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158 Drifting Clouds, nature

Fritz & Jim - High School Memories

Memories of high school hanging out with my friends Fritz & Jim:

• Running jokes:
• Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe: someone realized "left-waffle" sounded hilarious
• VGA vs. Super-VGA graphics (?) I think this was an advertisement in a PC trade magazine
• BBS door games:
• The Pit (1993)
• TradeWars 2002 (1991)
• PC games:
• Civilization (1991)
• Castles II: Siege and Conquest (1992)
• MechWarrior (1989): Joel McCue liked this
• Wolfenstein 3D (1992)
• Sega Genesis:
• Rented video games after school
• NHLPA Hockey '93: led to much NHL watching and becoming a fan of the then-current Boston Bruins team
• Road Rash
• Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium (1993): this game. I think I experienced the Level 99 glitch, where ... it rolled over after investing so much time into the game. Crushed.
• Board games:
• Risk
• Sports:
• One-on-two basketball in Fritz's mom's horsebarn
• Tennis at the 6th St & 3rd Ave courts (now gone)
• Random:
• Fritz's house:
• His mom had a fridge in the adjacent basement room with horse semen, as she bred horses
• The basement smelled like potpourri: on 2021-11-07, I smelled a potpourri jar at World Market and it brought me back--the label read, "Pomegranate/orange, filled with notes of pomegranate, orange, cinnamon, clove, vanilla, and cider".
• Two Boston Terriers: I forget the names, but remember them snuffling a lot
• Jim and I would sleep on the floor on opposite sides of Fritz's bed; I remember the noise of the ceiling fan 
• We'd stay up well past midnight, but as time went on Fritz seemed to want to go to bed earlier
• Sometimes I'd get up first and head downstairs and play Civ 
• Remember getting excited about hearing how the federal government had mandated fuel efficiency standards going up to something like 50 mpg in 10-15 years ... it would take a bit longer, but we're getting there
• Fritz's brother Alex came home from military training and showed us what he called his "anti-rape glasses" (basically chunky black frames)
• His family liked white chocolate
• Sometimes we'd eat at the dinner table upstairs with his parents
• The tank above the toilet overflowed at one point, and I was clueless about how to fix it
• Broke my glasses one night playing basketball
• The horse barn lights took a long time to illuminate enough so we could play -- it was cold
• Played basketball on packed earth in the far corner of the horse barn
• We'd walk over to Memorial Medical Center where Stephen Bechdolt worked as a pathologist and watch TV (Batman: The Animated Series), then Dr. Bechdolt would drive us around town
• I remember Fritz and his dad talking about attending a family reunion in Germany, and remarking on my surname as well
• Fritz's dad was thinking about buying an AK-47 before a gun ban went into effect (unsure if he did)
• Jim's house:
• At Jim's house we'd sometimes play Nerf basketball; I think Fritz brought over his PC, so we'd at least have two
• Milk in clear plastic bag in a pitcher (remember because it had a distinct taste from what I was used to)
• Surviving relative: Jeff
• PC's:
• Fritz had two PC's, I think: 
• One dedicated to running a BBS
• Two lines in his house
• One had an Intel 80486 and the other an Intel 80386, I think
• Turbo buttons, heh

The social aspects and gaming sparked my decision to go into Computer Science after high school. They were my people and closest friends in high school.

Remembrances - Fritz and Jim

"If I knew the way I would take you home…"

Freidrick Otto ("Fritz") Bechdolt obituary, 11/06/1976–02/07/2019:

Freidrick Otto Bechdolt, 42, of Spring Hill passed away February 7, 2019. Michels-Lundquist Funeral Home will be handling the arrangements. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.

Notes:

• Burial location: unknown (to me).
• Social media:
• Business:
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Personal: 
• Facebook (2011–2019)
• YouTube (2017–2019)
• Twitter (2013–2019)
• Business:
• FB Information Systems (2001–2019)
• Poker web site (c. 2012)
• DJ (c. 2005; via)
• Health: 
• Circa September 2017:
• "... fractures combined with psoriatic arthritis. Currently on humira, prednasone, painkiller, propranolol. Also taking a nitrogen export supplement to help with fluid build up. Fractures include left tibia, fibia, and around the ankle. A  little less than two weeks since the breaks" (via, via)
• "Changes in my symptoms include much more pain, obviously but also extreme fatigue and weakness"
• Circa Feburary 2017: Prednisone use (via): "used to treat conditions such as arthritis, blood disorders, breathing problems, severe allergies, skin diseases, cancer, eye problems, and immune system disorders."


• Relationships:
• Robin Fox (2014–2019):
• Facebook
• Robin's Facebook post announcing Fritz's death
• Lived together in Spring Hill, Florida
• Immediate family:
• Stephen Bechdolt (Father)
• Remarried to Sandra Bechdolt
• Facebook
• Retired in 2015 (via), to Havre, Montana
• Janice Bechdolt (Mother; née Otto)
• Alexander Bechdolt (Brother)
• Pets:
• Mr. Fluffy (cat)
• Interests:
• Khalid (2017)
• DiVé
• Death:
• Timmy Daniels' request for info (02/11/2019):
• "We got the answers we were looking for sadly. If anyone wants to know more you can message me. Tragic."
• "If anyone ever has depression or an illness or substance issues like alcohol I hope you know you can talk to me & that I don’t have a judgmental bone in my body. You can be honest with me. I know it feels safe to hide it, but it’s safer to tell someone. It could change everything."
• "I can tell you everything. I’m coming down to Florida & am going to arrange some kind of final send off because they aren’t having a funeral I guess. Some tragedies are like that, but I know many people would like some closure."
• 03/03/2019: Erin Denise Butler > Timmy Daniels: "I would like to know, if you do have any kind of arrangement for him..... And wanting to know more about what happened. He posted a messaged about a week before. He said he wasn't doing well. I asked if he was in the hospital... No response. Then this.."

James Lee ("Jim") Nelson Jr. obituary, 03/04/1977–07/11/2012:

James Lee Nelson Jr., age 35, formerly of Ashland, passed away, Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at his home in Smyrna, GA. He was born March 4, 1977 in Ashland, the son of the late James and Jeanne (Koleski) Nelson. 

James graduated from Ashland High School in 1995. He continued his schooling at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire and completed his degree in Engineering at the University of Southern Florida. James was currently working as a mechanical engineer for the SCI Energy Company in Atlanta, GA. 

James was an avid collector of baseball and football cards. He enjoyed playing tennis and occasionally would compete in marathons. He was a bright and intellectual man who will be deeply missed by all who knew him. 

He is survived by his brother, Jeffery (Stacey Delgado) Nelson of Appleton; a nephew, Zaccari Nelson of Ashland; two nieces, Daisy Nelson of Ashland and Madyson Nelson of Appleton; uncles and aunts, Mary Lou and Clarence Gregoire of Ashland, Al and Donna Mae Lundquist of Ashland, Shirley and Leon Osredkar of Sturtevant, and Joe (Pat McPherson) Nelson of Scottsdale, AZ; and numerous cousins and friends. 

Besides his parents, Jim was preceded in death by his uncle and aunt, Carl and Betty Anderson. 

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM, Tuesday, July 24, 2012 at Frost Home for Funerals in Ashland with Pastor Rod Larson officiating. Inurnment will follow the service in the St. Agnes Cemetery in Ashland.

Jim's grave.

Social Media:

• Facebook (2009–2011)

Craigslist Rental Scam - Call4Room.com

As reported:

URL:
https://sacramento.craigslist.org/roo/d/sacramento-looking-for-clean-and/6868392211.html

Emailed, received text reply from (720) 370-7562, "just got your email for my cl ad "Looking for clean and considerate roommate,Available Now!" Please contact with the room owner directly at www.m.call4 room. com"

This URL, call4room.com, is only 1 month old and pretends to be from Roomster (e.g., logo at top). The subdomain (e.g., http://m.call4room.com/) redirects to a page featuring "Lisa Allison". However, a Google search shows other call4room subdomains with "Lisa Allison", in different municipalities (e.g., https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/roo/d/pomona-room-for-rent-beautiful/6853045188.html, which has URL call4room.com/4581698, which redirects to http://www.lisa.call4room.com/, which has a different image of "Lisa Allison".

The user is prompted to redirect to Roomster, where another fake ad exists. In my case, it was https://www.roomster.com/profile/13193556.

Sad.

Prius High-Intensity Discharge Headlamp (HID) Bulb Replacement

Replaced the HID bulbs from November 2015, about 3.5 years.

Still a PITA. But this time it was easier as I had lower expectations.

Previously, previously

Ripple

Getting the feels from "Ripple" (10/31/80 - Radio City Music Hall) by the Grateful Dead, especially the last lines:

If my words did glow with the gold of sunshine
And my tunes were played on the harp unstrung
Would you hear my voice come through the music
Would you hold it near as it were your own? 

It's a hand-me-down, the thoughts are broken
Perhaps they're better left unsung
I don't know, don't really care
Let there be songs to fill the air 

Ripple in still water
When there is no pebble tossed
Nor wind to blow 

Reach out your hand if your cup be empty
If your cup is full may it be again
Let it be known there is a fountain
That was not made by the hands of men 

There is a road, no simple highway
Between the dawn and the dark of night
And if you go no one may follow
That path is for your steps alone 

Ripple in still water
When there is no pebble tossed
Nor wind to blow 

You who choose to lead must follow
But if you fall you fall alone
If you should stand then who's to guide you?
If I knew the way I would take you home 

Songwriters: Jerry Garcia / Robert Hunter

Analysis:
http://artsites.ucsc.edu/GDead/agdl/ripple.html

It mentions "optimistic hopelessness".

The live shows resonate so much more than the studio version. You can feel the energy from the audience.

Note: animated GIF sourced to Robert Redford in the 1972 film Jeremiah Johnson; I thought it was Nick Offerman.

Bear Creek Road

Los Gatos to Santa Cruz via Bear Creek Road

Rainy night's drive from Los Gatos to Santa Cruz via Bear Creek Road, through patches of fog, up and down the Santa Cruz Mountains, twisting around switchbacks, on roads with no shoulders, illumination, or road surface marking, with what I later realized was only one working low-beam headlamp (it seemed to go out after using the high beams).

It wasn't great. It was amazing. And dangerous. And rather reckless. I don't recommend it. At all. I stumbled into it blindly, following Waze rerouting me around a full closure of State Route 17.

I opened my window: heard gurgling of small waterfalls and tires splashes, smelled aromatic chimney smoke and petrichor from redwoods and ferns. It was primeval and electric.

Behind me, I shepherded another driver who refused to take the lead when I pulled aside early on. Tucking in the side view mirror minimized reflected headlight glare during turns. Waze GPS alerted me to upcoming turns and switchbacks.

After about 10-15 minutes of this I began to feel more confidence and less disquiet and alarm: move slow, take each turn carefully, plan ahead using the GPS map, repeat and stay focused and don't get cocky.

Then road markings re-appeared, road illumination, and oncoming vehicles. By Felton, it was routine roadway.

Lesson learned: take Highway 9 or 101 south to Watsonville area instead.

Link:
https://localwiki.org/santacruz/Bear_Creek_Road

https://localwiki.org/santacruz/Highway_17

Año Nuevo SP

An Año Nuevo State Park ranger gave our group members a business card which reads:

• Año Nuevo Reserve
• Research Updates
• Real time tracking maps
• Photos, videos, sounds

www.anonuevoreserve.com

Guardians of the UCSC - Alternate Reality Game, Fall 2018 Quarter

Slug Shrine sign between the campus bookstore and McHenry Library (as of 01/02/2019)

Dawn and I belatedly learned of a Fall 2018 alternate reality game (ARG) run by UCSC students in ARTG 129 - "Special Topics in Game Design", when we passed a shrine near the Mission Bell Marker between the campus bookstore and McHenry Library.

Note: for a five minute recap of the ARG activities, please read the image at this link (accessed 01/07/2019 and archived below):https://goucsc.weebly.com/whats-this.html

SHRINES

Slug Shrine, #3 (photos taken 01/02/2019)

Note: the glass canning jar (along with the notebook and pen) was no longer present.

Slug shrine bowl support detail: top of branch has what looks like an inverted clear plastic bowl with a yellow banana slug inside resting on tinfoil. Hot glue seems to have been used to affix the bowl to the top of the branch as well as several more yellow banana slugs to the branch itself (note: it appears several slugs have gone missing, leaving behind the hot glue uesd to affix them). One branch holds a medium-sized wicker basket by three rope strands; one strand has a blue, oval-shaped, laminated piece of paper with the number 3

Bottom half of the slug bowl shrine, showing the brown fabric wrap binding the branches, as well as the rope tie-off

Detail of wicker bowl contents: one brown rubberized slug, a note from a visitor, and various tree debris (cone, needles, etc.). In the background is the sign with the QR code. The number 3 on the tag is visible in this photo

Rear of the sign (blank)

Koi Shrine, #2 (photos taken 01/03/2019):

Koi statue with a solid white base overlaid by patterns of both orange and black, on a painted blue base resting on a medium-sized stone; a ring of fake flowers surrounds the simulated blue water

A sign near the koi statue reading, "Please take one rock & write in the notebook : )", with a QR code underneath leading to URL https://people.ucsc.edu/~yyu35/Guardian/

Koi statue with a solid white base overlaid by patterns of both orange and black (note: it has golden eyes), on a painted blue base resting on a medium-sized stone; a ring of fake flowers surrounds the simulated blue water

Koi statue, sign, glass canning jar with notebook and pen, and wicker basket with QR code and glass stones

Koi statue, sign, and jar

A clear glass stone from the basket

A stone and the koi shrine effects: statue, sign, wicker baset, and glass jar

Glass canning jar with notebook and pen; the number 2 and an image of a koi guardian are on the front of the notebook

Closeup of wicker basket, glass stones, and laminated QR code leading to URL https://people.ucsc.edu/~yyu35/Guardian/

Notes left at the Koi Shrine as of January 5, 2019 can be viewed:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/QsZVv47sBt7FHYqe6

Turkey Shrine, #1 (photos taken 03/24/2019):

We found the turkey shrine on the south lawn of Stevenson College, near a grove of redwoods overlooking the OPERS complex and with a view of the Monterey Bay (as hinted at in the video!)

This was shrine #1, as indicated on the notebook in the glass canning jar and on a red laminated tag attached to the shrine made of yarn and wood.

A sign near the turkey statue reading, "Please take one rock & write in the notebook : )", with a QR code underneath leading to URL https://people.ucsc.edu/~yyu35/Guardian/

Rear of the turkey shrine, showing detail of yarn and sticks

Closeup of turkey statue with a brown body, blue face, red wattle, and feather plumage, sitting in a wicker basket filled with red glass stones

Turkey statue and shrine, with a better view of the feather plumage

Tent stakes holding bowl in place

Rear of the sign (blank)

Notes left at the Turkey Shrine as of March 24, 2019 can be viewed:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/zjZnTFKuP6wL7ZQC9

Deer Shrine, #4 (photos taken 05/12/2019):

We found the deer shrine on a path between Crown and Merrill just above where Hagar Drive meets McLaughlin Drive, in a small depression, partially obscured by tree branches (exact location).

This was shrine #4, as indicated on the notebook in the glass canning jar and on a green laminated tag attached to the shrine made of what looked like papier-mâché in the form of a deer head and antlers.

The deer head and antlers seems to have weathered poorly and separated into two pieces. A wicker basket at the site contained what seemed like a plaster base covered with small, smooth stones, into which two faux flowering branches had been inserted. The faux branches may have supported the deer head and antlers at one time (?) When we arrived the deer head was shrunken and difficult to identify.

The deer shrine, as seen from the path: branches obscure the sign

A green glass stone and some of the deer shrine effects: wicker basket, faux flowering branches fixed into what looks like a plaster base covered with small, smooth stones

Papier-mâché deer head, wicker basket, sign, glass canning jar containing a notebook and pen, two faux flowering branches 

Rear of the sign (blank)

Front of the sign reads, "Please take one rock & write in the notebook : )"

OTHER SHRINES:

Each shrine had a number, with four numbers in all: 1, 2, 3, and 4.  

• Turkey shrine, #1
• Deer shrine, #4
• Koi shrine, #2
• Slug shrine, #3

It seems game organizers may have helped direct players to shrines by email hints.

WEB SITES

The ARG seems to have had two web sites:

1. Initial site (linked to by poster QR codes?): Weebly web site
2. More information web site (linked to by shrine QR codes?): UCSC Student Web Site

Note: content was added throughout the quarter, but I think this represents the order, based on a close read of the post-game newsletter image.

UCSC STUDENT WEB SITE

The shrine sign's QR code leads to the UCSC site of student Yaoshun Yu (accessed 01/01/2019; via):
https://people.ucsc.edu/~yyu35/Guardian

• The student site has a YouTube video uploaded on 10/26/2018 (accessed 01/01/2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWTZYDan7QA
• Selecting button "Find Out The Truth" and entering password "midas" (via the page source code) redirects the user to a second Weebly web site (accessed 01/01/2019): https://goucsc.weebly.com/
• Selecting the icon in the far lower-right and entering password "2143" (via the page source code; note: these also represent the numbers from the four shrines on campus) changes the page in three ways:
1. Koi picture at the bottom changes to "front.png"
2. Guardian picture at the top changes to "back.png"
3. Plays 4m15s audio file "audio.mp3" (accessed 01/01/2019)
• Intro music: full of tension, 
• 1st phone call conversation: a Kresge frat brother, Brett (Brent?), calls the mobile device of another frat brother, Chad, who has not arrived to the frat house party
• A drunk Chad answers, reports he's somewhere near Stevenson College and was chugging beers with cows, passed out, then woke up next to a turkey (the turkey Guardian?) who he has successfully communicated with who will lead him back to the Kresge frat house (1st phone call ends)
• 2nd phone call conversation: Brett calls Chad again, after the other brother has still not arrived
• Chad's phone answers, but we hear the turkey gobble first, then we hear Chad's voice, very drunk (drugged?) reports the turkey has led him to the Porter koi pond
• Chad decides he wants to take a dip in the koi pond to sober up
• It seems unclear, but the drunk frat brother begins cursing and seems to struggle, as though underwater (2nd phone call ends, with implication drunk frat brother drowns and/or is murdered by ... the turkey or koi?)
• The audio ends

Front

Back

• Front reads (sic), "To My Frat Agent Hatbeks WANT Midas ded! Reward wil falow"
• Is Hatbeks an anagram (?)
• Both pages crumpled as though found/discarded (?)
• Back has a map of the area around Porter/Kresge Dining Hall:
• Trees
• An "X" in red ink (where to take the fish (?) where people should go to find the next clue (?))
• Steps leading to Porter/Kresge Dining Hall
• Bowls, a local cafe
• Koi pond with fish
• U-shaped driveway near Parking Lot 125
• It appears a commented-out JavaScript easter egg script on the web site may have once been active: https://people.ucsc.edu/~yyu35/Guardian/easteregg.js
• By pressing a combination of numbers (namely, 2, 1, 4, and 3), it would activate the following audio file, which seems like the same file as above (Audio.mp3), but without the intro music: https://people.ucsc.edu/~yyu35/Guardian/FratBois.wav (accessed 01/01/2019)

WEEBLY SITE

As of 01/02/2019, the Weebly site's menu has two sub-pages (accessed 01/01/2019):

• Gallery: https://goucsc.weebly.com/gallery.html
• What's This?: 
• https://goucsc.weebly.com/whats-this.html
• Recap seems to cover all the events of the ARG:

A recap: The Decoder Tribune

Both sites have plain text rendered in font "OldenForest-Regular", to obscure the meaning. Note: the font file description (viewed in BirdFont editor) indicates UCSC student Athene Yip created the font in October 2018, using FontForge 2.0. Nicely done!

REDDIT

Organizer's posts on Reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/user/MidasAgent

The group's first post on the /r/UCSC/ subreddit seems to have been on 10/26/2018, showing a faux-historical photograph of the original Guardians:

The Original Guardians, in black and white

The Guardians performed in-character on campus:

The contemporary Guardians, as seen near the campus bookstore on 11/02/2018

It seems unclear if any other videos/media exist of the ARG events (?)

The ARG culminated in a celebration for Midas the koi fish on 11/30/2018, by trees near the Porter College koi pond:

Note: it seems the class professor briefly jumped into a conversation on 10/31/2018 to re-assure students after alarming reports of what seems like an unrelated masked person on campus.

By the time we learned of the ARG, almost a month had passed. On 01/02/2019, we walked to Oakes College and looked for the shrine (sign?) reportedly on Oakes Drive, but couldn't find it. We also walked to the carousel on science hill and didn't see anything. So, either it was removed, or the recent wind storm wrecked it, or (?)

Reddit searches:
Guardian: https://www.reddit.com/r/UCSC/search?q=guardian&restrict_sr=1
MidasAgent: https://www.reddit.com/user/MidasAgent
Midas: https://www.reddit.com/r/UCSC/search?q=midas&restrict_sr=1

ARTG 129 - Special Topics in Game Design

Professor A.M. Darke posted a class photo on Instagram, on 12/10/2018:

ARTG 129 class photo, with ARG graphics on the rear walls

The 1080-pixel photo shows graphics from the ARG in the barkground, but unfortunately does not have enough resolution to offer further hints. : ) They seem like a great bunch.

Midas the Koi

Midas was an 18 inch, 20 pound Hikari Ogon Japanese Koi gifted to the UCSC in 1995 by David Swanger, an education and creative writing professor. The year 2018 marked the 15th anniversary of Midas' untimely death, on May 20, 2003. Those responsible were prosecuted and found guilty, and the Delta Omega Chi fraternity was ultimately kicked off campus.

Questions:

• What did the flyers look like? Note: the "The Decoder Tribue" (accessed 01/08/2018) seems to have a low-res image in the first column
• What did the celebratory shrine look like, on 11/30/2018? Note: the "The Decoder Tribue" (accessed 01/08/2018) seems to have a low-res image in the last column
• Do videos/photos of the live events exist?
• Does "Hatbeks" mean anything?

Meteor

This streak of upper atmosphere light represents a metor:
https://twitter.com/BadAstronomer/status/1075615141947858944

Photo taken as I left Sacramento, near the Yolo causeway.

Car Sticker

I smiled: the sticker read, "Inflammatory white words on a red background", and it was as described.

Willow and Sage Magazine

Saw this in my optometrist's office; it's like Make magazine, but for home health products:
https://stampington.com/willow-and-sage?page=2

Kevin Voted (By Mail) Today

Statewide Contests

Governor: Gavin Newsom
Lieutenant Governor: Eleni Kounalakis
Secretary of State: Alex Padilla
Controller: Betty T. Yee
Treasurer: No vote
Attorney General: Xavier Becerra
Insurance Commissioner: Ricardo Lara

Federal Contests

United States Representative: Jimmy Panetta
United States Senator: Kevin De Leon

State Ballot Measures

1. Y: Issues $4 billion in bonds for housing programs and veterans' home loans
2. Y: Authorizes state to use revenue from millionaire's tax for $2 billion in bonds for homelessness prevention housing
3. N: Issues $8.877 billion in bonds for water-related infrastructure and environmental projects
4. Y: Issues $1.5 billion in bonds for children's hospitals
5. N: Revises process for homebuyers who are age 55 or older or severely disabled to transfer their tax assessments
6. N: Repeals 2017's fuel tax and vehicle fee increases and requires public vote on future increases
7. Y: Authorizes legislature to provide for permanent daylight saving time if federal government allows
8. Y: Requires dialysis clinics to issue refunds for revenue above a certain amount
9. -
10. Y: Allows local governments to regulate rent on any type of housing
11. N: Allow ambulance providers to require workers to remain on call during breaks paid
12. Y: Bans sale of meat from animals confined in spaces below specific sizes

District Contests
Member, State Board of Equalization, 2nd District: Malia Cohen
Member of the State Assembly, 29th District: Mark Stone
Superintendent of Public Instruction: Tony K. Thurmond

Judicial
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court: Carol A. Corrigan
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court: Leondra R. Kruger

Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal, 6th District: Mary J. Greenwood

Associate Justice, Court of Appeal, 6th District: Allison Marston Danner

Associate Justice, Court of Appeal, 6th District: Nathan D. Mihara

County
Y: Measure G
Y: Measure H

Santa Cruz City School District
Governing Board Member, Area 1 (Inside City): Deb Tracy-Proulx
Governing Board Member, Area 3 (At Large): Cindy Ranii

City
Member of City Council:

1. Justin Cummings
2. Cynthia Hawthorne
3. Drew Glover

Y: Measure M

RESOURCES

https://www.jwz.org/blog/2018/10/lyft-drops-100k-against-sf-tax-to-fund-housing-for-homeless/
https://brokeassstuart.com/2018/10/09/the-november-2018-bas-voter-guide/
City on a Hill Press
Good Times newspaper

California Vacation 2018 - Day 6

TIMELINE

• 8:30 a.m. Wake up
• 10:00 a.m. Breakfast at Starbucks #25941
• 10:15 a.m. Depart for La Quinta hotel
• 11:00 a.m. Arrive at correct La Quinta LAX hotel
• Noon Depart for Santa Cruz
• 2:00 p.m. Snack at Petro #327, Grapevine (Lebec)
• 6:30 p.m. Arrive Santa Cruz, get cats
• 6:45 p.m. Home

NOTES

• 
  

California Vacation 2018 - Day 5

TIMELINE

• 8:00 a.m. Wake up
• 9:30 a.m. Breakfast at Starbucks #25941
• 10:30 a.m. Depart for Santa Monica Pier
• 4:00 p.m. Arrive Hollywood Walk of Fame
• 7:30 p.m. Dinner at the Sizzler
• 10:00 p.m. Arrive La Quinta hotel
• Midnight Back at our hotel

NOTES

• Pallisades
• Route 66 terminus sign
• Lost iPhone
• Playing on the beach, building with wet sand
• Shaved ice (rainbow)
• Movies: It's a Mad Mad World, Rio Bravo (Brad's favorite)
• Buck Owens and the Bakersfield sound
• Playdoh
• Bunny (Ruby)
• Saying hello to Violet and Jenny via video chat
• Modern (Georgia) vs. Traditional (Brad) Australian: Mate, stubbie (beer), 
• Beer:
• Regional where Brad lives: Pint, Middy, pony, shot
• Other: Pint, half-pint, 
• Stubbie vs. long neck
• MYass (McDonalds logo + town of Yass)
• Homing pigeons nearby pooping all over their solar panels, etc.

California Vacation 2018 - Day 4

TIMELINE

• 7:30 a.m. Wake up
• 8:15 a.m. Breakfast at Friendship Motor Inn
• 10:30 a.m. Small Mang keychain plush at Line Friends Popup, Hollywood
• 10:45 a.m. Gift at Ghirardelli on Hollywood Boulevard
• 1:15 p.m. Lunch at Bibigo, Westfield Culver City mall
• 2:00 p.m. Check-in to Crystal Inn & Suites
• 5:30 p.m. Edward Vincent Jr Park
• 6:45 p.m. Dinner at Sizzler
• 9:15 p.m. Back at hotel

NOTES

• Hollywood stars:
• Dr Suess
• Mister Rogers
• Spike Jones
• Weird Al Yankovic
• Toshiro Mifune
• Groucho Marx
• Learned about Line Friends
• Had lunch and dinner with Dawn's friend Jill and her family: Brad, Georgia, and Ruby

California Vacation 2018 - Day 3

TIMELINE

• 9:00 a.m. Wake up
• 9:30 a.m. Breakfast at Friendship Motor Inn
• 10:15 a.m. Arrive La Brea Tar Pits / Page Museum
• 11:00 a.m. "Titans of the Ice Age 3D"
• 1:00 p.m. Excavators Tour (Page Museum)
• 3:45 p.m. Arrive Griffith Observatory
• 4:00 p.m. Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater film: "The Once and Future Griffith Observatory"
• 4:30 p.m. Lunch at Cafe at the End of the Universe
• 5:15 p.m. Planetarium show: "Light of the Valkyries - Our 75th anniversary show reveals the wonders of the northern lights."
• 6:45 p.m. Leave for hotel

NOTES

• Thunder and lightning started on way home
• Listened to classical music on radio KUSC FM 91.5
• La Brea Tar Pits / Page Museum
• Tar pull interactive exhibit clearly demonstrates how less than 6 inches of sticky asphalt would doom nearly anything
• Learned difference between asphalt (natufal) and tar (result of human processing)
• Asphalt bubbling to the surface on the grounds and marked with green traffic cones
• We briefly walked around the outside of the LACMA--very nice and worth a future visit
• Some animatronics 
• Griffith Observatory
• Tesla coil
• Food very good but very expensive
• Beautiful sunset and view
• As we exited, listened to warm up at the Greek Theater ("5 Seconds of Summer with The Aces")
• Learned about radiocarbon dating--it's a dating web site for radioactive C14 looking for the right Oxygen partner to make radioactive CO2

California Vacation 2018 - Day 2

TIMELINE

• 6:00 a.m. Awake
• 7:15 a.m. Breakfast
• 8:00 a.m. Checkout
• 10:45 a.m. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf #130 in Santa Barbara, for coffee
• 11:55 a.m. Missy's Cupcake Creations in Oxnard
• 2:00 p.m. Early check-in at Friendship Inn
• 5:30 p.m. Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken
• 5:45 p.m. Back at hotel

NOTES

• Gus's:
• Dawn: 2 Piece White, Mac 'n Cheese and beans, Firestone 805 beer
• Kevin: 1/2 chicken, Mac 'n Cheese and beans, greens, unsweetened ice tea
• Dessert: Chocolate chess pie with ice cream
• Missy's:
• Chocolate Chocolate Thunder
• German Chocolate
• Watched Teen Titans and NASA X review of the Soyuz failure

California Vacation 2018 - Day 1

TIMELINE

• 6:00 a.m. Awake
• 7:15 a.m. Drop off cats at VCA Pet Hospital
• 7:45 a.m. Peet's Coffee downtown for coffee and snacks
• 8:15 a.m. Home to retrieve forgotten Anker PowerCore charger
• 9:47 a.m. Rest break at Big Sur River Inn: coffee, snacks
• 12:30 p.m. Arrive Hearst Castle
• 4:30 p.m. Depart Hearst Castle
• 5:30 p.m. Arrive hotel
• 6:15 p.m. Dinner at Rosa's Italian Restaurant: split sjde of broccoli and Pasta California - $16.95 artichoke hearts, shitake mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes in a light cream sauce, penne pasta
• 7:15 p.m. Hot Topic at Pismo Beach Premium Outlets (13th Doctor accessories for Dawn)
• 8:15 p.m. Back at hotel

NOTES

• Landslide at Mud Creek mostly repaired; minor delay
• Weather partly sunny with spots of light mist
• First time for both of us south of Big Sur on Highway 1
• Cambria Scarecrows
• Hearst Castle Neptune Pool filled just four weeks earlier, after repairs lasting for some time

Flannel

The Company Store

• Winter Animal bedding
• 5 oz. Solid Flannel Bedding (Portuguese flannel)
• Currant
• Teal

Garnet Hill

• Paintbrush Flannel Bedding (German flannel)
• Turquoise
• Topiary Green
• Celestial blue
• Flowerpot Orange
• Garnet

Mix and match sheets:

• Summer: 
• Linen duvet cover and/or sheet
• Percale pillow cases and fitted sheet
• Spring/Fall: Sateen
• Winter
• Flannel duvet cover and/or sheet
• Sateen pillow cases and fitted sheet

Cello

Looking at cellos again.

The Electric Cello Buying Guide -- 7 Key Shopping Considerations (published 2016-01-11):

• Entry level for quality solid body electric cellos starts at about $900 and run to $1500+
• Pro-level cellos are available for between $2,000 - $3,500
• Custom built or hi-spec models cost more than $4,000

Previously

Stern Grove Festival - San Francisco Symphony Orchestra

Returned to the Stern Grove Festival to hear the SF Symphony Orchestra. We arrived after the intermission, snagging better-than-decent seats with clear views of the orchestra. They played Jean Sibelius' Symphony No. 2 in D major, Opus 43. We had binoculars so had a good view. The male performers wore a mix of consistent cream-colored suits (we thought maybe these represented the official roster) and white suits (we thought maybe these represented the stand-in). The female performers wore varied tops in white. We noticed the monitors which had grills and looked like space heaters. The brass section looked really bored when they weren't playing, as did a few of the strings. The performers seemed to scan the audience when not playing. Dawn seemed to know one of the principle bass players, from university, but did not see him performing. Arriving late, we walked in on the west meadow. We donated $10 and got two stickers and heard the barker talk about his 38 years of attending and supporting the Festival and some backstory of the volunteers, how a food guy quit, and stoners sitting up in the hillside.

After the show, we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito. We parked up on the hill for free and walked down to the Sausalito Ferry Company and bought matching bobble head lucky cats for our cars, as well as a tee for my mom.

We drove back to SF and briefly waited in line on Lombard Street but decided to skip due to the loooong line of cars, ending up parked on Hyde on a steep hill along the cable car line. We had a dessert supper at Ghirardelli (Lands End Sea Salt Caramel Brownie Sundae). We walked around the shops and bought a Squishables Puppycat plush.

Drove back along the cable car lines and home along 101 to 85 to 280, listening to KFOG.

Running Journal, Thursday, 2018-07-14

Black-tailed deer, east fork of Jordan Gulch 

Resting heart rate: 81 bpm around 1:45 minutes after running and a cup of coffee
Body Mass Index (BMI): 24.4
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR):
Weather: sunny
Temp: 21.1 C (70 F) 9 mph WSW
Time: 1:30-2:15 p.m. (45 minutes)
Terrain: Hilly
Comments: Sunblock used. Listened to an audiobook, which helped pass the time. Ran same route to the Village, but instead of going up the stairs to OPERS, I ran along the bottom of Jordan Gulch. Saw two groups of deer. One group fled partially up the hill, the other, a young buck, stood his ground and watched me. Unbeknownst to me, three forks of Jordan Gulch exist, and I took the east fork, emerging near the bookstore. Just before this, I found a small redwood grove enclosed with makeshift stick fencing, with a few chairs inside. Disappointingly, it had no small amount of trash. I then followed the path north, taking a large culvert tunnel under what turned out to be McLaughlin Drive. I then followed that road to Graduate Student Housing and from there back through Kresge/Porter to FSH. Calf muscles feel exercised and I felt a bit winded afterward. Started a bit later than I wished but had to swap the headlamp bulbs in our car while still relatively cool. If I do the Jordan Gulch bottom trail again, I'll try to take a different fork, perhaps one leading to McHenry Library.
Goal Time: n/a
Distance (running): ~3.1 miles
Weight (after run): n/a (185?)
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Left shoulder muscle group feels sore, but been an issue for a few days
Foods eaten today: Through mid-afternoon--PB&J, two cups of coffee, Caesar salad with chicken, banana

Prius 2006 Headlamp Bulb Replacement

Old bulb (top) with detached low-beam coil; new bulb (bottom) in box with both coils

Successfully replaced both headlamp bulbs, this time on a 2006 Prius with the standard halogen 9003 bulbs (the 2005 Prius had HID bulbs).

Still a PITA. However, it seemed a bit easier than the 2005 Prius. The 2006 model seems to have different clips (just one clasp?) and cover assembly, which makes it a bit easier.

Both existing bulbs failed within a few days of the other. The first the day of, or the day after, getting my oil changed at Oil Can Henry's in Soquel. The second failed within the next few days.

Bulbs used:
Philips 9003B1 Standard Halogen Replacement Headlight Bulb

Tools used:

• Flat-head screwdriver (remove cowl)
• Philips-head screwdriver (remove cowl screw)
• Mechanics gloves
• Overalls
• Flashlight (mobile device)
• Nitrile gloves (to handle bulbs)

Found a shady spot near Rachel Carson college parking lot. Figured neighbors didn't want to hear me cursing.

Two contractors working on a roofing job came down to the lot and hopped into a white truck. I overheard one say, "I don't do drugs ... regularly." I wondered at the need to qualify the statement with an adverb.

Previously, previously

Wilder Ranch State Park - Sand Plant Beach Hike

Hiked from the Wilder Ranch State Park parking lot to Sand Plant Beach:

Wilder Ranch State Park - Map of hike to Sand Plant Beach and back

Weather was 81F and humid, windy near the cliffs (~10mph). Flat trail, low exertion. 

Dozens of harbor seals (video by Alessandra Zermini) sunned on an exposed rock near Fern Grotto Beach. Spotted a handful of nesting Brandt’s cormorants close by (video by Alessandra Zermini, on 06/30/2018).

Ate snacks above Sand Plant Beach then walked to the farm buildings and visited with the horses Christian (Chrissy) and ???.

Patio Umbrella

OSH 9 Foot Aluminum Umbrella Frame, with crank tilt

OSH 9 Foot Sunbrella Umbrella Canopy - Astoria Sunset Stripe

OSH Orchard Umbrella Cover Up To 11 Feet

IKEA Lökö base, 88 lb

Pier One LED butterfly lights with timer
Pier One chair cushions - Calliope Spice

Got the frame and canopy 50% off during 4th of July sale. Got the butterfly lights on clearance for 40% off. We already had the patio chairs and side table.

TODO: lookup how to pronounce Lökö. It's like "ur". Sort of. So, "Lur-kur"

Running Journal, Thursday, 2018-07-05

Patio furniture overlooking Monterey Bay, from fire trail along UCSC Great Meadow

Resting heart rate: 69 bpm around 6 hours after running
Body Mass Index (BMI): 24.4
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR):
Weather: sunny
Temp: pleasant
Time: 11:45-12:30 p.m.
Terrain: Hilly
Comments: Lots of stairs and hills. Listened to audiobook while I ran which helped. Found metal patio furniture along the trail--three chairs and a table. Visited the Jordan Gulch quarry and walked among "The Village" buildings for the first time. Noted a trail leading from the quarry base along the ravine, for next time. Campus was largely empty of students. When I felt winded (e.g., after climbing stairs) I walked until I wasn't red-lining anymore. Forgot sunblock. A successful run. Felt good afterward.
Goal Time: n/a
Distance (running): ~3.0 miles
Weight (after run): n/a (185?)
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Left toes feeling a bit sore, but that's been an ongoing issue for a few weeks
Foods eaten today: oatmeal with raspberries and bananas, Caesar salad, hummus and guacamole with naan bread, applesauce, a few ounces of chicken cutlets, grape leafs stuffed with rice, four cups coffee, Trader Joe's Japanese Fried Rice

4th of July

Attended the San Jose Wind Symphony's "Fantastic Fourth!" concert at Oak Meadow Park, Los Gatos.

Ate waffle cones with spicy chocolate and pistachio gelato from Lolli and Pops, in Los Gatos.

Watched "Won’t You Be My Neighbor?" at the Nickelodeon in Santa Cruz.

Drove home along West Cliff Drive.

Watched Washington DC fireworks via "A Capitol Fourth" on PBS. 

Kevin Voted Today

Statewide Contests
Governor: Delaine Eastin
Lieutenant Governor: Gayle McLaughlin
Secretary of State: Alex Padilla
Controller: Betty T. Yee
Treasurer: Fiona Ma
Attorney General: Xavier Becerra
Insurance Commissioner: Ricardo Lara
Superintendent of Public Instruction: Tony K. Thurmond
United States Senator: Kevin De Leon

State Ballot Measures
Y: 68 Natural Resources Bond
Y: 69 Transportation Revenue: Restrictions and Limits
N: 70 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Reserve Fund
Y: 71 Ballot Measures: Effective Date
Y: 72 Property Tax: New Construction: Rain-Capture

District Contests
Board of Equalization, District 2: Malia Cohen
United States Representative, 20th District: Jimmy Panetta
Member of the State Assembly, 29th District: Mark Stone

Judicial
Superior Court Judge: Syda K. Cogliati

County 
Superintendent of Schools: Faris Sabbah
Supervisor, 3rd District: Ryan Coonerty
Assessor-Recorder: Sean Saldavia
Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector: Edith Driscoll
Clerk: Gail L. Pellerin
District Attorney-Public Administrator: Jeff Rosell
Sheriff-Coroner: Jim Hart

City
Y: Measure S Santa Cruz Quarter-Cent Sales Tax Measure
Y: Measure T Santa Cruz Repeal of Marijuana Law Enforcement Ordinance
Y: Measure U Santa Cruz Measure to Oppose University of California Development Plan Approved

LINKS
https://www.jwz.org/blog/2018/05/voter-guide/
https://brokeassstuart.com/blog/2018/05/08/the-june-2018-bas-voter-guide/

Weird Al Concert - May 17, Monterey, California

We attended Weird Al's May 17 Monterey, California performance,  at the Golden State Theatre.

Playlist:

1. Why Does This Always Happen to Me?
2. When I Was Your Age
3. Don't Download This Song
4. Buy Me a Condo
5. The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota
6. Craigslist
7. Dare to Be Stupid (Grateful Dead version)
8. I'll Sue Ya
9. One More Minute
10. Velvet Elvis
11. Let Me Be Your Hog
12. Midnight Star
13. Stop Forwarding That Crap to Me
14. Mr. Popeil
15. Nature Trail to Hell
16. Jackson Park Express
17. Eat It / I Lost on Jeopardy / Amish Paradise / Smells Like Nirvana / White & Nerdy / I Love Rocky Road / Like a Surgeon
18. Encore #1: The Elements (Tom Lehrer cover)
19. Encore #2: The Saga Begins

The Golden State Theatre venue has lovely detail work and an upper balcony, where we sat in row double-O, dead center. Seats in that section chafed on my knees (I'm over six feet) but otherwise comfortable.

Before entering, we got tickets from will-call. While there, the CID Entertainment guy with the purple sequin jacket came in, making multiple requests of theatre staff to put out tabling materials for the VIP experience. He claimed the VIPs might ask for a refund if they didn't have tabling out, but the theatre staff just kept deflecting his concerns, eventually telling him they would show him that nearly everyone had already received their packets, to which he meekly said, "OK" and accepted his fate. I guess they'd heard it all before and didn't want to do it for the act du jour.

Once inside, we purchased a tee shirt for Dawn, two popcorns, and an Angry Orchard hard cider (apple?). We looked around the ground floor and then went up to our seats. 

Emo Philips opened and did very well. One heckler kept acting obnoxiously but he shut him down.

• They don't make theatres like this anymore, not since they abolished child slavery laws

The person to my left seemed bored; he had his elbows on his knees and head in his hands for a good portion. We thought maybe he was a younger fan and wanted more recent stuff (?)

After the show, we looked for Dawn's friend, Lydia, almost giving up before running into her and her boyfriend Mark outside the theatre. While walking around the block, we passed Steve Jay walking in the opposite direction on a smoke break. Lydia asked for and got a hug, while Mark invited him to join us and he politely declined. Dawn mentioned later she extended her hand but he declined to shake it...maybe he's a germophobe (?) 

Outside the theatre rear entrance, we paused by the tour buses where a number of fans had gathered. We settled-in at a booth in restaurant Turn 12 Bar and Grill, which faced the tour buses, so Lydia and Mark could eat (pizza) and keep an eye on when Al appeared. Mark and Lydia had two complaints: 1) The tour priced out the hardcore fans; and 2) Play something other than The Saga Begins. Lydia enlisted another fan waiting outside our window to alert her with his signature animal noise, to which he politely declined to share but agreed to tap on the window instead. Lydia eventually went outside the window and pressed her face against the glass and made a silly face (beaver?), leaving the rest of us to eat. Mark went outside to find Lydia and returned to tell us she had found her way into the theatre via the back entrance and was in line to meet Al. Mark invited us along and we slipped into the theatre, dodging roadies moving wheeled equipment boxes down the ramp. After only a few moments, a tour staff member busted us and we left. Mark seemed to feel guilty, apologizing to us and two other people the tour staff member had also dismissed for lack of a VIP pass. We hung around outside in the cool air. Lydia recognized one of the roadies (Gonzo?) and walked over to say hello. We saw the tour staff member walk over to the bus, dump her backpack, and return to us. I think Mark and Lydia had considered going back inside but Lydia declined saying the tour staff member would be back, and her intuition was correct. The tour staff member firmly said she didn't have to do anything for us, she wasn't a nice person, but she was going to punch our event tickets to let us get one item signed by Al, when he got to the bus. Lydia mentioned her first concern, about pricing, and the tour staff member said the promoters set the prices, so she can't change it. By the time Al came out, he said "hi", and the tension had left the air. The two other people who had gotten kicked out for a lack of pass also were allowed to get one item signed. The guy from CID entertainment who we had seen at will call had appeared, sans purple jacket, and also was in a good mood. We had all tried to determine what to get signed. Dawn got her ticket signed. Lydia got him to sign her gold sneakers (while wearing them, after a bit of back and forth reassuring the tour staff she could lift them safely for Al to sign). Mark got the inside of his phone cover signed. I got the inside of my wallet signed (they teasingly threatened to steal it, by shutting the bus door). After that, we said our goodbyes and drove back to Santa Cruz. 

My favorite song: Dare to Be Stupid, in the style of The Grateful Dead. Dawn's favorites: One More Minute and The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota. It was awesome to hear the Elements Song by Tom Lehrer, which seemed fitting because Tom taught at UC-Santa Cruz and has a home there. 

Lydia and Mark were heading on to Turlock the next night for the May 19 show, and hoped to hear Yoda (a wish fulfilled!) instead of The Saga Begins.