The Hot Club of Cowtown on All Things Considered. They'll be in San Diego in December.

An open letter to umlaut.

I've been negligent in posting, because I've had a lot to say, but not the time nor the energy to type it up. Perhaps this weekend I'll comment on a few of the more choice events, but I imagine I'll let most of it slip by unmentioned. A quick summary: I'm depressed, feeling lethargic, school sucks, Cecily's getting married.

The Friar's Club roasted the Smothers Brothers this year. I would have liked to see it, but I can understand why perhaps the Friar's Club would rather not have it broadcast (I'm surprised to read it was Comedy Central that pulled the plug).

Randy Newman on NPR.

Comments on Merle Haggard's new album and some comments on country radio, etc.

I think I need this. I can't find a price, though, and if they won't tell you, that tells you something.

Software company no longer threatening to sue over shift-key vulnerability. Quite magnanimous of them not to hold the kid responsible for the worthlessness of their software.

An interview with the creators of Aqua Teen Hunger Force. I enjoyed the discussion of the Mooninites' origins.

I was listening to KSON and drinking, to take my mind off recent events. I don't listen to local radio very often, seeing as San Diego has born the brunt of Clear Channel even more than other cities, thanks to loopholes regarding Mexican-based radio stations. But it seems like every time I listen to KSON (not Clear Channel, incidentally), I hear this one song, Buddy Jewel's "Help Pour Out the Rain." As I've heard it so often, I have to assume its popular. If you want to elect Arnold, that's fine. But how can you listen to this tripe? If I ever hear my child say, "When I get to heaven/can I taste the milky way?" I will not pull over my car to cry because I am touched by my child's innocent wisdom, I will pull over to cry because my child is retarded.

Aw, who cares. Governor Schwarzenegger? What the hell?

At least Proposition 54 was apparently soundly defeated.

Good God. I can't say I'll cry too many tears for Davis, but really, it's not fair, even for Davis. It could be a good thing for the Democrats; encourage the Democrats to think about something besides fundraising, and confince the Republicans to waste time trying to win with Bush in 2004. And we all see how Jesse Ventura drove the Reform party to new hights. Good luck, Arnold...you need it.

Reasons you're no longer fit to be an architect.

Went and voted this morning. No on recall, No on both propositions, yes for Bustamante. Voting for Bustamante made me feel dirty, but I figured I had to. Sorry, Larry Flynt.

Monday was an odd day. I just felt very out of sorts and disoriented, like I was in some sort of haze. In one class, I managed to knock over my coffee cup three times, and also get caught on my desk, creating quite a bit of disruption. Then in another class, I was asked my opinion of something we'd just read, and found I couldn't remember a word of it. I ended up going to bed early, and getting a good night's sleep, and feel better now. So maybe it was just sleep deprivation.

Have I mentioned that I've enjoyed watching The Joe Schmo Show? God help me...

This sentence is false.

A story of hope in a Clear Channel world.

I've had a pretty okay weekend thus far. Friday night, after another ho-hum day of school, I was moping around the house, listening to the radio, when I remembered that the red tide was still in bloom, so I decided to go to the beach and see the bioluminescence. It seems to have faded a bit since I last saw it about three weeks ago, but it was still around, and when the larger waves broke, it was still an impressive sight. As the water was cold, and there was no one with me to egg me on, I elected not to pee into the ocean, although I knew from past experience this really makes the algea come alive. Either that, or my urine is itself bioluminescent.

Saturday, I intended to study, but instead ended up playing Grand Theft Auto: Vice City all day. It is a guilty pleasure, to be sure; destroying SUVs (well, its set in the '80s, so I guess they aren't really SUVs) and whatnot. I gathered quite an arsenel, beating up cops and taking their weapons right outside my apartment. All you have to do is duck into your apartment and change clothes, and then the cops won't recognize you. So, you see, not only is it fun, but it teaches kids a valuable lesson.

Later in the evening, I went to Madstone Theatres to see Ping-Pong, part of the San Diego Asian Film Festival. Though it was somewhat difficult to take seriously at times, due to a lack of respect for a game I am usually drunk when I play, the film was able to overcome this (without trying), due to its tenderly humorous story. In fact, not only...I'm trying to phrase it differently, because saying the film "overcame" my preconceptions of ping-pong is a bit patronizingly ethnocentric...but not only was I able to get beyond my narrow notions of the game, but I found it one of the best sports movies I've ever seen. Certainly blew Seabiscuit out of the water. I believe it is available on a region-less DVD; I highly recommend it.

A Salon.com article suggesting (persuasively, I thought) that Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff is the source of the leak.

John Dean comparing the current scandal to Watergate. (registration required)

Randy Newman interview in the Independent.

I was listening to an audio commentary on The Simpsons Season Three DVD, and they were discussing the tendency for kids to beat cartoon-character-costumed actors. It reminded me of my halcyon days of Aquarius Roll-arena, which featured a Panda character as a mascot. I took great pleasure in skating up behind her and bashing her on the head, and quickly skating away. It was especially fun since I was getting away with something, and there was nothing she could do about it. Then one day, as I was leaving the rink, I was grabbed by the panda and dragged into a closet, where a menacing panda informed me that if I ever laid a hand on her again, she would tear me apart. I never did explain to my mom why I didn't want to spend my afternoons at the roller rink any more. Fun, tramatic times.

At the risk of sounding like Andy Rooney, there are two observations on the minor nuisances of everyday life I would like to present to you.

Point One: I was at the post office the other day, and passing by the pawn shop next door, and there was a sign in the pawn shop firmly requesting that you turn off your cell phone. Cell phones, I grant, are highly annoying; one should definately turn them off in a movie theater or during any presentation, and when dining in a fine restaurant, or in a library, or anytime common sence dictates. But whenever I find myself complaining about cell phones, I do not find myself lamenting how the rise of cell phone has stripped pawn shops of their charm. Are we to whistfully reminisce about a time, long ago, when one could step into their friendly neighborhood pawn shop with a VCR and get $20 to buy smack, and not have this very special moment, one of life's few remaining simple pleasures, spoiled by the piercing ring of a cell phone? I am considerate in my use of my cell phone, but come on, people, do we really need all these rules? Half the people at the pawn shop are probably raising money to pay their cell phone bill, be grateful they exist, pawn shop owner.

Point two: Why are the slowest drivers also the most unsafe? I find myself, more and more, stuck behind people driving less than twenty MPH on city streets, and sometimes I feel guilty getting impatient, since I was speeding before they came along, and so aren't I the menace on the road? Yet I've noticed that it is these slow, apparently concientious drivers who do the truly stupid things. They may be driving slow on the open stretches, but they also go through the intersections at the same speed, stop signs be damned. Today some asshole going about fifteen MPH right in front of me, missed a red light (meaning, of course, that I did too), and preceded to run it, cutting off the person who had the green. I think more people need to get tickets for going too slowly, maybe then a paper trail will emerge to strip a few of the elderly of their licences. I should be fair, it's not just the elderly; the guy who ran the light looked to be about thirty. I used to enjoy driving, but good God it's gotten stressful lately.

I'm watching CMT (which is no longer carrying the Grand Ole Opry--what the fuck?!), and just saw the new June Carter Cash video. Am I a horrible person if I observe she should have stuck to singing backups?

I tried a new sushi restaurant tonight, the Sui Shin Teahouse. It's been open about a year, but its new enough to me. Reasonably priced, and quite good. They were out of salmon, which was too bad, as I'd had my heart set on a salmon skin roll. The chef recommended the albacore, and sure enough, it was about the best sushi I've ever had. The unagi (always my favorite) was good, though not exceptional. I also had the mackerel on the chef's recommendation; I'm not usually a fan, but it was just as fresh as the chef promised. As the name promised, they also served a wide variety of teas; I tried the Moroccan Mint green tea, which was excellent. A pot of tea and a decent variety of sushi set me back $25 with tax and tip. A bit extravagant, but except for once when I was visiting Michelle, I hadn't had sushi in some time. In any event, if you find yourself in Hillcrest, give them a try. Great fish, nice low-key ambiance, and great service.

Before dinner, I went running with the group I was training with for last weekend's 10K. I didn't think many of us would still be running with the group now that the race was over, but there were at least ten of us. I've always said I view training as a solitary pursuit, but I must admit one or two group runs a week really helps break up the monotomy and keep you motivated. I've agreed to run with a few of them in the San Diego Half-Marathon in January. My original goal, you might remember, was the Silver Strand Half-Marathon in November. I cancelled that due to my knee problems, which now have gone away completely. I considered calling it back on, but I think the January goal, with the training support of my friends from the group, is probably for the best.

School is off to a good start. Oceanography can be a bit dull, but as science goes, is pretty gripping stuff. Revolutionary-era American Literature is also a tad dull, but doesn't seem particularly challenging. Nature Writing is the only class that really interests me.

Did I ever mention I saw Lost in Translation the other day? I enjoyed it. Bill Murray is a genius.

The Case of Encylcopedia Brown's Mangled Corpse.

New study confirms what I've been saying for years about sunscreen.

I ran yesterday in the California Cruisin' 10K. I did pretty good. I should say the official results are inaccurate. My watch showed me coming in at 47:43, and the time clock at the finish line confirmed this to within a second or two. But I digress. First four miles were fantastic, about a 7:15 pace, but then the uphill on the 52 killed me, I had to stop and walk a minute. Any race I have to walk feels like a failure, but seeing as I beat my goal time by close to five minutes, I can't complain.

Getting up early for that and just generally being fatigued, I decided not to drive up to L.A., which is a good thing, because by midnight last night I could barely keep my eyes open. Incidentally, I also never made it to the Adams Avenue Street Fair, which is a shame, since I always enjoy that. Oh, and its only the second day of school and I've already ditched a class, Oceanography. Overslept, though I could have still made it on time. But decided not to bother. Just sat in my car and listened to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band whilst I read the Declaration of Independence for the class I am heading to as soon as I finish this sentence.

The shit may fianlly be hitting the fan over the Bush administration's outing of a CIA covert agent for political gain.

Lemony Snicket's web site has a puzzle to help figure out a clue about the next book. I can't get the last word, but I still get the basic idea.

Actually, I see they have a lot of new games about the new book.

I read The Slippery Slope last night, and must say its one of the better books in the series. Any children's book in which the children quote Nietzsche as a source for moral guidance is a special thing. As the Series of Unfortunate Events begins to near a conclusion, this book draws together a lot of characters and mysteries from various previous books, and also offers a few solutions to some of the mysteries the Baudelaires have faced. But even as mysteries are solved, far more new mysteries emerge, and the despair found in the end of this book is the strongest yet, as we begin to dread the no-doubt-unfortunate conclusion to the series. And there is even a bit of romance. This is the first book in the series I had to wait for (having started reading the books right after book 9 came out), and it was well worth the wait.

Oh, hell...I'm going to that show in L.A. Sunday. If I sleep through class Monday, who cares?

I think my knee problems are subsiding. I ran eight miles yesterday, and yes, my knee hurts a bit today, but not bad. Walking down the snake walk was probably a mistake, but when I stayed on fairly level ground, all was well. The run went great, ran it with an average pace around 8'20". So I think I'm ready for Sunday's 10K.

After the run, I rushed home to change and then was off to the White Stripes concert. I enjoyed it okay, though I was tired, and by the time I got there, late in the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' set, the place was pretty full up. I found a nice place to stand in the back, where I could lean on a rail and keep the weight off my knee. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs didn't do much for me, but the White Stripes put on a good show, played everything you'd expect. Meg White sung "In the Cold, Cold Night," and was a bit too perky, I thought, but was impressed with the strength of her voice more so than on the album. "Joleen" and "The Hardest Button to Button" were probably the highlights of the evening. All in all, a good time was had by all. I also enjoyed the cartoons played between sets, Little Lulu, Betty Boop and whatnot.

Today was the first day of school. Ocean Science seems a bit dull, but hopefully not particularly challenging, if I do the reading. Revolutionary War-Era Literature will be dull as dishwater, no doubt, but at least, due to a change in instructors, the reading burden seems somewhat lighter than the original book list suggested. Nature Writing, the one class I'm taking that will not advance me towards graduation in the slightest, if I remember correctly, looks to be the one bright spot in my schedule. An eclectic reading list, including Edward Abbey, whom I've meant to read for some time.

So anyway, the first day of school wasn't terribly exciting, but it seems like this is a good quarter to really boost that GPA, and work on that concept of eventually graduating. You never know...

Lots of stuff going on this weekend. Adams Avenue Street Fair is this weekend. I hope to make it for a few hours on Saturday. There's a concert in Los Angeles Sunday night at the Bigfoot Lodge, three theremin bands, including Project: Pimento. I don't think I'm going to go, but if I have the energy, I might make the drive. Should be a fun time. But I have a feeling trying to make it will be too stressful for me to be in the mood to enjoy lounge music. But we shall see.

I didn't hear about Robert Palmer/George Plimpton/that kid from Leave it to Beaver dying until I got home this afternoon, but reading the paper over lunch, I was saddened to read about Edward Said's passing.

American soldier shoots caged lion.

Tammy Faye: The Salon interview.

I got a haircut today...probably been about four months or so since my last. Can't say I care for it too much, but that's okay. I've had worse.

Had to take Mom shopping, since she can't lift things or drive. I was going to get myself put on her CostCo card in replacement of Dad, but they had some computer problem so I need to come back another day. I bought A Mighty Wind on DVD, and also The Slippery Slope. I'd pre-ordered it on Amazon, but the other things I pre-ordered don't ship until the 30th, so I was able to buy it at CostCo for $6.99 and cancel my Amazon order. All after I got the PDF file of Chapter One for pre-ordering on Amazon. Really played them for a bunch of rubes.

Ran four miles today, my knee hurt a little bit, but its definately improving. My new shoes are pretty nice, but I could use a little more room in front of the toes. Unfortunately, they don't make a size 13 1/2, so if I wanted more room, I'd have to move up to a 14, which is probably too big. I figure I'll try on a size 14 next time I'm at the running store, see how those fit.

I watched Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory tonight. I can't remember the last time I'd seen it, but I'm sure it's been at least five years. It still holds up, better than most of the movies I grew up on. I don't remember feeling this way as a kid, but I think Violet Beuregard got screwed. All she did was chew a piece of gum. Doesn't seem as bad as stealing that super-fizzy drink, yet Charlie gets a factory. Oh, well.

I was slightly miffed to realize I accidentally bought the pan-and-scan DVD, instead of widescreen. Not the end of the world, but I've always watched the pan-and-scan version as a kid, and I'd like to see the widescreen shots of the factory.

Randy Newman denounced by Iraqi Imam. I suppose, after Bert, it was only a matter of time.

Actually, he wasn't denounced, exactly. The cleric simply portrayed Randy Newman as the voice of his nation. If only his album sales supported such a position...

How not to build a violin.

A review of Paul Fussell's new book. It's called The Boy's Crusade, but it seems that Eat It, Brokaw might be an equally fitting title. Overall, the reviews I've read are rather mixed, the main complaint being that it covers too much too superficially, but it looks interesting to me. Though before I read that, I suppose I should dust off my half-read copy of The Great War and Modern Memory and finally finish that. Not to mention that half-read copy of Parade's End that I was assigned for a class and never finished. I said I would when I had time, that was about four years ago.

I just realized a fault with my plan to move all my CDs into one of those portfolio/folder things: How will I store CDs in my car. The solution, of course, is to buy one of those CD cases intended for cars, or simply carry my entire CD library from my car to my house every time I leave my house or car. Neither seems optimal. I'll probably buy a CD case for my car, since I don't like the idea of losing my entire music library if my car gets broken into. Actually, I think I'll just find more room for my CDs (there not as bulky as DVDs, so maybe some of the room I've opened up from losing them will be my new music library).

My knee is slowly improving. I've cut back on my running, and today I bought new shoes (New Balance 765), so hopefully rest and a better-fitting shoe will solve the problem. Figure I'll try to run four miles tomorrow and see how that goes. Of course, focusing on the knee pain, I've been distracted from the fact that I'm running in a 10K this weekend. Seeing as I'm not really in shape to set a PR, I'm just hoping to hold a nice 8 minute pace, which would give me a time of 49:42, quite a bit off my 45:47 PR, but that's okay. I think I'm more interested in running farther than faster, anyway. Incidentally, due to my knee, I think I'm putting off my first half-marathon; I had hoped to run it in November, now I'm thinking January is more realistic.

Had a few drinks with a friend of mine last night. The bar had Monopoly pinball. I hadn't played Monopoly in awhile (most of my pinball efforts of late have been directed at Simpsons Pinball Party), and wasn't sure how good I'd do. When my first two balls drained in record time, I was really worried. But I came back to win a free game, and ended up beating my friend 4-1, by a margin of about 30,000,000 points. Not bad at all.

Mom is visiting Michelle in San Jose. An hour or so before we were supposed to leave for the airport, Mom fell off a ladder and thought she broke her wrist. It was just a sprain, though. She started talking about not going up there, but I was having none of it. Bought her a wrist splint and sent her on her way.

While I was buying her splint, I bought a thing to put on my knee. Thursday morning, my knee was rather swollen. A combination of ice and pressure seems to have helped, however.

I finally decided to do something about the DVDs threatening to take over my bedroom, and bought a few of those CD/DVD holder portfolio things. I spent an exciting Friday night alphabetizing my DVDs and transferring them into the folders. Now all I need to do is box up the boxes and put them in storage.

I went to dinner with a friend of mine tonight. I drove to Sycuan and back, and had American Recordings playing on the stereo. As I was approaching my friend's house to drop him off, and "Bird on a Wire" was playing, he asked, "Who is this, Lyle Lovett?" I think I managed to hide my shock from him, but really. I am not the most sophisticated musicologist, but how can you not immediately recognize the voice of Johnny Cash? Truly shocking. Incidentally, the buffet at Sycuan sucks. It has prime rib daily, so if you enjoy that sort of thing, you might like it, but by and large it tasted like cafeteria food.

Earlier in the evening, I went running with my running group. I got a decent run in again, though I did have a bit of knee pain. Afterwards, the pain in the knee was more noticable, though not severe. So I guess I'll have to stop running again until this weekend, and then see if I still have pain. I guess a trip to the doctor would be next, so let's hope that's not necessary.

What are they doing with all those corkscrews?

Wesley Clark running for President.

Rock history written by the losers.

Take charge, can-do guy makes horrible decisions.

Harry Goz apparently died recently as well. He was the voice of Captain Murphy on Sealab: 2021, among other things. The bodies just keep stacking up.

Leni Riefenstahl dead at 101.

ATM terminals installed in slot machines at Casino Pauma. It's being tested in California because Nevada regulators won't allow it, yet California regulators will, seeing as California regulators don't exist. Except for self-appointed tribal committees. One good reason not to vote for Bustamante. I think I'm voting for Larry Flynt.

The Lost World is on TV. I've just been watching a little bit, but I totally recognize where they filmed it from my recent trip. Fern Canyon is a great place to film such a movie.

The ad wars of the seventeenth century.

Salon's obituary for Johnny Cash.

Wesley Clark is sounding more and more like a presidential candidate.

The New York Times on how we're a nation of copiers. Some of the examples are a bit labored, but I enjoyed the hypocrisy of an anti-file-sharing organization stealing a research report. And an MTV's executive's well-made point (though I don't know if MTV's really been doing much to expose anything other than Real World cast members' abdominals): "Because of the way they've trained themselves to use media, they never have to be exposed to an idea, an artist, or anything that they did not select for themselves."

I believe this link will allow you to view the video for "Delia's Gone." A good video, it even got Beavis and Butthead's approval back in the day. "Heh. Heh. He must be one of those...gangsta rappers." Even those two punks knew a real badass when they saw one.

So I've been too busy moping to write about Vegas, so I think I'm just going to drop it. As the ads say, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. I will mention that Johnny Cash was my soundtrack on the drive to Vegas.

I've listened to The Wind a few times and enjoyed it very much. As one review I'm sure I've linked to below said, how can you be objective when he hasn't been dead a week yet? But it really good, and surprising how "small" it can be at times, in a good way. Death, while ever present, isn't some boulder ready to fall and crush the whole thing in any moment. On Monday, I made a point of staying near my hotel room, so I could watch Letterman; he had some nice things to say about Zevon, and they closed the show with Zevon's performance of "Mutineer" from his last appearance on Letterman, his last public performance, I believe.

Now I've been watching CMT's Johnny Cash tribute programming. A nice, short concert he gave in a Nashville prison in the '70s, his "Inside Fame" (their version of Behind the Music), and a tribute program CMT put together. They premiered June Carter Cash's new video, which was nice to see, Johnny and her looking like they were having fun making music together until the end. I suppose neither Zevon's nor Cash's passing can be called a surprise, but I think especially in Cash's case, it really is a surprise. I for one never really appreciated just how huge Johnny Cash was, and just how huge the loss is. We still have his music, and our memories of him, but especially with a man who was as prolific as Cash in his final years, it's very hard to let go.

The Grand Ole Opry is having a tribute to Roy Acuff tonight, which I just stumbled upon watching the Johnny Cash programming. He would have been 100 years old tomorrow. As I type this, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band are taking the stage. So I'm glad I stumbled onto this.

June Carter Cash performing "Ring of Fire."

An interview with Bill Murray. I don't have time to read it right now, I'm just linking to it so I can find it later.

CMT's weekend programming schedule for their tribute to Johnny Cash.

Another Cash obituary, this one from MSN. It has a link to his last video.

Johnny Cash's 1998 Billboard ad.

The Guardian on Zevon's The wind.

Johnny Cash, John Ritter die. Two figures hardly on the same level, but one is far less prepared to see headlines announcing Ritter's death than Cash's.

The Country Western Song Generator. Here's the song it generated for me: I met her in a treehouse dead all over; I can still recall the hearing aid she wore; She was breakin' out with acne in the twilight, and I knew that she was rotten to the core; The painters knew I'd swear off booze forever; She said to me she couldn't stand my tie; But who'd have thought she'd run off at her health club; She fell beneath the wheels and cried goodbye.

Nice piece on Warren Zevon.

I'm back from Vegas. Might post tonight about it. Long story short, I lost.

This last Friday, I remembered that, while I had been in San Jose to see Randy Newman, I had taped a special on VH-1 about Warren Zevon and the making of his final album. I watched it on Friday and found it very moving, and moreover enjoyed the music very much. I ordered his new CD, and thought to myself that I hoped it would arrive before he died. Unfortunately, that's not how things turned out. I'm about to leave for Vegas, and this was a bit of a bummer to stumble upon over my morning coffee (actually, I first learned about his death from the crawler on CNN, a truly horrendous way to learn any unpleasant news). But he lived almost a year longer than his doctors thought he would, long enough to finish an album and see the birth of his first grandchildren. I know how much it meant to my father to live to see my sister's wedding, so I imagine extending his life by such a short period was no cold comfort to Mr. Zevon.

Now I'm depressed. I wish I could watch the VH-1 special again before I leave, but I do have to hit the road. I'm not as excited as I usually am before a Vegas trip. It feels like an obligation, like I know how much I enjoy Vegas, so God damn it, enjoy this trip! I'm bringing less money than I usually do, but it still seems like an obscene amount to gamble away. I think I'm trying to impose some sense of stability in my life, saying some things may change, but I'm a gambler, and always will be. Maybe I'll take Double Down with me, re-reading it in Vegas on my first trip since my father's death seems appropriate.

A classic George W. Bush picture. Not that I've never dropped a dog before, but not in front of a top-rated little league team.

My HealthyCheck preventitive health examination went well. I weigh 199 pounds by their scale, giving me a body mass index of 25.5 (anything above 25 is considered overweight; anything over 30 is obese). My body fat percentage came in at 23.4, somewhat high, and my waist/hip ratio, .91, is also a sign I should lose a few pounds. Though I just noticed he measured my waist at 37 inches, when I recently purchased pants in a size 32, and before losing a little weight, I've always worn a size 34, so perhaps he exaggerated my waist a bit. My cholesterol numbers and blood pressure were all good, blood pressure 118/70, triglycerides at 84, total cholesterol at 184, glucose at 97, HDL (good cholesterol) at 56, LDL (bad cholesterol) at 111. They checked various things, my body, my blood, my urine, and all looked well, apparently. I did take a flexibility test, however. I made it to the 4 inch mark on the board; I would have had to reach the 9 inch mark to merit a "poor." So I need to work on that a bit. I've been meaning to go to a pilates class at the gym, there's one Monday afternoons that should fit into my schedule. Hopefully going to that and doing some more stretching after running should improve that. But nothing too concerning was unearthed in this inspection. I'll have to watch my diet a bit more, lose a few pounds. I was down to 185 for awhile, it shouldn't be too hard to get back there, especially if I decide to follow through on my goal of running the Silver Strand Half-Marathon.

I'm getting a physical tomorrow morning. Since they are checking my cholesterol, I cannot eat as of 9:45 this evening. I doubt I would have eaten very much since 9:45 on a normal evening, but knowing that I cannot, I'm rather hungry. I suppose anxiety regarding the examination may contribute to hunger as well. I remember in my religious days, I once fasted for 48 hours. Of course, by posting that here, I'm turning myself into one of those hypocrites from the Sermon on the Mount, but I guess that's the least of my soul's worries. I had jaw surgery when I was 17, didn't consume anything I would classify as food for almost two weeks. Once offered my sister $20 to smuggle me a Whopper. Ended up with a pronounced limp for about two months from where my right leg muscles began to atrophy. So I should probably refrain from complaining about a 12-hour fast.

Finished A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. I enjoyed it very much. I had a lot of preconceived notions going in, and was surpised by the tender emotion found within the clever self-consciousness and other post-modern artifacts. It really is an amazing accomplishment.

I had dinner yesterday at the Studio Diner, which opened earlier this year next door to Stu Segal Productions' studio lot. It's a bit out of the way for me, but it was a nice place, good food and plenty of it at a very reasonable price. I didn't see any stars, which is apparently the appeal of the place, but it did have a nice atmosphere, not as suffocatingly cloy as, say, the Corvette Diner.

Got some good runs in this week. A nice fast four-miler Wednesday, a slower five-miler on Thursday. A blister, a souvenier from my vacation, began bothering me near the end of that run. I had planned to go to the gym or something today, but its just too hot to do anything. Tomorrow I'm getting a check-up, and I have to fast for 12 hours beforehand. My appointment is in the morning, though, so it's not too bad.

Read the first chapter of The Slippery Slope. Looks good.

Got Al Franken's new book in the mail today. Will have to finish A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius before I start that, though. I'm enjoying Eggar's book.

Efforts to roll back the FCC rule changes seem to be going swimmingly.

Comments on Randy Newman and the new album, from a site hawking tickets for an upcoming show. Very nice piece, I thought. And again, I really like the new promotional photo.

Wesley Clark says he's a Democrat, will make intentions clear this month.

Apparently people were easily amused in the sixteenth century.

Bush administration member says something stupid. I enjoyed the required explanation by the AP regarding the confectionary background of the "chocolate-maker" remark. It reminded me of the evolution of the explanations regarding Fox News' comment on Al Lewis, going from no explanation, to an identification of Mr. Lewis as "Grandpa" on The Munsters, to a parenthetical identification within the quote as Al [Grandpa Munster] Lewis.

I pre-ordered The Slippery Slope from Amazon.com. I didn't check around too much, but it seemed the best deal, and I already had a small credit with them. I also ordered Never Mind the Pollacks, which ships a few days after The Slippery Slope. Last time I ordered Pollack's book, I ordered it with Al Franken's new book, but then the whole lawsuit thing moved its release date up, and so I had to cancel the order and reorder the Franken book (with a Willie Nelson CD to get free shipping), in order to not wait a month for it. As it is, I'll have to wait a week before getting the Lemony Snickett book, but it comes out the first day of school for me, so I probably would do well not to have the distraction.

Amazon.com is offering a download of chapter one of The Slippery Slope when you pre-order it now. I'm not going to read it right away, need to build the suspense a little bit. Amazon is also offering, if you pre-order Randy Newman's new CD, Songbook, an audio stream of the entire album. I would love to hear that, but Amazon's price is over $5 more than Deep Discount CD's. Of course, they ship much slower than Amazon, but since there's no new material on the CD (just unaccompanied piano versions of previously released songs), I don't mind a brief delay. On the other hand, Lyle Lovett's new album, My Baby Don't Tolerate, will most like be pre-ordered from Amazon or another prompt shipper.

The Slippery Slope (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 10) will be available September 23!

I just spent five minutes looking for my checkbook, before I realized it was under my armpit. I've been a bit scattered lately.

Hidden Vatican document insisted on secrecy in sex abuse cases, at threat of excommunication.

Boot Liquor radio. This is an awesome station I just discovered today, again by exploring iTunes on the iMac at work (I'm beginning to think I might consider a Macintosh the next time I buy a computer). Highly recommended.

Johnny Cash: The Kurt Loder interview. What has the world come to?

McSweeney's has debuted a bluegrass column. I enjoyed the first column, about the evolution of bluegrass group names. Incidentally, since discovering I don't need iTunes, I can get Bluegrasscountry.org at home on my PC as well as at work on the Mac, I've been enjoying it very much. It's caused me to fall behind in listening to the Retro Cocktail Hour. I've even joined their dime-a-day club to help support. Nice to be able to help public radio, without joining San Diego's sorry PBS affiliate.

This link might allow you to hear "Politcal Science," as it appears on Randy Newman's new album. I'm at work and without Real Audio, but I think this works. There was also a great article on "Political Science" in the L.A. Times last week, but unfortunately, to access it on the web you have to be a subscriber.

Bomb Kills Pizza Deliveryman After Arrest in Bank Robbery. Very odd story.

Eighteenth-century Brits hated umbrellas.

Neal Pollack on the VMA (subscription or day pass required). I was outraged to learn that the White Stripes lost not only to Coldplay, but more distressing, to Linkin Park. But then I learned that Johnny Cash lost to Justin Timberlake, which needs no comment.

One interesting tidbit I forgot to mention in my vacation post. I was staying at the Eureka Inn, and on Tuesday, on my way up to the parks, I stopped at a gas station, and noticed the headline on the local paper, that the owner of the Eureka Inn had been charged with misappropriation of funds (apparently a more serious charge than embezzelment). Apparently the $9 a night in room taxes I paid, the owner of the Inn had been keeping that money for himself. He of course thinks its an outrage that he's been charged with a crime, when he's offered to pay back the money he stole. So he's the real victim here. Services at the hotel seemed unaffected by the charges. Though the hotel services guide claimed I could buy stamps at the front desk, yet when I tried to, was told by the desk clerk she had no stamps. Which was for the best, because the post office was an impressive building, and I was glad I had a chance to see it.

No One Makes it to Burning Man Festival.

The following are my comments regarding Randy Newman's concert August 24, 2003, at Villa Montalvo. It was originally composed for an audience of devoted Randy Newman fans whom are well-familiar with the general nature of a Randy Newman concert. As such, I fail to mention much of Randy Newman's stage patter, only commenting on things that were new to me, or at least struck me as worth mentioning. Sometimes I comment on a story he tells many, many times. I realize most of my readers (what readers?) will have no idea what I'm talking about, so will add brief, unsatisfactory explanations (I just wrote a very lengthy trip report, and don't feel like re-writing this too much). I have removed the opening greeting, and pick up with my arrival at Villa Montalvo for a pre-concert dinner:

The dinner was good, though perhaps not as good as I previously remembered. The cous-cous and fish, and essert, were the highlights. I sat with some group, which as near as I could tell consisted of parents meeting their son's fiancee for the first time.

They pointed out around 7:20 that we should probably take our seats, which is good, because I was somehow of the impression the show started at 8:00. My seat was amazing, eighth row, on my left, looking right over Randy's shoulder onto the keyboard.

Randy took the stage promptly at 7:30.

--Last Night I had a Dream

He made some mistake early on in the song, to which he commented, "First mistake in 14 years."

--A Wedding in Cherokee County

He told the story about the Albanian anthem. [The song began as a attempt by Randy to write a national anthem to Albania, whom he admired for actively antagonizing every nation on earth] "At the time, this was in the worst taste in Rock and Roll. It's help up nicely, I think."

--Birmingham

He commented on how he has to create the sound of accompanying instruments himself, because he's too cheap to hire a band. "There, doesn't that sound like a guitar? It's the same thing...fuck it."

--Living Without You

After "Living Without You," he played the first few chords of "Marie," then stopped himself to greet the people still arriving. "I don't want to embarass you, but stay where you are. I want to tell you what you missed." He explained that he had opened with a psychadelic number from his '70s folk rocker days. Then he said something about the Grateful Dead.

He again began to play "Marie," then changed his mind.

--Short People

--Marie

--The Girls in My Life, Part One

--The World Isn't Fair

--Red Bandana

Said something like, "It's hard to sound this stupid."

--Real Emotional Girl

--Follow the Flag

I read the Cerritos reports, so I was expecting "Song For the Dead" to follow [Randy had used the juxtoposition between the two to comment on our nation's recent imperial ways], but it did not. Randy simply remarked, "Coming from me, its hard to know how to take this."

--You Can Leave Your Hat On

--I'm Dead (But I Don't Know It)

--Guilty

Randy then remarked, "If you ask me, anyone who brings a kid to see me...I know, because of 'You Got a Friend in Me,' and I'm going to play it, but not until 10:30 after you've had to sit through all my other stuff."

--Political Science

Intermission. I decide to scout out the backstage area to remind myself where I need to be to see Randy. I also figure I'll keep an eye out for Suzanne, though all I have to go on is the Cerritos group photo. I scope out the area, and the table selling Randy CDs for a bargain-basement price of $20. I see a woman with her hair down, but who could be Suzanne, so I decide to ask, and it is, indeed her. So I was able to meet her and get all the details about Cerittos, and boost my LC meetings into the double-digits. I get back to my seat just in time. Not that I got a lot of Randy's comments before, but now it was quite dark, so I was lucky just to get the song list down, but I did get a few choice remarks. Rest assured there was more.

--It's Money That I Love

--Yellow Man

--In Germany Before the War

--Baltimore

I think it was after Baltimore, that he commented on the new Ikea opening. "I'm going to be the first Jew in Ikea."

--I Miss You

I believe it was now that he commented on his ex-wife, "Irrespective of what I look like, I'm a gold mine." He added that she deserves it.

--You Got a Friend in Me

--Dixie Flier

--Song for the Dead

Before Rednecks, he did the usual buildup [telling the story of seeing Lestor Maddox on the Dick Cavett Show, which inspired the song], though it was interesting to hear the "Only the good die young" comment now that Maddox is, in fact, dead. Randy also mentioned that Maddox has sent him a signed axe handle after the song came out, I can't remember if I'd heard that before.

--Rednecks

--My Country

--Louisiana 1927

--My Life is Good

--Shame

--I Love L.A.

--Feels Like Home

Encore:

--Sail Away

--I Think It's Going to Rain Today

It was a great show. The crowd seemed fairly enthusiastic, though it was a subscription type crowd. Though a lot of people took off before the encore, to get to the shuttles back to the parking lot.

After the show, I made my way to the back area where we met Randy last time. Security said it may be a long wait, but after only five minutes or so, Randy came out, and a line quickly formed. Security said Randy had very little time, and he did look like he was in a rush. But he was gracious and signed what was put before him and looked happy to see us as he always does. He remembered Suzanne from Cerittos, and I like to think there was a faint glimmer of recognition in his face when he saw me. He signed the Sail Away album cover for me, and I thanked him for the experience at the Seabiscuit scoring, and that I know it wasn't a pleasant experience for him, but that I enjoyed being a part of it. Unfortunately, my ball-point pen disappeared somewhere after the concert, and all I had was a sharpie, so I didn't take down his response until I got to my car. But this is a fairly accurate rendition of his comments: "I hate that director. He didn't want any syrup spilled on his god-damned horse movie. We couldn't let the horse gallop along or anything [hums some rousing music fit for a horse-movie]. And he says, 'It's not a horse movie, its about the bond between a man and his horse...' It's a god-damn horse movie." Randy then said something else, about what he wanted to do to the director, but since I believe Suzanne took that comment down, I'll let her tell it, because she can capture it more accurately than I.

After a nice exciting shuttle ride back (a tad reminiscent of the shuttles at Hearst Castle), I said goodbye to Suzanne and Jeff, left the parking lot, got thoroughly lost, and eventually found my way home. A fun time was had by all. I'm especially excited at the prospect of a trip to New York City to see Faust again [rumors are flying that Randy Newman's Faust may be New York bound]. That would be awesome.

I've been home for awhile (well, since yesterday), but haven't quite been able to motivate myself to write about my trip. I've already written a synopsis of the Randy Newman show, which I will post after this, but now I will try to sum up the rest of my trip. I have a feeling I won't be uploading the pictures today, so you'll just have to wait on that (I know it will be difficult, but please try).

I left San Diego a little before eight on Saturday morning. The drive up was uneventful. I used to psych myself into enjoying the drive, Steinbeck's California unfolding before my eyes or something, but it really is dull scenery. The odors are interesting, but ultimately unpleasant. My hatred of SUVs was reinforced by many incidents on the trip. Left lane is the slow lane, right lane is the passing lane, get it through your thick Saudi-enriching heads. I think if they are going to be classified as light trucks and exempt from fuel efficency rules, then they should have to follow all the rules of trucks, and be limited to the same lanes the semis are limited to. I did have some good music for the drive, dominated by Randy Newman, Bad Love and Sail Away. I also listened to a Dusty Springfield collection I inherited from my father, consisting of Stay Awhile--I Only Want to Be With You and Dusty. It pre-dates "Son of a Preacher Man," but is excellent nonetheless, with Burt Bacharach well-represented. I also listened to the White Stripes' "Elephant." Have you seen the video of his finger surgery? It was on their web page, but I can't find it now. Oh, well. I took a few stops along the way, including one at the Water Information Center I'm always seeing a sign for. It was interesting, and didn't take too much time.

I made fairly good time, arriving in San Jose around four. Eric was at a bachelor party, so it was mostly me and Michelle. Her old roomate Amy was playing with her kid in Michelle's pool. It was a nice pool, for an above-ground type. The previous owner had used it for dog rehabilitation. It was my first time seeing the house, and also my first time seeing the dogs, Ebbi and Scout, a Corgi and Beagle, respectively. Ebbi was alright, but kind of a weird shape for my taste. Scout was adorable, though. He made Tanner seem morbidly obese. Very friendly dog. I loved them both. Mom seems to think the dogs have horribly under-priviledged lives compared to Tanner, but really they just have normal dog lives. Though they're forced to do that whole "training" thing. I agree with Bart Simpson: I don't wanna teach and Tanner don't wanna learn. Michelle and I had sushi at a place Michelle likes, and I concurred was quite good. The eel wasn't gritty in the least. Then we hung around her house, watched a "Weird Al" Yankovich concert video, and Michelle told me about Kevin from high school's involvement in some "Unsolved Mysteries" story about a dead body found in a trunk some ten years ago.

Their guest room out back was being occupied, so I got the guest bedroom of the main house, which consists of Michelle's childhood bed, and is about as comfortable as you might imagine. Actually, not uncomfortable, just makes noise every time you move. Their house is old, and the bathtub is as one might expect, but actually functions well, and is more charming than annoying. I can't remember when I last used a free-standing tub. I would really appreciate it after trying to take a shower in my Eureka hotel room.

Sunday we took the dogs to their favorite dog park. They had a lot of fun, got in a lot of mud. Not as bad as a labrador that was rolling around in it like a pig, but bad enough that they needed baths when they got home. Ebbi was a little difficult, but it was Scout who really gave 'em hell. Afterwards, we got in the pool until it was time for lunch. Eric barbequed some chicken fajita stuff he got from a local Mexican grocery. Quite excellent. Some version of said meat has been turning up here, from Henry's, I think, at barbeques I have attended last summer, but can't compete with the real thing. Of course, San Diego has plenty of Mexican markets of its own, but I wouldn't know which ones were good. And don't barbeque much. In fact, I barely cook anymore. After lunch we sat around for awhile, then Michelle and I went at it on the playstation, with Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo. She won the vast majority, but as she had much more practice than I, I though my three wins out of twenty or so matches was not too shameful.

Around 5:30, it was time to leave for the Randy Newman concert. I will post my comments from the RandyGroup in a separate post. Suffice it to say, it was an enjoyable evening.

The next day, I had thought I would leave early, but Michelle and Eric suggested I not hurry up just to wait in San Francisco traffic. So I took a leisurely pace through the morning, and left around ten. Traffic was not bad at all. I hadn't been to San Francisco in a long time. Enjoyed seeing and crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. Would have liked to stay longer, seen Presidio Park and other things I remember from childhood visits. But I did see the bridge and Alcatraz, and stood roughly where Jimmy Stewart pulled Kim Novak out of the water in Vertigo, so that was nice. The drive north was much more interesting than the drive to San Jose, and I made several stops and saw quite a few sights. Even before I really got into the heart of redwood country, despite finding the drive-through tree a disappointment, I was convinced the trip would be worthwhile. The Avenue of the Giants confirmed my impression. I didn't do a lot of long hiking, since I was eager to check into my hotel and relax, but I did take some short little loops and saw some amazing trees. At one point, I saw some fur cought on a branch. I went over to see if I could identify the fur, but upon further inspection, saw the fur was actually attached to a rib cage. A mountain lion had apparently stripped the deer's carcass clean. I briefly considered taking a picture before nixing the idea and feeling guilty for considering it. It was an incongruous sight so close to a major road. An early reminder that I was no longer assured of my position at the top of the food chain. I was enjoying the dirve, but antsy to check out my room, so I decided to save the northern end of the Avenue of the Giants for the drive home. I arrived in Eureka a bit after five.

Eureka was a disappointment. Run-down, sleazy. The people by and large seemed like they did something wrong to end up there. I stopped off for some fast food, because I didn't really feel like eating, and was confronted by a panhandler inside the restaurant. Always a sign you're not in the best neighborhood. Overall, it just was bigger and dirtier than I imagined. Fortunately, the Eureka Inn, where I was staying, was in a nice neighborhood in the heart of downtown Eureka. The hotel, judging from the outside and the common areas, was quite nice. The rate was also reasonable. The room itself was showing its age. Turning on the hot water faucet, I was greeted with air, and eventually water. When I took a shower that evening, I discovered it almost impossible to get a shower at a pleasant temperature. The bathroom is a big deal for me in selecting hotels, and so this was a major disappointment. I would later resign myself to taking baths, and decided the water pressure wasn't enough to single-handedly ruin my vacation. The bed was reasonably comfortable. When I went to check out my view, I was taken back to discover my room looked out onto a building I hadn't noticed driving in, the Eureka Theater. Unfortunately, it was not open during my stay, for I would have love to have seen inside. But I did take a peek at the lobby, and it looked quite charming.

My first night in Eureka was uneventful, I relaxed and watched T.V. The hotel had real cable, with Cartoon Network and Comedy Central (I'm used to Vegas, where they don't give you too many channels, lest you actually spend time in your room), so my evening routine was not disturbed much by my vacation. I also spent the evening running through vistor's brochures I'd picked up, and a book on hiking Humbolt County I had purchased at the drive-through tree's gift shop, planning my itinerary. My plan was to get in as many of the short trails as possible, and spend the second day mainly in hiking to Fern Canyon.

The drive from Eureka to the southern end of the Redwoods State and National Parks was about thirty minutes. Again, a beautiful drive, I didn't consider one minute of the commute from my hotel to the parks a chore. Ry Cooder's Paradise and Lunch was my soundtrack for almost all of my time in Humbolt County. It seemed appropriate for lots of reasons, none of which I could pin down. I skipped Trinidad and Patrick's Point, figuring to save them for the drive home. I stopped several times for sight-seeing and photography, but my first major stop was Lost Man Creek. The guide book recommended turning back around the one-mile point; the trail as a whole was ten miles one way. As I had no intention of making this stop an all-day hike, I figured I'd go a bit further than a mile and then turn around. The first mile was quite beautiful, and so I was eager to go on beyond the third bridge, despite the book's suggestion, and the steepening of the trail. Beyond the first mile, the trail in fact became quite steep. I removed my jacket but was still sweating like a pig, the fog recently having burned off and thus not offering any relief on the strenuous hike. The views were still impressive, and I encountered the first of many banana slugs. But I refused to turn around without reaching something that could be considered an achievement, a reasonable turning point. Finally, a bit past two miles, the trail leveled off, and I figured that was turning point enough for me, and headed back. So that was about a four-mile loop with about a thousand feet of elevation gain and loss. (all distances, by the way, are approximations. I never turned on my GPS unit, though past experience suggests the canopy of trees would have rendered it useless, anyway)

I made some more stops, checking out some Roosevelt Elk that were largely obstructed by the overgrown grass they were eating. Around one, I arrived at Prarie Creek Redwoods State Park's visitor's center. I spend a half-hour or so there, and then began plotting what to do next. I had intended to start my big hike here tomorrow, but the path I planned to take, at a bit under 10 miles, really didn't require a full day. I decided to do that hike today, and instead spend tomorrow on shorter hikes and car touring. I believe it was a wise decision, though it would have been nice to have a full day for Fern Canyon, for it was the most amazing thing I saw on my trip. But I had plenty of time, especially considering how late it gets dark in Northern California versus back home.

I took the James Irvine trail down to Gold Bluffs Beach. Few words are needed to describe what one sees on the trail; trees and ferns. But it was really amazing. The redwoods really are tall, and can be quite massive in girth as well. Trees can grow from seeds, or from burls of other trees. You see trees in a circle around an older tree, and know they grew from the older tree. Yet the children themselves are massive. Many times, the founder tree is rotting away, or fallen over and covered in moss and ferns. But sometimes there is no evidence that the founding tree was ever there. Just an empty space. Strange how such a massive thing can be gone. I had seen a lot of trees by this points, and ferns, for that matter, but it was the ferns that really impressed me. The Lost World was filmed here, and I could appreciate why. The whole place looked primeval. I have pictures that will eventually end up here, but you really need to see the area for yourself. It was also quiet and solitary. I'd encounter just enough people that I didn't have to worry I'd fall and break my leg and never be seen again, but still felt like I had the place to myself. Early on, I encountered a burned-out tree (many of the oldest trees had been scarred by fire long ago, and yet were still alive), and could only see blackness inside. I was about to take a picture, chuckling to myself at the idea of my flash illuminating a mountain lion or something looking back at me, when I became convinced that that was exactly what was about to happen. In fact, couldn't I see him now? What was that? Clearly, my keen night vision from my days in a dank projection booth had just allowed me to see a mountain lion ready to prounce (actually, it looked a lot like a cheetah, probably because I'm more familiar with the look of a cheetah than a mountain lion). Forgetting my picture, I took off at double-time, my pulse racing. I started seeing creatures stalking me in every possible location. Eventually I realized I was being ridiculous, but it actually made the journey more exciting.

The largest gathering of roosevelt elk I saw were at Gold Bluffs Beach, at the end of the trail. In addition to the hike I took, one could also drive to this point, so it lacked the seclusion I was enjoying up to this point. I got some good elk pictures, and enjoyed watching them, though they basically just sit there. I had been looking forward to the elk, and so found this a bit of a disappointment.

From here, I walked the Fern Canyon loop. It is a very short trail, and one of the most striking things I've seen, yet few people on the beach took the effort to explore it. The walls of the canyon at this point were probably about fourty feet tall (though I'm a horrible judge of such things...had I not read the informative placard that the tallest trees are around 400 feet, I would have guessed they were about a thousand feet tall) and covered in ferns, except where waterfalls of a sort rolled down the canyon. They were waterfalls, but there were also points where the water didn't seem to originate from any point in particular, no rivers or anything. They looked like it was just water that had gathered in the moist environment, condensed fog or something, that had to go somewhere, so went down. My pictures certainly didn't do this place justice.

To return, I took the Irvine trail back partway, until cutting over to the Miner's Ridge trail, which follows the other wall of the canyon. Similar scenery as the Irvine trail; this area did not have a broad variety of sights, really just three main categories, redwoods, ferns, and beach. But it would be very difficult to get bored with scenery this striking. If memory serves, I completed the hike around five or so (I had forgotten to wear my watch), and figured I should start heading back to Eureka. I stopped a few times on the way, but basically went straight to the hotel.

Before I mention dinner, I should back up and mention breakfast. Every morning I spent in Eureka, I had breakfast at Old Town Coffe & Chocolates. The coffee was pretty good. I especially enjoyed the mexican mocha. But what kept me coming back were their waffles. The best waffles I have ever had, bar none. I do not hesitate in the slightest. Well, okay, I hesitate slightly, because I can imagine a scenario in which I would have a truly scrumcious waffle, and yet the vagaries of time take their toll, and I lose the memory of that taste sensation. But I really have to believe if I had eaten a waffle as light and flaky as these, it would have left an indelible impression. So I stick my by declaration: Best waffles bar none. I ordered them with strawberries and whipped cream, which was not the best, as it overpowered the waffle. This waffle didn't need much help. The best combination I had was the waffle with bananas, pecans and maple syrup. I'm not a huge pecan guy, but this was perfect. And I may never have them again. Life is so uncertain.

For dinner on Tuesday, I went to the (I gathered) recently restored Hotel Vance. The Saffire Rose Cafe is now located in the hotel lobby. Aside from a couple having drinks at the bar, I was the only patron. The restaurant was quite charming, especially since very little had been done to transform it from its original appearance. The bar appeared to be the hotel registration desk. And the kitchen was where, I imagine, the concierge once presided. The food was good, the salad with a nice strawberry vinigrette, and some tasty garlic toast appetizers. I had the smoked salmon pasta, and was surprised by how generous they were with the fish. The dill sauce was quite good, and actually went very nicely with the portabello mushrooms. And the prices were quite reasonable, my meal, with a cocktail, was easily under $20. This is what I was hoping for from Eureka. I still had my qualms about Eureka, but places like the Hotel Vance and Old Town Coffe & Chocolates was giving me something to appreciate the town for.

Since I had been planning to spend Wednesday in Fern Canyon, I had to come up with something else. I figure I hiked about 15 miles on Tuesday, and was a bit sore and tired, so figured I should take it easy. I didn't have too much of a plan, but hoped to get at least far enough north to see the Klamack River. My first stop was Trinidad, where I took a short trail to the beach, via a hundred very steep steps. The beach was stunning, well worth the eventual hike back up the stairs. I enjoyed the view for awhile, read for awhile, and then explored the area a bit more before moving north to Patrick's Point. Another short, steep trail to another secluded beach, which this time I had completely to myself. I could see sea lions in the distance, but though they sounded close, they were quite far away. I enjoyed this park, and should have spent more time here, but I convinced myself time was a premium, even though I had no real plan for this day, so I drove instead of hiked to the other end of the park, to see Agate Beach. What was most striking to me, except for the beach consisting of agates instead of sand, and the redwoods instead of Torry Pines, this beach looked quite like Torrey Pines State Park, back home.

After this, I headed north, stopping from time to time for short hikes or picture-taking. I had lunch at Rolf's, in (or immediately adjacent to) Prarie Creek Redwoods State Park, which I wouldn't recommend. Expensive, and underwhelming. The side salad was interesting, containing a radish and fruit, with a ranch-type dressing which wasn't ranch (wasn't even dairy, I heard the waitress telling another table. Eventually I made it to the Klamack River. I stopped at the old bridge over the river (washed out in a flood aorund '62, if I remember), and again at the mouth of the river. I saw several sea lions swimming, but they were too fast for me to get a picture. I saw one just sitting there, so I got a picture of him at a distance, and then, since he seemed not to be spooked by nearby people, moved closer for a better picture. But then I overheard people talking, and looking at him I realized he was seriously injured. It looked like what happens to manatees when they run into outboard motors. I heard someone say a ranger was coming. Unsure if he was coming to help or just put the poor guy out of his misery, I decided to move on. In the interest of good taste, I took a moment to delete the picture I'd taken from my camera.

I took the scenic costal drive from the mouth of the river, which was nice, but not a highlight of the trip. I was happy to have seen the Klamack River, though; now when I read about water wars and fighting over rights to the river, I'll have a visual point of reference.

Having seen ads for Jack in the Box, and knowing a friend of mine collects their antannae balls (or at least sells them on eBay), I figured I should go there to get him a Raiders ball. Turns out they had a choice; when asked if I wanted the Raiders or 49ers ball, I paniced. I decided to go with the 49ers ball, then immediately decided I'd made the wrong choice, but didn't want to say I'd changed my mind, since then I'd look like I'd given far too much thought to the matter. I decided I would stop at a Jack in the Box on the way back and get the Raiders ball.

My final morning in Eureka, I had waffles and a mexican mocha, of course, then decided to do some shopping. The local running store was having a sale, and I needed shorts, but didn't see any that appealed to me. I managed to spend about $50 total at two used book stores, and also bought some fudge at the coffee shop for my sister, and some chocolates at Patrick's Chocolates for my mother. I hit the road around eleven, and drove the north end of the Avenue of the Giants. Founder's Grove was quite impressive. Other than that, the drive was uneventful. I failed to log my musical selections, though I think Lyle Lovett was well-represented.

I saved shopping in Eureka for the last day to kill time, so I would get a late enough start not to hit San Francisco at the peak of trafffic. So, I hit San Francisco at five. Traffic was a bit heavy, but well-managed. I got through town at a very reasonable time. Had I gotten there later, as I had planned, I probably would have been in trouble, as there was an accident just past the toll booths, I heard on the radio. Oh, yes, in addition to music, I spent much of the drive listening to NPR, getting up-to-date on the world. I got off the freeway to use the restroom, and was unable to figure out how to get back on. I eventually managed to make my way back, and in the process stumbled upon a Jack in the Box and got the Raiders ball, so it worked out nice. I arrived in San Jose around 6:30.

Michelle was in Canada on business, so it was just Eric and myself in San Jose. I showed him my pictures and told him about the trip, and before long it was time for him to go to bed. I read a little and then went to bed myself.

I had hoped to leave early, around seven or so, since the Labor Day weekend traffic would make L.A. not a fun place to be. Instead, I got up around seven, and didn't leave until close to nine. Again, I forgot to log my musical choices, but again, I believe Lyle Lovett was in the mix, and the last half of the trip consisted of me listening to the Randy Newman Guilty boxed set. I hit L.A. a bit before three, and as I thought, traffic was bad. For a holiday weekend, though, it wasn't as bad as I thought. It was always moving, more or less. It let up a bit past L.A. into Irvine, then was heavy again through San Clemente. But overall, I cannot complain about the traffic, especially since this was the only day traffic really was an issue at all. I made it home before six.

So that was my trip. Nice to get away, relax, see the sights, see Randy Newman. I would love to go up to Northern California again soon. Take two weeks or so, see everything. Or at least more than I could in three days or so.

I am about to hit the road, but thought I would post briefly before I do, since I don't know what my internet situation will be for the next week. I saw Paula Poundstone last night. She, of course, was funny, but compared to the two previous times I've seen her, I thought she was off her mark. Just the vibe of the whole evening felt off. I think it was a bad crowd, for one. Not to mention a few freaks in the audience. There were still some genius moments, but nothing I can really remember and repeat here and do justice to.

Time to load my last few things into the car and hit the road. Looks like I'll hit San Jose around 4:30 or 5:00. Stay tuned for all the details about the Randy Newman concert and more.

Fox denied preliminary injunction against Franken.

I've made some postings using the Google toolbar, and I see now that I need to stop entering hard returns, as it is messing up the format of this blog. Having learned that, I will refrain from it in the future, but I don't feel like fixing the old posts, so I won't.

Group Mobilization As a Desperate Cry for Help

The Christian Science Monitor on the Franken lawsuit and other assults on free speech via trademark law.

The publisher of Al Franken's new book has increased the first print run by 40,000 copies, and moved the release date to this weekend. Which is very nice for Franken, but I pre-ordered the book along with Neal Pollack's new book, since they were to ship relatively close to each other. But now I'm not sure if I should cancel my order, or if Amazon, in the capricious way of theirs, will ship Lies separately. I figure I'll wait until I get back from my vacation, and if it hasn't shipped, I'll cancel and place the order again.

No more oily discharge warnings.

The American Running Association. I'm linking to it so I can find it at home, and because it has a very nice interactive shoe selection program. Even if one of the suggested shoes was the Brooks which I actively dislike. At the run yesterday, I was bitching about them to the Road Runner Sports marketing guy, and he pointed out that he was wearing the old model Trance, and seemed to think that Brooks had misstep with the new model. Though to be fair, if they fit my particular foot better, I'd like them a lot. But the toe box is far too narrow, and assuming they're using the same last as on the Adreneline, they must have made a conscious decision to make it narrower. Oh, well.

Randy Newman interview. I'm excited about Sunday's concert. It just occured to me that, if I'm there, I won't be home to watch the VH-1 Warren Zevon special, so I'll have to remember to set the VCR before I leave. I'm actually more excited about going to Eureka and seeing the redwoods, but the concert should be a lot of fun, too. All this has overshadowed the Paula Poundstone concert tomorrow, but that, too, should be exciting. Have I mentioned how excited I am?

I went running today around Mission Bay with a group organized by Road Runner Sports training for the California Cruisin' 10K. I always say I enjoy training alone, with the human contact on race day one of the added joys, but I did enjoy training with people. I ended up leading the way for the second half of the out-and-back course, which boosted my confidence but also made me feel bad, like I should have kept pace with the group. But I will do it again. Had I arranged to attend eight of these, my entry into the California Cruisin' 10K would have been free, but I won't be able to make eight, and already paid my entry fee, anyway. Besides, it's for a good cause. But I will attend a few more, if I'm able to; they provided refreshments afterwards (and as a plug by way of gratitude, the energy bars Road Runner puts out were pretty good), and the people were nice.

That said, I'll still be going solo for the bulk of my training. Especially the long run. I can't imagine having to keep pace with another runner over, say, ten miles. I like listening to my body, setting goals before I run but changing them if I have to, sometimes holding back, sometimes pushing myself harder. And I enjoy the solitude of the long run. But running with a group from time to time seems like a great addition to my workout reparte.