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WEEK 37 2007

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Saturday 15 September 2007

Saturday - went to visit with friends in San Francisco. I used BART, leaving from the North Concord-Martinez station. 

Yes, that's the name, tedious and unwieldy. There was already a Concord station, so why this station isn't named Martinez I don't know. Possibly because it's technically located inside the borders of Concord, even though it's close to Martinez. Though, actually, it's closer to the Concord Naval Weapons Station (now defunct, and probably not a politically acceptable name), Port Chicago (blown apart in World War II and now just some empty foundations), and Pacheo (population: 7 human souls, two cats, one dog and a pet rock).

Martinez being the Contra Costa County administrative center and thus deserving of it's own station, this was probably the best that could be done.

Anyhow, it was nice. The train runs all the way to Daly City without any transfer being needed, though I didn't got quite that far. I got off at Montgomery  station, in less than an hours travel, oriented myself and picked the exit that comes up on the southwest side of the station, about a block from the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. It was a beautiful day in the city, blue skies and warm. I was a few minutes ahead of my friends, who were lingering at a excellent (I'm told) Dim Sun restaurant, so I grabbed a hot dog and coke from a vendor and enjoyed the free jazz concert going on outside the YBCA.

When they arrived we all went in and enjoyed the 39th Annual International Taiko Festival. It was fun. A little different from the LA festival, in that there were also some other things going on - martial arts and, um, a sort of "alternative" stomping music/play thing,  But it was all good. Well, OK, I sort of dozed off during the alternative thing, but then I almost dozed off during a drum solo as well - dark warm theaters have that effect on me. It ended all too soon, and as my friends were on their way back to their hotel I went back to BART and made my way home.

A brief synopsis of the first half: (I am too lazy to find the program, so the titles only approximate the original Japanese):
The second half was good as well, but I was sleepier, so don't remember exactly what was happening. The last set was awesome, more straight ahead drumming, including an extended duel between black belt ninja guy and diaper guy. It must have gone on for half an hour, these two guys just whaling on either side of a drum the size of a Volkswagen, muscles and veins standing out, sweat flying. An amazing effort. We gave them a standing applause - and made them play more. What a great finale!


I hear your inner comment: "Ed, you said you hate loud music."  Not true, I hate loud music by amateurs being forced upon me at my own home.

Or at my Dad's house, whereat this Friday the garage band down the street screwed around for hours, (never actually playing for more than 30 seconds, and having fun screaming into the mike) and where Saturday the band at the biker food drive was rocking out the neighborhood with stadium level noise. Dad says they played at full volume for all afternoon.

Biker music by a third rate biker band being scientifically indistinguishable from noise I was more than happy to escape to San Francisco and people using baseball bat sized drumsticks to beat on equally oversized drums. 


Got home early evening, had a couple of beers, and watched the Padre's stomp the Giants. Won a quarter on that one. I'm even for the trip now. But Bond's injury was unfortunate.
 

Friday 14 September 2007

Friday - Humid up here. I was clearing the gutters and roof, and was drenched by the time that was done. Ugh. I thought I was finally done with that kind of stuff - the evaporative cooler in Lancaster was working wonderfully in the 6% humidity on Wednesday.

I guess, in general, I'll have to be more on the lookout for those dangerous dihydrogen monoxide molecules!


Stupid Texas. Allowing the A's seven runs - 5 earned - in a single inning. From 6:2 it's now 9:6. Bah.

OK, now it's 9:9. Over 250 pitches and we're just in the sixth inning. Sheesh.

And it finally ends, 11:9, A's.

Bah again.

Thursday 13 September  2007

Thursday - on the road, up to my Dad's. The traffic wasn't bad. There were a surprising number of RV's out, even though we're well past Labor Day. But it's turning into a nice cool fall.

The 580 and 680 were jammed up already at 3 pm. What sort of jobs do these people have, that let out at 2:00 or 2:30? I've never had a job like that. Weird.


So, I studied up, changed some setting on my project. We'll see if it works a bit better now.

Wednesday 12 September 2007

Wednesday - Off to my Dad's place tomorrow,


So, I'm trying to configure some web stuff, after actually buying services from a company. Things aren't quite right, so I email them (actual names and services are redacted here), and it goes something like this:

Me: Hey, I tried to set it up, it kind of works, but it's not quite right

Support: Yep. That's not right.

After waiting for a somewhat more helpful reply, which doesn't come, I send another email:

Me: Hey, it kind of works, but it's not quite right. I'm trying to do this, from here, could you take a look?

Support: Yep. That's not right. Your ***** is not set up.

Almost totally non-responsive. Obviously something is wrong and obviously they know what it is, but they aren't going tell me how to fix it.You get the idea.

Why are they even paying these guys? I mean, I think it's more than one guy as there are different names on the trouble tickets, but who knows?. I thought it was a serious company, but maybe not. Maybe it's just one guy in his mom's basement and I'm keeping him from a new Sci-Fi convention in town.

Probably dressed up asa  Bynar.

Stupid geeks.

Bah.

Tuesday 11 September 2007

Tuesday - on the road, back home by early evening.

Its a bit smoky in the AV, but nothing like the blanket of ash that we had a couple of weeks ago.

My friend Tim went to the Padre's - Dodger's game this evening. It looks like it turned out pretty good for him:

padres vs dodgers
Six games back...ouch.

 Monday 10 September 2007

Monday - trying to get the network up and running. It's a slow process, not second nature, but I think I've finally got it working.


I stopped by the boat briefly, it looks OK and I'd like to go out, but right now I've other places to go, things to do.

Ben Erickson is sailing his Norsea 27, Chamois, up to Maine right now, the lucky bastard. Part I and Part II are here.

Sunday 9 September 2007

Sunday - still TDY, working on this and that. Went out in the afternoon with my friend Dave and his family.

About a year ago my friend Dave and I were hiking up at Mt. Whitney. Good times, good times. We're too busy this year. We'd considered the Lost Coast Trail but I don't think that's going to happen...

Picture of the Week
Tottoise and the 2007 fair
Photo Notes: A tortoise at the fair, patrolling the perimeter of his cage,
 looking for a way out.

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