Sunday, December 28, 2008

Remembering my mom

My mom and I in 1965

I have always been envious of friends in their 30's, 40's, 50's and older who have their parents in their lives. Both mine died when I was in my 20's. I miss them every day of my life. Yesterday was my mom's birthday and I thought of her a lot.

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Saturday, December 27, 2008

Day after Christmas

It is just like having a wicked hangover. We are recovering from two days of entertaining. It's the first relaxing day in weeks.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Granddaughter is a star

Madison on stage

Last Sunday we went to son Jeff and Nicole's church to see Madison perform in a Christmas program. Of course, I thought she was the star of the show. It was really cute. They sang several Christmas songs.

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Sunday, December 21, 2008

Help Desk Fall '08 Grads

Help Desk Grads

Gnanaprakash Pitchika "Prakash" Venkateswarlu and Dhiwakar Mani are two of the help desk staffers who graduated this Fall. Saturday I went to the College of Engineering graduation to celebrate with the graduates. We are loosing 12 of 24 student staff members.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Cold in San Jose

Ice on windshield

The weather outside is frightful. We have been having ice on the ground and on our windshield. I have been having to scrape my windshield to get to work.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Sloan cats are smart and helpful

Cat helps Sue

Cats need to earn their kibble by helping out around the house. It helps them learn to appreciate things.

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Monday, December 15, 2008

Local hotspot for the birds

Bird feeder action

I have been sick off and on for the last two weeks. When I was my sickest the only thing I could do was hang out on the couch. Outside the window of our living room is a bird feeder and it provided hours of entertainment. There is so much bird action there I buy bird food in 20 pound bags from a local wild bird food store. I guess it is the gourmet stuff because we are very popular with the local flying population.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

January B&BB Newsletter

January 2009 BBB

Here is the January 2009 issue of the Black and Blue Bottom, the Almaden Cycle Touring Club newsletter. These are in PDF format:

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Film's unique eye

San Jose City Hall

[Click here to see more photos]

Film responds to light differently than a digital sensor. That analog palette carries over even when the film is later scanned.

I am not saying it is better. That is just something I would hate to loose.

Here are some photos in downtown San Jose taken with my Nikon F5 with Fuji Superia film on December 11-12, 2008.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

November Bike Rides

Adam on Mount Diablo

[Click here to see more photos]

Last Month's AA Mount Diablo WnD Ride

It was intended that my nephew Alex from Portland and Sue’s cousin Adam from Paso Robles would be here on the same date, November 28, 2008. Adam and Alex are both awesome cyclists and have both done ACTC rides when they have visited. Since they were both going to be here we had this is special AA ride! Alex got sick so he was unable to do the ride.

The ride started in Danville at Camino Tassajara & Blackhawk Roads. Luckily Alison Chaiken went on the ride, so it was still a AA ride!

John Morgan also came on the ride. It was a lot of fun. It was too cold for beer after, so we had coffee and bagels instead!

Hot Grizzly Tamale Ride: November 23, 2008

[See Photos Here]

This great Grizzly ride led by Sandy Lorber and Karin Crosby met in the Walgreens parking lot on the corner of 17th Street and E. Santa Clara Street.

We rode to the Rose Garden before heading through town toward Alum Rock Park. Then, we climbed a short hill on before heading to Inspiration Point in Alum Rock Park.

We then climbed a short hill on Miguelita then down through the park again. We finished and met for lunch at Casa Vicky’s on the corner of 17th Street and Julian Street.

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Thursday, December 04, 2008

My Mumbai Podcast

SJSU Indian Student, Faculty and Alumnus Discuss Mumbai Attacks
Edupodder Podcast Episode 32, Length 39:30

A campus perspective from San Jose State University
On December 3, 2008 San Jose State University student Ruchi Binjola, SJSU History Lecturer Rajiv Khanna and SJSU graduate Kamlesh Kudchadkar discuss the recent bombings in Mumbai, India with SJSU Journalism Lecturer Steve Sloan. Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and is India's financial capital.

The conversation begins with Binjola and Kudchadkar and continues when Khanna joins the conversation. This "open mic" podcast conveys the feelings and thoughts of members of the SJSU community. One of the speakers lost a friend to terrorism in Mumbai. The thoughts and emotions expressed here are just as they occurred in the conversation.

Listen to audio

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Celebrating Sue

Sue and Madison

[Click here to see more photos]

Great celebrations of Sue's Birthday, Today!

When you have something special, celebrate it! Sue's birthday is more than a day this year, it is a procession of fun events. Among the ways we have been celebrating:

  • On Sunday Nov. 30, 2008; Sue's mom Fran, sons Kenneth and Jeff, daughter-in-law Nicole, and grandkids Madison and Jacob as well as the cats joined together to celebrate Sue's birthday.
  • Yesterday we went to dinner at a very pleasant dinner, just she and I, at a nice restaurant in Los Gatos.
  • This evening we are joining the entire city of San Jose in celebrating her birthday. Gordon Biersch chose today, Sue's Birthday, to have their WinterBock party. According to one of my former students who works there, "I love the band that plays our tapping parties (Jazz Unlimited) so I always skip working it and just sit and enjoy. They're GREAT, they tend to do Sinatra songs and etc. And the lead singer is Martin, he used to be one of our bartenders, he's wonderful."

Yes, we are celebrating in style!

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Monday, December 01, 2008

Welcoming Baby Jack

Baby Jack Johnson

[Click Here to See More Photos]

On Saturday November 29, 2008 my niece Sophie and Shane Johnson had the family baby shower for their adopted baby Jack Elliott.

Sophie and Shane are going South Korea to bring home Jack in early 2009.

The shower was a very nice event. It occurred in a clubhouse in Rossmore Walnut Creek where my sister Iris and her husband Stan live.

I went with Jeff and Madison. Sue was not feeling well. My brother Jerry's family was there as were many members of Shane's family as well as many friends of the family.

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