Diamonds and stones

While talking to my daughter the other day, we discussed some of her many experiences in Europe.  Some were good, some were bad.  I paraphrased the old John Denver song, “Some Days are Diamonds”, and  told her that "life will give you experiences like that.  Some experiences are diamonds and are treated as cherished gems.  Other experiences are just stones and you use those stones to skip across the waters of life and amuse yourself by how mundane they are."

D. 

Hometown Notoriety

Greetings from a suburb of San Diego, Ca.  Ok.  As I get deeper into this blogging thing I am putting more clues to my location.  I was hoping to keep it rather generic (So. California) but that is proving to be difficult.  There is so much I want to write about that details are leaking through.

Tonight on the CBS sitcom,  $#*! My Dad Says , my hometown was mentioned.  It is not surprising considering that the show itself is set in San Diego and El Cajon is a suburb, a small town about 8 miles away.  There should be a sense of pride when your hometown gets mentioned on a national television show, but not tonight.  Tonight, this show mentioned my hometown as the "anus of America".  It really isn't.  (My wife and I have in the past referred to it as the "armpit of America", but really only in jest and, kind of affectionately.)  At any rate, it was nice to be mentioned. 

In all fairness, I should state that El Cajon is really a nice little town. 

• At one time in the 1990's the mayor wanted the city to be known as "The City of Trees" and he suggested that we all plant trees. 
• The words "El Cajon" in Spanish mean "the box".  El Cajon sits in a small valley that is shaped like a box. 
• It is the home to Parkway Plaza Mall and the airport, Gillespie Field, (which has an annual air show and a flight museum) http://www.sandiegan.com/airports/gillespie-field/. 
• El Cajon is home to the Olaf Wieghorst Museum and Western Heritage Center http://www.wieghorstmuseum.org/.  My wife and I used to live a half a block from this old house.  We always wondered what it was.  It was an old house with a strange looking wall around the yard.  It wasn't until years later that we realized it was the home of a famous Western artist.  And then they made it into a museum. 
• We used to have an amusement park (Frasier's Frontier - before that, Marshal Scotty's) but it closed.  
• We used to have a race track, too.  But it closed too.  

Ok, well that about covers it.  Come and visit sometime.  Enjoy the weather. 

D.

Update, November 20, 2010:  El Cajon also has the annual Mother Goose Parade, which has been called the largest parade "in San Diego County and the largest of its type west of  the Mississippi" River. 

A Glorious Day

Have you ever woken up on any ordinary day and felt more than ordinary?  Today started like any other day. I slept well.  I had a decent breakfast and coffee.  Got the wife and boy (er, young man) off to school, settled down to my coffee, breakfast and newspaper (really, articles from internet news sites) and I was ready to meet the day. 

About mid morning I started looking for a snack and going through the fridge.  I could see nothing in there for dinner.  I might have to go to the store.  It is amazing that a small decision can turn into a glorious revelation.  I decided that I would need to go to the store. 

After my shower I stepped onto the front porch.  What a beautiful and glorious day.  I think I will walk.  Not a cloud in the sky, the temperature was about 70ºF, I could see the birds dancing on my lawn.  I walked to the store.  Not a bad walk.  No traffic. No noise other than the birds and babies crying in houses along the way.  Babies crying meant that my neighbors had their windows open on this beautiful autumn day in southern California.  Very nice walk indeed. 

At the store I bought fresh vegetables, garlic and ginger.  How about stir fry for dinner? I carried my reusable canvas shopping bag with me.  The one with the shoulder strap, like a bindle sack (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bindle).  An easy way to carry groceries home. 

On my way home I decided to walk by the Presbyterian church.  And it just so happens that it is 12 o'clock.  The church bells started to ring as if to remind me to Whom this day belongs.  They also reminded me of my wife.  She loves our neighborhood, in part because of these bells.  Talking to her on this beautiful, glorious day reminds me why I married her.  She is the one with whom I want to share this moment.  And thanks to our modern cell phone technology I did.  It was great hearing her voice.  She lifts my spirit. 

I am having a good day.  I will soon be employed.  I love my wife.   I have two bright, beautiful children growing into responsible adults.  I have a good life. 

I hope that your day is going well.  If it isn't, I hope that it gets better.  Have a great day. 

Lastly, I would like to share the last line from my horoscope today.  The first four lines were very negative and not indicative of my mood.  But the last..."Fortunately, you'll have some very valuable help; the heavens are feeling quite harmonious."  No kidding!   I already knew that. 

D. 

Bangkok Orchid Thai Restaurant

The other night we had a terrific dinner.  Wonderful flavors, very satisfying.  I have done the calculations here before.  There are about 15 restaurants within walking distance of my house (1-2 miles).  My wife and I decided to take a walk out for dinner to a local restaurant.  We were going to go to Souplantation but my son decided that Thai food was a better choice for a Tuesday.  We went to the Thai restaurant next door. 

This new restaurant has been open for several months.  I was extremely excited when I saw that they were going to open.  The only other Thai restaurant in the area is a bit farther away, a longer walk and we don't get there much.  But this one is very close by. 

My son is 16 and making a lot of great decisions lately.  He is growing up.  His palate is developing quite nicely.  I am teaching him to cook and he is discovering new food items.  He just recently posted on his Facebook page that he "love[s] Thai food". 

The last three times we had been there we ordered the Leaf Wrapped Savories.  We all loved it for the variety.  Spinach leaves to wrap coconut, diced ginger, peanuts, bean sprouts, and carrots.  Top those wraps with a Thai sauce really makes this an awesome beginning.  Every flavor comes through in its original glory.

On those previous occasions we tried the standard Pad Thai noodles with chicken or shrimp.  Both very good dishes.  My wife ordered the Pad Thai Chicken on this night.  Previously I ordered some things I hadn't tried before.  I wanted to experience some different flavors.  On occasion I was surprised by the heat.  But the heat doesn't last long.

Keeping with my sense of adventure I ordered something new.  Calamari Panang Curry.  The flavors were quite simply extraordinary.  A very nice meal. The Kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass were just fantastic. I was also pleased that it came in a coconut sauce.  I vowed to try this dish at home.  I have the recipe right here as I write this.  Someday I will try it.  It is that good.  I would love to make it a part of my repertoire.

I have made up my mind to come back and try some other new and interesting entree'.  Bangkok Orchid Thai has an extensive menu.  I could be quite happy for the next six months.  I think I will be. 

The owner has assured me that the Panang Curry is great with scallops.  I love scallops.  Look for me there next week. 

D.

Desires

I want to finish my coffee.
I want breakfast in bed.
I want to sleep when I'm tired.
I want nothing to dread.

I want to be the ear when you talk.
I want to be the floor when you walk.
I want to say things to make you smile.
I want to stay beside you all the while.

I want to be the air when you breathe.
I want to be there when you leave.
I need your smiles and your sighs.
I need the beauty of your eyes.

I love this woman, this lady next to me,
Except for my love there is nothing she expects of me.
I have given her my life, she makes me whole.
Together we are each other’s heart and soul.


Note: I think I wrote this in the mid nineties. When the kids were small.
D.

Election Day, 2010

Today is election day. I am going to vote and express my right as an American citizen. I am unemployed, but I am not going to vote to keep it that way.

Just my opinion. If you don't vote, you have no right to complain.

D.

World Series Win

Congratulations to Bruce Bochy on his World Series Win. This victory is well deserved.

I think he is the best manager in baseball. I always have. I think the San Diego Padres made a huge mistake in letting him go. That's life. I don't go to nearly as many games as I have in the past. There are many reasons for that. But...

Congratulations Bruce. Enjoy. A job well done.
D.

Elections 2010, automated Phone solicitations

4:46 PM PST, El Cajon, CA, San Diego County:

Tonight, while fixing dinner, I received a telephone call. I am expecting an important phone call concerning a job. I answered. I don't recall the exact words but I do remember the name. Brad Williams. Republican running for state senate. Wow. I hadn't heard of him. Then they said he was endorsed by the Boston Globe. Cool. But why would a candidate for state senate in California be endorsed by the Boston Globe. Then the announcer said "Brad Williams, candidate for state senate, Massachusetts. Really?

Geesh. I am being bombarded. The daily mail brought a whole tree of campaign literature. Vote for this, vote for that. Vote for me, vote for them. Ok. I love our electoral system, but geesh, can't you get the phone number right.

Mr. Williams, I wish you well.

Wow. Saddam Hussein really did have Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Wow. Saddam Hussein really did have weapons of mass destruction. George W. Bush, and all the other European nations that had the same intelligence, were right. Amazing.

Wired magazine just posted this on their website (www.wired.com/dangerroom/) in an article by Noah Shachtman (is that pronounced "shocked man"?). I had to throw that last parenthetical question in there because I was confident that Saddam did have them. I am not privvy to any information I just took him at his word.


But you should also check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHJJQ0zNNOM

Found this also on Wired.com. I want one.

Thanks for checking in.
D.

Coke Machines

I remember those coke machines with the little 5 or 6 ounce cups, and the small cubes of ice about the size of a dime. You know, the ones where you dropped in a couple of quarters and you got a nice little refreshing cold drink. The drink you could finish in a few gulps, but it still quenched your thirst.

I miss those. Don't see many of them around. Now you either get 12 oz. aluminum cans or 20 oz. glass or plastic bottles. I could drink 5 or 6 ounces, not 12 and definitely not 20 at a time. I am glad they have resealable caps but still, it seems like such a waste.

Why not bring those machines back? I know. They compete with the baristas and fast food joints. It just seems like a healthier choice or, at least, a more moderate one.

Old Friends and Love Stories

The other day was a rainy day in Southern California. I get rather pensive on days like that.

I was working at my computer, doing job searches, looking for work and hoping for the best. I don’t know why I thought about it. Something in the weather, I guess, must have reminded me of the story. It was a love story. The kind of endless, undying love, with lovers too young to know any better and dumb enough to give their hearts so fully. They relied on each other too much. They were kids, they were unprepared. This was my friend’s story.

Reggie was an independent spirit. I met him about 25 years ago. We met by chance. We worked in the same hotel. We became friends. We were about the same age. I was married, he was not.

I had been working at the Italian Restaurant in the hotel when Reggie was hired. He was immediately assigned to our restaurant as a prep cook. We hit it off immediately. He had a wonderful sense of humor and lots of great stories to tell. He was a pleasure to work with.

He had come to the lake to start something new. He was tired of his old life and needed something different. He had been chasing a living running a deep fried vegetable concession truck at county fairs, carnivals and craft festivals. He needed a change. I think the economy had something to do with it. The money just wasn’t there.

I remember he rolled into Tahoe in his camper truck. He lived like a turtle, with his home on his back. Come to think of it, he was kind of built like a turtle too, kind of round and hard, about 5 foot 5 (or 6) inches tall, 240 to 250 pounds, not fat, muscular. He used to tell us stories of his traveling to carnivals and festivals, the people he’d meet and things he had seen.

At one time during his travels in the early 80’s, at the height of the mud wrestling popularity, Reggie and a buddy went to a bar one evening. There was a huge sign over a mud wrestling pit that advertised that wrestling would begin that evening at 7PM. There were pictures of nice looking young women all around the pit. After a few beers, as Reggie told it, and with some cajoling from his friend, Reggie was ready to sign up for the wrestling. He figured he would need a few beers to get into a mud pit with a couple of bikini clad waitresses and make a fool of himself.

Seven PM rolled around and Reggie, slightly inebriated, eagerly awaited the girls and the mud. Soon, an announcement was made to the now-crowded bar that the mud wrestling would soon begin. A small cheer went up as the crowd moved to gather around the small pit and arena. As luck would have it Reggie’s name was called first. Reggie stepped forward, was lead into the arena and, beer in hand, yelled, “Bring on the girls!”

Right on cue, Reggie’s opponent was brought in to the arena. No girls. His opponent was to be a six foot alligator with duct tape around his snout and carried by two attendants. The crowd let out a cheer.

“Had I been sober, I would have backed out,” Reggie told us. But since he had “several” beers he really didn’t care about the outcome. He stepped up to “rassle the gator”.

The bell rang and the gator was let loose. Reggie pounced and grabbed the gator. The first two times the gator wiggled free. But the third time Reggie held on for dear life. The gator was having none of that and swung his tail in the air, with Reggie precariously attached, and whipped Reggie completely out of the ring. Reggie did not get back in. Getting thrown out of the ring once was enough.

This was Reggie. He was fun-loving, hard drinking and had a great sense of humor. He was also a very passionate guy. Reggie had been married, to the love of his life he said. They married young, just after he had established himself in the carnival food business. He would winter in Yuma, Arizona, a hotbed meeting place of fellow carnies and fair food service types. The mild winters made Yuma an excellent place to rest in the off-season, to repair machines, and to get ready for the next season.

Reggie met a local girl. They fell in love and married in the spring. He moved her to his home in Modesto, California where they lived a life as idyllic newlyweds.

Reggie and his wife moved into a working class neighborhood in Modesto. He had a small house with a carport. Life was good.

One night Reggie heard a noise coming from his carport and, upon investigating, found someone (or two) breaking into his car. He confronted the individual(s) only to be beaten severely. Reggie told me he spent several weeks in the hospital with multiple broken bones. His young wife was so afraid to stay in the house alone, and not having any relatives in the area, went home to her family in Yuma.

When Reggie finally got out of the hospital he divorced her. “She wasn’t there when I really needed her,” he told me. He also told me it was one of the great mistakes of his life. He never married again.

I knew Reggie 20 years ago. I haven’t seen him since. I have tried to find him a few times over the years. But not for the last five years or so. Internet searches, but to no avail. But just recently, after being laid off, I started my search again. I had an idea for a lunch truck as a last resort, if my current career path doesn’t pan out. I have not been able to find a job. So, I thought a lunch truck, working for myself, might be the route to go. I knew Reggie had that experience. I needed his help for my lunch truck business venture. I needed advice.

I tried searching again. His name came up. I hit the link for the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s office, Crime Victim’s Unit. Yes. There was Reggie’s name, listed on a plaque honoring the homicide victims in Stanislaus County for 2004-2005. This bit of news broke my heart. I should call the DA’s CVU (I have the number on my desk) to verify the identity of my friend but I am too afraid of the truth. It is a scary proposition. Is it better to know? Or should I cling to the hope that it is a coincidence? Perhaps a different Reggie? I do not know what I am going to do. I may never know.

He was a good man. Such a shame.

Keep in touch.
D.

This is Not the Silent Century

This is not the silent century,
everyone has a voice.
This is not the age of truth,
everyone has a choice.
We can toil or not and persevere,
We can stand on our faith and cheer.
We can never regain our youth.


D.

List for the Unemployed

Note: I got laid off from my job on July 22. I need to make a list of what I need to do each day, lest I waste too much time doing nothing but watching tv.

My lists:

July 23rd.
1. Cheer up. You now have time to work on your poetry, novel and your historical tome.
2. Don’t think about the lost vacation plans.
3. Savings can cover the mortgage.

July 25
1. Look for work. Send out 5 resumes to all competitors of old company.
2. Don’t think about the lost vacation plans.
3. Savings can cover the mortgage.

July 26
1. Look for work. Send out 5 resumes to any company that you have an address on.
2. Don’t think about the lost vacation plans.
3. Savings can cover the mortgage.

July 27
1. Have a happy birthday.
2. Take time to read a book. Relax.
3. Play scrabble on the computer.
4. If bored, play some mindless, noisy games on the internet.
5. Don’t think about the lost vacation plans.
6. Savings can cover the mortgage.

August 2
1. Look for work.
2. Don’t think about the lost vacation plans.
3. Savings can cover the mortgage.

September 7
1. Drive son to school.
2. Look for work on the computer, for an hour.
3. Find at least one job a day to apply for.
4. 9AM. Play some mindless, noisy games on the internet.
5. Think about your writing. Ok, that’s enough.
6. Lunch time? Already.
7. Call your wife.
8. Tell her to call you (the phone must be broken.)
9. Check Facebook. See who played hooky today.
10. Just me.

September 14
1. Drive son to school.
2. Look for work on the computer, for an hour.
3. Find at least one job a day to apply for.
4. 9AM. Play some mindless, noisy games on the internet.
5. Groceries – bleach, drain cleaner, rat poison, lighter fluid, Milk, eggs, cheese, pudding, bacon, butter, sausages.
6. Think about your writing, but read a book instead.

September 27
1. Drive son to school.
2. Stop for newspaper and donut.
3. Think about tomorrow’s list.

September 28
1. Drive son to school.
2. Come home, shower, shave, put on clean clothes.
3. Leave in plenty of time for interview. (first one in weeks.)
4. Be nice.
5. Call your wife.
6. Tell her we find out next week.

October 1
1. Drive son to school.
2. Look for work on the computer, for an hour.
3. Rake the leaves, mow the lawn.
4. Go to chiropractor. Back hurts.
5. Thank God for the vicodin.
6. And Ice.
7. …

October 4
1. Drive son to school.
2. Stop for newspaper.
3. Check the phone.
4. Coffee, breakfast, newspaper.
5. Check the phone.
6. Check e-mail.
7. Lunch time already. Call your wife.
8. Check phone.

Whales on a Beach

What if whales stranding themselves on beaches is just a part of the evolutionary process of a million years? What if one of those whales finally develops the necessary features needed to live on land? What if they just want to join their fellow mammals and live on land like other air breathers?

Perhaps it is just a question that we as humans just can't answer. We have to look at the entire history


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100925/ap_on_sc/as_new_zealand_whales_stranded

Just a Saturday morning pondering. I need coffee.
D.

Spider Housekeeping

This weekend I saw a spider. EEK!

I awoke yesterday morning and found him/her building, no, tending the web. It was early morning and over my coffee and morning paper I watched him. Nothing unusual was happening. I, drinking my coffee, reading my newspaper, he, watching his web and waiting for gnats, flies or any other insects that happened to wander by.

Midway through my paper I noticed a leaf hanging on the web, near the bottom where he attached the web to the house. The leaf was wiggling in the slight early morning breeze. With every breeze the web shook. The little leaf was aggravating the whole web. The spider, finally got annoyed and moved down the web to flick the leaf off into the yard. I was intrigued about the spider and impressed with the effort at web housekeeping.

He was back tonight. I noticed there were some insects in the web already. I wish him well. But I hope he dismantles it in the morning because I have some yardwork to do and it is a common passageway around the house. Tonight I will let him sleep.