Disney & Anthony's Birthday

Where is your happy place? For Anthony, it is Disneyland. For me, it is with him. So, for his birthday we went to Disneyland. Simple right? Well for this blog, I thought I would talk about value - the perceived value of a Southern California Select Annual Pass specifically. When we bought ours, it was $129 per pass, plus an additional $40 for a pass with free parking. Combined, we spent on May 7th, 2009 about $324 for these passes. This year, the Year of Celebration, Disney lets you get a gift card equal to the current price of admission, so today, it was $72. Anthony found an awesome Billabong jacket for about that much and got it for his birthday. Let's subtract that gift card from the spent balance as "cash back" for us. So now, we have really only think we have spent $252.

Knowing Anthony and our mutual love of amusement parks and roller coasters, I know we would have bought at least one day each in the two parks - so let's subtract the value of a single day of parking and two costs of entry ($10 and $72x2 respectively). That brings our balance to $252-$154 = $98. Considering we will visit at least another 5 times in the next few months, our total cost per visit is about $9.80 each, about the same cost as a movie! Pretty decent perceived value for both he and I and a great bonus for Disney. In addition, this high perceived value allows us as consumers to justify spending nearly $80 at Ariel's Grotto for Anthony's Princess lunch (including the Fairy Godmother - so appropriate no?) We do love the princesses. . .

Los Gatos & Chosen Family

So this is my Charming, Gracious and Lovely. She was my stepmother from the time I was five until I was around 16. She and I have continued to be close by choice since she and my dad divorced. Doesn't she look great for closing in on 60?

Anthony and I just flew up to Los Gatos (via San Jose) to visit her, as she lives in Miami. She was in Los Gatos for her 40th high school reunion. We spent time with her and her sister Francesca. Such a great visit! Not only does she look amazing, but she still has such a vibrant spirit, love of a good time and a warm way with people. She and her long term companion Nick travel all over the world. This blog post is dedicated to her and the impact she had on my life. She taught me some incredibly valuable lessons - the power of reading, the simple joy of life, the enduring friendships and how to be in someones life without controlling their life. Her parents also had an impact on my childhood. "Mi abuelita" (Mary Alice) spoke five languages and was the most amazing family cook (other than my mom) who has ever influenced my life. I can still taste and smell her homemade Sicilian pizza that she made for the family. She loved food and loved cards.

Barbara also taught me the value of making your own choices. She also was driven by a relentless sense of integrity. She was the last parent I told I was gay (1993) and I burst out laughing, when, after I told her, her reply was: "Thank God, you finally came out to yourself! I knew you were gay from the day in first grade when you insisted on having your hot dogs in your lunch cut into perfect rounds with a single dollop of squirter cheese and ketchup on each one that any child who had to have Hors d'œuvre for lunch had to be gay." To this day, I am blessed to have her in my life.

From a business perspective, she has been the torch bearer for the idea of independence. She believes in it deeply and she helped carve the idea to remain independent of others support as much as possible - not that we don't all need help, but we should be accountable for our lives and our choices. Thanks bunny!

Moving and a good photo

So this really nice photo was taken of Anthony and I by our friend Scott D. (thanks!) at Bryce & Annika's wedding last weekend. I wrote about it in an earlier entry (Weddings, Friends & the Circle of Life). In addition, I had the opportunity to help our cousin Susan (and her significant other, Sean) , move today.

Wow do I hate moving! It is such an unpleasant task, but it did give me 4+ hours of steady, low intensity cardio and lifting work. Couches, foldout beds, dining room tables and televisions (not flat screens) are really bloody heavy! We moved them from Long Beach into Seal Beach. What does this have to do with business? Well, in a phrase - opportunity cost! Remember gentle reader, that all the actions we take have a direct cost in the form of what else we could have been doing other than what we chose to do. For example, Folsom Street Fair was this weekend - special shout out to all those who might read my blog who went - as it is a Bachnallian festival of unbridled sexual and physical abandon - would we have loved to have gone? Sure! Could I have done paying client work on Sunday rather than move them? Sure! Could Anthony and I have done something else? Sure!

Instead, we opted to help. So remember to evaluate not just the effort the activity itself but the lost opportunity for other activities. Next time, I think I will just contribute in some other equally meaningful way for the move. Still, happy to have done it. What opportunity cost example can you identify in the last week?

Happy Birthday Mom!

So today was my mom's birthday. She is a remarkable woman with a sense of panache that dwarfs most people's. A classically trained artist and self taught gourmet cook, she can make the world of entertaining seem a breeze. As my godmother Gail says, "she can make a feast out of a beef bone and some vegetables."

Mom and I have a belief that there are three types of people: those who create events, those who attend events and those who are simply not invited. She has made a life of creating amazing memories and stylish living. She and Jim have been more than a bit peripatetic with houses all over California and even New Hampshire.

A woman of remarkable spirit, a cancer survivor and a woman of endless optimism, she is a template for the power of positive thinking. I hope that she continues to have a rich, full life as she has had all along! Happy Birthday!

Success & Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Birthday Dad! It is pretty amazing to think about my father Alan who stands here holding one of his trophies for his vineyard and winery. He is on the far left. He has attained levels of success in his winery and in art that I am proud of and deeply admire. A prostate cancer survivor and a man of deep indomitable will, he is truly the definition of an entrepreneur and artist. His story has been a one of creation, risk, adventure and ideas. He taught many lessons, one of which is demonstrated here - deserving success is worthy of celebration. He has never worked harder (though as I child I remember much multi-tasking: single parent/father, college professor, mentor, housekeeper, cook, chief bottle washer, artist, storyteller and master adventurer), so he says, than he does currently in his vineyard and tasting room, but as one of his octogenarian customers reminded him, "and aren't you lucky to be able to work like you do." It is with great love, affection, friendship and commitment that I dedicate this blog to him - his successes, his emotions, his insight, his lessons and the incredible journey which has been his life to date. Much love to you & again, happy birthday!

Happy Birthday - Papa

My stepfather, Jim is an amazing man. He has been in real estate for 40+ years, a proud father of two (three if you count me!) and grandfather of two. I am lucky to have had him in my life for 32 years. Always ready with a smile, a professional demeanor and good cheer - he has known great success and also some great losses. It is strange to think of him as a stepfather anymore, he is simply one of my parents as he has been there really my whole life. Happy birthday to him! Plus, he has hardly changed in the last 32 years. Maybe a bit more "hitch in his getup and go" and a bit more salt than pepper in his hair, but his mind is just as agile and sharp. Quick with a turn of phrase and always such a giver, we are all lucky to have him in our lives. Can't wait to have dinner with him on Sunday!

Family

It is great when good things happen to your own family. I know I am very proud of all of my parents - they have all been very successful people in different ways. Interestingly, all are in their own way educators as well - each not only with insights, but in roles which seek to inform people of information, weather in real estate, wine, art, pathology or simply life wisdom! My dad has a website http://www.longviewwinery.com/ and my mom and stepdad just moved to the amazing McMonigle Group in Newport Beach http://www.mcmoniglegroup.com/ and her own blog at http://settingyourtables.blogspot.com/



They are all amazing people and this blog is just a shout out to them and their successes. May they all continue to thrive in happiness and abundance. They of all people I know, deserve it!

Arts & Culture

We went to the Norton Simon museum to see Vermeer's A Lady Writing. It was amazing. To see what was done with light and texture - Vermeer was a master. The work of genius is both inspiring and humbling. It truly excited me to see it. There also was a nice show of Jainist art - interesting how snakes in an Eastern culture has completely different meaning than the Judeo-Christian tradition. Here Anthony and I are in the sculputure garden and there is an image of A Lady Writing. Take time to enjoy family and culture!