A breakthrough

 I got 15 things listed last night and because I felt tired (I'd also dug out all the things I need to pack) I just did octaves on the head joint. And I had a breakthrough. I need to do the low note with a small, fine, concentrated stream of air, then it's easy-peasy to do a beautiful octave. I can tell I'm doing it right when I actually feel the head join "ring" in my hands. 

I'd been doing ... I don't know. Tensing up too much, doing a wider stream of air then tightening it up (can work but doesn't last long) doing things that make sense for trumpet or shakuhachi but not the flute. 

So it's a real breakthrough. Even though I honestly think I'd played "The Stoat" before and haven't played it yet this time. 

It's 100 degrees outside and this is why Fahrenheit is dumb. Celsius makes so much more sense. Water's everywhere. It has pretty distinct states. So let's make zero where water freezes and 100 where it boils. In any case the heat wave is Higher Than Expected(tm) and lasting Longer Than Expected(tm) and no doubt these changes are happening Faster Than Expected(tm). 

I think people are going into more of a "fuck it" mode. So according to NPR, traffic fatalities are up at or past where they were sometime like the 1950s, a particularly bloody time. 

I ordered a new filter for the HEPA filter gadget I just got - it powers up and works fine, but I think what happened is, someone spent the $100 or so to buy the thing, used it and when it was time for a new filter, didn't want to pay for a new one. It's costing me $34 or so but may cost closer to $50 in the store. I'd not want to fork over $100 for the thing myself, but at the cost of a filter, it's about the same or less than I'd expect to pay to make one of those improvised filters people talk about making. And when it's red air time, I won't have to breathe so much of it. Red air doesn't actually bother me, but that's at the conscious level. It can't do me any good. 

I'm also taking the first of the huge cans of corned beef hash I bought in 2020 to donate. They're past date so I can't donate them to Yu-Ai-Kai or I would. I'm less worried about needing them these days, and if I move them out I can move the pasta I've still got up in the loft, downstairs. Pasta really does last for years but of course I'll have all my "prepper stores" either used or given away over the next two years.  

I left a bit after 6, dropped off trash and dropped off the big ol' can of corned beef hash at the Japantown little free library, and toodled on downtown. It was really hot so there were lots of zombies around, acting a bit crazier than usual - shirtless, sprawled on the sidewalk, shuffling, gibbering. The paid parking garages have amazing AC going and there's luscious cold air by the entrances and exits, and even alongside the buildings is probably quite a bit cooler  but I'm not sure how many of 'em know that. I was even thinking last night how I might get a hotel room for a couple days if it gets that bad but that's a zero-budget solution. 

I got my "Chinese donut" that I'd forgotten to get yesterday at Dai Thanh and want over to the little park to eat it. There were really hardly any people around at all. I rode down to Walmart and did some shopping to the tune of $37 and after that, wandered on home. I took a swing by the "bountiful" dumpster but it's missing so obviously there was nothing in it, but got some peppers and mushrooms from the veggie one.