There she goes, my beautiful world
When I heard last night that fires were burning on Angel Island, I cursed myself for selling both my 200mm zoom lenses without ordering the replacement 400mm lens. There being nothing more I could do about it at the moment, I made a decision whether to run out with my 55mm zoom or to go to sleep.
My tripod was at the studio and I was pretty sure that the VR lens wouldn’t compensate for being the dead … Read the rest
Actually, Open Studios goes on all month in San Francisco and this year they’ve even deputized the first weekend of November. But my studio will be open during the third weekend of October, the 18th and the 19th. In addition, at Art Explosion this year as with previous years, there will be an opening reception in the evening of Friday the 17th. New this year is the «preview show» on Thursday the 17th. … Read the rest
It’s been almost a year since my 2002 Triumph Speed Triple was totaled. I miss that bike. The Triple was a fun bike every way you could slice it. It was way more bike than I need, but that’s sort of the point, isn’t it? Believe me, it gives me pause to remember that the 1980 Bonneville that my father sold because it was too damn powerful peaked at about fifty horsepower. The Guzzi, though more than a hundred pounds … Read the rest
Jessica Simpson has released a cover version of Dead or Alive’s 1985 hit Spin Me Round (Like a Record).
OK, Jessica Simpson’s release is from two years ago. If it were to herald the end of the world, we’d be long gone by now.… Read the rest
Yesterday this world lost Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.
His passing is a terrible loss for us, but I don’t find myself sad. He survived the gulag and lived to see his own pen defeat the regime that betrayed him and his country. It’s been said that the pen is mightier than the sword. We who lived in the twentieth century saw the pen mightier than an arsenal of nuclear weapons, mightier than the most extensive secret police force in all history. He … Read the rest
This weekend I did something I’ve been thinking about for some time. I threw away everything I’ve ever been told about «workstation ergonomics» and adjusted the height and angle of my drawing table up. I moved the drawing I’m working on up higher on the board and pushed my chair aside. I did the next couple of hours of drawing standing up, sitting only when I did something with the computer.
I liked working standing. I’ve noticed before that I … Read the rest
Faster «3G» networking is a nice bonus, but that’s not what’s getting my attention. What’s tipping me toward the iPhone is that, even though Apple is holding the reins tightly, third-party applications are possible and a few of my must-haves are already here. Also, word is the new iPhone has much better sound quality than the original. Reports that the original iPhone was not really a great phone did give me pause.
In order to put third-party apps on … Read the rest
My high school saved me. I was on a brutal downward spiral in sixth, seventh and eighth grades, and in high school I went to an unconventional school that provided tremendous freedom and responsibility on its students. In many ways it appeared to be an «easier, softer way» but it provided its own form of challenge to the students. We were given enough rope to hang ourselves. The students were treated as peers to the faculty. We were on a … Read the rest
Today’s run: 5.33 miles in a sluggish 1:09:53. I’m disappointed not so much in the final time, but in how hard I hit the wall while I was out there. The sun was beating down and sure felt hotter than the 70 degrees my weather widget says it is.
I went out and around Mays Field, which was fun because there was a game at the time. I heard Rich Aurelia (I think) hit … Read the rest
1.9 miles in 25 minutes, 32 seconds. I suppose that’s not too bad for a guy who hasn’t run in the 9 months since breaking his foot.
I actually did try running a little over two months ago but started wheezing and could not catch my breath. I ran about a block and a half and walked almost the remainder of the 2.25 miles. I decided to start walking instead of running for the time being, but … Read the rest