Tag Archives: Paul

August 26, 2011 · 5:20 pm

Making Pots at Camp

I have written about how proud I am of my son Paul’s pots. This is to show you two of mine:

Last week, we went for our annual stay at U.C. Berkeley’s Lair of the Golden Bear family camp. In addition to swimming, singing, and long walks, my family enjoys making ceramics together in the Camp Blue Art Grove. Jessica and Paul and I all made pots while Matt and John kept us company. Paul coached us on our technique using the potter’s wheel. Working with clay under the trees is lovely. We watched the squirrels steal paper towels from the trash to line their winter nests. Seeing a ground squirrel dashing off into the bushes with a wad of wet brown paper in its mouth is funny.

My brother Pete was in a tent nearby with his family. Jessica and Matt were awarded a Camp Blue loving cup (usually given for sports participation) to honor their being newlyweds at camp.

Leave a comment

Filed under Home & Family, News & Reviews

Tagged as Jessica, John, Lair of the Bear, marriage, Matthew, Paul, University of California

August 3, 2011 · 1:11 pm

All things are ready, if our minds be so

My daughter Jessica’s wedding is in three days. 125 people are joining us in a lovely State Park on Saturday to celebrate the happy union under the redwoods. I am sure there is much which we have forgotten or neglected or mislaid but I trust in King Henry V: “All things are ready, if our minds be so.”

The Holmes and Dickinson families got together on Sunday for a pre-wedding pizza dinner, check-in, and games night. We played Munchkin – a fun game based on Dungeons and Dragons with silly cards such as

Curse! Duck of Doom (“You should know better than to pick up a duck in a dungeon”)
Swiss Army Polearm
Chainsaw of Bloody Dismemberment
Nasty-Tasting Sports Drink
Pantyhose of Giant Strength
Squidzilla (a monster)

We first played Munchkin when we visited Jessica last year in Qatar. Several of her professors at CMU-Q were addicted to the game.

Paul and Matt went together to get their hair cuts earlier this week (supervised by Jessica). The soon-to-be-brothers-in-law look very handsome. Last night, Jessica and Matt and I went to Costco to buy two shopping carts-full of wine, beer, champagne, sodas, and bottled water for the wedding reception. Jessica has given us a written timeline (15 minute intervals) for The Day Before the Wedding and The Wedding Day. I do not expect everything will go as planned but all will be well at the end.

Wedding Shopping at Costco Jessica Matthew

Leave a comment

Filed under Home & Family, News & Reviews

Tagged as CMU, Jessica, marriage, Matthew, Middle East, Paul, Qatar

July 31, 2011 · 1:35 pm

Ladies’ Wedding Tea

My daughter Jessica is getting married next week. We are mostly ready for the big event (125 guests). Yesterday, she and I went back to the tailor’s for another sash fitting, bought her two party dresses, and went to the florist. John and Paul went to the grocery store and the bakery. Sinead (the Maid of Honor) and Jessica baked cookies when we got back.

Last night, we held the Ladies’ Tea for the senior women in Jessica’s life to celebrate. The gentlemen of the family were invited to go elsewhere. The younger ladies are getting together for a bachelorette party next week. All of the guests brought their favorite treats. We had cakes and cucumber sandwiches and rosemary bread and cornbread (with honey) and tarts and biscotti and lavender ice tea and hot teas and wine. The table decorations were the wishes tree, wedding favors, and love poems with ribbons to be given out at next week’s big event. My favorite was the almond cake with marzipan frosting in the shape of a gift box with a big bow (from Flower Flour bakery and florist here in Willow Glen, San Jose CA).

Tonight, the families of the Bride and Groom meeting for dinner and board games at our house – to check in and make final plans. We usually play Settlers or Hearts.

Leave a comment

Filed under Home & Family, News & Reviews

Tagged as Jessica, John, marriage, Matthew, Paul, San Jose

July 16, 2011 · 5:44 pm

Last Harry Potter Movie

I went with family and friends to see the last Harry Potter movie last night. It was dark and sad but with a marvelous battle at the end. My kids love J.K. Rowling’s books and have read each of the seven Harry Potter stories many times. My son listens to recordings of the stories regularly. For the last fourteen years, our whole family has awaited each book and movie eagerly. We have several copies of each book, some in more than one language. In 2003, when we took a family trip by Amtrak train from Chicago home to the San Francisco Bay Area, we had to share just two newly-arrived books among the four of us. I think I achieved a personal best by reading Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix (870 pages) in a day and a half. I am sorry to see the end of new stories about our favorite boy wizard.

Leave a comment

Filed under Home & Family, News & Reviews

Tagged as Jessica, John, Paul, San Francisco, San Jose

June 27, 2011 · 10:08 am

Last TechWomen Week in the Silicon Valley

This is the last week for the 37 TechWomen Mentees from the Middle East and North Africa in the Silicon Valley. In addition to working at Silicon Valley companies, the technical women have been eagerly participating in workshops, tours, and cultural activities. You can read more about Huawei’s TechWomen in “Huawei Participates in TechWomen Mentorship Program Focused on Supporting Future Technologists in the Middle East North Africa Region”.

This program has taken a great deal of preparation work over the last year but spending time with the Mentees and Mentors has been worth it. John and I ate frozen yogurt with two of the Mentees last night on Murphy Avenue in Sunnyvale. They have adapted and learned so much – I am very proud of them!

Leave a comment

Filed under Hopper - Anita Borg Institute, Mentoring & Other Business, News & Reviews

Tagged as Huawei, Mentoring, Middle East, Paul, Silicon Valley, technical women, TechWomen

June 26, 2011 · 6:02 pm

TechShop San Jose Opens

Yesterday, John and Paul and I went to the crowded opening of the new TechShop in San Jose, California. We also joined as lifetime family members!

TechShop is a membership-based workshop that provides members with access to tools and equipment, instruction, and a community of creative and supportive people so they can build the things they have always wanted to make.

Location: 300 South 2nd Street San Jose, CA 95113
http://www.techshop.ws/ts_sanjose.html

We heard the opening talk by my former boss, Greg Papadopoulos, on the topic “Think Global, Innovate Local”. There were at least dozen ex-Sun-Microsystems Engineering staff there to cheer for Greg.

Being the owners of WP668 (backyard caboose), our family already has developed a basic workshop but having access to some of the larger TechShop equipment and the classes will help with a variety of home and hobby projects. Some of the equipment I want to learn to use: FlowJet 4′ x 8′ CNC Water Jet Cutter, Epilog Helix 60-Watt Laser Cutters, Tin Lizzie Quilting Machine, Hand-Held Plasma Cutter, and the Computer Controlled Embroidery Sewing Machine. Paul and I plan to take classes together in Autodesk Inventor, and Arduino 101 (Board Soldering) later this summer.

Leave a comment

Filed under Home & Family, News & Reviews

Tagged as John, Paul, San Jose, Sun Microsystems, teaching, WP668

June 25, 2011 · 11:00 am

Portrait in Charcoal

My son Paul just finished his Freshman year at Foothill College (Los Altos Hills, California). Like his Grandmother, Eleanor Dickinson, he is an artist. Paul spent his first college year studying art and math. This quarter, he did an extra credit portrait for his first Drawing class. Paul took a photograph of his sister Jessica and played with the image to increase contrast, then created the portrait above in charcoal on paper. The teacher liked it so much, Paul got an “A” in the class! Paul has also been taking ceramics each quarter, so we now have dozens of lovely small bowls to find homes for.

Leave a comment

Filed under Home & Family, News & Reviews

Tagged as Eleanor, Foothill College, Jessica, Paul

Tag Archives: Paul

Making Pots at Camp

All things are ready, if our minds be so

Ladies’ Wedding Tea

Last Harry Potter Movie

Last TechWomen Week in the Silicon Valley

TechShop San Jose Opens

Portrait in Charcoal

Email Subscription

Categories

Blogroll

Recent Posts