2014 Winter January 26 Thursday

27 degrees this morning (feels like 19), no walk

Didn’t walk this morning due  to some work activities, good day to skip the walk anyway, due to the cold, although for this time of year it shouldn’t be surprising.

I always view February as the last “true” month of Winter, followed by the forecast of Spring in March.  Of course, then there is that last long wait from March to mid-May for “true” Summer to arrive, when it seems like the cold, or at least the coolness, will last forever.  

I really have to admire the people who go into business for themselves.  Many of them literally work 7 days a week and don’t really have any time off, except when they get someone for emergencies.  

Even then, all it takes is a “bad month” or so, or some negative event, and their business is on the cusp of disappearing.  

Of course, with all of their, they have to maintain a high level of customer service, and compete with the internet customers etc.  

Somehow it just takes a special type of person to go into business for themselves and even then I see a lot of them lose a fortune in trying when they fail. 

I assume what  keeps them going are the small businesses that are huge successes, or maybe it is truly they want to work for themselves and can’t stand the thought of working for someone else.

Personally, I am pleased now with my job that i have evenings and weekends “off” with not having to worry about any work related items.  I enjoyed my past career (which was a 24/7 type of career) and miss it, but at this stage of my life this is ok also.  

Still learning to deal with the new cable tv system.  Technology can be wonderful, but sometimes the people that implement it don’t seem to have a lot of sense.  Many things you can’t help but think “what were they thinking”!  

That reminds me of architectural and engineering services who don’t pay any attention to the “users” who have to live with the system.  I have found the best engineering, architectural, technology etc. is ones that involve the user in the design to determine how they actually will use it. 

Of course, the same is true of parks, highways, computers, cell phones etc.  I think the “user friendliness” is the really key that gives the edge to a project or product.

I actually find it hard to believe that more manufacturers done including that in their planning.  

There is nothing worse than buying a car, or any type of product and realizing the company was more concerned with dazzling technology etc. that they either didn’t really perfect, doesn’t really consider the user, or both in many cases!

Still trying to decide whether to continue the “physical newspapers” or not.  The problem is I read the physical newspapers, and the internet newspapers are too easy to put off reading to the point you don’t read them. 

A physical newspaper is setting there looking at you until you read it or throw it away, internet news doesn’t call to be read.  

That’s it for now, Thursday, January 26, 2017.