Tag: San Diego

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 30, 202210:10 pm

The Shredded Republic

For this Memorial Day we present a solemn sentiment reflecting the tattered state of the Republic, which is shorn to pieces by cultural and political strife. At no time since my first eligible-to-vote Presidential election have I seen such fractious and contentious state of the electorate or the representatives in Washington, D.C.

Worst of all is my profession. The Fourth Estate has abandoned its duty to protect the public interest. Subjective reporting and editorialization define modern journalism. The Fifth Estate, which includes new media and online informational utilities (e.g., Facebook, Google, Twitter, and the like), is worse because of rampant censorship. Patronizing tactics choose for you, because presumably you’re not smart enough to sift fact from fiction. I would mind less if professional news gatherers reported responsibly more.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 29, 20229:01 pm

The (Honorary) Cats of University Heights: Jade

We present another special guest, spotted between Arizona and Hamilton, which is about one-and-half-blocks beyond the neighborhood boundary into North Park. This fine feline calmly crossed Monroe a few meters ahead as my wife and I walked today. My feet carried me across the street, where I used iPhone 13 Pro to capture the Featured Image. Vitals: f/2.8, ISO 32, 1/132 sec, 77mm; 10:11 a.m. PDT.

The eleventh honorary member of the series joins: Buddies, Chill, Envy, Mona, Moophie, Ninja, Promise, Queenie, and Sammy, and Tom and Jerry. Darth Mew initially belonged to the group, until later turning up in University Heights.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 27, 20229:13 pm

The More You Pay, The More You Will Pay

Funny the things you long for. On Oct. 15, 2021, I shared a photo showing the cost of gasoline as $4.94 a gallon (rounded up) at the Fourth and University Shell station in Hillcrest. Fast forward to today and you pay $6.60 per gallon (again, rounded up). That $1.66 more than the old price—high for the time—seems oh-so affordable now. By the way, cost is 33 percent more than before.

Several large hospitals surround the station, and I got to ask: Is this why medical services—like ambulance—cost so much in San Diego? Yeah, the question is facetious. That said, unless the arm is severed and shooting blood, wrap a tourniquet and drive yourself to Emergency—and hope none of the doctors and nurses treating you filled up at this Shell. Somebody has to pay, and that could be you. Yuck. Yuck.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 26, 20229:59 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Dreamer

Backlog cleanup continues—reaching behind to Feb. 25, 2022, and the ninetieth profiled putty seen behind glass or screen. I spotted the shorthair while walking along Louisiana Street, then discretely but quickly pulling out iPhone 13 Pro for a single shot. I sometimes worry that puttering about for too long might offend a pet owner, and permanently end a cat’s window wanderings.

Vitals for the Featured Image: f/2.8, ISO 32, 1/483 sec, 77mm; 11:33 a.m. PDT. For nickname, I choose Dreamer.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 22, 20228:15 pm

Chopped Before Its Time

While walking West on Monroe Avenue, in San Diego’s University Heights neighborhood, my wife and I could hear tree cutting as we approached cross-street Georgia. Sure enough, to our left, going towards Mission, a work crew cut and carted two palms. We had to investigate.

As you can see from the Featured Image and companions, all captured using Leica Q2, an extremely healthy-looking palm top is lifted and dumped. I wondered why and what was chopped. Annie and I walk down this street somewhat regularly, not recalling any recent road signs or other indications that the city would destroy more trees.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 21, 20228:44 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Sharky

To celebrate yet another Caturday, we are assisted by the stalwart Sharky. I would nickname him Bruiser if not knowing his real identity. He’s a tough-looking beastie—not one to lose a territorial squabble, one could imagine.

I met Sharky once, on April 10, 2022, along Monroe about a half block from where reside Bruce, Guido, and Little. The Featured Image and companion come from iPhone 13 Pro. Vitals: f/2.8, ISO 32, 1/194 sec, 77mm; 4:22 p.m. PDT. The other is same but 1/233 sec.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 20, 20229:05 pm

Who’s the Fairest of Them All?

When my wife and I set out for a morning walk today, we passed by the same mirrors from whence came my selfie yesterday. She stopped for one, too, and I captured the Featured Image; discretely with iPhone 13 Pro. Vitals: f/1.5, ISO 50, 1/1901 sec, 26mm; 10:26 a.m. PDT.

Annie tends to shoot portrait orientation, and she has a great eye for composition. More than 99-percent of the time, I choose landscape. You could count on one hand my number of vertical shots since acquiring Leica Q2 on the last day of 2019.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 19, 20229:08 pm

Me in the Mirror

I am not one to take selfies but an odd opportunity presented today and the result is better than my expectation. While walking along the alley separating Alabama and Florida, in San Diego’s University Heights neighborhood, I came upon discarded mirrors between cross-streets Adams and Madison. Initially, I shot sideways, capturing car reflections across the way.

My journey continued. But along Adams and the next parallel alley, I encountered a nasty wind. Chilled, I chose to retrace my warmer path. That brought me back to the mirrors, which pitted, scratched state made me stop and ponder taking a shot from the hip, which I did after manually setting the aperture on Leica Q2.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 17, 20226:44 pm

Bitter Blue

Earlier today, I came upon a notice warning that my hosting software is using an outdated, meaning unsupported, PHP version. Updating fatally crashed the site—so severely that I couldn’t access via tried-and-true Recovery Mode. Hours later, after reverting versions, the site came back to life. A single plugin presumably toasted everything. With the offender disabled, I will try the newer PHP once again.

But first, I had better fulfill my daily posting goal, which is how we come to the simple Featured Image, which I captured using Leica Q2 on May 13, 2022. I stopped for no particular reason before the flowers, along a sidewalk somewhere near where San Diego neighborhoods North Park and University Heights meet.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 16, 20229:39 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Apricot

Some single sightings simply must be enough. As I crossed Monroe along Georgia on Feb. 5, 2022, a ginger strutted down the sidewalk and diagonally cut across grass and stopped at a sunny spot near the back stairs of an apartment complex. Two portraits taken using Leica Q2 flopped because the animal had turned away. One of a pair from iPhone 13 Pro has the shorthair showing his face, but even cropped 100 percent reveals little detail.

Since I am not hopeful about another meeting, so comes the decision to publish. Vitals for the Featured Image: f/2.8, ISO 32, 1/254 sec, 77mm; 12:46 p.m. PST. Drumroll for nickname—Apricot!

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 15, 20228:32 pm

No, It’s Me Watching You

On University Avenue in San Diego’s North Park neighborhood—alongside Bohdi Animal Hospital, across from Smart and Final—is a fitting homeless habitat. That is, if you go for the stereotype of some street-living person paranoid about government surveillance, which could include nanites from SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2)/COVID-19 vaccines. The sign says it all, in a triumphant tables-turning warning to the spies.

Today, as my wife and I waited for our turn to cross the street, I pulled around Leica Q2 for a single shot. Because, ah, someone watched me, speed mattered. The Featured Image is a close-crop, and, yes, University slopes along that stretch at Mississippi.

Leica by Joe WilcoxMay 14, 20229:12 pm

‘Free! To Good Homes!’

Somewhere in my San Diego neighborhood, I passed by these giveaways that aren’t for just anyone. Read the sign. Does your residence rise to the high bar set by “Good Homes” with an exclamation? I couldn’t take anything being among the many unworthy.

There are the makings of a good home, singular, for someone starting out in a first rental, particularly a studio. That’s who would be most worthy recipient. What first furnishings: Sofa, storage rack, pillows, VHS player, cleaning supplies, and more.