What’s the best reason for hiking the easy trail close to home when it’s a balmy 49 degrees out with light rain on Memorial Day?
You make the call. Best answer wins.
Last but certainly not least, the VERY best reason is…
The Best Reason
Memorial Day Weekend – South Platte
From May Day to Memorial Day weekend,
the South Platte continues to inspire…
Usually you hear rattlers before you see them, but this one was silent.
Rounding a curve in the trail, I just about stepped on him. He reared up,
I backpedaled, lost my balance, and ended up flat on my back.
Not my finest hour, but hey: No harm, no foul.
And it’s not only the fauna that should instill a healthy respect.
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This blast of biodiversity never ceases to amaze me.
From ant life to duck life, all life is important in this ecosystem.
If you’re lucky and keep your eyes peeled,
you might even see a local rancher on horseback.
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For me, though, it’s all about the steps.
Monster Is Moving To The UK – Safe Travels!
I just found out that our old cat Monster – now known as “Rasputin” – is moving with his new owner to the UK. That in itself is noteworthy – but it’s not the whole story. Due to British restrictions on the import of “live animals,” Monster/Rasputin must first fly to Frankfurt, then be ground-transported under the English Channel via “The Chunnel,” to gain lawful entry into the UK. No word, BTW, on British restrictions on the import of stuffed animals. Hmmm.
All best and safe travels to you, Monster, as you make your new home in the land of Harry Potter. May you catch many more mice in your remaining years. And may you please <PLEASE!> continue shedding that long luxurious fur of yours on someone else’s furniture.
For reference, please note previous feline humor, here.
Monster with side-kick Azula in olden times…
…shedding – er, I mean, sitting – on our couch.
Working From Home
Cal Newport recently wrote New Yorker piece on working from home. Cal’s a Georgetown computer science prof, and the title of the piece says it all: “What If Remote Work Didn’t Mean Working From Home?” Let me just say up front that I absolutely LOVE working from home. So – sorry Cal – there’s going to be no need for me to rush out and rent space to get on with the business of doing my “knowledge work” remotely. But the point is well taken, and it is this: Come the end of the pandemic there are going to be a lot of people either unwilling or unable to return to the office. And for some of them – those whose home offices are too fraught with the distracting trappings of personal life, say – a rented nearby tele-work place may be a good option.
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The article begins with a survey a number of examples of that particular kind of “knowledge work” known as “being an author.” For instance, Peter Benchley wrote “Jaws” from a rented office in the back of a furnace factory near his home town of Pennington, New Jersey. On a less noisy note, Maya Angelou worked out of a hotel room and usually wrote poetry sprawled on a spartan hotel bed. Historian David McCoullough liked to write in a garden shed in the back yard of his place on Martha’s Vineyard. John Steinbeck often wrote from aboard his fishing boat, notebook balanced on his knees.
All due respect to Mr. Newport and his esteemed cast of famous authors who found their own homes too distracting for the business of putting pen on paper, but… as a computer guy, I’ve got my home work space set up exactly as I like it. Furthermore, when “return to office” becomes the post-pandemic norm, I’ll be loath to do so. And that’s not only because of the small but non-negligible portion of my peers who refuse to get vaccinated. (Ahem – this one’s for you, BRG!). No, the fact of the matter is, I’m more productive from home than I ever was in the office. And I’m not just referring to all those years I spent with a super-long commute, either.
At home, if you’re gonna interrupt me, you’ll have to reach out to do so. No more stopping by the good old cubicle for a nice coffee-break chat. No more impromptu team meetings when the proverbial corporate-ca-ca is hitting the proverbial project-deadline fan. Wanna meet or talk? Good, put it on my calendar. No need to schedule a conference room either because Zoom capacity is essentially unlimited. Got it? Goooood.
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“Knowledge work” from the 392 Midstream Airbnb sits at the perfect midpoint between “Working From Home” and “Return To Office.” And if you don’t believe me, feel free to ask any number of guests who’ve used it as such.
Now, leave me alone so I can get some dang work done here!
Home Sweet Midstream
Last day at Home Sweet Midstream for this trip.
Home Sweet Midstream.
The turkeys in West Sac are much tamer than the ones in Colorado.
People are always asking how far is my daily walk along the levee.
Cork tree on the levee.
A ghost tree on the levee.
Fun on the water.
Now all that’s left to do is clean the place,
put out fresh flowers, and hit the road.
Until next time.
Riot In Midtown – Better Call The Cops
Better call the cops, there’s a riot going on in Midtown Sac today.
Oh, no, wait, my bad. It’s just the weekly Midtown Farmers Market.
BONUS Farmers Market Photos From Fifty Years Ago
The Duct Tape of Food – Bacon!
As I get set to dine tonight with old friends at a little hole-in-the-wall called “The Shack,” I remember the vow I made before setting out on this trip: “I will eat nothing healthy for the next two weeks.” So far, so good. Tonight, I’m thinking maybe a Cajun bacon cheeseburger? But this morning, for breakfast? Well, a picture’s worth a thousand words, so they say: Lucky you, lucky me. And love me some of that duct tape of food – bacon!
Yes, you can even wrap it around Entenmann’s chocolate donuts.
But why mess with perfection?
Still, ya just gotta love the duct tape of food – bacon.
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In case you were wondering, The Shack
has proudly served East Sac since 1931.
Hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
Brief Meditation On Motherhood
Today’s brief meditation on motherhood comes a day late, but it can be summed up in a series of four images. The first is a tribute to the free spirits our mothers instilled in us from a young age. The second depicts the value of maintaining a healthy sense of humor across life’s many ups and downs. The third illustrates the importance of punctuation: Mama always said don’t forget this, kids. And the last one? Well, it’s self explanatory of course.
This concludes our brief meditation on motherhood.
Thanks, Moms, for all you did – and still do.
Especially the punctuation thing.
Half A Hitch: Snakes Scorpions And More
Well, the drive halfway across the country in my 20-year-old Chrysler came off without a hitch. Um, I take that back. Maybe half a hitch. More on hitches later. But first, let me just say how much I love the desert American West. It comes complete with snakes and scorpions as well as stunning sunrises and sunsets. Oh, and also, half a hitch – watch out for those S-curves!
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OMG – You Guys! A Zoom Call + FB Doubleheader
OMG, you guys just slay me sometimes. Here‘s a heartwarming tale about a great Ohioan. This one caught my eye as I’m getting set to drive halfway across the country. All I can say is, it sure gives new meaning to the term “Zoom call.”
Andrew Brenner, R-OH, used a background to make it appear as if he were at home rather than behind the wheel of his car during a state meeting. The giveaway? His seat belt.
Mr. Brenner’s multitasking coincided with the introduction of a distracted-driving bill in the state’s House of Representatives. The bill would expand a ban on texting while driving, currently a secondary offense in Ohio, to explicitly ban texting, live-streaming, photo taking and the use of mobile apps while driving.
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And now, as a bonus for those of you who can’t get enough Borowitz, see here for the latest FB ban. Anyone who’s offended is welcome to get off at the next exit. Or go soak yer head under a spigot at the next rest stop. Whichever you prefer. That is all.
