Golfing Gone Wild

As one of my major goals this year, I have previously mentioned that I wanted to join a men's club, get an official handicap, and play more golf with the intention of acheiving a single diget handicap index once before I am to old to hit the ball over 200 yds.

So, I joined the Oceanside men's club, since I had been playing that municipal course most often when I played. Plus it was cheap! Only 50 bucks to sign up and get into the Southern California Golf Assn, which runs the handicap system.

I have played about 12 times since then and have established an index of 15, which means that I have been posting scores mostly in the high 80's. Now, for a high percentage of golfers that might seem like a great acheivement. Fortunately, however, I do feel that I can improve considerably with alot of practice and play. I can hit all the shots, handle the distance of most courses up to about 6600-6700 yds, and putt reasonably well. While I feel I have been improving, my scores have been inconsistant due to the fact that I am still missing to many shots--mostly off the tee.

For example, today I played a course that was about 6400 yds. On the front nine I had 4 pars, 4 double bogeys, and one triple bogey and shot 47. All the big scores were mostly caused by wayward tee shots into the water, out of bounds, or way over into the trees. There were about 6 bad shots that caused 11 extra strokes on the front. Not a very good start. I was pretty pissed--but keeping it to myself--and being cool. I was playing with a couple other guys who probably thought that my 47 looked pretty good. Not to me though! But I never give up! The mental aspect of the game is as important as the physical part! Ask anyone!

I always feel bad if I don't break 90 for the whole round. So as I walked off the 9th green, I was calculating what I needed to do to get that done, and thinking that maybe a 40 on the back nine was not out of reach if I started concentrating and keeping my head down a bit better while I was swinging the club.

Keeping a good thought, I put a good swing on the tee shot on 10, then hit a wedge shot that wasn't to hot, but ended up better than it should have about 12 feet below the hole, and made the putt for a birdie!

OK, I said to myself, now things are going to change! So, I double bogeyed the next two holes!! Bad tee shots--one in the river, and one out of bounds. Then, par, bogey,bogey, par,and par. I am at the 18th and I'm still figuring what I need! If I birdie the last hole I can shoot a 40 on the back for an 87. It's a par 5 and I hit my tee shot in a fairway trap. Boo! I hit a pretty good 7 wood about 200 yds though, and have about a 50 yd sand wedge over a tree to the pin. I take a couple of nice practice swings, then a very bad swing at the ball and hit it way past the pin. Ah well, I can 2 putt for a par and a 41. It is a long downhill putt that I read badly and I end up 3 putting for a 42. I am disturbed!!! But as I add up my score 47+42=89. I percieve that to be less that 90!! Still to much, though.

Every time I have a score like that I think that with more practice, and more concentration, I will become more consistent, miss fewer shots, and score consistently in the low 80's like I did about 30 years ago. Of the 17 shots I had over par this time, I look back and think that there were at least 6 or 7 shots that I could have eliminated with hitting just 3 more tee shots in the fairway.

Or maybe I am just like golfers everywhere, who go over every hole and always end up with 6 or 7 "if onlys" in each round they play(and sometimes more). I guess perhaps the goal is to reduce the "if onlys" to the point where one becomes satisfied that the score really matches the extent of the ability available. I don't think I am there yet! But there sure have been a lot of scores in the high 80's the last few weeks.

Bush Administration general policy statement

I have been trying to figure out just exactly what the Bush administration's goals have been during the past few years, and finally his Vice President, Big Dick Cheney, his major policy maker, has clarified it during this last week! As I now understand it, the administration's major goal in response to any opposition or questions to any of the actions that have been taken by the admistration is as follows:

1. Foreign policy: " Why don't you go fuck yourself!"

2. Fiscal policy: "Why don't you go fuck yourself!"

3. Environmental policy: "Why don't your go fuck yourself!"

4. Energy policy: "Why don't you go fuck yourself!"

5. Domestic policy: "Why don't you go fuck yourself!"

6. Educational Policy: "Why don't you go fuck yourself!"

This response is very succinct and I congratulate Mr.Big Dick Cheney for being so forthright. He has clarified the administration's position in regards to their atttitude towards those who might question the direction which they have taken in all the major areas of their administration of our great nation's business and interests for the present and future.

This obviously is a much clearer and more honest expression of the current admistration's position in it's approach to solving many of the complex problems facing our country. Presumably the Bush admistration assumes that this simple response, with the proper follow through, will ensure a better future for our children and children throughout the world!! Let us all repeat "Why don't you go fuck yourself"! There! That should do it!!

On a boat out of Oceanside

I had been watching the fish counts from the various landings here in the San Diego area, noting that each week has been an improvement. This last week the Sand Bass and Calico Bass have been congregating in the Kelp and on the reefs offshore a bit to have their annual sex orgy, so they have been actively building up their energy by chomping on anchovies skewered on the end of hooks thrown over the side of the boats.

So I decided to hop on a 1/2 day boat out of Oceanside harbor on Thursday afternoon to try my new Daiwa Sealine SX 20 reel and Shimano Tallus 10-20lb rated rod with new 15lb line loaded on. I got there a bit early for the afternoon boat and was just in time to catch the morning group coming in. As they walked by not many were carrying any bags of fillets, and one old grizzled fisherman was just shaking his head at me. That did not bode well for the afternoon.

I thought, "well, I guess I will just enjoy the ride", not feeling good about the fact that the "bite" just happened to turn off on the one day I decided to venture forth.

The boat had a good load of around 32 fisherman on board. It was a nice boat and had plenty of room to fish with that load. Now that school was out there seemed to be a number of families on board, so there were lots of kids, and lots of rental rods across the rail. Some were obviouly on vacation. That meant they were probably from Arizona somewhere, and only saw the ocean once a year. That usually means lose lines and lots of tangles during the afternoon. For those of us with more "experience" that results in an afternoon of defensive fishing, i.e. keeping a taut line and a certain distance from your neighbor on the rail.

On the other hand, bass fishing is perfect for novice fisherman, so it would be fun watching kids catch fish and get excited about it!! That, of course, assumed that there would be any fish willing to cooperate. If not there would presumably be alot of whining and running around going on!!

We were off! And suprisingly, after about 15 minutes, we pulled up a couple miles straight out from the harbor and dropped the anchor!! I guess the Captain had gone south in the morning to fish kelp beds and went bust, so he was at least trying a new spot in the afternoon. Out went the sardines, and how do you do!
Rods starting bending and bass started hitting the decks. For three hours we did not move the boat, and the bite was pretty continuous. I limited out on bass (10) and filled my sack with some nice size fish in a couple hours. Since some were not so fortunate I even caught some "extra" to give away. Also had about 5 nice barracuda on, but only landed one, which was OK. One barrie was all I wanted to take home. I actually quit fishing about 45 minutes before we pulled up the anchor and headed back to the harbor. I got bored catching fish! Don't remember that ever happening before. To much of a good thing,I guess!!

Everyone on the boat caught some fish, even all the kids, between getting their tangles straightened out! And I have a bunch of fillets in the freezer! A very sucessful day on a boat out of Oceanside!!

Sunday in the surf!!

It was one of those days in surf city. My wife had to work most of the day, so we both got up fairly early and went to "Pipes" for breakfast! Lots of calories and carbs!! Read the Sunday paper and drank to much coffee as usual!! While my wife was slaving away today, my main gig for the day was to hit the beach for a couple of hours of fishing for the elusive corbina. So, at about 1:30 pm I headed down the hill to Moonlight Beach. It was sunny, and the tide was out with moderate surf. I found some sand crabs for bait and waded out a bit. Almost immediately I saw a Corbina cruising the shallows and casted to him, but he wasn't interested. I moved down the beach a bit and saw three more corbies that were all nice sized. I spent an hour chasing them and a few more--but must have missed their lunchtime because they just were not interested in my offerings.

Since I was so intent on fish that were just not interested, I probably passed up a chance to work on the perch, which are always around. It was the first day in a long time where I didn't catch at least one fish of some type!!

Ah well, the sun was bright, the water was warm, and there were alot of bikinis on the beach!!

Ennui

It was one of those weeks that passed by and left me feeling that I really didn't accomplish much. I didn't feel much like working. I went into the office every day--checked email--looked at what was new on the MLS--but I played golf on Wed, which was broker's caravan day. So, I didn't even go look at new listings for the week! I did play pretty well, and felt that I was making good improvement towards my goal of getting a single digit handicap index this year. I keep saying that reaching that goal is #1 on my list for the year! Maybe I need to reassess that! I may be actually taking it to seriously at the expense of other important goals I should be pursuing!!

Well, I did have two of my past clients call and tell me they were thinking of selling and moving to Kansas! (Kansas?) I actually put together a listing package for them, and had a meeting!! I guess I could consider that a business success for the week! Of course, that will depend on whether or not they do in fact decide to move and list their property with me. Keep a positive thought!!

Another old client called, left a message, and was thinking of selling and buying a larger home, and wanted to talk about it.
I called back and left a message--but have not yet contacted her. Sounds like procrastination on my part! Better call her tommorrow. Maybe that's part of my problem! I am just taking a week off from dealing with people in a business sense?

Oh ya! I did also go surf fishing for an hour on Thursday after "work". Only caught one small perch. The tide was high and there was to much kelp in the surf to make it much fun! Another contribution to what might be called a "bad attitude"?

Then there is the San Diego County Fair! My wife has been working long hours for the last 2 weeks setting up the student art and woodworking show. The fair starts today, and now she is going to be working just about every night till 10-11 pm. The fair is always a unique 6 week period. One year she, our daughter, and our son were all working the fair. The only way to see them was to go to the fair. Lucky they could get me lots of free tickets, so I could just stop in when I wanted!!
Anyway, it certainly changes schedules for awhile!!

Maybe the last contribution to my current "attitude" was going to the driving range, which happens to be near the fairgrounds, and finding out that the range is closed during the fair. I had forgotten that they use it for parking! That could be the biggest bummer of all, considering the potential impact on making more progress towards meeting my #1 goal for the year!!!

Ah well! It's the weekend! I have nothing planned! Maybe I will go to the fair to visit my wife!



I

Weekend update 6/7/04--Garage Saleing

Saturday morning I was on my own since "Garage Sale Bob", my saleing buddy was actually on a vacation weekend with his wife!!I know he hated to miss out on our Saturday morning excursion, but what are you going to do!!! Guess he has to spend a little time with her now and then!!

I really go just to have something to do for a couple hours when I get up early and when I go alone I get to listen to "Let's Talk Hookup!" a local fishing show Hosted by Pete and Marty. Marty is none other than Marty Milner, the actor from TV's Route 66 and Adam Twelve, and many, many movies. He must be in his mid 70's by now, and I know he "hooked" onto this show because he gets to go on great fishing trips all over the world on a regular basis--and as a host I would guess he gets to go free!!! What a wonderful way to retire!! I know he misses some Saturdays because he still goes to some RTE 66 conventions as a celebrity guest--and probably makes some dough signing RTE 66 memorabilia. I talked to him one year at the Fred Hall fishing show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds where he and Pete had a booth. They were selling t-shirts and stuff that said "Let's Talk Hookup!" What a great way to make a living, having a radio show on Sat and Sun mornings, and then going fishing!

But I digress!!

My list of desires included a Long Surf Board and a vacuum cleaner for my daughter Sara in Santa Cruz. A Keyboard instrument for My son Matt, and just about anything olde for my main squeeze.

One of the first garage sales had a vacuum which I carefully looked over. It wasn't an expensive model, but it had all the parts, and looked OK, although it was kind of dusty! I asked the seller if it worked!! Like he would tell me that it didn't??? But he sounded honest when he said it worked fine and they had just been using it to vacuum the patio!! That explained the red dust!!!

I am known as a tough barginer! A Lady once kicked me out of her garage sale for insulting her with an offer that she thought was too
ridiculous!! I figured that the vacuum cost about $69 new. My goal is to do about 10 cents to the $ compared to retail--so I asked him if he would take 5 bucks. He said sure and I gave him a $5 bill thinking I had got the best of him!! Then he said, "Let me give you a discount", and gave me a buck in change! So I think he got the best of me in that I offered him more than what he thought it was worth!!!
I really didn't know what to think about that!! It was bothersome. Was I losing my prospective!!

When I got home I cleaned up the vacuum, and actually tried it out on the living room rug. It worked fine!! It looked to be as good as the one we bought for ourselves at a garage sale for $10 a year ago. So maybe I did make a good deal and he was the kind of seller I like to deal with, one who just wanted to "move it".

I recently upgraded the radio in my old Mercedes to a pretty nice panasonic with a CD player, so I have been looking for CDs every week.
My top price is $1. I have bought some good ones for 50 cents-but a buck is ok. So I found a very good Mariah Carey Live concert CD for a buck. I also look for classic LPs since we are one of the few in the world who still have a turntable. Last week I found 2 classic Miles Davis albums, and a Modern Jazz Quartet for 50 cent per, this week I found a Miles Classic, Sketches of Spain, 2 Steely Dans, and a Joni Mitchell Concert album for 25 cents per. Not bad!!

Still looking for the longboard--which is going to cost big bucks, even at a garage sale, and the Keyboard, which I am probably going to have to get at Costco!!

Memorial Day

I was in the Navy during the Vietnam War era. I was fortunate, perhaps, that I was not ordered to Vietnam, and was not "at risk" during my time served. My Father, however,was part of the Greatest Generation and was in the front lines during many of the great battles of WWII. He was wounded twice and was a decorated infantry G.I in the 7th Armored Division. And, that is about the extent of what I know about his experience in the great war! He was no different than most of the veterans of that war who found that the experience could only be discussed with others who were there and shared it! No one else could understand. Veterans of that war, on both sides of the battle, could sit and talk to each other many years later about their similar feelings and shared experiences. Yet during the war, they would have shot each other on sight.

I happen to think that is true of most verterans who were in the front lines of any war, whose lives were in danger on a daily basis, and whose goal it was to kill another human being. They saw the inhumanity of war and the degradation of the human race which was necessary to hate and kill without hesitation. The enemy had to become something other than a human being, a heine, a kraut, a Tojo or Jap, a slant or gook. And when they got back to the real world they had to live in, they found that it was a false reality and no one who had not been on the battleground could understand how they felt when they were there.

Some were not able to adjust back to what others would consider a normal life. And to all who were not where they had been, there was still no understanding, and not enough support to make them well.

There are alot of young men and women, who like me, served their country in the military, but were fortunate to never be at war and in the line of fire. On Veteran's day they may honored because they were willing to step forward, to be availiable just in case. But Memorial Day is the most important day to honor those who put their lives on the line and lost them for a cause which was thought to be honorable and worthy of that risk, and to the benefit of our nation and humanity.

Someday we can all hope that all humanity will find that violence usually solves no problems, and there will be no living veterans of wars left to remember what war was like. If that comes to pass, perhaps it will be because of those who were there, making those who were not fully understand the reality of war. And we can honor them for that as well!

TGIF--Cannondale to Del Mar

It twas the friday before the memorial day weekend--a good day to goof off! I had an old client call me who was thinking of moving back to Kansas this year! Wow!, moving from San Diego to Kansas--bummer on the weather. But since I am from Minnesota originally, there is something to be said about the simplicity of the midwest. Four distinct seasons provide variety in the challenges of living each part of the year, and the pace of life, as I remember, is more tuned with both nature and with neighborly relationships. Don't think I would head back that way though. I did, however, spend a few months during the summer in Kansas City once when I got out of college, and thought it was preety nice!

So I had a morning filled with business--! Even worked through lunch! About 1:30 I decided that the best use of most of the rest of my day was to pursue my physical conditioning goal for the year and hop on my bike for a trip south from Encinitas to Del Mar, which I figured would be about 15 miles round trip along old hwy 101 south. So, on with the spandex,the funny shoes, and the helmut and gloves, and away down the hill to 101. On my last excursion a couple of days ago, I headed north to Carlsbad, always a good trip. But had a bad experience! Some nuts in a SUV tossed a water balloon out the window as they passed me and hit me right in the middle of the back. Surprise!!!! Must have been some kids--who didn't know any better--because it could have been a dangerous prank--it could have ended in a fall--possibly into the path of an on-coming car--and squish!! Going to Del Mar seemed like a more civilized destination on Friday!! I read that a biker had been hit by a truck in the San Diego area a week ago and died. It seems to happen a couple times a year in the San Diego area--So I am always careful and ride defensively!!

So, I zipped down the hill riding my brakes, across the railway tracks to olde downtown Encinitas and headed south! Its four or five blocks of businesses in one of the last and best preserved beachtowns on the coast before one comes to "Swamis", which is a retreat and religious center on the bluffs above one of the best surf breaks on the south coast. Why Swami's? It was built by an honest to goodness Swami back in the early part of the 20th centrury, and is still an active retreat for his followers--The "Self Realizatin Center". People come there from all over the world to meditate! Locals go there to surf! There is a small overlook park where you can stop and look down the bluff at all the surfers waiting for their wave, or take a trip down the access stairs to the beach for a walk. If the tide is low, there are some great tide pool areas to explore for all the little sea creatures that live in the tidal zone. You might guess that Encinitas has lots of yoga studios!!

Heading south from Swami's, there is a great view of the ocean--I have seen whales spouting as they swan along the coast on their migration, and sometimes porpoise jumping just outside the surf line. Then,just down the road, it's always fun to see all the camping rigs pulled into the seaside Cardiff State Beach Campground. On past "resturant row", some beachfront resturants, mostly for the tourists (Charthouse,e.g.), and up a short hill to Solana Beach. Two more miles and I am zipping down a hill past the Del Mar fairgrounds on the east side of 101, and Del Mar's Dog Beach on the right. It is about the only beach area left where dogs can run free. If you go there, watch where you step!!

Into the Beach Colony of Del Mar, where a home on the beachfront sand usually runs for 6 million to 11 million depending on how much sand there is on the lot. If you are a block off the beach, you can buy something for about 3 million. That's about a 4-5000 sq foot lot and a nice little beach house. If you got it, flaunt it!!

Up a hill into the Del Mar Village area. The incorporated area of Del Mar is pretty small--the population is only about 4500 people. Alot of what is considered Del Mar (92014) is part of the city of San Diego. So if one lives in the actual city of Del Mar it tends to cost more and is a bit more "toney". The streets in the village area are "windy" with lots of protected Torrey Pines (trees), and great ocean views, and even a itsy bitsy little cottage built in 1955 with no view is 1.5 mil +. The zoning usually allows only a 25% sq footage allowance for the lot which means that big lots--like 10000+
sq ft are worth about 1.5 million just for the dirt. So someone buys a small home that is 1500 sq ft on a 10000 sqft view lot for 1.8 mil, tears it down, and puts up somthing thats 2500 sq ft--still not huge, but new with a view and worth 3 mil. Ahh, how the wealthy live!!! Their vacation homes!!

Today I stopped at the bus stop in front of the L'Auberge Hotel in Del Mar to drink some water and rest before heading home--also to watch the activity a bit ( all the blondes in their Mercedes 450 SLs). There was what looked like a homeless person sitting down the bench aways-(it was a long bench)--who came over and asked me to open his twist-off cap on a plastic bottle of Pepsi. ( He was a very small homeless person) Of course I did. He went back to his plastic bags on the bench and swigged his pepsi, thankful for the twist!! So a good deed for the day as well a a nice ride!!

Golf goals!

I recently joined a golf club. Well, really the men's club at the Oceanside Municipal Golf course, mainly because I decided to take golf seriously again while I was still able. It was the cheapest men's group around--only $50. Most of the members are retired and play the short tees which are only about 6000 yds--I play the blues which are 6450 yds--so I don't think I will play in their tournements--but it will allow me to establish a handicap. In my 62nd year I figured I did not have that many years left of athleticism--so I figured if I was ever going to have a single digit handicap--I had better work on it in the next year or so--or my body was not probably going to allow it in the future!! So my goal in the next year is to work at my game and get my handicap down to a single digit--not 9.5 or 9.2--but 9 or less. So during the last 8-9 weeks I have dutifully turned in my scores, have spent more time at the driving range, had a certain amount of determination, and have put on a game face when I have actually played a round of golf. Some days I have done well, others not so well, but I think I am making progress.

I have now turned in about 8 scores. I think it takes 10 scores before a handicap actually gets calculated, but the computer says that I am trending with a 13.5 as of my last round today. Believe it or not, that is an improving trend from the 14.5 of a couple of weeks ago. So, I am going in the right direction!!

Today I shot a 39 on the front and had high hopes for a great score--obviously another 39 on the back will be a total of 78 for the round--I think I only broke 80 once many years ago--but the back nine is a bit tougher--and as usual I hit a few bad shots on the back nine which ballooned my score on to a 46--damn trees and water hazards!! But 85 was not a real bad score--and with some further improvement I think I will make my goal this year.

Then when I am 80 years old and out on the course with all the young whippersnappers hitting it 100 yds past me, I can say "well, ya know, I used to be a single digit handicap!" That's the goal--!!! (or perhaps the more important goal is to be 80 and still hitting a golf ball any distance at all!!)

Why have a Handicap? It defines you as a golfer. And, you can go anywhere in the world to play in a tournement that is "sanctioned" by any club or golf assn--Well, I havn't yet, but you never know!!

Weekend update

It was another beautiful weekend in Encinitas! I and "Garage Sale Bob" went forth on Saturday Morn at about 7am and cruised the area for sales. Bob is always looking for bikes, and scored a pretty good hit on a road bike that had a nice lightweight alum frame. The componenets on it were a bit dated--but for 20 bucks it was a good buy. He saw another at the same sale that was a Softride mountain bike that new is pretty expensive. This one was a little tarnished. He offered 20 bucks for it and the teenager that was selling said OK. But Bob did not have enough money, and said he would come back for it--he came back later in the morning and the seller had talked to his dad who told him that he couldn't sell it for just $20--So Bob asked him if he would take $50--but only had a $100 bill--and the kid had no change--Bottom line--he missed the bike! "Garage Sale Bob" struck out!!

Did the Carlsbad 20 mile round trip on the Cannondale to fill out the rest of my Sat morn. Sunday was the Carlsbad Triathilon, and Sat they had signup booths and lots of vender booths in the beach area off 101 in South Carlbad. Lots of hard bodies around town. I felt pretty bush league walking my $25 garage sale Cannondale bike around the booths--looking at all the $3000+ bikes and all the spandex outfits with alot of flat ABS and tight butts. Gives me something to aspire to--although my time for that ,I think, has passed me by.

Late Saturday afternoon I threw my fishing pole in the car and took the 2 minute drive down the hill to moonlight beach to spend some time soaking the bottom half of me in the surf while I tried to torture some surf perch. Managed to catch and release 3-4 of them before my body started to wrinkle up and I thought I should call it a day.

Sunday was up at about 7 and we went to Pipes for breakfast as usual--lots of carbs and chloresteral(sp.?)- actually went to work and did an open house in the afternoon.

We had my favorite aunt and her friend over for dinner, and drank to much! A successful way to end the weekend, but decided that I didn't do myself any favors when I crawled out of bed on Monday morning. It must have been the Grand Marnier!

Ah well, we never learn!!

A Cat's Story--a poem

We adopted a kitten,
found under a car,
parked at a church,
that wasn't to far.

from our home.

The poor little thing,
was all wet and cold,
alone and so sad,
with no hopes to hold,

up it's spirit.

With some warmth and some food,
and a cage of her own,
her eyes became brightened,
no longer alone,

in her life.

When she stuck out her paw,
through the wire cage door,
we were instantly smitten,
she was ours evermore,

to purr with.

That kitten, now Hallie,
has grown up so sweet,
a part of our household,
the first one to greet,

at our door.

She does have a language,
and thinks she can say,
just how things have been,
all during her day,

just lazing around.

We keep her inside,
to protect all the birds,
so she hunts from the window,
with grunts and cat grrrs,

a predator deterred.

I wonder if this foundling cat,
found underneath a car,
thinks life is always just like that,
to have to come so far,

from deep sadness.

Biking 101--a tour north from Encinitas to Carlsbad.

I decided to get back on my Cannondale after a couple of years of putting on about 20 lbs, and starting to look pregnant when I stood sideways to the mirror. So I am trying to take off the excess by putting on about 50 miles a week pumping a bike up or down old Hwy 101. Encinitas is in a great location to head south or north. Alot of the road has a bike path and as they do improvements here and there new bike paths are added.

My standard 20 miler is to head north to Carlsbad. In the first mile there is a funky path/walkway along the road through, naturally, funky Luecadia, with a line of small trees between the road and the path. The city trims the bottom part of the trees that overhang the path so walkers don't have to duck, but if you are on a 60 cm bike, watch your head! That lasts about a block or so then its back onto the road. There is alot of bike traffic on 101 so people are aware of bikers and don't get pushy--but where there is parking on the side, plus traffic, bikers have to stay alert for doors that might open in front of them, and buses and trucks which cause tight passing situations. (A friend of mine a few years ago acquired a number of scars from hitting a door which suddenly opened in his path in Luecadia.)

After the first two miles you'll leave Luecadia and the road opens up to the beach, plus there is bike path almost all the way to Carlsbad from this point. Very scenic, with very moderate rolling hills for the next 6-8 miles. I am a slow rider, so I get to see most of the scenery, check out the beach activity and often stop to scope out the luck of any fishermen I find along the way. Not only that but I see alot of bikers, guys and gals, because they all pass me. I hear alot of "on your left" as they come up on me, and wonder how they can zoom by me like that when it seems to me that I am churning about as good as I can churn. I think it has something to do with age and conditioning! I have decided that it is not the distance that I cover in a given time frame that is important for my purposes. Rather, it is the time I spend pumping away at it. So while I can appreciate the speed and power of most of the bikers who zoom by me, I feel good about the fact that I am out there pumping away for 5 hours a week to get in the 50 miles even though many others might do in half the time.
(The only thing I regret is that it is hard to find people that ride at my speed, so I am the lone rider.)

Now the Carlsbad power plant with its giant smokestack juts into the sky ahead. Sometimes if the time is short--the power plant is the destination--round trip to there is 14-15 miles. There is a nice hill north of the power plant leading down to the lagoon which feeds cooling water to the plant. Its a pretty good place to fish so there are usually 5-10 poles in the water hoping for halibut or bass. There is also a big aqua farm in the lagoon which grows clams which are harvested and shipped to resturants near and far.

Pump across the bridge and up the hill to Carlsbad Village, which also has a unique beach personality, with good tourist facilities, beaches, resturants, and quite a few antique stores and other quaint boutiques.
Sometimes it is worth a spin around the sidestreets, down State Street north, to see whats going on at the train station, or to stop at the local bike shop to see what's new. I usually end up on the north side of town at the Army and Navy Boys Academy and cut over to Pacific, which runs right next to the beach. Although the beach side of the street is built out, there are a number of public accesses if you want to stop and take your bike down the stairs. The end of the street runs right into a small ocean front park at the south end of the village which is a great place to stop, take off your helmut, sit on a bench, watch the surfers, and have some water and a power bar.

Then its back on the bike for the trip home. Fortunately, going south is usually downwind!! There is a fairly short, but steep hill on the street leading to my home. When I first started riding a few years ago, it took me about a month before I could pump up it after riding 20 miles. Today was my fourth time out in the last 10 days--the first three times I walked it. Today I pumped up it. Ahhh, progress!!

Michael Moore vs Rush Limbaugh

What ever happen to the middle! Here is a question for you: Who do you think would be the most interesting dinner companion, Michael or Rush?

A person's answer would seem to define him in today's world! You are either a "Michael" or a "Rush". I remember when alot of people "Liked Ike." Both the Democrats and the Republicans pursued him for their candidate. While he was a hero to the masses and a sho-in for election, he was still the middle of America. He was A Republican who could make a speech warning us of the dangers of war and the military-industrial partnerships who benefited from it and were the powers which needed to be monitored and controlled by America's moderate middle.

While I have always been a registered Democrat, until the last few years, it mattered more to me who I thought the best candidate to be, not so much whether I voted for a Democrat or a Republican. I tended to vote for Republican presidents, and Democratic representitives. There were moderates in each party which seemed to be able to actually reach consensus on most things--and solve problems, and pass great legislation which improved our country and our society.

Has politics and our society really changed so much from two decades or so ago that Michael and Rush could not sit down at the same table without a food-fight? That's the way it appears! I think that the great proliferation of talk radio and Cable TV has created a constant pounding of news, politics, and nastiness never before seen on a daily basis. And it is there in front of the public N O W!

Sessions of Congress are all televised. I remember seeing a Congressional hearing after the Republicans took over party chairmanships after they became the majority in the house. The new Republican chairman was basically just rude and boorish in his treatment of Democratic members. Why do I still remember that! It certainly made a very deep impression on me. Perhaps in the days prior to "full" disclosure of "everything" people in these powerful positions had some degree of privacy to think about how they would present themselves publically. Now, they are always in the public, and all the warts show. And the drums are always being pounded. And I am of the opinion that I will never vote for another Republican no matter what! So I am now a part of it!

The public is always being pounded. By both the far left and the far right! It seems the far right is better at it and as a result has the bigger drum which tends to win the noise contest. And I have come to the conclusion that there are to many people out there whose opinion can be formed by whoever has the biggest drum and pounds it the longest and the loudest and makes it sound good no matter whether the message is reality or not.

So the far right politically is in your face--a force to reckoned with--and opposed by those on the left who view it as a danger to society.
So "you are either with us or agin' us."

When George Bush came to office, almost everthing that Clinton had for policy initiatives were considered "dead" in the water. Most notably peace processes in the middle east, which were basically ignored until the middle east once again blew up with the same old see-saw that had been going on for 50 years--a "terrorist" act by the Palistinieans, usually a suicide bomber, and a counterattack by the Israeli Army. After three years of the Bush administration, the Israeli situation is the same see-saw going up and down as it has for 50 years.

Remember that a just a couple of Presidents ago, foriegn policy initiatives which were good for the country and the world carried through multiple administrations until they bore fruit. But, it seems, not any more--when you are either "for us or agin'us".

Black and white is a very limited color selection!

Wouldn't it be great to put Michael and Rush together alone on a deserted island with the objective of solving all the great problems of the world--and not letting them off until they have reached a consensus on each of them as to a course of action. That would be the ulitimate reality show. We could call it "Ultimate Survivor".

One of my favorite quotes is from HDT in Waldon--"Niceness is the only investment that never fails". That is the investment we all need to make in one another to meet in the middle again.

What's new--Philosophically speaking!

Nothin! It took me about 50 years--and that was about 12 years ago--to figure out that there is nothin that is new. Oh yeh, there is stuff like the internet, and other "material" that you might consider "new", like cars and other things that we as humans discover or somehow manage to fashion out of "old" stuff that has been laying around as part of the universe for eons. But there is nothing new, only stuff that is new to us personally, or to someone else who points it out to us. I think our parents told us that when they were older, but we were skeptical.

Humans in general think to much of themselves. At one time humans of culture and great wisdom thought the Sun revolved around the Earth--the Earth had to be the center of the universe, since humans were obviously the beings directly decended from and favored by the Gods. While we all obviously know that the Universe has proven to be a bit larger than once thought, that knowledge still hasn't had the humbling impact one might have thought, since most of humankind still thinks that they are directly decended from one God or another, who is overlooking them and will somehow provide them with a safe afterlife somewhere in the spiritual part of the universe. All wonder where that might be but have strong beliefs about it that they seem to want to impose on others who think differently. (No one, I think, expects their God to provide them with a safe life on Earth anymore, although most pray for it!)

One might think if that is so, all of humankind would be more alike and in harmony with one thought in that regard. But we are not much advanced from when we thought the stars circled round the Earth. Most of the strife over the ages of mankind was over differences in what was thought by one group compared to another, what was had by one group and not another, thinking that somehow one group would "win" and have advantage forever. If humankind was the center of the Universe, perhaps that would be so, but a lifetime or generation of humankind is not forever and is but a tic in the time line of the universe. So seeking advantage over others seems to be only a pursuit of temporary pleasure through domination.

The reality seems to be that humankind is about the same as any other "kind" populating the planet. Procreation is the primary biological determinant of most of human behavior, just as it is with any other animal. Human males are dominant, territorial, and possessive of power in their relations with others. Violence is usually the ultimate behavior in imposing power and possessiveness upon others. It always has been so, and it appears that to this day there is no difference in that behavior from the time of the origins of life. The methods used are just more advanced!

What humans have always done to themselves and to each other seems to be the normal way of all life on this Planet from the existance of the first active cell. Sounds pretty stupid and self destructive, doesn't it?

As I read the paper, and watch the news every day, there it is, still going on and on and on....the same old stuff! It's nothin new!

Weekend update

A fairly busy weekend. Garage sales were not too exciting this Sat morn--one nice new Golf cap and a new Fishing cap--ea $.50. Bought my beautiful wife a CD of the original broadway cast recording of Showboat for $1--,and that was about it. Lots of great stuff at garage sales every week--but why move it from someone else's garage to yours if you don't really need it. There are lots of people who buy a truckload of stuff every Sat and then go to a Swap Meet on Sunday and resell it for profit--seems to be a poor way to spend a weekend if you ask me--but for some it is an addition to income.

Went for a 20 miler on the bike on Friday--and 10 more on Sunday Morn. Every ten miles is about 500 Calories pumped off--so 50 miles a week should be about a pound--just think, in a year I will lose 52 lbs-I think I shall stop at about 20--cause then I will be buff! (for an old guy anyway!}

Spent a bit over an hour on the beach late Sat--with a fishing pole--found some sand crabs for bait--caught a couple of small perch--no corbina--caught a wave that tipped me over--got very wet up to my shoulders--water is pretty warm--in the mid 60's--

Yes, I did do some work this weekend- Did an open house on Sunday and met a couple of potential clients--

Just another weekend in Encinitas!

Ashcroft's terrorist watch--a rant

There was an article today on the op ed page of that noted left wing radical newspaper, The LA Times, by Bill Mckibben, a noted environmentalist, noting how deep the threat of terrorism has embedded itself in our society. Thank heaven we have such an alert gaurdian at work as our illustrious Attorney General, who must have been reincarnated from our last King George's court back in the 16th or 17th century. That would explain so much.

Mr. McKibben pointed out that our 17th century oriented federal cops had resurrected a law passed in 1872 and last used in 1890, which was meant to restrict the activity of "sailor-mongering" by boardinghouse proprietors, i.e., attempting to board or otherwise bother ships prior to them entering port with booze and broad's come-ons to their crews.

As it happened in 2002, two Greenpeace protesters attempted to board a ship filled with illegal lumber from Brazil and hang a protest banner stating "President Bush, Stop illegal logging". Which of course it was. The feds did nothing to stop it from being unloaded in a U.S. Port. Must of had connections somewhere? Either that , or someone was ticked because there was no booze or broads!

The protesters were arrested and spent a couple days in jail, got a small fine and went on their way, which happens all the time. Mr. Mckibben noted that a year later Ashcroft's finest decided to indict Greenpeace under this law with the potential goal of assessing a fine and potential probation, which would presumably restrict the organization's ability to carry on any organized civil disobediance in the future under severe penalty of jailing of officers and seizing of assets.

I wonder what other obscure law is out there just waiting to be twisted and used in the pursuit of "protection" of our great country?
I have no doubt that at this very moment, there is a secret task force hard at work in the bowels of the U.S. Jerkstice Dept trying to figure out how to shut down blog.com and all the radical left wing terrorists pounding out devisive and dangerous drivil supporting Greenpeace on their keyboards on a daily basis. I admit we sent our Greenpeace membership contribution in last year--just in case our name didn't get on the membership list the Feds no doubt have acquired through some secret, terrorist protection clause buried somewhere in the latest edition of the "Patriot" act. Wouldn't want to miss out on my 15 minutes to life opportunity to be interregated by the real pros regarding my geographical link to the terrorists that came out of the San Diego area. ( Oops! Dear Feds, I better explain! Geographically, I only live about 6 or 7 miles north of the city limits of San Diego, and that is my only link.)

Friday in Encinitas

It is another beautiful day in Encinitas. For most people with real jobs its TGIF. For a Realtor it's open houses on Sat and Sun, and Friday can be kind of a goof off day. Goofing off includes taking the time to make an entry to this blog site--taking at least a 10 mile bike ride up old Hwy 101 along the coast, and checking out the beach for the current surf conditions for a few hours of fishing sometime in the next couple of days. As of a couple of days ago there was choppy surf due to wind which tore loose to much Kelp, which came ashore and messed up the surf for fishing purposes--one would spend all one's time fighting the kelp on every cast--instead of being able to work the surf for those elusive corbina. Plus when I walked the beach a couple day's ago I didn't see any sand crabs, which are really the best bait. But I know they are there somewhere--so maybe they will turn up this weekend. Can always use plastic grubs in the event they don't!.

Saturday morn I am usually up early and hit some garage sales with my wife or a couple other friends--it is amazing what's out there for sale--sooner or later literally everything there is can be found at a garage sale. A few weeks ago, I found a very nice Cannondale road bike which was a steal at $25. In fact, It is going the 10 miles today, and another 20 over the weekend!

The most interesting thing in the news today is the election in India. The current government called an early election since they thought things were going so well, then was defeated unexpectedly. The Congress party lead by the daughter-in-law of Indira Ghandi and wife of the prime minister who was assassinated in 1991, won a clear majority. She would be the first foreign born Prime Minister (Italian) in India's history. Two other interesting items: 390 million voters voted on electronic voting machines. The the reason the congress party won was thought to be that those who were in lower economic classes felt that the ruling party was not providing a government environment where they were sharing in the growing economy, and they were not trustful of the current government's attitude towards the tradition of secularism in India's government.

India is the largest democracy in the world--and while perhaps not as old or "advanced" as the good ole U.S., the unexpected results of that election seem to indicate a fairly sophisticated electorate. Not only that, the winning party conducted a grass roots, positive campaign! Perhap India should send over some "observers" to watch over our coming elections!

Blogging--a poem

It's my second day of blogging,
sending thoughts out into space,
wondering if the words are slogging,
into someone else's place.

Today I told a friendly user,
my spot within the blog,
in hopes he was a web peruser,
and in my blog would log.

For nothing's worse than loneliness,
talking to one's self,
instead of sharing thoughtfulness,
and intellectual wealth.


Mark W.

Moonlight Beach

Well, I picked Moonlight Mark as my user name because Moonlight beach is just four blocks down the hill. A nice beach to surf fish and to walk. The water is starting to warm a bit and the fishing is starting to pick up--mostly surf perch, but an occasional corbina, or croaker, or an outside chance for a halibut. It is a great way to spend an hour in the late afternoon after work.

Encinitas is a great surfin' town so I am always fighting for fishing space with surfers when the surf's "up". We have some famous surf breaks including Swami's, Pipes, Cardiff Reef, and Beacon's. In fact I think there is someone who has a web cam on their roof at Beacon's which shows the condition of the surf 24/7--or at least during daylight. I don't recall the site but try California and Encinitas and Luecadia and Beacon's and surf as key words and see what you can come up with as to a site. I think the site's master is a surfer and is named after his daughter.

Not a bad place to be!!

First time out

this is a set up and "find out how it works" entry.