On my way to the train yesterday morning, I walked by the 7-11 as always, and made eye contact and nodded with this workman-looking guy heading to his service truck with a cup of coffee. I thought to myself, "I would never buy a cup of coffee at 7-11", and then I started to consider why. I thought about class, and wealth, and how parents pass their class down to their children, not just via inheritance (I'm not really in the category where that's a big factor, which is fine), but even more through social views, education, opportunity, and ways of thinking about money. This all rolled up with the law students I had drinks with on Thursday, since it turns out we were all pretty much what I would called "whitebread" (even the Asian guy): it seemed all of us at the table had gone to variously privileged private schools on the coasts, and had generally humanist liberal politics.

It was all about what I'd expect. The divide between those of us at that table and the rest of the country is growing. My co-worker told me he read a piece saying that the people who vote Republican are not just the rich, but those who expect to be rich in the future. I didn't see that as being enough voters, so I had to amend it to include all the people who believe that if they're not rich, it's somehow their fault: they're bad people, they didn't work hard enough, God doesn't like them, who knows. It's a persistent and insidious fiction in American society, encouraged by the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" jingoism of the American right. And it's sad, because it prevents people from really understanding their world, and doing even the bare minimum to change it by voting in their own interest.

Last night I went to see The Orb at Bimbo's 365 in San Francisco. Well, more specifically I interrupted a nap to eat sushi and drink lots of sake in Menlo Park, then went and bothered Jeff for a while in Palo Alto and sobered up, and then drove to the show. As I drove along Columbus Avenue, I realized that I was driving up to a concert in North Beach on St. Patrick's Day, and that really I hadn't planned this out very well. The show was awesome, though, and I got to hang out with people, and remember, again, that I pretty much have the best friends in the universe.

Eventually I started home. I'd needed gas, but based on my mileage, figured I could make it to a known gas station in San Mateo. Instead, I quite gracefully ran out of gas on the most desolate stretch of 101 in the Bay Area, in Brisbane.

My AAA membership expired on March 3rd, and I'd started carrying the new card, but hadn't motivated to actually send them a check or even renew it online.

I noticed how dangerous the highway shoulder was, and reassured myself that there was no gas station within a few miles. But possibly the best part about this is that this is the second time I've had to renew my AAA membership over the phone so I could then ask for help. (Years ago I was down in Monterey and locked my keys in the car.) I felt sorry for the operator: I hadn't paid attention to name of the most recent freeway exit, and her software didn't have a good place to put "between Candlestick and the Hitachi building", although that's a perfectly adequate coordinate for anyone who lives here.

Long story short, I got home around 3am. It was fine: really, if you run out of gas these days, especially in an developed, it's because you're stupid. I had Indian food in the car, and a blanket when it got a little chilly toward the end; we don't have winter to speak of here, so it was just uncomfortable rather than life-threatening. I could have called a friend, but it was late at night, this is why I pay AAA money, I hate to bug people when it's a matter of convenience rather than crisis, and I am a prideful monkey. And, now, a tired one.

SQUIRRELS!

mrien [to Eclipse]: come hang out with me and jane because she wont be here and doesnt like me anymore
Fuzzy looks at mrien
dr.jd [to mrien]: buh?
djpie [to mrien]: what do you mean she doesn't like you anymore?
mrien just hasnt heard from her all day :|
djpie [to mrien]: are you just being obsessive, or did she say something?
mrien [to djpie]: just being obsessive
You lick mrien.
poot1 feeds mrien a xanax
dr.jd [to mrien]: in that case, she's either out shagging your worst enemy or buying you the perfect gift.
Fuzzy [to mrien]: totally know how you feel. my girlfriend has yet to call me to say that she's dumped her boyfriend and wants to go out with me instead.
Fuzzy [to mrien]: broads, I tell ya.