positive & negative space out

I don't know if the beer has much taste.... but this tasty commercial is rich with 60s flavor!!! Groovy visual effects....yeah baby.

Sorcerer

Though maligned by critics and a dismal failure at the box office, this 1977 Friedkin film, to me, is an astounding and highly visual film. The Tangerine Dream synthesizer driven soundtrack is integral, as the tension ratchets up from the get go!

Perhaps expectations were colored by Friedkin’s previous successes with The Exorcist and TheFrench Connection; for this film is a total departure. It also went up against Star Wars at the time. Further it may have been misconstrued as a film about the supernatural, which it is not. The Sorcerer in this film is fate!

I revisit this one every so often and always find it a source of amazement. Incredible jungle landscapes are the back drop for this inexorable progression toward fatalism.

Hurried Harvest

Rain pelted down as we snipped the grape clusters from their vines. Yesterday's harvest in Skinny’s hillside vineyard, home of MoDog Merlot, was unlike others. The grapes were less voluptuous and bountiful this year. Some of the south facing rows were sunburned and raisin like. Resourceful birds had gotten under the netting in places too, feasting on the tasty morsels.

Still there was an ample yield and lots of flavor to the grapes. Skinny estimated nearly 500 pounds, just not the usual 700 +. Sugar content would need to be augmented this year as well. Nature has its way, adding intrigue to the craft of winemaking. For Skinny, it’s a passion and not a livelihood; so no monetary pressure for this country gentleman…..er one with a day job.

I got home, wet, muddy, and cold from picking, sorting and schlepping buckets. Thirsty too....so I popped open a bottle...Racer 5 IPA that is.....enough with the grapes!


Epilogue......

Thanks to Matt, Andrea, Claire, Deborah and George (and to the rest of you for your psychic support) we harvested ~ 500 lbs of good quality grapes during intermittent drizzle on Friday avoiding the 4 to 5” that fell on Saturday and Sunday. The last grapes were harvested in the dark. Surprisingly after eliminating the raisins, under-ripe and shriveled clusters, the remaining 500lbs (~12 cases) was of excellent quality. More chemistry is required for this vintage since the sugars (cool summer) and total acid (long hang time) were both low so I have added cane sugar and tartaric acid.

Cheers, Skinny

Sound System

Dang, my car stereo is fried....could sure use a new sound system.

where I wanna be

All the Gods who play in the mythological dramas
In all legends from all lands were from fair Atlantis. -Donovan

High Stakes

Clown: I say destroy the cosmos, ask questions later. -Spawn

Jersey Breakfast

Don't look now, but......

...a little visit from Max Schreck.


When you came in the air went out
And every shadow filled up with doubt -Jace Everett









In transit you pass among the strangers of the world
Paying tribute to the thief who stole away your shadow -Covenant

Young Idealists

Not to worry, Chris Matthews, cause DaBlog is so not "your place for politics". Still this Matthew is staying informed.....

While viewing tonight's debate, I flashed on a photo I took back in ' 75 as an aspiring young photographer covering some political dinner in San Francisco.














And a youthful Jerry wasn't the only one with more hair in those days....

Halloween Vibe

Released in 1922, Murnau's silent film, Nosferatu starring Max Schreck is by far the scariest & creepiest of all Vampire films!!! Just the thing for Halloween viewing. Nyahaha!

nice shape

Just browsing today at Northern Light.

When good Pandas go bad......

GOT PANDA?

Gliese 581 G

inner power

Atty. Steve is THE DEFENDER

Just did a photo shoot for Criminal Atty. Steve....so if your next scam goes bad or that deal doesn't go down, let me know & I'll hook ya up.

Double Dipping

I’ve surfed the Patch so much lately; that I needed to hit the Channel ....if only to maintain some credibility. Plus that’s where everyone was...Marty, Mark, Doug, David, Loren, et al.

I first encountered Loren getting his pre-session blog shot and he commented that the inside left north of the groin pole was peeling nicely. (By the way Loren...it's dueling blogs today,even though I told Marty I wouldn't attempt to go head to head with you). Caught a quick fun one there on the inside before easing my way further out and into the line up.

As I studied the conditions, I watched as David (wtBb) caught two sweet, long rides. He was on it today. Then Doug made an agile pop up, dropping into a steep, fast & larger size wave. His stance was confident and formidable.

My wave was not as successful. After making the drop, I crouched and grabbed a rail hoping for glory as the wave walled in front of me. Next thing I knew I was hurled into the soup as the wave closed out on me. “How’s that workin for you?” posed the Dr. Phil voice in my head. Hmmmm.

A little later I dropped into another close out, only this time cut back to avoid the inhospitable section before me. Ugh! Now I heard another voice, that of the Patch Siren sweetly singing. I stayed on the wave and took it to shore to heed the calling.

The Patch dweller returneth!

It seemed I’d now paddled into a whole new realm. The rights were coming with regularity and both size and shape. The sun broke through the clouds creating a metallic sparkle on the beckoning wave faces. My confidence was regained and the shape was holding. A few hours of solid carving eased the earlier tweaking from my Channel close outs.

Sometimes I’m just a denizen of the Patch... What can I tell ya?

P.S. Props to Mark, who showed up later at the Patch on his long board, after short board shredding in the Channel. He caught one from beyond the outside rock.....well basically out to sea, and rode that wave all the way to the parking lot! And Robert was rockin the peak way outside. He was too far out there to really see; but I heard his resonant shouts of, "Here it comes!"