Susie was working at home today. So, she came downtown and we had lunch and coffee together. It was a fun date.
Nineteen years ago today was the car accident that took the life of my first wife and put two of our sons in the hospital. Life can change so fast and some things you never forget. In this photo, taken in 1979, Candy is in Spartan City with baby Jeff. Spartan City was the name of what was once family housing at San Jose State.
You can't take anything for granted. Not a thing!
I took a break from my work this afternoon to take a bike ride down to Mt. Eden/Pierce. It was a great day for a ride. Along the way I passed the memorial to 30-year-old Kristy Gough of San Leandro and 29-year-old Matt Peterson of San Francisco who were killed by a deputy just over two years ago. It was the first time I have beeen by the memorial.
When I stopped at the picnic area at Steven's Canyon Road there was a wild turkey and two fawn deer there grazing away. They watched as I rode my bike by them. Then, they went back to what they were doing. Don't mind me, carry on!
Last Saturday we had the largest mostly indoor party we have ever had at our house with many of our bicycling friends. The food and drinks folks brought to the party by folks was great! We sang Irish songs, saw photos from our trip to Ireland and had Irish coffee, Irish whiskey, Irish beer (of course) and enough Irish Stew for the Irish Army (it's a small army!)
It was great seeing so many of our friends. We had a blast entertaining. A good time seemed to be had by all! What fun. Two weeks from today the whine and dine bicycle rides start.
Yesterday was a recovery day for Susie and I, after the fun party the day before. We got our house back in order and did a few things to get ready for this week. Then, towards the late afternoon we drove up Kennedy and went for a walk up the trail there. I decided to take a film camera (Nikon F4) and shoot some wildflowers. I chose film because I like the color palette of this new color film Kodak has come out with. The film is Ektar 100.
The poppys are in bloom right now and because of the late hour they were just closing. I shot this one with dark shadows behind it. It was a lovely walk. This is my favorite time of the year.
Wow, Susie and I, are lifelong democrats. We are watching C-Span, watching the biggest social legislation since the New Deal be passed. Nancy Pelosi just spoke.
I shot this photo in 2008 of Nancy at the California Democratic convention.
[My related opinion is here | My photos from the 2008 California Democratic Convention are here.]
Use (Giant Pearl) Israeli Couscous (serves 3.5):
This is not nearly as good as the other way:
What is couscous?
More about Israeli Couscous (also known as Ptitim)
It is bigger than regular couscous, more like rice similar to orzo pasta. According to Wikipedia, nicknamed "Ben Gurion's Rice" in Israel it is one of the foods considered to be a unique Israeli culinary contribution. Israeli Couscous was invented during an austerity period in Israel, when rice was scarce. I have noticed Israeli Couscous now being packaged as "Mediterranean Couscous" in Whole Foods. It appears to be the same stuff. Since it was invented in Israel I gotta ask, what, they got something against Israelis?
Five years ago today someone who was always there for so many, my sister Lura, died. I have been thinking of her all day. I have so many memories it is hard to know where to start. Lura was a fountain of love and a rock of stability for so many people. She had a wonderful heart and she really enjoyed life. Cancer killed her, ending her life far, far too soon.
Her passing left a hole in so many lives that will never be filled.
I made this movie about her that was shown at her memorial. I hope you take a moment to look at it.
Mitchell Colbert, an SJSU senior political science major and active member of Students for Quality Education, burns his transcripts on March 4, 2010 in symbolic protest against the state's budget cuts on education.
These photos provide an overview of the trip I made with Ken Compton and his son Zach to Donner Pass to photograph trains on Feb. 13-15, 2010. It was a great trip!
More Photos Are Here:
In 1974 I was a student at Diablo Valley Junior college in Pleasant Hill, CA. I was a very shy person and I started taking photography classes because I was interested in photography from taking pictures of trains. It was a great program with some wonderful photography professors and students, a great darkroom, studio, large format cameras; etc. (I am sure the lab has since been ripped out and replaced with rows of computers equipped with Photoshop.)
One of the assignments was to do a photo about fast food, which in 1974 meant the great American hamburger. So, I bought a basic McDonald's hamburger, put it on a rollerskate and drove out to highway J4 on the way to Tracy, CA.
This arrow straight country highway saw light traffic, so I put the burger on the center line and shot away. Yes, I got an A, not to mention some funny looks from drivers of passing cars.
It was in this class that I saw a flyer that said the college paper was looking for photographers. Since I was shy I thought being on the college newspaper would give me an excuse to talk to girls. It did.
This led to my attending a junior college journalism (Journalism Association of Community Colleges, JACC) conference in Anaheim (where I met my first wife.) The rest is history.
Last Tuesday middle son Jeff and I met in Japantown not far from where I work and had lunch. We had some yummy Sushi at Sushi Maru. After lunch we went to Roy's Station for some excellent coffee. It was great spending time with Jeff. We had a very pleasant conversation. He is doing very well since his recent graduation. I do miss him at SJSU though.
PS - This picture was taken with my $5 Nikon L35AF by a person working at the coffee shop.
Today is Marie's birthday, the first since she died last year of an untimely heart attack. She was 55-years-old.
This last year has had the death of several friends including Kathy Arena and Marie Roby. Perhaps that is the natural order of life. We go decades with our friends around us, few if any of them die (except to accidents,) then people start dying until it is our turn.
Well, Marie's turn to leave came far too soon. She was a wonderful friend. She was my first wife's best friend. She was loved by many, including me, and we will not forget her. Today was her birthday. I almost always sent her a card. If heaven has an Internet connection; this will have to do.
As well as my first wife; Marie was preceded to heaven by her sister Martha. You know Marie was welcomed with open arms! Heaven is a better place for having her and this world is emptier for loosing her.
Last year I made this movie about Marie, that was shown at her funeral. 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 had organized at the time.
[More Photos of Marie on Flickr]
Technorati Tags: Marie Roby, Steve Sloan, ssloansjca
