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.

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.