Restoring Balance… Squid struggles with channeling positive vibes through the relentless chatter of Squid’s mind. Squid is not alone, as some sensitive humans mistake a compliment for a criticism. Case in point: a recent Marina City Council meeting where hippie-voiced Public Works Commissioner Jan Shriner said the council was working well together – minus Dave McCall and a few other usual suspects. Immediately after the meeting, former councilman Gary Wilmot e-mailed Mayor Bruce Delgado, who defeated Wilmot in November. “The only negative word heard in the meeting was Jan’s comment about someone being missing,” Wilmot wrote. “If she wants to be a private person to spew her negative vibes, she should resign.” Delgado, trying to mediate between his ex-girlfriend and his Republican rival, said he regretted Shriner’s comment and that they should encourage positive input. But Delgado also pointed out the hypocrisy in Wilmot’s go-to-tell-the-mayor message. “Your allowance of negative personal criticism in the Gazette [the Marina paper Wilmot publishes] I think is unfortunate but no worse than any newspaper I have read. Spoken comments at city council meetings, like emails from council members or former mayors or current mayors, that directly criticize others in any public forum spew negative vibes and this is part of democracy.” Squid thinks Wilmot is still adapting to Marina’s political universe after Delgado and ally Frank O’Connell won seats to the council.

Paris, London, PG… .Squid was “working” with the TV on the other day when Squid noticed something familiar, but creepy about the new AT&T Wireless ad. You’ve seen the one, with the sweet college girl sadly saying goodbye to a scraggy slacker at some train depot in France while an emo rocker wafts on about falling in love. Next shot shows our lovelorn heroine getting out of a cab back home in Americana – on a quiet street of tidy Victorians and well-appointed gardens. Then a photo text appears on her fancy phone, with the words “Hi from Paris” and a picture of Summer Lover standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. Next: Sweet Tart is in front of Big Ben texting “Hi from London.” Then the hometown hottie is seen pining away on a seaside bench under a cypress tree with a glowing red sky lighting up the waves as they crash on the rocks while she peers expectantly at her trusty phone. Jesus H. Cephalopod, Squid just about swallowed both the olives and the toothpick – that’s Squid’s fishing grounds. The rocks off PG’s rec trail are one of Squid’s favorite spots to harvest the sea. Here they were, splendidly, rapturously captured with the words “Hi from… ” to sell good phone service.