Gabriela Network goes for the gold!

≡ Category: Politicking, Semi-daily thoughts | ≅ Leave a Comment



photo.jpg

Originally uploaded by lunamania


Thanks to Grace and Joy, parol lantern making has become a new holiday tradition. These two sisters are the artistic, bamboo kit assembling, scrap cloth, decoupage and stay up all night force behind the Gabriela Network’s entry into the 2009 Parol Lantern Festival. The last several years, the filipino senior center with their chain link, floral cut recycled aluminum can parols have impressed, but this year Gabnet is going for gold. Step aside, seniors!

Parol making with this crew means learning about Filipino women’s movements and leaders. It’s also time to catch up with old friends and get my creative on with a refreshing glass of Grace’s kalimansi mimosa…great way to support solidarity efforts!

This year the parade theme, Light the Way and Be Counted, aims to raise awareness of the Census. So Gabnet lanterns will feature images from under-counted groups: immigrants, migrant workers, undocumented residents, complex households, homeless individuals, people of color and LGBT people.

I’m not a crafty holiday elf–or any sort of small craft creature unless it involves making model cars from Tamiya kits. But I can use google. So I spent the evening searching for images of these under-counted communities to paste on the parols.

Gabnet parols 2007

Click the image for pictures from the 2007 production process and presentation. The Big Gay Star was the piece de resistance!

Parol lantern festival and parade: who,what, when, where
PAROL LANTERN FESTIVAL and PARADE
Saturday, December 12, 2009, 3PM to 8PM

3PM to 6PM: Parol Festival games and demonstrations in Jessie Square
6PM to 8PM: Parol Lantern Parade and Performances (Yerba Buena Lane to Jessie Square)

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Aahhh…Oakland!

≡ Category: Semi-daily thoughts | ≅ Leave a Comment



Aahhh…Oakland!

Originally uploaded by lunamania


Thanksgiving was delicious and full of warm company. My Mom joined us for dinner and seems built a small fan club. Spent today tackling a bit of work, exasperated by pixelpost and dodging the rain. Sounds unpleasant, but was quite relaxed and full of Oakland appreciation moments. I sought refuge at Peet’s and indulged in a late afternoon coffee. Then did some grocery shopping for a spicy dinner (gotta counter the spice-free turkey day) and topped it off with a spontaneous cocktail at Layover. This spot on Franklin at 15th used to be a divey sports bar, the kind with beer soaked carpets and sticky stools. It’s turned into a shabby-chic artisnal cocktail bar. The DJ was spinning old-school hip-hop and a bit of freestyle–very nice. There was a sign-language meet-up and Ewee taught us how to sign “vomit turtle chunks.” Don’t know how useful it will be, but I like the sign for turtle.

Picture from the “the best camera that you have is the one on you” school of photography.

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Experiencing technical difficulties

≡ Category: Gear and tech, Semi-daily thoughts | ≅ Leave a Comment

Seems that I can no longer post images via email. I messed around with my postie settings, but it’s going to require more extensive troubleshooting. Oh, how the interwebs and a teeny bit of knowledge leads to the mistaken belief that I can maintain my own blog. There’s also the minor issue of Total Lack of Content. I should just succumb to micro-blogging via twitter/facebook/flickr.

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

  • Albums

    DSC01753
    vermont to tahoe
    Chow down!

  • Recent posts

  • Old Stuff