What Rains Yield

My backyard. We've been getting some storms out here, although they are not helping with our drought. That's because these are warm storms that do not deliver snow to the part of the Sierra where we need it desperately.

But they do help refill some reservoirs and make our native plants bloom.

-30-

Small Portions

My daughter is an advocate of small meal portions, attentive as she is of nutrition and other health concerns. Now it's down to just her and me at dinner most nights, I've been trying to find new meals for us to try together.

The grocery store near me has started stocking these small lamp chops (above), so I tried them tonight. You spray them with olive oil and then fry them, supposedly, for four minutes per side to yield a medium rare chop.

I can attest it took longer than that. They are small but thick. After about twice the recommended time they were ready.

I served them with brussel sprouts (topped with grated Parmesan cheese), fresh guacamole, and French bread toasted.

A pretty small meal, right? I think we covered the various food groups, though I'm less informed than most about that issue. She'd been munching fresh mango slices, cucumber, baby carrots and hummus before our meal.

-30-

Hold On

One Book I'll Never Write

But if I did, it would be about what I have learned about managing people. When I look back over my career, now in its 49th year, I realize that I have slowly crafted a style that might work for others.

Mostly, it is about bottoms-up. In most organizations, the people at the bottom of the org chart do most of the real work. It is the opposite from the military model that still, stupidly, dominates US corporate culture.

This is a working-class perspective, but my own history, culture, and personality grows out of my experience as my father's only son.

In fact, we no longer have any organized working class in America. We don't even have much left of what used to be called a "middle class."

Increasingly, all we have are the very rich and the very poor. We are indeed a Third World country. With  a few exceptions.

I am one of those exceptions, perhaps. I am a boss whose workers call the shots.

I'm proud of that.

-30-

The Keeper!

Before hand she was so nervous.

Never before had Julia even practiced as goalkeeper, but today that was her assignment, and she acquitted herself way better than she expected, blocking 80% of the shots on goal, just letting in two and helping her team to a 4-2 lead at halftime.

I knew Julia felt good about her performance when at halftime she looked up at me in the stands and held two thumbs up.

What a great moment in my daughter's development as an athlete.

-30-

Back to College Weekend

Well, I drove the boys to SFO yesterday afternoon and saw them off for their return to Missoula. Last night they texted me they had arrived safely and returned to their dorm rooms. Each boy now has a single room, a luxury neither of them ever had before, because they always shared a bedroom here and at their Mom's house.

This time at the airport I avoided crying -- you get used to new realities gradually. We're making plans to get together in about two months when they have a week off for spring break -- either out there or back here.

Things are quiet here. Late yesterday afternoon I drove my daughter home from her SPCA volunteering job, where she walks dogs awaiting adoption. This afternoon I plan on watching her play futsol on Potrero Hill east of here.

-30-

Saturday Brunch

The kids and I went to our favorite brunch place here in the Mission today. I've been hoping that my 20-year-old would get his appetite back, but he is nursing a broken heart, so eating and sleeping are difficult right now.

Such a sweet young man; it is so hard to see him suffering.

My youngest walked home from school yesterday, sauntering across this city almost four miles.

This afternoon we did something we have not done in years -- play Scrabble. Four-person Scrabble is a low-scoring affair -- just 408 points divided four ways. This time around, the old guy won.  :)

-30-