Saturday, October 09, 2004
Napa
A long day is coming to an end.
The highlight—The SF Ferry Terminal Farmers Market. Yes, my return after my end of August visit (on my baseball weekend), this time with my favorite farmers market friend. She squealed with delight and even shed a tear as she gazed across a sea of organic vegetables, fruit, breads, olive oils, etc…She exchanged warm hellos with the “endive lady” a fixture from our life in Marin County. And my daughter and I gulped down 10 oysters at the Hog Island Oyster stand. We could have spent hours there, but we plan a special trip to enjoy the best of SF and get a place with a kitchen so we can enjoy the local bounty.
We then drove to Napa for our family weekend event. Today’s event included a pre-wedding picnic. Tomorrow is the wedding. It’s in the late afternoon, so we have the day to ourselves. We spotted a Trader Joes nearby, so we can grab a simple lunch and perhaps take a run to the nearby factory outlets.
The highlight—The SF Ferry Terminal Farmers Market. Yes, my return after my end of August visit (on my baseball weekend), this time with my favorite farmers market friend. She squealed with delight and even shed a tear as she gazed across a sea of organic vegetables, fruit, breads, olive oils, etc…She exchanged warm hellos with the “endive lady” a fixture from our life in Marin County. And my daughter and I gulped down 10 oysters at the Hog Island Oyster stand. We could have spent hours there, but we plan a special trip to enjoy the best of SF and get a place with a kitchen so we can enjoy the local bounty.
We then drove to Napa for our family weekend event. Today’s event included a pre-wedding picnic. Tomorrow is the wedding. It’s in the late afternoon, so we have the day to ourselves. We spotted a Trader Joes nearby, so we can grab a simple lunch and perhaps take a run to the nearby factory outlets.
Friday, October 08, 2004
Awareness
Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, I figured I’d share a few memories of which I am more than aware.
This is the University of California, San Francisco, Mount Zion. This is where my wife had her breast cancer surgery in 2000. This is where I sent the longest hours of my life waiting on June 27, 2000. Dr. Laura Esserman, my wife’s surgeon, is clearly one of G-d’s special angels.
The former cancer center, now a woman’s health center. This is where my wife had her chemo treatments. Hard to stand outside here and not shed a tear.
This is the new cancer center, part of the main UCSF building. My wife had a few follow up appointments here with her oncologist, Dr. Hope Rugo, another magical person.
Well, that’s enough awareness for one day.
My day was wild—phone calls, meetings, doctor’s appointments, dinner, time with Mike and Bingo….
This is the University of California, San Francisco, Mount Zion. This is where my wife had her breast cancer surgery in 2000. This is where I sent the longest hours of my life waiting on June 27, 2000. Dr. Laura Esserman, my wife’s surgeon, is clearly one of G-d’s special angels.
The former cancer center, now a woman’s health center. This is where my wife had her chemo treatments. Hard to stand outside here and not shed a tear.
This is the new cancer center, part of the main UCSF building. My wife had a few follow up appointments here with her oncologist, Dr. Hope Rugo, another magical person.
Well, that’s enough awareness for one day.
My day was wild—phone calls, meetings, doctor’s appointments, dinner, time with Mike and Bingo….
The Travel Routine
Alas, the key for me to succeed in business travel is the routine. Some of it is born out of OCD behavior, some is born in the need to create a comfortable setting to give me a shot at feeling my best during hectic times.
Key to the routine is exercise. Without it, my day will suck. I only stay at hotels that have exercise facilities. I cannot run or jog, so it has to be a stationary bike of some sort. Speaking of not being able to run, I smashed my already-handicapped foot in the middle of the night. My toe might be broken, but thanks to te handiwork of a local doctor here, who botched my foot surgery in 2001, I have little or no feeling in my feet. So, I feel little at the site of the injury but it looks nasty. Tomorrow, I can drive by his office and thank him.
Back to the routine: it includes three meals, lots of water, and a good night’s sleep. There’s debate on the sleep issue—my wife says it is some odd notion introduced to me early in life. She’s right; I don’t need more than six or seven good hours per night, but somehow, a voice inside my head tells me otherwise.
Well, today is a non-stop appointment machine. I am off to the road. Hopefully, my routine will go well. I really enjoyed my exercising…
Key to the routine is exercise. Without it, my day will suck. I only stay at hotels that have exercise facilities. I cannot run or jog, so it has to be a stationary bike of some sort. Speaking of not being able to run, I smashed my already-handicapped foot in the middle of the night. My toe might be broken, but thanks to te handiwork of a local doctor here, who botched my foot surgery in 2001, I have little or no feeling in my feet. So, I feel little at the site of the injury but it looks nasty. Tomorrow, I can drive by his office and thank him.
Back to the routine: it includes three meals, lots of water, and a good night’s sleep. There’s debate on the sleep issue—my wife says it is some odd notion introduced to me early in life. She’s right; I don’t need more than six or seven good hours per night, but somehow, a voice inside my head tells me otherwise.
Well, today is a non-stop appointment machine. I am off to the road. Hopefully, my routine will go well. I really enjoyed my exercising…
Thursday, October 07, 2004
It's Called a Killer View
I know why call it a killer view, because the view of the freeway will kill-her (as in my wife). Actually, the windows must be tripled-paned, so all I hear is the air conditioner in the room. Let’s see what happens tomorrow night when my wife and daughter arrive.
No major snafus in the travel day. I guess when you get older, the travel process wears on you: getting your bags, schlepping them to the car rental center, getting the car (and they never have the one you ordered) and then leaving the place to find your hotel… and the hotel is in the middle of no where. Well, I have time to relax before a big work day tomorrow (with a visit to my doctor squeezed in the middle). At least I’ll get to see Mike and we can cook up some new far-out media ideas…
Travel Commences Shortly
So, for the next seven nights I will be sleeping in beds other than my own. Ugh. Even the “Heavenly Bed” promised in Starwood Hotels (I am staying in one) pales in comparison to my own. I guess I could bring my own pillow and blanket with me on the road, but I assure you, I am overpacked as it is at the moment.
Well, yet another landing later today at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). That will make something like 1,000 in the past 10 years. At one point, I thought I should have my mail forwarded to SFO. Well, at least SFO has a great Red Carpet Room, location of a Barry Bonds siting. The only other celeb I have seen in a Red Carpet Room was Robert Duvall at the one at JFK. I did not approach him lest I find a horse’s head in my bed (speaking of beds).
Well, yet another landing later today at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). That will make something like 1,000 in the past 10 years. At one point, I thought I should have my mail forwarded to SFO. Well, at least SFO has a great Red Carpet Room, location of a Barry Bonds siting. The only other celeb I have seen in a Red Carpet Room was Robert Duvall at the one at JFK. I did not approach him lest I find a horse’s head in my bed (speaking of beds).
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
That Zimmerman Kid Has Some Talent
AFLHOF
The Arizona Fall League Hall of Fame is made up of a number of players and coaches who came through the AFL experience to either star in the big show or manage in the bigs. Dusty Baker, for example, managed in the AFL the year before he took over the Giants. Same for Lloyd McClendon of the Pirates.
This year three more AFL alumni will be enshrined into the Hall of Fame: Angels outfielder Garret Anderson, Cardinals infielder Albert Pujols and Royals manager Tony Pena (father of the player pictured in yesterday’s posting)
Packing Sucks
One of the things I hate about business travel is packing. This trip is seven nights, three locations, and four hotels. That means lots of packing and unpacking (I think that’s a line from “WKRP in Cincinnati”) which I also hate. Suffering some subtle OCD symptoms, I stress out about packing. Do you recall the scene of Jack Nicholson packing in “As Good As It Gets?” I’m not that bad, but working on it.
Not To Say I Told You So..
I posted this several months ago. Not sure why he's not broadcasting on the Internet; that would give him a global audience.
Yahoo! News - Howard Stern to Move to Satellite Radio
Yahoo! News - Howard Stern to Move to Satellite Radio
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
The Boys Of Fall
For young players, this is their field of dreams
Opening Day at Arizona Fall League. Life does not get any better. The stage is Peoria Sports Complex, the spring training home of the Padres and Mariners. It’s sunny, about 90 degrees, a crowd of me, my wife and about 30 other people watching the brightest young stars of tomorrow. Major League Baseball does not do a great job in promoting AFL, but that’s not the story here. The story is a group of great young players (AAA, AA stars) following in the footsteps of former AFL notables such as Garciaparra, Puljols, Helton, Rollins, Giles, and countless others.
Yet another baseball game for me
Today, we saw the Javelinas host the Grand Canyon Rafters. Among the players we saw were:
Tony Pena Jr., (son of the Royals’ manager and former catching great); Josh Barfield (son of former Blue Jays star Jesse Barefield); Jeff Francoeur, Atlanta Braves minor league player of the year; Lance Niekro, future Giants star (son of former pitcher Joe Niekro) and Shin-Soo Choo, the top-rated Mariners minor league position player.
Tony Pena, Jr.
Young Mariners shortsop, Mike Morse
Giants 3rd/1st baseman Lance Niekro
The pride of Pusan, South Korea--Shin-Soo Choo
A few notes: New York Yankees outfielder Kevin Thompson was star of the game with a grand slam home run as well as a daring dash to home plate on a wild pitch. Also, there are several players from the “Montreal Expos” in the league. I noted to my wife that it would be the last time the Expos appear in a Major League Baseball-sanctioned game. We left in the 8th inning with the Rafters leading 8-1.
Next game for us isn’t until October 16th.
Vacation Plans?
I am not a huge fan of the end-of-the-year Holidays. Thanksgiving is a non-celebratory event around here as it’s the day my father died 11 years ago. Plus, I am allergic to turkey. Really. The past few years, my wife and I have been up at dawn on the day after Thanksgiving to shop and buy a bunch of things we really don’t need. Well, mostly, things we don’t need—I have a great iRiver MP3 player I bough for $99 that is fading, but is still slightly usable.
The Winter Holiday break is even more uncertain. In the past, we’ve gone to Hawaii, but our schedule is constrained by our daughter’s Winter Camp dates. As an alternative, we could bring her with us on a nice trip, but she’s too old for that and we’re too old for that. I can think of all the places I’d like to go, but we have a four-night window, and most of my destinations require a day’s worth of travel each way. So…we’re up in the air (so to speak). Plus, I have a lot of work travel ‘tween now and then and really don’t have to time to plan.
The Winter Holiday break is even more uncertain. In the past, we’ve gone to Hawaii, but our schedule is constrained by our daughter’s Winter Camp dates. As an alternative, we could bring her with us on a nice trip, but she’s too old for that and we’re too old for that. I can think of all the places I’d like to go, but we have a four-night window, and most of my destinations require a day’s worth of travel each way. So…we’re up in the air (so to speak). Plus, I have a lot of work travel ‘tween now and then and really don’t have to time to plan.
Rabbi Silberman, Rest In Peace
Herbert Silberman
PHOENIX, Ariz - Rabbi Herbert Silberman, 74, died Oct. 2, 2004 in Phoenix.
He was born Aug. 12, 1930, in New York City, the youngest of three siblings. He was ordained at Rabbi Jacob Joseph Seminary in 1955 and obtained his bachelor's degree in accounting from City College of New York the same year. He served a pulpit of B'nai Israel in High Point from 1956 to 1966. He and his wife, Temma, and three children, Ronald, Steven and Debra, moved to Newington, Conn. There he served Congregation B'nai Shalom from 1966 to 1977. He was active in a variety of rabbinic and communal agencies and organizations. In 1977, he accepted the position of rabbi of Congregation Beth El in Phoenix. There, he was active on a variety of levels within the Jewish and general community. In 1995, he and his wife moved to Salisbury, Md., where he served at the synagogue Beth Israel. In 1999, he and his wife moved to Scottsdale, Ariz., where he was active as a teacher at Har Zion Congregation. Additionally, he taught in a variety of Jewish Communal capacities in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Temma, of 44 years; his siblings, Judy and Morton Margolis of Beverly Hills, Calif., Edith Wolf of Los Angeles, Leah Ginsburg of High Point, Pen and Dan Ballow of Boynton Beach, Fla.; children Ron and Stacy Silberman of Colchester, Conn., Steven and Manette Silberman of Mobile, Ala., and Debra and Jerry Abeles of Los Angeles and 12 grandchildren.
Interment will be at the Hebrew Cemetery immediately following 11 a.m. services at B'nai Israel on Monday.
Memorials may be sent to the charity of the donor's choice. Online condolences may be made at www.cumbyfuneral.com.
PHOENIX, Ariz - Rabbi Herbert Silberman, 74, died Oct. 2, 2004 in Phoenix.
He was born Aug. 12, 1930, in New York City, the youngest of three siblings. He was ordained at Rabbi Jacob Joseph Seminary in 1955 and obtained his bachelor's degree in accounting from City College of New York the same year. He served a pulpit of B'nai Israel in High Point from 1956 to 1966. He and his wife, Temma, and three children, Ronald, Steven and Debra, moved to Newington, Conn. There he served Congregation B'nai Shalom from 1966 to 1977. He was active in a variety of rabbinic and communal agencies and organizations. In 1977, he accepted the position of rabbi of Congregation Beth El in Phoenix. There, he was active on a variety of levels within the Jewish and general community. In 1995, he and his wife moved to Salisbury, Md., where he served at the synagogue Beth Israel. In 1999, he and his wife moved to Scottsdale, Ariz., where he was active as a teacher at Har Zion Congregation. Additionally, he taught in a variety of Jewish Communal capacities in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Temma, of 44 years; his siblings, Judy and Morton Margolis of Beverly Hills, Calif., Edith Wolf of Los Angeles, Leah Ginsburg of High Point, Pen and Dan Ballow of Boynton Beach, Fla.; children Ron and Stacy Silberman of Colchester, Conn., Steven and Manette Silberman of Mobile, Ala., and Debra and Jerry Abeles of Los Angeles and 12 grandchildren.
Interment will be at the Hebrew Cemetery immediately following 11 a.m. services at B'nai Israel on Monday.
Memorials may be sent to the charity of the donor's choice. Online condolences may be made at www.cumbyfuneral.com.
Monday, October 04, 2004
Decisions, Decisions
The biggest decision of the week: which Arizona Fall League game to attend opening day (tomorrow). My choice is Grand Canyon Rafters at Peoria Javelinas. It’s a tough choice because I want to see Ryan Howard, the Phillies’ prodigious home run talent. The Rafters are the Giants’ team in the AFL, and I need one more shot of Giants’ action before I call it quits for the season. Plus, I just got my new Barry Bonds commemorative 700 home run T shirt.
Games Over
A touch of sadness in the air—the baseball season has ended and none of “my teams” are in the Playoffs. In fact, the teams I visited in their home parks all fell by the wayside. Maybe next year they’ll pay me to stay away.
Sunday, October 03, 2004
Been Here
My wife and I were here in 1985. Actually, we sat in the dusty town of Corrientes in Argentina and watched cars cross into Ciudad del Este with just a wave from border guards. A little further north, we were at the borders of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay--a well know site for terrorist training camps.
ABCNEWS.com : Paraguay Tri-Border Area Is Terror Haven
ABCNEWS.com : Paraguay Tri-Border Area Is Terror Haven
Say What, Part II
Another goof-up in today’s Arizona Republic. Lucy was something, I suppose, but not a lassic—not that I even know what that is.
Breast Cancer Month
October is breast cancer month. Heck, it’s all around us, how can you miss it. As I have chronicled many times here, my wife battled breast cancer in 2000. She helps others by volunteering her time for the Susan B Komen race and counseling others who are facing this dreaded disease.
Each year, we donate to The Linda Creed Breast Cancer Foundation. Linda Creed was a famous Philadelphia songwriter in the early ‘70s who wrote many of my favorite songs—“Stop, Look, Listen to Your Heart” and “You Are Everything” to name a few. In her era, breast cancer was a death sentence. Luckily, for my family and me treatment has come a long way since then.
I encourage everyone to donate to the cause of breast cancer. I know my niece runs each year in her local Susan B Komen race as a tribute to her aunt. In addition to giving to the Linda Creed foundation, I do everything I can to keep my wife healthy so she can continue to reach out to others and make a difference.
