More photos from Paris

Our Last Days in Paris
I have organized and am posting the photos from our last two days in Paris, before returning to Dublin for our Ireland tour. I hope you enjoy these:

• July 10, 2009; Big Paris walk <--- Click here to view! This was a big walking day. After walking through Rue Cler in the early morning, Sue and I met for breakfast back at our hotel. After that we walked to the Arc de Triump. Then, we walked the length of the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, stopping in many shops. We went to Laviana, one of the best wine stores in Paris. We finished the evening with a boat ride on the Siene.
  
  
• July 11, 2009; Day at the Orsay <--- Click here to view! On this Saturday, after breakfast, we walked over to the RER train station and caught a train to the Orsay Museum. We spent most of the day in the Orsay. We even had lunch there. Then we went back to our room, gathered up our bags and caught a Taxi. We took taxi to our bus connection to go to Paris-Beauvais to catch a late Ryanair flight back to Dublin. It was warm and the airport was chock-a-block. Folks were sitting outside waiting for their flights.

These are all from the Europe 2009 photo collection I am building on Flickr.

First vacation photos on Flickr

The first three days of the trip in pictures
I have been spending a lot of time editing and preparing the thousands of photos from our trip to Europe. Here are some photos I have selected, ran through Photoshop, prepared for sharing and have posted to Flickr:

• July 7, 2009; Fly to Europe <--- Click here to view!
  This morning Kenneth took us to the airport and we flew to Chicago where we changed planes and started our trans-Atlantic leg.


• July 8, 2009; To Dublin <--- Click here to view!
  This morning we arrived first at London Heathrow then changed to Aer Lingus to go to Dublin. Arrived there and had the first of many Guinnesses.


• July 9, 2009; Dublin to Paris <--- Click here to view!
  We left Dublin and took a 29 Euro Ryanair flight to Beauvais airport in France, then a bus to Paris. Then, we got on the RER train to go to where we stayed to check in.
  
  We had lunch on Rue Cler, then went to the Eiffel Tower. After that, we caught a very late 69 bus which we took to the Notre Dame. Finally, we shot night shots there, in the Latin Quarter and back by the Eiffel Tower.
  

These are all from the Europe 2009 photo collection I am building on Flickr.

London Quite Unexpectedly

We did not expect our adventure to continue after we left Dublin, Ireland for home but that is just what happened. We had not gotten much sleep the night before leaving because there was loud music playing outside our room at the Dublin hotel. We were up late and had to get up at 6:00 a.m. to make our early flight because Dublin airport is such a zoo.

Our Aer Lingus flight was greatly delayed leaving Dublin and we missed our American Airlines London connection to Chicago. Aer Lingus in London was not able to get us a flight out of London until the next day so they put us up in a hotel in London near Heathrow Airport with all expenses paid!

Sue and I were dead tired and it would have been easy to have just gone to the room and taken a long nap, but I had never been to London and adventure called! So, after we got our room we got directions to the London Underground from a concierge and some helpful Brits and we took the a bus and the underground to downtown.

Time was limited, but we managed to get in the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Big Ben, The Parliment Building and Westminster Abbey! We ended up grabbing dinner at a take away (we did not use our hotel dinner voucher) and ate it at the base of Big Ben!

As often happens the underground and buses were also a grand part of the adventure. We got to do some fun people watching, talk to some Londoners and hear some snippets of conversations that provided a good window into everyday life in London.

So, we flew home the next day and had an added day of unexpected adventure for very little cost! Sometimes it is a good thing when things go "wrong."

A Late Post from Northern Ireland

Due to lousy Internet access this post has been delayed:

Written Friday July 24, 2009 1:24 p.m. - We are on the road heading toward Dublin. Behind us is Belfast and Northern Ireland. Belfast is a lovely and still very divided city. We drove past the wall separating the hard core Catholic Republican and Protestant Loyalist neighborhoods. We stopped and went up to the wall. It was like being at a battle ground or at ground zero, a real living symbol of the death of thousands who have killed each other in Northern Ireland. On the wall someone had written, "all you need is love."

We then went into the city center of Belfast. We got off the bus for a couple of hours.

The Downtown area of Belfast is lovely and peaceful, like a whole different city. We went to Saint George's Market and talked to some nice vendors. Sue bought jewelery and we bought food for tomorrow's return flights to home. Then we went for a nice walk in Belfast. We even went to a model shop that had model trains. That was very cool, European Model Trains!

Then, we got back on the bus and started for Dublin.

Late news flash: Saturday July 25... Our plane out of Dublin was late. We missed our London connection so we are overnighting here. Another big adventure...

After leaving Derry

Due to lousy Internet access this post has been delayed:

Wednesday July 22, 2009, 5:36 p.m. Derry, Northern Ireland - Today we visited Derry. Sue and I went through the free Derry nationalist neighborhood called the bog and the loyalist pro-British enclave on the west bank. It is a confusing mixture of religion, history and symbolism that is a part of my Irish history. Yet, to me it seems kinda pointless. I am Scot-Irish which means my people would be the loyalist Oranges, the Scots brought over by the Brits to take over the land taken from the Irish clans after they were defeated in the battle of Kinsale in 1601.

These were the same folks who later moved in huge numbers to the colonies, many settling in the Appalachians. Despite my Protestant roots I married a Catholic. Protestants and Catholics can, obviously get along.

We had an interesting experience and a bit disturbing experience at times.

NOTE iPod touch blog post! Please forgive all the typos. This is written on my iPod touch. This device is kinda clunky as a word processor.

Also, I have very limited Internet access and can only get e-mail once or twice a day. I cannot open most e-mail attachments on available wi-fi connections when I get them.

Headed to Northern Ireland

July 22, 2009, Wednesday, 8:46 a.m., on the bus - We are headed to Northern Ireland, or as the Irish call it, "Norn Iron."

Yesterday morning in Galway we had some time and went jewelry shopping. This is the home of Claddagh rings. Sue and I got rings.

Last night we were in Westport and we did another pub crawl. We had dinner, and Guinness, at a cyber pub that was okay. A real nice young woman from Poland was working there who had just been in Ireland two weeks. She was sweet even though the owner seemed to be a bit of a jerk. I have been told some Irish view hiring an Eastern European to like buying a new toaster. Others are very nice to them. Most don't think they will stick around. But, I think Ireland will be much more diverse in a generation or two as more and more immigration occurs and those folks have babies and get homes.

I bought a map and Sue has really gotten into marking it up and tracing our route. That's very cool.

After dinner we went to J.J. O'Malley's pub it was full with an elementary school band playing. After they played a song an adult sang for them then said to them, "some day you will be at a pub on a Saturday night drinking beer and enjoying music..." Children are pretty common in Irish pubs. The drinking age is 18 but younger kids come in and drink.

It was very crowded so we went across the street to Matt Malloys pub. A singer came in and started singing a mixture of traditional and popular music. A group of kids age 14 to 18 came in and got drinks, one of the kids asked for a song and the singer, annoyed by the young drinkers said, "if you are still allowed to be up for my second set I may sing it then." Pubs in Ireland are not segregated by age. People of all ages will go to the pubs, teenagers mix with seniors very regularly in the same pubs, parents are common bringing their kids and downing pints while their sons and daughters are in the pub with them.

We enjoyed the music and more Guinness but decided to go back to J.J. O'Malley's pub. The elementary school band was now gone. The place was still pretty full and we made our way to the back room where this group was jamming on the banjo, fiddle, guitar, harmonica, accordion and a bodhran drum. The place was packed like sardines and everyone was clapping and stomping to the music. It was great fun and we stayed until after closing time.

We go to sea

July 20, 2009, Near Galway, Ireland Monday 9:42 a.m. - Written on the bus while heading for the boat to Inishmore the big island of the Aran Islands, off the Irish coast.

Yesterday we arrived in Galway. We went to Monroe's, a big pub in The Claddagh district of Galway for dinner. Later we went to a concert called Trad on the Prom that featured excellent fiddeling by Mairin Fahy and her brother Gerald on the pipes, her sister Yvonne Fahy on lotsa instruments as well as some kick ass Riverdance style dancing. It was great fun.

Later - we are bobbing like a cork in the North Atlantic as the boat plods its way to the Island. Susie is doing well despite the motion.

Even Later (4:13 p.m.) - We had a good day on Aran Island. The highlight of the day was going to the ancient fort Dun Aengus. This fort has stone walls and is backed up to high cliffs that plunge into the sea. Aran Island is a pretty hard scrabble place that is mostly limestone rocks with pockets of dirt. I can imagine this was once a hard place to live.
After our visit to the fort we got a bowl of chowder and more Guinness. We are now waiting for our ferry to leave for the island of Ireland.

NOTE iPod touch blog post! Please forgive all the typos. This is written on my iPod touch. This device is kinda clunky as a word processor.
Also, I have very limited Internet access and can only get e-mail once or twice a day. I cannot open most e-mail attachments on available wi-fi connections when I get them.

Going to Galway

July 19, 2009, 3:54 p.m. On the road to Galway Ireland - We are bouncing along the west coast of Ireland through the Burren along spectacular scenery in Clare County. After our rest day yesterday we left early this morning to catch the early ferry over the River Shannon.

Then, we went to the spectacular cliffs of Moehr. Amazing, Sue and I had packed a picnic yesterday and the weather was perfect for a picnic, including wine, at the cliffs.

Then, the bus headed north again to the Burren, the only place where native, arctic and Mediterranean plants all grow together. To me they all looked like weeds.

Yesterday we relaxed in Dingle, went shopping and in the evening had dinner and beers and sang with everyone else after the band showed up at Murphy's pub. Another day another Irish pub!

NOTE iPod touch blog post! Please forgive all the typos. This is written on my iPod touch. This device is kinda clunky as a word processor.

Also, I have very limited Internet access and can only get e-mail once or twice a day. I cannot open most e-mail attachments on available wi-fi connections when I get them.

Anniversary plus one

July 18 2009, Saturday, 11:08 a.m., Dingle Ireland - It is raining this morning in Dingle. This is the wettest day so far. Yesterday we had a great anniversary. We had a nice dinner at a fish restaurant called the Out of the Blue, which some say is Ireland's best seafood restaurant (in terms of food quality). They toasted us at the dinner.

Yesterday We had wine and champagne but no beer.

Then we went to a concert of traditional Irish music in town. My favorite is a piper named Eoin Duignan who plays the Low Whistle and Uilleann pipes. It was a good day.

Ireland is lovely. It has rained at least some every day. The streets are amazingly narrow. When the tour busses pass each other I don't see how they do it. The tour buses at least respect each other. The big trucks do not slow down for anything, including the buses.

Today is what they call a holiday from the holiday. I hope to just relax and get over this cold.

PLEASE NOTE --- iPod touch blog post! Please forgive all the typos. This is written on my iPod touch. This device is kinda clunky as a word processor. It is hard to edit or spell check. Also, I have very limited Internet access and can only get e-mail once or twice daily and cannot open most attachments on available wi-fi connections when I get them!

Big 15 in Ireland

July 17, 2009, Friday 4:06 p.m. Ireland Time - Today is Sue and my 15th anniversary. It is neat we are getting to celebrate it in Ireland. We are going out to a nice dinner tonight and celebrating.

Today we had a great tour of the Dingle peninsula. This the western-most point in Europe. They say here the next parish over is Boston.

It was a pretty drive and the weather held for the better part of the day. The coast drive is kind of like highway 1 only narrower, much narrower. Most roads do not have shoulders and are frequented by tour buses.

We went to a nice scenic overlook. Then we went to the Blasket Island museum. This island was populated until the 1950's by rugged people who only spoke Irish.

The only negative is I got a lousy cold. That has slowed me down some.

iPod touch blog post! Please forgive all the typos. This is written on my iPod touch. This device is kinda clunky as a word processor. I have very limited Internet access and can only get e-mail and cannot open most attachments on available wi-fi connections when I get them!

Dingle bound

July 16, 2009, 12:54 on the bus - Earlier today both Sue and I literally kissed the blarney stone at Blarney Castle. So now we officially have the gift of gab.

Our bus is now headed to the west coast of Ireland. Stephen the tour guide has been telling us about Irish history, today we learned about the Irish revolution, the civil war and the IRA.

This is an amazing trip, so many memories. Stephen is from Derry, in Northern Ireland. He is very passionate about Ireland and Irish history. We are pulling into Killarney.

There are 5,000 Irish residents, 7,500 Eastern European workers and 35,000 tourists in Kilarney.

4:07 p.m. We walked over to the fancy house along the lake. The local Jarvies (horse carriage operators) are picketing after being locked out of the park for refusing to follow a new law requiring their horses to wear nappies (diapers.)

Due to the great nappy labor dispute, which has been appealed to the highest court in Ireland, we had to take a back way into the park and our visit was cut short.

Now we are off to Dingle. Tonight will be another big music night. The music has been fantastic. We have been learning Irish songs and singing in the pubs. I found I prefer Murphy's Beer to Guinness. There is a lot of things called Murphy's in this country... But, it is all good.

The area we are going folks speak Irish as a first language. I have learned it is preferred by some to call it Irish than Gaelic!

Posts will be out of order

I am in the land of clunky Internet Ireland. My posts will be spotty and out of order.

Kinsale

July 15, 2009, Kinsale, Ireland. 2:33 p.m. - At one time this was the western edge of the known world. After America was discovered this was a huge launching off point for trans-oceanic voyages. There is tons of history here. The Spanish and Irish fought the British here in 1601. The Brits won and it was the end of the Celtic clans in Ireland.
So what is Kinsale like?
Well; kinda like Capitola, Cambria and a little Inverness. Sue and I just took a nap and we're going to a nice seafood dinner tonight. Friday is our 15th anniversary. It is a relaxing day in a very pretty town.
iPod touch blog post! Please forgive any typos. This is written on my iPod touch and it is kinda clunky.

Left Dublin

Leaving Dublin on the Tour Bus - We are on the bus leaving Dublin. I wish we had one more day here. There are still places I would like to go. We bad a very nice time in Dublin. I think the highlight for me was going to a tiny pub totally away from the tourist area where local musicians gather to jam playing traditional Irish music and instruments. That was amazing. Irish music is so much like Appalachian Blue Grass music. The Irish use pipe instruments like the ulieen and low whistle and not banjos, other than that the resemblance to Blue Grass is striking.

There are 5.5 million people on the Irish island. It was over 8 million in 1840. Software is the number one industry. 1 million Americans come to Ireland every year. Tourism is the second biggest industry.

Stephen, our tour guide, is good and is very funny. All the people in our group seem nice. We have plenty of opportunity to get off on our own too.

There are a lot of young people in Ireland and they party a lot. We ran into a lot of very wasted young men. Young Irish men are not shy and love to have a good time from what we saw.
Ireland is so Green. It is like Washington, or Vermont. We just went to Powerscourt gardens. Very nice but it was raining buckets. We are off to the rock Kinsale.

Note: this is an iPod touch blog post! Please forgive any typos. This is written on my iPod touch and it is kinda clunky

Leaving Paris

We are headed out of Paris on a dank bus. It is 7:22 pm on July 11, 2009 as this is being written. We spent most of the day at the Orsay museum looking at art works including Whistler's Mother and others including Van Goug, Degas, Monet and Manet.

We had lunch there and the price was comparable to what we would ha e paid outside. That was a pleasant suprise. I had a glass of Bordeaux with lunch.

After leaving the museum I got hit up by a beggar on the train in what I think was a scam to get me to pull out my wallet. That can happen in any city with tourists.

After riding back to our stop on the walk back to the hotel we got cheese and baked goods for dinner on Rue Cler.

We took a taxi to our bus stop. The taxi driver was tame compared to the New York City drivers. Still driving past the Arc D Triumph was fun. He took a tunnel that bypassed the fun part, the rotary around the arch. I will miss Paris. It was a great city and we just scratched the surface.
Now were off to Ireland and our next adventure. Tomorrow we are planning to hit the Guinness factory. Cheers!

Please forgive any typos. This is written on my iPod touch and it is kinda clunky.

Paris Morning

It is 6:30 in the morning in Paris and I am contemplating going out and taking pictures. I can hear the city waking up around me. Our room is on the top floor so I also hear pigeons cooing.

We had quite a day yesterday and walked a lot, from our room near Rue Cler to the Arc d Trumph, the length of the Champs Eleyse, the Grand and Petit Palaces, the Madelaine, Lavina (great wine store), the Louve, dinner in Saint Germain, ending with a twilight boat ride on the Seine. I have shot over 600 pictures and even done some night photography.

I have no idea how far we walled but our legs and feet hurt. We have had great espresso but also visited Starbucks, have had French wine as well as German beer

Big day in Paris

We went to the Eiffel Tower and spent a lot of time there. Then we rode the 69 bus and shot a lot of evening photos around the Notre Dame Cathedral. Got some amazing photos there then went to the Latin Quarter. It was rocking.

We then took the RER back to Eiffel Tower where I got some night shots with the tower and boats on the river.

It was a wonderful day!

Dublin 3 a.m.

We are in Dublin, absolutely zonked from the flight. This morning bright and early we go to Paris. But, we managed to grab a bite and hoist a couple of Guinness's before taking a walk and going to bed last night at about 8 p.m.
It is now 3 a.m. Ireland time and I am wide awake. Guess that is to be understood since it is 7:15 p.m. yesterday in San Jose. So far Ireland in July is like California in March. It reminds me of Vermont.

Will be away for awhile

From Steve:
I am headed out of the area. I will not have my iPhone when I am gone because AT&T wants to charge me an extra $200 a month for an international data plan. So, no phone or text messaging! Also, I am leaving the laptop behind, so there will be minimal blogging!

I will have my iPod Touch and so will have e-mail and I will be posting mostly on my personal Twitter Feed, which gets forwarded to Facebook.

Please follow that here:

http://twitter.com/ssloansjca

A friend is staying in our house so the cats will have company.

List of Literary Pubs of Dublin for trip

THE BRAZEN HEAD

There has been a pub on this site since the 12th century, so the atmospheric Brazen Head can justly claim to be Dublin's oldest pub. Bridge Street

CASSIDY'S

Maybe Bill Clinton can't be counted a great literary figure, but he did come for a drink at Cassidy's during one Dublin visit. 42 Lower Camden Street

DAVY BYRNE'S

Featured in James Joyce's novel Ulysses and focus for activities on June 16, Bloomsday, Davy Byrne's is now number one on the tourist trail. 21 Duke Street

THE LONG HALL

A fine example of a traditional Victorian Dublin pub, retaining all that's best about Dublin's convivial drinking places. 51 South Great George's Street

McDAID'S

Popular in the 1950s with Brendan Behan and other leading literary figures. 3 Harry Street

NEARY'S PUB

One of Brendan Behan's favorite drinking spots, although everywhere was a drinking spot for Brendan Behan. 1 Chatham Street

THE OLD STAND

A sporting pub that gets its name from the Old Stand stadium at the home of Irish rugby, Lansdowne Road. One of Dublin's oldest pubs. 37 Exchequer Street

THE STAG'S HEAD

Built in 1895 and looking like it hasn't changed much since, enjoy its Victorian decor of wood, glass, brass and mirrors. 1 Dame Court

TONER'S

WB Yeats was not one of Dublin's great literary drinkers, and one of the Toner's claims to fame is that Yeats made his one and only visit to a pub here. 139 Lower Baggot Street

July happenings

Yesterday was the fourth of July and we went to Candy's house for a fun evening with friends. It was a great evening and we saw the Gilroy fireworks show from her house.

[Click here to see Fourth of July photos on Facebook]

Today we have been packing and getting ready for our trip. Day after tomorrow we fly to Europe.

[Click here to see cats and packing photos on Facebook]

This is how I will update my blog

When we go to Europe the only computer I will be taking is my iPod touch. I called AT&T and they wanted $200 for an international data plan. That's way more tha I am willing to pay. My touch is like an iPhone without the phone or the camera So, pictures will have to wait until I return.

Train chasing day, July 2, 2009

Training Day
Yesterday was not a hard core train chase. Instead it was a relaxing day exploring old haunts, places I used to go to a lot to photograph trains. It was suprising to see a lot changed in some places, like the new Amtrak station in Martienez. I also tried to get some angles on places, I used to shoot at, but never shot quite the way I shot yesterday.

These are just some of the digital photos I took. I shot much more on film. I hope you like these. Yes, I still shoot film!

[Click here to see more photos on Facebook]

[Click here to see the photos on Flickr]

Technorati Tags: trains, railroads, Railroading, Union Pacific, ssloansjca

Yoga and Music in San Jose

Within a short walk of San Jose State University is a special place, Downtown Yoga Shala. Shala, a “sacred space” in Sanskrit, is just that. It is a wonderful yoga studio that has made a big difference in my life. Located at 450 S. 1st Street the Shala is in San Jose's blossoming South First Art (SoFA) District and is surrounded by art galleries.

On June 26, 2009 the Shala had a Candlelight Yoga Class taught by Jeff Lang featuring live music. Girish played wonderful music and the result was unlike anything I have ever seen or photographed. Veronica Cruz, a good friend and the owner of the Shala did a great job setting up this event!

[More Photos on Facebook]

CSU (SJSU) budget related Tweets

These links off Twitter this morning are very interesting:

• Here's the Chancellor's message on CFA/furloughs...
  http://bit.ly/gVWCT
• CSU Urges Faculty Union to Bring Furlough Option to Members for Vote
  http://bit.ly/a53SD
• CSU Trustees to Hold Special Meeting on July 7th
  http://bit.ly/BZk2C
  Budget to be discussed...
• Future worker supply at risk as cuts squeeze higher education - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
  http://bit.ly/6KeRR

For more updates please check out my union Twitter feed.

Bike rides and Thai Sticks

On June 28, 2009 Sue and I went on John F. Kennedy Drive in San Francisco for a bike ride in Golden Gate Park.

We stopped at Stowe Lake for ice cream and later went out to dinner at the Thai Stick (love the name) restaurant in Millbrae.

[See More Pictures on Facebook]

Technorati Tags: Sue Graziano Sloan, Sloan Family, ssloansjca

Father's Day Weekend Fun

It was a great weekend. On Saturday, June 20, 2009, I went on a "barrel" ride with Veronica, Randi, Bob and Harvey from Gunn High up Canada Road. The fog came in as we went north and it turned cold. Most of us were prepared for that.

[Photos from that ride]

On June 21, 2009 Ken came over and we had a Father's day BBQ. We made yummy shish kabobs. It was a family endeavour and everybody had a hand in making dinner. Both my other sons called. It was a great day!

[Father's Day Photos]

Technorati Tags: Sue Graziano Sloan, Sloan Family, Kenneth Sloan, ssloansjca

Budget crisis to mean CSU layoffs and/or furloughs?

According to an FAQ posted on the California State University Employees Union (CSUEU) Web site:

The State Budget Crisis has finally hit the CSU, and we are being faced with the possibility of massive layoffs as a result. On Tuesday, June 9, CSUEU President Pat Gantt, VP for Representation Dennis Dillon and SLRR Teven Laxer met with representatives of CSU management at the Office of the Chancellor on an information-gathering basis. The CSU informed the union that it was likely that the Budget Conference Committee would be recommending cuts to the CSU budget totaling $583,816,000, the amount proposed by the governor in the May Revise. This represents a staggering 13.5 percent cut to the budget.

[Click on this link for more information]

Bikes out of control at SJSU

Many of the people who ride bicycles on the sidewalks at SJSU do so in ways that risk serious injury to themselves and others. Cyclists riding with no hands are unable to take evasive action if a pedestrian, cart or disabled person steps into their path. Usually cyclists who ride like this way are not wearing helmets.

This bike position is especially prone to falling. These cyclists, as well as endangering others, risk head injuries that could kill them or leave them permanently disabled.

[My blog about human powered vehicles at SJSU]

[More photos of human powered vehicles on and around SJSU]

Trains on the salt marsh

On the evening of June 8, 2009 I took a 35mm SLR camera loaded with black and white film to Alviso, CA where I photographed trains and the salt marsh.

[More Photos Click Here]

Technorati Tags: Alviso, trains, railroads, Railroading, Union Pacific, ssloansjca

Fun bicycle ride

Wednesday's Lollipop ride was a lot of fun. More people showed up than I ever recall for a mellow ride and we had great weather. After the ride we had burritos, drank wine, talked and had a fine time!

June Fourth Twenty Years Ago

Remembering Tiananmen Square

As we live our American lives enjoying so many goods that say "Made in China." Let's not forget how much it has cost. "The time for the Chinese government to provide the fullest possible public accounting of the thousands killed, detained, or missing in the massacre that followed the protests is long overdue," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Sean McCormack said in a statement on the eve of the 19th anniversary of what China has called the "June Fourth incident."

"We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly," Martin Luther King Jr.

Technorati Tags: Emerging Technology, Globalization, China, ssloansjca

Not a walk in the park

Sunday; not just a walk in the park
Sunday was a recovery day for me, I was recovering from the previous day's century. We went for a short hike up to the top of a nearby ridge. Then, that evening, we went with Sue's mom to the Greek Festival where we met daughter-in-law Nicole's family. Unfortunately that evening I got a wicked migraine. That was not a walk in the park!

Looking back on 100 mile bike ride

Saturday Century Ride a Success
The first ever Whine and Dine Century (100 mile bicycle ride) went from San Jose to the outskirts of Hollister. It had a metric (60 mile) option that some riders rode. By the time we got home from the dinner after the ride, it was almost dark.

[More Photos Here]

Good Organic Food or 26 cents

Memorial Day Buzz

It has been a busy weekend with much going on. Friday there was the College of Engineering Commencement. Saturday morning was the big SJSU Graduation and that evening a fun party at the Crosby's. Yesterday I went on a bike ride with Veronica, that was a lot of fun. Then, last night, Sue and I watched the finale of Battelstar Gallactica.

Today I am doing grading but took time out to go on a fun bike ride with friends to Los Gatos. It was a good break!

Phone message from Marie

[Click here to hear audio]
Less than a week before she died Marie left me a phone message. She and I had been text messaging but for some reason she was unable to text back. So she left a phone message asking me to call back. I did and we had our last conversation. I was able to patch that phone message onto my computer. This is Marie's voice.

Today at Marie's Funeral

Sunday I went with friends to Watsonville on the Strawberry Fields Century bicycle ride, That bike ride was great fun. After the bike ride; Sue, Kenneth and I went to Marysville, CA near Wheatland, CA where we spent the night. Today we were in Wheatland for Marie's funeral.

It was a very nice funeral. It really reflected Marie and her family. The video that I made as my way to say goodbye to Marie was chosen by Marie's husband Kirk to be shown at the funeral. That was a real honor for me. Also, I put together a photo exhibit of mounted prints. This was added to many other photos of Marie brought by others.

I spoke to family and friends, some of whom I had not seen for 20-years. It was a very moving experience. The video and photos were well received. Though a lot tears were shed during the showing of the video; many commented on how much the video meant to them. I gave DVD copies of the video to members of Marie's family.

Marie was buried in a cometary on a hill near Sheridan, CA. Her grave is right next to the grave of her sister Martha (who died in a car accident in 2005.) When she was laid to rest I could hear a train blow its whistle as it passed by on the very busy Union Pacific railroad tracks that go through Sheridan.

It was so good to see Marie's friends and family. I had a very touching conversation with Marie's mom. Marie must have loved seeing all these people together.

I am still in love with film

I love shooting digital and the digital work flow. A digital camera is like a good friend that lets me make some great pictures, but I am still in love with film.

Film sees light in a totally different way. Film reacts to light organically. The light changes film, it is not like a digital sensor that responds to light as a result of programming. A film emulsion feels light and is unalterably chemically changed by light and that makes film different. Once it sees light the film is never the same again. The film holds that latent image and awaits its interpretation in development.

Once processed, those qualities can be scanned and brought into the digital world but that first reaction to light is unique. The tonal scale is not the same as digital. I love it and that is why I am still in love with and still shoot and still process film.

Everything else is a side show, to me. Film is the real deal; to me.

Since I only take pictures for myself, that is what matters to me.

Great Bike to Work Day!

I rode to and from work today with Veronica. I dropped her at the Yoga Studio then continued to SJSU. Deb Lefferts was working the aid station there so I got to hang out with her and visit. It was a great bike to work day!

Nice Mother's Day Yesterday

We had a nice Mother's Day. We had spent the night before in Patterson (more on that later.) We got back to San Jose in the early afternoon and I baked a tri-tip when Sue went to pick up her mom. We looked at old photos, talked and enjoyed a nice dinner and one of our best bottles of wine.

Technorati Tags: Sue Graziano Sloan, Sloan Family, Kenneth Sloan, ssloansjca

We are in Patterson

Sue and I spent last night in Patterson where I once lived for eight years. We came over to see Maria's son Scott get married. Maria was once my neighbor and we became very good friends. She was a single mom at the time who, like me, was raising three sons.

Her sons are all men and I did not recognize any of them. I did not mention Marie's death last week though it was heavy on my mind.

My cold has gone to my lungs and that made sleeping last night pretty miserable.

Oh Lord, stuck in the desert again!

Vega Wagons and Desert Sand
Vega wagons do NOT make the best train chasing vehicles, especially when you mistake a desert wash for a road. This is not far from Desert Center, CA around 1982. Then four year old Jeff Sloan is telling the driver of the four wheel drive how we happened to get stuck up a wash.

Photo by Ken Compton

Technorati Tags: Jeff Sloan, Sloan Family, ssloansjca

I am so sick of being sick

This has been a bad week both emotionally and physically. Of course Marie's untimely death started the week off bad. Then as I was just starting to cope with that I got sick. I have missed four days of work this week. I did teach my class this week. I had to. It was the last class before finals.
I don't want to miss Scot's wedding tomorrow I hope I can make that.

Marie: A Peaceful Warrior

I made this movie about Marie. She was a peaceful warrior who surrounded the people she cared for with her love. We wear that love like a suit of armor. I hope this movie gives anybody who views it a sense of that. I also hope it communicates the love and admiration I and the other people who love her, have for her.

I am sorry but it is heavy on photos from the 70's and the 90's because those are the only pictures in my vast collection that I have organized.

Technorati Tags: Marie Roby, Steve Sloan, ssloansjca

Jesse writes about his mom

[More Photos Here]

Marie's Son Jesse Writes
Hey Steve, I love what you wrote about mom. And the pictures are great. I was wondering if you could make me some copies, but only if it's not too much trouble.

Being a photographer like you, I also have hundreds of pictures of mom, but they are not nearly as good as the ones you have taken over the years and I don't have many from her "hippie" days. I would greatly appreciate it. I really like the idea of having some sort of reunion/wake for her (other than the funeral). She had a lot of friends and family that would probably like to get together and reflect on what a wonderful person she was. All I have is a lousy myspace page, JESSE (Nature Boy)!, and I've never really blogged, so I'm going to give you what I've wrote over the past couple of days and if you want to post it on your blog, feel free to.

When you needed a helping hand, she was always there. When you needed someone to talk to, she was always there. She loved doing crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, watching Jeopardy and whenever she had a chance, she’d go to the thrift stores and garage sales to buy whatever knickknacks she had room for. She loved cooking and she was never afraid to experiment in the kitchen. Her salsa was perfect and I don’t think anyone will forget her lasagna. She also loved to garden and show off her handy work around the house. Not just the simple day to day chores, that she never let go by, but huge projects like refinishing all the kitchen cabinets, redesigning the bathroom, building things in the garden and all the various other projects that kept her busy. She also loved traveling. whether it was a day trip to Bodega Bay, a week long adventure in Mexico, a descent into a cave or a drive to the top of Mt. Diablo. I remember one time when we were on our way home from work in Reno. We were driving over the pass and a huge blizzard caught us by surprise. Most people would have panicked, but she actually got excited and the expression on her face was like that of a kid who had just seen Disneyland for the first time. She loved adventures and challenges. She’d wake us up to see thunderstorms, meteor showers, and eclipses. She loved to see the forces of nature at work. When there was a flood or a strong storm, we’d drive around town to see damage first hand. She even got to experience the big earthquake of 89’ from where it happened. She loved parties. She would throw a party for anything. Birthdays, Holidays, Super Bowls, graduations, and anything else that gave her a chance to get us all together and have fun. And that is what she was all about, togetherness.

She also had a strong work ethic. In her youth she worked at the Sacramento Speedway, then I believe she worked at a gas station, after that she did housekeeping, then finally she got a job with I.R.I. She worked hard and no matter how stressful or big the project, she always got it done. Through all the computer problems, dead batteries, hours in the “cold boxes”, earthquakes, blizzards and holiday chaos, she got it done.

She was the center of a large “family”, and by family I mean everyone that she held dear to her, and that was a lot of people. A lot of people! For instance, even though she divorced my dad, they were always friends and she was always there to give him support. She kept in touch with his side of the family; Lois, Michelle, Candy, Steve and his kids. She, like so many other people often do, could have cast them aside and moved on, but that was not her way. Once you you were in her heart there was no way out. Even the “old” friends of her youth like, Bruce, Joanne, Janet, Bobby and Randy and others from the “Ciaros” days. She treated everyone like family. She would stand by your side in times of sickness and give you her undivided attention when you needed someone to talk to and believe it or not she’d even bail you out of jail, no questions asked. She was close to all her friends at work and especially all the kids me and Heather knew. Her home was always open to those who had no where to go. We didn’t know how lucky we were back then to have someone looking out for us. She was a Saint. When her sister died she took control and stood by her nieces and nephews through the toughest time in their lives and she visited Milo every chance she could. She also never gave up on Heather. No matter how crazy things got, she never gave up. It was not her way! Then, when the grandchildren entered her life she went into overdrive. She made sure they had a good childhood. She gave them everything they asked for and more. From giant Christmas’ to wonderful birthday parties. A pack of yu-gi-o cards here a Bratz doll there. She paid for little league every year, kept them in “fashion”, gave them rides, helped them with school, and even like she did with me and Heather, she treated their friends like family. She was also very close to her Mom and sisters. Always there to help them, or comfort them in times of need. I’ll never forget the holidays when the four of them got together. It was almost magical. As for me, well, she was my inspiration. Always there to help me out with one of my crazy projects. Always willing to make a side trip on the way home from work so I could make a few casts, or snap a few shots. “Play it from the heart” is was she told me about my music. Pretty much everything I did, I did it for her. Her opinions, no matter what others said, were what I went by. I trusted her like no other. Then there was kirk, the love of her life and her knight in shining armor. She meant everything to him and he meant everything to her. They had the perfect marriage. All the screenwriters in the world couldn't have wrote a better script for a marriage than the one mom and Kirk actually lived. They had there dogs; Daisy, Shasta, Fancy, Buford, Murphy, and Lizzy. They had there romantic getaways to Tahoe, Mexico, Canada, San Francisco, and of course Bodega Bay. There was nothing that could come between them, they were inseparable. Beyond faithful.

She was the most honest, respectful, caring person I ever knew. She never lied, she never broke the law and she never hated anyone. She overflowed with love. She was beautiful, and her crooked smile warmed the hearts everyone she knew. And now that she’s gone, we all have to remember what she taught us and live our lives the way she would would have wanted us to.

Jesse: Of course I will make you copies. All you have written about your mom is true! - Steve

Technorati Tags: Marie Roby, Steve Sloan, ssloansjca

My Funeral

My Funeral on the Internet
Too often, in my opinion, I have seen funerals that reflect some of the survivors well and not the deceased at all. Often, in my opinion, the personality of a funeral seems to be controlled and set by beliefs of the most religious of the deceased person's relatives and not by the personality of the loved one who has died.
When my first wife died she was religious. So, I had her funeral in a church that worshiped the way she did. I tried very hard to honor and respect her memory that way. People said to me that the service reflected her very well. I made it religious because she was religious. It was an honor to do that. I wanted her funeral to reflect her. Such was not the case in some other funerals I have been to.
I think a typical scenario may be: somebody dies and the family is so devastated they turn to the most religious person in the family who then contacts someone in their church who doesn't know the loved one well or at all. That's who puts together the memorial, a stranger. So, it may end up with an agnostic or even atheist person having a funeral that may be very religious, not reflecting the deceased at all.
In Six Feet Under they had what they referred to as a preneed. That is where a dying person plans his or her own funeral. Hey folks, if you haven't figured it out yet, we are all terminal.
I am saying this for those I will leave behind
This blog is where I am going to express my wishes. This is my preneed. If you look to the side bar on the left you will see a new category. It is called "My Funeral." I am not going to be secretive or morbid about it, but we are mortal. So, I am putting it on the Internet. This is what I want!

Bell Bottom Blues

I cannot sing her praises too loudly or too long
Marie was a keystone in many lives. You could tell her something and know it would never get retold. She accepted and loved people for who they were. She was a friend you could depend on. She was a safe harbor in a storm. She was selfless, loving and kind. She was stoic and strong but soft and tender hearted. She had an inner beauty that radiated. I have never known anybody who did not like Marie. She was the kind of person people would call and talk to for hours about the troubles in their lives. I know I did. Yet, she seldom would complain about troubles in her life.

In December 2005 Marie's sister Martha died in a freak auto accident. It was one of the worst times in her life. It was terrible. It was not her first sudden loss. Marie was a good friend of my first wife, as I said before; she was the first person I called when my first wife was killed in a car accident.

Marie was a cancer survivor. Her strength got her through this and other awful times in her life.

Years ago I took the photo above. I titled that photo Bell Bottom Blues. I hope in the photo I captured a hint of the admiration I have to this day for Marie. She was an inspiration.

She was 59 years-old when she died. Far too young to die. If you believe there is a God, this is a time of reunion for Marie; reunion with old friends and family. It is a time of grieving and loss for us and a cause of hope for me. I already miss her terribly and I hope somewhere, somehow, to see her again. Until then, she lives on in many, many hearts.

Technorati Tags: Marie Roby, Steve Sloan, ssloansjca

I still cannot believe; she is gone

Someone I have known for a long time, and love very, very much died last night. When my first wife died the first person I called was Marie. That night in 1991 Marie and her husband Kirk drove late into the night to be with me. She was my oldest, and one of my closest, friends. I still cannot believe; she is gone.

Last night she had a heart attack and died. It does not seem real, she who had such a wonderful heart, who loved people and life; is gone. How could that wonderful heart become still? I had just seen her a week ago. I still cannot believe; she is gone.

Over the years I have taken many, many pictures of Marie. Some came close, but none could ever catch her spirit, her heart and the love she had for her family and friends. I still cannot believe; she is gone.

Last year she and Kirk celebrated their 25th Anniversary. I still cannot believe; she is gone. She was 55 when she died.

Technorati Tags: Marie Roby, Steve Sloan, ssloansjca

At Starbucks in Saratoga

Dave talks to Pug owners at Starbucks in Saratoga on a ride.

The Governator speaking

Just saw Arnie.

The gov's office

This is the bear.

Ready for the group

All I need is people to make this shot happen.

Russell speaking at lobby day

Russell Kilday-Hicks (in yellow) speaks to other university employees during Lobbying Training.

The state Capitol

Nice building lousy morning light!

My yummy breakfast

I had a great breakfast at Cafe Bernardo in Sacramento. Thanks to my iPhone and Yelp!

Marie and Dennis

Marie and Dennis at Marie and her husband Kirk's house in Sacramento. I had not seen them for years. It was a great visit.

Susie on our walk

After I got home from work Susie and I went on a walk in the hills near where we live. Click on the photo to enlarge it!