Tai Chi Chuan Practice

A repost from January 2014:

I have been so busy with Taoist studies, yoga practice, weightlifting, walking, gardening, teaching, reading, and working part-time that I have not been practicing my Chen Taijiquan forms each day.  Starting today, I will renew my efforts in this area of mind-body arts by the daily practice of the Chen 18 Form and Chen broadsword 23 Movement form.  

We don’t "really learn” Tai Chi by listening to, imitating, and following a live Tai chi instructor, or reading Tai Chi books, or watching Tai Chi instructional DVDs.  The “learning” comes from practicing Tai Chi, playing Tai Chi, moving by Tai chi, and feeling Tai Chi.  We move from being awkward and uncomfortable to moving gracefully, fluidly, easily, confidently, and beautifully.  Live and virtual Tai Chi instructors provide us with information and ideas about what Tai Chi has been for others and could be for us, its rich history, and provide us with a model of how a "form" might look and be realized as expressed by their body-mind.  

Our instructor's "mind" set or intention is important - depending, for example, on whether they emphasize martial applications or they are a New Age energy arts dancer.  Likewise, our own progress in "learning" will depend upon our own "mind set" of intentions, dedication, toughness, the courage to go beyond our limitations and failures, and our willpower.  

Learning Tai Chi is always a complex matrix of interactions, lived experiences, daily training, and accumulated muscle memories.  Less thinking and more practice, training, and doing will result in the greatest learning.  Repeated movements are the foundation for Tai Chi learning.  

"Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states."
-  Carol Welch 

"Knowing is not enough, we must apply.  Willing is not enough, we must do." 
-  Bruce Lee  

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new.  But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful.  There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power."
-  Alan Cohen 

 

Chen Style Taijiquan Short Hand Form, 18 Movements
Created by Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei

Bibliography, Resources, List of Movements, Resources, Links, Instructions, Comments
Webpage by Michael Garofalo

 

Chen Style Taijiquan
Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei's Short 18 Movements Tai Chi Hand Form
List of 18 Movements

1.     Beginning Posture of Taiji 

2.     Buddha's Warrior Attendant Pounds the Mortar

3.     Lazily Tying One's Coat  

4.     Six Sealing and Four Closing  

5.     Single Whip 

6.     White Crane Spreads Its Wings

7.     Walk Diagonally  

8.     Brush Knee

9.     Stepping to Both Sides   

10.   Cover Hands and Strike with Fist  

11.   High Pat on the Horse  

12.   Kick with the Left Heel  

13.   Jade Maiden Working Her Loom  

14.   Cloud Hands  

15.   Turn Body with Double Lotus Kick 

16.   Cannon Fist Over the Head  

17.   Buddha's Warrior Attendant Pounds the Mortar  

18.   Closing Posture of Taiji    

List of Movements in Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei's Short 18 Form  (1 Page, PDF)  English Only  

List of Movements in Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei's Short 18 Form  (1Page, PDF)  English and Chinese   

List of Movements in Chen Taijiquan, Old Frame, First Form, Laojia Yilu   (2 pages, PDF)  English and Chinese 

Chen Style Taijiquan

Tai Chi for Health by Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei


Chen Broadsword (Saber) 23 Movement Form

 

Our Family Photography Projects for 2022

We are now working on a  Family Photographs Project.

Phase 1

This involves the tedious process of collecting together all of our digital photographs from our two desktop computers, one laptop computer, cell phones, OneDrive, tablets, CD collections, and four external hard disk drives. 

We ended up gathering together 58,000 digital photographs into 450 Folders and using up 156 GB of external hard disk drive space.  I did some rough organizing, file renaming, weeding duplicate folders, and placing them all in one Folder (named "Photographs of BKG and MPG") on one Seagate 5Tb external hard disk drive.  Then, I backed up this one Folder on all the other three external hard disk drives.  

A lifetime of our personal digital photographs-- now all safe in one place, roughly organized by year, with backups.  I am sure we will add a few stray Folders of digital photos from the past, and our family or friends might add some other older digital photos.  

Also, now there is a new storage home for all the digital photographs that we will be adding after January of 2022.  Using my Canon SX740 digital camera, I intend to compose and transfer many more thousands of photographs before I die.  

I am studying two books on this new software. First, the book by Scott Kelby titled "Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 2021".  I am following his instructions.  This 'Lightroom' book is very informative and useful to me.  Second, the book by Rob Sylvan titled "Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic For Dummies 2019."  

I've always enjoyed working with database software and databases (manual and electronic) since 1963. I used Microsoft Access and Microsoft Excel and other database software many times in my professional employment.     

My first import into Lightroom was with 10 Test Folders so as to learn how to use Lightroom for Importing and doing basic classification and cataloging markup after importing a Folder.  I am taking my time.  I imported just one Test Folder, and then learned how to do classificatory mark up on individual photos or on larger groups of photos using keywords, search terms, signature presets, special collections, presets, rating flags, etc.  Plenty more to learn about Importing and using many other Lightroom functions in the Library Mode.   

Then, one by one, I will import into Lightroom the 450 Folders in "Photographs of BKG and MPG" and do the markup for each Folder.  Gradually, during February of 2022, I will complete the importation of all the 450 Folders containing 58,000 digital photographs.  

As a former professional Librarian for over 40 years, I find Lightroom to be a very good tool for the database management of digital graphic images.  

Our digital cameras, mostly Canon, over the decades, output digital files in the .jpeg format.  Lightroom can easily handle a wide variety of digital formats.  

Phase 2

In late January of 2022, we set up two portable tables with chairs in front of the fireplace in our larger TV/Reading room.  We placed our HP laptop and the new photo scanner on the tables.  

Then, we began the slow and tedious process of gathering together all our old paper photographs, both black and white photos, as well as color photos.  The old paper photographs were found in boxes, photo albums, drawers, plastic cases, on bookshelves, and in file cabinets.  They were found inside the house, the garage, the attic, the closets.  

We scan all the paper photographs with the Plustek Photo Scanner.  We are both very satisfied with the speed and ease of use in scanning, the quality of pictures scanned, the numerous software options, and its file handling.  It can output scanned files in .jpeg and other digital formats.  

A few of the best or treasured old paper photographs are kept, some of the best are sorted out and given to family members or friends, and many are tossed into the trash can for the landfill.  All are scanned!

These paper photographic images are now all digitalized.  Later, if needed, an images or group of images can be tweaked for digitalized quality or artistic improvements using Lightroom or Photoshop.  

Folders of the scanned paper photographs are then Imported into Lightroom and roughly classified or quality rated.  

Phase 3

Gather together all our photographic slides.  
Scan all these slides into new Folders.
Import into Lightroom the digitalized images of slides in the Folders.  

We will be using the Kodak Slide and Scan hardware and software for scanning color slides.  

Hardware and Software

In our home in suburban Vancouver, Washington, we have two small bedrooms each converted into a home Office and reading room.  Sometimes, on many cold days, to reduce our electric consumption, we only heat these two Office rooms.  Each of us has their own cozy den for reading, napping, electronic connectivity, and entertainment.  And, each of these rooms have a Dell desktop and other connected electronic equipment and gear.  Mostly old equipment, but working fine.  We have Comcast XFinity for Internet and telephone and umpteen channels.  

We are both using an old "renewed" HP Desktop Elitebook 8470p Laptop, Core i5 3320 m 2.6ghz - 8GB DDR3, 128 GB SSD, DVDRW, Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit.  $260, renewed, recycled, saved, or rescued.  Basically, an  old dog of a heavy computer.  It seems to be passing all my tests of performance, e.g., checked CDRW and audio today.  My little puny ASUS laptop died two weeks ago.  I use a Seagate 4Tb external hard disk drive.

Paper photographs Scanner:  Plustek Photo Scanner.  Ephoto Z300, scan 4x6 photo in 2 seconds.  It includes three software applications: scanner mode, picture quality editing and cropping mode, and file manager mode.  $215.  We are both very satisfied with the ease of use, quality of pictures scanned, software options, file handling.  

Digital Photo Viewer Portable:  Aluratek 10" digital photo frame w/4GB built in memory, USB SD/SDHC support, $85.00.  A nice gift for somebody special - including selected photographs that you have taken of them.  

I keep my Notes About Photography in a hypertext notebook.  

I pay for using Adobe Lightroom Classic and Adobe Photoshop, $10 a month.  

Makenna

Dao De Jing, Laozi, Chapter 63

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
Chapter 63 

"Do without "doing."
Get involved without manipulating.
Taste without tasting.
Make the great small,
The many, few. 
Respond to anger with virtue.
Deal with difficulties while they are still easy.
Hand the great while it is still small. 
The difficult problems in life
Always start off being simple.
Great affairs always start off being small.
Therefore the sage never deals with the great
And is able to actualize his greatness. 
Now light words generate little belief,
Much ease turns into much difficulty.
Therefore the sage treats things as though they were difficult,
And hence, never has difficulty."
-  Translated by Charles Mueller, 2004, Chapter 63  


"It is the way of the Tao to act without thinking of acting;
To conduct affairs without feeling the trouble of them;
To taste without discerning any flavor;
To consider what is small as great, and a few as many;
And to recompense injury with kindness.
The master of it anticipates things that are difficult while they are easy,
And does things that would become great while they are small.
All difficult things in the world are sure to arise from a previous state in which they were easy,
And all great things from one in which they were small.
Therefore the sage, while he never does what is great, is able on that account to accomplish the greatest things.
He who lightly promises is sure to keep but little faith;
He who is continually thinking things easy is sure to find them difficult.
Therefore the sage sees difficulty even in what seems easy, and so never has any difficulties."
-  Translated by James Legge, 1891, Chapter 63


"Act non-action; undertake no undertaking; taste the tasteless.
The Sage desires the desireless, and prizes no articles that are difficult to get.
He learns no learning, but reviews what others have passed through.
Thus he lets all things develop in their own natural way, and does not venture to act.
Regard the small as the great; regard the few as many.
Manage the difficult while they are easy;
Manage the great while they are small.
All difficult things in the world start from the easy.
All the great things in the world start from the small.
The tree that fills a man's arms arises from a tender shoot.
The nine-storied tower is raised from a heap of earth;
A thousand miles' journey begins from the spot under one's feet.
Therefore the Sage never attempts great things, and thus he can achieve what is great.
He who makes easy promises will seldom keep his word;
He who regards many things as easy will find many difficulties.
Therefore the Sage regards things as difficult, and consequently never has difficulties."
-  Translated by Ch'u Ta-Kao, 1904, Chapter 63 


為無為.
事無事.
味無味.
大小多少.
報怨以德.
圖難於其易.
為大於其細.
天下難事必作於易.
天下大事必作於細.
是以聖人終不為大, 故能成其大.
夫輕諾必寡信.
多易必多難.
是以聖人猶難之.
故終無難矣.
-  Chinese characters, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 63  


wei wu we.
shih wu shih.
wei wu wei.
ta hsiao to shao.
pao yüan yi tê.
t'u nan yü ch'i yi. 
wei ta yü ch'i hsi.
t'ien hsia nan shih pi tso yü yi.
t'ien hsia ta shih pi tso yü hsi.
shih yi shêng jên chung pu wei ta, ku nêng ch'êng ch'i ta.
fu ch'ing no pi kua hsin.
to yi pi to nan.
shih yi shêng jên yu nan chih.
ku chung wu nan yi.
-  Wade-Giles Romanization, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 63  

"Act the non-acting, let dealing go on without dealings,

In the tasteless find taste, let the great in the little be known,

Find in the few that therein are embodied the many,

And recompense hatred with deeds of goodness alone.

Consider what may become difficult, while it is easy,

Manage the great, by taking it while it is small,

From the easy arise all the difficult things under heaven,

And affairs that are great their source in the little recall.

So the sage, not acting the great, the great will accomplish,

Who promises lightly lacks truth, and they who believe

Many things to be easy will find many hard, while the sage

With the difficult, even, finds nothing too hard to achieve."
-  Translated by Isaac Winter Heysinger, 1903, Chapter 63

"Actuar y no actuar,
realizar y no realizar,
sabroso e insípido,
grande y pequeño,
mucho y poco,
en todo rige la virtud.
Acomete la dificultad por su lado más fácil.
Ejecuta lo grande comenzando por lo más pequeño.
Las cosas más difíciles se hacen siempre abordándolas
en lo que es más fácil,
y las cosas grandes en lo que es más pequeño.
Por eso el sabio nunca realiza cosas grandes,
y así es como puede llevar a cabo grandes cosas.
El que promete a la ligera,
no cumple con su promesa.
El que todo lo encuentra fácil,
hallará la vida difícil.
Por eso, el sabio en todo considera la dificultad,
y en nada la halla."
-  Translation from Wikisource, 2013, Tao Te Ching, Capítulo 63

"Do things non-coercively (wuwei),
Be non-interfering in going about your business (wushi),
And savor the flavor of the unadulterated in what you eat.Treat the small as great and the few as many. 
Requite enmity with character (de).
Take account of the difficult while it is still easy,
And deal with the large while it is still tiny.  
The most difficult things in the world originate with the easy,
And the largest issues originate with the tiny.
Thus, it is because the sages never try to do great things
That they are indeed able to be great.
One who makes promises lightly is sure to have little credibility;
One who finds everything easy is certain to have lots of difficulties. 
Thus, it is because even the sages pay careful attention to such things
That they are always free of difficulties."
-  Translated by Roger T. Ames and David L Hall, 2003, Chapter 63  

Chapter 63 of the Tao Te Ching

Chapter and Thematic Index (Concordance) to the Tao Te Ching

English Language Translators' Index

Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices

Taoism: A Selected Reading List 

Our 55th Wedding Anniversary

Karen and I were married on January 26, 1967.  

We raised our two children together.  

We lived in Bell Gardens (14 years), Biloxi, Mississippi (4 years), Hacienda Heights (13 years), Red Bluff, California (19 years), and Vancouver, Washington (5 years).  Karen retired at age 67 and I at age 70.  

Innumerable THANK YOU's for a great life with a fine and caring wife, Karen.  Outstanding 55 Years with You!!

My Birthday

Today is my 76th birthday.  Michael P. Garofalo, January 23, 1946 -  

My daughter, Alicia, and I, 2021

My two grand-daughters, Makenna and Katelyn, and I, 2021

My parents were Bertha June (1921-1994) and Michael James Garofalo (1916-1997).  My two brothers were Paul (1948-) and Phillip (1952-).  

My parents and I in 1947
In South-Central Los Angeles

My maternal Grand-Mother Mabel Ast Blaize on the left,
and my Paternal Grand-Mother Lena Garofalo in 1947.  

Paul, Big Mike Dad, Philip, Me, Mom
Circa 1958

I grew up in East Los Angeles and attended St. Alphonsus Catholic Grammar School, Cantwell Catholic High School (Honors Diploma), California State University at Los Angeles (B.A. Philosophy), and the University of Southern California (M.S. Library Science).  

I worked for the City of Commerce Public Library System from 1963-1969.  

Blanche Karen Eubanks and I were married in 1967.  We celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary in 2021.    

Karen and I in 1970
Biloxi, Mississippi

Served in the United States Air Force, Air Training Command, from 1969-1973.  Honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant.  

I worked for the County of Los Angeles Public Library System from 1974 to 1998.  I retired as a Library Administrator, and Regional Administrator for the East Region in the San Gabriel Valley.  I worked at offices in the Compton library, Bell Gardens library, East Los Angeles library, Norwalk library, Huntington Park library, and West Covina library.  

We lived in Bell Gardens and Hacienda Heights - both in the East Los Angeles  metropolitan area.  

Karen and I, and our families and community, raised two children, Alicia June and Michael Delmer.  We now have two grandchildren, Katelyn and Makenna. 

Alicia June, my daughter, and I in 1976.

Alicia, me, Karen, Mick, circa 1990

My colleagues in East Region at our
Community Library Managers Meeting, Circa 1993
For 15 years, I was the Regional Administrator for 22 libraries
in East Region of the County of Los Angeles Public Library System

I started creating websites in 1995, and a blog in 2005.       

Karen and I lived in Red Bluff, North Sacramento Valley, California, from 1998-2017, in a rural area on a five acre parcel.  We both worked part-time for school districts.  I was the Technology and Media Service Supervisor and District Librarian for the Corning Union Elementary School District; and Karen was a Special Education Instructional Aide.  We both enjoyed gardening and landscaping projects. 

 

Red Bluff, California, Sunny Garden

Yosemite, North Dome, 2005

Sean, me, Mick
Alicia, Karen, April
Circa 2007

Karen retired on June 14, 2014, after working part-time since 1998 as a Special Education Instructional Assistant for the Tehama County Department of Education in Red Bluff, California.  

Mike retired on July 1, 2016, after working part-time since 1998 as the Technology and Media Services Supervisor and District Librarian for the Corning Union Elementary School District in Corning, California.  

I taught yoga, taijiquan, qigong, pilates, and other fitness classes at the Tehama Family Fitness Center in Red Bluff from 2002-2016.

In 2017, we moved to Vancouver, Washington.  We are now both retired.  

Family in Oregon in 2013

Vancouver, Washington, 2017
Our New Home

Flinn and Garofalo Family Gathering
Vancouver, Salmon Creek, Washington, Summer 2021

I am very fortunate in having fairly good health, a positive attitude, and stamina for work and play for all of my long life.  I was fortunate in being able to be productively employed for 54 years, and earning good medical insurance for Karen and I.  

I am a philosopher by inclination and practice.  

I have been active with various sports, physical conditioning programs, walking, fitness, Taijiquan, Yoga, hiking, etc., during my entire healthy long life.  

However, during this past COVID epidemic period I did not walk each day, kind of huddled in my home office and read, smoked too much cannabis, daydreamed, lolly-gaged, goofed-off, and acted like a lazy depressed retiree.  Therefore, I was very out of shape at the end of 2021.  

My personal goals for 2022 are to:  

1. Maintain a dietary habit that reduces my blood sugar. 
2. Reduce my body weight to 225 pounds. 
3. Walk and exercise every day. 
4.  Read and write:    Four Days in Grayland     Cloud Hands Blog. 

5.  Help and take care of my wife, family and friends. 
6. Support humanistic and environmental causes. 
7.  Explore Photography using my Canon SX740 camera, Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop; and work on our Family Photo Project😊 with Karen. 

8. Enjoy old age. 
9. Travel to the Coast and Yurt camp each month for four days.  
10.  Yet to be Determined, New Opportunities, Unknown

That about sums it up!

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, Chapter 62

Dao De Jing, Laozi
Chapter 62  

"Tao is the secret guardian of all things.
It enriches the good man and portends the evildoer.
Its counsel is always in season; its benevolence is always in demand.
Even those who are not good it does not forsake.
Therefore, when the Emperor takes his throne and appoints his nobles, he who comes before him bearing the insignia of a prince and escorted by a mounted retinue is not to be compared with one who humbly presents this Tao.
For why did the ancients hold it in such esteem?
Was it not because it could be had without much seeking, and because by means of it man might escape from sin?
For this it was esteemed the greatest thing in the world."
-  Translated by Walter Gorn Old, 1904, Chapter 62  

"Tao is the source of all things, the treasure of good men, and the sustainer of bad men.
Therefore at the enthronement of an emperor and the appointment of the three ministers, better still than those who present jewels followed by horses, is the one who sitting presents propounds this Tao.
Why did the ancients prize this Tao?
Was it not because it could be attained by seeking and thus the sinners could be freed?
For this reason, it has become the most valuable thing in the world.
Good words will procure one honour; good deeds will get one credit."
-  Translated by Ch'u Ta-Kao, 1904, Chapter 62  

"Tao is the hidden refuge of all things,

To the good man his richest treasure brings,

And to the bad in guardianship it clings.

Its beautiful words buy honor by their use,

Its noble deeds lift people from abuse,

And even the bad, are they from it cut loose?

So when the emperor, chosen to his throne,

Appoints three great ones, by high titles known,

If one of these should come to him, alone,

Holding the jade-screen, with four homes fleet,

He would be less than one on lowly seat

Who could the lessons of the Tao repeat.

Why did the ancients prize this Tao so much?

Was it not because it answered every touch,

And that the sin-bound, even, escaped thereby?

So it is most prized of all beneath the sky."
-  Translated by Isaac Winter Heysinger, 1903, Chapter 62


道者萬物之奧.
 善人之寶.
 不善人之所保.
 美言可以市.
 尊行可以加人.
 人之不善, 何棄之有.
 故立天子置三公, 雖有拱璧以先駟馬.
 不如坐進此道.
 古之所以貴此道者何.
 不曰以求得, 有罪以免耶.
 故為天下貴.
 -  Chinese characters, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 62    

dao zhe wan wu zhi ao. 
shan ren zhi bao.
bu shan ren zhi suo bao.
mei yan ke yi shi.
zun xing ke yi jia ren.
ren zhi bu shan, he qi zhi you.
gu li tian zi zhi san gong, sui you gong bi yi xian si ma. 
bu ru zuo jin ci dao.
gu zhi suo yi gui ci dao zhe he?
bu jue yi qiu de, you zui yi mian ye.
gu wei tian xia gui.
-  Pinyin Romanization, Daodejing, Chapter 62 

"He who has the Tao is the refuge of all beings.
He is the treasure of the good man,
He is the support of the man who is not good.
Beautiful words through Tao gain power,
Man, by following it gains steadfastness in action,
But, by the evil man, its possession is ignored.
The Son of Heaven sits enthroned,
His three Ministers are appointed.
One carries inj his hand a tablet of jade:
Another is followed by a mounted retinue,
But the one who is most values sits quietly, and offers as his gift this Tao.
How was the Tao prized by men of Old?
Daily they sought for it.
They found it, hid within the Self.
It gives a way of escape to the guilty.
Therefore it is prized by all men."
-  Translated by Isabella Mears, 1916, Chapter 62  


"El Tao es el Depósito oculto de todas las cosas.
Es un tesoro para la persona honrada, es una salvaguardia del error.
Una buena palabra encontrará su propio mercado.
Una buena obra puede servir como regalo para otro.
Que un hombre haya errado el buen camino no es razón pra ser apartado.
Por ello, en la Entronización de un Emperador, o en el nobramiento de tres ministros,
     deja a los demás ofrecer sus discos de jade, precediendo a sus cuadrillas de caballos.
Es mejor para ti ofrecer el Tao sin mover los pies.
Por qué los antiquos apreciaban el Tao?
No es porque, en virtud del mismo, el que busca encuentra, y la culpa es olvidada?
Por esto es un tesoro inigualable para el mundo."
-  Translated into Spanish by Alfonso Colodrón from the John C. H. Wu English translation, 1993, Capítulo 62  


"The Way is the myriad creatures’ refuge.
It is that which the good extend,
And that which defends the bad.
Eloquent words can win promotion.
Eloquent actions can elevate.
Even if a person is bad, should one reject them?
When the ruler is installed
And the three great ministers appointed,
Though jade disks
And four-horse teams are offered,
It’s better to grant the gift of the Way
Without stirring from one’s place.
Why was the Way valued of old?
Was it not said it brought achievement,
And mitigated the punishment of the guilty.
So it was prized by the realm."
-  Translated by A.S. Kline, 2003, Chapter 62  

Chapter 62 of the Tao Te Ching

Chapter and Thematic Index (Concordance) to the Tao Te Ching

English Language Translators' Index

Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices

Taoism: A Selected Reading List 

 

A Blogger's Hardware Setbacks and Steps Forward

Suddenly, my thin ho-hum ASUS laptop computer, used for field work and play, lost the ability to connect to my home wifi, then went blank and would not turn on again.  It could not be revived, despite my heroic medico-laptop efforts.  Sadly, this weakly little laptop was pronounced dead on 1/21/2002 at 3:54 am.    

Things break down and don't work anymore and my wallet hurts.  

I went on a Yurt Camping trip from Monday (1/17) to Thursday (1/20) to Nehalem Bay State Park near Manzanita, Oregon.  All my writing about my travel experiences, nature studies, poetry, notes, and some photographs for this trip were lost, gone, taken to the grave in the hard-drive-soul of my dead ASUS laptop.  

Yes, a setback, a cheap laptop equipment failure,  DaRn$##!!XX**!, lost written work, no warranty backup, and my wallet groans.  

Home Office Desktop System:
I write, manage photographs, read my Kindle books and Internet documents, search the Internet, and use computer software on my home office desktop computer set up.  I run a big Dell desktop computer, Epson printer and scanner, and external hard drives.  I have a nice big Samsung computer screen. Yes, and all the associated peripheral electronic gear and goodies.  Also, I use a Samsung Galaxy A32 cellphone power-house will fast T-Mobile 5G.  Very Nice, very cool, very powerful, with it, current, and my wallet moans again.    

Recently, as a sad story goes on, I upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11 on my desktop.  Sadly, my trusted webpage editor, Front Page 2003, no longer can inset photos in a webpage.  Yikes,  DaRn$##!!XX**!.  Still have to solve this problem with Front Page.

History!  Figure out and find solutions.  Move on!  

What Steps Forward?  Do It!!

So, I bought a used and refurbished HP Elitebook 8470P laptop.  My wallet shed a $250 tear.  We shall see how this hefty businessman's travel tool works for me.  

Lot's of extra computer laptop work ahead for me in the weeks ahead.  Time, time, time ...

I use my Cloud Hands Blog as searchable electronic filing cabinet.  Blogger software is simple and free.  Material can be used elsewhere in webpages.  All blog files can be backed up.  Handy.  Sharable!

I do use the laptop in the field for viewing pictures taken.  For taking photographs, I use a Canon EOS Rebel T7/2000D, a Canon SX740 PowerShot, and my cellphone Galaxy A32.   

I do regular backups on external hard disk drives from my desktop and laptop.  

Astoria, Oregon

Today, I left my cozy yurt and said goodbye to Manzanita.  I drove home to Vancouver.  

I visited Fort Clatsop near Warrenton for the very first time.  This is one part of the Lewis and Clark National Park and National Wildlife Refuge.  Fort Clatsop is a recreation of the camp of the Lewis and Clark expedition crew in the Winter of 1805.  Video: Winter Story.  There is a very nice visitor center with excellent exhibits and a nice gift shop.  I walked around the small log cabins inside the small fort.  It was raining when I toured the recreated fort camp.  

The highway from Astoria to Ranier, Oregon 30, is very good.  It follows along the Columbia River in many places and then inland over hills and valleys.  I take the bridge from Ranier to Longview, then down Interstate 5 to Vancouver.  

Astoria, Oregon - Information

Astoria   Population 9,500   A small town with many tourist attractions.  There are many motels, restaurants, cafes, grocery, museums, theaters, historical sights, marina, docks, hospital, gas, stores, services, supplies. 

Astoria Images  

"Astoria is a port city and the seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1811, Astoria is the oldest city in the state of Oregon and was the first American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains.[7] The county is the northwest corner of Oregon, and Astoria is located on the south shore of the Columbia River, where the river flows into the Pacific Ocean. The city is named for John Jacob Astor, an investor and entrepreneur from New York City, whose American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site and established a monopoly in the fur trade in the early nineteenth century. Astoria was incorporated by the Oregon Legislative Assembly on October 20, 1876.  he city is served by the deepwater Port of Astoria. Transportation includes the Astoria Regional Airport. U.S. Route 30 and U.S. Route 101 are the main highways, and the 4.1-mile (6.6 km) Astoria–Megler Bridge connects to neighboring Washington across the river."

Columbia River Maritime Museum

Museums in Astoria

Astoria Lodging

Fort Astoria (1811-1825) History

Astoria Food 

Astoria   History1    History2

Astoria Column Historical Tower

Charter Boat Services in Astoria 

Lower Columbia River: Astoria to Portland, Ilwaco to Vancouver

Long Beach Peninsula  

Lewis and Clark Historic Sites

Clatsop County, Oregon  Population 38,000 

Fort Clatsop  Camp of Lewis and Clark in the Winter of 1805.  Video: Winter Story

Fort Steven's State Park  A World War II military base defending the Columbia River. 

Clatsop People

 

The following photographs were obtained on the Internet:

Astoria Column

Astoria and Bridge at the Columbia River 

Astoria Downtown

Longview and Ranier

Columbia River Near Clatskanie

Columbia River Near Clatskanie