This is a weird time of year. Here in Berkeley it's a gorgeous day, sunny, though chilly. The magnolias are already blooming. It's not spring yet, not even winter. The looming New Year makes a guy think about transitions, the passage of time, new stuff—the usual. The numeral 2005 sounds new—shiny and pristine, just out of the box, wheareas 2004 sounds (already), old, scratched, a little battered, like my camera cellphone (which I bought in 2004).
This blog is one of the transitions for the new year. I've started it for This is a weird time of year. Here in Berkeley it's a gorgeous day, sunny, though chilly. The magnolias are already blooming. It's not spring yet, not even winter. The looming New Year makes a guy think about transitions, the passage of time, new stuff—the usual. The numeral 2005 sounds new—shiny and pristine, just out of the box, wheareas 2004 sounds (already), old, scratched, a little battered, like my camera cellphone (which I bought in 2004).
This blog is one of This is a weird time of year. Here in Berkeley it's a gorgeous day, sunny, though chilly. The magnolias are already blooming. It's not spring yet, not even winter. The looming New Year makes a guy think about transitions, the passage of time, new stuff—the usual. The numeral 2005 sounds new—shiny and pristine, just out of the box, wheareas 2004 sounds (already), old, scratched, a little battered, like my camera cellphone This is a weird time of year. Here in Berkeley it's a gorgeous day, sunny, though chilly. The magnolias are already blooming. It's not spring yet, not even winter. The looming New Year makes a guy think about transitions, the passage of time, new stuff—the usual. The numeral 2005 sounds new—shiny and pristine, just out of the box, wheareas 2004 sounds
Espresso Roma, Berkeley. Add another miracle to the historic list of those occurring on December 25. A cafe (not just any cafe, but my "headquarters" Espresso Roma) was open—at least until 1 PM.
Normally I spend Dec 25 with Barbara, but this year she has gone to Seattle to visit her son and I stayed home. I called my daughter on the cellphone and located her visiting the whole family on the East Coast. I caught them as they were trying unsuccessfully to restart my 87-year-old mother's heritage blueberry iMac, which had weathered a relocation move over three state lines. I told them how to zap the PRAM, and bam! it worked.
But that's not the miracle. The miracle is that a drugstore, a gas station, AAA road service (I had run out of gas—duh!), and most miraculous of all, my beloved Espresso Roma, were all open (see photo). I must say I was also impressed by the technology that made it possible to "visit" family on what would otherwise be a very lonely holiday.
And now—home to my PowerMac G5, then off to a Chinese restaurant and a movie.—JDL
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A Christmas Miracle
