I left my heart in San Francisco. I'm still trying to figure out where I deposited some of the other organs. ... With the well-publicized drought in California the thought hit me that we might be seeing the little city by the mud flats. But I was assured by locals most of the water comes from the ocean. ... Meanwhile, California prepared to carry out its first executions of people found guilty of violating water use rules. ... I was noticing those sure signs of spring—cars covered with tree pollen and people with hacking coughs.

Given the way the University Kentucky college basketball team has dominated competitors, it has been decided its next opponent will be the New York Knicks. If the Wildcats win the NCAA championship and establish a historic record of 40 wins and no defeats in the regular season and the tourney, U.K. coach John Calipari will be offered the role of emperor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. That move, however, could produce conflict with the other claimant to the throne, University of Louisville coach Rick Petino.

I was standing at the convention center in Atlanta looking toward the sky. "It just makes you thing how insignificant we are; how much life is outside our control; how we are buffeted about by events?" "You mean when confronted with nature?" "No, I mean when confronted with Microsoft." ... I have never gotten the hang of loyalty programs. When I saw a notice at Starbucks promoting that company's program, I asked a barista "Where do I take the loyalty oath?"