Maureen

A few years ago, I was living up at Mont La Salle in the hills west of Napa. This is the Christian Brother's Property, and I spent a year living there, and working as a maintenance man. One day, after a long draught the brothers were at breakfast and one of the monks looked over and asked the other," Who was that woman Maureen, that you asked us to pray for during the prayers of the faithful?" The other Brother replied," I was praying for More Rain !! not Maureen !! Today, it seems like the rain just keeps coming. It was supposed to be intermittent but the weather report says that it will probably be around for the whole weekend.The Mustard Festival is gearing up, and the crews are putting up the lights and stages for this weekend's event.I will bring my camera and post some shots as soon as they are available.

Who reads this stuff?

Okay, I suspect that this blog is just an exercise in vanity and futility, but I never kept a diary for very long so this is the next best thing. Today, my motor scooter is on my mind. Yesterday I was able to get it started, but I have been needing a new set of rollers and timing belt installed since last October. It is started to concern me because there is a little "play" in the back wheel which makes it shimmy a wee bit. I also had to buy a battery charger and remove the battery for recharging. It was VERY difficult. I finally got it out, but lost a screw and an Allen wrench in the process. They dropped down into the front of the faring and I can't get them out unless the whole faring gets removed. I'm a little flummoxed because I have been on such good terms with the dealer ,and they have been most helpful in the past.I think it may be the manufacturer's fault. Aprilia is an Italian company and I happen to own the only scooter of it's kind in Northern California. Naturally, Revolution Moto wants to secure Original Equipment Manufacturing ( OEM ) parts to support the integrity of the scoot and to keep the bike under warranty. My problem is that I need to find a way to drop the scooter off at Moto Mechanica (the maintenance shop) and get back home to Calistoga, or find a way of entertaining myself for six hours while the scooter is being serviced. This is not what I had in mind when I purchased this machine... I envisioned minimal maintenance and endless hours of scootering.

Start building the Ark

It is so wet outside that we now have been warned of flooding here in this part of the Napa Valley. A few years ago, we had a very distinctive lake across the street in Markham vineyards. Hopefully, it won't be as saturated as it was in the past. My car hasn't got much tread left on the tires and my scooter is down with a battery that needs to be recharged, so I am holding my breath until Spring. Last Monday, I came to the CIA to be interviewed by a fellow named Bob from the History Channel for their show, "Modern Marvels". It seems that they wanted to know more about Brother Timothy's Corkscrew collection which I was only too happy to serve as curator.The show will air on April 4th, so I am going to have my sister TIVO it, because I don't have a Television connection.I must say that I am not an expert on corkscrews, but I probably know more than your average Joe off the street. Luckily, I was able to give fairly decent explanations of the devices as I tried hard not to look at the camera.

Mac World 08'

Yesterday, I drove to San Francisco after an appointment with my dentist, Dr. Young. It looks like I am going to have to get a crown replaced, so I opted for gold. After my appointment, I drove south and ended up parking up near my sister's house on 21st street in the City.I brought my camera and sunglasses,as it was a nice day and Mac World is always good for some impromptu shots. The registration line took an inordinate amount of time to get through. Even though I had pre-registered,they couldn't locate my priority code, so I had to fork over 5 more bucks. Last year was $20.- for an exhibits only pass. This year I paid $45.- (( what a rip ! )) The exhibits were so-so, and I've gotten more out of Mac Worlds in the past than I did this one. The highlight for me was finding a VGA adapter for my MacBook (which I got at the Mac Store... not the Moscone Center where the Conference was held ) and finding foam earplugs for my Etymotic earplugs.I think this will be the last year I will attend, unless something extraordinary beckons me to return.Today is the "Worlds of Healthy Flavors" Conference at the Culinary Institute of America. It is busy and I hardly have had time to type this blog.I didn't sleep well last night. My scooter didn't start this morning, and my mechanic doesn't have the new parts I need to service it. This is not a good sign.I will have to pray more about getting really happy where i am in the moment.

Learning Mexican

I met with my neighbor Andre and his wife Devon last night. After some discussion around a cup of coffee,we decided that we could help each other learn each other's respective languages. The game plan as it stands now,is to write a paragraph each week and have the other critique what has been written.Andre understands and can communicate much better than his wife,Devon. However, she is going to be practicing just as much as he, and will be testing as he grapples with the finer points of the language.We both have Spanish/English dictionaries, so it'll be a hoot seeing what the other comes up with; It has been established that we will write about our experience during the week,and submit to the other what we have written every Tuesday. We shook hands on it.No fair copy and pasting anything. This is a gentleman's agreement. We shall see how it turns out.Today I read what I had written to someone who is bilingual and this person told me that what I had written was understandable, even if I got the tenses mixed up.

Kris moves on...

Today the clouds came and filled the sky with a dark pallor. The blustery winds kicked up and blew dirt and leaves all over the main entrance to the building. Many folks still came in to see if the store was open as I sat and drew pictures most of the day. At one point, the palm trees were swaying back and forth outside as the rain began coming down in almost vertical sheets. We have learned that our buddy Kris is leaving. This was quite unexpected. Now it looks like no one is making use of the umbrella stand I put out by the main entrance. Chef Andrew made some split pea soup for lunch at the De Baun for anyone dropping by for a hot bowl. Upstairs, Carmello made roast chicken for the rest of the skeleton staff. The maintenance guys from Sodexho were busy the whole day taking down the Christmas decorations, putting in new flooring, and mopping up a pipe that burst near the Campus Store. All in all, it was a long miserable day for them. I was happy that the day went by quickly. Two more storms like this are on their way for tonight , tomorrow and Saturday. Flooding is anticipated, and snow will be falling down around 3000 feet. It saddens me that our special agent Kris's last day (Kris Christopherson from purchasing )will be on Sunday. He is a great guy, and will be sorely missed. Fortunately, He has found a position at Osprey Sea foods, which should be a good fit for him. He is a dedicated and inspired individual, and I wish him all the best as he leaves the CIA.

How great...it's O8'

It is already early into 2008 and I've accomplished an early goal.I drove with my friend Dave to San Francisco to run with the Dolphin South End Runners across the Golden Gate Bridge. Yes, it was freezing cold and windy ... but ENVIGORATING !! Dave was ahead of me most of the way, but I caught up to him at the finish. All in all, we covered about four miles. Two over and two back. Afterwards we drove to the Embarcadero to meet up with my old running buddy, Dan McGill. He is now 81 years of age,and lives alone in a high rise on Battery Street. After buzzing us into his building, we visited his apartment to change clothes before heading down to the Hyatt Regency for breakfast. Sandy Olsen, who is also a dear friend, met us in the Atrium. I ordered Eggs Benedict while the others ordered a variety of dishes like waffles, omelets and the like. We sat and chatted over copious amounts of Coffee, this was long after we had eaten all of our food. As we parted ways, I remarked how pretty Sandy looked, and how well we have aged. Dave and I walked with Dan back to his place before heading back north to the Wine Country.That evening, we went to see the movie, "Atonement" which was in my opinion, a movie that is trying too hard to be an Oscar contender.It has wonderful cinematography, an interesting (and I use that term, diplomatically) screenplay,but tended to be drawn-out and over-produced.If it gets nominated for even two oscars, I will be suprised.

Is it New Year's Yet?

Wow, this Christmas sure flew right by didn't it? Edward, Antonella, Mila, Rita, Hamish, Antonella's brothers, mother and girlfriends' were all there to celebrate. We had a serious game of Monopoly ate a great dinner of Cabbage Rolls, Mashed Potatoes and salad with Egg Nog pie for dessert. When it came time for the presents, we all gathered around as Ed distributed the gifts in a very Diplomatic and Democratic way. Everyone got some nice things to take home.Today, the weather is sunny and cold. The wind has picked up a little and it is supposed to rain on Friday. No one is here today at the CIA except for staff and a trickle of tourists.The maintenance department are upstairs in the Teaching Kitchen, polishing all the brass fittings on the French Bonnett Cooking Islands and blasting Mexican Ballads from Banda de Fiesta Radio.Some tunes are alright, but when the men start singing along, I want to lose it. The restaurant manager is walking around making sure that her customers are acknowledged. She is new, and I've noticed that most new employees ( managers or not ) are hyper-vigilant about their roles.One positive thing can be said about adhering to a facist regime... Trains run on time and stuff gets done.Now my question is, How much web surfing can one do in a day?

it is Christmas

...and I just got off the phone to my brother, John. He has been playing Santa Claus for many years now and I suppose he is looking forward to tomorrow when he can hang the hat and red pajamas up in the closet for another year. His beard is the real deal however, and it seems to get longer and bushier all the time. He tells me he has given up trying to weed out any new crop of stray hairs that have appeared on his face. Next year,with a full white beard, moustache and eyebrows you won't be able to tell if he is pissed off ...even as he goes, " Ho, Ho, Ho... Merry Christmas! We had a nice chat reminiscing about adventures from another era.

This past birthday marked my fifth year at the Culinary Institute of America where I am the Concierge ( a French word for slave ). I stay on the job for two basic reasons... the insurance benefits are good, and it keeps a roof over my head. Most days I have only a minimum of crap to put up with; and as always, the food is great. When the weather is nice, I still ride my scooter to work and when it is cold, I drive my little Ford Potato . Hey, can it get any better than this?

I still like to draw, take pictures and make little movies. Usually on the days that are not that busy, I will end up doodling at my desk using a ballpoint or pencil. I have scanned a bunch of these doodles and have colorized some of them. When I get home, I upload them onto this here blog, and it makes me feel like I am at least using some of my creative abilities.

When I purchased my first Mac back in 97' I thought that I was going to be a lot more prolific, and have a lot more to show in terms of my Art work than what I've actually produced. Mostly, I have ended up buying more Mac stuff... l like Ipods, printers, scanners, external hard drives, ink cartridges, digital cameras and the like. It is fun, but I have spent a lot more digital "Stuff" than I thought needed since the time when I first ordered the old Power Computing Power Center 132 Mac Clone. Thankfully I have given away much of the old SCSSI based equipment to my friend Nick Towne, who is just getting into the game. My apartment is still so filled with computers and peripherals that my neighbors have taken to calling this place "Mac World".

My tenure as president of the Men’s Club at Our Lady of Perpetual Help ended in September and now I am secretary. It was a challenging position trying to organize and execute Parish Festivals, St. Patty’s Day Dinners, Crab Feeds, Monthly pot - lucks, but I am proud of myself for rising to the challenge. I only hope that we get some new blood there at the meetings because it looks like the same 15 guys do everything !!

Speaking of volunteering, I still assist with the Napa Valley Food Bank during the monthly pickup and distribution process. They let me have a couple of bags of groceries and I get to supervise the breakdown of the boxes each month before the locals come to get a few extra groceries to tide them over the tough times. I am truly glad that this was here for me when I was unemployed and finding few resources to keep me in the chips.

Now as 2008 approaches, I am looking at ways to improve my lot in life and make a contribution at the same time. Granted, sometimes "failing to plan" is "planning to fail," but little has served me better than just being still and affirming the values that have kept me happy from year to year. I still consider myself to be a work in progress, with plenty of room for improvement. So, here's to you my friends... praying that each and every one of you come to enjoy Peace and Happiness... everyday in every way.

Love and hugs

Holiday Party

Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle bell... Rock ! Yes, it was a happy festive affair that took place in our barrel room here at the CIA. We had a variety of food stations to choose from ( Mexican, Japanese, American, Italian etc.) and there was a Martini bar and a wine bar for those that cared to imbibe. I stuck with my virgin fruit drink and seven up and watched as others sipped and swirled.We had a raffle for an assortment of prizes that included wine, some weekend resort packages,gift certificates and a grand prize of an IPhone and Ipod Nano! I wanted to win that, but my luck was not with me. I did go dancing, however. When I first got there I took a boat-load of pictures that will be turned into a slide show for the employees later on this month. Then I ate all the yummy food I could stomach.After that, I boogied till the cows cames came home, which was around 10PM. I danced with a lot women who really knew how to shake a tail feather ( whatever the heck that is supposed to mean ). Then I mosied (?) on down to my car in the freezing cold weather and drove home to my freezing cold apartment, and hopped into my freezing cold bed that did not get warm until my body heated up the freezing cold down comforters.

Fourteen!

I've told this story before, but it never ceases to amaze me how many people haven't heard it. So brace yourself. My good buddy Banteron from Boca Raton is about to tell it in his own unique way. Granted this guy is a little obnoxious, but try not to judge a book by it's cover. Certainly the good lord will hold a nice seat for you in the hereafter,if you don't mess up too much in the present. Ya hear?

Ipod and Iphone Pranks

Okay, So you are stuck in traffic and the guy in the car next to you is yammering away on his new Iphone. You only have an Itouch, so how do you show him who is in control of the situation? There is a little application at http://www.rjen.com/marq.html that can take a sentence that you type in and make the text big enough for him to read... right off of your Ipod ! Maybe a sweet reminder to "Shut up and drive!" would be what you have in mind for this unconcious oaf. It may also be nice to have a few stored messages for flirtation purposes, if you happen to notice a nice young hostess who quickly assesses how cool you look... plunking out sweet nothings to flash at her from across the room.Of course now that you know about this gem,you have stolen my only pick-up manuever I had honed for the holidays.Oh well,you will thank me as you steer her away from that dweeb with the Iphone (even though he can use the same tatic ! )

Ain't Technology Grand?

Watch the video

I have learned to Jott, Twitter and Blog and make QT movies and all that stuff, but it's usefulness still eludes me.Today I am trying to get my friend Dave to sign up for Jott so that he can use his new Iphone to blog. He probably has little interest in it, but at least I put it out there as an option for him. Information about us is floating around everywhere on the web and it will probably be with us long after we die. I said it before and I will say it again, " This is the most documented time there ever was in History". Who knows how long it will last? It scares me to think of the volumes of Drek that has been passed off as information. If you have a computer, cell phone or digital camera... You are a citizen journalist whether you want to admit it or not. This is the information age, and we keep pushing ahead at the speed of light.

Hey Dave, this is Chris....

Hey Dave, this is Chris. I am calling from my cell phone and I am calling to Jott. Jott will transcribe the message after it receives my voice mail, they will put it on website or rather my blog. It's a cool thing I think you should use it on your new iPhone, your cell phone. So, I hope you like it and pay attention to the video. Bye. listen

Powered by Jott

Fun with QT

Watch the video

Quicktime Pro® and Photobooth® have a number of features that will allow you to tweak the videos you create... on the fly! I've used filters and distortion tools to add special effects that are easy and fun to use. Any kid with a web cam and some time on their hands can learn them fast and once they do... look out! It is a lot of fun to watch someone express their creative genius. Thankfully, we can also upload these quick flicks to sites like blip, blogger and youtube to showcase the many talents that are going to eventually be seen by people everywhere. More power to the videobloggers everywhere !

This is so slick

I am actually blogging from my Ipod touch. People complained
when these things first came out that you would not be able to
e-mail or post data to the web using this device. Au Contrare'
my friend. Although it may take a little longer to type and post the
message,it is indeed possible . I am beginning to wonder why I
bought a new Macbook , when all I really need to carry along with
me is my Itouch ... Sweet! Also, If you have a minute, Check out the
cute little video I have attached.

Drill Sargent

Watch the video

Using Photobooth, I created a cartoon like video of a sargent in the army barking an order.Don't ask me why I have the little picture of a crow with a top hat there. I am just posting content as I create it.What does it all mean? I dunno. Anyway, although this blog has been going on for two plus years, I still don't know if there is a rhyme or reason to it. I just like to post stuff. The crow was probably posted before anyway.Repetition and consistency. Those seem to be themes that people adhere to after their fifties. You try to hang on because you are not sure what you should let go of..."Hear that soldier!?"

Dreading Winter

Right around the middle or late August, I start to think about the upcoming winter and how I am going to prepare for it. My car is on it's last legs and my only means of transport other than the local bus service and my bicycle is my motorscooter. So, when it rains, I take my car to work. Getting wet and cold is not my idea of a good time. I don't have the heat turned on in my apartment because of the cost. I have 2 down comforters on my bed to stay warm at night. I wear a knit cap to keep the heat from escaping my head at night. I purchased 2 pairs of long johns for the winter to keep my legs warm while driving my scooter on sunny days.So-d you get the ideathat when it comes to getting through the winter here,an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.My former girlfriend would tell me that it isn't the cold that causes flu symptoms and congestion.It's that the weather will predispose us to germs and infection. Go figure. I have been trying to ward off the stress that these winter months bring. Gee, I can hardly wait until daylight savings time !

Feeling Funky

Today is the day after Thanksgiving and I have been sick with a chest cold now for around 2 weeks. I cannot laugh or I am thrown into a coughing fit. My head and chest will ache if I could too much. I have taken expectorant and cough medicine now for around a week and it has only improved slightly. I just don't like bronchitis. It has been hanging on and hanging on. I got a flu shot at the end of October and thought that I would be protected to some degree.I have not taken any time off from work because I wouldn't know how to best spend my time, and would be spinning my wheels wondering what was going on at work.I have been trying to get more rest but it seems like the more rest I get the more I need. Hmmmm... I am going to stop by Cal-Mart and get some more medicine before I go home tonight. This sucks.

Gratitude Day

As Thanksgiving approaches this year, I think about all the things that I have to be grateful for... all the help people have offered me over the years. People like Eric Swenson, Reid Bennett, Dave Keegan and Don Freeland. Without these guys I don't know where I would be. There have been many others too, who have assisted me when I didn't know where else to turn. My sisters Martha and Rita, my nephew Edward and my brother John. Family has always been there for me. I try to help others as much as I can, and lend a hand where it is most needed. Now is the time of year to reflect on all of these blessings. I hope to continue to learn to be of service to others, to give what I can, when I can. If you are reading this and you have made a difference in someone's life, count yourself among those who matter very much to me and those you have helped.