2017 Summer August 31 Thursday

2017 Summer August 31 Thursday

66 degrees this morning, walk 35:14 minutes

Pleasant walk this morning.  I carefully put on one of my “smart” long sleeved undershirts as a precaution, but I really didn’t need it.  The undershirt isn’t really that smart, (it isn’t one of the latest “smart shirts” but it does “wick” the sweat out well.

The key is the wind.  Thus far in the cold upper 60’s temperature the wind hasn’t been up much.  

Pace was 3 seconds slower than my goal.  

Thinking of the consequences of changing my goal time by, say 30 seconds, if any.  It may well be I would just ignore it anyway and it wouldn’t really make any difference except that  I would never meet my goal.  

Changing my goal also may psychologically challenge me to subconsciously walk faster.  

On the other hand, as with all goals, is changing my pace goal even a desirable goal?

My granddaughter noticed last night I was wearing a “mixed pair” of slippers, i.e., one new one with a big brand name on it, and one of my older pair (that I keep meaning to throw away).

When she pointed out, after a moment of confusion when I thought the brand name had fallen off one of the slippers, I realized what she was saying, that I had been wearing an unmatched pair of slippers all day and hadn’t noticed it, even when she pointed it out!

In all fairness, today was a “field day”, so I put on my slippers on in the dark and wore them until I dressed for my field day and then put them on without looking that close when I got home.

At first I thought it may be the first major step into geezerhood, until I realized I have always been that way and probably had done the same thing (only no-one noticed) 40 years ago.  

Anyway, I complimented her on her powers of observation!

The iPhone 8 is coming out next month, and I am looking forward to that.  Also looking froward to the new iWatch, although I don’t intend on replacing mine for a long time, probably another 3 years at least.  

I do plan on replacing my iPhone, probably right after Thanksgiving.  My personal iPhone is 3 years old now, and my work iPhone will be 2 years old right after Thanksgiving.  I leased it, but decided there wasn’t enough change to bother trading up after one year, plus I like to keep my ex iPhone’s around as audio book players, music players etc. or just as a back-up.  

I usually use my newest iPhone as my work phone so I can deduct the lease payments off my taxes.

Three day weekend coming up, which is always nice.  It is fun to know that this (3 day weekends) actually originated in the 1600’s when the workers carried used Monday to continue the weekend and then made up for it the rest of the week.  Of course there weekend then may only have been Sunday, I”ll have to research that.  

That’s it for now, Thursday, August 31, 2017

2017 Summer August 30 WednesdayX

2017 Summer August 30 Wednesday

67 degrees this morning, walk 35:39 minutes

Surprisingly, 67 degrees (64 degrees now) is relatively comfortable.  The walk was very pleasant and it is even nice enough to sit on the patio as I write this.  Of course, there is no wind which could make a big difference.  

Pace was 16 seconds slower than my goal.  I deem to fail about within approximately 20 seconds either way of my goal.   

I am still debating changing my goal.  If I make it 30 seconds faster, it is still achievable.  The key is whether changing my goal will actually make me walk faster.  It's not like I will start obsessing about meeting my goal, but I wonder if psychologically it will change my walking pace

Only one way to find out and that is to adjust my goal!

Many years ago, I read a book (or actually a number of articles and several books) about “positive self talk”.  I found it really does work, at last the for the part of yourself that you have the power to change.

Generally, it is just a matter of positive thoughts about what you can accomplish or setting up a successful positive thought.  Doesn’t always “work” but i find it is a very good process for setting up a positive system of thoughts.

I have used it for a number of projects or activities with a generally positive results.

I read an article about “mantra’s”, which made me think of positive self talk since I have consciously practiced it much lately, although it is part of my basic thinking.  For example, I never think “I’m going to have a bad day”, although I may think “what a great day” 

I was going to prepare  something for  Toastmasters and I quickly realized there was a huge difference between a “mantra” and “positive self-talk”, so I scrapped  that part of the project!  Not that one is better than the other concept, they are just completely difference, completely separate concepts.    

I can think of several areas where I can start using “positive self” and I will start doing so. 

Of course, it only works for areas you control yourself, you can’t “will” a stock to go up etc.  I know, I have tried and it really’ make bit of difference!  

Aliene and I are listening to a book which definitely points out the feeling of “my life will never be the same again”.  (I call it “The World Without End is Ending”)

I won’t go into the novel, which gradually grabs your attention, except to say that it reminded me again that life is a series of changes and also the “Art of self-deception” is a real problem!

That’s it for now, Wednesday, 8-30-17.

2017 Summer August 29 Tuesday

2017 Summer August 29 Tuesday

65 degrees this morning, walk 34:38 minutes

The temperature of 65 degrees surprised me this morning, I remember the 65 degrees of Spring when 65 degrees was still cold, and I still wore my cold weather clothes.  

I compromised and wore a long sleeve shirt, although I went ahead with shorts etc and nothing over my mouth.  

I was pleasantly surprised that a summer 65 degrees is very pleasant and not at all bad.  The humidity is 70%, I don’t know if that has anything to do with it or not.

I am actually enjoying sitting out on the patio, probably something I couldn’t do at 65 degrees with a wind of any sort, although maybe the Spring 65 degrees is “colder” (to the “feels like”) than 65 degrees in Summer.

Pace was 11 seconds faster than my goal.

Recently read where there is a store in the city that is taking and printing “3D” prints of persons, meaning you can make a small statute of yourself.  They take a series of photos and then print them out on a 3D printer.  

I haven’t yet but I plan to look at it (no, I have no interest in making a 3D print of myself!) just to see what it is like.

Supposedly a 9” “print” is most popular.  It will detail every hair, every wrinkle in the clothes etc.  

I know I have read about 3D printing of replacement organs etc., as well as manufacturing parts for machinery and of course, 3D printing of guns etc.  

Any technology is, and will be used for both good and bad.  Always the hazard of technology.  

I think in a lot of ways, we don’t always consider the impact of technology and new products on the cultural and physiological structure of our society. 

As I have mentioned before, I thought the “smartphone” probably was one of the products with the most impact on the individual and thus society, but I could probably make a strong argument for canals, the steam engine, the cotton gin, railroads, the interstate system, tv, space research etc in their era. I am sure there are a lot more examples.

I remember one of the first courses I took that actually discussed the “ethics” of research on humans was a graduate course in Sociology long after I completed college.  Probably  the “ethics” of research and surveys etc. had been considered long before that, but it hadn’t reached my conscious mind.

Of course, it appears like many of the “ethics” courses popular in business schools for some time really just taught some business persons how to be unethical.  

As I mentioned before, there will always be someone who uses even a good thing for evil.  

That’s it for now, Tuesday, August 29, 2017.   

2017 Summer August 28 Monday

2017 Summer August 28 Monday

72 degrees this morning, walk 35:38 minutes

Humidity is 86% this morning.  Again, I really can’t relate the humidity to the feeling of heat.  Perhaps it is because the sun isn’t up yet.

Pleasant walk, very nice on patio this morning, it is now 71 degrees. Slight breeze, almost perfect patio morning.  

Pace was 7 seconds slower than my goal, which for all intents and purposes meets my goal.  Except perhaps my real goal is not just to meet my goal but to be much faster than my goal.  My real goal is probably 30 seconds faster. 

Monday already.  Weekend seemed to fly by.  

The hurricane in Texas is amazing that a storm could have that much impact.  I saw a “before” and “after” picture of interstate highways in Houston and the “after” pictures showed the entire highway system looking like a river, with water almost to the bottom the big directional signs go over interstates. That is a lot of water.  

I don’t think you can plan for this type of storm, but I still think it does provide the reason for many of the “regulations” on storm water etc.  

Just working for cities, I have observed the dangers of regulating too much, but also not regulating enough, especially in the areas of storm water and drainage.  

I learned quickly that everyone is an expert on storm drainage, but no one wants to be the one responsible for preventing the problems with storm water drainage, it is always “that person behind the tree” so to speak who everyone feels should be responsible for it.

I have observed that is true  in many areas, and I am sure I have the same feelings that “someone else” should be responsible.  

It is something everyone thinks of during the flood, but quickly forget after the flooding is over!  

The danger of the demagogues who politic on the platform of “cut regulations” to improve economic development, speed construction or whatever is that they normally just know to “cut regulations” and don’t really have any idea of what regulations need to be maintained or in many cases what additional regulations may be needed.

I know there are a lot of regulations that should be eliminated, but the “details” or  which ones are good and which ones should be eliminated is the key, not stupid policies like “cut two regulations for every one” or whatever.  

Reminds me of the “chickens”, the people who wanted the “right” to have chickens, regardless of their impact on neighbors etc.  Now they are finding that “backyard” chickens in urban areas are magnets for diseases etc. and hardly the neutral activity of the persons promoting chickens.

I don’t have anything against chickens, I do and will oppose any proposal to allow people to undertake actives which will lower the quality of life for neighbors, whether it is chickens, loud music, loud wind chimes or whatever.  

Trying to keep track of my dreams, I decided to note fragments, hoping I will remember more of the dream.

Dream Sunday 8-27- 2017

Dreamed I was in a big building with a lot of people  For some reason I was in a small room at one end of the building.

It had big glass windows.  

For some reason I was staying in the room, don’t recall if I was working there or just staying there for some reason.

People would walk in and out.  At the end of the dream, when I woke up, I was trying to sleep but people kept looking in. 

That’s it for now, Monday, August 28, 2017

2017 Summer August 27 Sunday

2017 Summer August 27 Sunday

70 degrees this morning, walk 34;22 minutes

Pleasant walk this morning, humidity of 91%.  Feeling the effects of humidity may be a function of heat and wind as much as anyway.  Also noted that temperature is now 68 degrees.

Sitting on the patio, it is still very nice, but is on the borderline of being pleasant, at least until the sun rises.

Pace was 24 seconds faster than my goal, or almost 50 seconds faster than yesterday.  While 50 seconds may not seem like much, that is 50 seconds per mile faster, so that is quite a bit.  

Forgot to mention yesterday distance was .05, today it is .20, considerably longer, at least in relationship to yesterday.  When I walk the same route every day, that is surprising.  I will check my GPS on the watch and see if I missed part of the route yesterday.  

Sunday morning, second day of the weekend already.  I think this week (that is the week after next) is Labor Day, which will be a three day Holiday for us.  

While I like 3 day holidays, Labor Day is always a little depressing because it means the end of  Summer is coming fast.  

This is the last week of AAA baseball for us, at least the last home games.  When the season started,  I kind of thought it was a lot of games, but now we are nearing the end (3 more games) and another season is over.  The local AAA team didn’t have a great year and will not be in the play-offs.  Not a huge deal, we just enjoy the games.  

Again, it is another sign that Summer is ending.  Not only will it be April (seven months if I am figuring it right) before the next home game, but it will late May (another almost two months) before it is warm enough or really enjoy the games.  Of course some of the games are warm, but may are still cold. Depressing to say the least.

We are looking ahead to a warm cruise this winter, something we never had the time to do before.  We will see what we were missing, or find out we weren’t missing anything!

Looking through some old pictures yesterday and found a picture of my Mom as a high school sophomore.  Considering the number of pictures we have now, it is amazing how few pictures we have, and I expect we have a lot more than most people of that era because of Uncle Wayne, who was a professional photographer and made sure there were pictures of every family reunion etc!  Something we really appreciate now!

Hopefully the rain has stopped for awhile, although I expect will will get some spinoff, so to speak from the hurricane.  

Heard a lot of “caterwauling” a while ago.  Obviously I have no idea what was going on.  Hopefully my friend, the possum wasn’t involved.  We need it eating snakes and other pests.

That’s it for now, Sunday, August 27, 2017. 

2017 Summer August 26 Saturday

2017 Summer August 26 Saturday

71 degrees this morning, walk 33:32 minutes 

Relatively cool this morning, although humidity is 97%.  Rained almost all day yesterday, heavy at times.  Of course, I forgot to turn off the sprinkler system so the lawn is very well watered.  

Pace was 21 seconds slower than my goal.  I don’t know why my pace has been somewhat slower.  This morning, I did have a few distractions that slowed me up some, my bandana coming loose, and for some reason my earphones disconnecting.  

I expect I have used the same earphones (Apple earphones that come with the iPhone) for years, so I need to think about replacing them if they continue to have problems.

On the other hand, I could just say “live a little” and buy a nice pair!  

I have a pair of “airpods” which I love for talking on the phone and listening to my iPad with, but I’m not sure if I quite have the confidence to wear them on a walk yet! (concerned they may fall out, although they never have).  Actually, if I tied my bandanna over them (which I do anyway, I tie it over my ears) it would work fine.  

I read where people used to (in the 1600’s, 1700’s) wear their clothes until they literally rotted off  Clothes were expensive and frequently people would pawn their good clothes for safekeeping, since clothes were frequently stolen.

I think there probably is a fine line between being “prudent” and being so puritanical as to border on being unhealthy.  

When to replace something is always a tough decision (if you replace it before it wears out or is unusable).  

Probably an example for me is shoes, keeping shoes for years to the point they probably were dangerous for my feet.  Of course this can apply to almost anything.  

Thinking of shoes because my current walking shoes are approaching retirement, and it may actually be time to retire them.  I keep track of the mileage on my walking shoes and I know the generally expected maximum milage I should put on them before I retire them.  

Technically I probably should retire them completely, but in my mind they are still good for causal wear, and so far haven’t been any problems and it provides me with a nice wardrobe of walking shoes!

I was disappointed to read where the Editor of the Wall Street Journal told the reporters to “go easy” on the lying bully coward.   Of course, that means you can’t trust anything the Wall Street Journal publishes since where does the line stop?  Do they “go easy” on a company the Editor owns stock in?  I expect so, so I am canceling my subscription.  

In a lot of ways, I hate to cancel my subscription, the Wall Street Journal has a lot of news  you don’t read elsewhere.  But, if you can’t trust them, it really doesn’t mean much, and I can certainly put the time elsewhere.  

Of course, when I see the ads on some web sites (many web sites I have learned to avoid, since they have advertising for what is obviously scams), I am reminded of the ads that were in newspapers when I was a child (and probably still are).   There were all kinds of classified ads for schemes that were clearly scams, but the Newspaper accepted them anyway, I assume on the basis of “free speech”.  

I am a strong believer in Free Speech, but I think people forget that Free Speech doesn't mean speech without consequences.

Anyway, it is good to have a weekend, several days without work.  Much as I like my job, it is good to get away from it.

I am still assuming my friend, the possum is somewhere out there.  They sprayed for pest control yesterday, but just inside, and unless it is sneakier than I think it is, it won’t be bothered by inside pest control.  (It was raining so they couldn’t treat for pests outside).

That’s it for now, Saturday, August 26, 2017.

2017 Summer August 25 Friday

2017 Summer August 25 Friday

75 degrees this morning, no walk due to schedule

Sitting on the patio, actually cool, almost too cool to sit here.  Humidity is 84% (although temperature has dropped to 73 degrees), very little breeze, so I’m not sure what makes it seem “cold”.

Perhaps walking gets my body going and raises my temperature level.  

i am finding growing older has advantages, but also has that uneasy atmosphere of “what is going to happen next”.  

When you are younger, you know things could happen,  (although your feel “not to me”) when you are older you know they will happen.  Kind of a major difference in mindset!  

Of course, at least at my age, you still feel like most of the inevitable events or changes are still somewhere far off in the future, a future where you will be more prepared for the changes!

Looking at some pictures of what  seems like just yesterday, and is only about 15 years ago, I look so much younger then!  People who moan about 50, or 40 or even 30 don’t really get much sympathy from me, they really have it great and need to enjoy it!  

With my recent birthday, it is still a shock to tell my age (or birthdate) to someone and realize I really am that age!.  As many people note, you just don’t feel that old, which is good!

While lI realize it is good to take a break from walking etc., I also feel a little guilty about missing a walk.  

Whether I feel guilty or not is also a function of whether I really feel like walking or not.  Some mornings, I don’t feel like walking until I start walking, other mornings I am ready for my walk.  Very rarely, even after I finish my walk, I’m sorry I walked, in fact probably almost never.  

I think not walking this morning is what made me think about growing older and the changes you make.  A rather melancholy thought struck me this morning that some day, maybe not for 20 years or more, but it could be sooner, some day I will take my last walk.  Illness or whatever could intervene. 

Maybe that isn’t a bad mindset to have, “if this is my last walk (or whatever), I am going to really enjoy and experience it’!  When I think of it in that way, maybe it is a good idea to realize that I will eventually lose many activities and things I value so it is good to fully experience the experience so to speak.

I am very glad that maybe about 30 years ago, I realized that I had to live for “today”, not in the sense of having to party or be reckless, but the sense of truly experiencing life  I even told myself going to the dentist was just one of life’s experiences that I need to experience.  I certainly didn’t enjoy it, but  if I had to go through it, I didn’t want to deny the experience either.  

In the near future I will have 3 years at my current job.  When I first started, I remember one of the more “experienced” people (with maybe 3 years on the job at that time) telling me that you needed at least several years on the job to really learn it.

I am learning that the longer I am on the job, the more I learn I don’t know, if that makes any sense.  

My first Supervisor advised me working the assignments is “more of an art than a science” and I am learning the truth to that observation.  Sometimes there is no real answer, you just do what you feel is right, and the more experience, the more you feel you make the right decision.

The biggest satisfaction of the job is feeling like I am helping people deal with the undealable (to doing a word).  Every time i help someone with a problem, it is almost a new thrill.

Cool out this morning, I don’t know if my friend, the possum, is still around or not.  I don’t know how they deal with cool (or hot for that matter) weather, but apparently they do.

That’s it for now, Friday, August 25, 2017.  

2017 Summer August 24 Thursday

2017 Summer August 24 Thursday

69 degrees this morning, walk 35:10 minutes

Temperature this morning was kind of a shock to my system, actually approaching cold weather already! 

I am sitting on the patio and it is very pleasant, but I’m sure if a  wind was blowing it would be way too cool to sit out here.  (This is while it is dark, when the sun comes up it will be warmer).

Didn’t dress any warmer for my walk, and of course I didn’t need too.  The walk was actually very nice.  

Pace was 13 seconds slower than my goal.  Somehow it seems like I am walking slower.  In this case I can actually check, but I don’t know if the figures would be meaningful, unless there is a reason I am walking slower.  

Humidity this morning is 77%.  It actually is now 65 degrees, which really is approaching the limit for me!

Crepe Myrtle blooms (I guess you call them that) are slowing withering away for the year.  A sure sign that the end of summer is approaching. 

School has started.  Katherine and Kali are still working on the picture project, although at a slower pace. The goal is to digitalize all of Aliene’s pictures.  Her mother and her worked on the project of cataloguing and noting the  events/people, one of those projects I am glad she did.

I think it is good they are working on it.

I plan on scanning many of the items I have saved, like clippings etc.  Rather than just have them in boxes, probably deteriorating, I will just digitalize them and either toss them or give them to someone else.  Maybe. Actually, with the setup we have now, I probably will work o scanning them. 

I read more and more about how older people who have furniture they treasured etc. realize their children etc. don’t really want their furniture and keepsakes.  Actually it is understandable, since most children, by the time their parents are ready to dispose of their furniture etc., already have what they want and need.

Also with the current trend to “minimal” living (which certainly isn’t universal) and just the change in styles, it is understandable. On the other hand, it makes it a lot easier to get rid of stuff if you now no one wants it anyway!  

Listening to the Great Course on the Industrial Revolution, the author mentioned that screws, bolts etc. were “standardized” in the 1840’s.  Prior to that, many nuts, bolts and screws were not standardized, meaning they would’t fit on a lot of equipment etc due to a different “pitch” etc.

One of the small things that made possible a lot of advancements!  Without that, any time of standardization or ability to  repair items would have been almost impossible or at least extremely costly.  

Probably eventually, like computer programs etc., the “market” would have set some type of standard.  

On the other hand, “standardization” could inhibit progress.  If 8 track tapes or records had been a “required” standard, it would have made cd’s (and now digital music and streaming music) costly or impossible.

Haven’t seen my friend, the possum, but I assume it (or the family) is out there.  Haven't seen any snakes and very few pests, so I am assuming it is busy.

That’s it for now, Thursday, August 24, 2017.

2017 Summer August 23 Wednesday

2017 Summer August 23 Wednesday

73 degrees this morning. walk  35;11 minutes 

Walk this morning was nice, seemed actually cool.  I assumed the humidity was low, but after my walk I found it was 96%.  So, it appears the humidity itself doesn’t bother me much, it mush be a function of temperature and humidity and maybe the wind speed.

Pace was 5 seconds faster than my goal pace.  Distance was one of he longest .21 mile.

Interesting section of the Great Course on the Industrial Revolution this mooning, mentioned that the 4’8’’ gauge for railroads became the “standard” in spite of attempts to use other “more improved” width standards.

Of course we see a lot of that in today’s world also.  The product that sets the standard becomes the standard, even if other standards may be better.  The fact that the 4’8” standard for railroads begin in the 1700’s (or so) illustrates the power of precedent!

Of course, on the other hand, I think of the 8 track tape, cassette tapes, records etc., and there, even with a big base, the next generation was completely different and required an entirely new investment to use the new standard.  

TV’s are an example where I believe the “standard” was essentially changed and I think the shift to the LCD etc.  tv’s is now basically complete.

There must be some point where the “sunk costs” or the “standard” is so set into place that it “is” the standard.  

I was thinking this morning about how steam engines basically were the standard since the 1700’s up to probably the early 1900’s and were only gradually replaced by gas, diesel and electric.  I believe there are steam engines still in use today.  

Horses and steam engines were both used extensively and basically co-existed for several centuries.  

I have to assume in the end everything eventually changes or is modified, although the 4’8” standard for train tracks is likely to last until trains are no longer used.  

The current computer keyboard set up (QWERT) is basically functionally unneeded, but people (like me) are so used to it, it would be difficult to change.  

Originally, the keyboard was set up in this way to slow people down when they typed!  

Perhaps one of the most obvious “standards” is the automobile.  In spite of numerous improvements and upgrades etc, the standard automobile is basically unchanged since it started.  It has 4 wheels, a steering wheel, a motor and at least two doors. 

As I have mentioned before, when I was a child, I certainly thought the standard car design we have now would have radically changed to driverless cars, or even flying cars like helicopters that didn’t need a landing strip.  I would not have believed I would be basically driving the same car as my Dad.  Again, much improved, but….

I was surprised to learn that the “upgrade” for the iPad Pro 12”, had been complete for several months.  I will wait for the next upgrade, I don’t really need it right now.  My MacBook Air just went over 4 years old and I will need to consider if I go with an iPad or replace it with another laptop.  

I am a little disgusted with Apple for arrogantly deciding that computers “don’t need” touch screens.  I may replace the laptop with an iPad just to get a touch screen, or go to a completely new computer that has a touch screen. 

Haven’t seen my friend the possum since our first visit.  Probably won’t see it again, but as long sit hangs around and takes care of the snakes and pests, I”ll be happy.

That’s it for now, Wednesday, August 23, 2017.