C'est La Vie!

Finally, edited this right (at least exposure wise)- I too am now this chill!     Photo: © Stan B.

I-am-retired. Say it again- at seventy fuckin' years! It's real. It's official. And I couldn't be more... relieved! It's not like I'm walking around with a million dollar, shit eating grin on my face (like most other events of note in life, I always expected it to be anticlimactic), but yeah, things do kinda feel different: lighter, better- how could they not? I can sleep and get up any time I want, any day I want. I have no deadlines- and no superiors! Dear Lord, we're talking a near responsibility free life- is that even possible?!? Either way it's a substantial escalation of freedom so long equated with wishful thinking- one I often thought would remain just that. I had seen too many friends pass between sixty and sixty five- their own retirement dreams (so sadly) pulled from beneath them, like the proverbial rug from their feet. A five year kill zone of the best of life long dreams... But for the grace of god, I survived that and the following five for every precious penny via that most Social of Securities...

So what of this new found freedom? Yeah, I can see how some could go kinda loopy, especially without an ample social life- of which I most definitely do not have. But enough to do, there is! Arrange all photographic files and images from a semi feral existence into an actual organized state of being; edit as many damaged and undamaged B&W images as possible- that will be an all too time consuming feat in and of itself (esp. anxious to see the finished results of a small essay I did with ye ole Widelux of years past). Will also burn both B&W and color images unto 'permanent' gold discs for preservation- love to see the looks on the faces of those that discover them in 2130 under some radioactive pile of debris. And I'll even have the needed time to try and disseminate some work right now, while the heart still beats.

Of course, if money wasn't an issue, I'd be writing this all from the road right now- with no set date of return, no set destination to return to! Alas, when all the dust from the above settles, I'll have to decide exactly where I'll spend those remaining years. Will San Francisco return to some modicum of its pre-Covid years so that its ridiculously high cost of living is once again tolerable? Or what other city or town, foreign or domestic will draw me to its flame? That is the largest of questions- plans must be made!

In addition to my aforementioned list of priorities, I plan to 'retourist' the city anew camera in tow. I've made note of small bars, cafes and restaurants I've longed to visit in various neighborhoods throughout town and somehow never have. Places like Sam's Pizza and Burgers, a proud hole in the wall where one can get the Anthony Bourdain Special (double patty burger w/fries and a beer for $20) and La Taqueria in The Mission, where they serve burritos... without rice! Along with a host of other similar small joints and dives in quieter parts of town when I'll need a welcomed break from sitting mesmerized at my monitor.

Which brings me to my final goal in retirement- achieving the... "Asian Squat." Think of a catcher in baseball behind the plate, but feet flat to the ground instead of arched. The first time I attempted it, when transitioning from arched to flattened feet, I violently rolled over backward like some errant turtle crashing into the little furniture I have. Anyway, it's a goal I've set for myself, and the funny thing is, I have no idea if I'll be able to achieve it (I've never been able to touch my toes either). But I'm gonna try, it's actually supposed to be super healthy. May even take a yoga class eventually; even though I still walk a lot, that has a limited range of motion, and I really don't want to slowly calcify in front of my monitor- so I really need to organize some kinda exercise/stretching routine... or gain 200lbs, don some spandex, and turn into a real Amerikan!!!

I Am Them

Make of it what you will, but there are many similar reports, throughout the world...

Why Was Jamal Khashoggi Murdered?

Because he was about to expose how Jared Kushner was feeding classified info to MBS for his $2B-B-BILLION!!!!

Ever Wonder...

 Why Trump's first wife is buried in- one of his golf courses? Yeah, me too! Till now...

Enjoy!!

Can't Believe The Wind...

Sorry to go all Dylanesque on everyone, but one of my most recent posts entitled It's Not Polite To Gloat turned out to be... dare I say it- Fake News! Yup- all out, full frontal AI!!!

Now, it wasn't exactly a breaking news story- shit, I thought it fairly innocuous. But it is, what it is- Fake as Hell AI Bullshit. Why fake such trivial BS- I don't get it!?!? I want to blame my insipid Millennial interns who take no interest or responsibility whatsoever in their alleged research and writing- if only they existed. But lesson learned, and I'd like to say it'll never happen again- but hey, Caveat Emptor, myself (very much) included! 

Perhaps, it has something to do with my not having Tik-Tok, or Substack, or FB, IG, X, or much of any other goddamn app (esp- SORA the supposed AI app used here)- and yes, I leave my freaking phone at home most days, where they've lived for most of their history while I walked this planet! Or should I just chalk it up to karma for... gloating!?!  

Anyway, mucho thanks to the anonymous tipster who alerted me... 

Truth To Power

I wrote on the failure of the American press, the failure to make Trump's wide assortment of illegalities and criminal enterprises known far and wide throughout the land- even before he first ran. That's not to say that some did not try, and even succeed... if only in vain. There were those, such as Prof. David Cay Johnston, as well as Sarah Kendzior, who both performed magnificently (even if few took heed)...

It's Not Polite To Gloat

But sometimes... 

Ya really have to spell it out for people before it even starts to sink in!

ADDENDUM: Turns out the video at the above link is AI Bullshit! See comment below, and further bloviation on 11/20 posting...

Nuremberg

Nuremberg is the well crafted and riveting recounting of the initial Nuremberg trials, particularly the one dealing with Hermann Goring. Unfortunately, as is the case with many a based on a true story retelling, essential characters, incidents and portrayals are altered... significantly- not by changing actual historical results, but by the misrepresentation of the details, players and actual events that led to those results! And yeah, those (anything but) minor alterations made specifically for a film adaptation can have a significant impact in the motivation, accuracy and understanding of those consequences as they played out in real life... Crowe is a convincing Goring and Rami Malek, an equally convincing, but significantly fictionalized, version of the real Dr. Douglas Kelly. I can understand why multiple characters are fused into one, or actual historical occurrences edited or omitted for the sake of a film's brevity, but when you alter the very nature and actions of the facts as they occurred, one does tend to significantly distort reality- even as revealing it... 

That said, perhaps the most redeeming part of the movie is how it noticeably foreshadows future histories... much closer to home.

Bogonia

I suppose one could describe it as a black comedy. And it certainly reverberated from challenging (to watch), to bizarrely amusing. But I found the ending (which I was fully expecting to be predictably disappointing) both original, and poignant- an ingenious touch that made the whole endeavor curiously worthwhile...

2025 X 70 X 20

  Photos: © Stan B.

What's with the cryptic numerology? Well, 2025 marks a coupla personal milestones, if ya will (and hopefully- the beginning of the end for the felonious/pedophile/fascist named Donald J. Trump). 

Hard to believe I've done seven decades this lifetime, and looking back, there are things: I'm relatively pleased about, things I look upon with shame and regret, and most of all- a whole lotta time letting life play itself out, most of it just day to day existence, interspersed with those fleeting moments that: teach, resound, challenge or reinforce. It's almost as if we're different people at different times, in different situations with the various people we encounter along the way. Each person gets a different peek, depending on age, mood, amount of sleep, on that particular day of that particular year.

In two weeks, I retire; been running on fumes of late, and am literally counting the days- all the while knowing full well, it will be anticlimactic at best, as are most things in life. I will live frugally, as I always have, and hopefully manage to stretch my modest savings for my remaining years without necessitating a return to the work force. But as we all know, life can be cruel. In the next year and a half, I will rest, regroup, reorganize and plan what and where to do my remaining years- here in San Francisco, the Southwest, East Coast... abroad?

Been blogging a good twenty years now on various platforms, plan to continue and continue photographing- the latter of which I've been doing since a teen. Unfortunately, most of my previous B&W work was destroyed to one extent or the other, and I will be restoring, filing and organizing what I can. But as I've mentioned before, it wasn't until I was sixty and abandoned my beloved analog B&W and picked up digital color that I (quite ironically) began to feel as if starting to actually know what I was doing. At least that's what I tell myself- and also have the results to prove. Hopefully, I can muster some small amount of exposure for it. 

I'm betting on a productive dozen years ahead as my (dare I say it) journey continues... Looking forward to some travel, photos, time with friends, some volunteer work and whatever good times remain- the rest will unfold and be revealed as destined... Thanks for tuning in.

Mermaid Parade- NYC, 6/25

Man's Got Your Back, America!

    Andrew Harnik © Getty Images

He may not have won a Nobel Peace Prize- but this photo should definitely win a Pulitzer!

“An example of the Deep State we have been up against.”

 Photo: © Franziska Wild

Exactly!!! Bondi absolutely nailed it! The agent testified that the sandwich "kind of exploded" upon impact, and that he felt it through his ballistic vest!

Prof. David Cay Johnston- National Treasure

In addition to being a wealth of detailed and insightful political, historical and legal information, this Pulitzer Prize winning author has also written several books on the rise and current reign of Donnie J...

CONGRATS!!!

After all the: LIES, INSULTS and THREATS... from all manner of enemies, local and federal alike. The tepid or complete lack of support from Democrats; NO, he's Not: a Billionaire, Corporate Financier or Tech Tycoon (deal with it)- Zohran Mamdani's Mayor Fuckin' (Elect) of New York Fuckin' City!!!

"PR Failure"

Really, seriously!?! We in this country desperately need someone as brave and responsible as a Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalm- right here, in the US of A! Someone with a conscience willing to make the sacrifice to do the right thing and expose the blatant disregard of law, especially those leaders (convicted and or indicted) who purport to stand for it, while casually and purposely perverting it to their own end.

During WW2, individuals at risk to their own lives, often without special standing or power, stood up to Nazis to protect Jews from certain death or needless persecution- today, we need like individuals to stand up to a lawless Israeli regime brutally persecuting Palestinians- god bless and protect her...

What EVERY American Needs To See...

American Entrepreneurship!

 

Landscape 101                                          Photo: © Stan B.