The Perks

A perk of my new job is occasional free food!

lard have mercy!!

YUSAKUTA!!!

This almost made me forget about the goats. Here's my old ass kickin band Yusakuta on YouTube! The song is called '5 W's and an H'. Cassie was the singer--isn't she just priceless. My rock-n-roll angel Tedd is on the bass with the solo. Jamie on drums is never seen but definitely heard on back-up vocals. Ilhan is the tall and handsome guitarist on one side and I'm the chick with the blue guitar and blond wig on the other.

Oh and I can't forget our hot and sexy dancers Lisa and Jessica who you most unfortunately never get to see do their SHAKIN!

This was us playing the main stage at SF Pride festival 1998. We had a trailer next to Chumbawumba's. And our performance was squeezed in between the Flaggets and Mayor Willie Brown.

It was my 15 minutes of fame. I'd never do it again.

Goats

Who would senselessly shoot these beautiful creatures??

Just look at those little faces.

Every year, sometimes twice a summer, the county of Alameda hires several different goat herders to bring their herds to potential fire hazard areas. One of them is two blocks from my home in an open space called Kings Estate.

About a month ago I noticed the goats were back to eat up the LONG flammable yellow grass (and trash). All the neighbors around here can hardly contain themselves with excitement when the goats are here. We're all beside our selves with glee! Fire is a real threat up here in these hills (Oct. 91)

During the day you can see them dotted around the hillsides--At night you can hear them softly braying. It's seriously one of the best reasons to live here. The goats aren't just here near my home but ALL OVER Oakland and Berkeley. Including one of the parks I'm currently working at for the EBRPD.

So a couple days ago someone comes to the park near my house and shoots 15 goats and BEHEADS one!

It's times like these that I hate it here.

I PASSED THE WRITTEN TEST !!!!!

FRIENDS! I passed the written test!!!I just received the letter in the mail!!! WOW! I never think I do good on tests--and when I went back to work and asked some co-workers about my answers to the questions on the test they told me different answers than I answered...wince! But still I passed the mutha! Now I have to pass the NEXT STEP...a physical exam which is going to take place in Alameda. I don't really know what it will entail...except that I have to dress appropriately?!

This is me blowing out the candles on my 40th birthday.....Don't remember the moment--this is why photos are SO important! I'm kinda feeling that high right now..!

Keep a good thought in your heads for me..I really believe it helps!

Dream Come True...I'm Pretty Sure

Check it!

I got hired on with the Park Service!!!

I know...many of you will say...'but Kim I thought you were the consummate Handy Woman?'

No that is NOT me but my girlfriend. The other Kimm.

For most of my life I've wanted to be a ranger. Don't laugh.

I've wanted to work for the park service since I can remember. ANY PARK SERVICE...ANYWHERE! I know it may be hard to believe....but some people want to be Doctors and swill around in peoples' fluids--that seems weird to me.

A couple of weeks ago I went to the Park website. This was something I did nearly once a month or more. Just to see what they were hiring for.

They were accepting applications for a rangers and I decided on a whim to apply. A couple of weeks after I dropped of my application they called and wanted me to come in for an interview with the folks who run the parks rental facilities! It's only a 20 hour a week temporary job and I'll have to work weekends all through the spring and summer. But it pays even better than the ranger job! And I'm so happy to do it to get my foot in the door with the park service. Basically I'll be doing landscaping, light building maintenance and running weddings. This was something I have been on the other side of when I was catering for so many years. This was SO the job I wanted to have when I was catering.

I'm so excited!

This is actually a job I can RETIRE with!

Let's hope I feel this way next weekend after I've been working there for a few days.

I'm pretty sure I'll love it though.