#365challenge — Public Fediverse posts

Go

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54581932592/in/dateposted/

That’s today’s photo a day picture. Number 284 of 365.

Also…

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54581946692/in/dateposted/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #DisneyWorld #florida #Go #HollywoodStudios #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #StarWars #STORMTROOPER #theFirstOrder #Travel #Vacation

Interesting View

The view from our hotel room is interesting.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54576103813/in/album-72177720326730063

Photo a day challenge number 281 or 365.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #animalKingdomLodge #DisneyWorld #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #Travel

Groundhog Day

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54571357265/in/dateposted/

That’s a groundhog, right? I can picture it sitting on Bill Murray’s lap, driving a pickup truck so it must be a groundhog.

Photo a day number 279 of 365.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #z5

Photo a Day Fail

It’s gorgeous out today. I have windows open in almost every room in the house. Eventually it will be too warm outside for that and I will close them all and let the central air take over. For now though, let’s enjoy the breeze.

Robin was sitting in front of the dining room window, as she often does. I lined up a shot for today’s photo a day, as I often do…

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54569137521/in/photostream/

She saw me coming and decided that rather than play the role of the model, she wanted some attention. She ran away just as I was about to press the shutter. She ran right over to me and demanded I pet her.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54569361748/in/photostream/

So now this is the photo a day photo instead of the cat in the window I was trying to get. Either way… adorable.

278/365

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #Kitty #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin

Photo a Day

Photo a day challenge number 277/365.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54566802791/in/dateposted/

And one to grow on…

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54567123234/in/dateposted/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #iphoneography #Kitty #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography

Changes Coming

My music nook is about to go through some shit.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54564886321/in/dateposted/

Photo a day 276 of 365.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Guitar #Hipstamatic #iphoneography #Music #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography

Photo a Day

Another day, another photo a day pic. This one makes me think it might be interesting to know what a cat is thinking. Then again… it’s probably all thoughts about murder and slaughter so… maybe not.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54563324453/in/dateposted/

274 days down, 91 to go.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #Kitty #lily #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin #z5

Photo a Day 271/365

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54553751409/in/datetaken/

In the office today. Wishing I was home playing guitar, or walking around town taking pictures. Being an adult is such a downer.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Hipstamatic #iphoneography #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography

Photo a Day

Once again, the photo a day photo is a cat staring out a window.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54551627961/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #Kitty #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin #z5

Sunrise Fail

The forecast called for clear skies at Salisbury Beach at sunrise today. The forecast was wrong. I was there and I took a bunch of pictures, but the clouds covered the horizon and there was no photo of the sun coming out of the water. It was a wasted effort on that front, but I went to Plumb Island after and got a nice pic of the lighthouse.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54543753511/in/album-72177720326390739

When the sun eventually did break through, it made the Merrimack River look nice.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54543940424/in/album-72177720326390739

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #lighthouse #Massachusetts #merrimackRiver #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #plumbIsland #river #z5

Bribes

Remember when bribery was illegal? That was before the nazi in chief of the fascist states of america declared that it was a smart move to let a foreign government give you an airplane as a present. Our new air force one, which will stop being air force one and become trump’s personal plane once he leaves office, assuming he leaves office before he dies.

Yeah, this country fucking sucks. Can you imagine if Barack Obama told the public he was taking a passenger jet as a gift from an Islamic nation? Fucking fascists.

Change of subject. Two things to look forward to this week. First, I have my three year post-gastric bypass surgery check in at the weight loss clinic. I expect them to tell me that I am the greatest patient they have ever had, and that no patient they’ve dealt with has ever had suck overwhelming success with their post-op program. I am hoping for a plaque or something to honor me.

Of infinitely greater importance, my step son Harry is going to graduate from the University of Vermont this weekend. I am so proud I am so proud I am so proud I am so proud. Did I mention how proud I am? We’ll be heading up there after work on Friday. I am really looking forward to it. I don’t know if you can tell by the context of this paragraph, but I am really proud of Harry.

Okay, Robert. Back to work with you.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54514909030/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #bribe #bribery #Cat #collegeGraduation #collegeKids #Family #gastricBypassSurgery #graduation #grownUpKids #health #Kids #Kitty #magaIsACult #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #Politics #robin #StepKids #trumpIsAFascist #trumpIsANazi #trumpIsEvil #z5

It is Friday

It is Friday at last. It’s also raining. Son of a…

On May 4th I wrote this big gastric bypass surgery update where I said that I am having far fewer side effects then I did a year ago. The bad experiences are less and less common with each new day.

Then last night I had a piece of toast with my dinner. I took a bite, no problem. I took another bite, no problem. I took another bite… uh oh. I knew instantly that I had taken one bite too many. It took about an hour for all the fun to end. The moral of the story being, don’t be over confident. That thing that passes for your stomach these days can still kick you in the nards, Robert. Figuratively speaking, of course.

Here’s a cat to remind you of your place in the universe.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54507468281/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #gastricBypass #gastricBypassSideEffects #gastricBypassSurgery #Kitty #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin #theFoamies #weightLossSurgery

54

I was thinking about doing something with this post where I post an image with the old Studio 54 logo. Having lived through the disco era and today being my 54th birthday, I figured that would be funny. Then I realized it would not be funny at all, it would be dumb. So I changed my mind and just went with this.

Today is my birthday. I am 54 years old. I am NOT happy about it. When I was 53 years old I could sort of convince myself that 53 is still your early 50’s. At 54 I can’t do that anymore. I am firmly entrenched in my mid 50’s and again, I am NOT happy about it.

The weather is nice right now. That’s good. Of course the forecast is calling for rain later so that’s fitting. Blah. I filled the bird feeders because I wanted those little monsters to have a nice celebration on my birthday. I took a couple of pictures. This one is with the aperture wide open, f1.8. Blurry background, babie!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54505261886/in/datetaken/

This next one is the opposite. This one has the aperture closed down as far as it goes. f22, which means the shutter speed is super slow which is why it’s a little soft on the focus. Image stabilization helps, but it’s not perfect. Note that the background is not blurry at all.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54505452014/in/datetaken/

Now when you compare the two photos you know how your lens aperture controls your depth of field. See? You didn’t realize I was going to give you all a photography lesson for my birthday, but there you go. Happy birthday, hohoho.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #54 #54YearsOld #birdFeeder #birdFeeders #birthday #iphoneography #myBirthday #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography

Pain

I overslept a little this morning. Not enough to cause any problems but enough to throw off my head a little. Just a little. I found myself rushing while getting dressed and that’s when it happened…….

I stubbed my toe on the end of the bed. Holy crap! I really jammed that little sucker good. Two hours later it still hurts. Did I break a toe or two? Dumb ass. Happy Friday, you self harming moron.

What’s going on this weekend? Probably no band practice. Our drummer is going to be out of the country. Lucky stiff. If I were him I probably wouldn’t come back. Yes I would… I’m all talk sometimes, you all know that. Crap. What was I talking about? Oh yeah, plans for the weekend. I have to get one of the cars looked at. We have an idiot light on that won’t turn off. There might be a window of clear skies at sunrise tomorrow. Here’s hoping I can get up early and go out and shoot some film before the usual weekend rain and gloom rolls in. There’s a new Marvel movie (I won’t see it until it hits Disney+ but it’s out there so who knows). There will be a new Doctor Who, The Last of Us, and Walking Dead (the Dead City edition’s 2nd season opener). What else, what else… probably lots of pictures of cats. The soles of my sneakers are starting to fall apart so I need to get myself a new pair. We’re about a month away from a Disney World trip and I need to get any footwear thoroughly broken in before then.

Anything else this weekend? Probably. I don’t know. Here’s a cat for you to enjoy while I try to think of what else might be going on…

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54491339014/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #iphoneography #Kitty #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin

Another Day

Up and at ’em. Back at it. Repetition and all that. Deja-Vu. As Iron Maiden once said, “feel like I’ve been here before.” Probably because I was here before. Yesterday, in fact. Today is another day in the office. Celebrate with a cat pic:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54473266743/in/datetaken/

Roar.

I’m tired. I went to bed earlier than usual last night but it doesn’t seem to have been enough. Maybe it’s just mental fatigue induced by driving for an hour to get to work. Who knows. Maybe it’s just mental fatigue induced by the collapse of american society. What used to be our country sucks a little more with each passing day and maybe it’s just wearing me out. Could be.

We’ve reached the point in the week where I start looking longingly toward the weekend. I can’t do a band practice on Sunday so I threw out the idea of doing Saturday instead. It’s still up in the air. I want to do some sunrise/ocean photos too but the weather forecast calls for shitty with a chance of shitty on Saturday. Sunday looks okay. Will it be okay at sunrise? Too soon to speculate.

Shit. I feel like I need a new hobby. I don’t want a new hobby, I just feel like I need one. Man, simple things get confusing when you reach old age (see yesterday’s post for more. Yes, I know I have not reached old age yet) and your country flushes itself down the crapper. All I really want to do is curl up in a ball on the couch and wait for it all to finish crushing me. You know how it is, right?

Sunday is out for band practice because I have to go to a wake. My cousin’s husband passed suddenly last week. I think that might be part of the reason for the funk I’m in right now. I also have a medical procedure on the books for Tuesday and I think I have to start prepping for it a couple of days in advance. I won’t say what it is. It’s not a procedure really, it’s just a test. Let’s say it’s one of those tests that people in their 50’s need to have and it involves completely clearing out your digestive system. Nudge nudge, wink wink. Are you digging where I’m coming from? Are you picking up what I am putting down? Ouch town, population me, bro. Maybe that’s another source of funk-feeling. Not funk in a good sense. Not funk in a George Clinton sense. Funk in a… blahhhhh sense. You get it.

Okay. Time to get cracking on the work day. Two meetings on the books. Both require some prep work. Get to it, Red Head!

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #health #iphoneography #Kitty #medicalProcedure #medicalTest #ouch #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin

Meetings

File this one under first world problems.

I just want to have some lunch. I usually break at 1:00pm but I was added to a meeting at that time. I punted lunch to 2:00pm but when the 1:00 ended I was added to a 2:00. I tried to reschedule my 3:00pm but I needed to keep it in place.

Dude… I just want to go to lunch. Why can’t I go to lunch? It is 5:00pm now and still no lunch. At least I will be able to have dinner soon.

What a day! Here’s a cat.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54468767075/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Busy #busyDay #busyWorkDay #Cat #Kitty #lunch #lunchBreak #meetings #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin #work #workDay

Easter

Insert joke about a zombie giving up his weekend for our sins.

The plan is to visit Jen’s mother and step father today. It will be a lovely day, I am sure. They have a new cat. The resemblance to our cat Robin is striking. I expect I’ll use the wrong name at least once or twice.

Until then here is a photographic study. First, we have two cats who were pretending to be asleep as I snuck up on them with my camera.

Awake Lily:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54462894402/in/datetaken/

Awake Robin (also, today’s photo a day picture winner):

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54464088330/in/datetaken/

Then a couple of hours later I returned to the scene of the crime and found both of them actually sleeping.

Asleep Lily:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54463924264/in/datetaken/

Asleep Robin:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54463927054/in/datetaken/

Cuteness overload. Happy Easter from my cats to yours.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #Kitty #lily #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin #z5

Make Time

Please, Robert. Make the time. Make the time to play this weekend. Pretty please.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54459127247/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Guitar #iphoneography #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography

Shipping

It’s weird but I actually have two packages that have been shipped out by me over the last couple of days. One is a passport renewal form that went out via Fed Ex last night and the other is seven rolls of 35mm film* that I sent out via USPS on Saturday. Which will arrive at its destination first? The race is on! In this post-pandemic era of online shopping it’s common to be following packages that are on their way to you, but less common to have to follow packages that are on their way from you. Maybe not. I don’t know. I have to write about something.

Apparently you can spend six months in Scotland without a visa. Who knew? Ireland only lets you stay for three months. England and Wales are also six months, so is that a UK thing in general? What about Australia? I’ve recently watched two television shows that took place in Australia so I feel like I practically live there already. Duck Duck Go (fuck you, Google) says you need to obtain an Australian visa before you arrive. Well that’s no fun. Kevin Garvey, Jr and Nora Durst must have already had a visa when they left Miracle, TX on The Leftovers. Kevin Garvey, Sr… well who knows that that whack job was doing. He sure as hell didn’t.

The Bruins season ended last night on another painful loss. Some teams still have a game left to play, but my team is done. Mercifully. The best they can finish is tied with Philly for last place in the Eastern Conference. The worst they can do is finish in last all by their lonesome. Unfortunately for the draft lottery, there are 4-5 teams out west that will finish with worse records. Not that we have a General Manager who knows how to draft for shit though. In other Boston sports news, the Red Sox actually won a game last night after getting humiliated on Monday night. Fun.

I’m in the office today and tomorrow so the pickin’s for photo a day will be slim. Not that it matters. They are all just pictures of cats anyway. This one for today made use of the iPhone’s low light feature. It works well.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54455674076/in/datetaken/

*35mm film refers to the size of the negative… I think. 120 film does not refer to the size of the negative. I read somewhere that it refers to an old Kodak catalog product code. Mentioning 35mm and 120 film in the same sentence makes my ass itch. It’s like doing your physics homework and mixing up your units of measure. It’s like referring to velocity (measured in meters/seconds) and acceleration (measured in meters/seconds squared) as if they were the same thing. I believe the product code for 35mm is actually 135 (not too confusing there, Kodak) but I don’t know what the negative size for 120 film is. I can’t bring myself to call 35mm 135 so I guess I will continue to mix units and have an itchy ass. I could say medium format instead of 120 but that just feels like taking it all a step too far. I don’t know.

#120Film #35mmFilm #365 #365Challenge #365Project #Baseball #BostonBruins #BostonRedSox #Bruins #Cat #donTMixYourUnits #filmPhotography #Hockey #iphoneography #Kitty #measurements #mediumFormatFilm #mixedUnits #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #physics #RedSox #robin #shipping #shippingAndReceiving #shippingReceiving #Sports #unitsOfMeasure

Windows

It is gloomy and gross outside today, but I opened up all of the curtains and blinds to let what passes for light into the house. I don’t know why, I just did it.

The cats are in heaven. Robin often sits on bay window, whether the blinds are open or not, and today she’s been spending a lot of time there. She’s been very loudly chirping at anything that moves outside on the road. So much so that I’ve had to go out and check on her a couple of times.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54445107081/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54445107261/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54445294559/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #iphoneography #Kitty #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin

Side Eye

What you looking at, red head?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54443473258/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #iphoneography #Kitty #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin

As Promised

As promised in the previous post, here is a cat. I took this as I was packing up my stuff to go in to the office this morning. Apologies on the finger in front of the lens in the lower left corner.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54440750506/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #iphoneography #Kitty #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin

Photo a Day

My photo a day pic for day 220/365……

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54438169327/in/datetaken/

Yesterday after lunch I had a bit of a headache. Not bad, but noticeable. Today after lunch I also had a headache. It was bad enough that I almost put in for sick time for the afternoon. I didn’t and I have been okay, but if it had been a little bit worse I would have gone out sick and gone to bed.

Two days in a row. Here’s hoping the trend does not continue.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #headache #health #iphoneography #Kitty #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin #Sick

Weather is a Jerk

It is April so if there is one thing we can count on it is rain in New England. Today is at least the forth consecutive day with rain in my town. Forth or fifth? Something like that. It’s raining again.

Or is it? Is it more than that?

Yeah… I was driving in to the office and sure enough there was snow falling. Not a lot. Just the occasional snow flake mixed in with the drizzle. Today is April 7th and there is snow falling. Well honk my hooter, April snow. Ugh.

I tried to take a picture of Robin the Cat before I left the house. I needed to do the photo a day thing. I pointed my phone at her as she was exploring the laundry basket that I failed to put away yesterday. Just as I was about to click the shutter button she saw me and ran away and this is the photo I got…

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54436622095/in/datetaken/

Happy Monday, folks. It’s going to be a tough one, I think. All the signs are pointing that way.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #iphoneography #Kitty #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin #Snow #snowFlurry #springSnow #Weather

Commute

In the office today. In the office tomorrow. After three straight business days working at home, this is suddenly painful again. Weird.

Traffic was bad today, but the normal level of bad. One exception was my own street. 3-4 houses down from us there was a school bus partially pulled into a driveway, facing perpendicular to the street, completely blocking the road. Why? How? I don’t know. I had to sit and wait for them to maneuver out of the way. I don’t get it.

Robin Sparkles the Cat doesn’t get it either.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54424917277/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #iphoneography #Kitty #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin

Errands in the City

I ran some errands in the city today. Any excuse to visit Boston (and Cambridge… mostly Cambridge).

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54420113229/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54419062362/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54420166738/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54419062472/in/datetaken/

That last one is today’s photo a day snap.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Boston #Cambridge #iphoneography #Massachusetts #NewEngland #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography

Another Day

Another day, another cat pic.

Or, another day, another meeting.

I had five meetings on my calendar for today. One was canceled. What a relief. It’s going to be a busy day.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54415670125/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #Kitty #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin

Opening Day

Today is opening day for the Boston Red Sox. The first game is a little more than four hours away. They are on the road against the Rangers. Game time is 4:05pm Eastern time.

This is the third opening day since my mother passed away and the first since my father passed away. I am missing them both a little extra today.

Here’s hoping my Red Sox tear Texas a new one to cheer me up. After suffering through garbage hockey for nearly a full season, I am not going to take any crap from baseball. I have spoken.

Unrelated note, here’s today’s photo a day thing (day 208 of 365). I hope you’re not getting tired of the toy camera app black and white stuff because I most definitely am not tired of it. I might use black and white exclusively next month. We’ll see. I’ll probably change my mind before then, but it could happen.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54412488042/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Baseball #BostonRedSox #Family #iphoneography #openingDay #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #RedSox

Bad

Yesterday was bad.

Today… looking like it’s going to be bad.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54400784198/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #hipstaKitty #Hipstamatic #iphoneography #Kitty #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin

Good Morning

https://flic.kr/p/2qSLCEB

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #iphoneography #Kitty #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin

Ouch

I’m too old for this shit.

Shoveling, I mean. I felt okay when I first came back inside after shoveling, but now that a few hours have passed… Ouch town, population me, bro. Every inch of me is sore, and despite having two of the best nights sleep I’ve had in ages over the last two nights, I am completely exhausted.

I don’t know if I have the energy to do anything other than sit on the couch for the rest of the night. I think we were already planning on ordering out for dinner tonight. Maybe I’ll be able to crawl to the door to bring the delivery in.* I mean, really… that’s asking a lot.

It is a good thing I managed to put rhythm guitar tracks onto two RPM Challenge songs this morning before I shoveled. I don’t know if I will be able to do any more than that tonight, though I really need to. We’ll see how the pain goes. For now though, it’s just couch time. Much needed couch time, believe me.

Here’s a few guitar pictures to hold us over until next time.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316576981/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316806444/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316994390/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316805879/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316805869/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54315686237/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #exhaustion #Gibson #GibsonGuitars #GibsonLesPaul #gibsonday #gibsunday #Guitar #health #LesPaul #Music #Nikon #nikonZ5 #pain #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #shoveling #shovelingSnow #Sleep #Snow #snowShoveling #SongWriting #sore #soreness #Weather #winter #z5

Almost There

It’s 2:15pm. Lunch is about to end (I started my break a little later than normal today). I have a vacation day booked for tomorrow, then the following two days are off for Thanksgiving, then the weekend. That’s right, folks. I have a five day weekend coming and it is just a bit more than three hours away. I have one more meeting on my schedule this afternoon and I have a few email threads that need updating. Other than that, we’re just riding out this fine Tuesday in the office.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54165223412/in/dateposted/

So before Covid shut everything down I was a regular user of Audible, the audiobook subscription service. I forget how but at some point I came into a whole bunch of credits and blew them all on a number of books that I never got around to listening to. Back in March when my company upped our in-the-office requirement from once a week to twice a week I reopened my account and all of those unread books were still there. One was a biography of Syd Barrett. I’m listening to it now and while many of the events and facts the author describes are clearly incorrect, and many others are trying to show Barrett as some poetic legend on a level that is infinitely greater than his catalog demonstrates, it is a good read. I have been listening to a lot of his music over the last week.

The National Solo Album Month (nasoalmo) rules allow for one cover song. While adding another song does not fit my personal theme for this month’s project, I am wondering if I should record a cover of Dominoes. I’m thinking about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tY1aNaIazA

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #aVeryIrregularHead #audible #audiobook #biography #dominoes #holidayWeekend #iphoneography #LongWeekend #Music #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #SydBarrett #Thanksgiving #vacationDay #work

Well, looks like Friday is going to be one seriously shitty day for ol’ Robbie and his rebuilt guts.

I had more sleep last night than any day for about a week. I should have awoken feeling right and spiffy and good. Nope. I woke up with stomach pain. Lots of it. I never wake up with the hunger pains I get when I haven’t eaten for a few hours. I don’t know why that is, but this morning that was exactly what I thought happened. I got up, went down cellar to do my exercise for the day and have a bottle of water. I thought that would alleviate things, at least for a little while. After the exercise was done I could have breakfast and I fully expected that would be the end of that.

Nope. Exercise made it worse and I only got a few ounces of water down before I decided to stop and have breakfast. Unfortunately, eating didn’t help at all. Nope, this is not hunger pain. This is something else. Shit.

I sat there, staring at the walls for a while and then tried to power through these aches and pains. I played some guitar and did some laundry and then went upstairs. In the past, when these out-of-the-blue stomach pain issues hit me (I think there have been five since having the gastric bypass surgery on May 4, 2022… maybe six. I’m losing count) the only thing that gives me any relief is laying down on the floor on my side, curled up in a ball. Yeah, I don’t get it either. Today has not been nearly as bad as the really bad times, but I tried it anyway. I went fetal on the floor in front of my desk and just stayed like that for about an hour. It helped and by 9:00 I was able to get up and punch into work.

That was an hour ago. I’m starting to feel worse again, but is that because I have been up for four hours and have only had four ounces of water? Is it because it’s been almost three hours since I had anything to eat? My water bottle is staring at me. I think I am going to try to have a drink and see how it affects things. Wish me luck, oh my readers and only friends.

I was able to take some pictures in an effort to crank out the photo a day thing. Here’s one that I did not add to the photo a day photo album on Flickr…

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54024995026/in/datetaken/

Here’s another that I did not add to the photo album. The record is The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, side one, by Genesis…

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54025172586/in/datetaken/

Here’s the one I added to the Flickr album. This is the winner. Robin, of course. Photo a day 27/365.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54024273752/in/datetaken/

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/09/27/so-far-so-awful/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #gastricBypass #gastricBypassSideEffects #Guitar #health #iphoneography #Kitty #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin #stomachIssues #stomachPain #weightLossSurgery #z5

Jen never goes with me when I go out to chase the sunrise. Well… I can’t say she never comes with me because she came with me today!

We went to Salisbury Beach for the sunrise this morning. On the way home we took a detour… sort of. We just pointed the car North and didn’t stop until we were up in the White Mountains. We left the house at 5:30am and got home after 4:00pm. What a day!

Here are some sunrise at the beach pics.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54003039853/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54003127689/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54002805916/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54001900037/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54001900142/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54002806471/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54003128559/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54002806756/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54003226860/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54002807276/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54002807351/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54003042043/in/datetaken/

I should clarify, these are digital photos from the ocean. There were film shots too but you have to wait for those to get developed. I hope to ship them out to a lab tomorrow, along with the three rolls from our Florida trip back in May that have been waiting patiently.

There were also some pictures from a quick stop on Lake Winnipesaukee in Alton, NH as well. You’ll see some of those later tonight, I think,

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/09/17/sunrise-6/

#2024 #365 #365Challenge #365Project #AtlanticOcean #Beach #Massachusetts #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #photos #SalisburyBeach #Sunrise #sunriseOverTheOcean #Travel #z5

I did it again. I messed up my morning routine. Big time. I overslept, then I had a problem that came up and screwed up my morning exercise. I am just off today… again.

I did work on some music though. I put rhythm guitars onto two songs. I used my SG for both of them.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53996964295/in/datetaken/

Then I switched to my Les Paul Custom and put leads onto one song.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53996538811/in/datetaken/

Musically speaking, what’s next for today? I haven’t a clue. I’ll let you know once I straighten out my brain. Maybe in 25 years or something? Who knows.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/09/15/another-screwed-up-morning-routine/

#20245090Challenge #365 #365Challenge #365Project #5090 #5090Challenge #GibsonGuitars #GibsonLesPaul #gibsonSg #Guitar #Music #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #Recording #Songwriting

Well, I ran out of guitar tracks this morning. I put leads onto two songs (and boy, are the two songs bad. Baaaad songs, bad) and those are the only two things I had that were ready for any guitar tracks. Time to start writing and recording vocals and adding some new songs to the 50/90 challenge worklist.

I played all right today, but the songs I worked on are just bottom of the barrel crap-o-la. Oh well. That’s how it goes with these song writing challenge things. Lots of bad stuff cranked out in the hopes of accidentally coming up with one or two keepers.

https://flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53941840176/in/datetaken/

https://flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53940935797/in/datetaken/

There. One photo for each crappy song.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/08/23/caught-up-for-now-i-guess/

#365 #365Challenge #GibsonGuitars #GibsonLesPaul #Guitar #Music #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #Recording #Songwriting #z5

I fear bad news today and I am stressing out like crazy. Calm down. Focus. It’s going to be okay.

I played a little guitar this morning. It helped a little. I lost track of time though and had to rush to get myself ready for work. Oops.

I have a ton of stuff to get done today at work. I can do it. I can focus. I can handle this stuff.

And right on queue I get pulled into a potentially major issue. Oh good.

https://flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53940275420/in/datetaken/

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/08/22/do-something-2/

#365 #365Challenge #Family #GibsonGuitars #GibsonLesPaul #Guitar #health #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #z5

I played some guitar this morning. I put rhythm and lead tracks onto one 50/90 song, and leads onto two more. I played very poorly and my finger tips have been torn to shreds. Serves me right for going almost a week without playing at all.

Here is a photo to prove that I don’t always have my guitar’s volume controls maxed…

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53938191234/in/datetaken/

(I was doing the Clapton thing where you use both pickups but roll the neck pickup’s volume off a little. It’s not as famous as his “woman tone” thing [dude, come up with better names for this stuff] but it’s something he did when he was still playing Gibsons. Oh, and the woman tone thing? Play the neck pickup and just turn the tone knob all the way down. He sometimes did it with both picksups as well, turning both tone controls all the way down)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53936955727/in/datetaken/

Finally, in case you were wondering…

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53938192004/in/datetaken/

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/08/21/mangled-finger-tips/

#20245090Challenge #365 #365Challenge #5090 #5090Challenge #Gibson #GibsonGuitars #GibsonLesPaul #Guitar #Music #Nikon #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #Recording #Songwriting

I put rhythm guitars onto five more songs this morning. My schedule is all topsy turvy and I’m not sure if I will be able to do anything more today, but five songs worth of guitar tracks is a nice haul for the morning.

I am actually out of songs that need rhythm guitars now. I still have two that need leads, but we’ll be getting to those soon enough. I want to write some lyrics tonight so that I can have at least five songs ready for a car vocals in the morning.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53914313113/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53914312163/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53914513930/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53913178722/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53914416499/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53914066491/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53914415774/in/datetaken/

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/08/10/five-more/

#20245090Challenge #365 #365Challenge #5090 #5090Challenge #GibsonLesPaul #Guitar #LesPaul #Music #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #Recording #Songwriting #z5

It is Friday, at last. Every single day this week has tried to trick me into thinking it was Friday (there must be something wrong with my brain’s calendar function) but this time it’s real. This time it actually is Friday.

Insert the sound of an emphatic sigh of relief here.

The weekend is one 8.5 hour work day away. The best part? My step daughter is coming over tonight! She’s going to a work conference tomorrow and is stopping here on the way to it. We haven’t seen her in ages. I’m really looking forward to her visit.

Musically speaking? I played some guitar before work this morning. 50/90 progress. I put rhythm guitars on two songs and leads on one. I took a bunch of pictures with my Nikon. I had the 28mm lens on it for all but one. I swapped to the 40mm and took one more pic just to make sure it was working. It was. That lens is so much better than the 28mm. I’ll keep the 40 on there for a while. I really love that little sucker.

Here’s the one 40mm pic. It’s the choice for the photo a day thing for today.

https://flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53912381450/in/datetaken/

Note the guitar case in the blurry background. That’s my other Les Paul. The one Jen got me for my 50th birthday. I’ll be swapping them out the next time I record guitars. The birthday Les Paul is the only one of my electric guitars that hasn’t made it onto a 50/90 track yet. That will change, probably tomorrow morning.

Now for a bunch of faux artsy pics with the 28mm lens.

https://flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53911043922/in/datetaken/

https://flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53911043832/in/datetaken/

https://flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53912179078/in/datetaken/

https://flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53912286524/in/datetaken/

https://flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53912179148/in/datetaken/

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/08/09/musical-friday-morning/

#20245090Challenge #365 #365Challenge #5090 #5090Challenge #Family #GibsonLesPaul #Guitar #Kids #LesPaul #Music #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #primeLens #primeLenses #Recording #Songwriting #StepDaughter #StepKids #z5

I had another crummy night’s sleep last night, but today is looking okay so far.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/07/11/a-good-start-2/

#20245090Challenge #365 #365Challenge #5090 #5090Challenge #GibsonLesPaul #Guitar #iphoneography #LesPaul #Music #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #Recording #SongWriting

The title of the post says eight hours but it is really eight hours and 13 minutes, give or take a few seconds.

Long weekend approaching. Prepare for the arrival of a long weekend.

I am so tired today. I slept for six hours last night. I was hoping I would feel better than I feel right now. I’m exhausted and I haven’t done anything yet. I’m sitting at my desk in the office fantasizing about going home and taking a nap. It is going to be a long day, I can feel it.

The weather forecast says the sun might come out mid-morning tomorrow. Could that be enough to get me out of the house and into the city for a little photo-walk? Probably not, but maybe. Just maybe. I want to take some photos and I want at least some of them to be on film. We’ll see.

Apart from that, and needing to get a car inspected, I am hoping my long weekend will be a musical one. I am hoping for lots of recording and guitar playing. All I have to do is get through the work day today. Eight hours and eight minutes to go.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/07/10/eight-hours-to-go/

#365 #365Challenge #iphoneography #LongWeekend #personalTimeOff #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #planning #planningMyDayOff #planningMyLongWeekend #vacationDays #vacationTime #work

This week is going to be a tough one for me. Not because anything particularly difficult is on the horizon, but because I took vacation days on Thursday and Friday and my brain is already in long weekend mode even though it’s only 11:30am on Monday.

Yeah, it’s going to be a long three days getting to that vacation time.

The reason I took the vacation time is Friday is my 20th anniversary with my company. July 12, 2004 was my start date. I figured I’d take the day off in celebration and then just splurged and took the day before too. I don’t have any set plans for the two days yet. Just vague ideas about making music in the cellar and going outside and taking lots of pictures. The latter assumes the weather will cooperate. The five day forecasts look okay, but not great. Maybe it’s getting time where I have to stop holding out for morning sunlight and just go outside and shoot whatever regardless of the light conditions. I don’t know. Maybe some ugly clouds over the ocean would look interesting? Who the hell knows. Surely not me.

Anyway, I am sure I will write 23462346747 more posts about my upcoming four day weekend before it actually arrives. For now though, here is today’s photo a day challenge picture… because. I don’t know. What do you want from me? I’m just an old hack. Leave me alone!

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/07/08/starting-a-tough-short-week/

#20Years #365 #365Challenge #Guitar #iphoneography #LesPaul #LongWeekend #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #plans #toDoList #vacationDays #workAnniversary

This is one of those he-had-gastric-bypass-surgery posts. You’ve been warned.

I am doing a small food experiment today. I am hoping I do not get the results that I expect I will get.

I work in the office twice a week. Over the last couple of months I have noticed a trend. When I leave work I am dealing with some major gas pain. I thought it had to do with me having something to eat on the drive home and then being too stuffed for dinner, but the last couple of office days I have cut way down on the food I eat in the afternoon before dinner, and the gas pain has still been a thing.

I had a (very minor) epiphany on Monday. I think I know what’s going on. I bring the same lunch every time I go to the office. One serving of Purdue Chicken Bites (12 little mini chicken nuggets) that I heat up in the microwave, and then one serving (either 2.0 oz or 2.6 oz, depending on the brand) of peanuts. Combined it works out to 22 grams of protein, which is pretty good for that small a meal. Sometimes I’ll have some crackers or some sugar free candy with my lunch as well.

I have Purdue chicken, in various shapes and sizes, all the time. I have the sugar free candy and crackers all the time too. Peanuts though… in the early days of post-surgery solid foods I had peanuts all the time. Over the last year or so I have sort of lost interest in them and have only been eating them with lunch in the office. My question to myself then is this: Why didn’t that set off a red flag sooner?

Are the peanuts causing the afternoon/evening gas issues? It seems likely, doesn’t it? Today’s experiment then is to not have peanuts with lunch and then see what happens. I like peanuts. They are a good source of protein and they are tasty and while it’s true I have grown a little tired of eating them lately, I don’t want to have to stop. If peanuts turn out to be a problem… well that just sucks. I haven’t thought of an alternative yet. I will. Today I’ll just have a small protein bar with lunch to make up the difference, but going forward I’ll find something else.

We’ll see how today’s experiment goes, and then one day next week we’ll do it again and see if we get the same results. Then I’ll decide what to do going forward.

Until then… here’s an airplane for today’s photo a day challenge pic.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/07/03/food-experiment/

#365 #365Challenge #diet #foodPlanning #gas #gasPain #gastricBypass #gastricBypassSurgery #health #iphoneography #lunchPlanning #mealPlanning #menu #pain #Peanuts #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #weightLossSurgery

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. When I die, this sucker is going into the casket with me.

I’m probably taking most of this stuff with me too.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/05/17/taking-it-with-me/

#365 #365Challenge #Gibson #GibsonGuitar #GibsonGuitars #GibsonLesPaul #GibsonLesPaulCustom #Guitar #LesPaul #lesPaulCustom #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #z5

I promised myself I was going to do it on Thursday and then failed to do it. I did not fail on Friday though. I played guitar this morning. I put rhythm guitars onto three songs. Breath that sigh of relief!

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/02/16/friday-morning-guitars/

#365 #365Challenge #GibsonLesPaul #GibsonLesPaulCustom #Guitar #LesPaul #lesPaulCustom #Music #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2024 #SongWriting #z5

The last post talked about trusting my instincts. A big part of me is wishing I hadn’t written that because for most of this morning my instinct has been telling me that today is going to be a really shitty day.

Why?

I don’t know.

It’s the day before Thanksgiving and I am working in the office. The office alone sort of points to a bad day, but it’s more than that. In the United States, the day before Thanksgiving is traditionally the busiest travel day of the year. Everyone in the country hits the road on this day each year. I expected my morning commute to be an absolute nightmare. Add to the expected gridlock that it was pouring rain outside and it would be safe to assume that the traffic would be a gridlocked nightmare times 10. Nope. There was no traffic at all. Everyone drove a little slower than the speed limit thanks to the rain, but I never had to hit the breaks once over the entire 40-something mile drive. You would think that would ease my sense of impending doom, but nope. Somehow it made it worse.

Today should be a quiet day at work. If the office is anything to go by, it’s dead as can be here. I only see two other people and they both work for me. Weird. I should be feeling optimistic and excited about the coming holiday weekend, but instead I am just dreading everything. Once I get home tonight and see my beloved bride again, I will start feeling really good about the weekend, but until then?

It’s going to be a long, sucky, painful day.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2023/11/22/impending-doom/

#365 #365Challenge #commute #Hipstamatic #Holiday #holidayWeekend #impendingDoom #inTheOffice #instinct #iphoneography #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #Thanksgiving #thanksgivingWeekend #trustYourInstinct #work