Random Pre-Vacation Thoughts

Some random thoughts on my last workday before vacation:

*** I like the Randy Johnson to the Yankees trade. Let me get this straight—you trade a 41 year old pitcher with at most two good years left for a 32-year-old starting right fielder with power, a flame-throwing middle reliever, another starter (26 years old) and a prospect? What’s the catch?

*** I was depressed to see that folks on minimum wage could not afford even afford a cheap apartment. I read a book last year in which the author (a journalist) took off a year and worked minimum wage jobs (Wal Mart, waitress, etc…) and tried to make ends meet. She couldn’t do it. Speaking of books, I have a ton that I’d like to read on vacation. One, “Lovely Bones,” is a tough read if you have a 12-year-old daughter, but my wife and daughter want me to get through it. (They both have read it). I’ll probably stick with “The Godfather Returns.”

*** I also was disappointed to see that “Spanglish” came in third at the box office, earning $9 million for the weekend, a pale comparison to “Lemony Snicket” and “Oceans 12.” Once “Meet the Fockers” is out, “Spanglish” will be an afterthought. Movies are all about marketing.

*** One of the best things about our short jaunt to SF is eating Vietnamese food. There are several great places in the Bay Area. We first were introduced to the cuisine in Seattle. There was an awesome place, Cafe Loc, near the Seattle Center that we would frequent as much as possible. The restaurant, owned by a Vietnamese lawyer and her husband, is gone. But then again, so are we. In two months, we hope to be eating Vietnamese food on native soil.

*** Speaking of our planned trip to Asia, we want to do a stopover in Hong Kong. We were there in 1998, but stayed in the wrong area, had no spending money and brought our daughter. We have all three issue corrected. My prime goal is to buy a new watch.