I don’t think it’s as scenic the Pacific Surfliner but fun nonetheless. The parts of Baltimore and Philadelphia you can see from the Acela are really impoverished, blighted looking places - they make the brief swing through Wilmington, Delaware look like Dubai by comparison. Things got really interesting (or annoying, obnoxious, and surreal) after Providence when we ran into several extended periods of sitting around waiting for the Amtrak guys to restring some wires that were “ripped down”. My speculative journalism credentials let me definitively say that either too tall trucks were wreacking havoc or (green!) meth-heads were out looking for recyclables. Two plus hours later, having swapped the gorgeous Acela for the creakity Northeast Regional cattle cars, finally getting back in Boston was enough to make all still awake happy.