Cool and Refreshing

Here's my first Monday blog that's not about me! Instead, I've got a most delicious and refreshing, and low calorie drink for you. I was at the Farmer's Market in Little Italy on a warm Saturday recently with Linda, my friend from Bakersfield. It was hot and we were thirsty, so we stopped for a refreshing drink. It was basically a lemonade stand, but the drink was much more than lemonade. There were several options. I got the lemonade cucumber and mint combination. Other choices included lemonade with ginger, and tea with pomegranete juice. It was so good I went to the market the next week to buy a cucumber and experiment. Here's what I came up with.

Lemonade Cucumber and Mint Chiller

2 T. cucumber pulp, pureed
2 T. mint, finely chopped
3/4 c. lemonade
1/4 c. seltzer

Peel cucumber, halve, and remove seeds. Cut into chunks, add a little water (just enough to blend), and puree in the blender.

Take a large glass, add a few ice cubes. Add about 2 T. chopped mint, and 2 T. cucumber puree. Fill glass 3/4 full with lemonade, then add 1/4 cup seltzer. Shake or stir vigorously. For a completely calorie free drink substitute Crystal Light Lemonade or Vitamin Water (0 calorie lemonade flavor) for regular lemonade. It's just as good and no calories at all. This is a great summertime drink, but don't wait until then to try it. It is good any time.

Big Tobacco's Global Expansion

What do people do when the customers they seek are getting harder and harder to find? They look elsewhere, of course. It's getting more difficult for tobacco companies to find new smokers. What to do? Go to Eastern Europe, Africa, China or Mexico and big tobacco will and has found many men, women and children ready to become lifelong smokers.

When America and most of Western Europe got the memo that smoking was bad for your health, the governments took action and limited their ability to advertise. The tobacco industry, through a long history of deceit, deception and duplicity, has continued to find ways to profit in America, yet even with the strong restrictions of our government, has still been able to turn a nice profit. Cigarette sales have fallen in North America by about 5% in recent years, but the tobacco industry has more than offset that with expansion into global markets.

The tobacco companies are not bound by any borders in their insatiable drive for new customers. They have taken over local companies in Mexico, Poland, Tunisia, Indonesia, and now they're taking on China. Approximately 1.1 billion people 15 or older now smoke, worldwide. 72% of the smokers live in developing countries, a rate that is expected to rise to 85% by 2025. Currently 3.5 million tobacco related deaths occur each year, and this number is expected to jump to 10 million by 2025, according to the WHO.

The people that take up smoking in third world countries face dire consequences, not only because of the health risks of smoking, but because of the poor health services of their country, and the fact that they will face health related problems with very poor health services for them to turn to. The tobacco industry in particular is targeting women and children. Get the children hooked, and you've got them for life. Most of the countries that the tobacco industry is entering have little or no restriction on advertising, so they have been very aggressive over the past decade and it is paying big dividends for their bottom line.

This is just another example of how it's always the most vulnerable people who get the short end of the stick. We talk about minority groups not having representation, or poor people not having a voice in matters, and the tobacco industry getting new customers from poor women and children is just another exploitation. It's sad that all that matters to tobacco executives is the bottom line. Who gets hurt along the way is not their concern. They want to get to their goal, however they get there. In this case millions of new smokers will be hurt along the way, and as a result countries will face new, and unimaginable health issues.

From EL Greco to Dali: A Day At The Museum

I love art, so when a group of friends invited me to visit the current exhibit in Balboa Park, I said "Yes." The exhibit consisted of 66 paintings from the collection of Perez Simon, the telecommunications mogul from Mexico and art afficianado. He has a collection of over 1500 paintings from all corners of the world. This entire exhibit was from his collection.

It began with a small painting by El Greco and ended with several larger canvases by Dali. Every great Spanish master from the 16th to the 20th century was represented. My favorite part of our docent tour were the several paintings she showed us by Joaquin Sorolla. He was an artist who painted at the turn of the century, from the late 1800's until 1920, whom I was unfamiliar with, and was so happy to be introduced to.

Sorolla is not considered an Impressionist, although he painted at the same time as the early impressionists, and many of his paintings remind me Monet and Cassat. His use of light and color, his subject matter, often women and children at the sea or at work, and portraits make me think impressionism. His paintings of women remind me of Mary Cassat. I love his work. He was born in Valencia, worked much of his life in Madrid, and even worked in the U.S. for several years. He was definitely in touch with impressionists and influenced by them. (Monet was a close friend).

This was a small exhibit of exceptional quality, and one that will be gone from San Diego very soon. (November 2 is closing day). Then it will go back to Mexico City, where I understand a museum to house all of the works of Mr. Perez Simon will be housed and viewed by the public. He feels that art should be enjoyed by all and wants the public to enjoy his collection after he is gone. Great idea.

Lunch at the Prado topped off a great day at Balboa Park. What a group of us did after lunch will be the topic of another blog next week. Thanks, Marie, for organizing this great day.

Why Are There So Many Sets Of Twins?

My twin grandsons were here recently. They are so much fun. Of course their parents are exhausted, but as grandparents, we thoroughly enjoy our time with them. It started me thinking how many twins you see these days. It's commonplace to see double strollers, when in the past this was rare. My neighbor just had twins, and there's another set on the next block. Why so many twins? There are a couple of reasons.

Women are having babies later in life, and often need assisted fertility treatments. These two factors both lead to multiple births.

As a woman ages, she has a higher chance of releasing two or more eggs at ovulation instead of just one. Doctors believe this is so that hormone levels as a woman approaches menopause start to decrease and the body responds by increasing ovarian activity. After the age of 35 a woman has twice the likelihood of conceiving twins than a 25 year old woman. The odds increase each year after that, with a woman in her 50's having a 30% chance of having twins. So this explains how women without the aid of fertility drugs are having twins at a much higher rate.

Fertility drugs to induce ovulation is another reason for multiple births. These drugs increase the likelihood of two eggs being released at once. The likelihood of multiple births is even higher with couples who choose assisted reproductive techniques like IUI's and IVF. In nearly of of these cases, the twins will not be identical because they will result from two different eggs.

The question as to why so many women are having difficulty conceiving is another issue, and remains speculative. Stress, life style and age are all factors. How often does a woman try for years to conceieve, then adopt, and get pregnant within the year? I've heard many stories like this. The stress of trying to conceive is off, they relax, and poof, they conceive.

Take a look at the strollers in your neighborhood or at the mall and see how many doubles you see. Twins are in!

Great Italian Food: Barolo

A few weeks ago Ron and I went to dinner with Paula and Mike. They live in La Jolla, so the restaurant they chose was in a shopping center near UTC. I love trying new restaurants, and this was a winner. Barolo is just minutes from their home in UTC, and has a very warm, welcoming feel. It seats about 40 people, and the tables are comfortably separated. White table cloths give the restaurant a dressy feel, yet everyone in there is very casually dressed. We met the owner Gino, who is a friend of Paula and Mike's. He serves great food in a warm atmosphere, at reasonable prices.

We all had fish. The evening specials were swordfish, Dover, sole, and trout. Each came finished with a delcious topping. I had the trout, which was grilled and topped with bruschetta. Several vegetables and the most delicious mashed potatoes were served on the side. We had a bottle of house Chianti for $20. To start we had a tuna carpaccio with aspargus and drizzled with a balsamic reduction. We also tried the roasted beets and green beans. Both were delcious. We walked out stuffed. The portions are very generous. Other items that I did not try but will try next time include the fettuccine ai porcini (mushroom) at $14, linguine al pescatora at $20, and the filet al gorgonzola at $32.

Reservations are a must, as the place is small. You will enjoy this small Italian neighborhood restaurant. Good menu, rotating specials, and a warm, friendly atmosphere. I hope you like it.

New Friends

Over the weekend we had the good fortune to spend some time with Linda and Rod, my friends from Bakersfield that I met while Ron was at Taft. Rod's work involves travel, and an occasional trip to San Diego, so when Linda told me they would be here for a few days, I jumped at the chance to see them. I have a two year relationship with them that developed, thanks to an introduction by Carole Santos, into a very close bond. I spent many nights at their home, talking, laughing and complaining. I was there with them for Christmas, and I was there with them the night before Ron was released. Ron's only contact with them had been for a few minutes at a time. We would talk a little in the visiting room when they came to see their son. Would Ron like them as much as I liked them? Would they get along? After all, these were friends that I made based on our common situation. We both had a loved one at Taft.

I was told often that the people you meet during the prison experience are left behind once you are released. Neither Ron nor I believe this. If you truly care about people, how do you just walk away from them? I'm not naive enough to believe that I will see Linda and Rod on a regular basis, after all they live in Bakersfield and will probably move back to Washington State at some point, but with phone and e-mail, we can always keep in touch, and I intend to do just that. I care about them, their son, and their futures. I know they feel the same.

Our Saturday was wonderful. Linda and I spent much of the day in Little Italy and walking along the Embarcadero. It was Farmer's Market Day in Little Italy, so we spent a lot of time there, something Linda doesn't get to do very oftern. The great thing about Linda is that she is game for anything, so we shopped, took in some beautiful outdoor art, ate, and enjoyed the beutiful views. That evening the four of us got together for a great time. Although we are all very different, we have a common bond and an interest in each other. Linda and Rod got to know Ron in the real world for the first time. It was a great evening and hopefully Rod's work will bring him to San Diego again very soon. After all, Ron can't travel, so it will be years before we can come to see them. Linda and Rod are one of the wonderful things that came out of the Taft experience for me.

How Quickly Things Can Change

Every year when I have my bloodwork done, my goal is to have everything in the normal range. Last year I had to work on getting my vitamin D in the normal range. Everything else was normal. So I started taking 2000 units of vitamin D everyday, and my number is now 45, with 40-80 being normal. Yea. Not so fast. Now my cholesterol numbers are all out of whack.

For the past 18 months I have been eating a semi-vegetarian diet. By that I mean eating mostly vegetarian meals, with chicken, fish, and occasionally beef about twice a week. My dinner would often consist of roasted veggies, all different kinds, like kale, turnips, butternut squash, beets, etc. with a bowl of vegetable soup or a grain dish. I loved eating this way. But now I have someone else to cook for, whose culinary tastes are different than mine. Don't get me wrong. I love a burger and fries, and that's what I've been eating a lot of lately, in addition to steak and other high cholesterol foods I had gotten away from. How quickly your numbers can change. My cholesterol was 180 in March of 2010. It is now 230. That's a wake up call for me.

I'm back to my old ways. I stopped by Sprouts this morning and stocked up on swiss chard, yams, butternut squash, turnips and beets. The negative change in my numbers is MY fault. No one is forcing me to eat pizza and steaks. I do have a choice, and my choice is to return to a more vegetarian diet.

Many years ago both Ron and went through the Pritikin Program in Santa Monica. (several times). Nathan Pritikin was a client of Ron's until his death, and his son Robert, who ran the Longevity Center in Santa Monica was a client and long time friend of ours. I learned through their program of diet and exercise how quickly your health can change.

The Pritikin Center dealt mostly with heart and high blood pressure patients. The results were startling. In the residential program, within a month most of the patients with high blood pressure were off their meds. This was the result of the both diet and exercise. The results I saw for myself when I went through the program remind me of how to get the numbers that I want. It's not all that easy, but it sounds easy. Just exercise 45 minutes a day (walking is fine) and control your fat intake. In weeks most people's cholesterol will go down significantly. I'm on a mission: to get my cholesterol back to 180 and lose 10 pounds in the next 2 months. Sounds easy, but I know it will be hard. I hope my numbers come down as quickly as they went up.

It's Time To Eat Real

I've always said that all change is local. Food Day, a national organization, is based on hundreds of local communities with the same philosophy. Their goal is to transform the American diet. October 24 is Food Day, and dozens of events are planned in communities from Alaska to Maine.

Check out their web site, www.foodday.com to see what they have planned. You will find activites in your community, recipes, and general information on why Food Day is so important.

Real food tastes great. Too many Americans are eating diets that are composed of over salted, over processed and sugary foods. No wonder we're so fat. Fresh fruits and vegetables are delicious and satisfying, but are not what most Americans are eating.

The goals of Food Day include reducing diet related disease by promoting safe, healthy foods, supporting sustainable farms and limiting subsidies to big agribusiness, expand access to food and alleviate hunger, protect the environment and animals by reforming factory farms, promote health by curbing funk-food marketing to kids, and support fair conditions for food and farm workers.

Check the web site to find events in your area. Many of the events will help improve lunch programs at local schools. This is one of the most important areas of the program to focus on, in my opinion. We have to change the pallat of children if we are to have any chance of decreasing diabetes and heart disease. Many schools in our area now have gardens, where children get an opportunity to see where REAl food comes from, and learn how to prepare it. This is a good start, but we've got a long way to go. I support Food Day. I hope you will too.

Almond Milk Cake

I'm always on the hunt for new recipes, and this one, from Red Mountain Resort, caught my eye. I have never been to Red Mountain, a spa resort in Utah, but hope to get there someday. Their website always has healthy, interesting recipes, and this month is no exception. This cake is a little different take on sponge cake. Light and fluffy, with an almond flavor. I hope you enjoy this.





Almond Milk Cake(Serves 15)

Ingredients:
3 egg whites
7 oz. almond paste
12 egg yolks
10 oz. sugar, granulated
1 tsp. vanilla extract
7 oz. cake flour 6 cups skim milk
1 ½ cup honey
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup sugar, granulated
2 cups lowfat (neufchatel) cream cheese
¾ tbsp. toasted crushed almond slivers

Directions:

1.Gradually mix the egg whites into the almond paste to soften it.
2.Whip the egg yolks with 3 oz. sugar to ribbon stage. Add the vanilla extract and slowly add this to the almond paste.
3.Whip the whites separated from the yolks to soft peaks with remaining 7 oz. sugar and carefully fold into yolk mixture. Then fold in the cake flour.
4.Immediately spread the batter on a paper-lined sheet pan (do not use any spray oil). Bake at 350 degrees F for 10–12 minutes until done. Allow to cool. Cut cake into three equal sheets.
5.Heat the milk and honey with the vanilla extract to a low simmer.
6.Assemble the layers by spreading lightly with a low-fat cream cheese and sugar mix.
7.With a bamboo skewer or toothpick, poke holes in the sheet cake. Pour the milk mixture over the cake and refrigerate until cold.
8.Cut rectangular shaped pieces about 2 X 3 inches and sprinkle with lightly toasted, crushed almond slivers.

What's Up At Carlsbad Aquafarm?

I have often gone out for dinner and seen Carlsbad mussels on the menu. Chances are that they were farm raised at Carlsbad Aquafarm. The sea life raised here is sold to nearly 50 distributors that transport it to restaurants and stores nationwide.

John Davis, retired commercial airline pilot, started the farm 18 years ago on a 6-acre area in a section of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon that he leases from SDGand E. With the help of his sons and 20 other employees, he produces millions of shellfish each year, primarily mussels and oysters, but also sea horses, abalone, algae and brine shrimp. John and his sons built the farm from the ground up, including heavy-duty filtration systems. They're an environmentally conscious operation, putting water back into the ocean cleaner than it comes in.

The farm isn't easy to spot. It's on Carlsbad Blvd just south of Carlsbad Village Drive. Look for the rows of white buoys that float in the lagoon. Mussels hang off the buoys in 8-fot-long mesh sleeves submerged in the salty water.

No new products are planned to their existing list of shellfish. Davis wants to grow only things that are indigenous to the area. The shellfish from Carlsbad Aquafarm can be found at all the local farmer's markets in Southern California. We often talk today about knowing where your food comes. It's great to know that the mussels you get in a local restaurant come from our own backyard.

Phase Three-Week Two

Ron has been home for 82 glorious days. We have settled into a "normal" routine. This is the first time in 40 years that I can remember not thinking about the future in the way I used to think. I used to be focused on events, like the end of the school year, a family vacation, the end of tax season, a son leaving for college, etc. Those were the events by which I gauged time. I don't have those events anymore, and I look at the future differently. I look at my calendar for the rest of the year and most of what I have on the calendar are day to day events, like working out, playing bridge, working, going to a movie. I guess what I'm trying to say is that we are both living more "In the moment." That is a good thing. Keeping healthy and happy on a daily basis is more the goal. The future is important, but it doesn't mean a thing without good health.

My writing about our journey during the past 22 months is just about over. I will continue to write once a month. I don't feel I have enough to say to you on a week to week basis, so I'm moving to a monthly format. I will update you on our progress on the first Monday of every month.

Ron and I continue to work on our own relationship. I think marriage is an evolving institution, as we are both changing all the time. We continue to try to help other men and their families that are going through circumstances similar to ours. We are talking with a family right now, who although their circumstances are very different, are hopefully benefitting from our experience. Ron finds this work very cathartic. I too, feel so good helping another wife or mother prepare for what she faces. I call this a "journey" and I don't think my journey is over. It's reached another level, one that's not quite as interesting to readers as the past 22 months. I will continue, however, to keep you posted.

What is Banh Mi?

Banh Mi is a Vietnamese baguette sandwich, stuffed with a variety of meats, vegetables and spices. It is absolutely delicious. By accident I stumbled into a strip center in San Marcos with 2 different Vietnamese restaurants in it, one being a restaurant simply called, Banh Mi. For $3.25 I had a fantastic sandwich.

I chose the barbequed pork sandwich from the list of 15 possible sandwich combinations. It was served on a long French baguette, maybe 8-9 inches in length. The sandwich contained barbequed pork, mayonnaise, pickled carrots, daikon, cilantro, cucumber slices and a few jalapeno slices for just a bit of heat. I can't wait to go back again. They also have sandwiches containing shredded pork, ham, chicken, tofu, and sardines. What have I been missing? Banh Mi is at 706 Rancho Santa Fe Rd. in San Marcos. It's just a little take out place with a few tables for dining in customers. They also offer soup (not pho, but another soup with noodles and chicken) and drinks, including Thai iced tea and boba drinks.

There is another full service Vietnamese restaurant in the same center, which I will try at another time. It had white table cloths, moderate prices, and was packed both times I went by. It must be good.

Sometimes we find great food in the least likely places. If I hadn't stopped at CVS for hot tamales to take with me to the movies (Moneyball), I never would have found Banh Mi. Now that I know about it, it's going to be hard to keep me away.

Are The Unemployed Lazy?

It always gets my dander up when I hear people generalize about an ethnic group. They'll drive by Home Depot where a group of Hispanic men stand, waiting for work. Some make comments that show their ignorance. Like most immigrants, these men are trying to do whatever they can to make a living. I remember hearing the stories about my family's immigration from Germany and Russia to America almost 100 years ago. Many young boys came alone at ages as young as 13, on a boat, to America. Most of them had a relative here who took them in and helped get them started. Most of these families made a better life for themselves, and one by one would bring the rest of the family to the new country. Many of these families became highly successful, and within 2 generations, the children were going to college, becoming doctors, lawyers, teachers and entreprenneurs. It's a little different today because we have so many immigrants flooding our borders, but their goal is the same. They want to make a better life for themselves and their children.

Only through a few personal stories can I tell you how hard working I have found most immigrants to be. Regardless of where they are from, they are some of the hardest working people I've ever known, and in many cases will take on jobs that no other Americans want to do. I want to tell you about three immigrant families.

Sue was my manicurist for many years when I lived in LA. She came here from Vietnam in the 1970's after the war. She got her cosmetology license, became a citizen, and opened a nail shop. She lived with her husband, 2 sons, and her parents, in a small apartment near downtown Los Angeles. She worked 7 days a week giving manicures. (she's in her 60's now and still works 12 hours everyday). She worked hard, saved her money, and sent both sons to Pomona College. They now work in the IT field, earning good salaries, and helping their parents who have made the good life possible for them. Years of hard work paid off for this family, for they now live a solid middle class life.

Jesus was our gardener for over 30 years. He came here from Mexico as a young boy (he is now over 80), learned the language (key to success) and started getting gardening customers. Jesus was about 5 feet tall, but I never met anyone who could work like him. 12 hours a day of hard labor. Over the years he invested in property in Los Angeles. Today he is finacially comfortable thanks to Jesus' entreprennurial nature. He hired crews of men to help with his gardening jobs, and eventually Jesus had a huge number of clients. I no longer see Jesus, as he is old and can't walk very well, but his sons have carried on the gardening tradition and have dozens of customers. A wonderful man with a wonderful family who worked hard to achieve the American Dream.

Julia was a young woman of 18 when she came to Los Angeles, speaking no English and being smuggled in by a Coyote. She worked for me for 10 years, and for the next 20 years worked for my parents. She is a wonderful woman who epitomizes the American Dream. She left El Salvador for a better life, and has she ever found what she was looking for. She learned English, became a citizen, married a wonderful man and had three sons, all of who are pulling their own weight. She has a sister who she is close to who also has three children, all high achievers, all with good jobs. The icing on the cake took place 2 years ago when she and her husband bought their first home. It's a beautiful home, and completes the American Dream for Julia and her family.

To call immigrants lazy is just ignorant. Lazy people come in all colors, genders, sizes and shapes. Most immigrants come here for a better life, most are very hard working, and many are performing jobs other Americans will not take. Sure, there are some freeloaders. There always are. But by and large the immigrants today are coming for the same reasons as my great grandparents came. Opportunity. Most of them, if given the opportunity, do not disappoint.

Odds and Ends

Just a few little odds and ends to tell you about today. Miguels Cucina is opening soon in Carlsbad, where Marie Calendar's used to be on Palomar Airport Road and the 5. They are completely rebuilding the property. Also in Carlsbad, Pat and Oscar's has finally closed.

I recently learned of a new website that offers 30% discounts on your entire bill. It's an interesting concept. For $10 you make a reservation at any one of dozens of restaurants, then your entire party gets 30% off the bill, including drinks. The only problem right now is that they are NOT in San Diego yet. They are in Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Denver, Atlanta, and San Francisco, and I hope they'll be here soon. I know a lot of you travel or have friends and family in these cities, so check it out. It is www.savored.com. I enrolled (free) already, and will use it when I go to LA or Denver. All the restaurants represented are high end, expensive ones. For example, in LA they have Drago, Josie, and Campanile on the list. Check them out.

I've got to tell you about my new favorite food bargain. Have you seen the Burger King ads for their mini sundaes? I got a craving the other night, and we stopped by the Burger King in Encinitas. I had a carmel sundae with soft serve ice cream for $1.00. They also have hot fudge, oreo, and peach. What a deal, and it is delicious.

That's all for now. Those of you who live south of Solana Beach need to let me know if there are any relevant openings or closings in your area. I've been focusing on North County recently because that's where I am, but I'd be happy to check out other new places. Just let me know.

Baking With Phyllo Dough

I used to throw big parties when I lived in Los Angeles, and I did all the cooking for most of them. As I got a little older and lazier, I would often have my parties catered, but for the most part I would cook. One of my favorite hors d'oeuvres was a phyllo dough triangle filled with cheese or spinach. I never knew then I was making spanikopita. It wasn't until my son Phil bought a line of Greek food that I knew the name for what I had been making for many years.

The nice thing about this hors d'oeuvres is that you can make hundreds of them at a time, freeze them, and have them on hand for any occasion. I used to make a whole package worth of phyllo dough at one time, often making them assembly line style with my kids or my mom. They are still one of my all time favorites. Now I also use them as part of a Mediterranean meal, with hummus, tzidaki, pita and falaffel. Delish.

Spanikopita

2 cups mixed grated cheeses. (jack and cheddar is good)
1/2 cup fresh parsley, well chopped
3 eggs, beaten
(you may have to adjust the ingredients above to make a mixture that is firm. The egg is just to bind it all together)

Take phyllo doug, cut the whole package into 4 inch strips. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or it will dry out. Each strip will become one triangle. Melt butter, brush the strip of phyllo dough lightly with butter, add a spoon of the cheese mixture at one end, then roll in a triangle and make sure it is sealed.

Place triangles on a cookie sheet, put in freezer, and freeze for 15 minutes. Then transfer to an air tight baggie. These will last for months.

When ready to serve, remove what you need, place on a cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees, until light brown on top. They can also be done in the toaster over.

Other options are to use ricotta cheese and spinach mixture, or cheese and green chilis, for a little spice.

This is a great rainy day cooking activity, one you'll be glad you did, because you'll have a great treat on hand for your guest or your family. Enjoy.

Phase Three-Week One

Thursday night we received our last 2 phone calls from the Halfway House, checking to make sure Ron was home. Of course he was, and after the 2am phone call we could not go back to sleep. He was due to appear at the Halfway House between 4-8am to get his release papers. Around 5:30am he got up, and by 6:30 was calling me to say he had his release papers in hand and was on his way home. Phase two was over. Now we're on to phase three.

Supervised release is a three year period during which Ron has a probation officer that he has to report to monthly. After he gets settled into the routine of what she wants, it should become routine, but in the beginning there are many forms to fill out. In his case they are not concerned with his behavior, only that they get their money. It's all about the money. Things like visits to our family in Los Angeles are on hold right now. Hopefully within a few months Ron will have permission to travel there to see my mother and our children and grandchildren. They are very strict on allowing him to leave the jurisdiction.

I feel relief. The most difficult part is behind us. (actually the most difficult part was the 2 years before incarceration.) I was so excited Friday about him getting his release papers. You think it's over, but no, it's just another phase of the whole process. I started to feel that all this was never going to end when he told me about the first meeting with his probation officer, and all the things he could and could not do. Then I realized how far we've come, and that the next three years are going to be a piece of cake.

We're just so happy to have uninterrupted evenings without the phone ringing at all hours of the night. Saturday night we at a bridge party at our local bridge club and didn't get home until 10:30 and nobody was checking up on him! Ron is looking forward to work and getting back into a routine. Ron has three years of supervised release, which means he'll be filling out monthly reports, submitting budgets, expenses and the like for next three years, but that's all just part of the system. He says they don't make special rules just for him. As the saying goes, "It's not over until the fat lady sings." She's a long way from singing.

The Legacy of Steve Jobs

As I went about my day on Thursday, the day after the death of Steve Jobs, I thought about the enormous impact he and the products his company has created, have had on 21st century technology and culture. When I saw him resign 6 weeks ago from his post as CEO of Apple, I knew that the end was near. I know about pancreatic cancer and liver cancer first hand, as my mother in law died from liver cancer, while my father in law died from pancreatic cancer.

Steve Jobs was not just a visionary and brilliant businessman, but he was an ordinary man. He connected with people the way his products connected with people. When he would unveil a new product, he'd get up on stage in a casual shirt and jeans and explain how it worked, always with such ease. You couldn't wait to go out and buy the product.

Steve Jobs was a visionary. He knew what we wanted before we knew we wanted it. He headed the largest technology company in the world, and his influence will put him at the top of any list of influential people in the past century.

Here's how my Thursday went, and how the inventions of Steve Jobs changed my day and our world. First, I went to the Y to take a spinning class. The cycling teacher organized her "playlist" (list of music to be played), and we were ready to spin. Often the spin teacher will connect the computer to her ipod, then the ipod to the tv screen, and we will have a playlist with a video of where we're riding. All inventions of Steve Jobs.

Next, I stopped at Starbucks for coffee. I sat and watched a number of customers talking on their iphone, or working on their ipad or laptop. Again, all visions of Steve Jobs. Later that afternoon we were planning to attend a movie, and we used the iphone to get the movie times. For dinner we stopped at a new restaurant in San Diego, Stacked, that has an ipad on each table. Customers order their meal on the ipad. I could go on and on. The products resulting from the vision of Steve Jobs have such a dramatic effect on culture worldwide it is staggering. There's not a region of the world that hasn't been touched by him. We are all connected now, more so than we may want to be. Technology will continue to progress without Steve Jobs, but he was the innovator, the visionary, the creative mind that got the ball rolling.

Ignite in Carlsbad

I've been to the new restaurant/bar in Carlsbad, Ignite, twice so far. I absolutely love it. It's got a great vibe and delicious food and drink. Go there for happy hour, to watch a sporting event, or dinner with a special someone. The decor is contemporary and energetic, with TV's everywhere, splashes of color on the walls, and a dim, bar like atmosphere. In fact much of the inside of the restaurant is bar, with low and high top tables. The dining area takes up about half the space. Outside on the front patio there is another bar and lots of low, casual tables. On a warm summer night the patio is the place to be.

The star of the restaurant is the food. I've had several items there that I can vouch for, the rest of the menu I will try at another time. Here's what I liked. Asparagus fries, with a wonderful aioli dipping sauce were fantastic. Instead of regular potato skins, Ignite serves fingerling potatoes, halved and topped with cheese, bacon bits and scallions. Just delicious. Fried pickles, very thin, with another great dipping sauce is only available at happy hour. I'm very particular about my pizza, but I am raving about the pizza at Ignite. Especially the thin, crispy crust. It's just the way I like it. I have had 2 different pizzas, the artichoke hearts, pine nuts and cheese, and another with Tuscan bean puree, bacon, tomato and arugula. Other things to try are the wonderful salads. A beet and goat cheese salad looked delicious, as did the chopped chicken salad. Several burgers are on the menu, and although I have not sampled one yet, my guess is that they're good. Ignite also has a steak, mac and cheese, and various other interesting menu items.

I'm not much of a drinker but it looks like they have a large assortment of beer, wine and specialty drinks. They don't have much for dessert, but trust me, you'll be so full from the delicious appetizers, snacks, salads and entrees you won't be interested in dessert. If you need something sweet, try the yogurt shop next door.

Ignite is a little on the loud side, but we found the perfect table. Look for us at table #30. That's our table.

Myths About Your Brain

I was driving to the Y one morning and Jer from KYXY was talking about some of the myths about the brain. It got me interested in reading more, and so I went home and found out that much of what we think about the brain is untrue or only partially true. Here are some of the myths about the brain.

1. Listening to Mozart makes you smarter. There is no scientific evidence of this. However, studies done in the 1950's showed that listening to Mozart might increase one's performance on certain spatial-temporal tasks. Dr.
Frances Rauscher, the scientist that originally tried to prove this, said that money spent to continue to study this would be better spent on music programs in the school. After all, there is scientific evidence that playing a musical instrument improves concentration, self-confidence, coordination and math skills.

2. The human brain is the biggest brain. This, of course, is not true. Whales have a 17 pound brain. Humans do have the biggest brain in relation to the size of their body. We have the largest cerebral cortex relative to our size and weight, and this part of the brain is what is responsible for higher functions of memory, communication and thinking.

3. Once you lose brain cells, they're gone forever. This is another false statement. Accidents or strokes which may cause the loss of brain function, are not permanent. Brain cells can regenerate. Brain cells that are lost through the use of drugs may be able to be reversed. This is still debatable.

4. You only use 10% of your brain. Another falacy. This myth was perpetrated many years ago by Albert Einstein and Margaret Mead. They both stated that we use just a small portion of our brain. This statement later said that we used 10% of our brain. Researchers tried to show that people with psychic abilities were tapping into the other 90% of their brain. This is not true. There is still much to learn about the brain, and researchers don't know exactly how much of our brain we really use.

The brain is one of the most complex organs in the body, and as much as we think we know about it, we are constantly learning new things. Regardless of what we know about the brain so far, it certainly is any amazing thing.

Fish 101

Do you know how some locations are just losers? Everything that moves into some spaces fails. There's a spot on Highway 101 that I thought was one of the losers, until Fish 101 came along. What a winner! I was there for dinner last week, and I can't wait to go back. Previously it had been 2 other fish restaurants that failed. Who knows what makes a restaurant successful?

Fish 101 is small. It's right on Highway 101 in Leucadia. It only seats about 25 people outside, another 20 or so on the back patio, and a dozen or so on the front patio. Right now during the warm weather everyone wants to sit outside, but when the cooler weather arrives, who knows what will happen? Maybe they have heaters.

The food is delicious. I had the fish plate of the day for $12.95. I had a large piece of mahi mahi, delicious crispy french fries, and creamy coleslaw. Mike had a plate of 3 fish tacos for his entree, and started the meal with 6 nice size shrimp and cocktail sauce. Ron had the grilled shrimp plate (shrimp on a skewer) with 2 sides, fries and coleslaw. Debbie had a yummy grilled shrimp sandwich. We were stuffed and could not eat dessert, but I plan to leave room for dessert next time. The wife of the owner is a pastry chef, and each day she makes, or has made, delicious sweet desserts. Their creme brulee is supposed to be killer. Other offerings at Fish 101 include fish wraps and sandwiches, and lots of fried fish, including fish and chips, po boy sandwich, and fried shrimp. There is definitely something for everyone.

It's a casual place, where you go to the counter, order your food, then they bring you your meal. The tables are comfortable and not too close together, something that is always important to me. Pelly's has always been my favorite restaurant of this type, but I think I'll be going back to Fish 101 again soon. If their clam chowder is good, which I suspect it is, they'll be my new favorite casual fish restaurant in town.

Phase Two-Week Nine

This is the last week of phase two. This is the last week that Ron will fill out his weekly schedule detailing where he will be, with names and addresses of where he will be, every hour of the week. It will be the last week that someone comes by the house randomly to makes sure he is here if he's supposed to be, the last week that he'll be called multiple times in the middle of the night, and the last week that he'll be asked to come take a drug test. We both look forward to Friday, October 7, the day Ron will go early in the morning to get his release papers.

While Ron was at Taft, his favorite time of day was the half hour or so that he showered. This was really the only time he was truly alone. Walking on the track might start as a solitary activity, but soon there would be others who wanted to walk and talk. He might lie in his bunk in the afternoon alone, but there were always people nearby, noise (music or talking) and light. The shower was his escape, and he mentioned to me last week that every day when he takes a shower, he thinks of Taft. Those thoughts that he has while showering will take a long time to fade. They're not bad thoughts, but just reminders of how shower time was his thinking time at Taft. That's when he'd do the math. He'd figure out how many more days he would be there, how many days he'd already been there, and sometimes figure hours and minutes as well. Shower time was HIS time alone. Today he can be alone whenever he wants, but the shower is the time that brings back memories of Taft.

There are definitely bumps in the road at this stage in our journey. Ron finds it hard not to forget what he had prior to 2003 and where he is now. He accepts all this, enjoys each day as it comes, and looks forward, but there are always reminders of the past. Forgetting and forgiving people that wanted to distance themselves from him during his ordeal is most difficult to get past. Time does not heal all wounds, but some of the hurt will fade. It's hard to forgive those that were around for the good times, then vanished when the going got rough.

It's also difficult not to be cynical about the judicial system. Only when you've gone through the process do you understand the "justice system." When Ron tells stories about overagressive procecutors and relentless pursuit of the government to get someone, most people are shocked. They almost don't believe it. We are taught to believe that America is the land of the free and that we have the greatest justice system in the world. Until you've experienced it first hand you may believe this, but after going through, your beliefs will change.

It's behind us now, and we're ready for phase three. I'll start writing about that next week. That is when our day to day lives will get back to "normal." I'll let you know how that goes.