Checked the blood pressure an hour after returning, I'd skipped taking the normal prescribed amount before heading out to breakfast, and the reading was high: 138/79. So I took the prescribed dose and I'll read it again (undoubtedly) more than once later to see how it goes. Up, down. The day, the life.

I have been having trouble keeping this reasonably coherent. That may be the future for the journal, a step ladder down into a fragmented existence as the years (please not the months!) pass along. What the hell, we'll take pictures and bitch. No use fighting it, no use giving in. Go with the flow and all the rest of the trite little sayings that apply. If we're going to be fragmented we're not going to worry about it. (Now pass the sake, please, and no crappy remarks.)

Later. A bus to the ATM on Broadway and then a walk the rest of the way downtown to have a cup of coffee (a caramel latte) at the Rotunda building before walking on to the City Center to sit at a table and watch the people pass by. Pretty exciting stuff for a morning, although it really does do good for the head and gets a little exercise in under the belt. A walk and then a bus back to the apartment to arrive by noon. A UPS delivery, a how to manual on Nikon speedlights. Be curious to see if I actually read it or not.

Otherwise what? A UPS truck this morning delivered a CF card and something called an XQD card before I set out for the downtown, both to be used with a camera I've had now on order for over two months. The camera itself, given the arrival of the two image storage cards, will now probably not come for another month. Or two. Who knows? Those who know what an XQD card is will also know what camera I'm talking about, but I'll leave it at that. I've not at all been sure buying the thing makes any sense. Not the first time in this life I've said such but but gone on to do just that.

And your rationale?

Best to get the toys now while we're still able to use them.

Later still. A walk down to the morning restaurant to have coffee and a house salad feeling hungry but not quite willing to eat. I figured the greens bound together by a blue cheese dressing were a good idea and so they turned out. My waitress brought me a small paper bag containing three pieces of cake to take with me, a gooey chocolate with a cream cheese center kind, so I guess I'll have something I can look at later for dinner. Not sure they're the best idea one might have for dinner, but what the hell, such is life.

I took along one of the smaller sensor sized cameras with a 270mm equivalent f 2.8 lens, good should I run across an interesting bird or two on the lake. Nothing came by the lens. Well, nothing came by the eyes. Or the mind. Anyway, not a picture in the pocket. Do I really need that new camera?

Of course.

Of course.

Evening. A little dingy, but no more so than on any other evening I'd say. This evening's six o'clock mystery was another Maigret. It keeps my attention, so I guess I give it a plus. Interesting box of rocks, set in France in the fifties, the relationships and attitudes just different enough and recognizable enough to tweak your interest. My interest.

Some time on the guitar until the D string broke and I restrung the guitar. It does sound better after restringing. How much of that is a difference in sound and how much of that is some kind of placebo effect? I don't know, but I've not met another guitar player yet who doesn't agree, yes, there's a difference for the better. That's what my ear says, but we beginners need to ask.

Watching another Deadwood chapter from the disk that arrived this afternoon, the last and final disk in the third season due to arrive tomorrow, so we'll have to find something else to fritter away our time. I started the first Mad Men some time ago, but it reminded me too much of aspects I didn't like in the fifties and I found it hard to watch. Which means it's good, no doubt about it, but good enough to get under my skin. I wonder if your skin gets thinner as you age? Probably does. Mine does.

It certainly seems to make you go on and on.

Strange, isn't it? Not unlike some silly hobby playing at soldiers and horses in a sandbox. Keeps me occupied. Not sure what else it does.