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Schmidt's Red-Tailed Family. Mom BB, Daughter Jenga, and Baby
(Born 11.11.23; taken 11.22.23 in Ituri Forest, San Diego Zoo)

A friend of mine recently pointed out to me that I haven't done a diary post in awhile. There are a ton of reasons for that. As I've said, my laptop is maybe on it's last legs, so it gets really hot and the fan doesn't kick on, so I have to take frequent breaks and it really messes up my thoughtflow. I've also been posting more on socials, which is probably a bad idea in a long-term historical context of the snapshot of my life, but sometimes it's just easier when I'm sitting with monkeys or gorillas or orangutans, or sitting on my patio at night in the cold, to just bust out my phone than my laptop. (Follow me on Instagram & Youtube). I've still been collecting links, as you'll see below, these span over a month and a half, and really the impetus to post came more from cleaning out my email inbox over the holiday weekend. I'm also working a show at Music Box and it's been slightly awkward...I didn't even have their register logged in until I'd already been here two hours. They're now taking the stage and I've sold 4 things all night. I'm sure that will pick up when they're done. 

Things have been good, overall. I'm working a lot and that's gonna maybe slow down in December, but January will be insane for Casbah's 35 Year Anniversary. I try to go to the Zoo every day, though I mix it up on occasion with Sea World or Safari Park. In fact, I talked my family - the kid, my mom, sister, and nieces - to go to Safari Park for Thanksgiving, which turned out to be a great idea, even if we really didn't do much walking or animal watching. Mostly we just sat and had a big charcuterie lunch and talked and mocked and it was kinda perfect. Darren joined us for his lunch break, and after we all left the park, reconvened at my mom's for the actual Thanksgiving hodge-podge dinner. Toby had strep throat all week, but we got him antibiotics so he was fine enough to partake in the activities. While he was sick, I was spending full days at the Zoo just to give him the run of the house and then I'd come home and wipe everything down with disinfecting wipes for good measure. 

I've always been a little notorious among my friends and family for breaking things and not just that, but everything all at once. So besides spending hours moving photo files off this laptop in case it does finally go caput, in the past couple months I also cracked my phone, got in a small car collision, and then my camera broke beyond repair when my backpack got soaked in rain when I worked at Quartyard last weekend. I ordered a new camera, which arrived today, and I probably should've taken advantage of Black Friday for a new phone and laptop, but I'm still recovering from the huge amount we spent on a rebuilt transmission for the van, so I'll keep my eye out and hopefully can work enough to offset a new phone before January. In spite of all that. things are pretty great. It's all just stuff, right?

II hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I'm gonna enjoy this weekend, but I'm so ready for Christmas. Wild Holidays has already begun at Safari Park, Christmas Celebration at Sea World is super festive, and the San Diego Zoo has Jungle Bells starting on December 9th (but extended hours have already started on select dates.)  The alpaca ranch I've been visiting, HazPaca, is having a holiday market the same weekend as December Nights, so maybe I can find a way to do both. I'm also traveling in December with my mom and sister and nieces, so I'm looking forward to going to a new place and seeing new sights for a few days. You know I'm already digging out all my Christmas gear I've bought on clearance over the past few years and can't wait for cold and rain and maybe even snow this year. On the other hand, Strep, Pneumonia, COVID, RSV, Influenza are all circulating. Stay safe and healthy out there. 

Love you all. 

• WTF?!
• MTS won't be using a new bus-only lane in Balboa Park during December Nights - kpbs (11.21.23)
• December Nights Info (December 1, 3-11pm & December 2, 11am-11pm)
• COVID-19/FLU/RSV:
• More free COVID tests available to order from government - AXIOS (11.20.23)
• Order More Tests Here (Free From USPS)
• Global COVID vaccination saved 2.4 million lives in first 8 months, study estimates - CIDRAP (10.31.23)
• A new Covid variant has become dominant amid slow uptake of the updated shots. The HV.1 variant took over this week as the dominant variant in the U.S., but just around 3.5 % of the population has received an updated Covid shot thus far. - NBC News (10.27.23)
• COVID-19 treatments to enter the market with a hefty price tag - AP (10.27.23)
• US flu activity continues to rise steadily - CIDRAP (11.17.23)
• COVID deaths tick up in some states ahead of holidays - The Hill (11.21.23)
• San Diego:
• National report says San Diego is the most expensive city in the US - kpbs (10.26.23)
• Report: San Diego ranks #6 for household expenses; residents spend $2,985 on bills, cost of living 45.9% higher than the U.S. average - Doxo Insights (11.1.23)
• The average household pays $2,985 a month, or $35,822 a year for the 10 most common household bills.
• This makes San Diego the #6 most expensive largest city (based on # of households) in the US.
• The cost of living in San Diego is 45.9% higher than the national average of $2,046, and 5.2% higher than the California state average of $2,838.
• San Diego households spend 41% of their income on household bills.
• San Diego Is 2023’s 3rd Best City for Thanksgiving – WalletHub Study (11.7.23)
• Overall rank for San Diego: 3rd
• 1st – Pumpkin Patches per Capita
• 18th – Holiday Decoration Shops per Capita
• 45th – Total Volunteer Hours per Residents Age 16 and Over
• 38th – Weather Forecast
• 23rd – Annual Excess Fuel Consumed
• Birch Aquarium is the third most beautiful aquarium in America according to new study - JournoResearch (11.16.23)
• San Diego Ranked Among the Best U.S. Cities for Culture - CoworkingCafe Study
• Morning Report: Council Slams Brakes on Mayor’s Major Housing Package - Voice of San Diego (11.14.23)
• Mayor, Council Prez Strike Deal on Controversial Housing Package - Voice of San Diego (11.21.23)
• Migrant advocates say county-funded center is mismanaged and lacks transparency - KPBS (11.21.23)
• News:
• FBI director warns antisemitism in US reaching 'historic levels' - BBC (11.1.23)
• U.S. Infant Mortality Rate Rises in 2022 - Statista (11.2.23)
• Other Reading:
• ‘The Orphans’ at Calaveras Big Trees State Park Are Alive and No Longer Stand Alone - California State Parks (11.1.23)
• 35% of Black Friday Items Offer No Savings - WalletHub Report (11.17.23)
• Free speech does not require subsidizing bigotry - Popular Information (11.20.23)
• The American Holidays Most Dangerous for Drivers - Statista (11.22.23)
• ABC Asks Licensees and the Public to Work Together to Prevent DUIs this Holiday Season - ABC (11.21.23)
• 48,800 Femicides (Worldwide) by Family or Partners in 2022 - Statista (11.24.23)
• Government:
• White House
• Joe Biden Wants US Government Algorithms Tested for Potential Harm Against Citizens. Draft rules from the White House would require federal agencies to assess AI systems currently in use in law enforcement, health care, and other areas—and to shut down any algorithms doing harm. - Wired (11.1.23)
• US EIA
• EIA forecasts global oil supply to increase and per capita gasoline consumption to fall in 2024 - US EIA (11.7.23)
• U.S. 2023 APEC Outcomes - US Department of State (11.17.23)