Fall 2015 October 31 Saturday

53 degrees this morning, no walk (rain)

Rain all day Friday, heavy at times.  Just enough to make it cold and miserable.  

I even turned the HVAC to “heat”, the first time this year and pulled out some heavier clothing.  However, when I went outside it wasn’t that cold. 

October 31, I will always remember as the day we moved from Harrah to Lakeland.  I actually started in Lakeland on November 1, 2001, which makes it easy to remember (11-1-1 or 11-01-01).  

Google Internet could be coming here!  Google said they are “studying it” which could of course mean they could decide not to build it.  Even if they did, it probably would be years before it is built.  

I think the main thing with Google building an internet system in a city is that suddenly the other internet/cable tv providers suddenly decide they can also provide faster internet at a reasonable price also.  

Looking back, I am amazed at how fast the year has gone.  Only two months left in the year 2015!  Even with buying the house and the trauma of moving etc., it seems like the year has disappeared.

Over 2/3  and almost 3/4 of the “Work Holidays” are in November, January and February, (8I out of 11) and over half (6 of 11 if you count New Year Day as December) are in November and December.  

It seems like some of the Holidays should be in the Summer!  Perhaps they are in the winter to brighten up the Winter!  

Of course, if I consider that in the past (and currently in some occupations) summer is the productive time and winter is the time when activity is slow due to the weather, it kind of  makes sense. 

Anyway, I always look forward to the holidays both for the time off as well as the holidays.

Got an e-mail yesterday about a “strange” (or maybe “suspect”) charge on a credit card. I quickly checked and found we both had the credit card, but also we didn’t make the charge.  

Actually it was a “probing” charge of $1.00, like they do  a  “pending” charge of $1.00 when they want to check to see if your credit card was valid.  Within 5 minutes, it was’t valid anymore!  

I have to admire the credit card company for it’s quick action to prevent fraud.  However, it also feels rather creepy that some thief is trying to use our credit card and how easy it apparently is!  

On the other hand, at least it got stopped

One good thing about the internet, I am able to check my credit card activity daily.  I normally check fairly often and I have caught mistakes before that were quickly corrected. 

I thought the new “chip” technology would make credit card fraud a lot more difficult and it may yet.  

I think it is amazing that they are developing credit cards etc. that you verify with your face or eyes!  It may make it a lot more difficult for credit card fraud if it works.

That’s it for now, Saturday, October 31, 2015 

Fall 2015 October 30 Friday

50 degrees this morning, walk 38:52 minutes 

Rain coming in this morning, there was a 30% chance it would rain before or during my walk, but it didn’t.  

While  I always enjoy my walk, I also always feel a little sense of relief when it is raining etc., meaning I can’t walk.  

Rather than take a day off from walking, i decided my breaks would be decided by the weather etc.  I know some suggestions are that you do a certain exercise every other day, take weekends off etc.  

Actually I don’t think I walk fast enough that I need to worry about “recovery time”.  While I also lift weights and do situps after my walk every morning, I don’t really feel like I stress anything enough to need to schedule regular time off.

Ditto with my swimming and bike riding.  Actually swimming I do take weekends off.

Next week I hope to get some  training in the use of the exercise machines at the YMCA.  I thought I would use them 2 or 3 times per week. I am primary interesting in maintaining (not developing!)  muscles I may not be using enough.  

Listening to “Wlid”.  The author is now well into the trail and has just decided she is going ot quit.  

Obviously she didn’t quit.  It will b entrusting to hear what decided her to maintain and stay on her hike.  

She is developing the natural reaction that people have to any new projects of stage of life.  I think the first reaction (after the excitement of the “new” wears off) is to stop and go back to your old way.

What is always interesting is learning what helps persons get over that urge to quit.  That has always interesting to learn why one person quits and another person makes it.  

Probably part of the time, it is still just chance circumstances, although  a large percentage is just a persons medical health (where exercise is concerned) and ability to change and maybe even how much you didn’t like the pervious step.  

Anyway, in the book, she has just met the fisrweefft person on the rail  that is also hiking the trail.   I assume that is one reason she continues.

I think planning and becoming aware of the actual circumstances of your decision  the the change are also important.          

Friday, October 30.  Years ago, I remember it snowed on a Halloween, the earliest snow I remember in this area.  Halloween was also on a Saturday that year. As the snow fell, I read “Bright Lights Big city”  straight through.  

Even then (this back in 1991 or 1992) I no longer read books “straight through” very often.  Actually I just checked and it was on Halloween Day of 1991.  

That’s it for now, Friday, October 30, 2015   

Fall 2015 October 29 Thursday

51 degrees this morning, walk 39:13 minutes 

Listening to “Wild” this morning, the story of a women who walked the Pacific Crest Trail by herself.  After a significant amount of background and flashbacks as to why she attempted it, she is now in her first days on the trail.

I read a little bit about the Pacific Crest Trail and the entries mentioned about how the trail became a lot more popular after the book (and movie) was released.

I can’t believe anyone would be attracted to walking the trail (or rather “hiking the trail”) after reading the book, so they must have been attracted after seeing a sanitized version on the movie!

She very explicitly goes into the rigors of the trail and some of the experiences she had that could happen to anyone who attempted to hike the trail.  Of course, after I finish the book, I may understand.  

Of course, a lot of problem now is “over information”.  As an example, I “followed” several “sites (circles or collections) on subjects or products on Google  +.  I was quickly overwhelmed with posts on the subject, mostly trivial or snide conversation.  I quickly canceled my subscriptions!  

There probably is a way I could have adjusted settings on them, but I decided it would be just as easy to do a search on the subject and keep up just as well, without annoying posts I had no interest in.

This (I think, November) is “write a novel”month.I always think I will try it, but I probably won’t.  I never really had any desire to write a novel or fiction.  

I did write a fiction story once and submitted it to a contest and got “Honorable Mention”.  Actually, it was difficult to write a fiction story, but there is a certain framework you follow that I expect it becomes a lot easier as you proceed.  

Maybe I will try it this year. 

I noticed that I have a certain pattern on my daily postings, as far as how much I write.  It isn’t hard and fast, I just figure no one will  read it if I  make it any longer!

I have also thought of just writing a certain number of minutes on this daily entry for this blog, but I probably won’t try that, although I think I will see how much time I spend on it.  

I actually save this daily posting to a “blog e-mail” account in addition to the blogs I post i on.

Katherine and Kali (my granddaughters) are the ages I remember well, and I recognize some aspects of that age well.  

Of course I think children/teenagers have it a lot harder than I did when I was growing up, although I recognize a lot of the feelings and actions.  

I mentioned to Katherine last night that, for her, cell phones, computers, terrorism etc. has always existed since she grew up with it as a natural thing.

I don’t know if I am glad or sorry I didn’t have computers when I was a child.  One thing I did have when I was a child was a lot of time to explore and read.  

Not having television etc., I did read a lot of things I doubt that I would read and a lot of “exploring” I wouldn’t have done if I had had computers, cell phones, the internet, television etc.  Not necessarily good or bad, but it would have been a lot different!

That’s it for now, Thursday, October 29, 2015.

Fall 2015 October 28 Wednesday

56 degrees this morning, walk 38:30 minutes

Listening to the book, “Wild” about a woman who walked the Pacific Crest Trail.  She is at the point where she just gets started, but then goes into a flashback.  I really wonder how they made a movie of the book, probably emphasized the trail walk a lot more.  

I am currently approximately 25% into the book.  The start of the trail ride and her preparations and then finding she has probably planned to carry far more than the can actually carry, a common dilemma in everything, not just long distance hikes!

Of course, in my “ride with the sun”, I don’t have any intention of camping out, except in a hotel room!  Preferably with a hot tub and a cold swimming pool!  

Ditto with any ride or walk I do.  The thought of camping out doesn’t much appeal to me anymore!  Probably has more to do with the way the world it now rather than any discomfort, although I realize that camping out isn’t just the ideal situation of a full moon and a perfect night.  

Camping out also could involve cold rain, storms, snakes, four and two legged predators, lack of water, etc.!  None of which I care to partake in at this stage of my life.

Actually I envision my “ride with the sun” to include riding (depending on the trail), most of the day, but not being afraid of hooking the bike to a bike rack and riding in the backup car if I get too tired or in bad weather!  

My “new” shoes are not at about 33% of their (extended) life span or a little over 50% of a “normal” life span.  

I still think of them as my “new” shoes, which is good.  They still have a nice bounce to them, which is important to me.  

Aliene’s son, Ron, had back surgery yesterday.  I am pleased to report it went well and he is already feeling better!  

Listening to my “original iPod”.  I still have to wonder why more electronic items such as iPods etc. don’t include a switch which stops any accidental brushes, touches etc. from affecting the playback!  

The original iPod has a switch on the top of the player that I just slide and it stops any action.  When I want to turn it off etc., I just slide it to the “on” switch.  So simple, it doesn’t make any sense they quit including it!

At the risk of jinxing myself, I am just amazed at the battery life of the assorted iPods, iPads, shuffles and iPhones!  The longest is the iPod and the three shuffles at about 9 years, all batteries still going strong!  

There are a lot of things I like about the original iPad, the original iPod and the shuffles.  Of course, they no longer have the speed to be much more us than audiobook, music players, photo storage, voice recorders etc, but still worth keeping.

I am leaning to upgrading my iPhone 5 soon (it will become a remote for our security system and an audiobook/music player).  In spite of the fact that leasing makes the most sense, I have a little reluctance in that I would no longer have a new music player every two years, but then there are always plenty of used iPhones for sale! Plus I have too many old iPhones (at least more than I can use) now, although at some pointI expect the batteries will start failing, probably all at once!

Now the choice goes to whether I go to the Apple leasing program (probably) vs. the ATT leasing program.

Ah, decisions!

That’s it for now Wednesday, October 28, 2015.

Fall 2015 October 27 Tuesday

56 degrees this morning, walk 38:07 minutes

At Toastmasters last night, one of the speakers quoted Nikola Tesla, in 1926, as saying (in the future)

 “We will be able to communicate with one another instantly, irrespective of distance.  Not only that, but through television and telephony we shall see and hear one another as perfectly as if we were face to facc, despite intervening distances of thousands of miles, and the instruments through which we shall be able to do this will fit in our vest pockets”.  

Actually, I just did a search to see if this has been debunked, and it is actually in a Popular Mechanics article in 1909 when he predicted the cell phone!  (The article is available on the internet.)

He further products that electricity will be transmitted without wires, something that isn’t yet possible, at least over long distances.  

Turned off the irrigation this morning, probably for the last time this Fall, until I turn it on in the Spring.  

I really wish there was a better way to maintain the lawn than to waste a lot of water on maintaining it artificially green.  I always disagreed with the requirement for “landscaping’ that was artificial and requires a lot of water (unless there is a way to  reuse water).  

Our current residential wastes an unbelievable amount of water on motioning plants and flowers that aren’t meant to grow in this area.  

This is the time of year when it is so hard to decide how to dress when I exercise.  Anything either seems too much or too little! 

I think the rule of “if you are too cool when you start you are probably dressed right”.  If I am comfortable when I start, even though I just walk, I will be sweating by the time I finish.  

Still a full moon out, or at least close too it.  It is always a little spooky to see the full moon slide behind the clouds.

In spite of my comments yesterday about quality, I am amazed by the high quality of most things today.  I have shirts and slacks that I have had for years (dating back 30 years or more in some cases) that show no wear. 

While I complain about the car, it is a sign of quality that cars last for 200,000 miles or more.  I remember when 60,000 miles was considered the life of the car, not 60,000 miles is nothing,l and most people (except for dealers when you try to trade it in) don’t even blink at 100,000 miles. 

Ditto with tv’s, computers, phones etc. and many other items. 

Listening more to “Wlld” on my morning walk.  Actually, for at least the first part of the book (about 2 hours or about 15% of the book), she hardly mentions the walk, instead she goes into the death of her mother, her martial problems etc.  

Strangely enough, it works, as it seems natural that she would explain in detail the basis for such as decision to take on such a project.  I don’t quite know how they could make a movie of it and do the book justice, but then I have thought that about a lot of books.  

I continue to basically walk, swim and bike, if not all there every day, at least on a regular basis.  While it is difficult to find a safe  area to bicycle in this area (without traveling a long distance, which doesn't really make a lot of sense), I hope to train well enough that I can ride in the milt-day “Free Wheel” bike ride.  Of course this is to train me for  my “ride with the summer”.  

I just checked on Google/Maps and it would take about 109 hours to bike the 1332 miles from Houston, Texas to Fargo, ND.  That is actually doable.  

That’s it for now, Tuesday, October 27, 2015.

Fall 2015 October 26 Monday

43 degrees this morning, no walk.

“Fall” is finally here, both in weather and in the leaves turning, and, of course, the change in Daylight Savings Time next Sunday.  

Last week of the month, which means I’m cleaning up accounts at work, getting ready for the next ones at the first of the month.  

In a way, this is when I learn new techniques etc., because usually this is when I research and take action on cases where I had to ask questions or take action I hadn’t learned to take yet. 

Finished the book on “Jack Reacher”, he was interesting as always to the end, if you like that type of book.  Now back to the non-fiction book on “disruption”!  

I am going to try to return to reading more novels, at least when I can find a quality novel, or even just one that is interesting!  

I got a “manual” bicycle tire pump for my bike tires.  I had an excellent electric  tire pump for my bike tires I had used for years.  “Somehow” it didn’t make the move from Memphis to here, probably stolen or,more likely, someone used it and never put it back.  Since it cost only $29, although it worth a lot more than that to me since it was so simple and dependable, I never turned in a claim for it.  

Now of course, I wish I had, if nothing else, just to let them know that I knew someone had either stolen it or it just got lost.

The replacement electric air pump I bought was just junk.  It was supposed to have a “sensing” system that you set the pressure you wanted and it automatically stopped at the right pressure, but it never really worked right.  It w was more trouble than it was worth. 

One problem with technology is that sometimes it flat doesn’t work.  

I have decided to not stand for the incompetence and outright crooked actions of people and businesses without at least complaining about it and letting them know that I know and hoping to at least make them feel uncomfortable about it and perhaps prevent it from happening again. to someone else. 

The laundry shirt that was damaged is one example. 

I also plan on calling Toyota on their defective tires, I just can’t accept that a “pinhole in the side of the tires” is not a defective tire.  I probably will start using a business besides the dealer to service my car.  While I realize a dealer is more expensive, they also are usually more dependable  and you also (at least in theory) have more of a chance of getting defective work corrected.  

At least they will know how I feel.  After my experience, I will never buy any Toyota product again based on their defective tires and flimsy bodywork and the actions of the dealership in the way they try to scare buyers with overpriced extended warranties and then not even offer a basic one that is almost automatic on tires from anyplace. I think they may have offered one, but it was tied into a very expensive policy that included “rims” and that was all you could buy.  

What is strange is the replacement tires they sold “automatically” included road hazard “insurance”.  That will be the last tire I ever buy from Toyota.  I am sure some kind of “road hazard” will affect the remaining tires and when that happens, I will try to find a reliable tire shop.

Actually, one of the best aspects of the internet (at least for services etc.) is the “rating” systems that are provided.  While you can’t always trust them (it seems that each business has it’s ones and fives!),  at least it provides a trend.  I figure if they are mostly positive, they probably basically do a good job (depending on the number of ratings).  

I have to feel that most businesses mean to do a good job and treat the customer right, at least that has been my experience in spite of my comments about the negatives!  

I do make a point of telling businesses when I am treated right and fairly also, as well as when I am not!  Actually, the times a business contact is positive happened a lot more than negative contacts, you just remember the negative contacts because it is relatively unusual.

That’s it for now, Monday, October 26, 2015.

Fall 2015 October 25 Sunday)

45 degrees this morning, walk 38:35 minutes

Cold weather (45 degrees, w/c of 40) caught me by surprise this morning.  Didn’t know where my walking gloves were etc. although it  turned out I didn’t need them yet and I was able to dress warm enough.  

Full moon this morning (or at least close enough) that it was almost like walking daylight.  I look outside and wonder who left the light on!  

When I lived in Memphis, a person who lived downtown commented about going outside in the morning and seeing a homeless person/s sleeping on her front porch.  

For some reason that memory goes through my mind every morning when I go out to exercise on the back patio, even though it is a fenced in rear yard and the possibility of a homeless person sleeping on the back patio is probably less than 0%!  

Strange are the thoughts that go through my mind in the early morning hours!  I actually  call it “in the midnight hour”, even though it is several hours past midnight, it still describes it well!

Started listening to a new audiobook, “Wild” about a woman who walked the Pacific Crest trail which runs up the west coast.  Too soon to really know if it will be good or not.  

I remember when I was in the Air Force in Virginia, the last year or so some friends and I discussed my plans to walk from Hampton Breach to Wakeeney, Kansas, where my parents lived.  It would have been the perfect time to do it, since I didn’t have to worry about a job, and this was a time I could do it.  

As it turned out, as time got closer, my plans mainly concerned what route I would take to drive!  Actually, one of the main concerns was one alternative was going to college for my Masters Degree and the timing wasn’t quite right.  

Actually, it was a memorable trip  I went through Washington DC (on the beltway) at rush hour, a hair raising experience to say the least, and drove the Pennsylvania Turnpike at night.  I stopped somewhere in the mountains.  

I don’t recall where I stayed the next two nights, but it took me three days to drive to Wakeeney.  I stayed in Wakeeney for several weeks and then just took off, in the general direction of Wichita (where I probably had been, I think, only one time).  I remember driving down Meridian Avenue.  I went to Wichita State University, where I enrolled for a Masters Degree in Political Science,

Actually, the one time I was in Wichita before, I actually landed in a Lear Jet from Omaha, I was in the Air Force and I was catching “space available” rides.  I had enrolled in some courses, one in Omaha for a week, and one in Colorado Springs for a week where I also stayed in base housing.

Anyway, I flew on a General’s Lear Jet to Wichita, where I couldn’t catch a flight out, so I hitchhiked to Colorado Springs.  I almost got stuck in Dodge City Kansas, but finally got a ride out of Dodge (so to speak) to Colorado Springs in time to attend the class.

As they say, God watches out for fools and little children!  I would certainly never try that now and the thought that I did that then, still makes me wonder what I was thinking!  

Of course, I know what I was thinking, I wanted adventure and I also believed that everything would turn out!  Luckily I was right.

I also went through Memphis on that trip (I actually went from Goose Bay Labador, to Boston, took a bus to Washington DC, than a flight to Memphis, than a flight to Omaha, then a flight to Wichita, where I hitch hiked to Colorado Springs, and then I believe I caught a flight to Washington DC, where I took a bus to McGuire AFB where I caught a flight to Goose Bay, just in time to avoid being considered AWOL!)

Such are the memories of things I hope my children or grandchildren never try!

That’s it for now Sunday, October 25, 2015.  

Fall 2i015 October 24 Saturday

60 degrees this morning, walk 38:24 minutes

Well, I did hear from the Councilmembers Assistant, who was very nice and informative.  However, the basic message is “Commercial is king and can destroy residential areas with immunity”.  

The unspoken message was that as long as they keep contributing money no one at the city really cares about the residents, the commercial developers, housing developers etc. can do whatever they want.

Of course, this is all hidden carefully in “legal rights”.  The legal right to put up a huge video billboard in the backyard of residents!  Or throw up a huge strip mall with all kinds of lights etc that destroy the value of about 10 houses! 

When I asked about screening or buffering  I was advised a “6 ‘ fence!!” or “vegetation”  (ha), was all that is required.   This, for a 40 foot tall building, a huge video billboard etc.!!  Of course “vegetation” is defined as some straggly trees that will die in a year and no one will care. 

We decided we are moving.  It may take a while and we may lose some money, but we are getting out of this city where residents are 4th class citizens (after commercial, housing developers and builders and sign polluters, so maybe we are 5th class citizens!)  

We actually really enjoy our house and neighborhood  (we aren’t directly affected by the commercial development, except in the sense that our neighbors are affected, so we are affected also and it shows the complete lack of concern by the city for residents. 

The idea of a residential development here is a developer throwing up some houses on tiny lots, “donating” some junk land for a substandard amount of park space and throwing up some substandard equipment and then requiring the residents to pay for the maintenance and repairs!  

To my knowledge there are no public parks planned for this area!  In spite of throwing up thousands of apartments, there are no public parks, no street improvements etc. to handle the increased traffic.  That is very poor planning, actually, no planning.  It is letting the inmates run the prison or in this case the developers run the city.  

I read about Boulder, Colorado having an election on an Ordinance (or Charter amendment) that will allow residential areas to vote on new zoning changes.  The opposition is that it will “stop development”.  I haven’t read enough about it to really form an opinion, but our experience here certainly provides a reason for such initiatives!  

While it didn’t rain as much as we expected, it still rained enough to create mud problems, and I was pleased on my walk this morning to note very little mud.  The developer and builders are actually doing a reasonably good job at erosion control, I was pleased to note!

Sone 494 or 6, 544,  the “Orange Blossom Special”, probably my favorite song.  I especially enjoy hearing it done in person.  It actually creates a physical reaction in me, even when I hear it on a recording and more so when I hear it live.  

Oh yes (I guess today is a “rant day”, which I don’t really like to do), our less than one year old car now has had TWO new tires required in just 15,000 miles!  I really think it is the poor quality of the tires.  For some reason, when we bought they car, they tried to sell us all kinds of junk “extended warranties” to increase their profit, but they didn’t offer a basic “road hazard” plan that even Wal Mart offers!  

There comment yesterday was there was a “pinprick” in the side of the tire that ruined the tire!  I questioned why tire was such poor quality that it got a “pinprick” in the side of the tire, and was told that probable  “nail flicked” it.  Sure.  When we weren’t even offered a road hazard warranty and the tires are obviously junk so bad they can’t last, I really wonder.

I am going to check around, I may be better off to replace the two tires left that came with the car now before they develop “pinpricks” that require an entire new tire at an outrageous price!  I am going to check around for a reliable tire shop that is close to me that I can trust.  

Anyway, I am glad that the weekend is here.  I am glad I enjoy my job, I was just thinking how horrible it is to hate to go to work and live for your time off and the weekend!    

That’s it for now, Saturday, October 24, 2015.

Fall 2015 October 23 Friday

64 degrees this morning. No walk, rain. 

Didn’t walk this morning because of the rains yesterday and overnight.  

Actually, I would normally walk, but I don’t here after a rain for safety reasons due to possible mud runoffs etc.  Also, I don’t want to get my shoes muddy!

It didn’t rain near as much as they forecast, at least in this area.  I’m not complaining, just commenting.  

In all fairness, the builders/contractors/developer are actually doing excellent at erosion control, keeping the streets clean etc., including at least weekly sweeping of the streets.  However there is always the exception that creates the problems, but generally they are doing the best I have ever seen.

I don’t know if my complaints/comments (and other neighbors) had anything to do with it.  I like to think they are doing it just as good business practices, which I feel it is.  

Not having as much impact with the signs.  Wrote the Councilmember, no response at all.  Somewhat the usual response for this city.  They think if they ignore it you will go away.  I don’t thing the signs and the city failure to require commercial businesses to provide some type of screening around residential areas will go away.  If they continue to ignore it, the residents will start going away.  

For some reason, yesterday morning, our “night toad” was going crazy, jumping around all over the place, scaring the heck out of me when I went out for my walk and to pick up the paper!  I think maybe it felt the incoming storm.  

After being advised Tuesday that the low tire was a figment of my imagination (or something like that), the low tire indicator came on again yesterday.  I was able to get it in and found it was a faulty value  stem.  They didn’t charge me, I don’t know if it was because of the warranty or because they didn’t catch it the first time.  

On song 455 of the the 6544 on my iPod.  It is Edgar Cruz, a local guitar performer (this song is “Ghost Riders in the Sky”.  We have heard him perform ever since we have been in this area at times (which is around 28, less the 13 years in Memphis).  

He does kind of a guitar interoperation (no singing, thank goodness) of a wide variety of songs from rock to classical.  He is enjoyable to listen too.   

We were having Christmas dinner/lunch last Christmas and he was performing at the restaurant.  We actually had a chance to talk with him and were able to tell him how much we had enjoyed his performances and music throughout the years.  He has actually produced a number of  albums. 

I am really enjoying the opportunity to swim almost every day during the week.  Something about moving through the water.  I try to avoid trying to speed up my swimming etc.

I also enjoy playing “shark attack”, (going low in the water and then coming up like I imagine a shark attack would be).  Not that I want to be a shark or be a shark attacker, it just gives you a feeling of freedom coming up through the water!  Anyway, one of those things that stops swimming from being boring.

Actually, so far, (I only swim for about 23 minutes) it hasn’t been that boring, and I enjoy the time.  It isn’t too long that I don’t enjoy the swimming and the chance to relax and think.  There is always that moment of hesitation when I jump into the pool and feel the cold water, but I get used to it fast.

Friday is here!  It is also October 23, which means Thanksgiving is almost a month away and Christmas is only about two months away!   

Now that I think of it, the 23rd of each month is kind of the odd day out.  

That’s it for now, Friday, October 23, 2015.  

Fall 2015 October 22 Thursday

60 degrees this morning, Walk 38:18 minutes

Although it is 60 degrees this morning, it feels relatively nice.  I am even sitting outside writing this, for the first time in several weeks.  Of course, if the wind starts blowing it will get cold fast!  

Still nice, but there is a huge storm coming in, probably this afternoon.  They even have flash flood warnings out already, even though it hasn’t rained a drop.

Another major change in the recent years is weather forecasting.  I can look at my phone and see what the weather forecasters see, as far as the rain and storm crossing the state towards us and even know when it will arrive.  

I recently started getting notices on my iPhone about “it will rain at 4:15 p.m. etc.” and it further states how long and how intense the rain will be!  It isn’t always correct (I assume it is correct somewhere, if not here), but it is right a large part of the time.  

Listening to the book about the Mafia, (almost done-it was relatively interesting but I am ready to start on another subject!) I was disturbed (if the book is true) about the actions of the federal prosecutors and FBI, which, in their own way, was just as bad as the Mafia.  

Listening to a song from “Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band” (She’s Leaving Home) by the Beatles, I am taken back exactly 50 years to the first time I heard the album.  

When I hear it, I always think about it was the Summer I was in Denver, working at the Samsonite factory.  It was the first time “on my own” and certainly my first experience in a big city and working in a factory!  

I learned a lot about myself and maybe life those two Summers in Denver.  It certainly affected how I approached life.

Also, my memory is somewhat refractory, since Sergeant Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band album was released in June of 1967, not June of 1965 as I was thinking. 

Probably the music in general was in that time frame, and I think of that album representing that time frame of my life.  

As I mentioned before, some songs bring back memories, not quite like it actually was, but the way I remember it, which may be different!

My experience in a factory certainly jarred my sense of what I wanted to do in my life.   Nothing against factory workers, I actually enjoyed working with them, but I didn’t want to do that for the rest of my life. 

Actually, now that i explore my memory, I was in Denver the Summers of 1966 and 1967, so I guess my memory of Sergeant Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band being released when I was in Denver is correct.  

The Summer of 1966 and Summer of 1967 in Denver was completely different.  The first Summer I was there by myself and the second Summer I was there with friends who who decided to go with me to Denver to work for the Summer.  

It was the first Summer in Denver when I developed a  taste for tamales.  There were street vendors who sold these wonderful steamed tamales on the street corner and I loved them.  For some reason, the next Summer they were not there, but I had developed a life-long love for tamales. 

I have learned, like  lots of things, there is a wide variety of tamales and everyone’s view of what tamales are like can be different.  

Of course, I rarely eat them due to the high fat and calorie content, but when I do I enjoy them!  There are major regional differences in tamales, which perhaps is one reason I like them, but some I like a lot more than others!  I really enjoy it when I can get those steamed fattening tamales like I had in Denver on the street corner!  

When  I go back to Denver now, I am always shocked at the changes.  It is not the Denver I knew and loved during those Summers.

That’s it for now, Thursday, October 22, 2015.  

Fall 2015 October 21 Wednesday

65 degrees this morning, walk 38:47 minutes

Today (October 21) is the day I first started work on my first full time with the City of Liberal, Kansas, many, many years ago.  Actually it doesn’t seem all that long ago!  It start a very rewarding and interesting career with cities and local government! 

I woke up early that morning and went out and drove around the city, learning what I could about it.  

My “tire light” came on again.  Sometimes I really hate the “low tire pressure” light.  It is something I can’t ignore, so it involves taking the car in to check the tires.  

So far it has happened four times, one time just sudden cold weather, and three times a nail, piece of wire etc., one time involving buying a completely new tire due to tire damage.  

The next time I buy tires, I will buy the road hazard warranty.  The “extended warranty’s” may be major rip offs in most cases, except they do seem to keep trouble away so you never have a claim! 

I’ve always wondered why they can’t make better “puncture proof” car tires like they do bicycle tires.  I have to respect a tire that can go 100,000 miles, but I wonder why they can’t make a puncture proof one?  

Something I need to research when I have time.  

Of course, what it means is that my entire morning schedule is ruined in having to get the car out to have the tires checked etc.  In this case, they also need to install an “update” on my GPS system which hopefully will make it work like what I originally thought I was getting when I bought the car!  

While I basically really like the car, I am disappointed in the Toyota lack of quality and followup.  The dealership itself has been fine, it is just the car isn’t near the quality I expected in a Toyota, at least as far as the fender, GPS etc. are concerned.  

In the same manner, I was going upgrade my Macbook Air to the next operating system, but I happened to read of the problems it was creating, so I decided to pass.  I have to wonder why computer companies, car companies, television companies etc. rush to release products with major bugs and charge full price for it?

I suddenly noticed how the leaves on the trees were turning.  While it appears to be laster than usual, it is starting and soon I expect the leaves will be falling.  While I realize it has been going on for awhile, it seems like it happens literally “overnight”!

In the process of deciding on the “benefit package” (health insurance etc.) for 2016.  Went to a meeting yesterday on it.  Basically for us, it is fairly simple since, as I mentioned, we like our Health Insurance and Dental Insurance.  (They also provide a reasonably good life insurance and disability plan, although I don’t like to think of  having to use them!)  

Our only really decision is what to do about vision insurance.  Our current plan is really nothing more than a sales tool for eyeglass places, but yesterday I did learn of at least one plan that may have benefits we can use.  I have 10 days (until October 30) to decide.

Feels good to get back into a full exercise program again.  I especially enjoy the swimming (which I will miss this morning due to having to take the car in!).  I am hoping it helps my weight control, although I realize only eating less will help control my weight.  

It also feels good to be back to bicycle riding on a regular basis again.  I hopefully will start training to ride in the week-long bicycle trip “Free wheeling” next Summer.  Note I said training for it, not that I am going to participate in it!  

Whether  I participate will depend on a lot of factors including whether I feel I am adequately trained for it, and perhaps more important, if hotel rooms are available within a reasonable distance.  

The idea of “camping out” does not interest me, especially after riding a bicycle for 50 miles in the summer heat!  

While I can literally fall asleep anyplace, that doesn’t mean I want to sleep on the ground!   Although, I expect a good air mattress may not be that bad, I think I will just go for the motel room! 

That’s it for today, Wednesday, October 21, 2015.