I have my October back

Today on the last day of the season, Houston eliminated the Giants from any possibility of playing in the playoffs, which start Tuesday. Of course I want to see the Giants win always, but this year I'm secretly relieved. Last year I spent way too much time watching baseball playoff games -- even games the Giants weren't in, even after the Giants had been eliminated. Now I can actually spend my time doing what I need to do, such as come up to speed on my new job.

I've been listening a lot to Pirate Cat Radio, 87.9 FM in San Francisco. It's a pirate radio station broadcasting from, where else, the Mission District, playing a lot of punk and rock. Yesterday they were down at the Love Parade -- San Francisco's attempt to keep the queer summer season going, a season which traditionally starts with Carnival* at the end of May and ends with the Folsom Street Fair in mid-September.** The Pirate Cat people were basically going around with an open microphone saying "Say something on the radio!" Most people screeched, "I hate Bush!!"

*Oh, you didn't know Carnaval was a queer holiday? Who do you think sews all those sequins on?)

** Of course, Halloween is also a huge queer holiday, but no one pretends it is still summer.