As the end of 2006 approaches, I contemplate the failures and successes of the past year… not! I just have to remind myself to date checks 2007.

Tonight will be amateur night. All of our 10 city cabs will be taken. I will want to be in three places at one time. I will hold my champagne – Deutz- close to my body and perhaps find some cutie to share it with. There will be no Harry met Sally moment at 11:56 running through the streets to kiss Billy Crystal (ugh). In fact, no matter where I am we will probably miss midnight, until we hear people out on the sidewalk hootin’ and hollerin’.

One of the best NYE’s was…
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Every year, I always feel some sort of nagging “I shoulda, coulda, woulda ” when it comes to New Years Eve. Unlike those quieter manufactured religious holidays, NYE is sorta a huge amateur night and mess, one that is celebrated all over.

There are giant pricetags put on often ordinary looking shows and then there are some magical bills that actually do seem worthwhile…

I never seem to know for sure where to head to, so I end up seeing the Supersuckers at Slims or something…( well not this year, cuz they are in Utah…)

I know that because I spent way too much time this past month compiling a list of all the huge mega concerts & even many lil pub & vfw hall shows I could find…

Not just in the Bay Area mind you, but from Amsterdam to Auckland, Tokyo to Tucson…

and I figgered I should post it here before it becomes horribly out of date within the next few dozen hours…

So if yer looking on info on where the party is at when they drop the big ball…

read on after the jump…
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Too many post-holiday days were spent indoors playing with new gadgets, so my boyfriend and I ventured out for a dayhike in the Marin Headlands. The weather was stunning, the drive was short, and the sights were amazing – the oceanside view of the GGB with the city as a backdrop, rather than the otherway around. We followed several trails leading into the hills overlooking Rodeo Beach and found ourselves behind the Marine Biology campus where we discovered an amazing display.

The layout was of an actual blue whale skeleton, from the whale the washed up at Fort Funston back in 1988. The decaying carcass was buried at the beach by scientists, 10 feet under the ground for 10 years, and in 1999 the insect-cleaned bones were brought to Marin and reassembled into this exhibit. The bones resembled bleached coral reef – chalky white and somewhat porously textured. A dried bundle of bleen – the fiberous ‘screen’ through which the whales filter out their krill lunch – was bundled beside the skull, like coconut husk fibers.

An amazing thing to see. And you can see it from Google Earth, too! look up 37°49’58.57″N, 122°31’57.68″W. After reading Liz’s post, I added a comment to wikimapia, too!

(upper left image from Headlands Institute display)

The map is not the territory

Originally uploaded by Liz Henry.

Wow, you WikiMapia map taggers have been getting very busy on San Francisco!

As you zoom in on the map, more tagged places are outlined. Click on those outlined boxes to edit, move and resize, or comment. Matt Jones explains how to embed a YouTube video into a place’s notes! Now all we need are webcams on every corner hooked into YouTube, and spy satellites will become completely pointless.

As I cruised around the Redwood City map I could see that some other yuppie was tagging up the organic grocery stores and elementary schools; I bet that it’s someone I know in real life or online.

It was more challenging than I thought it would be to identify structures from overhead, and to remember the order of stores and parks and streets that I pass by every day.

The Giants announced today that they had signed free agent left-hander Barry Zito, who has played his entire seven-year career with the Oakland A’s, to a contract worth seven years and $126 million.

After spending the winter with small-bore deals for guys like Dave Roberts and Bengie Molina, the team showed they still understand the value of securing a marquee player, one who will be around long after Barry Bonds’ bones and organs have dissolved into peach jam from his long-time steroid abuse.

Now the only problem the team has is Zito’s ability, or lack of ability, to swing the bat. Not only do pitchers never bat in the American League, Zito is particularly known as one of the worst batting pitchers alive today. The words “horrible,” “ridiculous” and “pathetic” were used in the space of just a few minutes on KNBR today. I hope somebody will teach him how to bunt.

And the only other problem is that, at least for this season, everyone will have to specify which “Barry” they’re talking about.

Ah, that time of year again, when dead pine needles riddle every crevice of your apartment. I went for the cut-tree from Delancy and now face the task of recycling it. Note, from SF Environment site:

If you purchase a cut tree, recycle it at the curb between Tuesday, January 2nd and Monday, January 8th on your regular recycling day. If you want to recycle your tree before or after your designated day, call Sunset Scavenger at 330-1300 or Golden Gate Disposal & Recycling at 626-4000. You can also drop off your tree at HANC, 780 Frederick St., Jan 1-15, 9-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and noon-4 p.m. Sunday; or leave your tree in front of Golden Gate Disposal & Recycling at 900 7th St., any time.

As part of a new project, SF Metrobloggers will go out and document the street life of San Francisco. This week: Mission St between 23rd and 25th.

In addition to the big sale at Green Apple, other bookstores are having end-of-year sales. I stopped by the small but attractive and well-stocked Christopher Books on Potrero Hill today, where everything, including brand new books, is 15% off.

Thanks to Mark Pritchard I was at the huge blowout used book sale at Green Apple Books on Clement and 5th! And it’ll go on for months, with new books brought up from the warehouse every week.

We were all elbow to elbow with our necks sideways, concentrating, muttering, calculating prices. The crowd was intense and intent, biting their lips with concentration. At one point I lunged halfway across the room with my hand stuck out and nabbed an old hardback copy of The Country of the Pointed Firs; I think I whimpered with happiness at my luck and then realized that about 10 people were giggling and beaming approval. After about an hour & a giant armload of books & a stiff neck, at the checkout I had only spent 50 bucks.
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I’m driving a long haul in a feeble car. To distract myself, perhaps, I start getting really engrossed in this talk radio show. The DJ asks: “If SF is supposedly so diverse, why won’t anyone look me in the eye?” Having done some research, I think it’s this show: John & Jeff. The time slot says it should be Tom & Brad, but I remember the DJ’s name as John. I don’t know what diversity has to do with it- from the responses everyone seems to think he asked simply if SF was friendly. He works at Sansome & Broadway (CBS radio station, I believe.)

Call in responses after the jump.
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