Shots from the Lip

......a morning torn with 'do I go or do I stay' with my decision to stay - albeit with some sadness No Kings protest rally has already begun at Palisades Park at Ocean Avenue and Montana Avenue in Santa Monica.  Of course my heart is there - I was arrested in 1968, protesting Vietnam.  I would be actively in support of reaffirming our democracy today were it not our need for peace of mind in getting a new roof. We've got someone coming here from Newport Beach, on referral, a young general contractor who does roofs and his biggest client is the one referring us.  We need peace of mind - you would not believe how fucking unethical the roofing contractors we've seen so far are - where is honesty and integrity in small business anymore?  Or is it just that we still find US culture 'foreign' to us???? I am listening/watching to a Eurovision pirate video from overseas of the Met's Tristan - it opened to deservedly rave reviews and yes, I would pay to see somethin...

 I went to the eye doctor this morning - no, not the AMD treatment ophtho but the 'regular' variety - Dr Rhambia who I first saw this past September.  Good results....only change - eye drops 3 times a day from now on. I screwed up on my Rollei - rewinding after completion......thus far I have fucked up 4 rolls of film but I think I know how to do it all correctly, now...........B&W film loaded and I have to do some film photoshooting - again...... We have the second.....possibly third roofer here tomorrow at noon.......next step - finding out what I need for securing the permit......

Soon - its coming soon - the motivation to do a detailed essay.  When it comes, I anticipate words flowing a whole lot easier than they flow now...... I'm listening to Tristan on the Met Radio Network as I write this.......Because I am gone a full day, tomorrow, I thought best of doing the opera at a nearby AMC theatre........would they let me out during the extended intermissions to find someplace open, serving something?  Probably not. Should I go out this afternoon and try to complete the first role of film on my Rollei?  I've gotten over my anticipation and can wait......such is life...... Not much else to say this morning.....back to listening to Tristan...... 

 There is something very positive as a result of doing a Friday morning bicycle ride later than 'normal'.  True, auto traffic is heavier at 10am than at 8am but lousy drivers I fear are afternoon drivers - they don't get out in the mornings!!! Regardless, since this is still a weekday, there is little lingering after the morning workouts by those still having to go to work and the beach is wonderfully quiet, void of runners, walkers, riders, whathaveyou.......and I am one who loves solitude.........! Sooner or later I will finish my first roll of film on my Rollei, take it to Walgreens and even before I get the results back, I will start upon a B&W roll of film.  Going on mini-photoshoots a few days each week works for me......and now that I have watercolor pencils, I hope to get back to sketching, inking, coloring on a regular, recurring basis.

 True, the temperature reading on my watch showed 31C mid-afternoon, yesterday.  I don't believe it!  There was a wind blowing - not strong but its presence was definitely felt.  And it was comfortable outside even though I was wearing a long sleeved thermal black T shirt (under a long sleeved, semi-ancient Brooks Brothers dress shirt and not thermal, lightweight long johns.  Hey, after living for years in 36-42C days in Bangkok, 31 (which I didn't really believe) in Santa Monica works for me! A couple of days more - I am taking a few pictures a day with my Rollei film camera.  The anxiety to see what the pictures are like is no longer there - when I see them, I'll see them.  Until then, though, I will still take pictures....when the roll started with (Kodacolour) is finished, I'll shoot their monochrome Tri X current day equivilant  and what for processing to be complete........I'm still anxious....but not anxiety anxious......When I see them, I'...

 17 March - St Patrick's Day......and my half-birthday.......from here on in through, I am closer to being a year older than when I celebrated last year.......no big deal..... It is going to be hot today - 31C???  When I do go out later on today, I will take off the thermal T shirt prior to going out........ Will I add more later on or leave this as is?   Only time will tell.......

  Our cherry blossoms are wonderfully in bloom.......the Japanese maple has spring buds already as does our persimmon tree.  Two days ago we froze our asses off because of the low temperature and the interminable wind that made it feel colder than the 11 degrees C outside........and it seems that the temperature is going to go up to 30C today - how bizarre! I think I am 'comfortable' with my Rollei 35AF.  I am cautiously optimistic that I loaded the film correctly and that the shutter is in operation even though there is no 'usual' shutter sound (more of a 'snap' that doesn't sound right but likely is). The grip I ordered from Amazon arrived and I used it, holding the grip (camera attached) in my left hand, right had holding my cane.  I walk easily this way and when I find something that can meaningfully (at least to me) to take a picture of, the handle loop on the came goes to my left hand so I can 'finish' the shot with my right hand free.   Obviou...

 Who knew it was the day of change from standard to daylight savings time?  Certainly not me - I found out later.....but at 5 to 11 in the morning, it sure as hell does not feel that late. The bike paths today were void of runners but there were far more cyclists out today and the weather was real nice.  I only got out once this weekend - Saturday was far too windy to ride - but one day a week is better than none. Today's the day I will overcome fear of trying and work to get my Rollei working so I can do a photoshoot.......let us see how it goes....... I had so much I thought about to write today.....alas, once again, I do not have the writing motivation - yet......ah well - time to play piano for a while.....

 Fridays on a monthly basis - 9 of them throughout the year.  11am LA Phil concerts. Sundays too - 5 operas throughout the year - 2pm matinees.   13 days on my own. After my 8am AMD treatment at 2021 Santa Monica Blvd, I walked towards the 26th Street Metro E Line station, stopping at the outdoor tables at Universal Music to have a protein bar for breakfast prior to my DTLA ride.  I anticipated my Grand Ave/Arts exit and a brief walk around the Broad Museum to the Disney.  It wasn't as brief or as simple to do this time:  They are expanding the Broad, closing paths and substituting detours, only one of which was walkable.  One can't walk?  There are busses.......and this will be through the end of the season - such is life.....it could be worse....... Regardless, an out door $3.50 cup of coffee (and a gummy) were consumed before going in and up to my seat (same as all prior this year as a season ticket holder) and experiencing Beethoven unlik...

 Finally, after close to two years of going to Santa Monica College, I visited the main campus this morning.  I regularly go to the Emeritus campus on 2d Street in Santa Monica, just south of Wilshire.  I've gone to the Airport Campus for my comedy workshop and to the theatre arts complex at Santa Monica Blvd and 11th Street.......so it was time to see the main campus. I took the 1 bus to Santa Monica Place and transferred to the 7 which took me directly to the main campus.  I got there early - while Emeritus opens at 8am, nothing really opened at the student center until 9am.  But once open, there was assistance to set me up with a tap card based upon my student data.  Now, at $22.50 a semester, I have access to public transportation throughout Los Angeles County.......even cheaper than my senior card!!!

 It's cold again - It might be in the mid-60s(F) but it sure as hell feels lower than that - at least my hands tell me I'm cold, cold enough to even think of not playing piano today.......I played but my hands are still cold. Yesterday, before class, I walked past the street musician on the south side of the street, in back of the street market.  Then, prior to class, I sat in the sun, at the end of our cliffside view of the Pacific.......if you enlarge that view, you'll also see a squirrel, sunning him/herself. Lunch was at my old 'standby', Barney's Beanery, where, if you know how they work it, you can get a whole lot more by actually reading the menu and choosing what is included and what they'll tag on an additional charge.   Good double burger with hash browns for a very reasonable price......and the seating on a day that few really want to come out as it started out sunny but got worse, is comfortable and conducive to  a long lunch over food with an eb...

 9 brief sessions x 3 repetitions:  that's the Valeda program.  $6,500 for a program approved by the FDA but not eligible for government payments........hope for dry AMD that I seem to have genetically inherited.   I started last year......today the second 9 session cycle began.  8am at 2021 Santa Monica Blvd, 7th floor.  I started with eye sight testing:  20-25 for each eye......quite acceptable for an old fart!  Then, right eye first with a 30 second, eye open, flashing lights followed by 90 seconds, 'infrared heat' and eye closed......one repetition and then the same with the left eye.......three times this week and then, two more weeks before months off prior to the last 3 week session. After 5 days of summer-like weather, with temperatures reaching 29C, it is currently warmer in the mornings than it has been but also projections show that the high's - at least early this week - will be 20C......not yet time to have my Dodger jacket clean...

The front entry clothes rack:  3 bike shirts to the wash......I'll keep with three shirts to use during the 2 or 3 days during the week that I get out on my bike. Not as hot out as yesterday.....more runners out to slow things down....but nice as most of the path I travel has now been cleared of the rain damage from last week.  Today was nice......and hopefully, there'll be summer weather instead of winter cold. Today I hope to finally get some use out of my Rollei 35AF........I now know what I want to do with my Leitz Phone 2........in essence, replicated from the Sharp Android phone manufactured for sales in Japan in 2022 to Xiaomi's Leica phone - that looks and has the specs of my white, shiney bodied phone, only in black matte