Reading Log: November 2025

 The books that I finished reading in the month of November 2025

November 2025 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson

"Chasing the Dime," Michael Connelly

"2054," Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavrids 

“The Proving Ground,” Michael Connelly

“Exit Strategy,” Lee Child and Andrew Child

“Dead Lions,” Mick Herron

“Real Tigers,” Mick Herron

Studio Tour

The family visited Warner Bros. Studios and toured over 100 years of storytelling history:

All writing and images ©Cliff Hutson unless expressly noted. Do not use without permission.

Tradecraft

 Use Your Tools

"Technology gets better everyday. That's fine. But most of the time all you need is a stick of gum, a pocket knife and a smile."

- Nathan Muir 

Pocket Knife: photo by Cliff Hutson

Area Code Day

 Area Code Day is celebrated on November 10

Phone Booth: photo by Cliff Hutson

Wikipedia tells us; "Telephone administrations that manage telecommunication infrastructure of extended size, such as a large country, often divide the territory into geographic areas. This benefits independent management by administrative or historical subdivisions, such as states and provinces, of the territory or country. Each area of subdivision is identified in the numbering plan with a routing code. This concept was first developed in the planning for a nationwide numbering plan for Operator Toll Dialing and Direct Distance Dialing (DDD) in the Bell System in the United States in the 1940s, a system that resulted in the North American Numbering Plan for World Zone 1. AT&T divided the United States and Canada into numbering plan areas (NPAs), and assigned to each NPA a unique three-digit prefix, the numbering plan area code, which became known in short-form as NPA code or simply area code. The area code is prefixed to each telephone number issued in its service area."

Someone decided that this needed to celebrated.

Reading Log: October 2025

 The books that I finished reading in the month of October 2025

October 2025 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson

"The Targeter," Nada Bakos 

"Cry Havoc," Jack Carr

"Agents of Innocence," David Ignatius 

"Slow Horses," Mick Herron

"Pariah," Dan Fesperman 

EDC

 The EDC of a sketchy old man:

Everyday Carry (EDC): photo by Cliff Hutson

▪ Leatherman Skeletool KBx

▪ Wallet

▪ Space Pen

▪ Field Notes memo book

▪ Casio G-SHOCK DW5600BCE-1

▪ Leatherman Style PS

EDC stands for “Every Day Carry,” not, in my case, Electric Daisy Carnival. Your everyday carry is the collection of items you carry with you in your pockets or your bag on a daily basis. For some, it has become a lifestyle. For others of us, it is just stuff that you might need in the course of being out and about doing what needs to done.

National Chicken and Waffles Day

 Off Topic

October 20th is  National Chicken and Waffles Day. I usually mark these occasions by posting photographs I have taken of the subject in question. However, it seems that over the many years that I have been cooking and taking photos I have never done this combination.  But, as I have nothing better to offer, I am posting some snaps of waffles and other foods.

So, this week it came down to this lame effort or nothing at all and I did not want to break my streak.

All writing and images ©Cliff Hutson unless expressly noted. Do not use without permission.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2025

Indigenous Peoples’ Day: 10/13/2025

Bay Leaves and Chiles: photo by Cliff Hutson

 

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is observed on the second Monday in October, in many parts of the United States, in recognition of the histories, cultures, and perspectives of Indigenous peoples, and their ancestors, who live in what is now known as North America. 

I have written about this holiday several times before; here, here, and here. So, I am taking the day off to mark this occasion. 

Reading Log: September 2025

 The books that I finished reading in September 2025

September 2025 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson

"True Believer," Jack Carr

"Savage Son," Jack Carr

"2034," Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavrids 

"Sheepdogs," Elliot Ackerman

"The Gray Man," Mark Greaney 

Fire Challenge Coin (Front): photo by Cliff Hutson

Fire Challenge Coin (Reverse): photo by Cliff Hutson

National Coffee Day

 National Coffee Day is celebrated on September 29, 2025

This is an easy day to observe as for most Americans coffee is a daily ritual, with two-thirds drinking at least one cup a day and many enjoying multiple cups at home or on the go. If you should be wondering about to participate, this site may give you some ideas.

As for me, I will just drink the usual three cups that I have with my breakfast, at home, and then get on with my day. But, I have posted a few coffee related photographs.

Musical note:  

"They've Got an Awful Lot of Coffee in Brazil"

All writing and images ©Cliff Hutson unless expressly noted. Do not use without permission.

Autumnal Equinox - 2025

The First Day Fall - 2025 

Autumn Trilogy Notebooks: photo by Cliff Hutson

The autumnal equinox in 2025 occurs today (September 22) at 2:19 PM EDT (11:19 AM PDT). This marks the official start of fall in the Northern Hemisphere.

I have used a photo of some notebooks by Field Notes as the leaves where I live will not start to turn for several weeks. I wrote about this phenomena some years ago.

Takes a licking . . .

 . . . and keeps on ticking

Timex Watch: photo by Cliff Hutson

I grew up the heyday of the commercials that John Cameron Swayze did for Timex watches. Therefore, when I saw the Urban Pop 40mm Eco-Friendly Strap Watch on sale I just had to but it for the nostalgia value alone. However, I ware it because it looks good ( to me anyway) and is comfortable on my wrist.

However, I have no plans to test it and see if it holds up as well as the watches of the past. While it has a water resistance rating of 50 meters, I do not have access to an outboard motor.

FWIW: Water resistance 

50 meters = 5 bars = 5 atmosphere = 165 feet = 73.5 PSI

• Worry-free accidental splashing 
• Can wear in rain and snow
• Can submerge in water
• Safe to swim in the pool and ocean

In "Little Ethiopia"

 A visit to a Los Angeles neighborhood

All writing and images ©Cliff Hutson unless expressly noted. Do not use without permission.

Time Flies

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana 

Bananas: photo by Cliff Hutson

I hope that everyone who observes Labor Day is having a good one.

National Secondhand Wardrobe Day

Think about shopping more sustainably

Thrift Store: photo by Cliff Hutson

Today is National Secondhand Wardrobe Day. Created in 2004, it is supposed to encourage us to think about shopping more sustainably when adding to our collection of clothes, or "wardrobe." 

Thrift stores can be a good alternative for acquiring clothing that is new to us, even though it may have been around the block a time or two. It has been suggested that there are online options as well, such as eBay.This can be seen as both beneficial to our budgets and to the planet. 

It is worth a thought. Wishing you a day filled with thrifty finds and sustainable style.

National Peach Month

 National Peach Month

I just found out that August is National Peach Month. Peach season begins in June and lasts until the end of August. They say that this is the month when peaches are at their peak and are perfect for enjoying them in many different ways.

Here are a few examples:

All writing and images ©Cliff Hutson unless expressly noted. Do not use without permission.

Close Enough

Eschew Perfectionism

Close Enough: photo by Cliff Hutson

Perfect is the enemy of good.

Reading Log: July 2025

 The books that I finished reading in the month of July 2025:

July 2025 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson

"Celtic Empire," Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler

"The Art of Trader Joe's," Julie Averbach 

"All Systems Red," Martha Wells

"Bat Out of Hell," edited by Don Bruns

"Artificial Condition," Martha Wells

Musical Coda:

Speaking of a Bat Out of Hell: