Kraken Joke

I'm trying to practice me sense of humor in the strange and serious time. Now that Seattle's hockey team picked a name, I came up with:

"Kraken"

is an o.k. name for Seattle's new hockey team,

but it would've been scarier if they'd just named it

"2020"

I drove once today, to pick up a box from the Delridge Co-op. I'm sure it is all of great quality but I don't really like having someone else pick my selection of veggies. For example, I already have all of the green apples I need. It was a good experiment, and would probably work for a lot of people. I'm please to have given it a try and contributed to my community.
The Mask Brigade had nothing to pick up in my area (Magenta).
DND still had audio problems. I could NOT find my notes on how to configure both my computer and the browser and Roll20 to get input and output both working either with my earbuds or with the computer's mike and speakers. On the one hand, this is especially problematic because I never have this problem with Zoom or youtube; on the other hand it's still a problem. Others were having some problems, maybe bandwidth, so we decide to go with zoom for audio, which worked fine.
The game itself was fine. The VTT works well, the party is cooperative and smart, and the DM has a gift for portraying NPCs. It all adds to both challenge and fun.

Friday

The morning walk went down to Alki, which is surprisingly empty.

Alki view of Space Needle

West Seattle Alki Art Fair perspective art

In perspective

Where are the people on that ferry going?

For the evening, I met Hannah and Julie at the Beveridge Place for some adult beveridges and board gaming. The first was a word game; I unsuccessfully argued that if "warmth" is the quality of being "warm" then "thinth" is the quality of being "thin". Otherwise I would have won for sure haha!
We took another try at the Harbormaster game. Perhaps the chaotic pricing makes it hard to develop real strategies, but I squeezed by with a resource generation plan that I'm surprised was not copied, because it let me acquire the high-value properties. We discovered the "Harbormaster Selfie" card so I took the shot.
---

I Am 65

I avoid disclosing my birthday on the internet, because it's one of the datapoints that protects my identity. Facebook thinks I'm born New Year's Day, which is as close as they need to be right.
However, today I am not officially an old guy. It feels much like yesterday, except I have a bit more feeling that I need to get about my business. No more lollygagging - unless my business is lollygagging.
First thing is the long walk for health and friendship and taking photos to remind me - years from now - what they heck I am doing.
We stopped by the ballot drop box at Highpoint so I could cast mine.

I got several happy birthday emails from businesses, chiefly associated with my various mortgages or refinances. I guess they got the precise date from their intake documents. Thanks y'all, and everyone else, see you at New Year's!
--

I had dithered over responding to WSBA's request for comments on a proposal to change the WSBA's Mission Statement. I've always felt that the current formulation was a terrible Mission Statement because it didn't really say anything, but it was not worth arguing about. However WSBA's current president asked for comment on a proposal as part of a response to current issues. I talked it over with Jeff during a recent Lo Bono meeting, and then responded briefly on the bar leaders listserve, then decided what the heck, I'm enough to voice my opinion even if I'm not a hotshot important person. So what I sent:

"Dear WSBA:

Speaking as an individual member of the WSBA with no special expertise in the subjects of racism or unlawful use of force that motivate our most recent look at the WSBA Mission Statement, I offer these general comments.

The proposal's big change is using "promote[] an effective legal system, accessible to all" in place of "champion justice".   This states the mission more clearly. It defines WHO is being acted on ("legal system") and WHAT should be done (make "effective" and "accessible to all").

Can we agree that members of the public who don't have fair access to the justice system, or whose disputes are not resolved effectively (where "effectively" means "on the merits and without waste"), would have reason not to care whether WSBA exists? This is our keystone mission and therefore should be stated most explicitly in our Mission Statement.

In contrast, "champion justice" may have been intended to mean the same thing, but is a problem because neither "champion" nor "justice" have agreed-on meanings.  "Justice" means different things to different people; were it otherwise, there would be fewer legal disputes. "Champion" can have at least two meanings: eliminating unjust laws (...a worthy endeavor, but often outside WSBA's scope...) and promoting equal access to the justice system (arguably WSBA's keystone).

The other changes seem clerical. Repeating the language of the current version, "ensure the integrity of the legal profession" is a clear and necessary mission, encompassing our licensing board function, e.g. exam, discipline, education. The anodyne "to serve the public and the members of the Bar" could be said by any professional organization. To the extent that it reminds us that we are not operating only to our own benefit but also the public's, and vice versa, it may be worth keeping in a subordinate clause.

I appreciate the seriousness and good faith of this discussion and look forward to learning more.

Sincerely

Randall Winn, WSBA 25833

http://4freecle.blogspot.com/"

Visiting Diverse Downtowners

I feel that I slept better with the air conditioning; I woke only when Arthur kept poking me with his paw. I went to the front door and, sure enough, Ginny was ready to come in (I have given up chasing her around in the evening; she is too fast over short distances and knows all the hiding spots).

Around noon I visited the Diverse Downtowners Toastmasters club, which was fun as usual. I had a better explanation of my role which I hope will be less intimidating; however actually doing my job for them remains to be seen.

Such a cool shed we saw on our walk.
We have watched the dahlias grow over time

Back at Julie and Hannah's two bug on a leaf
The spider must have caught the earwig

Curbside give a way: several of these

I dug some black irisses (not my favorite) to give to a Buy Nothing person, and replaced them with these from William Nute. I called them "Tequila Sunrise Lilies"

Do I like this better without the glasses?

Air Conditioned Tuesday

I slept more soundly last night than the night before, perhaps because I gave up my stubborness and turned on the air conditioner. By some standards, it's only a little hot out but I guess for us Seattlites that's too much.

We walked down to the road along the water, then north to the bulkhead construction.  

I gave the cats their flea meds, using the stuff from Costco instead of from Chewy.com. If it works as well, it represents a huge savings! I use the tag #CatFleaTreatment to help keep track when last I treated them.

I am not super pleased with my Ting bill. It was a worthy experiment but it does seem to work out better than tmobile. Oh well.

Toastmasters was fun, as always. I stressed a little about doing evaluations, as always, and it was well received, as always. At Post Toasties I asked Vikki about the shelves of games behind her, and discovered she's an avid boardgamer. For COVID she games on https://boardgamearena.com/startwannaplay I suggested we might have game night.

It is annoying loading my daily pictures in order, only to have blogger rearrange them. Oh well.

At home, apple clusters from next door

DURING THE MORNING WALK

Antennas of West Seattle

Glowing Chard

Look closely at the chimera house

In an alley, an electric ball

lavendar and bees

Multiple story Little Free Library

Radish flower at home

Stone art

Side Walk Cat

Monday of photos

Today was a beautiful day for a morning walk. It is interesting that blogger did not import this photos in the order I presented them, but not worth rearranging.
It's hot and I napped a lot; I kept the windows open and sometimes the door so that the cats and the air could circulate, but this is not my most comfortable weather even though it's beautiful.
In the evening I listened to Digital Transformations Toastmasters, which seemed very professional and even had Mark Brown as the featured speaker. He was excellent as always but it seemed it was more motivational than informative.