What's been going on

Tuesday, December 25, 2007 - Christmas 2007  Click for Pictures And another one bites the dust. Christmas Day has now boiled down to a routine: sleep late, soak in the hot tub, get dressed, take pictures, open presents, cook dinner, eat dinner, collapse in exhuastion at the conclusion of another stressed out shopping season. This year Sirivan's days off coincided with Christmas and New Year, and I took the days between the two holidays as vacation, giving me 11 whole days in which to relax and bum around the house. Now, that's a Christmas present. The Menu Glazed Ham Sweet Potatoes Green Beans with Bacon & Onion Cranberries Cream Style Corn Click for Pictures

Saturday, December 8, 2007 - Marion's Birthday Dinner Party  Click for Pictures As we've done a couple of times before, we held a dinner party in honor of Marion Kramer's birthday. Present were Marion and her friend Gloria, my friends Eric Christofferson and Ann Ruth, and Sirivan and myself. The Menu Pumpkin Onion Soup Potato/Spinach/Salmon/Egg/Caviar Appetizer Green Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette Crab & Shrimp Stuffed Lobster (served with Tarragon Beurre Blanc Sauce and Duchess Potatoes) Chocolate Cake with Espresso Cream & Raspberry Sauce Click for Pictures

Sunday, June 3, 2007 - I Ran the San Diego Marathon!  Click for Pictures This was my first marathon. I didn't qualify for Boston, but I had a great time anyway. I drove down in the van, spending Friday night in LA visiting my friend Saeed. I drove the rest of the way the next day. Traffic held me up, but I got to the pre race expo with 15 minutes to spare, where I picked up my bib and race packet. I found a sushi place downtown, and ate there. My diet for the week before the race was strictly low fat, high carb, no red meat, no spices, no caffeine. Sushi fit the bill. After dinner, I drove to the airport area where they had event parking and spent the night near the shuttle pick up/drop off point. The start and finish lines were in different places, so they had shuttle buses from the event parking area to the start, and more from the finish line back to the parking. Spending the night there in the van bought me lots of extra sleep, since I didn't have to wait in line the next morning. I awoke at 4:00 am, got dressed, had breakfast in the van and was on a shuttle bus by 5:15. I got to the starting area by 5:30, leaving plenty of time to explore, get free bagels and coffee, take pictures, check my gear (sweat suit, camera) and find my starting corral before the gun went off at 6:30. They really put out the welcome mat. We were serenaded by the Marine Corps marching band. This was a chip timed race. That means the runners wore little transponder chips tied to their shoelaces, each with their own unique identifier. There were chip reading mats at the start, finish, and a couple of points in between. We were timed from start to finish, as opposed to gun time to finish. That makes a big difference for the non-elite runners, who stand far behind the start line, which they cross some minutes after the starting gun. The race was extremely well organized. We all had corral numbers, based on our estimated finish time (which we supplied when we registered.) The fastest runners stood closest to the front, with everyone else farther and farther back according to their estimated speed. That way slow runners who got there early wouldn't hold up the faster ones who got there later, and slow runners wouldn't get knocked over by faster ones coming up from behind. My estimated time was 4 hours, putting me in corral number 7 out of 20 or so. At my age, 4 hours would qualify me for the Boston Marathon next year. So I got a good start, and was holding to my 4 hour pace for the first eight miles. Then my left knee went out. The pain forced me to slow to a walk. At first I thought I was done for the day, but then did some calculating. I'd covered 8 miles so far, leaving 18 to go, with 6 hours and 20 minutes to do it in. Even if I walked the rest of the way, I could still finish before the 7 1/2 hour cutoff time. That's when they stop the race and open the streets to motor traffic. If I crossed the finish line before then, I'd get a finisher's medal. At mile 9 there was a medical aid station where I had the knee wrapped up with an elastic bandage. That helped some, and I started to run again at a much slower speed. It still hurt, but I found that if I didn't bend it too much I could keep moving. By mile 12, I had adapted to the slower pace and was feeling okay. But at mile 14, I stopped for water and as soon as I did, my legs froze up. When I tried to run again, they were too stiff and sore. So I walked until they loosened up enough for me to resume my limping jog. At mile 17 I began slowing to a walk every mile for a minute or two. At mile 19 I was hurting everywhere and stopped at another medical station where I swallowed two Tylenol, then kept going. They kicked in by mile 22, but by that time I was out of fuel. I could only run for about half a mile before having to walk for a minute or so. So that's the way I covered the remaining distance. I crossed the finish line at 5 hours and 19 minutes. I'd averaged 4.9 mph for the course, 4.4 mph from the time my knee went. Too slow for Boston, but considering my injury, a time I can live with and even be a little proud of. My place was about 10,000 out of about 21,000, of which only 15,000 finished. I got my finisher's medal and hung it outside my cubicle at work. Why, you are probably thinking, did I keep going after my knee quit? A woman running near me was wearing a tee shirt that says it all: "Pain is temporary. Finishing lasts forever." While we're on the subject of tee shirts, another woman had one that said "What was I thinking?" But my favorite of all, and possibly my favorite of all time, was worn by a spectator. It read "As a matter of fact, I am a rocket scientist!" After the race I hung around the finishing area for a while, taking pictures, collecting freebies and getting my medal engraved with my time. Then I went to a 24 Hour Fitness club I'd located before I left and had a long, hot shower that was the best thing I'd felt in a long while. I started back about 4:30 pm. I spent the night in a rest area on Interstate 5 a couple of hundred miles south of San Jose. There was a sign that said "No Overnight Parking" but I was dead tired and slept there anyway. Nobody bothered me and I got a good night's sleep and drove the rest of the way the next morning. I drove straight to work, arriving earlier than usual, and showered and changed at the gym there. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) Click for Pictures

Sunday, May 20, 2007 - I Ran the Bay to Breakers!  Click for Pictures For the fourth year in a row, I ran the Bay to Breakers, a 12K race across San Francisco. At 1 hr, 9 minutes, 50 seconds, I placed 3241 out of about 50,000 overall, and 58th out of 757 in my age and gender division. This was my second best time in the four years that I have run. As I did last year, I parked the camper van a block from the starting line and got into position at 6:45 am after a good night's sleep. Getting a position near the front was not as critical this year as it has been in the past because of the use of chip timing. This allows everyone to be timed from the start to the finish, as opposed to being timed from the starting gun until they cross the finish line. Since it typically takes those at the back 45 minutes to an hour just to get to the start line (by which time the winners have already finished) this meant better times for most everybody. Click for Pictures

Sunday, April 29, 2007 - San Jose's Falcons Hatch 3 Chicks!  Click for Pictures On a highrise rooftop in downtown San Jose, Jose Fernando and Clara, a nesting pair of falcons, hatched three live chicks yesterday after warming their eggs for weeks. To the delight of local residents, they have been monitored by a webcam, which enabled me to get these shots. Click for Pictures

Saturday, April 14, 2007 - Red Bluff Chili Cook Off  Click for Pictures This was our first chili cook off since April last year, also in Red Bluff. We got away late Friday night, arriving in Red Bluff just before 3:00 am, where we got 3 hours sleep in the van at the cook off site before waking up, unpacking, and setting up our booth early Saturday morning. It was nice not to have to wake up and drive. Shortly after we had our booth set up, it began to rain. Fortunately, there wasn't much wind, so our canopy, which has a roof but no sides, sheltered us adequately while we cooked. The rain continued until early afternoon. This year, Sirivan entered the Salsa competition in addition to her usual Chili Verde, which gave us three entries altogether when you count my red chili. Though we didn't win any prizes this time, we didn't embarass ourselves either, with all of our offerings finishing in the middle of the pack. Click for Pictures

Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - Valentine's Day Dinner  Click for Pictures Since Valentine's Day fell on one of Sirivan's days off this year, she spent the whole day shopping and cooking to treat me to a super dinner. The Menu Calamari Cocktail Shrimp Salad Lobster Fra. Diavolo with Linguini, Fennel & Basil Chocolate Lava Cake Click for Pictures

Saturday, December 30, 2006 - Dinner with Barcelona Friends  Click for Pictures Sirivan's friend Gloria from work, her mother - also named Gloria - and Gloria's friend Edgar from Barcelona and his son Carlos joined us for dinner. As my family from Houston was staying with us as well, it made a merry gathering! After dinner, my Uncle Bobby, who coached wrestling at University of Texas, showed Carlos how it was done. Carlos went easy on him. The Menu Crab Cakes Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing Seafood Stew Pumpkin Pie & Ice Cream Click for Pictures

Thursday, December 28, 2006 - The Dawson Visit 2006  Click for Pictures My mother, my uncle Bobby and his daughter, my cousin Lennice came to stay with us over the New Year Weekend, from Thursday the 28th to Tuesday the 2nd. On Thursday, Sirivan brought them home from the airport. On Friday, I took them sightseeing in San Francisco, where we had lunch at The Franciscan at Fisherman's Wharf. On Saturday, they took a Wine Country tour by bus from San Francisco. That night, Sirivan's friend Gloria from work, her mother - also named Gloria - and Gloria's friend Edgar from Barcelona and his son Carlos joined us for dinner. Sunday was New Year's Eve. The guests took it easy and ran errands. Lennice had wanted to go to Alcatraz, but the ferry tickets were sold out well in advance. That night we had dinner and watched the ball come down at midnight, then walked out onto the deck to watch the local fireworks. On New Year's Day, Lennice & I went on a 2 1/2 hour, 14-mile bike ride up and down the hills of Chabot Regional Park. Lennice, who grew up in Houston, redefined the word "hill" after that. :) We followed the ride with a welcome soak in the hot tub. Monday night, Mom took us to dinner at Chevy's at Bayfair Mall. All in all, it was one long weekend of sightseeing and dinner parties. :) Click for Pictures

Monday, December 25, 2006 - Christmas 2006  Click for Pictures Any day that starts off with sleeping till noon can't be all bad. After waking up at that time, the next order of the day was a soak in the hot tub before getting dressed. We were finally ready to begin opening presents by around 3:00 pm. After that, Sirivan set to organizing the house for our guests who were coming on Thursday, while I retreated to the kitchen to prepare Christmas dinner. The Menu Black Bean & Ham Soup Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing Pheasant Braised in Red Wine Honeyed Sweet Potatoes and Marshmallows Green Beans & Zucchini with Mushrooms & Onions Cranberry Orange Relish Click for Pictures

Thursday, November 23, 2006 - Sirivan's 50th Birthday Surprise  Click for Pictures Thanksgiving this year was also Sirivan's 50th birthday. To mark the occasion, I organized a surprise party. Besides her mother in San Francisco, I had family flying in from Seattle and L.A., plus some of her colleagues from work. Thanksgiving was a work day for her. At the last minute, she almost sabotaged everything by trying to get the day off. Fortunately, I was able to call her work and get them to keep her there until noon, giving me and the guests time to assemble and prepare the scene. Surprise!!! Click for Pictures

Saturday, October 21, 2006 - 10K Run in Big Sur  Click for Pictures For a fun run in one of the world's most scenic places, try the Big Sur River Run in Big Sur, California. Held each October, it follows a flat loop around the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park near the mouth of the Big Sur River. I spent the night in the van near the start line, getting plenty of sleep before the race. My official time was 54:11, though I timed myself at 54:24. Afterwards, I took my time driving home so as to get the scenic shots you see here. Also as usual, the race shots were taken with my lo-res, lightweight PenCam. My regualr camera isn't really suitable for holding and operating while running. Click for Pictures

Sunday, July 23, 2006 - I Ran the Wharf to Wharf  Click for Pictures I ran the Wharf to Wharf in Santa Cruz for the third year in a row. This year it was uncharacteristically hot - felt like somewhere in the 80s. Maybe that had something to do with my time, which at 54:56 was a disappointing 2 1/2 minutes slower that last year. I started with a good pace and was breathing well, but flagged around the 3-mile mark. However, I can report that I tried a Breathe Rite nasal dilator strip for the first time and found that it definitely helps delay the switch to mouth breathing. I can run faster, in other words, while still breathing through the nose. The advantage of this is that it reduces dehydration, which proceeds faster while breathing through the mouth, and also delays (and in this case eliminated) the onset of excercise induced asthsma, which, in my case at least, only occurs during mouth breathing. Two thumbs up for Breathe Rite! Click for Pictures

Thursday, June 8, 2006 - MicroClock's Summer Barbecue  Click for Pictures This year we held the company barbecue in San Jose's Hellyer Park, about 3 miles from the office. Instead of the usual hamburgers and hot dogs, the menu consisted of Fillet Mignon, BBQ Chicken, Chicken Kabobs (prepared with Halal meat), Samosas, Breads, Salads, Fruit and more. A considerable improvement! After lunch, the fun and games began: water balloon tossing, dizzy relays, and a tug of war. We had a casualty in the dizzy relay: Joe Tajnai fell while running and dislocated a finger. Ouch! There were lots of water balloons left over after the toss, leading to a number of private vendettas. I tried to stay out of it, but suffered some collateral damage when my camera took a hit. Nothing fatal, fortunately. Click for Pictures

Sunday, May 21, 2006 - I ran the Bay to Breakers  Click for Pictures For the third year in a row, I ran the Bay to Breakers. As usual, I drove to San Francisco the day before to attend the Bay to Breakers Expo at the Civic Center, where I bought a new pair of running shoes. Unlike previous years, however, I drove the camper van and, after dining at a local restaurant, found a parking place exactly one block from the starting line and spent the night there. This way, I got a LOT more sleep. The next morning I woke up at 5:20, got dressed, had breakfast in the van, then walked the block to the starting line where I established my place at the very front by 6:05 am. In order to get to sleep earlier than usual, I took a Melatonin, which proved to be a mistake. Though I got the intended sleep, my energy level was very poor and I ran the race in 71 minutes, 2 minutes slower than last year. Next year I'll know better. It was raining when I arrived, but had stopped by race time. I took more streaker shots this year for my Texas friend Don Lunde, who says he enjoys looking at gay men's butts. :) Click for Pictures

Saturday, May 13, 2006 - Mothers' Day  Click for Pictures In honor of Mothers' Day, we took Sirivan's mother and her two friends Wong Mo and Wong Pa to San Francisco's famous Yank Sing for Dim Sum. Mothers' Day was actually the 14th, but we went on the 13th because Sirivan was working that day. Click for Pictures

Sunday, February 12, 2006 - Lake Chabot Hike  Click for Pictures Capitalizing on a rare winter nexus of warm weather, dry ground and free time, I hiked five miles of my favorite trails in the Lake Chabot Regional Park near my home. The stream was flowing on account of the recent rains. As a bonus, I got stills and video of a flock of wild turkeys. There were at least a dozen, but I couldn't get them all in the same shot. Click for Pictures

Saturday, February 11, 2006 - Dinner with Jerry & Tonia Metz  Click for Pictures After a lapse of seven years, I finally got together again with old friends Jerry and Tonia Metz. They got to meet Sirivan for the first time. In a rare display of organization, we had the food prepared and keeping warm before they arrived, allowing us to relax and catch up on the news by the fire for an hour or so before dinner. The Menu Smoked Salmon Rose on Potato Cake Thai Duck Curry Tod Mun (Fish Cakes) with Two Sauces Asparagus with Sweet & Pungent Dressing Jasmine Rice Creme Brulee Click for Pictures

Saturday, January 28, 2006 - Chinese New Year Dinner Party  Click for Pictures We put on a dinner for Chinese New Year and Sirivan invited her colleagues from work: Gloria and her mother, Diana and her husband Derek, and Marty & Bill. Considering that we made 11 dishes for 8 people, we did pretty good. After cocktails at the bar in the den, we had everyone seated and eating by 8:00 pm. For the centerpiece, Sirivan used one of her Christmas presents: a Chinese Barbie with a tiny New Year card in her hand for the Year of the Dog. It was raining. For some reason, no one displayed any interest in the hot tub. I don't know why - that's my favorite time. :) The Menu Spring Rolls Corn & Crab Soup Mongolian Beef Lemon Chicken Sweet & Sour Fish Broccoli Shrimp Braised Tofu with Mushrooms Stir Fry Vegetables Chow Mein Steamed Jasmine Rice Chocolate Souffle w/ White Chocolate Ganache Click for Pictures

Saturday, January 14, 2006 - Dinner with Bob & Karen  Click for Pictures On impulse last month, I tried the number of an old friend I hadn't seen in 20 years. Lo and behold, it was still good! Bob Buffin and I last saw each other around 1985 when I was living in San Francisco and fell out of touch when I moved to the South Bay. We decided to remedy that situation and agreed to get together in January. Bob looked pretty much the same as when I last saw him, except that the last time, he had hair. :) He took the opportunity to return a book I had loaned him 20 years earlier. Menu for the evening: Black Bean and Ham Soup Fried Calamari with a Sweet & Sour Hot Sauce. Homemade Pork Ravioli with an Orange-Soy-Garlic Sauce, served with Julienned Zucchini, Carrots and Bean Sprouts. Grand Marnier Souffle Coffee Click for Pictures

Sunday, December 25, 2005 - Christmas  Click for Pictures It wasn't a white Christmas, but a wet one. That's fine with me as long as I don't have to go out. Unfortunately, this was a work day for Sirivan, which meant we didn't have time for a Christmas dinner. In addition, her colleagues were holding a pot luck lunch, so she spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning cooking for them. Oh, well. We had a good time opening presents. Click for Pictures

Sunday, December 11, 2005 - Marion's Birthday  Click for Pictures We put on a dinner party for Sirivan's former landlady Marion, whose birthday was actually on the 6th. Marion brought three guests: Phyllis, Pete and Linda. Click for Pictures

Sunday, December 4, 2005 - A Sunset Hike  Click for Pictures A late afternoon hike on my favorite Lake Chabot Trail (Columbine) brought me some nice pictures at sunset - and an hour of hiking back to the car through the woods in the dark. Fortunately, I carry a light in my fanny pack for such occasions. Click for Pictures

Saturday, November 26, 2005 - Sirivan's Birthday Dinner  Click for Pictures In observance of Sirivan's birthday on Tuesday the 23rd, we went out to dinner the following Saturday night. She chose a new Thai restaurant in, of all places, North Beach - San Francisco's Italian district. Located at Grant and Vallejo, "Citizen Thai and the Monkey" is lively, well appointed and offers excellent Thai dishes. We were seated next to an aquarium inside a bird cage, a pleasing if unexpected arrangement. We started with two appetizers, Spiced Fish Cakes and Chicken and Shrimp in Rice Paper Bags. We followed that with two entrees, Pad Thai (a noodle dish) and Pork with Mango Salad and Sticky Rice. We shared all dishes. The service was friendly and efficient. At under $60 for the two of us, I consider it a bargain. Two thumbs up. :) Click for Pictures

Thursday, November 24, 2005 - Thanksgiving with Doug & Chihiro  Click for Pictures Doug & Chihiro were kind enough to invite us to share Thanksgiving with their family and friends at their home in Pleasant Hill. The hosts provided the turkey and potatoes, and the guests each brought one or two dishes. What a spread! Click for Pictures

September 28, 2005 - Our 5th Anniversary Click for Photos We celebrated a day early, because Sirivan had to work on the real date (the 29th). As we had in three of the last five years, we returned to the site of our first date: San Leandro's Cafe Encore. This time, we discovered that it had changed hands in January 2005. The menu, happily, was mostly unchanged. Our waiter was a co-owner, and cheerfully took our picture when we told him why we were there. When the bill came, it was about $15 too low, and we called this to his attention. It was no mistake, he told us. Ordinarily he would have comped the drinks; but as we had ordered nothing alcoholic, he had reduced the bill by about $15. We thanked him for his gesture and left a $15 tip. Click for Photos

Sunday, September 25, 2005 - Sirivan Took 1st Place in the Woodland Chili Cook Off!  Click for Pictures We cooked in back-to-back events over the weekend: Sacramento on Saturday and Woodland (about 20 miles away) on Sunday. We spent the night before in the camper van each time, at the site. We got a lot more sleep that way. We did good. Apart from making the front page of the local county daily newspaper, Sirivan took 1st place in Woodland in the Chili Verde division. Winning a regional cook off means getting to compete in the World Championsip in Omaha weekend after next. We're excited. She did pretty good in the cash department, too: apart from the trophy (right), she won $160 for the 1st prize, $50 in the cooks' pool on top of Saturday's $25 for 3rd place in the Booth contest. Click for Pictures

Saturday, September 24, 2005 - River City Chili Cook Off  Click for Pictures We drove the camper to Sacramento on Friday night for the first of two back to back cook offs, arriving at about 4:00 am. We parked a block from the venue and caught about three hours sleep, which is about three more than we would have had if we'd left home at 4:30 am. We didn't win anything in the cooking department, but Sirivan got $25 and a trophy for placing 3rd in the Best Booth contest. Click for Pictures

September 17, 2005 - Dinner with John, Jennifer & David Dawson Click for Photos This was John's second visit to my home in San Leandro, and the first for Jennifer and David. It was a first for us,too: we hadn't met David before. At 3 years, he's already charming and adorable. The Menu Appetizer: Crab Cake with 3 Kinds of Sushi Entree: Sesame Tuna with Noodles & Greens in Asian Sauce Dessert: Ice Cream with Brownie and Chocolate Sauce Click for Photos

Sunday, September 11, 2005 - Surprise Party!!  Click for Pictures On the way back from Japan, we stopped in Houston to visit with Mom overnight. Come dinnertime, Mom, Sirivan and I headed to the Grand Buffet in League City for dinner. I just thought that was where Sirivan wanted to go. When we got there more family was waiting and friends arrived soon after. Present were Mom, myself and Sirivan; my Uncle Bobby and Aunt Zachie; and friend-since-childhood Don "Bud" Lunde, with his now 25-year-old daughter, Shanna. But the biggest surprise was yet to come: Sirivan had written and published a cookbook of recipies for dinners we had put on for friends in the past, and named it after me. It'll be a real collectors' item: the first edition was 6 copies. Click for Pictures

Sunday, August 21, 2005 - Reno Chili Cook Off  Click for Pictures We drove the van up to Reno and spent the night in the parking lot of the Peppermill Casino, along with several other RVs. Luckily, Nevada casinos are RV friendly. Early the next morning, we set up our booth outside the Alibi Lounge and proceeded to do our thing. Once again, we didn't place. I came in 11th out of 28; Sirivan pulled up the rear in a field of 14. Click for Pictures

Thursday, August 18, 2005 - New plates for the van  I got personal plates for the van: "EMIGRNT", honoring the Emigrant Wilderness, my favorite backpacking area. No, you can't drive RVs into wilderness areas, but you can spend the night in one at the trailhead to get an earlier start. Click for Pictures

Sunday, August 14, 2005 - Bungee Jump!  Click for Pictures In a life passage that somehow missed inclusion in Gail Sheehy's book, I made my first bungee jump. Click a picture for the story. Click for Pictures

Sunday, August 14, 2005 - San Mateo Chili Cook Off  Click for Pictures I drove the van up to the San Mateo County Fairgrounds and spent the night in the parking lot. I find it easier to get an early start that way. Sirivan didn't feel like spending the night in the van, so she met me there the next morning while I was setting up. Things did not go well. As usual, I had all of my ingredients premeasured to save fumbling around with measuring spoons under pressure and in sometimes windy conditions. This time I made a mistake while I was measuring at home. When it came time for the salt, I reached for a tablespoon instead of a teaspoon. The result was horrible. As it happened, one of the Fair food vendors was set up right across from our booth, One of their items was french fried curly potatoes. I went over and explained the situation and asked if they would sell me two raw potatoes. They offered two for a dollar. I paid them two dollars. For all I knew, I might need to go back for more, so I wanted them to be happy. I cut up the potatoes and boiled them in the chili for about 15 minutes, then removed them with a slotted spoon. A lot of the salt was gone, but it was still a bit salty for my taste. Still, the ICS judges tend to like it a little on the salty side, so I submitted my entry as planned. Considering the disaster, I should have placed last, but I didn't. I considered that a victory and resolved to pay more attention to my quantities in the future. Click for Pictures

July 27, 2005 - I Hiked Up Mission Peak  Click here for a 180 degree panorama Click for Pictures I hadn't been to Mission Peak for three years, and it was high time I repeated the experience. In return for a 2100 ft vertical climb and a 6 mile round trip (that's from the Stanford Avenue parking lot), Mission Peak rewards those intrepid souls who reach the summit with one of the most spectacular views in the Bay Area. On a weekend, it would be an easy day hike. If, however, you're trying to fit it in on the way home after work, it becomes a formidable climb. I hit the trail at about 7:45 pm on a Wednesday and made it to the top 70 minutes later, just as the sun was setting. At that pace, the ascent conveniently replaced my regular Wednesday evening workout at the gym. Since it was dark by the time I reached the peak, I expected to be the only one there. You can imagine my surprise when I found a party going on. A local church youth group was gathered around the summit marker, singing to the accompaniment of a guitar player. I later learned they do this every year. I carry a flashlight in my hiking fanny pack for occasions like this when I run out of light. I made it down the mountain in the dark without incident, using the flashlight every now and then to supplement the starlight. Click for Pictures

Sunday, July 24, 2005 - I Ran the Wharf to Wharf  Click for Pictures This year, I drove down the night before in my new camper van and spent the night two blocks from the start line. That made a WORLD of difference: I got 2 1/2 hours more sleep. Thus rested, I turned in a time of 52:23 for the six miles, 3 1/2 minutes better than last year. Two minutes of that was due to my lining up at the actual start instead of the 8 minute-mile pace mark, but I was still a minute and a half faster beyond that. After the race the buses took the runners back to the parking area at the edge of town - not, unfortunately, back to the start line where I was parked. Oh, well. I just ran the extra mile and a half. After I got back, I moved the van onto the municipal wharf and I spent the rest of the day fishing, with nary a bite. I didn't even lose my bait. Click for Pictures

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - Reunion with George Gill  Click for Pictures I was in Houston to pick a camper van I'd bought on e-Bay. Since I was staying overnight with my mother in Webster, it was only a short trip down the road to visit my old friend and roomie, George Gill. At 71, George appeared to be in good health and good spirits. Click for Pictures

May 22, 2005 - I bought a used camper van on Ebay.  Click for Pictures Finally, a support vehicle for Badwater! For those in the know, Badwater is the ultra-marathon from Death Valley, at 282 feet below sea level, to Whitney Portals on Mount Whitney at 8360 feet elevation. The course covers three mountain ranges, some 13,000 feet of vertical ascent and 4,700 of descent. It's an ultra-gruelling 135 miles in killer heat that can reach 130 degrees, and if you finish in 48 hours they give you a belt buckle. Read about it here and here. More realistically, I now have a support vehicle for skiing, backpacking, chili cook offs and Burning Man. It's a 1990 Ford L.E.R. conversion with 105K miles. I won it for $6951. Now all I have to do is pick it up in Dallas and drive it back. :) Click for Pictures

May 15, 2005 - I ran the Bay to Breakers!  Click for Pictures I didn't register until the last minute this year. I hurt my left knee in late January, the result of overworking it in the wrong running shoes. Consequently I didn't do much running in February and March, and none at all in April, while I let it rest and heal. Though I continued to exercise on a stair stepper, I was concerned about my lack of specific training and unsure whether my knee would recover in time. Well, it did. Once again, I rose at 4:00 am. At 5:30 am, I was the very first in line. And evidently the stair stepper work was enough to keep me in shape: I improved my time by 4 1/2 minutes over last year: 1:09:09 vs 1:13:29. Yes, that really is a bare ass in the thumbnail on your right. For those outlanders who aren't aware of it yet, the 7.5 mile race across San Francisco is (ahem) different. Though there are world class runners at the very front, the rest of the crowd - an estimated 65,000 this year - is there to have fun, whether that means running their personal best, running in imaginative costumes, or running in nothing at all. Click for Pictures Click here for the SF Chronicle story (and pictures)

April 24, 2005 - I climbed Mt. Diablo!  Click for Pictures Situated just east of Walnut Creek, Mt. Diablo is a mere 30 miles from my front door in San Leandro. Rising 3849 feet from sea level, it has the distinction of being the base line and meridian datum point for all land surveying in Northern California and parts of Nevada. I've wanted to climb it for several years, and today turned out to be the day. As days go, it was one of the better ones. It was overcast, but the streams were running water and the wild flowers were in full bloom. The clouds actually made for cooler hiking and some interesting pictures. I brought an extra layer with me which was needed on windy ridges and at the summit. From the Mitchell Canyon trailhead, the hike to the summit is a round trip of about 15 miles, with a vertical climb of 3,300 ft. It's classed as strenuous. I hit the trailhead at 11:30 am and got back a little under 8 hours later, after spending an hour at the top and losing half an hour to a wrong turn at Murchio Gap on the way back down. The trail itself was steep but generally in good condition. There wasn't much mud considering the recent rains, though it was gravelly in places such that I was thankful for my skiing skills when descending. The scenery, flowers and views were fantastic. I went crazy taking pictures to the point that I ran out of camera memory before I reached the summit. This wasn't much of a loss: I ran out just about the time I hit the cloud ceiling, so I didn't really miss anything. Click for Pictures

April 9, 2005 - Chili Cook Off: Red Bluff, CA  Click for Pictures It's Chili Season again! A 200 mile drive brought us to historic Red Bluff on the Sacramento River. After dinner at the Riverside Bar & Grill and a night's rest at the Red Bluff Inn, we spent Saturday cooking up a storm alongside three or four dozen other hopefuls. Despite spending the winter break engineering brand new recipies, we didn't place. Lotsa fun, though. :) Click for Pictures

January 22, 2005 - Sirivan's Belated Birthday Dinner  Click for Pictures Better late than never, I spoze... I finally got around to taking Sirivan out to eat for her birthday, which was in November last year. She had to work that day, and then it was Thanksgiving, and then, and then... Her mother Vanna came along and between us we must have put on 10 pounds in one meal. In case you missed my earlier entry, check out Todai. Click for Pictures

January 8, 2005 - Making Linguini  Click for Pictures This was a perfect day: we spent the whole day in the kitchen making brunch, dinner, snacks and lunches for the next week. Among other things, I made fresh linguini with my new pasta maker (see Christmas, below). I made both the regular kind, pictured here, and also a sun-dried tomato flavored version which turned out quite well. Click for Pictures

December 31, 2004 - New Year's Eve at Casa Chevsky  Click for Pictures We spent New Year's Eve at the stunning home of Gary & Rona Chevsky, who put on a memorable feast and even more memorable entertainment. :) :) Click for Pictures

December 25, 2004 - Christmas  Click for Pictures After a soak in the hot tub, we got down to the business of opening presents. Then we cooked dinner. We made exactly the same dinner we did last year; we must be getting into a rut. Unfortunately, Sirivan had to work that night, but we had a pretty good day. Click for Pictures

December 10, 2004 - Continental Airlines Christmas Party  Click for Pictures Like last year, held at the Clarion Hotel in Milbrae, near SFO. I remembered to bring ear plugs again. Sirivan won a door prize: an Embossed Metal Tub of Chocolates. I expect I'll end up eating most of it. Alas, Tom is no longer with Continental. Tom and Barbara are moving to Oregon, so we had to do without Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus. Click for Pictures

December 4, 2004 - Marion's Birthday Click for Pictures In what seems to have become an annual event, we had Sirivan's (now former) landlady Marion over for dinner in honor of her birthday on December 6th. Marion brought her friend Judy Ganz.     The Menu Click for Pictures Sugar Cane Shrimp Hot & Sour Soup Seared Sesame Seed Ahi Tuna on Greens & Noodles with Asian Sauce Grand Marnier Souffle Coffee

November 25, 2004 - Thanksgiving Click for Pictures We invited Sirivan's mother Vanna (pronounced "Wan-NAH") and her friends Wong Mo, Wong Pak and Vip (pronounced "Wip"). This year we smoked a turkey. I got up early to get it started and kept it smoking all day.     The Menu Click for Pictures Crab Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms With a Garlic-Soy-Orange Sauce Wilted Greens in Balsamic Vinegar with Bacon, Egg and Orange Smoked Turkey with Giblet Gravy Spoon Bread Dressing Yam Fritters Green Beans with Onions and Almonds in a Veloute Sauce Cranberry-Orange Relish Pumpkin-Coconut Pie a la Mode Coffee

October 30, 2004 - Dinner with Doug & Chihiro Click for Pictures After a hiatus of maybe 17 years, Doug and I finally got together again. The last time was fishing on his boat; this time, it was dinner at my place. In observance of Halloween, they arrived in full Arab regalia. They brought with them two bottles of wine, a lovely vase of roses for the table and a picture of me taken that day of fishing back in 1987. The Menu Pumpkin Soup Hoisin Duck Crepe Salad: Fruit with Balsamic Vinegars Seared Sesame Seed Ahi Tuna on Greens & Noodles with Asian Sauce Pumpkin Cake Click for Pictures

September 26, 2004 - Chili Cook Off in Woodland Click for Pictures After shopping, chopping, preparing and packing until 5am the night before, Sirivan and I grabbed 1 hour of sleep and took off for Woodland, a town of about 50,000 outside of Sacramento. There we spent the day at the fairgrounds producing our entries in the cook off: red chili for me, chili verde for Sirivan. In the end, she placed 4th (no prize) and I placed about halfway down the pack of two dozen or so other hopefuls. This was the last chance to qualify for the World Championship in Las Vegas next month. Alas, we won't be there this year. Click for Pictures

September 19, 2004 - I Hiked Half Dome! Click for Pictures From Yosemite Valley to the top of Half Dome is an extreme hike: 18-miles there and back with a vertical climb of 4800 feet. It's worth every step. The beauty on the way up is breathtaking, and standing on top of Half Dome is exhilarating. It began to snow as I reached the summit, making for some dramatic pictures of mountains, forest and fog on the way down. I made the round trip in 11 hours, from 6am to 5pm. Click here for 360° view from the summit (Requires Quicktime Plugin) Click for Pictures

September 11, 2004 - My Birthday Click for Photos My birthday began shortly after midnight when Sirivan presented me with this card, and told me she had confirmed reservations at Wolfgang Puck's Spago in Palo Alto that evening. Click for Photos That night we crossed the Dumbarton Bridge and found our way to Spago, lucking out with a parking place right on their corner, avoiding the $5 valet charge. We were half an hour late, but seating was no problem: even at 8:00pm on a Saturday night, perhaps a third of the tables were occupied. Spago's reputation is well deserved. Amid a relaxing decor of contemporary design in Southwestern colors, the service was prompt, friendly and professional, and the food superlative. Three thumbs up! The Menu: Hand Made Bread Sticks Chilled Gallia Melon Soup Smoked Salmon on a Potato Gallette w/Creme Fraiche & 2 Caviars Sauteed Dungeness Crab Cake w/Baby Arugula & Grape Tomatoes Seared Hokkodai Sea Scallops w/Ginger Rice Cake & Cucumber/Carrot/Nori Salad Roast Squab & Foie Gras w/Sesame-Hoisin Glaze, Crispy Rice Sticks & Egg Roll Crispy Soufleed Chocolate Purse (Ganache-Filled Crepe & Ice Cream) Triple Chocolate: Chocolate Brioche Donut, Chocolate Orange Coffee Pot de Creme, Chococate Ice Cream Cone

August 15, 2004 - Chili Cook Off: San Mateo County Fair Click for Photos Up bright and early Sunday morning for a cook off at the fair. We had to be there before 9:00 am because they closed the grounds to cars after that and we had to drive our gear in. This time Sirivan had a stove of her own and entered in the Chili Verde division. Also, we were sporting a brand new banner we had printed up. The artwork was done by Lawrence, the 12-year-old son of one of Sirivan's coworkers, from a verbal description of the concept that we gave him. We both ended up about halfway down the pack. Click for Photos

August 7, 2004 - Thai Dinner with Ken and Sybil Click for Photos After two months of phone tag and playing Battleship with our respective calendars ("7/17!" - "Nope, out of town that day...") we finally arrived at a date that all four of us could make. The Menu Appetizer: Kao Tang Na Tang (Puffed Rice Cakes with Pork/Shrimp/Peanut Dip) Entrees: Tom Yum Goong (Hot & Sour Shrimp Soup) Look Chin Pad Ped (Stir Fried Fish Balls with Chilis, Long Beans & Bamboo Shoots) Pla Preao Wan (Sweet & Sour Red Snapper) Gang Ped Bed Yang (Curried Roast Duck) Moo Ping (Grilled Marinated Pork Chops) Kao Hom Mali (Jasmine Rice) Dessert: Key Lime Mousse on Graham Cracker Tuiles Click for Photos

July 25, 2004 - Wharf to Wharf - 6 Miles in Santa Cruz Click for Photos Emboldened by surviving San Francisco's Bay to Breakers race last May, I signed up for the annual Wharf to Wharf race from the pier at the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz to the one in Capitola, 6 miles down the coast. Click for Photos

July 18, 2004 - Pacific Crest Trail Click for Photos On our way back from the Loyalton Chili Cook Off, we stopped at Donner Summit and hiked a few miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. For those of you that may not know, the Pacific Crest Trail is a wilderness foot trail that follows the crest of the Sierra Nevada all the way from Mexico to Canada. A few people have hiked its entire 2500-odd mile length at one time. One person actually hiked it from Mexico to Canada and back in the same year. Most of us must content ourselves with a few miles here and there, now and then. Click for Photos

July 17, 2004 - Chili Cook Off: Loyalton, CA Click for Photos Loyalton lies at the edge of a hidden valley in the Sierras about 40 miles north of Truckee, making it about a 4 hour drive from the Bay Area. Because the cook off started at 9:00 am, we drove up the night before and stayed at the Golden West Saloon, the only Hotel in town. After my 2nd place in Fremont I had tweaked my recipe some and was expecting great results. Evidently I tweaked it in the wrong direction: a number of judges remarked that it tasted like barbecue. I finished, disapointingly, in the middle of the pack. That night Andy White, the local ICS Cook Off Chairman who also owns a gas station in Loyalton, put on a party for the cooks. It turned out to be a regular feast, with a dozen or so smoked tri-tips served up. We drove home the next day, stopping for a hike on the way. (see above) Click for Photos

July 3, 2004 - Marty's Surprise 40th Birthday Party Click for Photos The Continental Airlines SFO ground staff threw a surprise party for their colleague Marty Chessen, who turned 40 on June 16th. It was a complete surprise. Marty nearly had a heart attack when he opened the door from his garage and saw me at the top of the stairs aiming a camera at him. He screamed "Oh, my God!" and retreated into the garage. Luckily, he figured out what was going on before doing something like shooting me. The rest of the party went as planned, and everybody had a good time. Even Kevin. Click for Photos

June 24, 2004 - MicroClock Barbecue Click for Photos All of us at work took the afternoon off and took over Marcus & Randi's place for a company potluck. Click for Photos

June 6, 2004 - 2nd Prize in Fremont Chili Cookoff Click for Pictures After twice enlisting the help of my colleagues at work in tasting and reviewing my new recipe, I arrived at the new Saddle Rack in Fremont on Sunday to cook for real. I was tweaking the recipe right up to the last minute: following the advice of a veteran of these cookoffs, I delivered a chili with cubed meat instead of the shredded meat I had planned and practiced. That advice, as well as the valuable feedback of my friends at work, paid off. I went home with the $250 cash prize for second place. Even if I hadn't won anything, it still would have been worth the expense and effort. I had a blast! Now I'm hooked. Next stop: San Mateo in August. Besides the contest I was in, there was another chili cookoff at the same venue, called "Peoples' Choice", organized under different rules. Plus there was music, dancing and even a Hot Rod show. Click for Pictures

May 31, 2004 - Upcoming Chili Cookoff Click for Pictures In preparation for next Sunday's Chili Cookoff in Fremont, I bought a Brinkman portable stove ($38.72 + tax at WalMart) and a canopy (50% off at SportMart, or $64.99 + tax). The cookoff is organized by the International Chili Society, a group that takes chili seriously. Click for Pictures

May 16, 2004 - I ran the Bay to Breakers! I got up at 4:00am to get down to the starting line before dawn. When I arrived at 5:45, there were only a handful of other runners already there. Starting at the front is important: if you're at the back of the pack, the winners have already finished by the time you even reach the starting line. Getting there early paid off. With no delay at the start, my time was 1:13:29, and I placed 3376 out of an estimated 50,000. The photo here was taken at Mile 6. Coincidentally, that was about where everyone's deodorant began failing. The air around me was pretty ripe. Click for Photo

May 9, 2004 - Mothers' Day Sirivan and I took her mother Vanna to Chinatown's Empress of China for Mothers' Day. The food, service and ambience were all excellent, though aimed more at Gringoes than Chinese, who are generally more particular about food and price than service or ambience. I thought $80 for three was reasonable for what we got. Click for Pictures

April 25, 2004 - Sunday Hike For the first time since last year, I did one of my favorite hikes in the Lake Chabot Regional Park near my house. Starting at the Grass Valley entrance, I followed the road down to the Stone Bridge. From there I turned onto the pedestrian-only Cascade Trail. About a mile later, this trail merges with the Columbine Trail. This took me down to the bottom of the canyon and up the other side. I went as far as the group camping area before turning back, making a two-hour hike through the forest. I had the trail mostly to myself. On days when I have more time, I like to continue past the group campground all the way to the main campground above the lake, for a nine mile round trip. Click for Pictures

April 19, 2004 - My Kidney Stone Adventure I passed a kidney stone and spent a night in the ER. Click here for the blow-by-blow. Click for story

April 10, 2004 - Remo Gets Shaved Remo is 16 years old this year, and his self grooming is no longer what it used to be. I try to keep him neat, but if I let more than three or four days go by without combing, he develops knots of matted fur that are impossible to comb out. Eventually there were knots all over his body. I decided the only way to get him looking his best again was to shave it all off and start over. Click to enlarge

April 1, 2004 April Fool's Day The notice on the right was posted at all company coffee stations and on every bathroom door. Everybody had a good laugh. Click to enlarge

March 20, 2004 RoboLympics We spent the afternoon in San Francisco's Fort Mason Center watching three of my colleagues from work compete in the Robolympics, formerly known as "BattleBots" on the Comedy Channel. Click to enlarge Todai Seafood Buffet Afterwards we repaired to a new Japanese Seafood Buffet called Todai, one of several opening up across the country. It was, in a word, excellent. For $23.95 per person, you have your choice of so much sushi that just one of each would be too much food. Plus salads, boiled crab and lobster claws, and various types of sashimi. And that's just the cold starters. After soup (noodle, Hot & Sour or Miso) you can heap another plate with hot delicacies - all in different sauces - such as lobster, oysters, clams, mussels, scallops, crawfish, shrimp, and numerous kinds of fish. For those tired of seafood, there's Teriyaki Chicken, pork ribs and spiced quail. If you still have room for dessert, there's a wide variety of cookies, cakes and pies, each cut into thoughtfully small pieces so you can have a bite of each. If you're not in the mood for sweets, there are crepes filled with your choice of fresh fruit, optionally topped with - oh, go for it! - berry preserves and whipped cream. Click to enlarge

March 13, 2004 - Dovalyn's Birthday Sirivan and I put on a birthday dinner for her workmate Dovalyn and a few friends. Click to enlarge February 14, 2004 - Passport Renewal Now that I have a digital camera, I'm finally able to take my own passport photos. Neat, huh? February 14, 2004 - Valentine's Day Sirivan and I followed dinner at Vo's Vietnamese, with a movie: "Along Came Polly". Click to enlarge December 25, 2003 - Christmas Day, 2003 We spent the day at home. After our customary soak in the hot tub, we opened our presents. Then we cooked Christmas Dinner. Click to enlarge December 23, 2003 - Neighborhood Christmas Lights When it comes to Christmas lights, my neighbor doesn't mess around. :) Click to enlarge December 7, 2003 - Marion's Birthday We cooked dinner in honor of Sirivan's Landlady's birthday. The Menu: Appetizer: Salmon Rose on Crab Cake w/ Lemon, Capers & Spinach-Tartar Sauce Salad: Smoked Duck Breast with Orange Wedges on Baby Spinach with Orange-Rice Vinegar-Sesame Seed Oil Dressing Entree: Pork Chops with Apricot Sauce Fanned Baked Potatoes with Fresh Herbs & Cheese Steamed Asparagus Dessert: Chocolate Cake with Walnut Chocolate Mousse December 6, 2003 - Continental Airlines Annual Christmas Party Like last year, held at the Clarion Hotel in Milbrae, near SFO. This year I brought ear plugs to save my hearing. Sirivan won a door prize: a Swiss Tech Tool set, consisting of two little keyring tools and a keyring flashlight. She gave it to me. Tom and Barbara played Santa and Mrs Claus, much to the merriment of all. November 27, 2003 - Thanksgiving This year we just cooked for ourselves. So no one would feel left out, I set up a web cam in the kitchen during the cooking and moved it to the dining room during dinner. Here's the menu: Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms Wilted Greens in Balsamic Vinegar with Bacon, Egg and Orange Pheasant with Mushrooms in a Port-Orange Sauce Spoonbread Dressing Yam Fritters Long Beans with Onions and Almonds in a Veloute Sauce Cranberry-Orange Relish Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Pie a la Mode November 9, 2003 - Paella Dinner In preparation for his move to Spain, Sirivan and I prepared a Paella dinner for Saeed. October 31, 2003 - ICS Halloween Pot Luck I spent two nights and one morning cooking and came up with Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Muffins, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pumpkin Cookies and Pumpkin Fritters. To that, Sirivan added Pumpkin Fried Rice. October 26, 2003 - All Coordinated! While shopping for backpacking gear in San Francisco, I came across this terry cloth hat - thus completing my spa ensemble. Sirivan got one, too. October 5, 2003 - San Leandro Sausage & Suds Festival. San Leandro renames Octoberfest in honor of our local sausage industry. In past years, I've obtained a delicious balsamic vinegar from one of the food booths there. I headed down there to replenish my supply. Alas, the one I was looking for - the John Spenger Food Co. - was nowhere to be found. I came home empty handed. September 23, 2003 - ICS Annual Barbeque. September 20, 2003 - Saturday in San Francisco with Rona, Gary & Saeed. After a late lunch at Betelnut on Union Street, we did the 49 mile drive through the Presidio to Lincoln Park to the Cliff House to Fort Funston to watch the hang gliders. They'd gone by the time we arrived, but we got to watch the sunset and radio controlled gliders. And Saeed is still talking about that tall blond. September 13-14, 2003 - Sirivan's Family Reunion. From Houston: Sirivan's brother Virachai and his father-in-law, Gong Gong; from LA, Sirivan's sister Meow and her friend Pe Uan; from Seattle, Sirivan's sister Yee and her husband Joe; from SF Chinatown, Sirivan's mother Vanna; and from San Leandro, Sirivan and myself. We met at their friend Vip's house in the Sunset and had dinner at the Parc Hong Kong restaurant on Geary between 17th and 18th. Virachai treated. The food was excellent. We had Fried Squid, Hot & Sour Soup, Peking Duck, Garlic Green Beans, Peking Pork Chops, Chili Garlic Shrimp, Eggplant, and Red Beans and Lotus Seed for dessert. Yum! Sirivan embarrassed me by asking the waiter for a fork. I told her to ask him to show her how to use it. On Sunday 14, Sirivan and I were at home when her sister called. The rest of the family plus friends were on their way back from the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz. We invited them to stop by for dinner and they accepted, giving us one hour to get the house ready and cook for 9. We not only made it, we produced a 7-course meal! September 13, 2003 - Continental Airlines' Annual Picnic. This year the picnic was held in San Mateo. Though not far from SFO, it was good long way from many people's homes! Considering that and the temperature - 95! - the turnout was pretty good. Petty theft dept.: No sooner than someone in our party broke the pinata, some kid from another picnic swiped all the candy and carried it away in a basket. Nobody realized he wasn't one of ours until it was too late. :) September 11, 2003 - My birthday. Sirivan prepared a fantastic meal, complete with a printd menu with dishes named after lakes and rivers we camped at during our week in Emigrant Wilderness. The Menu: Appetizer: Rosasco Salmon Rose: Smoked Grouse Salmon with Piute Potato Cake and Gem Creme Fraiche Salad: Baby Lily Spinach with Red Can Shrimp and Yellowhammer Bacon Dressing Entree: Pingree Pan-Roasted Pork Chop with Apricot Wood Lake Sauce Dessert: Cherry Chocolate Mousse Cake August 10, 2003 - Mom's 80th Birthday Party Click for photos Actually, Mom's birthday was in April, but Aunt Louise passed away that week and no one was in the mood to celebrate anything. The family finally got together in August to observe Mom's big milestone. The party was held at Dana & Sedge's place in Dickenson. September 29, 2002 - Beth Feingold's Annual Garden Party. No, this is not a typo. Yes, the previous entry is also Beth's Annual Garden Party. Yes, that was a year ago. Yes, that means I haven't updated my log for a year. So spank me. This year I made Curried Chicken, Rice and Sambals. September 23, 2001 - Beth Feingold's Annual Garden Party. Every year, the first Sunday in Fall is Beth's day to have everyone over for a pot luck. Schmuck that I am, I forgot completely about it until I woke up that morning and realized I hadn't prepared anything to eat. For the first time, I was reduced to bringing supermarket-bought party food. Luckily, the others brought enough good stuff that the party didn't suffer for my lack of originality. :) May 2, 2001 - What a nice surprise! Click here for the whole lowdown This morning I opened the front door to check my mail, and was flabbergasted to see two LARGE boxes from Cooking.com sitting on the porch. At first I thought it was a mistake: I had browsed their site recently without ordering anything. I thought somehow they shipped me something in error, since they had my address and billing info from an earlier purchase. On closer inspection I noticed that the shipping label said "Billing Prepaid" on it. Hmmm. I dragged the boxes inside and opened them up. Inside each box was a Breakfast in Bed set consisting of a bed tray, foodstuffs and a place setting, plus a thank-you note from the recent houseguests. I had mentioned while browsing a catalog during the visit that I liked the tray, but with all the extras it was too expensive. They remembered and ordered two: one for each of us. So... a big THANK YOU to Bobby, Beverly, Mitt and Ruth!! March 16, 2001 - I got rear ended. Click to enlarge I was on my way home after interviewing at NativeMinds in San Francisco when I stopped to make a lane change and was immediately rear ended. Not hard - just a tap, really, as you can see from the pictures. The rear end was pushed in slightly. Damage estimate: $3300. The other guy wasn't insured. Fortunately, I am. Click to enlarge March 10, 2001 - Neighbor's New Copper Roof. The copper roof on the house of my next door neighbor (to the left as you face my house from the street) has been replaced. Copper, as you may know, weathers to an attractive green color and lasts a very long time. At least, real copper does. The roof installed by the previous owner was showing streaks of red rust, meaning that the material used was actually a cheap copper-plated iron instead of pure copper. I'm pleased to report that my neighbor has replaced it with the good stuff (at what must have been an astronomical price). February 24, 2001 - Sirivan's Massage Certification. Sirivan travelled all the way to Bangkok and took a 30-hour certification course in traditional Thai massage given at the Wat Po temple. She's been spoiling me with 90-minute workovers ever since. :) :) :) January 31, 2001 - Ozzie & Harriet. Click to enlarge I named the new fish (see entry for January 18, further down) Ozzie and Harriet. I medicated the tank, but since I wasn't sure if it worked, I didn't want names that contained any emotional investment. With names like that, it's hard to lose sleep if something happens to them. If they survive, I'll get more fish. If they croak, I'll replace them with Donnie & Marie. January 22-26, 2001 - London. Sirivan and I used one of her vacation passes to fly to London and back First Class. We stayed with my old friends Phil and Patricia Royse. It rained most of the time we were there, but while I enjoyed hot tea with rain outside, it made for rather poor - and few - photographs. We left Monday afternoon and arrived at Heathrow on Tuesday morning. I didn't get any sleep. We were met at the airport by Patricia's daughter Sharon, who drove us home. The Royses offered us tea and showed us round the house, then put on a crab lunch. After lunch, Sirivan napped while I installed pcAnywhere on Patricia's computer, only to discover that I hadn't left it running on my home PC when I left. Oh, well. That night we all enjoyed Chicken Penne Pesto and talked around the table until the wee hours. On Wednesday Sirivan and I walked the mile to Kenley Station, where we took the train to Victoria Station in London. Once there we changed to the tube to get to Marble Arch and the shopping district on Oxford Street. I popped by my old flat round the corner on Dunraven Street before we went shopping for a few items that are hard to find in the US. Once that was out of the way, we walked and rode the bus some to see the nearest sights, then dipped into a Garfunkel's on Tottenham Court Road for Fish & Chips. After lunch, we checked out Piccadilly Circus and Waterloo place before walking through London's Chinatown. Then it was time to get back because our hosts had plans for the evening. We joined Phil and Patricia at the Warehouse Theater in Croydon, where we met two other friends of theirs, John and Trish. The six of us watched "Cabaret Galactica". The show was fun in its own right, but the highlight of the evening was when Phil was picked from the audience (we were in the first row) to participate in a comic magic stunt on stage. Phil was backed up to a styrofoam panel, blindfolded, and told remain motionless while the magician threw knives around his person. The magician talked nonstop from a distance so Phil could tell where he was as he announced that he was throwing the knife. Phil heard and felt the knife impact beside him and was then told to remove the blindfold. When he did, he saw the magician the same distance away and the knife protruding from the panel a few inches from where his head had been. Unbeknownst to Phil (at least, until after the show), the magician had an assistant who walked out from backstage, stabbed the styrofoam panel and then disappeared, leaving the knife beside Phil. The intention was for the audience to have great fun at Phil's expense. Unfortunately for the magician, Phil joked and clowned around so much he got more laughs than the performer who, finally exasperated, snapped "This is MY show, dammit. Shut up!" Patricia joined in from her seat, yelling out "Is the insurance still in the biscuit tin under the bed?". They were so smooth together that the audience was convinced they were part of the act. On Thursday morning, Phil gave us a guided tour of some of the trails running through the green belt behind his house. It was a beautiful walk, even in the rain, and we enjoyed every minute of the hour and a half we spent there. We saw rainbows that ended just a few yards from us. That afternoon, Sirivan and I returned to town for a sightseeing tour by bus. It was still raining, so we stayed on the bus and took bad photographs through the rainy windows. It was fun though, if a bit chilly. That night we took the Royses to dinner at a nearby Nepalese restaurant, the Ghurka Kitchen. At home, we chatted and looked at photographs until late. The next morning, Friday, we were taken by cab to Heathrow. At the duty free shop we bought a pair of bone china mugs like those we had enjoyed our tea in at the Royses. We both slept most of the way back. Seems a waste of First Class, but we both needed the sleep and it's doubtful we would have got much in coach. Once home, the first order of business was - what else? - the hot tub. :) [A disappointing observation: the number of American franchises that have proliferated to Great Britain, i.e. McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, Starbucks, et al.] Thursday, 1/18/2001 - Layoff Party. I tried to get all nine that were laid off in my office together for a party, and ended up with three: myself, Kinne Strong and Chris Williams. Roger Carasso couldn't find a baby sitter; Satish Bosco was busy moving to Minnesota, where he has a new job with Target Corp; Frank Livingston's mail began bouncing and he didn't get the invite; Gosha (Andrey Prigogin) wanted an early night because he had an interview the next day; Jason Nordwick and Arshavir Blackwell both said they were coming, but didn't show. Oh, well. That meant there was more food for the rest of us. The Menu (all homemade, from scratch, of course): Kung Pao Shrimp Chow Mein Asparagus with Pungent Dressing Tofu with Bean Sprouts Stir Fried Vegetables: Snow Peas, Bok Choy, Red Jalapenos, Water Chestnuts, Black Mushrooms Pot Stickers Jasmine Rice Pumpkin Pie a la Mode Coffee Cheese Tray The pumpkin pie, it should be noted, was made with one of the pumpkins displayed at Jeeves last Halloween. :) New Fish In honor of the guests, I bought two new fish to replace Henry in the aquarium: a Green Terror and a Rainbow Cichlid, both about two inches long. I haven't named them yet. Christmas to New Year, 12/24/2000 - 1/1/1 - Skiing in Lake Tahoe (I loooove that date!) Wednesday, 12/13/2000 - Got my car back. My car had been in the shop for the last two months getting the engine rebuilt. $8,500 later, it runs like a dream. Tuesday, 12/12/2000 - I got laid off. Following a bad quarter and a downturn in the tech sector in general, Ask Jeeves reduced its force by 25%. (Story here). A total of 180 employees were affected, including eight at my office in Oakland and one from our department in Emeryville. Besides myself, they are: Andre "Gosha" Prigogin, Arshavir Blackwell, Chris Williams, Jason Nordwick, Kinne Strong, Roger Carasso, Satish Bosco, and Frank Livingston. I intend to take some time off to catch up on various projects, and then do some studying before getting down to serious job searching in January or February. Friday, 12/01/2000 - Sirivan's Office Christmas Party. Saturday, 11/25/2000 - Henry died today. A few readers will recognize the name as that of my Blue Freckled Cichlid, a blue 7-inch fish that came with the aquarium when I bought the house. I found him, not floating on the surface, but motionless and, eerily, in a normal orientation near the bottom and looking very much like he always did, except that he was pale and was not breathing. Henry had been doing poorly for quite some time. Over the last several months, I must have gone through every fish medicine known to man, all to no avail. In the process, I spent enough to win popularity at my local pet store, where they began throwing in freebies in addition to the regular medical purchase. Henry had fin rot, though I can't say that's what he died of. Henry is survived by Floyd, a 7-inch Plecostomus who is territorial enough to be glad that Henry is gone. Enjoy it while you can, Floyd. I plan to repopulate the tank with several more fish, once I satisfy myself that the water is healthy again. Thursday, 11/23/2000 - Thanksgiving. Sirivan and I cooked a traditional dinner for Saeed and Marjan. Wednesday, 11/22/2000 - Sirivan's birthday. Actually, it's on the 23rd, but we celebrated today because tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I bought her roses, took her to see Penn & Teller at the Curran Theater in San Francisco, and finally topped off the evening with dinner at Postrio, just a block from the theater. After we got back we worked on Thanksgiving dinner from 1:00 AM till 6:00 AM, completing the Pumpkin Pie (from a still-fresh Halloween pumpkin), the cornbread and the cornbread dressing. Saturday, 10/14/2000 - Hiking. Hiked 8 miles with Sirivan around Lake Chabot. Friday, 9/29/2000 - First date with Sirivan. After meeting on the Internet and trading e-mail for a couple of weeks, Sirivan and I agreed to meet for dinner at Cafe Encore, an Italian restaurant near my home. We hit it off immediately.