Category: Media

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 6, 20259:21 pm

Happy Birthday, Adrian

I stepped out of the ophthalmologist’s office into cloud covered defused light that passed pain through my dilated pupils. Squinting, I stumbled down the stairs to the sidewalk, where a smiling gent walked up and asked for a “favor”. My apologetic tone conveyed clear response: No cash. I meant to bring a five-dollar bill, in case somebody asked, but left it behind when rushing out the door to walk to the doctor’s office.

But he didn’t ask for money. He wanted me to bless him. To wish him happy birthday. He is 37 years-old today. I did both. We separated, and I regretted not asking to take his photo. How often does something so straightforward occur? He wasn’t grifting or panhandling. The fellow simply sought birthday wishes.

Photo by Joe WilcoxSep 20, 20258:11 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Buster

Another Caturday night and I ain’t got nobody—but a tabby tat from the series‘ enormous backlog. I used Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra to capture the Featured Image on April 28, 2024. That wasn’t the first time I saw the tabby or anytime sense. I merely present the best portrait from the selection. Vitals: f/3.4, ISO 32, 1/250 sec, (synthetic) 230mm (digital and optical zoom); 2:03 p.m. PDT.

The putty-tat, nicknamed Buster for no particular reason, is the one-hundred-thirty-ninth feline found behind door or window among the 612 profiles, including this one.

Photo by Joe WilcoxSep 17, 20258:57 pm

You Can Say It’s Not Tariffs, But…

A few weeks ago, we restocked the bulk beef burger patties we typically buy from Costco Business Center. Near the end of August, the foodstuff was sold out (it never is), so I suspected that the warehouse store no longer carried the item. Today, the patties are back—and for shockingly higher sale price.

Backtracking, when we started buying the 10-pound burger pack during the last decade, Business Costco charged $29.99, which was a good deal compared to competing choices. Fat content was higher (78 percent lean), but savings mattered more to the Wilcoxes. During the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2)/COVID-19 mandates era, price rose to $31.99 and then to $33.99. During 2025, the price continuously crept up—reaching $39.99 a few weeks ago. Currently: $49.99! Ten bucks more than in August!

Photo by Joe WilcoxSep 15, 202510:17 pm

The Rally That Wasn’t Much

The majority of political email automatically goes to the junk folder. I never designated the status, choosing instead to let Gmail haul the messages away by default. But one from Amy Reichert of Restore San Diego plopped into my inbox this morning. “Stand with us as we call on Governor Newsom to reject AB 495”, she wrote. A rally was scheduled for 10 a.m. PDT at San Diego Unified School District offices about 10 minutes’ walk (thanks to traffic lights) from my apartment. I had to go.

Depending on who you speak to, AB 495 either protects immigrant kids threatened by ICE raids or puts them at risk because the law would let seemingly anyone intercede and grab your children. The thinking there is that California is about to enable anyone to legally snatch kids—ah, for their protection. They could belong to non-immigrant families and be taken using other justifications.

Photo by Joe WilcoxSep 8, 202510:09 pm

The Rally at 1526 Meade Avenue

The city’s obsession with adding more housing shocks by the day. Cute, historic homes are leveled and replaced by multi-level residential buildings that are typically rentals (no condos for you, Bud) and explicitly turn out to be so-called micro-units (tiny space, big monthly payment). These new builds tower over single-family homes and/or two-story apartments/condos, dramatically obliterating local character and robbing existing homes of airflow and sunlight.

Justification: Housing shortage. That’s a lie. According to Zillow, there are currently 18,499 rentals available across San Diego County. For sale: 8,101 homes. That sure looks like plenty of inventory to me. According to Point2Homes, which business is helping people find places to rent, there are 6,142 “housing units” in my community of University Heights. Zillow says 279 of them are currently for rent; but not all list on the service, so the number should be higher.

Photo by Joe WilcoxSep 2, 20253:34 pm

The Things That Pop Out of Hedges

Around the village of University Heights, one can see logos, murals, paintings, signs, and statues all depicting ostriches. At the turn of the last century, Bentley Ostrich Farm relocated to the neighborhood—and it brought visitors from across Southern California.

But the place closed in 1929. The feathers were less in demand as a luxury, and economic crisis began its grip on the nation. Many, but not all, of the birds were relocated to San Diego Zoo.

Photo by Joe WilcoxAug 22, 20257:21 pm

Park and Fine

A strange, dystopian drama of greed and malice plays out in San Diego—as the mayor and city council seemingly punish citizens for failing to approve a ballot measure last November that would have raised the local sales tax. The taste of recently reaped parking revenues, from a new ordinance, has the city chasing cash like sharks drawn to blood in the water.

On Jan. 1, 2025, but not fully enforced for another two months, a new statewide daylighting law went into effect that technically prohibits parking vehicles any closer than 20 feet from a crosswalk. But practically, any intersection where someone can cross applies. Initially, San Diego meter men and women handed out $77.50 tickets—more than 4,000 in less than the first 60 days. The, ah, program was so successful that the city quickly raised the fine to $117.50.

Photo by Joe WilcoxAug 21, 20254:24 pm

What’s He Looking At?

The third Weekend of any (normal) month is the book sale room at the San Diego Public Library in University Heights—9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Prices are generous: Books and DVDs are generally a buck. Paperbacks are twenty-five cents each or five for a dollar. What’s not to like about that? Greedy shoppers!

Recurrent pattern: The earliest people in the doors grab, grab, grab. Someone might ransack sci-fi paperbacks, for example, piling them in a box and setting it aside with sign Taken for later sorting. They then move onto the shelves searching for more treasures.

Photo by Joe WilcoxAug 14, 20259:04 pm

The G-Spot

The things you are simply shocked to see in retail. Today, I drove my daughter to San Diego’s Fashion Valley Mall, which is increasingly becoming a pricey, high-end destination in the likeness of some Los Angeles shopping meccas.

She had ordered contacts and eyeglasses from Warby Parker; the former needed to be checked and fitted because of astigmatic correction limitations. What did I see used for point of sale? Google Pixelbook Go. Yeah, a Chromebook! One that released in 2019!

Photo by Joe WilcoxAug 7, 20256:31 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Double Stuff

Meet the one-hundred-thirty-eighth feline found behind door or window, since the series‘ start in October 2016. Have you ever eaten Oreo Double Stuff cookies? If so, you understand the kitty’s nickname.

I used Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra to shoot the Featured Image on July 3, 2025. Yep, we break away from the backlog and will continue to do so occasionally. Next cat will be one long waiting in the queue.

Photo by Joe WilcoxAug 1, 20258:56 pm

Depression-Era Driving

How unexpected. According to Google Circle to Search, the vehicle in the Featured Image is a 1929 Ford Model A. My wife and I passed it today while walking West on Madison Avenue in our San Diego neighborhood of University Heights.

I used Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra for this one. Vitals: f/3.4, ISO 64, 1/1250 sec, 115mm (film equivalent); 11:59 a.m. PDT. The camera continues to satisfy, which is one of three benefits keeping me from taking advantage of massive trade-in discounts for Galaxy Z Fold7. For example, this shot is 5x zoom; the Fold tops out at 3x.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 31, 20259:00 pm

The (Honorary) Cats of University Heights: Stubby

I believe, but have yet to confirm, that this fine feline is the oldest in the current backlog. The Featured Image and companion come from Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra on March 13, 2024. Vitals: f/3.4, ISO 32, 1/640 sec, (synthetic) 230mm (digital and optical zoom); 2:29 p.m. PDT. The other: f/2.4, ISO 50, 1/1000 sec, 70mm (film equivalent); 2:29 p.m.

Among the 610 profiles (including this one) in this series, only 35 are from outside University Heights: AI, Boo, Buddies, Charmer, Chill, Coal, Comber, Cotton, Envy, Esther, Fancy, Floofy, Guapo, Liberty, Lonesome, Jade, Kello, Mona, Moophie, Mousy, Mystic, Ninja, Oliver, Too, Promise, Queenie, Pussyfoot, Rascal, Raven, Sammy, Shakey, Tag and Tig, Tempest, Timber, Tom and Jerry, and Tula.