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.

Reading Log: January 2025

The books that I read in the month of January 2025

January 2025 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson

"50 States, 1000 Eats," Joe Yogerst

"¡Ask a Mexican!," Gustavo Arellano

"Guy Noir and the Straight Skinny," Garrison Keillor

"Altatude," Alta Journal

"Mapping California," Susan Schulten

"Believe," Jeremy Egner

 

Just Good Food: Beef

"Beef. Real food for real people" 

"Beef. Real food for real people" was an American advertising slogan and campaign aimed at promoting the consumption of beef in the early 1990s. James Garner was one of the best known spokespeople. But, in those days, and for many years afterwards, I needed very little inspiration to eat it on a regular basis.

"Beef. It's What's for Dinner"

"Beef. It's What's for Dinner" may be a better known campaign. Wikipedia says that it is recognized by more than 88 percent of Americans. But, from reviewing my photos I can see that I had it just about as often for lunch.

It also seems that, after peaking in 2014, I eat it less and less as time moves on. This is primarily for reasons of health; I certainly have not lost my taste for it.

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

Reading Log: January 2024

 The books that I finished reading in the month of January 2024:

January 2024 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson

"The Hammer of God," Arthur C. Clark

"My Gun Has Bullets," Lee Goldberg

"Dead Space," Lee Goldberg

Cliff's Notes

"Hammer"

An amateur astronomer discovers an asteroid that is on a collision course with earth. Then the race is on to see if disaster can be averted.

An interesting point is made that a willingness to accept risk is what makes life worthwhile. 

"Gun"

A Beverly Hills police officer is shot by the star of a popular TV show, during a routine traffic stop. The studio buys his silence by making him the star of his own program. Murder, mayhem, and some hilarity ensue.

"Space"

A sequel, of sorts, to "My Gun Has Bullets". Charlie Willis has abandoned his acting career to handle "special security" for the studio. It is not quite as entertaining, in my humble opinion. However, it does provide an interesting look behind the scenes of the network television industry. 

The Lassie House

Is Timmy in the well?

The Lassie House: photo by Cliff Hutson

The Lassie House, located in Pomona, California, is the childhood home of Jon Provost, famously known as Timmy, from the television series "Lassie".

Built on 1/2 acre, in 1897 (or 1900 - sources vary), the house is an historic landmark and is said to be one of the largest and most beautiful homes in Pomona. It has under gone renovation over the years. The above photograph shows how it looks today, after work completed in 2018. It would have been quite different when the child actor lived there.  I can say that with a lot of confidence because I first encountered it about 35 years ago. Back then, it had a fence and hedge around it. While it was difficult to to get a good look at, one could tell that it was painted white and was tatty looking.

The new owners, one of whom is the president/founder of a construction company that specializes in historic restoration, certainly improved upon the property. Some of the changes were quite extensive. One example is the addition of a well - which actually seems to be a fountain.

Lassie House Well: photo by Cliff Hutson

I guess this was done in recognition of the popular belief that Timmy at least once fell down a well and his faithful collie fetched rescuers to save him from his predicament.  However, even though Provost titled his 2007 memoir "Timmy’s in the Well" he points out Timmy never once, in the show’s 571 episodes, fell in a well.

 

Live Simply

 Simple Living

Live Simply: photo by Cliff Hutson

The above photograph is of a Patagonia t-shirt that I bought a couple of years ago. I like the sentiment, but I am sure that there are some who say that the fact that it is such a high end shirt belies the idea that I actually have a simple lifestyle.

Wikipedia defines living simply as voluntarily engaging in a number of practices to simplify one's lifestyle. It notes that one of the hallmarks of simplicity is depending less on technology. So my writing a blog on a service owned by Google certainly works against me. However, it could be argued that using the internet for shopping, reading the news, and keeping in touch with friends and relatives reduces my carbon footprint - so that is a good thing.

One, expert has implied that living simply can’t be defined in one article or Instagram post. One person’s simplicity looks different from another’s. The key is to figure out what simplicity means to you. So, I thought that I would take a look at some of the salient points found in most articles about simplicity to see how I measure up.

Limit media

Some years ago I would have given myself high marks on this one. I read a lot of books and did not watch much TV; though I enjoyed revisiting my rather large DVD collection. But, the longer the COVID pandemic dragged on the more I found myself streaming more and more hours of entertainment. Just over the past couple of weeks I have watched "A League of Their Own", "For All Mankind", and have started "The Rings of Power". But, all in all, I think that I have a pretty good balance.

Simplify your wardrobe

I have probably gone too far in this direction. My wardrobe consists of jeans, shorts, and casual shirts. I in fact worry that I do not have anything to wear to a solemn occasion should the need arise. If it is business, they can take me as I am. But, I recognize that there is sometimes a call for decorum.

 Spend time alone

Animal Companion: photo by Cliff Hutson

I find balance and comfort in solitude. And, at home, there is just me and a cat.

 Don't tolerate debt / Get rid of unnecessary costs

The secret to happiness is low overhead and no debt. I realize that I am very fortunate to have reached a point in my life where this is possible. My mortgage was paid off right after I retired in 2009. And, I paid cash for my twelve year old truck back when it was new.  

Downsize

The biggest change that is on my horizon is downsizing. It has been several years since I have needed a truck; and it gets abysmal mileage for someone who likes to think of their self as concerned about the environment.

Neither do the cat and I need as large a footprint for a residence as we now inhabit. So, I am gradually working on getting rid of well over thirty years of accumulated stuff so that we can move to a smaller home. 

Ultimate goal

The goal is to gain freedom by having less in life.

Looking Back: Watching TV in 2021

Escapism and Distraction

Tested Swag: photo by Cliff Hutson

Television took on a new importance for me as the pandemic has dragged on and on. Since “occupied time” moves more quickly than “unoccupied time” I sometimes seek to fill my time with something that does not require the thought that reading does, the two to three hour commitment of a movie, nor the commitment of many hours doing my own "one day builds". Thus, I turned to TV.

Tested T-shirt: photo by Cliff Hutson

My thinking was that I could kick back with my cat and watch one or two episodes of something and then move on to more constructive things or basic chores. However, this seems to have morphed into a great deal of vegging out on my part and even binge-watching.

I have not gone to the trouble of figuring out the exact number of hours, but they must number in the hundreds. Not all of that was a waste of time. There is some very stuff being streamed as television shows,  and on YouTube, along with the mediocre.

What I Watched:

1. Midsomer Murders (Season 5, Episode 2)
2. America's Test Kitchen - A Taste of Mexico (Season 21, Episode 1) 
3. America's Test Kitchen - Pork and Greens (Season 20, Episode 26)
4. Lovejoy (Season 1, Episodes 1-2)
5. NFL Wild Card Weekend (Bears @ Saints)
6. Firefly (Episodes 1-14) (DVD)
7. Quarantine Quitchen (YouTube)
8. Inauguration Ceremony and Celebration
9. A Late Show
10. Late Night with Seth Meyers
11. Marble League Winter Special (You Tube)
12. Columbo (Season 4, Episode s 1-2)
13. The Norse
14. Matlock (Season 1, Episode 1)
15. Super Bowl LV
16. The Equalizer (2021) (Season 1)
17. NCIS (Seasons 1-4, 17-18)
18. Midsomer Murders (Season 21)
19. Bones (Season 1)
20. The Guardian  (Season 1)
21. Masters Golf Tournament (Final round)
22. Columbo (Seasons 5-7 )
23. Midsomer Murders (Season 22)
24. The Brokenwood Mysteries (Seasons 1-7)
25. Hawaii Five-O (reboot) (Season 1 -10)
26. MacGyver (reboot) (Season 1, Episodes 1-4)
27. Bosch (Season 7)
28. Ted Lasso (Season 2)
29. NCIS: New Orleans  (Season 1 - 7)
30. Thursday Night Football (LA Rams @ Seattle)
31. MythBusters (Pilots, Season 1)
32. Adam Savage's Tested (You Tube)
33. Invasion (Episodes 1 -  2)
34. Native America (Season 1)
35. Star Trek: The Next Generation (Season 3-4)
36. Thursday Night Football (KC Chiefs @ LA Chargers)
37. 1883
38. MacGyver (original) (Season 1)
    
    

Swiss Army Knife: photo by Cliff Hutson

The Best:

• Bosch 
• Ted Lasso
• 1883
• The Brokenwood Mysteries 

Not Actually Worth My Time:

• Matlock
• Invasion

Looking Back: Watching the Detectives

A "vast wasteland"?

Wasteland: photo by Cliff Hutson

The phrase "vast wasteland" was famously used by Newton Minow to describe television programming in the early 1960s. And, many people, then and now, agree with him. But, he also said, "When television is good, nothing — not the theater, not the magazines or newspapers — nothing is better."

For better or for worse, many people have turned to their TV, or streaming devices, to help them weather these pandemic times.  I was among them, and for want of something more meaningful to post I give you my television viewing log for last year.

TV Watched - 2020 

1. Justified, Season 5 (DVD)
2. Justified, Final Season (DVD)
3. Columbo, Season 1 (DVD)
4. Justified, Season 1 (DVD)
5. Justified, Season 2 (DVD)
6. Hunters (part of first season)
7. Inspector Morse (Season 1, Episode 1)
8. Parks and Recreation (Season 1, Episodes 1-4)
9. Parks and Recreation (Season 3, Episodes 1-5)
10. Bosch (Season 6, Episodes 1-10)
11. Westworld (Season 1, Episode 1-3)
12. Endeavour (Season 1, Episode 1)
13. Penny Dreadful: City of Angels (Episode 1)
14. George Carlin - It’s Bad for Ya!
15. Central Park (Episode 1)
16. Dead Still (Episodes 1- 2)
17. Quarantine Quitchen (YouTube)
18. Marble races and games (YouTube)
19. The X-Files (The Third Season) (DVD)
20. Ted Lasso (Season 1, Episodes 1-9)
21. River Monsters with Jeremy Wade (Season 6)
22. Late Night with Seth Meyers (YouTube)
23. A Late Show with Stephen Colbert (YouTube)
24. The Daily Social Distancing Show (YouTube)
25. Eames: The Architect and the Painter
26. Good Eats (Season 15, Episode 4 - Rich Little Poor Boy)
27. The Morning Show (Season 1, Episodes 1-10)
28. Good Eats (Season 9, Episode 16 -Shell Game 4)
29. Good Eats (Season 9, Episode 21 - Olive Me)
30. Good Eats (Season 9, Episode 9 - The Waffle Truth)
31. Everyday Driver
32. Good Eats (Season 12, Episode 13 - Orange Aid)
33. Good Eats (Season 13, Episode 13 - Live and Let Diet)
34. Good Eats (Season 14, Episode 22 - Use Your Noodle 5)
35. Warrior (Season 1, Episodes 1-10)
36. Mystery Road (Season 1, Episodes 1-6)
37. The Outpost (Season 1, Episodes 1-10)
38. Good Eats (Season 4, Episode 12 - True Brew II: Mr. Tea)
39. Good Eats (Season 2, Episode 8 - True Brew I)
40. The Mentalist (Season 1, Episodes 1-2)
41. Feasting on Asphalt (the complete first season) (DVD)
42. Feasting on Asphalt (the complete second season) (DVD)
43. Numb3rs (Pilot)
44. Mystery Road (Season 2, Episodes 1-6)
45. Midsomer Murders (Season 1, Episodes 1-4)
46. Inspector George Gently (Season 8, Episodes 1-2)
47. Midsomer Murders (Season 2, Episodes 1-4)
48. Thursday Night Football (2 games)
49. Midsomer Murders (Season 3, Episode 1-4)
50. Midsomer Murders (Season 4, Episodes 1-5)
51. NFL Prime Football (1 game)
52. Midsomer Murders (Season 5, Episode 1)

A Brief Recap

As goes my reading, so goes my television viewing in that the bulk of it leans on mysteries, or detectives. There were also some cooking shows, but I have yet to find a drinking channel. 

I began 2020 by rewatching a few seasons of "Justified" on DVD. This harkens back to a time when I neither over the air TV nor cable. If I somehow stumbled across a show that I liked, I bought it on disc and then binged watched it or viewed at my leisure as I pleased. Another favorite on DVD is the X-Files episode "Jose Chung's From Outer Space" (Season 3; Episode 20) which, in my not so humble opinion, is its best episode ever.

But, I have on moved to the modern world of downloads and streaming. My favorite series among current programs is "Bosch"; available on Amazon Prime. I have read every one of the Michael Connelly novels about this Los Angeles based detective and really appreciate how they have been adapted to the screen. Truly excellent work. 

I am looking forward to discover what mix of the old and the new I manage to watch in 2021.

The Best Words of 2020

 Person

Masked Man: photo by Cliff Hutson

Woman

Soccer Mom: photo by Cliff Hutson

Man

Explainer Man: photo by Cliff Hutson

Camera

Camera: photo by Cliff Hutson

TV

TV: photo by Cliff Hutson

Life in the Time of Corona: Sometimes, there's a man

Bad Moon Rising: photo by Cliff Hutson

"I see a bad moon a-rising

I see trouble on the way

I see earthquakes and lightnin'

I see bad times today"

- Creedence Clearwater Revival

Sometimes, there's a man for his times.

And, sometimes, there isn't

I have just a few words to illustrate my point:

• Person
• Man
• Woman
• Camera
• TV

A Man with a Camera: photo by Cliff Hutson

Reading Log: January 2020

The books that I finished reading in January 2020

January 2020 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson

But, wait, there are more

More January 2020 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson

The list:

“Residue,” Michael McGarrity

“The Fallen,” Ace Atkins

“The Boat Man,” Dustin Stevens

“The Dark Wind,” Tony Hillerman 

“Coyote Waits,” Tony Hillerman

“Y is for Yesterday,” Sue Grafton

“A Thief of Time,” Tony Hillerman

“Skeleton Man,” Tony Hillerman

“Talking God,” Tony Hillerman

“The Good Son,” Dustin Stevens

“The Ranger,” Ace Atkins

For "Firefly" Fans

Firefly was an American space Western drama television series which ran from 2002–2003.

Summer Glau

The Race: Part 1

Link

The Race: Part 2

Link

The Race: Part 3

Link

The Race: Part 4

Link

The Race: Part 5

Link

Serenity

As fans of Firefly know, it ended all too soon. The subsequent movie, Serenity (2005) was just not as satisfying for me.

Solar Powered Robot: photo by Cliff Hutson

Cooking

My Old Cook Book
Originally uploaded by The Marmot

I no longer remember when I began to learn to cook, but by the time I was twelve, when called upon, I could prepare a meal for the family. Once on my own, during collage and working I continued to cook, although nothing I made was very involved. When I moved in with the woman who was to become my wife we split duties in the kitchen about evenly. That was when I purchased the cookbook pictured here. I can not vouch for the current edition, this one is from the 70s, but I still feel that it was one of the best on the market. However, as I began getting increased responsibilities at work, putting in more hours at the office and sitting longer in traffic - I stopped cooking.

A few months ago, after a year or so of watching the Food Network, I announced that I was going to begin cooking again when I retired. Then, a short time later, I decided there was no need to wait and started to prepare meals on the weekends, a small step to be sure, but quite enjoyable.

The act of cooking is quite pleasing in itself. I actually get excited when I can successfully transform ingredients into food. Mainly, I depend on recipes to do what I do. But, I am also able to make successful departures from time to time. My goal is to learn is to learn how to put things together, rather than carefully proceed through a list step by step, with confidence and aplomb.

It would be wonderful to be able to stroll through the famers’ market some Sunday, pick up a few things that look first-class, and come home and fix something that tastes good. I have a lot to learn about flavors, textures, and balance before this happens. I think I can do it with observation and practice. Then, maybe by the time I retire I will actually have my own repertoire and really cook up a storm.