Out of Rhythm

Lester Beach, South Lake Tahoe (Chron)

Moderate weather is forecast for this Labor Day:

Tranquil weather is expected in the Bay Area for the holiday weekend as west-southwest winds keep marine air flowing from the ocean to the land, preventing temperatures from climbing too high. Sunday will be the windiest day of the extended weekend, with gusts up to 30 mph.

Along the coast, the ebb and flow to the marine layer will keep temperatures in San Francisco in the 60s to low 70s with morning and evening clouds from Friday through Monday. Oakland should reach the mid-70s each day, while San Jose will steadily be in the low to mid-80s.

It looks like a good weekend to get away.

During my working years I looked forward to holiday weekends. Dates were circled months in advance, and travel was scheduled to minimize the use of paid vacation. Holiday weekends took a lot of work, but the payoff was often great.

Now that I'm retired I don't much care for long weekends. Shopping centers, restaurants, and supermarkets are crowded on what would normally be a weekday, and the local bank and post office are closed. I rarely go on long car trips, especially not when most other people are on the road like the upcoming Labor Day weekend.

I do regret being out of rhythm with the rest of America.

A Happier Trip

MacBook Air battery had to be done immediately

I have always brought work on vacation.

The habit started in college during my freshman year, when I flew home for the first winter break with the suitcase half-filled with books. My school was on the semester system, which pushed final exams to January.

High-school friends whose colleges were on the quarter system had already completed their finals and had a more fun-filled vacation than I did.

Having cracked open the books on only a couple of occasions that first Christmas, I learned something useful: only bring work that I was absolutely sure I would spend time on. Leave behind anything that could possibly wait.

Speaking of things that couldn't wait, the replacement laptop battery failed disappointingly after one year (the expectation was three). I gave a moment's thought about trying to wangle a free or discounted replacement from the manufacturer, then opted for the speed and simplicity of ordering another one for $45. It arrived the day before departure, when there were a dozen more important things left to do.

And so it was that I spent my first night in Hawaii taking apart the 2014 MacBook Air, putting in the new battery, and screwing it back to together. The battery could run the computer for four hours, and we're good for another year.

Another lesson: getting it done sooner makes for a happier trip

The Ride is Bumpy, so What?

I'll take "Things People do in Texas that I Can't Imagine Them Doing in California," Alex.

----Guadalupe River, New Braunfels, TX via Vacation Secrets on Facebook

By the way, Californians, Texas has a drought, too.

Good Birthday Party

One purpose of my first trip to Hawaii in 16 months was to celebrate Mom's birthday. She turned 92 last week and had a joy-filled afternoon.

The assisted-living facility only allowed five visitors at a time; COVID protocols are still active. Concerned that after two hours she would be exhausted, we discovered that those fears were unfounded.

Visits started at 2 p.m., and at five, when the facility closed, Mom was still going strong.

Receiving presents, eating cupcakes and long-life noodles, and having "Happy Birthday" being sung to you were just the tonics she needed.

Kalakaua Bridge over the canal.

Upon leaving, I promised Mom that I would visit her every afternoon (which I did, except for the day when she was transported to Queen's Medical Center for an appointment).

On my daily walks around the neighborhood, I noted how the Kalakaua Ave. bridge over the Ala Wai Canal was built the same year that Mom was born.

The bridge was a little weather-beaten, but its bones are strong. Long may it stand.

Gradual Comeback

The Moana Surfrider Hotel: hardly any activity on a beautiful morning.

At 7 a.m. on a weekday morning, Kalakaua Avenue has few cars, pedestrians, and joggers. 6 a.m. in pre-pandemic Waikiki had more activity. Only a few workers were waiting for a bus, and all of them were masked as per current Hawaii regulations for public transportation.

Hawaii was the last State to be added to the Union--I was there for the parade down King Street--and it's the last State to lift COVID-19 restrictions. On Independence Day weekend, Governor Ige still requires Mainland visitors to test negative for COVID-19 before they get on the plane to Hawaii, even if they have been vaccinated.

Such testing, beginning July 8th, will not be required for vaccinated travelers. The rationale is that the State's population will be "safe" at a 60% vaccination level, and that the models project that hurdle to be reached on July 8th. Those are two major assumptions, but don't question the science, you uneducated troglodyte!

Meanwhile, the crowds are starting to come back (it's impossible to get a rental car this month). When my discombobulated personal and business lives--and Hawaii's tourist economy--get back to normal next year, maybe I'll book a stay at the Moana Hotel.

Ten years' absence is long enough.

Lucky Come Hawaii

It's a good time to be in Hawaii, which sounds inane because as my Mainland friends say, it's always a good time to be in Hawaii. But look what's happening back in Northern California.

Lava Fire at Weed, CA, 10 mi. from Mr. Shasta (Chron)

California's burning again. Lava Fire explodes to more than 13,000 acres

The Lava Fire, ravaging through steep and rugged terrain near Mount Shasta and Lake Shastina in Siskiyou County, tripled in size over the last 12 hours and was burning across 13,300 acres as of Tuesday morning.

Wind gusts as high as 50 mph contributed to the wildfire’s spread Monday to the east and southeast toward Mount Shasta, said Michelle Carbonaro, spokesperson for the inter-agency team managing the fire.

Lake Shastina is 300 miles from the Peninsula, but the high winds will not only make the fire difficult to control but will degrade the air quality throughout the region. Those of us with respiratory problems will have to stay indoors and run the filters.

Assault and robbery reached their lows in August
and October, respectively, and are nearly back
to their 2019 levels. (Chronicle graph)

Violent crime is coming back: San Francisco crime is starting to look more like it did before the pandemic

The violent crimes we analyzed, robbery and assault, declined for the first six months or so of the pandemic, until COVID-19 cases began surging nationwide in late October. Both robberies and assaults spiked through late February, though robberies remained below 2019 levels for every month except February 2021, when they reached 11% above where they were pre-pandemic.

As of May 2021, both types of violent crime are hovering slightly below pre-pandemic levels, but above their pandemic-era lows.

Going backwards (2019 Chronicle pic)

Burglaries may be down overall, but not for tourists. Car break-ins are up as tourism returns to San Francisco [bold added]

The reopening of San Francisco’s restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues and the gradual return of visitors to the city has swiftly collided with a sharp rise in smash-and-grab thefts from cars in tourist-heavy parts of the city, according to city data.

It's only property, declare the people who run the City and State governments, as they divert funds from the police to social services. Florida smash-and-grab victim Kinga Sojka advises:

"Just don’t take valuable stuff with you. Take as little as possible and nothing of big value — no laptops, no jewelry — don’t bring it at all and if you do bring it, even a passport or car keys, carry it with you. Don’t leave it in your car.”

And don't forget about the Hayward and San Andreas faults. The good news: the quake was only 3.9 on the Richter scale. The bad news: the epicenter was 20 miles from Foster City. 3.9 quake felt in the Bay Area, epicenter near San Leandro

Lucky I come Hawaii.

The Primary Second Home

The well-named Narcissus Executive Desk ($6,200) is
a welcome tax-deductible addition to one's home office.

Many wealthy people have a primary home and a secondary (aka "vacation") home. The coronavirus-caused exodus from the cities and the boom in working remotely have created a new real estate term: the primary second home. [bold added]

Buyers are looking for second homes where they can comfortably camp out for months, and in some cases, forever. They are not just driven by fear of an extended pandemic. As many firms—especially tech companies—embrace remote working, people are taking the opportunity to untether from astronomically priced cities and get more space, scenery, and quiet...

While some buyers want to be close to big cities, the ability to work from anywhere has encouraged others to look in remote areas, said Kevin McDonald, an agent with Sotheby’s International Realty in northern Sonoma and southern Mendocino Counties. Estates with a vineyard or winery component—anywhere from 1 acre to thousands—are now in high demand, he said.

“It’s similar to the rush to grab toilet paper and people grabbing the biggest ones they can find,” Mr. McDonald said. While most buyers are looking for second homes, they want “the potential of shifting to primary residences.”

I'm guessing that many upper-middle-class telecommuters also have a tax motivation.

The 2017 Tax Act limited the State and Local Taxes (SALT) itemized deduction to $10,000. Typical Bay Area homeowners have already exceeded that limit because of property taxes (at least 1% of the home's purchase price) and State Income Taxes. The tax benefits of owning a second home become low or nonexistent because its property taxes are not deductible, and deductions on mortgage interest are heavily restricted.

If the second home becomes the taxpayer's principal place of business, however, much of its expenses--property taxes and mortgage interest plus insurance and utilities--now become deductible. Perhaps wealthy executives and professionals would have made the decision to purchase anyway, but it can't hurt to trick out the second home so that the taxman is on your side.

Accountant, Go Home, Organize Thyself

West end of Ala Wai Canal from the McCully bridge.

I used to be able to grind away all night on spreadsheets and documents, but 12 continuous hours now seems to be my limit.

As the sun sets on my Hawaiian "vacation," I didn't accomplish everything that I hoped, but I did enough so that I wouldn't have to return in March or April (though I might just for fun). I scanned or copied the papers that I will need to do Mom's tax return and sketch out her financial picture for 2020.

As usual, I'm much further along with clients and family members than I am with my own stuff...

Stopping on the Way to Seattle

Portland at night (Flickr photo)

Portland at night is beautiful. Unfortunately I couldn't enjoy much of that beauty because my eyes were glued to the car's navigation screen. Driving Portland's circuitous streets and bridges, even with the aid of GPS, can be confusing. (I hadn't visited the City of Roses for 30 years.)

We got a late start leaving the Bay Area and, 650 miles later, found ourselves looking for an eatery at 10:30 p.m.

"Woody Royale" - burger with
pork belly

A quick scan of Yelp led us to Tilt, which was only 3 miles from the hotel. A few wrong turns sparked excitement, but a kindly waiter let us in 5 minutes before the 11 o'clock closing.

Dietary discipline went out the window. We were on vacation, and we were hungry.

Still Appealing

The streets in our neighborhood are being repaved and resealed, which meant that any cars we wanted to use during the next two days had to be parked at least a block away. It was as good an excuse as any to take a road trip.

A full tank of gas, an overnight bag, an open calendar, and some spending money---some pleasures of 40 years ago still appeal.

Slowness is Good

I missed the video three months ago, but it's gotten a second life on the internet. A 12-foot alligator nicknamed "Humpback" walked across the footpath in the Circle B park in central Florida. Pedestrians watched from a distance that was still much too close for me.

If I ever do go to Florida for pleasure, I will be sure to bring someone in my party who is slower than I am.

Disneyland: Glad I Went

Slinky Dog from Toy Story

I expected Disneyland to be hot, crowded, and expensive, and indeed, the experience was worse in all those respects from my last trip 15 years ago. Going in with low expectations makes pleasant surprises more likely, however.

What I did enjoy: the cleanliness of the parks, the quality of the food, the civility of the staff and vast majority of visitors, the beauty of the parades, the use of technology when appropriate, and the meticulous attention to detail throughout.

The late Steve Jobs "even cared about the look of the parts you couldn’t see" and that ethic seems to be alive and well at Disneyland.

Hot, crowded, and expensive---and I was glad I went.

Where Ties are Not Required or Even Recommended

Using Yelp to find a good seafood place near Anaheim, we settled on the Boiling Crab (TBC), a favorite of over 2,000(!) reviewers.

The restaurant was in a slightly run-down suburban shopping center in Garden Grove, but the location didn't keep the weeknight crowd away. There were at least 20 people in line outside.

Let your fingers do the shelling

Seated in half an hour, we ordered quickly. My associate went right for the crab--boiled of course--while I, wanting to preserve my collared shirt, ordered shrimp that could be eaten diffidently with a fork and knife.

The server plopped down a bag of shrimp that was boiled in red spices. Where was the plate? Where were the utensils?

That's when I looked around at fellow diners who were attacking their shellfish with fingers and teeth. Now I understood why the waitresses set out a plastic table cover and gave all customers a bib when they sat down.

I stripped down to a T-shirt and tore at the shrimp with gusto. The crustacea were fresh and delicious and mildly spiced, as I had ordered.

The Boiling Crab experience is unique: diners are compelled to focus on the food and talk to their companions---who wants to get crab juice all over their smartphone?

In select parts of the country there is a renaissance in fine dining, and people are again dressing up when they go out to eat. A word to the wise: TBC does not cater to that demographic, so guys, you don't have to wear a tie.

Radiator Springs Racers

California Adventure Magic Morning: Hurry in and wait.

My last trip to Disneyland having occurred over ten years ago, I was bound and determined to experience Radiator Springs Racers, the California Adventure ride that reportedly cost $200 million to build and opened in 2012.

[The wandering mind digresses: "bound and determined" may be too wordy in a 140-character reality, but who knows, in a 50 Shades world the expression may acquire a second life.]

Our three-day ticket allowed us to enter California Adventure an hour early ("Magic Morning"), but Radiator Springs Racers and the rest of Cars Land remained closed until the normal opening time of 8 a.m. "Magic Morning" didn't mean that the desirable rides started at 7 a.m., just that we had a 200-foot head start in the race to the Racers.

We speed-walked our way to the ride and were in our car by 8:10. Radiator Springs Racers was a unique combination of holography and audio-animatronics at the beginning, dioramas of circa-50's and 60's Southern California car culture in the middle, and a brief high-speed race through dry Southwestern hills at the end. I was glad to have experienced it, but once is enough.

Hanauma No Ka 'Oi

Florida professor Stephen Leatherman ("Dr. Beach") ranks Hanauma Bay as the number one beach in America:

"I've never seen so many fish swimming around your feet."

Hanauma Bay was the first beach in the state to ban smoking because they found that fish were eating cigarette butts.

Safety is an important factor in Leatherman's decision, noting that the water in Hanauma Bay is relatively shallow and calm and that you don't have to go very far offshore to see the marine life. The park also has lifeguards posted across the beach and many signs warning visitors of the dangers that do exist.

Hanauma Bay was special in the 1950's, too.

Solution to an Annual Problem

(Photo from idealphysicaltherapy.com)

A Time fitness writer suggests How to Avoid Weight Gain When Traveling for the Holidays:

When there’s free time....I like to fit in a short workout.

1 minute of squat to left side kicks

1 minute of squat to right side kicks

1 minute of burpees

1 minute plank

1 minute of squat jumps

She knows what she's talking about (I won't detail how I know this): if you do these exercises while waiting in line, you'll be hauled away to a small boxlike room which serves non-fattening foods.

Think of it as getting an early start to accomplishing your New Year's resolutions.

We'll Be Back

Magic Island, Ala Moana Beach Park

Another great trip---just enough, but not too much family, food, and fun.

Dad's birthday party came together with everybody stepping up to fill needs when they arose. The burden fell unequally among those who lived on Oahu and those who flew in from the Mainland (ahem).

There were some surprises, such as how well (most of) my relatives have aged and the bibulous capacity of the younger generation.

We'll be back in the fall, if not sooner.

Fresh Eyes

Only three of the buildings existed when I moved away.

Growing up in Hawaii, I rarely went to touristy areas like Waikiki Beach, Ala Moana, and Hanauma Bay.

Living half a lifetime on the Mainland has brought an appreciation for what was left behind. I am beginning to see why visitors to the Islands marvel at the white sands, warm oceans, and easygoing pace.

Fading memories bring fresh eyes.

Action vs Inaction

Left: Burnt-out ballast;  Right: lightweight replacement

The builder of our home went crazy with fluorescent lighting. Two years ago the ballasts that power the tubes began going out. Like with most projects that are a bit of a hassle, I procrastinate until increasing inconvenience and guilt force me to take action.

On Father's Day weekend the family left me alone to "relax." While they were away I brought out the tools and fixed a couple of banks of lights. Action can be much more relaxing than inaction.

Tempus Per Annum

The liturgical color for Ordinary Time is green, a sign of hope.

Between Pentecost (May 24, 2015) and Advent (November 29, 2015) lies the longest season of the church year: ordinary time.

Rather than meaning “common” or “mundane,” this term comes from the word “ordinal,” which simply means “counted time,” because we number the Sundays from here on out in order from the First Sunday after Pentecost, all the way up to the Last Sunday after Pentecost...

this is the usual time in the church, the time that is not marked by a constant stream of high points and low points, ups and downs, but is instead the normal, day-in, day-out life of the church. This time is a time to grapple with the nuts and bolts of our faith, not coasting on the joy and elation of Christmas, or wallowing in the penitential feel of Lent.

No joy, elation, wallowing or other mood extremes as we head off to summer vacation. The church calendar does seem to be thoughtfully and Intelligently Designed.