Michael Pecherer

Happy Birthday Michael!

Ron was a pal.  We often talked during the high school days and I have warm and friendly memories of him.  He carried a smile and always was engaging, friendly and genuine.  He was one of a handful of people that I kept in touch with in the later years.  We would speak on the phone from time to time.  He was always upbeat and positive about life even when things weren't going quite the way he might have wanted.  His passing reminds me that those of us who are left have numbered days and it encourages me to continue to live life fully as did Ron.  Ron and I and all of us remaining represent an era that is long gone.  Our lives were simplier and we shared dreams of better futures that many of us realized.  That is not to ignore the social and economic problems that then existed, but my long friendship with Ron confirms to me that such problems can be resolved when we are together in the effort.  I will miss him

Posted on: Sep 14, 2021 at 12:17 PM

Frank, been a long time. Welcome.

Posted on: Sep 12, 2020 at 8:38 PM

Hello all!! We are hunkered down in the worst air quality situation that I have ever experienced. The California fires have produced a miasma of heavy smoke that has lingered for the past week and shows no signs of letting up. Thus far, our home is not threatened and the vineyard is well protected because of very aggressive weed control. Whether we will harvest grapes is up in the air as they are probably smoke tainted. The governor, who in my mind is a nitwit generally, announced that the fires confirm climate change. Well that might be part of it, but the major cause is the absolute abdication of any sort of forest management with the result that the forests are full of dead trees - approximately half of the trees are dead, and the grasslands are overgrown with brush, grass, small bushes, etc.

When I moved here in 1969, there was extensive logging on both private and public property. Yes, there was clear cutting, but that left breaks that would have stopped fires on adjacent lands. The forests themselves were generally thinned and the dead trees removed. There was an active CCC program which enlisted young people to work in the forest lands. The grasslands were subject to controlled burns and fire breaks were cut regularly. None of that has gone on for more than 20 years and as a result, the forests and grasslands are tinderboxes just waiting for a spark or a lightening strike. Unfortunately, California government has a set of priorities that just isn't working and the absence of forest management is only part of the problem.

San Francisco has a retail vacancy rate of 54%. That means that more than half of all retail space is empty. Even if all the restrictions were lifted tomorrow, the stores won't return. Meanwhile, the homeless are left to their own devices and are everywhere, pooping in the street, breaking into cars, shoplifting, and accumulating filth. People are moving out of SF in droves. Look on Zillo at SF homes for sale. It looks like a poison ivy rash. The number of residential properties for sale is two or three times greater than it was two years ago. It is tragedy what has happened to what was once a beautiful city.

I, however, remain the eternal optimist that I have always been. I am still practicing law and making Zoom court appearances. Xiomara and I are finally getting married next month - it will be a Zoom marriage. We are building a house at the vineyard. Hopefully, I will be able to continue all of this for some time. It is up to fate.

I hope all are well. I was saddened to hear about David Fitz. He was a good man with a lot of spirit and style.

Best to all,

Michael

Posted on: Oct 16, 2019 at 4:33 AM

Posted on: Oct 16, 2018 at 4:33 AM

Posted on: Oct 16, 2017 at 4:33 AM

Posted on: Oct 23, 2016 at 3:53 PM

I am sitting here on a beautiful Sunday morning thinking about life. I had some legal work to complete and afterwards, I read some political nonsense - it all seems like nonsense these days. I decided to make a comment to my class.

We grew up in the best of times. We believed in the institutions and we were free in ways our children could never understand. At the last reunion, Xiomara and I walked from my former house on Clairidge Court first to Watchung School, then to George Innis and then to the High School. We went through Hinks Alley and along what were once familiar streets. It was emotional for me and I recalled that either by bicycle or on foot, we got to school, rain or shine. I thought about taking bike rides on the weekends for miles and miles. I remember once with Richard Henderson we rode to Ceder Grove and beyond. Nobody feared for us and we had no doubts that we would make it there and back.

As near as I can remember we weren't indoctrinated in school and were encouraged to think for ourselves. Although we were from different races and religions, we got along well and the occasional insult rolled off our backs. We all knew each other and said hello in the halls. We played sports after school in the school yards and if we got a bruise or even broke a limb, we took it in stride, had our casts signed by everyone and never gave a thought to suing the school. We didn't need "safe spaces" and the PC world had not yet emerged. Those days are over. Now everything seems to be regulated and regimented. The idea of taking responsibility for the consequences of our actions - which was completely normal in those long ago days - is gone. Whatever happens is the fault of someone else and as a society, we seem always to look to government for the solutions, which never seem to be delivered. Witness my winery permit that had to clear 38 statutes and 17 agencies.

Judging from my experiences in our reunions, most of us ventured out into the world and made lives for ourselves. There are a whole range of life experiences among us and the camaraderie at the reunions is a delight.

I am not proselytizing for either candidate. We have a weird election in a couple of weeks. For all the millions of people in this country, we are cursed with two very defective candidates. I want to urge everyone to get out and vote. I want to urge everyone to think carefully about what kind of country we want our children and grandchildren to live in. Yes, the country will survive. But a price is going to be paid for where we now find ourselves. I urge everyone to step back from their prejudices, preconceived notions, ideologies and to carefully consider where we have been and where we are likely to be going. More than at any time in my life, I feel alienated from government and yet I don't know which way to turn. I am only asking all to take this election very seriously. There is a whole lot at stake.

On a lighter note, the vineyard is growing beautifully and the wine tastes great. It is fun to be doing this at this late stage of the proceedings.

The best to all.

Michael

Happy Birthday on Monday!!! Hope it is a happy one.

Posted on: Oct 16, 2015 at 4:33 AM

Reading this entire thread brought some tears to my eyes. People that I remember so well and to find that each has a place still in my heart is a delight. Happy Birthday Barry. Our era produced a lot of remarkable folks and I am honored to have known some of them. Best to all that read this.

Barry, I have great memories of you. Glad to hear you are still up and running. The best to you!!