Category: Living

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 7, 202510:21 pm

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Oh, Yeah

I am nowhere ready to officially review the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, even though my preorder arrived on Jan. 30, 2025—way early. The smartphone started selling in stores and online today. If you are considering moving from, say, either the S23 Ultra or S24 Ultra, don’t delay. The new model is surprisingly affordable, for a limited time.

Samsung typically offers magnanimously generous launch deals, particularly the value given for trade-in of older devices. To my surprise, Samsung hasn’t yet replaced the fantastic opportunity presented during the preorder period. Free storage upgrade is still available, and your S23 Ultra or S24 Ultra is worth $750 or $900, respectively, against purchase of the newer smartphone.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 6, 20257:11 pm

Closed for Business

The Barber of Seville is responsible for most of my haircuts during our more than 17 years living in San Diego. His shop is, or was, located along Park Blvd in my neighborhood of University Heights. He trimmed my thinning locks one final time on Dec. 5, 2024, about a week before his last scheduled customer—appropriately a priest (George is a good Catholic).

He cut hair for about 45 years, 30 of them in the same location. He owns the building, and at our last meeting he was unsure what business would take over the space. Recently, somebody put up brown paper, covering the windows from inside. Something is going on inside as preparation for whatever will be the next occupant.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 5, 20259:27 pm

The State of the Union

The U.S. Federal government is undergoing dramatic transformation, as President Donald Trump unleashes a nearly daily torrent of executive orders. Entire agencies are being gutted and/or face dissolution.

The poster child, so to speak, is U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which by statute delivers humanitarian aid across the globe. On Jan. 20, 2025, the Commander-in-Chief “implemented a 90-day freeze on foreign assistance“, while the organization’s future is being evaluated. Meanwhile, firings and other actions shake up FBI, Dept. Education, and other agencies.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 24, 20257:21 pm

Creature Feature

Sometimes, it’s not what you shoot but why. On Nov. 10, 2024, while walking along an alley in my San Diego neighborhood of University Heights, my wife and I passed a collection of kids’ toys looking down from a roof.

Initially, I continued on, then stopped, when mentally revisualizing the scene. Sulley the monster appears to be holding up the metal bar. I assume that was the intention of the person putting the Disney character there, but it could be coincidence, too.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 23, 20258:22 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Mango Cat

While walking along Meade Avenue, on Jan. 20, 2025, I turned to see what was the movement behind a fence. A (possibly senior) cat sat grooming. I pulled out Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and put the 10x zoom capabilities to work.

Vitals, for the Featured Image: f/3.4, ISO 32, 1/800 sec, (synthetic) 230mm (digital and optical zoom); 1:49 p.m. PST. Real name: Mango Cat. I love it. We visited briefly, then off he departed.

Living by Joe WilcoxJan 20, 202510:09 pm

One Crazy Inauguration Day

A little after Noon, today, Donald Trump became President for the second time—47th and previously 45th. During his acceptance speech he promised to immediately secure the Southern Border, asserted there are two genders—male and female (and I agree)—pledged to reduce inflation and create jobs, and thanked God.

As he stopped by different venues during the day’s events, he signed a rash of executive actions (e.g. orders), which include: ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across the Federal government; recognizing biological sex, not gender identity; designating international cartels (think Mexican) as terrorist organizations; and withdrawing the United States from the Paris (Climate) Agreement and World Health Organization, among a slew of others.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 19, 20257:06 pm

Gritty Graffiti

Let me preface this post by strongly saying that the Featured Image isn’t an expression about my attitude with respect to the current crisis in the Middle East. Rather, I observe surprising graffiti and use it to illustrate current events.

A tenuous ceasefire is underway between Israel and adversaries in Gaza and Lebanon. Earlier today, Hamas released the first three of 33 hostages in exchange for 90 by the Israelis. The conflict started on Oct. 7, 2003 when terrorists breached Israeli defenses from Gaza, killed more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and grabbed 254 hostages. Nearly 100 remain in captivity.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 18, 20258:13 pm

Classic Cars Meetup

This afternoon, I walked over to unbeloved Hillcrest to mail a package at the United States Post Office. The postal workers were friendly and helpful, but the place was surprisingly not crowded. Plausible explanation: This is a holiday weekend for some people, particularly leading into Monday events.

Jan. 20, 2025 celebrates Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday, and the day will also be the inauguration of Donald Trump as 47th president of the United States. If Microsoft Copilot can be trusted for accuracy, Trump will only be the second President to serve non-consecutive terms (Grover Cleveland is the other).

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 14, 20259:54 pm

Fly Me to the Moon

Desert weather conditions are Southern California’s temporary climate, as the Santa Ana winds whip through. Their ferocity fanned fires that destroyed large swaths of Los Angeles County neighborhoods Altadena and Pacific Palisades, during the past week. The two largest fires, Eaton and Palisades, are marginally contained—35 percent and 18 percent, respectively. Fire warnings remain in effect until at least tomorrow afternoon.

By contrast, here in San Diego, risk remains but nowhere as high as Los Angeles. Skies are clear, and wildfires are negligent. Nights are blisteringly cold and days delightfully warm, all unseasonably. When I got out of bed this morning, around 4:30 a.m. PST, the outside temperature was, according to the Android weather app, 4 degrees Celsius (40 Fahrenheit) with 38 percent humidity. By mid-afternoon: 21 C (70 F) and 11 percent humidity. That’s very desert-like.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 13, 20254:18 pm

Los Angeles Burns

The time is overdue to post something about the scourge of wildfires ravaging Los Angeles County. Dry Santa Ana winds, coming off the desert, were forecast with the unusually sternest of warnings a week ago. Then, as sustained gusts reached about 50 mph, the first reports of a brushfire went out—around 10:30 a.m. PST on Tuesday Jan. 7, 2024. Within minutes, intense flames and oversize flying embers drove forward what would be called the Palisades Fire. Ten acres would be burned by the top of the hour and more than 1,200 by 3:30 p.m.

Thousands of structures, including entire neighborhoods, burned to the ground in communities with names people living outside the state might recognize, such as Malibu and Pacific Palisades. The wildfire even destroyed businesses and homes along California’s scenic, and iconic, Pacific Coast Highway—someplace where residents would never reasonably expect such carnage.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 12, 20259:36 pm

Sunday Cyclists

While walking up Adams Avenue in my neighborhood of University Heights, today, I chatted with one of my sisters over the phone. Suddenly I heard, then saw, a massive pack of bicyclists speed past, turning onto Park Blvd. By the amount of time taken to go by, they numbered in the hundreds.

Caught off guard and fumbling, because of the phone call, I lost precious seconds deciding to pull round Nikon Zf and attached NIKKOR 40mm f/2 (SE) lens. The Featured Image and companion were captured, quickly, suddenly, with little preparation. Both are composed as captured. Had I more time and not otherwise been distracted, I would have slowed down the shutter speed for blurred motion shot.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 10, 20259:26 pm

Hey, Birdie

One of my neighbors puts out food for just about every kind of critter that lives in University Heights—the exception being coyotes. As such, she has possums, racoons, and skunks strutting into her yard at night. The day belongs to birds, butterflies, cats, and dogs, among others.

While we visited on Nov. 27, 2024, a white-crowned sparrow dropped by for a bite of breakfast. I easily captured the Featured Image, using Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Vitals: f/3.4, ISO 32, 1/125 sec, (synthetic) 230mm (digital and optical zoom); 9:51 a.m. PST. Composed as shot.