Haikus: December 2018

HAIKUS: December 2018

By Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com

These haikus were written as exercises in mindfulness—
an attempt to catch the fleeting moment in my daily walks,
while reading, listening to music, and pondering about life.
(Underlined words are not for emphasis but to web links.)
This web page best viewed with Times font size 14.

Saturday, December 1, 2018, 8:43-8:56 am
KDFC: 104.9 FM Kyung Wha Chung plays violin
with St Luke's Chamber Ensemble to Antonio Vivaldi's "Four Seasons: Summer in g Op.8 #2 RV 31" (1721); CD; (YouTube: Mari Silje Samuelsen, Kyung Wha Chung, Anthony Marwood, Yevgenia Pikovsky,
Seth Berg); Ray White played last year's favorites— Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" (#88), Bruch's "Violin Concerto #1" (#61) 8:56-9:11 am

Voted #11 in last year's KDFC
Classical All-Stars favorites;
It came as #1 many years ago. Saturday, December 1, 2018, 11:00 am-4:00 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Forgot this 21-minutes short film (7:30-7:51 pm)— James Parrott directs "Helpmates" (1932) with Laurel and Hardy, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Blanche Payson, Bobby Burns, Bob Callahan; (YouTube:
1, 2, 3, full film); (Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4); Friday: Bought 2 Tuscany Balsamic Vinegar @ $2.29 (Trader Joe's) & caught last 10:20 pm Bus #40 home

Ollie's house is a mess after wild party;
Asks Stan to help to clean it up before
his wife returns. It only gets worse.

Sunday, December 2, 2018, 8:28-11:00 am
Santa Clara: Hometown Buffet (2670 El Camino Real)
Al picked me up at my Mtn View Apt at 8:00 am;
$5.99 coupon + $2.99 drinks; Rudy came at 9:45 am.
Finished breakfast at 11 am for short walk till Noon
on El Camino Real to San Tomas Expwy; Al & I
walked on Santa Row (12:20-12:50 pm) before
meeting Prof. John Beck at 1 pm at Theatre,

Scrambled eggs, 8 sausages,
bacon, jello, 2 cups chocolate milk—
Quick breakfast so more time for walks. Sunday, December 2, 2018, 1:20-3:30 pm San Jose: CineArts Santana Row: Peter Farrelly directs "Green Book" (2018) with Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini, Dimiter D. Marinov, Mike Hatton, Iqbal Theba, Sebastian Maniscalco, P.J. Byrne; (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4); (Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4); After film, Al gave me ride to Los Altos Library (4:30 pm); 6:13 pm Bus 40 home.

"Green Book" was based on a true story
of black classical pianist Don Shirley
which Al, John, and I enjoyed, giving it 9+.

Monday, December 3, 2018, 6:59-7:05 am
KDFC: 104.9 FM: Itzhak Perlman plays violin
as Dov Seltzer conducts Israel Philharmonic Orchestra to Abraham Goldfaden's "Raisins & Almonds" (1880); CD; (YouTube: Itzhak Perlman, Sarah Rice, Jan Peerce, Steven Rosen); Disabilities Day; "Itzhak"

The goat will bring you wonderful treats.
He'll bring you raisins and almonds.
Sleep, my little one, sleep. Monday, December 3, 2018, 7:05-7:15 am
KDFC: 104.9 FM: Gustavo Dudamel conducts
Vienna Philharmonic to Émile Waldteufel's
"The Skaters Waltz, Op. 183" (1882); CD;
(YouTube: Alfred Walter, Michel Swierczewski,
Johannes Klumpp, Andy Shearer); Used in films—

Hollywood Revue of 1929, My Favorite Wife,
A Simple Wish, My Beautiful Laundrette,
Chariots of Fire, and Wife vs. Secretary.

Monday, December 3, 2018, 9:00 am-7:20 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Bookmark 6 Poetry articles (12/1-12/3) from
Google Alerts "What makes poetry poetry?"
(Poetry awakens us to the aesthetic qualities of
our language. Words are thoroughly weird: how is
it that these seemingly random sounds and marks
mean what they do, that they mean anything at all?)
(The Vindicator, Youngstown, OH, 12-3-2018)

Stanley Fish: "what differentiates poems
from other artifacts of language is not what
poems do, but what we readers do with them." Monday, December 3, 2018, 9:00 am-7:20 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Format 69 photos: #7842-7852 Stanford Theatre Laurel & Hardy movies (11/30); #7853-7856 Montebello Ave Ginkgo Trees (12/1); #7857-7875 Walks with Al & Rudy, Santa Clara (12/2,11:25-12:02 pm); #7876-7906 Walk with Al at Santana Row, San Jose (12/2, 12:18-12:53 pm); #7907-7910 Foothill Clouds, Los Altos Hills (12/3); Photos—

Formatted 29 photos #7842-7870 instead of 69;
Sunglow Over Creek; Mariani's Restaurant;
and Two Palms by Lifestyle Mattress.

Monday, December 3, 2018, 7:45-8:00 pm
Mountain View: Safeway (645 San Antonio Road);
3 Tai Pei Meals (Egg Rolls, Potstickers, Fried Rice
@ $2.37; Missed 8:07 pm Bus #40 after shopping

Lucerne Strawberry Yogurt $2.59;
Signature Kitchen Tater Treats $2.70;
O Organic Almond-Coconut Milk $2.38. Monday, December 3, 2018, 8:15-9:03 pm
Mountain View: Safeway (645 San Antonio Road);
Too cold to wait hour & 10 minutes for next
9:16 pm Bus #40; Went back to Safeway again—

Found Signature Kitchens French Fried Onions
$3.49 in Soup Section & Nancy's Petite Quiche
(Lorraine & Florentine) $9.99 Frozen Section.

Tuesday, December 4, 2018, 9:28 am-7:20 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Format 40 photos #7871-7910 (10:10 am-1:58 pm)
Composed web page "Santana Row" (3:00-5:43 pm)
(18 vertical & 27 horizontal photos); Favorite photos:

Cow Near Parking Lot,
Giant Christmas Tree,
Chow Chow Dog. Tuesday, December 4, 2018, 9:28 am-7:20 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Format 40 photos #7871-7910 (10:10 am-1:58 pm)
Composed web page "Santana Row" (3:00-5:43 pm)
Need 3 more vertical photos to complete web page—

Used Green Book Poster as vertical photo
and large CineArts Theatre photo to span
space of two vertical photos to fill last row.

Wednesday, December 5, 2018, 7:38-7:47 am
KDFC: 104.9 FM: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra plays Ottorino Respighi's "Birds: Hen & Cuckoo" (1928); CD; (YouTube: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Louis Lane, Eugene Ormandy, Sir Neville Marriner)

This piece has five movements—
Played 3rd and 5th movements.
of "Hen" & "Cuckoo" today. Wednesday, December 5, 2018, 10:05 am-6:50 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Printed "Santana Row" in my apt computer room
(4 pages @ 70%); No time to print in color at TLC;
Add addresses to stores on El Camino & Santa Row

More details in the Preface about
Green Book film based on true story
of white chauffer driving black pianist.

Wednesday, December 5, 2018, 3:30-6:00 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Al Guzman brought over Foothill student Eric Lind,
an excellent artist who wishes to illustrate my books;
He shows Al & me his artworks & YouTube videos
on fantasies, space vehicles & galaxy explorations;

Hexagrams on Saturn's polar cap & The Shining;
Kubrick showed Jupiter travel instead in 2001;
Spielberg's Close Encounter of the Third Kind. Wednesday, December 5, 2018, 7:15-7:51 pm
Mountain View: Sprouts (630 San Antonio Road);
Left early for 6:56 pm Bus #40 at Foothill College;
$5.00 off coupon on $30+ purchases— Sea Scallops @ $8.99/lb = $9.75; Solgar 120 Magnesium Citrate $10.87; 1 lb Baby Carrots 98¢; 8:04 pm Bus 40 home

4.35 lbs Red Seedless Grapes @ 98¢/lb = $4.26
2 pints Blueberries & Blackberries @ $2.50;
3.06 lbs Raw Sunflower Seeds @ $1.99/lb

Thursday, December 6, 2018, 8:33-8:41 am
KDFC: 104.9 FM: Joseph Swensen conducts
Malmö Opera Orchestra in Johannes Brahms's "Sinfonia: Scherzo in B Op 8" (1854, recomposed 1889, premiered 1890); CD; (YouTube: 1, 2, 3);
This Date in Musical History: 1890—

Vincent Van Gogh shot himself (7/27/1890),
U.S. Weather Bureau established (2/9/1890),
Ellis Island opens to immigrants (4/18/1890). Thursday, December 6, 2018, 10:40 am-7:20 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Will see Al at TLC to print "Santana Row"in color;
What poems to read at Waverley Writers tomorrow?
Cover for Poems 2018: "First Day of Spring";
Write Poems 2018 Preface for 24 poems

Eric Lind showed Al and me yesterday
Spielberg's TV show Taken (2002)
about World War II & Alien Implants.

Friday, December 7, 2018, 11:07 am-5:45 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
"Artist Spent 10 Years Carving A Giant Cave"; (YouTube: "Cave-digging artist finds inspiration underground", "Artist Ra Paulette Carves Caves")

Eric Lind showed Al & me Wednesday—
Ra Paulette carves sandstone caves
in La Madera, New Mexico. Friday, December 7, 2018, 11:07 am-5:45 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Need to print "This Book Was Meant For You"
& "This Treasure Was Meant For You" for tonight's Waverley Writers; Writing "Poems 2018 Preface"

Commentary on 11 poems written yesterday;
Will write 13 more paragraphs to complete
"Preface to Poems 2018".

Friday, December 7, 2018, 8:32-8:41 am
KDFC 104.9 FM: Vladimir Fedoseyev conducts
Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Radio Moscow
in Mikhail Glinka's "A Life for the Tsar: Valse-Mazurka" (1836); CD; (YouTube: 1, 2, 3);
This Date in Musical History: 1836—

Dickens' Pickwick Papers issued (3-31-1836);
Battle of the Alamo in Texas (2/23-3/6/1836);
Arc de Triomphe inaugurated (7/29/1836). Friday, December 7, 2018, 7:30-9:15 pm
Palo Alto: 957 Colorado Ave (Friends House)
for Waverley Writers Poetry Reading (? came);
Forgot to bring poems "Goosepen" and
"White Dog on Montebello Ave" to read;
Ann Cheilek gave me ride home.

Read two poems tonight—
"This Book Was Meant For You"
& "This Treasure Was Meant For You".

Saturday, December 8, 2018, 10:40 am-4:00 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
On El Monte Ave, Bus #40 Driver yells out "This
is my first time driving this bus; How to get to
Foothill College— Help me! Someone help me!"

I tell him: "Don't go on Highway 280.
Take the Underpass and bear right
& you'll get to Foothill College. Saturday, December 8, 2018, 10:40 am-4:00 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Martha Rubin shows me Melissa Schilling's "Quirky"
on innovative inventors for Makerspace students;
Critique on not many blacks & women mentioned

Should include George Washington Carver,
Ada Lovelace, Barbara McClintock,
Dorothy Hodgkin, Maria Mitchell.

Saturday, December 8, 2018, 10:40 am-4:00 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Al Guzman favors breakfast & film on Sunday, 12/16;
See "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald"
at Cinelux Almaden Cafe & Lounge @ 12:15 pm

Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald escapes
in jail transfer & will raise pure-blood
wizards to rule over all human beings. Saturday, December 8, 2018, 10:40 am-4:00 pm
Instructor of LINC 58A William Cavada stops by;
Had not graded my web page "My Favorite Books"
submitted on 12/3; Most students are from his Makerspace class that began in the summer

Next: "My Favorite Musical Movies"—
My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music,
Yankee Doodle Dandy, The Band Wagon.

Sunday, December 9, 2018, 6:10-6:40 pm
Palo Alto, Stanford Theatre: James Parrot directs "Music Box" (1932), starring Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Otto Kruger, Eve Arden, Lee Bowman, Jess Barker, Edward Brophy, (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4, full film); (Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5); "Busy Bodies" (1932)
@ 6:40-7:00 pm (Review; YouTube); "Midnight Patrol" (1933) @ 7:00-7:20 pm (Review; YouTube);
Missed 4:40 pm showing of "Babes in Toyland"

Stan & Ollie hired to deliver
a piano up a long flight of stairs
but encounter obstacles all the way. Sunday, December 9, 2018, 7:30-8:50 pm
Palo Alto, Stanford Theatre: Gus Meinsr & Charley Rogers direct "Babes in Toyland (1934) starring Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charlottte Henry, Felix Knight, Henry Brandon, Florence Roberts, Virginia Karns, Mickey Mouse, Angelo Rossitto, Pete Gordon, Zebedy Colt, Billy Bletcher, Jean Darling Johnny Downs, Sumner Getchell John George; (YouTube:
1 2, 3, finale, full film); (Film Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4)

Stannie & Ollie live in a shoe
with Mother Peep & Bo Peep,
but Barnaby wants to evict them.

Monday, December 10, 2018, 9:26 am-7:20 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Instructor of LINC 58A William Cavada emailed 12/9 at 10:09 am, informing that our Final Assignment is due on Tuesday, December 11, by 11:59 pm

Final assignment of web site
was due on 12/15, now moved up
to 12/11. Need to rush my project. Monday, December 10, 2018, 9:26 am-7:20 pm
Write reviews of "My Favorite Musical Movies"— "Yankee Doodle Dandy", "Meet Me in St. Louis",
"Band Wagon", "Singin' in the Rain", "King & I", "Mary Poppins", "Pinocchio", "Sunny Side Up"

Found YouTube clips of favorite music
in each film & Rotten Tomatoes ratings;
Also Doves added to Banner Heading.

Monday, December 10, 2018, 7:40-8:00 pm
Mountain View: Safewayt (645 San Antonio Road),
Bus #40 got to San Antonio Rd at 8:37 pm; Fellow
ahead of me was redeeming 4 Visa Cards totalling
$1600, & the cashier didn't know how to handle it;
Missed 8:09 pm Bus #40 that came early at 8:01 pm

2 Crabmeat @ $1.49, Almond Milk $2.56,
32 oz. Lucerne Strawberry Yogurt $2.25,
Bunch of 6 Green Onions 61¢. Monday, December 10, 2018, 8:15-8:56 pm
Mountain View: Sprouts (630 San Antonio Road);
Didn't want to wait hour & 15 minutes for next
Bus #40 @ 9:16 pm at corner of San Antonio Road
and El Camino Real; Went to Sprouts to be warmer
& shopping; Rainchecks for Blueberries & Grapes

4 pints 6 oz. Blueberries @ 98¢ = $3.92,
3.4 lbs Black Grapes @ 98¢/lb = $3.35,
0.53 lb Asparagus @ $1.99/lb = $1.00.

Tuesday, December 11, 2018, 7:34-7:39 am
KDFC 104.9 FM: Valentina Lisitsa plays piano
to Frederic Chopin's "Étude #23 "Winter Wind" in
A minor Op. 25 #11" (1836); CD; (YouTube: 1, 2, 3)
Played at Orange Bird BBQ by Mahershala Ali in film

Requested by KDFC listener in North Carolina
as it was the last piece played in Green Book
movie by Mahershala Ali portaying Don Shirley. Tuesday, December 11, 2018, 7:34-7:39 am
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Re-type "The Holy Grail" poem (9-13-2015) lost
on 8 GB USB at Los Alltos Library (8-28-2016)
with 16 months of work not backed up

Found image of "Round Table with Grail"
but can't locate the web site where it
was downloaded at 7:16 pm yesterday.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 7:41-7:52 am
KDFC: 104.9 FM: Gustavo Dudamel conducts
Vienna Philharmonic to Émile Waldteufel's
"The Skaters Waltz, Op. 183" (1882); CD;
(YouTube: Alfred Walter, Michel Swierczewski,
Johannes Klumpp, Andy Shearer)

Was this music used in skating scene
of The Bishop's Wife when Cary Grant
dazzles Loretta Young on the ice rink? Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 10:40 am-7:20 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Took 9:30 am Bus #34 to Kaiser (555 Castro Street)
for free Test Strips & Lancets (10:02 am); Caught
10:06 am Bus #52 to Foothill College (10:20 am);
Revise "Preface to Poems 2018" for 2 pages @ 77%.

Banner Heading for "My Favorite Films";
Need Posters for Children of Paradise,
7th Heaven, Sunrise, 8 1/2, Tabu.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 10:40 am-7:20 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Banner Heading for "My Favorite Films"

Need Posters for North by Northwest,
Casablanca, Samuri Trilogy, Vertigo,
Ikiru, Star Wars IV, Blood of a Poet. Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 10:40 am-7:20 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Need Posters for "My Favorite Films"—

Miracle on 34th Street,
The Shop Around the Corner,
Letter from an Unknown Woman.

Thursday, December 13, 2018, 7:32-7:36 am
KDFC: 104.9 FM: Yo-Yo Ma plays cello, Philippe Entremont plays piano to Camille Saint-Saëns's
"Carnival of the Animals: The Swan" (1882); CD;
(YouTube: Yo-Yo Ma, Brooklyn Duo,
Swan photos, Leopold Godowsky)

Someone phoned in this request—
"Please play this piece in honor
of my sister who died last week—
she was so much like a swan." Thursday, December 13, 2018, 10:05 am-7:20 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Dad died 18 years ago today (12-13-2000); Obituary; My Eulogy; Elisa's Eulogy; Love for Mom; 1979 Visit to Paris; Dad's Classmates at the Sorbonne; Diamond Wedding Anniversary; Poem—

Daddy— you have lived a life in beauty,
in truth, in joy, in love, in wisdom...
Wings are growing from your shoulders.
You are flying, soaring to the other shore.

Friday, December 14, 2018, 3:30-4:00 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College TLC
Al Guzman moving to Sunnyvale Campus
starting Winter Quarter, so I'll see him less;
Used Speaker Phone to Network Solutions.
Caught 4:16 pm Bus #40 & 4:30 pm Bus #522

Forgot how to check my emails at
WisdomPortal.com since May 2018.
C.J. set me up with a new password. Friday, December 14, 2018, 7:25 pm
Palo Alto: Stanford Theatre (University Ave)
Line stretched two blocks long when I came
at 5:00 pm to see "The Bishop's Wife" as they
were buying tickets for 9 pm Christmas Eve's
showing of "It's A Wonderful Life" for $10

During Intermission before 7:30 pm
showing of Miracle on 34th Street,
bought ticket #930 for It's A Wonderful Life.

Friday, December 14, 2018, 5:30-7:20 pm
Palo Alto, Stanford Theatre: Henry Koster directs
"The Bishop's Wife"(1947) with Cary Grant, Loretta Young, David Niven, Monty Woolley, James Gleason, Gladys Cooper, Mickey Mouse, Sara Haden, Karolyn Grimes, Tito Vuolo, Regis Toomey, Eugene Turner Johnny Downs, Sumner Getchell John George; (YouTube: 1 2, 3 4); Film Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4

Eugene Turner, U.S. Figure Skating
Champion (1940-41) was Cary Grant's
double on the ice rink with Loretta Young. Friday, December 14, 2018, 7:30-9:05 pm
Palo Alto, Stanford Theatre: GeorgSeaton directs "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947), starring Edmund Gwenn, Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood, Gene Lockhart, Porter Hall, William Frawley, Jerome Cowan, Philip Tonge, Harry Antrim, Alvin Greenman, (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5); (Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4); Caught last Bus #40 home @ 10:20 pm

Santa brought Suzie
a new house, but sages
blessed me with a new home.

Saturday, December 15, 2018, 10:40 am-1:00 pm
Palo Alto: Unitarian Universalist Church, Fireside Room; (505 E. Charleston Road); Celebration
of the Life of Jean Walls Olmsted (1925-2018);
Ann told me of her Mom passing on Nov. 12.

Came here with Connie (5-16-2015)
for Ann's Dad, Franklin Olmsted's
Memorial Gathering on the lawn. Saturday, December 15, 2018,1:58-5:00 pm
Los Altos Library: Surprised to see Jayne Kos
from Waverley Writers Poetry Reading here at
Jean Olmsted Memorial Gathering; They met at Foothills Park; I met Ann at ballroom dancing

Sent Jayne email on— Totem Pole
& Plaque at Stanford Serra Mall,
and homage to Dad web pages.

Sunday, December 16, 2018, 8:13-11:15 am
Santa Clara Hometown Buffet (2670 El Camino Real)
Al picked me up at my Mtn View Apt at 7:30 am;
$3 coupon + $2.99 drinks; Rudy joined us at 8:00 am; Karen came at 10:30 am; After breakfast (11:15 am),
drove to Mission College for walk around the block;
Al, Rudy, & I went to CineArts Santa Row
to see "Bohemian Rhapsody" movie

Scrambled eggs, 8 sausages,
bacon, jello, 2 cups chocolate milk—
Quick breakfast so more time for walks. Sunday, December 16, 2018, 1:10-3:45 pm
San Jose: CineArts Santana Row; Bryan Singer directs "Bohemian Rhapsody" (2018) with Rami Malek; Lucy Boynton; Gwilym Lee; Ben Hardy;
Joseph Mazzello; Aidan Gillen; Allen Leech,
Tom Hollander, Mike Myers, Aaron McCusker,
Ace Bhatti; Max Bennett; (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4);
(Film Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4)

Film biography of Freddie Mercury,
lead singer of rock band Queen singing
"We Are the Champions" on July 13, 1985.

Monday, December 17, 2018, 10:00 am-7:20 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center
will open December 17-21, so could get more
work done before they close for Winter Break

Foothill College closed December 22
to Jaunuary 6, 2019 before classes
start January 7 for Winter Quarter. Monday, December 17, 2018, 10:00 am-7:20 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center
Format photos: Jean Olmsted Memorial (12-15)
and Walk around Mission College (12-16)

Photos #7914-19 & #7932-37: Foothill Clouds;
Photos #7939-7956: Jean Olmsted Memorial;
Photos #7957-7969: Mission College Walk.

Tuesday, December 18, 2018, 7:32-7:35 am
KDFC: 104.9 FM: John O'Conor plays piano
to Ludwig van Beethoven's "Für Elise in a WoO 59 (1810); CD; (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4)

Music dedicated to Therese Malfatti
whom Beethoven proposed in 1810
but she married an Austrian nobleman. Tuesday, December 18, 2018, 9:29 am-7:20 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center;
Formatted 59 photos (Dec. 12-17) yesterday;
Composed three web pages today—

Foothill Clouds (12/3 to 12/14);
Jean Olmsted Memorial (12-15);
Walk Around Mission College (12-16).

Tuesday, December 18, 2018, 7:40-7:55 pm
Mountain View: Safewayt (645 San Antonio Rd),
Bus #40 got to San Antonio Rd at 7:37 pm;
Caught 8:05 pm Bus #40 in time for home

Lucerne Almond-Coconut Milk $2.89,
2 Nonni's Thin Additives @ $2.00,
Van de Kamps Fish Fillets $3.87. Tuesday, December 18, 2018, 11:15 pm-12:05 am
Mountain View: Phone message from Cathy (Las Vegas) inviting me for Chef Chu dinner on 12/23;
"Poems 2018" & "On Numbers 67" as gifts

Thanks to Al Guzman at TLC,
printed many poems in color for
Cathy, Elisa, & Professor Scheraga.

Wednesday, December 19, 2018, 10:06 am-7:20 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center
Bookmarked "Mercury News" for Interesting News;
Original from NY Times, Washington Post & AP

"Facebook Gave Tech Giants Your Data";
"How to Fight Information Wars";
"8 Tricks to Keep Hackers Away". Wednesday, December 19, 2018, 7:45-8:01 pm
Mountain View: Sprouts (630 San Antonio Road);
Bus #40 got to El Camino Real at 7:40 pm;
Missed 8:05 pm Bus #40 after shopping—

3.24 lbs Whole Cashews @ $5.99/lb = $19.41;
1.02 lbs Rice Crackers @ $4.99/lb = $5.09;
No time to buy Brazilian Nuts @ $9.99/lb.

Thursday, December 20, 2018, 9:45-10:07 am
Mountain View: Kaiser Permanente (555 Castro St)
Diabetic medications for $43.33; 10:30 am Bus #52
to Foothill College; Photos of fog around campus;
Vote for KDFC's 2019 Classical All-Stars Top 100—

1) Zipoli's Elevasione (2018/2017 voting: 54/29);
2) Massenet's Thaïs: Meditations (12/22);
3) Satie's Gymnopédies (86/48). Thursday, December 20, 2018, 11:32 am-5:00 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center
Told Martha Rubin: Makerspace Poster "Yang of
Awesomeness" & "Yin of Failure" downgrades women (Yin) & should be changed; She agreed—

Lao Tzu: The Tao clings to the feminine;
Dante: Beatrice guides him to Paradise;
Goethe: "Eternal Feminine leads us above".

Friday, December 21, 2018, 12:50-4:10 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Registrar—
Paid $36.75 for 1 unit class LINC 57 "Design
Learner-Centered Instruction" (Leo Florendo);
Feb. 11-March 22, 2018, MW 2:00-2:50 pm

Mountain View Senior Center (10:00-11:00 am)
to print Foothill Clouds, Jean Olmsted Memorial,
and Mission College Walk, 2 copies each @ 5¢. Friday, December 21, 2018, 12:50-4:10 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center
12-15th Favorite Films: "Star Wars", "Letter from
an Unknown Woman", "Shop Around the Corner",
& "Blood of a Poet" to finish web page of 15 films

Need to find 1965 film report
at Cornell for Blood of a Poet since
haven't seen this silent film in 53 years.

Friday, December 21, 2018, 5:20-7:20 pm
Palo Alto, Stanford Theatre: Vincente Minnelli directs "Meet Me in St. Louis" (1944) starring Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake, Marjorie Main, Harry Davenport, Henry H. Daniels Jr., Joan Carroll, June Lockhart, Robert Sully; (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6); (Film Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4)

Minnelli framed Judy Garland
in the window & mirror as a portrait
when she sang "The Boy Next Door". Friday, December 21, 2018, 7:30-9:07 pm
Palo Alto, Stanford Theatre: Ernst :Lubitsch directs "The Shop Around the Corner" (1940), starring Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan, Joseph Schildkraut, Felix Bressart, William Tracy, Sara Haden, Inez Courtney, Charles Smith:
(YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5); (Film Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4)

Lubitsch touch when Bressart
told Stewart "You got the wallet"
bringing whole audience to laughter.

Saturday, December 22, 2018, 2:40-4:50 pm
Los Altos Library: Giant Book for Sale for $8—
Hugh Thomson, "50 Wonders of the World" (2018) 192 pp; Visited Golden Gate Bridge (pp.80-81), Lincoln Memorial (pp. 82-85), Colosseum (pp.150-153), Pantheon (pp.154-157), Grand Canal (pp. 158-161)

Chartres Cathedral (pp.136-139),
Eiffel Tower (pp. 140-41),
Neushwanstein (pp.142-145). Saturday, December 22, 2018, 2:40-4:50 pm
Los Altos Library: Woke up at 7 am and 12:15 pm;
2:09 pm Bus #40 at Rengstorff Ave & Middlefield;
Can't find Lambda Λ-shaped stone monument at Ferne Ave & Alma St, Palo Alto in Mystery Photo
of Daily Post (12-21-2018); Church Steeple Photos—

Los Gatos La Canada Bldg,
Omaha St. Paul's Church,
Why churches have steeples?.

Saturday, December 22, 2018, 2:40-4:50 pm
Los Altos Library: Giant picturesque book "50 Wonders of the World" (2011) for sale @ $8;
Mountain View (5:00-5:23 pm): Safeway (645 San Antonio Road); Lucerne Large Eggs ($3.79) Free;
32 oz Strawberry Yogurt $1.75; Lucerne Peppermint Mocha Creamer $3; Caught 5:48 pm Bus #40 home

Nonni's Biscotti Toasted Almond $2.99,
3 cans French Fried Onions @ $2.72,
Lucerne Almond-Coconut Milk $2.17.
Saturday, December 22, 2018, 7:47-8:47 pm
Mountain View to Palo Alto Cubberley Pavilion for Ballroom Dancing; Hour walk while contemplating "Favorite Trees"— 1. Coast Redwood, 2. White Oak, 3. Eucalyptus, 4. Ginkgo, 5. Ponderosa Pine, 6. Bamboo, 7. Palm, 8. Weeping Willow, 9. Pepper Tree, 10. Redbud, 11. Plum, 12. Bay Laurel

Will search through hike photos
and write about my experience
encountering them on the trails.

Sunday, December 23, 2018, 6:45-8:45 pm
Los Altos: Chef Chu's (1067 San Antonio Road);
Cathy from Las Vegas picked me up at Los Altos Library at 6:20 pm; Made reservations at 6:45 pm
Cathy treats me for our annual Christmas Ritual—

Ordered my favorite dish— Angel hair
crispy pan-fried noodles with prawns,
scallops, broccoli, snow peas, carrots.
Sunday, December 23, 2018, 6:45-8:45 pm
Los Altos: Chef Chu's (1067 San Antonio Road);
Larry, Cathy, and I discussed our favorite films;
Gifts for Cathy: Blueberries, Whole Cashews,
Dried Turkish Apricots, Walnut Halves & Pieces

Some spiritual food: On Number 67;
Selected Poems 2018: First Day of Spring;
Common Grounds & 2018 Film Brochures

Monday, December 24, 2018, 9:00-11:10 pm
Palo Alto, Stanford Theatre: Frank Capra directs
"It's a Wonderful Life" (1946) starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, Henry Travers, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Beulah Bondi, Frank Faylen, Ward Bond, Gloria Grahame, H.B. Warner, Todd Karns, Samuel S. Hinds, Lillian Randolph; (YouTube:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Full film); Film Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Film performed poorly in 1946,
but is now considered one
of the greatest ever made. Monday, December 24, 2018, 9:00-11:10 pm
Palo Alto: Got to Stanford Theatre at 7:20 pm; Line stretched to Garden Fresh on 460 Ramona Street; Girl 1st in line came at 4:30 pm; Got empty seat in Mezzanine, first row center right edge; Caught 11:35 pm Bus #22 at Palo Alto Train Depot after film is over; 30 minutes walk home from Rengstorff
& El Camino via Central Expressway

Video of film ending on YouTube—
Final scene of movie (9:01),
Shorter final scene (3:53).

Tuesday, December 25, 2018, 2:36-2:49 pm & 3:05-3:55 pm; Mountain View: Safeway (645 San Antonio Rd); Missed 2:56 pm Bus #40; 4:05 pm Bus #40 home

Sara Lee Dutch Apple Pie
(regular $7.99) for $2.99; 72¢ refund on
Lucerne Almond-Coconut milk overcharge.
Tuesday, December 25, 2018, 5:46-8:30 pm
Mountain View: No computer access today:
Good time for laundry wash ($1.75) & dry ($1.00).

Two sheets & pillow case,
6 towels, 2 pants, pajamas,
6 shorts, 4 T-shirts, 21 socks.

Wednesday, December 26, 2018, 9:40-9:44 am
KDFC: 104.0 FM: Valentina Lisitsa plays piano
to Robert Schumann's Kinderszenen: Traumerai Op.15 #7 (1838); CD; (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4)

"Scenes from Childhood"
Section 7: Dreaming is
serene & soothing to hear. Wednesday, December 26, 2018, 11:48-7:30 pm
Los Altos Library: Bookmarked 13 articles from Mercury News read yesterday for Interesting News—
"Salonen to be SF Symphony's next music director"

"Steer too beefy to become burgers";
"First gene-edited babies claimed in China";
"Post, then delete it? Websites save it anyway".

Wednesday, December 26, 2018, 11:48 am-7:30 pm
Los Altos Library: Write Haikus Dec. 23-26; Passing by Stanford Theatre on Mon. 12/24, woman offered her "Wonderful Life" ticket #723 free, but I didn't take it

They collected all tickets; Gave mine
with #930 that I should have scanned
since 93 million miles is AU from earth to Sun. Wednesday, December 26, 2018, 11:48 am-7:30 pm
Los Altos Library: Bookmark articles from Mercury News in Interesting News; Voted for top 3 Favorites
in 2019 KDFC's Top 100 Classical Music—

Zipoli's "Elevazione",
Beethoven's "Für Elise",
Shostakovich's "Jazz Suite #2"

Thursday, December 27, 2018, 8:43-8:53 am
KDFC: 104.0 FM John Wilson conducts
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra to
Frederick Delius's "Walk to the Paradise Garden" (1907); CD; (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Sali & Vreli go to Paradise Garden
Inn and dance all night, then float
down the river & sink with the boat.. Thursday, December 27, 2018, 12:05-7:00 pm
Los Altos Library: My Favorite Paintings—
1. Raphael, "School of Athens", 2. Dürer, "Melencolia I", 3. Renoir, "Dance at Bougival",
4. Delacroix, "Jacob Wrestling the Angel"

5. Michelangelo, "Sistine Ceiling",
6. Leonardo, "The Last Supper",
7. Rembrandt, "Polish Rider",

Thursday, December 27, 2018, 12:05-7:00 pm
Los Altos Library: "One Giant Step for a Chess-Playing Machine"; (Google's AlphaZero played chess against itself millions of times and learned from its mistakes.
In a matter of hours, the algorithm became the best player, human or computer, the world has ever seen.)
(By Steven Strogatz, NY Times, 12-26-2018)

AlphaZero won by thinking smarter, not faster;
examined 60 thousand positions a second,
compared to 60 million for Stockfish. Thursday, December 27, 2018, 12:05-7:00 pm
Los Altos Library: "SCIENCE PROFILES: The Yoda of Silicon Valley" (80-year-old Donald Knuth, is author of "The Art of Computer Programming", a continuing four-volume opus that is his life's work.)
(By Siobhan Roberts, NY Times, 12-17-2018)
Knuth's Chinese name is Gao Dena ().

Volume 1 closes with a blurb on back cover
from Bill Gates: "Definitely send me a
résumé if you read the whole thing."

Thursday, December 27, 2018, 7:15-7:22 pm
Mountain View: Safeway (645 San Antonio Rd.)
Left Library early to catch 7:05 pm Bus #40 that
got to El Camino Real & San Antonio at 7:12 pm

Doritos Nacho Cheese $1.99,
Sig. Kitchen Tater Tots $2.37,
2 Sig. Kitchen Crabmeat @ $1.49,
O Organic Almond-Coconut Milk $2.49. Thursday, December 27, 2018, 9:00-10:00 pm
Mountain View: Caught 7:43 pm Bus #40 home
after Safeway shopping; Listen to KDFC 104.9 FM
Classical Music while cooking & having dinner.

Nancy's Quiche: 4 Quiches Lorraine,
4 Quiches Florentine, 20 Potato Tots,
Bowl of Doritos Nacho Cheese,
Cup of Almond-Coconut Milk.

Friday, December 28, 2018, 11:30-11:50 am
Mountain View: Frank, Head of Maintenance came
to my apartment and used Mouse Foam Sealant
to plug holes inside kitchen cupboards,
beneath sink cabinet, & behind the stove.

Hole behind the stove
is size of a grapefruit—
block out mice after sealing. Friday, December 28, 2018, 3:40-7:00 pm
Los Altos Library: Found Sally's 1-10-2007 email
in Abijan, Ivory Coast, "a flock of some 50 white egrets swarmed branches of spreading tree whose
top was just at the level of the third story building"

"They settled like candles on
green branches; it was so beautiful...
it was Christmas season too."

Friday, December 28, 2018, 7:20-7:35 pm
Mountain View: Sprouts (630 San Antonio Rd.)
Left Library early to catch 7:05 pm Bus #40 that
got to El Camino Real & San Antonio at 7:17 pm;
Caught 7:43 pm Bus #40 just in time home

2 lbs Clementine oranges $1.98,
Wheat Germ $2.79, Radishes 33¢ raincheck,
4 Terra Chips (Sweet potato, Plantin) @ $2.25. Friday, December 28, 2018, 9:00-10:00 pm
Mountain View: Christmas card from my student
& friend Deborah (Las Vegas): "Sorry I'm a terrible
online correspondent, but you know there is no
time or distance between us!"

Spoken like a sage, since introducing
her to PB's teachings at WPI in 1978,
which we drank profusely in wisdom.

Saturday, December 29, 2018, 11:00 am-4:50 pm
Los Altos Library: Found Haiku (May 2, 2006)—
Running for Bus #22 on El Camino from Ortega Ave
to Showers Drive, an inner voice gave me haiku—

Don't run! Don't rush! Don't!
Life is not passing you by—
You're passing through life! Saturday, December 29, 2018, 11:00 am-4:50 pm
Los Altos Library: For "My Favorite Trees" page:
No Baobab; Photos of trees from Bay Area hikes—
1. Coast Redwood; 2. White Oak, 3. Eucalyptus,

4. Ginkgo, 5. Ponderosa Pine, 6. Bamboo,
7. Palm, 8. Weeping Willow, 9. Pepper Tree,
10. Redbud, 11. Madrone Tree, 12. Bay Laurel.

Sunday, December 30, 2018, 12:40-6:00 pm
Los Altos Library: Hugh Thomson, "50 Wonders of the World" (2011); Like to visit: Hagia Sophia (pp.8-11),Taj Mahal (pp. 38-41), Mahabalipuram (pp.42-45),

Angkor Wat (46-49). Potala Palace (54-57), Borobudur (140-41), Rapa Nui (76-79), Machu Picchu (102-105), Stonehenge (118-121), Pyramids at Giza (170-173). Sunday, December 30, 2018, 12:40-6:00 pm
Los Altos Library: "My Favorite Cities" page—
1. Paris, 2. Kyoto, 3. Heidelberg, 4. Montreux,
5. Vevey, 6. Zurich, 7. Florence, 8. Salzburg,

9. Vienna, 10. Boston, 11. New York City,
12. Ithaca, 13. San Francisco, 14. Rome,
15. Munich, 16. Nikko,

Monday, December 31, 2018, 12:40-4:50 pm
Los Altos Library: "My Favorite Music" page—
1. Beethoven, String Quartet #15, Op. 132, 2. Zipoli: Elevazione, 3. Anonymous: Romance for Guitar, 4. Beethoven: Symphony #9, 5. Beethoven: Symphony #5, 6. Massenet: Thais: Meditation, 7. Albinoni: Adagio in g minor, 8. Pachelbel: Canon, 9. Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo, 10. Vivaldi, Four Seasons: Winter, 11. Saint-Saens: The Swan, 12. Satie: Gymnopédies, 13. Shostakovich: Jazz Suite #2: Waltz,
14. Handel: Largo: "Xerxes", 15. Beethoven: Für Elise,

16. Mozart: Piano Concerto #21, 17. Schubert, Ave Maria, 18. Bach: Air on the G String, 19. Barber, Adagio Strings, 20. Smetna: Moldau Monday, December 31, 2018, 12:40-4:50 pm
Los Altos Library: "My Favorite Photos" page—
1. Bill Anders, Earthrise, 2. Ken Crawford, Horsehead Orion Nebula, 3. Furman S. Baldwin,
Il Bacio, 4. Charles C. Ebbets, Lunch atop a Skyscraper, 5. Hubble Space Telescope, V 838 Monocerotis, 6. Francesco Antonucci, Stars & Dust Pillars in NGC 7822 from WISE, 7. Ansel Adams, Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, 8. Philippe Halsman, Audrey Hepburn Jumping (Jump Book)
9. Thomas Mangelson, Shores of Wonder Lake,

10. Harold Edgerton, Milk Drop (1957),
11. Jack Brauer, Rainbow over Crested Butte,
12. Castle of Chillon, Lake Geneva, Montreux.