January 1, 2008

What's New Year's without helium?

file under: my life

What's New Year's without helium?

We had a terrific New Year's Eve with Joe, Betty, Trevor, Pam, Tony, and Roberto. Cocktails led to dinner led to cocktails led to celebration led to more cocktails led to hangover. Dinner was at Citron in Berkeley, and cocktail hour(s) were held at Joe and Betty's in the Oakland hills. of course, photos of the festivities are available.

Happy New Year's wishes from us to everyone else out there!! we hope you have a fantastic 2008. We're looking forward to lots of fun and adventure ourselves.

Posted by docrpm on 01.01.08 at 10:16 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

November 29, 2007

sunshine: the saga continues

file under: my life

i've ranted about my efforts to try to see Sunshine, the sci-fi effort by Danny Boyle. i have a new update to the saga.

i was trying to plan a movie night with friends to watch it here on my new big screen HDTV (aka Wank-o-vision), but i had to wait until it was out on rental. i figured a month or two after our aborted attempts to see the film, we'd be munching popcorn, having cocktails, and watching the gorgeous vision of Mr. Boyle. not so.

i waited. and waited. and waited. and amazon didn't post a DVD release date. and now i check back, and it's January 8, 2008. are you kidding me? from a theatrical release of July 20, 2007? this is the modern age, people. digital means everything is faster, mmkay?

i am certain, now, that when i get this movie from netflix, the disc will be scratched, and i will send it back for another one, and before it comes back, my house will be struck by lightning and burn to the ground. i will never see this movie.

Posted by docrpm on 11.29.07 at 7:13 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

October 31, 2007

Candy, little girl?

file under: my life

Happy Halloween!

This year was a total frenzy on our block. Someone up the street decided to get fancy with a haunted garage, complete with dead body in the washing machine and live ghost-girl. As a result, we got about three times the normal volume of trick-or-treaters, which meant the candy ran out early. Doh!

Posted by docrpm on 10.31.07 at 11:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

October 7, 2007

for lynette cains

file under: my life

it was great to see your comment on one of my posts, and it would be even better to reconnect, but the email address i had for you is dead. any way you could drop me an email?

Posted by docrpm on 10.07.07 at 10:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

red ring of death, part II

file under: my life
tags: xbox

in the second part of my xbox 360 saga, microsoft comes through!!! they provided one of the best customer service experiences i've had. i'm still sort of in shock (and a little sad that i can't write a total anti-microsoft rant for this entry ;-)):

1. the box to return my 360 arrived as promised, and sending it back was a snap (pre-paid postage, packing materials included, good instructions from the CSR)
2. i went away to china for two weeks expecting to wait another 1-3 weeks to receive my new unit after returning
3. microsoft sent me a completely new machine and it arrived while i was away (i.e., 1-3 weeks earlier than estimated by the CSR with whom i spoke)
4. in addition to the new 360, they gave me a coupon for a free month of xbox live (given that i was out of commission for two weeks)

it may be costing them a billion dollars to deal with this hardware mess, but this experience completely reinforces my platform loyalty. oh yeah, that and the fact that the games are great (helloooooo Bioshock! hellloooooo Halo 3).

Posted by docrpm on 10.07.07 at 10:18 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

September 8, 2007

red ring of death, part I

file under: my life
tags: xbox bioshock

my Xbox360 died the true death, this coming right as i was about to run out and buy Bioshock following my friend Chooky's mouth-frothing review of the game. suffice it to say: we were not amused

...

for those of you who aren't either mouth-breathing gamer geeks (like me), or generally interested in the gaming industry or microsoft's foray into it, the red ring of death is a term used to describe a problem with Xbox360s. when an indicator on the front of the console flashes with three (not four) red lights, this indicates a "general hardware failure". while this can mean any number of things, the biggest problem it seems to indicate is an issue with heat generated by the 360s chip set. the chips heat up, everything around the chips heats up, things thermally expand or melt, and unhappiness ensues.

so what does one do when this happens? gotta send your 360 back to Microsoft for repair or replacement. i called Microsoft Xbox support last night to get the process started, steeling myself for what i thought would be an unpleasant battle with the behemoth. as it turned out, they were extremely helpful, and it sounds like the process should go smoothly (famous last words?). the CSR took down my information and told me they would be sending me a box within which i can ship back my 360. the box comes with packing materials and pre-paid shipping via UPS, so all i have to do is pack it up and drop it off at UPS. supposedly, 3-4 weeks later, my repaired 360 will be returned to me. let's hope the rest of this experience is as good as the first part has been (aside from the hardware failure and need to postpone Bioshock gratification).

stay tuned for more...

Posted by docrpm on 09.08.07 at 9:19 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

August 18, 2007

where the sun doesn't shine

file under: my life
tags: humor , rant , sunshine

that's where the AMC Loews Sony Metreon 452-screen-megaplex-built-like-a-bad-midwest-airport-oh-and-
did-i-mention-with-an-IMAX-theater can stick it, as far as i'm concerned.

last night we went to see Sunshine, the latest effort by Danny Boyle (of Trainspotting and 28 Days Later fame). i managed to corral a group of interested friends, and we headed over to the Metreon (which, incidentally, was the only theater in San Francisco showing this film). we stopped for a nice dinner at Out the Door in the Westfield center, then made our way to the theater, our hearts all atwitter at the thought of a big sci-fi epic.

our first disappointment was that it was not on the IMAX screen (which i resolutely claim was due more to bad information design on Fandango that to my inability to read). this meant nowhere to sit, and since i had anticipated a huge throng of anxious viewers, i figured we'd be camping out for awhile. not so. with an hour to kill and nowhere to hang out, we browsed the Chronicle book section on the ground floor, then headed back upstairs when it was time.

the tiny theater was totally empty; apparently, the film isn't a big money-maker, as the Metreon has shunted it off into one of the untouchable theaters with screens about the size of my HDTV (which is big, i grant you, but seriously, folks). about 10 minutes before the movie, a few people started filing in, and by screening time, it was a about half full. the lights dimmed, and the previews began, which leads to our second disappointment: crappy previews.

on the third preview for a child fantasy film, we began to get a little suspicious. the theater/marketers seemed to be just a wee bit off in terms of their target demographic. i had expected to be seeing sci-fi horror flick teasers, but i was willing to go with it. after about 15 trailers (okay, it was only 7 or 8), the lights dimmed fully and hearts began to race. the warner brothers logo began to fill the screen (???),  smoke swirling around it in a very kid's-fantasy-film way (???), the music swelled ("hey wait a second...this sounds familiar"), and then the main title expanded to fill the screen...Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!!!!

a collective murmur went through the crowd, one that followed a very pregnant pause during which we all reflected on whether or not we were stupid enough to walk into the wrong theater with a film starting at exactly the same time as our desired entertainment. everyone realized that we were right and the theater projectionist was wrong. a number got up and left to find those responsible, and the rest of us waited. after about 5 minutes or so, someone from the theater came and said they had loaded the wrong film, were rethreading the projector, and we'd get started in about 5 minutes, with no more previews.

after what seemed like 20 minutes (but was probably only 10), the film started. the vertical alignment was off, and it was out of focus, but they rectified that quickly enough. a tiny spot filled the screen and grew into our sun, and a voice-over by cillian murphy started. phew...they got the film right. after about 3 minutes, and right at a critical moment in the first scene, the speaker in the upper right of the theater erupted in a wash of high-frequency noise, which at first blush seemed like a sound effect. after the noise began to drown out the dialogue in the next scene, we realized it was a bug, not a feature, and again, people got up to complain. after a good 10 minutes of this noise, the sound was returned to normal, but only after we had missed at least two big scenes in the introduction. another employee from the theater came in and explained to flustered viewers that they would not be restarting the film from the beginning, and if we wanted our money back, we could go to guest services.

at this point i was reminded of the scene in Annie Hall when woody allen and diane keaton go to see a film, and they are 5 minutes late. the film had already started and allen refused to go in, saying it just wasn't the same. in that instant last night, i empathized with him. we had only missed 10 minutes, but it wouldn't be the same, so we got up and stomped out of the theater to guest services. they gave us three free passes and refunded our money, which made the books square, as it were, but still left a debt of anger.

in retrospect, i have to say that this episode makes no sense. if they had just restarted the film, they probably wouldn't have had to refund our money (or at least, not everyone's money). by giving us free passes, it's true that they lure us back to the theater for more sales at the concession stand, but at what cost? how many of the people in that theater are going to continue patronizing the Metreon after they cash in their free passes? after so many screw-ups they had a chance to make it right, but they didn't. so i probably won't be going back after i cash out, even if it's the theater of last resort for a film i have to see on the big screen. i'll bite the cinephile bullet and wait to watch it at home before i give those jerks any more of my money.

grrr.

Posted by docrpm on 08.18.07 at 4:36 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

June 17, 2007

our one-year anniversary

file under: my life

one year ago today, elaine and i got married. i'd marry her again, and a hundred times more. it's hard to believe it's been a year. i suspect, when we're old and gray, we'll look back and say something similar. i look forward to that day and all the days in between.

how could you not with guns and a spirit like hers?

Posted by docrpm on 06.17.07 at 11:25 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

ryan and his dad

file under: my life

the photo above was taken around the end of 1974 when i was just about 8 years old. my dad had asked a friend of his to take some photos of us, and then to render them as mixed media artwork (which he did, with pencil and washes of vibrant orange and yellow that only the 70s could have produced). one of those pictures still hangs on my dad's wall today, along with some of the crude pen and ink drawings i did as a child.

thirty-odd years pass, and then the photo above is taken, one year ago today, on my wedding day – father and son, standing together on a day of immeasurable happiness after four decades riding the rolloercoaster of life. i would never have survived that ride, and enjoyed it the way i have, were it not for him.

thank you, Dad, for 40 years of standing by my side.

Posted by docrpm on 06.17.07 at 10:13 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

June 16, 2007

one year minus one day

file under: my life
tags: elaine

Posted by docrpm on 06.16.07 at 11:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

June 8, 2007

where we were yesterday

file under: my life , travel
tags: leisure

elaine and i just got back from the beach...hard to believe that only yesterday morning, we were sweating in 85 degree heat on a fabulous stretch of sand in playa del carmen (on the yucatan peninsula). today we're back in the fog and cool breezes of a chilly san francisco summer. did we really take a vacation, or are those someone else's feet on that beach lounge? i guess i have the photos and memories to prove that it was us, but it's so easy to slip back into the routine of daily life as if these global excursions never even happened.

Posted by docrpm on 06.08.07 at 2:36 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

March 29, 2007

dropping out

file under: my life

i dropped out for awhile. i stopped blogging. i've done this before. i'll do my best to get back to it, because it's something that i enjoy, something that helps me feel more connected to the world. a few of you have even been so kind as to ask when i'd start writing again.

why did i stop? i've been asking myself that for weeks. most of the answers i could give wouldn't have any meaning for someone other than me – malaise, poor health, lack of motivation, lack of remotely interesting ideas, too much work. take your pick. all of these excuses suck. and so i will do my best to re-engage with all of you who happen to be reading.

Posted by docrpm on 03.29.07 at 8:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

October 25, 2006

the inconstant blogger

file under: my life

radio silence lasted a bit longer than anticipated (honeymoon, protracted illness, work chaos). we will be resuming our regularly scheduled programming shortly. upcoming programs will include:

• wedding recollections, musings, and miscellany
• fabulous honeymoon photographs and stories of sunburns and sea turtles
• things you don't think about before you get married, but probably should
• movie, book and music reviews of recent favorites

we hope you'll stay tuned...

Posted by docrpm on 10.25.06 at 6:51 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

July 1, 2006

number 34

file under: my life

the results are in: san francisco is the 34th most expensive place to live in the world. given the fact that elaine and i seem to be struggling to buy a house (despite a more-than-decent combined income), i guess i'd have to say i'm a little surprised.

a few cities in that list seem like they should fall a little lower than SF (Istanbul, Douala, Lagos). i only say this because Elaine and I have been idly pondering moving elsewhere, thinking that the housing madness that has gripped SF is a localized phenomenon. based on that list, it looks like we're wrong. strictly speaking, that listing is a reflection of total cost of living (not just housing), so there may be other things at play. even so, we may not be moving as quickly as we might have thought. ;-)

Posted by docrpm on 07.01.06 at 3:02 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

June 26, 2006

wedding paparazzi linkroll (to go)

file under: my life

elaine and i got married on June 17.

(moment of silence)

woo hoo!!!!!!!

while a post is forthcoming that shares some of my thoughts from that most glorious day, i wanted to make some photos available. in addition to our paid photographer and his assistant, there were several paparazzi in evidence at the wedding, many of whom are either Flickr fans, or have their own Web sites. in an effort to provide anyone who is interested with full, unadulterated coverage, the following linkroll for our wedding is offered:

• Teter : Flickr
• From Jimi: Photographs and a video of the bride-walk
• Freitas : Flickr
• James Hsieh's pictures
• Stephen McDonald : Flickr

Posted by docrpm on 06.26.06 at 7:11 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

June 14, 2006

houston, we are go

file under: my life

things are looking good for the wedding on saturday. no freak june rain or heat waves to melt our cake. just a nice, mild Berkeley day.

now, i just have to write those vows...

Posted by docrpm on 06.14.06 at 7:18 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

June 3, 2006

two weeks

file under: my life

elaine and i are getting married in two weeks.

wow.

not really much to say beyond that. it probably goes without saying that the frequency of posting on this blog, while not high, is going to decrease for a few weeks. as we rocket toward the date (June 17), it's as if we're in a starship approaching the speed of light, our field of view shrinking, time distorting. the wedding is beginning to eclipse everything...it is our life.

we can't wait to be married, to celebrate with our friends and family, and to ultimately get our lives back. ;-)

Posted by docrpm on 06.03.06 at 8:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

May 10, 2006

for elaine

file under: my life

Posted by docrpm on 05.10.06 at 7:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

April 16, 2006

happy easter

file under: my life

the easter tradition continues. we hope you had a wonderful easter!

Posted by docrpm on 04.16.06 at 8:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

April 7, 2006

the worst packing job ever

file under: my life

generally, i think amazon is the best thing since sliced bread. however, they blew it this time. the photo above shows what has to be the most egregious waste of packing (not to mention shipping) resources i have ever seen. that entire box, measuring 26" L X 20" W X 9" H was used to ship one baking sheet.

i'm trying to figure out how this could have happened, and i'm a bit puzzled. stupidity is an obvious answer, but i occasionally like to give people credit. anyone got any ideas?

Posted by docrpm on 04.07.06 at 5:02 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

April 3, 2006

where did that job go?

file under: my life

i lost my job last week. or maybe the week before, i don't know.

this is the third job i've lost in four years. clearly, there is a gap between the value my employers perceive in me, and that which i perceive in myself. or not. i'm just not sure. as an "information worker" in the new millennium, it's hard to tell. it seems that you can be an intelligent, valued, and productive member of a company, and yet still lose your job.

something has changed since the days of employment for life, i'd say. it seems those days are a quaint anachronism, at this point – a pleasant, yet unrealizable, memory of the past.

i don't know what my future holds. in the next year or so, probably more consulting work. i don't know any more if that's a good thing or a bad thing. consultants are criticized for wasting people's time and money, yet grudgingly accepted as providing a valuable service. which is it, ultimately, that sticks in people's minds? the waste or the value?

i tell people that i lost my job, and from my fellow knowledge workers in the bay area , i get knowing support. from others, there is a sadness i sense, bordering on pity. "lost another job, huh? well, i keep hearing that things are tough in that Internet business...hmmmm. good luck!!"

good luck, indeed. anyone got a crystal ball? i've got a future with a beautiful wife, kids, and mortgage to support. should i stay in this crazy business, or get out? it's hard to know what to do.

Posted by docrpm on 04.03.06 at 1:12 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

March 30, 2006

You could feel the sky

file under: my life

Posted by docrpm on 03.30.06 at 8:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

March 17, 2006

Because one is not enough

file under: my life

Posted by docrpm on 03.17.06 at 8:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Whats a saint without a pat?

file under: my life

Posted by docrpm on 03.17.06 at 8:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Happy st patricks day!

file under: my life

Posted by docrpm on 03.17.06 at 7:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

March 11, 2006

Snow in San Francisco

file under: my life

Posted by docrpm on 03.11.06 at 1:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

February 16, 2006

my vaporcloud valentine

file under: my life

valentine's day is traditionally a night at home for us. we eschew the crowds and the reservation wars, and cook for each other. this year was especially exciting for a few reasons:

• we tried a new recipe (Coconut & Brown Sugar Brined Pork Tenderloin with Broken Fried Rice & Pickled Baby Bok Choy)
• it was the one-year anniversary of my proposal to elaine
• the universe did as much as it could to make it difficult to achieve our state of domestic bliss

the day started out reasonably well. i had to make one trip to the store to get cinnamon sticks (to put in the brine, which i had already set out the previous night). this constituted my fourth grocery store trip for this v-day venture (drewes meats for the pork tenderloin, 99 ranch for many asian ingredients, local Good Life for other non-asian ingredients, then Good Life part 2 for the cinnamon sticks, which i forgot the first time). on my way, i stopped at the flower store to order flowers for the evening (thinking ahead, i sez to myself). and then i popped home, hopped in my car, and bopped to work, thinking said vehicle would convey me home fast and furious when the time came.

i was wrong on several counts.

1. it took me 40 minutes to drive the 5.8 miles from work to home
2. the flowers were not ready when i stopped to pick them up (despite 8 hours notice)
3. when the florist called me (after coming home) to say the flowers were ready, i went and they were not. as a side note, the store was packed with middle-aged men, each with a somewhat bewildered look, approaching the flower-store register like zombies. they all had a similar story: " yeah....ummmm...i need a bouquet. my wife likes flowers. you know, pretty ones? uhhhh. <cough> yeah. can you help?"
4. when carrying the flowers home, the wind kicked up to gale-force proportions, wreaking havoc with the three bouquets i was carrying. tissue paper blew away, flowers broke, hearts broke. it wasn't pretty.
5. when i started cooking, i realized that the stock of vinegar in my cabinet did not include enough white vinegar for the pickled baby bok choy. grocery-store-trip number five, thank you very much. as side note number two, the (straight male) iranian clerk at the store gave me a chocolate heart and said "happy valentine's day!!" this made me very happy.

other than that, everything went great. elaine loved the meal i cooked (see below) and cried when i gave her a set of home-made valentine's day gift certificates (you know – one nice massage, one dinner at the slanted door, two falafels at my favorite place in paris, etc.).

and then there was the creme brulee. this was a first for both of us, and elaine had purchased one of those little torches from sur la table to caramelize our tasty dessert treat. suffice it to say that neither of us was exactly a pro when it came to these mini torches. first, we struggled to fill it with butane (it kept overflowing despite not being full). then, when trying to light the flame, nothing really happened. or, rather, nothing happened at first.

elaine was flipping switches and pushing buttons, and high-pressure butane was squirting out the nozzle (unlit) into the sink. after a couple of attempts in a similar vein, with no ignition, the flame finally lit, with one rather dramatic effect: it ignited the vapor cloud of butane that had been collecting over the sink from all of the liquid butane we had been squirting into it. said vaporcloud of flame covered both sinks, burned half the hair off elaine's right arm, singed her sweater, and nearly gave me a heart attack.

dessert anyone?

happy valentine's day. i think we'll go to mcdonalds next year. ;-)

Posted by docrpm on 02.16.06 at 10:30 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

February 9, 2006

my dinner with andrew

file under: my life

i had dinner with my friend andrew last night, and it was even more fun than the famous film of a somewhat similar name (my dinner with andre). no comparison, actually.

there...i blogged again.

it's been a long time, and i needed to break the silence. many movies and books on the brain, but will have to write about them later. oh yeah, and remind me to talk about trying to fold fitted sheets.

Posted by docrpm on 02.09.06 at 12:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

January 24, 2006

Jimi, de nouveau

file under: my life

Posted by docrpm on 01.24.06 at 11:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

January 19, 2006

another day, another year

file under: my life

and so another year in the life passes. now when people ask the question, i have a shiny new answer, one that's a year closer to a landmark in aging. for anyone who's counting, i'm gonna throw a wake next year, so get ready.

nothing to report after this year, aside from a new job and getting engaged to a wonderful woman. lots of good things. not ready for my Depends™ yet.

Posted by docrpm on 01.19.06 at 10:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

January 7, 2006

aliens in my nose

file under: my life

for those readers who are squeamish or otherwise uninterested in hearing about bodily functions, go ahead and skip this one. alternatively, if you feel like hearing a profound philosophical discourse using something that came out of my nose as a starting point, please continue!

...

every once in awhile, something comes out of your body that looks like it really didn't belong there in the first place. i have to give my body a hand on these occasions for a job well done. it's good to know someone's in charge of keeping things in order. i may not always agree with the timing or manner of ejection, but i can't really complain. after all, body knows best, right?

now, unless you're being used as an incubator for the Alien of movie fame, things your body forcibly ejects are probably going to come out of one of three natural points of egress: nose, mouth, or bowel terminus (aka your bum).

stuff that comes out of your mouth is usually a multicolored mess that could only be mistaken for something living on the rarest of occasions. more often than not, it's just a pile of slop whose character is determined by your most recent dining experience. mmm...spaghetti and spumoni ice cream! on second thought, your mouth can produce one other tasty treat: lung oysters, usually ejected at high velocity after a lung-rattling cough. these don't really look alien per se, although they could be seen as evidence of aliens passing by recently.

on the opposite end of things, what comes out of your bum can vary a bit. if you've been having a tough time of things, colonically speaking, it will probably look similar to mouth-based ejecta, although smell a lot worse. nothing alien here. a second option, if you haven't been eating your fiber but are otherwise healthy, is a pile of very small rocks. finally, if you have been eating your fiber, we can get some primitive life forms; nothing fancy here – think large, slow-moving ground slugs. a gastorenterologist could probably offer a richer taxonomy of bum-based offspring, but i'm trying to keep things simple.

and then we come to the nose. the real aliens, my friends, come out of your nose.

not always. sometimes, your nose is the most benign of orifices, only offering clear liquid when blown vigorously. it just sits there on your face, looking a little odd, maybe offering a glimpse of something it shouldn't, but otherwise, totally harmless.

until it turns itself into an incubator. that's when your nose becomes a threat. think about the inside of your nose: it's hot; it's wet; it's dark. the perfect place for nasty things to happen. imagine an alien planet, with humid, murky swamps filled with horrors H.P. Lovecraft would admire: multi-legged, slimy, tentacled, and thoroughly unprincipled when it comes to things like face eating. that's what's going on in your nose when you've got some virus or bacteria that's decided to use you as a host.

in case you were wondering what brought on these musings about the body, i've been sick for the last few days. elaine and i both got sick on the cruise we took to mexico. talk about a virus factory – cruise ships are the worst combination possible: lots of people and runny-nosed kids, close quarters, everyone living la vida loca and letting down their immune system guard. it's an accident waiting to happen.

anyway, i got a sinus infection, and it was yesterday that my nose produced the foulest, most disgusting creature you have ever seen come out of a hole that small. seeing that green, yellow and red horror made me realize that the insides of our bodies are planets unknown to us, terra incognita that should be labeled profusely with signs that say 'here be monsters.' remember that old movie fantastic voyage? not a trip i want to take. no, i'm happy being on the outside, mostly blind to what's going on behind the scenes until my body decides it's time to share something from the land that is me.

Posted by docrpm on 01.07.06 at 10:03 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

December 22, 2005

Quote me

file under: my life

Posted by docrpm on 12.22.05 at 7:04 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

December 20, 2005

On the bus

file under: my life

Posted by docrpm on 12.20.05 at 9:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

November 16, 2005

phone box

file under: my life

the belly of the beast. it's amazing anything works at all.

Posted by docrpm on 11.16.05 at 11:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Esperpento

file under: my life

had dinner tonight with a good friend at Esperpento in the mission. this photo was hanging in the hallway by the bathroom. tios translates as aunt and uncle. maybe that's somebody's uncle, although the guy in the back doesn't really look like anyone's aunt.

Posted by docrpm on 11.16.05 at 10:38 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

October 13, 2005

the daily commute

file under: my life

for three years, i worked at home (most of the time). my daily commute consisted of rubbing my eyes, crawling out of bed, and ambling across the room (or through the house) to my computer. maybe i had an early conference call, maybe i didn't. maybe i had to get going early. maybe it just didn't matter. i think what you're sensing is that the pace of my life was, more or less, my own.

and then i got a real job. and a real commute.

...

the days of working in my pajamas ended, and i had to adjust my life accordingly. the commute adjustment was one of the more radical changes. no more sleepy-eyed swaggers across the bedroom. no, i had to get with the program and get my rear in transportation gear. as it turns out, i work in a part of town where parking runs about $300/month, which is a little rich for my blood. so that means public transportation is a part of my everyday life.

out the door. down the hill. wait for the MUNI. get on a crowded bus. get off at 24th street BART. wait. get on a train. get off the train. walk 10 minutes to my office. up the elevator. across the office to my desk. best-case scenario: 30 minutes, door to door. worst-case scenario, one hour (usually at night or early in the morning, when public transportation runs less frequently).

i like the whole theory of public transportation. it saves energy, pools resources, and brings people closer together in their daily routines. and then, of course, there is the practice of it all, which diverges just a bit from the theory. i've noticed a few things in these few months on public transport:

1. there's no nice way to put it—some people just stink (literally). and when you're crammed onto a bus or a train like sardines, this fact becomes pretty apparent. elaine gets it a lot worse than i do. she's at about armpit height for most of the stinky dudes, and sometimes you can just see her wilt.
2. standing up on a swaying bus is overrated. ditto for the train.
3. contrary to popular belief, reading on public transportation, particularly while standing up, is not easy.
4. when you're late for work, the bus is too. which makes you even later than you already were.
5. there is an inverse correlation between enjoyable weather conditions and how long you have to wait for the bus. the colder and darker it is, the longer you'll wait. ditto if it's scorching and humid.
6. the toughest thing to do after a long hard day at work is slog through the trenches of public transportation to get home. usually, you just want to be there.
7. public transportation brings out both the best and the worst in people. one the one hand, you've got perverts who can't leave women well enough alone. on the other, you've got people who give up their seats for old folks and pregnant women. it's a really mixed bag of humanity.

the thing i find most interesting about public transportation is people watching. i try to see if they look happy or sad, resigned or vacant. most of the time, people just look numb and vacant to me (if they're traveling alone). they could be having the best or worst day of their lives; i'd never know. for the most part, i think people like to put on their poker faces and hide in the crowd. in big cities, at least, i'd guess most people have no interest in meeting anyone else on the bus or train. they meet enough people. they just want to get from point A to point B.

point A to point B. it doesn't sound very far when you say it that way. it sounds like a safe little jaunt. maybe that's why people do what they do on their commutes: they try to make things as mundane as possible so it just feels easy, like going from A to B.

Posted by docrpm on 10.13.05 at 10:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

October 4, 2005

the music of chance

file under: my life

every once in awhile, i see things that are pure accident, yet seem like they could not have been staged better. i've always felt it's important to keep my eyes open for these things, because they're everywhere. you could devote an entire blog, an entire library, to the beauty that lives in everyday randomness.

Posted by docrpm on 10.04.05 at 8:14 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

September 26, 2005

palm springs in '05

file under: my life

my uncle boyd turned 75 this year. his partner ron threw a bug shindig in palm springs (where they live). elaine and i went to celebrate, along with about 327 of his other friends. it was a great time, all documented for posterity in a docrpm photo album that i'll call ryan, elaine, boyd, ron, and 327 of their closest friends.

Posted by docrpm on 09.26.05 at 10:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

September 25, 2005

camp mather and yosemite

file under: my life , travel

elaine and i visited camp mather and yosemite back in August. our friends paul and julia had rented a cabin for themselves and their two girls, but still had extra space. they were kind enough to invite us along, and we accepted, not really knowing what to expect.

camp mather has a long history dating back to the construction of O'Shaughnessy Dam and Hetch Hetchy reservoir, where it was used as a sawmill and a place for interested tourists to stay during construction of the dam. today, it's used as a recreational park for residents of san francisco. they have a highly competitive lottery every year for spots at the camp, and apparently it's always packed. well, it certainly was when we were there.

what follows are some of the highlights of the trip. of course, i documented nearly everything in a photo journal of camp mather and yosemite.

...

hetch hetchy and wapama falls
i'd known for some time that hetch hetchy was the primary source of san francisco's water, but didn't know much past that. i had never bothered to even see exactly where it was (it's in the northwestern part of yosemite).

it is a truly spectacular sight. of course, it should be—when the reservoir was created, it submerged an entire valley that was supposedly prettier than yosemite valley (25 miles to the south).
the dam itself is no Hoover, by any means, but it's still pretty grand. you can drive all the way up and walk out on top; look east and you see hetch hetchy reservoir stretching into the distance; look west, and you see the valley carved by the waterfall that used to be there.

i took a total of three trips up to Hetch Hetchy while at camp mather; it's only 8 miles away, after all.

the first trip, elaine and i went up with paul and did some stargazing on the dam at night (faciltiated by camp mather; the park is normally closed at night). one highlight was the bear we saw on the road on the way up. the bats were out in force once it got dark, which meant no mosquitoes, and the stars were bright. it was a great evening.

our second trip was for a hike that elaine and i took to wapama falls (~6 miles total). it's an easy hike along hetch hetchy that provides spectacular views or kolana rock and the falls. based on behavior we saw on our way in and out i would, however, like to make a few observations:

1. no swmming in the reservoir also means no swimming in the waterfalls that feed the reservoir. i saw a whole family disrobe and jump right in, just like it was the swimmin' hole back on the farm (or something).


2. guys, don't let your girlfriends take the hike in cute little sandals (no matter how well they coordinate with the rest of her outfit)


3. girls, don't listen to your boyfriends or spouses or resident male experts when they say "it's not that far – why are you wearing hiking boots and carrying water? you must think i'm a sissy or something."


4. dads, don't make your kids and/or wives carry gallon containers of water without backpacks; bad form, really...

the third trip was a day hike with john, paul, and their three girls, collectively. this was on the next–to–last day, and the ladies had gone off to do their own thing, leaving us with the kids. we figured this little excursion had the lowest probably of collective meltdown, with a good exit strategy. right on both counts: the girls loved the dam, and nobody melted down (except for a brief rampup to critical mass right before we left).

bridalveil falls
i hadn't been to bridalveil since i was a kid, so didn't really know what to expect. well, i can tell you at least one thing to expect: hordes. it was really pretty ridiculous how many people were there. it makes sense when you consider that you can park within 1/4 mile of the falls, and there is a paved, relatively flat path that leads right up to it. in a nutshell, beautiful, but jammed. the mist that sprays off the top of the falls pretty much makes up for it.

we went with paul, julia and kids, btw, expecting to continue for a short hike in the afternoon, but there was a meltdown at lunch, and they had to retreat back to camp. this is one thing we came to realize about having kids: you are not the master of your own destiny. you may think you are, but you're not. one second, everything is fine, and the next, there's screaming and shrieking and a black cloud of armageddon approaching.

we continued on to vernal falls...

vernal falls
this is a fantastic but strenuous hike. it's about 4 miles roundtrip, with perhaps a 1500 ft. vertical ascent to the falls. from that point, you can continue on to nevada falls and the john muir trail, or turn around and go back. the hike is a steep ascent along a dusty paved path; at some point, you reach a bridge that crosses the outlet from the falls, complete with bathrooms and drinking fountain. keep on heading up, and you'll eventually hit the mist trail, a beautiful section of the hike where you're showered with mist from the falls. odds are that at this point you'll be rewarded with not only a spectacular view of the falls, but also rainbows that bloom from the pond beneath. a last push up a steep set of stairs and a rock trail leads to the top of the falls. railings are provided so you can stand right next to the falls and look over the edge, along the mist trail and down the valley you just hiked up.

this trail was packed, too. jammed with people, many of whom were clearly not equipped for the hike. they were expecting a stroll along a nice little path, not a trudge up a 30 degree incline in the heat, followed by endless, steep stone stairs leading up to a narrow, rocky trail winding its way up to the falls. i heard one girl exclaim, "that was horrible!" as she trudged down the mountain. another girl coming down from the top had no shoes on (her sandals presumably didn't cut it; i saw them in her bag). i don't mind everyone and their uncle seeing the beauty of the great outdoors, but at least think about it for 12 seconds before you go out. please. if you feel down those stairs, you wouldn't just take yourself out; you'd nail about 10 other people as you went down.

sentinel dome
john, paul and i took a hike to sentinel dome one day, followed by a journey down to glacier point. sentinel dome is a bit of a drive from camp mather; maybe 45 minutes. once at the trailhead, it's only a 20 minute hike up to the dome, and an easy one at that. once on the dome, you're offered a spectacular view of half dome, vernal falls, nevada falls, upper and lower yosemite falls, and much of the valley. i recommend the hike highly.

as far as the hike to glacier point...this is another one of those packed destinations, jammed with people. it's an amazing view, but not really any better than sentinel dome. if you feel like avoiding the crowds, i'd skip it.

on our way back from the dome, we stopped in yosemite valley to see if we could catch a sight of some climbers on el capitan. as luck would have it, we did. we managed to spy a small crew of three or four making their way up the monolith. all i can really say is, "wow." those guys have cojones the size of the rock of gibraltar. either that, or they're really, really dumb.

camp mather
the camp itself is pretty nice. it's nestled in the trees, and has lots of facilities (lake, swimming pool, tennis courts, horse stables, archery range, baseball field). it also has a huge dining hall where they serve three meals a day (and the food is good, as far as these things go). the cabins themselves are pretty small, sparse, no running water, naked lightbulbs, no amenities; i think there are several different types of cabins on the grounds, but i can only comment on the one we stayed in. last but not least, communal bathrooms and showers, as well as a laundry room.

a few points, not in any order:

1. you've never seen so many bikes in your life. this place was like huffy heaven. the road past our cabin became a racetrack for the week we were there.
2. the only thing that surpasses screaming kids is screaming parents. i never saw so many parents over the edge in my life.
3. kids are always just a step or two away from completely ruining their parent's lives, or at least trying to. the periodic (and carefully timed) meltdown is de rigeur if you're under the age of 10. i swear they're like dogs—they sense fear and weakness.

***

we had a great time. i'm not sure we'll go back again before we have kids, but i heartily recommend camp mather if it's something that sounds appealing.

Posted by docrpm on 09.25.05 at 3:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

September 3, 2005

Kenny lives

file under: my life

For every station, there is a theme. Powell in sf exploits south park. Or is it the other way?

Posted by docrpm on 09.03.05 at 12:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

August 19, 2005

say 'aaaah'

file under: my life

i went in for my less–than–annual physical today. it was about as good as it gets, as far as these things go, but i left feeling no more confident about my health.

my last visit to the doctor was underwhelming. i wasn't feeling well, and finally elaine encouraged me to go for a visit. while not quite as difficult as moving the mountain to mohammed, it was pretty close. i don't like going to the doctor. in any case, i went with my list of complaints, and in the space of 10 minutes, i had as many referrals, got a swift handshake, and was out the door for a blood test. this was after i waited in the lobby for 30 minutes because my doctor was late getting to work. my basic reaction: "um....so why did i come to see you again?"

things were better this time. i only waited 5 minutes in the lobby, after which i was escorted to the flesh–toned examination room. i stripped down to shorts and t-shirt, waited 15 minutes while reading Time magazine (an interview of Michael Bay by David Ansen – riveting), then had my physical.

the exam itself probably took about 10 minutes. open your mouth and say "aaaaah". breath deeply, breathe normally, breathe deeply. blood pressure check (125/70!!!). a quick peek in the ears. a few prods of the neck and stomach looking for weird protuberances. "anything else bothering you?" my request for a PSA test, followed by brief discussion, a quick lube and a finger (or two or three) up the bum, and then positive assurances that everything looked good (so to speak).

[as an aside, i should note that he actually asked if it was ok to do the lube–and–poke before he did it...i thought that was very kind on the one hand, and slightly odd on the other. i mean, isn't it his job to stick his fingers up people's bums? it would be like me asking a client, "so is it ok if i ask you about what you want to do with your Web site?" ]

and that was it.

how much can you really tell about someone with this type of exam? i'd guess not much. you're gonna catch major physiological dysfunction, but other stuff is just gonna fall through the cracks. the human body is too complex to augur with such a simple exam.

the other thing that was on my mind through all this was the fundamental frailty of humans. a close friend of mine found this out a few days ago...his wife had a headache, started getting sick (vomiting and everything beyond), and went to the hospital. diagnosis: brain aneurysm. she had to have 4 hours of brain surgery, and is doing well, but in intensive care. she's 40, in good health, active...doesn't matter. she almost died, with little or no warning, and with no severe misbehavior on her part.

i've been thinking about her for days, hoping that it will all be ok. maybe it will, maybe it won't. we think it's up to us to decide, but only to a point. only to a point....

Posted by docrpm on 08.19.05 at 5:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

August 18, 2005

night life

file under: my life

the simple things seem to become more intense as life goes on. these moments feel like edward hopper without the sadness; bittersweet, without the bitter.

maybe it's just a bunker mentality, an escape into the warm glow of home, with work and war and wilderness left outside. maybe it's age. whatever it is, i know i'm lucky.

of course, this simplicity will all change, like everything does, but that will be good, too. every once in awhile, it's just good to open the eyes, see the moment, savor it.

Posted by docrpm on 08.18.05 at