2017 Spring March 31 Friday

45 degrees this morning, no walk, still sick. 

One good thing, I went to the “convenient care” facility and I don’t have the flu!  Apparently the flu shot this year wasn’t all that accurate on which strains of flu were going to hit.  

i didn’t think i had the flu, but it was good to find out I didn’t.

As it is it is bad enough, extensive coughing, nasal congestion, etc.  Apparently something kicks off my asthma, which is related to cold air and, to some degree, to exercise.  

I don’t think I have slept this much in years, I slept most of the day yesterday and last night.  I think the coughing just wears you out.

What is really strange is some of the dreams I have had, a lot of them, oddly enough, many of them about some administrative procedures about the illness which never happened.  

I dreamed about paperwork I had to sign and include numbers and addresses etc which I couldn’t find.  Very strange, especially since the administrative procedures were very smooth. 

Woke up at my normal time this morning, but went back to bed.  

Of course, i am concerned about when I can get back to exercising.  

There is wonderful health care around here that helps a lot.

I really have to wonder about the state legislature here.  They have time for all kinds of worthless bills and projects, but can’t take care of school funding etc.  

Hard to believe in 2015, they gave a big tax cut to oil and gas companies and an income tax cut over two years that primarily benefits wealthy taxpayers.  This, even though they had to cut funding for schools and couldn’t provide a raise for teachers who are being “poached” by another state where the starting salary is $20,000 higher than here!

Of course to top it off, now they are sneaking through a bill to charge hybrid cars $30 more a year and electric cars $100 a year, they are suddenly concerned about how hybrid cars and electric cars “aren’t paying enough”. 

Of course, no basis for what to charge, just pulled out of the air. 

Meanwhile Oil and Gas trucks and “over the road” trucks don’t even come close to paying for the tremendous damage they do to highways and bridges.  (Nothing against them, they just ought to pay their fair share.)

Well, I will probably spend the day sleeping and trying to avoid coughing!  At least I have some medicine and am starting to feel a little better.  

That’s it for now, Friday, March 31, 2017.

2017 Spring March 30, Thursday

47 degrees this morning. No walk

Developed severe cough and head cold yesterday, so no walk today and probably will have to call in “sick”, something I hate to do and rarely do, but….  I certainly don’t want to give anyone what I have or get any worse.  

Strange how illness develops, it was just a tiny cough and then it suddenly got worse and worse.  I have a strong allergy to cold, especially direct cold breeze in buildings and ceiling fans etc.  It is rather strange.

I have found that when I start to get a cold, i have a period of “denial” when I think it is just an allergy and then the realization that I have a “cold” and it will last for at least a week, which is not a comfort, to say the least.

Of course, when it slides into being serious enough to stay home from work, that is probably where I really need to change, since if I took care of it early I probably could avoid making it worse.

Part of the problem of my job (it is also a good point depending on the weather!) is the I am in and out of the car a lot and also do a lot of paperwork in the car with a cold breeze blowing on me, which is exactly the  wrong thing for me.  

My coughing had almost stopped, so I hope this is just a cough due to a “cold” and not the old cough.

As I mentioned earlier this month, I had to “starve” for a medical procedure and I stopped coughing completely while I was fasting.  

I did take a test and was advised I have reflux (GERD).  Of course, my reaction was I knew that already!  

Better to know for sure than to just suspect, I feel.

Read this morning that a movie based on the book “It” by Stephen King is coming.  I may have to see that movie!

I remember reading “It” years ago (I believe around 1986).  I was living by myself and liked to read late at night.

“It” spooked me to say the least.  I even got up to check the drains in the house.  (If you’ve read the book you’ll know what I mean).

I have to say, that is one book which truly created a perception of another world where (for lack of a better word) terror was prevalent.  

Stephen King wrote a lot of books I really liked and many I never could figure out.  He has the gift of writing where as you read you start to feel this just COULD be true!  He kind of slides from reality to a sub-reality that scares you because the way he shapes reality in the book he impossible becomes possible.

I haven’t read  Stephen King book for a long time now, although I think I did read is last one and enjoyed it.  

Hopefully I will start to feel better today.  Drinking plenty of gatorade, which seems to help as much as anything.

That’s it for now, Thursday, March 30, 2017.

2017 Spring March 29 Wednesday

54 degrees this morning, rain, no walk

Heavy rain and storms last night, although not a destructive storm. Thought about walking this morning but quickly changed my mind when I heard close thunder and heard the rain start again!

Have somewhat of a “cold” now anyway, so might be best. 

Funny how all of these people say “government should be run like a business”  and then you see the number of businesses who file for bankruptcy or or continually closing stores, etc.  A lot more bankrupts than government.   

Also businesses can “pick and choose” what services they want to provide.  Most services government provides  it provides because private enterprise can’t offer it. A big difference. 

That doesn’t even include the “private equity” or “hedge fund” thieves who plunder public companies of billions of dollars and then declare bankruptcy (or worse yet, have a “public offering” that is loaded with debt. 

I can imagine what these companies will do with a “public private partnership” where they can steal billions by building roads etc. and charging for it. 

Of course, the lying bully and his band of kow-towing toadies who can only think of shoving money to their business friends and contributors are stupid enough to fall for it, so they can look good while in office and let future generations pay for their mistakes.

I think “public private partnerships” are vastly  over-rated, as can be indicated by the local YMCA which ripped off the city basically to provide a money machine for the YMCA and doesn’t really serve the public.

Although the days around the start of Spring were nice, it hasn’t been very “Spring like” since then, or maybe i has been Spring weather and it just doesn’t meet my expectation of Spring weather!

Baseball season (the local AAA team) is starting next week.  I do remember it has always been somewhat chancy if it will be warm enough to really enjoy the games until about mid May, so probably it is always like this and my expectations are just too high!

I have been trying to use the “mindfulness” techniques to be more aware of how I am feeling etc.  I am even trying to use the “breathing” app on the Apple iWatch.  

I had to “backup and restore” my Apple watch to get my maps back of my walk.  It did work and it wasn’t too painful.

I continue to amazed at the Apple Watch and everything it can do.  I especially like the “scribble” function, where you can “write” an answer on the watch.  It is amazingly effective (and fun).  I have wonder how they even thought of it, much less how they are able to make it work.

As is true of all such devices, I probably only use the potential of about 10% of the watch and probably not much more of the iPhone.

I do feel like I am finally using “notes” on my iPhone more effectively, another amazing app!

That’s it for now, Wednesday, March 29, 2017.

2017 Spring March 28 Tuesday

2017 Spring March 28 Tuesday

51 degrees this morning,  walk 34:55 minutes

Really felt cold during walk this morning, it seems as summer starts to arrive, the temperature at which it feels “cold” increases as the summer gets closer and anticipation increases!

Pace was about 13 seconds slower than the pace I expect to achieve on my walks.

I learned this morning (from listening to the “mindfulness book) that the word “pain” comes from the word “penalty”  

Assuming that is correct, it is certainly one of the most appropriate word origins I have ever heard.  If you think about it, “pain” and “penalty” have a lot in common, whether it is the “pain” from overdoing it or the “pain” of getting older!

Just as when I was a child, I thought all adults lived basically trouble free lives (we don’t), I now am reminded of the stresses and complications children have, as they learn to deal with deal with the world.

I always feel like I’d only want to do it again (be young again or go through the growing up process again, I’d only want to do it if I could know what I know now!  

The book on “mindfulness” is relatively good, although it is one of those books are are probably much easier to read than listen too.  However, I am picking up a few things listening to it, which is all I expect. 

At Toastmasters last night I was reminded of the importance of batteries, especially for the storage of electrician from solar etc.  

Most of the cost of providing electricity is to provide for the “peak” use of electricity (so it is there when you need it no matter what).  If batteries could be used for “peak” electricity (especially if generated by solar etc.) the savings could be substantial.  

I think it is somewhat the same (on a different scale of course) in hybrid cars, where the electric motor is there for acceleration.  A hybrid has as much “pick up” as a large engine which is why I really like a hybrid.  

Of course, on the other side, our home phone batteries recently went out (after about ten years, so we aren’t complaining).

Since they were old phones, I bought some cheap batteries, not remembering the junk Amazon sells if it is “off brand”.  I have learned never to buy off brand stuff from Amazon since it is normally junk.  

The batteries were definitely junk. I get a little worried about buying anything from Amazon, even name brand items after an experience like that.  While I can (and will) send it back, it is such as hassle to send something back.

Hoping to have some warm weather soon, although they are forecasting storms etc. the next several days.

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

2017 Spring March 27 Monday

54 degrees this morning, walk 35:52 miles

Definitely a cool 54 degrees, glad I dressed warm for the walk. 

Pace was about 33 seconds per mile slower than expectation.  Really don’t know how my pace can vary as much as a minute per mile (probably up to a minute and 1/2).  This morning I was consciously trying to keep up my pace (I thought) and still ended up with a relatively slow time.  

Listening to the book on “mindfulness”.  They do mention some good points (you learn a new habit by repetition etc.).  

Of course, my problem with meditation is that anytime my mind slows down, I am asleep! I take several naps per day and usually immediately fall asleep, no time for meditation, unless my nap is meditation.  

Some years ago, I had  a tape of a drum beat and it was good for meditation as well as falling asleep fast.  

Now, I fall asleep without any assistance on my regular nights sleep as well as my naps during the day.  I need no assistance in falling asleep!  When I want to fall asleep it is really nice.

However, I think I do exercise the basics of “mindfulness” since I am very aware when  I do take snap.  I have taken naps as  short as one minute.

Start of another work week.  I think, like the anticipation for the weekend, there is also anticipation for the work week, whether it is an office day or field day.

There was some really severe weather yesterday, but it was all south of us.  Probably will be some rain at least, here later this week.

Family event yesterday, it makes you realize how fast time is passing.  We try to do it several times per year to make the birthdays for a six month period.

My first foray into involvement in the community (at least the City Council) as a citizen will probably end tonight.  

The Ordinance allowing “urban” or “backyard” chickens will probably be adopted.  Must better than when it was first bought up, but it seems odd that they even considered allowing a barnyard animal in a residential area.  

I think of a lot of the people who romanize about chickens and fresh eggs etc. don’t really realize how much work chickens can be and how much work and money those eggs will cost, especially when they go out to pick up eggs and find a snake has eaten them and is just lying there digesting the eggs!  

I grew up on a farm with plenty of chickens, so I know how much work it is.  

Anyway, regardless of what it was about, it is a matter of the process of citizen involvement in city government and it was interesting.  

That’s it for now, Monday, March 27, 2017.

2017 Spring March 26 Sunday

49 degrees this morning  34:54 minutes walk.

Coolish walk this morning.  While the wind wasn’t up much, it was still rather cool.  Of course after 93 degrees temperature…..  

Pace was 9 seconds slower than expectations.  

I hope to improve my pace this spring when warmer weather arrives!  

Listening to the book on “Mindfulness”.  I think the overall purpose of “Mindfulness’ is being aware of your life. Certainly I don’t think it has anything to do with religion etc. in itself, although that could be part of it.

The author had some could comments about starting new habits (use small steps, repeat what you want your behavior/mental change to be etc, use positive self-talk etc.)  

As always, one thing I don’t like about “listening” to books is I can’t go back and look at something I missed. Not being “mindful” enough I guess!

I hope I got the maps on the iWatch corrected.  While it’s not a big deal, I like to look at the map of where I’ve been, even if it is the same route each day.  Maybe this summer I can change it a little.

For whatever reason, I have always used the same route each day for my walk and usually changed the route fro my bike. Perhaps it is because I like to test my walk each day.  

Since I now can keep a record of my “pace” it doesn’t really matter what the route is because I have a record of my “pace” and it is the “pace” i am testing myself, not the distance or time.

Watching the first Formula One race of the season.  Hopefully maybe I can attend one at least in the United States this year or sometime in the future. 

I can kind of understand the problem that “brick and mortar” stores have with internet companies.  It is so simple to have almost an unlimited selected at an inexpensive price.  My only problem is I hate to order something (clothes etc.) when I  really need to physically see what I am getting, such as clothing etc.

While I know you can send anything back I don’t like, it is such a pain to send something back, I just would rather not buy it than have to send it back.

I am surprised  to get a lot  of communication from companies (actually tax exempt “foundations” or “think tanks” that obviously have been paid off by he wind industry,  that have no relationship  to “wind industry” but spend big bucks to support the continued rip-off of he taxpayers of this state by the wind industry.

My opinion is that if the wind industry is viable by itself more power to it, but why should the taxpayers of this state continue to line the pockets of the “wind industry fat cats”.  

Coolish temperature has ben a little frustrating after the warm weather last week, but at least I know warm weather is coming!

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

2017 Spring March 25 Saturday

49 degrees this morning (felt like 42).  No walk.

A reminder today that cold weather hasn’t disappeared yet!  it was cold this morning with a hit of rain, which is why I didn’t walk this morning.  

A couple of reminders that technology still isn’t all that reliable.

Our recent “upgrade” to our cable tv system showed some flaws as it suddenly started losing “saved” programs.  

What is really bad is that it happened during the NCAA tournament, which means we lost games we wanted to watch.

It is strange, when it first started about a week ago, we just thought we had forgotten to schedule a program to copy, but then “automatic” scheduled programs started dropping off or not copying.

It got a lot worse the past couple of days, and last night gams even dropped off after we checked to see that they were recording.  It was weird.

Anyway, they scheduled a technician to come out, hopefully get it fixed.  After watching copied shows, it is excruciating to watch a “live” show.  Not so much due to commercials, but the talking which so many announcers etc. seem to think their all and long laughs is entertainment.  

Fortunately many of the shows we like still copy, but we haven’t figured out any pattern yet.

Also, even though I “stream” Downton Abbey while I am on the stationary bike, I always bring along “low tech” morning newspapers.  Yesterday morning, it paid off when for some reason the “app” seemed to have problems and I couldn't watch it.  Anyway, so I had my newspapers with me.

One problem with exercise machines like stationary bikes and treadmills is that they are deathly boring.  I absolutely have to have something to read or watch or I couldn’t stand to do it.

In spite of the problems, technology is well worth it.  I was thinking even compared to ten years ago, it is amazing. Sometimes you look back and wonder how you ever stood it.

I think we get used to a level of technology and then when there is a problem (as there always is), we are looking at it from a different perspective, a perspective where the new advanced technology is the “new normal”.

Anytime the word or concept that something is the “new normal”, it can only mean it si about to change drastically, hopefully for the better!  

Kind of like the stock market, when someone says something is the “new normal” it is time to buy or sell, depending on which side of the slope the “new normal” is on.

We have to consider that sometimes a paradigm does change permanently, changing the way of life (tv, the personal computer, smart phones etc.) and the “old normal” really does change permanently!  

Weekend is here again, already!  I look at the weekend a lot different than I used to, now that I don’t do any job related work on weekends.  It makes how I view a weekend a lot different.  Not necessarily better or worse, just different.  

That’s it for now, Saturday, March 25, 2017.

2017 Spring March 24 Friday

70 degrees this morning, Walk 35;23 minutes 

High wind this morning, almost didn’t walk, but decided to due to forecast for rain etc. this weekend.  

Pace was about 17 seconds per mile slower than expectations.  I was going fast with the wind at my back, but it was a lot slower on the way back against the wind!

Reminds me of a time in Memphis when I went on a bike ride (on a highway, so to get back I had to pedal back), I had the wind at my back and was going about 30 mph and really living the good life. .  I got about 3 miles out and suddenly realized I had to go back against the wind!

Somehow I pedaled back, reminding myself to just take it “one pedal at a time” and hope the rain didn’t start!  I was a bit more careful after that!

 Had the carpets cleaned yesterday, it took a bit of moving stuff around, but it worked well and we were lucky to get what appeared to be an excellent carpet cleaner.  

I was thinking about how I tend to hang on to worthless stuff I never used (I’m working on it!), and the other side is never using anything nice because I am “waiting for a good time to use it”.  I really don’t think I am quite as bad as I used to be.

I am reminded of a neighbor when I was a kid, who bought a really nice sofa but left it in a plastic cover that made it uncomfortable, so they couldn’t really enjoy it.  It looked great after 20 years, but who cares if you didn’t enjoy it?

Everyone to their own, with we kids visiting all the time, they may have had good  reason to have a plastic cover on it!

Anyway, just thinking, I can’t think of a lot I am “saving for the right time” anymore, so maybe that isn’t so much of a problem anymore.  

First “Formula One” race is this weekend.  For whatever reason, I enjoy them, On tape, of course. 

Friday, and anther work week is finished.  The weeks go so fast, turn into months and then years and the years just fly by.  

I finished listening to the Harvard Business Review series of articles on “managing yourself”.  Overall, it was worth listening to, although the articles that weren’t all that good slightly exceed the number that were good, but the ones that were good were good enough to more than make up for the mediocre or flat bad ones.  

Anyway, I started listening to a book on “mindfulness”.  It hasn’t been that good so far, except it reminded me of the mindfulness information from last Fall.

I think of “mindfulness” as  being aware of attentive and not tied to any special religion or exercise or certainly any altered states by artificial means.  

In fact, I think of mindfulness of being aware of yourself and surroundings  without any artificial  interferences.

One of the things that got my attention was an exercise where you were to “truly listen” to a song.  I heard words I had never heard before and realized I have probably never truly “listened” to music.  That is an individual decision on whether you want to take the time to “truly listen” to music, but at least it was good to know I hadn’t really listened to music and I had the choice to do so.

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

2017 Spring March 23 Thursday

63 degrees this morning, walk 34:09 minutes

Somehow I must have skipped one portion of my walk this morning, I walked about .12 of a mile less tan normal.  Pace was also the worst it has been for awhile, about 44 seconds per mile above expectations. 

I also noted the “walk map” wasn’t available which means something isn’t working right on my watch GPS, or I’m not doing something right.  

I think all electronic devices should have a “simple” mode for people who don’t want to deal with things like “sharing” my walk (I’m sure I overshare on it already!) or everything else, or all kinds of time and distance calculations I could care less about.  

I am amazed when I write “March 23” and realize that March of 2017 is almost over.  Perhaps I dwell on it too much, but somehow I feel we need to at least take the time to note how fast time is passing!  

I think the lying bully lunatic’s lack of ethics and corruption is starting to bleed through and corrupt our culture and society.  

Of course, businesses were so excited about making more “profits” by being allowed to screw consumers more from repealing regulations protecting consumers and “profits” from lower taxes even though it violates the “principles” of the GOP who ran on avoiding increasing the deficit.  

Of course, a “wall which  is a monument to racism, bigotry, greed and pandering to the lowest common emotion in people and has nothing to do with immigration is certainly an unbelievable  action.  

I wrote to a Senator from they state that I opposed wasting the money on the “wall” and got back a long emotional letter about immigration  Time for this to be his last term.

I decided to quit watching “Mad Money”, as least for awhile after Jim Cramer apparently lost all of his ethics and tried to excuse the lying bully’s delusions about being wire tapped, hoping that his programs will mean big (but short-term) profits for business.  I no longer can trust his “advice”.  He is apparently blinded by greed, like many businesses.  

A lunatic as the “president” and a bunch of “yes people” who kow tow to the lying bully lunatic and his wild delusions.  The includes the GOP who are willing to accept a lying bully who is delusional and is wasting millions on golf and luxury living if they can get their pet programs through. 

Time for them to develop a backbone and impeach him, or at least tell him lies and delusional comments aren’t acceptable.  He appears to have serious mental problems.

Reading the other day about “downsizing”.  One of the problems apparently is that no one wants the stuff that we have accumulated.  In a way it is sad, but I guess it is reality. 

In the article I read, the author  mentioned they got $9,000 for their stuff at garage sales etc.!  I have to wonder about that.  

I know I have been much more careful about what I buy, primarily considering the “care and feeding” of items before I buy them.  

The problem isn’t really value, I have items that I literally paid nothing for and that are literally worth nothing but an emotional tie or even worse, an “I may use it someday” feeling!   I still have a hard time getting rid of them.  

The suggestion I got about taking pictures of them has helped a lot, as I know I have the pictures.

That’s it for today, Thursday, March 23, 2017.

2017 Spring March 22 Wednesday

2017 Spring March 22 Wednesday

54 degrees this morning, no walk (medical test early this morning)

This is the time of year when the temperature can fluctuate widely, and it is frequently neither hot nor cold.  It seems to almost create an unhealthier environment than even the extreme cold or winter or the heat of summer. 

Supposed to get to 78 degrees today, which is a significantly lower “high” than the past several days. 

Wore shorts, sandals and t-shirt yesterday, which felt good.  

I really will be glad when I can start doing my walk in just shorts and a t-shirt, it is just so much more enjoyable, especially when it is warm.  

Still moving things around in our house and we continue the process of “moving in”, which still is including throwing or giving stuff away and rearranging items.  

Of course, anytime you move something you haven’t touched for a year or more you think “I really need to get rid of that”!

Aliene is the best packer and manager of storing stuff I have even known.  It makes great use of space.  Our house has all kinds of nooks and crannies and little storage spaces that she takes advantage of that I would have never thought of.

That  reminds me of office organization  and the “OHIO” concept (only handle it once) which sounds so good but I have somehow never gotten into  doing, in spite of trying for over 40 years!  

No matter how hard I try, I am ultimately a “pile person” and I like my piles!  Also, I normally know where to look in my “piles” or “stacks”, but I realize it would be much more efficient if I used the OHIO method and the  method of filing it as soon as I am done with it.

I have probably tried every kind of filing system or organization system, but somehow revert back to “piles”, although I have improved some over the years. 

Computers have helped some, except that it is so easy just to keep “everything” on a computer, assuming I can find it, or remember I had it.  

I have found a lot of organization is what to keep and what to discard, perhaps somewhat like life.

The times when I don’t exercise in the morning is rather strange, since on mornings when I exercise etc, almost every minute is planned from the moment I get up until I go to work.  

On days when I don’t exercise, it is almost completely unplanned, so there is a lot of difference!  Maybe somewhat like a vacation!

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