Main Blog

AIDS walk

I plan to run the 10K AIDS walk in October. This is an issue I feel strongly about and since I love to exercise - it should be a great event. I'd love to have your support. You can donate online. It would also be great if you join me at the Walk.

Chance Freeway

I had a very strange experience on the freeway last night. I was coming home from the gym around 7:15pm on the I10 East. Suddenly, many CHP motorcylces came zooming past, like 20 of them. I noticed that they started blocking the freeway on-ramps as I drove by. After a little while there was no one behind me on the freeway - just blackness stretching out in my rear view mirror. Somehow, fate had chosen me to be the last person allowed on the freeway before they shut the whole thing down. After I transfered onto the 110, a few more cops wizzed by. I decided I would not chance getting stuck and decided I'd just get off the freeway. Sure enough, as soon as I got over into the exiting lane, the cop stopped in front of the lane I was in. Out of all the hundreds of people who were inconvieneced last night by the police activity, I just barely managed to avoid it. Lucky but weird.

LOTR symphony

Happiness is all about experiences living up to expectations. Take last night's concert for the Lord of the Rings Symphony. Since Gary and I had such an awesome time at the John Williams concert, we expected the LOTR show to be just as good. I would not say the LOTR symphony was bad, but the visual effects were poorly done, the crowd was distracting, and the choir seemed uninspired. Some of the soloists were very good, but the music did not live up to what I'm used to hearing on the soundtrack.

Now when Gary and I saw the John Williams show, we had no idea what to expect and were blown away at how good the performance was. With LOTR, we had high expectations, and were disappointed. If only we could avoid prejudice and just take was comes. I think as human beings we can't help but take previous experiences into new situations - for better or worse.

Jewish New Year

Happy 5765 everyone! If you want to know more about Jewish Holidays - Ask Moses (available 24/6)

Spam

Just when I thought spam could not get anymore annoying, someone has been spamming my blog. Everyday, about twenty new posts appear on old entries by some fellow "Bob." Apparently this group post advertisements for all kinds of sleezy webstuff - online gambling, viagra, etc. For example on my passover entry, there are over a hundred advertisements in the comments. Very annoying - Any ideas on how to block this?

Extra work

What is it about having extra work to do that makes you feel even less like working? My trouble is that I have been without a regular secretary for about 3 months now. The last couple weeks I haven't even had a temp to help out. So I get to do two jobs at once - which means they both get done poorly. It is pretty depressing. Knowing that there is so much more to do makes me want to get to work late and leave early, not put in the extra effort it would take to get stuff done. I guess it is just too much - so why even try to tackle it. Of course that just make the work load more. But I figure, that there will always be more work to do and I can only do so much.

LA tri volunteer

Yesterday I participated in the Los Angeles Triathlon. For a change, instead of competing, I volunteered. I was one of those people who stands on the side of the race with cups of water that the athletes can grab as they run by. It was fun - although I did get a bit wet and sunburned. It was also a chance for me to see how the race is set up. Next year when I plan to compete, I will encourage family and friends to volunteer so they can cheer me on while feeling helpful.

SCAQ clinic

Yesterday I attended the SCAQ open water triathlon clinic at Venice beach. The purpose was to teach us techniques to get in and out of the waves fast during a race and to swim safely and quickly in the open ocean. It was alot of fun. We drilled on running into the surf, diving under the waves, and then riding a wave back onto shore. We also took a nice swim out past the waves. Because it has been so hot lately, the water was a nice temperature. I mainly wanted to take the class because, as much as I like to swim in the ocean, I feel safer going out past the waves when I am with a buddy or a group. Since it will get colder, I don't think I'll go swim in the pacific for several months. Today, I'm going back to my usual swim in the lap pool.

Labor Day

I had a nice labor day weekend. My family went to go visit my brother in San Diego. I got to go bike ridding, swim in the ocean, and eat some good food. The weather was a bit on the warm side, but I heard it was much hotter in LA.

I haven't swum in the ocean in years. I was really looking forward to it. The water was nice (70 degrees). The only problem was that the water was so clear I was able to see all the wildlife in the ocean. While swimming through a school of fish twice did't really get to me, seeing the ray underneath me was a bit unnerving. I have this slight phobia of swimming with large fish. I guess it was better that I only saw living things and not garbage.