It was twenty years ago that Jeff Yuan immigrated to San Francisco from Guang Zhou in the southern part of China near Hong Kong. At that time, he had a great deal of interest in computers but there were some obstacles.

“Before I left, computers were not that popular in China. We had old IBM computers.”

Shortly after Jeff’s arrival in San Francisco, he began a computer training program at Heald College, just as the high tech industry was beginning its boom. This piqued Jeff’s curiosity and intellect and he quickly became proficient in programming, computer repairs and implementing network systems.

Fourteen years ago, Jeff and his silent business partner launched NEWDIGIT Computer Shop on Irving Street. Jeff enjoys his work, the friendliness of the neighborhood and a challenge.

“If I can fix something, I can help people. I keep learning from different computer problems. I like to play with computers and I use my knowledge to serve people.”

This past January, I upgraded from a clunky antiquated desktop to a slim and sleek lap top. But I was scared. Jeff transferred three years of my short stories and gave me the disc. I looked at the disc, amazed that all my stories were there and put the disc aside. I figured, I’d save the transfer process for an idle Saturday afternoon but I was still scared.

Two months later, I inserted the disc and it was blank. I returned to NEWDIGIT with my blank disc. I flailed my arms in panic and hysteria. This was my Memoir. Jeff has the ability to remain exceedingly calm. Jeff placed the disc in several different computers and still the disc was blank.

My heartbeat could be heard and I began to sweat.

“Leave it here and I’ll see what I can do.”

I became more fearful.

An hour later, Jeff knocked on my door and said,

“All your documents are here.”

He handed me another disc. Apparently the disc was extremely sensitive. All the new computers were unable to read the disc. Jeff put the disc into one of his oldest computers. The disc could be read and he burned another copy.

“It was a compatibility issue. The hardware was different.”

He seems to truly enjoy tinkering and exploration.

I was profoundly grateful and exuberant. My decibel could match a lottery winner or at least a Publisher’s Clearing House winner.

Jeff is a quiet and modest man.

“I do my best.”

Other business owners have offered him advice.

“People have said I could charge more than I do. Other computer repair shops charge $150 to clean up a virus. I charge less than $100. I like our neighborhood and want to keep my prices reasonable. I want people to be comfortable and solve their problems.”

I have been comforted.

NEXT WEEK: I’LL INTRODUCE YOU TO ALYSON FROM ARCHANGEL BOOKS.

As a little girl in San Francisco, Jane Anne Sullivan would dance in her living room with her four sisters while listening to the Victrola.

“We always pretended we were on a stage.”

She fondly remembers George Cohan’s movie, YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, while she breaks into spontaneous song on this crisp October afternoon in her garden just off Funston Avenue. We can hear the birds chirping, a few butterflies flitter and a squirrel darts into the next yard.

Jane Anne is the mother of eight children and being the oldest of eight, I know that family dynamic can lend itself to in-house theatre without the curtain. Jane Anne had her first child at twenty-one and her eighth child at forty-eight. She became a mother and a grandmother simultaneously. In fact, her youngest daughter, Rose Magdalene, was an Aunt eight times before she was born. The number eight figures prominently in the Sullivan household.

When Jane Anne’s first four children were small, she and her husband Terry opened up their backyard to all neighborhood children for a production of the song, The Fox. The admission requirement was a penny or a button. Again Jane Anne sings melodiously,

“The fox went out on a windy night-prayed for the moon to give him light.”

It was many years later when Jane Anne was working part-time for Amway and making presentations in people’s homes.

“I went to this house and this mother said to her four year old daughter,

“Do you want to sing for the nice lady?”

“This little girl got onto the fireplace step and sang and sang. I asked her, where she learned to sing like that and she said,’ I’m in the Sunshine Band.’

Jane Anne approached the Monsignor at St. Anne’s with her sunshine idea and on Wednesday afternoon’s was given a room so that her children, grandchildren and neighborhood children could sing, and their Sunshine Band began.

“They were all little, three and four year olds and couldn’t read. So I’d teach the children sing-along songs, Let Me Call you Sweetheart, When You Wore A Tulip, A Big Yellow Tulip and I Wore A Big Red Rose, It’s A Grand Old Flag and the classic Christmas Carols, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, 12 days of Christmas, Silent Night.”

After washing the dinner dishes Jane learned these songs as a child around the piano with her parents and siblings. She was one of seven children.

“You know there was no T.V. in those days and we sang. That’s what I loved about my childhood. It was simple that way. We had more pretend time.”

Pretend time is precisely what Jane Anne wants to give to children today.

Jane Anne explains how her endeavor blossomed.

“In the early days, the Sunshine Band performed at the Christmas show and fashion shows at St. Anne’s church. I was approached from a representative from C.Y.O. (Catholic Youth Organization) asking if I’d like to take my program across the city like Sports programs.”

It was then that Jane Anne and her daughter Noel designed a day camp for kids, to sing, to dance to act. Kid. Stock Inc. was born and has broadened.

Initially, my daughter taught singing, I taught dancing and my daughter’s friend taught drama. We got other people to help with costumes and art.”

Today, they have nine theatre day camps in the Bay area.

“It’s a full program with five adults teaching to every fifty kids and five teenage assistants.”

The summer camp gave way to an in-school and after school programs with a small team. Jane Anne spends much of the year searching for funding and arranges neighborhood garage sales to benefit the nonprofit- Kid Stock, Inc.

How has she seen her program transform a child?

“Often, you see a shy child and when they learn their lines or the words to a song, they become ten feet tall. They glow. I see children new to this country, just learning English. I watch as they become confident.”

Jane Anne likes the neighborhood.

“Our house is on a corner, its quiet, across from a Public School and a few blocks from church.”

Now, that her children are grown, Jane Anne and her husband Terry open their home and host foreign exchange students that come and go throughout the year.

Tell me about motherhood.

“I wasn’t the kind of mother that was dusting. I was on the floor with the kids.”

And a Grandmother to nineteen?

“That’s even more fun.”

Her grandchildren range in age from five to twenty-seven.

Who inspires Jane Anne Sullivan?

“My family. I’m a staunch believer and my husband Terry believes in me. He’s always there for me.”

And I can hear those lyrics from, FOR ME AND MY GAL,

“When you wore a tulip, a big yellow tulip and I wore a big red rose. When you caressed me, ‘twas then Heaven blessed me, what a blessing no one knows.”

NEXT WEEK : MEET COMPUTER GENIUS: JEFF FROM NEW DIGIT COMPUTERS.

It was back in February when Barbara Oleksiw was inspired by Barak Obama’s message and slogan. And she painted her garage door with those very words.

“It was a spontaneous thing and I went and got some red paint.”

I’ve walked by this garage door many times these past nine months, and these three positive words have given birth to something much larger. There were cloudy days and sunny days both on the street and on the streetcar, when those affirmative words reminded me, as they now have shown our country, that, “Yes We Can.”

I tell Barbara on this night before the election, what her sign has meant to me. That people do care. People do take a stand. Change is possible, and now one day later, it is a reality.

There is so much emotion and passion. Barbara reveals some of the neighborhood response to her garage door.

“People have been highly supportive. It’s been a tremendous catalyst for conversation. The man across the street has told me he has seen people propose and get married in front of the sign.”

Barbara and her partner, Paul purchased their home on 6^th and Irving Street just eighteen months ago.

This past summer I saw the sign welcoming neighbors into their yard to convene for the Summer Solstice. I would be out of town that evening and was unable to attend.

“This backyard has been blocked for thirty years by the previous owner. We bought the house and opened up the gates. We’re lucky enough to have a big backyard. It’s our way of bringing life; in essence it’s our way of sharing our backyard. There’s no reason to keep it private. It’s much more fun to make it public.”

Barbara and Paul have done exactly that, but I think rather than a public invitation their neighborhood gatherings are intimate. Barbara tells me about their events.

“We’ve had two Halloween’s, with a haunted house, a Summer Solstice, with dessert and dancing. People brought dessert and we had a simple band. We had a Happy Now Year, (between Christmas and New Year’s,) and a Flea Market with fifteen families. We gave out ice-cream.”

Do they advertise?

“We put a sign on the garage door.”

Paul gives further explanation,

“The N Judah stops in front of the house and every twenty minutes there’s lots of people walking by.”

The first time they brought their neighbors together, Barbara and Paul rented thirty chairs. After a few events Barbara did some searching.

“Now, we have fifty folding chairs that we bought from Craig’s list for $2.00 each.”

These simple gatherings strengthen the bonds of this community. Barbara is a bit more modest.

“In all fairness, the neighborhood exists. This is just a very simple technique to bring people together. What happens after that is up to the people who spark off each other.”

And people have come together. There were thirty volunteers for Halloween. For the various events, neighbors have come to their door with brownies, wine, cookies. One neighbor couldn’t attend one of the gatherings, but she wanted to support Barbara and Paul and dropped off two huge homemade pies. Another neighbor showed up with a piece of carpet as a make shift dance floor for Summer Solstice.

“The backyard has a built in barbecue. We can use it as a barbecue or a staging to put all the desserts. One time another neighbor made the barbecue pretty with fabric, candles and stacked up the desserts. It was charming.”

This is a unique invitation.

They are both a little uncomfortable with this attention. Barbara reminds me,

“It’s not hard to open up your gate.”

And thru their gates, they have welcomed city officials as well as some homeless park dwellers.

“Some smell of cologne and some smell of life.”

I am happy on this day to have neighbors like Barbara and Paul, and to have President Barak Obama as our 44^th President of the United States of America. In quoting our next leader,

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible…”

NEXT WEEK: AS PROMISED A FEW WEEKS AGO, YOU WILL BE INTRODUCED TO JANE ANNE, DIRECTOR KID’S STOCK, INC

.

This week I am not in my neighborhood.

I made a decision to visit my sister and nephew in St. Croix, and three days after I bought my ticket, the tropical storm Omar had upgraded to a Category 3 hurricane and St. Croix took a hit, with torrential rains, howling winds and uncertainity. Phone lines were down, and initially I couldn't contact them and was scared. Many trees and utility poles were destroyed and they were without power and water. My sister described the sound of the storm. 

"It sounded like a hundred people were outside whistling."

I thought I should cancel my trip, as I lived in St. Croix from 1995-1998 and remembered both Hurricane Luis and Marilyn and living without power for a couple of months.  And the mosquitoes.

Fortunately, my friend Ann reminded me the importance of family and I heard her. 

This was exactly the time I was supposed to visit. We could be together and weather the aftermath of Omar.

Although we were without power, another power presented itself; kindness and humanity.

The generator was not functioning, and it looked like we might be in the dark heat of the night.

Butch from Green Cay Marina, brought over his generator, and those two nights we had two fans, a lamp, scrabble and laughter. 

"Yes, we have power!"

Later that afternoon Butch wanted us to have access to the cistern as it had a cement cover. He sawed a square area, and we were now able to  get water to flush the toilet and hose our bodies.

 Yesterday, Norm the Plumber, repaired the water pump and we could now shower.

I am grateful for the people that show up in my life and walk with integrity and that circle continues to expand.

NEXT WEEK: IT'S A MYSTERY AT THIS POINT.

Proud to be a San Francisco native, thirty-five year old Marinus beams with joy and conviction when he looks directly into my eyes,

“There’s a reason Maxim Magazine voted San Francisco the #1 city in the country.”

No argument here.

Marinus began working at Andronico’s sixteen years ago and today he is a Journeymen Checker and enjoys the Public Relations component of the business. My first job, while in High School was in a grocery store, and I, too loved the social aspect of the business. A smile and a warm greeting await you when you encounter Marinus.

“I try to set by example.”

He tells me one of the many qualities that set Andronico’s apart from competitors.

“We’re different than other grocery stores. We want that close knit Mom and Pop feel. We know our customers.”

“I can go anywhere in San Francisco and run into a customer. Customers have been great. I’ve had customers give me tickets to a Giant’s game and even Christmas presents.”

Recently, he ran into a customer in Las Vegas, and she called to him from twenty feet away.

“Hello Andronico’s.”

“I love running into customers. There’s energy and an openness that’s so San Francisco. It’s more than just they’re the customer and I’m the employee.”

Marinus is named after his great grandfather, grandfather and father. The origin is Greek, translated to, “of the sea”. Greek is not one of his ethnicities. He jokes,

“I have so many nationalities; I could never be a racist.”

His roots are Puerto Rican, Spanish, Dutch-Indonesian, German and Irish.

“I get my work ethic from my Mom. She’s always been my inspiration.”

He admits to some rough patches in his childhood, where as an eleven year old, a courtroom served as a backdrop and a juror approached him and said,

“You’re the bravest little boy, I have ever seen.”

He reflects on that time and knows he gained a sense of self and acquired an internal strength. He was a part of justice.

“I’m proud to be where I am in my life right now. I know who I am.”

In 1992, as a graduation gift, his Indonesian grandmother took Marinus to Indonesia.

“It wasn’t until I was in a third world country that I realized how lucky I was. I was an unappreciated, spoiled American child, but after I saw how the people lived, I realized I was blessed to live in America.”

Marinus has many interests: golf, poker, politics and movies. On a break, he’ll often sit with Robert Frank, a customer and fellow movie devotee and discuss various directors as they recite dialogue from movies that have left an indelible mark.

“I hang out with the old guys that sit here in the café. They’re like my surrogate grandfathers. One is a former History professor; another was in the military, one is from New York City. I can only learn from them, and we talk politics.”

He describes himself as a free spirit and shares his home with his thirteen year old cat, Princess, a Tabby and his dog, Bishop, a Sharpie and German Shepherd.

“Bishop is super super smart.”

Marinus is also fascinated with Pirates, pirate movies and memorabilia.

“I’ve always had a thing for pirates. My family may have descended from pirates. I think that explains my obsession.”

He has a display on his wall at home where he showcases authentic pirate swords, a replica of the gun and pictures of ships. In fact, he has a Pirate tattoo from the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, a skull with two swords.

“People that worked on the set shop here and yesterday they took a picture of my tattoo and are going to send it to the director.”

He may or may not be a pirate, but Marinus is most definitely, “savvy.”

NEXT WEEK: MEET JANE ANNE, DIRECTOR KID STOCK INC.

However, last night the employer demanded that the story and picture must not be posted.

It’s unfortunate that some employers find it difficult to let their employee shine.

I am saddened by this but know integrity must prevail.

NEXT WEEK:

LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO MARINUS, JOURNEYMEN CHECKER, ANDRONICO’S

In 1994, Ghassan left his homeland of Syria and came to the Bay Area. At home he had studied Engineering and was equipped with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. At that time, he didn’t feel that his English was proficient to work in the Psychology field. On this day,I think his English is excellent. He tells me that there are psychological terms and nuances that can be lost in the translation and he didn’t feel comfortable.

For several years Ghassan worked as a Salesman for a bakery and distributed cakes and cookies in the South Bay, but he longed for independence and a sense of connectedness.

In 2002, Ghassan and his wife bought Eddy’s Market.

I interviewed Ghassan on a warm September morning. I say his name incorrectly.

“It’s O.K. Just call me Jason.”

He tells me that many of his customers call him Jason.

“It’s easier for them to remember.”

I want to be able to say his name and I want know what it’s like to own a convenience store. He places his palm on the right side of the register.

“This is not everything. It’s not too much money, but you can’t have everything. I can educate my kids.”

I asked about the challenges and joys of a storekeeper.

“It’s long hours but very social. I have customers all day. It’s like the United Nations. Some days I have customers from thirty or forty different countries. Where else are you going to find that? This is why I love San Francisco.”

A television in the corner and the satellite dish broadcasts the Syrian news station. Customers wander in between questions. One man purchases hangers, another 2 cans of Sapporo, another in need of AAA batteries and a ponytailed girl in her twenties wheels her laundry cart looking for Tide.

I remind Ghassan,

“Do you remember the time my sister needed the wheel to her cart fixed?”

I don’t think he does, but he smiles.

“You wouldn’t take money and you fixed the wheel and tightened the bolts.”

He gazes at me with sincerity.

“In my Country you help people, especially older people and women, and always pregnant women. That’s what makes me feel like a human being.”

Syria is a traditional society and a great deal of importance is placed on family, education and respect.

Last Summer Ghassan, his wife, daughter and son visited Syria. Syria is an Arab country in southwest Asia bordered by Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey and the Mediterranean Sea.

I asked what it was like to go home again.

“It’s a police country but I think it’s moving forward.”

Ghassan is an avid reader and enjoys Philosophy, History, the Sciences and Politics.

I want to learn to say thank-you in Arabic.

He coaches me.

“Shukran”

I think my pronunciation falters but I try again.

“Ghassan, Shukran.”

He smiles and waves and his next customer buys some candles.

There is illumination. ]]>CAFE GRATITUDEhttp://www.inmyhoodsf.com/in-my-hood-sf/2008/9/24/reverend-joey.htmlGrace Cunnane2008-09-24T21:22:04Z2008-09-24T21:22:04Z

As a little girl in Maryland, Joe Ellen as she was called then knew she had special gifts.

“When I was knee high to my mother and could barely speak I would try to show her the beautiful lights I saw. The lights were overwhelming and radiant. They would come together in a group and I could see them slowly pulse.”

She reflects,

“The lights would visit me at night and sometimes in the day. I tried to show them to my younger brother and that’s when I got it. He couldn’t see them.”

Joe Ellen felt a Christ light in her heart and explored many religions and spiritual paths. She attended the Presbyterian Church with her neighbor, Mrs. Pennington, Christian Science with her “Grandmommy”, the Mormon Church on her own and for a short time was agnostic.

The lights would visit her frequently along with prophetic dreams, premonitions, visions and déjà vu.

“Even as a little girl, adults would come to me crying and I’d help them with their troubles.”

As a teenager, and devoted “dead head” she hitchhiked solo across the country many times and knew that one day she would make San Francisco her home.

While in college, her neighbor, Mrs. Pennington took Joey to a weeklong conference, “Spiritual Frontiers”.

“It was at that conference that I learned to read the Tarot cards, and realized that I was a witch.”

Joey continued her studies: Philosophy, Hypnotherapy, Master’s Degrees in Clinical Psychology and Religion, and in 2002, Joey became a minister with Universal Life Church and today she is simply called, Reverend Joey. Her motto: “No problem too big, too small or too weird.”

Her magical powers can cast a spell to insure a positive response. Love, money and health are the three most requested spells. When my memoir is complete, she tells me that she can place a “glamour” on each page before I send it to my agent so that my words will be welcomed.

“I go into a trance and channel energy and the spirit guides.”

She wipes some dust from her eyes.

“I just got back from Burning Man.”

This year was her eighth Burning Man.

“I adore Burning Man. The people are wonderful, the music is fabulous, there’s dancing and the art is mind boggling. People are generous and kind and give gifts. The necklace she is wearing was a gift. A man approached her after a lecture Rev. Joey had given. He bought it in Bali and knew he was going to give it to the right person at Burning Man.

“I’m honored.”

She warns that Burning Man is not for the faint of heart.

“It’s severe camping.”

Every Tuesday Reverend Joey reads Tarot cards at Café Gratitude. You can wander in and pick one card for free.

Of her clientele in this neighborhood, she says,

“They’re educated, socially conscious, and personally responsible.”

Reverend Joey lives with her husband and two cats, Florence and Buddha.

“Buddha has attained a permanent state of serenity. He’s my teacher.”

I have to ask, any visions or premonitions on the election?

“Obama is our best hope. He has compassion.”

And then Reverend Joey had me choose one tarot card- Wheel of fortune.

I leave Café Gratitude and Reverend Joey knowing I’m blessed.

NEXT WEEK: MEET GHASSAN, OWNER EDDY’S MARKET.

The day after Labor Day I interviewed Sam Ching, owner and Pharmacist from Rexall Drugs. The city had begun its early morning bustle. The N Judah opened her doors for laborers, physicians, students, professionals with briefcases and iPods and mothers with infants and collapsible strollers.

Sam agreed to meet me thirty minutes before the pharmacy opened. We sat in the dark on two chairs at the back of the pharmacy. He turned on Hawaiian music from his native Honolulu. Israel Kamakawiwo’ole has a booming voice with the power of Pavarotti. Aloha Ku’u Pua he belted in his native tongue. Sounded like a love song to me.

Sam is a fifth generation Hawaiian. "I can honestly say I was born in Paradise." His grandfather was a rice farmer and exported rice to the United States the Chinese immigrants working on the railroads all over America.

Sam’s father was a businessman in the potato chip business. I asked Sam how he chose a career as a pharmacist.

“My father told me to be a pharmacist. In those days you did what your parents expected.”

He attended University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and received his degree in Pharmacy.

In 1955, Sam was in the Navy and stationed in San Francisco. After his tour of duty, he then worked for Walgreen’s before opening one of many of his Pharmacies.

“When I started out there were 250 independent pharmacies in San Francisco, today there are 20. Half of those are in Chinatown and the others are scattered.”

Over the next forty years Sam Ching owned Rexall pharmacies in the Mission, O’Farrell Street, and Keck’s Brommel on Post Street. It was here that Sam customized medications for his clients using alternative methods for healing and pain management and became a knowledgeable and distinguished Compounding Pharmacist. If one of his clients needs a unique formulation of a medication, or a dosage that is not commercially available, Sam “custom makes” a medication. For twenty years he has been compounding and his most successful has been hormone replacement therapy (HRT) He can make tablets or creams using natural hormones to alleviate menopausal symptoms.

Another one of Sam’s clients was in a great deal of back pain and was continually taking 800 mg of Motrin.

“It’s bad for the liver and the stomach. I made him a gel with 100 mg, that he can place directly on his pain several times a day and the body will absorb. It is topical rather than oral.”

Sam carries a variety homeopathic remedies which he recommends particularly for colds. He showed me the shelf with cold remedies and explained that they all have the same ingredient: Benadryl.

“70% of people in Europe rely on homeopathic remedies.”

Sam has been an early proponent of alternative medicine.

“Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but you have to try it.”

We talked a little about the health care in our country.

“It’s terrible. As incompetent as the Federal Government can be, I’d rather they ran the health care system than the insurance companies. Do you know that last year, the United Health Care Chairman made $400 million dollars? Nobody’s worth that.”

We talked a little about the upcoming election.

“I don’t care what the side effects. We can’t have another Republican administration. We spend 10 million a day in Iraq. It’s stupid. That’s why our dollar is worth nothing.”

In 2003, Sam bought Reliable Drugs, another Rexall Pharmacy.

“It’s different than all my other stores. All the other stores did not have the personal relationships. Here it’s nothing but personal relationships.”

Israel sings another Hawaiian song, Kaleohano. It sounds like a spiritual. I learn Kaleohano means, “the voice of respect.”

Aloha.

NEXT WEEK: MEET REV. JOEY TALLEY, TAROT CARD READER, GRATITUDE CAFE