Friday. I did check Twitter on the tablet before turning out the lights last night, seeing some of the videos of the Dallas shooting. Read an article in the Times over breakfast this morning discussing the change that access to smart phone video and the ability to post them to the web have made in reporting news and its effects on society. I may actually have to sit down and learn how to use the video these cameras of mine are capable of shooting.

Anyway, lights out early to awaken just before six and listen to the KPFA news report on last night's Oakland demonstration and then the first half of Democracy Now getting ready to walk to breakfast. The Dallas shootings dominated both broadcasts.

Overcast walking to breakfast. Warm enough wearing a winter rather than a light summer jacket, back home feeling equally fine. I was toying with an idea of doing something different with the web, if only to update my now ancient knowledge of HTML. There have been changes and additions made to the code to accomodate the new mobil devices. Maybe try something more than my musings here. Adding actual thought and editing, for example. But these thoughts were undoubtedly just thoughts and they will pass. They usually do, as they have in the past.

Who knows? This downward slide, blaming it on aging, could turn itself around and allow you to actually follow through on one or two of these ideas you've been entertaining.

We live in a strange world. I guess that wouldn't make it any stranger.

Later. Thought about going downtown, but there wasn't a bus due at that time and so over to the lake and then on to the bird sanctuary area to take pictures. Lots of Canada geese, a small group of pelicans and one lone Black-crowned Night Heron. And pigeons. Lots of pigeons. The cormorants were all up nesting in their island tree.

Walking back along Grand a bus happened to stop just as I was passing and so downtown to have lunch at a table in front of the City Center bagel shop, taking but one picture as I walked there through Latham Square. A good lunch on what was by now a sunny day, but at a temperature that allowed the light jacket I was wearing to remain comfortable in direct sunlight. Another bus home. It too came just as I reached the stop. Some days, with luck, the bus just shows up.

Later still. Futzed with today's pictures and shot a short video with one of the cameras. Seemed to work, although now I have to think in terms of editing software and the like, the like including going back to the camera manual to check one or two things about focusing in what Nikon calls “live view mode”. I am no longer a video virgin.

Processing pictures, taking a video and watching an episode of one of the Netflix series on the tablet completed the afternoon. Feel pretty good, the head clear, the sinuses not quite misbehaving. Might have been that second dose of the pain meds. Still not sure the stuff works, but now and again we keep testing.

Evening. Watched Democracy Now followed by a New Tricks later at seven because (I guess) I always watch New Tricks later at seven, albeit this one another one I've seen before. Remembered more of it this time than I have with others. Skipped Midsomer Murders, no hassling over that decision whatsoever.

Learned earlier through Twitter there was another demonstration forming up again in downtown Oakland that looked to be as large as last night's demonstration of two thousand people. No thought to photograph this one either, although I suspect I would have seriously considered going if I'd learned about it sooner. Figured it best to just turn out the lights and stop this nonsensical thinking.