Got my FIRST 2010 Quarter today!!

I've been waiting for a year to see any of the new 2010 quarters. After the U.S. Mint's enormously successful (and profitable) 10-year Statehood Quarters series, they came up with another way of parting collectors with their money--the America the Beautiful Quarter Series. The plan is to issue 56 more quarters, five per year (yeah, will there be a sixth one in 2020?).

Today, in the McDonald's drive through, the most prosaic place on earth, I got my very first one--the Yosemite quarter. It's the third in the series. The portrait of George looks a little flat, with low detail (kind of a surprise) but the Yosemite image on the rear is handsome, if a bit stylized. I'm thinking that the proof versions directly from the mint will be much nicer, if I opt to get them.

Go to the U.S. Mint's website for details.

What Do You Know at 18?

As I consider the life of my 18-year-old son post-high school, I remember my first full-time job, at a small restaurant in downtown San Francisco called Chris' Seafood, founded in 1918.

I remember the giant green fish-shaped sign that hung over Mission Street when I first approached it on my first day.

I was a suburban teenager and had no idea what I was in for. This little place had been around for years, and was a perfect complement to the seedy hotels and denizens they harbored in what is now the Moscone Center and Yerba Buena Gardens. We had homeless guys come in looking for money back when the word "homeless" wasn't invented yet. They were just called "winos." They objected when we offered them crab salad sandwiches instead of coins towards a bottle of Thunderbird.

I mopped floors, bused tables, and washed the dishes. I was taught that when the big hot tray came out of the stainless steel box, to dump the silverware into a large white towel and rub it dry. That basic flatware shone. I can still feel the heat and smell the soap today, 40 years later.

We served fried fish, but specialized in prawns, scallops and abalone, all covered with a homemade Louis dressing. I know--because I helped make the mayonnaise it contained from scratch. We also made the French fries by hand--something you rarely see today.

I spent six months working from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. before taking off and strumming my guitar for five months--and hitchiking to Arizona and back. But that's another story.

Here's my beautiful boy, at the same age as I am in that photo above. His part-time career? Model at a clothing store.

Horticultural Haiku

Poking up its head

Flower strangely beautiful

Time to clean the yard

Traffic Jammin'

I drive 32 miles EACH way to work every day, except Friday, when I give myself a rest and work at home. But today, being Tuesday, I got the joys of motoring with many other folks.

It's not always terrible. When the cars are flowing, or if there's an especially appealing song on the iPod, or the sunset is stunning, or if I see an unusual old or brand new car, it can be OK. But when it hits gridlock, it rapidly becomes a real drag.

I've found that when I'm in a rush it's especially painful. Driving home on a Tuesday night, knowing I need to pick up dinner and get to orchestra practice by 7:15 p.m. is much more stressful than leaving home at 7:15 a.m. and having plenty of time to get to the office. Which shows that it's all in your perspective.

When we're not moving or crawling at 5 mph, I tend to think of the people in front of me as idiots who are impeding my progress. What are they all doing here in my way? Then, once in a while, it dawns on me--I'm just as much a part of the mess as they are. Why am I driving right here, right now? I take a deep breath and try to relax. If I'm lucky, the iPod is dispensing Schubert's Trout Quintet and not Led Zeppelin. But there's a time for those guys too.

Fizzy Lizzy--Natural and Tasty

We went to Fuddrucker's tonight for a tasty burger. I normally order some old-fashioned, sugar-laden beverage, but this time I tried Fizzy Lizzy. It was sitting right there in the center of the drink case--hard to miss.

It was the grapefruit flavor--one of eight they make. Contents are 62 percent juice and 38 percent "fizzy water." Yummy, sweet, but no white sugar. Almost healthy, really, considering.

At $2.39 it wasn't a steal, but I felt guilt-free while consuming my half pound of beef and spicy fries.

Thoughts While Driving

There was frost on my 2011 Suzuki Kizashi test car this morning as I took off for work. I switched from my usual hat with the bass clef on it to my 25-year-old wool cap. Just the thing for what's turning out to be an unusually cold January in Northern California.

My iPod decided to randomly pick more Jazz than usual today, and it was a fine accompaniment to the fairly smooth ride in. Brad Meldau's piano played nicely off Larry Grenadier's always-terrific bass work; I got two cuts from Bill Evans' Village Vanguard recordings featuring my favorite Jazz bassist, Scott LaFaro, doing his thing. Miles Davis and Oscar Peterson contributed too.

Funny things to see: A flatbed carrying nine portapotties--with a tenth towed behind it on its own tiny trailer. A Toyota 4Runner with the license plate WEEEZL.

The Suzuki is very comfortable. Of course you always wonder who the buyer will be for a brand best known for its motorcycles. But this is a very good car, especially with its quick-shifting six-speed manual transmission, 26 miles per gallon, and upscale interior.

Bass with Breakfast

Continuing from yesterday's popular "found photo opportunity" theme, I discovered today that the beautiful breakfast my wife cooked for me had a bass clef shape in the toasted croissant! I did have to make the dots, I'll admit, but this is very cool. Tasty too.


In bass news, I just acquired a new bass. This one is an acoustic-electric, meaning it looks and feels like a regular acoustic guitar but has four big fat bass strings. It's perfect for hanging around the campfire or in somebody's kitchen when the strumming starts. It also has a jack for plugging in, so if the volume goes up you're all set.

This photo shows it (the lighter one on the right) next to my 12-string guitar. I look forward to getting familiar with it. I ordered a "Yellow Submarine" themed strap for it, which Amazon assures me is on its way.