“I was born in Palm Springs” he said.

He had my attention. I know a few people who have lived in Palm Springs. James was the first time I knew of someone born there.

“Then I moved to Wisconsin.”

An unusual move (at least in terms of direction), from my perspective.

“.. and now I’m here. I do guided walks through the wine country.”

"That must be wonderful."

“Not really,” he replied, “I’m actually a pastor, but sometimes you need to make it work.”


Jean used to be a Dean at one of California’s Universities.

“… and now I work in a tasting room, learning as much as I can about wine. It’s the dream of my life."


Different horses on similar courses … from different stables, with different riders heading to different finish lines.

You have to know which race you are in - and you will rarely know that of another.

"The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function."

F. Scott Fitzgerald