Category: Living

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 17, 20239:25 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Milo, Too

This series started seven years ago—Oct. 17, 2016—with a kitty I call Scruffy. Five-hundred-fifty-three profiles later, I continue to discover new kitties—something I couldn’t conceive in a neighborhood with so many dog owners.

My miscalculation: Failing to understand the make-up of San Diego households, of which 52 percent are renters rather than homeowners. As such, tenant turnover is fairly frequent and includes pets; for people living in smaller spaces, feline friends are a popular choice. Foolish me, for not seeing the obvious.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 16, 20239:12 pm

Three of Us

I take the hint—just need to follow-through. Tonight, my cousin Dan emailed another photo, taken by my uncle, circa 1970, with closing “call any time”. I will. I will. We Wilcox men must stick together.

Meanwhile, the Featured Image, later edited by me, is what he sent. I only share with you because everyone benefits from humbling moments of public humiliation. Eleven-year-old me looks like the prince of dweebs. I am aghast, honestly. Someone should have left that little twerp in the woods.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 15, 202310:25 pm

Sixteen Years Ago Today

On Oct. 15, 2007, the Wilcox family arrived in San Diego from the Washington, D.C.-metro area. Within days, I began to understand the character of Communist California Culture and regret relocating. But we came to assist my aged father-in-law, so that he might maintain freedom to live in his apartment, which he did until passing away there at age 95 in January 2017.

My wife and I talked about returning to the East Coast almost immediately after her dad’s death. But our only child (an adult, by then) was attached to Southern California, and she wasn’t ready for us to leave her. We stayed—or shall I say overstayed—our time here. San Diego has changed all too much in terrible ways—almost all brought about by state and/or local mandates.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 14, 202310:18 pm

Hungry Eyes

Who could guess that we would return to the “1917 House” for another look (seriously, no pun intended; maybe) at Halloween peepers just four days later. My previous daylight shot simply misses everything that makes the scene in darkness. I unexpectedly happened by this evening; 8:27 p.m. PDT.

The Featured Image is the last of three and surprising choice from Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. I had expected to share the 50-megapixel capture, but the 12MP is more detailed and truer to color. Vitals: f/1.7, ISO 1250, 1/25 sec, 23mm (film equivalent).

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 13, 20238:54 pm

Boom Button

One week ago tomorrow, Hamas terrorists launched an assault into Israel that slaughtered entire families (yes, children included), grabbed hostages, and raped women. Need I say more? As Israel prepares to invade Gaza Strip, regional tensions rise—perhaps even exceeding the raw emotional reaction among Jews and many other human beings.

My concern: Atrocities were meant to evoke such anger that Israel acts out the script of a plan meant to give Hezbollah an excuse to join Hamas in a counteroffensive that would devastate the Jewish state and lead to global war—as nations like the United States take military action for its longstanding ally and Muslim countries like Iran directly or, by proxy, indirectly intervene for the terrorist groups.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 12, 20239:28 pm

Who Can It Be Now?

What to say? I don’t drink alcoholic anything, but here we are for a third time romping over Bud Light. Perhaps you know the once popular beer that undergoes the mother of all boycotts—after Anheuser-Busch made the marketing mistake of aligning with a transgender TikToker.

Previously, on this torrid topic: “‘Hey, I Thought There was a Boycott!‘” and “Delivering or Removing?” So with the beer’s sales flushing down a toilet, I was surprised to see—on Oct. 8, 2023—a bag of empties tied up nicely for someone like Pat to grab and cash in at the local recycler. The Featured Image was a compulsory capture, if for no other reason than how cleanly the cans were gathered together and neatly sacked.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 11, 202310:25 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Whisper

Meet the third kitty spotted inside a catio since the series‘ start seven years ago. The others: Jester and King. That’s three out of 552 profiles. I spotted this fine feline while walking with my wife on Oct. 1, 2023 along an undisclosed alley.

The Featured Image is made possible by Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra‘s 10x optical zoom. Vitals: f/4.9, ISO 50, 1/390 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 11:58 a.m. PDT. For nickname, I choose Whisper.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 10, 20238:39 pm

Eye See You

The “1917 House“—as my wife and I call it—is decked out big-time for Halloween. Passing by today, I stopped for a couple shots of the most mundane, but menacing, part of the display. The place was full of “Scaredy Cats” two years ago, and I may have breezed past them on this sunny Tuesday.

The Featured Image comes from Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, but too much is lost in the busyness. Zoom in and you will see ghosties and orange lights that showed up better to my eyes than they do from the digital capture. But I am pleased enough with the crowded composition. Vitals: f/2.2, ISO 50, 1/120 sec, 13mm (film equivalent); 5:04 p.m. PDT.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 9, 202310:33 pm

Happy Hangul Day

The official language of South Korean is celebrated today—although it’s already tomorrow in Asia, so my post is belated then. Hangul, or Hangeul (my preference), refers to the alphabet, which conceptualization is scientific compared to, say, Chinese or Japanese.

My wife and I both study the Korean language, although she is far more advanced than me. We both have tried different learning systems, such as Billy Go or Talk to Me in Korean, among others. Some months ago, I accidentally came upon the How to Study Korean website and found the educational program to be approachable, methodical, and sensible. Annie adopted it, too—surprising me.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 6, 20239:07 pm

More than a Mouthful

How hungry are you? Could you eat enough to save $20? Your answer—and appetite—could make you famous, or infamous, in San Diego neighborhood North Park. Rudford’s wants you to take the “Big Nick” challenge. As the sign suggests, your meal is free if completed within 30 minutes (don’t get sick, now).

What is this massive meal? Two pounds of beef between buns. Easy, right? Wrong. There are four eggs squeezed in, too. On the side, get ready for it: 4 ounces of hashbrowns and another four of French Fries, because you can never have enough carbs. Gravy, salsa, and four slices of American cheese complete the plate full.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 5, 20239:48 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Marvel

This series started on Oct. 17, 2016 with tentative runtime of perhaps 30 days—because how many cats could possibly be in a neighborhood with so many dogs? I never imagined 551, including this post (more counting doubles featured together). But here we are.

I spotted our newest member earlier today along Florida Street. The Featured Image comes from Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Vitals: f/4.9, ISO 50, 1/300 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 11:43 a.m. PDT.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 4, 202310:04 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Marble

If you thought the last kitty, Mochi, was difficult to see behind a security screen, this fine feline is even more obscured. Even so, I couldn’t resist sharing. Location: Alley that separates Louisiana and Texas.

Nickname Marble for coloration and shape of head, this rascal is the one-hundred-sixteenth furball found behind door or window since this series started in October 2016.