Perfecting the Beverage

I am now ordering a different beverage at Starbucks,

No its not a non espresso based drink. Although I like them too if they are not too sweet.

After some recent disastrous dry cappuccinos that were none too dry. I talked with one of my favorite baristas, Jen, and we came up with a new order.

I like the bitterness of the coffee that settles on your tongue to become sweet. A properly brewed espresso will accomplish this task. If it is watered down with too much mild it looses its bitterness and also much of its flavor.

I thought that if I ordered two shots of espresso in a cloud of foam that would work. There is a real name for this drink.

In Starbucks parlance... I can hear Francisco my dear Italian friend look with a pained expression upon his face... O.. my.... God.

A Doppo Espresso Macchiato with extra foam.

I thought that it was kind of a strange way.. but I was assured that there were at least 5 others at that Starbucks that call this drink their own.

Cheers!

Pulling Weeds, Swim Lessons, and Alaska

Its Spring Break and there are weeds that need to be pulled.

Growing up in South City, Spring Week meant extra swimming lessons. We had to take swimming lessons on Saturdays in the Spring so that we would not fall behind our classes. Those that were staying in South City during the summer got to take their swimming lessons every day in the Summer. We did pretty well and I got to achieve all the swimming skills that I wanted to acquire.

In the Central Valley weeds grow like thunder all Winter long. No snow to shovel but still the lawn needs to be cut and trimmed throughout the year. Today I was out pulling and putting in the green container.

This spring has been particularly wet. Its been hard to find time to get out and spray the trees (they didn't get sprayed) let a lone pull the dandelions and grass like weeds that take over our yard every year. I know, round up does a great job. but... you still have to get rid of the weed residue. The backyard is a jungle since our home renovation. Something needs to be done about that. Our new addition has reduced the backyard space. It also is a little problematic when you look at space for a shade structure and room for a patio and a barbeque.. age old dilemmas.

Retirement is close at hand and there will be lots of time to manipulate the backyard. Or so I think.

We are looking forward to an Alaskan cruise this summer. Mom and dad were the first to get their tickets, It looks like the girls are coming too. There is also a chance for one of them to bring along their male companion. Mores the better. its Princess.. which Sue is quick to add.. from their old slogan... Where I belong. 10 days of shipboard fun hauling out of San Francisco July 21st. Yeah! Goin to see them Glaciers!

: ) Pat

Sue's new Food find "Super Tosada"

One of my favorite places to eat out is a crummy looking hole in the wall in Merced the produces great Mexican fast food. Mario's is just three blocks off the 99 freeway as it heads primarily East to West through Merced. This place has gone through several reincarnations. When we first moved to Merced it was a drive in. It was one of the many burger joints that people stopped at as they came through Merced before the freeway. It then took on the the flavor of a Chinese restaurant called 5 lucky coins. That didn't work. An Italian restaurant tried its best to no avail. Finally, this place hit the accord of the Mexican Michiocan fast food formula that is fairly common in Merced. It has the requisite photos of Cotia and even has a photo of a flood passing through this Mexican town deep in the heart of Mexico. Its greatest gift, In my opinion is that it has the best of this genre of food in Merced.

It has a complete stainless steel kitchen that serves up food 7 am to 11 pm every day. My usual favorite is a Chorizo and Egg burrito. On the side in the condiment side car are pickled carrots, a common condiment in Merced. There are also great red and green sauces that more than tickle your tongue. Its one of the places where you can eat with confidence. The food is good and safe.

Sue has found a dish that she likes at this place. Its called a super tosdada. For 5 dollars there is a friend plate sized flaky tortilla on to which they add a coating of beans, a pile of shredded chicken. Salsa and mexican style guacamole (Which Sue has omitted) sour cream and a couple of handfuls of mexican cheese. Most of the time this order makes two meals for her.

The dining room is poverty stricken so don't expect atmosphere. The crowd is always there. From soup eaters to rolled taco aficionados they line up and wait about 6 minutes for their order to be completed. The crowd is a great range of locals and drop in contractors and mechanics that stop in to order along the 99 route.

Follow the Director

I have found a way to use my Netflix subscription to follow the director of a series of movies.

Its a little similar to following a vintner or a wine brand as it follows through the years. With the same direction, different year or different actors produce slightly different outcomes.

I have choosen to follow the director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu through the decade. The following his his biography as presented through netflix:

By the time director Alejandro González Iñárritu made his audacious feature film debut with 2000's Amores Perros (a Cannes Film Festival winner), he had been honing his craft for years -- first as a DJ (for which he credits his knowledge of pacing and storytelling), then as a writer and director of commercials, and finally, under the tutelage of Polish director Ludwik Margules.
Born Aug. 15, 1963, in Mexico City, Iñárritu followed the success of Amores Perros by contributing to September 11 and then pairing up with Amores Perros screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga again for the gritty 21 Grams (which earned Oscar nods for stars Naomi Watts and Benicio Del Toro).

In 2006, Babel -- the final part of the trilogy that began with Amores Perros and 21 Grams -- debuted, earning Oscar nods for a large number of cast and crew (including Iñárritu, Arriaga and actors Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi).

I understand that Heather's friend Michael also is a fan of this director.

My favorite film of his collection so far is his first... Amores Perros although Babel and 21 grams is right up there not far behind.

His films are not for the feight of heart. They are great stories and they are told without holding a punch. The first one, Amores Perros has some brutal images of dogs so bewarned. It is required for the story.

: ) Pat

Green Grow the Lilacs and so do the Blue

This lyric was one of Dad's songs he sung was I was growing up.

Every time I see lilacs I think of him singing the song.

Green grow the lilacs, all sparkling with dew

I'm lonely, my darling, since parting with you;

But by our next meeting I'll hope to prove true

And change the green lilacs to the Red, White and Blue.

I once had a sweetheart, but now I have none

She's gone and she's left me, I care not for one

Since she's gone and left me, contented I'll be,

For she loves another one better than me.^[3][4]

His version had the lilacs change to the Oregon Blue.

Lilacs are in bloom today in the Central Valley.

: ) Pat

Get Netflix through Your Wii

I thought Sue was going to have a cow!


I was talking to Linzi on the phone about how I hooked up my TV in the living room from the Wii to my Netflix account on my computer. "So now you can get netflix on your wii wii?

Seriously.. I don't have a TV hooked up to my office room that has the internet connection. I do have a wifi broadcast going throughout the house for the iphones and my kids Iphones as they visit. I had tried to set up the samsung blue ray to capture the netflix being channeled by my wifi and had been unsuccessful. The wii wifi was very easy to configure.

• Step one: request a wii disk from netflix. No charge here. It comes with your next order.
• Step two: put the disc into the wii. the wii disc label always faces away from the body of the machine.
• Step three: The wii will need to update its firmware from the disc. This may take a couple of times. Your specific netword (wifi) will show up. select it. and type in the password for the wifi network.
• Step four: Go to the netflix site and get the magic code for Wii. Go back to your wii and use its little screen to type in the code.
• Step five: The wii will turn its self off and then on again and if it all was entered properly... the red netflixs logo will show up on your wii menu. (Provided you still have the wii CD in it)
• Step Six: The wii will go to your netflix account and give you the option to choose what you want to watch from your instant que.

This looks much more complicated that it is.. so good luck you wii fanatics.. another reason to hit the A button!
: ) Pat

21 minus 17 equals 5

Yep this is math as it is today.

21 of us in our district took the retirement incentive package and our resignations are to be made public tonight. I am not there.. but I have found out from inside sources that our resignations saved some jobs in the district. Its the modern reality of new Human Resources Math.

21 teachers resigned and took the package. The district wanted to reduce its teaching corps by 17. This package allowed for the district to rethink its numbers. It will only need to make good on 5 layoffs from our permanent teacher group next year.

We knew that it was not going to be a one for one swap. Some teachers in some categories are going to be more expensive to replace. This way is really the way to make cuts without adding to the rancor and the heartache that layoffs often bring.

Here is a copy and paste with from the board approval background:

Background/Discussion The District has worked with Public Agency Retirement Services (PARS) to develop a supplementary retirement plan that would achieve budget savings and assist in reducing the impact of potential layoffs. The feasibility of the plan, defined in Board Resolution 7-09, is dependent upon sufficient plan participation to meet the District’s fiscal and operational objectives. The enrollment window for the PARS Supplementary Retirement Plan was February 18, 2010 through March 17, 2010. During that time, employees submitted their intent to retire documentation and application for participation in the PARS program. PARS received applications from 20 certificated teachers, 1 certificated administrator, 24 classified non-management employees and 3 classified management employees. While the application of one certificated administrator did not meet the threshold consistent with the District’s fiscal and operational objectives, the applications of the 47 other employees result in an estimated 3-year savings of $1.5 million dollars. The retirements rendered by certificated teachers reduces the need for certificated layoff from 15.7 FTE to 5.5 FTE. The savings take into account the replacement of retiring teachers by lower seniority teachers who were included in the district’s reduction in force. Alternatives/Identified Opposition: None.

Funding:

Recommendation:

The PARS Supplementary Retirement Plan is a cost to the district. Negotiations with the PARS administrator were successful in reducing the cost of the plan from 5.5% to 5% per employee supplemental plan. The cost of the program is approximately $20,000 per year, over a five year period.

The Superintendent recommends the Board of Trustees approve the enactment of the PARS Supplementary Retirement Plan consistent with Resolution No. 7-09 (passed on February 10, 2010).

So there it is.

: ) Pat