Listening to Leonard Cohen always makes me think about the hot Oakland spring of 1996.

Listening to the Breeders Last Splash always reminds me of the Olympia summer of 1993.

Last night after work I hung out with my pal Tamara and we went shopping around Union Square. I bought a small agenda organizer and Tam got a new bag at Macy’s. We stopped in at Kuleto’s to have appetizers and a glass of wine and a nice fun chat.

After that we went to Lush and I got another awesome exfoliating moisturizing bar. God I love those things. We took a lap through H&M and I was not impressed. Then back to Macy’s because Tam wanted to look for a shirt she had seen in another store in the south bay.

It was right about then that I started feeling sick.

It got worse and worse, and no matter how much I went into denial, just thinking I needed some water or fresh air or to sit down for a minute, the more steadily ill I became. Tamara sensed this and said we should just leave.

Out on the sidewalk facing Union Square, I got about twenty steps before I had to finally admit to myself that something was horribly wrong, and I began to look around for a good place to throw up. Luckily there was a gigantic dumpster sitting in the street nearby which I could sort of hide behind. Tamara grabbed my bags from me and followed me to the curb, where I sent my dinner into the gutter. Hope all the tourists enjoyed that, I know I did!

I could not even remember the last time I threw up. It’s not something I do often. It may have been a few years ago for all I know. And I haven’t thrown up in public since 7th grade when I didn’t quite make it to the bathroom during a sudden and violent 24-hr stomach flu.

I got it over with quickly, and thank god for the support of my friend. We fled the scene quickly, walking back to her car, and I already felt better. I have always liked Kuleto’s but thanks to this I will probably never go there again, even if it wasn’t their fault.

I called Brian on the way home, and like a good husband, he had a pot of green tea waiting for me when I arrived home. I did not sleep too well, and then woke up at five and couldn’t get back to sleep. The sun has been shining since dawn.