Early drive
to San Mateo.
Story building, as is self-knowledge and demonstrative decisions.
Detaching from nihilistic claws that have without permit attached.
article
Give yourself new
projects.
Always antagonize more crEATive.
Coffee, Notes.
Me, Now.
from a journal
…close on another term at the JC, I resist the close, notion of closure. And so should anyone in a similar stroke. In the first paragraph of the book, the reader is convinced to consider the idea of Newness, growth, new sights and meditation, collection. Seeing more of myself as the boy, Santiago, even as I approach 40, with the hear being my ideas. My collection of Nows and what happens why my travel continues. Thinking, thought, pages, notes. With my grading done, I look over the incepting paragraphs, with the boy using a book as a pillow, literally resting his head and thoughts on another’s thought, thoughts. Travel in ideas and a resistance of the stationary, staying in one spot. With my studies, mind you. Kerouac said one day he’d find the “right” words and that those assembled words would be simple. I’m not concerned with simplicity or complication, but movement. I’m focusing on my read and the lessons of each paragraph, traveling with Santiago and seeing what we see, together. In this read, or re-re-read of Coelho, I’m re-writing my life, my aims, the aims I had in senior year of high school, announcing them several times in fact, of being a writer and professor. Where on the travel, in the journey, about my syllabic and paragraphed trek did I stray?
The idea of comfort in a book, ideas, rest and even sleep but sleep that isn’t at all a state of dormancy. The boy on the floor, with the bigger book is me, I see. Is all of us, or should be. Knowledge, thought, reading, writing, should always be in the main character’s scene. And if not, then a puissant pursuit of something, even if you don’t know what. Maybe it’s just the pursuit of pursuit, having something to seek. On the first page, we have a kindship and care for the boy, and his heard. Why not? Why not want to see where he’s going…
This morning…
Love.
Appreciate.
Them.
from a journal
5/11/19
Early in office. I can tell people, some, don’t want to be here on their Saturday. Thought walking down the dark hall to get coffee that I wouldn’t, couldn’t, have it another way. Coffee and blueberry bagel, I picked up from spot just down block. Thought they were CLOSING closing, for good. Guess not, after asking the girl behind large glass display case that no, no they are not closing. At one time they were thinking of moving, but no closing. Shared my relief with her and left after paying with quarters. Only $1.50. No debit card usage today, and no cash. Investing in my businesses more vigorously and with more tell and precision, closer to 40 I step. The morning, complimented by music in right ear, beats and instrumentals I’d have playing in my wine shop, or tasting room. Still think about it, literally on basis that’s multiple-daily. This morning when I woke up I thought of having to spend the night at my store like the one guy I met years ago when working for the advertising firm in Marin where I was invited into a guy’s office at a Mexican restaurant and the man had a bed behind his desk, to the side of his file cabinet. I always remembered that and think of it now, getting closer to 40 yes but even more near to my business. I know wine will answer everything for me. She always does.
8:01. 59 minutes at my desk. Noting on day, on what I need do for and with team today, then tomorrow. Tasting with a winemaker I’ve always admired and followed, and a bit a friend of mine, Michael Browne. My tasting with him was over 4 years ago, when he still partially owned Kosta Browne. Part of me wants to plan my questions, write them out. And I might to a degree. But if I’m to write as the wine writer I wish be seen and remembered, I’d prefer the preponderance of it be unplanned. Wine shouldn’t be an excess of structure. I remember myself saying once. Just now writing on a post-it, that wine is more chance than anything else, a reminder to not forget about the moment immediately before you.
Notes in other places, on wine and what I want from wine…. Wine from last night, nothing too crazy, and the vineyard walk I committed self to, tomorrow. As soon as I’m on Lancaster’s set, I’ll be in those rows. Must be, continuously. The rocks and soil contrast from one parcel of the property to next. Being away from the industry as I have, and very much by choice, the vineyards more me call now. I hear the birds from one close of Cabernet to the other, then the Merlot and Cab Franc behind it. Each lot telling me something about what I’m doing and why. That’s what wine is, why I’m in it so fiercely. Wine is this morning, these things I demand do and what I’ve done from the bagel to the hallway walk, the office and the drive to Berkeley. Wine calls for more of me, more of my writings, all of them. Each day and sight, thought and track I listen to. To control and contain pace, put the paragraphs in the order the time, MY time and MY sitting, call for.
from a journal
5/10/19
Friday. But you know my opinion and stance on Fridays. So what. It’s Friday yes and to some that’s something, but I don’t care. I’m working tomorrow, and the next day, the day after that. I’m a blogger, writer, writer before a blogger and always noting something, so days off are days of others, not me.
Resolving to not spend any more money, today. Not one penny. What about lunch. I need something to eat at that time, always do. So what do I do. Use change. Yes. Get as many quarters as I can, that’s lunch. The quarters don’t matter, today, this meaningless Friday.
At the coffee spot same as yester’, with a 4-shot latte and the back table all to self. About 40 minutes to self before I have to get to office to be a professional. Professional. What. I’m learning. Educating myself closer to 40 I get, knowing that all I want is the world, every Road I can find, any wine I haven’t tried, and sip and scribble overlooking a street, a canyon with a river somewhere in Switzerland. That’s my most vocal and mobile and noble of “goals”.
Every morning should be this, time with self. Friday or whatday.
from a journal
…this first day off in a bit. Shouldn’t say it like that. I shouldn’t. What I mean is… I don’t know what I mean, getting closer to 40 and seeing more and more of days I’ve lived with occurrences now, in my Now. What I see is the Now connecting with my days growing, aging. Certain actions from Emma or Jack will remind me of something I did and my parents’ reaction, everything tying in and out of life and back together here in the Now for some precise understanding of Self.
Emma was right. I need write, this morning. First thing. Made self another cup of medium Roast, satisfying one aim for day of not going to Starbucks, so far. As well, in a demanding 19-hour fast. Why… to test self, to be the runner I need be, more disciplined and patterned, positioned and even more passionate than people tell me I am, how they see me. Paragon in morning, paradigm in action and what’s produced. Will ready for run at 10, which gives me a delightful hour of composition, laughing still hearing Emma telling me to write. Why did she say that, and not running. She must recognize me a writer, one who writes and loves books, loves to be with words and share them, one of words, her daddy. So… more a writer need be, me, more form natural intrinsic effort and velocity. Why I only made self a single cup, not the usual double I do.
Back in a tasting room, yesterday, Lancaster, helping a couple people in salon, or lobby as I like to call it, or lounge thinking of my eventual wine bar or room, or lounge with atmospheric tracks and music compliment. Then a tour toward end of day, where I walked a nice couple from the Twin Cities to the Cabernet blocks and to the upper and lower crush area (as I used to when with Foley and years ago when working with Ted, the founder). Then to cave, the library where we tasted both Cabernets, juxtaposed. I thought past, to my past days at Lancaster, how when the Napa people with their fancy yet ineffective marketing firm let me go and I called Lancaster for some hours and they were for me san explanation, question. Was just before Jack was in my world, physically. I was touring at Lancaster, with more than enough familiarity, more than enough to make me apt and dangerous as a narrating sales bloke. Now, over seven years later I’m again there, and with more freedom and peripatetic inclination…