Woo hoo! - My first time to Florida!  Hal's searching for some good flights for the end of March...

Geez, I love PerezHilton.com. Animation courtesy of Crazybaby.

Oh no - Jury Duty! - I got a jury summons about a week and a half ago.  Knowing my company does not pay for jury duty, I claimed financial hardship and you know what?  They denied my hardship and I had to show up yesterday.  Luckily, the civil court building (across from city hall) is walking distance to Hal's office so I made it on time (sans coffee) and waited in a large modern room with about 300 others.  Fortunately, they called me in the first group and we canvassed to a courtroom on a couple floors up.  I thought, well, as long as I was there I might as well enjoy my civic duty.  The presiding judge proceeded to tell us about the case involved.  A man with lung cancer is sueing a large electronics company, saying the asbestos in some product caused him to have mesothelioma.  Okay interesting enough.  The judge then said the case is expected to last until the end of February!  No way!  Almost everyone reached for the hardship form to be excused, including me.  Whew, I was excused so no jury duty for a year.  I was let go around lunchtime so I ended up meeting Hal for a quick bite before heading back to my office. 

I made this! - This pretty lil' pink oncidium hybrid is doing well in my office. As soon as this plays out, I have another orchid (that's almost ready to bloom) to take it's place. 

This orchid is hiding under the patio table but the plant is too large to move anywhere else.  Between the rainy weather, I've been keeping up with my gardening but it's too early to start my next project, making a succulent wreath!

This one is from Smith and Hawken and retails for just over 20 bucks, so I might just order one and make my own in a couple months.  There's plenty of DIY websites out there, but it's too wet outside and I think if I started one now, it might rot. Anyhoo, back to work now.  Chat with you later!

Saturday, 3:00 p.m. - Nice to have a relaxing day off, except I don't know what to do. Hal's putting some time at his office.  Kind of rainy and wet outside, don't feel like playing xbox although Battlefront II rocks! Errands are for tomorrow. Birds are fed, Rex is asleep, laundry is casually being done.  I already do know what I want to make for dinner tonite, so maybe I should get to the store. check it out!

Linguine with Tuna, Capers, and Raisins

White Salad with Castelmagno Cheese

Rustic Peach Tart

I'm so glad that Albertson's is right downstairs, it saves a lot of time, plus there's a lot of great deals.  I like one gal who works there, plus I like the self check out.  Weekend nights are notorious for the drunk college kids (USF is across the street, and really, I'm not being judgemental!) getting their hootch (def.1, duh!) for the evening.  Have a great rest of the weekend!

Update - that linguine recipe was gross

Wow, the Holidays are over! This past holiday season was fun and I made it pretty much unscathed.  Santa was good to me, Hal and Rex. Hal and I attended two Christmas Eve parties and we exchanged gifts at home afterwards. I got some Christmas bling - I guess I was a good boy this past year - yay!   Check it out -

Rich - "Awwwww, Hal.  How did you ever know my ring size?" Hal - "My gosh, don't you know it's been on all known broadcasts!"

This cool titanium bracelet was a real nice surprise, and no, that's not my wrist!  - thanks Hal! Rex got treats to last for weeks, while Hal got cool ammonite and trilobite fossils and a 7" flat screen LCD TV for traveling.  It was a fun past couple of weeks, reveling out and about and hosting a small group of close friends this past New Year's Eve.  Work will be slow for another couple of weeks until the real estate market picks up again, hopefully sooner than later.  Meanwhile, I'm all shopped out, all I want to do is lay low now.  We're planning a group outing for a ski weekend up in Tahoe come mid-February and we have a few already commited.  I don't ski, I'd rather resort, so I'll be at the chalet, of course. Have a great week, everyone! 

You taste like a milkshake. Your frozen malts send
a delicious thrill across the tongue. Your
sweetness and innocence are bared for the world
to suck up with a straw... and you love it,
baby.

How do you taste?
brought to you by Quizilla

The Holidays are Upon Us! - I've been meaning to update my xanga for some time now since I got back from Europe but I finally got around to putting descriptions on my France 2005 Yahoo photo album.  Please take a look here! It's easier to view with the slideshow on fast! Our friends Miguel and Laurent were soon here in the city shortly thereafter and it was like our vacation lasted all the way into November!  Whew, now on to one of my favorite times of year.  Hal and I didn't have a holiday party this year, but with all the parties so far attended, I'm doing pretty well and not going overboard (yeah right!) Hal treated his employees to a fabulous brunch at the Sheraton Palace and my company treated us to the Crown Room at the Fairmont second year in a row. Amidst festive parties at the Metro, Esta Noche, and the Men's Room, we've had the pleasure of being invited to a few cocktail and dinner parties with family and friends galore. Double whew!  Luckily the real estate business slows down during this time of year so I've been able to do some Christmas shopping either online or on my lunchtime, reserving the past few weekends staying in, gardening, playing xbox and watching dvds (I love Netflix!) Let's see...what else is going on...

Rexster is getting up there in age - bejeezuz, he's gonna be 15 on the 28th of this month! You go Rex! Aside from runny eyes and an occasional itchy ear he's still happy and barky, especially at dinner time - our dinner time! Rex has been such a pal to me and now with Hal, I think I'll have to do something special on his birthday.

Gigi continues to be her sweet, gregarious self, always looking for constant loving attention or else something to chew on, usually something important of Hal's.  Hal and Gigi are inseparable on the weekends, playing a game of mock attacks and screeching - too funny to watch.  It's funny, Gigi doesn't do it with me (she's just her sweet self), I think she thinks I'm the mom in the family (disciplinarian)  and Hal's the dad (daddy's little girl.) Anyhoo, we both have fun playing with her.

Meet Cockles!  Unfortunately our other cockatiel, Buzz, mysteriously died when we were on vacation in France.  It was just one of those weird things that happen in life and despite my grief (Gigi didn't even flinch) I knew I had to get her another mate as soon as possible.  Thanks to Craigslist, I found another breeder of hand raised cockatiels and voila! A new boy, or so we think.  Cockles doesn't make much noise so either way it doesn't matter, cause...

These two are constant companions and are pretty close, that is until we come home and Gigi drops all loyalty and returns to her alpha bird syndrome.

Gigi and Cockles looking for any vulnerable spots on Hal to chew on, whether a button or loose thread, they'll find it. Now on to my gardening! I saw this online a few months ago and I just had to have it! A peacock topiary!

I'm just letting this grow for the new few months before I start clipping it into shape.  It was actually easy to get ivy cuttings and a little root hormone started before it took off.

The citrus trees finally came around late in autumn to bloom profusely - mmm, delicious moroccan oranges and verbena lemons one day.

The succulents took off really fast in one season - wow, all from cuttings or baby plants from the nursery.  It's cool because many are blooming right now - in winter!

This unusually bright red flowering succulent started from a little clipping, plus a few exotic ones thrown in.

.

It's also time for the cymbidiums to bloom, already we have a couple indoors, and they've been in bloom for over a month already.

Check out these incredible pics I took before the rainy weather reached us.  Clouds high in the sky and after the sun had set made a great kodak moment.

Well, I guess it's time to finish this entry.  I wish my family and friends a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, a Great Kwanzaa.  This has been a great year for me in both my personal and professional life and I look forward to another awesome year.  Happy 2006! 

Back From France! - What an incredible time we had! So much to share. Sadly, I'll have to wait for the weekend to blog my recent adventures. 

11 Days until Paris... I can't believe it - it's finally going to happen, my first trip to Europe and of all places, Paris for a week and a day and the South of France for five days.  I've been only making mental notes of what to bring, what to wear, etc. etc., but soon it will be time to pack and off we go!  I am looking forward to seeing a few friends and their families that have been a part of my life here in San Francisco - it's been quite a few years between us.  I'm looking foward to dining, the nightlife, the museums and architecture, and shopping and much more in Paris. Then it's off to Toulouse to meet more long time friends and a retreat to Dordogne and Sarlat for some resorting and touring in the south.  Meanwhile, Hal and I are having a bon voyage party come Saturday and invited about 50 of our closest friends - yay! It's cool Peter will be staying at our place here in the city taking care of the pets while his kitchen is being remodeled - the timing couldn't have been better. 

Meet Lenny, my new Betta - Last weekend Glans (of the Hans und Glans fame) just puttered out in about a day's time, just like his battery decided to run out. He was the more showier and flashier of the original two, so I think he sped up his life span while Hans is chosing the more slower lifestyle. It was pretty peaceful. Glans is to be buried under Hal's yellow rose bush which we know refer to as the Glans Memorial or affectionately, Glans End. (yes the fish is still in the freezer in a zip lock bag - it's been too busy around here!)

My nose is still smarting from Rex's bite (and swollen, but not as bad as yesterday) , my shoulder is in pain still from yesterday's tetanus shot and I'm on a weeklong supply of an antibiotic just in case. I   My weekend horoscope is as follows and it's great advice!

Have a fun long weekend, all!

Gosh dammit! - Came home after work last night to do the usual - go to the grocery store, make dinner, play with the birds and Rex and settle in for the evening when all didn't go well as planned.  Having Rex on his back and me provoking him to growl and bark, doggie lunged up and bit my nose! Not a nip but a full on bite Game over! Hal came over to figure out why I yelled out bloody murder, but Rex didn't know what he was doing.  Soon to be 15, Rex's eyesight can only figure out light and dark and it was my fault, but he has such a nasty mouth and teeth. Hal tended to my wounds and I ended up looking like a character in "Fight Club." Ironically my medical insurance kicked in TODAY! Doctor's appointment is at 2:30 today and I think I'll need an antibiotic shot.  It's been a long time since I've needed to go to my doctor (literally years) but I was glad I could get in today!

Two of my sisters and bro-n-law came over a couple weekends ago and we hosted their weekend stay - so much fun.  We started the weekend by going to brunch at Kelly's Mission Rock, a trip to the temporary Steinhart Aquarium, a little retail therapy at Burlington and a barbeque in the evening with a few friends over.  Quite celebratory! Later on Sunday, Hal and I went to Trader Joe's not too far away from home. What a madhouse.  This one was small and narrow and I got pushed around and pummeled by shopping carts and people but the food and wine they have there was really good and really cheap! Next time we'll go on a weeknight.

Hal and I are getting geared up for our trip to France in three weeks - geez, so soon!  This upcoming three day weekend will be a good time to get organized - yay!