Hannah Gross

I've already broken the rule on birthdays, but even if I hadn't -- I mean, who can resist this!

Proof of Life

Jon obliges a peepsNet reporter with irrefutable evidence of his real-time existence

I didn't notice him at first.

It wasn't that the give-or-take year since I last saw him had been unkind, but even so, he seemed like the gray man as I scrutinized the field to find the guy I was meeting for coffee.

Neither of us should be allowed to dress ourselves but I wasn't expecting quite the witness protection look -- as he would say, we kid because we love. Still, I should have zeroed in far quicker on the man who would choose to sit outside Starbucks on a cool, windy day.

The man with his head buried in a baseball cap and face buried in a newspaper is a definite prospect. And then I spy the nearly empty pack of Merits teetering on the edge of the small cafe table. Only the need to stay friends with a cigarette would coax someone away from plush seating and warmth into the arms of a flimsy, uncomfortable steel chair, and to subject oneself to an autumn sun so low and intense in the sky that even in the early afternoon an eye-level gaze is borderline painful and removing your sunglasses is out of the question.

So, the first thing we know about Jon is that he hasn't given up cigarettes. In context, that's a good sign.

"It's good to see you," I say.

"It's good to be seen," Jon replies. Yeah -- no mistaking that mixture of shtick and schlamozel.

Jon and I have had a similar year, looking for the next great thing, and we have tried from time to time to meet for coffee since we live in neighboring towns. But it has taken this long.

We compare notes and intel about places we've been and are trying to crack. We discuss strategy and tactics and how blogging has almost become a way for job-seeking journalists to extend and revise how the world sees them beyond the narrow confines of the cover letter and resume. We divulge disappointments and near misses and times we felt just plain used. We rag on Reuters for a respectfully brief but obligatory few minutes.

We talk shop: the solitude inherent in multimedia production; the craving for a creative environment; not whether, but how soon the embrace of citizen journalism by MSM will create a crisis in journalism, long after nobody noticed that the lines had irretrievably blurred.

We joke about working together again, with another former cohort or two, and it is a longing, instantly wistful remark that hangs there in the air for both of us to ponder while we try to conceal from each other -- as best as men can -- how nice we each think that would be.

We begin to figuratively rustle our papers after a little while, not long after the dregs of my grande coffee, black, have cooled -- we are, after all, outside. Time to move on since there are letters to write, bushes to beat, trails to follow.

I hope we'll have another meeting with much less time elapsed. And this time I think I'll recognize him right away.

This just in ...

Careful readers of peepsNet have no doubt noticed that we do not cover birthdays. We're happy to concede that kind of fluff to Entertainment Tonight. And hey, if you reach 100, you have a date with Willard Scott.

But we don't like to make girls cry and we also crumble like fresh feta under accusations of favoritism, so either peepsNet writes less about Samer or ...

Today's birthdays include:

• Noah Webster / wordsmith (1758)
• Oscar Wilde / author (1854)
• David Ben-Gurion / statesman (1886)
• Eugene O'Neill / playwright (1888)
• Michael Collins / revolutionary leader (1890)
• Paul Strand / photographer (1890)
• William O. Douglas / jurist (1898)
• Angela Lansbury / actor (1925)
• Suzanne Somers / actor (1946)
• Tim Robbins / actor (1958)
• John Mayer / songer, songwriter (1977)
• Nicole Spiridakis / writer (1978)

Let's see ...

1. Jessica Simpson's new fella
2. A guy I went to high school with
3. Oh! The hottest young writer in San Francisco!

peepsNet knows there has been some cocktails already -- at lunch, so naughty! -- but the main event is tonight. We doubt our friend will feast on Surf & Turf -- though that would give us a decent lead, love -- can you throw us a bone? (Are vegetarians even allowed to throw bones?).

peepsNet has been promised pictures, but peepsNet has been made many, many promises (sigh).

Heeeeeeeeeeee's Baaaaaaaaaaack!

Samer's precious iBook is back in his loving hands as of yesterday (get a room, you two, why don't you) and the happy couple promises "there's a ton of pics coming up" on Flickr.

At this writing a ton = eight (8).

On a Mac ... (or: Technology Fails Samer)

A satisfied customer awaits the opening of the Apple Store in Santa Monica

Samer refuses to blog anymore (me thinks he doth protest too much) but since he has found a new love his fan(s) is getting used to experiencing the world through Samer's eyes not from petty rants but pretty much through his actual eyes.

So why is Samer's last Flickr photo from Sept. 19?

An exclusive peepsNet investigation has uncovered the unspeakable truth: Samer's iBook -- a Mac! -- just stopped working.

Did a PC.
Had a Windows Moment.
Took a ride on the Gates-ville Local.

To make matters worse, Samer had a heck of a time getting the thing serviced since only people with Pro accounts can reserve Genius Bar time other than today, and today always seems to be booked, even mere seconds after reservations for today are accepted. Stupid Pro Account yuppies strutting their stuff, no doubt.

Samer managed to get some pity care when he showed up at the Apple store at the open and even then there was not a slot to be had. A sympathetic clerk let him cut the virtual line. This may be a tribute to Apple's commitment to customer care or it might just be this: what would you do if a guy that looked like Samer showed up with a "laptop" that couldn't be turned on and he started to get a little irate? Check the TSA handbook if you have any doubts.

Samer reports that "with any luck, I'll have it back in the middle of the week" and that he has a backlog of more than 250 pictures, of which very few will likely meet his exacting standards and be uploaded to Flickr.

But he already has some favorites. "The ones of a hawk in a cemetery are very cool," he assures.

Cemetery pictures. Lets see -- what does the TSA manual say about that ...

Mike Lives!

A raging fire

There was a pretty serious fire in Mike's neck of the woods, which a folksy way of describing where something is when you don't really know where it is, especially when writing about something that takes place in the South. In this case it also gives peepsNet sufficient journalistic cover to write about something even though there is no story here whatsoever.

The news is Mike is fine. But the backstory is that Mike was never in any danger, even though upwards of 17,000 (again: folksy) people were urged to evacuate their homes in the Raleigh suburb of Apex when a hazardous materials plant caught fire and spewed funky smoke into the air.

Mike, contacted late on Saturday via IM , said he was fine and was far enough away from the mess so that it didn't affect him at all. He said he was as far away from the blaze as Silver Spring, MD is to Alexandria, VA.

peepsNet wouldn't want it said it was coaching you to stretch the truth for a few easy bucks, but you might want to reconsider your story, or reconsider your story, or reconsider your story, my friend.

The Running Man

We used to have a couple of nicknames for Mike, and he patiently indulged us. "Quiet Mike" was the favorite not only because it was an obvious reference to his low-key nature but also his ability to maintain his composure at the center of the daily mayhem that surrounded him, sitting as he did amid John, Jon and Samer.

Samer also used to call him "Bus Stop," because Mike was once hit by a bus as he rode his bike. That one didn't sit too well with Mike or anyone else. Samer thought it was hysterical. Probably still does (sigh).

But now we can call Mike by his new Indian name: "Running Man."

To save us all a lot of embarrassement we're not doing to delve too deeply into what drove Mike into oncoming traffic ... oh why bother with the pretense: Meka said she was going to start running and "when she told me about it MALE EGO kicked in and I was like 'I CAN'T HAVE MY WIFE OUT THERE RUNNING AND ME SITTING ON THE COUCH WITH A TUB OF ICE CREAM.'"

Personally, I'd examine that flawed imperative.

Nicole will always be able to leave us in a swirl of her dust but peepsNet knows that when you run for the first time -- no matter what else you do, no matter how fit you are -- you feel like you are going to die. Period.

So congratulations, "RM," for getting past that hurdle.

Cooking with Samer

With apologies to our vegetarians readers -- but not to the culinary-inclined! -- we report that Samer has documented yet another meal prepared by his hand.

This time our friend has prepared "Rabbit Stewed with Dried Cherries," and, in an introduction to the illustrated recipe on Flickr, he warns:" (I)t is long and complicated, it'll use half the pots and pans in your kitchen, and if you are queasy, stay away."

peepsNet can second that last part.

Nicole, on a Roll

The Chronicle's Home & Garden section has greenlighted another story by Nicole, on rooftop gardens in San Francisco.

No word yet on her deadline or when it will appear in print.

Nicole Spiridakis, Special to The Chronicle

Nicole has an article in the San Francisco Chronicle! (We in the business call it The Cron. Oh yeah.)

She's been pitching them story ideas like a utility daily reliever and hit with a piece on upsizing from a studio to a one-bedroom, and negotiating the straits of decorating for two.

The Chron sent a photographer and the piece is adorned by four pictures. She is in two of them and looks happy in both. Michael is in the same two and looks happy in only one. Of course, in the one where he looks a little distressed she is lighting some very unmanly lavender candles. (Hang tough there, Michael: next thing you know there will be purple towels in the bathroom and "no room" for your New Guinea art.)

This is the second article about Nicole in a major metropolitan newspaper. Shortly before she left DC the Washington Times profiled Nicole's legendary hostess talents in an article headlined "Elbowroom," about entertaining in small spaces. She didn't write that one, and it shows.

We expect the new expanses at Nicole's disposal will only enhance her ability to make guests feel warm and welcome and sorry to leave.

On a housekeeping note: unless the rest of you guys start getting a lot more interesting this space is going to turn into the Nicole Spiridakis News Service.

A New Home for cuciananicolina

cuciana nicolina is dead! Long live cuciananicolina!

Nicole's culinary-related blog died over the weekend, no doubt from a sudden burst of use, as has already been noted by peepsNet. Sadly, there was collateral damage: the most recent post was lost in the tragedy and Nicole writes that while she probably will restore it on her new space "... at the moment I'm totally annoyed by the whole thing and need a little break."

She has migrated to Blogger, and peepsNet welcomes her to the fold. Don't forget to update your bookmarks and to Blogroll the new location.

New Blood

The peepsNet hidden blog-cam captures Professor Katie King making a point to her "Introduction to Online Journalism" class at George Washington University.

peepsNet welcomes, without fear or favor, all new entrants into the citizen journalism space .

Bring it on.

Martin-izing

peepsNet has received two reader requests in recent days for news about a certain Mr. Martin R. Understandably, neither Samer nor Rich would want it known it was they who were curious so peepsNet intends to keep their identities a secret.

Nevertheless, we intend to give this investigation all the attention it deserves.

~ 30 ~

peepsNet Considers Calling Off dragNet

We are still awaiting results from the lab but it looks like that email we got from a man purporting to be Jon Resnick just might be legitimate.

The potential hoaxer or long lost friend has captured the proper Resnickian mix of levity and pessimism but since the communiqué ends on a positive note our experts say they will not be convinced of its authenticity unless the forensics supports that conclusion. Lab analysis may take weeks.

"We'd be happy to rush this -- we've offered to -- but nobody seems to really give a crap," said one lab employee, granted anonymity because we think it's cool to have unnamed sources. "We could have the results back to you in a couple of hours.

"By the way, feel free to use my real name," he said.

Anyway, please take part in this very scientific poll.

Is that email really from Jon Resnick?

Yes No

Make Free Polls

A "Remote" for a "Camera"

black is wake/focus, red is single shutter, toggle is bulb.
if it goes 'boom', that's a problem.

With the end of the weekend we resume covering hard news, as it were.

Samer reports that he is making a remote control for his new camera. Sure, he can get one for $25 0r $30 but they aren't nearly as functional as the one he is making (three buttons vs. one) for $10 in parts.

So, what did you do this summer?

Girls night In

artist's rendition of nicole and katy's dinner.
no, as a matter of fact this looks nothing like the peepsNet masthead picture

We've started to scrape the barrel already, so I'm documenting Nicole and Katy's Sunday evening dinner only to show off my superb Photoshop skills, since they didn't even take one stinking picture.

For the record, Sunday night's fare included:

1. homemade hummus
2. salmon
3. roasted tomato and red pepper soup
4. spinach fettucine pasta
5. salad
6. chocolate cake

There were equal parts wine and urbane chatter about work, Ireland, Greece, and San Francisco. I doubt this even makes the cut at cucinanicolina.

And they took no pictures, like I said, so you will just have to imagine the wild scene, which I have tried to conjure to the best of my humble abilities.

When Spam isn't Exactly Spam

how this man gets work we'll never know

peepsNet's editor-of-all-he-surveys (we took a pay cut for that bitchin' title) used to work at another major global news organization and his boss there, Bob, was a man of few words, and sometimes none.

Some of the words he used were:

• Habbagoowah!
• I'm a complicated man, and nobody understands me but my woman.
• Yo!

Bob's words are carefully carefully chosen. He has to be careful because he has the delicate responsilibility of blogging about the truly weird stories Reuters runs every day -- no, no -- not earnings corrections, but about the next most popular category, Oddly Enough.

You can't be too careful when you rep a 153-year-old company rooted in British tradition, no sir. So blog entries like "Inflated Dolls for Deflated Dreams," Pirate Wannabes Getting Lots of Mileage to the Galleon" and "Auditioning for a Laxative Commercial" are crafted with the care that would make Bob's fellow Reuters alumni Iam Fleming and Frederick Forsythe proud.

But ever since Bob figured out how to send email attachments, and because he knows the two or three things that push our "Niagra Falls" button, every once in a while all peepsNet gets from Bob is a picture, like the one adorning this story.

Glad you are enjoying your holiday, Bob. We're renting Ordinary People tonight -- wanna make something of it?

Maybe You Can't, but the Cover Does Help

Well, some people know how the game is played ...

Yes, the SWAG is starting to pour in but make no mistake, dear readers -- peepsNet cannot be bought unless the price is right.

Our friend Bob Crooke has shared with us what might have been called in a gentler time the "galley" of his soon-to-be-completed novel, Sunrise. But these days the "shop around" version actually looks like a book, the better perhaps to penetrate the thick skulls of some bigshots who probably can't decide whether the writing is any good unless-- hint! hint! -- it is already printed and bound. Possibly by another publisher. Perhaps the one the author went to when you passed.

Works here too. See, now I can publish a picture like this and say ... "I was reading the New York Times and saw this new book Sunrise ... ". Not that peepsNet would stoop to such subterfuge. Not for a lousy pre-publication copy with not even a dead-president "bookmark."

On the other hand, peepsNet is truly touched that Bob has shared his new baby with us, and we are honored that we most possess what may be the only copy not in the hands of a someone who can actually do him some good. Need proof? Here is the peepsNet technorati ranking.

Weekend Edition

No news is not good news. Watch any of the 24/7 cable news channels and see what you get served up on Saturday and Sunday. Ick. The only time Headline News is must-see TV.

But, a bottomless news hole has to be filled, as peepsNet is discovering. And branding -- yeah, that's important, too.

So on our first weekend we are proud to introduce "Weekend Edition" -- catchy, eh? I don't think I've seen it used before. Plus -- and I believe this is also a first in publishing -- we guarantee it will not be newsworthy, but filling.

Featured this weekend: Samer, whose new toy helps us illustrate this entry and who is the object of a vigorous Internet campaign (rolling thunder, really) aimed at getting him back into blogging. The big mo started when our friend was interviewed on the subject not long ago.

Out of the Courtroom and into the Pit

anonymous source texting story to peepsNet

peepsNet is pleased (and our lawyers are relieved) to report that we were correct to go out on a limb and disclose, on the word of a single source, that Nicole was changing jobs. Her new gig is copy-editing for a cool-sounding financial reporting outfit that serves a list of private clients. Given her 5+ years at Reuters (another cool-sounding financial reporting outfit that serves a lisst of private clients) I guess this proves the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Nicole is halfway there: has accepted the new job, hasn't given notice. Awkward. Preparing to give notice at the old place has proved to be a bit anxiety provoking. But we are sure it will be accomplished with grace and aplomb. peepsNet had other ideas and offered up a number of below-the-belt parting shots and "yo mamma" jokes. You're welcome, anyway.

Not only is the new job better in every way but one (it, like, starts at a normal part of the business day instead of siesta time) but Nicole had the audacity to ask for more money than they were offering. Our tough-as-nails pal would have made The Donald quiver as she got them to pony up 14% than their original offer. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall ...