Summer 2014 July 31 Thursday (Shoes)

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68 degrees this morning.  Relatively heavy rains all  day yesterday.  Still  wet this morning, but able to get my walk in which is good.

I learned this morning that in the early 1900’s, shoes/footwear was so expensive it was at least 25% of the cost of clothing for people during that era.  I don’t know how the ratio was computed, but I assume it is correct.  The reason was attributed to high tariffs for leather etc. and other materials used in shoes.  The reason for the high tariffs was the political power (and money) of the special interests who stood to make money off of shoes etc.  Some things never change!  

I think it would be hard to compute now what the ratio of the cost of shoes to the cost of clothing, unless you limited the clothing to work clothing etc.  Today there is dress clothing, work clothing (which may or may not be the same as dress clothing), casual clothes, exercise clothes etc. and I’m sure I haven’t included everything.  

I read the other day that there are some brands of sneakers that sell for over $800 per pair and sell out as fast as they are issued.  I am lucky that my favorite exercise shoes are relatively inexpensive, I actually them better than the more expensive brands.   

I’m not ready to declare complete victory yet, but we haven’t seen the birds who nested in our front door for over a week now, and the owl continues to stand vigilantly at the door.  Hopefully they have happily found another nest and have forgotten about this one, or at least given up on it.

Hopefully I can resume riding my bike in the next day or two.  I have given up on finding the compressor and will buy one, which is not a big expense.  For the most  part I have located enough of my bicycling  equipment that I can get started again.  i missed riding my bike.  Basically the neighborhood will be good to ride in, but it will be difficult to take want long rides outside the neighborhood, since they are all high traffic streets without any bike lanes etc. and the sidewalks aren’t really for  riding the bike.  I am lucky that was able to start walking and lifting weights relatively quickly.  And, of corse, the ability to go swimming has been good.  

I like swimming outside, but an indoor pool is just more practical  No leaves, critters (hopefully) and the temperature is much easier to maintain.  At least that is my option.

School is staring in some ares Monday, which indicates the start of the end of Summer., although realistically Summer weather continues for 3 or 4 months.  I”m not looking forward to winter, it is more harsh here and I just don’t like winter weather.

However, there is at least one more month of summer weather (meaning the pool is open and for the most part, t-shirts and scandals are comfortable!  

My teeth implants have been relatively good.  It doesn’t hurt and has very little discomfort.  I will be glad to get the procedure set up and completed. 

I got “smart meter” rates from the electric company.  Although we don’t have a “smart meter” yet (I’m not sure if we need one), I can track daily electric use which is kind o fun, as well as being informational.  

That’s it for now, Thursday, July 31, 2014.

Summer 2014 July 20 Wednesday (Persistence)

75 degrees this morning.  Rain was forecast. Walked 57:53 minutes, sit ups and weights.  Walked a different route this morning due to forecast of rain, so I walked so I could  get back if it started to rain.  As frequently happens, I will probably walk the new route on a normal  basis since I like it better for a number of reasons.  Due to the turns etc., n the neighborhood, I can walk almost as far inside the neighborhood as I can walking along the major streets.  Due the lack of maintenance of the sidewalks, it is safer to walk in the neighborhood, for the most part.

Good to get back to the routine of exercise.   lI usually find I feel a lot better if I walk first, and then  do the other exercises.    

“Sticking to it” (persistence) is important, I feel.  The other day I was indulging in on one of my secret vices (watching boxing on tv).   The match included a  6’7” fighter with one loss and around 14 wins and one loss.  The other fighter was about 6’ tall and had no losses.  The shorter fighter was hurt early and tried his best to win.  I haven’t seen such determination and drive in someone as I say in that boxing match as he struggles to maintain his record of no losses.   I admired his drive and spirit, but he still lost.

I think one reason persistence is so important and yet so hazardous is that if you persist in a goal, you basically are giving up working on other goals.  For a boxer, maintaining his no loss record is probably his top priority.  On the other hand, if he gets injured permanently, or suffers a loss of confidence, it could be he should have quit early.  I assume self-confidence is probably one of the most important aspects of boxing since you are literally in it by yourself and can’t depend on any one to  help you while you are in the ring. 

Some of this relates to the recent fad of (especially recruiters), asking job applicants to fill out a long list of questions, many of which don’t seem to really relevant.  It can take up to 8 hours (or more) to fill some out, and in most cases, you don’t get an interview anyway, the recruiter is just trying to show they can present a large number of qualified applicants and justify their fee, at least in some cases. 

I am debating if it really is worth the persistence to fill out the questionnaires or if I should just use the time to look for other jobs. I don’t mean the usually questionnaire on your specific qualifications etc, which I can understand.  This is a long list of “what would you do in this case” type questions that literally take hours to complete and don’t always appear relevant.  In the end, it is a simple decision-if you want the job, you fill it out.  If you feel you really aren’t interested or qualified and you can use your time better elsewhere, you don’t. 

Moving continues, with one project at a time.  I have completed  a major part of my “book weeding” and am now staring into phase two, where I will go through the books I have kept and “weed” more.  

I am amazed at how many t-shirts, caps etc., I have.  I am undecided how to proceed.  Do I just keep wearing them and try to keep my favorites, or do I just start taking pictures of many of them (for the record) and give them away.  Many of them (especially the hats) have lived a long useful life and probably need to be retired.  On the other hand, they are comfortable and if I do lose them or damage them it is no big deal, so….the decisions continue!

My “teeth implants” feel fine, I have absolutely no discomfort from it, other than the very first day.  I still have to have the new “teeth” made, and then another visit to have them installed and then the procedure will be over and I will be able to enjoy my new teeth!  I am going back to Memphis to see my current dentist to finish the process.  

That’s it for now, Wednesday, July 30, 2014.

Summer 2014 July 29 Tuesday (Now, It's Part of You)

68 degrees this morning, cool weather predicted, high of 86 degrees!

“Now it’s part of you” my Oral Surgeon said as he viewed the x-rays showing the “roots” of my two new teeth.  Actually, I still have one more stage, I need to return to my Dentist and have the actual “teeth” (actually a form of a crown) “installed” on the roots.  Interesting.  Supposedly they are “guaranteed for life” and the procedure is 90% effective.  

This process actually started September 5, 2013, so, depending on when I actually complete the process, it will have taken almost a year or more than a year.  Right now, I plan on completing it around Labor Day.  Maybe I can start chewing on that  side of my mouth now!

My “mouth” has quite an investment in it, considering the implants, and the various crowns, bridges (although the implants replaced the bridges) and fillings etc.  

On the digital newspaper front, I have found my local paper has a reasonably good format on the iPad, much better than the format for the computer.  The Wall Street Journal format is better for the iPad, while the New York Times format is better for the computer at least one of the formats is better, anyway.  This could change after I get used to using the various formats, although I would still prefer to have the actual paper.

I have also subscribed to an app called “Next Issue”, where, for a fix amount per month, I can get all the magazines I basically subscribed to in various formats.  Overall I like it, and it resolves the issue of have to subscribe to the magazines and deal with the renewals.  Some magazines have started this deal about “automatic renewal”, which I really resent, unless they clearly send you notice on how to unsubscribe. Anyway, it also gives me a chance to read some magazines I wouldn’t normally subscribe to or probably even read and it is a reasonable “one flat rate” price.

We canceled our Netflex subscription.  We just never seemed to watch it much and when we wanted to search for a specific movie or documentary, it didn’t have it.  As much as we say we would like to watch movies, we rarely do, although that could change in the future.  However, the cable company we use provides us with a bunch of movie channels.  In fact, when we subscribed, we told them we didn’t want HBO or Cinemax.  I noticed we HBO and Cimemax and I tried to cancel them but was told they were “part of the package” and it would raise our bill $50 per month if they canceled it!  The strange ways of cable marketing.  I really wonder who thinks up all of there programing offers, they must really be strange.  For the most part, they are designed for maximum revenue of the cable company, not for customer service. 

We went with the electric companies “smart meter” program and wonder if this is the correct decision when we received an e-mail that our electric rate during a peak period was going to be .43 per kilowatt!  Hardly much of a way to save money, no matter what the low “off peak” rate is. I am starting to review the program, and plan on downloading the “app” that tells you “real time” what your electric bill is and consumption etc.  

It reminds me of the first time I got my own phone.  I was advised by the representative that they were “out of” the regular phones and only the “princess” phone (or something like that) was available at several dollars a month more.  I couldn’t care less about getting “princess” phone, but I had to have a phone.

The installer came out and while talking, I mentioned it to him.  He laughed and said that wasn’t true, he had a bunch of “regular” phones on his truck and the representatives were trained to lie to people and tell them they were out of the regular phones.  He said they didn’t even make an extra commission for it, they were just trained to sell the highest price product!  He installed a regular phone and I haven’t trusted the phone company much ever since.  I always carefully check my bill and it is amazing the charges that appear that they take off as a “mistake”, of course, always for some gimmick or program that they probably make a 90% profit on.

That’s it for today, Tuesday, July 29, 2014.

Summer 2014 July 28 Monday (Anticipation and Change)

81 degrees this morning.  

Next stage of teeth implants today.  The surgeon will “uncover” the posts for the new teeth, and then when that heals, the Dentist will install the new teeth (actually crowns).  It probably will be almost a year to the day by time it is finished.  

It has probably been the “longest” year I have lived for awhile, although it seemed to go fast.  It wasn’t “long” because of the teeth implants, but because of the other events regarding my job, realizing that my age is considered a handicap (basically saying my experience doesn’t mean anything), moving to another area and other events. 

On the other hand, it means anticipation (both good and bad) about change also.  I have always enjoyed and anticipated some change, while also dreading some changes, if that makes any sense.  I guess I could say I like controlled change within an overall larger structure of predictability. 

For example, my early morning routine, I don’t like change.   From the time I get up to about 8:00 a.m., I like it to be the same procedure., and I really  liked my routine before we moved.  After I became “in transition”, I worked at keeping my morning  routine the same so I wouldn’t lose my sense of having a purpose each day, even if it was just exercise, reading the papers and  my “15 minimum minutes” of reading something I wouldn’t otherwise read and listening to a nonfiction book while I walk.  

The time I walk and listen to a book is valuable to me.  i have listened about uranium production, the Aztec culture, politics, job search, autobiographies, and oner subjects that I may not normally learn about. Now that i walk about twice as long, I can listen to more, which is good.   Frequently I will listen to a book twice, and I always learn something new the second time around!  

I recently gave my granddaughter my “Walkman” cassette tape players, accepting the fact that I would not probably even listen to cassette tapes again while I walked (thank goodness), nor even my CD Walkman, although I can’t bring myself to give up my CD Walkman, although even when I bought it about 7 years ago, I had a hard time finding one.  Of course, I now use my iPods/old iPhones converted to an iPod touch.  I am amazed that all of the batteries still work in my iPod’s and iPhones.  My original “iPod shuffles”  are about 8 years old and the batteries are still good in all three of them!  It will probably be a real shock when they give out.  Replacing the battery in the iPod Shuffle (unless I do it myself, which is probably impossible for me) costs more than buying a band new iPod Shuffle, although the new Shuffle’s are near as good as the ones I have.  (I have several of the new ones, and they just aren’t the same.)

On the newspaper situation (having to rely on “digital” newspapers more since the physical papers arrive so late or aren’t delivered in my new location), I have found that the iPad seems to be a better way to “read” the newspaper than computer.  It isn’t the device, it is the format.  The iPad “app” system is just more flexible than the web site delivery system.  Had to explain, but try it sometime and you will see what I mean.  The design of the newspaper is much different for the iPad, than for the computer.

Overall, the audiobooks and the digital newspapers are a major change in the method of learning.  Certainly I like the chance to listen and learn while I walk/drive and I like the way I can skip through the digital newspapers, but I still like the physical newspaper better.

That’s it for now, Monday, July 28, 2014.

Summer 2014 July 27 Sunday (Of Replica Newspapers, Free Advice and Gasoline Scams)

81 degrees this morning. I intend to enjoy the hot weather as it is supposed to cool down this week.

The digital Commerical Appeal “replica paper” wins hands down as the best “replica” paper.  I don’t know which program they use, but their replica paper is so much easier to use than any other replica paper I have tried to use.  The others are all basically impossible to use.  

This didn’t use to be a problem, but now that where I live the newspaper delivery is either non-existent or arrives so late as to be useless, the replica papers are much more important and I continue to struggle with the digital newspapers.  I actually prefer the digital USA Today to the printed one, the Wall Street Journal is good on the iPad, the New York Times has an excellent “alternative” format, although it misses some of the news I like.  So far, I haven’t found a good digital format for the newspaper where I live, although  really haven’t tried on the iPad that much.

Spending the weekend meeting with friends, it has been wonderful and it is just starting! Unfortunately, (or maybe fortunately) it will  end on Monday with a dental appointment as I start the last stage of my “dental implants’.  I still will need to make an appointment with a dentist for the last phase, which is basically two crowns as “permanent teeth”.   By the time I finish, it will have been a year long process, but well worth the effort as opposed to redoing the bridge which was getting longer and longer.  

The dental bridge dates back to when I got out of the Air Force.  I had one year to get “free” dental care and the dentist I saw pulled my tooth and poured in the gold on the bridge.  It did last at least 25 years, but I expect today they would do a root canal rather than pull the tooth.  It would have saved a lot of problems and expense over the years.  That was one of the (if not the) most expensive “free” things I have ever received!  (Other than “free” advice.)

Actually, while I have received plenty of “free” advice, both with good and bad consequences, I have found some of the “advice” I paid for has frequently been “bad” advice in the long run (or short runI) to the point that I depend more on my own thinking and “free advice” than I do advice from “professionals”.  Obviously not always the case, but I have become very suspicious of “professional” paid advice.  Of course, you never actually know until you either reject or take the advice, but I have learned to do my own research and depend on my gut feeling, or perhaps I should say a “reasoned, decision making procedure”.   

Our car is reaching that point where the original warranty is expiring, and since we plan on keeping it for a while the question of “to or not to” purchase an extended warranty is upon us.  (We quit buying one when we bought the car, it seemed rather redundant.)  Our car has been very reliable and it is likely it will make it to 100,000 and beyond without any problems, you just never know, which is why they make so much money with extended warranties!  We would only buy it  only from AAA or a reputable business, not the scammers that send you the “official” looking documents about extended warranties.  

Speaking of scammers, the gasoline stations where we live have a real scam (in my opinion).  They advertise the “!0% ethanol” for (say) $3.19, but when you get to the pump, all they have is “all” gasoline (with no ethanol) for $3.69 on up to premium (which unfortunately we need) for $4.09 etc.  A real scam.  7-11 stores thus far have been the only station we found who doesn’t have this scam, so we buy all our gas from 7-11 in the town we live in and I boycott all the others who practice this scam.   Oddly enough, no other stations in any city, including Memphis, seems to practice this scam.  7-11 is also probably the only convenient store chain which does not sell lottery tickets.  

Premium gas at 7-11 can be as much as 50 to 70 cents cheaper per galloon than the scams.  

When we are traveling, we have found Love’s County Stores and the Fiesta Convenience Stores (only a couple of these, at exit 278 & I-40  and exit 221 & I-40 in Kansas and the “Doublebees” at exit 175 & i-40 in Arkansas are the best for buying gas at decent prices.    Oddly enough, both of these also have a McDonalds, which may be why they are honest.  We even found one where it appears they set the pumps so they will overflow with a large sign saying “customers are responsible for overflows”.  Guess what, it overflows every time.  

I have developed a lot more respect for McDonalds since we moved.  The little McDonalds where I went for the free internet, great coffee, music and parfaits was wonderful, and I have found the McDonalds are usually more than willing to “make fresh coffee” if I request fresh coffee.  McDonalds has the best fresh coffee, next to Starbucks and the only cup I can drink out of while driving without spilling it on my shirt!  Wonderful!

That’s it for today, Sunday, July 24, 2014.

Summer 2014 July 26 Saturday (Friends)

68 degrees this morning.

Looking forward to visiting with friends this weekend.  We have been looking forward to it since we knew we would be in the area.  We can (somewhatI) replace houses, cities, cars etc., but friends are unique, and we really value and hope we can maintain meeting with our Lakeland friends on a regular basis over the future. 

We lived on a farm when I was growing up, so the number of people were limited, especially children our age.   Our closes friends were about 3/4 mile away (they were mostly friends of my older brothers and sisters due to age differences) and we would walk over and give the Tarzan yell to see if they could play.

My best friend lived about 2 miles away and we would walk (I don’t recall ever being driven) over to see each other.  

We went to a one-room school (I still remember the teachers name, Ms. Porterfield,) and I went there for 4 grades before Kansas consolidated all the one-room schools.  

Decision points on our lives are coming up.  Either I will start working another job or I am starting my consulting business and “jumping in with all four feet” as I like to say.  Maybe some of each if things work out, which is what I actually prefer.  

Wherever the Wheel of Fortune may land. And I need to be ready to recognize it when the Wheel of Fortune points to me.

I think my reason for wanting to continue working is my basic desire to make changes for the better, even if it is small changes.  One of the most rewarding things about City Manager is the ability (well, power or authority)  to resolve problems, especially those little, irritating problems that impact on your life (or the big ones for that matter).  If nothing else, I can listen and explain why a problem can’t be resolved.

I really enjoy that aspect of City Manager, especially since I love feeling that I am an important part of the team  that makes life better for city residents.

That is a major reason it makes me so angry when I see an arrogant spoiled brat who thinks he knows everything destroy a city.  (As an example in Lakeland, the spoiled brat politician was going to “fix” the trash system.  He ended up with a much worse program that charges the same rates, doesn’t recycle yard waste any more, doesn’t pick up near as much (before they picked up everything in bags, now just two containers.) However, enough of that, Lakeland residents are going to have to resolve that problem. That isn’t my problem anymore, but it is a good reason for me to keep working and hope I can prevent such stupid arrogant actions in other communities.  

Back to my time on the farm, I can remember playing “City Manager” when I was child.  I had an entire “city”set up (with sticks, stones and leaves and other items representing vehicles, airplanes, buildings etc), I didn’t have actual vehicles etc. They didn’t make Hot Wheels back then and we just didn’t have toys like that.  Perhaps that is the reason (at least I feel) I am especially creative, so it may have been a gift that I had to use my imagination.

Moving has been somewhat of a trip down memory lane as I am forced to look at books, etc. that I purchased because I had read them as a child.  I can’t bring myself to throw away the literature books (my brothers and sisters) I read as a child (I purchased them at a library book sale years ago), or many of the early books I liked.  Also, I don’t even think about giving away my Hot Wheels collection, although I would like to donate them to children who will enjoy them when I no longer appreciate them for whatever reason.  

The next week week may have a lot of decisions points.  We will see.  We are looking forward to visiting with our friends this weekend.  If I”m having “too much fun” the journal entires may be somewhat erratic for the next several days, although I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t be able to jot a few thoughts.  

That’s it for today, Saturday, July 26, 2014.  

Summer 2014 July 25 Friday (Time)

66 degrees this morning.  

One of those days when I write in the date and wonder what happens to time?  I expect if anyone had the capacity to actually buy more “time” it would be the most popular product available and people would spend fortunes just for more time.  

I think that is one reason mobile phones are so popular.  I told someone when they came out that mobile phones are like being able to “buy time”.  Looking back, I still feel that is true, but it also is a great way to waste time also! 

Tomorrow will be (if I am figuring right) 8 months that I should have had a lot of “free time”, but I really have kept busy the full time. 

 I think part of it is, as described by the author of “Reset”, that looking for employment is a 24 hour, 7 day “job”.  You are always looking for the one break that will get a job, not even a dream job, just a start. 

One of his comments was “you wear unemployment like you wear a suit”, except it is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and eventually it starts to became part of your skin (or words to that effect, one of the weaknesses of audio books, you can’t find a quote when you want one!)

My first full time “City” or perhaps career job is a better term, came about in a strange way.  I had just either gotten “stood up” by a woman, or there was a misunderstanding and was diving back to my apartment in a funk.   I had just  graduated from Wichita State University and during the Summer I was completing my M.A. degrees with a research course.  

As I pulled up at a stop light (I can still picture it), my Professor pulled up beside me, saw me and yelled about a job he know about and to call him.  He was an excellent dedicated Professor, but I don’t believe he ever would have thought about contacting me about it otherwise.  (I had finished my course, so I wouldn’t have seen him otherwise.)

I called about the job, interviewed for it and got the job and my career started in Liberal, Kansas, and the time has definitely flown by.  

I think when you are looking for employment, you are aware that the next thing you read may be the break you need, the next person you meet may know of a job, or you may miss an opportunity. 

Strange, I have never thought of it before like this, but in a strange way, it almost is like someone gambling, you are always waiting for the big break.  

I have often wondered about people who get a job and then either waste time with personal activities or just don’t try to do a good job.  I think, don’t they know how valuable a job is (especially a good job)?  I think the book “Reset” would be a good book for someone who has a job, to remind them of what it is like not to have a job.

Same with time, I see my granddaughters being bored and want to warn them to not waste the time by being bored, but I know they won’t understand. 

I can’t find the exact quote but this will do (Horace MannI): “Lost, yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered for they are gone forever.”  I

t think the problem is, your really don’t know where time is lost and you don’t realize you are losing it until you have lost it.  And then there is no way of finding it again.  

Time is moving on fast, That’s it for now, Friday, July 25, 2014.

Summer 2014 Thursday (Change!)

79 degrees this morning.   Walked 58;39 minutes, also did sit ups and weights.  

I was struck by the difference of the city we live in and the next city over.  The other City has regulations more like Lakeland used to have and it is a much more attractive city to live in.  There are numerous trails/walking paths, landscaping on streets and entrances etc.  The city we live in has sidewalks (if you are lucky), and the old “scrape and leave” development patterns.

The City next to us is booming, with substantial housing and commercial construction, including chain commercial, local commercial etc.  This demonstrates that letting developers take over the city instead of realizing the City is for the benefit of the residents is good for everyone, including the developers.  

Not that the area of the city we live in is doing all that bad, but the difference in living environment  is really striking. Guess where we are going to make sure we move when we move, assuming we stay in this area?

There seems to be a general feeling in this area (from the City to local businesses) of a resistance to any type of consideration of whether or not the “current practices” could be changed for the better.  An example  is the city recycling program, which is very limited for a large city and any questions of “why” seems to lead to defensive comments, not honest discussion about why the procedures are the best and can’t be changed.    There seems to be a resistance to any type of even discussion of changes.  Another example is the newspaper, which doesn’t seem to want to discuss whether there is a need to relook at their circulation procedures.  

My feeling is if you don’t change you get stale, (at least if you  aren’t continually looking at possible change you get stale).  I think the local procedures certainly provide evidence that my feelings are correct.  

While I agree with the concept of emphasizing “promotion from within”, it is so strictly followed in this city, that I think it has led to staleness and a resistance to change and just a real inability to step up to meet the changing needs of the residents and businesses.  It is as if there is a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality.  Of course, the antidote is to move, or just simply adjust to it and realize it could be worse.

Just read an article about the problems with the “incentive structure” in federal (and probably many other organizations) projects.  The article notes that “‘focusing on failure” is counterproductive, since it discourages trying new approaches and  (quoting):  “All major technological work involves trying new new things, trying new things involves failures and those failure can often often be extremely useful learning opportunities”  (The article notes that penalties for failure are actually counterproductive.)  (Source:  Clay Shirky, “The Key to Successful Tech Management” in the March/April 2004 edition of Foreign Affairs)  (Shows how  far behind I am in my reading!)

Anyway, to conclude my thoughts, I think this area is focusing on “punishing failure” instead of “learning from failure” and it will be a problem for the progress of this area in the future.  It is already a problem for many organizations.  Of course “rewarding failure”  can be an extremely difficult action to take.  Obviously I’m not referring to failure due to incompetence etc., but rather have the courage to try something new and learn from it if it is a failure.

Moving continues.  We got the fax machine set up yesterday, and generally have all the printers functioning etc.  I have also completed the first wave of “weeding” of the books and now will start the process of weeding the ones I tentatively decided to keep.  

The  Owl still resides at our front door, guarding against the rebuilding of the bird nest, resulting in a mess on our front porch. 

That’s it for now, Thursday, July 24, 2014

Summer 2014 July 23 Wednesday (Home)

79 degrees this morning.  Walk was 58.15

Haven’t seen the birds since Monday morning when they dive bombed the Owl to try to scare it off.  The plastic Owl still maintains a steely vigilance over the former nest, and perhaps how considers it it’s home. 

I can relate to the feelings of the poor birds being kicked out of their home and community by some thoughtless idiot (me).  In a way, the spoiled brat politician and his toadies did the same to us, (and other personnel) perhaps in a different manner.  Of course, technically speaking, we had  a choice, but, not really, when you see the community you have worked for twelve years being destroyed by incompetence, greed and flat stupidity. 

I hope the birds are  able to build a next elsewhere and enjoy their new community.  

Perhaps because of my career, I notice the songs and articles and poems written about “my hometown” or similar terms.  A hometown means a lot, and I think, in spite of the fact we only spent 12 years there, we consider Lakeland as a “hometown” because of the people we met and the investment of the residents in building a better community.  

I have recently realized the advantages of living right across the street from a swimming pool (although it will close Labor Day) and having the time to take a quick swim during day, especially during the summer.  I love swimming, but it has always been difficult to find a pool where I felt comfortable swimming and the time to do so.

There is something about swimming (and bicycling and even lifting weights) that rejuvenates you and just kind of gives you a feeling of flow.  Hard to explain, but I know it when it happens! It just changes your outlook on the entire day. I love my morning walk (and walking in general), and it is almost essential to my day.  Somehow bicycling, swimming, weightlifting etc. is just a different experience.

Finished my second “hearing” of the book “Reset” this morning.  It was a good book, but now time to get back to Doris Kearns Goodwin and the “Bully Pulpit” and Roosevelt and Taft.  I will probably  re-listen (and/or read) “Reset” again, about a man struggling through being laid off and his search for another job.  Contains a lot of good information, whether you are employed or not and it continues to document the age discrimination which is so prevalent among employers, even in the early forties and especially in the 50’ a and 6i0’s.  Somehow, everyone seems to think after you are 62, your only value is as a Walmart greeter (absolutely nothing against Wall Mart greeters, it has just become a cultural expression) or maybe to work part-time in fast food. 

I am reaching the time when I will need to get started my own business if I don’t find a job.   (If I find a part-time job, I will also start my own business).  The moving is almost substantially completed (with minor adjustments to continue for months, I am sureI) and I need to get going.  I have mentally slated August 3 to start on a “full-time” basis, which is after several interviews.  There is a local community college that has a program that may help me get started.  There is a lot involved and I especially want to make sure whatever I do, I do a good job.  

Moving continues.  A non-profit picked up a lot of items yesterday, much of what works, but we just won’t have the room for it.  I may have mentioned this yesterday, but Aliene’s plants mostly survived the move and are now in the house.  It is nice to have plants in the house, I didn’t realize how important they were.  We also continue to make adjustments in furniture etc., and I don’ even want to think about the “sortin and thrown” we will need to do yet with many of he boxes and decisions on where to hang pictures.

I have finally “weeded” many of my books, knowing they are  going to a good home, or to be sold at a library book sale to someone who will treasure them and read them.  Or if they throw them away, at least I didn’t have to do it!

Postings may be somewhat erratic over the weekend, as we have some activities that may affect my routine Friday through Tuesday.

That’s it for now, Wednesday, July 23, 2014.

Summer 2014 July 22 Tuesday (Routines)

79 degrees this morning, apparently back to Summer weather!  Walk this morning, regular route, (around 59 min, forgot stop watch), 40 sit ups 15 lb weights.  

Owl is working so far to keep the birds from building their nest over our front door. There was about 6 birds (we think, it was hard to count) who dive bombed the plastic owl for a while yesterday morning, but since then they have stayed away.  We think they are trying to scare it off, which is a difficult task, scaring off a plastic owl!  

Newspaper delivery here is very erratic, which is more upsetting than if it was always late.  (Some days it arrives at 4:15 a..m, other days after 6:30 a.m.).  I’m still undecided if I am going to keep delivery or not if the erratic time continues.

Routine  is an important part of our lives, even something something so minor as the paper being delivered on a consistent basis (perhaps it is even more important since it is so minor, and especially since its comes at a time where routine is important for me, in the early morning hours)  Also, reading the daily newspaper is probably my longest running routine.

Aliene mentioned the other day about how she missed the routine of daily life we had in Lakeland.  Even while we were packing in Lakeland, we still had the routines we had developed over the years with friends, activities and just habits, and those routines were important to our lives, including phone calls, meeting for lunch or supper, etc.  That is what we miss most about moving.  

Back to the book I am listening to, “Reset”, he also notes the value of routine in  our lives, and how the change in routine is frequently the worst part of losing your  job.  

Had  lunch yesterday with a friend who is a City Manager in this area.  I enjoyed talking with him and it was good to reconnect with him and briefly experience the City Hall atmosphere!  

Moving continue to progress, a major advancement yesterday when Aliene’s plants make it back inside the house.  After surviving the move (which was unexpected), they have survived living outside since July 3.  Today will also be  major step when a non-profit will come by to pick up a large number of donations, which will give us more room and allow us to complete some of the major move stages.  We are still going through boxes and donating/throwing/giving away, but it is now more manageable.  

i think getting rid of many of the items has really helped, although we are getting to decisions about whether to keep some oems which is more difficult to make.  I have gotten ride of a lot of clothes and about five boxes of book (probably about 150 books), although now I am going to go through them again.  

Something I have delayed doing for almost 17 years (which is unbelievable that so much time has passed) is going through my parents papers, in this case, they apparently saved every letter and card I ever sent them.  I am undecided if I should not look at them, look at them and throw them away or look at them and keep them for future reference.   They don’t contain any secrets, they are like any letter a child sends his parents.  I’ve about decided to look at them and then decide how to proceed.  They don’t take up a lot of room and if I toss them, a small part of my history disappears.  

Took Kali and Katherine swimming in the community pool yesterday.  It was fun and I did my best not to get sunburned or let them get sunburned,  went for ice cream afterwards.  

Saw a bunny rabbit this morning, one of those with the big cotton tail.  Funny, I don’t recall seeing rabbits in Lakeland.

That’s it for now, Tuesday, July  22, 2014.  

Summer 2014 July 21 Monday (If Only...) (Battle of the BirdsI)

Summer 2014 July 21 Monday (If Only) (Battle of the birds)

75 degrees this morning.  Found my stop watch, walked 59:48 minutes, a good walk.  I don’t try to “beat my time”, I just do it so I can keep general track.  (I’ll be honest, the reason I started this is that when I walk “laps”-even long laps-I tend to forget where I am and which lap I am on.  I 

started using the stop watch so I knew what lap I was on!.  My current walk is a route which is not repeated, so I’m don’t need to worry about forgetting which lap I am on!)  Also did 40 sit ups and 4 sets of 15 lb weights.

“If Only”.  This morning while listening to “Reset”, the author mentioned the concept of “if only” as in “if only I had a job”, if only I had a new car” …”if only…. I would be happy”.  

Obviously there is no one thing that will make you happy.  I used to have a department head (the title may implicate the guilty, so I won’t use the title) who would ask for a major purchase and say “if only I get this, I will be happy for five (or whatever) years and not ask for anything else”.  Of course, six months later…..

Somewhere in life, I realized there is no “if only” that will make me (or anyone) “happy”.  Life is a series of experiences (in my opinion) and I think “happiness” is dealing with and living the experiences. 

Some years ago (I can’t pinpoint when) I decided that “experiencing” life, even the negative, stressful things were the important part of life.  I don’t try to cover up any of my experiences, although I’m sure I do.  That includes both the physical (such as my surgery for skin cancer) and the psychological (dealing with an angry  resident, dealing with my own anger etc.), as well as the pleasant parts of life.   I’m hardly perfect on it, but i just think “I need to truly experience  living life  and really feel how I feel” (so to speak) and it makes life much easier and, in my opinion, much better.  That is one reason that the only thing I use that may affect my experiencing life is coffee, and it is hardly that much of an impact.  (It keeps me awake for life!) I don’t want to miss experiencing life. 

BATTLE OF THE BIRDS:  We continue to fight the “Blue Jays”  (actually after looking up Blue Jays on the internet,  I don’t think they are Blue Jays, but…).  

We made a major advance yesterday when we took down the nest, washed it all down, put up a plastic “owl” near the site of the next and also put up some chimes to harass the birds.

The birds went a little crazy and tried to scare off the owl (unsuccessfully) and I didn’t see them this morning.  I expect they will be back with some new techniques.  I know they won’t give up easily.

Thus far, the owl appears to be working well, but I won’t claim victory for awhile yet.  

Again, we don’t like doing it, but the mess it creates is a real health hazard.

Some major advancements in moving in.  With some help we put all the moving boxes in the attic and cleaned out the garage.  We still have a lot to do but getting the moving boxes out is a major advance.

We have a non-profit coming out tomorrow to pick up a bunch of items we are donating, thank goodness, which will open up lot of room.

I really don’t like the lack of  recycling here.  They actually don’t recycle cardboard.  Yesterday I carefully cut up all the cardboard boxes we aren’t saving for a future move and carefully filled the trash cart to capacity, all the while feeling that something is wrong about not recycling cardboard.  Such a waste of resources.  I now have two bins and have them filled to capacity with the few items they recycle.  

That’s it for now, Monday, July 21, 2014

  

Summer 2014 July 20 Sunday (Data Exhaust)

68 degrees this morning, but somehow seems warner, even with a relatively strong wind.  

Data Exhaust is an interesting concept and the term caught my attention while reading an article on privacy.  Data Exhaust is all the “exhaust” we leave from our digital operations, since as internet postings, credit cards,  cell phone use, gps signals.  It is really amazing the signals we leave about our location, what we do etc., from the use of the “pikepass” leaving a message of the exact time I go on the turnpike to my credit card use leaving “trails” of exactly where I have been and what I have purchased to cell phone texts and calls.  I’m sure somewhere every tv program I watch etc. is tracked and stored.

Of course, it is not the “collection” of data which matters, it is how it is used.  Recently I visited amazon.com to  check on prices on an item.  I took no action, I merely looked. Since then, I have received almost daily e-mails about the item (and similar items) meaning Amazon actually traces causal visitors.  That is creepy.  

I could probably name numerous other instances.  I wonder (as I think of the book “1984” which is now technically possible and probably in effect in some countries) who would really care what I do every minute of the day.  I have learned to ignore the pestering of the e-mails, I ignore the specific “personally targeted” ads on Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo etc.  I still get numerous “targeted” ads on China tours, hotels, flights etc. so they really aren’t all that smart.  

I think the big problem is, again, when the data is misused, and the potential of misuse normally leads to some type of abuse, probably by private businesses trying to exploit the information as much as the “government”.  The potential is terrifying.

My insurance company recently offered me a relatively large discount (almost $200 per year) if I would allow my car to be “tracked” from the moment it came on to the moment the key turned off.  I read it carefully and found that the date was subject to release by  “court orders” and the information could be used against me.  It also tracked anytime you “braked hard” “hard acceleration” or driving over 80 mph (which is legal in some areas).  No thanks, I think I’ll pass on that.  

I expect at some point, we will be required to have such a device in our car to drive it.  I hope I don’t see that day.  Neither of us have anything to hide, I almost always drive at or near the speed limit, I rarely brake or accelerate hard etc. and I’m not ashamed of where I go.  I just feel it isn’t anyone’s business, especially some company trying to sell me something I don’t want or need, but who feels they have some right to spam me or call me with their “targeted” data.  I have a couple of words for that I won’t use.

Moon Day, +45 years.  I was 5 days into Air Force basic training on Moon Day, 1969.  We had the option of seeing it live (I believe about 2 a.m.), but I slept though it.  I regretted missing it at the time.  

If I had known what would happen in my life on Moon Day, I wonder what I would have thought.  A lot has happened in 45 years, as is I expect always the case!  Looking back, I don’t know that I would have changed a lot, actually I see small decisions that I wished I had made a different decision when the small decision resulted in problems. 

I think the big surprise after “Moon Day” was that little more was accomplished in the next 45 years, although the shuttle etc. was quite an accomplishment.  

Moving continues.  We organized the garage yesterday (at least organized it for further organization), but do have a lot of items organized for donation and throwing away, and storing some of the items in the attic (such as boxes etc.)  At least future moves will be easier!  

That’s it for now, Moon Day +45 years, Sunday, July 20, 2014.

  

Summer 2014 July 19 Saturday (Thoughts while walking)

68 degrees this morning, as it starts to warm up to Summer.  

Thoughts during my morning walk.

During my walk this morning, I experienced again the inability of some people to finish a job.  In this case, the sidewalks.  The areas around the sidewalks are mown and then the grass (in this case tall grass from not mowing soon enough) litters the sidewalk.  

I always question if there is a snake hiding in the grass clippings!  I may take a rake and go out myself and clear the grass clippings from my walk route!  

Another peeve is landowners who aren’t responsible enough to mow along the sidewalk,  The grass enriches onto the sidewalk and frequently grass is taking over the sidewalk.  Since this area is so unworkable (with only one sidewalk on a side in many casesI), it can really ahe an effect on people using the sidewalks, which is a shame. However, I don’t plan on mowing along the sidewalks!  

Speaking of sidewalks, I’ll never understand why some persons feel (or approve) “serpentine” (or zig zagging or winding) sidewalks.  In my opinion a sidewalk should be straight, not meander around like a snake!  (Lakeland was bad about this.).  It is almost impossible for a bicycle rider or a disable person to use the sidewalk and when the sidewalk is the only means of getting along a high traffic street, it is really a disservice to residents and discourages walking.

There is is a lot of discussion about “walkable” communities and I am always pleased to note the return of trails off the street (for both walking and biking) and the emphasis of bicycle, walking and alliterative ways of  transportation.  (It made me sad to see Lakeland go back into the stone ages and reject a $1,000,,000 grant which would have basically made it possible to walk and bike safely in the part of Lakeland north of I-40.  Also, Lakeland is going back into the stone ages on recycling by eliminating the recycling of yard waste, which uses up a lot of the landfill).

Speaking of recycling, the people at the recycling place probably think I am a complainer (I probably have called them about 10 times), but recycling here has a long ways to go.  For example:

-No lids available for the recycling containers

-No yard waste recycling

-Cardboard is not accepted for recycling and there is no place to take cardboard, other than to the “dump” etc.  

As I mentioned before, we have a 96 galling cart full of recycling due to the rules and it is difficult to continue recycling when you feel it is not important to the city to do it.  

I plan on reviewing the plans for recycling and to get involved as necessary to at least make my thoughts known about the lack of recycling and the artificial barriers that prevent recycling.  

During my walk, there is a donut shop that starts cooking about the time of my walk (cooking may be the wrong term for donuts).  Even though I don't especially even like donuts, the scent that walls from the shop is enticing to say the least and sometimes I get back to the house hungry.

I also wonder why the Sonic I walk past leaves it music on all the time. It seems a waste of electricity.  

When I return from the walk, I note the Blue Jays” are still sitting in their partially rebuilt nest.  (Sigh)

That’s it for now, Saturday, July 19, 2014

Summer 2014 July 18 Friday (Blue Jay Blues)

64 degrees this morning.  Light rain started as I finished my walk, after raining all day yesterday.  

It felt good to walk again, after missing a day due to the rain.  Now I need to get back into the routine of weightlifting and bicycle riding again.  We have located all the missing printers, but still  are missing the air compressor (for my bicycle tires) and some smaller items I use on my bike ride.  

The maintenance service for the house took down the blue jay nests over our front porch We wouldn’t mind, but the mess on the front porch, we do mind!  Last night, two blue jays sat menacing on the roof, watching the nests (one already partially rebuilt).  When I left for my early morning walk, I noticed the blue jay (at least one) sitting shivering in the partially rebuilt next.  I felt sorry for it until I looked at the mess on the front porch!  

We continue to donate and otherwise dispose of “stuff”, although we will have too much, probably have to use the garage as a storage area.  Fortunately  we have a three car garage (and one car and two bicycles), but it is not near as convenient as the “unfinished room” at our other house.  However, it is making us get rid of stuff we don’t really need.  I have six boxes of books I am either giving away or donating to the local library. 

I broke down and went ahead and subscribed to the local paper.  It was very inexpensive, so it was not only cheaper but less trouble to subscribe, plus it provides full digital access.  Unfortunately  it is delivered too late (for me) to really read it like i would like.  (I would like to start riding to the local gym about a mile away and read it while I am on the stationary bicycle, but it just comes too late). 

 I really miss my great paper carrier in Lakeland.  

Finished the audiobook “Reset” this morning just as I started my walk, so I listened to the start of it again.  When I re-listened tot the part about how he was terminated, I realized he didn’t really comprehend the significance, but his wife did.  Looking back, I think Aliene really understand what was going to happen (actually she realized it when the spoiled brat politician was elected along with his two toadies).  I didn’t really realize it then, and I actually was protected from some of the psychological effects by the fact I could get retirement etc., plus my knowing how incompetent the spoiled brat politician really is and I couldn’t work for someone like that anyway.   

Of course, in my mind, I was thinking I would have another job within a month,maybe two because of the Christmas season.  Overall, I have remained positive, which helps deal with the situation.  I am definitely ready to start working again.  

The move and leaving Lakeland was probably the hardest move psychologically I have ever made, made somewhat better by the fact I knew we couldn’t live in a city with a board of fools who are destroying the city as a respected place to live.

Recycling is a problem here, you can’t use lids on the recycling bins and the items blow around.  We have started putting it into bags, but it really doesn’t work well.  I feel a little guilty, but we just filled a 96 gallon cart with items we had planned to recycle.  I have talked with the City about it though and they are making improvements.  We’ll see.

Hopefully the rain will stop and the sun will come out and summer will return!

That’s it for now, Friday, July 18, 2014.  

Summer 2014 July 17 Thursday (Rain)

63 degrees this morning.  Light rain since last night, supposed to continue all day.  

Didn’t walk due to rain, took the extra time to turn in some address changes etc.  Due to the internet it is a lot easier to get this done!  The main problem is just remembering all the address changes we need to make. 

While I realize rain is essential, I much prefer the hot sun and dry during the summer!  One good thing is we haven’t had to water our yard yet, it grows fine with the rain we have received.

Made some major moving progress in the garage yesterday (although after we finished, we looked at it and wondered what we had accomplished!  Actually we did accomplish a lot and at least set it up so we could go through items at a future time and finalize sorting.  We have donated/tossed/given away a lot of stuff and we still have too much!  One variable i now consider is “do I really want to move this item again”!  Many times that is the deciding factor!  

Oddly enough, the one item I really want to find, apparently did not make it, the compressor I use to air up my bike tires.  It isn’t an expensive item, but I have had it for years and it was reliable and I hate to buy another one and then have mine show up.  We also are missing two inexpensive printers, although we hopefully will find them.  

We are still in the moving process where it seems like we will never finish it, although I expect realistically we will finish the major items within a week.  Putting up pictures etc. is a longer term preposition since we need to settle in some to know where our pictures need to be placed.  Some of the pictures, like a lot of my books, are like old friends and I like to place them where they seem to belong.  

Watching the “Tour de France” that I taped.  I enjoy watching it, although I really can’t even imagine riding like that and wouldn’t want to. 

It is similar to mountain climbing.  After hearing a speaker (Bech Weathers, author of “Left for Dead”) about his mountain climbing experience.  (His message was actually to maintain a balanced life and not become focused and unbalancedI).  While I appreciated his basic message, it also aroused an interest in learning/reading about mountain climbing.  However, I never had the desire to climb mountains and I doubt if I would even if I was much younger.  I appreciate the reason people love it, but I have no desire to do it.

Actually, some years ago, I did some “mountain” climbing in Southwest Oklahoma.  One mountain was about 6,000 feet, the other (Elk Mountain) was much smaller, probably hardly qualified as a mountain.  I really enjoyed it, even the episode of getting charged by a buffalo.  The episode with the buffalo was inspiration for a lot of speeches, although I carefully stayed away form any and all buffalo after that.  They are very big animals and they can move very fast.

Another activity I like to watch (which surprises many people) is boxing.  I like to watch the strategy and the immediate consequences of a decision.  But, I never had the desire to box, though I might try it if I were younger.  I do have a  “heavy bag” and a “punching bag” I haven’t used for awhile, but I enjoyed it when I had the space to use it. 

Wall Street Journal is supped to be home delivered here.  Tuesday it arrived at a good time, but Wednesday and Thursday it was late, in the sense that it arrived much later than I normally read it.  I expect to go to a “digital only” subscription since it is arriving so late.  The local paper actually isn’t bad, better than it used to be.

Looking forward to a visit to Lakeland in the near future.  One reason is to complete the first phase of my teeth implants (the second phase is to have the actual teeth (basically crowns) by a regular dentist.  This process started on September 5, 2013, so it is not a fast process.  Mine was delayed somewhat since I needed a bone graft.

That’s it for now, Thursday, July 17, 2014.

Summer 2014 July 16 Wednesday (Disappointment)

72 degrees this morning.  Actually feels cool outside.

“He did something stupid.  He turned 50”.  This is a quote from the book “Reset” and is describing a person who lost his job in “downsizing” and was looking for another job.  I can relate, although I thing turning 60 is even stupider, so to speak.  

Hopes of yesterday concerning the newspaper were a little inflated.  The daily paper wasn’t there yet when I walked to the 7-11 store and the Wall Street Journal has not been delivered yet, so it really won’t arrive in time.  I will probably have to learn to live with digital editions.  Not a disaster, but a disappointment.  On the other hand, I will have more time.

I really am disappointed in the newspapers, not to make light of it.  It was a very enjoyable part of my morning and I will miss it.  

The move continues.  Slowly but surely we are getting rooms organized, although we haven’t tackled the garage yet, and we have a lot of items stored in the garage!  It is a daunting task, but we are making some real progress.  I hate moving!  On the other hand, we are getting rid of a lot of items.

I am walking more, but still having found my weights and items I need to start riding my bicycle again.  I expect they are in the garage and we will find them this week.  It will be nice to start riding the bike and lifting weights again.  

Maintenance stopped by yesterday and fixed many of the items that needed fixing, from the doorbell to a doorstop in a door to fixing the commode.  One of the nice things about renting. 

We have two nests the bluejay has build (in either side of our front door). It is a very aggressive bird. Since the babies are gone, the maintenance person removed both nests and the bluejay was already rebuilding them this morning.  I feel sorry for the bird, but not that sorry that I am going to deal with the results of a two bird nests right over my front door.  (It is very messy)

Moving is more than just moving your times and having to adjust to a new location.  It is also changing your address with everyone you can think of,  setting up all new bank accounts, changing the payment procedures for all your bills, as well as finding new Doctors, Dentists, fitness centers etc., as well as adjusting to new procedures!  Not complaining, just noting that anything you can do to  make your move easier, do it if you think you are going to move sometime.  

Coolish today.  

I am becoming a little concerned that I am allowing myself to be isolated (from a business viewpoint) and not getting he stimulation of other ideas etc.  Reading is great, but you still need to talk with other people.  Not really concerned while we are finishing moving in, but something I need to concentrate on when the major move in is completed and I have some time.  Really started to think about it this morning thinking about an upcoming interview.

That’s it for now, Wednesday, July 16, 2014.

Summer 2014 July 15 Tuesdays (Decisions)

75 degrees this morning.

I was pleased this morning to return from my walk and find the Wall Street Journal being delivered to my door, rather than mailed!  Also, I walked a little different route to the nearest 7-11 and got a copy of the local paper, although the clerk advised me the paper normally was available that early, that the person who delivered the local paper was early.  Hopefully, they will always be there at that time because it works in perfectly with my walk. 

45 years ago, July 15, 1969,  I officially entered the U.S. Air Force.  I started from Kansas City, went to San Antonio, than Denver, then Kansas City (actually Whiteman AFB, near “Knob Noster, Missouri if I remember correctly), then Goose AFB Labador, than Madrid, Spain, than Wichita Falls, Texas and finally Hampton Virginia, where I served until July 13, 1973. I got out on Friday the 13th, since my four years was up on Sunday, July 15.  Had a lot of experiences, probably overall positive, if nothing else, it taught me to deal with a wide variety of people and situations.  

The family reunion was good and enjoyable and a good time.  It is good to reconnect with people, even if it is just for a short time. 

Still moving in, which includes a lot of deciding what to donate/give away and trash.  At least any future moves will be simpler!  We are planning on starting on the garage today, where we have a lot of items ready to be either stored, donated or thrown away.  Slowly but surely we are getting it done.

i think there are several reasons we hate to donate, give away or trash items.  Of course the main reason is “I may need that again”.  If it costs a relatively trivial amount, I can psychologically get around that, since we can always buy another one if we need it.  It is still difficult.  

A second reason is “it may be worth something” (now or in the future).  I found the answer to that is fairly simple in todays world, simply check on the internet to at least get some indication.  

A third reason is the item (regardless of value or condition) reminds you of an event or a person. I found the suggestion to take a picture of the item helps relieve this psychological barrier.  With “cloud” storage and digital pictures it is a good, simple solution.  (Many of my hats and t-shirts fall into this category.)

Still in the process of changing addresses, phone numbers etc.  It seems like a never-ending process, but all we can do is start on it.  Actually, I have the major ones changed, it just seems like there is a continuous   array of new ones coming up!   

(Later);  Went to the patio to read the morning newspapers, surprised it was too cool to sit there.  That won’t be true later in the day.  I may be surprised to find it is too cool to sit out there in the mornings.  It isn’t a “cold cold”, just the usually morning coolness, so I’ll ave to find out.

Overall, the local paper appears to be ok, better than I remembered, so that is good. Hopefully the WSJ will continue to be delivered relatively early (so it is available after my walk).

We are  still trying to decide on a gym or fitness center.  It ranges anywhere from a nearby 24 hour fitness center to the YMCA system.

A lot of small decisions that will be a major factor as we settle in.

That’s it for now, Tuesday, July 15, 2014.

               

Summer 2014 July 14 Monday (Restart)

69 degrees this morning, possible high of 86 degrees.

The Reunion is over, except for a possible breakfast with several as we all return to our daily lives.

Sunday was the traditional reunion activities, visiting, a brief meeting and group pictures.  A highlight was a 95th birthday celebration for my Aunt, who turns 95 this year.  It was a good experience to watch the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren (and nephews/neices, and great/great-great nieces/nephews celebrate this occasion, especially since she is still very active and is still, as they say, “sharp as a tack”.  A great example of graceful and productive aging.  

The rest of the day involved visiting, eating and swimming.  A great Reunion!

The Reunions have always been a measuring stick for me.  Obviously, at the last Reunion in 2013, I was aware I could  be in this situation, and, I think I can say my worst fears were realized in some aspects.  As one of my Aunts’ told me some months ago, when one door closes, another opens, but sometimes you have to beat on the other door to get it to open”.  Or words to that effect).  I do not plan for retirement to be the other door.

The Reunions are close to my birthday (although it was en earlier day than usual this year, but it worked well), so each Reunion, I start to think about the meaning of my next birthday.  Birthdays were perhaps important because it was a highlight in my childhood.  I have a brother and sister who have a birthday the day before mine, so my parents would usually celebrate all three birthdays with a big birthday party with a picnic and swimming at the Holton swimming pool.  

The only birthday that really bothered me much (in the sense that age was a problem) was my 39th, by the time I was 40 I had accepted that aging is not a bad thing and it really has concerned me since.  It is part of life and I plan on enjoying each stage!

We plan on being busy this week, finishing up the major aspects of moving in and getting to the point where we can somewhat resume our lives in our new location.  We will tackle the items stored in the garage, and I will also need to finish changing our address etc.  

Another phase of moving I don’t like is getting all new Doctors, Dentists, etc. and other professional services.  Perhaps I should say I will miss the ones I have now and know we will face having to search for new professional services and be ready to evaluate and search more until we find ones we can trust and relate to.  We are now in a position where many medical providers may not accept our insurance, but at least we have it!

Still trying how to decide my morning paper dilemma.  I had it perfect in Lakeland (an good local paper, early home delivery of the local paper, NY Times and WSJ) to a lousy local paper that I’m not sure I want to subscribe to, no delivery of the NY Times and only mail delivery of the WSJ which is unacceptable even if it is on the same day.  This leaves me with digital reading of the WSJ and NY Times (which overall is acceptable, just not as enjoyable) and no local paper.  Also, it is hard to break the habit of 50 +- years and not read a  local paper, or at least a newspaper every morning.  I actually prefer the electronic version of the USA Today (which I read this morning has only 15% of the stories in joint use with the print version). 

I still get disgusted at the emphasis on putting sports and basically gossip about “stars” on the “news” section of the newspaper. (In a recent cases, over 50% of the “news” section was on sports and gossip.) I could really care less about it, and feel they should put sports on the sports page and gossip on the gossip pages.  Anyway, at least the digital editions make it easy to skip over them and the digital counting they do make it obvious one small voice is not reading them!

That’s it for now, as I return to establishing new life routines, Monday, July 14, 2014.  

Summer 2014 July 13 Sunday (Thoughts on a normal life)

79 degrees this morning.  

Although the temperatures  sound hot, it really hasn’t been that bad, although that may just be me, since I love hot weather.

The Reunion is hitting full stride, with the actual “official” meeting and photo’s today (Sunday);  Fun day yesterday, a number of people showing up for the meeting room and supper afterwards.  Also enjoyed the normal informal conversations that happen throughout the day.   It is why I look forward to the Reunion each year.  

The Reunion has caused me to reflect on my current routine (with the exception of the move).  I no longer have a “normal” routine, it is being established, or will be established after the move, but it is really being established by all the little (and big) decisions we make each day in our new location.  While the normal life can and will change, it is still somewhat of a comfort to have some established routines, although , like anything, too much is too much and a balance of routine and unexpected is necessary to keep life interesting.  At least for me.  Even if the unexpected is, well, unexpected, and even undesired, dealing with it keeps life interesting.  

Talking about the move emphasizes to me the amount of work yet to be done on the move, although we have accomplished a lot of the unpacking etc.  I think what is particularly hard about this move is that we have not “storage escape valve” like we had at our last house.  Also, we miss our house, the view and our friends and routine, so it makes unpacking all the harder.  I think the Reunion helps in some ways, since it continues an established pattern (even if annual) that is somewhat of a tradition that has been here all my life, if that makes any sense.

Also, I am trying to finish unpacking, organizing etc. before I make some major decisions (unless they are made for me by a job offer that I can’t refuse!).  It would be hard to concentrate with all of the unpacking and organizing that needs be done even yet.  Worse are all the decisions on what to throw away, give away or donate.  We don’t have a “storage room” as we did at the last house, so we need to make decisions on “things”.  Shouldn’t be that hard, but it is.

Talking about the China trip bought back memories of our China journey. I really don’t want the experience to fade into memory, I want to remember the lessons I leaned and apply them i the future as well as remember the experiences we had.   I am still working on my photographs for China, hoped to have a short presentation ready for the Reunion, but I don’t.  (Maybe to the relief of everyone).  I am in not hurry, I want to finish unpacking and get life going again and then I will concentrate on the pictures.  As I mentioned before, it is amazing how little time I have  Since November 26, I would have thought I would have all kinds of time, but it seems I have less than when I was working.  (Obviously the move is a different matter, I realized it would take a lot of time.)  We do have some possible storage space in the garage, but we have to be careful what we store out there.

Decided to upgrade my Linkedin Account.  So far, only result has been a false notice that I had a new job as “Manager in Transition”  (I had corrected an error).  I was surprised that they would make a mistake like that, and the worst part is there is really no one to contact about it.  All they could do anyway is retract it which would just make things worse.  

Looking forward to another day of the family reunion.  Then back to unpacking.  While it will be a long time before we actually finish, hopefully we can get to the point where we can start normal life this week, or at the very least, the next week.  

On the other hand, I have no idea of what my “normal life” is or will be at this point.  It is a work in progress.

That’s it for now, Sunday, July 13, 2014