Cord of Wood

The times they are a-changin’. It used to be give the chimney a thorough cleaning and order a cord of wood. Nowadays it’s check the website or e-mail alerts before thinking about sitting around a cozy fire.

Winter Spare the Air runs: November 1, 2009 – February 28, 2010

Get Notifications:
* Check the newspaper, radio, and TV
* Check the web for wood burning status.
* Sign up for e-mail or phone alerts.
* If that’s not enough there is a widget.

Report wood smoke concerns (snitch on the neighbors) call 1-877-4NO-BURN (1-877-466-2876).

One way to get that ‘warm cozy’ during “Spare the Air” is to put on a wearable fleece blanket with sleeves (odd looking monk robe), then put in a sold by Amazon Fireplace DVD, or try Comcast.

Comcast On Demand:
TV Entertainment go to Yule Log & More- click on Fireplace – or TV Entertainment scroll down to TV Screensavers.

I can not recommend the 20 minutes of “Island Sunset”. The squawking bird sounds turned thoughts of peaceful, soothing and warm to thoughts of an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle! – - but that’s another Christmas story.

Follow SpareTheAir on twitter.

Joaquin & Craig

My Facebook Birthday Reminder for Week of November 2nd:

Craig Saavedra - Director/Producer

I met Craig and Joaquin in 2008 at Cinequest 18. I wasn’t the only one to fall for this film entry.

“Sherman’s Way“(music plays) was recognized with:
* Audience Award for Best Feature: Cinequest Film Festival 2008
* Audience Award for Best Feature: Newport International Film Festival 2008
* Audience Award for Best Feature: Gaia Film Festival 2008
* Special Jury Award: Jackson Hole Film Festival 2008

“Sherman’s Way” was a delight to view. As a little red MG came into its own with a remodel and a new shine, so did the players of the film. Sherman (Michael Shulman) made the needed changes to help find his way. Palmer (James Le Gros) attempts to reconnect with family.

A good portion of “Sherman’s Way” was filmed around Clear Lake, California. I haven’t been to that region of the state, but Joaquin Sedillo’s gorgeous cinematography put it on my ‘places to visit’ list.

Sherman’s Way: Written by, Tom Nance.

iTunes
$9.99 Buy Movie
$3.99 Rent Movie

NETFLIX
DVD and streaming

Amazon
New and only 6 used

Just for fun: Heinz Midnight Snack

* Morgan Autism Center 40th Anniversary Celebration Starry Starry Night

A Cocktail & Hors d’oeuvre Reception with a special performance by the dynamic band SAGE – (< music will play)
A fun-filled evening of fine wines, champagnes and culinary delicacies.

Event Co-Chairs: Helen Marchese Owen & Angela McConnell
Honorary Co-Chairs:
Mayor Chuck Reed, City of San Jose
Supervisor Elizabeth Kniss, Santa Clara County

$100 per person – Tickets can be purchased at the door.
Cocktail Attire preferred.
Raffle Tickets Available: 1 for $10, 3 for $20, 8 for $50

* Tap To Talk
Cupertino based Assistyx has developed a communication device:

Regardless of cause–autism, developmental disability, mental retardation, down syndrome, apraxia, and many diseases–TapToTalk can help those who are non-verbal or have other speech or learning challenges communicate and learn.

TapToTalk

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fun-size bar

The San Jose Tech Museum is looking for yucky leftover Halloween candy. It can be traded for a yummy NESTLÉ CRUNCH fun-size bar, and 10% off admission through November 8.
The collected candy is being transformed into a rocket ship sculpture. What fun!

Whats new at The Tech

"Luann"

Open the San Jose Mercury News Thursday morning and go straight to the comics.

Greg Evans has created a special “Luann” about “Books For Treats“.

10/29/09
San Jose Mercury New
Comics – “Luann”

The TV flickered and then almost simultaneously everything was in motion. Books fell off of the shelves, the microwave cart started to move from the kitchen to the front room, and I was running for my daughter. Fortunately my family suffered no injuries.

The sorry plight of the people trapped in the Cyprus Freeway collapse made quite an impression, so I do carry bottled water in the car. But this many years later I am not prepared for the next big one. Is anyone?

Tomorrow morning we can participate in “The Great California Shake Out” and learn to help keep ourselves safe.

Radio & TV Broadcasts
October 15th at 10:15 AM

* KCBS 740 AM – 106.9 FM

* KPIX TV 5

San Jose: The Tech Museum is the epicenter for Northern California.

As the key ShakeOut venue, the museum will be staged to carry out the “drop,
cover, hold on” drill with more than 400 student visitors and other guests
including Matthew Bettenhausen, acting secretary of the state’s Emergency
Management Agency, Karen Baker, secretary of Service and Volunteering for
California Volunteers, museum President Peter Friess and officials with the
USGS, American Red Cross, San Jose police and fire officials, among others.

More than 400 visitors participate in an actual earthquake drill in
three museum locations. The museum earthquake platform will be shaking all
day with eight different simulated earthquakes from around the world –
including the Loma Prieta. An ambulance and police and fire vehicles will be
stationed outside the museum along with the “Big Shaker,” an earthquake
simulator where visitors are rattled for up to 10 seconds in what feels like
an 8.0 quake.

1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake – KTVU TV 8:15pm

USGS twitter

Mackenzie Phillips

It was the opening night of Cinequest-19 where I spotted Mackenzie Phillips (American Graffiti, One Day at a Time) at the California Theatre. I told her that it was nice to see her. To which she replied, “Nice to be seen.” I asked, “Did she had something to share with San Jose Metblogs?” Yes, she told me about her tell-all book that should be out in the spring. It took a bit longer than spring, but her controversial memoir “High on Arrival” is now out. Mackenzie is making the talk show rounds and, this evening she will be on with Larry King @ 6:00 PM.

Yes, I enjoy the films of Cinequest, but part of the lure is meeting the producers, directors, actors, TV and movie stars. I’m looking forward to Cinequest Film Festival 20 next February.

Paige Baxter

Finding a good hair stylist is like finding a good hand bag; which can be one of a woman’s biggest challenges. I tried a celebrity stylist in Willow Glen. As far as I know he doesn’t do celebs, he just thinks that he is one. Mr. Celeb took a quick look at my hair and then turned me over to a shampoo girl. Mr. Celeb took all of 10 minutes to do the cut. He then called over another girl to blow dry and style. That will be $100 please. I wondered what did that C-note cover? Just the cut? The experience felt odd, and to make it worse I didn’t like my hair.

One afternoon I was up near SFO with some time to kill. Always on the search for that good hair cut, I happened into Roobik’s, in Burlingame. Martine listened to me, cut my hair to perfection, and that will be $18 please! Even though it means a trip to Burlingame; one of my life’s biggest challenges is solved.

The last time I was up there for my cut Martine told me about her daughter Paige. She is the drummer with a group called Wonderland Syndrome.

Wonderland Syndrome @ VooDoo Lounge
14 S 2ND ST, San Jose
Tonight – Friday, Oct. 2
7:30 PM

Roobik’s
1805 El Camino Real # B @ Trousdale Dr.
Burlingame, CA 94010-3202
(650) 697-424
* Ask for Martine

Yes, here in Silicon Valley (and Seattle) there’s an app for that.

Starbucks is testing an iPhone/iPod touch app in San Jose, Cupertino, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale, CA. Why here? Because we are cool, or it may be because Apple is here.

My Starbucks Card app was free. It was easy to load my account with my major credit card. I can check my balance, and view my transaction history, etc.

There is a drink and food menu – with cute little pictures. I love it, but the app is only good to use in selected stores.

There is one in San Jose, one in Cupertino (not far from 1 Infinite Loop), one in Sunnyvale, and five (!) in Mountain View. There is even a Starbucks listed for Castro High School. Do they drink more coffee in Mountain View?

There is a place on the app to let Starbucks know what we think. I wish my favorite store (14801 Los Gatos Blvd) was participating.

My iPhone is always with me, and now so is my Starbucks card!

Participating:
20520 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, CA 95014
5180 Stevens Creek Blvd, San Jose, CA 95129
1037-C El Monte Ave., Mountain View, CA 94040
1380 Pear Ave., Mountain View, CA 94043
Castro @ High School: 750 Castro St, Mountain View, CA 94041
809A Cuesta Blvd, Mountain View, CA 94040
2410 Charleston Ave., Mountain View, CA 94043
1687 Hollenbeck Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94087

October 4th is just a couple of weeks away, so it is time for San Jose runners to get ready for the Rock ‘n’ Roll 1/2 Marathon. Though this news is exciting for the runners, and good for the city, for me it is just ho-hum. That was until I heard about the post race concert.

* Rock ‘n’ Roll 1/2 Marathon Post-Race Concert:
* Finish Line Festival Stage – Plaza de Caesar Chavez.

# 1 Jonny Lang – (Grammy winner) is the concert headliner.

# 2 It is free! – and open to the public. (the concert)

# 3 Lang is scheduled to take the stage around 12 PM.

Note: For the marathon – register online