2017 Winter February 28 Tuesday

62 degrees this morning, walk 34:37 minutes

Relatively cool 62 degrees, but cold didn’t have the “bite” to it.  6 seconds slower than “expectations” even though I thought I was going faster than that!

Perception is always difficult, although, as I like to say, “perception is reality”.  

However, I have to disagree with myself a little, since if I KNOW it is perception and not reality, than perhaps perception isn’t reality!  Bizarre.    

I can’t really define “reality”, I doubt that anyone can.  You can’t even really say “I know it when I see it” because you really don’t know if you are seeing reality or not!

Anyway, if you don’t worry about stuff like that and just “smell the roses”, (at least when there area real roses around to smell), perhaps that is best.  

Actually, I don’t know if roses have a scent or not.  I don’t recall ever smelling any kind of scent around roses, although I have with other flowers.

As I mentioned the Bartlett Pears are (or perhaps were after the freeze) out in full force, and I actually noticed Crotus flowers blooming on my neighbors yard, which is nice!

Learned a lot more about chickens last night at the City Council meeting!  I love to see democracy in action and I feel the “City” is the closest to the people.  

While you occasionally get a few bizarre extreme professional political nuts who run for the City Council/Commission, I was very pleased to notice that here they appear to be the “serving for the good of the community” type of Council members.  

Not that I’m sure they don’t have their differences, but for the most part, it appears they ran for the City Council for the good of the community, which makes me like the community even better.  

Another dream.  This seemed somewhat insignificant, but it was such a strong dream, I wrote it down.  

After all, who am I to know what is significant or insignificant? 

Dream 2-27-17:

Detailed dream of stopping off at a restaurant and getting a cup of coffee before I went to work.  

Something I don’t do much is get hot coffee and take it with me.  (Except at McDonalds which seems to have the only “spill resistant” cup around with decent coffee.)  I do get iced coffee at Starbucks and take it with me, but McDonalds is the only hot coffee I will buy “to go” in real life.  

This was a very detailed dream of walking in the store, ordering coffee paying for it and even getting the receipt wet.  

The dream was realistic Including discussions  on how the remodeling of the cafe was going etc.

Didn’t recognize the people working in the restaurant.  

In the end, the coffee was in an open cup (no lid), only about half full and was lukewarm.  I was thinking I would have to throw it out before I got in the car  when I woke up.

(I hate lukewarm coffee.)

That’s it for now, Tuesday, February 28, 2017.

2017 Winter February 27 Monday

44 degrees this morning, walk 34:26 minute walk

Seemed colder this morning, pace was about a minute per mile slower than yesterday, 17 seconds slower than expectations. 

I have been trying to figure out the reasons for the wide variation in walking “pace”, maybe it is one of those things for which there is no explanation.  

I think psychological factors have a lot to do in performance.  I am a strong believer in “positive talk” or “positive thinking”.  I don’t know how that would really relate to how fast I walk in the morning, but I have no doubt if I am feeling positive about the weather and walking etc, I will walk faster.

Of course I have also found that fast music will also contribute to a fast walking pace.  

I am also a strong believer in “visualization” to improve performance etc, but I never have really perfected that. 

Winding down the book on Alan Turing (about 5 hours left).  I’m not sorry I am listening to it, but I think I should be getting more out of it.  Of course 5 hours leaves a lot of time.  

I think the book really brings up the role of he “practical’ versus only the “intellectual” side of the development of computers (and any other new invention).  

While there is a place for “pure intellectual thinking” and for the “doer” who can read instructions and do something, or more probably build something without the instructions and make improvements as they go!

There there are people like Steve Jobs etc. who combine the two.  

I don’t think any of the three categories is best, there is a need for each kind. 

Start of another work week.  This is also the week when (probably March 2)  I get the major assignment for the month.  

Also, the start of the longest period without a 3 day weekend or some kind of holiday.  

Of course, it also includes the arrival of warmer weather and baseball, so there are some offsetting factors!

Strange to think it is already March of 2017!  

I expect the new “iPads” will be announced soon. Another rite of Spring!   I have been diligently running up “cash back” rewards on my credit card! 

I still occasionally use my “original iPad”.  Can’t use it for a lot anymore, but what I can use it for I enjoy it.  I still like the color on it better than the newer ones. It has a warmer color. Of course, it doesn’t take pictures and can’t operate many of the newer apps.

Presentation on the “urban chicken Ordinance” tonight.  I don’t have any problems with chickens as such, I just don’t think they belong in a residential area.   

That’s it for today, Monday, February 27, 2017.

2017 Winter February 26 Sunday

40 degrees this morning (feels like 33 degrees), walk 33:44 minutes 

Walked one of my fastest “paces” every this morning, about 36 seconds per mile faster than my expectation.  

It is strange how I know I am on line to walk fast almost as soon as I start walking and some days I know I’m just not going to have a fast walk.  Either is actually ok with me, as long as I get the exercise.  

Didn’t lift weights this morning, had a shot Friday that made my arm sore.  Although I don’t know if it would really matter, I thought it may be better to wait.  

Finally am getting a replacement work “tablet” (more like a small laptop) tomorrow for work.  My base has been somewhat of a problem ever since I get it and it was getting worse, so I am looking forward to getting a replacement.

We literally can’t work without our tablets/laptops.  I don’t really like being that dependent on something but that is the way it is.  Fortunately the IT support is excellent, which really helps.  

One of the biggest frustrations with them is internet connectively, which I assume is a problem a lot of people have. 

Reading a book by Jane Mayor, “Dark Money” that goes into where the lying bully is getting a lot of his funding, from the tax free “think tanks” like the Heritage Foundation that is really just a tax dodge front for unethical corporations who are lobbying to maximize their profits and cheat their customers, to put it frankly.

The “Family Business Coalition” is one that somehow (while espousing “free markets” and supposedly organized as a 501 C 3 for “public protection in disasters (or something like that) runs a bunch of ads carrying water for a bunch of wind farms that have been ripping off state taxpayers for years to the tune of over $100 million dollars a year.

A former Governor even said it was never supposed to cost over $2 million dollars a year!

Of course the “Family Business Coalition”  had some kind of made up poll( without showing any results or any of the questions etc.) stating that the “wind industry” tax rip-offs were supported by the residents!  I believe that is called a lie.

I also wonder how legal it is for a non-profit group supported by tax deductible contributions to be carrying water for the “wind industry” to keep ripping off taxpayers when the state can’t even pay it’s employees above poverty rates, but the wind industry rips off millions for excessive salaries etc.

Same with “private prisons” that receive millions in tax rip-offs while public prison guards are paid $11 an hour, which isn’t even above poverty level! 

It sounds like the lying bully is proposing similar tax rip-offs nationally where “private” developers will rip-off taxpayers for billions (of course the lying bully’s companies will be one of the main ones ripping off the taxpayers) by getting “tax credits” for building projects  (the first rip-off) and then charge feed for their use (the second theft and rip-off of the taxpayer) and then I am sure there are other “incentives’’ tax ripoffs they would use.

This vile creature belongs in jail with his Nazi racist criminal ignorant appointees.  

Anyway, I never did get into reviewing the book “Dark Money”, that will be a future discussion !

That’s it for now, Sunday, February 26, 2017.  

2017 Winter February 25 Saturday

24 degrees this morning (“feels like” 15 degrees)

Decided not to walk this morning, not just because of the cold, but because of the wind and how it may affect my coughing.  

After yesterday, there is no doubt that the lying bully has a severe mental illness and is trying to assume power as a dictator and needs to be removed.  The GOP needs to develop some courage fast, as do the businesses and quit kow towing to this lunatic and his nazi crazy appointees.  

He and his appointees have clearly lost all touch with reality and are trying to cover up whatever happened with the Russians.

Hopefully some people will come to their senses fast and quit kow towing to this power hungry idiot.

Same with the businesses, they need to stop looking at short-term profits they will make and look at the long term damage of this lying lunatic and his nazi appointees.

I try not to “rant” too much, but the time has come where “resisting” is absolutely necessary and to remain quiet is no longer an option. 

It is becoming very scary to watch some lying lunatic bully slander the respected news media and the crowd actually cheers.  

We need to remember the history of similar nuts in our history who fortunately never became President or had a bunch of cowards in congress who kow tow to a lying bully.  

Anyway, otherwise things are going ok, it is just there is this overhanging shadow of a lying bully lunatic who has lost touch with reality running the country and a bunch of cowards in congress who are kow towing to this lunatic in the hopes of getting their policies passed.  

Time to think about the Country (both the congress and businesses) and quit being so selfish.

The cold weather after the warm weather, while expected, is still a shock to my system (both physically and psychologically!)  The one good factor is that I know the cold weather won’t be around for long.

Normally I would have walked no matter what (except for rain or snow) and not let 24 (feels like 15 degrees) weather concern me.  However, this morning I think the thought of the cold weather after the warm weather was just a little too much!

Another dream:

2-24-17 Friday dream

Dreamed I was in some kind of huge warehouse, with stairs like ladders (using rungs from wall to claim up) instead of normal stairs or elevators . 

I was tying to do something , not sure what.  At one point someone put an old style recycling bin at my door.  

Not sure who else was in the building, there were varied shadowy figures. 

I seemed to keep going through a door trying to find items.  

Can’t remember a lot more, just wanted to note what I could remember.  

There were a wide variety of men around, but I don’t know what they were doing either.  All were dressed in suits and hard hats.  I didn’t speak with or interact with them. 

That's it for now, Saturday, February 25, 2017

2017 Winter February 24 Friday

2017 Winter February 24 Friday

42 degrees this morning, (feels like 34), Walk 34:25 minutes

Obviously colder this morning, especially with the wind.  Enjoyed weather in the 80’s yesterday!

Pace was about 30 seconds per mile faster than yesterday.  30 seconds isn’t much if you think about it, but I am surprised my pace varies that much.  

While I haven’t analyzed it, my pace generally can vary by a minute a mile.  I assume it has a lot to do with the weather, how I am feeling etc.  I do know if I listen to music, I can end up walking much faster or slower depending on the music I am listening to.  

Saw my first Bartlett Pear trees blooming yesterday.  A sure forecast of at least one more deep freeze!  I didn’t see any Crocus, although i understand someone did.

Of course it is 42 this morning and I believe the forecast is for 26 degrees Saturday, although I may be wrong on that.

I was thinking yesterday of my thoughts several months ago about “a minute of anger is 60 seconds of happiness lost” (or something to that effect.).  I still see the wisdom of that.  

Anyway, I have had a lot of anger (and justifiably so) about the incompetence and literally criminally actions of state and federal elected and appointed officials.  Their greed, incompetence, lying and generally dictatorship, nazi-type actions are hard to take.

I shut off Mad Money this morning after Jim Cramer started kow towing to the lying bully again and I feel perfectly justified in doing so.  Why trust someone who kow tows to a lying bully and his incompetent, vile, criminal staff?

However, I am going to attempt not to not get angry about some of the more dispectable, comments or actions, lies etc., just turn not bother to read about it or watch it.  

One thing about reading, i is a lot easier to skip objectAble stories.  

Of course, if I attend a “Town Hall” meeting or am communicating my displeasure, I certainly feel I can convey how I feel, but otherwise commenting on Facebook, Twitter etc. really isn’t going to do anything but bother me, not the lying bully or his incompetent Nazi appointees or the kow towing GOP who needs to develop some courage and represent their constituents, not continue kow towing to a lying bully who lies so much he doesn’t know the truth any more. 

Unfortunately, he likes the kow towing so much anyone will only tell him what he wants to hear so it will get worse.  

Anyway, I have decided I’m not going to waste any more time on getting angry about the lying, nazi behavior and gross incompetence.  If I have an opportunity to do something about it (attend a meeting, write a letter or whatever) I will use my time in that way.  

Working gradually on photographing my “Hot Wheels” collection, although I do have other brands other than Hot Wheels.  I figure it will be slow and steady.  

I had hoped to do “one per day”, I’m not quite doing that, although I get two or three when I can. The main thing is to just keep it up.

I am trying to do the same thing with my hat collection, as I plan on disposing of some of the older, more ragged hats, or just hats I won’t wear anymore.  

That’s it for now, Friday, February 24, 2017. 

2017 Winter February 23 Thursday

60 degrees this morning, walk 35:18 minutes.

60 degrees this morning, low 80’s yesterday, I like this winter weather!  Actually had an office day yesterday and realized I could wear my “summer office uniform” of shorts, t-shirt and scandals!  Obviously I dress a lot differently for a field day!

Pace this morning was 15 seconds slower than expectations.  I never know why or how my pace changes so much.

Thursday already, the week passes fast.  As I noted, the year 2017 is almost 2 months over.  

Just watching a “Mad Money” story about how Amazon is so good at anticipating what you want to buy.  Actually, I find it the e-mails and the creepy “following” on Facebook etc. to be irritating and rather scary.  I definitely don’t buy based on such actions.   

The follow-up really doesn’t make any sense.  If you buy a printer, they inundate me with offers for printers.  Maybe ink might may sense, but more printers?  (Same for shoes etc., really doesn’t make any sense.)  Must be something wrong with their algorithms.

Speaking of algorithms, Facebook needs to tweak their’s.  I don’t mind getting a few political pages, but it is overwhelming and it really isn’t productive.  They don’t seem to have a “slow down on this” setting, it is either all or none.  It appears to have a “less of these” alternative, but not really. 

A few of them is fun, but somehow Facebook seems to assume “more is better” and it is getting to the point I am not responding at all to political posts and that is all I see.

It is kind of fun to  respond and read them, but it really isn’t productive since I expect only like minded people read them.  

As I have mentioned before, I think it is bad that intolerance on both sides had grown so much, but extremes tend to lead to extreme reactions on the other side. 

Twitter is somewhat they same way, except you see both sides and you can respond in extreme ways also.  

Of course a lot of it is the “news” media that is irresponsible.  

I am strongly considering canceling the local newspaper due to their extreme editorial page.  

Yesterday, the local paper tried to use tragedy in a school system in a small town to try to push “charter” schools, which are basically rip-offs by the operators, although there are a few good ones.  

As happens with everything (“private” prisons etc.) greedy businesses are ripping off charter schools and paying off legislatures so they can make huge profits with little oversight to the detriment of education of children.   

There will be an over-reaction in the future as happens.

That’s it for now, Thursday, February 23, 2017.

2017 Winter February 22 Wednesday

44 degrees this morning.  Walk 33:56 minutes  

Pace about 30 seconds faster than “expectations”.  Distance was on the higher end of the walk. 

As I wrote the date, I realized we are less than a month away from Spring!  Every year the wait gets longer (or rather seems to get longer, of course it really doesn’t change).  

As I mentioned, soon I expect to see a Crocus (or something like it) and Redbuds.  

Seeing the various flowers and blooms emerge though the Spring and Summer is always an especially enjoyable part of Spring and Summer. 

I don’t really have any favorite flowers or blooms, I just enjoy them from the Crocus to the Crepe Myrtle.  

Already the sun is up much longer.  

Of course, the arrival of Spring also means the arrival of preparing the tax return.  I always basically enjoy doing it (except when I see how much we are paying, especially when billionaires pay nothing).  

Funny, our one year “anniversary” in our house came and went (February 17) without me even thinking about it.  

I think it may be that I don’t see a horizon to this house, we really aren’t planning on moving (unless the extremists in this state or country get so bad we can’t stand it). 

I decided to change my schedule a little this morning and go to the gym before I start work.  My schedule now is to walk as soon as I get up (and lift weights right after I walk), and then I go to the gym during the day when I can. 

Actually, my “work computer” has a “3 password and you’re locked out” procedure (which is stupid in my opinion) and I accidentally locked myself out after 4:30 p.m. when IT support closes.  Part of the problem is my tablet has to be reset occasionally  and it automatically wastes one attempt when it starts up for some reason.

Anyway, I usually start work an hour before IT Support opens, so I can’t this morning, since the computer is an essential part of my work.  I probably could spend an hour filing or something, but I thought I would try exercising early.

Hopefully I will be able to start riding my bicycle outside without coughing, I am almost certain my coughing is related to “GERD”, so I have been taking preventive measures (eating less at one time, sleeping with head elevated etc.).  

Still listening to book on Alan Turing (It was about 32 hours, so it wasn’t’ a short book, which may be the reason it is so detailed).  

They mentioned that at the time (this was in the mid 1940’s), they thought the “thinkers” ought to do “thinking” and the “doers” ought to do the “doing”.  

Of course Turing (and most other inventors when you think about it) not only were “thinkers”, but also the “doers” who actually built what they thought about.

Thinking back, most of them (Tesla, Edison, Steve Jobs etc.) at least started out building their own devices, which may be how they learned, from feedback on their attempts at building what they imagined.  

That’s it for now, Wednesday, February 22, 2017.

2017 Winter February 21 Tuesday

53 degrees this morning.Walk 34:00 minutes. 

Walk was pleasant this morning, no real wind, clear, moisture was low.  

Pace was about 15 seconds faster than expectations.  I would like to lower my “expectations” by about a minute this Spring.

Back to work after a 3 day weekend.  It was a nice weekend, except I had to work on my presentation but at least the holiday made it easier to find time.  

I will give it “real time” next week, and I will be glad when it is over and done with, regardless of the outcome!  I will basically know I have done my best.  

Listening to the biography on Alan Turing, it seems that since the time of early computers, the “next generation” of computers made the previous generation of computers obsolete and was 5 or 10 times faster etc.

The book is still very challenging to listen to, so I am listening to it to get what I can out of it and won’t worry about it.  

The new shoes have been working out fine.  I still feel I have a “spring” in my step I didn’t have before!  They seem to fit well.

Another dream to report on.  While they usually don’t make a lot of sense, I like to record them as a part of my life’s journey.

2-20-17:  Monday dream

Very strong dream Monday that I had my car stolen.  (Strong meaning I woke up and thought it was read)

Dreamed I had stopped for gas at the same place we had a Toastmasters meeting (which isn’t where it really is.).

I stopped for gas, went to the meeting (which was  a meeting, nothing like our actual TM meetings are).  On member was hiding under a table (not sure why) and then went not a closed meeting to speak)

I wondered out and remembered I had gotten gas and forgot to shut it off and drive the care  up.  

I didn’t find the car key in my pocket (or not the right one), even though I don’t put the key in he ignition anyway.  

I wondered around looking for the car.  I advised the clerk, who kind of nodded his head.

I was going to all the police, but I din’t know the address and I didn’t see an address anyplace.  

The clerks were busy and I couldn’t get their attention.   It was an old type store where they did  everything by hand.

Somehow during my dream I started thinking it was a dream and I woke up.

That’s it for now, Tuesday, February 21, 2017.

2017 Winter February 20 Monday

57 degrees this morning No walk (rain)

Holiday (Presidents Day) this morning.  As always, a “holiday” is nice. Last Holiday until Memorial Day in May, when at least it will be warm!

Heavy rain last night, a “spring” thunderstorm with lightning and thunder.  Light rain this morning. 

Looking forward to Spring arrival, should be only a couple of weeks before  we see the first flowers of Spring. 

I always mark the time I see my first Crocus flower (it my be something else, but I call it a Crocus).  Around here, the redbuds are also a sign of Spring, a little bit of red in an otherwise drab environment.  

Watching a tape replay of the first (I assume) NASCAR race of the season.  I don’t watch much anymore (the races are way too long and take too much time), but this is a short, preliminary race (called the Clash and 75 laps).

I was trying to figure out when “Gray” was appropriate and when “Grey” was appropriate and found out both were appropriate, just different spellings. 

I am surprised I didn’t know that, another quirk that hadn’t reached my conscious mind before!  I am surprised that question hasn’t come up in my mind before.  

Several weird dreams yesterday:

2-19-17 Sunday

Dreamed Aliene an I were in a large city.  We had rented a car and were looking for a  place to eat.   

The windshield of the car was suddenly blocked and Aliene said it was cardboard on the windshield.  

The car was a beat up “sports model” (probably like a Mustang, with a rear seat)  and for some reason Aliene was sitting in the rear seat.  Three was no visor on the riders side, and I commented it was a “one person car”  

We stopped at a hotel at a hotel after I missed a turn onto the interstate, and went in but didn’t get anything or go tot he bathroom which was strange.  Can’t remember what we went in for.

Parked on a gravel area, with some junk bicycles, looking out on the interstate.  

The hotel was a large gray building, without any windows and he doors didn’t have door knobs.  

Aliene said she wanted some strawberry cake like she made.  I agreed and we went back o the car.

For some reason I got several hats out of the trunk and then put them back.

I realized the rental car company hadn’t pulled off the  wrapping on the windshield  they put on new cars, which is why the windshield was suddenly blocked at times.

Started to pull of the plastic on the windshield, and then I woke up.

Second Dream:

Dreamed out working somewhere.  I had  a black SUV (I don’t, but did in the dream).

Aliene is home visiting with someone.

I have lunch with my daughter (as a small child) and my mother.  

My iPad goes out (the old kind with the big connector).  I go home to get it and see the grass in the year is high and needs mowing, but also there appears to be snow on the ground.

As I was parking, a car came down the road at high speed and I had to hasty  go forward into the driveway and then parked on the street.

I go on to get the connector and then realized I have one in my car already. I went back out to the car and then woke up.   

That’s it for now, Monday, February 20, 2017.