3278

PD dance was a lot of fun today! A few more people showed up and we just had a good time. Afternoon class also went well--not so much fun but felt good to heft the weights. The temperature is rising! Hot, hot, hot this afternoon and even now still. Laundry day tomorrow!

Watched a Canadian/French film--Monsieur Lazhar. It was a good one with a strong cast of child actors who carried the action. An Algerian refugee steps in to replace a classroom teacher who commits suicide. Unknown to the rest of the faculty and student body, the new teacher is battling his own grief and political asylum battles. The story revolves around the teacher's death, his own uncertainties, and how it all gets healed or handled. The film is warm and touching, filled with quavery moments and emotional waves that carry things along.

Went through a few hoops in order to set up a visit to my PCP. Made the original appointment using their online system and ran into some exceptions (regarding PCP availability and length of the requested visit). I had to cancel the original and reschedule the visit into a more distant week in order to keep the system happy. Still a busy week on the horizon even without the medical visit--plenty of classes, dental work, and other things to keep me moving. Rolling on and on!

3279

Had to drag myself through the day. Awoke fairly early and catnapped until it was time to take my morning pill. Then, went back (and forth) to sleep again and got up around 9am. Had some breakfast and began the various rituals (shaving, bathing and so forth) to make ready for the movement class. Came away from that class feeling really logy. Drove over to MV for Chef Liu's general's chicken special. Felt good to eat but left me even more logy--from both the external heat (outside) and the internal heat of the food (Kung Pao style). Came back and napped some more and got up and did some errands (bills, mail, library). Grabbed a green tea latte to amp up my energy levels--it worked--I'm now awake and alert.

Started watching a Canadian/French film--Screaming Man. It's set in Chad during the battles between the military and the rebels. It's actually a very quiet, turgid film with virtually no raising of voices or such. There is a lot of silence in the film--so much so that I had to stop watching and get on with the evening. Will finish tomorrow or later. The short film that was also on the DVD was an enigmatic plod of several people across an unforgiving desert landscape. For one of these people, it was his second abortive attempt to make the trek. After coming back and sitting in silence for a long time with his friends, creditors and family, he starts off on his third attempt to make the trek. The Screaming Man is an extended version of the short piece with a lot of silence segments and failure of people to communicate with each other.

PD dance and resistance class tomorrow. They will help kick start my system since I didn't do that much this week. Next week will be filled (classes, dentist, PCP visit) and no doubt more. It's laundry day on Saturday as well, plus the promise of more heat each day.

Dreamed last night that I was at some kind of gathering. At one point in the ceremonies, I was standing between two women dressed in elaborate silk saris high up on a stage or raised area. There was some sort of ritual going on that was focused on me.

3280

Woke up early this morning! Took my medication and ate some breakfast. Then went back to be for a "nap" and ended up sleeping so that I missed the G&B class. Just conked out and none of the neighbor noise broke the spell--I slept like a log (however a log sleeps). Made it to the H's for some read aloud practice and came home and--yes--slept again for a few hours. Got up and went out to grab some food at Whole Foods and did not go back to sleep again--enough is enough.

Watched a French film--400 Blows. I'd watched this one before but it was interesting to see what the director, Truffaut, did with the story and the camera. The piece is both smooth and rough and covers a lot of territory in the scope of the film. I've seen a few of his other films. One that I have not yet seen is The Last Metro, which looks like it would be worth viewing. Several of his other films are more "continental" and don't seem that appealing. We shall see what the cinema spirits bring to me!

I had a tense dream last night! I was in a company doing some work that I was good at but that I was not passionate about. My cool attitude toward the work and the surroundings had come to the attention of my supervisor. She was being fair with me but she also kept challenging me to show more enthusiasm for the tasks we were doing. I had all but decided that I was going to resign soon, which made my coolness even more obvious. I was however in somewhat of a turmoil about quitting. I didn't know what I would do next if I were to resign. So, I kept postponing making any declarations and kept wrestling with my ambivalence. I woke, early, still feeling the aura of the dream state swirling around me.

Movement class tomorrow! Will be good to do since I missed today's activity. About to start my annual physical checkup visits to my PCP and neurologist. Nothing major to report of to be handled but it will be good to see them and get a reading based on their perspectives.

3281

Resistance class today--felt good to exercise after the 3-day hiatus! Awoke early and went back to bed and napped until I got up to eat something. My stomach was grumbling as I awoke from the food I had eaten yesterday--borborygmy rules! Have a G&B class tomorrow--that will be a good workout after days of dalliance!

I managed to find the name of the guy I saw in the Bay To Breakers images. Google uber alles! The image was from last year's BTB event. I only had a partial bib number on his image 77XX. I found the image in several places and using a site that had all the runners listed I tried what I thought were the last two digits on his bib--7708. Voila! His name and statistics popped up! Turns out he is from Palo Alto. I brought up his web site and social sites. In his BTB image, I thought he looked a lot like me. But it was only the camera angle and such that made it look that way (so much for facial recognition). But I was astounded at what can be done with the web and Google! Scary, scary!

Dreamed last night that I was in a theater for some kind of live event. I was sitting in a box seat area off to the right of the stage. A tall thin man appeared and plopped down in the seat next to me. When he did so, the MC on the stage put everyone's attention on the man. The MC was saying a bunch of yammer-yammer stuff and pulled out a gun and aimed it at the man (or me or anyone near the two of us). Things got chaotic and the MC pointed the gun down and made a joke. Later, I was sitting in a seat on the main floor, next to a rather big, hefty woman. She was talking with the man next to her, who I assumed was her husband. I had a blanket pulled over me--I was cold and couldn't get warm. The scene then shifted to New Orleans. Me and three other guys drove a car across the country to New Orleans. When we got there Mardi Gras was underway and we joined in on the festivities and celebrations. There were some additional scenes where we were on a beach looking out over the Gulf.

Watched a rogue cop movie this evening--Rampart. It was a story of rough cop who was being used to pull some of the heat off of the Rampart division's investigation. The rogue cop just did things his own way and didn't hesitate when it came to violence and mayhem. The film chronicles his dissolution into the hell of his own making. But it also shows his effect on nearly everyone that's even slightly close to him. Big, well known cast. A shocker piece of work--but that's Hollywood!

3282

Monday, Monday! That's the day! Going nowhere! Going away! Awoke early (after my marathon of sleep the day before). Did a read aloud session at the H's and then came back for nap of a few hours (unlike yesterday's 8 to 9 hour siesta).

Watched a film this evening--Shooter. It's a cross between a Dirty Harry movie and an episode of a Bourne film. It's an action packed and mayhem packed piece of work that kept me tense and nervous as each layer of deception was unveiled. An indestructible military mercenary is talked into helping, what he thinks is a deep cover group, unravel a terrorist plot. Of course, the group is a rogue operation that is actually planning a terrorist act. The shooter (the hero is an elite sniper) is set up to be the fall guy for an assassination operation. In the setup, he is supposed to be killed on the spot. But he manages to escape and then the real action begins. Bad guys chase the good/bad guy but underestimate his survival skills and abilities. He manages to stay a half step ahead of the people looking for him and draws several contingents of bad guys into elaborate ambushes and crossfires. Much shooting and exploding takes place until the good/bad guy brings everything to a good/bad ending.

Resistance class tomorrow! Been a three-day hiatus on the exercise front with lots of sleep time logged. Time to move the muscles once again! More than past time to do so!

3283

I slept the day away! Woke up early this morning but went back to bed and napped for a short while. Got up and had some breakfast, and then went back to sleep for several hours. Got up and got out and went by the Mexican place for a meal (enchiladas) and came back around 2pm. I felt like laying down for what I thought would be a short nap. Just now awoke! It's nearly midnight!

I'd slept through the afternoon and evening, skipping my midday medication, and dreaming an elaborate dream. In the dream, I was staying at a friend's house and was wakened by people coming into the area and flipping on the lights. After a while, while still in the dream, I noticed that there was a light shining into my bedroom (actual bedroom). I woke with a start and discovered that I had just taken  an 8+hour nap!

So much for this sleepy Sunday! I slept the day (the sun) away!

3284

Went by the park this morning to check out the Tai Chi classes. There were no classes, probably because of the holiday weekend. There were, however, a major number of cars at the park--to the point of almost no parking spaces. Not sure why there were so many people present.

When I came back from my No Tai Chi trip, I just felt like sleeping. So, I climbed back in bed and nodded off for a few hours. Awoke about the time I was to take my next dosage of medication. Got up, took my afternoon pill, and went out to grab a bite to eat.

Watched a film this afternoon--The Rainmaker. It's a story about a newbie young lawyer who joins a firm of ambulance chasers. The script is based on a Grisham novel by the same name. Grisham has made a franchise out of depicting the lawyers and the legal system in the Southern part of the U.S. His stories always unfold at a breakneck pace and the movie allowed that feature to drive the film. There are a number of name actors in the piece and Coppola wrote and directed. I was curious to see if I recognized any of the background since the story supposedly takes place in Memphis. Nothing popped out for me--the camera was generally kept tight and did not have many wide shots.

How did it get to be so late? Where has this day gone or been? I recall waking this morning but much of the rest of the day is a fog and a blur! I seem to recall dreaming when I napped but nothing remains--just more of the fog and the haze. Time to jump back into dream time!

3285

Been a busy day! Woke up really early and ended up staying up. Picked up TA and gave him a ride to PD class. The class was truncated because of the instructor's schedule, but was fun and energetic--although somewhat smaller than usual because of the day change. We go back to a Tuesday class in June. After I dropped TA off after class, I went back home thinking I could nap until it was time to head back for a resistance session. Unfortunately, one of the apartment units has a steam cleaner/mega vacuum truck huffing away in the carport. No nap possible so I made a library run to take back DVDs and pick up replacements. Then grabbed a sandwich at my usual place in MV and then went on to resistance class. Classroom was really warm even though it was cool outside. Made for a steamy workout, but one which felt good.

Came home and watched a film--Missing Person. It's a somewhat neo-noir detective story that was marred by really dull and dated PI-style banter and some very confusing editing splices. The story was almost enough to make it work, despite the flaws, but didn't quite make it happen. The goofy somewhat happy ending was enough to make me cringe. The overall effect was that of looking through a comic book that was somehow morphed into a film. Missing Person was missing more than just that though.

Weekend begins and hurtles onward to Monday's holiday (originally known as Decoration Day, then changed to Armistice Day, and finally turned into Memorial Day). That means no C&M class this coming week. Will have to try and do some of the exercises on my own. There are three groups doing Tai Chi on Saturday mornings--one from 8:30am to 10am, one from 10 to 11:30, and another from 10 to 12. Each teaches a different style of Tai Chi. Two of the classes are taught back-to-back in the same convenient location--a park adjacent to the place where I'm on the waiting list for a senior apartment. Very interesting!

I'm drowsy tonight! Didn't have one of my daily naps so am feeling like an early to bed calling.

3286

Movement was moving today! Moving on down the line! Everything in motion! I sat down for a few minutes before heading to the class and nodded off like a light going out. I awoke with a jolt when I realized what I'd done. Fortunately, I had only nodded out for a short time and still made it to class on time. Yeah for the internal clock!

Walked over to the Thai place to see what it's lunch menu was like. What a deal! Rice plate with salad and spring roll and soup, with choice of entree (stir fry with chicken) for a good price. Nice to know that there are alternatives now that CG is gone. Also, the dish I selected (cashew nut stir fry) is one of the most flavorful dishes I've ever tasted--it is a delicious delight!

Came back and nodded off (for sure) for a couple of hours. Pulled myself out of the bed and watched the rest of the Possession movie that I had started yesterday. It was a good film all the way to the end. Excellent story and nice editing of period and current scenes into a pleasing whole.

Tomorrow PD dance class (starts early and ends early) and resistance training session. Keep on moving (and lifting, and dancing, and eating, and walking, and exercising, and stretching, and everything)! Keep on, keep on and on!

3287

Gentle Dental did it again today! They put in a temporary cap in upper left area. Work went smoothly but seemed a bit drawn out. They seem to do more work than they did in the past--more steps in the procedure which extends the chair time. Now it's chew on the right and not on the left for about two weeks. Just the opposite of what I had to do with the bridge they installed.

Went to G&B class before getting into the dental chair. Had a near capacity group of people. Exercises went well--I felt strong and not exhausted at the finish.

Dream last night was influenced by the film I watched (Pu-239). The oddball criminal characters in the film were reincarnated in my dreaming. I was with two guys who were dubs for the Laurel and Hardy goofs in the film. We were talking with a crime boss about doing some job he wanted done. I was negotiating with him about money and such. It was like a replay of a modified scene in the movie with me in place of the hustler in the film. I was sort of aware (in the dream) that I was mimicking the movie, but I kept drifting deeper into the dream--the lucid elements got buried by the action on the dream screen.

Tonight, I started watching a film--Possession. It's a literary mystery/romance piece that finds two literature scholars hot on the trail of an unknown romance between an Victorian poet and an almost unknown woman. The two scholars find a bundle of letters that the poet and woman had exchanged. I only watched about half of the film before I started fogging out from the busy day. I'll definitely complete my screening tomorrow--just need to hit the pillows tonight.

Movement class tomorrow! And much cooler weather! Next Monday in Memorial Day--only I can't remember what I'm supposed to be memorializing! Life in the slow lane!

3288

Awoke early this morning--only slept about 6 hours last night. Went back to bed after getting up for a while and slept a bit more. Finally made it up and out, grabbed a sandwich for lunch, and went to resistance training class. Class was light today--several regulars missing. I felt good and strong during workout. Came home and didn't nap. Have G&B class tomorrow plus a round with the dentist--she'll be working on a single tooth in my upper left quadrant. Oh boy, oh joy!

Much cooler today and getting even cooler into the night. Dreamed a series of somewhat related dream scenes last night. There was a segment where I was with another guy and we were clowning around. We were going into stores or fast food places and giving them grief by ordering and reordering food items--leaving the cooks torqued and upset. We were on a sort of windup for a wedding reception that was taking place later in the day. We had to go to a rental place and pickup a couple of tuxedos--the wedding was going to be very formal and we were friends of both the bride and groom. We picked up the formal wear and then went out goofing around until it was time to head for the wedding and the reception. We stopped, donned the tuxedos and then went on to the place where the wedding was being held.

There was an fuzzy interlude where the wedding took place--the next full scene was the two of us sitting at a table with three women who were friends of the bride. I noticed that one woman was someone I knew by sight--she worked at a clinic that I went to for occasional body work. I was about to say something to her about having seen her before and I woke up.

Watched a British film this evening--Pu-239. It's a fictional story about a leak in a Russian nuclear plant that radiates one of the workers. He gets a lethal dose but his superiors want him to take the blame for the accident. He refuses to sign an acknowledgement of guilt and they put him on unpaid leave. He finds out that they have doctored his dosimeter so that it only looks like he received 1/10 of the known exposure limit. He knows that he only has a short time to live. He sneaks back into the plant and steals a canister of radioactive material (Pu-239). He takes the canister to Moscow and tries to sell the material to someone in the thriving black market arena. In a comedy of errors, he gets caught between two rival criminal factions. The film has some hokey moments but overall was well done. It didn't pretend that it was more than fiction--just entertainment--and so was absorbing.

3289

C&M class went well today. I went to medical center and had blood drawn for lipid test before heading for the class. I felt a little woozy since I was fasting. But, grabbed a bite before class and things smoothed out--although I was really hungry by the time the class was done. I felt strong in the class and could do the side plank exercises without a lot of strain. Getting stronger! Dancing longer!

Weather was really warm this afternoon--got into the high 80s or low 90s late in the day. Tomorrow's forecast is for high 60s. That's a 20 degree swing downward in a 24-hour period. What's happening with the weather? I fell asleep for a few hours and awoke drenched in sweat. Cranked up the fan and set up my little wind tunnel. All is cool now! Resistance session tomorrow and a cooler clime!

Watched a French film this evening--White Material. It was a confusing, hard to track, and a frustrating depiction of a French woman who was determined to save her coffee farm. She was doing so in the midst of a revolution that was pitting Africans against Africans. Every thing was fluid and chaotic. In her own little world there was a wacky son, an ex-husband, an ailing stepfather, and an errant wounded rebel, in addition to the war and its disruptions. The story is based loosely on a Doris Lessing's novel The Grass is Singing. The film took a lot of work to watch and ended in a typical vague conclusion and fade to black. Not very satisfying for me despite the overall good to rave reviews. The good news--I hadn't seen the film before!

3290

Bay to Breakers had a tight finish! I watched parts of the race online. I woke up early and had the idea of tuning into the event. There was a photograph in one of the collections that had a runner in costume who looked like my twin brother (if I had a twin brother). I search the Google image archives and popped the photo, which as it turns out was from last year's race. For a moment, I thought I may have gotten up and run the race but had no memory of doing so. It was either that or I've been in a parallel universe.

I did it again! First movie I opened up this afternoon is one I've seen before--Infamous. It's about Truman Capote and his involvement in creating the book In Cold Blood. The film shows how he became obsessed with the crime and putting it in book form, and how he succeeded but also never produced much after that. The actor who plays Capote does an incredible job of creating that character. He seems almost to be channeling Capote's spirit. It was a good film the second time around. Now, how many of the other five DVDs have I already seen?

It warmed up today and promises to be even warmer tomorrow. I'll be heading out early to go by the medical lab to get some blood drawn for a lipid test. Then I'll be headed to the C&M class. The H's are on a road trip so no reading aloud tomorrow or Wednesday. Have a dental appointment for Wednesday though--one of two final sessions to get some repair work done.

New neighbors are noisy! They keep the TV turned on all the time. Don't know how they can hear each other over the din! Hope I'll be moving soon!

3291

Bay to Breakers tomorrow! And the lottery drawings are done! No big CA winners! I hit the mega number on the Mega Million draw--I get $2! Yippee! Helped pay for my laundry today. I got to the laundry place much earlier than usual--like around 8:30 or so! Place was a mess! It looked like a herd of nomads had trashed the place. Odd clothes and debris everywhere! The owner/manager must love it when he encounters such weird behavior. People can be strange!

When I finished doing the laundry, I grabbed some food at Printer's Inc (penne pesto pasta) and came home and napped for several hours. I seem to want to nod off in the early afternoon unless I'm in a class. When I awoke, I felt good--awake and alert! Naps are good! Yes they are!

Watched a British film this evening--Red Riding 1974. It's the first in a trilogy of films about killings and kidnappings that involve corruption and conspiracy by upper class people in a region of the UK called the Ridings. It was a somewhat chaotic film that was a bit hard to follow(may watch it again for that reason). But, it was compelling although somewhat brutal in places. I'm curious what the other two followup films are like (Red Riding 1980 and Red Riding 1983). They are all available through the library but there are holds on films 2 and 3 right now. I can put them on reserve.

Started checking out alternate eating places since CG closes tomorrow. Finding prices at most places to be somewhat high--although I was looking mostly at dinner menus. Breakfast, lunch and brunch menus, especially in the midweek, are more reasonable. But prices have in general gone up in the past few years despite the stagnation in the economy and the 1.2% cost of living increases.

3292

More people than expected showed up at today's PD dance class. Everyone was in good spirits and the dance practice went smoothly. The instructor is preparing the class for a performance (probably to take place in June). Hopefully, the event will be captured on video so it can be posted to the web. I ran some errands between classes and made it to the resistance training session minus lunch. I had a granola bar and an early dinner.

Laundry day tomorrow! Also the Bay to Breakers and other events on the Bay Area agendas. And there are the two hefty lottery drawings this evening and tomorrow night. Multimillions if prizes are on the menu. If there is a winner (or winners) in either case, they are going to collect a pile of lucre.

Well, I've done it! Out of the six DVDs that I picked up this past week, I had already watched three. That's a record for me randomly picking films--apparently over and over again. Tonight's movie was Ballast, a tight, focused study of an African-American mother, son, uncle and others in a rural Mississippi area. The uncle's brother kicks off the film by doing himself in with an overdose. The uncle then spirals out of control and shoots himself but survives. Meanwhile, the convenience store that the brothers own is closed while the surviving brother heals--physically and mentally. The son in the interim gets hooked up with some bad elements and gets into trouble with them over some money issues. The mother gets fired from her job and also goes into a spin. After several false starts, she manages to reopen the store and brings about some stability to her and her son's life. The surviving brother is slowly co-opted into helping tutor the son and helping out with the store. The ending leaves things uncertain, but with some promise that all be well with the passage of time.

3293

Small movement class today--only three of us! Tomorrow will have a truncated PD dance session in the morning followed by a resistance session in the afternoon. PD dance begins a half hour earlier and only goes for 70 minutes. The instructor has to get to the North Bay for a rehearsal. It's good of her to make time for the dance class when it pushes her onto such a tight schedule.

Had a mishmash of dreams last night and during this afternoon's nap. Not sure what they were about--I seem to recall that they were follow-up dreams from previous dreams--sort of a dream recycle process.

Watched a film about how kids were conscripted into a war between the Salvadorian army (trained and armed by the U.S.) and rebel factions--Innocent Voices. I'd watched this film before (seems I'm picking out the same films multiple times) and remembered that I thought it was an important story but a bit slow paced. War sucks! Any kind of war for any kind of reason! The horror is compounded when women and children become collateral statistics. I don't think I'll have to watch this film again. Twice was enough!

Mega Million and Power Ball lotteries are overflowing! Power Ball on it's maiden voyage into CA drawings is offering a grand prize of many millions of dollars. I still think it would great to win both this time around--this weekend! It would be a feat to defy all statistical probabilities--and then some!

3294

I'm sleepy tonight! Came away from the G&B session feeling somewhat tired. Went through rest of the afternoon doing things (no nap) and am now feeling like I want to crash. Had dinner at the CG (as it goes through its final days) and topped it off with a piece of their carrot cake (which will disappear with the closing of the place. Carrot cake was really good but I'm stuffed to the gills now.

Started to watch a movie--Diving Bell and the Butterfly--which I realized that I had seen before. It's about a journalist who had a stroke that left him locked inside (paralyzed but aware). He could only communicate by blinking his one available eye (1 for yes; 2 for no). He managed to write a memoir using this one eye blinking signal. Transcribers would say the alphabet and he would blink when they came to the letter he wished to record. It took about 2 minutes per transcribed word. I punted on watching the film a second time. I fell more like climbing into bed--which I'm about to do.

Movement class tomorrow. The H's are heading out on a road trip next week so no reading aloud until Memorial Day. Fell into the donut hole on my medications today--my co-pay will be huge each month until end of the year. Thank goodness the gap coverage pays half of amount while I'm in the donut hole. Otherwise, I would really be leaking money! Good time to win the lottery! Good time to get into the senior complex and lower my rent! Good time for a good time!

3295

Resistance session was almost filled today. Lots of people came back from trips or vacations. I felt strong in today's workout. Doing the presses seemed to be more fluid today, more complete. G&B class tomorrow! Looking forward to being there.

Had a cascade of dreams last night! It began with a performance by a group of singers. The performance was being held in an old theater. The place was packed. I had to park in a section of street that was known for being an area where vandals and criminals seemed to hang out. I managed to get into the theater without any incidents. The singing group was very good and did a number of crowd favorites where people could sing along.

When the performance was over, the audience had to go back out onto the street and not hang around. The area was unsafe. I ended up hurrying to where my car was parked, but along the way a woman that I knew collapsed onto the sidewalk. I went to her and told her I would get her to safety. I picked her up (she felt really light) and carried her to my vehicle. We got there without incident even though there were several shadowy figures starting to follow us. When she was safely in the vehicle, I asked her where she wanted to go--a hospital or where. She indicated that she wanted to go down near a river that ran through that part of the city. She would come back tomorrow to retrieve her car.

We went down to the river and walked along the trail on a bluff above the stream. There were people fishing and lots of kids playing in the shallows. We spent a long time walking along the riverbank, taking in the moving waters and what the people were doing there. The whole dream was very real--I felt like I was in a physical place and not in a dreaming state.

Watched a film this evening--Martha Marcy May Marlene. It's a film about a woman who gets enrolled into a Manson-like cult. She ends up staying with the cult for two years before she manages to escape. Her sister takes her in and tries to deal with the wild mental state she exhibits as previous events surface. The film dances back and forth from her present day activities with her sister and the sister's husband and flashbacks of events with the cult members. The way the flashbacks are handled often left me confused and not quite sure what I was seeing. I think the story could have been just as effective (perhaps more so) if it were told in a more linear way--or some clues or visual hints that indicated when flashbacks were being shown. I had to work a bit too much to keep up with camera.

3296

C&B class went well this morning. I struggled some but overall felt strong. There were a few more people in the class versus the past few weeks. Had a good reading session with GH--my voice was stronger and more animated. Came back and then went to acupressure session late in the afternoon. That felt wonderful! Will miss not having another session until later in June.

Had dinner at the Thai place that's up the street. Delicious! One of the most flavorful dishes I've eaten in quite awhile. A bit more than I normally pay for a meal but well worth the little extra. Will also check out their lunch specials, which should be a little less expensive.

The trailer park (near the Thai place) is being replaced with an apartment complex of around 100 units. The people in the park are being dislocated and forced to move. The construction at that corner will produce another mess on the El Camino much like what is already happening up and down the PA stretch.

Resistance class tomorrow and no PD dance (it's moved to Friday again this week). I've been having fairly elaborate dreams the past few nights but can't recall any details right now. Dream a dream with me! Under the apple tree! How happy we will be! Synecdoche!

3297

Mum's the word! Not blet or dol! (Two words from today's Says You radio program game.) Mum's day is almost over. There were a lot of mums out today being treated to brunch. Made for a crowded breakfast scene nearly everywhere. Muggy warm day. It's cooling down some now and will do so into the evening. Global Warming is winning though!

C&M class tomorrow plus a reading session with GH and an acupressure session in the later afternoon. LM, the practitioner, flies off to Italy on Tuesday for his annual holiday with his family. Will not see him or get a treatment until later in June when he returns. Glad he's taking some time off but rue not seeing him for over a month.

Watched a gritty, intense film this evening--The Believer. It's based on an actual event in the late 60s when a young Jewish man joined the KKK. He was outed by the press and he killed himself over the exposure. The film is built around the core event but is elaborated on the front and back of the action with fictional activities and story elements. The thrust of the film is about a man who rejects the religion in which he was raised, turns to the opposite extreme (hatred, terror, and bias). He eventually makes a turnabout but does so with the cost of his life. The film is tough to watch especially the first half. It begins to lighten up as the end nears with the raw violence of the first half replaced with his uncertainty and terrorist activities, and ultimately his telegraphed conclusion.

New dental bridge is working well. It fits well and has settled in place without any problems. Thank you Dr. Thai! An excellent piece of work!

3298

Heat returned today! Temps went almost into the 90s! Same tomorrow and then back to a cooling spell! What kind of weather has the climate changes wrought?

Went by the Tai Chi class this morning. They appeared to be doing a more yang style of practice. They were moving a lot faster than looked comfortable to me. It was nice that it's outdoors. Wonder what they do when it rains. But I think I was looking for something a lot slower paced and quieter. There was an group of parents with young kids playing games nearby. The game leader had an obnoxiously loud and penetrating voice. His ejaculations were clearly bothering a few of the Tai Chi practitioners. I know it bothered me! It was nice at the park. It is the park that backs up to the senior housing where I plan to move. I look forward to being so close to such a park and the refurbished library.

Watched a somewhat wacky film this evening--Red Lights. It's about some paranormal debunkers who are exposing frauds and con men (women). They put the supposed psychics in rigorous laboratory settings and figure out how the tricks (some of which are highly technical and elaborate) are done. Obviously, the film explored the basic question of whether or not any of the subjects could demonstrate true abilities. I think the film was supposed to have a final twisty impact like Sixth Sense or other such films. Instead, it was confusing and filled with elaborate pyrotechnics (actual) that ultimately revealed that one of the investigators did have some sort of power. It wasn't clear what he could do with such power except blow out electronic equipment.

It reminded me of the effect I thought I once had over street lights. Many would uncannily go out just as my car went underneath them. More than one passenger witnessed these events. But, it was a power with which I could no nothing--except blow out more lights.

Tomorrow is Mother's Day! Happy one all you mothers!

3299

Fry Day! And the dental appliances are easy! Busy day today! PD dance in the morning (which was very joyful and energizing), resistance training in the afternoon, and a visit to the dentist (where a new bridge was installed--without incident it seems). The only major effect that I noticed was the debit that was put on my credit card for my share of the costs (thank goodness for insurance).

Had soup and cornbread for dinner (trying not to perturb my new dental installation too much). Watched a very good movie--Bella. It's an indie film that won several awards and managed to get enough distribution that it did alright at the box office. It's a moving story set in NYC that focuses on an immigrant family, a woman who gets embroiled in the family's stories, and how lives an change with only an instants notice. It's an emotional roller-coaster of a film that was made with a lot of passion and dedication. And I learned a new word from one of the film's production house names--Metanoia (change in one's life through penitence or spiritual conversion). That's exactly what the film was all about.

If I can get up in the morning, I'll make a short trip to Mitchell Park and check out the Tai Chi class that's done there each Saturday. We shall see. Class begins at 8:30am so have to arise much earlier than normal--but what the hey! What can I say? Make it play! Go all the way!

3300

Movement class today was relaxing. After the class, I went to Chef Liu's and had a hearty, spicy plate of General's Chicken. I think I dreamed about eating that dish in my sleep last night.  I came back and nearly nodded off to sleep but didn't do so. Instead, I watched a couple of my favorite TV shows and my DSL worked fine--no breakups or choppy online video.

This evening I watched a Woody Allen film--Crimes and Misdemeanors. I don't think that it was one of his best films, but he does have a style and shape to his work. The cast was loaded with well known people (Allen, Mia Farrow, Alan Alda, Martin Landau, and more)--several of them almost in disguise or so it seemed. The overall sense of the film was that it was somewhat uneven. The side stories, although related, didn't support the action of the main plot point--the murder of a mistress and the angst that deed produced in the philanderer. As usual, Allen wrote, acted and directed the film. It was nominated for three Oscars.

Busy day tomorrow! PD dance class in the morning (earlier than usual), long lunch break, resistance training in the afternoon, and dental work at the end of the workday. Dentist will put in the permanent bridge in upper right quadrant. I'll be able to freely chew again. Movie session ran late--time to be in bed. Dreamtime is starting soon!

3301

G&B class today was energizing! But after getting a bite to eat and coming home, I fell asleep for several hours. I just felt like sleeping and did so even though it was several hours. I feel good now--rested and steady. Movement class tomorrow! Thursdays are rest days for me.

When I awoke this evening, after sleeping for several hours, I felt disoriented. I wasn't clear if it were still Wednesday afternoon or if I had slept round the clock and it was Thursday.

I dreamed last night that I was engaged in another clearing/cleaning dream. I was in a place that was filled with debris. I was helping to gather and clear out piles of items that had been stored for a long period of time. In the dream, I was looking at every item that I was in front of me and deciding how it was to be disposed. Items were being sorted into different piles--items to be sold, items to be given away, and items to be trashed.

Getting late tonight! I'm sort of wide awake after this afternoon's sleep fest. Will head to the bed soon and read some until I feel like nodding off.

3302

Resistance! Resistance! Today it was the resistance class that made the day. Not a lot of people attending today's session, but the workout felt good. I was still a bit weak on the presses, particularly in my left arm (bicep area). That region gets tweaked by the side plank exercises in Monday's C&M class. Those exercises seem to irritate my left elbow joint, which causes weakness in my left upper arm. I weather the side planks by not going up and down, but by just arching up and holding that position for the 30 seconds we do the activity. Right side isn't affected--just my left elbow/bicep/shoulder. The irritation usually moderates by the time the next C&M class takes place (one week).

I dreamed a lengthy, detailed dream last night. I was in an old house that belonged to one of my ex-wives. She was readying the house for sale and I, along with a horde of others, were helping her clean up the place. There were rooms full of objects, a set of outbuildings that were crammed full of junk items, huge hedges that were overgrown and would need trimming, and a host of other things that needed some work like a huge, dead tree that towered over the back area of the lot. People were also bringing in items to be given or thrown away such as huge rolled up rugs, furniture, books and so on. The whole dream was depressing. I wanted to help by organizing what work needed to be done and who was going to do what was needed. But, the ex-wife kept derailing what I was trying to do. She would reassign people to the various tasks and redirect them to stop what I had asked them to do. I was feeling frustrated, sad and angry. The feelings got so intense I forced myself to end the dream but not before I "completed" some of the tasks. The intensity of the dream made me awaken and get up even though it was still early morning (around 3am).

Watched a French police drama this evening--Point Blank. It was a super action film about a hapless guy who gets ensnared in an ongoing killing of a government figure. A rogue team of the police are responsible for the killing, but they are trying to pin it on two brothers. The hapless hero is pulled into the fray when he is forced to help one of the brothers to get out of police custody. He is made to take action because his pregnant wife is kidnapped and held hostage. The action goes back and forth, not always exactly in a logical way, with plenty of action scenes, shootings, and near unhappy endings. It was good entertainment and an escape movie, but I wouldn't go out of the way to watch it again. The story is fairly improbable and unlikely.

G&B class tomorrow! Still no thunder and still no rain to speak of! But, it has cooled some!

3303

Tough session at the C&M class today! She really worked us hard for the 1.5 hours of class. I felt like a noodle when we finished. Cooler, much cooler, today! Thunderstorms were forecast but not much moisture, much less lightning, graced the area. Supposed to stay cool tomorrow. Only have resistance training tomorrow--no PD dance class (it has been moved to Fridays).

I downloaded an application that sets up and plays a dozen or more solitaire games on the computer. I've gotten totally intrigued with so many game options. There's on game in particular, 40 Thieves, that is a master puzzle game. I played in over a dozen times before I finally figured out how the game can be won (all cards sorted by suites and in ascending order)--it was not easy and kept me going until I managed to win a hand.

Watched a French film this evening--La Femme Nikita. It's a classic spy thriller about a woman who gets trained to be an assassin. It's a tight, tension-filled film with lots of action (in bed and otherwise). The woman who plays Nikita is perfect in the part. She pulls off the woman's dual personality elements--naive and rebellious while also being cold and clinical. It's an excellent film and gets mentioned on nearly everyone's "best of" list.

3304

Cinco de Mayo comes to an end! As all good things must do! There is always a trend to the end or a bend to the end somewhere in the blend. Weather got cooler today--way cooler! Some heavy winds helped push the cool air through and lopped off the heat. I ended up not doing much of anything today. Finally got myself together enough to get out and grab a bite to eat. Did so and then returned and listened to the NPR program "Says You." I enjoy their campy humor and strange word play. One of the special words today was "tegg". It's a sheep that hasn't been sheared!

I watched the first two parts of a film--Reilly: Ace of Spies. It's a espionage tale built on the reputation of a man who was one of the first international spies--before there was a James Bond. He was known by British Intelligence as agent ST-1. The film most likely takes liberties with his actual actions and escapades, but it's still an intriguing tale. I look forward to watching the third part. Enough thrills for tonight! Time to rest, sleep and dream!

C&M class tomorrow! Onward I go!

3305

Soon to be the May of the Day--Cinco de Mayo! I did laundry today but only after sleeping away the whole morning. I remember looking at the clock around 7am. I turned over and when I looked again it was after 9am. I took my medication and turned over again--this time it was noon. Finally, around 1:30pm I pulled myself out of bed and started making my way to the Laundromat. Today was warm but not as hot as the past few days. There's a steady breeze that's keeping things moderated. It's forecast to drop down into the 70s though. May it be so (May it be)!

I dreamed the other night that I was in a town on the coast of Florida. I was getting ready to move to another town, up the coast, but still near the water. I was looking at a map that had both towns highlighted along with a mapped out route between the two places. It felt good to be making a move and to have a place already designated where I was going to land.

Last night I had another dream that was real and concrete. Right now, I don't recall the details but it was  a dream about my life in some way.

I felt sort of wobbly today for some reason. I could have slept more but that didn't feel right somehow. I went ahead and did my laundry then ran some errands and grabbed a meal at the soon to be no more Country Gourmet. My DSL is still being flaky! Have tried power cycling my whole system but nothing seems to restore things back to normal. Time to sleep and let the DSL be!! Let it be, let it be!

3306

Lots of hot today but some winds helped hold the temperatures down a bit. Had a PD dance class this morning that was a lot of fun. The class was small. We did a series of improvisations that just felt good--that sparked the energies and lifted the spirits. I picked up TA and gave him a ride to/from the class. I then went to a resistance training class. That class was better attended but there were still several people not there.

My DSL connection was flaky for most of the day. Late this evening it magically corrected itself and surfing went back to normal.

I watched a strange Japanese film this evening--Woman in the Dunes. It was an odd dream-like tale filled with sex, torture, falling sand that threatened to bury everyone, and a lot of intensity and loud, thunderous taiko drumming background music. There was a Kafkaesque flavor to the entire film. The man and woman that the film focused on were caught in a disintegrating sand trap. They were forced to live at the bottom of the trap, perform meaningless work, and deal with the "neighbors" who appeared at the top of the trap to taunt them, give them rations, and haul away the sand that the couple had gathered.

Laundry day tomorrow! What can I say? It's Laundromat day! Time to make the dirt go away!

3307

Heat you can't beat! Hot in the street! Hot on your feet! In the 90s today and more on the way! Had a warm and muggy movement class. Went to the CG (as it winds down and out) for a sandwich. Had a tasty turkey/pesto on focaccia bread--one of their staples. Sat in the breeze from a fan before heading to get an acupressure session--which was very de-stressing and relaxing.

Watched a film this evening that I had seen before--The Roommate. It's a horror film about a crazy roommate who tries to take over her roommate's life. As the crazy roommate gets more and more weird she does more and more weird things. The ending (predictable) is a knock down/drag out battle between the crazy lady and several of her potential victims. It's quite a fight scene but as I noted it has a predictable outcome--the crazy lady bites the dust (or is the rug?). I don't need to see this film a third time and I'll try and make that happen.

PD dance class tomorrow and a resistance training session. Hopefully, things will cool down a bit and these sweltering days will go away. Probably not on Global Warning's agenda but I can hope it will happen.

May give TA a ride to/from dance class tomorrow. He'll let me know in the morning if he wants a ride or not.

3308

May Day! And on to Cinco de Mayo! And days of heat you cannot beat! Tomorrow is forecast to be in the high 90s! We are surely going to shrivel up and blow away! No moisture on the horizon! Global warming is turning into global burning. Have a movement class tomorrow despite the warming. Today's G&B class was strenuous. It was one of the few times I've broken a sweat while doing the exercises. The instructor had us doing fairly aerobic movements with lots of leg lifts, kicks, and such. My thigh muscles will recall all of that activity tomorrow. Thank goodness I'm getting an acupressure session tomorrow afternoon.

Only a slight episode of flushing/redness today. Had only small portions and light meals today.

Took a short nap this afternoon--just sitting in my chair with the fan blowing in my direction. It seems that I could take a nap every afternoon at about the same time--after classes and a light meal, about the time I take a dose of medication. My system just seems to want to fade out around that time. So many variables--so few equations! Nothing seems predictable! I'm twirling in a cosmic slot machine--round and round--spinning into space! Looking for a jackpot? Perhaps! Ante up! Time to spin again!