More da kine magical realism please

11:30 AM and I'm back in bed, coffee in hand. This morning's run seemed different. Feeling strong as I glided (okay, perhaps more like a mellow trot), conscious of hitting the pavement mid-sole. My Hoka One One pillow top running shoes always happy to comply with enthusiasm. Different in that my days of Bosporus runs are limited.

The weather looks threatening now. I timed that right for sure. Trotting and observing, the cloudy sky patterned in geometric shapes; white marshmallows to be more specific. My favorite çay guy was already set up; wide-smile, reggae music blasting and a faithful following chatting on a typical NorIst Sunday morning along the Bosporus.

Turkish people LOVE Sunday walks along the Bosporus- no matter how inclement the weather, really. I will miss these scenes. They have already left an imprint on my heart.

Springtime. The lead-up has been dramatic this year, IMHO. While Istanbul hasn't seen any magnificent electrical storms, it has delivered fairly constant cold weather. I'm at that point where I oscillate between wanting to retire my goose down comforter, but holding out- just in case... The latter has proved to be a better option, so far.

Today looks to be the perfect day to just chill out, read (starting Bruno Schulz's "The Street of Crocodiles", delving into Germany's take on magical realism), cooking (pressure cooking magic about to begin), and other such endeavors that include lounge-type behavior.

Okay then, let the day of rest begin!
PEACE
 

Whether or not the weather knows what to do, I know not.

What we've got here y'all is a spring-time weather tennis match. Back and forth; left, right, left, right...pause... left, right. All last week- dreary weather: clouds, rain, wind, cold-er. You know, much colder than it was a week before, etc. My Istanbul Igloo (the downstairs portion of my apartment) has been serving as a very adequate temperature gauge. I've kinda got this jerry-rigged window-screen thingy going on- for the kitties, of course. I do occasionally fret that the kitties need to be confined to their indoor prison cell (happy to announce, though, that they will be indoor-outdoor kitties at their next stop on this wild ride).

So, during their incarceration, much of their time is occupied by (sleeping, grooming, crashing into things during their MMA UFC cosplay...) bird observations... As I come and go all the time, I keep the large windows open, so have to reinforce it. The kitts are quite spirited indeed. They enjoy leaping onto the screen, seeing how far they can jump... Being on the top floor of the building, well it seemed necessary to take some precautions for my super tall cathedral-window... The result- great; no way the kitties can escape.

The result of that result, though: I cannot shut the windows. We're having a, IMHO, super long winter here in Istanbul...snow, rain, bitter cold currents blowing in from the Bosporus. "The South Pole" has only been used for cooking, as well as a staging area before going out (which winter jacket to don, which winter hat, which boots, etc. No, not that last one- Uggs always wins out. Yes they are ugly, and YES Uggs are the greatest innovation in winter-weather garb- politics; not having to wear socks!).

...but I digress...As well, the kitties benefit from all that cold-weather, rarefied air. They are happy to jump atop the wall heater, which is oddly placed right next to the cathedral window   *structural ineptitude; not logical placement in terms of receiving maximum benefits*  From the heater they listen to and watch the birdsong and humansong of winter in my Büyükdere neighborhood.

Hmm, I think I've digressed so far at this point that I forgot my original written intent/content- same thing...

Onward to Plan B; it is Sunday morning. To be more specific, a low-cloud, cloudy morning, just as predicted by the local weather guru- my iPhone Weather App. Oh yes, right. I remember now. My neck starts to get used to this ping-pong of temperamental weather tantrum-throwing. Like an enthusiastic audience, eagerly anticipating which side will get the next point- spring emergence, or winter-not willing to turn into a memory just yet...

I do not wish to wear my Uggs any longer this year. Hey, speaking of- has anyone ever put their Uggs in the washing machine? I think it is a good idea, so you can 'fluff' them back up and clean them. At least with me, I wear them in the rain too. Okay, holla if can. If no can, no can.

There is some loser out on the street whose car has been idling for about 20 minutes... Sometimes humanity is SUCH a disappointment. Yea, likely a 1st world problem... Speaking of Istanbul, their 'referendum vote' is coming up next month. Thank goodness I can get one more paycheck in before the vote- when their currency remains 'kinda-stable' (I use that word VERY loosely these days), and the exchange rate won't totally just suck AS MUCH as it has in the very recent past...

I don't think Turkey partakes in the scientific tradition known as Groundhog Day to predict when springtime hits the main stage. Inquiring minds wanna know. 

Another cup of coffee or a morning run? Morning run.

Dakine Hollyday 5.0

                                                           5.0


Etching Istanbul into my DNA. It is time for a necessary upgrade to Dakine Hollyday 5.0 operating system. With the last upgrade, Dakine Hollyday 4.0, there were many positives; wider-screen images in HD displays, heightened color absorption from a rainbow spectrum color palette, AND a few 'glitches' in the system abated. Definitely, the increase in creating awesome memories was a welcome addition. Technical issues, never a problem, stayed within guidelines for optimal performance. The forthcoming operating system is expected to convert even more lemons into lemonade with mega-boosting, most-excellent RAM-speed rates.
  
Some new software, installed throughout the year absolutely enhanced peak performance. Let's see, a shout-out is in order to: Hoke One One program addition, for giving me such pleasure on my Bosporus Runs. An uplifting journey always with the feeling of running atop pillows atop unicorn rainbow confetti strewn across the pavement...Yes folks, the shoes make runs that much more comfortable. *winning* 

After first discovering a possible virus attacking my system's hard drive (in the human form of the unwanted 'upgrade' of #45 to the American people), I somehow managed to turn this spam infiltration, with (as of yet) no-way-of-removing-the-malware-and-increasingly-threatening-to-take over-all-previously-installed-applications, into some positivity. Folks, I downloaded the knitting app to all my devices! Turning my ire into grassroots activism, I eagerly attacked the task of knitting Pussyhats for as many like-minded pussycats-of all spots, stripes and colors- to fight the good cat-fight.
( https://www.pussyhatproject.com/)

Hidden files continue to be a problem. The current operating system is plagued with fears of hidden data, long-forgotten about files, password management issues,  multiple-device harmony, and what the hell IS iCloud anyway... It is like a rogue God-like creature with multiple personality disorder, preached about in convoluted sermons by unknown CEO-clergy- and for what?  In the hopes that it will do 'so much more' for our hard-drives- but where is the evidence?  Pay and find out?

Kinda like #45, no $45 is a better symbol to use for America's current 'president-in-discharge' of an unknown substance- which, by the way, you can read up more on the possible chemical make-up of this strange, pustular substance here:

https://steemit.com/@pqlenator
Regardless, all devices seem to be in-sync. It's a continual process making sure all are up to speed and in proper working order, ready to be called upon for active duty- whatever that means. You know, dakine...

 Dakine is life. Dakine is freedom. Dakine is fantastical, educational, introspective, engaging realism based in hypnopompic dream-time. Phew... You know what I mean, right?

Yea, Hollyday 4.0 has been operating at performance levels, but it's time for a boost. I want more connectivity from a more remote location... Let's see what new hardware the universe downloads to me via Bluetooth.

Okay, coffee #2 coming right up (some honorable, well deserved system maintenance). Yea, let's empty the cache and delete the garbage for renewed splendor...BOOM

Peace y'all