Summer 2015 August 31 Monday

74 degrees this morning, no walk due to coughing etc.  (although coughing a lot less)

I will be glad to return to work this morning.  Although I still cough, I made it through the night without any major coughing jags.  

I hopefully will try walking again tomorrow morning, although i have a history of trying to return too fast to “normal” after being sick, so I will see.  

My medicine lasts until Wednesday (at least the antibiotics etc), so I may wait until then.  I just don’t want to get out of the habit.  

Spent the weekend basically in shutdown mode, trying as much as possible to be in a position to recover as fast as possible so I can resume normal activities. Hopefully Aliene isn’t getting what I had.  

I read some more over the weekend (in “Wired” magazine and other articles) on invasions of privacy disguised as “marketing”, the power of the “FANG” (as Jim Cramer calls it-Facebook, Amazon,  Netflix and Google), as well as many other companies to invade our privacy on the concept of “selling” items.  

My feeling has been it hasn’t been all that effective, their tactics actually creep me out, but apparently the big money thinks I’m wrong.

They can do things like identify you from your eyeballs as you walk past, have computers make stereotype guesses as to your age, income etc as you walk past so they know what commercials etc to toss at you, amid a myriad of other invasions of privacy and stereotyping disguised as “marketing”.  

All in the name of trying to peddle more junk you don’t need. 

After reading this, I have to change  my mind some, as even though I don’t have any idea why anyone would care about my personal activities, it could (and probably is) being used to discriminate and target you on the basis of age, income, race, gender, personal and political beliefs, religious beliefs etc.    

Somehow, companies  making assumptions  about me based on stereotypes of what they feel I think I am or believe and then throwing a bunch of insulting, misleading, or assuming ads at me really angers me. 

I have a general idea of stereotypes about what I believe and do based on what they think is my age, location, etc, and they are wrong about 75% of what I believe or buy.  

In a way, I don’t mind.  As a part of the “baby boomer” generation which was marketed to for years (and is now being ignored in favor of younger generations), they were wrong then also.

However, I think the overwhelming effects of the media “assuming” things and spending huge sums on marketing has a tendency to shape your beliefs until you realize it isn’t how you really feel.  I look back and when I was a teenager and remember what the news media said I was “supposed “ to be like.  At that age it is hard not to assume the news media is right, hey, these are supposed be adults who know “everything”.

As Jim Cramer says “they know NOTHING!”.  Unfortunately, it took me a a few years to realize that and I see younger people making the same mistake.  Something you learn by experience.   

I don’t think they realize the effects of the continuous effort to “sell” with ads that 95% of the people ignore, but they can still make money off the 5%.  Kind of like spam, in fact probably worse then spam.  

Well, it is Monday and I am glad to get back to work, hopefully will feel well.  Sometime this week I will get all new accounts again, so I need to clean up a few today that I was planning to get done last week.  

That is the main thing I dislike about getting sick, is the complete loss of productivity.

That’s it for now, Monday, August 31, 2015.

Summer 2015 August 30 Sunday

66 degrees this morning, no walk due to sinus infection

Feeling much better and a lot fewer coughing fits, but still not able to walk or exercise without coughing .  Aiming for Tuesday to walk again. (That is exercise walk, I am walking fine now!)

At least I am able to return to work Monday.  It has been so long since I was “sick” to the point I had to stay home for several days, I really don’t recall when it was. 

At least in this case, there was no question, I couldn’t go to work or even work in the office.  I really didn’t realize a sinus infection could be so vicious.  

As I noted before, it makes me realize how nice it is to feel “normal” and reasonably well.  A good reason to appreciate every minute of life as it unfolds.  

My sleeping patterns have changed, probably due to the medicine. There is one medicine I take for the Sinus Infection, while better than it used to be, it affects my sleeping patters and I am always glad with the medicine process is completed (also because it normally works!).  

I have missed being outside, I decided I didn’t want to take a chance on sitting outside, especially with the current cooler weather.  

I am hoping that Aliene didn’t catch what I had, we are going to  go to the “convenient care” facility if she shows any signs of it so it can be stopped before it gets too bad.  

Meanwhile time rushes on.

My Supervisor’s last day of work was Friday.  While I work only under very general supervision, it makes a lot of difference in my  day depending on who my  Supervisor is. A lot of my work involves interpretation of structured rules, which can be very vague and I have to simply proceed as if I know what I’m doing.  In most cases, at least I have a general idea!   

As long as I can make mistakes (while attempting to do the right thing), I tend to do all right since I learned a long time ago, I can easily say I made a mistake, lets correct it.

The concept of being able to fail has been one I tried to emphasize to people when I was a Manager, as long as I knew about the mistakes.  One of the first things I would normally tell people is I didn’t mind an honest mistake, as long as I know about it as soon as possible.  The mistake was covering up mistake, not making a mistake in attempting to correct a problem.

Some times, the biggest mistake doing nothing.  Of course, they say if you do nothing, you have made a decision, so at least make SOME decision, right or wrong. 

Although I don’t care all that much for the book I am listening to,  “Outlaw Platoon”, that concept is probably illustrated there better than in many management books, where a wrong decision may get you killed, but making no decision may get everyone killed. Anyway that is my interpretation of it.   

Just really have space for the dream I recalled yesterday morning before I woke up:

Dream 8-29-15 (Dream in morning)

Dream I was an inspector of restaurants in Alaska (or Canada, someplace like that), very cold, a lot of ice and snow.

My major job appeared to be inspecting restaurants to insure the meat was still cold or frozen.  (No idea where that came from).

Some of the meals were “traditional”, some were not.  

The last part of the dream concerned a restaurant and while I was there they were brining in a “traditional meal” of a seal (although a seal with hair like a bear and not a seal) was cut in half and put on a board and they were bringing the the half seals (if that is what they were) into the restaurant.  

i remember going over and observing that someone was planning a big celebration.  

Don’t really have any idea where this dream came from.  I remember part of the restaurant was basically constructed of ice and the restaurants knew I was the inspector.  

A very strange dream to say the least.  

That’s it for now, Sunday, August 30, 2015.

Summer 2015 August 29 Saturday

73 degrees this morning, no walk due to sinus infection.  

Went to the Doctor (actually a minor emergency center or “convenient care” as they term it).

“Sinus infection” was  the diagnosis and I was given some medicine to help clear it up.  Even after looking it up on the internet, I’m not really sure what it is, or more important, how to prevent it in the future, except get worried if I have any “post nasal drip”.

The coughing is almost gone, I had a coughing fit during the night and am coughing a little this morning, but nothing like I was yesterday.  Hopefully it will clear up completely today.

As usual, I found the most powerful medicine was the most inexpensive.  I realize a lot of factors go into the cost of medicine, but the pricing is bewildering.  Thank goodness for insurance.  

I am more than ready to get back into my routine of walking, swimming etc, but expect it will be a few days.  I definitely want to get over this, whatever it may be.  

Noticed yesterday while in the waiting room, literally everyone was looking at their phones and the facility had easy to connect free wi fi.  

I also noticed, unlike the old waiting rooms with it’s masses of old magazines, there were almost no magazines etc. laying around, as I assume no one reads them any more. 

What a difference a few years have made!  I use my phone for communication (texting and phone and ways of communication we didn’t even think of), as a convenient camera, a flashlight, alarm clock, map,  timer, news, reminder, calendar, and now I even read most of my magazines off of it and a myriad of other uses.  i even was standing in line the other day and made a stock trade in my retirement account.  (I don’t recall what it was, but I probably regret it now, it was before the past week.)  

For example yesterday we were asked for our medications and we both pulled out our phones and bought our medicine list up and made any necessary updates.  

Another big factor is the storage of photos or at least the access to photos, literally to any phone you have ever taken, at least that is digitalized  

I think the only thing to regret (except that I don’t know more about some of the functions) is that it makes you rely on someone else, if the power goes off or if the internet is cut off you are truly cut off.  

Of course, there is also he loss of privacy.  Based on the ads I get that is a lost cause. Actually both for them and me.   I really don’t think anyone really cares that much about my private information (except for advertisers and me) but it is scary that there is so much information that can be accessed and misused.  

Also, I think e-mail, and I know texting, has changed the language so much that when it is reviewed in the cold hard history of six months, a year or even five years, what you said isn’t reviewed in the context of where you were, it is reviewed in the context of today and whatever anyone is trying to prove about you.  Personally this is a not of concern, but I feel for the people, especially people who may  be going through the “stages” of growth, whether it is from a teenager to adult etc.  who may make statements they regret later and which, probably for the first time in history, anything about anyone is out there and you may be judged by it, not in the context of the moment, but now.  

Based on the last two days, I am so glad for decent “sick leave” etc. in my job.  There is no way I could even work in my home office (I couldn't talk on the phone)  and I definitely know no one wanted to be around me!  

In writing this and reviewing it, I have noted that “spell check” is almost worse than no spell check anymore.  That has not improved since the original spell check of the original Word, Word Perfect and Leading Edge word processors. 

I frequently find “spell check” has changed my wording to something that frequently may  be almost contradictory to what I actually said, so I have to spend a lot of time reviewing for these “errors” and they are easy to miss.  

That’s it for now, Saturday, August 29, 2015.   

Summer 2015 August 28 Friday

76 degrees this morning, still no walk, since still have coughing etc.  

It is really disgusting to be sick in August and not be able to really enjoy the nice August  weather.  Still have a cough, although I think it is getting slightly better.  

At least my eating isn’t affected, although I am trying to eat traditional foods that will help me get over whatever I had.

The Doctor (this was a phone call)) thought it was an allergy, but I really doubt it is an allergy.  It is just too severe to be an allergy.  He advised me to get an over the counter item and call him today if I don’t feel any better.  

This is one time that gatorade really didn’t help.  Aliene made up a concoction of honey, water and lemon that actually did help.  (I looked it up on the internet and it had positive reviews for coughs etc.)

Did the “home sleep study” last night.  It was simple, just had an item on my finger connected to what was basically a wrist watch.  I don’t know how much  my ailment affected my sleep pattern but I doubt if the basic patterns changed.

i think the purpose was to see if my oxygen levels went down when I was asleep.  I did sleep a little longer than normal today since I’m not walking and I figured any sleep I could get would help me recover.  

One thing about being sick, it makes you appreciate everyday life when you are feeling well!  As I remember hearing people say when I was little “if you have your health, you have everything”.  I expect that is true and was especially true back before many of the current medical advancements had been made.

Being sick also makes you realize the cost of being sick, in the sense that you don't get a lot of things done, although I will catch up.  

Received a note from a travel app I have that a year ago i took some pictures in Memphis (actually Lakeland).

I look at the last two years and think “has it only been two years” since I was in Lakeland.  It seems like years have past, and I believe in a lot of ways that is true.  I may have have been the overall changes as much as it was the uncertainty.  

I always tie it back into my first operation for my teeth implants on September 5, 2013.  I have a hard time believing it has only been two years since that time.  

On the other hand, the last year, even though it has included moving etc. seems to have some connectivity and sameness (for lack of a better word).  I don’t mean that in a negative matter nor even a positive manner, it just is.  

Actually, looking back over the last two years, I realize how lucky I  was that some of the things I may have hoped for didn’t work out!  I think the saying is “Be careful about what you want because you may get it!

Don’t know about going into work today.  Obviously I wouldn’t go in to work if I was in contact with other people, but I do have plenty of work to do here in my office.  However, at least right now, I doubt if i could be productive enough to make it worthwhile.  Coughing just seems to take it out of you.  

Hopefully, by tomorrow morning I will be feeling much better!

That’s it for now, Friday, August 28, 2015. 

Summer 2015 August 27 Thursday

76 degrees this morning.  No walk, developed a severe cough

This “fall cold” I had got a lot worse yesterday as I started coughing  I had a “whopping cough” shot last week and I am concerned it may have given me the “whopping cough” or at least set something off.  I realize that is “impossible”, but….

Anyway, I was supposed to take a trainee on a “field day” today, but that will be impossible now, since every time I try to talk I start coughing.  The fact that (this morning) I don’t cough unless I am talking (generally) probably means it isn’t whopping cough, which is good, but I sure don’t want to give anyone what I have.

I am missing my morning walk, although of course it would be impossible to walk right now,

Looking up health symptoms on the internet is always interesting.  There are some sites you can trust to probably give you the latest valid information, and then the sites that want to sell you something more than provide information  and then the sites with the “anti” movement about why the authorities are wrong.  

At least I have access to all views, which is what free speech is all about!

I really hate the opportunity to take a trainee on a “field day”.  I always learn something in the process when I explain something.  I was really prepared also, with a variety of  activities to provide a variety of experience.

Years ago I learned about the concept of “continuous improvement” , where (my interpretation) I try to improve just a little every day, even it is minor and eventually it will lead to a substantial improvement.

Of course, the problem lies in what  area you improve in  every day, and how or what you improve every day.  If you are improving the wrong thing, “continuous improvement” won’t really help.  

I think it also includes looking at what you do now and if you need to change your patterns or paradigms you are using.  If I am making the “wrong” continuous improvement or basing my continuous improvement on a bad premise, it also won’t do any good.

Looking at areas, of course, you job is always something where “continuous improvement” is necessary.  In my case, it is not even “continuous improvement” it involves learning the details of the job, and a lot of it is just learned by experience in resolving the issues I work with every day.  

As I mentioned before, I may not have had an issue arise or even know of it and then I may have three in a day!  That is one way to learn.

I actually  started this “continuous improvement” discussion thinking of problems I have on the computer  programs I use or internet.  

Of course, I was thinking about what I could learn in WordPress, but I need to consider all the computer programs.  

Evernote is still a real problem.  I hear of people doing great things with it, but while I get my money’s worth from using it, I don’t feel I am using it at it’s full capacity and I have never actually talked directly with anyone who uses it to a great degree, but there is a lot of potential.  

I won’t review all of the potential areas right now, but I do need to look at where I am on many of the computer programs I use and where I want to be.  

The knowledge of where I am now in comparison with where I want to be is a learning experience in itself.

That’s it for now, Thursday, August 27, 2015.  Here’s hoping I’ll feel better shortly! 

Summer 2015 August 26 Wednesday

75 degrees this morning, no walk due to slight sore throat, post nasal drip.  Don’t want to make that any worse!  

One thing I have always hated is the early fall or mid/late Spring cold.  While this isn’t really a “cold”, it is close enough to be a hassle.  

One “cure” I learned years ago is to drink Gatorade.  At times, it works like a miracle, at the least it makes me feel better.  

I had drank Gatorade for a cold for a long time.  My theory was somewhat documented after Aliene develop a cold, called the nurse, and was told to drink Gatorade!  It is actually fairly common now, I briefly did an internet search and it is fairly widely recommended.

I really hate to miss my walk and swim.  The walk especially is a major part of my day and I think a time when I not only get exercise but also a chance to consolidate my thoughts and think about things, even though I do listen to a book while I walk also.

In spite of not walking, somehow the morning still is “hyper-time” and the time just seems to evaporate.  

Completed the WordPress course last night.  It included parts of WordPress that I will probably never use, but I am glad to know the capacity is there.  Also it is nice to know the general technique of how something is accomplished.

It is like the “coding” edition I read of Business Week, I know I’ll never write computer code, but I enjoy knowing in general how it is down, and some of the highlights (and lowlights) of the different languages and the culture of coding   

Actually, I did learn a lot in WordPress on my present WordPress Site and it gave me confidence to try additional changes.  

I think my biggest fear in dealing with computers is the fear I’ll change something and can’t change it back!  

Kind of like my “Word” page right now, there are two “formatting” sidebars open and I can’t figure out who to close one of them!  They are simply duplication.  

It is really a matter of time.  If I really needed or wanted one of the sidebars closed, I know I could find out how to do it, I just resent the time it takes to do such a minor task.

That is what I really hate about the continuing  problems with cable tv not performing as promised (or worse), dealing with the builder on problems they should have  fixed, the property management trying to cheat us on our deposit etc.  I know I can do something about it, I just really resent the time it takes.

Of course, I think that is what people like that/companies etc. expect is that it isn’t worth the hassle or cost and you will eventually just give up. 

Occasionally I do decide it isn’t worth it, although like they say, I make sure I never forget it either.  

Other times, I simply don’t give up, especially when I feel like someone or a business is operating in really bad faith and probably doing the same thing to other people.  

I think the problem is (and it is like bullies everywhere) they figure the cost to them is relatively small or not even really a cost it so trivial, but the most to the individual is extremely high in regard to the time it takes and the money it may cost.

Funny, I never realized that “” is spelled as “re sent”.  I actually had to look it up to see if I was spelling it right.  I was also surprised at the difference in what the dictionary said about “resent” and what Wikipedia said about it.  If you’re interested try it!

That’s it for now, Wednesday, August 26, 2015. 

Summer 2015 August 25 Tuesday

68 degrees this morning, no walk

Developed a case of “post nasal drip” yesterday, which happens to me a lot this time of year.  Decided not to walk to avoid making it worse, although  I really don’t know it that actually makes it worse or not.  With the last WordPress class tonight (a 3 hour class), and a lot of phone calls for work today  I decided not to take any chances.  

That (post nasal drip) has been a problem for me since I was in college.  I can remember my Freshman year, I went to the nurse and heard the term for the first time I can remember, but not the last, especially this time of year and early Spring. 

It seems to be made worse by direct air conditioning (such as in a car or being right under a vent), so it may be as much of an allergy reaction as anything else  

The only thing that really seems to help is Sudafed, although I feel somewhat like a criminal when I buy it.  (I do understand the reasons, but that doesn’t change the fact that I feel somewhat furtive every time I buy it).

Went by the Apple Store yesterday and arranged my pictures on my hard drive to correspond with the latest Apple photo program.  .  I keep my picture    on a separate hard drive so I can work on them on both my laptop and my desktop.  

I am about to start on the process of “keeping the best” pictures and deleting the rest rather than trying to decide what to delete.  I actually have done quite a bit already, I just need to concentrate on finishing it or at least make a major effort in what is a continuing process, probably never to be completely finished since new photo’s are added all the time.  

“Field Day” yesterday, like always it seems every day is different, which is the way I enjoy it.  It is strange how a question will come up that has never come up before and then I”ll have 3 or 4 of the same questions the same day! 

Have a “sleep study” scheduled for later this week.  Fortunately it is a “home” sleep study.  I’m still unclear on exactly what the goal is and how my oxygen level affects me, but I”ll research it some before the sleep study so I know what to expect.  

I have to wonder, what did we do before computers and the internet and smart phones etc.!  I can remember looking up items in big books and I guess that is what we did!  

Had  a dream this morning during my “extra” nap from not walking.  Normally if I don’t walk, I do some reading or writing and then take a short “extra” nap and take my shower etc. at the usual time as if I had just gotten back from my walk.

This dream continues the “conference” or “meeting” theme I seem to be on.  Looking back, I am surprised at how many of my dreams involve some sort of travel, my bicycle (usually damaging it in some way), cars and hotels.  

There does not seem to be any pattern as to whom is in the dreams but they normally involve people from the past, not the present, except for family members.

Dream 8 25 15

Dreamed I was at a conference, specifically I was going to a “networking” event, with music and food.  If I remember my dream correctly I was there two nights.  The first night it was busy, the second night not, 

In my dream I was there and moving about like no one else was there, especially on the second night.  I was looking at food and trying to decide what to eat/not eat for some reason.  They had food like M & M’s, candy bars etc. displayed kind of like at a store.  A video played on a large screen tv. 

At first there was a buffet with a lot of people and  food that seemed to disappear (I went back to get some lemon pie and it wasn’t there) and then it changed to just candy and snacks in a display case and no one else in the room, although I could hear them.

I saw a couple I knew who worked for me in a previous city over 14 years ago.  They didn’t recognize me.

Apparently the event was a City Manager’s conference.  In my dream I wondered if it would be the last City Manager conference I attended.

At the end of the dream (or at least right before I woke up), I was the only one at the event trying to decide which of the candy products to take back to my room.  Aliene was in the room and I was trying to find something she would like also.  I don’t know where everyone else was, it was like they were there, but I was in a separate area.

I didn’t recognize the site of the dream,

That’s it for now, Tuesday, August 25, 2015.

Summer 2015 August 24 Monday

71 degrees this morning, walk 37:26 minutes

I carefully observed this morning and I am walking the same distance as I always have, but at a considerably faster pace.  Not sure why, although the new shoes were good for about a minute when I first started, but I can hardly believe new shoes are responsible for this increase.  

Today’s walk was about 1 1/2 minutes better than yesterday, which was also a record for that distance. 

It may well be I plateau and then break through the plateau in a big way.  I am assuming I will plateau again, although if I keep at this pace I probably will increase the distance.

Out on the back patio again.  Thought it might be a little cool this morning (for the way I am dressed, even at 71 degrees) if there was any wind, but there is just a light  breeze.  

Every time I come out on the back patio at night I think about the person in Memphis who observed they come out in the morning and had homeless people sleeping on their front door stoop!  That was at least 10 years ago, and I assume with the increase in downtown residential living in Memphis that doesn’t happen much anymore.

We actually thought about living downtown in this city.  It has a booming residential downtown population with a lot of restaurants etc.  It is amazing how much it has developed into an energetic living area.

Now, if the City would only start to require development that benefitted all residents instead of the standard “small lots, narrow streets, burden the Homeowners Association with all the costs of public services the city should pay, and make sure the developer and builders make a lot of money” type development.

I was surprised we were considered living in the “rural area”!  That is a sign of the prehistoric planning of this city.  

Actually sometimes we do wonder if we should have at least tried living downtown, but we didn’t.  There are a lot of things we would have liked, but a lot of things we would have missed.  I doubt if I could sit outside with a forest (well trees anyway) downtown, although with the poor planning of this city, I”m sure they will screw that up.

The dog next door rarely barks, so when it does, I wonder if anyone is around.  Hopefully they think the dog is in our yard.

i am busy filing code enforcement reports, when things really get bad.  I am relatively tolerant, but some contractors, businesses and property owners push too hard (high weeds, trash, lack of erosion control etc.) I decide it is time to push back.  If nothing else, let them know that someone is observing.  

Aliene bought down the “Fall” decorations yesterday, a sure sign that the seasons will be changing!  i enjoy the change, but it does mean Winter is coming.   

It does point out the problem of having an “attic”  (with the dropdown door in the garage) as opposed to a second story storage area with a regular stairs, but I am glad we have the room in the attic.

Another dream to record.  Sometimes I really wonder if they have any significance at all, but that is why I record them.

6 23 15 Dream

Dreamed I was on some sort of business trip but I spent a lot of time packing and unpacking.  I was even trying to pack things such as plants etc.  

I remember sitting in a conference type room (the auditorium type).  Reminded me of the area of the conference in China.  

No idea as to what the conference (or meeting or whatever) was about  What I remember about the dream was the packing and unpacking, especially the packing to return.  

At one point in the dream I was packing while they were showing the room to someone and i was trying to pack everything.  In the process I broke off a plant , but I just thought was it would make it easier to pack.  (It had like a 3 foot plant that broke off.)

Very viivid dream took a while to realize it was “only” as dream.

That’s it for now, Monday, August 24, 2015

Summer 2015 August 23 Sunday

80 degrees this morning, 36:53 minute walk

Wow, did I walk faster, or did i accidentally cut off part of my normal walk?  Reviewing it in my mind, I can’t see where I missed any of my walk and I know was had hoofing it.  I need to start using “Map my Walk” every day so I can see where I actually walked!

I don’t know why I walk fast or slow, normally my time is about the span of a minute.  I don’t consciously try to outdo myself, since I walk just to walk, not to get better times.

We have a pet toad (or toads) that sit out on the driveway and front porch eating bugs at night.  There tongues move amazingly fast.  We have to watch when we come in at night so we don’t accidentally run over it.

It started with a big toad on the driveway then a big toad and a little toad (I assume either a toad spouse or child, if that is the appropriate term), now the big toad is on the driveway and the little toad is at the front door.   We almost hate to spray for insects since we are scared we will poison the toads.  

While a small thing, if you think about it, most of life is the small things, the little events that make up your life every day and create a tapestry you remember as your life, punctuated by the big events or happenings that you use to mark the passing of time of the small things that really make up your life.

Found a new “app” I am trying out, another note app that you can use a stylus to write on an iPad, or your figure or type.  I think is is  called “Whim” (my iPad is inside and I”m too lazy to get up to get it and find exactly what it is called, it is just too nice out here and soon the sprinkler system will come on and I”ll have to go inside.  As I said, life is made up of small things!)

I don’t know why I need another notes “app”, I really like the Apple “Notes” and use it for everything.  I also have Microsoft “OneNote”,  which may be effective.  However, something about being able to write on the screen, and use colors etc. is inviting for me!  

Somehow, I always return to “Notes” and my iPad screen is littered with apps that were good, but just not good enough to beat the basic simplicity of “Notes”

Maybe Apple will release a version that I can handwrite on the screen and make it perfect!   Adding some color wouldn’t hurt either.   On the other hand, “Keeping it Simple” isn’t always bad!

The patio is really perfect this morning.  80 degrees, but the cool winds (and slight at that) make it perfect.  

I am not a fan of wind.  I don’t like the continuous wind blowing and can understand how it drove people insane.  However, the slight wind of the morning that cools the air and makes it perfect is really nice. 

They were forecasting storms and rain this morning, but at least it isn’t in this area.  

The last of the WordPress sessions is this week.  It has been good, I have learned a lot and, most of all, have become somewhat motivated by what I have learned.  The last session is probably going to be beyond me, but I figure I will learn enough (or have the chance to ask questions) that it will be worthwhile going. 

Evernote remains a puzzle.  For all the years I have used it, for all the time I have spent trying to learn it, it just really doesn’t seem to work all that well for what I need.  I can make it work after a fashion, but it seems like it should be better.  Maybe it tries to be everything to everyone and it ends up being inadequate for everyone, or at least a large number of people.  

Again, sometimes I think they need to think more about the product and less about what add on’s they can sell.

Enjoying the weekend.  

That’s it for now, Sunday, August 23, 2015.

Summer 2015 August 22 Saturday

77 degrees this morning, 38:23 minute walk.

The cold weather makes me value even more the early mornings on the patio with a slight cooling wind.  

During the long winter months I tend to forget how nice it really is to sit outside in the early morning coolness before the hot day starts.  

It may be a little different this winter since I actually could be outside but under a patio roof with a fireplace burning!  Not near the same, but it would be outside.  

While I enjoy my walk, it probably is also one of the “have to’s” I do, I feel I simply have to keep walking.  Probably the amount of time it takes is what I dislike the most.  I also feel I need to do my situps and barbells each morning, a matter of “use it or lose it”.  

Somewhat the same about swimming, except I really d enjoy swimming, just like I enjoy walking.  I always thought I’d like to live in a place with an indoor swimming pool and this is the next best thing to it.  The pool is well maintained (the water is probably a little too cold for me!) and always feels so good.

The main problem with swimming, it is so boring.  I currently swim about 20 minutes and this is about right for a time to reflect without any other intrusions.  

I can get a waterproof case for my iPhone/ipods, but I really don’t know if I want to right now.  If I swim much longer, maybe so. 

I probably could find a waterproof case for one of my “re-purposed” iPhones (I love the word “re-purposed”) and use it strictly for a swimming phone, which would make sense.  I probably could buy a waterproof case cheap and use it just for that purpose, since I really have too many “re-purposed” iPhones, iPods and iPads etc. already, although I”m not sorry I kept them.  

I have found that I literally can’t stand to use a stationary bike or treadmill without something to read (or watch), but I can walk in the outside or bike without one.  

Currently I am using my re-purposed “original iPad” to listen to my books on my morning walk.  I just carry it in a really light  backpack.  For some reason, it has an extremely strong battery, even after (I believe I got it in August of 2010) five years of relatively heavy use.  It runs the app fine, which is all I need and a lot easier than downloading a book or listening on CD’s.  

However, I do like periods of silence.  One thing I like about my “post walk” nap is that now I don’t listen to any music or anything (that could change), but it is my “thinking time” although I normally go to sleep before I have too much time to think!  My other short naps I normally have music on when I nap, or occasionally the tv.  

Speaking of dreams I had a really strong dream yesterday morning.  

8 21 15 Dream

Dreamed I look my bicycle out for a ride.  I rode to a street I thought was an open street, but it was a dead end with a junk yard on all sides of the street.  

A young man was working there but couldn’t answer my questions.  

 While my bike was parked at the junk yard,  a motorcycle rode over  it and  destroyed.  I looked for even the frame but couldn’t find any part of the bike. 

 I spent the rest of the dream trying to explain to the people at the junk yard what had happened. 

I remember thinking now I would have to buy a new bicycle and was trying to decide what to get.  

                                       l

Dream was so strong, I actually went out and checked on my bicycle after I woke up.

Seemed to be an element of searching trying to find someone to tell but I couldn’t explain it.  

Persons I recognized from the dream are Angela, Aliene and Kali and Katherine. 

Strange dream.  I have noticed many times how my dreams are influenced  by the environment, such as sounds etc.

That’s it for now, Saturday, August 22, 2015