Pain under my rib

I have been a little concerned after waking up for the past week with what feels kind of like a bruised rib that isn't really healing. It may be a hiatel hernia (?) from some refluxive reaction, but I am not sure. I am probably going to have to get it ex-rayed and looked at by my physician. I hope it is nothing that requires surgery.When I got home last night I read my e-mail and I got one from my friend, Joe. He sent me this article about how dioxin can leach from plastic wrap placed over foods in the microwave. Another thing to add to my list of worries. But if the handwriting is on the wall, I am going to have this looked at for sure.

Another Long Week

Sunday is my Friday, and this week I have done a lot to keep the Concierge Desk at the CIA in good stead. We have new cooking demo schedules for September as we are adding another two demos on Tuesday and Thursday. That should be a challenge for our chef, Steve Ruggenberg. This Tuesday I will be attending the Parish Festival Meeting at O.L.P.H. ( Our Lady of Perpetual Help ) to formalize the plans and to find out how much Tri-tip and Chicken we will need to order. Wednesday night is the Men's meeting where I try to enroll volunteers for this effort. I want to expedite this correctly so that everything runs smoothly. Saturday night I have volunteered to help with the setup when I get off of work.

feofle

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This is my own version of the Barbara Striesand song " People" with a special little twist. Let's just say that it may someday be a big hit in Manila . Okay, perhaps not. But hey, I had some fun singing it and who knows maybe someday I will perform it before a live audience. Okay, perhaps not. But you never know, maybe I will be discovered. Yea, that's it ! I will be discovered by Letterman.Or maybe I will just be discovered by somebody walking by an abandoned car lot next to the Rug Mart on the way to their job at Popeye's chicken. Well, at least that's a start !

Delicious!

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Here I am again. Trying my hand at videoblogging. Let me know what you think, but be gentle with me. Today was fun. I got along with most everyone and I got my work done with time to spare. I especially like working with Keith who is the maintenence guy. He is just so pleasant and even tempered, I know he is a good role model for me. He just makes himself available at the drop of a hat. He even showed a few people around the building , much to their delight. Anyway, tonight I am going to my aa meeting and then for a run before I hit the sack. It is a beautiful time of the year here in the Napa Valley.

Master of Excel

Or should it be Excelling Master? I have been put in charge of tabulating the monthly attendance of the Cooking demonstration. I didn't know how to use the software before, but I am getting a good idea about how to use it now.All I have to do is go to Open Table and get a daily head count of the people attending the three cooking demonstrations.From there, I take those statistics and I enter that information into an Excel document where I can tabulate the total number of Guests each month. Simple eh? Not really. I am not the world's best typist and at times am given to error. Hopefully, I will keep good records, and have this project fair well on my annual review.

Won't you come home?

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Okay, this is the second attempt at uploading this silly little flick. I am just about to make my bed as it is already 8:00am on Monday, August 2nd, 2006. I just want to see if I can videoblog even before I head off to work. Hopefully, when I arrive at work I can boot up my computer and view this little document so as to keep an ongoing record of what my day was like BEFORE all the hoopla.

Taking it to the streets

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Well, this is a shot of my favorite coffee shop in St. Helena, CA. It is called the Roastery and they make the best coffee because they hand pick and hand roast the beans. The best part of this place is that you can just hang after you get your coffee and bring your laptop and hookup to their wifi connection.

Things went pretty well at the CIA today. I think that my position here is becoming more appreciated since I have been away. Perhaps the break just did ME a world of good. Maybe everyone was relieved to not see my charming face here for the past two weeks. I have been given the cookies these past couple of days and tonight I have two bags. I suspect that I am going to be pretty popular at the AA meeting tonight. The weekends here are generally a different scene entirely. Tommorow the Special Events team will be doing a wedding which usually means that the staff gets a little something to eat. Then again, there is the "Family Meal" that the restaurant prepares for the staff in the SIMI room after 4:30 PM My attitude has been improving, my computers are working fine and I should'nt be too strapped until the next payday.Life is good

Back in the Saddle

Today was my first day back after a nice lengthy vacation.I had no shame in explaining that I didn't really go anywhere... just on short trips. School is back in session here at the CIA an there is a whole new crop of Baking and Pastry students.It is pretty much business as usaual and hence, there is no need to get my ego in the way of progress here. The weather has been cooperating nicely, but it is still a little warm. Tonight I am attending the men's club meeting at Our Lady of Perpetual Help. I am bringing fresh CIA cookies so it should be a nice dinner meeting. We will be discussing the upcoming Parish Festival.

Lesson One

Lesson One

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Okay, here I am acting like a pro and I just started doing this... Who the heck do I think I am? Well, if I can do this, so can you ! This is my first hot tip on videoblogging. Enjoy ! ( or not )

Banteron's Blip Blog Begins !

This is starting to be fun. Okay, so you may NOT think that I am not a very private person. The fact is that I like to put myself out there , but I do in fact cherish my privacy. I live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country in a one bedroom apartment amidst Hispanic neighbors who have many kids who like to stay up to all hours playing a variety of games that involve yelling, screaming and crying. I live upstairs, plunking away at my puter. Today I discovered videoblogging at http://blip.tv It is just an experiment depending on how easy and interested YOU may be in tracking my day to day activites. If I can do this, Anyone can do this ! Have a simple ( perhaps boring at times) daily monologue that details your thoughts and observations.
Oh joy !

Lunchtime Poetry

Here it is, the second week of my vacation. Today, I did the food run from Napa to Calistoga with Jim and Leonardo. We got it all done before noon so the heat was not too much of a factor, although it should hit double digits this afternoon.Last Sunday, I was accused of being a pervert for taking an unauthorized picture of two pre-teen girls walking along the boardwalk at Johnson's Beach in Gurneville eating ice cream cones ((( What was I thinking !!))) . It was devastating to hear the accusation from the mother of one of these girls. "Who the hell do you think you are?" She bellowed. " What right have you to take a picture of my daughter without asking her permission ! " ( she was right, of course) I muttered apologies and regret and explained that I was only taking pictures of people in general, as part of a photo documentary piece. After submitting an ID, she finally let me go after thoroughly reeming me emotionally. I doubt that I will return to that beach any time soon. I hear on the news that Forest Fires have broken out in Middletown since last night. It was only 25% contained as I write this. I want to see " The way of the peaceful warrior " with Nick Nolte tonight at the Rialto. It is Tightwad Tuesday and the show begins at 7:10 pm. The price break is by two or three dollars on this day.I also will be purchasing some groceries at Trader Joes and the Grocery Outlet before I head back over the hill on my scooter. It is nice sitting here in my apartment listening to Robert Hass read his poetry via a podcast.

I'm still the same

Nothing has changed. On this day in History, on this very spot, Nothing Happened... and, That's Okay ! Hey, I have been told that when you are really bored you are getting real close to your Higher Power. Hmmmm... that sounds a little too Zen for me.
The one thing I do know, is that my laundry still needs to get done. I still need to feed myself and shower everyday. I still need to work to pay my bills to get and stay out of debt. I still need to communicate with my loved ones so that they don't think I have completely lost it. I still need to get plenty of rest so that I don't go around banging into walls. I never knew that this blog could be so funny. Tune in next week when I have been off for awhile to hear the saga of my summer vacation. Hell I had more excitement. adventure and fun in one day at 15 than I've had in the last 5 years of my fifties. This is like Zen and the art of Limbo...

How low can you go?

Is it Ground Hog Day ?

It sure feels like it. Somedays I come to work and I go down the same road, talk to the same people, do the same job. Blah, Blah and Blah. It is a good thing that I will be having a nice long vacation after the 10th of this month. I plan on taking a lot of short trips on my motor scooter, exercising by riding my bike or hiking, cooking my own meals, etc. I want to come back to the CIA refreshed and ready to face another year of fun, food and frolic ! When you are eating , sleeping and breathing CIA 40+ hours a week you can go a little crazy. Don' t get me wrong, though. Everyone needs a break. I plan to take a lot of pictures, go to San Francisco, Russian River, Shasta, Monterey, Mendocino and other "day trips". The thing is, I am on a budget and have to watch my spending like the rest of you.

Saturday on a Holiday Weekend

The kids in the neighborhood are getting excited about the fair that is taking place this weekend. They buy a bracelet and get to go on all the rides ( Jessica says that it's Free then). It is quiet here at the CIA. Only foot traffic as we have no big events scheduled. Last night the Napa Valley Vintners had their annual dinner in the Barrel Room. I heard that everything went smoothly and our Special Events Staff deserves a Gold Star. As it stands, I am continuing this blog on Wednesday , July 5th because as usual , I got busy. Last night I did a kewl thing. I climbed up on the roof top of my apartment building to watch the fireworks. I also brought my Powermac with and Isight up there with me. I was chatting with my friend Steve from Calgary who was at a campground there ( without any fireworks to view, I might add ) and I was able to direct the ISight camera towards the sky so that he could watch the entire show from 9:30 to 10:00 pm. I love high tech stuff for this very reason.

Last dog day of Spring

It has been a while since I have posted to my blog ( probably because I am the only one who reads it ) But it is good to do this every once and awhile. Today the heat was over 90 degrees and I am back at work trying to get ten things done at once. Even though it is relatively slow on my first day back after two days off, I have found that I can stay busy doing this sort of thing! Today, I got on my motor scooter at lunch and drove as fast as I could to Calistoga to pick up a pay stub for verification so that I can be compensated for the days that I took off to do the mock trial down in Napa. I was pissed that I was not paid for those days.Of course it was my own problem because I failed to tell Connie or Bob that I wanted them to be considered either a personal day or a floating holiday. Anyway, I hope to see some big $$ on my next paycheck. Incidentally, I received an e-mail from the Concierge manager at the Meritage in Napa. I will interview with them to see if I am going to be paid any more money than I am making here. I would like to make between eighteen and twenty dollars an hour.If they don't offer a comparable package, I won't be working there.

I like the quiet times in the late afternoon her at Greystone. Most of the people who were coming to visit the facility, have already ventured on to other places. Today, we are having a dinner party for the Federalist Party out on our terrace in front of the building. Our workhorse, Juan Carlos Anaya called in sick today so the special events team will have to set up all the tables and chairs.The Valley is busy this weekend because of the Annual Wine Auction at Meadowood Country CLub. I usually volunteer to assist there, but I want more than an apron and a chance to look at celebrities for my time. The last two years were enough for me.The weather outside hss been nothing short fo Spectacular, and it will be fun driving my motor scooter home from work.Perhaps I will go out tonight, I have not decided one way or the other.

Oy Vey !

It seems that everything is related, especially when it comes to computer problems. I downloaded the most recent version of IWeb from my software update feature from my .mac account. After creating a few new pages to upload, I found myself getting error messages.When this happens, I immediately back track to see what could have possibly happened.It has been almost two weeks since I last blogged. Finally, I was able to post some new pics to my IWeb site. It is Memorial Day and the pool is again open at Bothe State park.I took Thursday and Friday off this past week because I had a few floating holidays coming to me and I wanted to recoup the money I lost from being suspended for three days from work ( another story, another time ). Suffice to say, I did pretty good because I was paid $350.- for two days at a mock trial. Not bad, huh! Right now I have a load of laundry to do so that I can dress nicely at work. And this is just in... I am now the new president of Our Lady of Perpetual Help men's club... of which Mr. Joe Montana Sr. is a member ! Being a Catholic in a small town like Calistoga is a good thing. I hope that I can still say this after a year on the job as their humble servant.

End of the Work Week

Today is Mother's Day and the restaurant was very busy.According to one of the managers they did over 320 covers. The cooking demo featured Eggs Benedict with Black Forest Ham . Chef Steve Ruggenberg is our new Demo Chef because Dianne Kind moved on to work for Elaine Bell as a pasty chef. She will be much happier, I am sure.I was able to Google the origin of Eggs Benedict and print out 15 copies after one of the participant's queried the name. Steve didn't know so I got right on it. I copied and pasted the Google article and adjusted the point size of the text so that it could fit on a single page in a word document. I then printed out a copy and gave that one to Carol ( the other Concierge ) to run the copies. It was sweet how effective the internet can be in the instance.Now I found out that Yahoo has IPod Maps, so that I can determine a destination and have Yahoo make a map for me that I can download on to my IPod. SWEET !

Blogaversary

I just realized that I have been posting to my blog here for a year now. I didn't know it could be so easy. I am still thinking about adding more links and video/audio enclosures. As soon I get more inspired, I might add even a podcast or two. No generation has been better documented than the current one, and with the advent of the Internet we have all emerged as reporters in a McCluhan Galaxy. As I write this, I am listening to my ITunes, writing an e-mail to my sister in Dubuque , and checking out the world events on my Yahoo splash page. If my sister Nancy were still alive, she would ask... email? internet? blog? ITunes? but in very short order, all of these terms I becoming the venacular of a global society.