Blogger’s note: I wrote this yesterday morning, and then got distracted looking for a link, and then work really got going. So, A double good morning to you.
My internet (and occasional real-world) friend Robin Sloan has this thing he calls the ‘good morning’ tweet, specifically a picture of breakfast or coffee or whatever. I’m never content with just one photo, of course, so here’s a good-morning photo essay. I was lucky that it was foggy this morning.
I’ve been thinking about the events of last week (indeed, continuing events) and what the hell to do. There’s a fight ahead, to be sure. This is a good start: rules for survival. There were some other guides, things to read, like Solnit’s Hope in the dark. I can’t seem to find the link that led me to that book, but it’s out there. Also: Eternal Fascism: Fourteen Ways of Looking at a Blackshirt is worth a re-read at this point. Or a first read, if you’re new.
Posted on 2016-11-14T18:04:53Z GMT
A short post without much to say for itself, while I’m waiting for my laundry to dry here in the city. This, to balance out the super long post I made two days ago. I shut off my facebook last night. We’ll see if I turn it back on or not, but this is an indefinite hiatus, brought on by their attempt to push me into Messenger and off the web.
There’s something to be said for hosting my own thoughts; nobody can push me around. Well, anonymous hackers could take down this little server pretty easily, but it’s more about controlling my own words and pictures. There’s no EULA to post these pictures and words to my own server, running free software. No rights grab by the hosting company, and nobody to say that I have to install some shitty chat app except me. The only way to save the open web is to stop playing in other people’s gardens, no matter how nice they are.
Violets, on my walk to work. This was before the move, I’m pretty sure. 
Ship headed out to sea, from the Bay Bridge. One of those days where you know fall is coming. 
The pyramid at the Contemporary Jewish Museum.
Posted on 2016-11-03T18:57:13Z GMT
So, these are a couple months old at this point. It was Cynthia’s 70th birthday. We celebrated over a long weekend in Estes Park, Colorado, staying in a house up on the hill. It was really a beautiful place and my inherited family is really good company. Since this is a photo heavy post, I’m gonna let the captions tell the story
The view from the house we were staying in. Not too shabby. 
This is the view from our private balcony. 
The deck, replete with celebrating relatives. From top right: Marilyn, Stan, Sarah, Lisa, Richard, and facing away from camera: Sally, Sophia, and Diana. 
Marilyn and Richard. That’s not cool-aid in those cups. 
70 years strong. 
And then, later in the night, a herd of elk wandered by. 
Day 2: Walking to lunch in town. 
I really didn’t get tired of this view at all. 
I think this was also day 2. We drove up into the park (Rocky Mountain National Park), and went on a little hike. When the hike starts at 12000 feet, it’s no small feat to get to the top. 
Getting Down is the easy part, they said. 
Then we went for another hike, this on blessedly flat and only at about 8000 feet. 
With a bonus: gorgeous mountain lake. 
Perfect for photo ops. 
Our last day we went to New Belgium before heading to the airport, and they had what may be the best custom bicycle ever. 
Semi-gratuitous plane window picture 
And a bridge, out over the delta.
Posted on 2016-11-01T11:02:18Z GMT
It’s been a busy month or two. There have now been 3(?) dinner clubs. I’ve taken trips to Colorado, Mono Lake, and now I’m in NYC. I’ve written a big part of a two-day curriculum in Elixir, and I’m teaching it in two weeks. I started building a laptop when mine was down for two weeks. I did another version of the watch, this time with expansion headers instead of any of the other things I’ve been worried about including.
All that to say, I’ve been doing a ton more than I used to, mostly thanks to my use of calendaring, but also due to an unhealthy lack of sleep that I need to work on for the next little bit, if I’m to survive the winter. I may not be on the social media as much. I posted some things yesterday, but largely ignored email and notifications, and it was not a bad way to get through the day. Since facebook is pushing people to messenger to get their messages, I may deactivate mine again soon. Winter hibernation, at least.
The pictures: these are random as hell, but, one of the best things to happen to me recently was reconnecting with a friend from college, Christine (2nd image). We had lunch at Drake’s, downtown Oakland, where they have a pretty good nitro cold brew. I can also confidently report that she is a pretty rad person.
Up next: a bunch of pictures of my in-laws, and also beautiful Colorado.
Posted on 2016-11-01T10:13:24Z GMT
