Ukulele Time

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/30 sec, ISO6400
“Ukulele Detail” Cedar Park, 2020

I’ve been playing my ukulele every couple of days now, which I think is a nice “pace” for me. I don’t like to play every single day for very long because my left wrist still hurts a bit, and also I’ve read that longer gaps between session while learning a skill helps with the long-term memory. So, I won’t practice a song that I am learning every day, but maybe every three or four days. Once I have the song memorized, I might play it once or twice every day to work on parts that need clean up (there are A LOT of those parts).

I’ve recently memorized Al Woods’ arrangement of La Vie en Rose. I really enjoy playing that song, which reminds me of one of my favorite movies, Wall•E, and it’s fun to note my progress in playing it more cleanly, and also find better fingering combinations that make it easier.

On the new song front, I am starting on Ukulenny’s arrangement of I Will by The Beatles which is another of my favorites. The very last chord uses the 14th fret, which a soprano ukulele doesn’t have, so maybe this is a good excuse to pull the trigger on that concert ukulele that’s been sitting in my wishlist? 😋

I love playing the ukulele. I may not be very good, but it’s fun, relaxing, and keeps my 52-year-old brain active.

Cats in Boxes

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/3.2, 1/60 sec, ISO5000
“Cat in a Box” Cedar Park, 2020

Another cat post! Our two cats are sisters and they both like to relax in cardboard boxes, but Anko needs space to stretch out, while Yuzu loves to squeeze into tight spaces. They have their own individual tastes, which is so interesting to me.

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/3.2, 1/60 sec, ISO1600
“Cat in a Box” Cedar Park, 2020

Keeping Me Company

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/2.8, 1/50 sec, ISO3200
“Sleepy Cat” Cedar Park, 2020

While I work, Yuzu likes to keep me company. Since I use a mouse and another keyboard, I don’t mind if she rests on the laptop a bit. And sometimes when she sees me moving the mouse around, she’ll copy me:

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/2.8, 1/80 sec, ISO3200
“Mouse Paw” Cedar Park, 2020

Cats are so funny.

New Espresso Machine

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5, 1/6 sec, ISO800
“Life Support Machine” Cedar Park, 2020

Behold! Our new De’Longhi ESAM3300 Super Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine, ready to caffeinate the holiday season! We’ve been enjoying it for a few days now, and we think it is great. It uses either whole beans or ground, so there aren’t any K-cups or Nespresso pods to clog the landfill. It also has a steam/froth feature if you like cappuccinos. So convenient and easy to use!

I still enjoy my regular pour-over coffee in the morning, but the afternoon espresso is really nice. ☕