San Francisco

The view outside our shack at the Presidio. If you've been there, we were in a building right next to the bathrooms near the Warming Hut. 

June. Where'd it go? I spent the entire month traveling, so I've only just relaxed into a summer routine of late breakfasts, early lunches, afternoon naps and letters of recommendation.

First, I spent 8 long days grading AP exams. Here's how it works: first, you need to prepare by eating a really greasy meal that makes you feel gross and unhealthy. Make a tape of your local bus station so you can play that constant hum of conversation and banging and disruption while you work. Go sit in the most uncomfortable chair you can find. Now turn the A/C to 50. Hunch your back. You're ready! Now grade 1200 essays - quick!

Once back from that, we departed for southern California. Great trip. I returned for 48 hours and hopped another plane for San Francisco.

The poster asks "What would inspire you to volunteer at the Presidio?"

I joined about 15 other teachers for a professional development seminar on Japanese internment. We were lucky enough to enjoy tours of The Presidio from the National Parks Service (who sponsored the seminar) and to speak with 6 men and women who had been interned (all as kids or teens).

This wag wrote, "Get out of hear fat pepole your fat." Charming.

I'm not a huge fan of San Francisco. Not its enemy, but not really one of those "I left my heart" people. I'm a SoCal kind of girl, I guess (mmm...tacos...sunshine...mountains...). But Japantown convinced me that SF can be fun. It's a tiny neighborhood but chock full of things I wanted to touch, eat, or buy.

Another smarty writes, "I sexy and I knowit." 

Unfortunately, some of the things I most wanted to buy can't be carried on a plane (hello, Japanese cutlery!). But there are no rules to stop me consuming about 10,000 noodles. And I did.

But now I'm back. Salt Lake's hothothot, but I'm so happy to be in my own bed (where the sheets go all the way to the end of the bed! Wow! What's up with hotels short-sheeting the beds? I hate that!) in my own house, with my own family and my own bad habits (mmm...cheetos).