Well, it’s Not Dairy Queen

Two weeks ago, my wife and I shopped at the Grocery Outlet on Waring Road, which is sandwiched between San Diego neighborhoods Grantville and Del Cerro. I tend to blitz through the grocery store. Annie is more deliberate, thoughtful, and so she tends to take longer.

So, I had some free time to mill about the strip mall, where is the ever-so non-descript TC’s Rockets comic bookstore. On another Saturday, I ventured into the cavernous space, where—beyond the racks and stacks of goodies for sale—guys (mostly) spread out on long tables and engaged in various role-playing games. Oh, the joy, of seeing real board gaming and imagination, rather than dudes planted in front of the TV, controller in hand.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 20, 202512:12 pm

An Easter Surprise

In the area of San Diego where we live, a look at most any window can reveal signage—most commonly: BLM, rainbow flag, resist (Trump), and occasionally an upside-down American flag, for example. So, surprise me (and perhaps you): The cross seen in the Featured Image, on April 3, 2024, along Park Blvd, a few blocks from the zoo.

Except for the few churches, I can’t recall ever seeing a cross so brazenly displayed in a neighborhood where people demand what they can get rather than what they can give—like the rainbow house of, ah, worship that claims “Love is Love is all You Need”. Ah, no.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 16, 20259:35 pm

Two Pandas and a Cat

I am way behind posting and make an executive decision: To share a few photos from our second trip—today—since rejoining San Diego Zoo as annual local members (first visit pics are forthcoming). My wife and I parked around 50 minutes after opening, and already the place was packed with families; by the accents, many were adult tourists and their kids.

Annie loves the red pandas (see second shot); a male lives in the main zoo and the female in the children’s area. On the way to the male, we passed the Giant Panda enclosure, where one could be seen sleeping. You tell me: Is that Yun Chuan or Xin Bao?

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 11, 20259:45 pm

My Cat Wants to Know: What the Tech?

The things that waste time. April 4, 2025: I pull a SD card from the camera, put it in a reader, and plug into one of the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge USB-C ports. Nothing happens. Windows 11 won’t mount the card. Uh, oh-oh.

Blame always starts with software—or should. I reinstalled the drivers. No change. Rebooted the operating system. No difference. The card’s contacts were clean, so I ruled that out. Somehow, I worried, the storage thang had gone bad. Oh no! I hadn’t backed up the photos recently.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 10, 20259:59 pm

Preparing to Bike

Among the benefits and features that influenced my decision to buy Nikon Zf: Easily accessible switch to toggle to black and white. Color is preserved in RAW, while the JPEGs are monochrome. The switch is thumb accessible, nearby the capture button and beneath the shutter speed dial.

The Featured Image is an example of the output, and one that I doctored in post-production to obscure a fundamental boo-boo. The photo isn’t sharp, so I took advantage of monochrome to create more analog ambiance by adding considerable amount of grain, which would more typically be removed.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 8, 20259:49 pm

You’re Waiting for WHAT?

This morning, my wife and I walked over to Trader Joe’s, after failing to find what we wanted from Smart & Final. Approaching, we observed a long line wrapped down the side of the store around to the back employee/loading entrance.

Is this about eggs? I wondered, thinking that perhaps people were being let in a few customers at a time to avoid crowding and violating fire codes. But, when we arrived at the doors, other folks flowed in and out unimpaired. The line stayed still in place. WTH?

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 6, 20259:57 pm

Kooky Koalas

When my wife and I entered San Diego Zoo on April 4, 2025—the first time since summer 2000—a staffer approached and offered to suggest a destination. The Australian recommended the Koalas, which were being fed at that moment. So off went Annie and I, as you can see from the Featured Image and companion.

The eucalyptus addicts were indeed chowing down, but they kept (purposefully?) behind poles or trees, making getting good shots to be difficult. I would have walked out with nothing, if not for Nikon Zf and attached NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 4, 202510:07 pm

Fountain at Balboa Park

Yesterday, my wife and I walked over to Balboa Park, while we waited for the queue to shorten outside San Diego Zoo’s membership pavilion. We passed through the Spanish Art Village and entered the main thoroughfare within rock-throwing distance of the Bea Evenson Fountain.

Before buying Nikon Zf in December, I used fixed-lens Leica Q2 for five years (2019-2024) after moving from predecessor Q, which I owned for about 30 months. The Zf promises many similar ergonomic and stylistic benefits, while offering option of interchangeable lenses.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 3, 202510:07 pm

Return to the Zoo

This afternoon, my wife and I stood in line to collect new San Diego Zoo passes; I restarted our resident annual membership, yesterday. Nearly five years have passed since our list visit—July 2020. We stopped because of price increases.

We paid $112 for our annual passes during 2018—for two people. For 2025: $111.60 each, so essentially double the cost seven years ago, with the same basic benefits—such as no blackout dates. However, we benefitted by receiving discounts for being 65 or older and being returning members. Otherwise, the annual pass would have been $134 each.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 30, 20257:10 pm

Friendly, Not Ferocious

Someone really needs to correct the sign to the left. Instead of beware, it should read be aware—as in look out for the friendly dog, who just happens to appear to be big and dangerous. He (or she) is a teddy bear—or so seems the demeanor anytime I see him (or her).

He (or she) was so perfectly posed and positioned, between the signs, today, I had to stop and pull around Nikon Zf and attached NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens. Vitals for the Featured Image: f/11, ISO 200, 1/160 sec, 59mm; 1:02 p.m. PDT.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 28, 20257:14 pm

The (Honorary) Cats of University Heights: Tempest

We briefly interrupt the backlog to present a valiant orange seen today. Annie spotted the shorthair on a property at Lincoln and Louisiana, which is inches outside the neighborhood’s official boundary. Hence, the honorary designation.

There was a second tabby, this one grey, and they chased one another about. The other disappeared into shrubs, then the space between buildings to the alley behind. The orange followed, moving with the suddenness of a summer storm—that explains choice of nickname Tempest.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 27, 20257:20 pm

Pepto Poses

He is one of the “Cats of University Heights” and beloved in the neighborhood. Pepto often regards me, approaches with a meow, and keeps on moving. He has things to do and no time for attention.

But today, rarely, he asked for some, and I gave generous pets. After we parted, I stopped aways off and watched him chew grass and soak sunlight. He clearly would soon cross the busy street, and I wanted to make sure he could do so safely.