Today was a day that made me want to stay in San Francisco forever. Sit right down on the ground in Golden Gate park and never get up. Put my mouth to the ground and breathe in the essence of this city so that I would never forget the way it smells, tastes, feels. The way the people here can be magical most of the time. The way the air does something to my chest that makes it feel hollowed out and clean. The way it makes me feel part of a larger whole. At communion with something greater than myself. The consciousness in the air can be amazing. Trickles down through the top of my head and gets in my blood like a virus. I become infectious with this feeling. I want to preserve it for the sake of retrospect so that I will never forget the things about this city that I have fallen in love with. I want to remember all of the times that she seduced me and all of the times I surrendered.

Today was the �We The Planet� festival in Golden Gate Park. The event was put on by one of my heroes (for lack of a better word), Julia Butterfly Hill. Julia, the activist who sat up in the giant Redwood, Luna for two years to save it�s life and raise awareness about our slaughtering of those beautifully ancient redwoods. Julia, who devotes her entire life to protecting the earth and teaching people sustainability, peace and action. Julia, who risked her life for two years to save life. Suffered the constant drones of loggers chain saws and the shrieking of the trees as they crashed. The still, stark silence after they hit the ground. She put this event together to raise awareness of environmental and human rights issues.

The festival was amazingly planned out and featured the music of De La Soul, Alanis Morissette, Bonnie Raitt, Joan Baez, Tracy Chapman, Cake and others. All of the food was vegan and organic, and all of the equipment involved was either solar powered or run on biodiesel. Within the confines of Speedway meadow was a prototype of how our world could be if everyone's consciousness were raised to a level of understanding and concern. We got VIP seats for the event which put us a little bit closer to the stage in a fenced in area.

The highlight of the day for me was the fact that I got to meet two of my favorite people and have my photo taken with them. I was very surprised when Julia came down off of the stage and came into the VIP area. I didn�t want to miss an opportunity to thank her for all of her work so I introduced myself, we chatted briefly and took a photo together. I can�t describe how great it was to hug her and thank her and take home a memory of it. A few minutes after I met Julia, another one of my favorite people, Wavy Gravy walked in! ! He was there in the VIP area to watch the concert. At first I didn�t believe it was him, but Popsicle said, �Of course that�s Wavy Gravy!� at which point I visually stalked him until he came over to my area and I spoke briefly with him and we took a photo together. I would have loved to talk to him more but it was difficult, because either his hearing is a little shot or the music was too loud. Wavy Gravy! The original hippie. The original Woodstock voice. The only clown/activist/hippie/enlightened person who was also an ice cream flavor. This picture is going on my wall. What are the odds of posing for photos with two of your favorite people in one day? Shit like this happens to me all the time. If you read my last entry, you understand.

A few minutes after I met Wavy Gravy, Joan Baez came bounding into the VIP section. This is the second time in three months we have been at the same party as Joan. A few months ago we were at a show and this lady came up to us and asked us where the bathroom was. We gave her directions and the Popsicle said, �Holy Shit. That was Joan Baez.� Funny. Anyway, she was dancing all over the place having a great time and fixing the flowers on the tables. She is such a cool lady. A living legend that doesn�t act like one, which is very rare indeed. Bonnie Raitt came on and starting singing �For What It�s Worth.�

The notes rang out:

A beautiful man with a peace flag kissed his girlfriend. A little girl moved her hips from side to side. The sun went down a few inches. A group of girls held hands and swayed back and forth. A Vietnam Vet wheeled his way closer to the stage. Wavy Gravy went over to Joan and they talked. They put their arms around each other and smiled.

Someone yelled out against the war. A Buddhist monk walked by. A group of people sang along. I sucked back the tears that were ready to come bursting out of my eyes, put my sunglasses on. Smiled instead. Looked down at the ground because it was all so overwhelming. We could have been in the 60�s. I took a beautiful photo of Joan and Wavy together and I imagined that this song sent them back to when they fought the good fight the first time. How wonderful that we still have people like them with us. How honored I am to have been a part of this amazing day.

On the way home I fairy-taled San Francisco.

�I don�t want to leave. It�s magical here�

�I am going to be so sad to leave here. Days like this don�t happen in New York.�

�San Francisco is so amazing.�

�I love today.�

Today broke my heart in so many wonderful ways. It broke my heart in a way that I cannot write about in prose or poetry or carefully crafted sentences. It broke my heart in the way that I want to smile until my face hurts or cry until the sweetness lifts. I can only describe it in simple words, because I am at a loss right now when it comes to manifesting anything more than undiluted emotion.

I will miss this city so much.