2016 Fall October 9 Sunday

48 degrees this morning.  No walk.

Excellent Anniversary event yesterday.  Had a chance to visit with everyone, weather was perfect.

I watched in appreciation as some customs I expect have been part of the culture for generations were continued.  

The Columbus Day holiday is tomorrow.  While it isn’t considered a “holiday” for the purposes of work, I always liked it as far as the timing, since it was usually a day of the year when it was nice.

I seem to recall the leaves turning and falling at this time of year in the past, but it may be a little too early. 

it was about this time, roughly 25 years ago that I got the “walking stick” I use in my daily walk.  I started carrying it as a means of fending off both dogs, skunks, or whatever.  Fortunately I have never had to use it and I think by now it is just part of my walking outfit.  

I have another walking stick I bought in 1974 at an auction that supposedly was over 100 years old at that time (based on generational data).  

Sometimes i carry it and wonder about the history of it and how it was used and who used it.

I don’t necessarily believe (or not believe)  that the spirit of the person goes along with the item if they used an item extensively, but who knows.  

In any event, it is interesting to think about who and how may have handled an item.

I am rather surprised to note on my iPhone that I rarely get 10,000 steps, even when I start the day with a walk of around 5,200 steps. I do get 10,000 steps on days on some days, but most days I really am surprised at how little I walk in my daily routine, other than the morning walk.

On a good “field day”, I can put in 10,000 steps.  However, on an “office day”, i may not walk much further than to get the mail (other than my morning walk).  Hopefully I can  resolve the coughing issues and continue on my morning bike ride, which will make up for some of that and is also something I really enjoy.

I expect I will need to find the time for walking some more, whether it is a formal walk, or just walking more as part of a daily routine.  

While is it not the only reason I am getting it, I hope the iWatch (with the GPS) will enable me to track (and plan for more) exercise.

We let our YMCA membership lapse, since it really was a waste of money, since the closest YMCA is more of a money maker for the YMCA that it is a service to members.  When the YMCA “rents” the swimming pool and blocks paying members from swimming (even suggesting that I go to a YMCA 20 minutes away!) , you have to really wonder about the organization and what their objectives really are.  Obviously making money is their main objective.  

We are going to join another health club (at about a third of the cost but no swimming pool) that we hope will help  They also have much better hours than the YMCA does. The only problem is they are a little bit further and the drive isn’t quite as good (but still less than 10 minutes), but that is life.  

The YMCA project was part of a “Partnership” between the City, the School System and the YMCA.  Obviously the YMCA got the best of it and is taking advantage of it to “rent” the swimming pool they should be reserving for members.

It certainly soured me on such “partnerships” and I plan on reviewing future such partnerships carefully, although I expect the City is so enamored with the concept of such “partnerships” they will consider to proceed without a lot of thought.  

That’s it of now, Sunday, October 9, 2016.