To My Wife, My Love, My Friend

The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship;  it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship.
―     Ralph Waldo Emerson
Happy Birthday, Hil!!  May we forever hold hands on our walks…
All my love,
Always!
Your Kev
XXX
00
X
.
On This Day In:
2021	It Also Helps To Marry Well
	Holding Hands And Thinking
2020	A Mandelbrot Set
	I Still Can’t…
2019	Proposing A Happy Birthday
	35 Years Later
2018	Forever
2017	Too Good To Be True
	Plain Speaking
2016	She Is Still Singing
2015	Don’t Complain
2014	Nothing Is The Same
	Orange October (XII) – Giants Win Game 7 (3 To 2) And World Series (4 To 3)
2013	Hours, Days, And Years
2012	In Kev Are In Hil
2011	No Game, Didn’t Really Happen
	A Good Post

Read Full Post »

A Life Well Lived, A Story Well Told

“The Curse Of Chief Tenaya”   (2002©)  —   book review
Today’s book review is for a historic fiction novel set in 1800’s.  The author is Craig J. Carrozzi.  It is about an Irish immigrant coming to the United States and making his life through the pre-, actual and post- “Gold Rush” in Northern / Central California.
Full disclosure:  Craig (the author) was a member of the football teams I played on while in high school in San Francisco.  After high school graduation, Craig joined the Peace Corps, returned to San Francisco to get his BA and then subsequently lived a good deal of his life in South America.  Like me, Craig was raised in San Francisco.  He is the author of five published books and numerous articles.  Of his five published books – one is about attending a SF Giants baseball game as a youth;  three are semi-autobiographical fictionalized stories about his time in South America;  and, this book (being reviewed) is about earlier days in Northern California.
The book’s main character is Jeremiah Ignatius McElroy.  He is born in Ireland, starts off as a hard life (potato famine and Yellow Fever), moves to the US (via Canada), travels across the country / continent and ultimately becomes a hunter and tour guide in the Sierra Nevada mountains.  His main geographic expertise is the high-country of Yosemite Valley and it’s “cousin”, the Hetch-Hetchy Valley.  He spends the winters in Oakland, CA with his widowed younger sister and her family.  Jeremiah is hired by a wealthy landowner to track down and destroy a Grizzly bear.
This is basically a “man’s” action book with a couple of interesting twists (interesting to me, anyway).  First, the current day action is interspersed with the growing-up portion of Jeremiah’s life.  The author / publisher uses the “trick” of italicizing the historical narration so the reader can clearly “see” when the author is talking about the past.  The second interesting aspect of the book is an obvious attempt to include “real” famous / historic literary figures in the story.  Hence, Jeremiah reads Ambrose Bierce columns in the daily newspaper;  drinks with Jack London in a bar; and, meets John Muir while up in the hills.
The “action” portion is the life of the growing up, becoming a man and then aging and preparing for old age;  but within the specific confines of the plot, it is the pursuit of a giant Grizzly which has been terrorizing cattle ranches in and around the Hetch-Hetchy area.
So, is this book any good?  Is it realistic in it’s character(s) and / or historic depictions?  Is it entertaining and / or interesting?  And, finally, do I recommend this book?
In short – the answer is YES, to all of these questions.  The book is relatively short (225 pages) and the story is a fast and well paced read.  I read it completely in one sitting and found it hard to put down for my own meals.  (This despite a good deal of delicious sounding meals through-out the book.)
In general, the book seems pretty accurate to very accurate in describing both people and locations.  I must admit, I felt the author let a bit of his own “politics” come into the attitudes and language used in some of the conversations.  One example is when Jeremiah uses the word “deforestation” in an extended dialogue.  I looked the word up.  The word is cited as first used around 1870, so it is possible Jeremiah might know it, but it seems to me, unlikely a hunter / trapper / outdoorsman / tour guide would know the word, let alone use the word.  But, these are very minor flaws in an otherwise well written work.  A brief clarification:  I haven’t spoken with the author in over 50 years, so I really have no idea about his “politics” or if they are reflected in the writing.  It’s just how I felt while reading the book.
And, “the Curse” itself?  Well, it created a “hook” and theme for the book, but I felt it could have been better fleshed out.  I’m not sure why I feel that way or how I might have advised the author to improve the story during development, but it (the “hook”, not the book as a whole) made me feel like I was reading a poor mix of “Dancing With Wolves“, “The Last of the Mohicans” and “The Deer Hunter“.  Very much like those movies, the ending is thought provoking rather than PollyAnn-ish uplifting.  A “Good” or “Bad” ending will then depend on the reader’s individual reaction to the ending.  The “curse” was from the last Native American Chief of the tribe (Chief Tenaya, a non-literary, but “real person” from the period) which lived in the Hetch-Hetchy Valley.  He pledged to haunt those who would despoil the tribes sacred lands (the Valley).
I found the book to be between “hard to put down” and “can’t put down”.  That’s quite a statement from this reviewer.  The descriptions of the skies, mountains, valleys, flowers and animals filled my imagination and reminded me of earlier outdoor travels and adventures from my own youth.
Final recommendation:  Very highly recommended if you are into “masculine” adventure type action stories with a historical setting.  Given I was raised in Northern California, I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of “old world” San Francisco, Oakland and the towns from the Bay Area to Hetch-Hetchy.  If you are prudish, be advised there is some minor sexual content, but I felt it was well within the boundary of character and story development.
Disclaimer:  I purchased this book at normal / sale price (for an old / used book) and no compensation has been provided to me by anyone for my opinions in this review.
.
On This Day In:
2021	MAGA Choice: Reality Or Lies
	You Seem To Be
2020	A Good Reason To Blog
	Finally Enjoying The View
2019	Living Free
2018	Relative Imagination
2017	Thank You, Senator McCain (So Far Anyway)
2016	What About Friends?
2015	It Tastes Good To Me
2014	Others’ Footsteps
	The Not-So-Modern Samurai
2013	Doin’
2012	A Lover
2011	What Have We Found Here
	Words

Read Full Post »

Moments Make A Lifetime

Happy Birthday, Bec!
Be happy for this moment.  This moment is your life.
—     Omar Khayyam
And congratulations (again) on starting the new job and being unopposed for re-election to the College Board!
We love you always,
Mum and Dad
XXX 00 X
.
On This Day In:
2021	Strong Women Make Them Too
	Gather Moments
2020	Another Opportunity
	Stand Up, Shout Out
2019	Birthday Gifts For Our Daughter
	Feeling Age
2018	Seeking To Make A Difference
2017	Happy BD, Bec!
2016	BD Quotes
2015	Princess
2014	Optional
2013	Happy Birthday, Rebecca
2012	Be Not Old
	2012 National League Western Division Champions!!!
2011	What Kind Of Work Do You Do?
2010	Another Loser… And Come November

Read Full Post »

Re-election Time!

Last evening we attended the kick-off re-election gathering / party for my daughter (Rebecca), who is running to keep her seat on the Contra Costa County Community College Board.  If re-elected, this will be her second four-year term on the board.  Even though a junior member of the Board, she has already completed a year long rotation assignment as Board president and she hopes to be able to continue to bring her energy / exuberance to bear helping students achieve their life ambitions via affordable education.
Ever the proud dad, I encourage everyone reading this to make a donation at:  Rebecca Barrett for Community College Board 2022
If a donation is beyond your means, I hope you will get involved in your local politics and make your part of the world a better place for all.  Believe it or not, your limits ARE your imagination and your willingness to stand up and participate in making the future you want to see.
If nothing else, please be a part of the solution:  register for and VOTE in the upcoming election(s)!
.
On This Day In:
2021	Living At The Edge
	A Simple Song
	More Sounds (Guitar Review)
2020	Poor Proof
	Right From The Start
	You Voted For An Incompetent And Corrupt Business Person To Drain A Political Swamp
2019	I Wish This Were More True
2018	Used To Rejection
	Day 16: Looking Ahead (Just A Little)
2017	Tonight
	I Rejoice
2016	Conscientious Courage
	Speaking Of Which…
2015	The Beautiful Snow
2014	Nurtured By The Voices
2013	Précis
2012	Fear And Understanding
2011	Just Being Human

Read Full Post »

I Really Have Tried

Deep in my heart I know I am a loner.  I have tried to blend in with the world and be sociable, but the more people I meet the more disappointed I am, so I’ve learned to enjoy myself, my family and a few good friends.
—     Steven Aitchison
.
On This Day In:
2021	Your Best Heat
	Memphis Group
2020	Me Too
2019	No Regrets
2018	In Times Of Crisis
	Genes, Desire And Luck
2017	The Voice Of Experience
2016	Who And When
2015	Change Process
2014	What Is Still Possible
2013	Strength Is There
2012	Beyond Reasonable Doubt
2011	Celebrating Values
2010	Is it just me, or is it suddenly dark around here?
	Dance!

Read Full Post »

40Hrs

On Tuesday, my sister called me up and asked if I wanted to do a “water fast” with her.  I asked what was involved.  She said:  “We start at 5pm today and go to 9am on Thursday.  You can have water, black coffee or straight tea – black, green or herbal.”  I said, sure, why not?  I’ll try it…
I finished dinner at 4:45pm and “started” the fast.  Other than water, all I had to drink was a pot of black coffee (68 ozs).
Initial reaction:  It wasn’t anywhere near as difficult as I thought it would be…  By starting in the evening, you miss the first day (8 – 12 hrs) of thinking about food.  By ending at 9am, you don’t have to do much to end the second day, but wake up.  I drank the coffee between 10am and 4pm and except for a rather poor night’s sleep, it didn’t bother me either.  I normally drink mostly cold black coffee anyway, so it was no big deal.  The coffee substantially reduced my hunger.  I don’t know if the late coffee (after 2pm) caused the poor night’s sleep as I’ve been experiencing poor sleep off and on for almost a year.
Post reaction:  Well, I dropped three(3) pounds – so that was interesting.  With no caloric input to speak of and a “normal” calorie burn of over 3,400, I would have expected a loss of no more than a single pound.  (Supposedly, one pound of weight is 3,500 calories.)  I didn’t do any exercise other than walking my dog for 20minutes, so that didn’t add anything to the calorie burn calculation.  Yesterday was a “water pill” day.  I take a water pill for my water retention on alternating days, but I didn’t feel bloated going into the fast and I don’t feel bloated today.  (A non-water pill day.)  From about 7pm to 10:30pm (last night), I had one of those “clarity” periods, where you feel 10 years younger (and slimmer) and your mind seems totally invigorated – so there is that…
Final thoughts:  Given my generally positive physical response, I think I’d like to try it again for a couple of weeks to see if it has any lasting benefits.  I think the Tuesday to Thursday protocol is also a good fit for me.  I’ll  post again if I have another go next week…
Oh, and my sister found it so good / easy, she added a couple of hours and did a 42hr fast!
.
On This Day In:
2021	All I See Are Nails
	More Money
2020	We Will Get Through This
2019	I Asked My Family Doctor Just What I Had
2018	You Have Just Begun To Climb
2017	Equal Protection Under Law
2016	A Stubbornly Persistent Illusion
2015	Or You Don’t
2014	If You Ever Fall…
2013	Glory Days (part 2)
2012	They Follow A Pattern – If You Know What I Mean
	What I Live For (Precis)
2011	Giving

Read Full Post »

Spring Colors

Last year, we had our front yard converted from mostly grass to drought resistant rocks (and some plants).  Here’s a pre-change image…
Mostly grass…
And here are some shots of Spring’s colors…
Colors…
The flowers on the immediate sides of the path are miniature roses, which have a surprising amount of size variety considering they were all bought and planted at the same time…  The ones above are about mid-shin / knee height.
The Tallest…
This is the tallest and next to it (on the lower right) is the smallest.  There are probably a dozen more buds getting ready to blossom.  You can’t really tell from the photo, but there are a half-dozen bees doing their thing on this bush.
Diagonal Shot…
Here’s a better shot of the poppies…
California Poppies…
A better view of the snapdragons…
Snapdragons…
My wife spends a great deal of energy on the gardens (front and back), but it’s worth it for the up-lifting feeling you get when you see everything in the bright morning sunlight and full Spring colors…
.
On This Day In:
2021	In Pursuit
	The Music Of Her Laughter
2020	Close, Sustained And Careful
2019	#45: Spread The Fear
	Fear The Beards
2018	Slice, Nick, Cut, Bled
2017	Like Most Blogs
2016	The Window Left Open
	Free Experience
2015	Reality == Perception / (Times Reported * 10)
2014	Tear Da Roof Off Da Sucka
2013	Exposed Spirits
2012	Ow-ow
2011	Focused Relatives

Read Full Post »

Remember

To my son, never forget that we love you.  No matter where you go or what happens in your life.  You are loved.  Forever and always.
—    Anonymous
The next time you see a worm on the sidewalk, move it to the grass.  It’s already having a rough day.  Be kind.
—    Anonymous
[Happy Birthday, son.  Stay true to yourself and be kind…  (rough around the edges, but kind).
Love Always,
—    Mum and Dad]
.
On This Day In:
2021	Now You’re 31…
	Versions: (Father And Son)
2020	Make A Fuss
2019	Hopefully, You’re Learning To Forgive
2018	Enjoy The Sunsets As Well As The Sunrises
2017	Enjoy
2016	I Got A Feeling
2015	Fiction Leading To History
2014	A Self-Correcting Process
2013	None But He Knows
2012	99% Are Demanding
2011	All In The Family
	Take Your Pick

Read Full Post »

Dust Under Your Fingertips

Dust In The Wind
[Happy Birthday, Sis!!   Here’s some inspiration to pick up your guitar…    —    KMAB]
.
On This Day In:
2021	Stopped Counting Decades Ago
	Just Enjoying The Sun
2020	To My Idealistic Sister
2019	Respect For My Sister
2018	I Trust Cows
	No Boundary
2017	Don’t Sink Now
2016	A Burning Passion To Teach Freedom
2015	Before Debit (And Credit) Cards
2014	Herding Cats
2013	Ooops!
2012	Understand A Great Truth
2011	Start Here…
2010	Random Acts of Vandalism On Easter Weekend…

Read Full Post »

Yesterday

Today is my mom’s birthday…  Yesterday, my sister brought her over for lunch and an afternoon in the sun.  Here she is with her cake / candles.  We opted for fire safety and didn’t use 95…  (LoL)
Let them eat cake
.
On This Day In:
2021	Maybe Faith Is Based On Hope
	I Want To See You Smile
2020	Thank You (To Those Who Serve)
	Hanging In There
2019	Her Job, Too
2018	Just Another Song I Like
	Earlier Still
2017	Ten To Go
2016	Unstable Emergence
2015	88
2014	Some One-Liners Are Too Easy
2013	Greatness
2012	Memories Of Arlington
2011	Wake Up

Read Full Post »

Guitar Music

Out of the depths of the mysterious box,
Flowed the marvelous symphony,
Of all the virgin voices of the forests of America
—     Agustín Barrios Mangoré
From his poem:  “Profession of Faith“
[Happy Birthday, Mom!  Love, Kevin    —    KMAB]
.
On This Day In:
2021	Maybe Faith Is Based On Hope
	I Want To See You Smile
2020	Thank You (To Those Who Serve)
	Hanging In There
2019	Her Job, Too
2018	Just Another Song I Like
	Earlier Still
2017	Ten To Go
2016	Unstable Emergence
2015	88
2014	Some One-Liners Are Too Easy
2013	Greatness
2012	Memories Of Arlington
2011	Wake Up

Read Full Post »

The Air Is Thinner, But It’s A Killer View

How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
—     Satchel Paige
Getting old is like climbing a mountain;  you get a little out of breath, but the view is much better!
—     Ingrid Bergman
[Happy Birthday to me!    —    KMAB]
.
On This Day In:
2021	Staying Young While Getting Old
	Mid-Afternoon (Hopefully)
2020	Still Measuring
2019	Living On The Couch
	Who Am I – One Interpretation
2018	A Gardening Goal: Feed The Flowers
2017	Freakishly Happy Cowboy
2016	One More, Please
2015	Infinite Adventure
2014	Unpaved
2013	Headstones
2012	Keeping Young
2011	Lessons Well Learned

Read Full Post »

Following His Own Path

The big question about how people behave is whether they’ve got an Inner Scorecard or an Outer Scorecard.  It helps if you can be satisfied with an Inner Scorecard.
—     Warren Buffett
[Happy birthday, Bro!  You demonstrated the meaning of an “Inner Scorecard” for me long before it was ever a thing or had a name.   —    KMAB]
.
On This Day In:
2021	Show A Brother Some Love
	Beyond Words
2020	Especially You, Bro
	Words Without Explanation
2019	Enjoy!
2018	Happy Birthday, Bro!
2017	Love Can Change The World In A Minute
2016	60, Little Bro!
2015	Vision and Courage
2014	58 – Little Bro
2013	New Adventures And Old Hopes
	Caving In
2012	Bits And Bobs And Birthdays
	Always Hope
2011	Wet Snow And Long Hills

Read Full Post »

On A Lighter Note

Here’s a photo of the front of our house today…  It’s our first day this year of 80°+ temperature.  (And, no, that’s not a rainbow ending at the tree in our front yard.  At least I didn’t find a pot of gold when I looked.)
And here is our first blooming California Poppy…
We didn’t get many daffodils this year.  We had a bit of a false spring back in February, so we got sprigs / shoots but almost no flowers.
.
On This Day In:
2021	I Hope Not
	Diggin’ It
2020	Organized Skepticism
2019	An Interest In Life
2018	Two: A Current President With Both
2017	Watch This Space
2016	Beyond The Foundation
2015	Become An Affliction
2014	Just Setting Out
2013	Scott’s Inscription
2012	Good Knowledge
2011	Social Safety Nets

Read Full Post »

Finding Your Strength

You have power over your mind – not outside events.  Realize this, and you will find strength.
—     Marcus Aurelius
[Sarah, Happy Birthday!!
Congrats on your recent new job!  Keep making your own path and you will find strength along the way.  We are proud of you!!
Love Always,
Mum & Dad]
.
On This Day In:
2021	Step By Step Find Strength
	Keep Searching
2020	Giving Thanks
2019	One A Day
2018	Try
2017	You’re Starting To Make Us Feel Old
2016	Focus
2015	Challenging Legacy
2014	Happy 21st Birthday!
2013	Expectations
2012	Trust Him Smile
2011	Why Change?

Read Full Post »