tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139578582011-11-18T21:06:39.291-08:00The blog for my photography siteJeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.comBlogger2241100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-37171977183728455952011-10-02T13:59:00.000-07:002011-10-02T14:01:28.834-07:00

I had been intending to concentrate this blog more on my photography, but obviously have not been doing that so much. So, wanted to write about two traffic moments that occurred today. First, this morning: I was on the way to church, and was stopped at an intersection a little ways before getting on the freeway. So, I got the green light and started to move into the intersection. But the next

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-83100474474509857512011-05-07T18:10:00.000-07:002011-05-07T18:16:32.767-07:00

For years I have been vaguely aware of a large park in San Diego that I had never visited before today: Marian R. Bear Memorial Park. This Park is in San Diego's San Clemente Canyon, which runs east and west roughly between Interstate 5 and Interstate 805. State Route 52 runs in the northern portion of the canyon between those two freeways (and continues eastward), while the Park is in the

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-17270848945191611902011-03-27T18:23:00.001-07:002011-03-27T18:23:23.993-07:00

Two angles: a peacock, a photo by jeffwc00 on Flickr.I have been very glad I purchased a San Diego Zoological Society membership late last year. Being able to (basically) just walk in when I have the time has been great. I'm definitely getting value for the cost.Yesterday I decided to make another visit for possible photo taking. Right after entering I noticed a small crowd standing around

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-64296884618037891092011-02-16T07:19:00.001-08:002011-02-16T07:21:16.631-08:00

Holga goes to Kobey's Swap Meet Originally uploaded by jeffwc00I have been invited to place up to three prints in a show being put on next month by the arts programs at UCSD Extension. The story: Last month the coordinator of those programs sent email to the photography instructors with preliminary details about the photography portion of the show, and inviting them to forward it to any former

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-12176520310438643132011-01-16T17:01:00.001-08:002011-01-16T17:01:04.257-08:00

G is for Globe Willow triptychOriginally uploaded by jeffwc00Sunday, January 16, 2011. Decided in the afternoon to use my San Diego Zoological Society membership and visit the San Diego Zoo to get in some photos.Which I should have realized before leaving was a pretty dumb idea: A Sunday, really nice weather, of course the place was slammed. When I arrived I quickly realized every parking lot

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-54371505832979736432010-12-18T08:34:00.001-08:002010-12-18T08:34:29.381-08:00

Panthera leo IOriginally uploaded by jeffwc00I've been on vacation the past week. On one of those days, December 14, I decided to use my (fairly recent) member ship in the San Diego Zoological Society to roam about the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (formerly known as the Wild Animal Park.)The highlight of the visit was the lion enclosure. I could see only the male, who was out in the middle of the

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-31548887240663054762010-12-10T18:26:00.000-08:002010-12-10T18:26:08.792-08:00

Seen today on a Prius: LVE4NOW

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-28147919072188464582010-11-21T16:44:00.001-08:002010-11-21T16:54:57.053-08:00

Fall Originally uploaded by jeffwc00San Diego has had two days of rain sweeping through the area in a series of bands, with the rain generally falling at moderate intensity. But it came often enough to mostly keep me indoors. So, when what seemed to be the last of it having passed through on Sunday afternoon, I wanted to get out for a good walk, and take my point-and-shoot camera in case I came

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-51358879445014222772010-11-19T17:23:00.000-08:002010-11-19T17:23:59.734-08:00

No, I haven't given up on this blog. Must admit I really can't say why I haven't been writing anything here, because I have had time. Anyway, I'm going to try to write more here, especially about my photography.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-26663816078434876622010-08-14T16:38:00.000-07:002010-08-14T16:38:44.270-07:00

Yesterday I received in my home mail a jury service summons for California state court. And today I received a questionnaire from Federal court to determine my eligibility for Federal jury service. Man, oh man. Now, regarding state court jury service and me: I don't recall if I have written in this blog about it before, but I get summons for it an amazing rate. And I think I've realized why.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-12645466347733833072010-07-21T15:08:00.000-07:002010-07-21T15:08:08.704-07:00

Image via WikipediaI usually take a full week of vacation around this time every July. (Last year was an exception for reasons I won't get into.) This is in anticipation of attending San Diego Comic-Con, usually for multiple days. This year I had every intention of buying a 4-day membership. So, in early March I went to the web site for Comic-Con, and proceeded to learn all 4-day memberships for

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-67555126664793054372010-06-27T18:22:00.000-07:002010-06-27T18:22:18.043-07:00

Earlier today I drove to UCSD to do some wandering for photo opportunities. I like going there for that purpose occasionally because it has many variations of architecture and other sources of inspiration. As I was walking to get a view of the front of one building, a car pulled up to the curb by me. The passenger rolled down her window and asked me if I knew the way to Thurgood Marshall College

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-7042357435255825962010-06-08T18:29:00.000-07:002010-06-08T18:31:14.370-07:00

My last post here was about one of my prints being accepted for the photography exhibit at this year's San Diego County Fair. I have been aware that the organizers of the exhibit hold an artist's reception the evening before the Fair opens each year. (The Fair always starts on a Friday.) I have not gone to these receptions before because I have an ongoing commitment each Thursday evening. But,

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-77427676361132505382010-06-02T07:35:00.000-07:002010-06-08T18:16:04.328-07:00

I had previously posted (here) regarding submitting five prints to be considered for inclusion in the photography exhibit at this year's San Diego County Fair. Earlier this week the results of what prints had been accepted for inclusion were released. One of my prints was selected; one of this photo. Due to a few factors, I am feeling satisfied by this: This is an extremely competitive process;

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-81253036832388909072010-05-30T04:21:00.001-07:002010-06-08T18:14:55.542-07:00

Evergreen pear tree (pyrus kawakamii) blooming Originally uploaded by jeffwc00One of the benefits of purchasing a Pro account on Flickr (as I have) is that good statistics are provided. For instance, it shows what referrers result in viewings of specific photos. So, my statistics show that several days per week I get at least one viewing of this photo via a Google search of any combination of

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-61180713391481457102010-05-23T15:51:00.000-07:002010-05-23T15:51:31.657-07:00

Yesterday, as I was leaving Balboa Park after a session of taking photos (results of which are here and here) I decided to take what should be the quickest route to northbound highway 163 and the start of the drive home. I should have known better. That route starts at this ramp off of Park Boulevard. The problem is the ramp almost immediately becomes one of five lanes that in a very short

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-83216332693848842042010-05-14T17:51:00.000-07:002010-05-14T17:51:51.701-07:00

Image by Billy V via FlickrWhile driving home from work today, I was passed by something I do not recall ever seeing in person before: a motorcycle with a sidecar, complete with somebody in the sidecar. That was neat, but it occurs to me that personally I'd be hesitant about riding a sidecar. The thought of being that low to the ground at freeway speeds does not appeal, even if I were wearing a

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-29860952411984031672010-05-01T18:34:00.000-07:002010-06-08T18:12:36.560-07:00

A little earlier this evening I had the most bizarre computer experience I've had in years. What with my chronic allergies & hay fever, I'm thinking about giving Breathe Right strips a try. I went to their web site, and after poking around a few pages, went to print this PDF, which includes a template one is supposed to cut out to use for determining the proper size Breathe Right strip for

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-56739262420486779582010-04-16T15:05:00.000-07:002010-04-16T15:08:05.222-07:00

Discovered this morning that the Rose Garden in Balboa Park is mostly blooming nicely, so stopped to take photos, and ended up with three I liked, all macros, samples of which below: While taking the photos, I was amused by the names of the varieties of roses being grown. In addition to these three, I also saw name plates for the following varieties: Burgundy Iceberg Lovestruck Teeny

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-91776582324147973612010-04-16T14:40:00.000-07:002010-04-16T14:40:30.684-07:00

Seen last week on a Prius: "4LES OIL" Indeed.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-73169117805230202932010-03-26T17:14:00.000-07:002010-03-26T17:14:02.500-07:00

Referencing this previous post: I did send in a complaint about the service I wrote about in that post via Pick Up Stix's web site. A few days later I had an email contact from the Regional Manager who handles the location I had the bad service at. He was very apologetic and promising to correct the problems. After a couple email exchanges in that vein, he offered to send me some vouchers for

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-44135823038896940122010-03-25T16:09:00.000-07:002010-04-16T15:10:36.216-07:00

I think I have discovered sunblock can apparently have bad side effects for me. Or at least one brand of sunblock can apparently have bad side effects for me. The story: Earlier this month while checking supplies I discovered a spray can of Neutrogena sunblock that I had set aside soon after purchasing it, for reasons I do not recall. I looked for an expiration date and saw that was set for

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-89910032018835532802010-03-20T18:44:00.001-07:002010-03-20T18:47:53.579-07:00

Lampranthus spectabilis flowers Originally uploaded by jeffwc00Earlier today I decided to make my first visit ever to Fiesta Island. (Which technically isn't an island.) It is part of San Diego's Mission Bay Park. I went thinking there was a possibility of finding interesting flowers to photograph, even though I don't recall ever reading anything about flowers on Fiesta Island. Access to the

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-51924553398441532892010-03-15T18:30:00.000-07:002010-05-17T09:35:28.604-07:00

I'm taking a few vacation days this week, so decided today was the day to start process of getting the prints I will be submitting for inclusion in this year's San Diego County Fair photography exhibition. I had ended up deciding to submit five photos. They are, in no particular order (as shown on Flickr): Stargazer in lily pond Keep back Waxflowers Spanish Village fountain Sunflower and bee

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-44883588097291930682010-03-13T12:36:00.000-08:002010-03-13T12:36:39.336-08:00

Seen today on a Toyota Sequoia: "NUKL BAL" Short for "nuclear balance"?

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-35166204703161140772010-03-06T16:57:00.000-08:002010-03-06T16:57:08.318-08:00

Image via WikipediaI have been an enthusiastic customer of Pick Up Stix for years; I really enjoy their food. That said, today I had my worst experience ever at a Pick Up Stix. I normally don't order fried rice there, but they have a dish called House Fried Rice that I occasionally order (I figure having it at widely spaced intervals isn't too bad.) It's a meal sized serving of fried rice that

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-13058369142463920872010-03-05T15:48:00.000-08:002010-03-05T15:48:41.155-08:00

Seen today on a Mercedes-Benz: "(heart)MY81MB" At least exterior-wise, it was a very nice looking car.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-45869048625502327022010-03-05T15:00:00.001-08:002010-03-05T15:06:19.738-08:00

This blog is now located at http://jeffcraignaturephotography.blogspot.com/. You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click here. For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to http://www.jeffcraig.net/blog/atom.xml.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-70913943364289425922010-02-27T04:03:00.000-08:002010-02-27T05:50:03.238-08:00

News of the magnitude 8.8 earthquake in south-central Chile is a shock to me because I visited the country several years ago.My primary destination there was Iquique, a city in the north of the country, to visit family members who were living there at the time. Due to this my only experience of Santiago was the international airport there. (At least at that time, all international flights from

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-89508946344470477252010-01-31T14:31:00.000-08:002010-01-31T15:20:38.913-08:00

San Diego's Balboa Park has a rather unique trail. It is called the Bridle Trail, and the unique thing about it is that for almost all of it's one-mile length it is within sight of a very busy highway, State Route 163.Getting to the Bridle Trail is not the easiest task as the three ways to it that I know of require quite steep downhill climbs to get to the level the highway and the trail are at (

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-81375014496453177522010-01-31T07:46:00.000-08:002010-01-31T07:59:26.330-08:00

As an avid photographer (and aspiring seller of prints of my photos), I am a big fan of the web comic What the Duck for it's very funny and frequently very pointed observations about photographers and photography.When I saw today's edition of the comic, my first thought was "Ouch!" Check it out.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-39372719090896095882010-01-23T15:21:00.001-08:002010-01-23T15:30:30.351-08:00

Purple lantana flowers (Lantana montevidensis)Originally uploaded by jeffwc00I had in December posted to Flickr a photo of a grouping of red, orange, and yellow Lantana flowers (http://flic.kr/p/7n9Pid).As flowers of lantana plants can come in many colors, I've been hoping to find such examples to also photograph.So: One of the routes I take to get the parking lot at my workplace passes a patch

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-59906075172529949862010-01-19T04:44:00.001-08:002010-01-19T04:58:12.427-08:00

High surf - Ocean BeachOriginally uploaded by jeffwc00I drove to San Diego's Ocean Beach neighborhood on January 15, planning to walk on the pier that is there and look for photographic opportunities.Upon arrival I found access to the pier had been closed because of exceptionally high (for San Diego) surf that was occurring. As it was a very cloudy and gray day, I realized this was likely a

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-45721115659324492952010-01-14T15:51:00.001-08:002010-01-19T04:54:37.603-08:00

Coral tree flower at Lake MurrayOriginally uploaded by jeffwc00I seem to be developing an unintended specialty in my landscape photography of photos of coral tree flowers. (Such as this new one.)I'm on vacation this week, so today I decided to drive out to the City of San Diego's Lake Murray, a water reservoir and recreational area.My first thought for the visit was to get in a good exercise walk

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-31243093526977457202010-01-13T18:59:00.001-08:002010-01-19T04:51:47.212-08:00

Clouds through treesOriginally uploaded by jeffwc00To start this post, I need to explain some logistics. The door to my condominium is reached by an open staircase. (The door for the condo of one my neighbors shares the staircase access.)I've been noting for some time when I step outside and look straight ahead before descending the stairs, I see an interesting combination of two trees: a

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-68283784071365348952010-01-10T13:09:00.000-08:002010-01-10T13:21:11.709-08:00

I noticed a couple weeks ago when I stopped at a local Rubio's for lunch that the place's aquarium was gone.As long as I've been eating at Rubio's restaurants, each spot has had a moderately large aquarium with several varieties of fish. It's always been a pleasant feature, and of course children love to watch the fish swimming.So, when I saw the aquarium was gone at the one Rubio's I visited a

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-42250548092921737962010-01-09T14:39:00.001-08:002010-01-10T13:26:33.055-08:00

Flowers of a firewheel tree (Stenocarpus sinuatus)Originally uploaded by jeffwc00During a visit to Balboa Park, a couple trees at the lawn bowling courts caught my attention. (This is in an area of the park known as West Mesa; it's a relatively thin strip of land immediately west of State Route 163; the large bulk of the park is to the east of that highway.)Specifically, the bright red flowers on

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-43786384568041186622009-12-02T14:04:00.000-08:002009-12-02T14:06:05.514-08:00

Seen today on a Mercedes (I wasn't able to catch the model): "OMGSTEF"That gave me a good chuckle.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-88785777938871064162009-11-20T16:42:00.000-08:002009-11-20T16:46:09.183-08:00

Seen on the way home from today on a Nissan Skyline: "MOKSTR"I assume that's a compression of "mokster".I get several varieties of hits on a search for "mokster", but impossible to say which might apply to this plate.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-52409525665028231012009-11-14T18:18:00.000-08:002009-11-14T18:22:35.164-08:00

I was reminded of something that I saw a few days ago, and thought it might be of interest.The bank branch I usually go to for ATM use is on the northeast corner of an intersection. I was first car in the right hand lane of the northbound road, sitting at a red light before crossing the intersection to turn into the bank's parking lot.This bank branch has a lane for a drive-up ATM that exits on

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-19765775974012206772009-11-04T16:53:00.000-08:002009-11-04T17:05:06.632-08:00

For reasons too involved to get into here, I had need to buy a CompactFlash (CF) memory card today after I got out of work.First place I stopped was a Best Buy that is near my office. Their price for the smallest capacity card they had in stock seemed steep, so I drove to a Target that is fairly near that Best Buy to see what they might have available.I found a CF card with the same capacity at

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-15776732245521216842009-09-26T13:18:00.000-07:002009-09-26T13:28:30.796-07:00

Though I didn't see it happening (at least consciously), while shopping a little earlier I thought of a pet peeve of mine.Namely, a person decides they don't want to purchase something they have in their cart after all, so, instead of putting the item back where they found it, they randomly put it on whatever shelf or other flat surface that happens to be nearby when they decide they decide they

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-59254402659606273902009-09-26T10:16:00.000-07:002009-09-26T10:18:51.897-07:00

Seen today on a Honda Odyssey: "MRS ON"Which leads to the question: When is she off?

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-42050826963609695342009-09-05T07:56:00.000-07:002009-09-05T08:01:54.862-07:00

Following up on my last post, I believe I have discovered the name of these trees: African Tulip trees.For reference:http://www.rarefloweringtrees.com/index.php?option=com_gallery2&Itemid=40&g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=1319http://www.thefloweringgarden.com/african-tulip-tree.htm

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-76573054437780122202009-09-04T15:09:00.000-07:002009-09-04T15:13:23.896-07:00

Please follow this link to see a set of photos of trees in San Diego, especially the flowers growing on them. I have been unable to identify what tree this is.Any help in identifying these trees will be appreciated!

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-544180380692435622009-08-21T06:08:00.000-07:002009-08-21T06:16:13.906-07:00

I subscribe to three magazines:mental_flossWiredNational GeographicNew issues of all three were in my mail yesterday. I have never before had all the magazines I subscribe to arrive on the same day.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-49885420883154100302009-08-20T10:06:00.000-07:002009-08-20T10:20:45.444-07:00

Being on vacation this week, I took the opportunity this morning to walk to my neighborhood library to pick up a book I had reserved.While walking back to my place, I was started to see a California Highway Patrol car go by, it's rooftop light bar activated. (Startled because this was a surface street, and one doesn't normally see CHP cars on surface streets, with or without their light bars

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-65832567190931819622009-08-19T06:38:00.000-07:002009-08-19T07:13:18.007-07:00

My church is in process of wrapping up a program called Seeds of Faith. The basic idea of which is members who wish to participate are given a small amount of cash (in our case, $10) to use as seed money to develop goods or services they can sell, with the money that comes in going to a need internal or external to the church.In this case the money will be used to defray costs of refurbishing

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-61240952468317625222009-08-14T17:00:00.000-07:002009-08-14T17:03:28.145-07:00

Regarding yesterday's post:Turned out the person who was being inquired about was a former neighbor who I must admit I had never spoken to.Reported that to the investigator, and there was nothing further needed. The end.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-27071985609343119292009-08-13T16:10:00.000-07:002009-08-13T16:23:55.760-07:00

Came home from work and found on my door a small notice from the, ahem, "U.S. Office of Personnel Management - Federal Investigative Services", that had written on it the name and phone number of an investigator.The notice says this is "regarding an individual who is being considered for a position of trust with the U.S. Government. Your comments regarding this individual's fitness and

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-42453293027509414772009-07-26T18:29:00.000-07:002009-07-26T18:42:14.883-07:00

Google Street View car image by wkueting via FlickrThis is terrific.A Google Street View driver apparently decided to stop to eat at a KFC, but forgot to turn off the cameras before turning into the place's parking lot!

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-7933285833251034632009-07-04T15:10:00.000-07:002009-07-04T15:23:35.352-07:00

Having had a print of one my photos placed in the photography exhibit at the 2008 San Diego County Fair, this year I felt confident to submit three prints:Balboa Park walkwayJacaranda blossomsand "Speed" Ride - 2008 FairConsidering historically roughly one-third of the prints that are submitted each year for inclusion in the Fair's photo exhibit are accepted, it's difficult to say what the judges

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-74999755822211828612009-06-13T19:04:00.000-07:002009-06-13T19:10:37.928-07:00

Seen today on a VW Beetle: "HAIR2CU".

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-31915550770456263662009-05-09T15:14:00.000-07:002009-05-09T15:31:32.306-07:00

This afternoon I observed, for the first time in I don't know how many years, skywriting as it was happening. Or to be more precise, what is apparently known as skytyping, because it was composed of a series of dots making up the words.I was on the way to my car to go grocery shopping. I looked up, and there was "GEICO GEICO GEICO" being spelled out, just like that.After I reached the grocery

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-69155689451633877912009-03-29T15:03:00.000-07:002009-03-29T15:13:55.031-07:00

My manager at work took my department out for lunch last Friday to a place I hadn't been to before, and I was impressed with it. The place is Nugent's Fishgrille http://fishgrille.com/ - the web site also calls it Firegrille; uncertain which of them is accurate. It is family owned and operated. There is an emphasis on seafood, but they offer several other types of dishes (steaks, sandwiches,

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-46890629319281947462009-03-27T16:14:00.000-07:002009-03-27T16:17:31.438-07:00

New math that works even for those (such as myself) who most of the time have fear and loathing of math: equations that illustrate non-math concepts.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-55883107708236150112009-03-22T13:27:00.001-07:002009-03-22T13:40:33.651-07:00

...Trying too hard to be cute? You be the judge!(Photo taken by myself.)

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-43530068054824739702009-03-18T17:03:00.001-07:002009-03-18T17:11:48.401-07:00

Behold: This went up recently over a major San Diego traffic intersection. One comment that occurs to me: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?(Click the photo for a clearer view.)

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-60891967155884464412009-03-16T17:52:00.000-07:002009-03-16T18:38:11.375-07:00

...Which is pretty much what my latest stint of jury service boiled down to today.I ended up not being sent to a court, which I think has only happened once before in all the times I've gone to jury service.The day started interestingly. During orientation, it was announced there would be jury panels for at least two longer-than-normal trials:One estimated to run seven days.And one estimated to

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-1569463765437863652009-03-16T16:11:00.000-07:002009-03-16T16:24:06.074-07:00

A little earlier today I was riding the San Diego Trolley back to where I had left my car this morning to go to jury service. The route the Trolley takes for me to get back to where I normally park my car after I have been in the San Diego Downtown area for whatever reason briefly passes San Diego's airport, Lindbergh Field. When this occurs it is possible to glimpse planes moving around on the

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-23439440578620285362009-02-10T17:08:00.000-08:002009-02-10T17:09:53.137-08:00

Seen today on a Pontiac Vibe: "SURE YNT".Well, all righty then.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-13905632444125062932009-01-22T16:29:00.000-08:002009-01-22T16:32:43.340-08:00

My postal mail today had one item:The first mailing I have ever received from AARP. And, yes, in it was a membership card.Gee, just what I needed.(sigh)

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-73268411956520875172008-11-29T14:15:00.000-08:002008-11-29T15:11:21.419-08:00

I frequently visit San Diego's Mission Valley, as it has lots of dining and shopping options, and also good places for exercise walks. Oh, and it's also reasonably close to home.Now, for quite a while I've been noticing in that area vehicles being used as billboards, but a new one (for me) that I saw today was the impetus I needed to take photos and write an entry here.(All phone numbers

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-655103633986177022008-11-06T15:45:00.000-08:002009-06-13T19:34:35.580-07:00

Came upon this today - An investigation into what's up with all those "Single?" lawn signs you may have seen. (They're everywhere!) Specifically, it deals with who is behind them.Surprisingly interesting.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-84419207186410117892008-11-02T15:54:00.001-08:002008-11-02T16:12:45.709-08:00

Seen today on a Mercedes-Benz C240: "ISLRE4U"Hmmm, that was a stumper at first. Then I decided to simply run a search on "islre." Which led to this page, and the indication it is some sort of code for "Lactobacillus reuteri."So, new search for "Lactobacillus reuteri." Which led to a list of many sites selling related products and many sites dealing with trials of of products that use this "...

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-27323450474661119402008-10-05T14:28:00.001-07:002009-06-28T19:11:45.821-07:00

Seen today on a Dodge Stealth: "KNOT C ME"

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-34028172670068546332008-09-26T05:51:00.000-07:002008-09-26T05:53:07.257-07:00

...is hearing sirens in the before-dawn darkness.(As I have been just now.)

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-8926079181615875822008-07-28T09:58:00.001-07:002008-07-28T16:17:39.824-07:00

Arrived at the Convention Center around 9:00 AM, and before entering powered up my camera and was astonished to see it displaying a message to the effect of "Can not record". Powered off, opened the door for the storage card, and yep, it was not there. After my head exploded from that shock, I realized what had happened. The evening before I had decided to copy to my computer photos I had taken

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-71220072571439996292008-07-27T18:10:00.000-07:002008-07-28T16:24:32.220-07:00

I had written before about intending to not go to Comic-Con on the Saturday, but after thinking about it, decided the key to having a good Saturday experience there is to not go in the exhibit hall. I recalled being in the exhibit hall on a Saturday was the real source of horrors, from the frequently non-moving monstrous masses of people in the aisles to the huge piles of trash not being

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-39641028871793319832008-07-27T06:57:00.000-07:002008-07-28T16:13:02.449-07:00

First panel I went to Friday was for Batman: Brave and the Bold, a new cartoon coming out this fall on Cartoon Network. I was curious how it might be dealing with Batman in a way that might be unique.The panel was comprised of producers Sam Register and James Tucker (Tucker seems to be the big ideas guy for this cartoon), writer Michael Jelenic, director Brandon Vietti, voice director Andrea

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-74977343869677880712008-07-26T18:46:00.000-07:002008-07-28T16:22:00.146-07:00

Attended three panel discussions.The Gene Roddenberry Legacy: Roddenberry in the 21st CenturyHosted by Gene Roddenberry's son Rod, with Trevor Roth, COO of Roddenberry Productions, and Paul Keller, editor of a feature documentary that firm is creating, Trek Nation.Discussed Gene Roddenberry's philosophy, that he imbued it into everything he did in television, and how Roddenberry productions is

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-54056955443187459902008-07-26T07:20:00.000-07:002008-07-28T16:09:49.945-07:00

Arrived by trolley at the Convention Center a little after 5 PM for Preview Night to find truly monumental lines of people outside the building. Which startled me because I recall the last Preview Night I went to, a couple years ago, I went straight into the building and fairly quickly got through the process of getting my badge.So, I went with others I had been on the trolley with to find the

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-92183275465728721222008-07-24T18:55:00.000-07:002009-06-13T12:17:24.658-07:00

Arrived at the San Diego Trolley system's station at Qualcomm Stadium a little after 8:30 AM today to take the ride to the Convention Center for the first day of Comic-Con.This station is elevated above the Stadium's parking lot, which basically means one can possibly park under the structure of the station itself. I've gotten into the habit of doing so under the eastern section of the structure.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-1883027346625966122008-07-19T15:19:00.000-07:002008-07-19T15:29:04.062-07:00

Earlier I had a bad computer moment. I was running Google Reader, and within had clicked on one of my subscriptions that was showing 3 new items. I then turned to my bed and picked up some finished laundry that needed to be put away. At that moment, music started playing from my computer's speakers. YIKES! Very startling!Dropped the laundry and turned back to the computer to figure out was going

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-26351274141102219002008-07-19T14:34:00.000-07:002008-07-19T14:36:26.624-07:00

Seen today on a Toyota Camry: "2B NT 2B"

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-48299794443878519122008-06-25T16:34:00.000-07:002008-06-25T16:39:14.742-07:00

Namely, that I am NOT allergic to bee stings.What happened: I was walking around at about 12:30 PM after eating my lunch, when I felt something odd on my right arm just below my shirt's short sleeve. Without thinking I swatted at with my left hand. Next thing I knew I heard a very brief buzzing sound, then OW!A very sharp pain right at the spot I had felt the apparent bee. OW, OW, OW, OW!I looked

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-60364448671874576142008-06-14T15:53:00.000-07:002008-06-14T16:14:55.539-07:00

Each year at the San Diego County Fair, a juried Exhibition of Photography is held.I decided last year to submit to this year's Exhibit a photo I had taken. Here's the story behind it:It will be easy for me to remember the date I took it because it happened to be September 11 of 2007. After getting home from work I went out for an exercise walk, and as I try to do whenever I take such walks, took

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-86233861883609419822008-06-13T16:15:00.000-07:002008-06-13T16:19:04.540-07:00

Seen today on a Pontiac Grand Am, a California Arts license plate that said "7 WINK".I can only assume that has a personal meaning.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-45079179624863993142008-06-04T17:38:00.000-07:002008-06-04T17:40:23.773-07:00

Must admit I can really sympathize with this:more cat pictures

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-23019792164991694652008-06-02T08:31:00.000-07:002009-06-13T12:12:47.991-07:00

Image by boooooooorbs via FlickrAs a follow-up to this post, and my comments in it that an option for three-day registrations would be available for the 2008 edition of San Diego Comic-Con: WRONG.I have no idea if I misinterpreted what was written in the booklet I mentioned in the earlier post, or if there was a change in policy, but turns out three-day registrations are not being offered for

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-35770240650706199342008-05-31T12:32:00.001-07:002008-05-31T12:34:51.240-07:00

Seen today on a BMW 540i, a California Whale Tail plate that read: "A GR8 V8".

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-12850175956889303842008-05-27T18:03:00.000-07:002008-05-30T17:46:55.364-07:00

Following up my previous post, here is a photo of the revised me:

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-53817684285085979552008-05-11T16:14:00.001-07:002008-05-11T16:17:53.970-07:00

I had previously mentioned possibly going entirely bald.Yesterday I finally decided to do it.I must say it feels rather liberating. And no, I don't have a photo yet of the change. Patience.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-36697408198283774752008-04-26T14:35:00.000-07:002008-04-26T15:28:07.584-07:00

On March 29, 2008, I took my 2000 Saturn LS1 to the dealer I have been using for some time for routine scheduled service. This included both regular oil change and related items (done by the dealer's express service department) and servicing of the fuel injectors (done by one of the technicians who do more complex tasks.)The results of this were anything but routine.After I paid my bill I went

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-20443209389159728052008-04-26T14:18:00.000-07:002008-04-26T14:34:24.866-07:00

The San Diego area is having what a heat wave that is supposed to be short (today and tomorrow), but unusually strong for April. Temperatures are definitely over 90 degrees as I type this. (April is not supposed to be that hot!)While I was driving around earlier I spotted a truck for "Total Ice Services" that did have a refrigeration unit. I can just imagine how many people seeing that truck

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-23685899707352063452008-03-25T17:52:00.000-07:002008-03-25T17:56:24.403-07:00

Recent poor choices in escape vehicles, from bad to worst.For some reason I'm finding that article particularly funny right now.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-16055418961910338432008-03-25T17:43:00.000-07:002008-03-25T17:44:52.053-07:00

Seen this morning on a Mini Cooper S: "PIP PIP"And a "cheerio" to you.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-90337133440121739052008-03-10T17:35:00.000-07:002008-03-10T17:37:39.875-07:00

Seen yesterday on a Lincoln Navigator: "DA G8TOR".The meaning of which seems fairly obvious, University of Florida fans.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-43416028004169414072008-03-08T15:22:00.000-08:002008-03-08T15:35:01.046-08:00

I hesitate to post anything that could come across as criticizing of the Girl Scouts, but...The last several times I have gone grocery shopping, groups of Girl Scouts (with adult supervision) have been set up to sell their cookies. This morning was one such instance.When I exited the store with my purchases, the girls were literally shouting the following over and over again (this one time

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-14338900519828308232008-03-06T16:19:00.000-08:002008-03-06T16:43:23.468-08:00

Referring back to this, I've 95% made up my mind to shave off the goatee.Additionally, I am also seriously debating with myself whether or not to do something I've thought about for a long time: going totally bald by having a barber shave off what's left of my top-of-the-head hair (or at least doing so on a test basis). The alternative would be getting #1 buzz cuts more often than I currently

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-58202030284534941262008-02-23T13:40:00.000-08:002008-02-23T13:52:52.989-08:00

Earlier today while out and about I stopped at a Pick Up Stix for lunch. (Love their food!)As I was placing my order, the clerk asked me if I'm 55 or older (presumably thinking of a senior citizen's discount.)For the record, I am 47. And I swear this was the first time I have ever been asked such a question!So, that's caused me to do some brooding and get to wondering if perhaps I'd look younger

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-43521173245956501642008-01-28T14:50:00.000-08:002008-01-28T14:54:19.530-08:00

It's a two-fer Monday.Seen on a Silverado pick-up: "ITBGOOD" - I assume it refers to the truck.Seen on a white Mercedes-Benz: "02BUNNY" - Similarly, assuming it refers to the car.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-51325983639482065322008-01-06T04:42:00.000-08:002008-01-28T14:50:17.145-08:00

Seen today on a Mazda MX3: "KNUCME"Yep, I see you right there.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-35167100128734160772007-12-09T15:17:00.000-08:002007-12-09T15:33:08.183-08:00

A forum that I participate in for users of digital cameras recently has been running a project to create, using photos submitted by forum participants, some calendars, the sales of which would go to benefiting a charity.A little earlier in the year I had taken a photo of a flower that I was particularly pleased with, so I decided to submit it to this project for the "Flowers" calendar. I had

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-87065106134360928402007-11-18T16:33:00.000-08:002007-11-18T16:37:35.910-08:00

Saw this bumper snicker today:I found after doing a search on "Beware of invisible cows" that there is a reasonable explanation for it, but the bumper sticker by itself was pretty amusing when I spotted it.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-55049673196760079962007-11-09T18:09:00.000-08:002007-11-09T18:18:15.977-08:00

Referring back to this post, I need to report the flat tire turned out to not be the only problem created by driving over that box.I realized something appeared to be dripping from the area of the engine, what with pulling out of parking spaces and seeing some sort of dark fluid being left behind. So, I finally got myself to the dealer's service department I go to first thing last Thursday

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-84131328367734497502007-10-28T17:32:00.000-07:002007-10-28T17:34:42.741-07:00

Seen today on a Ford F150: "TROUT 4D".My first thought was "Trout 4-dimensional? That doesn't make sense." Then it occurred to me the "D" was likely an initial.

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-37498782085149357002007-10-19T17:32:00.000-07:002007-10-19T18:01:23.149-07:00

The scene: Yesterday, on the way home from work. Took my usual freeway off-ramp, and as I was just starting to brake, saw an object in the road ahead of me that appeared to be some sort of box. Had to make a pretty much instantaneous decision: swerve around it or drive over it. Drove over it. Big mistake.WHAM! BANG! Felt and heard what seemed to be strong two impacts on the undercarriage.Pulled

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-41549377582914673512007-09-29T13:48:00.000-07:002007-10-19T18:00:41.303-07:00

I visited Balboa Park earlier today to walk around and look for photo opportunities, and found myself noticing several distinct groups.There were two separate groups of what I assumed were art students.One, at the foot of the park's lily pond, that was comprised of younger people, all doing sketches:...and one, on one side of the lily pond, that was comprised of older people, all doing oil

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13957858.post-63245565118177774242007-09-22T15:26:00.000-07:002007-10-19T17:44:03.751-07:00

Bad punctuation tends to bother me, including bizarre uses of quotation marks.A prime example of that here in San Diego is:This is a neon sign that has been hanging in a window of a local sandwich shop for years. I have viewed it with much bewilderment every time I stop at the barber shop that is next door to this sandwich shop. I finally remembered today to get a photo of it.While preparing to

Jeff Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17365873866700749196noreply@blogger.com1