Summer 2014 July 26 Saturday (Friends)

68 degrees this morning.

Looking forward to visiting with friends this weekend.  We have been looking forward to it since we knew we would be in the area.  We can (somewhatI) replace houses, cities, cars etc., but friends are unique, and we really value and hope we can maintain meeting with our Lakeland friends on a regular basis over the future. 

We lived on a farm when I was growing up, so the number of people were limited, especially children our age.   Our closes friends were about 3/4 mile away (they were mostly friends of my older brothers and sisters due to age differences) and we would walk over and give the Tarzan yell to see if they could play.

My best friend lived about 2 miles away and we would walk (I don’t recall ever being driven) over to see each other.  

We went to a one-room school (I still remember the teachers name, Ms. Porterfield,) and I went there for 4 grades before Kansas consolidated all the one-room schools.  

Decision points on our lives are coming up.  Either I will start working another job or I am starting my consulting business and “jumping in with all four feet” as I like to say.  Maybe some of each if things work out, which is what I actually prefer.  

Wherever the Wheel of Fortune may land. And I need to be ready to recognize it when the Wheel of Fortune points to me.

I think my reason for wanting to continue working is my basic desire to make changes for the better, even if it is small changes.  One of the most rewarding things about City Manager is the ability (well, power or authority)  to resolve problems, especially those little, irritating problems that impact on your life (or the big ones for that matter).  If nothing else, I can listen and explain why a problem can’t be resolved.

I really enjoy that aspect of City Manager, especially since I love feeling that I am an important part of the team  that makes life better for city residents.

That is a major reason it makes me so angry when I see an arrogant spoiled brat who thinks he knows everything destroy a city.  (As an example in Lakeland, the spoiled brat politician was going to “fix” the trash system.  He ended up with a much worse program that charges the same rates, doesn’t recycle yard waste any more, doesn’t pick up near as much (before they picked up everything in bags, now just two containers.) However, enough of that, Lakeland residents are going to have to resolve that problem. That isn’t my problem anymore, but it is a good reason for me to keep working and hope I can prevent such stupid arrogant actions in other communities.  

Back to my time on the farm, I can remember playing “City Manager” when I was child.  I had an entire “city”set up (with sticks, stones and leaves and other items representing vehicles, airplanes, buildings etc), I didn’t have actual vehicles etc. They didn’t make Hot Wheels back then and we just didn’t have toys like that.  Perhaps that is the reason (at least I feel) I am especially creative, so it may have been a gift that I had to use my imagination.

Moving has been somewhat of a trip down memory lane as I am forced to look at books, etc. that I purchased because I had read them as a child.  I can’t bring myself to throw away the literature books (my brothers and sisters) I read as a child (I purchased them at a library book sale years ago), or many of the early books I liked.  Also, I don’t even think about giving away my Hot Wheels collection, although I would like to donate them to children who will enjoy them when I no longer appreciate them for whatever reason.  

The next week week may have a lot of decisions points.  We will see.  We are looking forward to visiting with our friends this weekend.  If I”m having “too much fun” the journal entires may be somewhat erratic for the next several days, although I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t be able to jot a few thoughts.  

That’s it for today, Saturday, July 26, 2014.  

Winter 2014 March 8 Saturday

37 degrees this morning.  Miserable day yesterday, hopefully will be better today.  Good to be home, although we did have a very enjoyable conference and visit with friends.  Daylight Savings Time usually means Spring is coming, but this is one of those Winters when you wonder if it will be one of those Summers that never really arrive.  On the other hand, this Winter could mean a very hot Summer.  I am ready to see my first crocus, which to me is a sign of Spring.

Indulged in some over-eating, will get back in the groove.  Eating right while traveling is so difficult, at least for me.  Perhaps a matter of allowing an excuse for not eating right!  I have also been drinking Gatorade (which seems to be almost pure sugar) hopping to forestall a cold, although it could just be allergies or a reaction to traveling to a different climate.  I hate getting a cold and realizing I have 7 days (or more) of misery.

Aliene and her friend have been friends for over 40 years.  Started in Oklahoma City and continued though the life changes, moves to different states and other major life changes.  They don't get to visit personally a lot, so it is important when they do get a chance.

I have always known about the "familiarly trap", where you don't go see so meeting because you live so close that you can always visit when you "get a round tuit".  The Memphis area has a number of sites we see only when we have friends or family visit, and fortunately, we have seen most of this places in Memphis we would want to see (that we know of anyway!), although we probably need to do more "day trips".  For example, I never tire of the Mississippi.  It rouses my interest and actual excitement whenever I look at it.  It is truly the "nightly Mississippi".  I could actually enjoy living by the Mississippi and just sitting outside and watching it go by.  While we have lived in Lakeland, we have seen the Mississippi at way below average and in flood stage, and it is always interesting.  I can only imagine going down the Mississippi in a raft.  I will probably do the second best thing and bicycle down along the Mississippi.  

Two things we haven't done, which we will do this Spring, is visit Shiloh and Oxford, Mississippi.  I can't believe I have lived within an hours drive (more of less) of both and never gone.  Something I will definitely take care of this Spring.   I don't believe in "bucket lists", but if I did, those two items would definitely be on it.  I'm sure there are other sites or places we would enjoy, maybe we will do some exploring.  One of the more unusual places in Memphis (to me anyway) is the "Metal Museum" which includes actual artisans who create metal art.

Just checked my spam folder on my gmail account, over 1,000 e-mails!  Once I found one that shouldn't have been on there, had to scan them one by one before I deleted them.  I check this morning and there were 68 more!  I really hate the way Gmail is set up, to separate what Google feels is "social media" and "promotional e-mails".  Google isn't any better than Amazon at determining what I want to see or read.  I wish they would just stop trying, it is really irritating. 

Good to be home for awhile.