THE WEEKENDER-CAPTURING THE MOOD

UNDER THE STARS

    As the sun dropped from the painted sky it pulled in thousands of stars on jet blackness over Harmony California.

    Jim Conroy and the Mystery Brothers sweetened the air, a further desert at the Harmony Cafe, alfresco.

     It was a CD release party and the California Irishman logged in stories behind the songs he wrote-Gypsies by the Sea, Celtic Cactus, Walking Down the High Road, Universal Prayer, Mystery of Life and more including the haunting Volcano Lullaby. 

     Conroy's music is accomplished, deep, rich in texture, mood and life.  And like his stories, his creations evoke images.  He finished telling of driving hours in the Baja desert, crossing a ridge with a volcano to the right when suddenly the peaceful blue bay comes into view, as though singing to the smoking volcano.  

     A September night on the California coast, minstrels casting a spell as the quiet Santa Lucia Mountains slumber in the moon light and the Pacific roars its own lullaby.

Harmony indeed.

     See you down the trail.

WHY IS IT?

ARE THESE PROBLEMS IN DESIGN?

As a former executive and CEO I understand

and appreciate the intricacies and demands

of product development and eventually packaging.

What I can't understand is how some

of the packaging today gets approved.

 Haven't you also encountered similar, what I call

"impervious plastic" encased items?  It can be dangerous

trying to use scissors, shears, knives or chain saws to

open some items.

Maybe at risk of sounding like an old grump, why can't these

type of seals be made to actually unseal as they would

pretend to do.  You find these little tabs on all manner of product, like this container of cocoa, or on aspirin bottles, or fruit juice bottles, or boxed almond milk and the like.

There's that little tab and you think OK, pull it carefully and it will open and peel back.  Are you kidding?! Don't you

have to rely on a knife, fork, fingernails or crowbar?

And I won't get started on how much flimsier the cartons and containers are these days.

WELL, EVEN NATURE HAS DESIGN ISSUES

We've noticed more tomatoes with design flaws this season.

They taste great, but what is it with these extensions?

Little tails, noses, horns or whatever your imagination

might find.

 They are just odd.

I'm waiting for a nouvelle cuisine chef to 

give these a name and design a dish around them.

Like Halibut cheeks-although I guess Halibut are 

supposed to have cheeks.  I didn't know about them

until seeing it on a menu.

Tomato beaks on romaine, perhaps?

Oh, Good luck opening that new CD or DVD you just bought.

Be careful.

See you down the trail.