How was the movie? Well, Russell Crowe did some rather amazing acting playing a fat assed Langley based CIA sociopath on his way up the executive ladder, Leonardo got himself into trouble chasing bad guys in the Middle East (You're familiar with the Middle East? Been in the news until recently? Do you really want to be reminded? Would you, in fact, go see a movie about the Middle East with or without Leonardo DiCaprio?) and getting the crap beaten out of him in two or three different languages. It's a decent enough movie, not overly simplistic, doesn't give you any hope however we've had other than a screwed-the-pooch foreign policy since 9-11 and if that seems OK with you, then I'd guess you'll be OK, otherwise maybe go see something featuring fuzzy animals and/or cute young couples acting silly.

So, really, what was your reaction?

It got me out of the house and engaged my head for a couple of hours. No regrets. A decent flick and if that's the way things are going for us in the Middle East then I've not changed any of my opinions. Nice space age technology, though, none of which is real, but if it is real and they're using it I'd suggest we think before we do any more of that buck naked stuff while we're sunbathing on the roof.

But enough. It's Columbus Day, I discover, having fed money into the meter going to breakfast. I don't think the meters need to be fed on Columbus Day, but either way, what the hell, I'm out a quarter. Still, a good breakfast over the papers, the usual holiday morning crew in attendance, many fewer people waiting out at the bus top on their way to work. Maybe Jack London Square later, take advantage of the parking.

I've been thinking for the last year of finding another place to live since I retired. I'd like something larger, a two bedroom or a one bedroom with a larger living room (in which to pile my many boxes?) and replace the furniture. Actually buy functional furniture that a visitor might describe as nice enough, nothing special, but modern and comfortable. Not low end, not high end. A decent couch. Or two. Chairs. That kind of stuff.

And so, of course, I've been looking at condo prices as well, but I suspect they need to come down another twenty percent (the new ones, anyway) and I don't think that's going to happen, not in the downtown, but you never know. Rents are still higher than I want to pay, but if I move to another apartment I'm also thinking I'd also like to find a building that could conceivably withstand the coming earthquake, something that's not altogether clear here where I'm living. Or, what the hell, move out of the area altogether.

I got a message from the building manager on the phone this morning saying they were erecting scaffolding on the front of the building tomorrow to replace the wood. I'm not sure what that means: “replace the wood”. All of the facing? We'll see. They're saying it will take two weeks and would I move my crap from my balcony and perhaps plug up the cat access door? Scaffolding, after all, is not unlike a ladder, something known to miscreants. Still, an impetus to make the larger change, think outside the box. This box.

Later. A bus ride downtown to the City Center, plenty of people in evidence having lunch, the busses running on a weekday rather than a holiday schedule, running into and then having lunch with Mr. H who is working in the ice cream industry. The ice cream industry evidently works on Columbus Day. From the number of my old company co-workers I noticed I'd say they too are working on Columbus Day. Well, hell. Let's pound the final nail: coming originally from Iceland (bankrupt at the moment), Leif Erickson's Iceland, what is it again this guy Columbus discovered?