A Beautiful Morning...

 

If you said, "The Rascals, 1968, from the album Time Peace: The Rascal's Greatest Hits," you get 20 bonus points.

If you said, "The desert this morning," you are are absolutely right, but no bonus points.  It was in the mid-70s when I took Murphy out shortly after 7:00.  He stalked a couple hummingbirds, but they were too fast for him.  He spent some time checking out a quail on the wall...

 From the Wayfarer Meta glasses camera, so: wide angle.  You might have to zoom in to see the quail.

Joan made us a nice bacon, eggs, and hashbrowns breakfast.  Then, I started packing up gear for the gig today...

 Seems like more gear than usual: both Bose PAs, an acoustic amp, two guitars, a pedalboard, a backpack with cords, mics, and stuff, a mic stand, and a speaker stand.  Looks like two trips with the wagon.  We'll be using my Bose PA gear today; more set up for me, but a smaller space than the last gig.

Time to clean up and take on the day. 

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Joan and I got to the restaurant just before 2:00; the other guys showed up about the same time.  Haul in gear and get set up.  On the bright side, we found a really close parking space where we could back up to the walkway.

Set up took just over a half hour.  Time to check the PA, get guitars tuned, and run a very short sound check.  That gave us about 10 minutes to get off our feet before we started.

The room where we were playing was full - good crowd; family, friends, and fans.  I assume the restaurant owner was happy with the crowd and food/drink orders.  Joan, Steph, and Dan were there - first time Steph and Dan have seen me play with a band in a long time.

We started right on time.  Joan and Steph took some photos...

 The crowd was receptive; seemed to be having as much fun as we were.  We did two sets; 3:00 to 5:00; started on time, ran a couple minutes long.

Then, the tear down.  That takes just as long as the set up, but you're tired.  It's part of the job.  On the even brighter side, Joan ordered me a lasagna to go.  I came to their table during our break, and the food looked great!  I don't like to eat right before playing, especially anything cheesy.  So, it was especially nice to have that to-go order.

The restaurant is nice.  Pricey.  My pay wouldn't cover the meals at our table.  

Once home, Joan and Dan helped me get gear carried in.  I put stuff mostly away; put things on the chargers that needed charging, then got kitties fed while Joan heated up my lasagna.  Yep, mighty tasty.

I'll be heading out to the hot tub after I take some ibuprofen.  A good gig.  Still, a lot of work for this old guy.

 

 

Cat Videos...

 

The reason the internet was invented.

Joan took some video of Stella and Murphy playing in the "new" cat donut.  You get some idea of the size difference.  And the noise that small cat can generate...

 Joan shot the video; I did some cuts and added titles and transitions.  One minute and 45 seconds.

 

The next one...

 

I mentioned yesterday that there was another glasses incoming.  Here they are...

 Those are the opposite of the pair I got at Shady Ray's yesterday: bigger in every dimension.  Built-in tech.  Tech?  Yes, thanks for asking.  These are the Ray Ban Wayfarer Meta Gen 2 glasses.  Considered "smart" glasses.  You can take and receive phone calls through these.  Listen to music and podcasts; speakers built-in; several microphones, too.  Take photos and video.  All powered by Meta's (think: Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg) Artificial Intelligence.

 They are a little more "structured" than a typical pair of Wayfarers, but they have the same shape and styling.  I got them set up - everything is done through the Meta app.  That app would like access to all your contacts and all your photos and videos.  Nope.  You can control most of the tech in these glasses hands-free by saying, "Hey, Meta" and telling it what you want it to do... make a phone call, send a text, take a photo or video, play music.  BUT, when you do that, Meta downloads all that to their servers, as well... for "training purposes," of course.  You can also do most of that by pressing/holding the button on the right bow or tapping/sliding your finger on the outside of that bow.  And, Meta doesn't get that.

Photos get downloaded directly to your phone when you start the Meta app.  The camera will take 3K photos - that wouldn't be bad, but they are only in "portrait" format, vertical.  It can't shoot horizontal.  It is nice that the video is "hands free", but you have to guess what the camera is seeing; that will get better with practice and use.

I pointed the camera down at Stella, and...

 That's a pretty wide point of view, and not great resolution.  The same image cropped in on Stella...

 Pretty pixelated when cropped in like that.  I like the premise of the video, especially the hands-free part, but anything I shoot for my YouTube channel is horizontal.  We'll see how this plays out... I bought it from Amazon (well, Joan ordered it), so it can be returned.

Oh, and they are decent sunglasses, too; a bit heavier than typical.  I will need to try them while driving - that is where I picture using these.  Again, we'll see.

There were some considerations on my part before ordering these.  The tech part looks good; entertaining even.  The camera/video thing is another concern: yes, these could be used for "sketchy" purposes.  Especially if people aren't aware that you are shooting.  There is a light on the front upper right corner of these glasses that flashes when you take a photo and continuously flashes when shooting video (the premise being it lets people know you are shooting).  There are scads of videos on the internet that show you how to disable that light.  So, if someone is wearing these around a playground, in a locker room, or in a restroom, that would be downright creepy.  Just the whole idea of that made me consider not getting these.

So, some concerns, some interest and curiosity.  Looking at user videos online, some wearers have had random people question if they are taking photos and video.  But most say that "people generally don't notice."  Again, if it is a problem, I'll be sending these back.

These will not replace any of my cameras.  But, they may add another perspective.  Or not.

 

Coming up on the end of an era...

 

"Oh, no, Jim - now what are you giving up?"

Nothing.  This is not a big deal.  Really.  For the last 30 years or so, I have been wearing Maui Jim sunglasses.  The style that I really like was discontinued about 7 or 8 years ago; it's a Maui Jim Sport frame that doesn't have any frame around the bottom of the lenses.  Oh, they still have some kinda similar, but not exactly the same.  And what they have doesn't fit me as well.  I have tried (and bought) other Maui Jim styles, but I always come back to this Sport model... for light weight, comfort, and the fact that it fits comfortably under a motorcycle helmet.

My last three motorcycle helmets have had flip-down sunscreens - easy to flip down or up.  So, I have kinda quit wearing sunglasses on my motorcycle and scooter.

 So, yeah, I can live without that exact style of Maui Jim's.  That said, I have stayed "one pair ahead" for the last 25 years or so.  As soon as I opened a new pair, I would order another to have it in reserve.  They were great glasses to wear on the boats (our own and the commercial boats I drove) - polarized lenses to cut down on the glare on the water.  That worked for me until I couldn't get that model any more.  And Maui Jim's would repair my old glasses... until they no longer had parts for that model.

About 10 days ago, I came across a sunglass maker on the internet called Shady Ray's.  I looked into the brand: they got great reviews and had a replacement program if you broke or lost your glasses.  Lost?  How would they know?  Looking into the brand, I found they have a store in Scottsdale and apparently sold them in other outlets... Dick's Sporting Goods was shown as handling some models.

Last Monday, we went to the closest Dick's Sporting Goods to see if they had any Shady Ray's.  They did not.  But, they had a Nike model that was pretty close - I tried it on and it was comfortable.  Much less $$ than the Maui Jim's.  I didn't buy them.  On the way home, Joan did a search and found that same model online for about half the price as at Dick's.  At that price, it wasn't much of a risk; she ordered them.  We talked about going to Scottsdale (about an hour away)... sometime.

Today was that time.  Absolutely nothing on the schedule today - one in a row!  I have to say I was quite impressed with Shady Ray's...

 It was a LOT bigger than I expected for a place that sells only their own sunglasses.  And they had plenty of styles with multiple lens options.  I narrowed it down to 3 styles that I really liked.  Oh, and we had received an email this morning for 35% off; and, yes, they honored that.  I picked out a style that is frameless - not what I had in mind when I went in there.  But, they felt weightless on my face...

 

My new friend Jonathon there was helpful, but savvy enough to let us wander around on our own, trying on different styles.  When I told him what I picked, he said, "Good choice - keep us in mind instead of your MJs (Maui Jim's) when you don't want to overpay for sunglasses anymore."  He made a point, with a bit of humor.  I could buy 4 pair of these Shady Ray's for what one pair of Maui Jim's cost.

This has been a sunglasses-centric kinda week.  The ones Joan ordered online will be in tomorrow.  And, another glasses kinda thing should show up.  Joan looked through my "sunglasses stash" and came up with 4 pair of Maui Jim's (with solid all-around frames)... in like-new condition.  I would buy them when we were out and about and broke my "favorites" - with no replacements available, I would try these... until the repaired glasses came back.  No more repairs or refurbishing on that discontinued model, so I am moving on.

On the bright side, I am probably covered for sunglasses for the rest of my life. "Well, that and cameras," Joan said.  No more cameras??  We may have to talk.

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Everything old is new again!

More sunglasses talk, Jim?  No, this is about cat stuff.  Joan was remembering a cat toy/enclosure that is round and hollow - kinda donut shaped, with an opening and a tunnel kinda situation.  Murphy didn't like it so she gave it to Steph.  Steph's cats were crazy about it for almost a whole day... then, they ignored it.  Steph couldn't remember if she still had it; she looked in their garage storage and their huge walk-in closet.  Nope.  Today, Joan looked around their place and found it in the closet in Dan's office.  Then brought it back to our place...

 Murphy was somewhat curious; Stella settled in that middle part and took a nap.  That "racetrack" with the scratcher in the middle has been a favorite for both of them.  Joan moved it from the tile to the area rug in the living room - "OMG - this is the best toy ever!"  Yep, it is a whole new thing.

We'll see how long this "new stuff" lasts.  ;-)  Joan shot these...

 

 

Video and a Board Meeting...

 

I took a video camera to rehearsal yesterday so Cindy (Mark's wife) could try her hand at shooting some video.  I may post some video (there were 32 clips), but here are a few stills from those videos...

 

For her first effort with something besides a phone, Cindy did a good job.  I'm hoping in the future I can spend a little time with her, give her a few pointers, and turn her loose to shoot more video.

It was a good rehearsal - we ran through the set list for this Sunday's gig, plus more.  After rehearsal, Mark, Podge, and I went to the restaurant where we'll be playing, to check out where we'll be setting up.  Nice place.  I'm looking forward to this one.

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I got home in time to get the kitties fed, then get my computer ready for an HOA board Zoom meeting.  The good news: I didn't have to be involved!  The bad news: there is still one board member (husband of the woman who was on the board last year who created much of the chaos) who is trying to show that he is in charge.  He isn't.  And a new board member was appointed.  This guy argued against the appointee.  He got outvoted.  Still homeowners complaining.  Attendees talking when their mics aren't muted.  And the beat goes on.

This board has hired a new management company.  Not sure who was in charge of that, but the management company they picked has a 1.7 rating (out of 5).

Not my circus, not my monkeys.

 

Rehearsal...

 

I have music with the Hips today.  We didn't get together last week (I felt the need for some "time off"), and we have a gig this weekend: two hours at an Italian restaurant.  The proposed set list for this one has changed a bunch of times already.  I have gone with the flow with the changes, but I think we'll need to have a discussion today about this gig.

It isn't a Hips Replacement concert, it is something the restaurant owner is trying to see if it generates more customers on a weekend afternoon.  I'm thinking we'll need to be at a lower than usual volume so those dining can still talk.  I may be a party of one on that consideration.  On the bright side, I don't think we'll need "heavy" front of house sound.  I'll see what the other guys have to say about that.  Mark and Podge have been to this place; I am supposed to check out the venue after practice today.

When I get home from that, there is an HOA board meeting, starting at 6:00 pm.  I am pleased that I don't have to plan my day around that.  If I'm a little late in getting to the Zoom meeting, it's all good. 

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Synchronized Dining...

Nothing to do with the gig this weekend.  Of course, I'm talking about the reason we're all here: the kitties...

 Breakfast a bit earlier than usual, because I was up at 5:30.  These two know the routine: it takes me a while to get their food ready; 3 different kinds of hard food (the bowl on the left), water in the middle, soft food on the right.  A bigger water dish between them.  If you look at those dishes above, they had each eaten some of their hard; then moved to their soft.  Pretty much in unison.  When they've each had their fill of their own, they switch places to see if the other had anything tasty.  Stella is still getting kitten food for the most part.  Every once in a while, I will put the same soft food in each of their dishes... and, yes, they will still do that switching thing.

After Murphy and I come back inside from his morning outing, they both know it is treat time: Churu, that they get together.  Then some grooming.  And then, nap time.  I think we all appreciate the routine.

 

Doctor, Doctor, Give Me the News...

 

If you said, "Robert Palmer, 1979," you get 15 bonus points.

I had a doctor appointment today.  I had a couple specific things I wanted to visit about with him.  But, the main thrust of the visit: he is leaving this office.  He couldn't tell me any details (contractual agreement).  I am good with the Google.  I can find him.

He and I have a good relationship and very open communications.  He does not recommend unnecessary tests (an issue I had with my last doctor in Texas).  I was happy to find him.

The appointment came about because a friend (not mentioning any names here) felt I was having cognitive issues.  I listened.  I considered.  He was basing this "medical diagnosis" (practicing medicine without a license) on his own flawed perceptions.  I'm not saying he was "projecting," but he changed the story and details on a project we were working on, not filling me in on those changes.  Turns out, I had things in writing from him that corroborated my side of the story.

Still, I kept the appointment.  As I (and my family) expected, my memory and cognitive function is all just fine.  I not only recalled the words they gave me, then discussed other things before asking me to state the words (I understand why they do that) - I also told them the words they gave me 2 1/2 years ago on my first visit to this medical office; they do a cognitive test with all new patients since this is a "senior" medical facility.  (They know how to take care of seniors here in Phoenix.)  Hopefully, this "friend" will visit his doctor to find out how his cognitive function rates.

Am I pissed about the reason I made the appointment?  Of course.  That said, knowing the doctor was leaving this practice, I did want to visit with him before he leaves.  It also gave me the opportunity to get some prescriptions refills added before we get away this summer.

And that's the extent of my medical discussion... HIPPA rules and all.  ;-) 

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A hot time in the old town tonight...

108º for a high temp today.  Yep, that's hot.  Murphy doesn't understand why he can't go outside right before his 5:00 meal... "Because it is hot and it will burn your paw pads."

 He is wistfully waiting to go outside... as soon as the sun gets behind the horizon and the pavers cool down.