Saturday. Got some sleep last night: to bed at ten, up at eight. Took some time to doze off, but still, not bad. A bit shell-shocked this morning, a lighter weight, lesser intensity “shell-shocked” of course, so I'm still up for the day after having had breakfast and read the papers at the usual place. There's a support rally for the Wisconsin public unions in front of the San Francisco City Hall this noon hour, which I plan to attend. Then another photographer friend has a show opening at the Berkeley Public Library in the early afternoon near the BART entrance. I think I'll take that one in too, if I'm not too pooped, the BART entrance being right there and all.

Later. I start these with “the muscles ache”, and they do, but in a good way I'm learning. No big deal, a little tired, but a good day over in San Francisco shooting the Wisconsin union support rally in front of City Hall and then a trip up to Berkeley on BART to stick my head in at Mr. K's gallery opening where he's displaying twenty one prints he's taken at local jazz performances over these last few years. A jazz buff that's been able to combine two of his passions. I'm jealous of course, but it's very good to see.

Looking back at the first paragraph (it's been a while now since I wrote it, remembered it only after reading it just now) I realize maybe the best antidote for feeling a bit “shell-shocked” is to get my ass out the door and walk around, do something up, down or around, and not fret. I thought of skipping out on going to San Francisco right up to the point the bus arrived. Once I was onboard there were no thoughts of turning back.

Similarly, when I'd finished shooting, I got off at the Montgomery Street station and walked over to Adolph Gasser's to pick up some now much needed lens paper and a cleaner (it's been raining lately and I've started seeing very small spots in the same positions on my images that change when you change the lens), spent more money on pieces of paper and a small spray bottle than I was expecting, walked back, got on BART and stayed on until the Berkeley stop to catch Mr. K's opening at two. I was tired, but so what? I was out and about and enjoying myself.

Leaving I thought “why the hurry” and stopped to have a chicken Caesar and a glass of lemonade out on the patio at the Jupiter Café before hopping a bus to Broadway and walking back to the apartment along Grand. A good outing. I just wish more of the pictures had been better, but that's something else. No complaints.

So it's early evening, a bit hungry, a chicken Caesar turns out to be not all that filling after a few hours. Guitar practice, I think. I ran through scales and chords this morning before setting out, but didn't spend nearly enough time getting those chord rhythms down. We need to get our chord rhythms down. Here in Oakland.