What’s a good cure for clutter? Bokeh! Tortoiseshell Cali sits on my lap in a quickie portrait made yesterday using Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. In the blurred background is my makeshift workspace, with Casabelle Mail Center as a desk alongside six-tier bookcase. I purchased the Casabelle from the now defunct Pier 1 Imports in early 2016. Our daughter may visit soon, compelling self-eviction from my home office for her. The new space is messy, and I am relieved you can make out only the kitty. She is quite the lap cat, and demanding about it, too.
I first encountered Cali on June 4, 2014, shortly after moving our daughter into a house she rented with other coeds nearby San Diego State University. Overnight, Cali would squeeze through an open sliding door and crawl into Molly’s bed. The tortie’s ownership would be disputed over the summer months that followed, and she somehow came to belong to our daughter.
However, as school started so did a problem: One of the other residents of the house had allergic reaction to Cali. The cat had to go but to where? My wife and I unexpectedly inherited the outcast in late October 2014. She has been with us since, along with ginger Neko, who is much older. We adopted him from the local shelter in March 2012, and his age is estimated to be somewhere between 16 and 18 years.
I share the Featured Image, because the composition—and bold bokeh—appeals to me. The photo also shows off what kind of delights S25 Ultra is capable of delivering. Vitals: f/1.7, ISO 1250, 1/125 sec, 23mm (film equivalent); 4:45 p.m. PST. Composed as shot.