Its always something...

Well, Jeff and I arose early this morning (5am to be precise) to head to the airport...bound for Richmond. Check-in couldn't have been quicker, and security was only slightly longer, so we had plenty of time to buy a few magazines and the requisite latte before boarding.

No luck getting an upgrade...these 500-mile vouchers are utterly useless. But Jeff and I had fine seats.

Now, when the pilot comes on and announces that they are rebooting the computer to try and fix 'something odd', you know that you're being set up for a delay. When the pilot comes back on and tells you that they are going to try shutting all power down on the plane--rebooting the plane--then you know it will be a good delay.

Sooooo, we arrived at Dulles quite late, and just barely made our connection. Our luggage did not.

Its now 2am, and we've given up waiting. Our lugage should be here 'before 8am' accoring to the phone update.

On the plus side...we had a delightful family evening. Goodnight :)

Lovely afternoon...

I took this shot from Ft. Mason this afternoon as I was leaving photo class. Today, we spent two hours sharing works in progress--10 or so classmates presenting photos. And what a variety of photos. We had architecture, people, morning fog, graffiti (guess who that was), mysterious objects, etc. The mixture of styles and techniques is one of the reasons I keep returning to this class.

Morning trivia...

Our lives are full of useless trivia, but this tidbit from my morning dose of "Ask Yahoo" tweaked my interest. It would seem that the most common birthday in the US is October 5. The least common US birthday is May 22.

Frankly, I don't know how to apply this bit of knowledge in my daily life, but I found it worth passing along.

Please return to your daily routine.

Yoda's butt and other musings...

Yes, this is Yoda's butt. And it amuses me. And I think it sets up some of these other random thoughts I'm having this evening.

Like this shot from this weekend. Jeff and I headed down the peninsula Saturday to visit one of the local malls. Well, the holiday frenzy had already began, so we had to find parking near the Sears...which was oddly vacant. So...note to Sears: you will never beat hip Target at their game if you use bad graduation photos to highlight your photo studio. Inside Sears, we passed displays hastily constructed of cardboard and racks of cheap trinkets. If this is the best Sears can do, then they really do deserve to go out of business.

On Sunday, we drove north to Sonoma and hit a couple of wineries. The day was gray and cold, but I did catch this moody shot of birds on a wire. We visited a couple of new wineries, including Nicholson Ranch...where the friendly wine pourer asserted that broccoli wrapped in bacon and served with butter and garlic might cure my broccoli phobia...and put me in the grave, frankly. (He then went on to suggest replacing the broccoli with a second type of bacon: bacon wrapped in bacon with butter and garlic!) Well, he sold a couple of bottle of wine in any case.

Today was a bit of a blur, that began with a couple of fillings at the dentist. This rain shot pretty much captures the mood :) My dentist seems to be a bit keen on keeping the cash flow up. Until I visited him, I had never had a single filling. Since them, I have had four...just to be sure. Honestly, I buy the logic...but tell me that doesn't seem a BIT coincidental.

Shadows...

When I arrived in the office early this morning, long dramatic sunbeams were lighting up the walls, turning them into dramatic canvases. I only had my Treo this morning, so this picture is quite pixelated, but I still like how the image worked.

Bliss...

Ready or not, the Christmas decor appeared in Starbucks this morning, and I jumped in with both feet--I bought my first gingerbread latte of the season. Normally, I resist for a couple of weeks, because I'm stubborn and feel like "its too early for Christmas". Well, not this year. This mind-altering-drug in a cup is just what the doctor ordered to perk up my mood.

My first sip brought a smile to my face. Yum.

Ray of sunshine...

I would never survive in politics, because deep down I'm an idealist. I trust people. I want to like everybody. And I see the world in black and white...good and evil. So, I would just be depressed in politics, where a sliver of hope is spun into glorious victory.

Take the email I received this morning from the Human Rights Campaign, touting the headline "Election 2006 - We did it!", citing Democrat victories and the rejection of an anti-gay marriage amendment in Arizona. Well, for kicks, I checked out a "family values" website, which was crowing with the headline "Marriage Amendments Seven for Eight on Election Day 2006: Majority of States Now Define Marriage as One Man, One Woman". Further, the good people of Colorado decided to vote FOR an amendment to ban gay marriage AND defeated a law to allow for domestic partnerships.

So, I'm having a hard time being a "glass is half full" guy, even though I do see that the world is becoming more tolerant. In politics, you really do have to treasure those two steps forward, in spite of the steps backwards.

I will close with a request to the crusaders for the sanctity of marriage. Please get your own house in order before lashing out at others. I found it ironic that on the same news pages noting the new marriage amendments were the early reports of Britney Spears' divorce--her second after her first 55-hour marriage. It was only the first divorce for Britney's husband...who met Britney while his girlfriend at the time was pregnant with his child.

I'm not anti-marriage. I just think its not as exclusive as we might be told. Marriage is what you make of the relationship, not how its codified in the Constitution.

Really...I'm off my soapbox...again.

Scratching another project off the list...

A common feature in many SF homes is a lightwell. Ours is wonderfully situated, and brings light into our main bathroom, the guest room, and (via a stained glass window) the stairway.

Nevertheless, the previous owners neglected our lightwell, and we just finished re-painting it and filling its floor with peaceful river rocks. The final step will be to find an appropriate stainless steel planter.

Whats on the grill...

We had a simple but yummy dinner last night. Jeff had a hankerin' for a Dijon-style pork chop on the grill. I paired that with Jeff's favorite vegetable-asparagus--that I also grilled. They both turned our very nicely.

Caught...

Buster (pictured) and Dobie seem to have a sixth sense for open doors. They can be sleeping peacefully downstairs, Jeff or I can quietly open the door to the upstairs balcony, and inevitably they are outside within two minutes.

Same with the basement and garden doors. This afternoon, Jeff and I were carrying bags of river rocks from the basement to our upstairs lightwell (more on that project tomorrow). On one trip up, we left the doors open for no longer than 2-3 minutes. Sure enough, Buster quickly made his way to the backyard...all the way to the back wall.

In this photo, he innocently looks back at me, as if to say "Oh, hi. I was just waiting for you. How did I get all the way out here? Please assist me back to the house. You're my hero. I almost missed my afternoon nap."

Oh, Old Crooked Head. I can't stay upset...he's too damn sweet...and sleeping next to me now as I type this update :)

Holiday photo show...

I don't know anybody who is truly ready to admit that its time to plan December, but I'm caving and putting things on the calendar. Like this IMPORTANT event!!

On December 1st (6pm-9pm) and 2nd (11am-4pm), I'll be participating in my 11th photo show at the Ft. Mason Center, Building B, Room 106. The Ft. Mason holiday shows are fun events with displays from all of the City College art departments. I'll have 3-4 new pieces on display, including this one from Venice.

So, for those of you within the sound of my voice...do drop by and say hello.

Political sidebar...

I'm sorry...and this will be brief...but I'm tired of the argument that we need to "protect marriage" for our children. But the wise zealots of Virginia have placed a Constitutional Amendment on their ballot to define marriage. But the amendment goes even further to deny ANY legal union "of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance, or effects of marriage". The SIGNIFICANCE of marriage. Excuse me. Who is judging?

Anyhow, this burns me up.

I'm off the soapbox.

Special shout out...

...to Sean, who is EXTRA special today. The Peets latte he bought was EXTRA yummy, and he is on my EXTRA favorite list for the day. I hope that everyone will acknowledge Sean on their blogs today, for he is a ray of sunshine on this otherwise bleak November day.

Return of the rain...

We finished up October with sunny, mild days and fond memories of fall...plus a very nice pumpkin cheesecake, courtesy of my hubby. Yesterday, I spent the day at home on the sofa in front of the fireplace nursing a cold and watching the clouds build. By nightfall, a light drizzle settled in, and today, we've got good old fashioned rain on our hands. The garden is cheering the return of the rainy season :)

Happy Halloween...

Thanks to everyone that sent along birthday greetings today...or phone calls or blog mentions or scary photos from birthdays past...or foamy grande lattes :) And Jeff and Chris are taking me out for RIBS tonight...my comfort food of choice!!

But my favorite gift of the day HAD to be the sight of dear Michele try to light a wooden match in my office for the candle on the yummy cupcakes she brought. Like MacGyver gone senile, Michele tried EVERY surface in the office including the bottom of her shoe, until she spotted an etched glass globe bookend.

We lit the match on Asia, I believe. And, of course, I blew out the candle two second later so as not to set off the sprinklers. Classic. We haven't laughed that hard in ages.

[Update: My biggest smile of the day came with the phone call I received from Jeff's family for a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday. A special thanks to Dominick and Natalie, who sang their special new song for me: "Matthew is big, Joshua is little. Dominick, Natalie and Keegan are smack in the middle. Big and little." THANK YOU!!]

Haze...

I realize that I do not travel to Virginia NEARLY as much as Curt does, nor would I want to compete for that distinction. But I have been in the air and in hotels much more than normal lately, and my blog has suffered for it...not to mention my sanity :)

But that said, I am working with the BEST proposal team I have ever worked with, and having fun in between late nights and coffee infusions.

Anyhow, one casualty of my travel are photos from Jeff and my weekend in NYC. So, in an effort to catch up a bit, here are a few of the more curious photos from NYC, including a fascinating tribute to Christopher Columbus in cheese.

For the record, I believe that Jeff took the second of the rooftop photos, from high above the city at Rockefeller Center. This one showed our lofty perch quite nicely.

Instruments of destruction...

I was perusing a junk removal website this afternoon to find a convenient way to get rid of a few odd items left over from the previous owners of the house. These oddities are tucked away, but the time has really come. Take a look at the photos below, and you'll see what I mean.

Anyhow, this junk website (1-800-GOT-JUNK) had a list of items that are prohibited for them to dispose of in our area. Please read along with me (this is the full list in their order):

• Any items containing gas or oil


• Any items that have oil in them


• Any medical, biological waste, or feces


• Any type of battery - including AAA-D


• Flourescent lights


• Paint cans or containers full of paint


• Pianos


• Propane tanks that contain any fuel.

Uh, pianos? I would like an explanation.

Curb appeal...

Jeff and I spent today--another warm, sunny fall day--working around the house. One of my jobs was to plant a row of new succulents [Sanseveria laurentii, aka "Variegated Snake Plant"] in one of the protected beds at the front of the house. Yesterday, Jeff extracted a sad camillia plant that I aparrently killed with overzealous fertilizing. (I plead the fifth...those gardening gloves just DON'T FIT :) Anyhow, the new plants look much cooler anyway.

I also thinned out some old growth from two grassy plants we have on our front balcony. This inspired me to find some grotesque, half-price pumpkins to give the house a touch of the season. Jeff added the bale of straw, which does make it all work, in my opinion.

Beautiful Saturday...

Today was a normal Saturday, but an indication of just how wonderful normal can be. A classic Indian Summer day in San Francisco, with cool temperatures to begin and end the day, and warm sun in between.

I tend to start my days before Jeff on the weekends. I enjoy a quiet weekend ritual of rising early, driving up to the store to pick up stuff to make breakfast, and stalking a few photographs in between. This morning, I was stalking the sunrise...which is conveniently late this time of year.

One of the new delights at breakfast is crafting an espresso drink from our new espresso station. This little device is a wonder to watch, but the perfect cappuccino is an art that I'm still perfecting.

In the midst of our errands, Jeff and I happened upon a hidden gem of a cafe in SF's Laurel Heights neighborhood. We ate at Rigolo, which emulates a cozy French boulangerie. I had a truly amazing B.F.T--bacon, frisee, and tomato--with a tangy tomato aioli spread. Served warm...yum. Jeff had a hearty, open-faced pulled pork sandwich with parmesan fries. We will go back to this one, I can assure you.

As the late afternoon wore on, we spent some time gardening. The low autumn sun sets off the colors in our succulent garden quite nicely.





This feeling of comfort and warmth lead right on to dinner. For the second time, I made a really fine pasta puttanesca--a hearty Italian dish, chock full of fresh flavors. Its also very easy to make. You should try this one--I got the recipe from Food Network. (FYI, I added in some grilled chicken breasts.)

We closed the day by doing something totally out of character. We went to a movie!!!! I know, I know. I swore against theatres :) But Jeff had been reading about a fascinating movie called 'The Queen', which examines the relationship between Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair during the early days of his term and the days surrounding the death of Princess Diana. We both really enjoyed this film, and its respectful, yet humorous glimpse behind the scenes of royal tradition.

A truly beautiful day.

Seattle recap...

One of the reasons that I've had a hard time keeping up with my blog is that I've been traveling quite a bit. Not the romantic, rush-to-the-computer-and-tell-the-world-about-it travel, but simple, business travel. Not that there aren't fun photos and wonderful people.

Two weeks ago, I was in Seattle for three nights. Seattle is one of my favorite cities in the world. Something about how the air smells fresh when you exit the airport.

The week's meetings were more than successful, with some amazing people, a spectacular venue, and fantastic food. I topped it all off with a fun evening with my life-long friend Jeff and his family. Hard to beat.

So, here are a few photos from the trip. Starting with our hotel--the one-of-a-kind Edgewater Hotel, situated like a pier in the Puget Sound. Some of the more fanatical of you may recognize this hotel as the setting for a famous 1964 photo of The Beatles fishing from their window. I decided to snap my own non-historic photos instead.





Next are some obligatory shots of and from the Space Needle, the most recognizable Seattle icon. Our group spent some time at the top of the Needle...in the drizzle. We also spent some time in the science museum nearby, where we saw an exhibit with the Dead Sea Scrolls. These 2000-year-old scroll fragments were inspiring, but my favorite factoid from that visit was about the Dead Sea itself. The salty Dead Sea--the lowest point on the surface of the earth, fyi--evaporates rapidly in the intense sun, creating a salty haze above it. The haze blocks the sun's UV rays , so much so that you can walk along the Dead Sea's shores without sunscreen and not burn. Fascinating...TO ME.






I did grab one quick shot of the Experience Music Project at the base of the Space Needle. This notable building--which was closed during our visit--was designed by architect Frank Gehry.


Finally, a couple of sea-side shots from Ray's Boathouse, where we had a truly memorable group dinner on our second night. Ray's "Baklava Cheesecake" simply cannot be missed!!

The effect of Strangers...

Oh, what's a week and a few days between friends?

Yes, I've been a bit lax with my blog. But in all fairness, I have been updating my joint Strangers blog, one two three four FIVE times since I last posted here. And some good material too, I might add...so go check that blog out HERE. (I mean, there is an elderly woman with a green bag of poo...THAT is worth a click!)

Nevertheless, I do have a few tidbits for Tribulations! First off, last weekend, Jeff and I paid a long overdue trip to ye ole Coinstar machine. We carted four containers of coins: one Harrah's Casino bucket from Vicksburg, MS (can you say deep fried pickles?), one Classico spaghetti sauce jar, one red plastic cup that looked straight out of a college keg party, and one tin container with flowers. Our grant total: 3329 coins worth $ 235.74. Not bad. 6 dollar coins. 1 half dollar. 555 quarters. 546 dimes. 342 nickels. 1879 pennies.

And what got kicked out? 1 Canadian dime, 1 Malaysian penny, 1 2-cent euro, 1 British penny and 1 Putt Putt Golf video game token.

Also last week, I got to watch one of San Francisco's oddest forms of civil disobedience. The monthly Critical Mass bike ride through the streets of the Financial District. Basically a few hundred (maybe more?) bikers take to the streets, ignoring all lanes and traffic signals. Their purpose is to disrupt traffic. I've only been caught in it once, and it is maddening. BUT, from my office 33 floors above the fray, it is a fascinating scene.


Hmmmm, then I flew to Seattle for a few days of meetings. I'll post those pictures separately.

One quick oddity from my flight today from SFO to Washington Dulles. I boarded a VERY full flight...eventually bound for Paris, but I had the pleasure of hopping off in DC :(

Anyhow, we took off late, because of a missing bit of plastic covering the light panel shown here. We nearly cancelled the flight, before the mechanic appeared with a replacement panel. I was curious why duct tape wouldn't work!!