A Friday of Engineering and Photography

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Morning routine. SESIG meeting. Photo studio preparation. Joey arrived for portrait session. Backpack distribution figured out. Lunch at McMenamins Pub. Surprise meetup with Tim and Brian at Squirrels. Beer:30 at Suds. Portrait photos at home. Dinner at McMenamins Monroe.

SESIG discussions, portrait sessions, and an impromptu Squirrels reunion

Events and activities that occurred on Friday, February 13, 2026

The SESIG meeting ranged across its usual territory of engineering curiosities and life updates. Donna's recent retina surgery prompted discussion about always asking surgeons about recovery expectations before procedures, while Mike's upcoming Wednesday operation was noted. The conversation drifted to how organizations are handling AI adoption, with IBM serving as a positive example by fundamentally redesigning business processes rather than simply bolting AI onto existing workflows.

The Winter Olympics provided endless engineering fascinations: the biomechanics of speed skating, the physics of ski jumping, and the precision tolerances of luge sleds. Battery safety emerged as an unexpectedly deep topic when Thomas shared references about LiFePO4 issues with Battle Born designs. Jim had found details about a Victron battery fire in a Sprinter van, triggered by rapid charging at near-zero percent. The group explored automatic fire extinguisher balls as potential safety additions for vans and RVs, alongside the broader topic of arc fault breakers now required throughout new home construction. Tom mentioned infrared cameras that attach to cell phones for thermal inspection work.

The afternoon belonged to Joey's visit. The portrait session had come together earlier in the week, and now it was happening. Before the photography began, we tackled a practical matter: determining which backpack would go to whom. The decision-making process was satisfyingly efficient, and the matter was settled before lunch. We headed to McMenamins Pub, then received a message from Tim that he and Brian were at Squirrels. The impromptu addition to the day's social calendar proved delightful.

Silhouette
Back home, the first round of photos unfolded in the studio space I'd been preparing. The overcast sky delivered diffuse light rather than the sunny conditions I'd hoped for, but the soft quality worked well for silhouettes. We captured several promising frames before heading to Suds for the regular Beer:30 gathering. The group included Cathy, Tim, Michael, and Mary, with Joey joining the mix. The conversation flowed easily across topics ranging from photography to travel plans to the general chaos of February scheduling.

Dinner at McMenamins Monroe provided a transition point before returning home for more portrait work. The evening session had different light qualities to work with, and we experimented with various setups. The day had been rich with social connection and creative work, a Friday that delivered on its promised intentions.

By the time the shoot wrapped, exhaustion had settled in. The portrait work would need editing, but the raw material felt promising. We skipped the usual evening rituals and went straight to bed. Valentine's Day waited just hours away.

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