Misfit Inflatables

Christmas may be oh-so last year, but some of my San Diego neighbors let the holiday spirit linger on their lawns. Today, I came across some inflatables that are familiar and memorable—from stop-motion special “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, which first aired on television in December 1964.

Abominable looms large over a collection of misfit toys; somewhat cut-off, gold-digger Yukon Cornelius stands behind the snow monster. Creatures, people, and things that don’t fit in is the underlying theme of the perennially-broadcast holiday classic. Festive decorations are misfit, too, with Christmas past and their summer-like setting. Nuclear winter would have to come before snow fell in this part of Southern California.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 3, 20249:28 pm

Waiter @Work

I can’t recall the last time my wife and I ate out at a restaurant—or even fast food. Cost is one of the major reasons, and that is about to increase with the new $20/hour minimum wage that goes into effect (appropriately) on April Fools Day. Oh, you got to love California.

Some Pizza Hut franchises won’t wait for that momentous event; two of them are laying off more than 1,200 in-house delivery drivers. Ouch. Our family eats what it cooks, except for the occasional Pizza Hut pie—and always by take away.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 2, 202410:11 pm

My Constant Companion: Galaxy S23 Ultra

When preordering Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra on Feb. 1, 2023, I couldn’t conceive of the year that would unfold, nor the smartphone’s extraordinary documentary role. The new thang, which replaced S22 Ultra, arrived two weeks later. Seventeen days following, March 2, our daughter suffered brain trauma—”severe hypoxic injury and bilateral subcortical infarctions”—and spent the entire month in the hospital before moving on to cognitive and physical rehabilitation. While her recovery is miraculous, she suffers some handicaps that likely will remain.

My hope is for a different year ahead. But the United States moves towards presidential election dystopia, while the world shudders. Among the flashpoints: Russia-Ukraine. Gaza-Israel. China-Taiwan. North and South Korea. Problems abound across the globe, but these four regions are potential or ongoing brushfires that could engulf the world in the flames of war.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 1, 20248:28 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Oliver and Harvey

We start the new year with not one but two additions to the series. Because I am displeased with the amount of apartment interior seen in the Featured Image, location is withheld (privacy protection). But names are accurate for the tiger tabby and coal black, which came to the window as their owner exited and drove away.

Once again, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra‘s 10x-optical zoom lens demonstrates its worthwhile. Vitals: f/4.9, ISO 50, 1/420 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 10:10 a.m. PST, Dec. 26, 2023.

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 31, 202310:39 pm

Bearded Me

The year ends with an unexpected post. Today, my cousin Dan emailed a couple older photos, both likely taken by his dad (my Uncle Glenn). Date and my age are uncertain as I write. If Dan can answer my question where, then time is something I can add later on.

I probably started the beard around age 16, definitely by 17—but age 18 or 19 is possible, too, in the Featured Image. Seventeen is my guess. If correct, location likely would be my Nana’s apartment in Lewiston, Maine. Same would be true if a year or two older.

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 30, 202310:51 pm

Nestling Neko

I scrapped my planned post, in the interest of time. My daughter needed help with health insurance stuff (open enrollment ends tomorrow for January coverage). Of course, she has to do everything by text message, which quadruples the amount of time necessary to do anything. I can more quickly explain and better keep a train of thought talking versus typing (on the phone screen).

The Featured Image was quickly taken, using Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, so that I could write about something. Neko chills with the plushie purchased for Annie during a recent trip to the Ralph’s supermarket in Hillcrest. She kind of liked it, and Christmas themed things were on sale.

Living by Joe WilcoxDec 29, 202310:33 pm

Prime Cuts

Like many other Amazon customers, the day after Christmas (Bah humbug to you, too, Jeff Bezos), I received email informing that “starting January 29, Prime Video movies and TV shows will include limited advertisements”. That one sentence sentences my Prime membership to execution. I won’t renew when the current annual period expires.

My family’s first Amazon purchase was in 1998, and we joined Prime a decade later. One of the benefits for which we keep the service is commercial-free video content. Advertising changes everything. Free, fast shipping isn’t compelling enough.

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 28, 20238:33 pm

Kings (of the Road)

I don’t know why these three motorbikes were parked together in a San Diego alley. They piqued my photographic interests for being covered in raindrops. Location determined composition: I was backed against a wall; they were placed in an enclave.

The Featured Image comes from Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, on Dec. 22, 2023. Vitals: f/1.7, ISO 160, 1/180 sec, 23mm (film equivalent); 10:43 a.m. PST.

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 27, 20238:09 pm

Bird Breakfast

As my wife and I walked along Panorama Drive in San Diego neighborhood University Heights, she pointed out mourning doves gathered to feed. I stopped, pulled out Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and captured the Featured Image. Vitals: f/4.9, ISO 50, 1/640 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 9:27 a.m. PST, today.

The shot demonstrates some of the benefits and limitations of the smartphone’s 10x-optical zoom lens. Having such capability and reach in a device carried in the pocket is amazingly convenient. That said, image quality is nothing close to what a real camera produces. So, please, no pixel-peeping. You will be disappointed.

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 26, 20239:31 pm

Is This How You Feel?

Lots of people do, and I hope not you. Humility mixed with heap loads of gratitude is a better way to end the year. We are entitled to nothing. Most everything we have comes from somewhere else. Modern society is built on the sacrifices of those who came before us. We are indebted.

Do you grow your own food? Drill, extract, and process the gasoline for your vehicle? Generate the electricity that powers your home? Pick and mill the cotton for clothes you bought rather than made? Fresh water is piped to your home and toilet water piped away—all from infrastructure that you didn’t build, right?

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 25, 20238:46 pm

That’s Not True

For some time, I have been bothered by the sign outside the Hillcrest church with the rainbow-colored doors. Seeing as this is Christmas Day and Christian churches are supposed to celebrate Christ, I take this opportunity to correct the record.

“Love is love is all you need” is not true. Correction: it is a lie.

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 24, 202310:26 pm

Merry Christmas!

Okay, so as I post, Christmas Day is still officially about 90 minutes away. But why wait? I used Leica Q2 to capture the Featured Image, along Campus Avenue between Meade and Monroe in San Diego neighborhood University Heights.

Vitals, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/320 sec, 28mm; 9:35 a.m. PST, Dec. 17, 2023. Composed as shot.