Then, Our Eyes Met

The room is 15 feet across by 20 feel long.  The couch and computer are opposite the far walls.  The back computer chair faces the couch.

At the computer end, there is a 10 foot opening to the dining room then kitchen.  The couch end has a normal doorway with a pocket door.  It is always open.

I talk to the missus, who is behind me on the couch, facing the computer. Unable to actually see her.  She speaks to the back of my chair.  Not optimal but it works.  It is like talking on the phone. In the olden days when people talked on the phone.  Inflection without expression.

It is morning.  I have lounging pants and a long sleeve shirt on.  I am wearing slippers.  The missus has a sweatshirt and pajama pants. She is wearing pink Crocs.

It is a chilly morning. The heater is not working optimally these days.  Service will be here in a  few days.  The finger are slow to react still.

We are drinking coffee.  A rich French roast made smooth by an organic liquid vanilla creamer.  The coffee was just made with an Italian instant espresso machine.  Today, we have two medium length espressos in our cups.  Bold and strong but not bitter like a shorter espresso.

My cup is empty.  I turn to face the missus and chat momentarily.

She rises form the couch.

I rise form the computer chair.

Our eyes meet.  Our stare lingers for a moment.

I look towards the espresso machine.

She follows my gaze.

Our eyes meet again.

Espresso Machine.

Us.

Espresso Machine.

We launch towards the kitchen.

I have twice the distance to cover.  By back creaks.  My feet are like heavy like stones.  I try not to lose my slippers.

I race.

The missus smite in her victory places her cup on the built in warmer.  I said it is Italian, they know coffee. The missus saunters off down the hall.  I, first runner up, make my consolation coffee,  two medium length espressos.

A simple trip to Chipotle

"Hi, are you a Jew Dyke?"
"Huh? Excuse me?"
"W.h.a.t  w.o.u.l.d.  l.i.k.e.?"

"Oh, A chicken burrito."
"We like your eyes?"
"Thanks."
"???"
"What?"
"W.h.i.t.e  o.r.  b.r.o.w.n.  r.i.c.e.?"
"Oh, white please"

"Can I see your feet?"
"No!"
"Sagitarian?"
"What?"
"W.h.a.t.  k.i.n.d.. o.f. m.e.a.t.?"
"Sorry, Chicken please."

"Wood made of balsa."
"Nice"
"Excuse me?"
"What?"
"W.h.a.t.  k.i.n.d.  o.f. s.a.l.s.a.?"
"Pico de gallo, and the top two"
"What's new?"
"What?"
"W.h.i.c.h.  s.a.l.s.a.?"
"T.h.e. T.o.p.  T.w.o." {Grunt} {point}{point}

"Our meals are very holy!"
"Why?"
"What?"
"I. a.m. s.o.r.r.y. I c.a.n't. u.n.d.e.r.s.t.a.n.d. y.o.u."
"W.o.u.l.d.  y.o.u. l.i.k.e. g.u.a.c.a.m.o.l.e.?"
"No!" {shakes head}

{point at sour cream}
{shake my head}

"Can I have some lettuce please?"
{5 shreds of lettuce tosses on top}
{sigh}

"For here is to throw"
"What?"
{wife} "To go"

"Drinks?"
"No, thanks."
{wife} "Yes"

"Your change..."
"Thanks"
"Thank you"
"No, thank you"
{flirty laughs}

{wife} {Eye Roll}

This Chipotle has to have the worst acoustics of any.  Small, Cramped and Loud!

Sherry Notes

What are sherry notes?

What does it mean to say a beer has sherry notes?

One of the flavor descriptors  / descriptions that I often hear when tasting beers is "Sherry Notes"  Hell, I even use them myself and do not really know what I mean.  Well, I do know what I mean but that is not necessarily what other folks mean.

When I say Sherry Note, I usually mean it has some molasses like flavor that is kind of sweet.  Sometimes like brown sugar and a little syrupy sweet.  Like it feels a little thick or heavy on the tongue.  Usually, this is not a bad thing.

I searched Google for some time trying to figure out what people mean when they say a beer has Sherry Notes.  I found thousands of references but just a few had any descriptors.  very often they mean something different.  It seems many of us craft beer drinkers use the term but it means something different.

Much of the time, we are referring to an oxidized characteristic of the beer.  What is oxidation?  Very generally, it is when molecules are changed or altered by the presence of oxygen  In beer, it depends on what the oxygen is contacting.  Different elements in beer produce different oxidation compounds.  One of which can be "Sherry Notes".

So, what is Sherry?  Very simply, it is grapes made into wine and allowed to... oxidize.   Sherry can be super-d-duper dry or thick and maple syrup sweet.

What is dry?  Dry is basically a void of sweet.  Sweet plays nice with your palate and coats it with pleasurable goodness.  A Dry Sherry has little or no sweetness so the acidic properties dry out your mouth and the tart or astringent properties have free run.  Dry supposedly allows you to experience more of the complex flavors in the wine.

What is astringent or tart? It is that puckering thing you get when you drink a dry Sherry :)

So, what is a Sherry Note?

Depends on what Sherry is to you :)

I find that darker beers to to exhibit more of these over time.  Quite often just saying Sherry notes is not all that helpful.  I described my aged smoked porter as having Sherry notes but I went on to suggest caramel, syrup, dried fruits like figs and a slight nuttiness like toasted almonds.

From my internet research, I found these common descriptors of Sherry.  Maybe they can help you find that flavor you are banging your head trying to describe.

Sherry on the dry side are said to have:
Green Apple
Almonds
Green Olives
Mushrooms
Slightly Oceanlike - Freshly opened oysters, Salty
Soy Sauce



On the Sweeter side, Sherry is said to have:
Hazlenuts
Wood - Ceder
Honey
Raisins
Caramel
Orange / Orange Peel


Aged Sherry is said to have more sweeteness from more oxidation:
Walnuts
Roasted nuts
Fruits - Figs, Dried Fruit, Prunes, Cherries
Maple Syrup
Darkly cooked sugar.  almost burnt (Toffee)
Dark Molasses
Blackberry

Props to folks from my time working at I. Magnin

I worked for I. Magnin from 1981 to 1992.  I would like to recognize a few of the folks who helped shape my life.

12/14/1981 - 2/86- Carmel
Carol Seres was one of the greatest, kindest people I ever encountered and I am forever a better person from her guidance. Not much more can be said.  Carol was and will always be one of the most important people in my life.

John Wraith was a kind and generous soul who mentored me and helped me grow.  John's strong spiritual believe never stuck with me but the ethic and drive to excel did.  I believe I did something great at the Stanford store and owe much of that success to you.

Mimi Burden, thank you for believing in my and giving me the chance to change the direction of my life.  I was forever changed!

Michiko Morris, I had such a memorable time working with you.  I have never had someone I enjoyed spending my workday with as much as you.  Bringing me lunch so often had nothing to do with it, I swear :)

Diane aka Lady Di,  I had such a crush on you.  We had iced tea in your garden. I was extremely shy and probably uttered nonsense the entire time. I have a permanent mental picture of that day.  It is a great memory.

Kelly Harris, thank you for recommending and vouching for me to start my career and setting my path to excel at every job and career I have had.   Lori was a beautiful part of my life I will never forget.

2/86 - 11/88 - Stanford
Myra Lessner made my life miserable in a good way.  I was shy and unable to communicate in groups and, well, with women. Myra's love for entertaining and skits helped me overcome some of it.

Stacy/Trixie, Christy??, Mar Mar, Marcia and the woman I remember so well but forget your name (from Carmel),  and the names I forget..  We had great time and I apologize for my dorky shyness.

My team, I forget so many names now but remember every face.  Two of my best folks I just can't remember their names but I can recall these Patricia, Pat, Michael.  It was a great time!

11/88 - 6/92 Help Desk/IT SF China Basin/Union Square
Fred Davis was a start influence on me.  Fred recognized my talent for technology and allowed me to grow.  I would have never met my lovely and talented wife if not for your trusting in me back in 1988.  I would have never spent the next 23 years in technology careers (I love and hate you sometimes :) ).  Of course you started me on a path to appreciate good wine too.

Brian Dowey changed my life in two ways.  He introduced me to craft beer and hockey.  I have forever since been a  fan of both and, of course, am now a amateur craft brewer myself.   Go Sharks!

There are many more who I remember for fond and great memories like the Mens Manger at Stanford.  We had some memorable laughs.  Manny from Women's Shoes.  Among the fun stories, we had some fun cars too :)  Kate from Carmel, you have always been just awesome to me.  My friends in SF.  So many friends.

And Fred, I was no Casanova but it felt kinda good having peeps thinking so.  Luckily, sending me to the Sherman Oaks store changed my life forever.  That was my one Casanova moment and I married that delightful woman and am thankful nearly every day :)

Jmeter Random Transactions and Sharing Variables Between Thread Groups

I am using Jmeter to test applications on my web server.  I ran into some scenarios that Jmeter could not natively support.

Problem 1. I want to sent out certainly requests randomly. 
Problem 2. I need two thread groups and group #2 needs variable data from group 1.
Problem 3. I need elapsed time for all objects in a controller to complete


Problem 1
This was a rather simple solution that eventually came to me based on some other actions I was performing. 
- I added a loop controller
- I added a child If Controller
- I added a child Interleave Controller
- I added transactions in the Interleave Controller
- I created a global user defined variable for the high value of the random number generator range
- I added a BSF Preprocessor
  Language:  Javascript
 The script consisted of
 rand1 = vars.get("randomto");   //get the global variable for the random number range
 var randomx=Math.floor(Math.random()*randt);   //pick a number between 0 and the end of range
 vars.put("GR",randomx);   //share the random number with the thread
- In the If Controller, the condition is ("${GR}" == "1").  If the random number picked is 1, the first transaction from the interleave controller will be sent.  Next time it is matched, the second.  And so on.


Each loop cycle, a new random number is selected for each thread.  This is compared to the If Controller value (I use 1 as shown above). If they match, the If Controller is executed.  If not, it is skipped.

I use 1 as a matching criteria so I can control the frequency down to 50%.   Normally I use a 1% chance to send transactions.  I set the user defined variable "randomto" to 100.  The javascript will pick a number between 0 and 99 giving me a 1% chance. 


Problem 2
Problem 2 required a bit more thought.  Eventually, I came up with a perfectly working solution for my needs.

I needed three sets of variable data from thread group 1 available to thread group 2.  The variable data is thread dependent so thread 1-1 has three variables that thread 2-1 uses. 

My users log in and get a session ID.  They then use this session ID to authenticate to a webapp service on the same server.  They are assigned a second session ID with that service.  The login response also provides the client with their user number.  All requests include the user number.  Requests for for the first app, APP1, include SessionID1 and requests to APP2 include SessionID2.  Again, these are all unique per thread/user. 

My solution was to use Jmeter Property Variables in a unique way.



I use a CSV Data Set Config to read username and password from a CSV file.  I assign these to global variables username,password.  I limit the Sharing Mode to Current Thread Group.
(Note:  I have a lot more error handling logic than I indicate in this posting)

When the client logs in to APP1, I use a Regular Expression Extractor to assign the SessionID1 to a thread variable.

I then use a Beanshell Assertion to set a Jmeter property value.  I create a unique property value by joining the name "sessionidx" with the "username" variable which comes out like sessionidx.123456789
${__setProperty(sessionidx.${username}, ${SESSIONID1})};

In the second thread group, when I need to send SessionID1, use the variable
sessionid=${__property(sessionidx.${username})}

Problem 3
I needed to wait a period of time from when I received request response to sending a followup request.  basically I sent a request and receive a request ID.  I then later send a cancel to that request ID.  I wanted to wait 15 seconds before sending the followup.  In the meantime, I want the thread to continue sending other requests.

My solution was to use a BSF Pre Processor to set thread variables  before I run the initial transaction, then use a BSF Post Processor to calculate the elapsed time.  I use a If Controller to test if the elapsed time is greater than my configured time.  If so, execute the If Controller and cancel my open request.

Script to get current timestamp:
var n=new Date();
var tnow= n.getTime();
vars.put("tnow", tnow);

Script to get elapsed time:
var n=new Date();
var tnow = eval(args[0]);
if ( tnow > 0 )
{
var t2=tnow;
}
else
{
var t2 = n.getTime();
}
var s= n.getTime();
var diff = s - t2;
vars.put("elapsed", diff);

The elapsed time is pushed to a thread variable.

The condition in the IF controller tests for the existence of a request ID for that thread and if so, is the elapsed time greater than 15 seconds.  If so, execute the If Controller.

There we have it.  My low tech solutions to my Jmeter challenges!
(("${requestid}" != "")) && ((${elapsed}>15000))

My Heart Skipped A beat. All Beats.

Last night I was laying in bed.  Not asleep.  Yet.  Stressing over the work.  Thinking how insufferable some people are.

Then...

Thunk..

My heart stopped beating.  One big one then nothing.  I waited...  And waited..

I think I am dying.  Maybe.   It doesn't feel like it.  It doesn't hurt. I can think.  I am not getting fuzzy.  I am not fading away.

I never died before.  I don't know what it is like.  I am not scared.  I am curious.   Will my heart start again?

I take a deep breath and hold it.  Listening for a heartbeat.  I don't hear it in my ears.  I don't feel it.  I am still waiting for things to get fuzzy.  For pain.  For something.  Nothing.  I wait.

I turn over.  I am thinking I can move so I must be getting blood to my brain and limbs.  I take another deep breath and hold it.  Still nothing.  I can usually feel or hear it.  My heartbeat.  But zilch.  Still not fuzzy and still no pain.  This death thing is not so bad.. Yet?

I faded to sleep I think.  Or just passed on.  I don't know.  I don't have the "being dead" manual.  I am not in a waiting room with other dead people.  I dream of other, non "being dead" stuff.

I woke up this morning.  I went potty.  Do dead people do that?  I took my daily medication. Do I need it anymore? I made me a double espresso from my Italian coffee machine.  Even dead people should enjoy espresso!  I turned on the computer and logged into work.  I think this is how it all started in the first place...

I am checking stuff and replying, sarcastically, to email.

I started to wonder if I am one of those people who are dead but don't know it.  Is this how it is?  You just continue on?  Until?

I have not seen other people who have died before me.  I thought I would. I am alive then?

So, if you can read this then either we are both dead and don't know it or we are not.

If I am dead, we are having a beautiful day on the other side.

Note:  This is 100% factual.

I'm not ready

On August 8, 2011 I received the tragic call. Not from my sister who I was always prepared to get the call from, but from my brother.  In Oregon.  The hospital called her. She called him. He called me. My mom. was. in. ICU.

In ICU they said my mom had basically died and was shocked back to a thread of life by the hospital staff.  I cannot make any sense of why they continued for so long but after15 minutes of doing the things they did, they managed the weakest of heartbeats.  Just enough to connect life support.  She had a number of illnesses and while not well, she was not terminal and was expected to go home in a few days.  She was only there to help get the edema water from her legs and abdomen.  Then, her kidneys could not longer take the strain of the treatment and they started dialysis.  Something she knew was hanging over her head for a long time but have lived a balancing act to control her diabetes, kidneys and heart failure.  None were swell but all were in check.

I truly believe she decided it was her time to go.  Rather than continue on with the hardships and challenges she lived with plus the dialysis, she slipped away peacefully, asleep only to be shocked back to the thread of life.  There really is no comfort having to go to the hospital and see the shocking image of my mom connected to the machines and having life forced upon her.  She had been gone 15 minutes. The said her brain was, well, basically dead.  If she were to survive off life support, she would be in a vegetive(sp?) state.  All I could think was "Really?  This is why you tortured this poor women?".  So, with her close family at her side, I took her off the life support machines and she died... again.  This is really over rated and I would have been perfectly happy never having to experience this.  But I did and it sucks.

That next night, I saw the only shooting star I would see for the entire meteor shower.  I think that was her rocketing throughout the universe to explore and adventure.  I think this is a fine thing to think and is just as good as anything else.

It took me a couple weeks but I eventually finished her obituary notice to be published in the Monterey Herald.  I was rather shocked at the cost to run it.  They really to seem to hit you when you are down.  So, I edited it. A lot.  Too much.  I didn't like it so much.  Not at all really.  Here is the original.  It too is an abridged version of what I started with but was happy with the length and content. For a newspaper.



Barbara spent her early years in Freedom, CA being cherished by her Grandma Silveira.   At 16, she fell for a suave and handsome disk jockey and was soon married.  She spent a few years living with family in Monterey, CA before moving with her husband and three children to Marina, CA in 1964.  Barbara helped in the kids schools and was universally loved by all the kids.  Many kids,“orphans” as she would call them, would seek refuge in her house always welcome and always fed.  For many years, Barbara was a well known personality in the city often befriending local politicians contributing to local politics through their informal encounters.  Barbara,“Bubbles”, spent time working with the city historical committee.  Barbara spent most of her years adoring and caring for her family who will greatly miss her.

Barbara is survived by her husband of 53 years Nate Aiello, daughter Wanda Aiello, sons Nate Aiello Jr. of Medford, OR and Joe Aiello of San Jose, CA, 5 grandchildren Samantha, Tabitha, Nick (Jackson), Vinnie and Kate (Kat)

A friend sent me a message the other day offering condolences.  He was very kind.

I thought "I'm not ready".

Several people have sent messages since she died.  I don't think I replied.  I wasn't ready.

I'm not ready.

I don't know.

I don't know.

What to do today?

I wasted my first couple hours on the computer looking at Google +, Facebook and Twitter with a little youtube thrown in.  I wonder how folks like Steve Jobs start their Saturday. Are the uber successful lazy bums like me on a Saturday morning?  Does Jobs ponder his last obsessive design to be released, the Iphone 5?

To be fair to myself, I did get up at 7 AM and get showered and dressed for the day.  I listened to some Dr. Dre + Eminem + Skylar Grey (Damn she kicks ass) and pondered my last beer I brewed.  Monitoring the mash temp from the top I observed the temp drop a couple degrees early then much more rapidly in the last 15 minutes but the internal showed a pretty steady temp.  maybe 1 degree drop.

This made me ponder reality a bit.  If I had only looked at the surface temp I would have believed the entire mash temp had dropped 8F over the hour.  Had I only looked at the internal temp, I would believed the whole mash was a steady temp.  Two different realities I could argue as the whole story.

This made me think how simple we humans are.  As long as we have a shred of reality, we can assume and fully believe all of it is real and true.  Simple and so easily manipulated.  This made me think of 9/11 and the terrorists.  How easy were they manipulated?  How easy is it to manipulate those drawn to ground zero?

This made me think of something I remember the late Freddie Mercury one say.  It was something like this "The reason we're successful? My overall charisma, of course".  Charismatic people tend to attract followers.  I really liked Bill Clinton.  He was quite charismatic.  Looking back, I am not sure I would be so keen on everything he did.


After all this thinking, I did realize I need to add some dry hops to my happily, charismatic beer.  That is one thing to do today.  Another is to shop for a new BBQ.  Mine is 20 years old and is still working quite well but needs about $100 in repair.  Replace or repair is the question.  It is a Weber and is remarkably well constructed. If replaced, it will be with another Weber!

I think I will prepare another double espresso and watch some  US Open Tennis and think more about what else I can do today.

My thought at this moment "Smack that, all on the floor".

My Stir Crazy popcorn popper

Nearly three years ago I took a quick video of my Westbend  Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper.  We love out Stir Crazy and use it all the time.  It is quite east to use and makes yummy popcorn.  What better way to show my admiration of it than to post it to youtube.com.  So, I did.

I am surprised how popular the video is.  It is not viral or have monster view counts but at 20,000 views to date, I think it is pretty cool how many folks have viewed it.  I was surprise how many sites have links to it too.  It is all rather fun if you ask me.

The Stir Crazy is basically an automatic popper like in the theaters but the stirrer is on the bottom and the popcorn fills the dome.   We dollop too much butter on the top which has holes for the steam to escape and melt the butter so it drips down on the popcorn.  We tried butter in the pan but it made scrunchy shriveled popcorn.  We like it large and fluffy.

We like to use Mortons popcorn salt which is very fine.  We flip the popper so all the popcorn is in the dome lid.  If we did it right, we don't have popcorn overflowing the dome.  We usually transfer it to a large bowl or divide it up so everyone has some in their distant corners of the giant sectional couch.  I have embedded the video here if you have not seen it and want to.  profiter le pop-corn!