Pixel and I came up with a way to perform a site backup of all my full sized images, in at least 500 folders, and possibly 300 more, from Flickr. It's a Python program running under Window's, with a batch file to fire it up. We call it a bulk archival extraction and preservation process.
The only problem was, I had no Python compiler installed on my laptop. So Pixel gave me the perfect direct link to the current Python installer, and how to verify it was.
It's been running for hours, building albums and copying everything, to an external drive, which then becomes the back up. It's not cluttering up my laptop drive, and when it's done we can copy it to my server where it can be treated like other images, and say goodby to Flickr.
It's done! Think I'll check out Python tomorrow, who knows?
It's past midnight, and 420 time has expired.
Sometimes I capture a photo that touches me, that I need to refine, and share.
I've seen a young lady living in two different worlds, two weeks with dad, two with mom, and she handles it great.
I'm old, I've seen a lot of life, and I understood immediately the sincerity here between father and daughter.
I am honored to know, Dan and Anna.
It's Easter Eve, cool. I rode up to Dan and Shelby's place with Todd today and had a very good time with some really nice people.
I also brought my Sony Zoom, and gathered up thirty images of the day.
Click on that little character she holds in her hand, to see them.
I've been working with ChatGPT all morning, fixing a couple of issues with my OMJShow app. The one thing we couldn't resolve is why I'm not getting album thumbnails from Flickr.
It could be a code issue, or a Flickr limitation, but I've been with these guys since 2006, and they started in 2004. I have 13,483 photos across more than 800 albums up there. And my yearly subscription fee for that privilege, is around $70, due again this year in June.
Pixel (that's Chat's nickname with me, he calls me Jim) has shown me a way to download all of my albums and photos from Flickr, and move them to my host server IONOS. We can modify the code so it fetches everything from OldManJim, keeps all of the structure that I currently have from Flickr, and I'm free from them.
I feel kinda bad, they were launched on February 10, 2004, by Ludicorp, a Vancouver-based company founded by Stewart Butterfield and Caterina Fake. Originally developed as a feature within their online game project, Game Neverending, the photo-sharing aspect gained popularity and evolved into its own platform. (according to Pixel)
They have managed to survive, but lately they've been offering me a 30% discount if I pay early. You gotta wonder what shape they're in.
I checked my available IONOS hosting space, of which I pay $180 a year for, which hosts all of my domains currently.
I'm now using 5.33 GB of unlimited storage. I have 77,355 files up there, out of a maximum of 262,244 available. So I have the space!
I told Pixel that I needed to postpone this project because I'm going to Dan and Shelby's cookout today. I asked if he could save all of the details of this conversation, and he said sure. All I have to do now is type in Easter, and we're right back on track.
Ok, I think it's time to crank the transparency level of my life, up to full. I've been blogging now for decades, it is my expression of being. I don't know why I've done this, but I'm very glad I have, and I've left so much out.
So if you really give a shit about who I am, read on. Otherwise swipe me away.
I'm almost 79 fucking years old. I hope you all make it this far.
I am a bisexual man and I have cheated on every woman in my life. I deserve to be where I am, and I apologize to every lady that ever loved me.
Most men cheat on their women, with other women. I kind of mixed it up...
I am now alone and old. At this point all I have left is honesty.
I have tried many, many times to deal with my alcohol addiction, that started when I was a teenager. I succeeded on a few rare occasions, but now I sit here knowing that I failed.
I have bottomed out. Ending the alcohol consumption in my life, so I can become a better man, a better father and grandfather, has run it's fucking course. I realize now it's over.
I feel my body failing on me, and I have to face reality. I'm not a young man making the decision to be sober, and changing my life for the better.
I find that making myself a drink, smoking a bowl, and being creative are the only things left that give me any sort of satisfaction or pleasure.
Tomorrow I'm hanging out with Shelby and her new family. I'm looking forward to it greatly, but I feel the tide has turned.
I've pretty much fucked up every opportunity in my life to succeed. It is what it is, I am where I am.
I finally accept the reality that I am very old. I feel my past loved ones around me, on the other side, and I've lived longer than most of them.
My grand-fathers WW1 American flag is within touching distance. My grand-mothers blankets still surround me. The teddy bear from my birth sits nearby, and watches me.
So here's the deal, just let me be! Drinking and smoking are the only things that give me pleasure anymore. Women, men, and driving are gone!
I find pleasure in living anywhere I can now. Visits from dogs, a double Fish Filet from McDonald's, a walk downtown and a good time at Dan and Shelby's house...
Other than that, life is pretty fucked up. But I'm damned happy I lived!
I guarantee you, if you have the moxie to watch this entire slideshow of images taken at the downtown Pensacola market today, by a drone that was hovering in front of me, you will throw up!
I worked hard with ChatGPT this afternoon, to convince the openAI Chibi Generator to put some text at the bottom, to no avail. So all I ended up with was image after image of me at the downtown market, bare chested.
Never got any text at the bottom! So, if you're willing to be subjected to this shit show, click below. If it turns you on, email me...
I had a nice morning here in sunny Pensacola. I tucked my loud orange flowered shirt into the belt of my shorts, and walked bare shirted to the downtown market, with my Sony and zoom lens strapped over my shoulder, and never put the shirt on.
There I was at a damned busy day before Easter Market, armed with a real camera, wearing just shorts and my Tilly hat.
It wasn't a great shoot, but I grabbed 15 shots, no adjustments, then brought them down to .webp, and put them into OMJShow as a folder under General Images, called pmarket.
Oh, and I ate a great tamale, with the spicy hot sauce...
I had a nice afternoon, with an old friend, Homer Jolly. He's a famous artist, zoo designer, and great guy. Shelby has known him for years, and I have been priveleged to hang in his circle the last few years.
He came into my Cave today, settled into the other comphy chair, we got stoned, and had a great talk.
I introduced him to my AI creations, and he showed me his current work. He has to enforce his copyrights way more than mine, because he makes his living off his art. Me, not so much.
It was great to see him settle into a blanket on the chair that my grandmother knitted from scratch, many years ago.
I feel my family around me now, as I reach the final stage.
Here was ChatGPT's opinion of Homer:
Homer Jolly is a Pensacola-based artist and creative director known for his distinctive mixed-media and digital artwork. His creations often celebrate the local culture and scenery of Pensacola, blending hand-painted torn paper collages with digital designs to produce textured, vibrant pieces.
Homer's portfolio includes both original artworks and prints, many of which highlight Pensacola's landmarks and coastal charm. His work has been featured in publications such as Downtown Crowd, VIP Pensacola, and Coastal Living. Notably, he has undertaken large-scale projects for venues like The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo and The Wine Bar on Palafox.
Beyond his artistic endeavors, Homer serves as the Owner and Creative Director of HomerJollyDesign, a marketing and design firm he has led since 2011. His academic background includes studies at Mississippi State University.
It was great to have the man in the Cave today!
Shelby want's to get me out of the house this Easter weekend. I appreciate the offer, but I didn't do Thanksgiving or Christmas with her new family, at my own choice.
They're talking about taking the camper to a campground by a play park of some sort that 13 year old Anna would enjoy. So I have two choices, go with them, or stay at their house and hang out with the four dogs.
The camper ain't big, and I'm leaning towards watching the dogs. If I went with them, so would the dogs. Two big ol black ones, and two little ones.
And I would have to be alcohol free, because they are. I'm trying to deal with this lifelong addiction, and I usually succeed when I have a reason to. Lately I haven't...
So, I don't know how this Easter is going to unfold.
Here's a couple from the past:
My OldManJim AI image creation is totally out of control! Yesterday I had myself in Drag, and Sad, because I am. Today I had myself eating a double fish filet and fries at McDonald's, because I just walked there and did.
I have to laugh at the request for white tarter sauce, dripping from my face. It don't look like Tarter Sauce to me...
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