The Wunicorn...

A Wunicorn is an unprotected wireless network so rare that you doubt it even exists, though you hear stories that long ago there were happy herds roaming the neighborhood, unabashed, unafraid. It shows up when you've moved into a new apartment and can't get an appointment for a cable installation for 7 days because of the holidays. It will show up in strange corners of the room, usually those blocked by boxes, and its presence will be so fleeting that if you don't immediately run over to it with an offering of a macbook, it will surely disappear. The Wunicorn loves to taunt. At times when you do manage to catch it, you've caught but a mirage, for as you whisper gently, "Take me to Gmail, creature," it won't respond to your pleas. But times like these, my friends, when I am riding upon the mythical Wunicorn, oh, they are so good. So good.

Your mama may not be on Twitter, but your water is...

You're waiting for the morning commute bus to work, thankful that leather gloves don't interfere with your touchscreen, and you suddenly want to know what the City is up to. Is that you? Ok, don't answer that, you'll probably make me feel bad... let's just pretend you are just really interested in the Public Utilities Commission and think about them every time you see the catchy "I ♥ SF Water" logo. You're in luck! They're now on Twitter as SFWater, along with the Bay Bridge, Public Health, and a score of other gov't agencies and NGOs. I am compiling a little list which you are welcome to peruse: http://twitter.com/kayvasilyeva/officially-sf.

On an end note, I hope I still have friends after I hit the "Publish" button...

Such a Bittersweet Day....

I rarely promote events on my blog (for that matter, these days I rarely blog), but there are two events coming up shortly that those of you who read this, and are in San Francisco, should pay attention to.


This Friday, December 4, my home organization SFWPC is hosting is hosting the annual San Francisco Woman's Holiday Party at the premiere nightclub and lounge venue Lot46. This is a great event every year, full of champagne, friends and colleagues, policy wonks and the Usual-Suspect electeds.

Then next week, on Thursday December 10, a couple of San Francisco-based artists, photographer Geoffrey King and historian (and a trusty progressive woman-at-arms) Sunny Angulo, are debuting their brand new book project, Such a Bittersweet Day (published in SF).

The book chronicles the journey of the marriage equality movement following the fateful passage of California's Prop 8 in 2008, and 100% of the net proceeds from the main edition will go to organizations fighting for civil rights and healthy communities. This is a great present for all the progressives on your holiday list. Geoff and Sunny will be signing the books at the launch party (info here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=173058721393&ref=ts).

Keep calm and carry on, and don't forget to buy locally.

Yours truly will be busy over the month of December moving into a brand-spanking new apartment with giant living room windows facing my favorite sunny corner of Alamo Square, so if you see me with a huge smile on my face, pat me on the back.