Wow, look what I found on my evening walk in a moving box surrounded by trash in the abandoned video store parking lot around the corner from my house.



















Here's the unbelievable part: it not only works like a dream, but is a bass amp! I've been playing (I use that term loosely) my cheapie Fender Squire bass with the practice amp that came with it for the last two years. I won't even know what to do with half those knobs.

Made in the U S of A -- have an email with the serial number in to Peavey to find out when it was made.

I really, really love my neighborhood.

Look what we found in someone's trash!















Actually, look what Trevor found in someone's bulky trash pickup and talked me into bringing home. It reminded him of my old vintage Schwinn I had in college, and that I still miss terribly. He only wants me to be happy. :)

I was skeptical because it looked like it needed a lot of work, but I was heartened by the fact the brakes were still in good working order, the gearing was all Shimano, and the bike seemed like it was of Japanese origin. Trevor took it in to the lovely folks at Tip Top Bike Shop and they said they can get it up and running for less than what it costs for omakase for two.

It is somewhat of a mystery bike: I can't find any identifying marks on the frame, and judging only by the name on the seat (and its mad style), it could be made by Katakura, with what seems like stock parts (like a Nitto stem). It's definitely vintage, but what year or make I'm unsure. It says "Suntour" on the gearshifts but I haven't been able to find anything relating that name to a Katakura bicycle.

What I do know is that I love it, and I love my sweetie-pie.

Ah, this is why I love walking around my neighborhood, and why I always stop and at least scan a pile o' stuff on the sidewalk.

Also why I (quite literally) dug Oakland's now defunct bulky trash day. My friends and I once outfitted almost their entire apartment with castoffs from the oh-so-ritzy Piedmont bulky trash day. Oh how I miss it.

Excellent article in this week's San Francisco Bay Guardian about scavenging the streets of the Bay for freebies and the like. Loved reading about Swap SF, and I am really excited to attend the next one. Books and clothes...what else do I need?

Oh yeah: food. While I don't generally dumpster-dive for food items, I do actively investigate and take full advantage of my local stores that will give away items that are expired but still good. Mmmmm, free whole milk ricotta. And I do advocate sharing the wealth if you have it. At work, we are blessed to partner with so many great organizations like Full Belly Farm that give us full boxes of quality organic produce for our clients. Also, when we have events we're always sure to drop off the inevitable extra food at the park. People are always so grateful.

But y'all know household items are my big thing; in fact, most of my house is furnished with things found on the street. Sustainable, inexpensive, and fun, it is. Hey, and it isn't as filthy as you might think -- there is a lot of wealth in the Bay, and people will put really nice stuff out on the sidewalk rather than put themselves out to haul it to the thrift store or sell it on Craigslist. As my red 1950s formica table, Coach leather satchel, and solid oak bookshelf, and the Guardian's profiled scavenger's 50 inch color TV will attest, there's gold on the sidewalks of the Bay Area.

However, there are pitfalls to watch out for. I never pick up anything that is upholstered, unless it comes from the free area downstairs (inside) in my building. My friend Megan picked up some sweet abandoned upholstered antique chairs on the sidewalk by her place in the Mission, and a flea infestation commenced. Ugh. But undaunted, she rid herself of the problem and instead took my clean and flea-free couch off my hands when I moved to Japan.

And y'all knew labeling this as a "movement" was going to happen sooner of later, and I was both amused and appalled at the both blanket and inaccurate term used in the article, "Freeganism." Actually, seeing myself type that word, I think I'm more appalled. Sure, I do this partly for political and environmental reasons, but I'm still taking advantage of someone else's consumerism. I don't feel self-congratulatory or anything, because I also really enjoy scavenging (and I love myself some non-vegan eating!).

I guess I don't really mind the attempts at pigeon-holing this as a movement -- I welcome it if it gets more folks diving into doing this, even though it makes things harder for me to score the excellent goods. It's a win-win for the consumer and the planet.

A couple of very cool things...

Dexter -- on Showtime, of all places. The soft-core porno-riffic forbidden fruit of my 1980s childhood has finally done something right with this series (based on the book) about a charming blood spatter analyst who just happens to be a serial killer of other big bads. Just rented the first season on DVD. Disturbing, funny, thought-provoking, well-paced, and well-acted. Superb!

Check the opening credits. Brilliant.



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Trevor found an old Japanese-made microscope from 1952 on the street. It is housed in a hinged box, with compartments for various lenses and slides. Perfect condition. We have it up on our bookshelf next to the Inu Art sculpted Hellboy set. Looks super cool, especially next to the Kriegsaffe.

This may trump my find of a first edition of In Cold Blood in a cardboard box on the sidewalk, the 1920s working typewriter Trevor found alongside 4 others, and our Sony CD player found under a pile of clothes, old throw rugs, and coathangers spilling into the street by the fuyu tree on Shafter.

BTW, checked today -- almost ripe and ready for the picking!

And I'm currently eating a vegan donut! Way.

Why, you ask, when presented with the option of eating a donut, am I eating a vegan donut? Because it's gooood.