Aloha Saturday – No work today.

a little bird, a little photoshop
a little bird, a little photoshop – with my beloved old leica lens.

 

Sort of a do nothing day. I need one (or two) of them from time to time.

Major accomplishment – I force marched myself far enough to knock out 10,000 steps on the fitbit. Since it has been so hot – I have slacked off on my insane quest for 10,000 steps a day. That might have something to do with the incredible shrinking jeans problem?

The jeans problem notwithstanding it is time for my annual wardrobe assessment. I looked at my clothes. Are these little dresses too short? Most likely. Am I going to give them up. Most likely NOT. And what about my no-color scheme. Most everything is black, khaki, or denim. Any chance that is going to change? Nope.

If I tried harder, I could dress like my cohorts here at the Asylum. I know where they shop. I am sure I would look better. But, I wouldn’t look like me. Of course, I don’t look like me anymore anyhow.

So, no radical changes to the wardrobe this winter. Assuming the diet is a success

Cross words at the Asylum this evening. An old man rolled his walker into the elevator to block the door so as to hold the elevator. The lady he was holding the elevator for also had a walker. She couldn’t get on the elevator because the guy was holding the elevator with this walker. Heated words are exchanged. I called for another elevator.

Only 8PM, but I am getting a little sleepy. That’s OK.

It’s Aloha Friday…No work ’til Monday?

The Large Milkweed Bug - Oncopeltus fasciatus
The Large Milkweed Bug – Oncopeltus fasciatus

I am pretty fond of the “large” milkweed bug. It doesn’t bite – unless you happen to be a milkweed plant. It is slow and easy to sneak up on. And, when it shows up in great number – it means that the dog days of summer are coming to an end. And, it is orange and black – reminding us that Halloween (and my annual migration to Hawai’i) is coming soon.

I have a really mind numbingly boring job at work. Scanning all 3,200+ of our employee files. I would love to have the job done before I head out to Hawai’i. I can scan about 50 files and then my brain turns to complete mush. I can do about 10 files per hour. Some are as few as 6 or 7 pages. Others are 200+ pages. So, I might go in and knock out another 50 this weekend. Depends on the weather. And, what else I decide to do.

I listen to music while I do this boring job. I alternate between The Dead and Slack Key. With the occasional detour to Bob Marley. But The Dead is the best for this mind sucking job.

What was I doing on August 26, 2001 – well – go back and see And remember bandwidth, browsers, everything was different then. I coded the pages in HTML – no WordPress then. BTW, Carlton and I were in Skagway, Alaska.

 

 

Shooting with Shamu the Phone Today.

Surprise - I late summer magnolia
Surprise – late summer magnolia – from the walk home today.

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Remember, earlier in the week, I wondered why Google thinks that I need to see adverts for “Plus Size Spanx” and why Facebook thinks I need to join a gastric bypass group. Well today I got a hint. Google is way ahead of me.

Last night I wanted to see how a certain sweater would look with my “good” jeans. They would not zip. Not even close.

The scale a the office confirmed the bad news.

After work – I went shopping for bigger jeans. I bagged that idea after trying on 8 or 9 pair of jeans. It will be easier to just diet the 5 extra pounds away.

 

Yesterday, I wasn't fitting into the Asylum - Today I am not fitting into my jeans!
Yesterday, I wasn’t fitting into the Asylum – Today I am not fitting into my jeans!

long slow cheap lens

the crow
the crow

Still walking around with the cheap slow long lens.

Checked my 11 square foot garden — nothing else has been removed. Seriously, who would steal a tarragon plant from a little old lady?

Well, I have spent the last 6 months trying to “fit in” here at the asylum. Just what? It didn’t work. I don’t fit in. But, I never fitted in anywhere anytime anyhow. So, why would I start fitting in after 73 years of not fitting in. I don’t need to fit in.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not unhappy. I have no regrets about moving in here. But, I don’t have to fit in. Play Bingo. Do puzzles. Take art classes. Study wines. Enjoy opera. Singalong.

I have made friends here. This is good. But, I have not joined any committees, clubs, groups or classes. This is normal for me and it is good too.

 

The Great Tarragon Heist.

well, its in focus - what more do you want
well, its in focus – what more do you want

Played around with the long and slow lens this afternoon.

mystery bee or fly
mystery bee or fly

This flying creature looks like its wings were shrunk in the laundry.

I was robbed. Sometime between Friday afternoon and this afternoon – someone stole my tarragon plant. Just dug it right out of my garden – leaving only a hole. All the other plants remained. A bird, squirrel or raccoon would not have done this. It had to be a human. Tarragon is hard enough to grow without herbnappers making off it. Next year – I’ll plant tarragon next to the bee and wasp attracting mint. I put it next to the rosemary this year – thinking the rosemary might protect it from the cold. But cold was not the enemy. (I know it was here on Friday afternoon because I put some in the omelet I made for lunch.)

 

Cheap Slow Long Lens

Fire?
Fire?

When I came up to the Old Bat Cave after lunch – there was a lot of smoke in DC or Maryland. But, nothing on the evening news – so I guess it was trivial.

The long slow cheap glass was on the camera – so – when it was time to go look for bugs, I decided to use that lens.

the usual wasp suspects
the usual wasp suspects

And, a building.

Skyline City Building
Skyline City Building

Lunch companions told me about an interesting museum next door to the Chihuly Garden and Glass. The EMP Museum. A Paul Allen project. My time in Seattle is now all booked up.

I don’t usually plan things that far in advance.

Great news. The oldest granddaughter and her “in a relationship with” are brave enough to spend a night here in the asylum before she heads off to Africa. In the grand scheme of things – A Night At The Asylum isn’t all that big a deal with compared to Africa.  This happens next Monday.

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Why does Facebook think I need to see this particular ad? Spanx??? Plus Size Spanx?? Facebook also thinks I would like to join a Gastric ByPass group.

Almost all planned…

Eastern Swallowtail
Eastern Swallowtail – today’s butterfly

Took a few bug photos today. I shot them in RAW and JPG. But, I continue to find no particular value for me to shoot RAW. Easier to expose it correctly and just go with the JPG. However – my camera only shoots the extreme ISOs in RAW. I was shooting ISO 2000 today. Just for giggles.

OK – the trip:

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I am taking the Orange/Northern route. I’ll have some time – 4 or 5 hours in Chicago – if everything is on time. And about 28 hours in Seattle. I’ll get a hotel in Seattle. Catch some ZZZs in a non-moving bed. Soak in the tub. If the weather is anywhere close to OK – I’ll check out Chihuly Garden and Glass. One of the conveniently located hotels has a deal – and the room with tickets to Chihuly is cheaper than a room without tickets. I get two tickets – so, I could go during the day and then return after dusk. Wonder when sundown is on Oct 29? Let’s see if Siri knows. Well, Siri was on the other side of the room. But, Hey Google said the sun sets at 5:56 in Seattle on Oct 29.

The world sure has changed. Wasn’t all that long ago, you would have to do your own google search to find out when the sun was scheduled to set. Heck, not long before that you would have to look it up on some arcane chart. If you could find the chart. Maybe it was at the library. Now, just point mouth toward Shamu the Phone and say “When will the sun set on October 29th in Seattle?” Does this free our brains to do more “useful” things? Or are our brains just atrophying?

Oct 29 – I guess that Seattle could make it to the World Series. This could adversely impact my hotel plans. So, I’ll lock up a room sooner not later. Or I could ask Google about the World Series chances of the Mariners.

tiny ant sneaks up on tinier dinner beetle
tiny ant sneaks up on tinier dinner beetle

A last one from today’s fun with photos. Trying to get a little 1950’s Japanese horror movie action going here.

Train to Seattle – Plane to Kona

generic wasp
generic wasp

Well, it is done. Leaving here on Oct 26. Taking the train to Chicago and then taking the Empire Builder on to Seattle arriving on the morning of Oct 29. Then a plane to Kona on Sunday afternoon, Oct 30. In theory – I could take the plane on Oct 29, but this is Amtrak. Hopefully my 24 hour cushion will suffice.

Why am I going this way? Because I like trains. Sit in a comfy chair. Read a book. Look out the window. Take a nap. Eat with 3 new best friends. Take pictures. Jump of the train at every smoke stop for some fresh air…

Went to a funeral way out in the ‘burbs this morning. An old Navy buddy. A surprising number of us from the 70’s suited up and showed up. We had to introduce ourselves to each other. We are the same. Just a lot older.

Tired.

Ailanthus Webworm Moth - (Atteva punctella)
Ailanthus Webworm Moth – (Atteva punctella)

Yes, this colorful tiny critter really is a moth. I wasn’t able to capture one with wings deployed.

I am tired this evening. So, I decided to just dine in. After all, that is what I would be doing if I didn’t live in the asylum. It is what I will be doing in Hawai’i. I just didn’t want to get dressed and go down to get dinner. I thought about having dinner delivered. But, in the end – I just had one of the “emergency” dinners that I made up and put in the freezer.

I have had my new bluetooth Bose QC35 headphones for almost a week. I love them. I put them on at work – and – instant “private” office. If I put them on in the Old Bat Cave, the air conditioner noises vanish. Not to mention my neighbor’s TV’s. Bose really is a mute button for the outside world.

Wednesday

Common Buckeye - Junonia coenia
Common Buckeye – Junonia coenia

Found this fine butterfly on the asylum grounds this afternoon. Butterflies make me happy.

Still hot, but it is only “normal summer over 90° hot”.

Big doings here at the asylum tonight. Bingo and a Sing-a-Long. I will retire to the friendly confines of the Old Bat Cave after dinner.

Time to plan my escape to Hawai’i.

Where Did Today Go?

The Wild Carrot
The Wild Carrot

Here it is 2000 hours and what did I do today? Went to work. Went to yoga. Came home. Lunched. Napped. Dinnered.

Guess this is just an ordinary day. Time to get traveling.

 

A chill in the air…

That's better. I like my temperature to have 2 digits. Not one. Not three. Two.
That’s better. I like my temperature to have 2 digits.

I need palm trees. And sand. And ocean. Carlton would say that I am suffering from a “Palm Tree Deficiency.”

Thinking about maybe going to Singapore and then double back to Kona. Via Tokyo. Also thinking about taking a boat from Miami to San Diego. And then fly over to Kona. Or I could just holoholo down to the airport and fly to Kona. This is a very upscale problem.

Why Singapore? Well, “just because it is there”. And because a couple of food stalls at the Singapore Night Market just got Michelin stars. Seems like a good enough reason to go half way around the world. What’s to do in Singapore? Eating, shopping, indoor skydiving, gardens and a fine zoo to visit. They have ocean and palm trees – but I think most swimming would be at a hotel pool.

A cute little wasp
A cute little wasp