Skip to main content

Coat wearing dogs and a lonely sailboat - New Year's Day at the Beach (continued)



Now as I was writing…this lone sailboat was sitting on the beach as curious people poked touched and even climbed aboard. I don’t think it was there for more than two days since we had light showers the day before and the furnishings inside the cabin looked dry and undisturbed. Just like bargain shoppers attracted to a sight of busy hands clamoring into sales bins full of merchandise, people came to the boat in waves: the sea was calm when a few souls arrived which began to swell as the tide of onlookers increased, in and out, in and out like the flowing shoreline. There were about four people at the boat when I arrived. Three minutes later after I took these photos about 10 more appeared from all directions.

Very happy and content with my photos but still wondered, "hmmmm", as I continued my jog along the path at Judah up to the famous Cliffhouse restaurant, my destination where I shot my videos. I hope the owner comes back to find it in good condition. I move on to the next scene. I didn’t expect to see the number of cars fill the parking lot and bundled people and dogs shivering along the boardwalk. I give kudos to everyone who braved their indoor electrical comforts for San Francisco’s coastal winds. Decorated in scarves, hats, and gloves, tourists continued to take pictures with their best frozen smile knowing the Pacific Ocean backdrop is well worth the shivers. As I weaved in and out among the crowds of families, friends and lovers I heard an orchestra of Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish and English. On the beach itself, small to large groups (20 people) huddled around three bonfires, a smaller party was safely firing bottle rockets and other fireworks, and a proud father was holding up a music sheet for his school age daughter to read as she played Christmas music on her accordion as her mother and little brother patiently watched. I smiled and acknowledged her brave performance. A few minutes later the family applauded her accomplishment. New Year’s Day at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach was a good day.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Alzheimer's hits again

I just found out that actor Sean Connery, who passed away last October, died of complications due to Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's debilitates cognitive function. The cause of his death hit me three-fold: He was my mother's favorite movie star, they are both in their 90s, and she too has Alzheimer's. According to a recent   AARP feature story ,  I was shocked that the great jazz singer Tony Bennett has Alzheimer's. Tony was also another idol of my mom. She would always perk up whenever she heard his infamous "I left my heart in San Francisco" ballad. Photo by Dyna Lopez In 2017, one year after his diagnosis, my mom, brother, and I watched him for the first time performing in San Francisco to a packed audience amongst a sea of silver-haired ladies. He was 90 at the time and did not disappoint. He belted out hit after hit and showed no signs of the debilitating disease. She sang along to a melody that was unfamiliar to my brother and me. My brother asked her, ...

Obsidian Security's Ben Johnson - From the NSA to Emerging Cybersecurity Startups

I've worked at rapid growth companies and emerging technologies are always on the milestone. In the Cybersecurity space, tools in  security operations and analytics such as  EDR, NTA, UBA, SOAR, and recently, XDR have evolved into household terms.  So what's next?  CDR - Cloud Detection and Response When I heard about cloud security, I researched and came  across an online interview - "Frictionless SaaS Security" -  with Ben Johnson, one of the Co-Founders of ​ Obsidian Security, ​ a three-year-old startup based in Newport Beach. "Frictionless" evokes visions of seamless, smooth, and easy deployment and use.  Is it really possible to deploy an uncomplicated cloud security solution that will address a very complex problem?  This frictionless solution is the next emerging tool called Cloud Detection and Response.  I found the interview very insightful as it dove into Ben’s backstory from working for the NSA ...

"Self Absorbed" in San Francisco

I've heard about the SF Asian Film Festival for the longest time but have never gone to see a film. I guess I just took advantage of the fact that because I live here, there's always next year, yada, yada yada. The truth is that I'm too busy with my own life to care what else is happening outside my perfect shiny bubble (movie title hint). I kid. I kid. Now where's my dam mirror??? That changed Friday when my friend invited me to hang out with some filmmaker friends to see their comedy premier, "Self Absorbed" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3459B5wDuZI at Sundance Cinemas (former Kabuki Theater) in Japantown, San Francisco. The plot is based on a story about a secret group of people with special powers. A smooth talking, silver coated bagel monger and a petite, energetic blue mop (say whaaaat?) are not your typical superheroes. Marvel are ya paying attention? The whimsical and light piece is one of the many works featured in the 94 minute short program serie...