2019 Summer June 30 Sunday

#Purple_Days_and_Goldlen_Nights

#My_Journey_19

#Summer_of_19

77 degrees this morning, 82% humidity

Beautiful Day yesterday, hot, (mid-nineties), few clouds.  Today has a “0” % change of rain!  Of course that is only as good as of this moment, subject to change!  

Reunion is unfolding fast, as normal.  It all goes so fast, I just go with the flow, reunion will be over today. It is all a time to catch up on what is happening in our lives. 

Even with Facebook, mobile phones, e-mail and texting, it is nice to just have some unplanned, spontaneous personal visiting!  

I was thinking this morning on how this daily journal can be a challenge as well as an opportunity.  It is an opportunity to literally comment on any thought I want (and i do!), but it also could be a challenge if I worried about having to write a daily journal!

Fortunately I almost never consider it a challenge.  I think of it as  a blank place of “paper” (once actually paper, now virtual) that is available for me, here today for me to use, and there won’t be a second chance to comment on my thoughts on this specific day again!  Tomorrow, I will be commending about another day!

Some early arrivers of us went to the area where we grew up and stopped by Soldier, Kansas to visit our family grave sites at the Soldier Cemetery   We are alway impressed at how the city keeps up the city and cemetery with such few people.  

The cemetery is always in excellent condition (and i personally know how much work it is to maintain a cemetery) andthey also maintain an excellent park and community center (again, i am well aware of how much word is involved in this!).  An amazing community.  

Also briefly visited Holton, the place we went “to town” for shopping on weekends and swimming in the summer.  

I did miss driving by my beloved Holton City Library where I learned to love books and reading.  (The Russell, Kansas Library later played the same role in my life during High School years). 

The Russell Library was actually built as a result of a gift from someone, I will always thank them for that.  

I realized if I wanted to thank someone, I needed to know their name. However, I checked on Google, and oddly enough did not find the person’s name who donated the money for the current Russell Library (unless my memory is not correct and it was build by the City/County). 

I did learn it was built in 1962, so my memory is correct that it  was brand new at the time I first started using it. I probably started using the Russell Library in 1960, but I don’t recall the old library.  A few years ago, I drove by the Russell Library and it has aged well, still a very functional and architecturally nice library.  

I looked the Holton Library up and found it is the same wonder building I remember when I was a child.  The Holton Library was established in 1897, although  I couldn’t find when the current building was built it had to be before 1952 or so!  It is a wonderful building that established in my mind what a library is!

I hope the residents who fund, operation, contribute and operate the libraries realize how important they are in people’s lives!  

Last day of June 30, 2019.  Tomorrow the second half of 2019 begins. 

That’s it for now, Sunday, June 30, 2019.

#Resist

2019 Summer June 29 Saturday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_19

#Summer_of_19

80 degrees this morning, 79% humidity. 

Excellent day yesterday, sunny, little wind.  

Another trip through the Flint Hills at 75 miles per hour.  I always seem to see something new as we travel through it.

Besides the normal changes in the colors etc of the Flint Hills, I also noted several small windmills that I believe certainly meet the definition of a “small wind generator”, since most of these pump only for a specific well etc!

Another was that cows gathered together tightly in some areas and scattered in other areas. I learned that control of flies was the reason. 

The national embarrassment lying coward lunatic is wasting taxpayer money on luxury travel where he embraces insane butcher dictators and insults our friends.  What a joke, what an embarrassment to the United States.

I just read where he has “taken over” the Washington DC independence celebration and is wasting taxpayers on trying to get re-elected by using taxpayer money to pay for a re-election speech and a bunch of parade hype like the murdering dictators he sucks up to do.  Sick, a real criminal, the congressional cowards need to step in and stop this illegal behavior.  

The thought of this thief and lying coward wasting taxpayer funds for this debacle makes me sick. It is obviously illegal and another sign of his insanity and attempts to profit off of the presidency.  

Congress needs to step in and stop this criminal from wasting money and running around calling himself “tariff man” like some comic book villain and destroying our economy with his ignorant delusional actions  (Or at least make sure he can’t impose tariffs without congressional approval.)

The Courter Reunion is here, a chance to visit with persons I have literally known my entire life etc.  

Going through Wichita this morning, I suddenly realized how “old” persons I knew at Wichita State University would be!  (as I am!)  A lot of time and yet so little time!

Just read where “artificial intelligence” machines that measure your “productivity” at work are being developed. It measures a large number of factors and attempts to arrive an an “objective” measure of how productive you are.

Of course the developer says it would be used only by employees to measure how they are doing. (ha ha)

I can only assume it would quickly be used by employers to decide who is “productive” (whatever that may mean for a lot of jobs that can’t be measured) etc. and which employee will keep their jobs, get raises etc.  

That would be used until something else is developed that demonstrates the problem with the first one, with no way to correct the damage to employees careers from incorrect technology! 

That’s it fo now, Saturday, June 29, 2019. 

#Resist

2019 Summer June 28 Friday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_19

#Summer_of_19

78  degrees this morning, 78% humidity

Another wonderful day yesterday, sunny, some clouds. 

Courtyard Marriott Old Town in Wichita Kansas is a major disappointment.  While I realize Marriotts always have small rooms, they are normally reasonably nice.  

The good things are the bed and pillows are excellent.  The room is totally dysfunctional with the tv blocking access to the desk (or vice versa) and generally looks like the designer didn’t really care, just tried to stuff everything in.

The AC is horrible, so noisy it even bothers me, a person who can sleep anywhere!  

I can’t even remember the last time I didn’t have a free breakfast at a hotel!  Not that I would want to eat here anyway.

I have learned from experience to not stay at hotels renovated from old stores etc near an “entertainment” or “historic” district and should have known better.

Thank goodness I am staying free (on a “free room” certificate I get from their loyalty program.  !t isn’t worth even that. I feel sorry for anyone who gets stuck here for more than one night, I”m sure it is touted as a “convention” hotel.

I’ll reserve comment on “Old Town”, but I was not impressed by what I saw last night!  

A rather strange experience yesterday.  I wanted to get gas and noticed the “Walmart Neighborhood had gas for almost 14 cents less per gallon than the 7-11 across the street.  

While I usually get gas at 7-11, even the small amount of savings seems to make it worthwhile to get gas at Walmart.  The first pump with the “regular with 10% ethanol pump was “out of service”.  The next pump didn’t have a pump for “regular with 10% ethanol”.  After that, I went to 7-11, it is easy to advertise gas at a low price if you don’t have any to sell!

Hopefully I won’t fall for that one again!  Actually, I like Walmart and really feel it wasn’t deliberate!  However, I will continue to get my gas at 7-11 and not even bother to check Walmart!

Saw the fields of “wind generation turbines” again.  In a way, they have their own art, but it still seems like they could have a more advanced wind generation system.  Of course, I think they should be more concentrated to serve smaller areas and not be so disruptive to the environment.  (It seems they could be much smaller.)

I realize it is easy to criticize and hard to “do” things.  I wouldn’t want to operate a hotel, but the Marriott Corporation should do a better job than this!  I think iI have come to trust the name, so it is a real disappointment to stay in such a  dysfunctional, noisy room that really isn’t worth the money, whatever the cost.  

I expected “Old Town” to be hokey etc., but I don’t really know if it is or not, so maybe I will be pleasantly surprised.  At least I won’t be disappointed, whatever it is.  

That’s it for now, Friday, June 28, 2019.

#Resist

2019 Summer June 27 Thursday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_19

#Summer_of_19

75 degrees this morning, 85% humidity 

Beautiful day yesterday, high in 90’s, sunny.  

Walk yesterday 27:56 minutes, pace was 6 seconds slower than my goal.  

Actually walked 14,185 steps yesterday or 6.24 miles (including my morning walk).  Probably not a record, but it caught my attention.  

Sitting out on the patio this morning writing this, a little later than usual, I changed my schedule a little since I have some routine medical appointments today.  Listening to the birds sign and a light breeze blowing through the trees.  The birds are really chipper this morning!  

I assume what I write in this journal is different depending on what time of the day I write it.  Since it is more of a “flow” rather than planned, what I say can be influenced by anything. 

Sometimes it seems to develop a life of its own in some ways as the words pop up on my screen.  

I really noticed a major difference in writing between the old typewriters (or handwritten) and computers.  Somehow seeing the words pop up on the screen as you write them seems to connect your mind to your words in an instantaneous manner.

Also, spell check, being able to easily correct mistakes, make changes, “cut and paste” etc. seems like a miracle when you think of it.  Of course, like water, air and electricity, I don’t think about the wonder of it, unless I am missing it!

I think anything that can expedite communication is important and beneficial.  I think that is one reason that cell phones, especially smart phones became so vital to our lives.  

I think I realized the impact of cell phones once when a visitors daughter was able to call her friend just by dialing the phone.  Instantaneous communication!  It definitely changed our world! 

What once was a favorite weekend breakfast restaurant recently closed.  We went there on weekends at least several times per month, it had good food, good service and was just a nice experience.  Also, they had “true” gluten free food, and many people with allergy to gluten went there as it was one of the few “true” gluten free restaurants (with a separate grill).

Somehow, things started to change for the worse and for a variety of reasons, we stopped going there.  

I always thought of restaurants as having a life of their own, and it is sad when they close and suddenly all of the experiences are in the past.  I expect bars and gyms etc. are the same way.  On the other hand, for whatever reason, this restaurant had changed and become a new place that apparently most people had decided didn’t meet their needs anymore.  

We had decided about 3 weeks ago not to eat their again, and I read yesterday of it’s closing.

That’s it for now, Thursday, June 27, 2019.

#Resist

2019 Summer June 26 Wednesday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_19

#Summer_of_19

78 degrees this morning 78% humidity 

Wonderful day yesterday, Sunny and warm.  

My “work” iPhone is obviously trying to tell me something!  Yesterday, it suddenly showed “1%” battery and shutdown.  When I started it again, it showed 62% battery.  I checked the “battery strength” and it showed 86% rechargeable (or something like that) that is supposed to indicate the battery is still good.  

I have never really liked the “6” iPhones (of course I have a “6” and a “6 plus” for work.  Both of them are approaching 5 years old.  I am trying now to hang out for the new iPhones this Fall, at least for my personal phone.  I was kind of hoping my “work” iPhone would last several more years until I retired (or at least paid off my personal new iPhone!)

I’ll call Apple and see what the problem is, I just need to take the time to do it.  

I am getting close to pulling the  trigger on buying another MacBook Air, waiting until after the 4th. 

Sometimes, technology can get almost too good.  The “Nest” thermostats are wonderful, but the “Eco” stage will occasionally kick in when we are just quiet for awhile, strangely enough.  It is supposed to be connected to Aliene’s phone, so if her phone is here, the Eco stage will not kick in. 

Another “round tu it”!, I need to check our settings on this.  

We have gotten involved with using the Amazon Echo’s.  I’m sure we are using about 10% of their capacity, but we still use them quite a but.  We are waiting for the “car Echo” to become available, I think it will really increase our usage and convenience.  

Recently I got another text from what I consider the unethical trump news network, another “survey” questions that obviously was a fund raiser for the delusional lying coward lunatic  (or for the so called “journalists” at the network).  

It included a lot of lies and actually included a phone number (201-510-9527).  

I advised them what I thought!  I am surprised I still get text’s from them, they probably don’t really read any replies, they just are trying to get some money.

One recent  text I received, it appears the the low life “Hannity” was promoting a fraud “gold investment” that was so fraudulent, I’m not sure how anyone took the bait.  The actual wording is:

“REPUBLICANS!  (all caps were in the text message) The Hannity Show covered a segment on Gold investing.  Interested in Gold investments?  Call 231-224i-6630 & quality for a $899 BONUS!.  Txt Top 2 Stop.”  

All of the “caps” including capitalizing “gold” and fraudulent language are actually in the text.

As proven by the lying coward lunatic, “There is a sucker born every minute”!  Is still a valid quote!

That’s it for now, Wednesday, June 26, 2019.

#Resist 

2019 Summer June 25 Tuesday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_19

#Summer_of_19

70 degrees this morning, 94% humidity 

Beautiful day yesterday, sunny most of day

Exercise yesterday, 27:53 minute walk, pace of 15:48 minutes or  12 seconds better than my goal!   

Temperature started off at 63 degrees, a little cool for my walk, (at least at this time of year!, but I dressed for it.  

This is the time of year I like to consciously enjoy the long days of light, since the daylight seems to shorten all too fast!  

Due to the continuing delivery problems with the local (metropolitan) newspaper, I have graduated more and more to reading the paper “on-line”.  I am at the point I should cancel the print subscription, but I refuse to do so, since it seems they are trying to force me to go “on-line” with their extremely poor delivery.  

If I decide to cancel the print subscription since I am tired of it getting here at 8:30 or as late as 9:30 a.m. (or never), I will just cancel the entire subscription rather than feel like I was manipulated into buying only the on-line version.  

Actually the Wall Street Journal isn’t a good on-line newspaper, although it has an excellent iPad version.  The local metropolitan newspaper has  “print replica” that is fairly easy to read on-line and I can easily ignore the junk news (entertainment, sports etc.) so I read it much faster.  

Generally, I have found I read an on-line newspaper a lot less than I do a physical newspaper.  

While in theory I read on-line magazines rather than physical magazines, I rarely read an on-line magazine (or any magazine) anymore other than for specific reasons or specific information.  I don’t “browse’ on-line magazines.  

Probably this is a function of spending more time on other activities as much as reading magazines or newspapers on-line, just like I am reading fewer books.  

As I have mentioned before, I really don’t like videos (such as short news/entertainment videos.  I think  they take  too much time and I almost never watch a video.  I guess if you watch a video you are either by yourself or using headphones!

I really don’t understand the popularity of videos, but I guess a lot of people do. I can’t stand to sit through them, they take way too much time and usually have  little information.

I should like instructional videos, but I don’t.  I’d much rather have a “step by step” printed instructional manual. 

That’s it for now, Tuesday, June 25, 2019.

#Resist

2019 Summer June 24 Monday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_19

#Summer_of_19

63 degrees this morning, 93% humidity.  

63 degrees this morning, makes me wonder when Summer is finally going to start this year!  While there have been some hot days, it seems the mode is rain and cool weather! 

Yesterday was cloudy and seemed like rain all day.  There was a storm in the morning (after my walkI), but the rest of the day was just cloudy.  A storm did go through in the afternoon, but it was all to the South.

Exercise yesterday:

Walk 28:08 minutes

Bike (outside):  25:25 minutes 

Didn’t swim since thunderstorms during the time I normally swim and the swimming pool closes during thunderstorms I lightning is close.

Pace was 17 seconds slower than my goal.

Monday is here, weekend went too fast!  

I need to look up when to use “to” and when to use “too”.  I know “too” is used when “also” is meant, but it seems to be more complicated that that!

Went to an AAA ball game last night.  As I mentioned the game scheduled  are erratic, since they have a long “home stand” and then they have a long “road trip”.  This was our 3rd game in a row, with a game on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  

Due the type of ticket we have, it also is our Supper, so even if the our team loses, we have also gotten Supper!  Fortunately the food is prepared very well and quality food is used.  Unfortunately the team is having a horrible year.

I read the other day about early attempts to make commercial buildings and houses “energy self sufficient” with wind towers , etc. 

I really think the “wind power” should be aimed at small turbines providing electrify to individual buildings or communities.  The huge fields of wind turbines which are profitable in only with huge tax incentives is hardly a good alternative.  (The tax incentives in this state cost a lot more than expected  and of course were the result of huge “donations” to politicians, not any rationale reason.)

I realize there is a strong temptation to build huge field so turbines and “transport” the electricity, but it seems more reasonable to have small local turbines.  Areas without sufficient wind have other electric sources, like solar, water turbines etc.  

Also, since natural gas is so abundant it is literally burned off and is a clean fuel, I don’t quite understand why natural gas isn’t emphasized more in electric generation.  

A lot of strong dreams yesterday morning, unfortunately I didn’t remember them long enough to write down.

That’s it for now, Monday, June 24, 2019.

#Resist

2019 Summer June 23 Sunday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_nights

#My_Journey_19

#Summer_of19

78 degrees this morning, 87% humidity 

Generally excellent weather yesterday, somewhat cloudy much of the day, but no rain.  

Exercise yesterday:

-Walk:  27:51, 16:19 pace, 1.7 miles, 100 bpm

-Swim:  17:35 minutes

When I have time, I sit in the whirlpool after I swim.  It is always a nice little respite.  The fitness center also has a sauna and steam room, which I haven’t used much yet. But I will!

I usually try not to randomly kill bugs or insects (unless they are in my space In the house).  

I read an article about how bugs and  insects are essential to human survival, but  human survival isn’t essential to bugs and insects survival! 

I know “bugs” are essential to the “cleaning” of wastewater, if you lose your bugs in a sewer plant, you have to get some more to make sure the cleaning process continues to work!

The article mentions that in Australia, they imported some cattle that had especially  hard cow turds (for lack of a better descriptive name).  The turds had a crust that was especially hard and  the existing “bugs” couldn’t process them!

The country was overrun by cow turds until they imported some Beatles that could process the crust of the cow turds!  

I think it makes you realize again the importance of all life.  You might not want to live as an insect, but, as they say, “someone needs to do it” and I’m glad that task is assigned to bugs and insects!  

It is part of the great cycle, many birds, fish etc. depend on bugs and insects for food, the bugs and insects do a major process in keeping our environment clean.  

The article (this was in the Wall Street Journal, hardly a bastion of “environmentalists” emphasizes the need to avoid killing off the insects and bugs, which could create major problems if the kill off continues.  

The article mentions that human beings have increased by about 50% (I’m not sure of the actual number), while the population of bugs and insects have decreased by 50%, a matter of concern. 

With all of the severe weather, I have been thinking about survival without electricity.  Not any fun, but if it has to be done, you don’t have any choice.

I read about how “air conditioning” has been used since the early days, including such actions as using wet reeds and wind to cool, even using fans with “hand cranks” that had the big disadvantage of having to have someone turn the crank all the time!

The “modern” air-conditioning was invented by Willis Carrier in 1908, although it didn’t become really popular until after WWII.  

Even now, when I wonder how people got by without air conditioning, I realize that most of my life was lived without air conditioning.  I still can remember the signs “come in it’s Kool inside”, advertising “Kool” cigarettes.  Without any air conditioning in the house or car,  the chance to cool off in  a store was nice!

That’s it for now, Sunday, June 23, 2019.

#Resist