Message 731

Yesterday I finished reading The Economist and did some work on my condo. It was a hot day, so I really had to work up a sweat putting up the other two outside blinds on my balcony doors. Fortunately, Jason had helped me with the ten-foot one, which was the hardest, but I still had to struggle to put up the eight-foot and five-foot ones. They are all done now, but they are pretty cheap and a little flimsy, so I wonder if they will last more than a couple of years. As long as China keeps making them and Home Depot keeps selling them though, replacing them should be easier than it was this time.

In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie An Education. I first saw it in the theater about a year ago, and gave it five stars. The first time I saw it I was surprised a few days later to read in Roger Cohen's column in the NY Times that the villain was Jewish. I had been focusing so much on the young girl that I did not pay attention to the fact that the older man was a Jew. However, when I watched it last night I was struck by how much was made of this fact, and since it is based on a true story, it is not just a device by the filmmakers. It is an very good movie and well worth the five-star rating.

Message 730

I met Helen and Jim at Starbucks yesterday. I read some of The Economist in the afternoon. Warm weather has finally returned, so in the early evening I went in the spa and even in the big pool for the first time in a long while. In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie Juno for the second time. The first time I saw it, a couple of years ago, I rated it five stars, and I am even more impressed by it the second time. I especially appreciate how well written it is and how good the acting is. Also, the music is by groups that were unknown to me, but is very good. I had never even heard of The Moldy Peaches.

Message 729

Orlindo's cleaning crew came in yesterday noon and I went out to lunch and bought some new outdoor blinds for my balcony windows while they were working. The crew always do a good job cleaning, but I have to put things away before they come and put them back out after they finish. Also, they accidentally disconnected the TV and Internet cable in my bedroom, which was a pain to figure out and fix. Jason actually fixed it for me as well as helped me put up the new 10-foot wide blind for the living-room balcony door. Jason, Susan, and Ellie were buying stuff at IKEA and joined me for dinner at El Cerrito. Jason will be spending his weekend installing IKEA stuff in his new bedroom closet. I started reading The Economist and the went to bed at midnight without watching Charlie Rose. I will watch him at noon Monday.

Message 728

Vanessa, Maureen, and I had breakfast at Heidi's Pies with Reggie and Henry yesterday morning. Afterward I worked some more on my memoirs. In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie August Rush. I liked it so much when I saw it before that I bought a copy from Amazon. Previously when I watched it, I gave it only four stars, but after watching it a second time, I am upgrading it to five stars. I love movies that are based on music, and in spite of a preposterous plot and tear jerking romanticism, this one is good enough for multiple viewings.

Message 727

I worked some more on my memoirs yesterday. Vanessa called and told me her usual arrangement for Beech to go home with a classmate on Wednesday had fallen through, so I picked him up at school at noon. It was pajama day at his school, so he did not want to go to McDonalds in his pajamas, so we just went home and he had some snacks there. We then watched TV until Vanessa and Annie came home. In the evening I watched PBS and read some more of Sleeping Where I Fall. Charlie Rose had another episode of his brain series, which as usual was quite good.

Message 726

I picked Beech up at school at noon and went to McDonalds as is our usual Tuesday routine. After lunch he concentrated on doing his homework with me and did some very good work. He is making great progress. He did about four pages and saved the math page because he said his dad wanted to be the one who worked with him on math. I went out to dinner with Larry and Judi, and in the evening I watched PBS, including Nova about a mega-volcano eruption and Frontline about Flying Cheap. I think I will make a point of never again flying on a small regional airline. Charlie Rose was then good as usual.

Message 725

I took Annie to Nealon Park yesterday afternoon while Vanessa had a doctor's appointment. In the evening Joshua came over and watched the 2-hour series finale of 24 with me. I figured Jack would have to die at the end, but he managed to survive and to limp off to go into hiding to escape prosecution for all the bad things he had done. Afterward I read Science and watched Charlie Rose.

Message 724

Joshua came over at noon yesterday and brought food which was lunch for me and breakfast for him. We watched the Sharks blow a 2-0 lead and lose to Chicago in the third period 0-4. The last goal was an empty netter, so it was another close game that could have gone either. Even though Chicago swept the series, the Sharks played very well, but Chicago played better. After the game I went to San Mateo for the usual Sunday family dinner. Julian made spaghetti, which was excellent as always, but I have learned not to stuff myself, or else I have trouble sleeping, so I held back. In the evening I watched another episode of Miss Marple on PBS. I turned in early, at midnight, because there is no Charlie Rose on Sunday, so I had eight hours of sleep for a change before I got up at 8 AM.

Message 723

I had coffee with Helen and Jim at Starbucks yesterday morning. In the afternoon I read about half of The Economist, and in the evening I hosted a dinner for thirteen at Ten Fu. I was amazed that everyone ordered a different dish and shared but we were able to eat it all so nothing was left over. When I got home I watched the movie Crazy Heart with Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal. I always like movies that are based on music, and I thought this one was very well done. I give it four stars.

Message 722

Yesterday I worked some more on my memoirs. At 5 PM Josh came over and watched the Sharks game with me. They lost to Chicago 2-3 in overtime this time, but it was another downer for us. They are playing very well, but Chicago is playing a little better, and they are getting more breaks. The next game is at noon on Sunday, and if the Sharks lose that one too, I will start having a lot more time to do other things like watch DVDs.

After the game, I watched a DVD of the movie Hanna Takes the Stairs. It is an independent film written by the actors and is mostly a boring improvisation. I watched it mostly to check out Greta Gerwig, who has been getting so much coverage in the NY Times for the last month or so. If it weren't for the nude scenes, I would give it a one, but instead I give it a two, not really worth watching.

Message 721

I had breakfast yesterday at Heidi's Pies with Reggie and Henry. Henry is back from tending to family business near Washington, D.C., and he will be here for three weeks before he has to go back again. Vanessa could not join us because she had to go to a doctor for x-rays and medication. Because it took so long for her to have so many tests, I picked Beech up at school at noon and then Annie at her day care and took them to McDonalds. We went to one with a playground, which Annie enjoyed immensely, but Beech feels like he has outgrown. He was very good about helping Annie learn how to climb and slide and run and jump and such though. Afterward we stopped at Yumy Yogurt and they each had a shaved ice with Cherry, Grape, and Strawberry syrup. Beech finished every bit of his, but Annie managed to finish only about a third of hers. By the time we got home, she was ready for her nap. In the evening I watched Disk 3 of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, along with all of the special features. This is the end of the series. I confess that I was very ignorant about Zimbabwe before watching it. I enjoyed it very much. If it were a movie I would give it five stars.

Message 720

Yesterday I stayed home all day and worked on my memoirs. In the evening I watched three documentaries about warfare on PBS. Before Charlie Rose I read some more of Sleeping Where I Fall. I am half way through it now.

Message 719

Yesterday I picked Beech up at school and took him to McDonalds for lunch. Afterward we worked on his homework for a while and played some Wii games. We also talked about The Karate Kid which I gave him on Sunday. I gave him the three-DVD set because he is spending so much time and effort on his Kung Fu classes. In the evening Joshua came over and watched the Sharks game with me. They lost 2-4. If they do not start getting some breaks, or if Chicago does not stop playing over their heads, we may not make it to the Stanley Cup finals. I am heartened though by the fact that Philadelphia trailed Boston 0-3 games and were behind by three goals in the fourth game before they came back and won the series. Friday afternoon's game will be in Chicago, so it will not be long before we see how it is going to go from here.

Message 718

I went to PAMF in the morning yesterday to have blood drawn for an annual PSA test and to refill my prescription for my antibiotic for injecting. During the day I read the new Science, and in the evening Joshua came over to watch 24 with me. Next Monday will be the two-hour series finale. After Joshua left I read some more of Sleeping Where I Fall, and then watched Charlie Rose.

Message 717

Yesterday in the early afternoon I watched the Sharks lose 1-2 to Chicago in the first game of the Western Conference championship series. It was a very fast and rough game, and it could have gone either way, but Chicago came out on top. Joshua and Jason were at the game, and I am sure they were as disappointed as I was. The next game is Tuesday night. In the late afternoon Julian brought my Sienna back after Vanessa's trip to the mountains, and took me with him and the kids to Una Mas for dinner. In the evening I watched the last episode of Foyle's war on PBS. I also finished reading The Economist.

Message 716

Yesterday morning Julian came down and traded cars with me so Vanessa could drive the Sienna to the mountains with a bunch of her friends from the mothers group. One of the members has to move with her family to Texas because her husband was transferred to Dallas. After that I met Helen and Jim and Joan at Starbucks. Dave is still too sick to get out of bed, but Joan says he is somewhat better now that he is on a new medication. During the day I read some of The Economist and in the evening I watched a DVD called Alone in the Wilderness. It is a documentary about a guy who builds a cabin by a lake in Alaska and filmed himself doing the work with a camera on a tripod. He lived there by himself for thirty years until he was eighty years old and moved back to the lower forty-eight. This documentary was recommended by Joshua's friend Jim at Genencor when he heard I had built my house in Alaska. My house was much bigger than the one in the documentary, but I had a lot of help and used more store-bought materials. If it was a movie I would give it three stars.

Message 715

Yesterday I went to dinner and a movie with the Morrills and the Ariagnos. The movie was titled (in English translation) The Secret in Their Eyes. It is the first movie I ever saw that was made in Argentina. It is a complex film with a lot of flashbacks and alternative versions of the same scenes. It is a thriller, comedy, love story, political allegory, and psychological mish-mash that deals with fantasy and reality and the line between them. It is a worthy try, but for me it was more trouble than it was worth to try to read the subtitles and follow the story at the same time. It is well made and the actors were good although completely unknown to me. I am surprised that it won this the Academy Award this year as the best foreign film. I would give it three stars.

Message 714

Yesterday I had breakfast at Heidi's Pies with Vanessa and Reggie. For the rest of the day, in addition to watching news I watched Disk 2 of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. I also read more of Sleeping Where I Fall and watched Charlie Rose.

Message 713

Yesterday I worked some more on my memoirs. In the evening I watched Disk 1 with Episodes 1 and 2 of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. Liz recommended it to me and I found it delightful. It is made in Botswana and the cast is all native Africans except for the lead (Jill Scott) who is an American jazz singer. The scenery is beautiful and the picture of native life is charming. Everything is done in a light hearted and humorous way, so I enjoyed it thoroughly. Afterward I read some more of Sleeping Where I Fall, and then watched Charlie Rose.

Message 712

Yesterday I picked Beech up from school at noon and took him to McDonalds. We did a couple of pages of homework and then played Wii games until Vanessa and Annie came home. In the evening I watched Nova and Frontline and A show about Neolithic burial sites in Ireland. I also read some more of Sleeping where I fall before watching Charlie Rose and turning in.

Message 711

Yesterday morning I took my car to get a smog test and then took my dead computer monitor to the recycling center. Afterward I finished reading Science and worked some more on my memoirs. In the evening Joshua came over and watched 24 with me. Also I started reading the other book that Susan gave me. It is Sleeping Where I Fall by Peter Coyote. So far it is quite good.

Message 710

I forgot to mention in yesterday's message that at noon (on Saturday) I went to an art show at Ariagno's house. Ron and Marci were hosting it for a friend of their daughter. The artist's name is Flo de Bretagne, and she moved to Palo Alto four years ago from Paris. Any of you who are interested in art might like to visit her website http://florencedebretagne.free.fr/, The usual Sunday family dinner in San Mateo was cancelled yesterday because Annie was sick. I spent most of the day working on my memoirs, but in the evening I watched the whole lineup of PBS shows culminating with another episode of Foyle's War. After that was over I started reading the new issue of Science.

Message 709

Yesterday I read all of The Economist. It is the first time I have finished it one day after receiving it in the mail. In the evening I watched the Sharks game. Jason and Joshua went to the game. Detroit scored the first goal, but the Sharks came back and won the game 2-1. It was a very hard fought game. Joe Pavelski had a tooth knocked out. Thornton scored the first Shark goal and he passed to Marleau to score the winning goal, so it was a game in which the main stars delivered the win. The Sharks have now won the series 4-1 and will move on to the Western Conference finals, but it is not yet known whether they will face Chicago or Vancouver, or when the series will start.

Message 708

Yesterday I finished reading the book that Vanessa gave me titled The Explosive Child by Ross W. Greene. It was very interesting and useful in helping Beech. In the evening after the Friday PBS shows were over I watched Disk 4 of Dollhouse. It turned out there was only one episode on it along with a lot of commentary that I also watched. Fox cancelled the show after the thirteenth episode, so it ended in a strange and puzzling way, and I felt it was never allowed to reach its full potential. The series dealt with the human struggle with the question of identity in a typical Joss Whedon science-fiction way, and it had a lot of the cast and crew from Buffy, Angel, and Firefly, but it never had the chance to reach the level of these previous productions. However, if it were a movie, I would still give it four stars.

Helen's dad is recovering from surgery, so she and Jim are with him this morning, thus I am skipping Starbucks this week.

Message 707

Yesterday I had breakfast at Heidi's Pies with Vanessa and Reggie. At noon Joshua picked me up to have lunch at the Dutch Goose with him and three of his friends at work who were celebrating the raises they had all just gotten. In the afternoon Annie came to visit me for an hour or so while Vanessa had a doctor appointment. After the PBS news shows were over at 4:30 PM I watched the Sharks game against Detroit. Detroit jumped ahead to a five goal lead in the first period, so Joshua called and said he would not bother joining me because the game had become so bad. The Sharks eventually lost 1-7, so they will have to play another game on their home ice tomorrow. By the way, it was the first time I realized that the Detroit emblem on their shirts is a winged wheel, which of course is appropriate for a city that used to be mainly about building automobiles.

After the game I watched disk three of Dollhouse. It is interesting to see how the show is evolving. I wonder where it will end up after the last two disks.

Message 706

Yesterday I walked up to the plaza and bought some things at CVS. In the afternoon Beech came over and visited with me for a while. In the evening I watched Disk 2 of Dollhouse. I have seen eight episodes now along with commentary on two episodes, which were originally two versions of the pilot.

Message 705

Yesterday I picked Beech up at school and took him to Burlingame for a haircut and then to McDonalds for lunch. I also read over half of a book Vanessa gave me titled The Explosive Child, which has some helpful tip about how to help us help Beech avoid his meltdowns.

In the afternoon Joshua came over and watched the Sharks play the Redwings in Detroit. The Redwings went ahead 2-0 in the first period, but 1.8 seconds before the period ended, Setogucci scored for the Sharks. In the second period the Redwings scored again to make it 3-1. In the third period Thornton and Coutour (a rookie recently brought up from the farm team) scored and sent the game into overtime. In overtime Thornton passed to Marleau on a two-on-one breakaway and won the game, so the Sharks are now ahead three games to zero in the series. All of us fans are now thinking maybe the Sharks are finally starting to be the team we all thought they could be.

Message 704

Yesterday Maureen and I had breakfast at Heidi's Pies (the first time I was ever there on a Monday) and then went to Annie's nursery school (which was once Beech's nursery school too) for grandparents day. I read the kids a book from their library called Me First about a pig who always wanted to be at the front of the line. When I came home I read this week's Science. In the evening Joshua came over and watched 24 with me. There are now only 4 more hours left in the series.

Message 702

Yesterday I read a good bit of The Economist and in the late afternoon I went to Los Gatos with Julian, Vanessa, and the kids and met Jason and Susan and their family at Live Oak Kitchen for dinner. Amanda and Iris were there too, so we had a table for thirteen set up in a separate room. It was great fun, and everyone had a good time and a good meal. After dinner we went next door to Sweet Retreat for ice cream, as is our usual habit. When I got home I watched a DVD of Dollhouse, Season 1, Disk 1. Dollhouse is Joss Whedon's new TV show about young people who are brain washed and then reprogrammed by a special machine to go on missions to do good. The main character is the bad-girl-slayer from Buffy, Eliza Dushku.

Message 701

I just got back from seeing Helen and Jim at Starbucks. Yesterday I finished reading the book Strange Things Happen, A Life With The Police, Polo, and Pygmies by Stewart Copeland. The book was given to me by Susan. I had not intended to read it so fast, but once I started I could not put it down. I mostly was familiar with The Police because Jason was so fond of them when he was a kid, but I found the story and the writing style very interesting.