Four King Beach

Then, Our Eyes Met

2011-12-18T08:53:00.000-08:00

The room is 15 feet across by 20 feel long. The couch and computer are opposite the far walls. The back computer chair faces the couch.

At the computer end, there is a 10 foot opening to the dining room then kitchen. The couch end has a normal doorway with a pocket door. It is always open.

I talk to the missus, who is behind me on the couch, facing the computer. Unable to actually see her. She speaks to the back of my chair. Not optimal but it works. It is like talking on the phone. In the olden days when people talked on the phone. Inflection without expression.

It is morning. I have lounging pants and a long sleeve shirt on. I am wearing slippers. The missus has a sweatshirt and pajama pants. She is wearing pink Crocs.

It is a chilly morning. The heater is not working optimally these days. Service will be here in a few days. The finger are slow to react still.

We are drinking coffee. A rich French roast made smooth by an organic liquid vanilla creamer. The coffee was just made with an Italian instant espresso machine. Today, we have two medium length espressos in our cups. Bold and strong but not bitter like a shorter espresso.

My cup is empty. I turn to face the missus and chat momentarily.

She rises form the couch.

I rise form the computer chair.

Our eyes meet. Our stare lingers for a moment.

I look towards the espresso machine.

She follows my gaze.

Our eyes meet again.

Espresso Machine.

Us.

Espresso Machine.

We launch towards the kitchen.

I have twice the distance to cover. By back creaks. My feet are like heavy like stones. I try not to lose my slippers.

I race.

The missus smite in her victory places her cup on the built in warmer. I said it is Italian, they know coffee. The missus saunters off down the hall. I, first runner up, make my consolation coffee, two medium length espressos.

A simple trip to Chipotle

2011-11-19T14:33:00.001-08:00

"Hi, are you a Jew Dyke?"
"Huh? Excuse me?"
"W.h.a.t w.o.u.l.d. l.i.k.e.?"

"Oh, A chicken burrito."
"We like your eyes?"
"Thanks."
"???"
"What?"
"W.h.i.t.e o.r. b.r.o.w.n. r.i.c.e.?"
"Oh, white please"

"Can I see your feet?"
"No!"
"Sagitarian?"
"What?"
"W.h.a.t. k.i.n.d.. o.f. m.e.a.t.?"
"Sorry, Chicken please."

"Wood made of balsa."
"Nice"
"Excuse me?"
"What?"
"W.h.a.t. k.i.n.d. o.f. s.a.l.s.a.?"
"Pico de gallo, and the top two"
"What's new?"
"What?"
"W.h.i.c.h. s.a.l.s.a.?"
"T.h.e. T.o.p. T.w.o." {Grunt} {point}{point}

"Our meals are very holy!"
"Why?"
"What?"
"I. a.m. s.o.r.r.y. I c.a.n't. u.n.d.e.r.s.t.a.n.d. y.o.u."
"W.o.u.l.d. y.o.u. l.i.k.e. g.u.a.c.a.m.o.l.e.?"
"No!" {shakes head}

{point at sour cream}
{shake my head}

"Can I have some lettuce please?"
{5 shreds of lettuce tosses on top}
{sigh}

"For here is to throw"
"What?"
{wife} "To go"

"Drinks?"
"No, thanks."
{wife} "Yes"

"Your change..."
"Thanks"
"Thank you"
"No, thank you"
{flirty laughs}

{wife} {Eye Roll}

This Chipotle has to have the worst acoustics of any. Small, Cramped and Loud!

Sherry Notes

2011-10-31T11:57:00.000-07:00

What are sherry notes?

What does it mean to say a beer has sherry notes?

One of the flavor descriptors / descriptions that I often hear when tasting beers is "Sherry Notes" Hell, I even use them myself and do not really know what I mean. Well, I do know what I mean but that is not necessarily what other folks mean.

When I say Sherry Note, I usually mean it has some molasses like flavor that is kind of sweet. Sometimes like brown sugar and a little syrupy sweet. Like it feels a little thick or heavy on the tongue. Usually, this is not a bad thing.

I searched Google for some time trying to figure out what people mean when they say a beer has Sherry Notes. I found thousands of references but just a few had any descriptors. very often they mean something different. It seems many of us craft beer drinkers use the term but it means something different.

Much of the time, we are referring to an oxidized characteristic of the beer. What is oxidation? Very generally, it is when molecules are changed or altered by the presence of oxygen In beer, it depends on what the oxygen is contacting. Different elements in beer produce different oxidation compounds. One of which can be "Sherry Notes".

So, what is Sherry? Very simply, it is grapes made into wine and allowed to... oxidize. Sherry can be super-d-duper dry or thick and maple syrup sweet.

What is dry? Dry is basically a void of sweet. Sweet plays nice with your palate and coats it with pleasurable goodness. A Dry Sherry has little or no sweetness so the acidic properties dry out your mouth and the tart or astringent properties have free run. Dry supposedly allows you to experience more of the complex flavors in the wine.

What is astringent or tart? It is that puckering thing you get when you drink a dry Sherry :)

So, what is a Sherry Note?

Depends on what Sherry is to you :)

I find that darker beers to to exhibit more of these over time. Quite often just saying Sherry notes is not all that helpful. I described my aged smoked porter as having Sherry notes but I went on to suggest caramel, syrup, dried fruits like figs and a slight nuttiness like toasted almonds.

From my internet research, I found these common descriptors of Sherry. Maybe they can help you find that flavor you are banging your head trying to describe.

Sherry on the dry side are said to have:
Green Apple
Almonds
Green Olives
Mushrooms
Slightly Oceanlike - Freshly opened oysters, Salty
Soy Sauce

On the Sweeter side, Sherry is said to have:
Hazlenuts
Wood - Ceder
Honey
Raisins
Caramel
Orange / Orange Peel

Aged Sherry is said to have more sweeteness from more oxidation:
Walnuts
Roasted nuts
Fruits - Figs, Dried Fruit, Prunes, Cherries
Maple Syrup
Darkly cooked sugar. almost burnt (Toffee)
Dark Molasses
Blackberry

Props to folks from my time working at I. Magnin

2011-10-08T09:46:00.000-07:00

I worked for I. Magnin from 1981 to 1992. I would like to recognize a few of the folks who helped shape my life.

12/14/1981 - 2/86- Carmel
Carol Seres was one of the greatest, kindest people I ever encountered and I am forever a better person from her guidance. Not much more can be said. Carol was and will always be one of the most important people in my life.

John Wraith was a kind and generous soul who mentored me and helped me grow. John's strong spiritual believe never stuck with me but the ethic and drive to excel did. I believe I did something great at the Stanford store and owe much of that success to you.

Mimi Burden, thank you for believing in my and giving me the chance to change the direction of my life. I was forever changed!

Michiko Morris, I had such a memorable time working with you. I have never had someone I enjoyed spending my workday with as much as you. Bringing me lunch so often had nothing to do with it, I swear :)

Diane aka Lady Di, I had such a crush on you. We had iced tea in your garden. I was extremely shy and probably uttered nonsense the entire time. I have a permanent mental picture of that day. It is a great memory.

Kelly Harris, thank you for recommending and vouching for me to start my career and setting my path to excel at every job and career I have had. Lori was a beautiful part of my life I will never forget.

2/86 - 11/88 - Stanford
Myra Lessner made my life miserable in a good way. I was shy and unable to communicate in groups and, well, with women. Myra's love for entertaining and skits helped me overcome some of it.

Stacy/Trixie, Christy??, Mar Mar, Marcia and the woman I remember so well but forget your name (from Carmel), and the names I forget.. We had great time and I apologize for my dorky shyness.

My team, I forget so many names now but remember every face. Two of my best folks I just can't remember their names but I can recall these Patricia, Pat, Michael. It was a great time!

11/88 - 6/92 Help Desk/IT SF China Basin/Union Square
Fred Davis was a start influence on me. Fred recognized my talent for technology and allowed me to grow. I would have never met my lovely and talented wife if not for your trusting in me back in 1988. I would have never spent the next 23 years in technology careers (I love and hate you sometimes :) ). Of course you started me on a path to appreciate good wine too.

Brian Dowey changed my life in two ways. He introduced me to craft beer and hockey. I have forever since been a fan of both and, of course, am now a amateur craft brewer myself. Go Sharks!

There are many more who I remember for fond and great memories like the Mens Manger at Stanford. We had some memorable laughs. Manny from Women's Shoes. Among the fun stories, we had some fun cars too :) Kate from Carmel, you have always been just awesome to me. My friends in SF. So many friends.

And Fred, I was no Casanova but it felt kinda good having peeps thinking so. Luckily, sending me to the Sherman Oaks store changed my life forever. That was my one Casanova moment and I married that delightful woman and am thankful nearly every day :)

Jmeter Random Transactions and Sharing Variables Between Thread Groups

2011-10-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

I am using Jmeter to test applications on my web server. I ran into some scenarios that Jmeter could not natively support.

Problem 1. I want to sent out certainly requests randomly.
Problem 2. I need two thread groups and group #2 needs variable data from group 1.
Problem 3. I need elapsed time for all objects in a controller to complete

Problem 1
This was a rather simple solution that eventually came to me based on some other actions I was performing.
- I added a loop controller
- I added a child If Controller
- I added a child Interleave Controller
- I added transactions in the Interleave Controller
- I created a global user defined variable for the high value of the random number generator range
- I added a BSF Preprocessor
Language: Javascript
The script consisted of
rand1 = vars.get("randomto");   //get the global variable for the random number range
var randomx=Math.floor(Math.random()*randt);   //pick a number between 0 and the end of range
vars.put("GR",randomx);   //share the random number with the thread
- In the If Controller, the condition is ("${GR}" == "1"). If the random number picked is 1, the first transaction from the interleave controller will be sent. Next time it is matched, the second. And so on.

Each loop cycle, a new random number is selected for each thread. This is compared to the If Controller value (I use 1 as shown above). If they match, the If Controller is executed. If not, it is skipped.

I use 1 as a matching criteria so I can control the frequency down to 50%.   Normally I use a 1% chance to send transactions. I set the user defined variable "randomto" to 100. The javascript will pick a number between 0 and 99 giving me a 1% chance.

Problem 2
Problem 2 required a bit more thought. Eventually, I came up with a perfectly working solution for my needs.

I needed three sets of variable data from thread group 1 available to thread group 2. The variable data is thread dependent so thread 1-1 has three variables that thread 2-1 uses.

My users log in and get a session ID. They then use this session ID to authenticate to a webapp service on the same server. They are assigned a second session ID with that service. The login response also provides the client with their user number. All requests include the user number. Requests for for the first app, APP1, include SessionID1 and requests to APP2 include SessionID2. Again, these are all unique per thread/user.

My solution was to use Jmeter Property Variables in a unique way.

I use a CSV Data Set Config to read username and password from a CSV file. I assign these to global variables username,password. I limit the Sharing Mode to Current Thread Group.
(Note: I have a lot more error handling logic than I indicate in this posting)

When the client logs in to APP1, I use a Regular Expression Extractor to assign the SessionID1 to a thread variable.

I then use a Beanshell Assertion to set a Jmeter property value. I create a unique property value by joining the name "sessionidx" with the "username" variable which comes out like sessionidx.123456789
${__setProperty(sessionidx.${username}, ${SESSIONID1})};

In the second thread group, when I need to send SessionID1, use the variable
sessionid=${__property(sessionidx.${username})}

Problem 3
I needed to wait a period of time from when I received request response to sending a followup request. basically I sent a request and receive a request ID. I then later send a cancel to that request ID. I wanted to wait 15 seconds before sending the followup. In the meantime, I want the thread to continue sending other requests.

My solution was to use a BSF Pre Processor to set thread variables before I run the initial transaction, then use a BSF Post Processor to calculate the elapsed time. I use a If Controller to test if the elapsed time is greater than my configured time. If so, execute the If Controller and cancel my open request.

Script to get current timestamp:
var n=new Date();
var tnow= n.getTime();
vars.put("tnow", tnow);

Script to get elapsed time:
var n=new Date();
var tnow = eval(args[0]);
if ( tnow > 0 )
{
var t2=tnow;
}
else
{
var t2 = n.getTime();
}
var s= n.getTime();
var diff = s - t2;
vars.put("elapsed", diff);

The elapsed time is pushed to a thread variable.

The condition in the IF controller tests for the existence of a request ID for that thread and if so, is the elapsed time greater than 15 seconds. If so, execute the If Controller.

There we have it. My low tech solutions to my Jmeter challenges!
(("${requestid}" != "")) && ((${elapsed}>15000))

My Heart Skipped A beat. All Beats.

2011-10-01T10:27:00.000-07:00

Last night I was laying in bed. Not asleep. Yet. Stressing over the work. Thinking how insufferable some people are.

Then...

Thunk..

My heart stopped beating. One big one then nothing. I waited... And waited..

I think I am dying. Maybe. It doesn't feel like it. It doesn't hurt. I can think. I am not getting fuzzy. I am not fading away.

I never died before. I don't know what it is like. I am not scared. I am curious. Will my heart start again?

I take a deep breath and hold it. Listening for a heartbeat. I don't hear it in my ears. I don't feel it. I am still waiting for things to get fuzzy. For pain. For something. Nothing. I wait.

I turn over. I am thinking I can move so I must be getting blood to my brain and limbs. I take another deep breath and hold it. Still nothing. I can usually feel or hear it. My heartbeat. But zilch. Still not fuzzy and still no pain. This death thing is not so bad.. Yet?

I faded to sleep I think. Or just passed on. I don't know. I don't have the "being dead" manual. I am not in a waiting room with other dead people. I dream of other, non "being dead" stuff.

I woke up this morning. I went potty. Do dead people do that? I took my daily medication. Do I need it anymore? I made me a double espresso from my Italian coffee machine. Even dead people should enjoy espresso! I turned on the computer and logged into work. I think this is how it all started in the first place...

I am checking stuff and replying, sarcastically, to email.

I started to wonder if I am one of those people who are dead but don't know it. Is this how it is? You just continue on? Until?

I have not seen other people who have died before me. I thought I would. I am alive then?

So, if you can read this then either we are both dead and don't know it or we are not.

If I am dead, we are having a beautiful day on the other side.

Note: This is 100% factual.

I'm not ready

2011-09-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

On August 8, 2011 I received the tragic call. Not from my sister who I was always prepared to get the call from, but from my brother. In Oregon. The hospital called her. She called him. He called me. My mom. was. in. ICU.

In ICU they said my mom had basically died and was shocked back to a thread of life by the hospital staff. I cannot make any sense of why they continued for so long but after15 minutes of doing the things they did, they managed the weakest of heartbeats. Just enough to connect life support. She had a number of illnesses and while not well, she was not terminal and was expected to go home in a few days. She was only there to help get the edema water from her legs and abdomen. Then, her kidneys could not longer take the strain of the treatment and they started dialysis. Something she knew was hanging over her head for a long time but have lived a balancing act to control her diabetes, kidneys and heart failure. None were swell but all were in check.

I truly believe she decided it was her time to go. Rather than continue on with the hardships and challenges she lived with plus the dialysis, she slipped away peacefully, asleep only to be shocked back to the thread of life. There really is no comfort having to go to the hospital and see the shocking image of my mom connected to the machines and having life forced upon her. She had been gone 15 minutes. The said her brain was, well, basically dead. If she were to survive off life support, she would be in a vegetive(sp?) state. All I could think was "Really? This is why you tortured this poor women?". So, with her close family at her side, I took her off the life support machines and she died... again. This is really over rated and I would have been perfectly happy never having to experience this. But I did and it sucks.

That next night, I saw the only shooting star I would see for the entire meteor shower. I think that was her rocketing throughout the universe to explore and adventure. I think this is a fine thing to think and is just as good as anything else.

It took me a couple weeks but I eventually finished her obituary notice to be published in the Monterey Herald. I was rather shocked at the cost to run it. They really to seem to hit you when you are down. So, I edited it. A lot. Too much. I didn't like it so much. Not at all really. Here is the original. It too is an abridged version of what I started with but was happy with the length and content. For a newspaper.

Barbara spent her early years in Freedom, CA being cherished by her Grandma Silveira. At 16, she fell for a suave and handsome disk jockey and was soon married. She spent a few years living with family in Monterey, CA before moving with her husband and three children to Marina, CA in 1964. Barbara helped in the kids schools and was universally loved by all the kids. Many kids,“orphans” as she would call them, would seek refuge in her house always welcome and always fed. For many years, Barbara was a well known personality in the city often befriending local politicians contributing to local politics through their informal encounters. Barbara,“Bubbles”, spent time working with the city historical committee. Barbara spent most of her years adoring and caring for her family who will greatly miss her.

Barbara is survived by her husband of 53 years Nate Aiello, daughter Wanda Aiello, sons Nate Aiello Jr. of Medford, OR and Joe Aiello of San Jose, CA, 5 grandchildren Samantha, Tabitha, Nick (Jackson), Vinnie and Kate (Kat)

A friend sent me a message the other day offering condolences. He was very kind.

I thought "I'm not ready".

Several people have sent messages since she died. I don't think I replied. I wasn't ready.

I'm not ready.

I don't know.

I don't know.

What to do today?

2011-09-10T10:23:00.000-07:00

I wasted my first couple hours on the computer looking at Google +, Facebook and Twitter with a little youtube thrown in. I wonder how folks like Steve Jobs start their Saturday. Are the uber successful lazy bums like me on a Saturday morning? Does Jobs ponder his last obsessive design to be released, the Iphone 5?

To be fair to myself, I did get up at 7 AM and get showered and dressed for the day. I listened to some Dr. Dre + Eminem + Skylar Grey (Damn she kicks ass) and pondered my last beer I brewed. Monitoring the mash temp from the top I observed the temp drop a couple degrees early then much more rapidly in the last 15 minutes but the internal showed a pretty steady temp. maybe 1 degree drop.

This made me ponder reality a bit. If I had only looked at the surface temp I would have believed the entire mash temp had dropped 8F over the hour. Had I only looked at the internal temp, I would believed the whole mash was a steady temp. Two different realities I could argue as the whole story.

This made me think how simple we humans are. As long as we have a shred of reality, we can assume and fully believe all of it is real and true. Simple and so easily manipulated. This made me think of 9/11 and the terrorists. How easy were they manipulated? How easy is it to manipulate those drawn to ground zero?

This made me think of something I remember the late Freddie Mercury one say. It was something like this "The reason we're successful? My overall charisma, of course". Charismatic people tend to attract followers. I really liked Bill Clinton. He was quite charismatic. Looking back, I am not sure I would be so keen on everything he did.

After all this thinking, I did realize I need to add some dry hops to my happily, charismatic beer. That is one thing to do today. Another is to shop for a new BBQ. Mine is 20 years old and is still working quite well but needs about $100 in repair. Replace or repair is the question. It is a Weber and is remarkably well constructed. If replaced, it will be with another Weber!

I think I will prepare another double espresso and watch some US Open Tennis and think more about what else I can do today.

My thought at this moment "Smack that, all on the floor".

My Stir Crazy popcorn popper

2011-09-09T18:53:00.000-07:00

Nearly three years ago I took a quick video of my Westbend Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper. We love out Stir Crazy and use it all the time. It is quite east to use and makes yummy popcorn. What better way to show my admiration of it than to post it to youtube.com. So, I did.

I am surprised how popular the video is. It is not viral or have monster view counts but at 20,000 views to date, I think it is pretty cool how many folks have viewed it. I was surprise how many sites have links to it too. It is all rather fun if you ask me.

The Stir Crazy is basically an automatic popper like in the theaters but the stirrer is on the bottom and the popcorn fills the dome. We dollop too much butter on the top which has holes for the steam to escape and melt the butter so it drips down on the popcorn. We tried butter in the pan but it made scrunchy shriveled popcorn. We like it large and fluffy.

We like to use Mortons popcorn salt which is very fine. We flip the popper so all the popcorn is in the dome lid. If we did it right, we don't have popcorn overflowing the dome. We usually transfer it to a large bowl or divide it up so everyone has some in their distant corners of the giant sectional couch. I have embedded the video here if you have not seen it and want to. profiter le pop-corn!

Chatting with Dad

2011-09-06T18:48:00.000-07:00

Dad is 81 this year. He has had a few setbacks the last couple years and is slowly recovering from a few illnesses and maladies. It is tough to see how long it takes for someone so close to you to recover to normal. Normal is now a moving target. Dad of 81 is not dad of 75 or 70 or before.

Over the last few years my dad has held fewer conversations. Dad spent a few years in the Navy back in the Korean war. Working fire crew on the deck of a destroyer damaged his hearing for life. As he aged, his hearing diminished. Hearing aids help but he seems to struggle with them and holding a conversation. Granted my mother and father mostly yelled at each other casting barbs and insults. I could argue that he tuned out and has not really tuned back in.

Over the years, dad has told a number of stories and recounted experiences of his past. I remember a few and forgot most. While dad was spending a couple months in the hospital recovering from some illness(es), we found that on morphine, he was rather chatty. Much more so than at home. I took the opportunity to take some videos in the hospital. Unfortunately, they all did not save but a couple did.

When he got home, I asked him about a couple things he had mentioned in the past. Here are a couple stories he shared with us.

Friday, September 30, 1955. Dad is attending Radio and Television broadcasting school in Hollywood. Dad and some friends drive back to Monterey to visit friends and family for the weekend. He is passed by James Dean and later passes the crash site. Ignore my attempts to mislead him on the highways. Highway 5 was built years later.

October 1955. Dad is heading back to Hollywood after visiting Monterey on another weekend. He recounts an experience with an Unidentifed Flying Object, UFO, near Bakersfield, CA.

I visit dad around once a week. Every visit I keep working with him have a conversation. He is coming around more and more. I plan to record some of his stories like when he was a golf caddy in Pebble Beach for Johnny Weissmuller and Bing Crosby.

Beers for Cheers fundraiser May 21, 2011

2011-06-01T21:43:00.000-07:00

Here is a recap of the event we had to raise money for my daughters cheer leading team.

The event was a huge success and a great success for homebrewing. I spent 4 hours pouring 6 homebrews. Four of my own and two donated by a great friend and the person who I learned to brew from.

I had planned to be mostly beer pouring labor but quickly found that folks had great interest beyond the basic beer drinking. Folks were interested in each beer. The aromas, layers of flavor. They wanted to know about the ingredients and the process . There was always a crowd of both men and women . It is always fun when the women, used to the disappointment of common light american lagers, sample the variety and find such goodness could be ad in craft beer.

My time was half beer education, history and enlightenment of homebrewing and half tasting and experiencing the various different beers. The folks who attended were really enthusiastic about the beers and amazed such high quality beer could be made at home. I am chartered to brew for a couple summer parties already :)

My friend donated an 11 month old Black IPA and a 9 month old Mild Brown. They were perfect examples of how delightfully beer ages and good brewing practices and sanitation produced beers that is good to the last pint far into the future. My beers were brewed between February and April giving a contrast of newer and fresher beers. They were all well consumed!

We raised about $550 for the cheer squad. That is 1% of the goal. Beers, Brats, Dogs and picnic fare at $10 / person was a good deal. It was suggested by many that the finely crafted beers alone was worth double the price. The folks really inflated my ego and certainly made me feel like a better brewers than I am.

Simple Beer Poll

2010-12-31T17:07:00.000-08:00

This poll has been up for 20 months now. I occasionally get a new entries but is it pretty slow. Feel free to vote on your beer preference.

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How I manually add apps to my Droid phone

2010-12-14T21:24:00.000-08:00

Update 12/31/2010. It is even easier...

On the phone, Allow non-market applications. Go to Settings, Applications and allow Unknown Sources (non-market apps)
Email the APK file to yourself. install the APK file directly from email.

Done!

Uninstall is done through Settings/Applications.

------------------------------------------------

Atypical Cells

2010-09-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

So, the title does not truly mean cancer but is often a precursor and cancer cells are atypical before mutating. Anyway, I read this last week and found it interesting. http://www.newsweek.com/2010/09/07/what-we-can-learn-from-curable-cancers.html. While interesting, it is not what I am thinking.

As I get older, the more I face this disease around me. Sometimes I feel it is a concentric circle with me in the middle. Atypical cells are in orbit around me and it is just a matter of time before that streak across my atmospheric barrier and crash land onto me. Maybe those little dots I see out of the corner of my eye are not just dots. You know those you start seeing more and more as you get older. Now that I am over 40, they seem to happen much more frequently like when I bed over to put on my shoes and stand up. Yes, those!

The older I get the more my personal defense radius declines. The relentless atypical drones get closer and closer. More and more breach the defenses. More and more the chances they will survive the assault and take root. I don't really worry about it. I can't. I can't live in constant fear of something I can not likely change. Still, I can't help wondering if I am the next target or if they will latch onto someone else in the comets tail.

I just hope that if I am ever afflicted with this disease that the doctors will have a better understanding of all out assaults against cancer in adults. And that they are willing and ready to launch it against whatever flavor of the disease I had.

Summer Reading: Diary of Anne Frank

2010-08-01T12:29:00.000-07:00

Finished Diary of Anne Frank. Never read it as a youth. Seaside High was not known for exceptional education and certainly never imposed upon me to read meaningful books or classic literature. Only peripherally aware of Anne Frank's story, I anticipated a dry and slow read of the miserable life in hiding from the Nazis. Oh so wrong was I. A moving book of the psyche of a 12 yr old girl and the inner turmoil that transcends time. Life in captivity was made slightly bearable by the kindness and fundamental good in people sheltering them. I hope it will help me better understand my 12 yr old. While at the final few diary entires, Melissa shares with me the end. Gah! She didn't know how blissfully unaware I was. It didn't spoil it, just changed my anticipation of the last entires. Do read this book. Do!

Phoebe Pry

2010-07-15T07:43:00.000-07:00

Last night, while drinking my simcoe and cascade hopped IPA, I came up with the name Phoebe Pry for my homebrew beers. I immediately renamed the Blur clone I was drinking to Phoebe Pry IPA. Here to forthwith I will refer to my beers with the Phoebe Pry name. My brewery name is still Jomebrew. The beers will be Phoebe Pry beers. Thus, I currently have:

Phoebe Pry Brown Eyes Ale
Not so Phoebe Pry Blonde Ale
Phoebe Pry American Brown
Phoebe Pry Double IPA

Next up is Phoebe Pry Heather Spiced Scottish Ale

Adding Non market Place Apps to my Motorola Droid (android)

2010-07-04T15:26:00.000-07:00

------------------------------------------------

No pictures this time...

I wanted to add a The Brewing Network (http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com) live streaming application taht is not in the Market Place yet. I poked around the interwebz a bit and eventually collected enough information to install non-market place applications. Below is a simple set of procedures that worked for me.

How I installed it on my Droid (same as G1 I am told).

On the phone, Allow non-market applications. Go to Setting, Applications and allow Unknown Sources (non-market apps)
In the Market, search for and install Astro File Manager (it is free).
Connect the Droid to the PC or remove the SD cards and connect it to the PC. This procedure assumes you connected the phone top the PC (using the standard USB cable that came with and powers the phone).
Once connected to the PC, the phone will play a jingle. Select the top Notification bar and click USB Connected. Then click Mount to mount as a USB drive. From here, you need to already know how to access the USB drive.
Copy the apk file (the Brewing Network Streaming file is here: http://bitbucket.org/surye/tbn-streamer/downloads/The%20Brewing%20Network-0.1.apk) to the flash drive. I created a directory named apps and put the apk file there.
Turn off USB Storage on the Droid. Click the Notification bar again and click Turn Off USB storage. Then Click Turn off. It will plan another jingle.
Now, on the Droid, open Astro and navigate to the apk file you just copied
Click the App (The Brewing Network in this case)
Select Open App Manager
Click Install
Click Install again

You can now start the new application. Mine went like this...
Click Open
Click Start Streaming
Pahtay

The Application will be in your main full menu list. You can copy it to one of your quick menus of you desire.

Good Luck!

Brewed a Hoppy Pale Ale - Testing BrewPal on my iPod

2010-02-28T10:32:00.000-08:00

This is the "export" feature from BewPal.

Hoppy Pale

Batch size	5 gallons
Boil size	6.1 gallons
Boil time	60 minutes
Grain weight	12.75 pounds
Efficiency	65%

Original gravity	1.050
Final gravity	1.015
Alcohol (by volume)	4.6%
Bitterness (IBU)	41
Color (SRM)	7.5°L

Yeast
2 liquid packs
White Labs WLP001	California Ale

Grains/Extracts/Sugars
12.75 pounds
Pale Ale 38ppg, 3°L	10 pounds 78.4%
Munich (Light) 34ppg, 10°L	1 pound 7.8%
2 Row Base 37ppg, 1.5°L	1 pound 7.8%
Wheat 38ppg, 2°L	0.5 pounds 3.9%
Crystal 40L 34ppg, 40°L	0.25 pounds 2.0%

Hops
7 ounces
Cascade hops 6%, Pellet	6 ounces
Centennial hops 10%, Pellet	1 ounce

Mash
60 minutes, 8.8 gallons
Strike Target 152°F	4.8 gallons 163°F 60 minutes (+0)
Sparge	4.0 gallons 170°F

Boil
60 minutes, 6.1 gallons
Centennial hops 10%, Pellet	0.5 ounces 60 minutes (+0)
Centennial hops 10%, Pellet	0.5 ounces 15 minutes (+45)
Wort chiller	15 minutes (+45)
Cascade hops 6%, Pellet	2 ounces 10 minutes (+50)
Cascade hops 6%, Pellet	2 ounces 0 minutes (+60)

Ferment
14 days @ 68-73°F
Cascade hops 6%, Pellet	2 ounces 7 days (+7)

My AT&T U-Verse Experience (kinda technical)

2009-11-16T10:35:00.000-08:00

I converted from Comcast to AT&T U-Verse service. I already have AT&T Yahoo DSL so the Internet service was a natural upgrade. I was pretty annoyed with Comcast lately. I was charged some mysterious fee, that ended up being an "in-house wiring" fee, for a many years and had no idea (yes, my fault I know). Lately, the HD channels were disappearing. I had to keep telling my TV to find channels again which wiped out all my preset favorite channels so I have to re-select all my favs again. The TV has also been freezing solid. I think the cable card crashed every few days, not sure about this freeze thing. Plus the guide feature built into my TV stopped working. Comcast could not help with the guide but I eventually figured out that it must use an analog signal which Comcast killed support for a few months ago.

AT&T U-Verse has been pestering me for a while. We were one of the first neighborhoods to get it. I checked online and the current deal was $250 cash back (visa debit card) for TV and Interwebz. I decided to switch. The signup and appointment setup was easy. Unfortunately the installers were an hour later that the 2 hour arrival window and never called. I called after 2 hours and they "could not get in touch" with the installers. They eventually did and said it would be another hour. This worked out to be true. I met the guys for a second but had to go back to work so I left the missus in charge. A couple calls to me (while interviewing a job candidate!!) but I guess the conversion went OK. Unfortunately, the install has the new router next to the DVR under the TV which is on the opposite side of the house from where DSL was. This screws up the network. A moment about my network...

I have two wireless routers. One was connected to my DSL in the family room. The other is in the living room some 70 feet away. I ran CAT5 under the house to connect the two routers as they refused to work as access points. So, Wifi in the living room was transported 100MB Ethernet to the family room and off to the internet. A couple computer in the family room all Ethernet connected to the main router. WiFi in the family room lets us sit out back or in the garage wirelessly. Same with the Living room. This was all working just fine and naturally very fast.

So, the new Router is across the living room from the old one. I have no way to connect the two without running a new cable under the house. The new router also has wireless and it makes no sense to have two wireless routers in the living room. The old ones and the new ones won't work together like access points either. My main desktop and web server are 50 feet from the new router.

How is this solved? Using power line network adapters of course. AT&T gives you these since the new router is probably always very far away from where your DSL was. The devices plug into the wall power outlet and use the electrical wiring as a network. Easy peasy right? Sorta. So, I plug the power line adapter into the wall outlet by the new router (living room) and one by my desktop (family room) and connect it to the old router. So I have living room old router (wireless turned off now) connected Ethernet to the old main router which is connected to the powerline adapter which magically connects to the powerline adapter in the linving room and then to the new router. This actually works. Sorta.

With the new U-Verse 3mb Internet, I am getting anywhere from under 1mb to 2.8mb speeds. Not impressive considering it dips down to under 1mb which is slower than DSL ever was. So what do I do? Upgrade from 3mb to 6mb (with a $20 cash card rebate, thank you) for $5 more a month. A couple days (yea, DAYS with no notification. I have to keep checking online over and over and over) later the order is complete and I should be at 6mb or close right? Wrong. Same speeds as before. I measure from three Ethernet connected computers. After a couple hours working with AT$T over a couple days (their support ranges dramatically from annoyingly bad advice to OK), we have not solved the speed issue. I repeatedly get routed to DSL support despite entering my Phone number and U-Verse account number. I have to repeat my problem over and over. Eventually I get routed to "someone who can definitely solve this issue" which ends up being tier 2 DSL support. Of course they can't solve it their DSL Support! They give me the U-Verse support number, "that is what I called" I say. They give me the account number to use, "that is the number I entered and gave the first rep" I say. "Oh" she says. Luckily tier 2 DSL are pretty swift and get me in touch with customer support who cannot help at all but does give me a credit and eventually transfers me to U-Verse support.

U-Verse tier 2 thinks all your problems are the desktop settings. I go through a series of annoying procedures, always two steps ahead of the rep. Everything is always fine on my desktop. Of course I tell them I have the same speed results on three different computers using both Vista and XP Pro. Eventually I get frustrated and force the point that it is not the desktop. They run some diags and look at the router but can't see anything. I give up and tell them to call me back later.

I go to a WiFi connected laptop and test the speed in the living room. 5.7mb. Huh? Whaaaa? I test a second WiFi laptop. Same thing. I test desktops in two rooms an both are less than 2mb. Ah ha! must be the powerline adapter(s) AT&T gave me. I connect one to the outlet by the old router (across the from from the new one) and disconnect the one in the family room. Speed test is 5.7 or so MB. I connect the one in the family room and test. 2.2mb. Ah Ha! The adapter is crappy! Swap adapters and same results. Oh, seems the electrical wiring between the family room and living room supports 2.5mbps or less. Usually less. This would have been handy information to know ahead of time. Apparently your house wiring is really really important and depending on the age and how it is all connected, your performance can be over 100mb or under 1mb.

So, I reverse the old network layout. Family room is connected to the living room over the CAT 5 Ethernet cable (100mb) The family room old router (basically just a 4 port Ethernet switch now) is connected to the powerline adapter which connects to the new router and then off to the interwebz. Everything is speedy and dropped 10 - 30 ms of ping time.

AT$T calls back. I advise how I investigated and diagnosed the problem and the resolution. All I get is an "OK". Case closed. Keep in mind that the installers set everything up and tested it. I guess since it was over 2mb when they tested it it must have been fine. I feel sorry for folks who are not network or computer experts.

Are the San Jose Police prejudiced to the Vietnamese?

2009-10-27T11:09:00.000-07:00

The recent incident with Phuong Ho and the San Jose Police and subsequent news reports reminded me of something that happened to a friend of mine...

My Vietnamese friend recounted a recent experience with San Jose Police. A simple traffic stop for a legitimate reason. He and some friends were lost and made an illegal U-Turn. No biggie. I was shocked and horrified as he described how they were treated. The immediate profiling and subsequent physical and verbal abusive treatment. I urged him to file a complaint. He did not want to cause problems. It was their word against the police. He knew it was no win for him. How sad is that? I believe every word of the reporting that the Vietnamese do not trust the police. As these stories permeate through the community, there is going to be mistrust and fear of abuse.

Who is going to protect us from those who are protecting us? We watch these separatists in countries like Afghanistan, Israel and Iraq and think they are fear and hate mongers and a bunch of terrorists. People who are oppressed will eventually rebel and take up arms to protect themselves. I don't think we are immune to this eventuality especially as communities are treated "like animals". Watching some documentary crime show on TV recently, I already see communities have already taken up arms. The police forces are still more powerful than them and they may be contained to a couple housing block for now but it is evident that this is happening right here in our own communities. They have a management structure, sentries, action plans. They are armed. Sure they are criminals but organized criminals. It really is not all that different than Somalia.

Of course we don't know all the facts about this case but facts don't really matter. The police and grand jury will most certainly clear the police of any wrong doing. Is there a pattern of abuse against the Vietnamese community? I don't know but I am sure glad I am not a Viet having interactions with the police. This needs to be investigated by a independent group.

Homebrew Beer

2009-10-21T08:07:00.000-07:00

So now I am on batch 5 of my own beer. My first attempt was a brown ale copy of Moose Drool. Lots went wrong with this beer. I messed up the recipe, did not get my grain to the right temp and a couple other issues as well. We had a hot spell to had to cool in a tub of water in the closet which was OK but not great. It came out black and had some strong flavors of ash and burnt coffee. There were some other good things like chocolate and some fruity esters. Fresh, it was really hard to drink. I tried. This was affectionately named Moose Droppings a.k.a. Joe's Black Ale (JBA).

Next was a second attempt with the proper recipe and tighter procedures. Again, I missed some target numbers but the process was better. This was much more drinkable but there was a slight off flavor I can't describe. By this time, about 2 weeks from brewing JBA, JBA was mellowing out. A couple weeks later, I started blending JBA and JBA#2. This was something I really, really liked. So much so I was going to submit it to the Northern CA Homebrew Competition. The night I went out to bottle, the keg emptied while pouring some for the missus. Sigh...

Next was an IPA. A hoppy IPA. Everything seems to go right except maybe not achieving my desired starting gravity. The fermentation went OK in my tub of cool water and swamp cooler design. Something went wrong though. Maybe a bacteria. There is a prominent band-aid smell and taste. I can drink it but I don't like it.

Then came JBA#3. This is my own recipe that was designed to try to replicate the blended concoction of JBA#1 and JBA#2. I brewed this at Antony's house on my gear using his water. the process was really good. Again, my starting gravity was lower than desired. The ferment was done in my dorm fridge in the garage. I even put a video of the fermentation on youtube. Kegged after a week and force carbonated. It was immediately drinkable. Notes of coffee, chocolate, malt, hops, bitters, something fruity too. Really nice beer! Too nice. It is going too fast.

Now Brew #5 is fermenting. Trying an IPA again. Followed a recipe in brewing Classic Styles for a Hoppy IPA but changed all the hops to try to get what I wanted in bitter and aroma. Fermentation in the little fridge is going well. Smells like beer! Looks like a churning madness of a yeast orgy.

Time for brew #6. JBA#3. I'll be heading to MoreBeer today to get the ingredients. Not sure when to brew. I am bringing my brew gear to a community brew day with the Almaden Valley Brew Club this Saturday. Maybe I should season my equipment and brew on Friday or Sunday. Since my method uses all my gear, I would rather have it to share with the club than hog it all myself.

Homebrew Mash Tun Project

2009-08-03T13:08:00.000-07:00

I originally posted my project description to TheBrewingNetwork.com but rather liked my naughty tech post so I am posting it to my blog as well. I have modified it from its original text a bit.

This project was started by the original owner of the cooler. I picked up a few home brewing items from him and he tossed in a cooler he had started to make into a mash tun but willingly gave it to me for free. I now see why he abandoned it and went with a 15g keg as a mash tun. I was determined to make this work and eventually did but not without a bunch of grief. I ran into several issues right from the start. First, I needed a new ball valve since the one he tossed in did not appear to possible to make work. It seemed like nothing was gonna work right. At first my nipple was too short. I push it through the properly sized hole but there is no way I can make my nipple reach far enough for it to work. Then I find my nuts either don't reach or are too close. As frustration mounted, I almost melted the damn thing in the fire pit but decided give it one more try looking at it like an engineer this time.

I started with the folks at More Beer in Los Altos (B3) who hooked me up with a pre-built kit for a weldless stainless steel valve. The kit contained everything I needed to install a ball valve in the collar. The drain plug was already popped out and a properly sized hole was already drilled. My nipple poked through with just the right amount of resistance.

At this point, I realize that the cooler is way too thick for my nipple to reach all the way through. I struggled trying to make it work but I could not get my nipple in far enough. At this point, I probably could have replaced my short nipple with a longer one but that meant another 30 minute drive to More Beer on the off chance they had long nipples. Instead, I used my Dremel to make a larger hole in the outer casing so I could get the 1 5/8" washer against the inner casing. Even with just the inner wall thickness, the nipple was too short. I first had my nut close to the casing but with the nipple o-ring and washers, my nipple was not long enough. When I moved my nut to the other side I had too much nipple and could not get my nut tight against the wall. I spend over an hour of frustration and a roll of teflon tape poking my nipple in and out of the hole and moving my nut every which way.

Rather than continue and risk long term damage to my nipple, I stopped to consider how to engineer a solution. I eventually came up with a solution to have my nut on the outer threads of my nipple and fabricate a copper nipple ring to slide over my nipple and close the gap between my nut and the outer washer. Off to Home Depot I went for a 2" piece of copper tubing I could cut to the proper length. After an hour and $50 (why the hell can't I go to home depot and not spend at least $50??) I was back home and ready for one final push with the nipple. I cut the copper tubing into a 3/4" ring and slid it over my nipple against my nut then pushed my nipple through the outer washer and cooler inner casing. I slid my nipple o-ring against the inside wall and slid a washer over my nipple and finally screwed the coupler onto my nipple. I cranked it down, backed away and admired my hack job.

Now it was time to fill the new mash tun with water and check for leaks. After a couple minutes, it looked like to was gonna hold water so I packed up and headed over to a friends to brew a Malty Pale Ale. Several hours later, I checked on it and was happy to find my nipple was not leaking. One more check the next morning and still my nipple didn't leak one drop. I think my mash tun is ready for my first brew. Here are a few pictures of my handy work. Unfortunately, there are no separate picture of my nipple setup. With this finally done, I am not taking it apart to take pictures!

Old family recipe for squid cioppino

2009-07-19T11:09:00.000-07:00

My mother learned this recipe from my Sicilian grandmother or aunts. The recipe has always been a bit vague as is common with family recipes. It is done with a base set of knowledge from making it 50 times before and tweaked to taste as it is make. Sometimes the garlic is weaker or stronger. The parsley is sweeter or more bitter. Tomatoes can be more acidic or sweeter. Sometimes we use fresh Roma from the garden and sometimes it is all canned sauce. I recommend a mix of fresh Roma and canned sauce.

The Recipe. I have added some comments in parenthesis based on my preference.

Fish (squid / calamari) Cioppino
2T Olive Oil (mild)
1 Large Onion (yellow or white but usually yellow. Sliced 1/4" thin or less)
Bunch of Garlic (10 -15 cloves maybe a whole bulb all depends on your taste. Smash, remove skin and thinly slice)
Bunch Of Parsley (1/2 – 1 cup fresh from the garden is the nicest. Smash, chop coarse.)
3 cans Tomato Sauce (16oz or so cans. Potatoes will thicken the sauce)
A few Potatoes (2 or 3 or 4 or... cubed. Peeled. cut into about 8 chunks)
Some Fish, any fish – But Squid is pretty good ( Mom used 10 to 15 squid I think. Maybe more. Cleaned, cut into 3/4" rings. Pop the beak and toss the tentacles (heads) in. I always cleaned the squid and remember everything in 5lb lots)

In a medium pot on medium high heat, add 1T olive oil and brown Garlic until dark brown.
Add onion and parsley brown until onions are soft but nor caramelized.
Reduce heat add Tomato Sauce then add potatoes and fish on top of potatoes.
Cook on medium to medium low until done (Potatoes, that is). Should be simmering bubble and not large popping bubbles.
When done, add a few drops of vinegar (red wine vinegar. This step can be skipped but that is what Mom did. We alwasy have garlic red wine vinegar in the house) and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Makes 1 pot. Serves 5.

Serve with green garden salad (dressed with oil and garlic red wine vinegar of course. Our Sicilian salads always had Iceberg lettuce, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, carrots and green onion).

Always serve with warm, soft french bread. No sour dough!

Adding Personal Ringtones to my new LG enV Touch

2009-06-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

Update 6-28-2009
When I first connected the phone to the PC as mass storage, the drive only had my mp3 music files on it. I was unable to see the other directories on the flash card. So, I used the procedure below to add new sounds that I subsequently saved as ringtones. Playing around, I found I was able to check for a software update in Settings & Tools, Phone Info of which there was one so I updated. Sometime later someone suggested simply using mass storage (in the cellphoneforums.net link below) which I did and found I could now see all the directories on my flash card. This makes adding sounds much easier as you can connect the phone to the computer, on the phone select Setting & Tools, Tools as USB Mass Storage. You can easily drag and drop you ringtones to the My Sounds directory. Once they are fully copied, you can disconnect the phone form the computer and select Media Center, Music and Tones, My Sounds and you new ringtones will be there. You can then select a sound and use it as a ringtone or send it to your self as a test message and save it as ringtone so it shows up in My Ringtones.

I searched around and found this link how one might add ringtones to the new enV Touch CellphoneForums.net. Since I already had BitPM and used it on my other phones, I was pretty familiar with using it and navigating through the software. Since this procedure is for the Voyager, it does not work for the touch.

This procedure does not add ringtones to the ringtone list on the enV Touch. This is an interim procedure to add them as Sound files which can be used just like ringtones. Once the files are added, you can send them to yourself and save them as ringtones. You can delete the sound file after that. I just leave them as Sounds since they work the same.

THERE IS ALWAYS THE CHANCE THAT YOU WILL SCREW UP YOUR PHONE EDITING IT DIRECTLY. FOLLOWING WHAT I DID IS NO GUARANTEE IT WILL WORK FOR YOU. I AM DOCUMENTING MY EXPERIENCE. I AM NOT SUGGESTING YOU FOLLOW MY PROCEDURE. DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK. I CANNOT HELP RECOVER A DAMAGED PHONE.

These procedure work for me. I have added a dozen ringtones.

- I create my own ringtones first. While whole .mp3 files work, I usually use sound editing software Audacity to trim mine since I don't need a 5 minute ringtone. I save all my ringtones is a separate directory so I always know where they are
- install drivers as described in the link above (Win Vista found them automatically when I plugged in my phone to the USB)
- plug USB cable into phone and computer
- let the driver install process finish
- Click My Music on the phone

- start bitpm
- Click Edit then Settings

- Click Browse
- Look for your phone on the COM port. Mine is 5. If you change USB ports on the computer, the comport will change too. Always use the same comport.

- Click the line that looks like the one in my picture. LGE CDMA US Serial Port (COMx)
- Click OK

- Select Phone Type "LG-VX 10000 (Voyager)"

- Click OK
- In the left navigation panel, click Filesystem. If it is not there click View, View Filesystem
- In the Filesystem Navigation panel, click the folder

- It will display Retrieving for a few seconds

- Navigate to /Brew/mod/18067
Note, if you poke around you will find the default ringtones in /Brew/mod/10889/ringtones/default. You cannot simply copy new files here. Each ringtone is listed in a master file somewhere else.

- Right click on 18067 and select "New File"

- Browse to your ringtones, select your ringtone and click "ok" or "open" depending on the window (Vista is Open). Wait a few seconds for the file to transfer. Repeat for remaining ringtones
- power off phone
- Disconnect the USB cable
- power on phone
- go to Media Center, Music and Tones, My Sounds
- Your new ringtones are now in the list
- You can Play them to test how they sound

- You can select any sound and set it as a contact ID, ringtone, alert sound for text messages, etc.

* You can send them to yourself and save as a ringtone to add it to the ringtone list or you can send it to someone else.

You can delete sounds from the enV.

A sign from above

2009-03-15T14:24:00.000-07:00

Since our forefathers plowed their first field, we have looked to the sky and into the stars for guidance. For a time they believed the moon and the stars will have the answers to their questions. For some it was the winds and the elements that brought to them divine guidance and held the promises of bountiful harvests. For others it was spirits and all powerful beings.

Mankind has searched for answers from the moment they could form questions. We have sought to know why we are here and what here is and where is here. We have always relied on faith that our questions will be answered. Faith is needed where fact does not exist. When bad things happened they asked why. When no answers came, they made up their own. Left to their own devices, the answers were often not the best ones.

Faith often turned to fear. Fear that by not honoring or pleasing the stars, or sun or moon or elements would bring bad things upon the people. Should they pay special homage? Give gifts? Build special places to be closer? Sacrifice something special to show their faith? Force all others to see and follow their faith?

Throughout history one has always risen to the top. One that is seen as the leader or savior or simply the one to follow. Sometimes these leaders used their influence to become the one. Sometimes it just happened. Sometimes they just looked up and saw the one.

It was a dark and stormy night. Rain had been pounding for days. The ground was saturated and soggy. The winds whipped through the valley bending trees like grass on the coast. The soil could no longer give refuge to root and the trees groaned as they were pulled from the ground. The roots strained to keep their hold. The young tree struggled to stay upright, its short life threatened to come to an end at any moment. A hooded figure appeared in the darkness. Bearing beams, bolts an cable. The figure began to rescue the tree. Supports were wedged into place. The tree was righted. More supports and finally a cable bolted and secured into nearby pillars, strengthened the tree. The tree dug its roots into the ground and stood firm against the onslaught of the brutal storm.

Two years later the infant tree still held its ground. Leaning slightly towards the west and bearing the scars on its trunk from the night it was rescued. The cables and temporary supports dug into its bark leaving battle scars that wore like medals of courage and bravery. The tree could now hold its own against the storms with their winds and rain. But this year those storms did not threaten the tree. This year a new threat emerged. Something the tree had barely experienced ever before. This year brought a bitter cold that stung and burned the tree. The biting cold clenched its death grip around every leaf and branch. The relentless cold burned the life from every limb. When the cold was done decimating the tree all that was left was a leafless brown tower with no life left to cover the scars of past battles.

As I looked at the hundreds of tortured leaves scattered on the ground below what just a couple days before was a beautiful, green, healthy young avocado tree I felt great sadness and despair. It was just a few short years ago I received the tree from my wife on our seventh anniversary. She found just the right tree. Already nurtured into life for three years. That very year we had tiny avocados struggle unsuccessfully to grow. The next year we had two. Two beautiful, creamy, buttery avocados. The next year we had more than 20. This you tree had found its home and defying every rule, it was giving its fruit with in 5 years. I carefully trimmed the branches and comforted the tree with every snip. The tree was happy and healthy and ready to share bushels of it fruits. But the sixth year it had to burden some hard rains and winds. The tree struggled against the forces and nearly failed. But, in the dark of the night and in pouring rain, I came to its side as anyone would to a member of their family. With the wind whipping in my face and the tree struggling to hold onto the ground, I placed the first support. As the wind momentarily changed, we pushed back. Digging my boots into the soggy turf, I pushed the tree upright and wedged supports. I could see its tender bark ripping as I tried to save it. With the final support in place, I secured bolts into fence posts and wrapped a support cable around the tree. Together we stood in defiance of the storm. The tree survived, we survived.

The next two years were years of repair and strengthening. In the tree's eighth year, its branches were burdened with avocados. This year it was giving its bounty like never imagined. Were were never prepared for the cold. I could do nothing as I watched the cold draw the life from my tree. Every avocado was destroyed. Every leaf killed. Every branch brown and dead. It was months before I could bring myself to trim the dead limbs. When it was done, the once beautiful and green laden with fruit, it was just a trunk barely 8 or 9 feet tall. I left one branch. One limb to hold on to.

Somewhere within the damaged and weakened trunk was a glimmer of life. Dormant and protected, the bud of life began to grow. As it grew, new shoots of green reached out from the trunk. New branches, new limbs, new leaves spawned from the heart of the tree. Slowly it grew and expanded to much bigger than it was before before the cold. Its ninth year was a year of renewing. Its tenth year has been a year of expanding. Each of the last two years I have eagerly examined my friend for new fruit but it has not been so. It tried but the infant avocados didn't survive. The tree has tried so hard to bear fruit again. I comfort it as I prune away the excess. We are happy our friend is beautiful and healthy. It is a joy every time I look into the yard and see it standing there.

Today was a day like any other day. It has been several weeks since I mowed the back lawn. The rains and sun spurred some rapid and healthy growth. As I labored back and forth, cutting the tall grass and cleaning the mowers grass chute, my mind wandered. I thought about the work the yard needed. I thought about our forefathers plowing their first field with crude tools. I wondered why. Why is it? What is it all for? Why have people looked to the sun and stars for answers. I looked up from the base of my tree. There it was. The answer. It was all right there. Suddenly what was impossible to see, I could clearly see. This is what it is all for!