Day - 1552
Thursday, September 26, 2019
The infamous whistleblower complaint was released Thursday morning just as the Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire was about to testify before the House intelligence committee. It was an amazing sight watching several journalists, op-ed writers and broadcasters sifting through the complaint, looking for the juiciest lines to read on the air.
That was a moment I won't forget!
The testimony of Maguire followed. I watched it at work. I didn't like Schiff's paraphrasing of Trump's quotes and Nunes et al pounced on it. They'll pounce on anything, so why give them anything?
This scandal feels big and dangerous and large enough to swallow entire departments whole. Trump is truly amoral and doesn't understand that what he did was wrong. Amazing.
I got a flu shot mid-morning and felt fine throughout the day until I got home. I had racquetball singles league tonight and tried to shake off some of the fatigue I was feeling, but during my first game I felt awful and exhausted. I couldn't play or focus at all and I was playing someone I have never lost to. He was playing well and we were tied throughout the game. I took a time out at 5-5 and broke one of my new racquets at 8-8. I was behind 9-10 but managed to eek out the final two points. The game took a good 20 minutes and after I was done I was done for the night. But I played five more games because I knew I'd need the points. I ended up wining 3 and losing 3. Afterward, I came home and went right to sleep. I may be coming down with something again.
The infamous whistleblower complaint was released Thursday morning just as the Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire was about to testify before the House intelligence committee. It was an amazing sight watching several journalists, op-ed writers and broadcasters sifting through the complaint, looking for the juiciest lines to read on the air.
That was a moment I won't forget!
The testimony of Maguire followed. I watched it at work. I didn't like Schiff's paraphrasing of Trump's quotes and Nunes et al pounced on it. They'll pounce on anything, so why give them anything?
This scandal feels big and dangerous and large enough to swallow entire departments whole. Trump is truly amoral and doesn't understand that what he did was wrong. Amazing.
I got a flu shot mid-morning and felt fine throughout the day until I got home. I had racquetball singles league tonight and tried to shake off some of the fatigue I was feeling, but during my first game I felt awful and exhausted. I couldn't play or focus at all and I was playing someone I have never lost to. He was playing well and we were tied throughout the game. I took a time out at 5-5 and broke one of my new racquets at 8-8. I was behind 9-10 but managed to eek out the final two points. The game took a good 20 minutes and after I was done I was done for the night. But I played five more games because I knew I'd need the points. I ended up wining 3 and losing 3. Afterward, I came home and went right to sleep. I may be coming down with something again.
Day - 1553
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Racquetball this morning. Felt good with energy. Worked from home today, but watched news throughout. It was hard to practice for rehearsal. I wish I could play the Schumann faster.
Surreal news day with Trump and Ukrainian President together in the Oval Office while the Impeachment Inquiry begins. The Trump transcript to Ukrainian president Zelensky was released today and it is not a good call for Trump. This story is transforming into a gigantic mushroom cloud with no room for anything else. This is all very bad. I'm not sure how this plays out, but I know things will get so much worse before they get better. What an evil man this guy is. I'm not surprised at all, however. This was all anticipated the night he won.
Rehearsal was good, but I was really tired when we were done. I came home a watched a little more news before finally falling asleep.
Racquetball this morning. Felt good with energy. Worked from home today, but watched news throughout. It was hard to practice for rehearsal. I wish I could play the Schumann faster.
Surreal news day with Trump and Ukrainian President together in the Oval Office while the Impeachment Inquiry begins. The Trump transcript to Ukrainian president Zelensky was released today and it is not a good call for Trump. This story is transforming into a gigantic mushroom cloud with no room for anything else. This is all very bad. I'm not sure how this plays out, but I know things will get so much worse before they get better. What an evil man this guy is. I'm not surprised at all, however. This was all anticipated the night he won.
Rehearsal was good, but I was really tired when we were done. I came home a watched a little more news before finally falling asleep.
Day - 1554
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
So impeachment is on. Pelosi announced the impeachment inquiry this afternoon:
The Dems had no choice. Now this story will suck up all the press time and airwaves for the next several weeks and maybe months. No other story will be covered. Everything will be overshadowed by this. Unfortunate but necessary. The sooner this man is removed the better, but removing him will be next to impossible. I don't see the GOP Senators voting to remove him, no matter how guilty he is.
So impeachment is on. Pelosi announced the impeachment inquiry this afternoon:
The Dems had no choice. Now this story will suck up all the press time and airwaves for the next several weeks and maybe months. No other story will be covered. Everything will be overshadowed by this. Unfortunate but necessary. The sooner this man is removed the better, but removing him will be next to impossible. I don't see the GOP Senators voting to remove him, no matter how guilty he is.
Day - 1556
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Feeling much better today after a full 8-hour sleep. Woke up at 6:45, then had breakfast with Alice, showered, went to Costco for gas, then to Ivy's for a haircut. Came home and practiced, read, caught up on journal, and washed my car. I have most of the notes in my fingers for the Schuamann, but I'm still not able to play the first movement at the proper speed. Part of the finale of the Brahms are also presenting problems for me.
This week I'll need to pace myself well because I have so much I want to do (and need to do), but it should be a good week with lots of opportunities to improve in racquetball, rehearsal, reading and writing. I'd also like to spend some time on my 401k portfolio. It needs a tuneup.
Feeling much better today after a full 8-hour sleep. Woke up at 6:45, then had breakfast with Alice, showered, went to Costco for gas, then to Ivy's for a haircut. Came home and practiced, read, caught up on journal, and washed my car. I have most of the notes in my fingers for the Schuamann, but I'm still not able to play the first movement at the proper speed. Part of the finale of the Brahms are also presenting problems for me.
This week I'll need to pace myself well because I have so much I want to do (and need to do), but it should be a good week with lots of opportunities to improve in racquetball, rehearsal, reading and writing. I'd also like to spend some time on my 401k portfolio. It needs a tuneup.
Day - 1557
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Slept until 8, then got ready for the day and drove to SF with violin, books and clothes for tonight's symphony concert. Practiced an hour or so in the afternoon, but other than that, just rested. I definitely felt better today for the first time in a week.
Alice made a delicious salmon, rice and ginger dish that was so tasty. We left for the symphony at 6:15 and arrived early for the pre-concert talk. On tonight's program was a world premiere by John Adams, Rachmaninov's 4th Piano Concerto, and Schumann's Symphony No. 3. It was a great program and the first of ten concerts we have tickets for.
The pianist for the Rachmaninov, Daniil Trifonov, a magnificent and quirky young virtuoso, jumped up and down from his bench throughout his performance. He walks and moves like an absent-minded genius who's not quite wound up properly. The 4th is an interesting piece, not my favorite, but certainly enjoyable. I can see why it didn't grab the interest of audiences after Rach's 2nd and 3rd Concertos. Hard to hum this one.
I like the 3rd better.
The John Adams world premiere, written for MTT and his husband, called I Still Dance. Lots of energy and movement in this virtuoso orchestra piece. I liked it!
The Schumann was inspiring and beautiful, though I think I love the 4th most of all.
After the concert, we headed home and off to bed by 10:30.
Slept until 8, then got ready for the day and drove to SF with violin, books and clothes for tonight's symphony concert. Practiced an hour or so in the afternoon, but other than that, just rested. I definitely felt better today for the first time in a week.
Alice made a delicious salmon, rice and ginger dish that was so tasty. We left for the symphony at 6:15 and arrived early for the pre-concert talk. On tonight's program was a world premiere by John Adams, Rachmaninov's 4th Piano Concerto, and Schumann's Symphony No. 3. It was a great program and the first of ten concerts we have tickets for.
The pianist for the Rachmaninov, Daniil Trifonov, a magnificent and quirky young virtuoso, jumped up and down from his bench throughout his performance. He walks and moves like an absent-minded genius who's not quite wound up properly. The 4th is an interesting piece, not my favorite, but certainly enjoyable. I can see why it didn't grab the interest of audiences after Rach's 2nd and 3rd Concertos. Hard to hum this one.
I like the 3rd better.
The John Adams world premiere, written for MTT and his husband, called I Still Dance. Lots of energy and movement in this virtuoso orchestra piece. I liked it!
The Schumann was inspiring and beautiful, though I think I love the 4th most of all.
After the concert, we headed home and off to bed by 10:30.
Day - 1558
Friday, September 20, 2019
Surprisingly, I still wasn't feeling well today and had no energy. I took another sick day and slept. I was hoping to go out for dinner with Rossana, Margaret, Richard & Lisa, and Neil Bason, who was in town for the weekend, but I couldn't do it. Instead I rested on the couch, watched TV and slept.
Surprisingly, I still wasn't feeling well today and had no energy. I took another sick day and slept. I was hoping to go out for dinner with Rossana, Margaret, Richard & Lisa, and Neil Bason, who was in town for the weekend, but I couldn't do it. Instead I rested on the couch, watched TV and slept.
Day - 1560
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Worked from home and it was busy, but felt sick all day. I canceled rehearsal tonight and don't see going into work tomorrow. I haven't unpacked my suitcase. I took naps on the couch between jobs. I managed to catch up on everything by late afternoon.
Worked from home and it was busy, but felt sick all day. I canceled rehearsal tonight and don't see going into work tomorrow. I haven't unpacked my suitcase. I took naps on the couch between jobs. I managed to catch up on everything by late afternoon.
Day - 1561 - Cruise Day 4 - Los Angeles
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
We actually got an extra day on board the Royal Princess. We were supposed to disembark around 7 a.m., but didn't arrive in Port until 1:45, and didn't leave the ship until 2:30. I didn't mind and in fact preferred the afternoon disembarkation.
We took a few photos on the top deck before heading to Vines for lunch.
Getting to the airport was a bit of a chore. There were lots of guests waiting for Uber and Lyft at the terminal. My Uber app wasn't working and Alice was getting knocked out of her Lyft app. Luckily, Tiger got a driver with his phone and we managed to get to LAX by 3.
Our flight home was scheduled for 6:20 p.m., but just as we passed through security, out flight was cancelled, so we were placed on Murry's flight to Oakland. Unfortunately, we were in Group C, which meant only middle seats. I lucked out, sitting next to a nice woman from Oakland who used to play the sax. We talked about music during the flight.
Once we arrived in Oakland, we grabbed a Lyft home. It took about an hour to get home. Traffic was decent. The moment I arrived home, I took a shower and went to bed. Even though we were only gone a few days, I was wiped out and didn't feel well at all. I work from home tomorrow so I'll plow through whatever I have in the queue, but if I'm not feeling better, I may need to cancel rehearsal tomorrow and use a sick day on Thursday.
We actually got an extra day on board the Royal Princess. We were supposed to disembark around 7 a.m., but didn't arrive in Port until 1:45, and didn't leave the ship until 2:30. I didn't mind and in fact preferred the afternoon disembarkation.
We took a few photos on the top deck before heading to Vines for lunch.
Getting to the airport was a bit of a chore. There were lots of guests waiting for Uber and Lyft at the terminal. My Uber app wasn't working and Alice was getting knocked out of her Lyft app. Luckily, Tiger got a driver with his phone and we managed to get to LAX by 3.
Our flight home was scheduled for 6:20 p.m., but just as we passed through security, out flight was cancelled, so we were placed on Murry's flight to Oakland. Unfortunately, we were in Group C, which meant only middle seats. I lucked out, sitting next to a nice woman from Oakland who used to play the sax. We talked about music during the flight.
Once we arrived in Oakland, we grabbed a Lyft home. It took about an hour to get home. Traffic was decent. The moment I arrived home, I took a shower and went to bed. Even though we were only gone a few days, I was wiped out and didn't feel well at all. I work from home tomorrow so I'll plow through whatever I have in the queue, but if I'm not feeling better, I may need to cancel rehearsal tomorrow and use a sick day on Thursday.
Day - 1562 - Cruise Day 3 - Sea Day
Monday, September 16, 2019
Our final full day aboard the beautiful Royal Princess and I still felt sick with no voice. We scheduled time in the Enclave, which helped me breath. I like the Enclave a lot, though I thought their shower and changing rooms were larger than they were. They're actually quite small.
We had breakfast first at Horizon Court. Lunch was at Alfredo's. We ordered four or five pizzas to try.
The day turned out to be pretty nice. Chris and I watched a few downs of the Monday Night Football Game between the Jets and the Browns. The Jets do not look good this year. I have a couple of Jets on my Fantasy team, but their offense looked horrible.
Chris and I shared a burger and fries before dinner, because we could. It was delicious!
Dinner was at Allegro Anytime Dining. We had 8 for dinner again (Jill and Lori ate at Sabatini's) I'd taken a nap earlier in the day, so I had energy to stay up after dinner.
We went to Club 6 after dinner and danced to Dancing Queen and a couple other 70s songs. We also hung out at Crooner's, which is actually a very cool place to sit and socialize. The balloon drop was just one of many cruise-events that we paid little attention to. We were too busy chatting the way we always chat, gabbing about nothing and everything until midnight. I was starting to feel better and the big free margarita from Club 6 didn't hurt.
Our final full day aboard the beautiful Royal Princess and I still felt sick with no voice. We scheduled time in the Enclave, which helped me breath. I like the Enclave a lot, though I thought their shower and changing rooms were larger than they were. They're actually quite small.
We had breakfast first at Horizon Court. Lunch was at Alfredo's. We ordered four or five pizzas to try.
The day turned out to be pretty nice. Chris and I watched a few downs of the Monday Night Football Game between the Jets and the Browns. The Jets do not look good this year. I have a couple of Jets on my Fantasy team, but their offense looked horrible.
Chris and I shared a burger and fries before dinner, because we could. It was delicious!
Dinner was at Allegro Anytime Dining. We had 8 for dinner again (Jill and Lori ate at Sabatini's) I'd taken a nap earlier in the day, so I had energy to stay up after dinner.
We went to Club 6 after dinner and danced to Dancing Queen and a couple other 70s songs. We also hung out at Crooner's, which is actually a very cool place to sit and socialize. The balloon drop was just one of many cruise-events that we paid little attention to. We were too busy chatting the way we always chat, gabbing about nothing and everything until midnight. I was starting to feel better and the big free margarita from Club 6 didn't hurt.
Day - 1563 - Cruise Day 2 - Sea Day
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Alice and I headed to Horizon Court for breakfast around 6:15. Murry was up as well, then Chris joined us after his shower. Our coffee cards were no longer working. Princess Cruises discontinued the coffee cards, so Alice went to the front desk to complain. They gave us a $73 refund for the coffee cards. That's what I love about Alice. She takes care of the things I don't really care about, and takes care of the things I do care about. She's wonderful at setting things right with guest services.
The day was super low key and relaxing. My voice and throat weren't getting any better. In fact, my voice was getting worse. The captain announced 1:30 as our new arrival time in LA. We changed our flight to 3:50.
We made reservations for six at Crown Grill at 8 p.m. Mom and Rich had reservations for 7:30. Everything was delicious, but I ate way too much. I was stuffed after dinner.
We weren't able to make the 10 pm show, so we hung around the ship for a while before I made my way back to our cabin for bed. I was hoping I'd feel at least a little better tomorrow.
Alice and I headed to Horizon Court for breakfast around 6:15. Murry was up as well, then Chris joined us after his shower. Our coffee cards were no longer working. Princess Cruises discontinued the coffee cards, so Alice went to the front desk to complain. They gave us a $73 refund for the coffee cards. That's what I love about Alice. She takes care of the things I don't really care about, and takes care of the things I do care about. She's wonderful at setting things right with guest services.
The day was super low key and relaxing. My voice and throat weren't getting any better. In fact, my voice was getting worse. The captain announced 1:30 as our new arrival time in LA. We changed our flight to 3:50.
We made reservations for six at Crown Grill at 8 p.m. Mom and Rich had reservations for 7:30. Everything was delicious, but I ate way too much. I was stuffed after dinner.
 |
| Rich & Mom after Crown Grill |
Day - 1564 - Cruise Day 1 - Vancouver
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Up at 3:15 for our 4 a.m. Uber ride to SFO.
Super early flight, but it was worth it. The flight was actually more full than I'd expected. Air Canada has nice seats and room for your legs. I like Air Canada.
We arrived in Vancouver around 8:30 and met Alice's cousin Jennifer after passing through customs. We then met Howie and Florence at a dim sum restaurant in the Kerrisdale District. I was not feeling well. My throat was sore and I couldn't talk. What a drag! We visited and ate dim sum for an hour or so, then Howie and Florence then drove us to the cruise ship at Canada Place.
We met Chris at the Starbuck's just in front of the Pan Pacific Hotel.
We also met Chris Jr. and his new girlfriend Erika for a few minutes. How nice!
It took an hour or so to get checked in to our cruise and pass through customs (again). Boarding the ship seemed to take longer than last year, but once on board we were ready to live large. We made our way to our room on deck 15 (M424) and dropped off bags before hitting Horizon Court for lunch.
While at Horizon Court, we all got a big surprise when Jill and Lori greeted us ("Does anyone know where the casino is?"). They secretly booked a suite for the weekend. How fantastic! Our group of 8 was now 10. Pot pie perfect!
We met up with mom and Rich after lunch and hung out down at Int'l Cafe on deck 5. We all noticed our ship wasn't moving after 4. We were supposed to leave at 3:30. Apparently, there was a bit of an oil spill while the ship was refueling, and fuel spilled onto the side of the ship. It took a few hours or so to clean, which made passing under a bridge problematic because of the low tides. With our ship going nowhere, we continued to socialize until dinner. Jill and Lori had a complimentary dinner at Crown Grill because they were staying in a suite. The rest of us made dinner reservations at Symphony Dining at 7:30. There were eight of us total, me & Alice, mom & Rich, Murry, Tiger & Karen, and Chris. A really great group! I couldn't talk much, which was a total drag, but that didn't stop me from having a great time. Around 9:30, our ship finally began to move and off we headed toward LA. We were six hours behind schedule, which meant we'd have to reschedule our flights home on Tuesday. Not good. The captain planned to announce a new estimated disembarkation time tomorrow. In the meantime, we went about our business of having fun. We went to a comedy performance at 10 which was hilarious. I laughed so hard my throat hurt. The show wiped me out, . By 11 I was done for the night. Chris and Alice stayed up an hour or so later, hanging out with Jill and Lori at the Casino. A long day but a good day, minus the bad cold.
Up at 3:15 for our 4 a.m. Uber ride to SFO.
Super early flight, but it was worth it. The flight was actually more full than I'd expected. Air Canada has nice seats and room for your legs. I like Air Canada.
We arrived in Vancouver around 8:30 and met Alice's cousin Jennifer after passing through customs. We then met Howie and Florence at a dim sum restaurant in the Kerrisdale District. I was not feeling well. My throat was sore and I couldn't talk. What a drag! We visited and ate dim sum for an hour or so, then Howie and Florence then drove us to the cruise ship at Canada Place.
We met Chris at the Starbuck's just in front of the Pan Pacific Hotel.
We also met Chris Jr. and his new girlfriend Erika for a few minutes. How nice!
It took an hour or so to get checked in to our cruise and pass through customs (again). Boarding the ship seemed to take longer than last year, but once on board we were ready to live large. We made our way to our room on deck 15 (M424) and dropped off bags before hitting Horizon Court for lunch.
While at Horizon Court, we all got a big surprise when Jill and Lori greeted us ("Does anyone know where the casino is?"). They secretly booked a suite for the weekend. How fantastic! Our group of 8 was now 10. Pot pie perfect!
We met up with mom and Rich after lunch and hung out down at Int'l Cafe on deck 5. We all noticed our ship wasn't moving after 4. We were supposed to leave at 3:30. Apparently, there was a bit of an oil spill while the ship was refueling, and fuel spilled onto the side of the ship. It took a few hours or so to clean, which made passing under a bridge problematic because of the low tides. With our ship going nowhere, we continued to socialize until dinner. Jill and Lori had a complimentary dinner at Crown Grill because they were staying in a suite. The rest of us made dinner reservations at Symphony Dining at 7:30. There were eight of us total, me & Alice, mom & Rich, Murry, Tiger & Karen, and Chris. A really great group! I couldn't talk much, which was a total drag, but that didn't stop me from having a great time. Around 9:30, our ship finally began to move and off we headed toward LA. We were six hours behind schedule, which meant we'd have to reschedule our flights home on Tuesday. Not good. The captain planned to announce a new estimated disembarkation time tomorrow. In the meantime, we went about our business of having fun. We went to a comedy performance at 10 which was hilarious. I laughed so hard my throat hurt. The show wiped me out, . By 11 I was done for the night. Chris and Alice stayed up an hour or so later, hanging out with Jill and Lori at the Casino. A long day but a good day, minus the bad cold.
Day - 1565
Friday, September 13, 2019
I probably shouldn't have played racquetball this morning, especially after playing last night, but I was up and eager to get into singles play for next week. Steve and Kirk were there, along with Ari, whose shoulder was sore. We played a few singles and doubles games then stopped around 6:30.
At work, Lillian and I went out for lunch. I wasn't feeling great. I could feel the beginnings of a sore throat coming on. Not good, especially since we're leaving for our weekend cruise tomorrow.
At home, I packed everything and headed to SF by 8:30 p.m. We were all set to go.
I probably shouldn't have played racquetball this morning, especially after playing last night, but I was up and eager to get into singles play for next week. Steve and Kirk were there, along with Ari, whose shoulder was sore. We played a few singles and doubles games then stopped around 6:30.
At work, Lillian and I went out for lunch. I wasn't feeling great. I could feel the beginnings of a sore throat coming on. Not good, especially since we're leaving for our weekend cruise tomorrow.
At home, I packed everything and headed to SF by 8:30 p.m. We were all set to go.
Day - 1566
Thursday, September 12, 2019
I had my seconds doubles final at Active Sports tonight for the hit & switch league. My partner was Carlos, fresh from his week vacation in Hawaii. All he had to do what hit his famous hard serves and it was game over. Well, it wasn't so easy. We played Ari and Roger, who played really well the first game. The game was tight the entire way and we were down 12-13 when Carlos called a timeout and Carlos suggested switching serves because Roger had a read on Carlos’s drive serve on the left hand side. That was such a great idea, and when we got the serve back we closed out game 1. Carlos has an equally effective serve on the right hand side and Ari had trouble adjusting. Ari didn’t miss one shot in game 1. Carlos asked me, “What’s going on with Ari?” and I simply responded “Hit it to Roger.” We kept switching things up and changing gears in game 2 and had the mental upper hand when both Ari and Roger started skipping the ball. A couple of Mike Lippitt cross-court lob serves to Ari’s forehand turned the fast-paced slugfest into an anti-climactic slo-mo old’s man game. We won the second game 15-4. It was a sweet win and the first time ever that I've won two championships in one week.
Now with the singles league beginning next week, I may have to go for the trifecta!
I came home afterward and my throat was still pretty sore. I had trouble going to bed. That's okay. I'll sleep well on the cruise this weekend!
I had my seconds doubles final at Active Sports tonight for the hit & switch league. My partner was Carlos, fresh from his week vacation in Hawaii. All he had to do what hit his famous hard serves and it was game over. Well, it wasn't so easy. We played Ari and Roger, who played really well the first game. The game was tight the entire way and we were down 12-13 when Carlos called a timeout and Carlos suggested switching serves because Roger had a read on Carlos’s drive serve on the left hand side. That was such a great idea, and when we got the serve back we closed out game 1. Carlos has an equally effective serve on the right hand side and Ari had trouble adjusting. Ari didn’t miss one shot in game 1. Carlos asked me, “What’s going on with Ari?” and I simply responded “Hit it to Roger.” We kept switching things up and changing gears in game 2 and had the mental upper hand when both Ari and Roger started skipping the ball. A couple of Mike Lippitt cross-court lob serves to Ari’s forehand turned the fast-paced slugfest into an anti-climactic slo-mo old’s man game. We won the second game 15-4. It was a sweet win and the first time ever that I've won two championships in one week.
Now with the singles league beginning next week, I may have to go for the trifecta!
I came home afterward and my throat was still pretty sore. I had trouble going to bed. That's okay. I'll sleep well on the cruise this weekend!
Day - 1567
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
I was hoping to get a lot more accomplished than I did. Wednesdays are always a bit crazy with rehearsals in the evening. Tomorrow I have our hit and switch league final and then on Saturday we have the weekend cruise. Rehearsal went well, but I'm pretty slow on the Schumann. Lots of notes and it's fast.
I was hoping to get a lot more accomplished than I did. Wednesdays are always a bit crazy with rehearsals in the evening. Tomorrow I have our hit and switch league final and then on Saturday we have the weekend cruise. Rehearsal went well, but I'm pretty slow on the Schumann. Lots of notes and it's fast.
Day - 1569
Monday, September 9, 2019
Happy anniversary to my sweet wonderful Alice Wu! We went out for dinner and dessert in the Mission, then had a quiet night at home. Can't believe it's been a year since the amazing wedding cruise!
Happy anniversary to my sweet wonderful Alice Wu! We went out for dinner and dessert in the Mission, then had a quiet night at home. Can't believe it's been a year since the amazing wedding cruise!
Day - 1570
Sunday, September 8, 2019
We woke up early and went to Starbuck's then to Diamond Heights for a soak in the hot tub. I really needed it. After showering, we headed back home, then went to Civic Center for a performance Alice had with a signing choir. We went to the farmers market first before the performance. Cecilia joined us and we went to lunch at Ippudo Ramen near Westfield Mall. Very good and beautiful interior. I had the standard ramen, which was delicious.
After lunch, we went to the senior center to harvest the beans Alice grew. We picked about 12 great looking beans for dinner. We came home and I immediately took a nap before practicing. After practicing, I picked up Ono Hawaiian BBQ for dinner. Very good. We watched 60 Minutes, then a couple of history shows on PBS before going to bed. What a busy, fun weekend! Still happy about the tournament win!
We woke up early and went to Starbuck's then to Diamond Heights for a soak in the hot tub. I really needed it. After showering, we headed back home, then went to Civic Center for a performance Alice had with a signing choir. We went to the farmers market first before the performance. Cecilia joined us and we went to lunch at Ippudo Ramen near Westfield Mall. Very good and beautiful interior. I had the standard ramen, which was delicious.
After lunch, we went to the senior center to harvest the beans Alice grew. We picked about 12 great looking beans for dinner. We came home and I immediately took a nap before practicing. After practicing, I picked up Ono Hawaiian BBQ for dinner. Very good. We watched 60 Minutes, then a couple of history shows on PBS before going to bed. What a busy, fun weekend! Still happy about the tournament win!
Day - 1571
Saturday, September 7, 2019
This morning was all about racquetball from 8-1. Ari Brown and I partnered up for this bi-annual club staple tournament that I hadn't won in more than five or so years.
I knew we'd be dangerous; the question was how dangerous. I've been playing well lately and my drive serves to the lefthand side have been tough to return, especially when the courts get humid. Ari’s serves on the righthand side have also caused problems for players. They're hard to handle and he puts nice spin on the ball that makes it tough to anticipate. Ari also does a nice job mixing things up. George struggled with Ari's serves Thursday night. We have a nice one-two punch that we bring to our game, along with total aggression and a killer instinct. Now that I also have Tom’s RunFar pre-workout energy powder...
...I was hopeful I would last through round robin play and playoffs into the finals. I gave Ari two words to consider: win and terrorize. We did both today. We won our first three of four matches, losing 14-15 against a tough Joel/Luis team and beating Roger and John 15-10, Tyrone and Heather 15-7, and Jim and Kevin 15-3. In our last round robin match we faced Freddy and Mike. Freddy is a phenomenal player and Ari got to experience for the first time the speed, accuracy, spin, and pure athleticism of a gifted open level player. But it was Mike’s great lob serves that threw Ari off. They killed us 3-15. Luckily, we still had enough points to make the playoffs as third seed in our division. We faced Steve and Kirk in our quarter final match, our fellow morning crew mates. Ari and I had beaten Steve and Kirk in our last two outings, and I saw no reason why things would change today. Also, Steve's wife Linda and his parents were in the gym watching, so I thought that might actually give us the edge (because sometimes players get nervous when their loved ones watch them play).
Ari and I jumped to an early lead and kept the pressure up, winning 15-7 and advancing to the semis. Ari was pumped! He felt good and was determined to win the whole thing. I liked our chances, considering the playoff pairings. We'd already beaten John and Roger once and I liked how we matched up against them. They took a quick lead and we were playing catch-up all the way, falling behind 11-14. Luckily, we got the serve back, but I didn't score any points against John. So it was up to Ari to get four points in-a-row...which he did! Four great ace serves did it for us and we were in the finals! Kim and Will beat Freddy and Mike, so we were up against the other open player team (Will). I'd never played with Kim before but I know she's very good and keeps the ball in play. Will, a lefty, is also phenomenal, as fine a player as Freddy and really smart with his shot selection. We took an early 5-0 lead, then were ahead 12-4, before Will started serving these outrageously difficult cross-court serves that had both me and Ari tied in knots. Before we knew it, we were behind 13-14. They had five match points serves against us, but somehow we dodged all the bullets. Again, Ari served up two incredible, difficult serves to Kim and the final point gave us our championship.
This may be the sweetest win I've ever had at the club.
The level of competition was ridiculous, and Ari had never played in one these before, We had a blast all morning long and played really well to accomplish our objective, which was to win and terrorize. Lunch at La Cheval never tasted so good!
I texted Ari later, asking him if he wanted a big ass trophy...
... or a big wall plaque.
Ari responded, "How about a monument in front of the club."
I love it! Thanks to Tom's magical energy formula, I wasn't too sore and could still move around enough to do a load of all my wet racquetball laundry. There was a party at Richard and Lisa's, so Alice took BART over and I picked her up at 5. We headed over to the Youngs around 6. Everyone was there but unfortunately Miles had to leave for school earlier today.
Lisa made the best fried chicken ever! It was so delicious!
We stayed until 10 or so, then headed back to SF. Wow, what a day!
This morning was all about racquetball from 8-1. Ari Brown and I partnered up for this bi-annual club staple tournament that I hadn't won in more than five or so years.
I knew we'd be dangerous; the question was how dangerous. I've been playing well lately and my drive serves to the lefthand side have been tough to return, especially when the courts get humid. Ari’s serves on the righthand side have also caused problems for players. They're hard to handle and he puts nice spin on the ball that makes it tough to anticipate. Ari also does a nice job mixing things up. George struggled with Ari's serves Thursday night. We have a nice one-two punch that we bring to our game, along with total aggression and a killer instinct. Now that I also have Tom’s RunFar pre-workout energy powder...
...I was hopeful I would last through round robin play and playoffs into the finals. I gave Ari two words to consider: win and terrorize. We did both today. We won our first three of four matches, losing 14-15 against a tough Joel/Luis team and beating Roger and John 15-10, Tyrone and Heather 15-7, and Jim and Kevin 15-3. In our last round robin match we faced Freddy and Mike. Freddy is a phenomenal player and Ari got to experience for the first time the speed, accuracy, spin, and pure athleticism of a gifted open level player. But it was Mike’s great lob serves that threw Ari off. They killed us 3-15. Luckily, we still had enough points to make the playoffs as third seed in our division. We faced Steve and Kirk in our quarter final match, our fellow morning crew mates. Ari and I had beaten Steve and Kirk in our last two outings, and I saw no reason why things would change today. Also, Steve's wife Linda and his parents were in the gym watching, so I thought that might actually give us the edge (because sometimes players get nervous when their loved ones watch them play).
Ari and I jumped to an early lead and kept the pressure up, winning 15-7 and advancing to the semis. Ari was pumped! He felt good and was determined to win the whole thing. I liked our chances, considering the playoff pairings. We'd already beaten John and Roger once and I liked how we matched up against them. They took a quick lead and we were playing catch-up all the way, falling behind 11-14. Luckily, we got the serve back, but I didn't score any points against John. So it was up to Ari to get four points in-a-row...which he did! Four great ace serves did it for us and we were in the finals! Kim and Will beat Freddy and Mike, so we were up against the other open player team (Will). I'd never played with Kim before but I know she's very good and keeps the ball in play. Will, a lefty, is also phenomenal, as fine a player as Freddy and really smart with his shot selection. We took an early 5-0 lead, then were ahead 12-4, before Will started serving these outrageously difficult cross-court serves that had both me and Ari tied in knots. Before we knew it, we were behind 13-14. They had five match points serves against us, but somehow we dodged all the bullets. Again, Ari served up two incredible, difficult serves to Kim and the final point gave us our championship.
This may be the sweetest win I've ever had at the club.
 |
| Active Sports Doubles Tournament Champions - Summer 2019! |
I texted Ari later, asking him if he wanted a big ass trophy...
... or a big wall plaque.
Ari responded, "How about a monument in front of the club."
I love it! Thanks to Tom's magical energy formula, I wasn't too sore and could still move around enough to do a load of all my wet racquetball laundry. There was a party at Richard and Lisa's, so Alice took BART over and I picked her up at 5. We headed over to the Youngs around 6. Everyone was there but unfortunately Miles had to leave for school earlier today.
Lisa made the best fried chicken ever! It was so delicious!
We stayed until 10 or so, then headed back to SF. Wow, what a day!
Day - 1572
Friday, September 6, 2019
After work, Alice and I headed out to Lake Merritt to hear a very special concert featuring Ari and Conner with Conner's dad Ron. There was food and drink beforehand, then 90 minutes of solid, beautiful, amazing singing. The whole gang was there...all the Youngs (except Richard, who was double-booked at had to attend a company-sponsored show), Rodney & Spike, Biff & Rhonda, Trey's new girlfriend Shell, Sidney, Maddie, and Lisa's friends Diane and Monty. So much fun and a wonderful evening. I hung out at Lisa's afterward for the after-party with the Young kids. Total blast!
After work, Alice and I headed out to Lake Merritt to hear a very special concert featuring Ari and Conner with Conner's dad Ron. There was food and drink beforehand, then 90 minutes of solid, beautiful, amazing singing. The whole gang was there...all the Youngs (except Richard, who was double-booked at had to attend a company-sponsored show), Rodney & Spike, Biff & Rhonda, Trey's new girlfriend Shell, Sidney, Maddie, and Lisa's friends Diane and Monty. So much fun and a wonderful evening. I hung out at Lisa's afterward for the after-party with the Young kids. Total blast!
Day - 1573
Thursday, September 5, 2019
The medicine is really working now. I can feel my leg getting better and I'm not as tired as I was earlier in the week.
After work, I watched the semi-final hit and switch doubles game between Ari and Roger vs. Kirk and George. It was a great match and sort of a coin toss, but Ari and Roger ended up taking the match in a tiebreaker. Carlos and I play Ari and Roger next Thursday!
The medicine is really working now. I can feel my leg getting better and I'm not as tired as I was earlier in the week.
After work, I watched the semi-final hit and switch doubles game between Ari and Roger vs. Kirk and George. It was a great match and sort of a coin toss, but Ari and Roger ended up taking the match in a tiebreaker. Carlos and I play Ari and Roger next Thursday!
Day - 1574
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
I had a solid sleep last night and came in to play a little racquetball, though not very well. It was enough to get my engines going though. Ari and I looked good playing together. We're playing in Saturday's doubles tournament. This will be the first time Ari plays with some really good players from outside the club. I think it'll be fun! I'm not sure what our chances are, but I know we'll win some games and confuse a few opponents.
Rehearsal was tonight and I played pretty well, considering I was gone most of the week. The toughest spots are in the 1st movement of the Schumann. The rest of the concert and a couple of tricky variations in the Brahms are all I have to worry about.
Came home at 10 and went right to bed.
I had a solid sleep last night and came in to play a little racquetball, though not very well. It was enough to get my engines going though. Ari and I looked good playing together. We're playing in Saturday's doubles tournament. This will be the first time Ari plays with some really good players from outside the club. I think it'll be fun! I'm not sure what our chances are, but I know we'll win some games and confuse a few opponents.
Rehearsal was tonight and I played pretty well, considering I was gone most of the week. The toughest spots are in the 1st movement of the Schumann. The rest of the concert and a couple of tricky variations in the Brahms are all I have to worry about.
Came home at 10 and went right to bed.
Day - 1575
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Woke up late, after 7, and scrambled to get ready for work. I was really pretty sluggish all day, but luckily things weren't too crazy at work. I came home and practiced an hour or so and went to bed early. I still haven't unpacked from last week. Yikes!
Woke up late, after 7, and scrambled to get ready for work. I was really pretty sluggish all day, but luckily things weren't too crazy at work. I came home and practiced an hour or so and went to bed early. I still haven't unpacked from last week. Yikes!
Day - 1576
Monday, September 2, 2019
So glad today was a holiday. I practiced a little, but still had little energy to do anything. The medicine has slowed down the redness in my leg, thankfully. Shingles is no joke. I guess there's a new shot for people over 50. I need to take it. The medicine I'm taking now is called Valtrex. It feels strong and makes me sleepy.
So glad today was a holiday. I practiced a little, but still had little energy to do anything. The medicine has slowed down the redness in my leg, thankfully. Shingles is no joke. I guess there's a new shot for people over 50. I need to take it. The medicine I'm taking now is called Valtrex. It feels strong and makes me sleepy.
Day - 1577
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Another quiet rest day at Alice's. I did practice for an hour or so while Alice went shopping, so that was good. Other than that, I did little else.
Another quiet rest day at Alice's. I did practice for an hour or so while Alice went shopping, so that was good. Other than that, I did little else.
Day - 1578
Saturday, August 8, 2019
I left for the Sunset around 9. Once with Alice, I rested on the couch pretty much all day, sleeping for hours. My energy remained low and I wasn't feeling great. The shingles medication is strong and impacting my ability to do anything. It gives me headaches, probably from dehydration. I drank as much water as I could and went to the bathroom every fifty minutes or so. I slept early and only for an hour or so before going to the bathroom. Ugh! Tough night.
I left for the Sunset around 9. Once with Alice, I rested on the couch pretty much all day, sleeping for hours. My energy remained low and I wasn't feeling great. The shingles medication is strong and impacting my ability to do anything. It gives me headaches, probably from dehydration. I drank as much water as I could and went to the bathroom every fifty minutes or so. I slept early and only for an hour or so before going to the bathroom. Ugh! Tough night.
Day - 1579
Friday, August 30, 2019
No racquetball this morning. I called my doctor to get some shingles medication and went to Kaiser on Geary to pick it up. The pain has gotten worse and I can feel a very faint but noticeable fever. My energy is also low.
Once I got my prescription (3 pills a day for a week), I took the first pill at work and felt a bit of a headache an hour or so later. I also felt sleepy. I came home and went to be early. No energy at all.
No racquetball this morning. I called my doctor to get some shingles medication and went to Kaiser on Geary to pick it up. The pain has gotten worse and I can feel a very faint but noticeable fever. My energy is also low.
Once I got my prescription (3 pills a day for a week), I took the first pill at work and felt a bit of a headache an hour or so later. I also felt sleepy. I came home and went to be early. No energy at all.
Day - 1580
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Still a bit tired from the trip and nonstop activity afterward. Today was no different. I had my first playoff match tonight against the winner of Glenn & David versus Carlos and Tiger. Carlos and Tiger prevailed, even though Glenn and David won the first game. I was partnered up with Carlos versus Fido and Tiger. We won the first game 15-2, then were behind in the second game 0-14. We scored the next five points, but that was all we got. In the tiebreaker, Carlos served five aces in-a-row. We won 11-5 and advanced to the finals two Thursdays from tonight. Carlos and I should be very tough!
I took Tom's RunFar before the match tonight and could definitely feel the effects of the powder. I wasn't tired and didn't feel anything unusual, though my heart was racing a bit. Good stuff though. I wasn't a bit fatigued.
The bump on my right thigh is still there and hurting more. I'm wondering if I'm in a new episode of another shingles breakout. The pain is strong and there's a redness around my thigh that makes no sense. It's not a muscle, but might actually be the shingles virus again. I haven't had shingles for 12 years or so, maybe longer. All I know is shingles is no joke.
Still a bit tired from the trip and nonstop activity afterward. Today was no different. I had my first playoff match tonight against the winner of Glenn & David versus Carlos and Tiger. Carlos and Tiger prevailed, even though Glenn and David won the first game. I was partnered up with Carlos versus Fido and Tiger. We won the first game 15-2, then were behind in the second game 0-14. We scored the next five points, but that was all we got. In the tiebreaker, Carlos served five aces in-a-row. We won 11-5 and advanced to the finals two Thursdays from tonight. Carlos and I should be very tough!
I took Tom's RunFar before the match tonight and could definitely feel the effects of the powder. I wasn't tired and didn't feel anything unusual, though my heart was racing a bit. Good stuff though. I wasn't a bit fatigued.
The bump on my right thigh is still there and hurting more. I'm wondering if I'm in a new episode of another shingles breakout. The pain is strong and there's a redness around my thigh that makes no sense. It's not a muscle, but might actually be the shingles virus again. I haven't had shingles for 12 years or so, maybe longer. All I know is shingles is no joke.
Day - 1581
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Left the hotel at 4:20, dropped off the car at the rental facility, took the bus to the airport, went through customs, and flew out right on time, landing in Oakland around 8:30. Took Uber home and logged in for a day of work. Practiced for an hour or so once I was caught up.
Rehearsal was at 7. We rehearsed Schumann 1st movement and the start of the 4th movement. Playing a couple of the faster passages at the appropriate speed will be my challenge this concert. I'm sitting with Pam in the second stand. Pam's really good and easy to play with. This makes me happy!
After rehearsal, I suddenly felt a weird pain in my right thigh when I stood up from my chair, like a pulled muscle, only I hadn’t pulled anything. I wasn’t sure what was going on, and I have a semi-final match tomorrow night for our hit and switch league.
At bed around 11. Dead tired!
Left the hotel at 4:20, dropped off the car at the rental facility, took the bus to the airport, went through customs, and flew out right on time, landing in Oakland around 8:30. Took Uber home and logged in for a day of work. Practiced for an hour or so once I was caught up.
Rehearsal was at 7. We rehearsed Schumann 1st movement and the start of the 4th movement. Playing a couple of the faster passages at the appropriate speed will be my challenge this concert. I'm sitting with Pam in the second stand. Pam's really good and easy to play with. This makes me happy!
After rehearsal, I suddenly felt a weird pain in my right thigh when I stood up from my chair, like a pulled muscle, only I hadn’t pulled anything. I wasn’t sure what was going on, and I have a semi-final match tomorrow night for our hit and switch league.
At bed around 11. Dead tired!
Day - 1582
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Sue was not happy with Dad's Trump attack last night, even though I told her I didn't mind and in fact found it all a bit full-circle grounding in a weird sort of way. I guess he does that regularly now with anyone who comes over. Sue may suffer PTSD from so many years with a true drinking narcissist. Retirement is not good for drinkers because it gives them more time to drink. I saw the effects of retirement firsthand with Bob Thompson. He dwindled away to nothing within a matter of months.
Sue and I had a long walk and long talk over lunch. She feels financially trapped with no exit plan, but is so ready to leave the total madness and narcissism of my crazy dad. She hadn’t told anyone, so it was like an emotional dam breaking. I guess I had always assumed she had more control over Dad, but narcissists always wear down even the strongest personality types. They live in such a beautiful house but it sure is a broken, unhappy home. She should have left him a long time ago, but I’m not sure she can. I guess we’ll see. As for me, having a crazy dad like that explains a lot about my life and who I am, but I’m glad I took a huge negative (growing up with a nasty alcoholic bully) and turned it into a huge positive (I have a no-bully force field that keeps bullies from messing with me).
I left Birch Bay around 1:10 and drove back to Redmond to Neal and Karin's. We hung out for about 30 minutes or so, then headed to the U district to meet Susan, Jay and Kathryn for dinner before Sara's reading at 7.
Revenna Third Place Books is a very well-stocked, lovely bookstore with a sweet patio area next to the parking lot. We took over one of the large tables near the front door and ordered a bunch of different things while chatting for about 90 minutes. It was great! We really need to spend more time together. It's such a blast hanging out with these amazing people.
Neal and Karin joined me for Sara's reading, which was standing room only.
It was very good and very well attended. Sara is a natural at these things. She was funny, charming, witty and had the audience in the palm of her hand. Great energy and a strong first chapter that she read from. Neal and Karin left after the signing but I hung around at the after-party and chatted with Sara, her husband Matthew, and several of Sara’s writing friends. Really fun!
I didn’t arrive at my hotel near SeaTac until 11:30 and had a 6:50 am flight the next day, so I only slept a few hours, knowing my feel would be dragging tomorrow.
Sue was not happy with Dad's Trump attack last night, even though I told her I didn't mind and in fact found it all a bit full-circle grounding in a weird sort of way. I guess he does that regularly now with anyone who comes over. Sue may suffer PTSD from so many years with a true drinking narcissist. Retirement is not good for drinkers because it gives them more time to drink. I saw the effects of retirement firsthand with Bob Thompson. He dwindled away to nothing within a matter of months.
Sue and I had a long walk and long talk over lunch. She feels financially trapped with no exit plan, but is so ready to leave the total madness and narcissism of my crazy dad. She hadn’t told anyone, so it was like an emotional dam breaking. I guess I had always assumed she had more control over Dad, but narcissists always wear down even the strongest personality types. They live in such a beautiful house but it sure is a broken, unhappy home. She should have left him a long time ago, but I’m not sure she can. I guess we’ll see. As for me, having a crazy dad like that explains a lot about my life and who I am, but I’m glad I took a huge negative (growing up with a nasty alcoholic bully) and turned it into a huge positive (I have a no-bully force field that keeps bullies from messing with me).
I left Birch Bay around 1:10 and drove back to Redmond to Neal and Karin's. We hung out for about 30 minutes or so, then headed to the U district to meet Susan, Jay and Kathryn for dinner before Sara's reading at 7.
Revenna Third Place Books is a very well-stocked, lovely bookstore with a sweet patio area next to the parking lot. We took over one of the large tables near the front door and ordered a bunch of different things while chatting for about 90 minutes. It was great! We really need to spend more time together. It's such a blast hanging out with these amazing people.
Neal and Karin joined me for Sara's reading, which was standing room only.
It was very good and very well attended. Sara is a natural at these things. She was funny, charming, witty and had the audience in the palm of her hand. Great energy and a strong first chapter that she read from. Neal and Karin left after the signing but I hung around at the after-party and chatted with Sara, her husband Matthew, and several of Sara’s writing friends. Really fun!
I didn’t arrive at my hotel near SeaTac until 11:30 and had a 6:50 am flight the next day, so I only slept a few hours, knowing my feel would be dragging tomorrow.
Day - 1583
Monday, August 26, 2019
Woke up at 7, chatted with Karin in the a.m., then showered and took Neal and Karin to lunch in Redmond. We had crepes and lattes. Went to Susan's to pick up the rental car, chatted briefly with Susan and Jay, then got in the car and headed north to Birch Bay. Traffic in Everett was horrible. Way too many cars. Arrived in Birch Bay by 4:30 p.m. Dad and Sue's house is beautiful. Very nice and peaceful. Dad had gained a few extra pounds since I last saw him and was missing a few front teeth, which Sue mentioned were supposed to be capped a couple of weeks ago. Dad wasn't in any rush because, as he put it, he didn't have to look at himself so he really didn't see the point in fixing them. I must say it was difficult looking in his direction. Maybe Dad is going through a kind of Deliverance phase. We hung out in the back yard at a large table overlooking a patch of forest behind their yard. Very pleasant. Our conversation was fun and lively the first hour or so, then Dad brought up China for some reason and the fact that China cannot be trusted and wants to rule the world. Then he launched into a political attack when he said to me, "How can you not support such a strong leader as Trump?" I was a bit surprised at this, but pointedly said back to him, "Trump is the weakest leader in our lifetime. Would you like to know why?" Dad did not want to know why and spun himself in circles for a few minutes, talking about other GOP propaganda. I brought the conversation back to Trump. "Can I tell you why Trump is so weak?" Nope, Dad didn't want to hear anything negative about his evil twin. Instead, he declared a ceasefire and ended the discussion. I pressed him some more and that antagonized him. Then I said, "Remember, I'm your son, so you're going to get a little Brian Hagan back at you when you go there. You can be proud of the fact that I don't take any guff from anyone." Then I stood up and gave the crazy toothless man a big hug. He liked what I said and for the rest of the evening he was fine. But Sue was traumatized. I learned this the next day. Dinner was Sue's scallop lasagna, salad, and cheesecake for dessert, all excellent. We called it a night by 8:30. I slept in the guest room and watched a little TV before bed. The house is decorated very nicely in contemporary colors and tones. A beautiful house, but not so happy a home, as I learned the next day.
Woke up at 7, chatted with Karin in the a.m., then showered and took Neal and Karin to lunch in Redmond. We had crepes and lattes. Went to Susan's to pick up the rental car, chatted briefly with Susan and Jay, then got in the car and headed north to Birch Bay. Traffic in Everett was horrible. Way too many cars. Arrived in Birch Bay by 4:30 p.m. Dad and Sue's house is beautiful. Very nice and peaceful. Dad had gained a few extra pounds since I last saw him and was missing a few front teeth, which Sue mentioned were supposed to be capped a couple of weeks ago. Dad wasn't in any rush because, as he put it, he didn't have to look at himself so he really didn't see the point in fixing them. I must say it was difficult looking in his direction. Maybe Dad is going through a kind of Deliverance phase. We hung out in the back yard at a large table overlooking a patch of forest behind their yard. Very pleasant. Our conversation was fun and lively the first hour or so, then Dad brought up China for some reason and the fact that China cannot be trusted and wants to rule the world. Then he launched into a political attack when he said to me, "How can you not support such a strong leader as Trump?" I was a bit surprised at this, but pointedly said back to him, "Trump is the weakest leader in our lifetime. Would you like to know why?" Dad did not want to know why and spun himself in circles for a few minutes, talking about other GOP propaganda. I brought the conversation back to Trump. "Can I tell you why Trump is so weak?" Nope, Dad didn't want to hear anything negative about his evil twin. Instead, he declared a ceasefire and ended the discussion. I pressed him some more and that antagonized him. Then I said, "Remember, I'm your son, so you're going to get a little Brian Hagan back at you when you go there. You can be proud of the fact that I don't take any guff from anyone." Then I stood up and gave the crazy toothless man a big hug. He liked what I said and for the rest of the evening he was fine. But Sue was traumatized. I learned this the next day. Dinner was Sue's scallop lasagna, salad, and cheesecake for dessert, all excellent. We called it a night by 8:30. I slept in the guest room and watched a little TV before bed. The house is decorated very nicely in contemporary colors and tones. A beautiful house, but not so happy a home, as I learned the next day.
Day - 1584
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Up at 3:45 with a 4:15 Uber pickup time. My flight to Seattle was at 6. The plane was less than half full, so I took up a few seats and slept. I arrived at SeaTac around 8:15, picked up a rental car at Dollar, and drove to Susan and Jay’s with a pit stop at Starbuck’s. Susan, Jay and Maddy were in the living room. We had a nice catchup conversation about all things life related. An hour or so later, Susan and I went for a walk around her neighborhood. Very enjoyable. It’s always a treat talking with Susan.
Afterward, I headed to Lucky Penny near SeaTac to have lunch with Uncle Steve and his new girlfriend Nancy. Steve was flying back from Ketchikan and Nancy was picking him up. We had a great two hours together and Nancy is a real sweetheart.
After lunch, I headed back to Susan and Jay’s and the three of us went to Neal and Karin’s for the afternoon. Ryan was there, too. They have a new dog named Charlie, as small as Sandy and just as cute.
We went into the hot tub and talked around the fire pit until 1 a.m. Neal has taken time off work to focus on his health, which has been on the decline these past few years. Ryan is considering his options and trying to establish residency in Canada. He may go back to school. Karin is also taking time off. Their back yard is a wonderful place to contemplate life! Lots of flowers and bushes. Karin should get botanical signs to label all her plants.
Stayed the night in the guest room and fell fast asleep by 1:30.
Up at 3:45 with a 4:15 Uber pickup time. My flight to Seattle was at 6. The plane was less than half full, so I took up a few seats and slept. I arrived at SeaTac around 8:15, picked up a rental car at Dollar, and drove to Susan and Jay’s with a pit stop at Starbuck’s. Susan, Jay and Maddy were in the living room. We had a nice catchup conversation about all things life related. An hour or so later, Susan and I went for a walk around her neighborhood. Very enjoyable. It’s always a treat talking with Susan.
Afterward, I headed to Lucky Penny near SeaTac to have lunch with Uncle Steve and his new girlfriend Nancy. Steve was flying back from Ketchikan and Nancy was picking him up. We had a great two hours together and Nancy is a real sweetheart.
After lunch, I headed back to Susan and Jay’s and the three of us went to Neal and Karin’s for the afternoon. Ryan was there, too. They have a new dog named Charlie, as small as Sandy and just as cute.
We went into the hot tub and talked around the fire pit until 1 a.m. Neal has taken time off work to focus on his health, which has been on the decline these past few years. Ryan is considering his options and trying to establish residency in Canada. He may go back to school. Karin is also taking time off. Their back yard is a wonderful place to contemplate life! Lots of flowers and bushes. Karin should get botanical signs to label all her plants.
Stayed the night in the guest room and fell fast asleep by 1:30.
Day - 1585
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Had my second pickleball lesson with Tiger, Glenn and Amy this morning. Very good. Fun game! Came home around 10:30 and slept for an hour, then spent the rest of the day cleaning, practicing, updating a few files and getting ready for tomorrow's trip to Seattle for a few days.
Had my second pickleball lesson with Tiger, Glenn and Amy this morning. Very good. Fun game! Came home around 10:30 and slept for an hour, then spent the rest of the day cleaning, practicing, updating a few files and getting ready for tomorrow's trip to Seattle for a few days.
Day - 1586
Friday, August 23, 2019
Work was reasonably busy today. Came home and practiced for an hour or so until bed.
Work was reasonably busy today. Came home and practiced for an hour or so until bed.
Day - 1587
Thursday, August 22, 2019
We had our final hit and switch league night tonight and I went undefeated for the first time this season. Sweet! Played well and had some great games. I'm all set up for taking the league championship in two weeks. We'll see who my partner is. Here's the final results:
We had our final hit and switch league night tonight and I went undefeated for the first time this season. Sweet! Played well and had some great games. I'm all set up for taking the league championship in two weeks. We'll see who my partner is. Here's the final results:
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