Today’s a *new day*. Yesterday was utter shite. I won’t even get into it, but let’s just say I’m glad it’s over. The weather is great today, and my apartment is halfway to being clean, so that’s a good start.

The weather is ABYSMAL, to say the least… downpour pretty much all day, and I’m wondering what happened to our usual Indian summer???

Today was not in our favour… by the time I went to pick up Cheryl and the kids, it was after 4 o’clock, and I spent an HOUR trying to find Crash Crawley’s, for the kids. I should have looked at my maps in the car, but I totally forgot I had them!! Where is my brain today?? Even at the infodesk this morning I was having a tough time trying to remember things. That’s what I get for compromising on my sleep, although the Scrabble battle was well worth it, and I won the wager, which was a ticket to any show (under $70). Adrian’s got to go, too!

I just took two Edinburgh lads to the airport… I saw them walking down the street from the hostel with their bags in the rain, and decided to turn around and see if they wanted a lift. It seems I’ve been bitten by this “good host” bug that makes me do things like give lifts to people everywhere (I picked up yet another hitchiker on the Sunshine Coast on the way to the ferry, even though I was running late).

Met even more people today: Tammy (Tami?), this girl at Will Rafuse’s gallery (Joe Average’s stuff is displayed there, too), who wanted to volunteer for A Loving Spoonful. I think I talked her into joining up. Then, this guy at the shop called Travel Trunk Imports trunk, whose sister is the owner. There was an album out front, with photos of travel, and he and I talked about travel for a while.

I have been talking to an extraordinary number of people lately, I don’t know what it is … I think it’s the volunteering I’ve been doing for HI, it seems I am always in talking mode.

Saw “Mother’s Milk” at this venue called the Bernard Lederer Gallery, an interesting new building that features a waterfall. A one-man show — Wayne Harris — gives insight into life as an African-American in the 60’s, from the Midwest to California, in stages between childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Here’s a cut-and-paste from the Fringe Festival website:

Sold Out award winner at the 2001 San Francisco Fringe Festival, Mother’s Milk is a bitter-sweet story, populated by Baptist Preachers, Black Panthers and a wino named Saushy Lips. This is a coming of age story set against the background of the Civil Rights movement, breast cancer and a mother’s unconditional love for a prodigal son.

Oof — another late night, then semi-early morning. I had a shift with Sarah, which SPED by, we were so engrossed in conversation. We helped a lot of people, too, so it’s not like it was just a gab session, but we did cover a lot of topics. I’m thinking of having the quickest snooze ever before meeting up with Tom at 1:15 to see “Mother’s Milk”, a Fringe Festival show.

Returned from watching “Notorious C.H.O.” at the Van East and then bubble tea… Margaret Cho is right up there with the likes of Janeane Garofalo. Their styles are totally different, but some of their themes are similar: self-esteem, the unrealistic standards of society, colonics (!).

Thank God it’s Friday. These short weeks don’t feel shorter, for some reason!

Tonight was opening night for “The Meaning of Life” with Martin Hahn. I’m happy to discover that I finally get into a classroom upstairs, for a change of scenery. I’ve had enough of HC1700 and 1530 (?). It’s a semicircular seating arrangement, with articulated chairs.

We watched “Baraka” at Eliza’s place last night. It was then I realized that a small TV and no accompanying stereo greatly lessens the impact of this film.