My sister is in town! So, of course we have to celebrate.

Ah, yes. Wasn't AT&T supposed to be getting more reliable and the coverage more consistent? I wouldn't have noticed.

Here's a gallery of dropped calls from the past week or so.

If anything, AT&T is consistently inconsistent.

Too bad complaining on Twitter doesn't accomplish anything.

Doggie Diner heads outside of Kal's Warehouse for the Laughing Squid going away party.

While walking through the neighborhood today, I noticed this crazy car at the corner of Page and Masonic. It looks like something I'd see at either Burning Man or Maker Faire.

Anyone know more about it?

I'm here in Austin, TX for a few days for our gdgt live event at SXSW. Since such a large contingent of the San Francisco tech crowd is here, a group of San Franciscan folks are handing out SF Embassy cards.

On March 11, 2010, the San Francisco diplomatic mission to Austin commenced with the establishment of the SF EMBASSY on 6th Street. San Francisco residents traveling to Austin for SXSW 2010 are advised to stay in close contact with SF EMBASSY for the duration of their visit. Especially around brunch.

Hah, pretty awesome!

Watch out for South-by-SARS though, that'll get you.

I picked up a new bike this weekend from someone on Craigslist! A ~1995 Schwinn Passage in perfect condition. It's a great little touring bike and I've already put 25 miles on it.

Went out shooting some photos today, for the first time in what feels like ages. This is one of my favorite photos that I've taken in a long time. The sculpture is Ecstasy by Dan Das Mann and Karen Cusolito and was installed at Patricia's Green in Hayes Valley last week. It's on display until June 18, 2010.

More information is available on the Black Rock Arts Foundation blog.

First displayed at the Burning Man festival in Nevada in 2008, Ecstasy is one of the eight monumental metal figures of the artists’ masterpiece, Crude Awakening. In Crude Awakening, these eight figures surrounded a 99-foot tall wooden oil derrick in gestures of prostration, worship and exaltation. Alone, Ecstasy embarks on a hopeful journey. Instead of throwing her head back in reverie to the oil derrick, she gazes wistfully into the open sky as she steps forward into an optimistic future, free of dependency on fossil fuel.

Footage from the front of a cable car, traveling down Market Street, circa 1906. Fantastic. I absolutely adore these old videos of San Francisco!

Originally, this video was thought to have been recorded sometime in 1905. Recently, someone analyzed the weather, vehicles, and shadows from people / objects and concluded it was filmed four days before the Great San Francisco earthquake of 1906!

This film, originally thought to be from 1905 until David Kiehn with the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum figured out exactly when it was shot. From New York trade papers announcing the film showing to the wet streets from recent heavy rainfall & shadows indicating time of year & actual weather and conditions on historical record, even when the cars were registered (he even knows who owned them and when the plates were issued!). It was filmed only four days before the quake and shipped by train to NY for processing.

[Via Long Now Foundation and Flixxy]

Seriously! The sky above San Francisco just decided to open up. My Twitter timeline was, let's say "flooded", with thoughts about the storm.

A new year, and a new decade are upon us! Here is my annual photographic review of the year. More travels, moving, a new job. So sit down and come along for the ride.

You can also see my past year in reviews for 2008 and 2007.

January 2009

January started out with a short, surprise trip down the coast to Half Moon Bay and Moss Beach. Kerry surprised me for my birthday, and we stayed at a phenomenal bed and breakfast for the weekend.

MacWorld came to town. It was my first time visiting the convention. Naturally, we geeked out on all the cool companies that were demoing products.

San Francisco residents wasted no time in finding something to protest over.

One of my favorite punk bands of all time, Tsunami Bomb, reunited for one final show in Petaluma.

February 2009

A number of friends embarked on the great Burrito Ingredients Scavenger Hunt: scouring the city's taquerias for the best individual ingredients they have, and building our own, epic burrito.

My sister was in town for a brief visit.

This year, instead of checking out the annual pillow fight, a few of us decided to check out Toronado's annual Barley Wine Festival.

We paid a visit to the Mission for the Grilled Cheese Sandwich battle.

March 2009

Donated some blood. (Gross!)

Awaited the results of the California Supreme Court's ruling on Prop 8.

Had a good view from my apartment of a rally for Tibet, as they marched towards the Chinese Consulate.

I walked across the entire Golden Gate Bridge for the first time in my life.

Pi-Day celebrations! 3.14

Took a stroll through Golden Gate Park. Beautiful as always.

April 2009

We went on a backpacking trip to Big Basin State Park

May 2009

Another month, another backpacking trip! This time, to California's Lost Coast.

And encountered wild life.

Attended the Maker Faire and saw some great art and inventions.

June 2009

A curious cat.

Robogames 2009!

July 2009

Enjoying some drinks on a lazy summer day.

Kerry and I took a whale watching trip out to the Farallon Islands.

August 2009

We had our gdgt SF party to celebrate the launch of our website!

Big road trip time! We embarked for Canada.

Sawtooth Range in Northern Idaho

More of Idaho

Hamilton, Montana

Kootenay National Park, Canada

Athabasca Glacier in Jasper National Park, Canada

Banff, Canada

Vancouver, BC

Victoria, BC

Space Needle in Seattle

Mount Rainier

Mount St. Helens

Oregon Caves National Monument

We returned from our road trip to cheer our friends on in SF Food Wars.

September 2009

Got to shoot an Apple Keynote / Stevenote for gdgt!

Cal Academy

Walked around San Francisco and took some random photos.

Someone in the neighborhood must have been pretty angry with Muni.

Flew to New York City at the end of the month for gdgt's NYC launch party. Hello Virgin America!

NYC!

October 2009

Visited New York City for the gdgt NYC event. While there, I visited the newly created High Line Park.

gdgt NYC at the Manhattan Center!

The Blue Angels came to town for Fleet Week 2009

Headed up to Tomales Bay for some friendly oyster shucking.

Wished my apartment of the past 3 years, so long!

Last sunset at the apartment. It was fantastic as always.

Adjusted to living with one of my new roommates.

The end of October meant that Halloween parties were neigh!

Walking through our neighborhood at night.

November 2009

Since I had recently purchased a Canon S90, I decided that the Cal Academy would be the perfect place to break it in.

Checked out the museum at SFO

Beautiful fall days in San Francisco

Beautiful fall nights in San Francisco

San Francisco sunset

December 2009

Kerry and I saw Cirque du Soleil's OVO show when it came to town.

(And I got yelled at for taking photos...)

Attended the Laughing Squid Un-holiday Party at the Gallery With No Name. And saw their neon Jelly Fish.

Don't forget, Santacon / Santarchy made an appearance in San Francisco!

Some of my companions during the day. (Because the only currency on the internet are cat photos).