Love, Simon

Last night we saw "Love, Simon" at Cineopolis in Del Mar. This is an entertaining film about a 17-year-old's struggle to publically proclaim his sexual orientation. There is much humor and pathos in the film and the cast is excellent. Though somewhat stereotypical, the film is relevant to what is going on in our culture. It captures many of the struggles of adolescence and parenthood in a compassionate way.

On Piste

The rain fell softly,

Walking on the softness of pine,

Hearing the wind roll across the summit,

Walking in open spaces,

The lone jay flew overhead,

As I thought of your warmth.

Waling against the cold wind,

Snowflakes now falling,

Alone on grey rock,

Surrounded by the fires of memory,

The elixir of the past.

The Ultimate Starter

Toast an English muffin

Put thin slices of pepperoni cover with several slices of thinly sliced cheese of you choice. The two ingredients shouldn’t extend beyond the borders of one sife of the toasted English muffin.
Scramble an egg cooked in olive oil and ground  pepper..
Add the egg to the other i/2 of the muffin.  Add fresh salsa.
Close the muffin and enjoy.

Potato salad

Boil potatoes

While warm cut into small pieces

Add salt, pepper, garlic salt, seasoned salt, and basil.

Add a small amount of white vinegar

Add olive oil

Add mayo

Add chopped up red onion and mix

The vinegar and spices differentiate the salad from others. The olive oil adds depth.

Putting Tip

Practice putting some of the time on convoluted greens. you want to get a sense of angles and up and downs in your brain so that when you face them in a round you have a sense of what to do. Too many practice greens are straight. Not that many putts on a course are straight!

Thoroughbreds

Well, this is a strange movie. It is somewhat like Heathers, a well-received dark movie some years ago or Heavenly Creatures, the true story of two teens in New Zealand.

In this current film, two bored teens plot the murder of the overbearing, pompous stepfather of one of the girls. The movie purports to be a dark comedy, but I thought it was slow and tedious in many parts. It has its moments, but I don't think I would recommend it.

Golf Tip from Clark Renner

Many of us struggle with chipping, which is hitting a ball just off the green. It seems like it should be easy, but it is not! Too often golfers hit the ground first resulting in a stubbed shot, which is too short. Or they look up, hit the ball thin, and watch it skid far across the green. These missed shots can be discouraging and wreck good rounds.

Clark Renner, the teaching pro at El Camino Country Club has been helping me with my chipping. Here is what I have learned:

To hit a low running shot put the ball in the back of your stance. Put your weight on your left side, set your hands in front of your club. Keep a straight angle between your wrist and the club. Don't break your wrists when shooting! To get a higher shot, put the ball in the front of your stance, but still, keep your weight on your front leg.

 

These methods work! I have been getting more one putts and fewer three-putt greens because I am getting closer to the hole.

Clark Renner can be reached at clark65@hotmail.com

Travel Tips

1.  Always bring copies of your documents when leaving the country.
2.  Think about getting a Global Reentry Card. You can bypass a lot of bureaucracy when returning to the United States. A 45-minute process becomes a 5-minute process.
3.  Sometimes hiring a driver is not more expensive than taking a train or cab.

4.  Watch out for scammers at the airport. They know you are tired and may be new to their country.
5.  Good walking shoes are a must!



6.  Hotels with good locations are also a must!
7.  Pace yourself. You are on vacation. Seeing is good but so is experiencing the culture.
8.  Evaluate your trip as you go along. Sometimes a change in itinerary is in your best interest. When you plan your trip, you can't always know what is going to happen or how you will feel. Don't let the itinerary run you.



9.  Bring a small flashlight. In some European countries, it is impossible to find a light switch.
10. Have a working cell phone.

In Vegas

We parked on the second level of the South Pointe garage before taking the elevator down to the Casino on the second floor. We would meet our dinner companions in 45 minutes, so we decided to

walk around the casino.

The people who work the tables always seem bored and detached to me. I can't think of a worse job. It is based on suspicion and distrust. I am sure they would get fired if they were too friendly. There are a lot of overweight people smoking and drinking while they play the slot machines. The lights and bells are alluring, and people are easily drawn into the action.

Suddenly the place is full of cowboys. There is a rodeo at the South Point Equestrian arena, and the guys from Texas, Montana, Colorado, and Oklahoma are all here. The uniform is somewhat standard: big belts, wide-brimmed hats, jeans, and boots. The cowpunchers look good, and some care has been taken with their outfits.

I find the cowboys more interesting than the gamblers, and I study them for a long time before heading up to our restaurant for the prime rib special. For $19.95 we are served a salad, prime rib, and a baked potato. Our waitress looks older than she should.  I think Vegas must be a tough place to make a living..

After dinner, we set out GPS and wind our way across the city to our motel. Even with a GPS this isn't easy as the matrix of roads is complex, and the traffic is heavy. At our motel, I reflect on the evening and the odd nature of this place called Las Vegas.