Jan.01.2026

Well ..... here we are. Tired and a little beat up, but here we are at the start line again. Hopefully the world of mankind will try harder to improve - I have my doubts, but there's always hope, huh!

Deb and I watched (TV) the crowd in NYC last night and "the ball" and about 1M people ring in the new year. Then we wondered (as we always do) how they all got home.

As it has been a stressfull and tiring 6 weeks or more, we enjoyed getting to bed early and watching other folks (none of whom we noticed were in our age bracket) blow horns, cheer and throw things in the air.

Slept late, stayed in pyjamas all day. Deb took down and boxed up the Christmas decor.
I watched.

Luka and Tux were also worn out, as you can see here .....

It's a tough life, I tell you, being a spoiled, pampered house cat.

The Book of Kells

("The Secret of Kells" animation and a technical Youtube discussion)

As I said a few years back, visiting Trinity College (Dublin), the "Long Room" and seeing The Book of Kells was a supreme experience for me. I said at the time if I had to spend my life locked up, I would choose the Long Room as my jail cell and I'd be very happy.

This week I re-stumbled upon a visually excellent animated story wrapped around the Book of Kells. Short, simple, artistically very nice. Here are some screen snaps:

The full movie is watchable for free on computer or via smartTV/cell phone app at Kanopy.com if you sign up with your local library card (remember those ???).

That animation aside, The Book of Kells is historically very serious business within the realms of religion, literature and art. Too long for me to explain here, but if you have 6m36s, here is a Youtube video on it.

https://youtu.be/QWxIE-SwxQo

There is a facsimile version available that must be $$$$ as the website says "Inquire about pricing" . . . . well ..... thanks anyway.

I do have a book store paperback that is a pretty neat description of the book.

Captain's Log / 01.18.2026

"Life's a bore. The world is my oyster no more."

I am feeling better, mild sniffles only, but the weather is not enticing me to go outside and do anything and get sick again. Thank the gods for my DVD collection .... and my new cell phone that bluetooths Jazz directly into my hearing implants - definitely makes my life better.

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You didn't ask, but here is a 1950's screensnap of me (middle) with cousins Gaspar (aka "Gus") and Sebastian (aka "Yonnie").

Time Lapse Video

Shoot for 6 hrs = 6x60x60 = 21,600secs
Interval between frame snaps = 10s = 2,160 frame snaps taken in 6 hours
Playback at 30fps = 2160 ÷ 30 = 72s = 1:12 playback time.

It came within 2secs of calculation !!

Very cold out there and buried in snow until April, so I stay inside and keep my brain busy with movies, pictures, videos and (some) experimental cooking in my new small-ish crockpot.

You didn't ask, but .....

Kabuki is thought to have originated in the early Edo period, when the art's founder, Izumo no Okuni, formed a female dance troupe that performed dances and light sketches in Kyoto. The art form later developed into its present all-male theatrical form after women were banned from performing in kabuki theatre in 1629. Kabuki developed throughout the late 17th century and reached its zenith in the mid-18th century.

Note: this video clip is not slowed down. The "dance" is performed like this.

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From Wikipedia...

Izumo no Okuni (1578-1613) was a Japanese entertainer and miko (shrine maiden) who is believed to have invented the theatrical art form of Kabuki. She is thought to have begun performing her new art style of Kabuki (literally 'the art of singing and dancing') theatre in the dry riverbed of the Kamo River in Kyoto. Okuni's troupe quickly gained immense popularity, and were known for their performers, who were often lower-class women Okuni had recruited to act in her all-female theatre group.
Okuni continued to perform Kabuki with her theatrical troupe until her retirement and disappearance sometime around 1610. She is believed to have died sometime around 1613.