Multiple Events

It is amazing how an event can trigger multiple events in our lives.

Mark and Kevin’s Wedding on October 9th. Not knowing about it until October 6th or 7th.

All the crap between the candidates during the last weeks of the election. The election on November 4. Karel being fired from KGO on November 1st.

Remembrances of my mother’s death 28 years and 3 minutes ago.

I am happy for Mark and Kevin.

The anger that arose in me every time Sarah Palin spoke…or didn’t. The pundits: O’Reilly, O’Hannity, and all the rest. Hatemonger’s.

Listening to Karel over the past few years and his termination the night before the election. Unbelievable. Karel is an Icon to me. A Brilliant creation.

For some odd reason I missed the Obama speech on election night. I had Tivo’d it and watched it last night. The tears, the joy, the hope, the change.

And of course, 28 years ago to the minute of lying down in my bed knowing I would never have the love and companionship of my mother again.

Maybe this is my “October Surprise”.

Election Day

It's sort of bittersweet. Not the part about voting for Barack, but is you've Voted for No on 8, there's a bittersweet feeling of having no one in my life. (It's kind of like not being on a party invitation list).

Anticipation

I don't think I can ever remember so much anticipation as the announcement of Barack Obama's Vice President. It's so funny, these newsmen look like fools as they keep checking their cell phones.

This will definitely go down in history as the biggest anticipation in history.

Who will it be?

I Want Condi

I wish I could take credit for this blog, but I can't. It appeared on The Huffington Post, written by Chris Kelly. It reads as follows and is brilliant, by the way:

I Want Condi

From the very beginning, the presidential race should have been between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton opposing Sen. McCain and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. It could still be if we quit wasting time.
-- Letter to the Editor, Wall Street Journal 08/12/08


I don't believe Condoleezza Rice can actually play piano. Everything else she's ever touched has been a fraud and a catastrophe, why should her alleged musical abilities be any different? Think about it. Think about any event she's been even remotely involved in since you first heard her name. An endless string of threats and blundering and arrogant bluffs turned squalid pigf*cks. It's not that she can't do her job; she can't do anything. I think when she plays piano the piano catches fire and the audience dies. So yeah, sure, Condoleezza Rice for Vice President. Time's a wastin'.
But there's one other thing that we're always told to keep in mind when we consider Condoleezza -- I mean, besides her wondrous ability to play an instrument: Whatever happens, It's not her fault.
Sure, she ignored the warnings about bin Laden, and she was shoe shopping during Katrina, and she can't find her ass with her hands on Lebanon, or North Korea, or Pakistan. It's not her fault because those aren't her area.
Her field of expertise is the Soviet Union. Ask anyone at the Hoover Institute. She's just brilliant on the Soviet Union.
She's written books on the Soviets, a dissertation even! She speaks Russian. She has impeccable credentials -- for a top slot in the Ford administration.
So it's not fair to get down on her for her inability to handle Zimbabwe or Iran or Venezuela; George W. Bush needed her at his side in case Brezhnev came back.
And she was a woman and a minority, too! Which would have been really something, in about 1975. But, considering the Berlin Wall had fallen in 1989, making a Sovietologist National Security Advisor was like putting Pocahontas in charge of NASA.
During Dr. Rice's tenure, we've had a devastating terrorist attack and two wars. Peace between Israel and the Palestinians went nowhere, and Pakistan sold everybody the bomb. In 2000, there was serious talk about making Bill Clinton Secretary General of the United Nations. In 2008, Mexico and England are the only places Air Force One can land without dropping flares.
But it wasn't her fault. She was standing watch on the Danube.
She's been trained since birth to handle Russia. If a strongman ever took over there she'd box him in faster than you could say "détente." And if that strongman ever even thought about invading somewhere? She'd know about it, and she'd slap him down faster than you could say "containment."
Or maybe not.

GEORGIA ROUTED AS PEACE BID FAILS
- Headline, Wall Street Journal 08/12/08

So where's Condi, while the French broker a peace treaty?

Has anyone checked the shoe stores?

My Dirty Little Secret

I have a secret and I must tell someone. I just can't help it.

Well, here it is...

I have another blog. Yes, a very incriminating, blog. One in which no one is spared. Yes, no one. It revolves around Tuolumne County and it's residents as well as it politics and government.

Email me if you'd like to be let in on my dirty little secret.

A word of Advice

I guess I thought I was above it, but it finally happened. Yup, even I am not invincable. To make a 1hour 56 minute story short. I called AppleCare today to figure out wny Safari was acting so slow. Well, we did ths, we did that....we waited. We redid. and then we added, deleted and resintalled. Lo and behold during the reinstall, there wasn't quite enough room so we had to be selective. So we didn't add a few things. All seemed well, We said our goodbyes and I restarted. Whoops!

Mot enough room for Mac OSX to start! What now? All my precious thoughts, my future blog ideas, my guzillion email account settings, my address book. Yup, can't access any of it.

Luckily, I did have my Time Machine activated so I hope tomorrow, I can call AC again and we can figure it out. I fortunately have all my addresses on my ipod, along with a month's worth of calendar items, but what about all those email messages I really wanted to save? Can they really be found?

Apple provides a cheat sheet for all your settings. I had printed it out, but hadn't filled it in. I really wish I had because I really need the passwords for a couple accounts.

So, my friends, beware. Little glips may occur. Our precious little laptops and towers are not as invincible as we think they are. Protect yourself. Wear a condom over your head if you have to but remember, Take precautions.

She made it through the storm

and boy, does she look fine, as evidenced by the photo below of her manicured paws. She was a little bit ornry for a day or two but then mellowed back out.

I guess the groomer knew what she was doing!

DreadLocks be gone!

Well, my little Stoli has developed these little "dreadlocks" on either side of her ears and on her hind legs. I guess it's normal for a collie with longish hair for this to happen but I think it's starting to bother her. At night she shakes her had a lot and tried to scratch a bit behind her ears. She looks at me with this cute little expression and flaps her head from side to side. It's adorable but I get the impression it's beginning to bother her.

i'd been asking her vet about it for quite some time now and finally she said, "She needs a groomer, not a vet"! I found a really interesting link about dreadlocks. I can't seem to link it, but it's easily accessible through Google. The page is bright yellow, so you can't miss it.

So, tomorrow morning, very early, we are off to the groomer's. I think I better wear long sleeves and gloves and try to find her muzzle or she will have me for breakfast.. That horrible little shock collar at such an early age has conditioned her to want to bite my hands off. Hopefully all will be fine tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Pride 2008

Wow, and was i proud. What a great festival to be at. First time I've ever seen the parade in all these years too. Here's a picture of Mark and I at the festival.

Spell Checks are good!

I only wish I would remember to do them more.

Dad on the train

What a wonderful way to spend Father's Day. Yes, a train ride with your father. We have lived next to Railtown 1897 for the past 10 1/2 years and until this past Sunday, had never riden the train. Well, 1/2 price day came and away we went. What fun. A lovely gentlemen playing a violin (or fiddle) singing little ditties from yesteryear. Absolutely charming.

Except for the fact that the first half of the ride we went backwards, we were trilled to return to the Jamestown Station heading the proper way.

As I think about how little time I have these days to read a book, or a newspaper for that matter, if only trains remained an integral part of our lives. Even buses, for that matter. That little bit of precious time could be spent so much better than negotiating subaru's and Prius's and trying to get the volume right on our bluetooth appliances.

Those were the days. I wish they were back. I wish I had time to get there and kill a couple birds with one stone. I also wish that I could tale many mpre train rides with my father. Happy Father's Day, Dad! Thanks for helping me remember how simple life was and possible could be.

I'm Sorry

Well I just spoke to my friend Mark. Apparently, I posted something about him that he didn’t like. Since I can’t seem to find it, I will just retract anything bad I ever said about him.
Mark is a wonderful human being and I never meant to tarnish his name.

Biker's in town

It’s hard to believe but Jamestown has a street fair. Quite different from the street fairs I knew in San Francisco, but it is definitely a street fair.

What it really is is a ride from the Modesto Harley Davidson shop to the Jamestown Harley shop. I don’t know how many people were there but the school grounds were full of bikes and most of the streets were full as well. I noticed 3 or 4 sets of mounted sheriffs. Security was extremely visible, which is good, but a little unnerving. Probably about 2,500 people

Two stages, one at either end of Main were set up with live music and giveaways and there were a number of craft and biker stuff type booths in the parking lots just off Main. All in all, quite impressive.

Stoli and I walked from one end to another. She got her usual shares of “Cute dog ”comments. Sher was happy but a wee bit distracted with all the loud sounds. She wouldn’t even peek when asked. (It’s a good thing she liked the treats.)

The fair was officially called the “Sierra Hope Ride” and the event money went to “Jerry’s Kids” and MDA. For those of you who have been around since the ‘80’s, I don’t mean that kind of MDA. There is a famous ride in Siouth Dakota, called the "Sturgis" ride.

The Japanese Component

Today, approximately 210 miles up in the sky NASA joined forces with Japan and the final pressurized component of the ISS, Kibo, was connected. It was spectacular! There were two sightings over Jamestown tonight as well. It sure looks bigger and brighter up there now than it did almost 2 years ago.

It is so refreshing to finally have a hobby!

It's Over...for now...

Whew! Was I relieved when Barack topped the nomination tonight. These last few months have been a wild roller-coaster of a ride with the media running amuck at every chance.

I think our new president should ban the media from themselves. No more politico. No ore derisive politics, racial divides and all that has gone with it.

I like the idea of Pay per View channels. I could eliminate Fox and most likely CNN. I don't think I'd be missing any fair or balanced either.

As much as I wanted Hillary to win the nomination there is still hope of a VP spot...I hope.

Guess we'll just have to wait and see but for now...it's over!

A business venture...

You know, sometimes you just have to wonder. Some time ago, my little sister asked me if I would be willing to help her out. I listened. As the days went along, I found that it was a bit more than she initially said. I would be expected to take on this sort of business venture and make it my own. As I learned, I would have to sell products to “keep active” (not that I wanted to be active in the first place, I only wanted to help her.) As I learned more about this business venture, it turned out to be one of those pyramid business schemes where you recruit to boost your standing in the company. The new recruits would have to purchase a “Business Kit” because who can sell a product out of a catalog. I guess kind of a Tupperware party thing, where the hostess buys herself an inventory and can either sell her on hand stuff or order it for the customer. All the while trying to recruit new party consultants.

The company, of course promises “hot leads” when you recruit new people. Key word, “hot leads”. After being in sales, a Top Producer a couple of years straight mind you, I know as well as anyone, you can’t rely on someone else’s trickle down leads. If they were that great, they wouldn’t come to you anyway. It’s pure sales skills. You develop your own leads and develop your own style of networking. Whether it’s widgets, or in my case , real estate. It’s all the same. And what works great for the company is that the consultant must have the products on hand in order to sell them, thereby creating sales to the consultants being the primary customer. I learned a long time ago, a company that’s worth anything provides their product to the salesperson, not the other way around.

Anyway, I was just getting ready to convey my decision to my sister and I thought, hmm, I’ll just wait…to see if she follows up. (A key factor in anyone’s success at anything.) Follow up. Well, it’s been well over a month now and don’t you know I haven’t heard a word from her. Good thing I didn’t go forward and have her be my supervisor, having to rely on her for product or other stuff.

It’s kind of like the phone call. You know, you don’t hear from someone for over a year or so and then all of a sudden, you get a call. They didn’t have your phone number. Makes you wonder. I guess I’ve always been cautious and willing to wait a situation out. Just to see the whole picture.

Need less to say, family members should never go into business together. My father once went into a venture with a brother-in-law and as I recall, that didn’t work out to the best either. I should have known better when the first call came through. I mean, I’d love to help, if that’s what it is.

Sonora, my home town

My new global warmth

I love having a new vehicle. The world seems to stop, to give me a chance to drive and enjoy the fruits of my savings. Unfortunately, the fruits of my savings cost $120 to fill up her tank. Yikes! The only President to invade a country for its' oil and still not get it.

Happy for Hillary!

Wow, what an exciting night watching Hillary win PA. (Her PA, that is). If she can pull and 11% it may make a difference. I know what I had said previously, but I really hope we are going to see the "Dream Team: Hillary (P) and Obama (VP)" go strongly forward to a win in November.

A New Vehicle

The biggest deal in my life happened on April 15. I re-entered the car ownership society with the purchase of a 1998 Ford Expedition. All of a sudden, I feel mobile, ready for flight and cool when I drive. Dad's Oldsmobile A/C went out years ago.

It will cost me around $100 for a full tank of gas. Yikes!

It has now been just short of 4 years since I sold that fabulous 1999 Acura CL. Boy, do I miss that car.

Dumb Questions for Dumb Americans

On Verdict with Dan Abrams last night, they teased the following statement into a commercial…

They asked Undecided Voters “How they will feel if their candidate loses?”


My question is, “How can an Undecided Voter answer that question?”


Then, they asked the wives of the polygamy deal in Texas, “How many husbands can a wife have?” Huh?

This, my dear friends, is our American Media. And we bother to wonder how Americans can be so stupid.

A letter to a neighbor

I think this is pretty self explanatory...

Dearest Neighbor,

As the first few warm days of spring have arrived and with summer ensuing, we are once again reminded of your profanity and the verbal abuses that you dispatch upon your children That is to say, into the air of the peaceful serenity of our Jamestown neighborhood.

I can’t help but think that the long term effects of profanity and verbal abuse upon children will turn them into some kind of vile, disgusting people and I would urge you to use care with the expletives you choose to bellow or bestow upon your charge. By the way, occasional screaming, “you love them” doesn’t count.

Let’s have a quiet summer for a change (The last few have been rather embarrassing and quite hard to listen to). Discipline your kids, but please don’t let the rest of us suffer from it.

This letter is written with the greatest concern for the quality of care in the development of your kids A parenting class might be well taken. Your children know should know better of the clean “unpolluted “ air which we share.

Warmest regards with the greatest of sincerity.
Your neighbors



I hope she won't be upset with me, although she might just grab her shotgun and come and shoot me. If no further posts, check it out.

Check out the latest of my websites..

www.willyf.com

I've linked back here and added a slideshow and a few other things. Check it out!

Click here to visit My PA...

Well, you know what I was thinking when I received this email from Hillary Clinton. Yup, that's it! Hillary is pierced! And she has a PA!

Now that was my first thought. I can't help it if my mind automatically goes to the most common PA I know. That is, a Prince Albert, or a piercing in one's penis! Usually, a ring though the end of it! Sometimes, I seen a little bar-bell. I couldn't help but chuckle!

When I Googled PA, I was prompted to the Wikipedia, which I absolutely love. I quote,

"The Prince Albert piercing (PA) is one of the common forms of male genital piercing. The PA pierces the penis from the outside of the frenulum and into the urethra. There is also the "reverse Prince Albert piercing" which enters through the urethra and
exits through a hole pierced in the top of the glans."

Now if this is what Wikipedia says, I can't help but think that HiIlary's campaign people didn't bother to check it out! Maybe she's after a "certain" type of voter, Who knows? But I bet PA's will be welcomed in the White House once again when she wins!

Needless to say, I don't think I'll contribute this round.

It is the most wonderful time of the year…at least here in my garden, here in Jamestown.

With great thanks to a cold and hardy winter, the roses seem revitalized this year with new abundant growth. The forsythia has come back, the photinia has an enormous amount of red leaf growth and even the grass is coming back. In grass, I mean the combination of week; fescue and grass that makes the ground look green.

The clematis has grown 2 ½ feet in the last week and the Graham Thomas roses in front of the house were only pruned 1 month ago. Absolutely incredible!

I’m so looking forward to one of our most glorious and colorful months of May in many years.

I can only hope our country will view spring as I do. With hopes of a new administration taking our country in a direction not seen in the last seven years. With the growth of new voter’s becoming excited about the country, that is, new growth and blooms to come forth and the hopes of many of us watching Hillary Clinton becoming the presidential nominee and Barack Obama being the vice presidential nominee.

Truly an exciting time in my garden and in the nation.

At last, my predictions...

Ok, I might as well spill the beans, my predictions for the Democratic Candidate for President: Either Barack Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton. I think they are both stuck with each other and they both know it. Although if Hillary pulls enough of Texas and Ohio she might think she can do it without him. Hopefully not, because if he is not the nominee I think a whole lot of people will be crying foul and then mess this whole thing up leaving McCain the winner. I hope if Obama is the choice, he will defer to Hillary knowing that he will have 8 years in the White House and then the seemingly secure possibility of 8 more for a total of 16 years. How wonderful!

I believe that is why the last two debates seem to show the two are being very similar. They have both stressed friendship prior to and after the campaign and if ether person is not the candidate, they will certainly disenfranchise hundred’s of thousands of voters

With racial comments heightening over the past two years in the media, we have been pre-conditioned, if you will, to be sensitive to what I call the elephant in the room. No one seems to address the issue of Barack being black and Hillary white and I dare say no one addresses the issue of Hillary being a woman. Something is wrong right there.

I think that behind the scenes, deep within the Republican Party workers (and they will always remain mysterious) are finding racist and antifeminist voters to come out, register, and vote for the “other” candidate. It’s very subtle and maybe far-fetched, but outside of the major cities, racism is alive and well. Just as men feeling women should be pregnant in the kitchen is alive and well. Think of home many married men refer to “their wives” rather than to them by name. I believe Republicans want Obama as the candidate with Hillary out of the picture. It’s the only way they can win.

Furthermore, I think McCain will choose Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida as his running mate. I personally don’t think McCain has long. He looks frail, he is older and I think his days are numbered. What a great idea of having a candidate that just might not make it past the inauguration as the president with a Bush standing beside him. Interesting as well is that during the Primary Season, no one has even bothered to talk about the effect Florida will have. Florida was certainly influential in the 2000 race.

One other thing in the back of my mind is that should there be some fiasco after the Democratic Convention, I’m sure George W. Bush would be more than happy to initiate Martial Law until the unrest quiets down. This quite possibly could make GBW the last president of the United States of America. We recently saw this in Pakistan and the administration’s reaction to Mushareff declaring himself Commander in Chief of the Army and the Nation. Maybe a test for America to see the reaction.

Well, there it is. I wanted to put it out there. The media has had a hey-day. The corporate giants supporting the media and backing the candidates have had a hey-day. It’s really been quite a year. A year that has distracted the nation from issues at hand like immunity for telecoms, the cost of the war, the state of the economy here at home and the diabolical escapades of the man, who as the result of a presidential coup d’etat stole the White House in 2000.

Note: MS Word 2008 for MAC spell check gives Osama as a corrected spelling for Obama. Interesting how even the great corporate giant Microsoft wants to draw parallels to a criminal

What a Blast!

I got a new favorite movie. "Shoot 'Em Up" staring Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti and the incredible Monica Bellucci (Persephone in The Matrix Part II and III). Shoot "Em Up is a bullet-riddled action thriller by Michael Davis, who happens to have the most twisted sense of humor I've seen.

There is a lot of blood, guns and violence (although our hero never shoots women, children or dogs). I loved it! Clever, suspenseful and full or laughs.

Rent it today!

And the money keeps rolling in with every cough...

For a long time now I've had this idea that the "flu shot" is part of a big conspiracy. A conspiracy to give people the flu, so they get the flu in the winter months and have to buy tons and tons of cold and flu products. And it works.

American's are being led around by the nose and buying into it. More and more each year. The reason I am writing about this is because my Father got his flu shot this past October and consequently got the flu two weeks ago has now given it to me. The last time I had the flu was about 15 years ago when I got my last flu shot. Over the past few years Dad didn't get a shot and this year did ... and also got the flu. The cough and cold remedy business brings in big bucks for these mega corporations. I mean, a bottle of Nyquil will set you back about $6 or $7 bucks. And then of course, you'll have to have some accompanying decongestant or expectorant too. Big bucks indeed.

America's media buys into it, primarily because the drug companies sponsor the media. And then all you hear is, "Did you get your flu shot this year?" I mean think about it. Injecting you with the flu so you don't get the flu. Come on! And we wonder why these resistant strains of infections is running rampant throughout the country . . . because we have so overmedicated ourselves, the bugs have taken on new genetic forms. And it's all true too.

So while I drink my Nyquil, suffering from a cough, congestion, et. al., I can only be pissed that I too have fallen into being led around by my nose like the rest of the country. Just some food for thought while you enjoy your winter illnesses. And for he makers of Nyquil and the rest, the money keeps rolling in.

My dear friend Lena

I just ran across this priceless picture of a dear friend of mine from Berlin. When she was in San Francisco, we got outrageously drunk and had the best time lip syncing to practically every bluesy torch song ever written. The only problem was she only knew two songs, both by Marlene Dietrich - "Falling in Love Again" and "Lili Marlene", which she sang over and over. What a night!

Remembering San Francisco

I guess I officially left in October 2003, while I came back one month later, I spent the next few months selling and moving my essential belongings to Jamestown. I left for Paris on March 13, 2004 and returned some 8 months later only to find I had permanently moved to Jamestown.

Somehow I always thought San Francisco would be there for me but with Mark moving to Manhattan there was no place left for me to hang my hat, as it were. While I did return to the City a handful of times, in December of 2004, AMTRAK, in conjunction with Greyhound eliminated service between Sonora and Modesto leaving me stranded on the Western Side of the Sierra's with no way back to gay! I failed to mention, Dad's old Taurus blew a gasket in October, leaving him without a vehicle and me with no one to borrow.

Now while I have quite a few thoughts on the discussion of public transportation, private transportation and a way out of these backward little enclaves in the Sierra's, I won't get into that at this time. It is certainly a good topic, one worthy of further emaciation.

In any event, lately I've felt quite disconnected. I had my first and only visitor last month (some 4 years later). I also felt the need to pursue the purchasing of a vehicle in the near future. With that, only freedom can ensue. Think of the many places I can go. Berkeley, San Francisco, hell, I might even venture all the way into Modesto. I purchased my first car when I was 16 and this is the longest I've ever been without one. In the meantime, I will dream of talking on "hands free" equipment, listening to wonderful radio music while falling asleep at the wheel, playing with a sweet little Betsey Navigator, and enjoying the benefits of having a heater and defroster which actually clears the windows. (Unfortunately, the $500 Oldsmobile I found for Dad had none of these amenities yet continues to run on, quite well, at 235,000 miles). Blessings can even come in the shape of old white Oldsmobiles I guess.

So with that thought, I will continue to begin reading the "pink section" of the San Francisco Chronicle on Sundays and checking the Obit section of the Bay Area Reporter to cross off the names in my address book and look forward to one day rejoining the society of human beings I once was associated with..if any are left.

Pearl Barley

"Honey, my feet is killing me!" "Feet don't fail me now". She played Dolly Levi in 1967's all black cast of Hello Dolly. No, no, no, not Pearl Bailey, I said Pearl Barley!

Do you know that one bag of Pearl Barley doubles, even triples into an enormous amount of barley! I couldn't believe it. I almost gagged as I watched my wonderful little barley soup disappear into an ever-growing mass of barley. No wonder why cows are fat!

In any event, when making Beef Barley Soup or any barley soup, you might consider reducing the amount of barley by 2/3.

Just a thought!

P.S. You can Google Pearl Bailey Hello Dolly and find some wonderful clips of Pearl singing songs from the show on You Tube.

Photo Credit Below

Kevin Hall and Mark Khoury and either Harley or King, one of their Berners.

Friends. Bette Midler, 1978

I am all alone; there is no one here beside me
And my problems have all gone, there is no one to deride me
But you got to have friends, the feelings oh so strong
You’ve got to have friends, to make that day last long

I had some friends but there gone, someone came and took them away
From the dusk until the very dawn,
Here is where I will stay standing at the end of the road, waiting for my new friends to come
I don’t care if I’m hungry or freezing cold, I got to get me some of them

You got to have friends.
La la la la la la!
Something about friends




When I was 17, Bette Midler had her first successes. Back then her theme song was "Friends". It's a song I think I memorized probably 30 years ago - a song I wish I had lived by my entire life, although where it says someone came and took them away, I would liken it to the AIDS crisis, losing so many...Pat, Jeff, Dean, Laura, Nancy, John, Danny, Deveraux, Tim, all the guys in the group I led, so many.

It has become quite exhausting finding new friends over and over again. A quote I've made my own is, "There is no one left who can vouch for the fact that I was young and cute at one time." It's quite sad, actually, but very true. Yet, I must confess, there are a few: Heather, Don, Steve...Mark in later years.

As Mark, (in the photo above on the right) came to visit yesterday, I feel lucky today to note that I do have a few cherished friends. There are people to deride me, to bring me back to earth. People who have been around to know my history.

Often, it's so easy to forget about the people that are here and think only about the ones' that are not.

What have I learned by this? Treasure each and evey person in your life each and every day for they may not be here tomorrow and don't give up. When you friend capacity is few, get off your butt and go get some.

Thank you Mark, for helping me remember that.
:

My Favorite Things

I love the smell of fresh bread. I remember, in Paris, walking around in the early mornings, and the smell of baking bread in the ovens of the boulangeries. Ooh la la! I also remember the hearty soups. Whether creamed, veloute, country style, cassoulet. Such wonderful foods: Bread and Soup.

After finally being able to spend Satirday morning sleeping in, I woke around Noon and after cleaning up, began my tasks for the day and thought about recreating memories of wonderful things.

I had saved back some prime rib meat from Christmas and had my mise en place and assorted beans. I then, after much thought, decided upon lentil beef. I had forgotten that lentils double, as do barley and other certain beans. The savory crispness of the prime rib and vegetables would be the ticket.

The bread was something a bit trickier and I really wanted to be creative. I wanted a French bread, but not a baquette or roulade. Something sweet. I chose a Martha Stewart recipe and varied a bit ending up with a Whole Wheat Raisin Walnut Cinnamon French bread. An absolute delicious combination.

Well, now that it’s two days later and I reread this. I am once again longing for the warm, rich flavors of Saturday. That means, it’s time to eat - meaning bread, soup, and ofcourse, apple pie.

Waking up this morning

The things I woke up missing this morning:

Eating ice cream on my partner’s chest in bed.
Someone to tell me I have lint on my back
Someone to walk with down the main street in town.
Someone to comment on my haircut, dinner, cleaning ability, shopping skills, just pretty much any kind of affirmation.
Someone to sample new restaurants or recipes with
Someone to reach over me in the middle of the night, while I’m asleep and gently kiss the back of my neck
Someone to purchase gifts for
Someone to gleefully anticipate his arrival
Waking up late with someone special on a Sunday morning.
Someone to worry about when times are tough, or when a natural disaster strikes or when it’s raining hard and they are not home
Someone to pop my pimples and fix me soup when I’m not feeling well
Someone to pamper and pamper back.
Someone to talk about dreams with.
Someone to love, more than anything else in the world.
To love and be loved.

Cooking with Gas

I think the last time I cooked with gas was about 1995 and then only for about 4 years. It’s funny, anytime I ever spoken to anyone about my love of cooking, the subject of gas vs. electric has come up. It is an age old tale. A real cook cooks on gas while a “make believe” cook cooks on electric. I am here to testify, it is absolutely true.

Two days now with a fabulous gas range and I must once again tell you it’s absolutely the truth. You can turn it on, and it on. Vice versa, when you don’t want heat, it’s gone. This morning: Bacon and eggs. Sunnyside up, no problem. I was even able to flip them in the pan. Whoa! Stand back! I am alive! Cooking has never been more fun. And to think, it’s only been two days with a range and two weeks with a professional mixer. I am honestly scared of myself and the creations I’ve got dreamed up. It’s exciting, finally, a joy. Something I love doing. With all the equipment necessary to do it. Yeah for me! My “mise en place” is complete! Game on, let’s cook!

More Surprises

Yesterday's mail brought with it a postcard from the AT&T rebate department. It said, to my surprise, my rebate had been denied based upon a number of reasons, Billing Issues being one of them. Amazing. A company that creates billing issues when it double charges for services and leaves you to call and have it corrected qualifies for a reason of denial. I am certainly glad the matter has been taken care of because this runaround could go on forever.

On a more pleasant and satisfying note, our conversion to gas cooking is complete. My new range arrived yesterday afternoon. Happy customer that I am, I baked a cake for the appliance store. It was good too.

What it Takes

Last week I received an email from someone I didn't know. It was signed AT&T. I apparently didn't attach my account number to the Letter to AT&T when I had posted it on my main willyf.com page. The woman stated she wanted to "credit (my) bill for the incontinence (I) had gone through as well as for the rebates that were promised." I am still not sure if "incontinence" is the correct word, but it certainly was descriptive enough. I responded and we talked. She indicated she would credit my account and that would be that. I was aghast!

Could it be that after having my letter posted on the internet for all to see for over a month finally got to someone at the company who had the authority to say, "deal with this, it's embarrassing". The AT&T representative didn't realize that a number of people had contacted me from around the state wanting to discuss this very same issue. She may also have been unaware of the Complaint I had filed with the FCC. Even more interesting to me was that if you were to Google willyf.com the first citing is "Letter to AT&T". And it has been cached, which I guess means, that while it's been pulled from my website, it can still be viewed. Amazing! The problem with AT&T began in late May of last year and has taken over 6 months to get to this point.

Yesterday, I called the phone company to just see what had been done and found, to my surprise, AT&T had actually credited me the amount of Rebates promised. Glory, Glory Hallelujah!

Of course, it's hard to make up for the hardship of having $550 phone bills, which were incorrect and eventually credited, still having to have been paid. At the same time being hit with astronomical electric and propane bills. Amazing!

I wonder if it is possible to deregulate, Deregulation. I guess it would be just the same cycle over again. In any event, my story has come to a close.

Fifteen Minutes of Fame

"You can never replace anyone because we are all made up of such small specific wonderful details."

Before Sunset © 2004

When my friend Micheal turned 40, he threw himself a small birthday party. He invited as I recall, twelve of his friends, along with his parents, who were visiting for his birthday from North Dakota. It was a hosted brunch (by his parents) at the very fabulous Il Fornaio on Levi Plaza. It was a small group so I was nervous to go as I usually am so I went with my friend Mark, who was also invited.

Everyone at the table was unknown to me, which I found to be even more frightening. What was wonderful was that his father, in his 70’s, made a point of spending a few minutes with every person at that table. When he came to me he told me this little story. A story I think of often. The story began –

“When I was in the army, I had to clean the latrines even more specifically, the sink and faucets”. He then went on with his observations of how so often we clean just what we see and not what’s underneath. Under the spout, where the water comes out, all the way up under the neck of the faucet to the handles . . . where it’s really dirty and neglected. He said, “Most people never think of cleaning underneath the faucet.” “It’s just the way it is”.

This story came out of nowhere and yet I can’t help but think about it every time I turn on the water faucet. Was it a personal observation upon me? Was it meant to freak me out? Had he read something about me that I was unaware of or didn’t want anyone to find out about. Or was it really just a way of prolonging his “fifteen minutes of fame”. Blazing that little story into my psyche forever. Prolonging his fifteen minutes into oh, probably 15 hours now that I’ve thought about it. Now you realize each time it comes into my mind it only lasts a few seconds and those seconds continue to add up. Do they add up to fifteen minutes?

Mr. Bauer discovered how to make his fifteen minutes last a lifetime. What a wonderful thing. He was an ordinary man from the Heartland, well the cold Heartland. I’ve heard said, “the heartland … where honest people say honest things and want to believe that others speak honesty too.”

Hope for a brighter future!

Tomorrow is the New Hampshire primary. The beginning. I don't consider the Iowa caucauses to mean much, but I do consider NH to start the race. I have been a contributor to Hillary's campaign since the beginning. I even made calls last month to Absentee Ballot Voter's. I can't tell you how much this country needs a change and I believe Mrs. Clinton can do that. GWB has turned our once great nation into a sham. When I was in France, the people noticably changed after the 2nd term election. Everyone knew he stole the 2000 election. But when the people actually voted him in a second term, it was very difficult for the French to think that America really wanted him and his policies. I am a Democrat for obvious reasons. Human Rights, power to the people and moreover, honesty in government. I believe John Edwards was correct in his assessment that the war was nothing more than a bumper sticker. While I support the troops, I don't support the mission. I can't imaging spending $100K for a garbage truck in Iraq and children in our country not having books in schools. There a so many injustices, I can't begin to list them.

All I know, at the end of the day, is that the eight years of GBW will be over soon and I can only hope Hillary Clinton will be the successor. I will do everything I can to help.

George W. Bush

Happy Birthday to Me!

I can't believe I made it! Yup, 48 years and still here.

While I don't feel any different today, it is comforting to know I have the years of experience to back me up Whatever that means! I guess I'm lucky. A charmed life. Whatever!

Good news on the AT&T front. An actual response. We'll see what happens.

Happy Birthday!

Happy New Year!

It's a beautiful day in a beautiful new year. For some reason, years ending in even numbers are much better for me than years ending in odd years. In light of that statement, this will be a good year.

During the past year, I have had some trouble with AT&T in receiving some promised incentives when I changed our phone service. While still not resolved, I want to post a letter I had written to AT&T some time ago. The reason I am posting it it because it has generated a wild response to me. I have found a number of other people who have had the same issue. In light of that, I submit the letter.

To: Ms. Marianne G. Strobel.Director, Business Marketing - AT&T
Re:    Cash Card Promotions-
         $100 New Service/$100 Switching ISP's/Router Rebate
 
Dear Ms. Strobel,
I am writing this to further voice my opinion of AT&T’s fraudulent business practices of baiting with service, equipment, and Cash Card promotions.  This experience has been an absolute nightmare of frustration and unbelievable anger in knowing the old saying, "We're the phone company, we don't care . . . we don't have to"  rings true.
In late May of this year, New AT&T California called wanting to discuss a promotion they were running.  A consolidation of telephone bills and Internet service designed at saving our small business money.   What ensued has been a nightmare and only today, some 5 months later have I finally been able to connect to the Internet the way I previously had with my former ISP, Earthlink.

In thoughtful review of this service, I analyzed our telephone bills, investigated my former ISP, and thought I was making the correct decision.  This decision was further based upon promised Rebate’s; Cash Cards for $100 for new service and $100 for switching ISP’s and $99 in Geek Squad Services, Equipment Rebate and favorable long distance rates and a savings in the Message Center and faster speeds.

Wireless connectivity was discussed at great length; only to find out on the day of install could not be used due to the Static IP address I was sold.  With this not materializing, it caused me to have wires runs to rooms, where there were none while the modem/router has wireless capabilities, it is not wireless.  Additionally, Internet Services of $54.95 – Pro, price/plan I ordered with were wrongly connected at the $79.95 – Elite price/plan.  The static IP I was sold has caused more connectivity issues than you will ever know taking hours upon hours to regain our home/office’s connectivity and networking capabilities.  I was soon to find out that the Geek Squad services offered, as a promo didn’t provide service to our area, thus making the $99 promo invalid.

Additionally, because of AT&T money raising policies where services are billed in advance and credited two to three billing cycles later, has been a huge financial strain with looking at an erroneous $554 bill – having to be paid and credited down the road.  A savings of $6 in message center was incorrectly quoted as well.
The last straw was when I was told the Cash Card’s were pulled because I had changed the service order.  A service order that New AT&T never placed and when I called, as instructed by New AT&T CA, was construed to be a new order and connected the next day on the erroneous Elite plan.  I cannot understand why I, as stated, would change an order resulting in the forfeiting of $299 in promotions.  I might add these rules and material facts were never disclosed to me regarding rebates and plans orally or in writing.

Your representatives, Brigette - Sales, her supervisor Jean, the department receptionist Ann and a billing representative named Ms. Jones have been trained well in mantra of the company; deception, being elusive, promising to return phone calls, return calls to a service number rather than the contact number given, shuffling me back and forth between Business Departments, Internet Service, Rebate Departments, Technical Support et. al.  I would encourage AT&T to find the recording made with Brigette and her supervisor confirming my order.  This would further address the lies being committed by this company.  The broken promises.  Moreover, the comment, “Your next month’s bill might be a little bit more Is completely hilarious as I read being charged twice for “premises”, resulting in a $225 Internet Portion of the bill.  Of course, this was credited two months later somehow oddly.

As I began to inquire today of the equipment rebate, buried deep in the website I read the rules and could only laugh.  Rule No. 5.  You must not have account billing issues.  Ha!  With AT&T’s mistakes and maneuvers made to create billing issues, only a fool would not take notice.  The joke is on me!

As I have already filed a claim with the FTC I thought,  while my request is futile at this point, I would challenge AT&T to make good on their promotions, issuing me the two $100 Cash Cards, as promoted and discussed.  Come on, restore my faith.
Sincerely,
 William E. Freeze

P.S. I was told to call back in 4 weeks and they would check into the rebates further. December 24th was the 4th week. I was told to call back in two weeks as it takes 4-6 weeks for resolution. I'm sure I'll be prompted to call back in a month or so, but I'll keep you posted.