2020 Spring April 30 Thursday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

50 degrees this morning,  76% humidity

Yesterday was very windy a little cool.  Wind up to 25 mph, 20-25 mph wind most of the day up to evening.  

Decided to walk, even though it was about 65 degrees and windy at 25 mph,

Weights this morning, sit-ups, barbells, bench press.

Walk, 22:51 minutes, pace 1:29 seconds slower than my goal. The wind obviously slowed me down today, I’m a little surprised at my low pace, but I figure at least I am walking!

I do use a bandanna around my mouth (wrapped up so it looks like a virus mask, not like the hold-up men in Western)!  I haven’t coughed at all, which is amazing, as long as it keeps working, or whatever is working is working. 

Wind is part of this area, so I need to walk in the wind to walk!  Kind of like if I want to bicycle I need to do it in the wind.

 Another day of the “new normal”.  Each day is completely different yet somewhat the same if that makes sense. 

Tomorrow is supposed to be “Opening Day” for retail in a sense, although, as I have noted before, it won’t change much for us as long as the virus is still active.  

We’ll just wear a mask and use sanitizer a lot when we do go out, but right now we are just going to keep getting deliveries, no contact pick up and drive thru or pickup at the curb.  

They are being very careful at work.  I feel it will be reasonably safe before we are expected to go out in the field again.  

My “virus beard” is coming along, still premature to decide what it will look like.  I thought it was coming in slow, until I remembered that my beard used to be red, but it is probably now gray! I figure I can cut it anytime I want. 

The “great course” on “Confucius, Buddha, Jesus and Mohammad” is now shifting into the Buddha, but my mind is still on Confucius and his thoughts.  

As they say, when you don’t know anything about something, anything your learn is a lot!

One  theme of Confucius is that his philosophy is that humans are unfinished beings, whose life’s work is to bring themselves to completion, never perfect, but closer.  

Something almost all “self help” books emphasize is a major thought of Confucius, that “one is destined to fail before one succeeds”.  He emphasizes that failure is necessary for success, so to speak.  In fact Confucius felt that failure was essential to any success since failure increases strength by having the “gumption” to get on the straight path again.  “Practice makes Perfect”!

I like to repeat what I learn because that is one way I remember it. 

April 30, 2020 already.  It has definitely been  a unique year, so to speak.

That’s it for now, Thursday, April 30, 2020.

#Resist

2020 Spring April 29 Wednesday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

55 degrees this morning  58% humidity

Yesterday was one of those menacing days when all day it seems like it is about to storm.  Actually here, it never really stormed, although storms were all around us.  (We aren’t complaining.)  

Actually I checked the storm shelter and the door was somewhat broken, although I got in ok.  Fortunately we didn’t need it.  

They had a picture of the damage a single hailstone did (went right through a car window, which is kind of scary.)

Walk 22:44 minutes 34 seconds slower than my goal 

Cool down walk:  14:52 minutes

Among the stranger things that seem “normal” now is working completely out of my home office instead  of going out in the field 3 days per week.  I have a whole new routine I have gotten used to, just like I had a routine when I went into the field  Neither was necessarily bad or good, it just is.

Also, we have developed an entire new routine since the “shelter in place” started.  Frankly, we aren’t going to change too much soon  just because some of the businesses are open.  

I haven’t heard yet when I might start returning to “field work”, I don’t think it will be for at least several weeks to a month. Hopefully they have learned that it isn’t efficient to go “in the field” so much.  I never understand why we had a requirement to spend a certain amount  of time “in the field” when our workloads were all different.   

My “virus beard” is still looking rather shaggy, as probably is my hair, although I have a “home barber” who does a good job of cleaning up my neck etc.  

Listening to my ‘Great Course” during my walk, “Confucius, Buddha, Jesus and Mohammad”  I was concerned it would be boring, but It actually is extremely interesting.

I hadn’t really realized that Confucius did not really discuss a “spiritual world”, but emphasize living a better life or at least the best you could live.  Three is no indication he even believed (or didn’t believe) in a spiritual after life, but he emphasize living life to the best of your ability.  

When his students asked about gods and spirits, he would advise them they needed to discuss human beings before they could understand gods and spirits.  

 When the student asks about death, Confucius   would say “You do not understand even life. How can you understand death?” “ In other words, we must begin with the things nearest to hand before we approach the things farther away. The ultimate reality is manifested through ordinary things; the higher is revealed through the lower.”

I don’t try to understand the finer details, but I do enjoy just picking up the basic aspects of his life and teachings.  

One  of the enjoyments of walking is listening to thoughts and concepts I’m not familiar with.

That’s it for now, Wednesday, April 29, 2020.

#Resist

2020 Spring April 28 Tuesday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

68 degrees this morning, 72% humidity Wind 12 mph

Yesterday was extremely windy (23 mph), high of 82 degrees but still not really a good day due to the wind and air quality  

Weights this morning, sit ups, barbells and benchpress.  

No walk yesterday, just didn’t want to take a chance with the wind.  The air quality wasn’t really that bad, but I just figured why take a chance with everything else going on.

I have been wearing a face mask (actually made out of a bandanna), more to avoid allergens in the air as much as a virus.  So far it is working.

This state is supposed to “open up” in a lot of areas, especially on May 1.  I can’t imagine us doing much more than we’re doing now, until they have a better way of testing and more reason to feel it is actually safe to open up.

I hope it works, if we have to close down again, it will make it twice as bad.  I will be the first to say I am glad I was wrong.

I decided to start a  “virus beard," at least today.  Tomorrow or next week I might look at it and shave it.  The last time I had a beard was in 1987 and I shaved my mustache in about 1992. I haven’t even thought about growing one since.  I think I just want to see what I looks like.  

A beard looks so horrible the first few days, I can avoid that.  Of course, I have noticed a new beard looks horrible on Zoom , etc., so I really don’t know how long I will keep it.

My “book weeding” scheme is proceeding.  So far I have “weeded” two books.  Not a lot, but two more than when I first started!  

We recently got a “robot vacuum cleaner”.  I realize they have been around for a long time but it is still new to us.  I carefully read the instruction book and it was really neat the way it works, as long as it keeps on working!  It is actually rather fun to watch it run around.  

I got the highest rated robot vacuum cleaner on Consumer Reports, which oddly enough was one of the lower priced ones, which works for me!

It isn’t wifi or Echo controlled , etc., but it gets around.  It does recharge itself which is kind of neat to watch!

I read that “robot deliveries” will be a big thing, especially due to the virus and more demand for delivery.  

I have to admit, I really wonder how one of those little robots could make it with food or  product  without getting mugged, or a drone make it without getting shot down, but….  Maybe they will have a “host” vehicle that would carry a bunch of them close where a group would go the final few blocks.  Probably something I don’t understand about how the robot delivery will work!

Had some kind of problem with Zoom tonight, didn’t get to participate in the Toastmasters meeting.  Not sure what was wrong, just one of those things I assume.

That’s it for now, Tuesday, April 28, 2020.

#Resist

2020 Spring April 27 Monday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

5 degrees this morning  51% humidity, wind 17 mph 

Small chance of rain this morning

Yesterday was wonderful, started off coolish, reached high to 80 degrees with little wind.

Made a  “take more of  the  Christmas fudge run” to basically get out of the house, but still a chance to visit (at 6 feet or more) with different family members.  It was fun and a nice break.

We actually hadn’t been in the area I normal work when I “in the field’  since Friday, March 13.  Saturday was our last day at the gym (it closed Saturday night for whatever length it may take), Sunday was our last time to eat out inside a restaurant  (Sunday night all restaurants were closed except for take-out) and Monday morning I was advised to work only in the office.

Anyway, traffic was a lot lower and it was strange to see all the places (shopping areas, baseball field, etc) and realize that is where we normally be and now they are completely unused. 

I believe we will adjust to whatever “normal” is or will become. I just hope it doesn’t become a continuous hide and seek with the virus when “you’re it” is so serious.   

Walk today was nice, a time of day when it was a little cool, but I walked 23:35 minutes and my pace was 52 seconds slower than my goal.  So far I am happy with my pace, I’ll worry about speed in the future. 

My “cool down” walk was 15:08 minute

We did notice during our drive to the Lake Saturday that the city we live in is building a world class walking/bicycle trail to the Lake.  Probably it is something I will never ride or walk, but you never know. 

 It seems like I would be too long for me (it is probably 15 miles from our house to the lake), although I could set up a partial ride.

Continuing my listening  on my walk to the “Great Course” on  “Confucius, Bubba, Jesus and Mohammad”. 

The course is still on Confucius, although they compare and contrast, he mentions that Confucius is the only one of the four that concentrates on government and governing, many of his thoughts and teachings were on governing well.

One of his thoughts were that the governing officials should not be concerned with “money” , etc., but should only have the good of the people in mind.  

I think a lot of thinkers (I believe Plato , etc.) have stipulated that leaders in government should not be involved in business , etc., and only have the good of the people in mind.  

Basically they theorize that the government leader should make enough to be comfortable, but not so much or so little that they try to use the position to either gain money or power.  

Good idea, as proven by the present situation with someone who is only concerned about himself and what he gets out of everything.  His recent tweets show he has serious mental problems and is a unhinged danger to the nation and world. 

That’s it for now, Monday, April 27, 2020. 

#Resist

#Whacko_Trump

2020 Spring April 26 Sunday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

 49 degrees this morning 77% humidity

Excellent day again yesterday, a little cooler, but still an excellent day.  Sunny most of day, not real windy.  High of around 74 degrees.

Walk: 23:57 minutes, 39 seconds slower than goal.

Walk (cool down walk):  14:47  minutes 

Another weekend half over.  Good day yesterday, it just seems to go so fast. We are in   the area that has not “opened up” but supposedly it will start to “open up” May 1.  The Mayors are a little smarter and experienced (and probably poorer) than the governor. 

We’ll wait and see how to proceed, we have waited too long to get in a hurry and go out and get the virus through being stupid or reckless. 

Seemed to be more cars out today, of course it was a wonderful day.

We were surprised to be able to drive to Starbucks and drive through the drive-thru (only the drive thru’s are open) and waltz right through without any waiting!  Of course, when I’looked in back when I was picking up the order and there were four cars behind me!

Normally when we go through the Starbucks drive thru there are always about ten cars waiting.  

We decided to go to a nearby Lake we have never been too, keen though it is about 35 years old.  We got there, saw the “entrance fee” and the line of cars and decided to enjoy our back yard while we enjoyed our coffee!

One of the activities we enjoyed doing “back in the day”  before the virus was going to Starbucks, getting our coffee and then sitting in our “3rd Place” and reading or me watching my series or whatever I was watching at the time on lunch breaks.  It was fun,  and probably will be awhile before we can do it again.  

I’m gradually watching the new iPads, waiting to buy one.  Especially with the new keyboard and pencil, it could be very useful.

I have a hard time replacing something that works fine, and my almost 7 year old iPad works fine and does what I want it too, which is mainly watch my series and movies, and catch upon the news.  

I have  a problem replacing something that works just fine, at last until the new one has enough features to make it worth while.  

The new iPad has enough features to justify buying it now, although it will probably be awhile before I pull the trigger and buy one.

Of course, I am watching for a new pair of Airpods, but I’ve heard they are upgrading, so I am waiting.  My watch is just a “3," but I am happy with It.  One thing I really hate is getting caught in the “Apple upgrade trap” where you buy something and within a short time they significantly upgrade it for the same or lower price.

Actually, trying to avoid the “Apple upgrade trap” has probably saved me a lot of money as I avoid buying something to wait and see if it will be upgraded!  

That’s it for now, Sunday, April 26, 2020.

#Resist

2020 Spring April 25 Saturday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

51 degrees this morning, 83% humidity Wind 10 mph

Yesterday was another beautiful day, 78 or so degree for a  high, little wind.  It did start looking like rain in the morning but it cleared up.  

Walk:  22:35 minutes, pace was 53 seconds slower than my goal pace.  I’m not worried 

about how fast  I walk right now, although some days I push it, some days I “stroll”., so to speak 

Cool down walk was 14:23 minuets 

I was thinking, even if I walk ever day, I’m not even close to the exercise I was before the “Shelter in Place”, since I walked for work, shopping and even eating out took exercise.  

I’ll be able to tell how good the “Feetures” socks lifetime guarantee is.  I have worn them for exercise walking since I wore my first pair.  They are worth every penny.

A pair I bought last August got a hole in front so I’ll see how good the guarantee is.  Of course, by the time I go to the trouble and cost to use the guarantee, I may as well throw them away and buy a new pair!  So much for the true value of the “lifetime” warranty.

Kind of like the rubber combs with a “lifetime warranty” against breaking or I remember the shoe salesman who told my Mom the shoes had a “lifetime warranty” on the soles.  I thought it was a great deal until she pointed out the tops of the shoes would wear out long before the soles!

I think I bought my first Feetures sock about 4 years ago.  They all have lasted and perform well,, so I’m really not complaining.  It could be that during “normal” times I could have left the defective pair at the store.

I was lucky I had the sales ticket, I bought them at the same time I bought a pair of shoes, so I had the ticket, date etc.  

I’m not sure what it is about them, but they just feel much better to wear when I exercise walk.

.

I actually realized last night I haven’t driven a car since Sunday.  We went out to get a “curbside” meal and the lady who came out asked if we were on a “car date”!  In the parking lot several people had parked heir SUV’s back to back and having “dinner out”! 

It helps to be a little creative!

Probably the month of May will be harder than other months, without the normal rituals like graduation, and some of the events of early Summer. 

Saturday, start of a weekend.  I have always liked the weekends, but they are especially important now, with me doing the same thing throughout the week.  Not that I dislike my job, but I really do like the variety of going out in the field.

 And now the weekend is the variety.  

That’s it for now, Saturday, April 25, 2020.

#Resist

2020 Spring April 24 Friday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_19

#Spring_of_19

64 degrees this morning ,71% humidity,  wind  10 mph

Weather yesterday was wonderful, high in the low 80’s, no wind and, for the most part, sunny.  

Walk 22:42 minutes, pace was 14 seconds slower than my goal.   I’m getting closer all the time!

Cool-down walk was 14:42 minutes

Kind of a weird situation here, the state governor is inexperienced to say the least and started a state wide “opening” virus , actually today, Friday.  For whatever weird reason moved up from May 1, 6, or 15 depending on whom you talk too.  

For some strange reason, he included nail places, beauty and barber shops , etc.  

Anyway a lot of the more experienced Mayors aren’t “opening up” so there is a mishmash of plans and places open , etc.

Doesn’t matter to me, we aren’t going to go in any businesses for a while anyway.  We aren’t taking any chances, especially from a governor who kow tows and licks the boots of a lying coward lunatic and is ignoring his “experts” advice and continues his clownish, inept and incompetent behavior.  

Still don’t know how it is going to affect work.  The governors “opening up” didn’t affect employees yet. Rumor has it mid-May.  By then it should be relatively ok, or it will have restarted again due to the too early “opening” and we’ll be in for more “in house” quarantine.

If you really think about it, there isn’t much difference between today, April 24 and the original starting date of May 1, 6 or 15.  Seems rather strange they would push for just a week, especially since all the health experts say it is too early,  but what else do we expect  anymore?  

I have  never watched many series on tv.  Actually, the last one I watched was “Hill Street Blues” which goes back almost 35 years.  I really enjoyed the series, especially “Captain Furillo” and the way he handled the small and large events and concerns of the public and his Officers.  

I’m sure now it would appear dated I never watched any re-runs of it.

Anyway, during this “quarantine," I mentioned I was watching “Longmire” as my “lunch break” and “coffee shop break” series, a pattern I started about five years ago, when I started having to take lunch hours.

As I have mentioned, I started with Downton Abby, then the Sopranos, then Bosch, the Wire, then  the Blacklist and now Longmire.

What changed during the quarantine or whatever you call it, was I started watching “Chicago PD," and now I can understand how people get hooked on series , etc.   Since we are watching them on “Prime," so there are no commercials, which really help enjoy watching them. 

That’s it for now, Friday, April 24, 2020.

#Resis 

2020 Spring April 23 Thursday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

 55 degrees this morning, 94% humidity, wind 11  mph

Rain off and on all day yesterday, good thing was it was just rain, not the storms other areas were having.

No walk today, there was actually a short respite from the rain when I normally walk, but I decided not to push it, either the rain or the cold or the coughing.

Lots of times in the past, rainy days made me cough more.  

Our rather stupid Governor decided to “open up” the economy, starting with barbers, hair places and nail places THIS Friday.  Let me rephrase that, our obviously stupid governor.

The person who has been cutting my hair almost since we moved here (at least 5 1/2 years, I think I got my hair cut one place before I went to her) texted me and asked if I wanted to schedule a haircut this Friday.

I don’t blame her, I’m sure she’s getting bored, probably needs the money and she works by herself so she can keep the area safe.

I really just wasn’t psychologically ready to even consider it, so I told her I’ll see her (maybe) in a few weeks.

The scary thing is the “infection curve” is still going up and he actually opened up the most contact types of businesses, this Friday, barbers, hair stylists and nail places?  Give me  a break!  

Scary we have a governor with such little common sense and who doesn’t pay any attention to the facts, but, like I say, he ran for the job saying he didn’t have any qualifications for it, and he is proving he isn’t qualified every day!

This is the same governor who is taking $40 MILLION in emergency federal education funds and is going to use it for scholarships for private schools!  What a dunce!  Public schools are devastated by effects of the virus  and he is going to give rich kids scholarships to private school with the funds meant for low and moderate income public schools!

I have always thought they gave Governors way to much discretion in making decisions about federal funds (I have seen some really stupid and grossly political uses of millions of dollars in federal funds by governors in three states.)  

Anyway, I don’t really care how many places “open up," I’m going to keep  “sheltering in place” until I feel like it is safe. 

I may have a major decision if they try to send us “in the field” again too soon, but I don’t think they well, they are actually pretty good about providing  a safe  working environment.  

Hopefully the governor won’t make any rash decisions, but his actions and behavior don’t give me much hope  This is the governor who received nationwide jeers for his tweeting pictures of himself and his family in a crowded restaurant telling everyone to “come on out, the restaurant is crowded” literally the day before he declared an emergency setting all the restaurants down.

That’s it for now, Thursday, April 23, 2020.

#Resist

2020 Spring April 22 Wednesday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

61 degrees this morning, 88% humidity, wind 12 mph

Excellent day yesterday, high of 81 degrees, little or no wind, sunny.  My kind of day!  It also means Summer weather is coming!

Already, the days are getting longer, as they slowly work their way to the first day of Summer when it all goes south again and the days get shorter even in the height of Summer.

There were thunder storms and rain last night.  Although It didn't’ rain much here, there was wild weather in parts of the state with high winds, extremely heavy rain and up to baseball size hail.

It is supposed to rain much of today, although it is clear now.  

Walk, 23:27  minutes,  pace was 59 seconds slower than goal.

I was disappointed in learning that the Apple extended warranty doesn’t apply to “accessories”.  I had been advised otherwise by an Apple representative. 

I’ll just buy an “Amazon essential” mouse for $5.00 that  lasts forever before I pay $87 for a mouse that doesn’t last past 21/2 years of light use.

Actually we have the “trackpad” and we are used to using it and we like it as much as the mouse, so we don’t even need the mouse with the iMac

I have  been using  an “Amazon essentials” keyboard and mouse  (meaning cheap and wired) for my work computer.  They are very nice and I think both were like $12, I may be a little wrong on that, but it is close.  

They are wired, which is all I can use with the work computer anyway.  We can’t use any wireless accessories , etc., for security reasons. Probably overkill, but I can’t blame them, 

 In a  way, life right now (while everything is shut down) seems like it is on “hold," even though time is moving on, even without the normal activities.  

It seems to be like we are “waiting," except we don’t know when or for what.  Not unpleasant, just again a feeling of “waiting”. 

We don’t really think about it, but we are only one mistake away from possibly being infected with a very painful and likely (for us) fatal consequences.  

All we can do is do our best to avoid it and not worry about it, but be aware. Not much else we can do. 

That’s it for now, Wednesday, April 22, 2020.

#Resist