Saturday, July 6
Friday, July 5
Guy Sap
Guy's survival given less than 5% following multiple organ failure during a routine operation several years ago. Last week we walk the Huckleberry Trail in the Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve in the East Bay.
Me: "Hey, Madeleine, I've got a big surprise for you."
Madeleine races into the kitchen, breahless: "What is it?"
Me: "You are going to love it. We can get started on it right now."
Aneta:
Madeleine: "Is it a mini iPad? Is it?"
Me: "Books. Maths. English and history."
Madeleine: "Thanks, Dad. Won't be reading those."
Me: "Now that it's summer vacation, let's get going today."
Madeleine races up the stairs.
Me: "I am serious, you know . .!"
at 16:12
Thursday, July 4
So Far Ago
Matt Dillon is old now
Nothing makes one feel, well, old, than seeing a film cherished from way back when. In this case, Madeleine and I watch "My Bodyguard" about a bully who gets his comeuppance - in short, something an 11 year old can get into, as I did in 1980 and Madeleine does now.
I saw "My Bodyguard" with Katie and Maggie and a bunch of Barracudas on a summer week night, no school, but morning swim practice nonetheless. We exited the Oaks Theatre (long gone) on a warm night , all the world good. The film a hodgepodge of future talent: Matt Dillon, Jennifer Beals (Flashdance), Joan Cusack . . kids reading this blog now have no idea who these people are but for me it was our yuf.
Me: "Let's watch a movie, me and you kid."
Madeleine: "Yep."
Me: "You're going to love it, though there is a lot of sex."
Madeleine: "No there's not! It's PG."
Me:
Madeleine: "Really, Dad, that's not very funny."
at 21:19
Mother Daughter
My gals
at 16:35
The Gipper
Egypt's President Morsi taken into military custody.
at 08:24
Wednesday, July 3
Skip
Monday Madeleine plays trumpet in her school's Junior Brass Ensemble and the Sumner Concert. We recognise the theme song from the Titanic. She also sings in the Junior Choir.
Before, Sonnet and I arrive on Emanuel's campus, and observe her playing kickball with a group of Hill formers. She is happy as only a kid can be happy in the summertime with vacation right around the corner.
at 16:18
The Mall
Horse brigade
The Mall connects Buckingham Palace to the Admiralty Arch and on to Trafalgar Square. Notably, the London Marathon ends here and I found myself in a First Aid booth about where the horses are now, 2009. I was in bad shape, man.
I first became aware of The Mall via David, a Euro fag in my college dorm; David had a lion's main of hair, a trust fund and a cocaine habit. He breathlessly informed me of "shagging" a girl he had met on the day off The Mall, in St James's Park, after dusk. I thought, back then, wow! now that shit would never happen in Berkeley. But I was probably wrong.
at 16:10
Monday, July 1
Ouch
It is a concrete jungle out there. Fortunately no stitches though I am informed: "blood everywhere." Sonnet and Aneta rush to the scene and our gal makes the trip to the A&E.
Me: "Nice to have so much sun in the morning."
Madeleine: "Yeah, I like it too."
Me: "Do you prefer summer or winter?"
Madeleine: "Summer, definitely."
Me: "Spring or autumn?"
Madeleine: "Sometimes, late at night and I am reading in bed, and it is raining really hard, that is cool."
Me: "Yep."
at 16:19
Saturday, June 29
East Bay
We all have a restful place somewhere in the mind's eye and mine is the Nimitz Way off Wildcat Canyon Road in Tilden Regional Park. I have been coming here since age four, made out with girls in high school in the dry grass, trained up for several marathons on the ancient cracked blacktop, and Sonnet and I visited inside one week of knowing each other. I can rely on it.
Madeleine sets new school records in the 100 and 200 m dash for Hill Form (under 11s) during Emmanuel's sports day. We are thrilled for our gal.
at 17:50
The Forecast Is Sunshine
Moe this morning
From there I go to Peet's coffee and observe three guys playing Frisbee in the intersection. Why not? A suburban pulls up with a dog in the front seat, the wife and kid in back. Another wears a Chinese hat I've seen only on the rice paddies and always there is talk talk talk. These hippies don't go away though now their homes make them millionaires.
at 16:29
Thursday, June 27
Industry Ventures
Justin works a deal
I arrive in California on a beautiful day, blue skies and 80 degree temperatures. It even smells good, like home. On the way to 1530 I pick up flowers for my parents and think how it might feel to be them, waiting for their kid to arrive. It is a nice feeling.
In London : At a Hampton School competition Eitan runs the 1500m in 4:59 setting a new course record for the Under-12s (Sonnet says he is not impressed though we are). Otherwise Eitan off to Kew Gardens on a biology field trip and Madeleine practicing with the Brass Band for Monday's summer concert. It rains.
at 21:32
Wednesday, June 26
"The State Capital"
I write from Tallahasee, Florida, where Thierry and I stay at Hotel Duval, one of three four-star hotels and billed as the city's best. It was formerly a Howard Johnson's. Before our meeting with the Florida State Administration, a potential LP in Astorg's next fund, I bone up on my local knowledge : The Seminoles won the Orange Bowl last season. Disclosing this as important as anything else we discuss. And so it goes.
The friendly young women at the hotel front desk looks at me like I have grown horns when she hears me talk in French. Every now and then the dog has his day.
at 19:26
Monday, June 24
Southernmost Tip
A jogger in Battery Park.
One WTC is nearly complete yet its 105 stories hardly leave an impression, so like any Midtown or modern skyscraper anywhere. Sure, the WTC website tells us, it is America's tallest building - and an indelible New York landmark. But it also lacks any kind of magnificence.
"We remember, we rebuild, we come back stronger."
"We remember, we rebuild, we come back stronger."
--Barack Obama, on a steel beem hoisted to the top of the tower.
at 01:27
Sunday, June 23
Cafe Flesh
Sheep Meadow
We watch a comedy troupe including some of NY's best who have a hard time keeping it PG for the Sunday afternoon. On another patch, we see a sword fight with maybe 12 participants dressed in medieval costume. It lasts maybe three minutes. Bikers, joggers, power walkers and roller bladers whizz by navigating the pedestrians. A skinny black dude with over-sized headphones stands in the middle tarmac singing full volume. Nobody cares.
at 23:32
Upper West Side
Cafe Con Leche @ 81st and Amsterdam
Katie arrives around 8AM and we go for a morning run in Central Park and coffee at neighbourhood bakery Silver Moon, which has created a special corner on B'way and 106th. From there it is a walk southward via Riverside Park and the Riverside Walk then across midtown to Central Park.
at 23:11
Red House
The Red House, on the corner of York Ave, designed by architect Arthur Young and built in 1904 when there was surely nothing else around. Since we are on a hilltop, the views of the river (now not visible) would have been superb. It remains a convenient several hundred yards into Richmond Park. Yours for £7M.
at 14:29
Saturday, June 22
Tomato Stalks
The tomatoes about half mast or behind pace for this time of year since there has been little sun this summer so far. I still have hope that this will be a vintage year. For all of us.
I am off to America in an hour.
I am off to America in an hour.
at 09:06
Friday, June 21
Toothy Grin
Eitan will have braces
The kids and I to The Plough - burgers and chips for them, salad for me as I (barely hang on) to Sonnet's low carb diet.
The kids have swim practise, 5:30AM, so up at 5 to ensure a 5:20 pick up. Then a 45 minute nap and to the pool to facilitate the transfer to their respective school buses (Sonnet's egg-bacon sandwiches devoured). Sonnet and I stumble through the rest of the day. TGIF.
at 19:55
London On My Birthday
at 19:29
Tuesday, June 18
Dog Days
Rusty gets in on the summer
The protests in Brazil remind me of Brad Pitt's movie "World War Z" where zombies climb over each other to mount a wall. I would be pissed, too, knowing that the Brazilian government has spent billions in preparation of the 2014 World Cup and little or nothing on education or the banlieues. Won't be going there any time soon.
at 18:48
Monday, June 17
Any Given Monday
At Madeleine's school
Our week begins with the usual news about Syria (US to arm the rebels, the Russians support Assad); the NSA (who wire tapped world leaders at the G20 Summit in 2009 ); a week end massacre in Omaha, Nebraska. And so on and so forth.
What to tell one's kids these days ? The cost of education soaring, jobless ness in the Eurozone is 24% for the U25s (20% in the UK), cities and living un affordable and then there is the debt for the their generation . Global warming, too. Me, I say : go to work.
at 08:32
Sunday, June 16
Teen Boy
Chillax
At a cocktail party I meet fair skinned Rose, who sings at St Martin's On The Field. In confidence, she informs me, she and her choir have recorded the gospel for Nelson Mandela's passing. They did this four years ago so it is 'off the shelf.'
Madeleine: "Who's been searching for 'making out' and 'how to kiss better' on the computer?"
Me: "Huh?"
Madeleine: "Right here, see in the search history, 'making out.'"
Me: "When was it?"
Madeleine: "Um, last Sunday. At 8 o'clock."
Me: "It could have been me, so I know how to kiss your mother" (I kiss Sonnet)
Sonnet: "Mmm"
Me: "How do we know it wasn't you?"
Madeleine: "Yeah, right Dad. It must have been Eitan."
Me: "Well you are the problem child."
Madeleine: "Whatever."
at 18:20
Post Play
Madeleine at school
An example of a morning discussion, on the walk to the train , which Madeleine now takes to school.
Madeleine: "What would Rusty do if he caught a cat?"
Me: "Grab it by the neck and shake it to death, probably."
Madeleine: "Yeah, probably so."
Me: "All creatures great and small. How about that snail there, would you kill it?"
Madeleine: "No. It is still a creature."
Me: "What about a swarm of veg destroying locusts? "
Madeleine: "So?"
Me: "Without crops, people will die."
Madeleine:
Me: "Death is never an easy subject."
Madeleine: "Of course I wouldn't want people to die. So I guess I would kill the locusts."
Me: "A wise decision."
at 10:38
A Play
at 10:24
Thursday, June 13
Exams In
Madeleine reviews her report card
Me: "How was your trumpet lesson?"
Madeleine: "Fine. I'm learning 'The Star Spangled Banner.'"
Me: "Excellent. I used to sing that to you when I was changing your diapers."
Madeleine: "TMI, dad."
at 07:49
Tuesday, June 11
Terminus
I always think of Star Trek at the abandoned Eurostar platform, Waterloo Station
I visit Stuttgart for lunch with Armin. New airport, new city. Unfortunately the weather kills any charm : I arrive, it is sticky hot, then it rains. Buckets. I go for a concrete jog dotted by sun fading 1970s objets d'art and graffiti here and there. A palpable sense of : nothing going on, as young people hang by the tramway smoking fags or drinking coffee at sidewalk cafes. It is 2:30PM. Otherwise there's "Das Broadway Musical: Sister Act!" postered everywhere. Robbie Williams visiting in September. I avoid the Mercedes and Porsche museums - both have mfr plants outside Stuttgard , employing ca. 37,000. I am sure there is Hanzel und Gretyl but today I do not have the time to find it.
"Worlds are conquered, galaxies destroyed...but a woman is always a woman. "
-- Captain James T Kirk in 'Conscience of the King'
at 19:30
Monday, June 10
Queen's Guard
St James's Palace, entrance from Pall Mall
at 21:29
Ian M Banks, 1954-2013 RIP
"The Culture is characterised by being a post-scarcity society (meaning that its advanced technologies provide practically limitless material wealth and comforts for everyone for free, having all but abolished the concept of possessions), by having overcome almost all physical constraints on life (including disease and death) and by being an almost totally egalitarian, stable society without the use of any form of force or compulsion, except where necessary to protect others." Wiki
"Law abiding citizens have nothing to fear".
--Foreign Secretary William Hague responds to the NSA's clandestine recording and analysing of global communications
at 07:28
Brains
At NYC hospital w/ Katie's friend, a neurosurgeon
Me: "How was the film? " [Dad's note: Madeleine and Molly sees the movie 'After Earth'; the girls otherwise by themselves]
Madeleine: "It was so scary. And you're never going to guess what Molly did."
Me: "Oh?"
Madeleine: "They, like, asked me my age and I said 12." [Dad's note: 'After Earth' an 12A, meaning a film-gover must be over 12 or accompanied by a parent. Madeleine is 11]
Me:
Madeleine: "And Molly said ten. Can you believe it?"
Me: "So how did you get in?"
Madeleine: "The ticket guy was quiting and so he didn't care about being fired."
Me: "Well done". I give Madeleine the Obama rock.
Me: "So how is my reputation around the house these days?"
Madeleine: "Um OK I guess. It could be better. "
Me: "Oh?"
Madeleine: "Like when you tell me to clean the front yard because I haven't talked to Eitan or something. "
Me: "Don't you realise it's part of a bigger plan?"
Madeleine: "How is sweeping the front yard a plan? None of the other kids have to do chores like we do. "
Me: "I have two words to say to you. "
Madeleine:
Me: "Karate Kid."
Madeleine:
Me: "Miyagi-san knew what he was doing. "
at 07:01
Saturday, June 8
Stamen & Stigma
Eitan and I check out a flower being pollinated by a bee. Since he does not know the mechanics, I ask him to investigate plant-reproduction on the web and report back to me. When he asks if he has a choice I tell him, sure, he can do the research or the backyard. He goes for the research.
Later, we sit around the living room and Eitan describes what he has learned to Madeleine (under threat of punishment). Who said learning isn't fun ?
I prepare to kill an insect in the kitchen. Madeleine: "All creatures great and small."
Me: "All creatures small and dead."
Madeleine: "Nice, dad."
Me: "It's a bug."
Madeleine: "Whatever."
at 16:31
Brilliant Green
Spring Celmatis, pre flower
at 13:01
Tesco
Carpenteria californica (I think)
Eitan thoughtfully munches on a custard filled, chocolate sprinkled, croissant : "You can get anything at Tesco." [Dad's note: Tesco is the third largest retailer in the world with ca $100bn of turnover from 6,351 stores]
Me: "Oh?"
Eitan: "Nutella. Pancake mix. Doritos. .."
Me: "Can you imagine the day when you aren't driven by your next sugar hit ?"
Eitan: "No."
Me: "Probably not."
at 12:28
Thursday, June 6
Lights, Camera
Film crew, Gare du Nord
My day starts in Paris where I navigate the metro to Gare du Nord and the fast train to Brussels. The metro stressful, since rush hour, while my station (Gare du Nord) is marked (for some crazy reason) Magenta. But I digress. I am in Brussels to entice a serious investor into a serious fund and, as I tell Sonnet, it is not every day one asks for 50M bucks.
at 21:36
Tuesday, June 4
Duty & Booze
Madeleine plays it cool (Auntie Katie's sunglasses)
David an entrepreneur in the drinks business, introducing the UK's benighted and blinkered boozers to exotic imports like "Poison Brew" from Sweden. We have a case of "Carnaby Brown" coolers in the pantry.
Since cheer a big business here not surprisingly government wants a piece of the action. The duty on beer, for instance, is £19.51 per hectolitre per alcohol content. So 15 beers or 7.5 litres at 5.3% would raise a tax of £7.75 (.1971 * 7.5 * 5.3). The tax per bottle , then, is 51p - interesting as I see a case of Becks (20 bottles) at Tesco going for £12, or 60p a bottle. Loss making and also cheaper than water.
Last year a movement towards a minimum price on liquor snuffed out by both parties afraid of losing, well, the entire voting public. Britain enjoys its bender.
at 17:45
Monday, June 3
Get Lucky
This cool kid reminds me of Daft Punk.
I lunch with T, who is in town to attend Hg Capital's AGM and to meet with some venture funds and tech guys, which is where his interests are since he is a "recycled entrepreneur", as he once liked to say. Since 2000, his tech portfolio, which includes Benchmark, Index, Apax, BlueRun, Correlation and Industry Ventures, is 30% net IRR based, in part, on several early exits. We agree : the timing of cashflows has a mighty effect on performance - obvious, but nice to see it confirmed in real numbers (the median vc industry performance over this period 3%).
Sonnet and Madeleine make it home in one piece. Back to work and school tomorrow.
I lunch with T, who is in town to attend Hg Capital's AGM and to meet with some venture funds and tech guys, which is where his interests are since he is a "recycled entrepreneur", as he once liked to say. Since 2000, his tech portfolio, which includes Benchmark, Index, Apax, BlueRun, Correlation and Industry Ventures, is 30% net IRR based, in part, on several early exits. We agree : the timing of cashflows has a mighty effect on performance - obvious, but nice to see it confirmed in real numbers (the median vc industry performance over this period 3%).
Sonnet and Madeleine make it home in one piece. Back to work and school tomorrow.
at 15:14
Sunday, June 2
Bounce And SAT
Eitan takes a break from revisioning - tomorrow begins his exams, which last one-two hours per discipline, all day, all week. Today he puts in six hours compared to six hours over the last seven days. I try to stay out of it as, his teachers' tell us, part of the learning is learning how to learn. This year for practice, a goof, but from year eight, it is a mark on the boy's permanent record.
US universities, unlike England, look for the fuller picture : grades, teacher recommendations, extra curriculars and, of course, test scores. My second SAT exam, for instance, in '84 and I had the flu and did not want to go - Grace got me fed and into the car, which broke down four blocks from our house. She raced up Euclid, in the rain, and swapped for Moe's difficult-to-drive 544 and off we went to the test center, me arriving late but allowed access to the exam hall. I improved and got into college but, if this were the only data point, I would have been f***ed.
US universities, unlike England, look for the fuller picture : grades, teacher recommendations, extra curriculars and, of course, test scores. My second SAT exam, for instance, in '84 and I had the flu and did not want to go - Grace got me fed and into the car, which broke down four blocks from our house. She raced up Euclid, in the rain, and swapped for Moe's difficult-to-drive 544 and off we went to the test center, me arriving late but allowed access to the exam hall. I improved and got into college but, if this were the only data point, I would have been f***ed.
at 19:52
Saturday, June 1
Big Tree
The tree out front that we hope won't fall on the house. It has grown, like, 20% since we moved in.
Eitan and I have dinner at The Plough (fabulous local gastropub converted from the neighbourhood boozer for the over 50s) and discuss the usual stuff : school, sports, goals and expectations .. girls, though nothing new or on the horizon here - or that he would wish to share, anyway. He's never around the opposite sex as Hampton School all boys but (I learn) Joe and Shaheen have gone on a movie double date, while the counter parties unidentified. It still kinda counts.
at 20:43
Crazy Frankensteins
The backyard in first bloom and it is payback for the long winter, particularly hard this year as we adjust to the kids' early morning schedule. Can I take another? But for now the sunrise is 4:30AM and sunset at 9PM. Amazing what a little extra light does.
Another reason to appreciate this time of year: Roland Garros. And soon, Wimbledon.
at 16:24
Friday, May 31
Thursday, May 30
Madeleine Katie
Central Park
Katie and Madeleine have an Upper West Side morning, starting off with a jog/walk around the reservoir followed by the Silver Moon Cafe for croissants and pastries. From there it is a smoothie then down town to Katie's offices and an afternoon at a chocolate factory in soho "that takes up an entire city block." Sonnet visits the Met. Eitan does his revisions.
Me, on speaker phone: "So do you miss your brother?"
Madeleine: "Not really."
Me: "Guess who's right here?"
Madeleine: "Um, Eitan?"
Eitan: "Hi Madeleine!"
at 15:45
Wednesday, May 29
Manhattan
Sonnet takes Madeleine to Manhattan for half-term break to visit Auntie Katie. Today Katie will take Madeleine to her offices.
Eitan and I were going to go to Thorp amusement park to ride "The Saw", "Swarm," "Stealth" and the "Nemesis Inferno" but foul weather keeps us home. Instead we watch "The Dictator" which seems about right for his age. Or ours.
Me: "How are the revisions going?"
Eitan: "Fine. I did Geography today."
Me: "Oh, what?"
Eitan: "Like how to take temperatures using a thermometer."
Me: "By sticking it up your ass?"
Eitan: "Ha ha! Dad!"
at 16:51
Sunday, May 26
Conservatory
We get some w/e sun which means only one thing for the Shakespeares: chores. The front and backyard require weekly work and, since it has been two weeks, a job for idle hands (or, at least, two kids on half-term break). They grumble but I hold a few cards in my pocket : Eitan wants to watch the men's EUFA Champions Final with Joe and Madeleine wants an iPad. The work gets done.
Our conservatory painted inside black, a gutsy decision which somehow brings the garden closer. Eric made the right call.
at 12:43
Ava
Ava is a crack footballer so no surprise she makes to trip from Devon to see the women's EUFA Champions League at Stamford Bridge. The final between Lyon and Wolfsburg, who win 1-nil, preventing the defending champions from three in a row. I have known this kid her whole life and she is a good one.
at 12:36
Fondu Enchainé
A 'fondu enchainé ' is when, in a movie, one image fades while the next one already appears. This is often what I think, today, of Eitan and Madeleine - they are both still kids who want to climb things, sleep late and slack on their chores or homework. Watch television and eat a candy bar when the mood strikes them. Read comics. Yet, their bodies and personalities subtly shifting before us, in preparation for the next stage. Sonnet and I wonder : what ?
at 12:22
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