2016 Spring April 30 Saturday

51 degrees this morning, no walk (coughing, cold)

Not quite sure what I have, but includes a lot of coughing and sneezing. It just came on suddenly.  

At first I thought it was an allegoric reaction, possibly to auto air conditioning and it may well have been.

However, I had just started some new medicine and one of the “side effects” is it may cause coughing.  Probably no relationship,but you never know.  It seems strange that the coughing etc. shortly after I started taking it (actually the very next day!).

I always hate having a cold etc. because of he time I lose in feeling bad, not being able to exercise etc.  

Took a”survey” on one of our cars this morning. Felt like I had to give feedback, but the “short” survey ended up taking 20 minutes!  That is just too long, although  it gave me a chance to sound off on some of the things I don’t  like about the car.  (Actually very few items I don’t like, but I like the chance  to complain about them!)

I like to take surveys, but abandon them if they appear to basically be sales jobs or take too long to respond to.  

What I really don’t like is a “how did we do” survey that is basically just an attempt to get your e-mail address and then bombard you with sales pitches!  Some of the restaurant are the worst on this.  

Also, I have found they pay little attention to the survey results, especially when “anything less than 10 is considered a 0”.  Makes a joke of surveys.  

I think a good survey would encourage honest opinions rather than be used to punish employees or management.  

High winds, heavy rain and some tornados were around last night, fortunately not in our area.  

Thinking about the surveys, it seems technology is frequently used as a control measure instead of a productively measure.  For example, measuring key strokes etc.  It seems there is a better way of measuring performance and is a waste of technology.  

Nothing wrong with some controls of course, but it seems it frequently is carried to the extreme.  

Light bulbs are starting to go out in our house.  I am looking at LED lights, especially in areas that are hard to replace.

This house is much better than some of our past houses in the matter of light fixtures.  It seems builders have started using the “cheapest” light fixture, even though the difference between the cheap low quality figures really aren’t that much more cheaper than a reasonably good quality fixture.  

You pay for the cheapness for years unless you give up and replace the light fixtures with decent quality fixtures.  

It is another example of the type of thought that puts money first and attempts tot get by with the absolutely cheapest.  I think that is a fallacy and they need to start paying more attention to quality. 

That’s it for now, Saturday, April 30, 2016.

2016 Spring April 29 Friday

60 degrees this morning.  No walk, rain, plus developed bad cough and sneezing.

Developed a sudden bad cold yesterday.  Spells of coughing and sneezing, although I really don’t  feel that bad.  Anyway, absolutely no walk this morning even if it wasn’t raining!

The continual colds and coughing is really hurting my exercise program!  I am beginning to wander the CPAP machine is the reason for it.  

Presidential campaign is really getting even weirder than I thought it could.  This election will give people who write about and analyze Presidential campaign  material for a long time!

I have never seen money spent like it has been in this election.  It is almost like some people don’t like their money and they have to spend it!  

Two years ago we were getting ready to head for China.  I think we actually left on April 30 and somehow lost May 1 due to time zones and travel time.  

This period  of the past months since the Courter Reunion last year have included no travel out of the area.  After years of, at the least, going to OKC about every 6 to 8 weeks, and other frequent travel, I thought I would notice it, either miss it or be relieved.  

I can’t  say I miss it or am relieved.  Of closure we did move doing that period.

I guess to travel you have to have a plan and a place you want go.  In the next several months, we will travel to the CMA Fest and visit friends along the way, and then take kind of an extended trip to the family reunion.

As I mentioned before, I really enjoy “planning” a trip.  Especially with the Internet, where I can search for information, make reservations etc., it has really been enjoyable.  Even the shortest trip is fun to prepare for!

Of course  the China was especially fun to prepare for.  I actually started preparing for it in early December and then of course once we actually committed in January (buying the plane tickets), I really got involved in the planning. 

I have actually our trip details completed for this summer, although we can always change them some.  

Of course one of the big problems with air  travel is the you have to buy the tickets and then pay outrageous fees if you have to change your plans.  One  reason for flying Southwest Air.  They don’t baggage fees and you can change flights without a penalty.

Of closure, that  is a little misleading, actually you can use the money for  your tickets for another trip (not a cash refund) and you purchase the replacement flight “at the current rate” which could be a major penalty in itself.     

Still is a much better deal than the other airlines.  

Hopefully will get over this cold today.  I”m not coughing or sneezing this morning but I can feel the potential so to speak.  I’ll see as the day goes on.

Rain is forecast for the entire weekend.  They aren’t  forecasting any storms, but are forecasting rain the entire weekend.  

That’s it for now, Friday, April 29, 2016.      

2016 Spring April 28 Thursday

55 degrees this morning, walk 46:55 minutes.

Field Day to my new (although temporary) area yesterday.  As before, I enjoyed it and also really noted the difference in both the businesses etc., culture and people.

The mix of businesses is interesting.  Probably a majority of the businesses are individually owned as opposed to corporately owned.  

There doesn’t seem to be much difference in commitment to their business, except that the individual owners obviously for the most part have much longer tenure and many of the owners are from even smaller towns in the area.  

Of course, many of the stores are aimed at visitors to the community who are there for the historical  aspect or antique and other shopping, so it is somewhat unique in that respect. 

I am always amazed at the variety of business, I have to wonder who patronizes them, it seems there are almost too many for the number of people, but many of them seem to survive.  

It must take a particular commitment to start and run your own business.  So many fail, yet you see a lot of them also survive and thrive.  

Started coughing again yesterday, and I am pretty sure now that I have some type of asthma or allergy.  Cold air or even a cold wind seems to set it off.

I coughed a lot last night and it seemed to go away.  This was after a day in the car with the air conditioner on and blowing high and getting in and out a lot etc. 

My cough seemed to go away so I decided to go ahead and walk.  I did fine until I got home and set in front of a fan, which my coughing etc. started again.  

Of course, it could be I am allergic to something outside and am having a delayed reaction. 

If I can find the reason, I certainly will do everything possible to avoid whatever causes it.  It is very miserable to say the least, probably just as miserable for people around me!

When my eyes start watering, I have to assume it is an allergy rather than a cold.  

After a lull, it seems like earthquakes are suddenly coming back, although in different areas.  They remain relatively low strength, but appear to be increasing in strength.  

Nextdoor.com has become very popular.  At as suggestion, I put “nextdoor.com”and the name of my addition into Google and came right up with the ability to contact a potential 392 residents in my addition.  

I haven’t seen a lot about the impact of it on neighborhoods and residents.  

I personally thought it would increase public activity and interaction etc,  The City here is tied in with nextdoor.com, which helps some communication, but the City is somewhat non-transparent, even though they do seem to pay attention to what residents want.  

In another city, they have found that  the “leads” in nextdoor.com frequently delete any political reference they disagree with (especially on local politics) so that stifles the potential of NextDoor.  I can understand the reason for someone to delete inappropriate comments etc., but as long as they delete comments  they disagree with, Nextdoor will become more like classified section of the newspaper.  

However, the potential of it is considerable, in bringing communities together and have the capacity to interact with local government and organizations.

That’s it for now, Thursday, April 28, 2016.  

2016 Spring April 27 Wednesday

57 degrees this morning, no walk  (rain)

Heavy rains and wind last night but, as they say, it certainly could have been much worse.  Electricity and roof stayed on!  

I didn’t walk this morning, although I probably could have.  I have learned from experience about walking in the dark after a heavy rain and wind!  

Probably helps to have a break.  I don’t plan the breaks, but it is nice to have them occasionally .  When I don’t walk, I also don’t do my weight exercises etc., to provide a break from that also.  

Watching Los Angeles Baseball game (copy from night before), I think the only announcer where I actually listen sometimes and don’t fast forward sometimes just so I can listen to the announcer (Vin Sculley) announce!

I even like to listen to him give the commercials, his voice is so smooth!

Frankly, I don’t care for most sports announcers and would just as soon they just shut up and let the game play itself and don’t try to “enhance” things. 

I find many announcers to be annoying.  

Something about Vin Scully though, I really enjoy.  I think he provides additional information that is interesting and really enhances the game.  Plus he has such a smooth and pleasing voice. 

He even tells humanizing stores about the “other” team players  and the umpires!  He makes it very interesting.

Years ago they had game with no announcers (I believe a college football game) and I loved it.

On the other hand, when I actually go to a game, I wish they would announce more sometimes, at least a factual stream.

Of course, much of life has a lot of small annoyances.  If I dwelt on them, they would probably drive me crazy, so I just ignore most of them and don’t worry about them.  

I am slowly getting used to my “CPAP” machine.  Many people just can’t use them and I can understand why.   I frequently walk up and find I had taken mine off and don’t remember doing it.

The turning point for me probably came when the Doctor explained how I sleep when I’m not wearing it versus how I sleep while I’m wearing it.  

He can actually monitor how much I use it and what kind of sleep I am getting while I am using it.  (It has wifi on it and sends it to him for analysis!).  I doubt if it is real time, but it is kind of strange to think that someone can do it.

Read (where else) in the Wall Street Journal about “self cleaning” clothes being developed, that will wash themselves.  Actually not actually wash themselves but they are trying to develop material that will have “bugs” that will eat any dirt etc. within six seconds! 

I’m probably not explaining it correctly, but it is an interesting concept.  Think of the water that would be saved, the time etc. as will as any pollution from detergent.  

I expect it will be a few years before that is fully developed, but it is an interesting concept!  

Sometimes I wonder how people who work on such things decide what they are going to work on!

A “field day” in my new area today.  I am looking forward to the experience!  

That’s it for now, Wednesday, April 27, 2016.  

2016 Spring April 26 Tuesday

74 degrees this morning, walk 48:07 minutes  

Windy this morning during my walk, made it seem cooler than 74 degrees.

Apparently a big storm is coming in this afternoon, as Spring weather continues!  

The forecasting of weather has advanced a lot, but no one has learned how to prevent bad weather once we can forecast it!  At least we do have longer to prepare for it.

I am not looking forward to the upcoming weather season, but again it is one of those things I can’t control, although I  can prepare to deal with it!

Reading about how AirBnB is destroying residential communities.  Where we live now, I can understand how very many people (or probably in most cases, persons who buy the houses just for that purpose) could destroy the nature of a residential area.  

Somehow it seems there needs to be some limit, there will always be someone who abuses it. 

My first iPhone, an iPhone 3 suddenly changed its date and time, not sure why.  I believe, in human age (assuming 20 years years per generation), it would be 140 to 160 years old, so I I won’t be surprised whatever may happen to it.  

I plan on “resetting” it and see what happens.  It still does a good job as an audiobook reader and for music and some photos etc.  

I am especially surprised at how the “original” iPad has held up.  In spite of the fact it has been functionally obsolete for some time (i believe it is six years old), it is still a wonderful device for what it is useful for.  

Debating whether the “large” iPad Pro is best or the “regular” size iPad Pro.  Since I don’t need it right now (I am saving my credit card rebates either for it and/or the iWatch), I will wait until the second version of the large iPad Pro comes out.

 I am amazed at how “spell check” and “predictive text” is wrong so often.  I go back to review what I have written and am amazed at some of the words and how spell check/predictive text got it so wrong, it completely distort what I was actually writing.  

Actually, on the iPhone it works fairly well, since you can choose among several alternatives.  

I think that is a matter of technology being released too soon, or maybe too much expected of technology .

Maybe our expectations of what technology can do are so high, the expectations can’t be met and we are doomed to disappointment.  

I think the same thing can be said of  medical procedures and medicine.  We have come to expect miracles and it just isn’t going to happen.

Of course, the greedy drug companies and a paid off congress not allowing government programs (Medicare etc.) to get bids on medicine is incomprehensible.  

For persons in the United States to have to purchase medicine from overseas since the same drug in the United States is too expensive (even with insurance), as I have seen happen in some cases is unbelievable.  

That’s it for now, Tuesday, April 26, 2016.

2016 Spring April 25 Monday

2016 Spring April 25 Monday

67 degrees this morning, Walk 47:42 minutes

In addition to my walk, I also am trying to get back into bike riding and learning to deal with the wind (21 minutes yesterday).  Also using the “heavy bag” and punching bag (just as long as I feel like it).

Also, in the morning, I lift 20 lb barbells in 4 exercises of 12 reps, and then am doing the bar only (45 lbs) on bench press and some other exercises on the weight bench.  

Not all that much, I don’t really exert myself, I just am like the turtle, I just kind of keep on chugging along.  I will gradually add time to the bike, heavy bag and punching bag and weights to my weight lifting.  

Actually, I don’t really have any grand goals as such, just to do them every day if possible.   

I really doubt that I will walk any longer or faster.  I may even cut the distance back a little to save time.  

I definitely want to ride the bicycle longer.  I will need to learn to deal with the wind also, which may take some time.  As I have noted before, if i don’t do it, I will never do it, so to speak.  

Not in the immediate future, but at some point I want to look at getting a “pedel assist” bike, to help on the wind especially.  It isn’t “electric” as such, but you do use electricity to “assist” in pedaling beyond a certain pressure.

I really don’t have a goal as such on the bicycle riding, I just would like to bicycle more and develop the capacity to go out on some multi-day rides, and eventually my “ride with the summer”.  

As far as the heavy bag and the punching bag, I just want to basically have fun and do some other exercise.  I’ll probably never go a long distance on those, just short spurts evert day.  I think it gives me the chance to exert myself without possibly overdoing it as I may on walking or a bicycle ride.  Anyway, it is an exercise I have always enjoyed and I am glad to have the capacity to do it again.

On the weights, I would like to go to 25 lbs on the barbells.  It is just I am too cheap to buy more barbells.  I have all weights (up through 40 lbs) EXCEPT for the 25 lbs, go figure!  

On the bench weights, (this is classic “bench press bench” with the 45 lb bar that you add weights too) I am now just at the stage where I am using the bar.  I am current working up to three sets of 12 repetitions of the bench press and another exercise that I don’t have a name for

After I build up to  three sets of 12 reps etc., I will gradually increase the weight 10 lbs at a time ((two 5 pound weights) until I reach to whatever.  

I am no longer interested in total weight as much as I am in completing my reps.   I think they consider it “toning” muscle rather than “building” muscle.  

Anyway, I enjoy the variety of each.  Now, I just need to add swimming and the machines at the Y and that will be it!  I am interested in the machines to keep myself flexible.  

Another dream to report on:

4-24-16: Dream

Dreamed I as in some king of resort area.  The buildings one of those one story buildings with golf courses  around it.

I was apparently interviewing for a job or as part of an article I was developing,I remember driving a rental car to a number of interviews 

Not sure what about.  

The car seemed to progressively become more disarranged as I did interviews with items etc.

Not sure of anyone else in the dream.  

Very strong dream, when I woke up I lived part of the dream for a little bit before I realized it had only been a dream.  

There was a strong negative overcast on this dream.

That’s it for now, Monday, April 25, 2016.

2016 Spring April 24 Sunday

2016 Spring April 24 Sunday

64 degrees this morning,  walk  47:13 minutes.

Even 64 degrees can feel rather cool with a wind!  I tend to overdress (for outside temperature), but this morning 64 degrees didn’t seem nearly as close as it w=actually was.  

Rode bicycle yesterday (at a “getting back into it” pace and time) also used the “heavy bag” and punching bag.  

The weight set is very nice.  I only wish I could have found one with as “straight bench”, (rather than one that an go up and down), so it isn’t a straight bench), but it is good anyway.

Building up on the bench press and some other exercises.  Haven’t added any weights yet, just eh bar, which is 45  lobs by itself , I am just getting into doing three sets , and after I can do that without any major problems, I will    add weight.  I want  to just gradually get back into it.

I don’t really set any goals, as far as weights etc. go. I really just do it for enjoyment, s much as for any physical improvement/maintenance.  

I am  setting goals fvor the bicycle, I really want to get to the point I can go in some longer distance riding and eventually ride in the “ride across the state” and do my “ride with the summer” either next year or the year after that.  

Funny, I really thought I would have done it this year, but life tends to intervene!  New job, new house, new community etc.  Probably the wind is one of the most restraining things, but that is something I will need to learn to deal with.

I remember when I first started riding the bicycle, I hesitated about some step hills.  Finally I realized I would never learned to ride the hills until I rode hem, so I started riding up hills just so I could develop the ability to do it.

I think it is the same with the wind, I just have to go out and learn haw to deal with it by actually dealing with it!   

Of course, at the time I thought of the “ride with the Summer”, I really thought I would be closer to retirement!

I’m not sure what is so satisfying about weights.  Maybe it is the feel of accomplishment, but it is also a physical feeling of just lifting the weights.  

The “heavy bag” and punching bad are a little different type of satisfaction.  There is just the feeling of building coordination, but also a sense of release,. 

I am also going to have to get back into using the machines at   l need to use them to development/maienndle          

Still listening to “War and Peace” on my walk.  While it is interesting I really couldn’t  tell you want is happening and, most of all, who is  whom, since I”m not familiar enough with the name.  Something about seeing names you are’t familiar enough with.

I expect “War and Peace” is available as  in the public domain.  I am going to have to read the printed (or e-book) copy now so I can keep all of the characters straight.  It makes more sense when I see the name and how it is spelled. 

That’s it for now, Sunday, April 24, 2016.

2016 Spring April 23 2016 Saturday

2016 Spring April 23 2016 Saturday

56 degrees this morning.  Walk 47:21 minutes (actually an estimate, I forgot to click the stopwatch off).

Weekend is here!  Hopefully is will stay warm this weekend.

Broadband data caps article appeared in the Wall Street Journal yesterday.  I have been thinking for several years, wondering how people are going to have the data necessary for “cutting the cord” if you watch much or even use the Internet much.   

The article actually is relatively positive, it notes that more internet providers are providing “unlimited” data plans, with the logical (to me) plan that the customers who use more data pay for it.

Of course I am use to thinking of utilities (water, sewer, electric etc.), the cost isn’t in  providing the service, the  coat is in making sure the service is there for “peak” use.  

Since “peak” use can incur substantial capacity costs, providing for “peak” use can cost a lot more than a provider actually charges for the service.

Kind of like pouring water through a funnel, the capacity of the funnel is limited and to increase the size of the funnel for “peak” uses will incur substantial costs in increasing the size of the funnel versus the few times you will need the capacity.

Makes sense to me that the persons who use the capacity should pay for the capacity.  Of course determining the “true cost” of additional capacity s always the question.  

I know when I had to “stream” CNBC etc. on my Apple TV, I was close to the data limit, considering date use also by computers, phones etc.  That limit has now tripled, apparently in recognition of increased usage. 

Thinking more about the city I wrote about yesterday.  As I noted, it appeared to be relatively successful in putting a combination of antique shops, historical sites and buildings and the Interstate to appear to be a thriving city and community, even though  it is not the most desirable terrain or environment and it has a lot of problem areas.

Hopefully the city (and all cities) is  preparing for the future by providing advanced technology.  

Of course it is always somewhat of a gamble, since a lot of money can be spent for what is advanced technology today, which becomes obsolete before the capital expenses can be recovered.  Happens every day!

It’s not like computers I remember a conference in the 80’s where the speaker said “if you spend $700 for a laptop and you get $700 of utility/value in three months, who cares if it’s is obsolete in three months if you got your value?  Just busy the next advanced computer and get more value from that!

Maybe cities and businesses need to take that attitude although the problem is knowing at what point the investment exceeds the value of the   capital outlays.  

Questions of our times!

Another dream I wanted to note:

4-22-16 Dream

Dreamed I was with Aliene and apparently a baby.

For some reason we are in a series of restaurants and hotels.  We appeared to be eating a meal in each.

I would park the car, and in least two hotels, three was a speeding are going through the parking lot when I walked in or came out.

Don’t remember what we ate or anything.

All of the hotels were in areas with dense trees around them, kind of reminded me of the area  Hilton Head Island.  Only been there once but that was where it reminded me of.

A very strong dream, seemed like reality when I first woke up and took me some time to shake off the dream and realize it was only a dream.

That’s it for now, Saturday, April 23, 2016.

2016 Sporing April 22 Friday

2016 Spring April 22 Friday

55 degrees this morning, walk 31:39 minutes

Victory in the cardboard caper!  May be appropriate that today is “Earth Day”! 

Friday and another week has sped by, and April of 2016 will  soon be over.  Time is not only speeding by, it is almost shifting.  

Started a new “Field area” for work yesterday.  Actually, just sitting in for a while for someone who is out.

It was very interesting to go into a totally new area.  This new area is somewhat of a small town as opposed to the metropolitan area.

In this case, this town, while fairly small, appears to be the commercial center for a relatively large area of farms and small towns.  While it doesn’t have a mall as such, it has a Wal Mart, McDonalds, a wide variety of  restaurants etc.

It also has a lot of shopping downtown, having basically apparently developed itself as a historical center as well as a wide variety of stores.  

It actually has a lot of traffic downtown and also has several major shopping areas near the interstate exits.  

I haven’t really been there for years, so I was surprised at the growth and also pleased that the “downtown” was basically successful, or at least appears to be successful.  

The commercial mix is surprisedly diverse, ranging from feed and farm supply stores to antiques, music shops, and even several bicycle shops, all apparently locally owned and operated.  It also has a lot of “chain” travel and restaurants at the interstate exits.  

With a municipal background, I am pleased to see that a city is successful in such development, both the downtown and the “new” areas.   Of course it also has  areas which aren’t so nice.  Maybe those areas are considered “opportunities” rather than problem areas!

I haven’t been in  a relatively small town (probably 10 to 12 thousand) in a while that is a commercial center also and not part of a Metropolitan Area.  I had forgotten that people’s behavior is different (not necessarily good or bad, just different.)

Of course, they also had the drivers that I’m sure muttered about that “old man who didn’t know where he was going” as I searched for addresses in an unfamiliar city!  No one honked or anything, but a few times I felt the frustration from the other car.  (No gestures or anything, it was just the attitude!)

I was very pleased to find a shortcut home, so as long as I have this area, I have a nice pleasant road to take home.  Yesterday, I turned the music up and the sunroof down and enjoyed my trip home!

The viability of the City I went to yesterday is interesting.  Frankly it is not an attractive city (especially in the hot summer), but it’s private development is what makes it a commercial success and probably a successful City.  

I don’t know  a thing about it’s local politics, except I know it has somewhat of a thriving antique and historical culture, as well as a music culture.  Apparently, the Interstate, which was close enough to have a positive impact without being so far away as to destroy the city, although with the historical, antique and music culture, and being close, but not too close, to a metropolitan area all combined to make a relatively successful commercial successful, much more so that in cities of similar size I have seen.

Makes my heart warm to see a success like that!

That’s it for now, Friday, April 22, 2016.