Fall 2014 October 31 Friday (Earthquakes, Mississippi River)

54  degrees this morning. 55:00   minute walk, Seven earthquakes in last 24 hours.

A year ago, I certainly never would have thought I would causally mention there were 7 earthquakes in the last 24 hours!  One was a 3.4, the rest were in the 2.5 range.  Really strange.  

I haven’t felt an earthquake yet, may be just as good.

In Memphis they  said “the big one” was coming sometime, not a matter of if, but when.  It will probably liquidity the area around the Mississippi River.

I always loved to look at and drive over the Mississippi River. It held a  certain magic for me, probably from reading Mark Twain.  

I always thought about going down the Mississippi on a raft and I  really don’t see myself doing that!  

I always enjoyed the river cruises and seeing the changes in the river.  The Mississippi is truly “mighty”.   

I always liked the information about how much shorter time it was to go “down” the river than “up” the river  (With versus against the current made a big difference.)

It’s Friday!  Today I am going out in the field with my “Lead” who will  observe                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     how I do.  It will be interesting.

Thursday I spent the morning in the computer class and then spent the afternoon in my home office preparing for today’s field day.

I probably spent too much time preparing (and will forget something), but doing it is how I learn.  I think I am prepared,.

Watching the PBS show on “Roosevelt's “ last night.  (We had taped it several months ago.)  Actually, we wanted the second episode.   I knew a lot of it from reading the “Bully Pulpit” but it is still interesting.  

Read an article in the New York Times about how “Red Bull” bought it’s way out of an investigation.  (The “Red Bull” drink with a lot of caffeine.  In spite of my love of coffee, I don’t drink any of the caffeinated drinks like this.).  It was a story about how a number of “Red Bull” type businesses were concerned about the “investigation” of their projects..  

They attended a national association  of State Attorney Generals, spread some campaign funding around and suddenly the investigations disappeared!  Really sickening.  People elected to protect people are corrupted by campaign funding. 

It is different working in my home office. I really enjoy ii.  I just shut the door at starting time and work.  When it is time to quit, I come out and that is it!  A very short commute!  

Halloween.  We are planning on “celebrating” by going to a movie (“Gone Girl”, probably).  

I am still not used to not working on evenings or weekends.  While I have plenty to do anyway, I always start to feel a little guilty until I realize I’m not supposed to work evenings or weekends! 

Actually, I love it.  I feel like I am partially retired or something!

That’s it for now, Friday, October 31, 2014.  Have a  fun Halloween and a nice weekend!

Fall 2014 October 30 Thursday (Computers, Peanut Butter and MPG)

54  degrees this morning.   56:45 minute walk,  five earthquakes in last 24 hours.

Reminder about Aliene and my new cell phone numbers.  Our old numbers are disconnected, so if you need our new numbers let us know!

We decided to go ahead and change without keeping the old numbers, hoping that we could notify everyone.

I am looking forward to the iPhone 6 plus as well as upgrading my job phone to the iPhone 5 I currently use.  (My cell phone is my business phones, I  don’t have a business phone in the normal sense, since my office is in my house or in my car, depending on which day it is. ) 

I literally carry my office with me, with a computer, printer, files etc. when I am in the field. I stagger out to the car with my computer bag, lunch, a briefcase etc.  

Somewhat like the “Lincoln Lawyer” (if any of you have read that), except I don’t have a driver, unfortunately! 

Completed a day of computer training in the major program we use today.  It was interesting.  I know enough about it to know I don’t know , so I learned quite a bit since I knew what I didn’t know.

More about peanut butter in the book I am reading about peanut butter.  I am currently reading about my favorite “Jif” peanut butter and how the brand developed and didn’t really take off until it was sold to Smuckers. (I normally eat crunchy, although regular is ok.)  

I was surprised to reach that “crunchy” peanut butter was started several years after regular butter and wasn’t accepted well at first.  (It is made by adding peanuts).  

I have to admit I was totally disgusted by the announcing for the world series.  Sports are sports, and routine plays are hardly something to act lit it its a miracle.  The announcers were so poor, I should have shut the sound off.  I can’t believe they had such poor announcers for the World Series.

We always tape the games (even sports), so we were able to speed past many of their inane comments.

Of course, I never liked the focus on announcers anyway, since I really don’t care what the announcer think.

Anyway, as I said about “sports are sports”, so I forget about it before I develop the incentive to write the company about my feelings, and I’m sure I will forget about it by the time anyone reads this.

One thing I have confirmed with the car is that “short trips” really do get much worse gas mileage.  As I mentioned before, my car provides the “miles per gallon” after literally every trip.  Short trips (say less than 5 miles) get about 50-60 % of the gas mileage of a longer trip.  For example, my trip to work is about 13 mils and I get about 43 mpg.  

However, on a short trip, I may get as little as 20 mpg, although normally a short trip is around 30 mpg.  I’m not knowledgable enough to understand whey it is this way, although it might just be that a short trip measures different.  

Cooler weather (meaning in the 40’s) is definitely here.  I was surprised to get up Wednesday morning to 41 degree temperature and it stayed relatively cool all day.  Although it was 54 degrees this morning, it felt almost as cold as the 41 yesterday due to the wind. 

Another day of class today (Thursday).

That’s it for now, Thursday, October 30, 2014.

Fall 2014 October 29 Wednesday (New Cell Phone Numbers!)

41 degrees this morning. 57:35  minute walk, 2 earthquakes

Aliene and I have new cellphone numbers!  If you need to know our numbers, please e-mail, text or call us (on our home phone) for the new numbers.

It feels rather strange to have to pause to remember your number instead of just rattling off the number.  We had the previous numbers for almost 13 years.  

Along with our addresses, Doctors, hair, stores, and numerous other changes, this qualifies as a major change.  

I was surprised at how busy the store was.  Mobile  phone shopping is about like new car shopping used to be.  You can feel the excitement in the air.  Maybe not as much as when cell phones first came out and many people were getting their absolutely first new phone, but it is still there when you buy a phone.

I went ahead and upgraded to an iPhone 6, which will allow my work cell phone to jump two generations when it goes from a 3S to a 5 (that may be 3 generations).  (The phone won’t be in for several days).

Our previous lines are disconnected, so if you need  our phone contacts let me know!d

Completed my first  full day in my “home office” today.. l really enjoyed it as well as getting a lot done!  Everything actually went fairly smoothly.  I still have some stuff to do, but overall it is set up well and will be an excellent office.  

I found it was really nice to concentrate on a project, although I’m sure as time goes on I will miss the camaraderie  of an office.  I will have ample human contact the three days I am “out in the field”.

It always surprises me how fast time goes.

41 degrees this morning, but the wind wasn’t blowing.  I dressed a little too warmly, it will take some time to adjust to how cold it is, especially with the wind.  

I am not looking forward to the winter, but it is something I need to do to get through to the Spring!

Today I have computer instruction, both today and tomorrow.  It is a whole new world using the programs.  Although I have worked with them extensively, I expect to have a lot of my questions answered.

That’s it for now, Wednesday, October 29, 2014.

Fall 2014 October 28 Tuesday (Selling)

61 degrees this morning. 55:45 minute walk, one earthquake

Wind still blowing hard this morning, making part of the walk more challenging than usual, but I need to get used to it!

Wind was blowing so hard Monday I gave up on putting the recycling out.  Since covers aren't provided, it may have scattered around, which isn’t the effect we are trying to achieve! 

Of course, we will need to put the recycling into the  garbage, so   the recycling will now sit in a landfill forever instead of being recycled into something useful.

Wind kept up Monday, settled down Monday, apparently  started back this morning.  

I get very tired of banks, phone companies, credit card cable companies etc. taking EVERY phone call and trying to make a sales job out of it. 

I had a question about my cellular phone bill.  Although I got my question answered, I spent another 10 minutes declining their other services and finally hung up.  Maybe rude, but I feel they were more rude to so aggressively try to sell me something I don’t need or want, especially when I called for assistance about something else. 

Apparently someone told them if they were aggressive enough they could sell anything.  It simply isn’t true. It may be counter productive, I am seriously thinking of switching my cell phone service, but I expect the same thing would happen with the new company. 

I rarely look at Facebook anymore because I got tired of all of the creepy advertising and the “sponsored” Facebook posts, as well as Twitter.  I limited my “friends” and am trying to avoid having any commercial “friends”.  

Excited about the changes in my job.  Tomorrow I have a “supervised office day”, computer classes Wednesday and Thursday, and then Friday a “supervised field day”.  

Monday, I will start off on my own and my office will be in my house, so no more commuting!  I will work in my home office two or three days a week and the other days in the field.  It will be interesting and I am looking forward to it.  

Really enjoying listening to “Lonesome Dove”.  It is an amazing book and has plenty of thoughtful comments, relationships and situations to keep it interesting.  I’m going to get a copy form the Library so I can look up some of the more thoughtful comments. 

One of the aspects of audiobooks I don’t like is that you don’t have time to think about what you hear.  The story of book just keeps moving on without a chance to ponder over a point.  

One of the reasons I like to read a book while I listen to it, I am able to pick up on aspects of it I missed. I actually don’t do it very ofter due to time constraints, but  I would if I could.  I like listening while I walk and drive, regardless.

 I am glad I decided to listen to Lonesome Dove, since I would have hated to miss it.  I may never actually read it (although I probably will), at least I have an idea of what the book is about. 

The book about peanut butter continues to be interesting.  The author goes into details about the specific brands (Peter Pan, Skippy, Jif) etc. and goes into why there really is a difference between the brands.

That’s it for now, Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Fall 2014 October 27 Monday (Wind)

71 degrees this morning. 55:48  minute walk, one Earthquakes

Weekend went by fast!  Surprised to look up and realize tomorrow is Monday!

Every Monday morning, I am reminded of the extremely poor recycling program here.  I just threw away another cart load of cardboard out for the landfill instead of recycling. 

And, of course, in an area known for wind, they have open recycling containers and don’t provide covers!  

Wind is high today, it was beautiful weather but the wind was really  whipping around.  Currently blowing about 22 mph, seems like it was higher yesterday.

Basically have our offices set up, with some trimming and changes as we determine how we are going to use the offices.  

We purchased a scanner today, for Aliene to use to scan her family pictures and me for both pictures and documents that I don’t need to maintain paper records for any more.

Probably be a busy week this week, with a supervised “office day”, two days of computer training (more procedures with the computer) and a supervised field day Friday.  Then, a week from Monday, I start out on my own, and my office is my home!

My  office doesn’t have cable tv as such, so I bought an inexpensive tv antenna for the small tv I have in the office.  I also have an “Apple TV” set up on it. 

Anyway, I was amazed at how many “over the air” changes their are, something like 55 channels.  Of course, most of them aren’t channels I would watch anyway.

Still trying to reduce what we have, I am starting to look at giving away items I previously couldn’t decide on.  

I am thinking of sorting out one t-shirt and one hat every day, taking a picture of it, and giving it away or tossing it.   It adds up.  (Well, maybe one every other day, or maybe one a day at first.)

We found a new restaurant with gluten free and vegan menu’s.  It is only a mile or so away, and is called Zoe’s Kitchen.  We ate there this afternoon and enjoyed it.

The car has a neat little way of re-enforcing driving for maximum gas mileage.  If I get over 40 mpg on a trip (this is from when the car starts to when it stops), it says something to the effect of “Excellent driving, your mpg was 40.1 or whatever.  If you get less than 40 mpg, it provides you with the mpg, but acts kind of glum about it.  

Not that I should care if a car praises me!  (or doesn’t praise me for that matter.)

Aliene and I haven’t been to a movie for some time.  We are going to try to go to “Gone Girl” this week or this weekend.  We listened to the book and heard the movie was good.  

“Lonesome Dove”, the book I am listening to during my walk, has taken some real turns.  It is an interesting book.  I think the total reading time is in the range of 32 hours, so I will be listening to it for some time.  

One problem with the wind is if it really blows, in some areas I can’t hear the story or the book I am listening to, the wind is blowing so loud.

That’s it for now, Monday, October 27, 2014

Fall 2014 October 26 Sunday (Peanut Butter)

71 degrees this morning. 55:24 minute walk Two Earthquakes in last 24 hours

Supposed to reach 89 degrees this afternoon.  Probably the last days of shorts, t-shirts and scandals for 2014!

Started reading a book about my favorite food, “peanut butter” (Jon Karmpner, “Creamy & Crunchy”).  

It is interesting reading, I found that peanut butter was actually “invented” in the 1890s and first became popular at the 1904 Worlds Fair in St. Louis.   Hydrogenated peanut butter was patented (by whom is still in disagreement due to the names used in the patents) in late 1920’s.  

I remember peanut butter from when I was a child (It was my  favorite food then also) and somehow I had envisioned it had been around forever.  

For a number of years I quit eating peanut butter because of the calories (which it dos have!), but several years ago I started eating it again, life is meant to be enjoyed!

Actually, I don’t  eat “peanut butter and jelly sandwiches” anymore, I rarely eat jelly anymore (a great loss, but jelly/jam does just have too many calories), but I eat peanut butter on apples (for breakfast) and on celery and carrots (for lunch). 

I have been known to (and do) eat peanut butter on hard boiled eggs and other combinations.

Very rarely (usually when eating out for breakfast) I will have peanut butter and toast.  We don’t have bread around the house, so I never eat a PB sandwich at home.

I really love peanut butter with honey, but it just has too many calories to eat often.  

Aliene is still feeling better (her headaches have even  decreased a lot) after the second “nerve block” shot.  Hopefully the effects of the shot will continue to be positive.  

Getting our offices set up today, finished moving items around, although I”m sure it will be a continuous process.  

Wonderful weather today, as I expect it is in most of the country.  I am sure it will turn sometime to much cooler weather.

I really like the weather for walking, bicycle riding etc.  It is just so much more pleasant in warmer weather

As I have mentioned before, I rejoined Toastmasters and have been becoming more active in speaking.  Monday I am the “Toastmaster”, which basically just means I run the meeting. 

I had forgotten the preparation involved.  Although not a lot, it is difficult to do at the last minute, so I need to prepare in advance.

I have never appreciated the ability to do something at the last minute, I always like to be prepared well in advance.  I could never understand how someone can wait until the last minute to prepare something.  More power to them if that’s the way they work best, but I could never do it!

I think I”ll go have a hard boiled egg with peanut butter on it! 

That’s it for now, Sunday, October 26, 2014. 

Fall 2014 October 25 Saturday (Stages of Life)

66 degrees this morning. 57 minute walk, one  earthquakes in past 24 hours (including “one day ago)

Birthday party last night.  As a general rule, we celebrate birthdays’ by having supper (or sometime breakfast for all of the family members within a month of two either way.    It doesn’t make it it so often, but it is still  a nice get together.  

I think it also marks the passage of time and the fact that we are all growing older and  recognizes the various stages of life.

It is difficult to see children making the same mistakes I did, and they don’t pay any more attention to adults than I did when I was their age.  Now, I know different, but that doesn’t really make it any better.  

That is just an observation, not anything that happened recently. 

The birthday  parties are  something I always look forward too.. 

The weekend is here.  Although I enjoy my job, I still enjoy the weekends, basically for the time available.  

This weekend we are going to try to finalize the two offices, my “home office” and Aliene’s office.     I should be assigned to my home office effective November 3, which means I have to have an experienced person spend an “office day” with me, hopefully Tuesday and a “field day”, hopefully Friday. 

Still having to debate giving stuff away.  I continue to try to prove why I should keep something by applying the “toothbrush test”, but it is still difficult.  

(The toothbrush test is if you don’t use something once or twice a day or it doesn’t significantly enhance your life, get rid of it.)

I have found with “event” items (such as hats or t-shirts, it does help to take a picture of them before I dispose of them.

I really debated before buying a car rather than just renting one.  I think I decided that it was well worth the hassle of another “possession” since the car will be very important in my job and otherwise, and it just made sense cost wise.  

As I have mentioned before , this is one of the first jobs (actually, the only career job)  where I was not   “on call”,  While I enjoyed my past jobs, it is also nice to take it off and realize I am “really” off.  

Thats it for now, Saturday, October 25, 2014.

Fall 2014 October 24 Friday (Wheel of Fortune)

63 degrees this morning. 55:48- minute walk,  Six  earthquakes in past 24 hours (including “one day ago)

It’s Friday, the week always seems to go so fast!  

Still impressed with the car, the more I drive it.  I still have a lot to learn about it.

I decided I am going to try to learn at least one thing about the car’s sound system, navigation system etc. every day. It  definitely is  complicated although I am sure as I use it etc., it will start to make sense.  

For the first time yesterday (Thursday) I went out by myself “in the field”.  It was interesting and I enjoyed it, trying to remember and make sure I did everything right (or at least most of it right).  It is a relatively involved process and includes a wide variety of issues, so it is interesting.  

My territory has a wide variety of businesses, which makes it even more interesting.

It is somewhat sad to see the businesses that fail and the ones that are starting off with such enthusiasm that you know will fail.  

I believe it is that small hope that your business will be the next successful business is what gets people involved in starting a business.  

In a way, it is kind of like Nashville.  All of the people hoping the Wheel of Fortune will stop for you.  It probably won’t, but you have to take the chance.  

I was always surprised at the number of young homeless people in Nashville until I realized it was people who went there to try to make it big and failed. 

Maybe “failed” is the wrong word.  There is success and validation in failure, in just the fact you tried and maybe the Wheel of Fortune just didn’t land right.

In a similar manner, most of the restaurant workers, cab drivers  etc. in  Nashville were songwriters, singers etc., not their current job.  

On the other hand, I am glad people still feel they can make it and proceed with enthusiasm at any age.  

I think once you lose that enthusiasm that you can do anything and your big chance is waiting, it makes life much better and you don’t want to lose that sense of excitement about life, regardless of what happens.

I know I still have that, and I really don’t want to lose it.  Even as my options narrow as I grow older, there is still that sense of excitement and possibility, even if I occasionally don’t have a specific goal.  I know i will develop one.

That’s it for now, Friday, October 24, 2014.

Fall 2014 October 23 Thursday

64 degrees this morning. 37:33 minute walk, (shortened walk due to rain)   Six  earthquakes in past 24 hours.

Aliene completed her second “nerve block” shot Wednesday  Hopefully it will do a lot to ease the pain in her neck and arm.  We will meet with the Doctor in several weeks to evaluate how well it works.

Hopefully the shots will  resolve the pain or at least  bering it down to an acceptable level (whatever that is!).

Took the Toyota Hybrid out Wednesday for the first time.  It was a good test since it included going to work and also out in the field in my “field”area. 

So far, I really like it.  There are a few minor things I miss, but overall it is a great car.  It  is comfortable, has great pickup to merge, has an excellent navigation system (important for my job), and best of all, maintained a mile per gallon ratio in the 38 mpg range!  I also enjoy the “keyless entry” and start etc.

I was tentatively given the stating day of November 3 for being “pushed from the nest” and flying out on my own.  I am ready, with some help here and there. 

It means I will be working out of my home office and going directly from my house to the site when I have a field day.  On a normal basis, I will probably work 2 days at my office and 3 days in the field, depending on the situation.  

The book I am listening to in my morning walk “Lonesome Dove” is development a more complicated story.  

I have a book reserved at the Library on “peanut butter”, my favorite food!  It will be an enjoyable read! 

I read someplace that 48% of the “original iPads” are still being used by people.  In spite o the advances to the iPad, I still have my original iPad and it works fine, for what I use it for.  

I still like a lot of things about the original , although of course it can’t run a lot of current apps etc.  It does do excellent as an “iPod” and also is good as a memo pad.  

I do have an iPod Air that I really like, but  the original iPad isn’t to be sneezed at.  The battery life is amazing on Apple products.  

I really like my small pleasure in the morning (my walk, my naps, breakfast, etc.,) just as I have small pleasures throughout the day, including the 1/2 Snickers bar each night.  

That’s it for now, Thursday, October 23, 2014.

Fall 2014 October 22 Wednesday (New Car!)

62 degrees this morning.  54:24 minute walk,  One earthquakes in past 24 hours.

Picked up my new Toyota Camry Hybrid tonight!  Drove it back in the dark, so I don’t know that much about it yet, but I enjoyed it.  It supposedly will get 40 mpg, which will help on the drive to work, and work related driving.  

They noted it is roughly 2 1/2 of gas per 100 miles vs the 5 to 6 gallons (of premium) gas in our other vehicle. 

I haven’t figured out how to turn on the radio yet (much less anything else), so I have a lot to learn about it.  I can start it and adjust the mirrors!

Now, if we just can get used to putting two cars in the garage…..

The computer program class I was supposed to take at work was changed to next week, so that may delay me going into my “home office” and starting out on my own territory by a week or so, but maybe not.  

I have been spending this week going through the programs and working on some actual cases, and am now waiting on the field work.

Still listening to “Lonesome Dove” on my morning walk.  IN fact, I am hooked.  I have even though about taking longer walk so I can keep listening, but….

I enjoy the characters and some of the quotes (“We won’t get there if we don’t get going”)

For some reason,  there is never enough time in the morning.  No matter how much time I think I have, it is never enough, and I always end up rushing.  

One key I have noticed is getting up on time and just keeping moving throughout the morning.  No piddling!   My basic requirements are to eat breakfast after a 27 minute nap, right before breakfast and, hopefully, a 5 to 10 minute nap before I change clothes.  I get the 27 minute nap no matter what. 

After I start my home office, I will have some more time (no commuting) although I’m sure i will find a way to fill the time before my office hours start,

Watching the World Series, I am already tired of the announcers. I really don’t care what they think and I wish they would just let the action talk instead of blowing their mouths.   I may just turn off the sound.

Years ago, they had a football game without any announcers and I loved it.  There were enhanced sound effects and I can imagine they could do a lot with that now.

Weather continues to be excellent during the day, mid-eighties.  

Aliene is having her second “nerve block” shot tomorrow.  Hopefully it will do some good and stop or minimize her back and arm pain. Then the Doctor will start on her headaches, which is probably caused by her neck. 

I think starting my 41st year of work with a new car is a good way to start!

That’s it for now, Wednesday, October 22, 2014.  

Fall 2014 October 21 Tuesday (Forty Years)

64  degrees this morning.   56:30 minute walk, five earthquakes in past 24 hours.

40 years ago today, I started as the Administrative Assistant to the City Manager of Liberal, Kansas.  It is my first “professional” municipal job and I think created a good base for the rest of my career.

It is a blur now, of course, but I remember waking early and driving around town, looking Liberal over.

I had just graduated from Wichita State University with my M.A. in Political Science.  By chance, I found out about the position in Liberal and applied for it.

For those of you who don’t know, Liberal was about four hours from Wichita on US. 54. I would be ver familiar with this trip over the following years!

When I say I learned of the job in Liberal “by chance”, I really mean it.  As I recall, I had either gotten stood up for a date or just had the date wrong.  

As I went back to my house, I stopped at a traffic light.  My Advisor from Wichita State stopped beside me, recognized me and yelled there was an opening in Liberal, Kansas.  I applied, and the next 40 years was history.

The City Manager told me “this is your office, I want a grant”, so I proceeded to write a grant to redevelop a part of town that was considered the area of town where help was needed.  (It was a good choice.  I admire the City of Liberal and the Liberal City Manager of recognizing the need and directing resources to meet the need when it may not have been politically popular to do so.)

The area involved about a definite 20 block area of town of deteriorating houses etc.  The program involved putting in decent streets, fixing the drainage, upgrading houses, provision for a neighborhood park etc.  Years after I left Liberal, (about  25 years), I  drove through and was pleased that the program had  generally worked.

I enjoyed the interaction with the community (it involved intense “citizen participation”, which I had written a detailed research paper on for my Masters Degree.)

Anyway, 40 years ago today, my career in city government started.  I probably would do some things different now, but I wouldn’t change my career path for anything.  

Spring forward 40 years and i am in the stage of embarking on my “encore” career.  There is a good chance that I will be assigned to my “field office”  (my home) next week and will start working my territory, although probably with a more experienced person.  

During my walk this morning, I noticed the first Christmas decorations of the year.  I was surprised, but, on the other hand, Christmas Trees are already appearing in stores.  

I guess if you’re going to the trouble to put up  Christmas decorations, you may as well enjoy it!

Probably picking up the car today.  I sure there will be something I assumed would be on the car that isn’t.  On he other hand, there may be something on the car I didn’t expect!  As long as it gets me around in a reliable manner,  I will be satisfied.  

That’s it for now, Tuesday, October 21, 2014.

Fall 2014 October 20 Monday (Forty Years Ago, On the Road)

60 degrees this morning.   56:44 minute walk,  2 earthquakes in past 24 hours.

Another great day Sunday, weather wise

Forty years ago today I was driving to Liberal, Kansas to start my first full time job with a City.  I was hired as  the Administrative Assistant to the City Manager (later Community Development Director).  I had no idea what the following 40 years would bring!

Actually it wasn’t the first time I had worked for a City.  I worked for a city in high school and actually helped the water superintendent try to find a water leak.  We dug up this persons yard and for the first (but not the last time) I heard someone threaten to sue!

I finally “witched” the water line with a couple of clothes hangers.  

We spend a large part of the day cleaning out (or rather, reorganizing) the garage so we could get two cars in it.  (It is actually a 3 car garage, so it was kind of embarrassing we could only get one car into it!)

We stored stuff in the attic, tossed more stuff and otherwise downsized and reorganized.  

I’m pretty confident we can get both cars into the garage, or at least I hope so now!

I heard the author of the “Hot Zone”  on Meet the Press  (the book about Ebola I had read years ago)  and he wrote the book in  1994!  Talk about an early warning ignored!  I remember wondering when I read the book why I didn’t hear more about it, or rather more about why there wasn’t some campaign to develop a defense to Ebola.

To top that, I saw a “Frontline” report on the growing of a disease resistant to antibiotics, due to the use of antibiotics for animal food, which gets into the dust etc.  Again, right or wrong, there are powerful groups who have a financial interest in ignoring this problem. 

This has been ignored for almost 40 years! (1977) when the problem was first observed and reviewed by the Federal Drug Administration!  

Aliene has been advised that there are more Gluten problems like she has due to hybridization of food etc and other addictive.  

Makes you wonder when it will acknowledged and studied.  In this case, it wasn’t just food, it was also the dust that could cause problems in people.  

There is an art exhibit from Chinese artists with art just since 1976 near me.  I plan on going to see it.  It is supposed to be one of most comprehensive shows of artists after 1976 (after the Cultural Revolution ).

Still entertained by “Lonesome Dove” on my morning walk.  I am enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would, which is always nice.

Again, I am seining a lot of material to the landfill that should be part of recycling.  Today, for the first time since we first moved in, I have more trash than recycling.  (Two 96 gallon cars full of cardboard etc. and two overflowing recycling bins with two bags of additional recycling material.

Why they don’t recycle corrugated cardboard or supply covers for the recycling bins (the wind has been known to blow here!), I don’t know.  

As I have mentioned previously, the next city over has bike paths, walking trails an landscaped roads (at least the new ones).  Here they are building the same old junk, no walking or biking trails, sidewalks that quickly get overgrown (or parked on by cars who ignore the sidewalk).  It is too bad, but the next time we move, you know where we are moving (as is everyone else!).  It is like Lakeland used to be.

Have two days of compeer truing (training in the software we use) and then hopefully I will be assigned to my home office and start working independently, or at least handling my own territory with a senior persons observing.

Planning on picking up the new car today (assuming it is ready).  They had to go to Texas to pick it up.  

That’s it for now, Monday, October 20, 2014.