Fall 2015 September 30 Wednesday

68 degrees this morning.  

Still  wonderful on the patio.  The wind is a little higher this morning (it may  be blocked somewhat by houses and fences and trees etc.)

Four day weekend coming up.  It is nice, except I will need to resist the urge to sneak a peek at my phone e-mail, phone and the new accounts that probably will show up on my computer on Oct 2!  

For good or back, I can’t get my work e-mail on my phone (for security reasons), which is both frustrating and somewhat liberating in a sense. 

The new accounts are always interesting, kind of like Christmas every month or getting the mail!    I always enjoy the new mail or work accounts coming in, something new and interesting to work at. 

Anyway,  a long weekend (whether days off, holidays of vacation etc.) are days that are kind of like little gifts of time  

My problem is I have so many ideas of what I can do with the days off, I develop the “road not taken” syndrome and can end up trying to do too much or not doing enough.  In a way I would like the plan the days better, but then you don’t leave time for unstructured activities that you can’t do on a work day or even a weekend.

Of course, today I am trying to make sure I catch up on anything important, although most of the items can actually wait until Monday.  

Busy day in the field yesterday.  I always seem to discover something I didn’t know about, which is why I enjoy this job so much.  Meet a lot of different people and a lot of different situations. 

Some long dreams I want to note.  As usual, I don’t really have any idea what the dreams mean, I just am noting them so I have a record and perhaps as time goes on, some of the dreams I remember will begin to make sense.

9-29-15 Tuesday Dream

Dreamed was on a farm someplace.  We had a lot of animals around and apparently were raising them to sell for meat.

I can’t remember much now, but I do remember they would bring the animals though yelling “Make way” for something I can’t remember.

The last part of my dream, the animals were weighed then taken to the “grand journey”.  (Whatever that was, although I have my suspicions!) 

I remember looking at them and seeing dogs, cats and even a frog and wondering why they were in line and where they were  going.

Can’t remember much else.

After I wrote this, I remember a strong scene somewhere.  There were a bunch of people in the house, (this was the house we lived in in Miltonvillle). I dreamed I dropped one of those juice glasses that originally were jam glasses.  I thought we were going to be out of them soon and it left glass shards on the floor.

Anyway, I dreamed I left with the group (Aliene was sleeping) and I realized later I had forgotten to pick up the broken glass.  

I called Aliene on her cell phone and the home phone and she didn’t answer.  I had visions of her going to the hospital.

Anyway, I got back and saw no blood on the floor and went to wake her up.  Don’t remember any more after that.

That’s it for now, Wednesday, September 30, 2015.

Fall 2015 September 29 Tuesday

66 degrees this morning, walk 38:47 minutes

Still out on the outside patio.  I’m not sure I would be here if the wind was blowing at all with a temperature of 66 degrees.  When I got up, I assumed I wasn’t going to sit out here this morning but it seemed so mild, I decided to go ahead and do it.

Thursday and Friday off this week (to make up last Saturday and Sunday).  It will be nice to have a four day weekend!   Haven’t really gotten any big plans, but still deciding.  Will be nice to just  catch up on things.

Just caught the scent of a skunk.  I hope it isn’t too close to the house!  I occasionally smell one on my walk, so I know they are in the area and I have seen one of two, at least what I suspect are skunks.  I stay as far away as possible.

Starting to see signs of Fall, although I believe it is mid to late October before Fall really starts  arriving, although the temperatures start falling sooner.  

Maybe one of the first signs of Fall is the State Fair.  I was amazed at the attendance at the State Fair.  I didn’t notice it so much at the Fair, since the area is relatively spread out.  Where I really noticed it was in the parking areas, I have never really seen so many cars parked here before.  

Trying to make a habit of swimming every morning. I know I won’t make it every morning,but I try to make it as often as possible.  At some point, I need to take some swimming lessons so I can get more out of my swimming time. 

I enjoy want I do now, but it isn’t probably as efficient as I could be, as far as benefiting from the swimming time.  

I may, at some point, need to consider a “waterproof” case for one of my repurposed iPhones so I have something to listen to while I swim.  While so far it hasn’t been a problem, I think if I start swimming too much longer, I am going to be bored.

We may use the days off this week to get training in using the machines at the YMCA.  While I am not an “exercise machine” person (I prefer free weights),  I decided it may be good for me to use the machine thing several times per week.  I do free weights etc. every  day, at least at home.  

Really intense dream yesterday morning, again after my “post-exercise nap”.  I have been thinking about it, but have no idea as to what it may mean.  

9-28-15 Dream

Dreamed I was working on a “public available” desk in a bank. (Which probably wouldn’t really happen).

Not sure what I was working on, but I had a lot of stuff out on the desk, my computer, coffee copes, lamps, printer and a large amount of other stuff.  

It was like a “pubic available” desk in a library  

I was working away when a man came in and started telling about the reason he needed the desk.

I told him I didn’t care why to hear why he needed the desk, but I was happy to give it up to him if he needed it.

He acted a little sullen about my answer.  

I packed up and left.  On the way out some kids were playing in the lobby.  

The bank personnel didn’t interact at all with me, and I felt welcome to use the desk.

No reason what I was using it for etc.  

That’s it for now, Tuesday, September 29, 2015.

Fall 2015 September 28 Monday

69 degrees this morning, walk 38:07 minutes

Sitting out on the back patio with a full moon above me (nice and bright after the red moon last night!)  69 degrees but not wind, so it is nice.

Special Assignment is completed, thank goodness.  One of those experiences that you are glad you had the experience but you are glad it is over.  

I saw the “other side” of something I have always wondered about, so it was enjoyable learning about another world.  

Now, I need to take the time I worked on the weekend (slightly over two days) this week, which I am not used to doing!  

Listening to the book about Elon Musk, while I tend to feel rather critical toward him, when they described the Telsa, my only reaction was “I want one”!  Of course, that is very unlikely, although I am going to start looking for a Hot Wheels version or maybe even a scale model version.  

I will have to live with the thrills of  occasionally traveling a mile or so on “electric mode” in our Toyota Camry! 

Looking around at the State Fair, I didn’t really have any problem controlling my buying.  All I had to remember was what was I going to do with it and where was it going to live!  

I realized I have a very hard time getting rid of “stuff” once I own it (re:  iPod, iPod shuffles, obsolete iPhones and iPads, books, old wallets, clothes, shoes, etc. etc.!)  and I didn’t have any desire to add more at this time!  

Also, I don’t like the idea of buying something from a business who may be in who knows where next week and isn’t there to back up a bad product.  

The food didn’t really tantalize me much either.  I have developed a resistance to food with a lot of fat or deep fried etc.  Like steak (but not hamburger etc.) , I eat so little of it that it upsets my stomach to eat it, so I’m not really tempted.  Also, I saw the “back operations” and (in a few cases, certainly not all), that killed any desire to eat the food!  

One thing about the “original iPod” that I really like is a switch which stops any action so that if you accidentally bump it, it doesn’t go all over etc.  I don’t understand why it wasn’t continued in later editions.

I guess it makes too much sense to have such as switch1  I figured the iPod has to be at least 8 years old, possibly 9, and the battery is still excellent.  

I read recently that some of this stuff is becoming valuable as people need parts to  repair the ones they have.  (I didn’t have the foresight to buy a “U-2 Red Model” that apparently goes for over $5,000! ) However, I’ll believe it when I see it.  I read a story about how something is bringing so much money, but thenI look on e-bay and it really isn’t so.  Or it has to be in absolutely new unpackaged condition, which makes sense, but the article is misleading.  

Just for the heck of it, I just checked ebay.  There are several optimistic sellers who are asking $5,000 to $12,000 (but not selling them) and there are many “U-2 Special Editions” for sale for less than $100 with some in the $200 range etc. 

18 years since my Mom passed away, September 27, 2015.  Hard to believe so much time has passed since then.  When I was young, I  couldn’t imagine it happening, but it did.  

That’s it for now, Monday, September 28, 2015.    

Fall 2015 September 27 Sunday

64 degrees this morning.  No walk, due to special assignment where I will walk a lot.  

Only walked about 7 miles yesterday, although that is still more than I normally do, and I wouldn’t want to add 3 miles of my morning walk to that. 

One problem is that I don’t know exactly how long or how much I have to walk and even if I had experience in this, it could change based on the circumstances.  

I am very glad I bought some decent walking shoes.  (I am wearing my “old” good walking shoes for the special assignment.  My feet thank me very much.)

Another  case of where buying “the best” or at least not going the cheap  route is shoes.  I expect I would have been paying a lot more money for doctor bills and operations if I hadn’t switched shoes when I did.  

I am on my second pair of “good” shoes for walking, so I use my previous pair for causal walking and daily use.  

64 degrees and it is still comfortable out here on the back patio.  This is great, although I don’t know what it would be like if the wind were blowing.  Well, I do know and I don’t even want to think about it!

Looking at iPhone pricing, somehow the pricing seems to change by the minute (at least with ATT).  While I have had no problems with my past iPhone purchases with ATT, I have learned to watch for hidden fees, “got you’s” and sudden charges from other carriers. 

T-Mobile got to me on some iPad service and I will never use T-Mobile again, no matter what they say. I think it goes “cheat me once, shame on you, cheat me twice, same on me!  

Basically T-Mobile said “free service for life of the iPad” but somehow “free” became $10 a month.  Maybe still not bad, but not what the agreement was.  So, I don’t even consider T-Mobile.  

The Apple lease plan looks fairly up front, but I’m reserving my opinion until I have more details.  My mind boggles at ATT with it’s “trade in after 24 months, 30 payments” or “trade in after 12 months, 18 payments”!  I have to wonder, are they saying I need to make 30 payments or 6 more payments after I trade it in, or, more likely, they add the total of six more months after your next plan.  Not only that, but the price seems to change every time I look at it.  

If they mean you can trade it in after 12 months or own it after 18 months, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to trade it in after 12 months when you can own it outright (and sell it or keep it) after 18 months.

I’ve learned anything I don’t understand (and isn’t in writing) , don’t do!  

We probably are getting ready to go “cell phone only”, at least think about it.  It seems the wired phone plans have so many fees and unexpected costs, it is difficult to even see what it costs.  It is just a con game  Like I mentioned before, we “have” to take the “unlimited calls to Mexico”, even though we never call Mexico,and in the unlikely event we do, we’ll just pay for the call!  

Just like the cell phone taxes for providing free service for lower income people and internet service to school etc.  I hardly disagree with that, but why do cellphone users have to pay for it?  To me it should be general tax item.  I know of a school that  was cheated  into installing “free” cable system costing over a million dollars that was never used!  Who knows, it probably wouldn’t have worked anyway!

Wrote down a very short part of a dream that I remembered.  I forgot most of it.  

9 28 15 Dream Saturday 

For some reason I was trying to check out a truck to use at a  business, I”m not what quite sure.  It was one of those jeep like vehicles.

I ha apparently used it before without any problems, but this time, the guard checked everything very careful and was doubtful about me using it.  (We were going to use it for for a volunteer event or program?

The same thing had just happened before (in the dream) also, although I don’t recall what happened

That’s it for now, Sunday, September 27, 2015. 

Fall 2015 September 26 Saturday

66 degrees this morning.  No walk (special assignment today that will involve a lot of walking)

Actually comfortable on the back patio this morning, very calm.  Full moon (or close enough) preparing for the full moon eclipse tomorrow night.

Preparing for a full day of work today.  This is the first time I have been on this assignment (a continuation of the one I had last Thursday and Friday) but an entirely new perspective.  

This is one of those days (actually weekends since it is Saturday and Sunday) that I am not  sorry I am doing it, but I will be very glad with it is over.  

The decision on how to handle purchase or lease of an iPhone has basically been settled  My cousin, who has a lot of common sense about these things, suggested I lease one so I could always have the newest one and when i need to have one to “re-purpose”, simply buy a used one.  Makes sense!

Also, it will eliminate or at least reduce the number of old iPhones I have sitting around.  I can use only a certain number of repurposed iPhones!  Two (and soon to be 3 and then 4) are more than enough!  I am discovering new purposes for them, besides an iPod.  They also are audio book readers, security remotes etc.  However, I will have more than enough for a number of years before I even need to buy a used one, plus I need to find a use for “repurposed” iPads, although I keep them in primary service longer than an iPhone.

Now I need to decide on memory etc.  If I only keep one for one year, it may be a waste of money to buy a lot of memory, considering that I can store a lot on the cloud, cable backup etc.  However, I just looked at my current iPhone (the 6 Plus) and it only has 10GB left, of 55GB available.  Of course, if I backup and take off the 3,632 pictures, 238 videos etc. it would help a lot!

Then I have to decide about the size, a 6s or 6sPlus.  The new phone will be my work phone (replacing a 5).  I like my 6 Plus, but may decide that the larger 6s (as compared to a 5) is sufficient.  If I lease, I can always change in a year!

As I have mentioned before, it seems that something “new” (car, phone, etc.) suddenly becomes “old”, and I never know when the turning point is.  The car we have that is just becoming one year old in a couple of weeks is still considered “new”, although our 3 year old car is considered “new” also, so I don’t think time is a factor.  Probably condition, new advancements.  

Nothing can make something seem “old” faster than new technology, since as cell phone advances, TV technology, etc.  

With the coming conclusion of baseball season, I expect our habits will change a little.  We enjoy baseball and try to follow several teams, primarily the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Dodgers.  

It i always difficult for us when the Cubs and Cardinals pay against each other, and it will be really difficult if they play in the  playoffs!  When we were in Memphis, we watched many of the current Cardinal stars start off and develop, so it is kind of like the pride you have in your children being successful!  Well, not exactly the same.  We have always been club fans, and of course, I grew up with the Kansas City Royals.

I really like my new eye glasses.  One item where it really pays to buy the best quality!  I actually feel like I can see and read much better.   Aliene feels the same way about hers.  

Not looking forward to today, but will be looking forward to getting it over with. For some reason, it makes want to eat strawberry ice cream at the end the day!

That’s it for now, Saturday, September 26, 2015.

Fall 2015 September 25 Friday

67 degrees this morning, walk 37:47 minutes

Still pleasant on the patio this morning, in spite of the 67 degree temperature.  

It’s Friday!  Usually it means I am looking forward to a 2 day weekend,but this weekend I have a special assignment over the weekend, one of the only times during the year that I am expected to work other than normal hours.  

I find it difficult to remember what it was like to have evening meetings 2 to 3 times per week and literally working all my waking hours some days.  I’m not sorry for the experience, but it is difficult now to remember what that was like, now that I literally have never worked an evening meeting (other than something I go to voluntarily) and don’t usually work outside of working hours.  

Times change, like they say, the only sure thing is that change will occur, and you might as well be sure it is a positive change, at least find the positive aspects of it. 

Listening to my iPod music on “shuffle” which is always a good experience if I am in the mood for it.  I decided to listen to my “original iPod” and see if the battery continues to last.  So far, the battery has lasted like new or even better than new, as far as I can tell.  I have listened for about six hours on this battery charge and the battery is still about 3/4 full.  

Picked up my new eye glasses yesterday.  Whew!  I can see again1  I didn’t realize how bad the glasses I had were, both in being able to see good and how they looked.  They must have gotten the prescription wrong or the eye doctor made a mistake.

We got our glasses last December.  We have both a new eye-doctor and a new eye-glass place as you can imagine after our experience with our past glasses.

Frankly, my eye-glasses are probably too expensive, but sometimes the best is never too expensive.  Especially when it comes to your eyes!  Also the comfort of something I wear literally every waking minute (except while walking or swimming) is worth it, as well as the much better quality of reading  

Another dream, this one after my “post walk nap”.  I am trying to remember my dreams and the only way I can remember them is to write them down.  Since it is part of my experience, I am including them in my blog.

If nothing else, it does prove that dreams are influenced by external factors while you are sleeping. 

Dream 9-23-15 Wed.

Dreamed was at dance lessons with Aliene, I believe waiting for dance lessons to start.

Someone (an older man with a mustache and cowboy hat) was signing one of my favorite songs.  

Then it morphed into our old dance instructor (Paul) singing the same song and we thought we didn’t realize he was such a good singer  

We were sitting at a picnic stye table, and I dropped some money and I started finding one dollar bills on the floor.  I picked them up and put them back on the table.  The floor changed from time to time (at least in my memory) from sawdust/dirt to a dance floor.

The singers changed.

A woman came over and sat at our table and sat down and said she was  glad i had found her money.  

We then realized she was one of the singers.  

I tried to say to some people it was a wonderful song, but I couldn’t make my voice lout enough.  I looked at Aliene (right next to me) and realized she didn’t hear me either.    

I woke up.  

The song was actually one I was listening to while I was taking my nap.  

That’s it for now, Friday, September 25, 2015.

Fall 2015 September 24 Thursday

74 degrees this morning, walk 37:17 minutes 

Another nice morning for a walk and sitting on the outside patio.  

I had this inspiration to listen to every song on my iPod (all 6,544 of them on this iPod).  However, I have decided it may not be such a good idea after all.  As they say, life’s too short.  My  reaction to songs ranged from “I have to delete this song NOW” to “I need to get this on a playlist”.  

The discovery of another song I liked was great, but I decided this isn’t the time to do this.  I would be spending all my time organizing my songs, and that isn’t really a priority right now, at least in the morning hours.  

After carrying my iPhone during my morning walk, I really wonder how all of the “fitness”  watches, devices etc. are going to compete with something most people carry with them all the time?  While I just use it for measuring my “steps”, I could also use it as a timer, and there are apps for measuring heart beat, etc.  all on one device that you carry all the time.  It also can track your walk etc.  

It was good to get back to swimming yesterday.  While I am not much of a swimmer, I enjoy propelling myself through the water.  

I am considering taking swimming lessons, but haven’t decided yet.  

One concept about exercise is that you (in this case I) need to be concerned with “taking it to the next level”.  Frankly, I’m happy with this level, why would I want to take it to the “next level”?  

Not that I might not want to some time, but first I like to get comfortable with my current level. 

I mention this, since if I take swimming lessons, learn to use some of the strength machines, become better at free weights etc., it seems that all of the trainers,  books etc. have this addition to “talking it to the next level”.  

I think that is a concept that turns people off on everything from exercise to Toastmasters to all recreational sports and hobbies and even work..  Sometimes, it is ok to be ok with where you are at something and not be concerned with or even want to “take it to the next level”.

If you want to “take something to the next level” that is great, but I don’t feel everyone should assume that this is the goal of everyone.  

My “work” iPhone voice mail had problems the other day.  I live on voice mail on my work phone, so it made me realize how important technology is and how much we depend on it!  Fortunately, AT&T was extremely helpful, and I just happened to be about in the parking lot of the Apple store!  Nothing like the panic of having 6 voice mails and you can’t access your voice mail! 

All to the point of I may be able ot justify upgrading my iPhone 5 to a 6S!  Actually, it is Aliene’s turn to upgrade and I have no problem with taking over her 5S, but she doesn’t really want ot upgrade while her phone is working so well and set up.  

Now, I need to decide how I buy it!  I like the idea of leasing it from Apple, but I also like to have the old iPhone to “re-purpose”, they are such a magnificent piece of technology.   

As with travel, I enjoy the planning, the researching the color, around of memory, type of phone, how to buy it etc.  

Field day today at work.  At this time of the month, I am primarily involved in finishing up and it isn’t as much fun as the first of the month.

That’s it for now, Thursday, September 24, 2015

Fall 2015 September 23 Wednesday

75 degrees this morning, walk 37:31 minutes 

Fall is here (at least sometime today).  It is like entering a a dark period, although realistically it is nice almost up to mid-December (for the most part) and starts to turn nice in mid March.  

For me, my conceptual Summer ends around Thanksgiving and starts in mid May when it normally warms up “for good”.  

In the meantime, there is a long Winter to endure, although I am glad I live here and not further north.  I generally liked the Memphis Winters (at least as well as I can like any temperature below 70 degrees!) since it didn’t snow that much.  Here it snows more and there is more ice and the cold is made even colder and more bitter by the wind.

I am treasuring each day sitting outside, since I know the time is getting short when I can stand (temperature comfort wise) to sit out on the patio in the early morning and enjoy the outdoors.  However, I actually probably will be able to sit in the “enclosed patio” area all winder, especially when I start using the fireplace.  

Listening the Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” while writing this.  I vary between listening to music and listening to nature.  Sometime, I hope to hear the “Four Seasons” live.  There is a version with the violin that I really like.

I decided to use my “original iPod”, a least as long as the battery lasts.  So long it looks strong, even though the device has to be at least 8 years old.  It is one of the last with the 60 GB hard drives.  That is still a lot of music.  

I had to quit listening to books on it because it “hung up” several times.  Don’t know if it is the iPod or the books, since it never happens (or at least has happened) with music.

Random thoughts, our house has a solid fence on either side but an “open” fence at the back (thank goodness).

Anyway, when i write this, I usually do it right after i get out of the shower, so I wear a “wrap around’ and an old shirt I have had for almost 18 years that absorbs water.  May sound strange, but it gets stranger.

Yesterday as I got up to go in, my wrap feel off.  Like the tree falling in the forest, I have to wonder if this actually happened if no one saw it?  

At least I hope no one saw it, for their sake!

Plan on going back to swimming today. My cough is almost over, I rarely cough.  While I am a strong believer in vaccines etc, I still have to wonder if the whooping cough shot gave us a light  case of the whooping cough.  I am having a problem with my bike tire pump (it is too advanced for it’s own good!).  

My walking shoes, at least in “shoe life” are approaching 20% of their life span.  I am trying to be were of how they feel, because I am trying to be aware if the comfort deteriorates.  It is really difficult to compare how good they felt when I first started wearing them to now, since I am used to the comfort.  Right now, I feel they feel about the same.  At least they still feel comfortable, which is what counts.  

In reality, I expect to wear them for at least twice of their “normal” life span.  

Field day yesterday, at least a semi-office today (I may have one appointment).  

That’s it for now, Wednesday, September 23, 2015, the first day of Fall, 2015.  

Summer 2015 September 22 Tuesday

74 degrees this morning, walk 37:51 minutes 

Sitting out on the patio this morning.   I enjoy this time of the morning, after I finish my walk, shower, shaving etc.  It is like a little rest in the day, an oasis of time when I have finished my first phase of the day (yes, I consider shaving “work”, although I almost always shave every day anyway). and can write this post and then take a nap.  

My morning routine has completely changed from what it used to be.  Since the newspapers don’t arrive until “late”  (6 a.m, 7 a.m., on Sundays) I have not followed my routine of reading the papers in the morning.  I don’t like to rush reading them.

Usually after taking my post-exercise nap, I eat breakfast, maybe take one very short nap (even as little as 5 minutes) and then at work.  

I am trying to figure how to figure how to fit swimming into my schedule (swimming and bicycling).  

My schedule has changed so much from two years ago, or even one year and one month ago (before I started working at my current job), I am amazed.  

I still love my morning time, even though I may like to organize it a little different, although it really isn’t bad right now, once I fit my  swimming and bicycling into the schedule, and that doesn’t necessarily need to be in the morning.  

Probably the “non-negotible” items that I will keep doing no matter what (weather and physical condition permitting!) is my walk, my blog time and my nap.  

Of course, I used to feel my “newspaper time” was non-negotible, but the newspaper not being delivered early enough took care of that.  

Plenty of internet news (including the exact physical newspapers I read now) are available, but somehow it isn’t the same.  Maybe it will be sometime.  

One alternative is to go to the YMCA early (after my walk and blog) and then start work a little later, since I actually have two hours to play with during my work time, “play” meaning I have two hours during the time from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m when I’m not supposed to be working.  However I like the idea of starting early to catch what is going on, and staying late so I won’t miss anything!

Speaking of news media, usually I read the USA Today on it’s app while I eat breakfast.  Yesterday, as “news”, over 50%!!!! of the “news” stories were on the “Emmys”.  I don’t even know exactly what an “Emmy” is and I could care less who won, much less who dressed as what or whatever.  No objection to an entire section on this, but “news”. ??? Hardly.  Adding stories about “NFL cheerleaders “ and some story about a golfer and I think there was two actual “news” stories in the entire section!

I really wonder why I keep  reading it, except it reads fast (I only read about 20% of the stories) and I like the news stories about technology and apps etc.  plus their stock market coverage.  Also their news stories are very light and not very factual, as opposed to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.  

Probably the main reason is it reads well on my iPad and it is much easier to read on my iPad at the breakfast area than it is to read on my computer.  For the same reason, I read most of my internet “news” stories on my iPhone while in the bathroom or waiting  someplace.   The Wall Street Journal reads very well on an iPad, while the New York Times reads much better on my laptop.  

Worked on some special projects yesterday for work, which was fun.  A “field”  day today and then a long awaited office day tomorrow to catch up on some office work.

That’s it for now, Tuesday, September 22, 2015.

Summer 2015 September 21 Monday

64 degrees this morning, Walk 38:02 minutes

Usually, September 21 is the first day of Fall.  For some reason, Fall doesn’t start until Sept 23 this year.  Hmmmm.  Not that I mind a couple of extra days of Summer, even if it is just a word (maybe a concept) and not really reality.

Decided to take a shot at sitting outside on the patio this morning and am pleased to report it is very pleasant.  Doubt if it would be pleasant if the wind was up, but it’s not. 

Rained most of day yesterday, off and on, but it is supposed to get hot again.  

I think people are starting to realize that the salt water wells etc. are the cause of the numerous increase in earthquakes in this area.  

The earthquakes keep increasing in intensity (used to be, as a general rule, 2.5, then 3.2, now 4’s are appearing).  I don’t pretend to understand the reasons for it, but there appears to be a strong case for a relationship between them.  

Upgraded to IOS 9, at least on my iPhones.  (Due to a lack of foresight on my part in getting enough memory, I have a difficult time upgrading the iPads, so I just don’t, although I believe I will upgrade to IOS 9.)

One thing the new IOS provided is quick access to all types of news.  I have found that most of internet news media is about 50% stories about  celebrities, tv etc. that I don’t read, 30% is opinions or special interest they push as “news” that I don’t read and 20% is actually news that I bother to read.  Nothing against them as entertainment, if that is what people want but “news” about celebrities, (other than the “celebrity section”,  sports, other than the sports pages, etc. leaves me cold.  

Also, as a journalism student in college (I didn’t major in it,l but I worked on the college newspaper), the basic rule was news is news and editorials are on the editorial page.  That isn’t followed anymore at all by the news media, but I still believe in it. 

“News” should be news, and editorials should be clearly labeled as such. 

One reason I don’t care all that much  for tv news or video is that you can’t skip over the stories that you don’t want to bother with (although we copy most of ours, so we can skip over it!). 

However, even 20% is good, and it doesn’t take all that long to read.  

Not that the “traditional” news media is always that much better, although I really respect the writing of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, although sometimes I read the same story based on the same facts and they seem to have two separate conclusions about what it means!

Of course I realize what I consider to the editorials disguised as news stories, someone else may think of as news (if it is an opinion they agree with) and I probably do the same.

Anyway, I intend on keeping on exploring the different news sources to see if there is some I like or at least respect.  I try to keep an open mind and read about things I may not agree with, since I have been known to change my mind!

Speaking of news, I am amazed I knew so little about “Space X” or Tesla, for that matter.  Space X has been going on for years and I just kind of vaguely knew anything about it!  I may not be as up to date about news as I thought!  

Of course, I knew a little bit about Tesla, but other than trying to figure out how I can afford one (I can’t!), I didn’t really know that much about it.  

Promises to be in interesting week.  I have some interesting visits today and this weekend I will be on special assignment again.  

That’s it for now, Monday, September 21, 2015.