Jury Duty part 2

So I did not get selected as a juror to the case. For the most part, It was nice driving downtown and I appreciated the change to my typical work week. The case was pretty bizarre and super gross. It involved a man being accused of trafficking "obscene material" using the U.S. mail. The obscene material were scat films (gross!). If you do not know what scat films are you should NOT google it at work. The judge, of course, did a great job of describing the grotesque films with a straight, unbiased demeanor but nearly all of the jurors reacted like they were about to lose their breakfast. I've been summoned to jury duty in the past, some pretty bad cases too, but I've never seen a panel of jurors react quite like that. None the less I was glad I didn't get selected. So back to work tomorrow and no jury summons to worry about for the next six months.

Jury Duty.

I went in for jury duty on Monday and was told to return tomorrow, Wednesday. Its a federal case and I noticed that the jurors are treated slightly different then the jurors who are summoned to the cases at the state level. For one, the Federal court juror waiting area is spacious with wifi while the waiting area in the state criminal courthouse is stuffy and has the jurors packed like sardines. Another shocker was that the waiting room in the federal building welcomed us with complimentary coffee, donuts, fruits, and water. I thought, maybe there is a correlation between the fact that federal cases tend to mostly deal with white collar crimes where as the criminal cases deal with violent or felony crimes. My guess is that there are less jurors in federal cases because. white collar crimes are less likely to be prosecuted then the more obvious violent or felony crimes. Just a thought.

Pau to the Celtics?

How wild would it be if the Lakers trade Pau Gasol to the Celtics for Rajon Rondo? That is one of the rumored trades being discussed on sports radio today. I would feel horrible for Pau if he had to go to the Celtics. I think it was the embarrassment he felt when the Lakers lost to the Celtics in 2008 that inspired Pau to work hard and become the elite player he is today. He was able to redeem himself with the 2010 finals win. The Lakers need a true point guard but Rondo's inability to consistently make perimeter shots would destroy the Lakers offense. The way Pau is playing right now he is proving that he is not the problem. The Lakers should look to find an average point guard that can facilitate for Kobe, Pau, and Andrew Bynum. It might not be a guaranteed championship but it gives them a better chance then a lineup that includes Rondo.

Busy weekend.

Had a great weekend over all but it was spent driving around the city. Tried to crash a sold out show at the echo (Grimes) with friends on Friday night but had no luck. We ended up having drinks in Atwater Village instead. On Saturday I had an afternoon family reunion fundraiser in Sylmar followed by a birthday party in Inglewood. Today, I had breakfast with my parents in Sylmar and, along with my fiancé, hosted friends over for dinner at our place. A group of friends, ten of us total, have committed to getting together on the last Sunday of each month. We make it a potluck style dinner where everybody contributes. January's theme was Italian food and todays theme was French cuisine. These guys bring their "A" game as far is cooking goes. We had french onion soup, beef bourguignon, steamed clams in wine sauce, and apple tart for dessert. It was all delicious! I'm already looking forward to next months meeting. We agreed on a Mediterranean food theme (except Italian). Should be great!

Lester Young, the Pres!

When I began listening to jazz I started with classic albums that were often mentioned among the greatest albums made. Miles Davis' 'Kind of Blue' and John Coltrane's 'Giants Steps' were two of the first jazz albums I bought and learned to love. I became interested in jazz history and started reading about these great musicians as well as the men who influenced them. One name that would often come up in books and magazines is Lester "The Pres" Young (1909-1959). So after purchasing my first Lester Young record I was convinced he was my favorite saxophonist of all time. He inspired the work of bassist Charles Mingus, who is also one of my favorites! What I find great about Lester Young is that he had a simple style that was melodic and easy to listen to. Another interesting thing about Young's playing style is the constant hiss that can be heard throughout his music.  Young is said to have been Billie Holiday's favorite soloist (and rumored to have been her lover too!). Their work together on 'Lady Day & the Pres' is amazing!

Check out the 1952 album 'Lester Young and Oscar Peterson Trio' for some of his best work. Here is one of my favorite songs on that album called "On the sunny side of the street." Enjoy!

Nice Uni Coach!!

Have you ever wondered why baseball managers wear uniforms? Think about it. With the exception of Joe Girardi of the Yankees, who looks like he can still play catcher if called upon, many big league managers are over sixty five and resemble a California Raisin. There is absolutely no reason why they should be wearing a uniform. Baseball is one of the only sports where this tradition has continued. Can you imagine if Phil Jackson had to wear a basketball jersey and gold Laker shorts when he was coaching? How about picturing Vince Lombardi shouting plays at his offense while wearing shoulder pads and a helmet? I know baseball is a game full of 100 year old traditions but I think managers should consider throwing on some wind breakers every now and then. Soccer and Basketball coaches wear three piece suits most of the time. It might be too weird for us at first to see Mattingly in a suit but managers should consider at least khakis and a sweater vest. : )

Anyhow, with Spring Training under way, I'll now start focusing on more pressing issues like who will own the Dodgers next and will we pick up a decent third starter for our pitching rotation? It should be interesting. Play ball!!

Giving up Lentils for lent.

I grew up in a catholic household but I stopped attending church nearly 15 years ago. At first there was a backlash from my parents but they too have seemed to give up on inviting me or pushing me to attend service. I don't have strong opinions about religion. I respect other peoples beliefs. In fact, I think a lot of my fundamental beliefs stem from what I learned in church. I don't lie or cheat or hurt others because of what I learned in church as a child. However, I'm convinced religion is not for me. My "religious" experience is felt at a Radiohead show or during a nice picnic with the family on a sunny day. So when I'm asked tomorrow what I will be giving up for lent, I'll respond with my same old joke, "I'm giving up lentils for lent!" : )

Skip the Fish Tacos, Visit the winery!

My fiance grew up in San Diego and for years she has been schooling my Los Angeles based friends (and I) on the wonderful spots that can be found south of the border in Tijuana and Baja California.  So we decided to take advantage of the three day weekend and head south past San Diego and down the toll road running along side the Pacific that connects Tijuana to Ensenada.  The weather was great! Our destination was the L.A. Cetto winery located 20 minutes east of Ensenada on a newly paved road called "Ruta del Vino" or "Wine Route." After arriving, we settled in for some pizza and wine. I'm no wine connoisseur but their Cabernet and the Petit Syrah tasted great. All-in-all I'd highly recommend the trip.  The wine is inexpensive ranging from $5 to $25 USD a bottle. The crowd was a good mix of locals and tourists (some that came from as far as Berkeley). The service was great and the view of the rolling hills was wonderful. I definitely plan on returning soon.


On a separate note, the Chef/Food critic Anthony Bourdain recently spoke at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita. He championed the food and culture coming out of Tijuana, even going as far as comparing it to Tuscany. Here is an article published by the LA Weekly about it.

http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/2012/02/anthony_bourdain_grandma_rule.php

After years of turmoil, it's nice to see the city being shown in a positive light.  

    

Nine to Five.

"The only thing worse than being unemployed is having a job." - Bumper Sticker (or unknown)

I've had a pretty bad two weeks at work. There seemed to be one issue after another and no time to enjoy the beautiful weather or even chat it up with the co-workers. Despite the week dragging, the thought of a three day weekend re-energized me and got me through the day. Tomorrow, my fiancé and I will be having lobster tacos overlooking the Pacific in Ensenada and I'll be reminded why I work hard week after week. : )

Imagination.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." - Albert Einstein

Linsanity.

Jeremy Lin continued his amazing run tonight by leading the Knicks to yet another win. Lin sank the game winning three pointer with half a second left in regulation. How do you explain how such a terrific player went under the radar of all of the NBA scouts? Boxer Floyd Mayweather, JR was recently quoted as saying that Lin was receiving the attention not because of his success but because he is of Asian descent. Mayweather is way off the mark. Although you cannot deny that an Asian basketball player dominating in the NBA is enough to turn heads, Lin's popularity is due to many other reasons. He was an undrafted Harvard graduate that was sleeping on his brothers couch just a few weeks ago and is now leading the Knicks to six consecutive wins. He's popular because he works hard and preaches teamwork. In all, Lin is popular because, unlike Mayweather, he is humble.

Poking around.

One of my new years resolutions is to make the Facebook Poke feature relevant. Instead of asking people to call me or text, I'm going to start asking that they poke me. For example, if a buddy and I decide to meet up for basketball, I might say to him, "Oh yeah, just poke me if you're down to play on Thursday!" I'm hoping it'll catch on. If it does, next I'll try to bring back the fax. : )

Last year, a friend of mine introduced me to the work of Ray and Charles Eames, a husband and wife duo that transformed mid-century art and architecture in America.  To this day their influence can be seen in everything from furniture (see the Eames Lounge Chair) to architecture and even film.  Here I've posted one of my favorite of their short films, The Powers of Ten.  A documentary called 'EAMES: The Architect and Painter' recently began streaming on Netflix and I recommend it to anyone interested in learning about these incredible artists.

Greetings earthling.

Welcome to my blog.  I'm looking forward to posting slices of life as I juggle between a full time job and a return to higher learning.  I'll also be sharing my thoughts on the things I love... music, film, food, arts, and sports.  Cheers!