Tag: iPhone 13 Pro

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Last Millennium Computing

Every day is a surprise when walking San Diego alleys. Perhaps you remember the art gallery, big face clockfamily roomrustic mirror, rusty typewriter, Seventies stove, snowboarding boots, Victorian-style sofa, or Vitamaster Slendercycle, among many odd items left for scavengers. But today’s sighting flushed up memories. I owned one of these.

Apple released the PowerMac G3 (Blue and White) in 1999, which makes it oh-so last Century. Among the innovations: The side opened out, revealing the innards and opportunity to make modest upgrades (hey, emphasis modest because proprietary is the company’s calling card). In the Featured Image, and companion, the blue circle above the Apple logo is the release latch.

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The (Honorary) Cats of University Heights: Boo

Three consecutive honorary kitties might make you wonder if there aren’t many more in the neighborhood to present. Oh, there are. Coincidental circumstance is reason for this trio. Nothing more.

My wife and I walked to the alley where yesterday afternoon a lonesome tabby hung out at a building site. We hoped to see the animal, but a construction crew prattled about, ensuring no sensible putty would stay anywhere nearby. That said, Annie pointed out a different shorthair lurking about half way there. How lucky! A black cat. On Halloween!

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The (Honorary) Cats of University Heights: Lonesome

While walking along Madison towards Texas, I spontaneously changed route down the Arizona alley. Approaching Monroe, I came upon a tabby nestled in the dirt of a recently cleared construction site. Something is being built.

My mistaken first impression: The kitty crouched down in stalking repose. But approaching, I could see the cat waited for something, or someone, else. The tiger mewed pleadingly but didn’t come near, and I wondered: Was the cat’s home the structure that no longer is there? Because that’s my second impression—the animal waiting for its owners to come. Is someone abandoned?

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The (Honorary) Cats of University Heights: Shakey

The series‘ fourteenth honorary member—meaning seen outside the neighborhood’s official boundaries—joins: BuddiesChill, CoalEnvy, GuapoJadeMonaMoophie, Ninja, Promise, QueenieSammy, and Tom and Jerry. Darth Mew initially belonged to the group, until later turning up in University Heights. My wife spotted the ginger in a front yard along Arizona, which is one block beyond UH into North Park—depending on who draws the map; some include the street, while others stop at Texas, which is what we follow.

Annie observed the shorthair to be trembling, which explains the nickname I have chosen (yes, I know preferred spelling is without “e”). The Featured Image comes from iPhone 13 Pro, on this cloudy Caturday. Vitals: f/2.8, ISO 64, 1/99 sec, 77mm; 9:29 a.m. PDT.

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The Cats of University Heights: Butterscotch

How did this fine feline get overlooked? My wife and I came upon the shorthair somewhere near where meet Madison and New York on July 3, 2022. Shame on me for inexplicably waiting for so long to share.

Fur color reminds of Hanoi, whom we met in November 2017 on Maryland Court. Locations are close enough for a wanderer but my guess is two different animals.

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Pain at the Pump

If you’re wondering why another gas price photo, so am I. But the cost—a full dollar more than the Mobile Mart just three days ago—demands documenting. Today, I came upon the Shell station while walking to Petco in search of a potted plant for our cats Cali and Neko (out of stock, of course). Location: Fourth and Washington in San Diego neighborhood Hillcrest.

What can you say about seven dollars and twenty cents per gallon, unleaded? This place inched up to $7 during that last big rise (June 2022), but not higher. To think that in October 2021 $4.94 was outrageous. Now we can only wish that the price was as low.

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The Cats of University Heights: Quizzical

While walking down Mission, today, I heard constant meowing across the street and wondered: Where? How’s an apartment’s second floor balcony. Closing in, I pleaded with the kitty not to jump. Surely my human talk was gibberish at best.

That said, my approach silenced the shorthair, who cocked its head and posed. Several times—almost like I had been beckoned to come and shoot portraits. Cue the Twilight Zone music for the episode about mind-reading cats.

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The Price of Gas Rose 30 Cents Overnight!

When I drove past the local filling station late yesterday afternoon, a tanker parked and offloaded fuel. I wondered: You don’t suppose the delivery means Valero will charge more? Fleeting thoughts come, go, and never manifest into anything. But on this occasion, I was right to wonder and wish to be wrong. Gas prices had fallen recently and stabilized at $5.30 per gallon.

Ha! And I thought the 24-cent overnight increase, back in February, was a big hike.

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The Cats of University Heights: Nugget

Look who came to visit as my wife and I walked to Smart & Final today. This friendly fella is the ninety-third putty-tat found along Alabama between boundaries Adams and Lincoln. Nearly six years into the series, I cannot answer why so many kitties are from the one street.

I used iPhone 13 Pro to capture the Featured Image and companion. Vitals: f/1.5, ISO 50, 1/1100 sec, 26mm; 10:20 a.m. PDT. The other is same but 1/1079 sec.

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The Cats of University Heights: Homey

Why would anyone own a camera? I ask because of my unexpected experience this evening with Night Mode when shooting iPhone 13 Pro. A day filled with distraction, including an ant attack on our kitties’ food dishes, disrupted my normal walking routine. Around 8:30 p.m. PDT, I slipped out for fresh air and quick jaunt.

Twelve minutes later, along Texas Street, I passed by a cat curled up on steps before a home’s security door. I kept walking, then turned back. The sleeper was quite illuminated, under the porch light, which created possibly satisfying portrait. When I pressed the shutter button, a countdown timer appeared on the screen. That’s new, I thought, not knowing that Night Mode automatically activates and behaves such.

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Not One Crisis, But Two

Two days ago, I looked upon something surprising inside the Grocery Outlet, located in San Diego neighborhood Talmadge: An empty display case for Mexican Coca-Cola. Shall we blame supply chain disruptions that every fear-mongering pundit has blabbered about for months? The beverage, sweetened with cane sugar instead of corn syrup, is popularly stocked by many grocery stores in this area of SoCal.

But far more unsettling is the price. Mexican Coke, sold in glass bottles, is perennially priced 99 cents. A buck sixty-nine puts inflation and rising food/beverage prices into piercing perspective. That’s a 70.7 percent increase, by the way. Yikes!

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‘They Graffitied It’

This morning, following my semi-annual dentist appointment, I walked from San Diego’s College Area to Talmadge, where is Grocery Outlet. Along the way, at the corner of El Cajon Blvd and 62nd Street, I came upon some religious love art on a utility box. Well, that was worth a shot.

As I pulled up iPhone 13 Pro to take the Featured Image, a big dude smoking a joint thumped down the sidewalk. Downwind to the stink, I smelled his approach before seeing him. Passing by, he pointed and stated: “They graffitied it”. I didn’t say, but thought: Yeah, if you consider Jesus graffiti. I don’t, and that section of the city could use a little spiritual affirmation—the, ah, weed-wacking walker, too.