San Diego Reflections

Bluetooth speakers are easily paired with a phone. They allow you to listen to music or podcasts without having to be wired and tethered. My first experience with Bluetooth speakers was the  Oontz Angle 3 . A weather proof, portable speaker about the size of a hot dog. This works fine when working out in the backyard or listening when I shower (I have a little shelf that sits above my shower area). I've also taken it on photoshoots (clients are put in a relaxed, comfortable mood and I get better expressions when I play some upbeat pop music). I've also taken it along on picnics, disc golfing (in a side pocket of my backpack), etc. so ya, I like this speaker a lot. BUT ... It's a little too big to carry around while: hiking, running, biking, skateboarding, scootering. Those are some situations where a speaker is better than headphones or earbuds. You lose situational awareness when you bike or scooter with earbuds in. Cars or other bikes could sneak up behind you and be a re...

I've posted about my scooter rides. I got my Xootr kick-scooter for Christmas and have been riding it as often as I can. It provides a legit workout and gives me a chance to experience the joy of outdoor motion and exploration that I so often crave. I wanted something that I could put in the trunk of my Miata, drive places and go! Generally, there are 4 choices of common “locomotion” that I could transport via my car: bikes, skates, skateboards and scooters. These allow you to cover the “last mile”. Drive your car to a location, park, explore an area, get back to where you parked. I’ll go over what I think the benefits and drawbacks are of each of these alternatives. Bikes : Although I LOVE riding bikes, a bike takes too much time to load and prep and I can’t carry one on my Miata. On our other car, I’d need to install a bike rack each time. Tires can go flat. Brakes and gear shifters need maintenance, lots of moving parts. I love to ride bikes and they certainly deserve considerat...

Things that I missed in 2020. As I look back at 2020, I can't help but muse (I strive not to dwell) on those things that I have done in the past that, because of COVID, we were not able to do. One of the disappointments of 2020 was not being able to attend "Outside Comic Con". Each year San Diego is the host to maybe THE largest convention for comic books, movies, video games, science fiction, fantasy and more called Comic Con . Attending Comic Con can be time consuming, VERY crowded and expensive. Instead our family chooses to visit "Outside Comic Con". This free event is what it sounds like: a mostly outdoor event that allows you to experience some of the unique sights and sounds of Comic Con on a smaller, budget scale. Below are a few photos from our Outside Comic Con experience from a few years ago. I look at the photos of the maskless crowds (well except the superhero masks of course) of strangers and miss it. How long before we are back to "normal...