We are in Manzanita for the week and the weather, at least for today, is delightful. I am sitting in the driveway of our rental hourse, poaching WiFi from one of the neighboring homes (not sure exactly which), and there is clear, blue sky and the mass of Neahanie Mountain rising up to my left and the sound of the ocean, two blocks away, at my back.
We are here, as every year, with a bunch of Portland friends, Karen's Mom (Sylvia - 97 but still feisty), and her best-friend-from-junior-high (Barbra, in a wheel-chair with MS for many years).
Karen and I slept late this morning. When I got up, Sylvia was nowhere to be seen. I figured she went out for a walk by herself, but knowing her limited eye-sight, was sure she was lost and, indeed, she was nowhere to be seen on the street. Moments later, my cell phone rang, and it was her attendant, from Pasadena, calling with a cell-phone number of someone here in Manzanita, who had picked Sylvia up.
I called that number and, naturally, they were only a few houses away. Sylvia could not recognize our rental house from the street, and didn't know the address. All was well.
Now here's the amazing part. The woman who picked Sylvia up and returned her to us had happened to mention that she had been living in Manzanita for 6 years, but was shortly about to move to Yachats, Oregon, where she didn't know anyone.
Sylvia then told her that one of her old friends has been living in Yachats for years, and gave the woman her name and contact information, and now she has someone to call when she moves there, who will no doubt welcome her and introduce her around to her network.
Maybe there are no 'coincidences' after all.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
what they think
the other world.
Here's another web site of interest, along the same lines.
Incidentally, my Hebrew name is Baruch, which, obviously, is identical to the arabized Barack. It means 'blessed' (and 'Hussein', as well as being a reference to the early islamic martyr, means 'handsome'). Draw your own conclusions.
Here's another web site of interest, along the same lines.
Incidentally, my Hebrew name is Baruch, which, obviously, is identical to the arabized Barack. It means 'blessed' (and 'Hussein', as well as being a reference to the early islamic martyr, means 'handsome'). Draw your own conclusions.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
revised colonoscopy photo
Sitting around with friends, so I had to show them my innards. It took less than 20 seconds for someone to suggest that Raquel Welch be photoshopped into the image, a la 'Fantastic Voyage', so...
Friday, July 18, 2008
andy borowitz today
for your daily dose, see: http://www.borowitzreport.com/
The five jokes, which Sen. Obama said he is making available to all comedians free of charge, are as follows:
Barack Obama and a kangaroo pull up to a gas station. The gas station attendant takes one look at the kangaroo and says, "You know, we don't get many kangaroos here." Barack Obama replies, "At these prices, I'm not surprised. That's why we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil."
A traveling salesman knocks on the door of a farmhouse, and much to his surprise, Barack Obama answers the door. The salesman says, "I was expecting the farmer's daughter." Barack Obama replies, "She's not here. The farm was foreclosed on because of subprime loans that are making a mockery of the American Dream."
A horse walks into a bar. The bartender says, "Why the long face?" Barack Obama replies, "His jockey just lost his health insurance, which should be the right of all Americans."
Q: What's black and white and red all over?
Barack Obama: The New Yorker magazine, which should be embarrassed after publishing such a tasteless and offensive cover, which I reject and denounce.
A Christian, a Jew and Barack Obama are in a rowboat in the middle of the ocean. Barack Obama says, "This joke isn't going to work because there's no Muslim in this boat."
Obama Releases List of Approved Jokes About Himself
Bid to Help Late Night Comics
Saying he is "sympathetic to late night comedians' struggle to find jokes to make about me," Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill) today issued a list of official campaign-approved Barack Obama jokes.The five jokes, which Sen. Obama said he is making available to all comedians free of charge, are as follows:
Barack Obama and a kangaroo pull up to a gas station. The gas station attendant takes one look at the kangaroo and says, "You know, we don't get many kangaroos here." Barack Obama replies, "At these prices, I'm not surprised. That's why we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil."
A traveling salesman knocks on the door of a farmhouse, and much to his surprise, Barack Obama answers the door. The salesman says, "I was expecting the farmer's daughter." Barack Obama replies, "She's not here. The farm was foreclosed on because of subprime loans that are making a mockery of the American Dream."
A horse walks into a bar. The bartender says, "Why the long face?" Barack Obama replies, "His jockey just lost his health insurance, which should be the right of all Americans."
Q: What's black and white and red all over?
Barack Obama: The New Yorker magazine, which should be embarrassed after publishing such a tasteless and offensive cover, which I reject and denounce.
A Christian, a Jew and Barack Obama are in a rowboat in the middle of the ocean. Barack Obama says, "This joke isn't going to work because there's no Muslim in this boat."
is the noose tightening on Rove?
We can hope. Here's the latest (the full story) or read the summary here.
It's long but read the first dozen or so paragraphs at least, to get a sense of what is now being revealed about vote-tampering and electronic skullduggery. As one commenter on DU said, "I KNEW there would be a few computer specialists involved".
In the meantime, do your part and go here.
It's long but read the first dozen or so paragraphs at least, to get a sense of what is now being revealed about vote-tampering and electronic skullduggery. As one commenter on DU said, "I KNEW there would be a few computer specialists involved".
In the meantime, do your part and go here.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
got my copy of the 'New Yorker' today
funny cartoon - let's just keep discussing that, instead of this.
I've been a subscriber for decades, and do think the cover is hilarious. I wrote to them, saying that I'm sure the artist has a suitable McCain cover ready to go, and I can't wait to see it.
Keep in mind that the artist has, in the past, done *savage* send-ups of Bush and other public figures. His Ahmadinejad cover (see above link) was shockingly amusing.
I've been a subscriber for decades, and do think the cover is hilarious. I wrote to them, saying that I'm sure the artist has a suitable McCain cover ready to go, and I can't wait to see it.
Keep in mind that the artist has, in the past, done *savage* send-ups of Bush and other public figures. His Ahmadinejad cover (see above link) was shockingly amusing.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
just for joe...
You asked for 'em - you got 'em!
It's nice to know that, at least for a few hours, I was not full of shit.
It's nice to know that, at least for a few hours, I was not full of shit.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
colonoscopy day!
All over, and it was no big deal. Stopped eating solid food Sunday night, and all I had yesterday was one glass of regular apple juice and 64 oz of Gatorade, that had been augmented with an entire bottle of Miralax. The combination worked wonders.
The anesthesia was great and it was over without my having to actually be there. Karen picked me up a bit later and we just got home, after grabbing a bite to eat (at last!) and shopping for tile grout, a bathroom sink and a faucet.
I am tired, but glad that it's over. They did find another polyp (there were 3 at my first one, three years ago), and I'll get the biopsy results in a week or so. The fun never ends!
The anesthesia was great and it was over without my having to actually be there. Karen picked me up a bit later and we just got home, after grabbing a bite to eat (at last!) and shopping for tile grout, a bathroom sink and a faucet.
I am tired, but glad that it's over. They did find another polyp (there were 3 at my first one, three years ago), and I'll get the biopsy results in a week or so. The fun never ends!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
time warp
I came downstairs around 7:20 yesterday morning, anticipating a leisurely breakfast, shower and shave, before I was to meet a client at 10:30.
However, I soon heard an anguished cry from Ben, who burst out of his room announcing that he had overslept, and was supposed to be at his summer job (Pizzacato Pizza) at 8. Since he still doesn't have his driver's license, he's been taking the bus - a tortuous 2 hour commute to the utterly-inconvenient location in an upscale community high in the West Hills.
Rather than remind him of the fact that he was still rummaging around the house at 1:30 am (I was up due to back problems), I looked at my watch, mentally traced the cumbersome route to the store, and said, 'OK'.
We quickly fed the animals, grabbed the necessary work things (him and me), and sped off, and a cumbersome route it was. Amazingly enough, I got him there at 7:54. I think he was appreciative, but it's hard to say.
So, there I was, at 8 am, high in the West Hills, unshaven and hungry, with 2 1/2 hours to kill, and no specific need to drive all the way home.
I joined the slow-moving commuter parade down Cornell Road into NW Portland, and headed for breakfast at the Stepping Stones cafe. As I drank my coffee and enjoyed my Eggs Benedict (bless you, Benedict, whoever you are), I flashed on a time-warp, and shared it with the counterman.
One morning long ago (12/12/86, to be exact), I also had breakfast at the Stepping Stones, after which, while walking back to the nearby Good Samaritan Hospital, Karen leaned against a car and said "we better hurry". Ben was born a few hours later.
How time flies.
After that, I made it to my client (they loved the software change I made for them), went to the chiropractor to see if something could be done about my intensely-painful pulled back muscle (still hurts today), and continued on home to a full afternoon of other duties, too numerous to mention.
For a few minutes, though, I flashed on the passage of 21 years, thru the prism of breakfast at an old, funky NW Portland landmark. Hollandaise are here again!
However, I soon heard an anguished cry from Ben, who burst out of his room announcing that he had overslept, and was supposed to be at his summer job (Pizzacato Pizza) at 8. Since he still doesn't have his driver's license, he's been taking the bus - a tortuous 2 hour commute to the utterly-inconvenient location in an upscale community high in the West Hills.
Rather than remind him of the fact that he was still rummaging around the house at 1:30 am (I was up due to back problems), I looked at my watch, mentally traced the cumbersome route to the store, and said, 'OK'.
We quickly fed the animals, grabbed the necessary work things (him and me), and sped off, and a cumbersome route it was. Amazingly enough, I got him there at 7:54. I think he was appreciative, but it's hard to say.
So, there I was, at 8 am, high in the West Hills, unshaven and hungry, with 2 1/2 hours to kill, and no specific need to drive all the way home.
I joined the slow-moving commuter parade down Cornell Road into NW Portland, and headed for breakfast at the Stepping Stones cafe. As I drank my coffee and enjoyed my Eggs Benedict (bless you, Benedict, whoever you are), I flashed on a time-warp, and shared it with the counterman.
One morning long ago (12/12/86, to be exact), I also had breakfast at the Stepping Stones, after which, while walking back to the nearby Good Samaritan Hospital, Karen leaned against a car and said "we better hurry". Ben was born a few hours later.
How time flies.
After that, I made it to my client (they loved the software change I made for them), went to the chiropractor to see if something could be done about my intensely-painful pulled back muscle (still hurts today), and continued on home to a full afternoon of other duties, too numerous to mention.
For a few minutes, though, I flashed on the passage of 21 years, thru the prism of breakfast at an old, funky NW Portland landmark. Hollandaise are here again!
Sunday, July 06, 2008
home again
after many hours of traveling, I landed at PDX around 11:30 last night.
had a pretty good visit with Mom, playing piano for the crowd at her facility every day I was in Wisconsin.
my brother and I went to a crackerjack fireworks show in a very-crowded park - fortunately, the mosquitos were not a problem. except for one very testy ten-minute stretch, we stayed away from politics.
lots to do today - more later.
had a pretty good visit with Mom, playing piano for the crowd at her facility every day I was in Wisconsin.
my brother and I went to a crackerjack fireworks show in a very-crowded park - fortunately, the mosquitos were not a problem. except for one very testy ten-minute stretch, we stayed away from politics.
lots to do today - more later.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
this might be interesting
Jack Abramoff about to sing.
In other news, I forgot to mention that my physical therapist released me on Monday, so I am now officially 'just-about-back-to-normal'. I do feel like walking is now like it was before surgery, although there is still a little swelling (another month to go) and occasional twinges.
Heading to the airport in 6 hours, for the red-eye to Minneapolis and on to Milwaukee, for 3 1/2 days with my Mom and family there. Back in Portland late Saturday night. Have fun while I'm gone.
In other news, I forgot to mention that my physical therapist released me on Monday, so I am now officially 'just-about-back-to-normal'. I do feel like walking is now like it was before surgery, although there is still a little swelling (another month to go) and occasional twinges.
Heading to the airport in 6 hours, for the red-eye to Minneapolis and on to Milwaukee, for 3 1/2 days with my Mom and family there. Back in Portland late Saturday night. Have fun while I'm gone.