Banana Slug Sighting - University of California, Santa Cruz

Saw my first banana slug today, on the University of California, Santa Cruz campus. Then, 30 seconds later, I saw my second. Both seemed to have spotted citrus fruit peelings.

Banana slug, top center, slowly moving toward citrus peel, bottom center

Weather: 57 degrees Fahrenheit. Humidity 88%. Overcast clouds at 700 feet. 2.2mph wind, from the SSW. Pressure 29.94 inches. Dew point 53 degress Fahrenheit. Slight drizzle. Had rained the previous day. Everything wet and humid and cool and misty and overcast, with tall redwoods all around.

-- UCSC McHenry Library, Santa Cruz, California, USA

My Golden Days - Film

Heard Subject on the radio in the last week or two; want to see it.

UC Santa Cruz Hike

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6834016

• Baskin School of Engineering
• McHenry Library
• Global Village Cafe
• Bauru: Ham, tomatoes, melted mozzarella cheese & oregano (we chose the whole wheat baguette)
• Acerola smoothie: Amazon cherry, banana, strawberries & OJ
• Now operated by Amazon Juices UCSC
• Features pastries by Kelly's French Bakery
• Noticed the newspaper displays had gone dark
• Liked the regional topographic maps
• Walked through the UCSC Department of Music building, to view the practice rooms:
• Older, but well-maintained equipment
• Several practice rooms occupied, but many free
• Yamaha Clavinova CLP-122S Digital Piano
• Year of manufacture: 1992
• Features: 
• Master volume slider
• Reverb
• OFF ............When no reverb effect is selected (no REVERB indicator is lit), a special natural damper effect is applied to the piano voices. This simulates the natural resonance of an acoustic piano’s strings and sound board when the damper pedal is pressed.
• ROOM ........This setting add a continuous reverb effect to the sound that is similar to the type of acoustic reverberation you would hear in a medium-size room
• HALL 1 ......For a “bigger” reverb sound, use the HALL 1 setting. This effect simulates the natural reverberation of a medium-size concert hall
• HALL 2 ......For a really spacious reverb sound, use the HALL 2 setting. This effect simulates the natural reverberation of a large concert hall
• COSMIC ....The COSMIC reverb effect produces an echo-plus-reverb sound that can add life and animation to your music
• MIDI/Transpose: Allows access to the Clavinova’s Transpose function (to shift the pitch of the entire keyboard up or down), keyboard touch sensitivity adjustment, and MIDI functions
• Voice Selectors: 
• Piano 1
• Piano 2
• Clavinova tone
• E. piano
• Harpsichord
• Organ
• Pedals:
• Soft/Sostenuto (Left) Pedal
• Damper (Right) Pedal
• Playing the Demonstration Tunes
• Press the C7 key (right-most) while holding the [MIDI/TRANSPOSE] button
• Press a selector to start playback of the corresponding tune, featuring the voice normally selected by that voice selector button
• Tunes:
• [PIANO 1] .................. “Grande valse brillante” by F. F. Chopin
• [PIANO 2] .................. “Lake Louise” by Yuhki Kuramoto
• [CLAVINOVA TONE] “Rêverie” by Debussy
• [HARPSICHORD] ..... “Invention 3” by J. S. Bach
• [ORGAN] ................... “Symphonie pour orgue No.5” by Widor
• Dual Mode: allows selecting and configuring two voices at once
• Touch sensitivity configuration: Hard/Medium/Soft
• Transposition:  
• Shift the pitch of the entire keyboard up or down in semitone intervals up to a maximum of six semitones
• “Transposing” the pitch of the Clavinova keyboard facilitates playing in difficult key signatures, and you can easily match the pitch of the keyboard to the range of a singer or other instrumentalist
• Pitch control: Pitch control makes it possible to tune the Clavinova over a ±50-cent range in approximately 1.2-cent intervals
• Yamaha Upright Acoustical Piano
• Serial Number 1213490
• Indicates Hamamatsu, Japan, as the manufacture location, in 1971-1972 (?)
• Found arrangement, in the piano bench, of Étude Op. 25, No. 7 (Chopin), "alternatively known as the "Cello" due to the prominent melody played in the left hand"
• Great Meadow Bike Path
• Passed the UCSC Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS)
• Service road: had a number of 40 yard dumpster containers, for various materials: plastics, carpets, metals
• Arboretum, through the back gate, walked into the gift shop
• Smelled rich foliage smells, reminding me of the ravine near my childhood home
• Up the hill, to Oakes College
• Passed a number of signs: Collective Museum, the campus-wide art project by Portland-based artist group Public Doors and Windows (PDW); we sat at Ken's Bench
• Koi fish
• Porter Slug Grill and Cafe: open, but we overheard someone asking about something unrelated, and we though it was closed...not a big deal, since we needed cash and the ATM seemed down
• Walked through Kresge College, to Owl's Nest, but closed
• Back to McHenry BSOE
• Drove to Marini's, on Swift, for ice cream--noticed the Ferris Wheel model working, but the marbles kept falling off

How to Care for a Sad Person

Done:

1. Lay blanket out
2. Pick up sad person
3. Lay sad person in blanket 
4. Roll them like a sushi
5. Place sad roll on bed/couch/comfy place
6. Hug roll close
7. Put on rolls favorite movies 
8. Feed roll snacks
9. Make sure roll is well hydrated. Tears make roll dehydrated 
10. Happy lil’ sushi roll

My Neighbor Totoro, chocolate, wine, sparkling water.

McLaren 12C

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLaren_12C

Seen in a parking spot, at our apartment complex. o_O

Parked between two SUVs. Used models retail for close to USD$200,000.

UPDATE: It's crammed between two Honda CR-V SUVs. Disquieting.

Radio Songs

Heard on KDVS 90.3 FM out of Davis, CA:

Bart Graft's "I Ain't Waiting", from the self-published album, "Nineteen Eighty-Five". Bandcamp.

Super Dry - Japan

Saw someone wearing a coat manufactured by Super Dry - Japan, which seemed pretty cool. No idea what style, but something like a windbreaker (windcheater?):

http://www.superdry.com/us/mens/windcheaters

Zydeco Wake Up Music

Last weekend I listened to a radio program playing zydeco music and it planted the seed of an idea to wake up to zydeco, at some point, in the future. Noting so I do not forget.

Minera Dead Sea Salt

Suggested by Lanna.

Superga Shoes

Saw someone wearing Superga shoes:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superga_(brand)

Noting, for reference only.

Inspector Morse

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspector_Morse_(TV_series)

Costco sells this series--look interesting. He seems Oxford-based.

Google Express: Sorting High to Low, Less Than $25

Recently received a $25 gift code, from Google Express and Costco.

Well, how to find something $25 and under, and sort high to low?

The interface does not seem to allow it so well. Google customer support chat did not help.

So, it turns out this works:

https://www.google.com/express/search?c=60&p_max=25&m=9090995&st=PRICE_HIGH_TO_LOW&s=0

Specifically:

• st=PRICE_HIGH_TO_LOW
• p_max=25

Pre-Valentines Day 2016

We visited Chocolate: The Restaurant on Valentines Day Saturday, February 13, 2016, the day before Valentines Day.

Food was delicious, staff friendly and accommodating, prices not unreasonable, but, this year, logistics, dripping ceiling water, and web site mis-communications kind of killed our date.

MEAL

• "Our Specialty: Chicken Mole: Free-range chicken... braised in our rich chocolate mole sauce, made with bittersweet chocolate and roasted peanuts. Not sweet. Not very spicy. Served with organic baby greens & pepita seeds w/ balsamic vinaigrette, & our gluten-free polenta pie"
• "Our Own Baked Pasta Rosettes: Fresh Pasta Pinwheels stuffed w/ ricotta & romano cheeses served with Artichoke Pesto Cream Sauce (Half Order w/ Organic Baby Greens)"
• Dessert orgy, small:
• Slice, Coconut Cheesecake: "One of our specialties, made with shredded coconut, coconut milk, and white chocolate. Topped with dark chocolate ganache"
• Slice, Chocolate Ecstacy Cake: "light & bittersweet, dusted with cocoa"
• Small serving, Gelato: extra rich old-fashioned Ice Cream, chocolate-minte (with mini mint chocolate bar sticking up, from the top)
• Cream Pies: "Rich custard in a cookie crumb crust with our homemade whipped cream. Dark Chocolate Cream"
• Chocolate Mousse Truffles: Not sure what flavor we got...to me, it tasted a bit like balsamic vinaigrette, but Dawn is not in agreement...the filling was white; "Mocha, Hazelnut, Coconut, White Amaretto, Rich Milk, White Rose, Salted Caramel Dense Dark French, Mexican Spice, Bittersweet Mousse, Dark Rose, Fresh-Mint"
• Optional: 
• Glass, Pinot Noir: 2008 Aiena Vineyards, Monterey Bright and rich with aromas of cherry and ornage peel. An excellent wine.
• Glass, Pizzolato Spumante: Cantina “Il Pizzolato” Veneto, Italy Dry with complex and pronounced grapefruit flavor in the finish. This sparkling wine made from 100% Chardonnay grapes has been very popular here at Chocolate for over 14 years.

DISAPPOINTMENTS

Underwhelming experience, to say the least, compared with an exceptional 2015 date (note: regarding logistics, not the food or staff--the food, as usual, was delicious!):

• Web site advertised a Valentines Menu, on both Saturday, February 13, as well as Sunday, February 14 (see image, below)
• On Saturday, February 13, at 6:00 p.m., we reserved a table, for two, for later that night, at 8:15 p.m., verbally, via telephone (note: we did not confirm, at the time, whether they planned to serve the Valentines Menu...caveat emptor)
• Arrived on time, at 8:15 p.m., but found our names not recorded, on the hostess' list; graciously, the hostess directed us to an available indoor table (which normally seats 6-8), without missing a beat--kudos, for that
• However, we soon discovered the air conditioning vent, directly above the table, continually dripped condensation, on one end of the table...we scooted down, and, for the most part, successfully ignored it
• We attempted to order the Valentines Menu prix fixe meal, per the web site advertisement, but restaurant staff (note: waiter confirmed, with the hostess) informed us the restaurant was serving regular menu items only, and not serving the prix fixe meal 

Chocolate, the Restaurant's web site, as of Sunday, February 14, 2016, with text "Valentines Menu...Available Saturday & Sunday February 13 & 14."

• Why did the web site say one thing, but staff say another?
• We thought this might represent an error with updating web site text, year-over-year, but the Wayback Machine indicates the following web site text, from February 15, 2015--no indication of Saturday & Sunday option: "Valentines Menu: A four-course menu for two to share, with three entree courses to choose from. Discounted bottles of excellent red wine, white wine and spumante will be available. Price includes food for two. Gratuity, tax, and beverages extra."
• Additionally, the 2015 Valentines Menu image specifically lists only February 14, 2015
• ???

So, we made the best of it. Caveat emptor. The meal ended up costing ~$75, including tax, tip, and wine, instead of the ~$75 + $20, for wine, plus tax & tip, for Valentines Day, so...we saved some maybe $20-30.

Differences, from 2015:

• Price increase, from $65, to $75 (+$10, or +15%)
• Baby greens salad lists option, "White truffle & balsamic vinaigrette & romano cheese" (note: may have served the same, in 2015, but menu did not mention)
• Main entree change: from "Tender Shrimp Crêpes, with saffron cream", to "Chile Verde Pork, with organic basmati rice"
• Optional wine changes:
• From "Sparkling Pizzolato Spumante", to "Cremant d'Alsace Sparkling dry French Rose"
• From "Ripasso di Valpolicella", to "Le Gouleyant Malbec"

Chocolate, the Restaurant's Valentines Menu 2016 prix fixe menu details

To conclude: Food was delicious, staff friendly and accommodating, prices not unreasonable, but logistics, dripping ceiling water, and web site mis-communications kind of killed our date.

Takeaway(s):

• Make reservations online, as telephone reservations seem sketchy, per this Valentines experience and our Thanksgiving experience, at Hoffman's Downtown
• Confirm, verbally, special meal reservations
• Other (?)

Previously

Personality Test, 2016-02-08: ISFJ-A, “The Defender”

Took another test, this evening:

Your personality type: “The Defender” (ISFJ-A)
Strength of individual traits: Introverted: 57%, Observant: 53%, Feeling: 71%, Judging: 74%, Assertive: 67%.
Role: Sentinel
Strategy: Confident Individualism
Link to your profile: http://www.16personalities.com/profiles/56b94907e908b

This represents the second test to lead with "ISF": Introverted (slightly), observant (slightly), feeling (a lot).

Previously (ISFP)

Santa Cruz Super Bowl 10k, 3K, & 1K Kids Run

This morning, sitting on my balcony, drinking coffee, and listening to whoops and hollering of race volunteers, of the Santa Cruz Super Bowl 10k, 3K, & 1K Kids Run, organized by the Santa Cruz Track Club, which occurs just a few blocks distant, at the back entrance to Natural Bridges State Beach, on Deleware Avenue. Lots of energy!

Maytag Stacked Washer / Dryer

Our apartment has a stacked washer / dryer, a Maytag Neptune Super Stack, model #MLE2000AYW.

Manual:
http://www.maytag.com/digitalassets/MLPDF/Use%20and%20Care%20Guide%20-%202202493.pdf

To clean and freshen the washer interior:

1. Make a solution of one cup chlorine bleach and two cups warm water. Be careful not to spill or splash the bleach solution.
2. Wipe the lower portion of gray door seal with bleach solution and soft cloth.
3. Fill the bleach dispenser with chlorine bleach.
4. Run the washer through a complete cycle using hot water.
5. Repeat the wash cycle if necessary

Redundant Acronyms and Initialisms

A fun list:

http://www.fun-with-words.com/redundant_acronyms.html

A partial selection:

• PIN Number
• ATM Machine

Meyers Brigs, 2016-01-18: ISFP

Took a test, this evening.

RESULT

ISFP

Introvert(25%)  Sensing(3%)  Feeling(12%)  Perceiving(6%)
You have moderate preference of Introversion over Extraversion (25%)
You have marginal or no preference of Sensing over Intuition (3%)
You have slight preference of Feeling over Thinking (12%)
You have slight preference of Perceiving over Judging (6%)

http://www.humanmetrics.com/hr/jtypesresult.aspx?EI=-25&SN=3&TF=-12&JP=-6


ANSWERS

1. You are almost never late for your appointments
uncertain
2. You like to be engaged in an active and fast-paced job
yes
3. You enjoy having a wide circle of acquaintances
uncertain
4. You feel involved when watching TV soaps
uncertain
5. You are usually the first to react to a sudden event: the telephone ringing or unexpected question
no
6. You feel that the world is founded on compassion
yes
7. You think that everything in the world is relative
YES
8. Strict observance of the established rules is likely to prevent attaining a good outcome
yes
9. It is difficult to get you excited
yes
10. When making a decision, you rely more on your feelings than on analysis of the situation
uncertain
11. You often think about humankind and its destiny
uncertain
12. You believe the best decision is one which can be easily changed
uncertain
13. You often ponder the root cause of phenomena and things
uncertain
14. You prefer to act immediately rather than speculate about various options
no
15. You trust reason rather than feelings
uncertain
16. You are inclined to rely more on improvisation than on prior planning
uncertain
17. You spend your leisure time actively socializing with a group of people, attending parties, shopping, etc.
NOa
18. You usually plan your actions in advance
yes
19. Your actions are frequently influenced by your emotions
uncertain
20. You are a person somewhat reserved and distant in communication
yes
21. You know how to put every minute of your time to good purpose
uncertain
22. You often contemplate the complexity of life
uncertain
23. After prolonged socializing you feel you need to get away and be alone
uncertain
24. You often do jobs in a hurry
uncertain
25. You easily see the general principle behind specific occurrences
uncertain
26. You frequently and easily express your feelings and emotions
uncertain
27. You find it difficult to speak loudly
no
28. You get bored if you have to read theoretical books
yes
29. You tend to sympathize with other people
YES
30. You value justice higher than mercy
uncertain
31. You rapidly get involved in the social life of a new workplace
no
32. The more people you speak to, the better you feel
uncertain
33. You tend to rely on your experience rather than on theoretical alternatives
yes
34. As a rule, you proceed only when you have a clear and detailed plan
no
35. You easily empathize with the concerns of other people
yes
36. Often you prefer to read a book than go to a party
yes
37. When with a group of people, you enjoy being directly involved and being at the centre of attention
no
38. You are more inclined to experiment than to follow familiar approaches
yes
39. You are strongly touched by the stories about people's troubles
uncertain
40. Deadlines seem to you to be of relative rather than absolute importance
yes
41. You prefer to isolate yourself from outside noises
YES
42. It is essential for you to try things with your own hands
uncertain
43. You think that almost everything can be analyzed
uncertain
44. For you, no surprises is better than surprises - bad or good ones
no
45. You take pleasure in putting things in order
YES
46. You feel at ease in a crowd
uncertain
47. You have good control over your desires and temptations
uncertain
48. You easily understand new theoretical principles
uncertain
49. You usually place yourself nearer to the side than in the center of the room
uncertain
50. When solving a problem you would rather follow a familiar approach than seek a new one
yes
51. A thirst for adventure is something close to your heart
uncertain
52. When considering a situation you pay more attention to the current situation and less to a possible sequence of events
uncertain
53. When solving a problem you consider the rational approach to be the best
uncertain
54. You find it difficult to talk about your feelings
uncertain
55. Your decisions are based more on the feeling of a moment than on the thorough planning
uncertain
56. You prefer to spend your leisure time alone or relaxing in a tranquil atmosphere
yes
57. You feel more comfortable sticking to conventional ways
uncertain
58. You are easily affected by strong emotions
uncertain
59. You are always looking for opportunities
uncertain
60. As a rule, current preoccupations worry you more than your future plans
yes
61. It is easy for you to communicate in social situations
uncertain
62. You rarely deviate from your habits
yes
63. You willingly involve yourself in matters which engage your sympathies
yes
64. You easily perceive various ways in which events could develop
    yes

Air King Exhaust Fan with Light

http://www.airkinglimited.com/page/energy-star-exhaust-fan-light.html

Our apartment has an Air King Exhaust Fan with Light, in our bathroom. Noting for future reference, for retrieving the owner manual.

Radio Songs

Heard on 91.5 FM, KKUP, out of Santa Cruz, visionary music, like space music, on Sunday, January 10, 2016.