Lily Pads No More

What makes a place historical? I ask because of the Featured Image, showing a sign which you can read and then try to answer. If the frog pond still existed, still stocked more than 120 years later, now that would be noteworthy. But, as you can see, stone wall is all that really remains—dirt filled, covered with grass. Remove the signage and who would ever guess what was?

Often enough, I have walked by this thing, here in my neighborhood of University Heights, and had assumed it to be a deliberately designed structure to slow traffic along a very residential street. I never imagined that the thing predated cars and had other meaning.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 25, 20249:38 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Aurora

I am uncertain how far into the past the backlog goes, but today’s putty-tat could be oldest in queue. I used Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra to shoot the Featured Image and companions on Oct. 23, 2023. Vitals: f/4.9, ISO 50, 1/800 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 5:12 p.m. PDT. Initially, I delayed sharing, hoping to get a name for the Calico. Waiting is over.

You are looking at the one-hundredth-one kitty seen along Alabama Street, somewhere between boundaries Adams and Lincoln, since the series‘ start in October 2016. That would be out of 581 profiles, including this one.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 24, 202410:53 pm

Server @Work

Only one unopened @Work Android Collectible remains, after today’s unveiling: Café Worker / Barista / Roaster. The box is nearly empty. What disappointment that is, too. Maybe I can share some other past purchases from Dead Zebra.

In the real world, this fine fella could either be unemployed or object of customer complaint. On April 1. 2024, California raised the minimum wage for fast food workers to $20 an hour, which oddly is four bucks more than the mandate set for everyone else. Cost-cutting layoffs are rampant at burger joints, pizza, places, and the like—as are increased prices (hence, those disgruntled customers).

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 23, 202410:12 pm

Color Me Orange

Chill. Don’t complain about more flowers. Appreciate them—as do I. Walking along an alley today, I passed by clinging-vine Nasturtium that had taken over a backyard gate and fence.

The simple, cheerful scene charmed me enough to pull out Leica Q2 and take a single shot. Vitals for the Featured Image, aperture manually set: f/4, ISO 100, 1/500 sec, 28mm; 3:17 p.m. PDT. I reduced orange saturation during post production.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 22, 202410:22 pm

Father-Son Moment

My father and I weren’t distant, but we weren’t exactly close either—mainly because our characters were markedly different. I wasn’t the son he had wanted, and Dad didn’t get another. I am eldest of four siblings (three sisters).

Stated succinctly: We shared almost no interests in common, and our dispositions were lightyears apart. I am fairly easygoing, while he was one of the most controlling persons I have ever met—oh, gosh, but not in a brutal, cruel way like parents who beat their kids or spouses. He was simply demanding of everyone, but, to reiterate, not violent by any means. That said, mom divorced him when I was 13, and his departure was a relief.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 21, 20249:27 pm

Pretty Poppy

The calendar hanging on our refrigerator correctly designates April 22 as Earth Day. I consider the celebration to be a year-long event. Our celestial home deserves more than 24 hours out of the 8,760 during a typical year.

So, commemorating today before you do tomorrow, I present the Featured Image, taken because of the California Poppy’s color. Unfortunately, breeze blew by just as I clicked the camera’s shutter, so point of focus isn’t exactly where intended but close enough.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 20, 20249:58 pm

This is No Fairy Tale

Third weekend of the month means the book sale room is open at my local San Diego Public Library branch (University Heights). My wife and I stopped briefly by, but we didn’t stay long. The crazies, as I call them, are all over the place on Saturday mornings, loading up massive amounts of books into bags and boxes.

Based on the choices, such as physical condition, the early birds appear to be buying books to resell. (Can you say Amazon?) We checked out with two DVDs for Annie and one Aesop’s Fables for me behind some dude paying more than $90—at standard price of buck-a-book, the number is obvious.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 19, 202411:32 pm

I Want to, But…

The Mac faithful boast about the Apple lifestyle and devices working well together. Samsung sells a compelling ecosystem, too, that is much broader than personal computing devices—everything from TVs to washing machines, and all in-between.

As an owner of smartphone, smartwatch, and tablet from the South Korean manufacturer, I have longed to add a laptop to the mix. Last year’s Galaxy Book3 Ultra checked off most benefits on my list, but no touchscreen and a then recent purchase of Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio stopped any irrational purchase. Two months ago, Samsung started selling the Galaxy Book4 Ultra, with touchscreen, and I was intrigued.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 18, 20249:51 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Jux

Last night, I noticed that Microsoft had updated the Windows 11 Photos app, adding some artificial intelligence chops. I used some of these capabilities to modify the Featured Image, which is composed as shot.

Before continuing that discussion, an editorial note: Finally we return to the kitty backlog; Dec. 17, 2023. Okay, resuming the topic: An object to the left would have identified location, so I used Photos’ new Generative Erase to remove the thing; three tries, by the way. I then used the Background Brush Tool to blur the left pane, which juxtaposes the sharp glass reflection to the right that somewhat obscures the cat.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 17, 202410:53 pm

Dad and Daughter

My father’s death yesterday ends one saga and begins another. His grandfather purchased the farm in 1895, and the core property has remained continuously with the Wilcox clan. At one time, the expanse topped 200 acres. But portions were sold off decades upon decades ago, leaving 100 acres—60 of which is for farming and the rest is woodland.

Dad chose not to leave the portion over which he has title—nearly two-thirds, including the buildings—to family. His pastors, a married couple—and not their church—are the inheritors. The arrangement isn’t some surprise; he made clear his intentions years ago.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 16, 20249:43 pm

For Father

My father has passed away—40 days exactly since life-saving treatment suspended and he left the hospital to decline in his home. A few minutes after 9 this morning, my sister Nan telephoned to say that he had taken a sharp turn downward and wasn’t expected the last much longer. She called again, almost exactly four hours later, to let me know he was gone.

Some weeks ago, Nan asked me to write the obituary—a task I resisted. Top reason: In this age of Artificial Intelligence scanning and rampant criminal scamming, I was reluctant to share much family information publicly. For some people, death is an opportunity to take advantage of others in their grief.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 15, 20249:32 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Jot

This isn’t the way to clear up the beastie backlog—sharing a feline find from yesterday. My wife spotted the grey as we walked along the Cleveland Ave. overlook towards Campus. The shorthair is neither Blue nor Blue Too, both of which lived nearby and who joined the series in November 2016.

The Featured Image comes from Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Vitals: f/3.4, ISO 64, 1/120 sec, (synthetic) 230mm (digital and optical zoom); 10:16 a.m. PDT. Composed as shot.