The Carnaval parade is tomorrow morning, need to keep it simple today, don't want to tucker myself out. You say there's little danger I might do something to tucker myself out? Well, you're probably right. I'm getting to be a well recognized caricature in the mirror anymore, a craggy old guy not quite hobbling behind a walker yet, but closer. Closer.

Are we feeling sorry for our little self?

No. It's just, well, interesting to observe. There's a big mirror down in our lobby, much larger than anything I have up here, and it's edifying to see what I look like as I'm heading out the door. I'm not sure this still unkept longer hair does me any good and the thin wrinkled features, common to old guys, seem to be making themselves at home. How did that happen? When did that happen? How come I didn't notice? Best to think about that later this evening, maybe, while finishing the bottle of sake I started last night. No need to moan.

So we shall see. With a bright sun comes a wide latitude of darks to brights. The eye can handle the range, but the camera can't, not even these newest bozos on the block. Makes the photography a little harder, gives the final print either a harsh or an uninspiring washed out look. At least in my hands it does. But we'll see, we'll head out, we'll take pictures, no doubt.

Later. Alright, the same old head aching a bit in a bubble, but a nice enough walk down through the farmer's market, stopping for a while to sit by the lake. I took some photographs, some of which I like. The local business bureau emailed me not long ago asking me to enter their “photographs promoting Oakland” contest, specifically picking out two I'd posted some time ago on Flickr. I really haven't posted anything on Flickr in years.

I understand what they want, postcard sorts of things that fall within a very particular range or category, but decided to not go through the effort, mostly because their needs don't fall within my particular photographic bent. Still, one or two of the photographs I took this morning would probably work within the parameters they want. So I'll have to think more about it.

You won't do a damned thing.

Probably not. The photograph they picked that won last year's contest was, well, nice enough, but one that's been shot a million times in the past. Not a flicker of interest for me had I shot it. Less than a flicker of interest had I entered the contest with something I liked and that one had been the pick.

There are many ways to interpret what you've just said as sour grapes: Fear of failure, fear of something or other rather childish.

I know. I think about that too. Sometimes you just have to do something to prove that's not true (or maybe just a little true) and this contest may be one I shouldn't skip. Particularly when they search you out and ask. Why would I otherwise be writing about it. (hup! hup!)

Later still. Maybe I'd just better factor in a short nap or a period where I lie down and listen to the radio for a while in the early afternoons. That seems to recharge the batteries just fine, as its done just now. Another local little walk down by the lake, not as far as the farmer's market just a hundred or so yards beyond, but a picture or two with another camera and lens.

I sat on the same bench beside the lake, sat on the same bench by the white columns (they undoubtedly have a name and I'll figure out what it is one of these days) and took one or two pictures wondering if the particular combination of camera and lens filter I'd chosen might make a difference in the color. I really haven't been willing to experiment properly with these new filters, it's built into the genes somehow, this failure to compare, but you never know and I've descended again into blather..

So, we're into the afternoon. A good time to take another nap, listen to the radio if anything's on the radio that's worth listening to - and that has been becoming a problem lately, let me tell you - or continue with the book; the sun still spectacular, the day (for my tender nerve endings) quite warm. Which is good. Think of packing for Carnaval tomorrow morning, leaving on the first BART train of the day, keep it light, keep it cool, keep my eyes open today, at least, until it's dark. These big holiday weekends, they can wear you out.