MORE MILLI VANILLI!!!

Or: Occupying life.

First, let us start in the beginning when I had the flu and then an ear infection. I thought the ear infection was flu related, and it probably was, but then I discovered a piece of tooth that got left behind when I had my tooth pulled out in August. And then it fell out last week, and I said, well no wonder I had an ear infection. My hearing is almost back to normal. This is what happens when you have to use county medical because you don't have health insurance.


After recovering from flu and ear infection, I worked for a few more weeks. I did some protesting with Occupy Oakland. I participated in a Strike and it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, next to filling the port with bicycles. I got arrested. I wouldn't say getting arrested was fun, but I'd do it again without thinking twice. Standing up for what you believe is a good thing, not something to be mocked from a couch, and while I know that not all police are corrupt, (in fact, my arresting officer was fairly nice to me after he calmed down) the Oakland PD is a particularly special case and the things I saw and heard from both the police and the prisoners in Santa Rita were extremely sad, and extremely dehumanizing. Brutal force on peaceful protesters is NEVER appropriate. I don't really know that people will ever truly understand that. And the minority of people destroying property does not mean that thousands of people should be tear gassed, beaten, and arrested. Oakland makes me nervous and excitable.

My original plan for getting out of the bay area had been to buy tickets to the east coast and then go on a South American adventure. My plans were put off so that I could accept a full time job out at Point Reyes. So now, I'm living in Point Reyes, at a beautiful hostel, making money, meeting cool people, folding laundry, mopping floors and cleaning out toilets. I honestly couldn't be happier. I'm visiting the bay area right now, picking up some warm weather stuff, some sheets for my bed, and transferring my bank accounts to a credit union. I have an orientation on Wednesday, then six 10-13 hour days before my next weekend. It's beautiful there. Pictures, well I'll post them soon.

Yesterday was Sunday, and the last day of the expo. I never plan things anymore, because my winging it mode works much better. So I wung it down to Cow Palace, and then friends found an xtracycle for me to ride on the back of, to a Family Dinner, where 20 people showed up, lots of kitchen dancing happened, many beers were drunk, and good, no, excellent food was consumed. At one point, Milli Vanilli was played, and then turned off, and then the shout came from the kitchen: MORE MILLI VANILLI!!! So we put on more milli vanilli, and then Toto, and then some 90's rap, which got karaoked to. Every time someone broke out in song, 10 people would back them up. I had crazy deja vu, and pretty much felt like these people could easily have been my friends. I had a blast and I'm pretty sure I made some new friends. This has been a successful trip, if only for last night. Can't wait to get back to the point though. I'm going to settle in for a while I think.