Updated Pics of Paige

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Pedras' Holiday Party

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Summer Pics

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Obama's MHA

My wife, Aidee, just came downstairs and told me that she found out that we did not qualify for Obama’s MHA (Making Housing Affordable) Program because we, “make too much money”.

We owe $565,000 on our house that is currently appraised at approximately $280,000.

I have turned a new leaf – Fuck you Obama. From this point on, I am anti-Obama.

Sincerely,
David Jenkins

Dora & Anna Castro's Visit

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Trip to Russia - 08 Jun to 28 Jun 2009

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Paige's High School Graduation

Aidee, Paige, David

Paige

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Delfina's 86th Birthday

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Paige

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NYE @ Bottom of the Hill

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Aidee's Birthday - Mexicalli, Mx. - 16 Feb 08

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Ringing in the New Year at the Garcia's

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Hector Mendoza

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Thanksgiving

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Halloween

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The Download Festival

Aidee and I just returned home from the Download Festival at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Ca. Although the concert began at One, we did not arrive until a little after Four. After the 60 mile drive to the Shoreline, we were both thirsty. Aidee purchased a four dollar bottle of water and I bought a six dollar 32oz Sprite.

Beverages in hand, we strolled into the Amphitheatre and were shocked to find that despite our own admitted tardiness, the Amphitheatre was filled to just over a third capacity.

We found our seats, 28 and 29 respectively in Section 203, Row N, and enjoyed the last couple of songs performed by She Wants Revenge. She Wants Revenge was the third band to perform. For the life of me, I cannot at this moment recall the names of the first two bands we missed. Oh well. I'm old; by the end of the concert, my dogs were barkin'.

Following their set, She Wants Revenge front man, Justin Warfield, expressed his band's gratitude for the privilege of being a part of the Download Festival.

Next up, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, commonly referred to as, BRMC, commandeered the stage and rocked the house. Aidee remarked, “The singer is handsome”. Hmm… BRMC has two singers; so either Peter Hayes or Robert Levon Been must die.

After BRMC finished their set I left my seat in search of the restroom and returned with a ten dollar "large" Fat Tire. By the time I returned to my seat the Amphitheatre had nearly filled to capacity; as the sun set, a rush of adrenaline brought the audience to their feet cheering as Bay Area natives, AFI, took the stage.

Despite a technical problem at the beginning of their performance (lead singer Davey Havoc was having problems w/the feedback to his headset), AFI put on a phenomenal show. Notwithstanding the fact that any Bay Area band performing in a major Bay Area venue is going to receive love and adoration; Davey Havoc was confident on stage and connected easily with the audience. Between sets he spoke to the audience at one point stating that although it was a chilly night, seeing the audience standing and singing along made the band feel warm and welcome. Towards the end of their performance, Havoc announced that this would be their last concert for awhile as they would be going to the studio to produce a new album.

Following AFI and my ten dollar “large” Fat Tire I went in search of the restroom and more refreshments. It occurred to me that I could save a lot of money by waiting until after the concert for food and beer and walked back over to our seats. I asked Aidee if she was sure that she wanted something to eat and she promptly handed me fifteen dollars for Nachos. So, I was walking towards the food court when all of a sudden a false start from the stage sent the audience into excitement. Suddenly I was walking upstream against a crowd hurrying to return to their seats; a crazed young woman smiling up at me from her wheelchair nearly ran me over… I pressed forward; nachos/beer, nachos/beer, nachos/beer…

Despite fighting the crowd and standing in line, I returned to my seat w/plenty of time for Aidee and I to finish our giant order of seven dollar nachos and make a considerable dent in my 8 dollar Miller Genuine Draft (To think that for only two dollars more, I could have enjoyed a frosty Sierra Nevada Pale Ale).

The Cure took the stage opening appropriately enough with “Open” off their 1992 album, Wish. My oldest CD by The Cure is Seventeen Seconds and it occurred to me that this album came out when I was only ten years old back in 1979. Earlier in the day, Aidee and I had stopped for lunch at the Buttercup where in our excitement we remarked to our waitress that we were on our way to a concert. When she brought us our check she remarked, “Enjoy the concert” and asked, “Who are you going to see?” “The Cure”, I replied and she just stood there with a blank expression. How in the hell could someone not have heard of The Cure? “They’ll be performing with AFI”, I quickly added. Her face brightened up in recognition…

So there we were…a cross generational moment; adults my age, parents with their children, older teenagers, and twenty-something year olds. I poked Aidee with my elbow and nodded towards three twenty-something year old males that were singing along and waving their arms in the air. Aidee laughed and said, “You’re getting old. You were the same way.”

I thought back to when I was seventeen and remembered that I had once thought The Cure a namby-pamby flash in the pan sort of band. But here I was 21 years later and The Cure was proving not only did they still have it; they have always had it. In short, The Cure rocks; they blasted the audience w/blazing guitars in CD quality and after all these years, Robert Smith still has his unique voice.

The Cure performed for approximately two and a half hours w/two encores. The first finish followed the appropriately titled song, “End”, again off their 1992 album, Wish. Of course the audience stood their ground, waiting for the encore. I leaned over to Aidee and said, “The concert is not over until they play ‘The Forest’”. I’m not sure how many more songs they played but they hadn’t played “The Forest” when Robert Smith once again said, “Thank you”, and the band laid down their instruments and walked off the stage. Some of the audience was already moving to the exit. Aidee had that excited “beat the crowd” look about her and I leaned over and said again, “The concert is not over until they play ‘The Forest’”. We stood still and a few minutes later The Cure returned to the stage. They played a couple more sets finishing with all time crowd pleaser, “The Forest” off their 1979 album, Seventeen Seconds. The Concert was over. An exhausted and humble Robert Smith spoke to the crowd and promised that he would see us again next year.

The Cure

Dark Minion's favorite band in October ~ !


Aidee and I will finally see The Cure live in concert on Saturday, October 06th, at the Download Festival at the Shoreline Ampitheather in Mountain View, California ~ ! (Aidee has been wanting to see The Cure in concert for about seventeen years now.)

From My Brother, Steve, AKA Jinx

http://www.idahostatesman.com/eyepiece/story/143517.html

How long do you have to stay in the closet before you eventually end up in a bathroom stall, too? I can almost feel sorry for the poor guy.

Check out the photo below. That's me, age 17, when I visited DC as a state winner of an American civics competition. I must admit, my first thought upon looking back on this picture was, hey, where's his other hand? In truth, all I can remember back was, at the time, he was a surprisingly nice guy.

Steve

Auburn, Washington

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Bremerton, Washington

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Seattle, Washington

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Ontario, Oregon

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Boise, Idaho

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Travel to The PNW for old friends, cocktails and my 20 year HS Reunion

Next Thursday, the Fam and I will pile into the car to drive to Boise, Id. for three days of festivities in celebration of the 20 year reunion of my High School graduating class. Following the reunion, on Monday, Lil Dave and I will see Aidee and Paige off at the Boise Airport for their return to the Bay Area. After that, its travel and adventure for lil Dave and me as we wind our way down my memory lane from Boise to Seattle to see old sights and visit old friends. I am sure that Lil Dave will be most excited to see and hear the stories of my old haunts and to meet my old friends... (Or at least, I can only hope that if we visit you, you have a video game console.)

Trip Itinerary:

2nd – Depart for Boise
3rd, 4th, & 5th – Reunion
Afternoon of the 6th – Depart Boise to travel to Seattle
7th – Arrive in Seattle
13th – Depart Seattle to travel back to the Bay Area


For my friends in Boise; I look forward to seeing you at the reunion.

For my friends and family between Boise and Seattle and those in the GREATER Seattle area; Please drop me a line at djenkins@zeligx.com.

Respectfully,
Dave Jenkins

Paige's Sixteenth Birthday

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Pablo & Mariela Moran

Aidee's nephew and niece, Pablo and Mariela, are staying with us for the summer.

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Grandpa Mel

Grandpa Mel came down from Seattle to visit this week.

...

Lil Dave has wanted a Nintendo Wii since he first read about it in Nintendo Magazine.

(Short of camping out) Lil Dave and I had made frequent visits to the local stores from about November to late January. By late January Lil Dave was finally worn down and resigned to buying an X-Box w/the assistance of Grandpa Mel when he came to visit in May. So... Grandpa arrived on Monday evening and on Tuesday we went in search of an X-Box. We stopped at Target first; they were out of both the X-Box and Wii. Next we drove to the Vallejo Best Buy. Unbelievably, we walked in just minutes after the Nintendo Wii delivery truck had made its round ~ !





Here's a picture of Lil Dave posing with his Grandpa Mel and the new Nintendo Wii.





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Grandma Mary

My mom, Mary, came down from Boise to visit this week.


On Tuesday, we drove across the 37 over to San Rafael. We decided to drive down one road and find out how far we could go. A little way on our drive, Aidee suddenly realized that she had been in the area years ago when Paige went camping w/the Girl Scouts. The road led us to Fairfax near the place where Paige had gone camping.

We decided to continue down the road and drove into and through Golden Gate National Park.

Above is a picture of my mom and Aidee taken on the side of the road in Golden Gate National Park.



A little further down the road we came to the town of Inverness where we saw a Czechoslovakian restaurant named Vladimirs. We drove a little further and then decided to turn back and have lunch at Vladimirs.

Although Vladimirs was closed until 4:00 Pm and it was only 2:55 PM in the afternoon, Mister Vladimir consented to serve us drinks with bread and cheese. After a few more minutes of conversation and a couple of toasts w/Mister Vladimir, he offered us lunch of stew w/dumplings and cabbage on the side. Forty-five dollars and forty-five minutes later we were back on the road on our way home.


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Updated - Pics of Paige & Friends

Paige, Stevie, Baby Bash, Paula Deanda, Camiren, Ashleigh

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Updated - Pics of Paige & Friends

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Mexico - Apr 07

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6 pages ~ !

Paige

Updated - Pics of Paige & Friends

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Aidee Pics

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Dave's 12th Birthday

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Email from my bro...

Hello all, or Gruezi mitenand!
Greetings from Switzerland... Schweiz... Suisse... and Svizzera.

I'm writing from Preda, a small railroad junction with pretty much just ahotel and a few houses, in Graubunden, also known as Grisons, or the area ofeastern Alps of Switzerland. Eva, my girlfriend, and I have been traveling now a while through Zurich, Geneva, Zermatt, and Locarno, seeing just a little bit of all the pieces, culture, and languages of the country. We had Christmas with Eva's family in Baden, in the north, Swiss-German speaking canton of Aargau, and spent New Years with her sisters in Ascona, in the southeastern, Swiss-Italian canton of Ticino. We woke up this morning to sunshine in the south, but by the end of the day we were sledding a few kilometers of snow-covered trails here in Alps. Eva has been a wonderful interpreter and partner throughout it all. So far, I've experienced stomach flu, culture shock, language incompetence, the amazement of seeing $4 Coca Colas, authentic fondue and Swiss cuisine, more cheese and bread than I've ever dreamed I could want, lots of chic window shopping, hundreds of middle ages homes and dozens of great cathedrals, churches, and monasteries, museums, and bridges, and ridden more public busses, trains, and trams in a few weeks than probably in all my life in America. Switzerland is a wonderful country of the medieval and the modern placed together. Amazingly, the hotel appears to have some wireless internet, so I'm taking this opportunity to say hello and send out some belated holiday greetings. I hope people have been enjoying their vacations or time with family.

I've attached a picture from Chateau Chillon, a 13th century castle in Montreux, in canton Valais in the south of the country. Just down the road from the castle they erected a statue of Freddy Mercury from Queen. Not like we don't have anything so weird.

Best wishes!

Tschuess,
Steve

17th Wedding Anniversary Pic

Dave & Aidee
The Wharf
Vallejo, Ca.
29 Dec 06

Lucy and Anna in San Francisco

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Lucy, Anna, Paige, & Aidee

Lucy, Anna, Paige, & Aidee

Thanksgiving 2006

Aidee, Paige, Ginger, David

Clyde Vernal Jenkins

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Pic taken at Kevin Denicker's CCTI Dinner

Aidee & Dave

La Bufadora

La Bufadora, Ensenada, Mx.
Aidee and I had our picture taken here before we were married almost seventeen years ago.

Rosarito

Rosarito

New 2006 Honda Civic

After months of talking about it, I finally bought a new car.

Paige & Aidan

Updated my website w/pictures of Paige and her friends (that I stole from their MySpace pages).

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Little League

Little Dave began playing Little League baseball this month. It got off to a slow start due to the rain. In fact, today was "Opening Day" in Vallejo. I would have taken pictures, but my camera remains broken and/or still needs to be replaced. Anyway, Dave's team is the "Reds", after the "Cincinnati Reds".

Joined 24 Hour Fitness

The older I get...

The older I get, the more it seems to me that I look like my grandpa Jim. The funny thing is... he was my step-grandfather... Hmm... What's up with that?

You say it's your birthday?

Well, it's my birthday too~!

My car was broken into last night...

... They broke out the left-side rear window and stole the bottom end AM/FM Receiver/CD Player.

They also went into our backyard. Nothing stolen, but they threw our garbage cans around and moved our patio furniture??? They moved the tables and chairs over about two feet. The chairs were all neatly arranged around the table.

I have an appt. @ 1 to have the window repaired.

Bay Alarm is coming over at 11 to provide an estimate. The house is pre-wired.

Mine is the fourth car on this street to be hit in the past week. A neighbor (whose car was also broken into this past week) tells me they hit at least one car on the next street over. Despite it all, I laughed when I looked at the line of cars sitting along my street w/the same broken window and shattered glass sitting at their side.

I'm parking the car in the garage from now on.

One Year Anniversary

Today marks our one year anniversary in our home in Vallejo, Ca.

Jenkins Clan

G & G Jenkins, Brad, Jen, Judy, Darol, Cheri, Jaime, Baby Eva, & Weston

Get thee behind me Satan!

70's Pics

Narnia

I took my son to see The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, this past weekend.

Some things you just know

I have resolved to begin my Christmas shopping tomorrow.

Here's a fun fact

My 1992 Honda Accord has traveled in 13.75 years the distance light travels in one second; 186,000 miles.

Francisco & Cristina's Wedding

Pic's from Francisco & Cristina's Wedding

Cordoza Ranch Pumpkin Festival

Dave, Daniel, and I went to the annual Cordoza Ranch Pumpkin Festival today. You can view the rest our pics by clicking here.

Paige

Misc. Pics - October 05

Dark Minion of the Volunteers of Ministries of Scientology

Bringing comfort to the afflicted and affliction to the comforted since 2004!


Glorimar, Aidee, David, Solidad, Herman

Only in California...

Only in California can you buy a home in the ghetto for half a million dollars.

My half sis, Janet

My half sister, Janet, is currently serving for one year in Kuwait as a Navy Reservist.
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Paige turns 14!

Dave's new 24" Diamondback bicycle.

This is the bicycle that was promised to Dave back in February - Or - at least one like the one that was promised.

BBQ

BBQ

Paige

Paige

Paige's 8th Grade Graduation

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Exploratorium

Dave's class field trip to the Exploratorium in San Francisco

Wine tasting at the Nicholson Ranch in Sonoma

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Mt. Diablo

This afternoon, in celebration of 8 years of Graphism, my family & I met up with Matt Mitchell and his family to hike 1.3 miles from the Juniper parking lot to the summit of Mt. Diablo. Mr. Mitchell and I went there for a familiarization visit of the Mt. Diablo communications equipment.

You can view pics here; <http://www.zeligx.com/family/2005/2005.14.htm>

Assembling the Apollo 8 x 8

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19 March - Updated Pics

Home Sweet Home

Ahh... I'm sitting in front of my gas fireplace, sucking on a Miller Lite, and listening to Coast to Coast AM over Streamlink on my Notebook Computer.

Life is good... for the next 1 hour.

Then it's off to bed so I can get up tomorrow & resume packing & cleaning.

Paige celebrating the move to Vallejo

"Ghost Girl"

Our new home - February

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We went to our new home for the "Final Inspection" today.

Some things that are left undone include the custom shutters, screens for the windows, some of the wiring at some of the windows for the security system, and the front lawn.

I noted some damage to the fireplace that they said they will take care of.

Afterward, we went to First American Title Company in Fairfield and signed all the paperwork.

Our new home - January

Our new home

Boreal

Boreal Ski Resort

Tabby

Paige's new kitten, Tabby

Tabby

Our new kitten, Tabby, stinks...bad.

All of my music has been converted to MP3's on an old notebook connected to the home stereo. Tabby recently designated this notebook as her perch.

Today, I went for a bike ride across Alameda and forgot to close the Notebook. So, I get back home and walk into, "Anyway you want it, that's the way you get it..." I mean, blaring... Lucky I don't have neighbors right now.

There she is, Tabby, sitting on the notebook in a cloud of stink - looking innocent as a kitten... and rocking out to 38 various selections from Journey, Robert Plant, Rob Zombie, and... Yanni?

Sorry to say this, but even Tabby's taste in music stinks. I mean, Yanni? Journey? How in the hell did that get in my collection? I don't listen to Yanni.

Group...morale...stink cats... Poinsettias? What to do? I think I need Zanax, or something.

Cordoza Ranch Pumpkin Festival

Cordoza Ranch Pumpkin Festival

Dark Minion of the Volunteers of Ministries of Scientology and Dianetics

Dark Minion of the Volunteers of Ministries of Scientology and Dianetics
- Or -
You hold em like tomatoes. Not too hard and not too light

Aug 31, 2:22 AM (PST)

By Zelig X

Oakland, Ca. (GP) This past weekend I met one of the Dark Minions of the Volunteers of Ministries of Scientology and Dianetics.

Let me tell you, this encounter not only sucked eggs, it cost me the five dollars I was planning to spend on lunch.

To wit; not only did this encounter suck eggs, not only was I induced by a Dark Minion of the Volunteers of Ministries of Scientology and Dianetics to buy a crappy booklet with the five dollars I was planning to spend on lunch; but I also gave them my home address and telephone number.

Let me explain.

Lil Dave and I were walking around the street fair in Oakland’s China Town this past Sunday when one of the booths caught my eye. People sitting in the booth were holding metallic cylinders connected to black boxes. We took a closer look and before I knew it a woman asked me if I would like to take a “stress test”. “Sure”, I said laughing, “I’ll peg the meter.” We had just spent the last two hours at Lil Dave’s Karate school for his belt test and I was beginning to get hungry. Low blood sugar raises my stress level to the nth degree. Not to mention the fact that I had stayed up late the night before and had gotten up early for Dave’s test.

I sat down and the lady handed me the metallic cylinders. “You hold em like tomatoes. Not too hard and not too light.”

I’m looking at the cylinders and they’re connected by wires to this black box with dials and knobs, looking like it came out of some hokey 1950’s Science Fiction movie.

“Now think of somebody, maybe your wife or somebody or a stressful situation or somebody that causes you stress.”

As she tells me this I’m watching the meter and it’s bumping around, slowing moving to the right … as instructed I think of a troublesome coworker from the ship and the meter continues to rise.

The lady continues speaking, “So, you’re on the (Coast Guard Cutter) Morgenthau?”

I was taken back. “Huh?” She pointed at my shirt. I was wearing a Morgenthau T-shirt. “I’m in the Coast Guard, too”, she informed me.

“Great!” I thought, “This is all I need”. And by now the meter is almost to the highest level. I’m overtired, hungry, and my mind is spinning as I wonder what I’ve gotten into. I’m hooked to this machine that is supposedly exposing my inner well being to this person that I had previously imagined a complete stranger but now I’m trying to tell if I recognize from work. So, I’m explaining that I used to be on the ship but now I’m at… and to make matters worse I’m glancing about the booth and its then that I see a book sitting on the table entitled, “Dianetics”. I continue looking about and catch the word, “Ministries” next to a customized cross. As she continues to pry about my rate and rank and whatever else I watch the stress meter cross the highest mark.

She flips a switch and the meter comes back to earth. She tells me to think about a calm situation or someone who makes me feel calm – and the meter just hovers around normal – But I’m still at the same level of stress!

Nevertheless, she’s satisfied she has the requisite information about me and takes the cylinders from my hands. She stares at me intently and begins telling me about how Dianetics has helped her in her life and how it can help me in mine. I’m thinking about the Spaghetti Factory but I’m bound not to throw a conniption fit for the sake that this person is a fellow Coast Guardsman. I’m nodding my head and trying to look interested as I secretly try to think of a polite way to make my escape.

…

And yet there remained a part of me that was deeply interested in this exchange. The woman told me that Dianetics had completely changed her life and she had been involved in it for the past eleven years.

We Graphites joke about Graphism being a “Cult”, but this my friends; this Dianetics is the real McCoy. I found myself thinking;

1. How could a person in the Unites States Coast Guard get mixed up in such a Cultish institution for eleven years? And at the same time realizing that it’s not at all beyond the realm of possibility.

2. The classic American sixties style cults failed and continue to fail because they completely consume their victims; robbing them of their holdings and rendering them incapable of being productive members of society. This cult succeeds in that it allows its victims to remain productive members of society and thereby continue to bring revenue (and new members) to the cult.

3. How is Dianetics different from any other organized Religion? What makes me think this is a “Cult” and any other organization with similar structure, rules, language, etc. isn’t?

4. I don’t care what it is, I’m hungry, and I don’t like it.
…

Once certain things are put into motion the only way to complete them smoothly is to follow them to their natural conclusion. This was one of those things.

So, she wanted me to have a booklet that she thought would help me; Marriage.

“You want me to have that booklet? Well, thank you”. … Bitch.

“Well, we’re not giving them away. We’re non-profit but we have to pay for their production - so we charge five dollars.”

Jesus…

“Okay. You got anything on setting goals?” I wasn’t going to let this woman tell me that I need her Dianetics booklet on Marriage. I’ve been married for nearly fifteen years, thank you. I think my hunger was just beginning to get the better of me.

So, she reaches for one on goal setting. She’s flipping through pages and reading me this non-sense and I’m looking at pictures of people hired off the street to pose in hokey situations. Again, the cheesy fifties look, like “Leave it to Beaver” this time. And then - “And these other two go perfectly with that one.”

Now she wants to sell me three … I’m overtired and hungry and all - but I can still do simple mathematics. My nine year old is bored to tears. Hell, I’m bored to tears.

“Look”, I say, “I’ll just take this one”.

“Sure”, she says enthusiastically, “Here just let me write a receipt for you. (scribble scribble) What’s your address? (scribble scribble) What’s your phone number?” (scribble scribble) “Now we don’t just try to sell books and pamphlets and send people on their way, we’re not just out to make money, we care about the people we meet. We’re ministries, and we follow up with the people that we help. So, if it’s alright with you, I’d like to give you a call in about a week and see how you’re doing. Plus, I really think that you need to read these two other booklets…”

…

So… I’m thinking she might make a good recruit for the Graphites. What do you think?

Mua-hahaha,

Zelig X, GAG



This is precisely the sort of thing that people who like this sort of thing will like.

The Graphite Organization

Belt Tests at C.M.A.E.I.

Lil Dave passed his Green Belt Test at the Chinese Martial Arts and Entertainment Institute today.

You can view pics of his test at the following URL;

http://www.zeligx.com/family/2004/2004.15.htm


Daniel, David, & Aidan

You don’t have to back up all your files – Part II

This time the family desktop computer which is kept in my Son’s room died. For the most part, I have learned my lesson about backing up files. However, it was to this computer that I was backing up all my files. I guess I have to go through the tedious process of backing up all my files to a CD – at least until I have the desktop repaired.

Regarding the desktop’s ills, I believe the problem is a burnt out power supply. My son said that the computer “smelled like popcorn” - again, shortly before it crapped out. I tried turning the computer on and off a couple times (I learned this in Computer Problem Solving 101) and noticed the smell of burned computer innards.

…

An update from the previous, “You don’t have to back up all your files”. The Sotec Notebook was repaired by an acquaintance for the promised $160 and now sits in my daughter’s room connected to an external monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers. Notably, the only important file lost was my Outlook Address Book. So, if you haven’t heard from me lately, it might be because I lost your email address.

...

(See Friday, July 02, 2004 for the first "You don't have to back up all your files")

Yosemite National Park

The Birds

The Birds
Or the lack there-of
A Short Story by Zelig X
I mean - a really short story by Zelig X

It wasn’t immediately reported in the press. In fact, most people weren’t even immediately aware of it. Just the Ornithologists. And not many people paid attention to bird watchers these days. More and more people had come to grapple with the troubling question, “Is something you can do with a Dry Martini in your hand really a sport?”

Still, there were others.

David Jenkins and his family were sitting at a Quiznos outdoor table in Alameda, quietly chatting over sandwiches and sodas. They were a typical Alamedan family. Working class, dysfunctional, tied down with bills and most of all, typical.

It was a beautiful Alameda, Northern California summer day. A light breeze, sun, a few clouds in the sky, you get the picture.

Mr. Jenkins was thinking about his glasses; “I need new glasses”, he thought. For the most part, he lived in his head, always thinking these sorts of deep thoughts. Oh yes, he might appear to be listening and joined in the conversation. He might even say to his daughter, “Yes dear, if you keep practicing your guitar you might be like that girl in No Doubt and then your parents won’t have to work anymore”, but really, he was much more engrossed with a dialogue in his own head of deep import.

“I remember when I got my first pair of glasses. How sharp everything looked. The leaves on the trees…” ran the course of his thoughts when Mrs. Jenkins commented that she liked the sandwiches at Subway better. Both the daughter and the son agreed. Mr. Jenkins said, “I think that Quizno’s is fresher”, as he said this he jiggled his glasses slightly and looked up towards the distance… The daughter said something about Subway sandwiches tasting more like the way sandwiches should taste than Quiznos sandwiches…but Mr. Jenkins was trying to tell if the leaves on the trees looked as crisp and sharp as they should.

“What if I was going blind?”, he thought and it suddenly occurred to him how precious was the gift of sight and how you don’t appreciate a thing until it is gone. He wanted to see. He wanted to see the distinction and contrast in the things around him. He studied the trees harder. He suddenly became aware of how many trees there were about him.

For the most part, the Jenkins family ignored the man of the family. They had long ago grown accustomed to his wandering attention. They continued to discuss the many ways in which Subway was superior to Quiznos. “It’s just that I don’t like the pepperonis”, the daughter stated matter-of-factly.

Mr. Jenkins was thinking about his sight, he was thinking about the trees. As he glanced about he added other things to his list; first clouds, then the passengers in passing cars, a drab-yellow fire hydrant, and finally, birds.

He wasn’t looking for a Stilt Sandpiper, or a Baird Sandpiper, or any other species of bird you could name. He didn’t even know the difference between a “Stilt” and a “Baird”. And if you had challenged Mr. Jenkins to name off all the species of birds he could in sixty seconds he would have said, “owl, pigeon, blue jay, hawk, eagle, crow, woodpecker, sparrow, robin, common redpoll, northern flicker, yellow-rumped warbler, rhododendron, … oh wait, that’s a … that’s not a bird. How much time do I have left?”

Mr. Jenkins was a typical Alamedan and typical Alamedans didn’t think about birds. No, typical Alamedans thought about … well, sandwiches. “I ate half of my sandwich”, the daughter announced, “Can I eat the rest later?” “Right”, said Mr. Jenkins, “We know what will happen to that sandwich after we get home.” “What?” the daughter asked, but Mr. Jenkins was thinking in a very un-Alamedan way and said to his family, “Have you noticed that there aren’t any birds?”

The family all sat upright at attention, they looked at each other and then they looked from side to side. They were silent for a few moments.

Presently the son spoke, “Weird”, he said rather profoundly. “Yes, weird”, the Jenkins family agreed. … “Dad?” “Yes” “What will happen to my sandwich after we get home?”

But Mr. Jenkins was lost in thought.

Mr. Jenkins thought, “What if all the birds in the world just … vanished all at once? How long would it take for people to notice? For everyone to know? How would that change things? Would they blame Bush?” Mr. Jenkins was relieved to be thinking about the sudden loss of all the birds in the world because he no longer had to think about losing his vision. “No birds”, he thought, “that would make a GREAT STORY! The opposite of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 thriller, The Birds!”

After they finished eating, Mrs. Jenkins announced that she needed to get something from the Albertsons across the way. Mr. Jenkins, still looking all about, added in an absent-minded manner, “I need to pick up a shirt from the dry cleaners”.

As they walked across the parking lot a black-capped chickadee swooped down from the roof of the Albertsons and dropped something icky on Mr. Jenkins head.

The End

Thank you, thank you,
Sincerely,
Zelig X, GAG

Paige's Thirteenth Birthday

Paige got a new guitar for her birthday!

You can view pics from her birthday party at the following URL;

http://www.zeligx.com/family/2004/2004.13.htm

You don't have to back up all your files

Just the one's you want to keep.

I learned that lesson...again.

I just bought my THIRD notebook computer. Yeah, that's right. The last one crapped out on me hard. Wear and tear. It stopped recognizing that it was plugged in. I believe this was due to me repeatedly trying to carrying it upstairs at 3 AM when it was still plugged into the wall. Alcohol may have played a contributing factor.

In the final sad days of the Sotec's foreshortened life I would have to jiggle the AC adaptor around to get the "charge" indicator to come on, but it would quickly go back to not charging or not recognizing that it was plugged in at all...This went on for maybe a week. Finally, the battery wore down to 0 percent and it wouldn't start unless I got the adaptor in just right and held it in place, else it would immediately shut down... which was the case when it last ran; and I continuously wiggled the adaptor and tapped the start button... on off, on off, on off, on off, on... then miracle! ... it stayed on... till it suddenly told me that a config file was corrupted and I would have to run the recovery disk. Problem is, I lost the recovery disk when I went on a trip back East last summer.

Long story short...well, I guess it's a little late for that now; I went to the Averatec website and ordered a new notebook.

The last notebook, the late Sotec, is at the home of an acquaintance who tells me that he can get it running again and will only charge me $160.00...

Now, ostensibly, I am willing to pay $160.00 to recover files. However, being that I have a second computer, most of my important OLDER files are backed up on it and most of my digital pictures are stored on my website and ofoto.com. I discovered that for the most part I am only missing saved emails, ebooks, and recent files (some of which, may be important) that I neglected to back up... The hauntingly persistent question being; what files did I forget to back up and is it worth $160 to recover them?

In the final analysis, I decide that it is worth the $160 to recover the notebook so that I may give it to my daughter to replace her aging Dell.

Mexicali

Mexicali

Boreal

Boreal

Cordoza Ranch Pumpkin Festival

Cordoza Ranch Pumpkin Festival

Trip to South Lake Tahoe

Trip to South Lake Tahoe

Oct 1994

1994

Aidee's birthday

This was a "Surprise ~ !" birthday party. It took me weeks of planning ~ but well worth it. Thanks to all those who were present.

1994

Corpus Christi

Aidee & Paige

Kathy, Paige, Aidee, and Nick

1992

Aidee & Paige

1991

David & Aidee

1990