Shots from the Lip

Libby, the Library App and my Santa Monica Public Library card were all I need, along with a re-charged iPad Mini 4, purchased in September, 2015:  I can now download and read-expanding font size as necessary-The New Yorker on a weekly basis!! I have a phone call scheduled with Joanna later this afternoon.  After, I will go -either to Barney's Beanery or the pub at 23d and Wilshire- to watch the Knicks-Spurs game 3 of the NBA finals...... .......and we have not yet heard from the City of Santa Monica regarding the trees for which we are in violation,.......I sure hope they are having fun, figuring out to do with my 4 page letter......! 

 I took a morning walk, first, going to Trader Joe's for a pineapple....then I shirted up for a morning ride, a degree (C) warmer because of the delay in getting out but also, because it was overcast, there were fewer out and about half way through the bike paths I no longer had anyone blocking the path and I rode faster, solo, the rest of the ride......I loved it!! I have more reading prior to  the final Novel class on Tuesday.  Today is a perfect day to binge read!  It is 12:10pm and while the watch shows 21C outside, it definitely feels colder.  I am listening to - and occasionally watching a Paris National Opera performance of Magic Flute.  I am seeing it at the Music Center on the 21st of this month (7 June today) and while I've seen it before (last time was at Covent Garden with Joanna - 2009???  2010???), it is always good to do a refresher, first.....no sub-titles here.....but the second act is better (to me) than act 1).

We've got a 12:30pm lunch at Gilbert's for a party of 7.  Only Gilbert's doesn't take reservations.....so I will leave home around 11:15am to get there early and sit at our empty table there, holding it until every one of the 7 arrives......but will there only be six????? Guess who will not show.....  OK - there were 7 of us.....turned out to be a very pleasant afternoon!

37 years ago, today I was in Chengdu, across the street from the Jin Jiang Hotel, hoping that the student protesters, wanting to set the hotel on fire, were successful.   They were not....... Regardless, here it is, close to 4 decades later and the living is easy here in Santa Monica, California.  Did I ever anticipate returning to live back in the States?  Not really.  But we have adapted to life here quite well!  This morning I had a bank appointment to re-invest one of our CDs.  After, I walked to Schwab to fund our investment account.  Then, at home, I did some other necessary activities and now, after an afternoon nap (post lunch), I am ready to read and sketch and play some music! 

Both yesterday and today I was out of the house closer to 8:30am than 8am.  It was sunny.  It was warm.  It was a slow but pleasant ride down to Ocean Avenue and my left and then right turns to the beach bicycle paths.  Two to three days a week.......with the realization that sooner than I hope, there'll be the reality of age, fitness and capability to doing this.........but as with everything else, I'll do until I can no longer do.......such is life...... More picture taking today.....and perhaps a Linkedin passage vis a vis 37 years ago, today.......I was with hunger strikers at the center of Tiananmen Square......and then I left for Chengdu - and I was there on 4 June........an eye witness to history.......... Those who do not learn from history are simply going to repeat it - that happens.  How can China learn when freedom of information has been suppressed and now, 37 years later, no one really knows anymore..............? 

I've been avoiding confrontation with the real issue - in order to make any progress at anything, it is necessary to apply oneself to that task...............I have to play the piano more......and start playing the harmonica and.....hopefully at some stage, pick up the accordion!   Wishful thinking?  Probably.....but I will do something about it....... It was 13 degrees C, outside this morning.  Yeah, not really cold but  it was difficult getting up from the comfort of down blankets and no 'forced' awakening because of classes.   Still, I did go out to NY Bagel for breakfast, followed by CVS for pharmaceuticals and home to set today's agenda.   It is going to rain tonight if the forecast is to be believed..... I'm going to do the free Big Mac tonight as dinner prior to my weekly Sweet Dreams volunteer work at St Johns tonight........but with a chance of rain and continuing low temperatures, I'll keep a sweatshirt on, underneath the volunteer ...