THE WEEKENDER :) CREATIVE SELLING

ONE OF THE GREATEST

&

ONE OF THE NEWEST

The coverage of Steve Jobs passing brought

back one of the all time greatest commercials.

This is a classic.

And this one will leave you with a smile

Have a good weekend.

See you down the trail.

LATE TO THE POST

JUST A CALIFORNIA THING

Since beginning this blog last December I have tried to make sure I post every weekday.  Realizing that I live by the California clock, I also try to get this up to the blogosphere during a reasonable hour for you readers in the Eastern Time Zone.  It doesn't always happen.  Today is a case in point.

It has been a California kind of day and well, dude, I'm behind.  Tennis this morning, the match went longer than normal. Coffee that followed, it too went longer when Dino offered me samples of his new line of Cayenne pepper and lavender, plus other spices and seasonings.

It was a birthday gathering of the Friday lunch Flash Mob at Sebastians and we tarried over cookies and pie.

We hit the farmers market for fresh produce including what could be the last of the Thomcord grapes of the season. The grower said this week's rains really pounded him.

We then drove down the coast to Morro Bay to buy some fresh fish and oysters, just off the boat.  Back to Cambria for a quick shower and cocktail and then off to the Allied Arts reception for the new hanging of Shirley Pitman water colors.

Lana also had a painting selected for the show.

It was a great reception.  Artists are great partiers and conversationalists. 

Back home, fire up the grill, open a bottle of local wine and  officiate the prep of dinner-Halibut cheeks and oysters on the grill.  So, the great life here on the coast has delayed

the "bizness" of the day-getting this post up for whoever

is curious about what is written here.

Between the lines today-conversation about Steve Jobs and the reaction his passing has received.  I'm surprised  that some folks don't know or understand the impact he has on modern communication.  

So to those of you in the ET zone

 or in Europe-sorry for the late post-

it's been a California kind of day.  And I feel lucky.

Plus it was my eldest daughter-Kristin's birthday. Also the birthday of my late kid brother Jim and the great poet James Whitcomb Riley.  

 It is still way up there on the mountain, but the castle

was shining in the sun today.

 The Pacific was indeed peaceful behind the Hearst warehouse.

and the Friday lunch Flash Mob was slow to leave.

Ah, California.

See you down the trail.

GIVING US THE FUTURE

This post comes in the last hour of this day here on the Pacific Coast.  It has been a day without a post.

Had Steve Jobs never lived all days would

pass without a post on your pc, smart phone, pad or desktop.

What a strange world it would have been! 

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.

WHEN THE NEW BEGAN

OVER THE THRESHOLD

For those of us who are boomers, this day in history was

a "game changer."  Actually the world changed on October 4 1957 when the Soviet Union launched the first satellite.

Sputnik's success ushered in the space age, but it was 

a source of concern.  At the height of the cold war being 

beaten into space was a source of national paranoia.

I remember the odd mood of teachers that day as

though the glow of what had been "happy days" had

been snuffed. The great achievement was overtaken by the

knowledge that it was our adversary who now had the high ground and we were left some how vulnerable.  

Until then it was a bit like the old saw about "morning in America." The post war boom continued, there were new houses, cars, people were getting television sets and life seemed as though it was straight from an idealized movie.

But the idea of a foreign satellite racing over our heads

gave the dawning of the space age a nervous and

competitive edge.  Fifty four years late we now 

worry about some of that space age falling back onto us.

THIS WE APPROVE OF FALLING

THE NEW RAIN SEASON

There is a rain season in California, and it has begun.

From now to March is the time when it rains here and how much is always a guess.  One year we had only 16 inches of rain.  Last year we had a record 37.9. 26 inches is an "average" year. When the season begins, unlike in other areas of the nation where rain is more common,we make note of it. The first rain last year came on
October 5 when we got .4.  Last night we got .35, so  it has begun.
DAY BOOK
SCENES OF THE NEW RAIN SEASON

One of the first to celebrate the rain last night-a famed banana slug.

Luke is not so sure.  This is his first rain 
and I don't think he likes the way it feels on his paws.

I think I'd rather be up on the bench.
Stay tuned-as we watch the season unfold.
See you down the trail. 

SIDE SHOTS

OFF THE MAIN DRAG
It is probably a result of years of reporting.
but I like finding the out of the way and even
obscure spots.  Side streets, side roads
and alleys are good for holding interesting
places and scenes.
You see things most people never see.

Here's the latest from my friend Bob 

Last June, I struck up a friendship at Gift of Life Transplant House 
with a fellow from the Twin Cities named "Jim." He had the same 
diagnosis as I, chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Jim's  first stem cell 
transplant was unsuccessful, so he underwent a second. Jim went home 
about six weeks ago. Diane and I saw Jim today. His second transplant 
has failed. The donor cells have all but vanished...and so has his 
leukemia! Jim is completely disease free. The Mayo transplant doctors 
can't explain it. Jim is cured. Praise Jesus! We see so many miracles up 
here, but this is the first that was so dramatic.

Me? I'm slugging through. Came close to chronic fatigue syndrome this 
week. A Mayo nurse got on me about getting rest and so I did. A minor 
infection may have cropped up due to my immuno-suppression, but we 
caught it in time. I go back on the steroids Monday. Two more weeks of 
3x per week chemo injections to go. We will be out of Rochester sometime 
in mid-October. Then, re-test the bone marrow.

Foster

If you've been following Bob's story here, you 

know he is a guy with great strength, determination

and faith.

See you down the trail.

THE WEEKENDER :) GROWING THINGS

WAYS TO FEED

 California historically has produced

food for the world.  Blessed by great climate

and making accommodations for water

growers here have been hugely successful.

But is it sustainable?  As we 

learn more about resources, especially the need

for water conservation, we are finding

more imaginative ways to raise food.

Here's a fascinating example-

One million pounds of food on three acres-

plus fish.

Keep this in mind as you consider where

your weekend meals originate.

Enjoy.

See you down the trail