spoke way too soon

the following week, I missed work most days. Friday though, for the T'day party, it was raining and I drove, but couldn't find parking except at the hospital employee lot (long walk sans umbrella) in an "A" section. Walked back after the party, moved the car to the far end of the Cantor museum parking, double long walk. Big pain in my side by end of day, enough that I couldn't do exercises with Alan on Saturday morn.

Then, Saturday, went to Big Game with the Hollars, and we all listened to Jenny hollar for da Bears. "Go, Bears". It would be Stanford's only loss in the final four games, games that most figured they'd lose all four. But instead, they wreaked havoc on Oregon (league champs), USC (perennial league champs), and even Notre Dame last night.

Meanwhile, I awoke with huge pain in that side (kidney area on right), and shooting pains going up my right arm. So, about 2am, we went to ER. Lots of students in there, "sleeping it off". One awoke about four, was ready to go, said "where are my shoes?" to which the orderly said, "you didn't wear any in". A gal slept peacefully as the doctors shook her bed, screaming "earthquake". A third, at eight in the morn, upon leaving, said, "would you mind telling me whether that is eight in the evening or eight in the morning?"

One said, "I had a lot to drink", and they said, "wine, beer, hard liquor?" And she said, "yes, all of those, and more". An orderly told us that usually the Stanford students come in before the game, and the Cal students afterwards. Another averred that both schools raise idiots, that if you go to a school like San Diego State, they teach you how to party.

I felt relieved when they told me (after multiple tests of various kinds) that "it isn't life-threatening". Good words to hear.

A week later, the pain persists, but is "under control". Don't climb on ladders.

spoke too soon

Well, the hematoma swelled, eventually being a major swelling on my right thigh. Maybe it was not wise to get on the plane to Minneapolis, but Madi had her new driver's license and we really wanted to see her. She has a 'new' car, a Jeep Liberty with 22,000 miles. Is she proud! And a very good novice driver, not too timid, and not too aggressive. We 'trucked' all over the place, when I wasn't napping (and that story has to do with the leg damage). Great fun

Madi has a schedule not unlike that of other members of this family -- gone by 7am for band, seven major classes during the day, and dance practice from 5:30-8:00pm, every day. She is at a dead run, not exactly panting from the exertion, but certainly looking a bit mobile.

Coming home, Jenny insisted on upgrading me (at no mean expense) so my leg had some 'legroom' so to speak. It was nice, actually. And then, I stayed home the next couple of days too, just to keep a heating pad on the spot (especially after they tried to 'aspirate' the wound on Monday and that didn't work very well).

Meanwhile, the patio off the living room has been surfaced, w Connecticut Blue Stone (hauled by covered wagon from CT, I think, judging from the price). It is gorgeous, might even be ready for the neighborhood Holiday party December 6th.

Otherwise, about back to normal here

heady week w the book but then fell off the ladder

The book must be selling... both Amazon and Barnes/Noble have it back-ordered for two weeks. Several folk who have read it have submitted "nitpicky" (their term) improvements on factoids; but people seem to like it. The Forbes.com review by Geo Anders was especially nice.

Last night Jenny hosted her longtime women professionals group here; I did my flower arranging and had a ball doing it. Found three dozen long-stemmed David Austin roses at the Ladera Nursery; spectacular! if I do say so.

And then today all the gals went to a spa for mudbaths and facials and stuff, so I had a "free day". I climbed on a short stepladder to saw down a big limb on an oak tree in the "back forty" and just before I saw'd thru it, the ladder collapsed, and I tumbled like a hot rock. Ouch, as they say. After shrugging it off for about an hour, and then looking at it again (all swollen on my thigh, and throbbing), I thought, "well, maybe having it checked would be a good idea". But I forgot the book I wanted to read (you always have a long wait in the ER on Saturday, don't ask how I know this), so I came back home after getting halfway there, and got a book. Good thing, given the nearly three hour wait.

The really good news -- nothing broken, a massive hematoma, probably swell for another week, and I'll be "good as new" in less than a month, they averred. Dammitall, lots to do, but I am at the moment "taking it easy"

the book is finally done, wow!

Wow, a beautiful glossy black jacket, with a bold yellow starburst. "The HP Phenomenon: Innovation and Business Transformation", it says, by Charles H. House and Raymond L. Price.

I got to hold the book, in fact got ten free copies from Stanford University Press this week. They "flew" out the door, all gone already. Have to buy them now! It is thrilling to see your book in print, and the book jacket is indeed attractive (maybe it's like with your own child, they look SO precious to you even if to no one else). And I even saw it on a shelf, at the Stanford Bookstore, yesterday, the first day it was officially available through bookstores. Amazon had it last Tuesday. Stanford Bookstore ordered ten, had already sold seven. Hubba hubba.

Mike Malone tells me that this is the proudest moment for an author, to see it on a shelf. He also says the worst day of your life is to see it on the "remainder table". And the trick is how many days or weeks are in-between. My guess is it also matters which bookstores actually carry it. I know that Kepler's in Menlo Park is carrying it, and I might go down and photograph that for posterity today.

The best news is the book is rated # 9,082 this morning on Amazon popularity, better than Thursday's # 157,064. Hardly the Top Ten list, but better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

autumn is fast upon us

A "big blow" is apparently headed our way. Rain, from one to three inches, or maybe four to eight inches, and winds, gusting to 60 or 70 mph, should wreak havoc on our town tonight or tomorrow. And one neighbor is, predictably, out nailing down the new tar paper on the new roof in the making tonight at eight-thirty pm in the dark -- since we've heard about this storm for five or six days, one wonders why he didn't start nailing sooner.

We had a little contest between the landscapers and the builders over what needs protecting, and how best to do it. The net was I found myself out with a pickaxe and shovel, digging the trough surrounding the building deep enough to drain the puddling area next to the house. Lotsa fun, though I wasn't sure just why I was doing it...

Anyway, we'll see. We'd get those "huge storm" predictions in Deer Valley, and the clouds would scud through with hardly a trace of moisture. Then, with no warning, we'd have a Big One. Must be fun to be a weather predictor.

Naked, Drunk and Writing

Title of a new book, getting rave reviews!  I like the idea, sort of how it worked to do the HP book, so there are those who think she has the right notion.   But in a world where many (most?) observers are predicting the End of the Book, why would anyone try more writing?  

And Google's new proposal makes sure that the consuming public does well, if not authors.  But then have you weighed a recent copy of Business Week alongside an issue from a decade earlier?  For grins, I compared and found today the issue is about 76 pp. vs. 180 pp. ten years ago.  Missing a lot of ads is the first observation.  Missing judicious reporters might be another sign.

But, writing is a lonely pursuit anyway.  I think you mostly write for yourself, and then if you are lucky, someone else might read it as well.  If you are really lucky, a dialogue might start.  Note how many rejoinders are in this blog, for example.  Tom Peters, with the most popular business book of all time -- six million copies in two years -- got 36 letters, only eight of which asked deeper questions.  His cryptic comment -- "I did better than one in a million!"

Get Naked and Drunk sounds actually more like a Jimmy Buffet theme.  Sounds good to me

Greetings from the House House

Well, it finally happened today. The final inspection -- FINAL INSPECTION! -- for our modest abode in Menlo Park occurred today. All the lights work, all the utilities are safely connected, there are stairs or deck landings outside every door, and unbelievably, we are now free to begin to get an actual mortgage.

The saga has been lengthy, almost entirely due to the crazy bank mania of the past year. From having one appraisal to needing three, from having a local appraiser to requiring one "untainted" by local knowledge and probable collusion with a lender, from "work in progress" funds to everything must be done to qualify for the funds you need to finish...

This would make a book nearly as good as "Marley and me" but I don't have the heart to write it. Instead, I picked up a copy of "Trotsky: Downfall of a Revolutionary" by Bert Patenaude that came out yesterday. It is gripping, and certainly reveals that we mostly live mundane lives compared with someone of his visibilty and stature.

"May you live in interesting times"