Message 907

I just got back from PAMF where I refilled my prescription for the antibiotic saline solution. Yesterday I watched the 49ers beat Phoenix on Monday Night Football. The Niners won, but Frank Gore got hurt and may be out for the season. After the game, Mimi and I watched a DVD of the French movie The Lover. I had seen it before, but on second viewing, it was even better. It is about a poor fifteen year old French girl living in Vietnam about a hundred years ago who has a 32 year old rich Chinese man as a lover. It is very well done. I give it five stars.

Message 906

Yesterday I finished The Economist. I tried to watch the Raiders, but they were blacked out. I saw on the news that they lost anyway, so it was just as well. In the late afternoon Mimi and I had dinner with Julian and Vanessa and the kids. They had all come back from the mountains late the previous night to avoid the holiday traffic and the new snowstorm. Julian fixed spaghetti for dinner, which is one of my favorites. In the evening PBS was having a fundraiser, so we watched a DVD of the movie Across the Universe. I first saw it in Houston with Liz and Sean. I picked up several new things this time, especially when I watched it again with the writer’s commentary turned on. I did not realize that Bono played the Ken Kesey character, nor did I realize that Joe Cocker sang one of the songs in three different makeups. I give the movie 4.6 stars. I was surprised at how moved I was again.

Message 905

Yesterday I watched Cal lose to Washington on the last play of the game. I also watched Stanford obliterate Oregon State. I then watched the first period of the Sharks vs. Edmonton. I later saw on the news that the Sharks won. In the evening Mimi and I watched a DVD of the movie Ghost Writer. It was directed and partly written by Roman Polanski. Like all of his movies, it was quite good. It was a thriller set in modern times, in which the former British Prim Minister is accused of war crimes. I give it 4.2 stars.

Message 904

Mimi and I met Helen and Jim at Starbucks this morning. Helen’s daughter Jodi and her husband Aaron, and their baby Emily (18 months old) were in town from Seattle, so they joined us too. Yesterday Jason brought Melanie and Caroline down to visit. He fixed the problem I have been having with my scanner and he fixed the problem we had getting Mimi’s laptop to connect to our home network. Afterward we all went to Ten Fu for dinner. After Washington Week was over, Mimi and I watched a DVD of the Chinese movie Ghosts. It was terrible. I could never make sense of what was going on. I give it 0.5 stars.

Message 903

Yesterday Mimi and I went out for Thanksgiving dinner. She left San Jose early so we could get to Harry’s Hoffbrau in Redwood City. When we got there about 4:30 PM, the parking lot was full and a line of people were standing in the cold to get in. We decided to try somewhere else, so we ended up at Scotts in Town and Country Village where they were also serving the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. It was very good. When we got home it was early, so we watched two movies on DVDs. The first was Uncovered, made in 1994. It was a thriller/mystery. Kate Beckinsale played a restorer of old paintings who is working on a picture of a chess game. It must have been her first movie. It was very good. I give it 4 stars. The second movie was Two Moon Junction. It was much better than I expected. It was about a rich southern belle who skips out on her wedding to run off with a carnival worker. I give it 3.6 stars.

Message 902

Yesterday I worked on my memoirs and read on my Kindle.In the evening Mimi and I watched a DVD of the movie 13 Ghosts. It was terrible. I give it 0.4 stars. After the movie I watched the third period of the Sharks game. They beat Chicago 5-2. It was a hard-fought game, but the Sharks rose to the occasion.

Message 901

Yesterday I read Science, worked on my memoirs, and read on my Kindle. Mimi and I went to Sizzler for dinner. I n the evening we watched a DVD of the movie Goya’s Ghosts. It was based on part of the real life story of the Spanish painter and the Inquisition. I give it four stars.

Message 900

Yesterday I worked some on my memoirs and read some on my Kindle. Mimi and I watched a DVD of the movie Ghost Lake. It was a pretty silly scary movie, but it did have a couple of nude scenes. I give it 1.6 stars. I also watched the second half of the John Lennon production on PBS. This part was all documentary footage about his life in New York City. Afterward I watched a documentary about the influence of the Beatles on Russia. It made me think that Rock ‘n Roll had more to do with the collapse of the Soviet empire than Regan did.

Message 899

It was a big letdown for me yesterday to watch the Raiders and 49ers not only lose but look pathetic in the process. In the evening Mimi and I had dinner at Sultana. We both had the Salmon Kabob. It was good, as always. Afterward we watched 60 Minutes on CBS, the a Nature show about leopards on PBS and finally the first part of Lennon Naked on Masterpiece Contemporary. The second part is tonight. Yesterday I also worked some on my memoirs and read some more on my Kindle.

Message 898

Yesterday I had lunch with Julian and Beech at El Cerrito, and afterward I did my Safeway shopping. I also finished reading The Economist and watched the Sharks get shut out by Columbus 0-3, with Nash getting the hat trick. I am looking forward today to watching the Raiders in the morning and the 49ers in the afternoon. I hope they both win.

Message 897

Helen and Jim are not available, so no Starbucks this week. Yesterday I read about half of the economist. I also went in the hot tub for the first time in a long time. It has turned cold, so it felt good. I went in before the rain started. This is our first winter storm. I also wrote another page of my memoirs.

Message 896

Yesterday I watched the Sharks lose to Dallas in overtime. It was the same story as the day before against Colorado. They were ahead by two goals in the middle of the third period and then they lost the game in overtime. At least they got one point for each game, but it does not bode well for the playoffs again. Last night Mimi and I watched a DVD of the movie Smart People. It was a well done movie about troubled people with a good cast. It was not pleasant to watch Dennis Quaid play a jerk, but Ellen Page played his troubled daughter. It was her best performance since Juno, and it was filmed before Juno. It was filmed at Carnegie Melon University, which I have always known about but I have never seen, so that was interesting. I give it 3.6 stars.

Message 895

I just got back from Heidi’s Pies. Vanessa and Annie joined Reggie and Mimi and me. Annie was real good this time, and she ate a good breakfast. Last night Mimi and I watched a DVD of the movie Remember Me. It had a great cast including Chris Cooper and Pierce Brosman as supporting characters. It was about troubled young people from dysfunctional families. I get impatient with people behaving badly, but this one has a twist that the male lead gets killed in the 9-11 attack. I give it 2.8 stars.

Message 894

Yesterday Mimi and I had dinner at Sizzler. Afterward we watched a DVD of the movie Nights in Rodanthe. I thought it might be OK starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane, but it was not. I give it 2.1 stars.

Message 893

Yesterday I finished reading The Economist and Science. Mimi and I went out to dinner at a Vietnamese Restaurant with the Morrills and the Ariagnos. After we came home, we watched a DVD of the movie The Other Man. It had a good cast with Liam Neeson and Laura Linney, but it was hard to make any sense of the plot until the end by which time I had ceased caring. I give it two stars.

Message 892

Yesterday I read about half of The Economist and watched the 49ers beat the Rams. It was a great game that had to be won in overtime. The new quarterback for the 49ers makes all the difference. I am sorry it had to be Julie, Ethan, and Alex’s team, but there can be only one winner. After the game Mimi went to Sundance and had the prime rib. In the evening we watched a DVD of the Clint Eastwood movie The Outlaw Josey Wales. I think it is Clint Eastwood’s best movie. I give it five stars.

Message 891

Yesterday Mimi and I joined Helen and Jim for coffee at Starbucks. At noon Vanessa came over so I could help her with a booklet she is writing and drawing pictures for Samaritan House. We then went to Beech’s soccer game. They lost 3-6. It was the last game of the season, so after the game we went to a frozen yogurt place for the team party. After the party, we went to a pizza place in San Mateo for dinner. In the evening Mimi and I watched a DVD of the movie The Golden Coach. Like The River, it was directed by Jean Renoir. It was an elaborate production in color and costumes, and an entertaining farce. I give it 3 stars.

Message 890

Yesterday Vanessa and I took Deli sandwiches to Nealon Park and had lunch with Beech and Annie. In the evening Mimi and I watched a DVD of the movie The River. It was based on a book by Rumer Godden and it was directed by Jean Renior, who was the son of the famous painter. It was beautifully photographed in India in Technicolor. I give it 5 stars.

Message 889

Yesterday I got quite a bit more done on my memoirs. I have finally left Alaska and now have written about 130 pages. There are quite a few pictures in it too, but fewer than one per page. Last night I watched the Sharks beat the New York Islanders in an overtime shootout. It is discouraging to have the Sharks have so much trouble beating a team that has lost the last nine games in a row.

Message 888

I just got back from Heidi's Pies. Mimi and I joined Henry and Reggie. Reggie took Henry to SFO after breakfast so Henry can fly back to Washington to take care of his relative. Vanessa did not join us because Beech was out of school for the holiday. Last night Mimi and I watched a DVD of the Italian movie Nights of Cabiria. I think it is Fellini's best film except for La Strada. I first saw it in 1958 on 45th Street when Betsy and I were living near Times Square in NYC. I give it 4 stars. It has an upbeat message in spite of the tragic story.

Message 887

Yesterday I took my Sienna in for its 100,000-mile servicing. I was a little late since it now has 103,000 miles on it. It is still running great. I hope it can go to at least 200,000 miles. In the evening Mimi and I watched a DVD of the German movie The Tin Drum. It is based on a famous book written by Gunter Grass, but I have not read it. It is an allegory about the Nazi period in Germany. It is often farcical, but it succeeds because it paints such a good picture of the lower-middle class in Germany in that period. The tragedy of World War 2 is presented as what happens when the lower middle class takes power and foists its infantile and absurd ideas on the world. I give the movie 3.5 stars because it is not easy to watch.

Message 886

Yesterday I went to Los Gatos in the afternoon to celebrate Ellie's birthday with Vanessa and her kids. Ellie is seven years old now and in the first grade. Thus, in a few days it will be seven years since Sally died. Time flies. We all had dinner at Live Oak Kitchen and afterwards went to Sweet Retreat for ice cream, where we gave Ellie her presents. Both Ellie and Beech asked for quarters for the junk machines instead of ice cream. A good time was had by all.

In the evening Mimi and I watched a DVD of the Chinese movie The House of Flying Daggers. It is a martial arts movie comparable to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. The filming and scenery were absolutely beautiful. I give it four stars.

Message 885

Yesterday I watched the Vikings beat the Cardinals in Arizona in overtime. I was glad to see Arizona lose, because if the 49ers ever get their act together they will need a better record than Arizona. Also, I like to see Brett Favre win. I then watched the Raiders beat the Chiefs, again in overtime. The Raiders have gotten their act pretty well together now, even if they did lose to the 49ers. In the late afternoon Mimi and I went to San Mateo and had dinner with Julian, Vanessa, and the kids. In the evening I watched Sherlock Holmes on Masterpiece Mystery.

Message 884

Yesterday I drove down to Los Gatos and watched Ellie's soccer game and then Caroline's soccer game. Jason and Susan are doing heroic work with the coaching. Afterward we had lunch at Live Oak Kitchen. In the late afternoon I watched Stanford beat Arizona in football. It looks like Oregon will be the only team to beat them this year. In the evening I watched the Sharks beat Tampa Bay 5-2 in hockey. Joe Thornton has been suspended by the league for two games because of a questionable call by the NHL. In the game against St. Louis he stepped out of the penalty box and was run into by a Blues player, who went down and stayed down for a long time. Joe was given a game misconduct penalty, and the Sharks lost the game 0-2, with the second goal being scored later by the player who supposedly was hurt so badly he could not get up for a long time. How could he have been well enough to re-enter the game and score a goal a few minutes later? I suppose Ethan and Julie and Alex have a different view of this incident. Anyway, I got most of The Economist read yesterday too.

Message 883

Mimi and I met Vanessa and Annie at Starbucks this morning. Helen and Jim were volunteering for the women's NCAA golf tournament at Stanford, so they could not join us. Last night Mimi was not feeling well, so she went to bed early and I read some more on my Kindle. I am about a quarter of the way through The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo now.

Message 882

Yesterday I watched the Sharks lose to St. Louis 0-2. The last two years were such downers when they had the best record in the NHL and then fizzled out in the playoffs, that I find it hard to take them seriously now. I guess the Giants are the only success we will be able to enjoy. The Warriors seem like they may be more competitive in the NBA this year, but I will have to wait and see before I pay too much attention to them. The Raiders are sold out this week, so I will get to watch them play for a change. The 49ers have a bye this week.

Last night Mimi and I watched a DVD of the movie made in Manila called Oh My Ghost. It was a silly but dark comedy. I thought it very amateurish, so I give it 1.3 stars.

Message 881

I just got back from having breakfast at Heidi's Pies. There were 5 of us at the table today since Henry is back in town for this week and Vanessa was able to join us. Last night I watched PBS shows about new information about an Egyptian Tomb and The Big Apple Circus. I also read some more on my Kindle.

Message 880

I read the NY Times this morning before writing this message, so I would know the election results. I am proud that California mostly did the right thing. In particular they voted for Brown for governor and Boxer for senator. They also voted against the Texas oil ballot measure to repeal of green emission standards, they voted for reducing the majority to pass the state budget to a simple majority instead of two-thirds, and they voted to keep redistricting out of the hands of elected representatives. Pot legalization lost, but it is already non-criminal on the state level. It is a relief to me that the election is now over and I can stop fretting about the extent to which insanity is prevailing. At least we still control the senate and Obama is still president. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Yesterday Joshua came over to get my advice on how to vote on the state propositions and to watch the Sharks game. Unfortunately the Sharks lost 0-1 to Minnesota. Mimi and I went to Avanti Pizza for dinner. Afterward we watched a DVD of the Philippians' movie The Spirit in the Glass. It is the first time I have seen a movie from that country. It was strange to hear them speak their own language with so many English words and phrases thrown in. The movie was terrible though. I give it 1.4 stars.

Message 879

The Giants won the World Series! It is amazing. After all these years of them disappointing me, when I quit paying attention to them, they come out of nowhere and do it decisively. I did not even pay attention to the playoffs until the last game against Philadelphia. I then watched all of the games against Texas, and by the end of the Series I had gotten to know the players pretty well. After the game Mimi and I watched a DVD of the German movie called Ghosts (in English). It was terrible. It was mostly about two teenaged girls, but the main adult female role was played by a French actress with the last name Basler. Anyway it was mostly incomprehensible, and Mimi was disappointed because it had nothing to do with ghosts. I give it one star.

Message 878

Yesterday was a good day for Bay Area sports. The 49ers beat Denver in London; the Raiders beat Seattle, although the game was blacked out here because some tickets were unsold; and the Giants beat Texas to go ahead 3-1 in the World Series. After the baseball game was over, I watched a Nature show on PBS about the thousands of pythons that are taking over Florida. It was amazing to see a python eat a ten-foot long alligator, and also to see an even bigger gator eat a python. I then watched the new Sherlock Holms episode on Masterpiece Mystery, and finally I read some more of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I am in the middle of Chapter 2 now.