www.mark-heringer.com
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Dinner with Holly and Van
While we were in Africa, Holly and Van spent September and early October on a five week trip. It included: a week on their own in Cinque Terre, Genoa, Milan, Lake Como and Bologna; a Roads Scholar tour - Beyond the View: The Amalfi Coast and Sorrento, and; the National Geographic Journeys: Morocco in Depth.
We had talked about taking an OATS trip to Morocco with Holly and Van. Based on their summary of the trip, I probably won't be able to get Sharon to Morocco!
Monday, October 20, 2025
Celebrating Lee's Sixth Birthday!


fourth birthday
third birthday
second birthday
first birthday
Sunday, October 19, 2025
2025 Notre Dame Irish versus USC Trojans
Saturday night after Sharon got back from Carmen's baby shower, we went to
Sharon's nephew Eric's
house to watch the Notre Dame Irish versus USC Trojan college football game. Sharon's family are huge Notre Dame fans. Sharon's dad was Irish-Catholic and raised in Indiana. There are at least two other times that we have joined the family to watch Notre Dame play USC: November 2012 and November 2010.
The group included Tom, Eric, Kevin, Leah, Lydia, Amelia, Sharon and I. I don't think that I have ever watched an Irish game with Eric; he gets very into the game.
No. 13 Notre Dame ended up beating No. 20 Southern California by the score of 34 to 24. It was a pretty exciting game. With USC leading 24 to 20 in the third quarter, Notre Dame's Jadarian Price scored on a tackle-breaking 100-yard kickoff return. The fourth quarter featured two USC turnovers, a fumble and an interception.
Looking out of sync in the wet weather, Notre Dame quarterback C.J. Carr was 16 of 26 for 136 yards and one TD. He rushed 1 yard for Notre Dame’s final score. Jeremiyah Love rushed for a career-high 228 yards and a score.
Notre Dame boosted its College Football Playoff hopes with the victory and should move up in the rankings.
The Notre Dame-USC football series is one of the oldest and most traditional rivalries in college football. USC recently removed the scheduled 2026 game against Notre Dame from its official team website. The two schools have reportedly not yet reached an agreement to extend the annual series.
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Friday, October 17, 2025
Tomasin
The Hindenburg of NBA teams
“This is the Hindenburg of NBA teams this year.”
— The Ringer (@ringer) October 15, 2025
Safe to say @BillSimmons and @ZachLowe_NBA aren’t too high on the Kings this season. pic.twitter.com/B8slhHZhCh
Thursday, October 16, 2025
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Celebrating our 29th Wedding Anniversary
Monday, October 13, 2025
Sunday, October 12, 2025
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy: A Monk and Robot Book
The book continues the journey of Sibling Dex, a restless tea monk, and Splendid Speckled Mosscap, the first robot to return to human civilization after centuries in the wild. The pair travel across the moon of Panga to human settlements, where Mosscap attempts to answer its core question: "What do people need?" Through philosophical conversations with various communities, Dex helps Mosscap learn about the complexities of human wants and needs in their post-scarcity, solarpunk society. Ultimately, the two friends realize that true fulfillment might not be a grand, fixed purpose, but the simple comfort of being together while searching for the answer.
The series is an example of the solarpunk genre, presenting an optimistic vision of a future where humans have overcome consumerism and environmental catastrophe to live in harmony with nature and with each other. The world of Panga is presented as kind, gentle, and cooperative, though not without its own quiet struggles.
I am lukewarm about this book. While I appreciate what the author is trying to do, I found the story pretty pedestrian. It will be interesting to see where the storyline goes in the next book in the series...
Saturday, October 11, 2025
Out of Africa

Out of Africa is a 1985 epic romantic drama film directed and produced by Sydney Pollack. The film is based loosely on the 1937 autobiographical book Out of Africa written by Isak Dinesen (the pseudonym of Danish author Karen Blixen) with additional material from Dinesen's 1960 book Shadows on the Grass and other sources. The film stars Meryl Streep, Robert Redford and Klaus Maria Brandauer.
Danish author Karen Blixen (Streep) moves to British East Africa in 1913. Her marriage of convenience to Baron Bror Blixen (Brandauer) quickly falls apart leaving her to run a failing coffee plantation on her own. She begins a passionate but complicated romance with the independent big-game hunter Denys Finch Hatton (Redford), who values his freedom above all else. After losing the farm and Denys in a tragic accidents, Karen reluctantly returns to Denmark, where she channels her bittersweet memories into her famous writings.
Out of Africa won seven Academy Awards at the 58th ceremony (1986), including: Best Picture (Sydney Pollack, Producer); Best Director (Sydney Pollack); Best Adapted Screenplay (Kurt Luedtke); Best Cinematography (David Watkin); Best Original Score (John Barry); Best Art Direction (Stephen B. Grimes), and; Best Sound (Chris Jenkins, Gary Alexander, Larry Stensvold, and Peter Handford). Streep was also nominated for Best Actress.
When it was over, Sharon said "that was quite good." Although I am sure that I saw the movie forty years ago, I didn't remember much of the plot. With a run time of two hours and forty minutes, I found the movie slow in spots, particularly towards the end. The cinematography is wonderful; I particularly enjoyed the shots of the animals and the bush. Filmed in Kenya, the bush was much greener than what we saw in South Africa and Zambia.
Friday, October 10, 2025
Grey Duiker
Thursday, October 09, 2025
Wednesday, October 08, 2025
Tuesday, October 07, 2025
Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown
In Dan Brown's book The Lost Symbol, Brown introduced the character Katherine and the subject of noetics. At time I said, I didn't think that he did a very good job integrating the subject into the novel. Brown brings back Katherine and dives into the subject with a mishmash of nonlocal conscious, human to machine interfaces, multiple personalities and epilepsy.
Two random comments. This is the second book in a row where epilepsy played a major role. Additionally, I think the idea of nanobots for human to machine interfaces a lot more than serious brain surgery...
Like all of the Dan Brown books, the story does a great job of exploring the location. Prague serves as the backdrop for the story. It paints a wonderful picture of the city. Neither Sharon or I have been there. Tom was there in April. With a potential trip to Paris to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary in 2026, Sharon suggested that we take a side trip to Prague.
Although I am still not sure how I feel about some of the "science' in the book, I enjoyed it. I give it a "B+." Holly had suggested that we read this book for another book club dinner. If we do, it will be an interesting discussion.
Monday, October 06, 2025
The Loco Scheme - Dick Heringer at UC Davis
California Aggie, Volume 52, Number 7, 29 October 1953
All-University Weekend—That's what’s keeping the world going around for most at this stage of the game.
There’s going to be a helluva football spectacle that day in the Los Angeles Colisseum. I predict (my head is now at the block) the Cal Aggies will beat Santa Barbara, and in the minor game of the day I expect to see the Bruins defeat the Bears.
On the local scene the Aggies have suffered a setback. Star guard Richard Heringer has been hospitalized because of a brain concussion suffered in the Nevada game. Hope you get back soon, Dick. We need you.
On the interfraternity side, in basketball we find somewhat the same story, with Kappa Sigma on top with three wins and no losses, followed by a secondplace tie between the AGR’s and SAE’s, with a two-and-one count.
STANDINGS: Team W L Kappa Sigs 3 0 AGR 2 1 SAE 2 1 Delta Sig 1 2 Sigma Nu 1 2 Theta Xi 1 1 Calpha 0 2 Phi Sig . 0 2Sports are breaking out all over the place. Coach Woody Wilson announced that Intramural tennis will Start next week. Anyone is eligible who doesn’t hold a Varsity Letter in tennis. Signups open this week. Monday, Nov. 2, is the time for all aspirants for the Varsity and Jr. Varsity Basketball teams to meet in Room 119 of the gym. Time, 4 p.m.—Coach Stromgren announced today.


Dick Heringer and Joyce Abbott at UC Davis
Sunday, October 05, 2025
Snipes Wedding Weekend - Day #3
Saturday, October 04, 2025
Snipes Wedding Weekend - Day #2

- a nice breakfast of quiche and fruit on the deck;
- facetiming with Drew and Carmen;
- A 3.25 mile hike through Effie Yeaw Nature Center and around Ancil Hoffman Park;
- watching some of the New York Yankees versus Toronto Blue Jays MLB play off game (Blue Jays 10, Yankess 1);
- some sandwiches from Jersey Mike's;
- the Night Before party in the Snipes' backyard in Davis, and;
- watching the end of the Seattle Mariners play off loss to the Detroit Tigers (Tigers 3, Mariners 2 in 10 innings).
Friday, October 03, 2025
Snipes Wedding Weekend - Day #1

Fighting the Friday afternoon traffic over the causeway, the Wallens rolled up to our house in Carmichael about 4:15 pm. They are spending the weekend with us. They actually haven't stay here overnight since Hunter's 60th in 2013...
The four of us spent some time catching up on the deck. Sharon made a great dinner of Peruvian chicken, rice and green beans on Sunday night.
It was really nice to have a leisurely opportunity to catch up just the four of us.
Wallen and I finished the night walking Tiber to the end of the lane and back. We all crashed about 10:30 pm.
Thursday, October 02, 2025
Wednesday, October 01, 2025
Tongabezi Lodge
During the trip, Tom pointed out that the Tongabezi Lodge is featured in the book 1,000 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz. Sharon gave me the book for Christmas more than twenty years ago.
While the book focuses on places and attractions, it often includes specific, noteworthy accommodations as part of a destination's entry. Tongabezi is included in the section dedicated to Victoria Falls/Livingstone, Zambia, and is highlighted as one of the quintessential places to stay in the region, known for its unique riverfront location and luxurious, romantic setting.