Message 877

I was sorry to see the Giants lose yesterday, but I guess it is not realistic for them to win then all. I hope it goes better today. I am watching the 49ers play Denver in London as I write this. The 49ers lead 3-0 in the second quarter. Last night Mimi and I watched Rain Man on PBS. I had seen it when it was in the theater years ago. I know a lot more about autism now, and I think Dustin Hoffman did a good job of acting, but I did not think it was a movie that was much fun to watch. I give it three stars.

Message 874

Helen and Jim could not make it for coffee this morning, so Mimi and I did our weekly Safeway shopping and then had breakfast at El Cerrito. After the Friday PBS shows, we watched a DVD of the French movie The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. It came out in 1964, but I had never seen it. I did not realize that it was an opera. The colors in the sets were very vivid, everyone in the cast was beautiful, and the story was very good. I give it five stars.

Message 874

I just got back from attending the Halloween Party at Beech's school. Vanessa and Beech made me a costume so I could be Dumbledore. A lot of the kids thought I was a real wizard. Yesterday I worked some more on my memoirs, and read the new Science, which came on Thursday this week instead of Friday or Saturday as usual. In the late afternoon I watched the Giants shut out the Texas Rangers to take a 2-0 lead in the World Series. In the evening Mimi and I watched a DVD of the French movie Indochine. The scenery and Catherine Deneuve were beautiful, and it was an epic representation of the French experience in Vietnam, but it was a sad and tragic story, in accordance with the reality. I give it 3.4 stars.

Message 874

I just got back from attending the Halloween Party at Beech's school. Vanessa and Beech made me a costume so I could be Dumbledore. A lot of the kids thought I was a real wizard. Yesterday I worked some more on my memoirs, and read the new Science, which came on Thursday this week instead of Friday or Saturday as usual. In the late afternoon I watched the Giants shut out the Texas Rangers to take a 2-0 lead in the World Series. In the evening Mimi and I watched a DVD of the French movie Indochine. The scenery and Catherine Deneuve were beautiful, and it was an epic representation of the French experience in Vietnam, but it was a sad and tragic story, in accordance with the reality. I give it 3.4 stars.

Message 873

Yesterday I did some more work on my memoirs. Vanessa called and told me that Annie now has an imaginary playmate named Alex, and she wondered if this was normal. I told her it was completely normal, that she was just practicing to be an adult. I told her that I had an imaginary playmate when I was young named Charles Barr. I do not remember it, but my mother told me about him. Vanessa wondered where the name came from. Maybe it is significant that her father's best friends is named Alex, or that she has a cousin named Alex. I have no idea where the name Charles Barr came from either, so it is not really important.

I watched the Giants beat Texas in the first game of the world series, and was delighted with how it turned out. II finished reading this week's Science too. In the evening Mimi and I watched a DVD of the Argentine movie The Secret in Their Eyes. I had seen it before in the theater. At the time I gave it only three stars, but on second viewing I think it deserves more like 3.8 stars. It is a complex story about writing and it is confusing at first what is real and what is imaginary.

Message 872

Yesterday I did some more work on my Memoirs. Mimi and I went to Sizzler for dinner. In the evening we watched the PBS Nova show about the rescue of the miners in Chile. After that we watched A DVD of the movie My One and Only, which was the title of the most successful song written by George Hamilton's father, who was a band leader. In fact the whole movie is the story of George Hamilton's teen years. His mother was played by Renee Zellwager, and she is always good. I have always been rather contemptuous of George Hamilton, but I did not know much about him. The movie is much better than I expected. I give it 3 stars.

Last night Charlie Rose interviewed Noomi Rapace, the Swedish actress who played the girl with the dragon tattoo in all three movies. I think now I will order the three Stieg Larsson books for my Kindle. I saw the original movie in the theater, and I liked it, but I have not yet seen the other two.

Message 871

Yesterday I got some more done on my memoirs. In the evening Mimi and I watched a DVD of the French movie Coco Before Chanel. It was very well done and was espeially interesting because it was a true story. I give it four stars.

Message 870

Yesterday I watched NFL games. Again the 49ers blew a game they should have won against Carolina, but the Raiders completely demolished Denver. I went to San Mateo for the Sunday family dinner with Julian and Vanessa and the kids. Julian made chili and cornbread. In the evening I watched a Nature show on PBS about crows and the new Sherlock Holms on Masterpiece Mystery. I also finished reading The Economist.

Message 869

I met Helen and Jim and Joan at Starbucks yesterday. Dave was too sick to come. Mimi was in San Jose dealing again with her mom. I read most if The Economist. In the late afternoon I watched the Giants win the NLCS. It was a close game. The Giants won 3-2, but Philadelphia had the bases loaded with two outs and a full count in the bottom of the ninth when they won with a called strike. After the game Larry and Judi called and asked if I would like to go to the late movie with them. We saw Inside Job. It was about the financial collapse which I was already pretty familiar with, but it was nice to see it laid out and summarized. I give it five stars. Mimi was is San Jose watching a Vietnamese movie with her friend.

Message 868

Yesterday Mimi and I went to dinner and a movie with the Morrills and the Ariagnos. I had the Osobucco, which was excellent. We ate at a place a few doors away from the theater and saw the movie Hereafter. It was not up to Matt Daemon and Clint Eastwood's usual standard. I give it 2 stars.

Message 867

I forgot to mention in yesterday's message that I went to PAMF on Wednesday and met with my dermatologist. She froze a few spots and said we can now switch to yearly appointments instead of every six months. I also repeated my blood test because my doctor was concerned that I am slightly anemic. I am sure it is not important though, because my blood tests have been coming out that way for years. I also picked up a new supply of antibiotic saline solutions while I was there.

Yesterday I made progress on my memoirs, and I watched the Giants lose to Philadelphia in the late afternoon. It was a good game, but the breaks went the wrong way. Now on Saturday we have to win on their home field. In the evening Mimi and I watched a DVD of the movie Adam. It was a low-budget, independent file with a cast that was quite good but totally unknown to me. It was a boy-meets-girl story but with the twist that the boy (actually a 29-year-old man) has Asperger's Syndrome. Because people in our family have some of these same types of behavior, I was very interested in it. I recommend that you all might like to see it. I give it 5 stars.

Message 866

I just got back from having breakfast at Heidi's Pies with Mimi and Reggie. Vanessa and Annie stopped in to say Hi, but they could not stay to eat. Julian is in New York this week, so Vanessa is busy managing the two kids. The Bay Area is excited about the Giants prospects for winning the Pennant. They now only need to win one game out f three. Last night Mimi and I watched a DVD of the movie A Serious Man. The Cohen Brothers refer to it as their Jew movie. I did not think as highly of it as with their other movies because the customs seem so incomprehensible to me. I give it 3.5 stars.

Message 865

Yesterday Mimi and I had dinner at Sizzler. In the evening we watched a DVD of the movie Avatar. You have all probably seen it, so you know it is a fun movie to watch. It was good for me to see it on my TV because I can not see 3-D with my eye problem. The plot seemed pretty much like the cartoon kids movie Fern Gully, but the appeal of the movie was the beautiful scenery and the imaginative life-forms. I give it four stars.

Message 864

Yesterday I finished reading The Triumph of the Sun by Wilbur Smith on my Kindle. Like all of his books, it was great fun to read. Last night I voted my absentee ballot. I voted for Jerry Brown and Barbara Boxer and for the decriminalization of personal pot. Now I have at least done my bit for the sake of sanity. I also watched some of the Monday Night Football game, but it was not very interesting.

Message 863

Yesterday I watched the 49ers beat the Raiders. It was not a pretty game, but at least one of our local teams won. Mimi and I went to Cooks Seafood for dinner, in lieu of our usual Sunday family dinner. Julian and Vanessa had taken the kids to a museum, so it was a chance for me to treat them for a change. In the evening I watched a PBS show about elephants and another in the Wallander series on Masterpiece Mystery.

Message 862

Yesterday I had lunch at Una Mas with Vanessa and Annie. She had been visiting a friend in Menlo Park and picked me up afterward. Beech called me in the afternoon to tell me his team won their first soccer game 3-2. Mimi and I had dinner at Ten Fu. In the evening I watched the last two innings of the Giants game against Philadelphia. I was glad to see them win. I also watched some of the Sharks home opener, which unfortunately they lost 2-4. In the evening Mimi and I watched a DVD of the movie Immortal Beloved. It is a biopic about Beethoven made in 1994. It was filmed in Europe so the locations were very good. Beethoven's music was the soundtrack, so that was wonderful. Because nobody knows all the details of his life, the plot was somewhat fictional, but I give the movie 3.7 stars.

Message 861

Yesterday I met Vanessa at Starbuck's for a nice visit, which is just as well because Helen and Jim had to go to San Francisco this morning. Last night I watched the Friday PBS shows and read a good bit of The Economist. Mimi had to stay in San Jose because She had trouble with her car and had to have it fixed.

Message 860

Yesterday Mimi and I went in the hot tub for the first time in several weeks. In the evening we tried to watch a DVD of the movie Evening. It had a very good cast, but the story was so silly that we could not even finish it. I finally quit about half way through. I suppose it was designed for women only. I give it one star.

Message 859

I just got back from Heidi's Pies where Mimi and I had breakfast with Reggie. Afterward we stopped by Vanessa's house and gave her the Blue Angels picture that Reggie had autographed for Beech. As we were leaving her cleaning women showed up. Las night Mimi and I watched a DVD of the Canadian movie Map of the Human Heart. It was about Eskimo and Indian half-breeds with TB trying to adjust to modern culture before, during, and after World War 2. I give it 3.8 stars.

Message 858

Yesterday I worked on my memoirs and read on my Kindle. Mimi and I went to Sizzler for dinner. In the evening we watched a DVD of the Merchant Ivory movie The White Countess. It had a great cast with Raif Finnes, Natasha Richardson, and Vanessa Redgrave. It was set in China just before World War 2. I give it four stars.

Message 857

Yesterday I did laundry, worked on my memoirs, and read on my Kindle. In the evening Mimi and I watched Part 2 of the French Lady Chatterly. I did not realize that the Government took off the Columbus Day holiday until I found there was no mail in my box. I was glad the Giants won the series against Atlanta, and I was sorry to see Brett Favre lose to the Jets.

Message 856

Yesterday I went to PAMF and got my flu shot. I also finished reading The Economist and Science. Mimi was able to come home early to come with me to the family dinner in San Mateo. It was the first time that Julian, Annie, and Maureen were able to meet Mimi and vice versa. Julian grilled hamburgers, and hot dogs and Vanessa made salad and cooked a cherry pie. In the evening I watched the new episode of Wallander on Masterpiece Mystery.

Message 855

Yesterday I got some more work done on my memoirs. I also read quite a bit of The Economist. At 5 PM I watched the Stanford/USC game on ABC. It was a very good game that Stanford came from behind and won on the last play of the game. I was surprised that USC was as good as the were. In the evening Mimi and I watched a Netflix DVD of Part One of the uncut version of the French movie Lady Chatterly. It is the same movie we watched a couple of nights ago but with more exposition and background scenes included which makes it nearly four hours long.

Message 854

Mimi and I met Helen and Jim at Starbucks this morning. Last night we watched a DVD of breaking and Entering. About half way through I( realized I had seen it before. I notice on my blog that I have it rated as 3.5 stars. That seems about right. It has a good cast, but the behavior of some of the characters seems incomprehensible at times.

Message 853

I forgot to mention yesterday that we did not go to Heidi's Pies because Reggie had breakfast with the Blue Angels, who are in town for Fleet Week. I worked a little on my memoirs, and I read a lot more on my Kindle. I am 49 percent finished now. In the evening Mimi and I watched a DVD of the movie The Private Lives of Pippa Lee. The movie had a very good cast and was well written, but the subject was too unpleasant for my taste. I do not like movies about dysfunctional people dragging themselves and their families and friends down with guilt trips and erratic behavior. I give it 3.9 stars.

Message 852

Yesterday I worked on my memoirs and read on my Kindle. Mimi and I went to Sizzler for dinner. In the evening we watched a DVD of the movie 9 Songs. It was a pretty simple minded movie about a boy and a girl who go to rock concerts every night and have sex during the day. I give it 2 stars.

Message 851

Yesterday I worked on my memoirs and read on my Kindle, as well as watching Charlie Rose, The News Hour, BBC World News, and Tavis Smiley on PBS. Also I had a nice video phone conversation with Liz in her office on Skype. In the evening Mimi and I watched a DVD of the French movie Lady Chatterly. It was strange to see the D. H. Lawrence characters speaking French, but it was quite well done. I give it three stars.

Message 850

Vanessa came down yesterday and met me at Starbucks. She says she is recovered enough now to resume our Sunday family dinners. In the evening Mimi and I watched two DVDs from Netflix. The first was a sumptuous Chinese movie that came out about five years ago called Curse of the Golden Flower. I give it four stars. The second was a French movie that came out in 1985 called Rendez-Vous. It starred Juliette Binoche when she was very young. I give it 3.5 stars.

Message 849

Yesterday I watched the 49ers lose to Atlanta on the last play of the game, so they blew another one the should have won. The Raiders game was blacked out, but I saw later on the news that they lost. In the evening I watched 60 minutes, and then a Nature show on PBS about Black Mambas followed by a new Masterpiece Mystery in the Wallander series. I also read some more on my Kindle, so I am now 25 percent through the book.

Message 848

Yesterday I had lunch with Julian and Vanessa and the kids after the soccer game. In the afternoon I finished The Economist and Science. I also watched the Stanford game, which was quite good. Stanford played very well, but Oregon came from behind and won decisively to show they deserve to be ranked at least number four in the nation. During the half, Mimi and I ate at El Cerrito and did the Safeway shopping.

Message 847

Helen and Jim could not make it to Starbucks this morning and Mimi is at the nursing home helping her mother through another crisis, so I am going to San Mateo to watch Beech's soccer game. Julian got back from London yesterday afternoon, so he will be able to coach. Yesterday I read some more on my Kindle, and in the evening I read a good bit of The Economist.

Message 846

I just noticed that I gave the title Moon Dog to the Netflix DVD when it should have been Ghost Dog. It was named properly in the list of movies. I have now edited the text of message 845. Yesterday I read some more on my Kindle, and last night Mimi and I watched a DVD of the movie made in Argentina called Don't Look Down. It was a strange movie about ghosts and sex. I give it 3 stars.