Maria

Saturday night, Sharon and I watched Maria on Netflix. This is part of our annual journey to see all of the films that MIGHT be nominated for any Oscar. The movie received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama.

Maria is a biographical psychological drama film directed by Pablo Larraín and written by Steven Knight. It is the third film in Larraín's trilogy of important 20th-century women, following Jackie (2016) and Spencer (2021). We saw both of those filims.

The film stars Angelina Jolie as opera singer Maria Callas. It also stars Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, Stephen Ashfield, Valeria Golino, and Kodi Smit-McPhee [The Power of the Dog] in supporting roles.

Maria depicts the final days of legendary opera singer Maria Callas in 1970s Paris. She confronts a declining health, a tumultuous past, and the fading echoes of her once-powerful voice, while grappling with her identity and life's regrets.

This is a very good performance by Jolie. GoldDerby currently has her with the fifth best odds for a Best Actress Oscar. I didn't know anything about Maria Callas. I was surprised to learn that she was involved with Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis. This film is better than Larrain's movies about Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana.

Nakasendo Trail Training Hike

Wednesday morning, Sharon and I hiked from Bannister Park to the Sunflower Drive-in and back. We had nut burgers for lunch at the Sunflower.

We covered 4.5 miles in an hour and forty-four minutes. The average pace was 23:07 minutes per mile.

2025 Kings versus Heat

Drew and I went to the Sacramento Kings versus Miami Heat NBA Basketball game on Monday night. We had dinner at Il Fornaio before the game. I had INSALATA BIETOLE [organic red & gold beets, wild arugula, toasted walnuts goat cheese and red wine vinaigrette] and RAVIOLI BRASATO NORCINA [braised short rib ravioli, porcini mushrooms and grana padano-cream sauce]. Celebrating my birthday early, Drew gave me a new wallet.

We sat in Drew and Kyle's seats: section 218 row A seats 19 and 20. These seats are on the front of the second deck close to center court.

Trailing by 17 points with 8:07 left in the fourth quarter, the Kings stormed back and tied the game at the end of regulation. The score was tied at 112 at the end of the first overtime. DeMar DeRozan scored nine of Sacramento’s 11 points in the second overtime. The Kings won the game by the score of 123 to 118.

DeMar DeRozan was the high scorer for the Kings. DeRozan had 30 points on 12 for 26 from the field, 1 for 4 from three and 5 for 5 from the free throw line. Domantas Sabonis contributed a triple double with 21 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists.

Tyler Herro was the high scorer for the Heat. Herro had 26 points on 11 for 25 from the field and 4 for 10 from three. He had no free throws.

Two observations about the game. First, the Kings are definitely doing some different things on defense. They were running a second player, often Sabonis, at the ball on the perimeter. Second, the fouls calls seemed inconsistent. For long stretches, it seemed like the referees were letting the players be more physical (a rock fight). Then, all of sudden, they would call a ticky tack foul.

I had mixed emotions about Jimmy Bulter being suspended by the team. I saw him play twice during the 2018-2019 season: once with the Timberwolves and; once with the 76ers. When I saw Bulter before, I was shocked at how big Jimmy Bulter looks; he is listed at 6' 8" and 232 pounds. While it would have been nice to see him play, I am glad that the Kings didn't have to face him.

The Kings have now won five games in a row. The Kings have 2 wins and 2 losses in games that I have seen in the 2024-2025 season. My goal continues to be to see at last one game a month.

Dinner at Holly and Van's

Sunday night, we had dinner at Holly and Van's. They served a great meal of butternut squash soup, salad, rice and Osso Boco.

We split a bottle of wine that they bought in Opatija during our Crossroads of the Adriatic trip. Grgić Vina was established in 1996 by legendary Napa Valley winemaker, Croatian-born Miljenko “Mike” Grgich and his daughter, Violet Grgich. Mike started the winery to produce the finest wines from native Dalmatian grapes and concentrates on crafting Croatia’s very best varietals: Plavac Mali and Pošip.

Nakasendo Trail Training Hike

Sunday morning, Sharon and I hiked at Banister Park. We covered 4.8 miles in two hours. The average pace was 23:13 per mile.

We are starting to train for our hike in April. We are taking a guided 11-day, 10-night walking tour of the Nakasendo Trail with Walk Japan.

The Nakasendo Trail, also known as the Road Through the Central Mountains, is a historic trail in Japan that connected Edo (present-day Tokyo) with Kyoto during the Edo period. Many of the post towns along the trail, such as Magome and Tsumago, have been well-preserved, offering a glimpse into traditional Japanese architecture and lifestyle. Walking through the preserved post towns provides a unique cultural experience. The trail also offers stunning views of mountains, forests, and rivers.

Taking down the Christmas Decorations

I started ferrying boxes from the storage shed to the garage on Monday. While I was getting the last of the cardboard boxes on Thursday, Sharon and Velta took down and packed up all of the Christmas decorations. On Friday, Sharon and I took one load of boxes to the shed.

Clem, Lee, Morgan and Daniel came over Saturday morning. Using my Volvo and their Land Crusier, Daniel and I took all of the boxes back to the storage shed. There are more than 40 boxes of Christmas decorations!

Once we got the boxes to the shed, Daniel helped Sharon and I drag the Christmas tree out to the front. Using the chainsaw, I chopped the tree up on Saturday afternoon and stuffed it in the green barrel.

While I took down the lights in the front, Daniel took the lights off the back deck. All I have left to do on Sunday is take the light off the balconies in the front.

While I really enjoy the house at Christmas, it was nice to get everything done over the last three days. With Daniel and Velta's help, the process went much faster than past years.

Christmas Ornament 2024

2024 marked the 30th Christmas that Sharon and I have celebrated together. I have bought Sharon an ornament for the tree every year since that first Christmas.

This year, I bought her one ornament in Bergen and one ornament in Stockholm to commemorate our Viking Homelands trip. I got her a third ornament at the Postojna Caves when we were on the Crossroads of the Adriatic trip.

The Substance

New Year's Eve, Tom, Sharon and I watched The Substance. The movie received five nominations at the upcoming 82nd Golden Globe Awards, including: Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical; Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy; and, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture. GoldDerby currently has The Substance with the tenth highest Best Picture Odds for the 2025 Oscars.

The Substance is described as a satirical body horror film. It was written, directed, co-edited, and co-produced by Coralie Fargeat. The movie stars Demi Moore, Dennis Quaid and Margaret Qualley.

The Substance tells the story of Elisabeth Sparkle (Moore), an aging celebrity, who is fired from her job due to her age by her producer (Quaid). She resorts to a mysterious black market drug that creates a younger, more vibrant version of herself (Qualley). However, this rejuvenation comes with horrifying and unpredictable consequences. As Elisabeth struggles to maintain control over her transformed self, her life spirals out of control.

I have to start by saying that I am not a fan of horror movies. The first half of the movie is intriguing. The last twenty minutes jumps the shark; the special effects team utilized around 21,000 litres of fake blood and a fire hose. I don't recommend the movie. I will be surprised if it wins a Golden Globe. I will be disappointed if it is nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.

New Year's Day 2025

Sharon and I hiked with the Larkins and the Holbrooks in the Auburn State Recreation Area. It was a state park ranger led group hike starting from the Oregon Hill Parking Lot. The hike included two out and backs: Access Road to Damsite out and-back; and Cardiac Trail to Oregon Bar and Oregon Bar Road Loop.

It was a leisurely pace. We covered four miles in three hours and thirty-five minutes.

New Year's Eve 2024

Sharon's brother Tom came over about 6:45 pm. Tom has joined us for dinner and a movie on New Year's Eve in 2018 (Roma), 2019 (The Irishman) and 2022 (Tár).

Sharon served an interesting cocktail before dinner.

Although we had some drama getting the duck delivered, everything came together. Sharon made a great dinner of spiced orange duck, rice and squash bombe and a leafy winter salad.

After the late dinner, we ended up watching The Substance. I will post my thoughts on the movie later this week.

The movie was over about 11:40 pm. After I walked Tiber in the neighborhood, we crashed about 12:15 am...

2024 Kings versus Mavericks

Larkin and I went to the Sacramento Kings versus Dallas Mavericks NBA basketball game. When Larkin asked me if I was up for going to the game, I said "yes, I wanted to see the trainwreck up close and personal." The Kings fired Mike Brown as head coach on Saturday. The team had lost six games in a row.

The Mavs were short-handed. In addition to Luka Doncic being out for at least the next month with a calf strain, they were missing Kyrie Irving (shoulder), Klay Thompson (illness), Dereck Lively II (hip) and Naji Marshall (suspension).

With the Mavs going 7 for 8 from three in the first quarter, the Kings fell behind by 18 points. The Kings held the Mavs to 40 second half points and won the game by the score of 110 to 100.

The Kings continue to be a very poor three point shooting team. They were 10 for 32 (31.2%). If you take away Trey Lyles' shooting, the Kings were 7 for 26 from three (26.9%).

Spencer Dinwiddie was the high scorer for the Mavericks. He had 30 points on 8 for 18 from the field, 3 for 6 from three and 11 for 12 from the free throw line. P.J. Washington added 28 points.

De'Aaron Fox was the high scorer for the Kings. He had 33 points on 13 for 23 from the field, 3 for 7 from three and 4 for 5 from the free throw line. Domantas Sabonis added 17 points, 16 rebounds and 7 assists.

The Kings are currently 12th in the Western Conference. They are 2.5 games out of the 10th spot for the play-in game. I don't understand the Mike Brown firing. From my perspective, the problem is the roster composition. The team is too small, particularly on the wings, and they are a terrible three point shooting team. I think that it is going to be very difficult for the Kings to turn the season around...

The Kings have 1 win and 2 losses in games that I have seen in the 2024-2025 season.

Davis Mafia Holiday Zoom

Chabrier organized a zoom call on Sunday evening. In addition to Chabrier, the group included Moore, Wallen, Nooter, Geselbracht, Clayton, Hunter, Rehlich, Wilson, Gribi and me.

Taking Jack back to the City

Sharon and I spent the lion's share of the day taking Jack back to San Francisco. Leaving a little after 9 am, we were in the city about 11:20 am. We changed drivers in Vallejo. I was surprised that the Hunter Hill Rest Area was closed; we usually change drivers there.

Wanting to beat the traffic out of the city, we had lunch at LITA in Walnut Creek. We split a BABY KALE︀ salad [delicata squash, pepitas, pomegranate avocado, citrus vinaigrette]. For entrees, we both had CARIBBEAN BOWLS [rice︀ & peas, charred pineapple︀ guacamole, caribbean︀ slaw, scotch-bonnet tomatoes, plantain]. Sharon had OXTAIL, while I had CURRY GOAT.

For a change of scenery, we ended home through the delta. We took 680 to 242 to 4 to 160 to 12 to 5 to 50. With one stop for a change in drivers in Elk Grove, it took about an hour and fifty minutes. We were home at 3:50 pm...

At Emerald Lakes Golf Course

Sharon and Jack played golf with Jason and his dad Tom at the Emerald Lakes Golf Course. Ironically, given Jason and Jack's long friendship, Sharon and I had never met Jason's parents. On the nine hole par 33 course, Jack said that he shot a 46 and Sharon had a 53.

A Complete Unknown

Christmas Night, Jack, Drew, Carmen, Sharon and I saw A Complete Unknown at Cinemark Century Greenback Lane 16 and XD. Over the last sixteen years, we have had a tradition of seeing a movie on Christmas Day. Additionally, the movie fits into our annual journey to see all of the films that might be nominated for an Oscar. GoldDerby currently has A Complete Unknown with the eleventh highest Best Picture Odds.

A Complete Unknown is a biographical musical drama film directed by James Mangold, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jay Cocks. It is based on the 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric! by Elijah Wald. The film's title is derived from the chorus of Dylan's 1965 single "Like a Rolling Stone".

Timothée Chalamet (who also produces) stars as Dylan. The supporting cast includes Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz, and Scoot McNairy.

The biopic follows Bob Dylan's journey from an aspiring folk singer to a rock and roll icon. The film chronicles his rise to fame in the 1960s New York City music scene. It explores his relationships with key figures like Pete Seeger (Norton) and Joan Baez (Barbaro). The movie culminates with Dylan's controversial electric performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.

I liked the movie more than Sharon did. While Chalamet is one of Sharon's favorite actors, Bob Dylan is one of her least favorite musicians. Sharon noted that there is a lot of singing in the movie. Chalamet sings 40 Dylan songs in the film, while also playing guitars and harmonicas. All performances were recorded live while filming. I think that the movie will be nominated for Best Picture and Chalamet will be nominated for Best Actor.

I was surprised to realize that I don't have a Bob Dylan song in the Soundtrack for my Life. One of my roommates during my freshman year in college played a lot of Dylan. The song Hurricane came out in November of 1975; the roommate played it frequently. I might add a Bob Dylan song this year...

Christmas Day 2024

A Christmas Day in seven parts.

Part 1

It was great to have Jack, Drew and Carmen stay overnight. Everyone was up and moving early. After I took Tiber on a Creek walk, the five of us opened the stockings.

Part 2
Lee, Clem, Daniel and Morgan rolled up about 9:30 am. We had a leisurely breakfast. I made waffles. Sharon made an interesting breakfast souffle and a salad with two types of oranges topped with roasted rosemary and olives.

Part 3
After breakfast, we spent a long time around the tree opening gifts. Lee had a great time running back and forth taking gifts to everyone. I got Sharon a necklace with a map of our house, a Alex and Ani bracelet and an Apple watchband. We got Morgan and Carmen necklaces with maps of their houses.

Part 4
After opening all the presents, we took Tiber and Stella for a walk in Ancil Hoffman Park.

Part 5
Jack, Morgan, Drew, Carmen, Sharon and I played a long game of Unstable Unicorns. Jack won.

Part 6

Jack, Drew, Sharon, Carmen and I went to late afternoon movie. We saw A Complete Unknown at the Cinemark Century Greenback Lane 16 and XD. This is a pre-pandemic tradition. A list of movies that we have seen on Christmas Day is here.

A Complete Unknown chronicles Bob Dylan's meteoric rise in the early 1960s, from his arrival in New York City to his controversial electric performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. It is on my list as a possible nominee for multiple Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor. I will post my thoughts about the movie later this week.

Part 7

We finished the day with a very late dinner at home. Sharon's brother Tom joined Jack, Drew, Carmen, Sharon and me for dinner. I barbecued filet migons. Sharon added potatoes, spinach and bread.

It was a very nice day! Although I was moving a little slow, I really enjoyed having the kids and grandkids around!

Christmas Eve 2024

Monday night, Drew went over to Jack's in San Francisco and picked up his presents and golf clubs. Getting off work on Tuesday, Jack jumped on BART to Orinda. Drew and Carmen picked up him up at the Bart Station about 2:15 pm and started for Elk Grove.

Sharon and I headed to her brother Tim's house after 3:00 pm. Tim and Kathy last hosted Christmas Eve in 2019. We got there about 3:45 pm. Drew, Carmen and Jack rolled up about 4:20 pm.

The group for Christmas Eve totalled 23, including: Tom; Eric and Ashley; Kevin, Leah, Lydia and Amelia; Terry and Steve; Jim; Tim and Kathy; Eileen, Will and a friend of Eileen from Portland; Cormac, Erin and Mave; and, Sharon, Jack, Drew, Carmen and me.

After a buffet dinner, we exchanged gifts. Starting to run out of gas, I had fun watching the cousins gift exchange.

I enjoyed the evening. For a number of reasons, we haven't done a Christmas Eve like this since 2019.

Oura Ring Six Month Anniversary Data

For Christmas in 2022, Sharon gave me an OURA ring. It is a smart ring used to track sleep and physical activity.

Over the last two years, my superpowers have always been training volume and the timing of my sleep cycle [June 2023, December 2023, June 2024]. Over the last two years, my kryptonite has switched from recovery index to restfulness and back to recovery index.

Christmas Cookies

Saturday Night

Sharon and I watched Saturday Night as a rental on the AppleTV. This is loosely part of our annual journey to see all of the films that MIGHT be nominated for any Oscar. The movie received one Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Gabriel LaBelle's performance as the show's creator and producer, Lorne Michaels.

Saturday Night is a biographical comedy-drama film directed by Jason Reitman. It is about the night of the 1975 premiere of NBC's Saturday Night, later known as Saturday Night Live.

The film stars a large ensemble cast portraying the various Saturday Night cast and crew. In addition to Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, I particularly enjoyed Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Dylan O'Brien as Dan Aykroyd and Matt Wood as John Belushi.

Frankly, I wanted to watch the movie because I have always been a Saturday Night Live fan. One of my cherished memories is watching a SNL skit with Nooter.  It was Steve Martin and Bill Murray pointing and asking “What the hell is that…?”.  This skit ran in October of 1979, more than forty-five years ago.

I read a 750 page oral history of the first five years of the show in 2020. While I was reading the book, I watched the first episode. Running on the treadmill, I watched the entire first session during the pandemic. I am currently slowly working my way through the second season.

Saturday Night won't win any awards. It will not be nominated for any Oscars. Nevertheless, as a fan of the show, I enjoyed the movie.