It's no longer a question of staying healthy. It's
a question of finding a sickness you like.
Jackie Mason
The idea behind this page is to introduce you to some new material that I personally recommend. We will update the contents periodically, so let us know what you think. Hopefully you will find something fun or enjoyable here
Music : Five Picks - This stuff works!
Reading : My Six Choices You Just Might Enjoy
Activities
Music : Five Picks - This stuff works!
Brett Dennen – So much more www.brettdennen.net
We caught this funky giant of a man at UC’s Zellerbach Auditorium (an excellent place to hear music) and our whole family fell in love with him. I hope you do too.
Favorite tracks: Track 10 – Someday, Track 1 – Ain’t no reason
Led Zeppelin – How the west was won www.ledzeppelin.com
This music has to be part of any serious rock and roll collection. Vintage Zeppelin from 1972, recorded between The Fourth album and Houses of the Holy in L.A.
Highlights: That’s the way, Going to California, Whole Lotta Love, and of course, Heartbreaker.
Missy Higgins – On a Clear Night www.missyhiggens.com
I can’t tell if Missy Higgins is going to be huge or not, but her voice is amazing and her music can reach places other (American) singers can’t or doesn’t. Her authentic Australian personality shines through both live and recorded tunes.
Favorites: Where I Stood, Secret
Stanley Turrentine – Rough and Tumble
If you don’t know about this jazz saxophonist, you can start anywhere in his collection of over 30 recordings. Let’s just say that Rough and Tumble is as good of a place as any.
Features the Song – Walk on by…check it out!
Santana – Ultimate Santana 
OK, I know you are thinking how uncreative to have a Santana pick. You’re right, but who doesn’t love “Evil Ways” and some of the newer stuff like “Maria, Maria” and “The Game at Love” featuring Tina Turner. I throw this on the Ipod for a tough Mountain bike ride – great stuff…that works
TOPReading : My Six Choices You Just Might Enjoy.
View from the Summit, Sir Edmund Hillary - In his own way, Sir Edmund Hillary embodies the most valuable human qualities any of us would aspire to possess. The story follows his life from the spell binding account of his final ascent as the first man to the summit at Mount Everest, to his days as a diplomat in India and all of his successful school building efforts for the people of Nepal. To the end, Sir Edmond was q comsummate gentleman and national hero in his homeland of New Zealand. A very interesting and surprisingly good read.
The Endurance, Caroline Alexander with photos by Frank Hurley – This legendary account of Shackleton's Antarctic expedition is both well written and spellbinding. The following quote captures the essence of the legendary explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and the spirit that enabled him to lead 27 other men for 17 and a half months in bleak and unfathomable conditions without losing a single man. "We had pierced the veneer of outside things. We had suffered, starved, and triumphed, groveled down yet grasped at glory, grown bigger in the bigness of the whole."
Hell or High Water, Peter Heller – If you love adventure,
you will love this true story about a kayaking expedition down the Tsangpo
River (perhaps a bit technical for some).
Killer Angels, Michael Shaara. Don't read this book if you don't like war stories. If you do, you will find this well written account of the events of July 1863 spellbinding as the decision making of Robert E. Lee unfolds and we find out the courage and conviction that it takes to go to war - against your own countrymen. This was recommended to me by my daughter's history teacher - Larry Mullen
Wonderful Tonight - George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Me, by Pattie Boyd. I have read a lot of Rock and Roll tell-all books, but this one is good because you don't feel like you have to take a shower after reading it. Pattie doesn't hold a grudge against these two and if you love Rock and Roll history, you'll find plenty here. After all, wouldn't you want to hear what the woman that is the subject of Something, Layla and Wonderful Tonight has to say?
The Match: The day that changed the game of golf forever, by Mark Frost. Awesome summer reading (especially if you like golf)! I couldn’t put it down. Mark Frost takes you inside the situation that leads up to this legendary showdown between 4 of the greatest players to ever play the game of golf. If you love a story and you love golf, you will love The Match. Coincidentally, this author adds some short stories on other sports personalities at the back of the book. Well worth your time and money!
Activities :
Horseback Tour at Canyon de Chelly in Northern Arizona – The only way you are allowed to tour this beautiful canyon is with a Navajo guide. I recommend horseback, but jeep tours are available. It is a much richer experience on horseback with a Native American guide.
www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/canyon_de_chelly/national_monument.html
Kayaking – Fraser Island Australia
www.koalanet.com.au/fraser-island-intro.html
Treking in New Zealand – I recommend the Routeburn as an alternative
to the famous Milford Track. This can be linked together with the Greenstone
and Caples Tracks for an approximate seven-day trip. While good health is
strongly recommended, I was out-hiked by 70 year-old Kiwis! What great people down there.
www.ultimatehikes.co.nz./Routeburn_Track/
Hiking – Kauai's Napali Coast Trail, the whole thing.
www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dsp/kauai.html
Mountain Biking – Tahoe's Flume trail, the whole enchilada.
www.theflumetrail.com
Community Service
My goal is to perform 100 hours of community service a year. I encourage others to give at least 40 hours. From helping in the classroom or driving on field trips to removing trash from our Bay, serving food to the less fortunate, coaching, being a Big Brother/Big Sister, building or repairing housing with groups like Rebuilding Together or Habitat for Humanity, we're in this together. We're lucky to live and work in such a wonderful place, so roll up your sleeves and give back. It feels good.