May 5, 2026 · 23:44

Proof Of Life – May 05th

I truly hate that we can no longer get accurate, timely news or information. I don’t trust any of the mainstream media to be honest or unbiased, and while social media is more timely and instantaneous, it’s also got an extremely high bullshit level.

The worst part is hos you used to be able to say, “Well, THAT has to be bogus, nothing that insane could really be happening!” These days? Assassination attempt? Yeah, right. Show me a body. We’re bombing an ally or killing hundreds of innocent civilians? I’m not surprised. Trump said WHAT? It won’t make any difference.

So tonight I’m seeing multiple posts on social media from normally reputable sources that are extremely worrisome. If they’re all true, it might be about to get even worse than I thought that it might. But I’m not seeing a lot of cross confirmations from multiple sources. So maybe it’s just the internet. Clickbait. Bullshit.

None of this is helping me get restful sleep in my old age.

Here, have a cat picture. That seems to help for a lot of folks…

This was a really old cat from long, long ago, Joey Chan. We really don’t want a cat now, even though we have the Forever Home. We’re not really cat people, as cute and soft as they might be.

But a dog? It could happen. The Long-Suffereng Wife has her dream breed in mind and we’ve discussed it. It could happen. I’ve been trying to be level-headed and considering in advance some of the down sides and issues we’ll have to deal with, but maybe that’s wrong. Maybe in these times of grief, stress, and bullshit, having a dog to snore on your lap and make your legs go to sleep and get all tingly might be worth it all.

Maybe.

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Filed under Cats, Forever Home, Photography, Politics

May 4, 2026 · 23:44

Fine Feathered Friends – May 04th

We knew there were pigeons soon after we moved in, but we didn’t see them in our yard until just a month or two ago. Now we’ll see them eight or ten at a time, every day, all day.

I don’t know about pigeons aor sub-breeds, but I consider these to be “common” or “normal” pigeons as far as their coloration goes. Grey, some darker streaks, with some green or purple iridescence around their necks when they’re in the sunlight.

The lighter grey ones seem to have green iridescence, the darker grey ones have more purple.

There are also one or two that are white and black, striking patterns that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before on pigeons.

They can’t get to the seed feeders up above, so they pick at all of the leftovers on the ground.

And they leave a mess. The pergola floor is starting to look like the top of a statue in Central Park. It sounds like time to put that pressure washer to good use.

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Filed under Birds, Forever Home, Photography

May 3, 2026 · 23:11

No Context For You – May 03rd

I don’t believe in magic, way, way too stuck in the real world with facts and math and science and so on. But I really WANT to believe in magic – who doesn’t? “Wouldn’t it be cool if I could simply…” is a fun game to play.

But that’s lousy storytelling. There has to be a weakness, there has to be a price, there has to be conflict. Superman isn’t omnipotent. A wizard’s power drains them or depletes them. Anything that can be used for good can be corrupted for evil.

What we want isn’t to have magic, it’s to be GODS. And even then…

Being a God in your own universe, everything perfectly balanced and running like clockwork, no suffering, no pain, no conflict. And you would be bored to tears in days or weeks.

Okay, let’s get real. Years or decades, not days or weeks. It actually sounds pretty freaking cool for a while. I would really like to try it!

Where’s Rod Serling when you need him? I need to be taught a lesson!

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Filed under Paul, Photography

May 2, 2026 · 23:40

Peaceful Coexistence

For the most part, the back yard at the Willett Family Zoo is a peaceful place of calm coexistence. The only exception that we see regularly comes from the hawks – one of them overhead will set off all of the squirrel “guards” with that really high-pitched “alarm!” call they have. It works – the last couple of days they’ve woken me up before 07:00 with that racket.

But the baby squirrels seem oblivious to the pigeons, which still outweight them by a factor of at least two or three.

Of course, the other monster that’s constantly causing all of the feathered creatures to fly and the furry ones to flee to their hidey holes under the pergola, is ME. Imagine the audacity that I must have to think that I can just go strolling out into my own yard any time I feel like it. Even when I’m going out to re-fill the bird seed feeders (pretty much daily now) I get attitude, not gratitude. The finches, wrens, and scrub jays now will line up on the back cinder block wall and bitch at me to hurry up, while the pigeons will sit on the roof of the house and do that whole purring pigeon sound, but in unison and an octave down, so it sounds like the soundtrack from “The Birds.”

I’m hurrying, I’m hurrying! I’m not asking for the birds to flock around and worship me like I’m some animated Disney princess (although I do have the pretty pretty princess hair!), but would it kill them to simply relax and not freak out when I’m simply coming out to feed them and help out? The hummingbirds are proving that it can be done – I’ve had hummers come up to two separate feeders that were inside of arm’s length from where I was standing and they minded their own business and fed while I minded my own business and watched them. (A little bit of awe was involved.)

Peaceful coexistence! If everyone can get along with the baby squirrels and pigeons, why can’t they simply ignore me?

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Filed under Birds, Critters, Photography

May 1, 2026 · 23:06

Anything Worth Doing…

…is worth repeating and over doing.

The world says, “Fine, fine, you’ve had your mid-life crisis crazy hair episode. I hope it was fun. You look stupid. Now, clean it up and act your age…”

I said, “NO! (Please be so kind as to fuck off.)” See, I said “please.” I’m not some kind of animal…

I also made silly faces while being gooped up. Because I can.

I have pretty pretty princess hair. I don’t have to play by everyone else’s rules.

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Filed under Paul, Photography

April 30, 2026 · 23:46

Fine Feathered Friends – April 30th

About four years ago, we were down in Marina del Rey meeting friends for brunch. We got there early, so of course I wandered around with a camera.

The boats in the marina are colorful and photogenic, with lots of sea birds around, but nothing too fancy, mainly just seagulls. Then this large dude landed near by.

A quick search shows this to be an American Bittern, a breed of stork. I think. I am wondering about all of those white feathers underneath its butt, which I don’t see in the internet pictures.

I do love that glare. And the orange eyeball of Death thing. If I were a fish or small rodent or frog, it might be less interesting and more terrifying.

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Filed under Birds, Photography

April 29, 2026 · 23:16

Happy 13th Birthday, WLTSTF!!!

Yeah, in previous years (for example, here, here, and here) I’ve done these big, long summaries of stats and numerical accomplishments – how many posts, how many likes, how many subscribers, and so on.

Not this year. It takes HOURS to dig through all of these posts and settings and media to get those figures. I’m too busy. And tired. If you really care (and none of you do, I’m sure!) just take last year’s post and add about 8%.

The tl;dr version:

My thanks to all of you for being here and reading this drivel!

I’m still posting almost every day, for whatever reason – I think I only missed three days this last year (01/24/2026, 11/07/2025, and 07/28/2025).

I seem to be posting more pictures and photography than writing – I would like to re-balance that mix. Again, really freakin’ busy… And we moved, and I’m STILL trying to unpack low priority things like the library.

Subscriber numbers continue to grow, but more slowly than in previous years. On the other hand, I seem to be getting more exposure, likes, and comments on social media.

On to year fourteen!

Let’s see what kind of stupid, whimsical, and bizarre shennigans I can get into! (He says, knowing what’s on tomorrow’s calendar…)

 

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Filed under Paul, Writing

April 28, 2026 · 23:24

Proof Of Life – April 28th

There’s one good thing about my beloved Kings getting swept in the first round of the NHL playoffs. My annual playoff beard is no more. I waited almost an hour after the game was over to shave it off.

The color has faded considerably to pleasant pastel shades. Plus, after almost six weeks, there’s a layer of grey underneath that is bothersome, at best.

As usual, with the beard, I look like a homeless guy. In this case, a homeless guy with $100+ to blow on getting pretty, pretty princess hair.

The question now is whether or not I will just buzz off the color and keep it short, or go back to Alonzo and have it re-colored. It could go either way.

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Filed under LA Kings, Paul, Photography

April 27, 2026 · 23:42

Random Old Photos – April 27th

I haven’t seen one of these at the Forever Home – but I would bet good money that they’re around.

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Filed under Critters, Photography

April 26, 2026 · 23:55

Suddenly It’s Really Late

The day got away from my quickly. Monday’s already showing signs of being “interesting.”

Have an adult squirrel.

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Filed under Critters, Forever Home, Photography