Last night’s post is a testament to perseverance. Some variety of virus overwhelmed my immune system. Sick is an understatement—and for the first time since Christmas 2017. Today, I slept in three hours until 7:30 a.m. PST and conked out for several hours this afternoon.
Sleep sure is therapeutic. I feel better this evening, although far from normal state. I don’t take cold medicine or pain killers, choosing to let the body’s defensive mechanisms work without interference. Besides, if over-the-counter anything makes you feel better when not, the tendency is to do too much when the body needs you to slow down and rest.
What does any of this have to do with the Featured Image? Nothing really. One of my goals for 2026 is to post every day. I needed something easy tonight. The intro above marks, for the future, when I was last sick. Tonight’s photo captures candid moment of my beloved wife, as she started to rise from the curb after retying her sneakers.
The street shot also is opportunity to praise Google Pixel 10 Pro XL. The smartphone’s camera system increasingly impresses compared to Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Colors are natural—and not overly, or artificially, saturated. I cropped for composition and to remove a car but needed not otherwise edit the photo. Vitals: f/1.7, ISO 21, 1/1337 sec, 24mm (film equivalent); 12:28 p.m., Dec. 14, 2025.
I am shocked by my shadow. I weigh about 35.5 kilos (140 pounds) but you might think 109 kilos (240 pounds) from the photo. My hoodie is bulkier than I would have guessed.