Tag: lisa

Passages

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It was approximately 16 years ago today that I first met Dan and Shannon and Rich and Tricia, when I moved into the D1-East hall of the Aberdeen-Inverness dorm at U. C. Riverside. If I was a newborn on the day that we all met, I would be about to get my drivers license today!

In a similar note, it was approximately 19 years ago today that I first met strausmouse and Andy at Former President Grover Cleveland Humanities “School Without Walls” Magnet High School. (I think I met Norm and Lisa a little later, and I first met AJ more than a year later). Who would have thought that 19 years later, both Eric and I would be living on the East coast, and that Norm would be living in Nanuet, right around the corner from where my Grandparents lived for 30 years?

Odds and ends

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Just a bunch of miscellaneous stuff before I head off to the gym:

I had it in my head this morning that today was the last day of summer and that tomorrow was the autumnal equinox (I think I’ve got the right terms this time, mabfan). But when I checked, I found out that the autumnal equinox actually begins on September 23 this year. In fact, I don’t think it ever falls on the 21st. (It occasionally “falls” on the 22nd.) I don’t know what I was thinking. But hey! Two more days of summer!

I went to bed early last night, right after House was over. I checked the Yankee’s score and then went to bed. While I was asleep, AJ apparently called something like 4 times. He left two messages. The first was rather funny becuase it was completely incoherent. It sounded like laughter. I thought I heard Denisse in the background. Who knows what was going on. The second time he managed to leave a more coherent message.

I’m just about halfway through The Demon-Haunted World and I am really enjoying it. I remember very little of it from the first time I read it ten years ago, which is a bit disturbing. With a book that good, I should have remembered more. Much of the book thus far has been spent on a detailed analysis of reports of alien abductions, which Sagan then proceeds to debunk in a calm and rational manner. It’s a fascinating subject, actually, but I’ll save for another time my thoughts on the matter.

I got email from the Democratic party today asking for a donation. This isn’t unusual since I am a Democrat and I’ve donated money in the past. I’ve mentioned before, however, how these campaigns use fear more and more as a tactic to obtain votes, and whether Democrat, Republican, or Whig, I dispise these tactics. This time, it wasn’t the fear part that annoyed me. This time, they were asking for money specifically for television ad campaigns. “It is their single biggest expense,” the message read. That filled me with confidence. I’d donate money for them to have the courage to withhold their lame ads from TV. But I can’t see giving them money for ads that I hate to watch anyway, even if they are my party.

Finally, congratulations go out to Lisa on her recent office upgrade, and accompanying promotion to go along with it.

An afternoon with Andy and Mandy

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I had a very nice afternoon and evening with Andy and Mandy today. They picked me up at the hotel at about 1 PM and we headed to Westwood for lunch at In’n’Out which I have been craving since my last In’n’Out meal back at the beginning of March. We then headed back into the Valley.

I went to the Iliad Bookshop for the first time since moving away from Southern California–and was surprised to find that it had moved to a location. Actually, I should say I was relieved. I picked up 5 books while I was there so it was worthwhile.

Andy and I then sat around watching the Lakers get killed–something that filled me unshameful glee. Afterward, we headed back to the west side for dinner. We made a small detour however. Ever since I discovered that Harlan Ellison lived four houses up the street from Eric’s parents (how many time did I drive past Ellison Wonderland in high school and never know it!) we had to drive by so I could see for myself. Sure enough, there it was, gargoyles, signs and all. It is really quite a magnificent house and I grabbed a couple of low res pictures (on my cell phone) to prove to myself that I was there. An Eric was right–it was just a few houses up from his parent’s. (No, I’m not going to post the address–I think Harlan deserves his privacy.)

We headed to the Grove and met Lisa and her friend Michelle, and Joel was there as well. We ate at Wood Ranch and, naturally, I had the tri-tip. Joel was kind enough to bring me back to the hotel, and now I’m finishing up my packing and heading off to bed. My flight is at 8:45 AM in the morning.

Santa Monica, Day 6

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I was up early this morning because I went to bed early last night. I didn’t have a big breakfast because I knew we’d be meeting up for lunch later on today. So I walked toward the Santa Monica pier and got a donut on the way there. I sat at the end of the pier for about an hour listening to my “Autobiography” playlist on my iPod.

Lisa picked me up at the hotel at noon and we headed over to the Rose Cafe in Venice where we met Andy and Mandy for lunch.

After lunch, we headed over to the Santa Monica pier to check out the Ashes & Snow exhibit at the Nomadic Museum. This was Andy’s suggestion, which surprised me for some reason. It was an interesting exhibit. The films were somewhat hypnotic. But the thing is: I just didn’t get it. I understood it a little bit better afterward when one of the staff explained to us what the longer-term plans were.

Lisa headed home to nap afterward and I went back to Andy and Mandy’s place to meet their new dog Rudy, who is a very cute dog. We went for a late dinner at El Torito Grill, which was very good. I had a couple of Cadillac margaritas there, bringing my grand total to four. I like them.

Andy brought me back to the hotel close to 11 PM.

My flight back home is at 8:40 tomorrow morning.

Santa Monica, Day 2

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Long day today, and another night filled with crazy and intense dreams. I couldn’t remember the dream I had last night until dinner this evening when something Jim said triggered a memory of what the dream was about.

Today was the first day of the Crystal Reports training class and I think it went very well. We have a great instructor and the comments I’ve been hearing about the class so far are all positive.

In addition to that, other people, not me, were busy at work today because the email server in Washington was down all day. It is still down and from what I understand, will be back online around midnight. I was not fully effected by this because I can still read my email in UNIX (I’ve always been able to do this as a backup) but it was a pretty frantic place today even so.

Had lunch with Jason Allen and Enrique today, and had dinner this evening with Jim and Janet. We ended up at Wolfgang Puck Express on Third Street and afterward, did our ritual of looking at framed art on sale at–the name of the place slips my mind right now–oh, wait, Gallerie. We’ve done this three or four times in the past and it’s become a kind of tradition. Jim and Janet just dropped me off at the hotel and I’m writing this in bed. I’m beat.

I was planning to do some more writing tonight but I don’t think I could keep my eyes open. I was hoping to watch House but, fortunately, it’s not on tonight. The State of the Union address is being broadcast instead. I’m too tired to stay up and watch, and besides, I don’t expect that the President is going to say anything that will surprise me, although I could be wrong here.

Lisa invited me to play in a pickup game of kickball tomorrow after work, so I’m going to do that.

27 push-ups this morning. Still not willing to admit how many sit-ups I’m doing.

This journal entry marks the first full month of blogging for me–so far, so good.

Just back from Andy and Lisa’s kickball game

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Well, I’m just back from Andy and Lisa’s kickball game. They lost, but it was a close game and it came down to a run scored in the bottom of the 5th inning that brough in the winning run for the home team. It was a well-played game on both sides. Lisa had a good play at 3rd, as well as a base hit. Andy played 1st base (I kept calling him “Giambi”). It was fun. Lisa hung around to play a second game, but Andy and I left after the first game and went to The Shack in Santa Monica for some late afternoon snacks. Joel met us there (he played in the kickball game as well).

The game was video-taped and there were player interviews that are going to be used as a promotional podcast in support of kickball to get more people to join up and play. So there was an (amature) camera crew at the game with three video cameras stationed around the field taping the game.

It was beautiful out too, clear skies, a nice breeze and warm (relative to the east coast anyway).

Mom and Dad should be here soon. Dinner tonight at Ocean Avenue Seafood.