In Defense of Reading Books

Another book sale weekend at the local library (University Heights)—as designated by the third Saturday of the month (today is fourth Sunday)—is but memory. Our good friend Kerry, whom we hadn’t seen for more than three years, visited yesterday—so, I missed the better of the two days.

But I hauled my butt the 0.8-kilometer (half-mile) walk and looked for books for the women; I brought back a Moosewood cooking follow-up for my wife and two tomes on herbs for our daughter. I saw little that interested me.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 21, 20269:04 pm

Wedding Bells or Something Else?

While walking home from San Diego Zoo on Sept. 27, 2025, I passed by some kind of gathering or event at the Greek Orthodox Church on Park Blvd in Hillcrest. Being Thursday, I doubted a religious service was underway or ending. But what??

I initially assumed wedding, but on closer consideration funeral appeared to be another reasonable possibility. The people looked cheerer than somber, more befitting a wedding, dedication of child, or something similar.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 20, 20268:50 pm

Near Miss?

Minutes earlier, the kid on the left had been doing wheelies down Monroe in my neighborhood of University Heights. Not being a thru street (right turn only on Texas), traffic tends to be light compared to Madison or Mission on either side. I sometimes see roller skaters on Mississippi either at Monroe or Mission. So, these daredevils weren’t out of place, but the electric bike meant increased speed and risk.

I set up the shot, for their approach. You can see them coming upon Louisiana but turned towards one another rather than looking ahead. Meanwhile, the driver is somewhat blinded by the late-day sun as she turns Westwardly. There is no indication that she sees the distracted bikers.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 19, 20269:21 pm

A Different Kind of Car Rental

The Featured Image is one of those off-chance opportunities—assuming anyone but me gets it. On May 6, 2025, as I walked along Alabama Street in my neighborhood of University Heights, something snagged my attention: An apartment building’s “For Rent” sign visible through a car’s front windows. The fabricated illusion: The owner of the vehicle seeks someone to rent it, to live in.

In San Diego County, such an idea isn’t far-fetched whatsoever. An estimated one in four homeless people live in some kind of vehicle, whether car, RV, truck, or van. Across the county, the number reportedly exceeds as much as 65,000 people.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 18, 20269:57 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Bouncer

I don’t know whether or not Captain Blackbeard is still around, but this is where he lives (or lived). I used Nikon Zf and NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens to capture the Featured Image on May 6, 2025. Vitals: f/6.3, ISO 125, 1/500 sec, 200mm; 9:49 a.m. PDT.

This fine feline earns nickname Bouncer, because of the sign. I have seen the feisty furball on other occasions, but this was the only photographic opportunity to date. I don’t recall the last time I saw the Captain.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 17, 202611:00 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Fluffer

A drawback of letting a backlog build up is recollection. Why, when, and where did I take the kitty’s photo? Oftentimes, I don’t remember those off-street—in the distance. My recall is better for those animals seen out and about; other cues, such as specific surroundings, typically trigger memory.

According to file location data, this fine feline joins the large but nevertheless select group of kitties seen on Alabama Street between Adams and Lincoln; number one-hundred ninth to be exact. The shorthair is also eighty-first found behind door or window. I don’t recall even taking the photo.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 16, 202610:02 pm

I Know They Cage Animals, But Plants?

I am in the process of changing laptops, which makes me short on time and also reviewing older photos as files transfer or archive. The Featured Image is one of them, captured on Aug. 1, 2017.

With time, I tend to forget what was captured where. But I remember this plant cage, because it was so unusual. I also chose not to share the shot, because you can’t really make out enough of the greenery growing inside. But tonight, with an applied filter to add some character, here you are.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 15, 20269:20 pm

This is What Inflation Looks Like

A common misconception about inflation is that prices go up, when in reality the value of money (e.g. spending power) goes down. The Economist explains the classic case: In late-1923 Germany, when, because of hyperinflation, “a loaf of bread cost 140 billion marks. Workers were paid twice a day, and given half-hour breaks to rush to the shops with their satchels, suitcases, or wheelbarrow, to buy something, anything, before their paper money halved in value yet again”.

I got a taste, quite literally, of what this phenomenon is like, and I present it as a demonstrative model for your education. Pizza Hut gives so-called “Hut Rewards” points for redeeming menu items. I had accumulated just more than 600. Large pizzas with any toppings are 300 points, so I had gained enough for two free pies.

Samsung by Joe WilcoxMar 14, 202610:18 pm

The Costs of War

The price of gasoline at this Shell station (formerly Valero) is typically mid-range for the area; not the highest and by no means lowest. Less than two weeks ago, price at the pump was $4.30 per gallon. A few days ago, I paid $4.90. Now it’s $5.70.

Can you say, “Iran war?” Because that’s what is surely behind these rising prices that have yet to reach their ceiling. Americans will be impacted everywhere, from cost for fuel oil to gasoline, for starters, and rising costs of anything transported by air, land, or sea.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 13, 202610:09 pm

One School to Rule Them All

I debated with myself about whether or not to share the Featured Image. The photographic slide, from my father’s selection of hundreds—maybe thousands—is among the grittiest. There is even a hair there. But something about the dirt and vintage (circa 1973) adds an air of authenticity at a time when people use Artificial Intelligence to create unauthentically authentic art. (You get the point, yes?)

My father, uncle, and aunts would have attended this schoolhouse in Woodland, Maine. My grandmother was a teacher’s aide there, unless I am mistaken. I know she worked at a school somewhere. Washburn, if not?

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 12, 20268:52 pm

What the Hell Happened Here?

I regard Meade and Mississippi as the most dangerous intersection in the village of University Heights. Countless car crashes occur with too much frequency there. My speculation: Cause has something to do with human nature related to impatience. Drivers go from Monroe to Mission, which is a short block to Meade. If driving from Adams to Madison, there is yet another stop sign. They’re ready to go and tired of stopping at every intersection..

Meanwhile, on either side of Mississippi are traffic circles along Meade at Alabama and Louisiana. Traffic slows, and drivers are sometimes—if not often—confused about right of way. Many of them speed up as they approach Mississippi, where antsy drivers wait to enter an intersection where oncoming traffic may move more brisky than anticipated—and from two directions, simultaneously.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 11, 20269:40 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Wiley

Along Panorama Drive on Feb. 4, 2026, my wife spotted this fine feline, whom I pursued with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. The shorthair stalked something, and from the sounds of things several birds—none of which would ever be in reach. Nivkname: Wiley.

Vitals for the Featured Image: f/3.4, ISO 32, 1/132 sec, (synthetic) 230mm (digital and optical zoom); 10:23 a.m. PST.