Walking Home Looking Down

I see a sewer cap. No, it's a fish! No, it's a sewer cap. No, it's a fish!

Puzzle

That's Jane Underwood who runs the Writing Salon on the left, with Julie Bruck who recently won Canada's 2012 Governor General's Literary Award for Poetry. Jane's organized a monthly reading series and tonight was the first night. I wore a black turtleneck and sunglasses. Even though they wouldn't let us smoke it was still a blast. And the coffee shop had this great Writers' Special: half a sandwich and a beer for $7.50.

msmasmush and me

A magical night.  Cassandra Wilson at Yoshi's.  Thank you, Anne & Peter.

Walking home at 5:55 p.m.

At Live Worms gallery: An exhibit called The HeART of North Beach

My favorite piece (by Anne Marguerite Herbst).

Not enough food. (Valentine's dinner at Zarzuela)

5:57 p.m.

We're STILL reading your Valentine's book!
Ps: Mimi is upset that I won't let her sleep w/ it. It's not a board book.

Prompt: Really really fast!

All right. I've got to write this really really fast! I went to writing group tonight. It was my 4th meeting. It was Valentine's night, and two of the guys weren't there. One was in Brooklyn. The other was having Valentines evening with his wife. Why did he have to do that? Couldn't he have celebrated Valentines Day on Saturday like Tom and I are doing? And Sarah was missing too, because she had to cater.

There was a box of Valentine candy on the table that Eric had brought. He and June were dancing in the kitchen to Holly Golightly, so I didn't think anyone would notice. I chose one of the dark chocolates and took a little bite. I put it back. Mary Ann saw me do it and got upset. But it was vanilla on the inside!

Mary Ann read a great piece about a guy playing "My Funny Valentine" on the piano at the Salvation Army store on Valencia Street. Jane and Rudy read some strong poems–strong in different ways–and Eric read a tender piece about living in the Tenderloin. (You won't believe this, but Eric grew up in Jasper, Tennessee. That's where my grandmother was born.) Hedi read an amazing piece, a heartbreaking piece, about a 14-year-old boy who finds his way to San Francisco from Mexico. I read a poem about spaghetti.

10 Valentine Friends

10 Valentine Friends, written by Janet Schulman and illustrated by me!

Gung Hay Fat Choy

Anne Marguerite Herbst 2013

The USPS may stop delivering letters on Saturdays, but the PAC (that's Peter, Anne & Carmen) delivers even on Sundays. Look what we found on our porch tonight! Along with the card were 2 red envelopes containing 2-dollar bills, and best of all, a sample of Bumble and bumble Straight Blow Dry.

5:56 p.m.

George Saunders signs my iPad. (His new book is in there somewhere.)

I tell him Aunt Bernie from Sea Oak is my favorite character. He says he likes her a lot too.

He makes the apple a character, signs his initials & draws a Semplica Girl saying "Hi Linda!"

Look What Gina Made For Me!

Oh my god. I still haven't caught my breath. They're real postage stamps.

Super Bowl Earrings

Rosalie, of the 40" screen, had a party. She made these 49er earrings. She let us choose!

Our earrings (me, Ricki, Rosalie, Liz). Rosalie also created the most amazing game food ever.

Seven Birds, One Dog

5:45 p.m.

5:46 p.m.

I know you've been waiting to hear how writing group went last night. (Did I cry again this time when I got home?) No. I wised up. I took two pieces, one poem and one prose. The poem, although it did rhyme, was esoteric––and I'm pretty sure no one understood it. Success!

Prompt: MY EPIPHANY

I have a little parakeet
Her name’s Epiphanie.
She likes to play and make a mess
She tries to talk to me.

The things she says
Are quite a hoot
Her words most often
Don’t compute.

My little bird must think it queer
I shut her up when she is near
The things she says are so absurd
I’m much too busy for a bird.