Thursday, July 2, 1998 -- Mountain View, California, 9:30am

So here I am at Netscape headquarters.  It's been a busy week.  Lots of meetings, etc.  All of course very important with very important people. (yeah).  Anyway, I'm psyched about 2 things.  First is the runup in our stock lately.  This is expected, of course, with wall street finally understanding the equity this company has in both it's enterprise software and portal businesses.  The second thing is that today is the last day of the work week and we now embark on the 4th of July weekend.  This is one of the greatest holiday weekends in the US, in my opinion.  So I'm psyched.  This weekend I'm heading out to the beach with a friend, so it's just playtime.
 
Shortly here I'll head over to Fry's.  As I said, I'm about to get a digital camera.  I hate the thought of giving them so much money, but it'll be great to take photos and post them here immediate.
 
A french friend recently looked at this site with me and laughed like hell- she couldn't understand why I do this.  As we talked about it, she said 'oh, it's kind of like a postcard type of communication'- and I guess that's a great comparison.  It's funny these cultural differences- the french generally would not even consider having a personal web page with a journal like I have.  They just think it's a bit too personal.  But I think a natural compliment to the postcard comparison are PICTURES!
 
Well, off to some meetings, then Frys.  Pray for me...

 Thursday, July 2, 1998 -- Mountain View, California - 2:25pm

So I did it.  Bought the digital camera.  I bought a Panasonic PalmCam PV-DC1580.  So let me try to post a few shots.   By the way, Fry's is such a humiliating experience.  I want to buy more there but just despise the place.  In honor of them, however, I've taken a picture of the outside of the building.  Here it is: Looks like the kind of place you'd expect to have a hoedown dance or something, huh?  Well this, folks, is nerd Mecca.

Here's a picture I just took of a coworker of mine, Mark Szelenyi:
 










So this camera rocks.  You're in for an amazing summer....

Monday, July 6, 1998 -- Mountain View, California - 5:32pm

Had a great Fourth of July weekend.  Went to the beach with a friend and drove all over the place.  I stayed at the Cypress Inn at Half Moon Bay (highly recommended), and have a couple photos- first is a picture of the Santa Cruz surf, and second is of San Francisco.  The Santa Cruz picture was taken on the 3rd and the SF pic was on the 4th.  It was very very beautiful both days here.  These are thumbnails, click on them to get the full image.
 

Bluffs over the surf at Santa Cruz, CA July 3, 1998	Twin Peaks, San Francisco, CA July 4, 1998

Sunday, July 12, 1998 -- Paris, France - 6:15pm

It's crazy out already- tons of people gearing up in the city for the Coupe du Monde finals tonite.  France vs Brazil.  I've got a party going on tonite- about 15 people.  Mostly french, but a few Brazilian supporters.  My girlfriend's uncle is here from Venezuela and he's coming by.  He came to France because he had semi-final tickets, which was last Wednesday.  This is the game where France beat Croatia.  What a game.  France played the last 15 minutes short-handed.  Amazing playing.  It was mostly defensive, so France has their work cut out for them.

So tomorrow will be very interesting- first if France wins it will be insane all night tonite- millions will pour into the streets and head straight for the Champs Elysees.  Tomorrow is also the day before Bastille Day.  This is significant because traditionally the fireman throughout Paris have a ball- dancing.  Then, of course, Tuesday is 14th of July, which is a holiday here.

Tuesday, July 14, 1998 -- Paris, France - 1:27am

Last night on the Champs Elysees, according to CNN: 

The most intense party I've ever seen.  A bunch of us walked from my house to the Champs.  We were in a parade of people, which turned out to be the largest crowd (or so they say) since Liberation (1944).  What an amazing party:
 

Rue de Rivoli, across from the Louvre 1am 7/13/98	Rond Point, beginning of Champs Elysees 1:30am 7/13/98

We had representatives from four continents at my house last night.  Fun time.

So tonite is the Pompiers Ball evening- the big night before Bastille Day when all the firefighters open the firehouses for dancing and partying.  The ladies are out in full force looking for ....   The lucky guys.

NB- made an adjustment to the journal to go chronologically, starting in July.  This I think makes the flow much better.  So here in Paris.  Had a blowout on the rollerblades yesterday.  Hip is a bit sore, and sleeping is a bit difficult.  Sucks getting old.  Getting back to work is tough- didn't sleep much last night.  I heard 'we are the champions' - queen- at 5:15am this morning blasting from the firestation down the street.  That was the last song they played.  Then there was about 15 minutes of firecrackers and screaming.  I'm ready for the city to get back to it's peaceful nature... looking forward to winter, actually.  C'est tout pour aujourd'hui.

Got on the train this morning at 7am.  Brutal getting up at 5:45am.  Anyway, it's been a pretty good week.  Seems like a week lasting longer than a week, though, ever have one of those?  I was in the UK on Tuesday for a day giving a couple presentations.  The rest of the week was all in the office, except for today.  I'm heading to Rotterdam to meet a business colleague, then home.  Six hours on the train, but it's better than the airport drill.  I'm so sick of airports, so I thought I'd try this.  I love trains because the people are a bit different-minded- most of them are travelling for pleasure or have different situations- many people talk with one another- as opposed to all the business travellers on the plane.  Anyway, it's fun.  Talk to me in about 7 hours and I'll no doubt have a different opinion, though.  This weekend I'm heading out to the French countryside again- this is where I was last weekend.  I was in a small town called Montfort l'Amoury.  It's a very charming antique French village about 50 minutes from Paris.  Just far enough that most commuters can't get there and back in a single day.  I'm beginning to think about looking for a home, and am meeting with a couple realtors- there are some great places there, mostly nestled in countryside and horsefarms.  I've met a number of people there and they're extremely friendly.  Unlike many in Paris, where the city attitude prevails.  I won't actually move out there, just thinking about a small place for the weekends to spend outdoors and working in the garden.

Sunday I head to Dublin!  I'm so psyched about this because I've never been to Ireland, but feel it's my genetic and historic roots- that and somewhere in Germany, but don't feel as much a connection with the Germans.  Unfortunately I'll only be there a day, but it'll be a good orientation to the city and country.

Oh yeah- this week I was offered a new position in Europe and asked to stay a bit longer.  It's a great new position and responsibility.  I'm very excited about it.

Sad day.  Finally broke up with my girlfriend last night.  We had been on tentative ground for a while, and somehow we both just came to the conclusion that we would be better friends.  She's a sweetheart.  Will post a picture of her here soon.