Welcome to the rat, er, pig race!
San Mateo County Fair, June 2010
My thoughts meander lately. Like so many others, I find myself contemplating the BP oil spill, and how far-reaching its effects will be. As the oil and the chemicals that have been dumped into the Gulf to try and contain the oil dissipate into parts unknown, we can't even guess what will happen because nothing to this scale has ever happened before.I ponder how our legislators continue to pass bills that, little by little, revoke the freedom that this country was founded on and impose more of the obligations on us that were the basis of revolt against King George in establishing such freedom. And how the administrative branch, little by little, exerts more and more of its executive power over us. And how our judiciary supports these actions. And I worry about the future of my nieces and nephews.
I have also been thinking about sport. I was surprised when French striker Nicolas Anelka was publicly vilified for profane team room talk. The French Football Federation not only demanded a public apology for what should have been a private issue, they barely batted an eye at the fact that someone sneaked a microphone into their meeting. In my books, this situation is tantamount to someone breaching a confidentiality agreement. While the public berated Anelka for being a bad role model to their children, they were essentially implying to their children that while it isn't okay to cuss, it is okay to spy on private communications.
Cliff House from the street
San Francisco, July 2010
And I have been thinking about the Cliff House, one of the best places to watch the sun set in San Francisco. After taking a friend for drinks there last November, I promised not to go back until I returned with him. I only go to the Cliff House once every few years, so the promise wasn't all that farfetched considering my friend lives in France and his financial situation is about as good as mine. But with the pledge pronounced, I think of it much more than I normally would. And so as I drove home from visiting friends one night, I passed by and took a quick photo. This is not its best side. As its name suggests, the Cliff House sits quite dramatically atop the cliffs over Ocean Beach. But it was dark and cold, and I didn't have a jacket, so I stole a quick snap of the entrance from my car on the street.pain au chocolat de Crêpe et Brioche, lavande de mon jardin
June 2010
Most of all, I have been thinking about pastry. A farmer's market started in downtown San Mateo this spring. It's walking distance from the house, so I can walk Piglet and buy produce in one trip. The first week, I noticed the stand from Crêpe and Brioche Bakery, and was excited, because I like their pain au chocolat. The second week, he sold out before I arrived. I pouted. The third week, I was there 15 minutes before opening and grumpy, but I got my pastry. The next week, I woke up late! I tumbled out of bed and ran as fast as I could, Piglet pulling me along, ecstatic at being able to jog. I arrived, sweating, and dry heaving. He saw me and picked up a bag he had set aside for me. He is my new best friend, and I don't even know his name. Piglet plays in the water, Aug 2009
Just so you know that my Piglet is a dog!
I too ponder those same concerns regarding our younger Americans and don't get me started on the government.
ReplyDeleteBut people who do good deeds are priceless. Maybe next week you can take him a coffee or water.
Nice post.
You do have a lot on your mind! I've pondered the microphone thing myself on the many occasions that the use of it has been in the news for one reason or another, and I think it's use in this manner is reprehensible unless used to uncover a crime. Every time I see an ad for those devices for the 'hard of hearing' that note that you can also pick up on conversations 'across the room', code for it being a tool to spy on someone, just makes my blood boil. And yes, it does send a bad message to everyone, not just kids, that it's ok to spy but not to cuss!
ReplyDeleteWhat a kind man (or shrewd businessman) to have a pastry set aside for you! I bet it's scrumptious! I'm wondering, though, did you actually go to the pig races to get that photo up top? I went back and re-read this, wondering if I missed the part about it! There's just nothing funner than anything to do with a pig!
How's the garden doing?
Hey, I made a comment an hour or so ago, and saw it printed above, and now it's gone! Huh?
ReplyDeleteHello, I clicked over from Jules's blog and what a delight! I loved reading your post. I especially like that you have a Piglet and race to the farmers market for a pastry! :) What a sweet man to think of you. I suspect you have a little piece of his heart, which means you have a beautiful spirit. It shines through on your blog, too. It's very nice to make your acquaintance. I sooo miss CA.
ReplyDelete~Olivia
I was going to bring plums from my tree, Jules, but they're a bit on the sour side and I didn't want to make him angry!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to use the pigs so badly, Linda, I threw it in here just because pigs racing around a track for an Oreo are always good for a smile. I went to the county fair last month specifically to see them and gawk at the livestock.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who is bothered by the invasion of privacy issue. Your comment is still here, maybe the page loaded incorrectly?
Thanks for the visit, Olivia. I should probably mention that Piglet is my akita/border collie/lab who is highly food motivated and likes to roll around in the dirt!
It is a wonderful post and you are a genius to go from oil spill to football to the Cliff House to pain au chocolat without being "flach" - hm, what would be the English word ... shallow perhaps.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the last paragraph. From now on, when I think of kobico, I will think of Piglet pulling her along to the stand with pain au chocolat (one of the best things in the world in my opinion, btw)!
I love how you call your dog Piglet. I call mine turd. His real name is Roscoe. My niece named him. Sometimes I tell him he is a pig in a dogs body.
ReplyDeleteThat Cliff House pic is cool. Place looks expensive.
Ich nutze oft die unlogische Schlussfolgerungen! I meant to say I use non-sequiturs a lot, but I may have said something completely nonsensical. Piglet is definitely enthusiastic about pretty much everything, Martina!
ReplyDeletePiglet named herself, Bones. She's highly food motivated and rolls in the dirt a lot. I haven't actually EATEN at the Cliff House in ages, but the bar has the same fantastic view as the restaurant (and I'm not a big drinker).
p.s.: The average dinner plate is about $23. The burger is $13. I see a lot of families go in and out there, so I think they have a lot of options.
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell is wrong with cussing? People should be able to speak their minds freely in whatever way they choose, and not be told it's bad. Anything less amounts to thought control.
ReplyDeleteI gosh diddly darn don't know, Tim! Actually, you do bring up an interesting question, because "we" do repress speech we deem hateful or racist or that incites violence. So then do we now condone these types of expression? If not, where do we draw the line?
ReplyDeleteI deliver you from your promise about the Cliff House. You should never restrict yourself for anybody, particularly me. I truly think you're French. Who knows Anelka in the US but French? Who eats crêpes but French?
ReplyDeleteI didn't sign: I'm the New Yorker who builds castles made of sand.
ReplyDeleteDear Sandman: Without you, the Cliff House sorely lacks that certain something that makes it special. Therefore, it would be worth the wait to go back with you, however long that turns out to be. Besides, some things in life, such as sunsets at the Cliff House, are best enjoyed with a good friend.
ReplyDeleteDear sunsetwoman: I too won't drink any cranberry juice until I see you again. No sacrifice, impossible to find this delicious drink here. Even a French doesn't know what "canneberge" is.
ReplyDeleteDear Sandman: I couldn't find peanut butter in France, either. Or in England, now that I think about it.
ReplyDeleteI just had a chance to take a look at the pigs of the first photo - they are really cute, like guinea pigs.
ReplyDeletenon sequitur in German as well, :-P
And: I had my first peanut butter in England.
Peanut butter doesn't exist.
ReplyDeleteSandman.
I agree, little piglets are cute, Martina. Adult pigs scare me a little, though.
ReplyDeleteMartina is my proof that peanut butter does exist, Sandman!
not to speak of adult boars (German: Wildschwein = wild pig) - they are scary.
ReplyDeleteHm, me a proof of peanut butter - finally a sense to my life, *bdg*
Martina doesn't exist ;)
ReplyDeleteSandman.
The ones with the big mean-looking tusks? Oh yeah, they are really scary.
ReplyDeleteIt seems as though nothing exists, Sandman. I guess that would include the two of us, too!
The French philosopher René Descartes wrote that one could doubt anything but the fact he was thinking. I can roughly translate the latin sentence "dubito ergo cogito, cogito ergo sum" into "I doubt so I think, I think so I am".
ReplyDeleteConclusion: I can doubt Martina and Kobico don't exist. But Sandman does exist without any doubt!
Despite the problems and concerns that afflict us, a small gesture, like saving some pain au chocolat, reminds us life can be a beautiful thing.
ReplyDeleteWell, I know that I think. But I think that I can't see, hear or feel you, so maybe you're just a figment of my overactive imagination, Sandman. Et je suis sûre que René Descartes n'existe plus.
ReplyDeleteLife definitely has its moments, Clementina.
sandman says
ReplyDeletei don't exist
therefore no one
will miss me
so i can go
fishing
in Paris
Pondering life's little mysteries...Piglet is OOoooohh soooo Cute! and that pasatry looks like rolled up salmon. Thanks for reminding me to my daily check down the waterfront that the oil hasn't drifted into my neck of the woods.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you could go fishing in Paris!
ReplyDeletePiglet is cute ... until she runs into the house tracking all sorts of ick and dirt. My house used to be clean...
Everyone should be able to express themselves freely--the fact that some of us don't like it, or think that we are taking the moral high ground, is no justification for silencing those we do not agree with. If what they are saying seems stupid, hateful, or offensive to most people, then no one is going to listen, and the "problem" corrects itself. They can stand off in the corner and rant to their hearts content...many people do--I see them everyday!
ReplyDeleteWe should have all listened to Lenny Bruce.
I agree with you, Tim. I think many people do. But I do know from experience that those ideals are tested when the person we listen to happens to say something that we are vehemently against.
ReplyDeleteI also know from experience that even when peope are allowed to speak their minds that problems do not always correct themselves. This stems from the fact that while people are passionate about asserting their right to speak freely, they are not enthusiastic about their responsibility to listen with an open mind. And I disagree that no one will listen if someone is offensive. There is always some audience somewhere who will listen to you -- maybe someone who is out of work and you can twist what you say enough that you give that person a target for his or her frustration. What you say does not need to be logical, or correct. The ability to incite emotions is a powerful weapon.
All said, I would still defend everyone's right to express themselves, even those who preach hate persuasively. And I have to say they do seem to be more charismatic than those peace-loving types.
Being in a position where I have to censor my overactive mouth and all my actions no matter where I am for the sake of achieving a career goal, there comes a point where it's time for everyone to stop getting offended to easily and toughen up. Since when has there not been trash-talking in sports? Besides, you can not expect any role model to be perfect. The very fact that he is being vilified while the breach of confidentiality in such a meeting is being ignored sickens me. I am completely on board with your thoughts on this matter.
ReplyDeletePiglet is absolutely adorable and if I was anywhere near that farmer's market, I would join you in the consumption of such a lovely concoction.
People definitely can be inconsistent when it comes to applying values, and I am sure that I'm included. I just hope that when I am, someone will point it out to me.
ReplyDeleteYou should have been there today, CM. I always buy two and since my housemate is currently at his girlfriend's place, there's extra!
I had a friend who worked at the Cliff House, long ago. I think it was the Cliff House.
ReplyDeleteI worry about the oil spill also. All the repercussions of the mess. Hopefully good news out of it soon.
It's a small world, Julie.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, hopefully some good news will surface somewhere amid the disaster.