Monthly Archives: August 2020

2:46 a.m. in the nature preserve

2:46 a.m. in the Nature Preserve with thunderstorm on the way. ⛈️

on the malecón, havana, cuba, 2005

Going through the drawer of old photo prints today.

This is 2005, so a mere 15 years ago. I regret that I took a disposable film camera out there that night when we already had a digital one. At least I have these prints.

Hanging out on the expansive Malecón. (Wikipedia definition of the Malecón: a broad esplanade, roadway, and seawall that stretches for 8 km (5 miles) along the coast in Havana, Cuba.)

There are hundreds of people, maybe thousands socializing out there all the time. At night, it’s especially good, just packed with people.

The photos below: many stories were traded that night, music was made, rum was consumed.

I’m still in touch with some in the picture: Delvis, Reinier, and Alex. Brian and I are in the pics. You can guess.

I didn’t know it while we were there, but my cousin and her husband were in the fancy hotel district of Havana celebrating their honeymoon at the same time. They snuk (sneaked) over like us.

That was the summer Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” song was popular. It was blasting out of many a car passing by.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malec%C3%B3n%2C_Havana

it’s practically meddling in the election

I was suspicious when the return address on the envelope was not the Board of Elections. Instead it was The Center for Voter Information. I set the envelope aside until I could evaluate. My initial reaction upon seeing the envelope was feeling increased mistrust of anything about voting coming in the mail.

Regardless, the form I received appears to be the correct one per the linked article, i.e not pre-filled. Some people received pre-filled forms which are invalid.

Even if everything appears to be correct, I’m going to print my own form, if I decide to vote by mail, and check the recipient address carefully.

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article243431061.html

that threat of shashlik and vodka for breakfast

Foreign threats have undermined my faith in the democratic process.

LOL. No no no no no. 🤣

orange iced tea

I bought this today thinking it would make some hellaciously good iced tea. It’s decent as iced tea, but not as good as I was hoping. It’s probably better hot.

I think I was hoping for a Fanta Orange. 🍊

moe monday

Burrito bowl hope and change

[ ] Tofu
[ ] black beans
[ ] lime rice
[ ] Lettuce
[ ] Cheese
[ ] Tomatoes
[ ] Pico de gallo
[ ] Sour cream
[ ] Cilantro
[ ] Unsweet tea splash of sweet or Dr pepper

free-market miracle

The most important election of our lifetime.

proton e-mail and vpn hong kong

This situation is murky with a lot of actors. I’m not sure how Proton can be sure of the right thing. I’ll keep using the ones I already have that are not flirting with empire.

https://protonvpn.com/blog/hongkong/

drink it up

Just a little left in the bottle for breakfast.

richardson-taylor nature preserve

Brian and I took a long walk today at the Richardson-Taylor Preserve north east of Greensboro near Lake Townsend.

I didn’t know about this one until I read about it in the local Pearson Audubon Nature Notes, which is an e-mail that I love to get.

From Audubon: “This 440-acre preserve is composed primarily of mature forest and beaver marshes. Designated as a “passive use park,” the preserve is mostly undeveloped and has no facilities such as restrooms or water fountains. However, it offers about four miles of marked trails beginning at the parking lot on Plainfield Road that has an information kiosk with a trail map.”

It’s nice because there are few people there. You can have it to yourself, just you and the nature. The trails are lengthy and numerous. One eventually interfaces with the Greenway near Strawberry Road. That one would take some planning. We’re going to look into it.

https://www.guilfordcountync.gov/our-county/county-parks/passive-parks/richardson-taylor-preserve

https://goo.gl/maps/SG2w6M3v8ZX32Kb3A