2018 Spring March 31 Saturday

57 degrees this morning walk 35:12 minutes

A cool 57 degrees this morning, with an average wind of 16 miles per hour or so.  Doesn’t sound like much until you are out in it and especially when you are  walking against the wind on the top of a hill!

Pace was 23 seconds slower than my goal, not surprising with the wind.

Rather surprised to see a bunch of cars (and I assume a party) at a house along my walking route, which is unusual.  I also heard some yells (I won’t speculate as to if they were drunken yells or just someone having a good time or both).  It wasn’t at me and I don’t think the noise was bothering anyone else.

While I walk “early” it is still somewhat “late” for a party to still be in high gear, but time is relative!

On my previous routes (at other houses and neighborhoods) there always seemed to be one house that lived on a different time schedule than others!.

Of course, who am I to talk!

Sometimes (not during the school year or at least not on a school night) I have a text from my granddaughters, they haven’t been to bed yet and I’m up for the day (except for my beloved naps!)

The last day of March 2018!  Time just flies by.  I am glad it is flying towards Summer and not towards Winter!

It is strange how time has flown.  I look back and see younger people and I want to tell them to do what they want to do with their lives because the time will pass.

Fortunately, I don’t really think of myself as “old”.  I know  it, and accept it, but what the heck, I am what I am!  

I was thinking during my walk about eating meat.  There is a cafe we frequently eat breakfast at on weekends, one of those “downhome” cafes where the servers are liking to call you “honey” and the food is normally very good, but also can vary!

We actually started eating there over 4 years ago before we even moved here.  The cafe has the same nickname as my granddaughter and she got a kick out of eating at “her” cafe!  

By chance, they also had gluten free pancakes, toast etc. (unusual for that time), so Aliene and I started eating there, especially when we moved here, since it was relatively close to where we lived.  

Anyway, the cafe has a big picture of a cow looking mournfully at you.  I normally sit where I kind of feel it is mournfully at me.  There are also several pictures of roosters (actually a collage).  

Anyway, I wonder if the cow looking so mournfully at me while I was eating had anything do do with stopping eating meat, at least temporarily! 

Anyway, I will probably be observed by the mournfully looking cow staring at me this weekend, so, at least for today, I will not eat any meat!

That’s it for now, Saturday, March 31, 2018

2018 Spring March 30 Friday

40 degrees this morning, no walk this morning 

Started to walk this morning and then decided to not walk, incipient cold with cough.  Decided to not take a chance on making it worse, hopefully avoid another bout with the “common”  cold.  

I hate to miss my walk, but I don’t like the idea of making my cold worse.  I think there is really some debate if it really makes a cold worse, but I hate to take a chance. 

That time of year when I wait for warm weather to come and bemoan the cold days!  At least I know warm weather is due!  As usual there  are several warm days that temp you and then the cold comes back.  

Doctor appointment, what used to be considered the “annual physical”.  Always approach it with a little trepidation, but I always figure, “what is, is”.  I am better off knowing about something something, or at least confirming that nothing is obviously wrong, whichever way it is.  

Actually, I did the tests for this visit some time ago, so I expect I would know by now if there was anything to worry about.  

I expect the elections will really pick up after Easter, there is actually a filing period here in early April  and then the primaries in June.  

Talked to a company who was moving their offices literally across the street yesterday.  The thought of that makes my head hurt!  All fo the packing, moving and then unpacking.  

We are actually in a place where the next time we move, it will probably be a major “weeding” of items.  

I think about that and think how easy it would be to start “weeding” now, or perhaps not.  We have actually “weeded” to the point that most items we have we either feel we will need or may need them or it is simply difficult to  part with the item for whatever reason!

If I can get to the psychological point of realizing that it is rather pointless to keep something I eventually will get rid of, probably without ever using it, it would be a lot simpler to just get ride of it now and enjoy the space!

I always think it is simpler to “weed” items a little at a time, but somehow the “big weeding” when I do a lot at one time seems to be more effective.  Or maybe it is because I haven’t really every gotten committed to the concept of (for example) weeding one thing each day (or week or whatever), whether it is a hat, t-shirt, book, or just something I rarely use.  

I think I need to develop the psychological approach that an item has done it’s duty for me and it is time to let it go!  Easy to say, hard to do.

I think some of it is the realization (or at least the psychological feeling) that when I  weed something I am also weeding that part of my life, which of course is not so.

Another day without meat yesterday.  I will discuss that with the Doctor today.  One problem with not eating meat is I eat a lot more carbs, and I am supposed to be on a low carb diet.  Unfortunately (I guess), I am not a “salad” person or I could just eat a lot more salads. 

Anyway, there will be one more day without meat, since, today I will not eat any meat.  

That’s it for now, Friday, March 30, 2018.

2018 Spring March 29 Thursday

45 degrees this morning. No walk.

No walk this morning, thunder storm coming in.  When I can hear the thunder I don’t walk!

While I enjoy Spring and Summer, I tend to forget the occasional storms and rain that mark Spring and Summer!  

We do have a storm cellar and I need to make sure that it is clean  etc., and that the snake we saw last Summer isn’t hibernating there!  If it came to a storm or a being with a snake in the storm shelter, I’d take the storm every time!   

For whatever reason, I have always had great difficulty being around snakes, even if they are behind glass cage in a zoo!  I remember when I was a kid (and an adult for that matter) doing anything to avoid a snake.

Probably the most memorable was when I was taking Angela (when she was a young girl) to an old graveyard and a snake was in the middle of the road like it was guarding it.  We turned around, who really cares about an ancient graveyard.  I still think it was like the snake was guarding it, and more power to it!

Of course one of my brothers (who I won’t name) always picked snakes up and threatened me with them.  

It is strange what people are scared of, or feel threatened by.  I remember reading about a basketball player who was terrified of birds, so opposing fans would make bird sounds when he was shooting free throws!

I was going to avoid saying anything about the lying coward lunatic, (he has become a joke in itself  and not worth the time with his insane cowardly  actions, abuse of office  and lack of anything presidential), but I think his abuse of office in using it for personal attacks (Amazon etc.) means he should be impeached immediately and jailed. 

I am amazed anyone would support such a lunatic and a coward who is such a coward he fires people on Twitter!  

His latest idiotic action on hiring his physician who is such a sycophant he was saying a lunatic who sits around  eating fast food watching unreality tv on fox non-news was “healthy”.  What a farce, everyone has learned just  lie to the lying coward lunatic and tell him what he wants hear, he will do anything for you!

I hate to think what will happen in dealing with other countries etc., they have learned to just flatter the lying bully lunatic and he’ll sell out the country for them for an insincere flattering comment  or a “loan” to his business, or if you stay in a “trump” hotel.

Just started raining hard, this is about the time I normally finish my walk.

Another day without meat, heading on to a second month without meat.  I actually have had no problem finding adequate good food that is meatless.  I’m not kidding myself that this will continue for a long time, but no meat today.

That’s it for now, Thursday, March 29, 2018.

2018 Spring March 28 Wednesday

45 degrees this morning.  No walk

No walk due to light rain, also schedule  and concerned I may be getting a “common cold” (as opposed to the coughing kind).  

When I stepped outside, I definitely could feel the impact of the rain on the temperature, it made it seem much colder.

Used “Movie Pass” last night.  It was very smooth and almost as easy as just walking in and buying a ticket.  

“Movie Pass” allows you to attend one movie per day for a set amount per month ($9.99 per month) and it actually works.

I’m really not sure how they will make their money, unless is it like a gym where the people who don’t use it are the “profit”.  

I assume they could make the money by “sharing” in the cost of ticket and concessions, although it’s not likely the theaters will go along with that unless it is an obvious advantage to them.

Another method they use to make money may be the data they accumulate, although I have to admit I don’t quite understand how they could make money that way.

One reason I like the “Movie Pass” concept is we are more likely to go to see movies we may not attend anyway.  For example we probably never would have watched the movie we watched last night without Movie Pass, but we enjoyed it.  

I am rather surprised and disappointed to see the sudden rabid attacks on Facebook.  Not to defend them, but I have a hard time understanding the vicious attacks, except it seems to be normal for people to attack things (organizations or people) which are successful and they are jealous of it and try to bring down someone successful to their level.  

I am beginning to wonder if the “self driving car” is going to make it under current circumstances.  It may well be the technology is simply not there, except for limited use on highways and occasional “self driving” with a human being close.

I did note that “self driving” vehicles like tractors in fields and similar off-road concepts could be very successful.  

I really expect the self-driving vehicles will eventually be successful, although I expect the dense areas could be the hardest part.  

Still continuing my “meatless” eating pattern.  I am looking at the advantages and disadvantages, although I really haven’t researched it too much yet.  Someday I may start eating meat again, but not today.

That’s it for now, Wednesday, March 28, 2018.

2018 Spring March 27 Tuesday

55 degrees this morning, walk 34:29 minutes

Temperature during my walk seemed colder than 55 degrees.  There was a light rain (started off primarily as a sprinkle and didn’t really get any heavier until the end of my walk) that probably made it seem cooler.  

I thought about cutting my walk short due to the rain, but decided it wasn’t that bad.  I do have one stretch that is “the point of no return” (the point that I can’t cut the walk short) that I thought it probably would start raining harder right as I got there, but fortunately it didn’t happen!

I thought my “pace” would be fast since I was walking faster to avoid the rain, but my pace was 9 seconds slower than my goal.  

I thought about skipping my walk this morning when I saw it was sprinkling (I would have if it was raining harder), but since I have an “office day” day, I won’t get the exercise I normally get on a “field day”.

I see many stupid and inane things, but I don’t think I have ever seen anything more stupid and wasteful than a recent State  law about “driving in the left lane”.  

First, it is vague and probably really unenforceable.  It also is wasteful, they probably spent millions on signs warning people about “driving in the left lane prohibited”.

Then there is simply the waste of valuable State Troopers time and efforts on enforcing such a vague and stupid law rather than enforcing violations that are more safety related.

I think it is insane to have a fine of $241 for such a vague law. Frankly, if I am driving where “merging” drivers are, I will be in the left lane.  

Basically there is already laws (impeding traffic etc.) they can use if someone is really creating problems by camping in the left lane.

In my mind, I see a State Senator or Representative who is “term limited”,  so they are trying to get all their “pet peeve” laws passed before they are out of office.  They probably want to speed in the left lane like it is there own private road, so they pass a stupid and vague law instead of spending time on the real problems.

Actually, I see a lot of elected (and appointed) officials who can’t handle the “big” problems so they concentration on the small, trite problems and end up with such stupid laws that waste money, waste State Troopers time and probably create more safety problems by such a vague unenforceable law and the confusion caused by signs.

Meanwhile, the “real” problems, sit and are unresolved, while the state legislature rushes to do the bidding of donors, lobbyists and personal pet peeves.  

As you can see, I think the law is a stupid, wasteful, unnecessary and unsafe law that will create a lot more problems than it will solve and I don’t see any need for it.

The one good thing (or bad, depending on how you are looking at it) is it gives more “probable cause” for a State Trooper to stop motorists and perhaps apprehend more DUI’s etc. 

Continuing on my path of not eating meat.  Probably the longest amount of time I have not eaten meat.  The other time was when  I went through a meat packing plant and couldn’t eat meat for several weeks!  

At least I’m not eating meat today.  Maybe in the future, but not today.

That’s it for now, Tuesday, March 27, 2018.

2018 Spring Monday March 26 Monday

2018 Spring March 26 Monday

65 degrees this morning, walk 35.28 minutes 

65 degrees, but a strong wind made it seem much colder.  When I was protected by the wind, it felt to to be warmer, but the wind made it feel a lot colder in unprotected areas. 

Pace was 30 seconds slower than my goal, even though today I consciously tried to walk faster at times.  Either I filled miserably or it would have been a lot worse if I hadn’t tried.  Usually my time is much worse in the wind.

Anytime I think about technology talking over the world, spellcheck lessens my anxiety.  

Yesterday, somehow spellcheck made “meat” into “meeting”.  I know I wouldn’t write  “meeting” in that context so it to be a grievous error by spellcheck.

You could argue that I should have caught such a major error and I probably should have, but spellcheck shouldn’t have made it in the first place. 

I really wonder how they are ever  going to make self-driving cars that will meet the standards of being able to be “self-driving”.  

I don’t have too much doubt that they will make adequate  self-driving highway vehicles, but I wonder about the current technology being adequate for urban driving or in high traffic areas.

Another example is in the “Formula 1” race this weekend. An algorithm apparently went awry and person who should have won the race came in  second because of the error.  the error may have been human error, but a true algorithm would have corrected the error!

It is amazing to me that an algorithm would be in the position to cause the leader to make an error and come in second!  The limits of technology I guess!

I have been having a lot of vivid dreams lately, but haven’t been good about recording them.  This is one I recorded:

Saturday March 24, 2018

Very intensive dream I was on a tour, apparently a bus tour.  

We stopped in a small town (not sure why).  I saw a store that was closed since it “hadn’t gotten a permit “.

I remember  jumping over  a water puddle thinking I may as well see the town since I’d probably never see it again.

In general, I think it was a town in Arizona or Nevada or something like that.  I didn’t actually see any local residents that I remember, just persons on the tour.  it seemed like a very old, small and poor town.

Seemed to be a fairly small bus, kind of like a van.

Startlingly realistic in the sense it seemed real.

A lot of detail which I have already forgotten.

My meatless eating pattern continues.  It will continue, at least for today

That’s it for now, Monday, March 26, 2018.

2018 Spring March 25 Sunday

49 degrees this morning, walk 34.50 minutes 

Unexpectedly cold walk this morning, 49 degrees is always a tough temperature to get ready for.  This morning it was definitely on the cold side.  I bought my gloves and didn’t put them on.

During my walk, it is normally very quiet, with little traffic, usually no cars at all.  There is  a lake with some geese on it, who seem to enjoy making a lot of noise when I am coming by and surprising me.  Probably my heart  rate jumps up significantly for at least a little bit when they surprise me!

My pace was two seconds ahead of my goal, which made me feel good! Hopefully I can start beating my goal, so i  can change ii!

Completed reading “Time Keepers”.  One unusual project is the “The Clock”, which is literally a 24 hour movie, based on film clips that show the time in the film clip.

The movie actually lasts 24 hours, although is is only actually played the entire 24  hours several time during the year. Normally it is showed during regular business hours.  

Since the time is correct to the actual minute where the move is being shown.  

The author also mentioned something about the movie presenting a new concept of time.

He also mentioned another concept,  actually drawn on a commercial slogan.  Generally, the slogan said you don’’ really own something, you are just holding it in trust for further generations!  

Actually when I think about it, the idea you are holding someone in trust for future generations, it provides a whole new way of looking at how you handle things.  

Within a week, the first quarter of the year 20018 is over!  Amazing how fast time goes.   

We are looking at improvements/repairs the house needs.  The really difficult part is finding competent people to do the work.  

We have already had two “no shows/no calls”.  Most of he work is relatively minor, but it is something we need to get done.  I really wonder how some people stay in business. 

No meat yesterday. I did have several young kids come by selling sausage, hamburger an BBQ (or something like that) for raising funds for their school project and I had to tell them I didn’t eat meat!  

I didn’t say that just for today at least I’m not eating meeting.   I did succumb to the peanut butter Girl Scout cookies though!

That’s it for now, Sunday, March 25, 2018.                                                                                                                       

2018 Spring March 24 Saturday

70 degrees this morning (18 mph winds), walk 35:07 minutes.

I was sure it would be “colder than expected” this morning due to the wind.  It was a little cool for 70 degrees, but I also dressed a little too warm!

Strangely enough, it is supposed to be 59 degrees by sunrise! Quite a change.  

Pace was 15 seconds slower than my goal.  Somehow  I feel like I won’t be changing my goal anytime soon!  I’m not about to make it slower and I don’t think I will be able to make my goal faster.  

There wouldn’t be much reason to set a goal I can’t reach!  Once I start meeting my goal on a regular basis, I could start to lower it some, but I haven’t been meeting my current gaol even.

Of closure, by definition, a goal isn’t something you are meeting all the time!

I don’t really think about meeting the goal when I am walking, I am just walking and not really thinking about how fast I am gone.

Learned a couple of interesting things about Grant this morning.  He ate very little, frequently his supper was a head of boiled cabbage and cornbread, and his breakfast was a cucumber and coffee!  Reports said he “ate like a bird”.  

Actually I have heard a bird eats a lot considering it’s weight, since it needs to because it is spending so much energy flying etc.

He also could go to sleep anywhere, they mentioned could lie down on a muddy road and be asleep in two minutes!  

I was amused to read on Facebook that “non-news Fox” was trying to raise dire warnings about  a “liberal” CNN monopoly in airports where CNN ran stories “making fun” of the lying coward lunatic.  CNN “liberal?”  I hardly think so. 

Typical of the criminal lying that fox non-news does and their extreme attempt to influence and flatter the lying coward lunatic to attempt to influence him since he responds of flattery so well.  Probably want a presidential order to carry only the lying non-news network in all airports!

A bunch of really sick, greedy, unprofessional and unethical people at that non-news network.  

Of course what makes it worse is the lying coward lunatic is living in such an unreal world he believes the lying flattery they spout and is hiring the unethical, incompetent announcers to run the government!  Apparently he is in such an unreality spot, he thinks the announcers are part of his world!   

Just hoping the next 3 years will pass fast and especially that the elections will elect enough opposition to block the lunatic the last two years.  

I remember when I was growing up on the farm, we frequently would end up eating animals we had made into pets.  “Dolly the chicken” would end up on the table. We frequently would get upset, but it was kind of a natural order and we were hungry!  I still remember the sad look on my mother when she chopped the head off of a chicken to eat.  

Continuing in my eating pattern of not eating meat.  Who knows when I will eat meat again, except I know I will not eat any meat today.

That’s it for now, Saturday, March 24, 2018. 

2018 Spring March 23 Friday

63 degrees this morning, walk 34:40 minutes

Coolish 63 degrees this morning, especially when I first started walking and before my “internal furnace” kicked in.  I even was wishing I had bought my gloves along. 

This was one of my longest walks for some reason.  (To put it in perspective, the difference between my longest walk and my shortest is the difference between x.11 and x.21 miles.)

I still can’t figure out how my walk differs so much. Perhaps the way I take the curves or turn around a corner. 

Pace this morning was 20 seconds faster than my goal, which is great.  

If it wasn’t so tragic, the image of the lying coward lunatic hiring incompetent “talking heads” he sees on his sick obsessive tv watching would be funny.  The idea of some lunatic so out of touch with reality that he thinks a bunch of liars on fox non-news are competent to run a billion dollar department is insane.  

The lying coward lunatic is confusing reality with his  obsessive need for having obsequious, flattering liars around him telling him how good he is.  A really sick dangerous lunatic, especially when he no longer has any competent people around him,  only those who kow tow and lie about how good he is.

Wonderful weather the last few days.  There was a wind for a few hours yesterday, but it settled down.  

It is wonderful to wear shorts, a t shirt and scandals again, even if it is only for a few isolated days at a time until Summer truly gets here!

Concerning “March Madness”, I have to wonder if the “selection committee” needs to reconsider how they rate basketball teams.  When a few upsets occur that is one thing, when the lower ranked teams routinely beat the higher ranked teams, it is probably an error in the rating of the the teams. 

Looking at a new “app” designed to replace a bunch of other apps.  It is supposed to help you keep appointments, maintain information etc.  I am always suspicious of new “apps”, but I thought I would try this one after reading about it in the Wall Street Journal.

I have become very resultant to even try many new “apps”, since so many do not live up to expectations or I simply don’t need them. 

I am still trying to figure out “Evernote” and how it will work in my daily life.  

Another day of the vegetarian life.  Not really tempted yesterday, actually haven’t been really tempted since I stopped eating meat.  Again, I don’t know when I will resume eating meat, but at least today I won’t eat any meat.  Maybe tomorrow or next week, but not today.  

That’s it for now,  Friday, March 23, 2018.