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2014 DCF approaches
2014-Nov-20, Thursday 18:59Its hard to believe, but its that time of year again.
Tomorrow, Mr HG Wells will be popping by with his time machine and we will again
be off exploring mid 1800s London.
First weekend, Ill be working with the printers, doing foot powered letter press.
My spirits are up, so far.
This is the part of the year I dislike intensely.
It was suggested that I lay out in the sun at lunch and soak up as much sun as possible during the shortening of days.
So far its working.
Since Im arriving a bit after 7 in the morning at work, and leaving on the 1730, 1810 or 1920 shuttle,
I do have time for a long lunch.
I can sense when its 2pm and time to return to my desk.
Its funny when I sit up and realize that a group on tour of the campus has been shooting my pic.
They are almost embarrassed to be caught shooting my pic, but I think its funny.
Youve been waiting to hear this for a while, but Ive had to simplify meals to keep weight down.
The food is fabulous and abundant, and thats just the problem.
In early Aug I was finally down to 170. Id love to get under 165 and stay. Now Im fighting to stay under 190.
Going into winter makes it worse as the body is programmed to lay on a few during winter.
To avoid gaining too much weight, Im tending toward the sandwich bar rather than some of the other fabulous fares.
Lunch for me is usually a tuna on rye with some cheeses and a lemonade.
Today, mushroom & gorgonzola risotto was too much to pass up.
Because it was raining, they didnt have lemonade, so I had a cherry coke.
Breakfast is usually scrambled eggs with salsa, 1 chicken sausage patty and a tall glass of fresh squeezed OJ.
Sometimes oatmeal with fruit.
The 1 exception is the Wed special at the burger shack. They stuff the patties with onion, blue cheese & soracha.
The buns are plain and you add your own condiments.
I choose grilled onion & grilled mushrooms, and top it off with a shake.
Ive given up the fries & onion rings, for beltline reasons.
Ive been exchanging email with someone in the company radio club and it turns out we sit 100ft apart.
Were going to formally meet and do lunch tomorrow.
My 3rd week here, I ran into someone Ive been talking to on the radio a few years.
And 2 weeks ago, I ran into an old friend from my SGI days.
Its funny how things like that work out.
On 4th of July, I found someone Ive been looking for 30 years.
Someone else, Brian, Ive been searching for almost 15 years, I found last week online.
Hes just digging himself out of a tough patch, and hes accomplished so much in the last year.
Im thrilled for him that hes been able to turn things around.
Back to Dickens Faire ( http://www.dickensfair.com )
Im mostly packed. Still need to do laundry for street clothes.
My white shirt for the fair needs washing.
It was clean when I put it in the closet in Jan, but I guess its just dust that has made it look yellow.
Ive been wearing a dummy sgian dhub in my sock but this year Ill be wearing live steel.
I wasnt sure about fair rules when I got it and I dint get a real one till last year.
While I now have a formal argyle jacket, it looks a tad formal for a "working gent", so Ill leave it home.
I got a long black wool coat at Scottish games and Ill use that at fair.
When Im in the shoppe, Ill be in waistcoat (vest), but for deliveries to businesses in old London,
Ill bundle up in the long coat.
Ive switched from my 1st sporran which was rather dressy to a plain black leather one.
Its really more apropos anyway for the era.
I didnt have time to deal with the cobbler, so Im holding the shoes together with barge cement for now.
On the next 5 weekends of Fair, Il be based out of Hayward.
Since Im going to work on a shuttle, Ill leave the house at 530 by car and park at the shuttle stop in Castro Valley and ride that shuttle to and from work Friday & Monday.
Then friday night, Ill only be a couple miles from Lodemas and on Monday morning Ill go from
Lodemas to the shuttle and then drive home Monday night from the shuttle stop.
Ive packed plenty of teabags, and Ill have my Lodema mug there, so Ill look proper.
When I was working on her shop 2 years ago, she almost clobbered me for using a stainless mug in her pottery shop.
I have learned that lesson the hard way.
Undoubtedly, Ive forgotten SOMETHING. I never get it perfect.
Now if I can keep getting sun to stave off SAD, and keep my mind off holidays with DCF & work,
I just might make it through another holiday.
I will see a number of the old Starport gang. Certainly Ross, Freyja, and others.
For a while, the Dickens Fair was using the old Oakland Fox theatre. It had been partially stripped.
Now its been totally restored and one of its main tenants is the Oakland HS for performing arts.
Beside the HS, they have other events a few a week.
Ill have to find something to go to so I can see it again, this time in restored shape.
A lot of the old movie palaces included a block of office space, retail etc.
As i ride the shuttle home, I see the Oakland Fox lit brilliantly, open again for the 1st time in 50 years.
Its a thrill to see it live again.
Tomorrow, Mr HG Wells will be popping by with his time machine and we will again
be off exploring mid 1800s London.
First weekend, Ill be working with the printers, doing foot powered letter press.
My spirits are up, so far.
This is the part of the year I dislike intensely.
It was suggested that I lay out in the sun at lunch and soak up as much sun as possible during the shortening of days.
So far its working.
Since Im arriving a bit after 7 in the morning at work, and leaving on the 1730, 1810 or 1920 shuttle,
I do have time for a long lunch.
I can sense when its 2pm and time to return to my desk.
Its funny when I sit up and realize that a group on tour of the campus has been shooting my pic.
They are almost embarrassed to be caught shooting my pic, but I think its funny.
Youve been waiting to hear this for a while, but Ive had to simplify meals to keep weight down.
The food is fabulous and abundant, and thats just the problem.
In early Aug I was finally down to 170. Id love to get under 165 and stay. Now Im fighting to stay under 190.
Going into winter makes it worse as the body is programmed to lay on a few during winter.
To avoid gaining too much weight, Im tending toward the sandwich bar rather than some of the other fabulous fares.
Lunch for me is usually a tuna on rye with some cheeses and a lemonade.
Today, mushroom & gorgonzola risotto was too much to pass up.
Because it was raining, they didnt have lemonade, so I had a cherry coke.
Breakfast is usually scrambled eggs with salsa, 1 chicken sausage patty and a tall glass of fresh squeezed OJ.
Sometimes oatmeal with fruit.
The 1 exception is the Wed special at the burger shack. They stuff the patties with onion, blue cheese & soracha.
The buns are plain and you add your own condiments.
I choose grilled onion & grilled mushrooms, and top it off with a shake.
Ive given up the fries & onion rings, for beltline reasons.
Ive been exchanging email with someone in the company radio club and it turns out we sit 100ft apart.
Were going to formally meet and do lunch tomorrow.
My 3rd week here, I ran into someone Ive been talking to on the radio a few years.
And 2 weeks ago, I ran into an old friend from my SGI days.
Its funny how things like that work out.
On 4th of July, I found someone Ive been looking for 30 years.
Someone else, Brian, Ive been searching for almost 15 years, I found last week online.
Hes just digging himself out of a tough patch, and hes accomplished so much in the last year.
Im thrilled for him that hes been able to turn things around.
Back to Dickens Faire ( http://www.dickensfair.com )
Im mostly packed. Still need to do laundry for street clothes.
My white shirt for the fair needs washing.
It was clean when I put it in the closet in Jan, but I guess its just dust that has made it look yellow.
Ive been wearing a dummy sgian dhub in my sock but this year Ill be wearing live steel.
I wasnt sure about fair rules when I got it and I dint get a real one till last year.
While I now have a formal argyle jacket, it looks a tad formal for a "working gent", so Ill leave it home.
I got a long black wool coat at Scottish games and Ill use that at fair.
When Im in the shoppe, Ill be in waistcoat (vest), but for deliveries to businesses in old London,
Ill bundle up in the long coat.
Ive switched from my 1st sporran which was rather dressy to a plain black leather one.
Its really more apropos anyway for the era.
I didnt have time to deal with the cobbler, so Im holding the shoes together with barge cement for now.
On the next 5 weekends of Fair, Il be based out of Hayward.
Since Im going to work on a shuttle, Ill leave the house at 530 by car and park at the shuttle stop in Castro Valley and ride that shuttle to and from work Friday & Monday.
Then friday night, Ill only be a couple miles from Lodemas and on Monday morning Ill go from
Lodemas to the shuttle and then drive home Monday night from the shuttle stop.
Ive packed plenty of teabags, and Ill have my Lodema mug there, so Ill look proper.
When I was working on her shop 2 years ago, she almost clobbered me for using a stainless mug in her pottery shop.
I have learned that lesson the hard way.
Undoubtedly, Ive forgotten SOMETHING. I never get it perfect.
Now if I can keep getting sun to stave off SAD, and keep my mind off holidays with DCF & work,
I just might make it through another holiday.
I will see a number of the old Starport gang. Certainly Ross, Freyja, and others.
For a while, the Dickens Fair was using the old Oakland Fox theatre. It had been partially stripped.
Now its been totally restored and one of its main tenants is the Oakland HS for performing arts.
Beside the HS, they have other events a few a week.
Ill have to find something to go to so I can see it again, this time in restored shape.
A lot of the old movie palaces included a block of office space, retail etc.
As i ride the shuttle home, I see the Oakland Fox lit brilliantly, open again for the 1st time in 50 years.
Its a thrill to see it live again.
