Summer, 2013: June 17, 2013

Yes, I know it isn't technically "summer" yet, but I celebrate it anyway.  I figure summer is here when I can sit out on my patio in the morning, and spend the weekend in shorts, t-shirts or polos and scandals (depending on what I am doing).  

I recently discovered "Next Issue" which is an "app" that includes a wide range of magazines for "one low monthly fee" ($9.99 for basic, $14.99 for "premium").  I am trying it for one month free.  Probably won't have time to really use it.

May be rain today.

Summer 2013 June 16

My oldest brother's birthday (Vincent) is today.

Enjoying another morning of sitting on the patio, finishing reading the paper etc.

I think about my journals sometimes.  The written ones are packed in a box somewhere and the computer entries are somewhere in cyberspace.  Probably never to be seen again.

With some reluctance, I have gotten used to reading e-books on my iPad.  I use my original iPad one and have a Nook and Kindle apps.

I also have gotten used to listening to audio books while we drive and on my morning walks.  Still have bouts of inattention, but overall enjoyable and another way to actually multitask and "read" the many books on my list to read.  The books certainly make the time go faster when we are traveling.   I keep a list of books I want to read on "Evernote" and the list just keeps growing, with my pathetic attempts to whittle it down by reading the books on it!  Just too much to do!

Still trending up to the "longest day of the year"!

Summer, 2013: June 15

A weekend, thank goodness.  First day of sitting out on my back area enjoying coffee and working etc. I'll try to get a picture of the back yard on there.  (I do post in on my Tumblr and twitter pages.)

This is the summer I will actually turn 66, an age I couldn't imagine not too many years ago.

Enjoying the weather and thinking about how to celebrate the "longest day of the year" (not really, because the longest day of the year also means the descent into winter! Or something like that.

Didn't get my Wall Street Journal for some reason this morning.  I miss it when it doesn't come.  It is a real blessing to be able to the the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times delivered to my door!  (I only get the Times on Friday, Saturday and Sunday since I literally don't have time to read it during the week.).

My typical morning is to get up about 3 a.m., usually piddle for about 10 minutes, walking for 30 minutes, than bicycle to the gym, where I am on the stationary bike (really the newspapers!) for about 34 minutes, bicycle back, shower, take a 27 minute nap (why 27 minutes?  I don't know either!).  Then I work for about an hour and a half (reading, sending e-mails, updating things, writing memos I don't get time to do during the day etc.), than eat my breakfast of Oatmeal, blueberries, and (lately) and apple with peanut butter and then head to work!

Somehow it all works out and I love my routine.  I also drink about 8 cups of coffee (as measured by Starbucks, which is about 3 real cups of coffee!)

Summer 2013 The Beginning and the End

June 13, 2013:

This is the time of year that I love, the days are getting longer, hot weather is coming and on weekends and evenings I can enjoy the weather (barring rain or storms).

It is somewhat bittersweet each year to realize that at the height of Summer (June 21), the days start getting shorter and it is a sure thing that Winter is coming again!  However I enjoy the summer while it is here.

We just got back from CMA Fest in Nashville last weekend.  It is always fun and relatively inexpensive. We get to see the "legends" as well as newcomers and the established stars (such as Taylor Swift, Brad Palsy, Derick Bentley, Carrie Underwood, Zac Brown Band, Little Big Town, Kenny Rogers etc.   

I always realize how courteous and friendly Memphis is when I go out of town.

We have been really busy, which is nice in a way, but it is difficult to keep up with everything.  I still get up around 3 a.m. and walk and ride my bike etc.

I started a "written" journal in 1988 and now don't have a written journal with all of the electronic alternatives.  I miss writing on paper, but not so much that I insist on writing in a paper journal!

Newspaper again

The Commercial Appeal was delivered too late to read this morning.  If the delivery schedule has changed to make my delivery late again, I am going to cancel the subscription and get my news elsewhere.

Light bulbs

Light bulbs must communicate.  After not having a light bulb go out for months, we had five light bulbs  go out over the weekend!

Newspaper

Recently, I was asked to write what I did each day in six words.  I assume I was supposed to write some pearls of wisdom on may job.  However what I wrote was:

Exercise, Newspaper, Coffee, Listen, Resolve Conflicts

That actually does describe my day.  My morning exercise routine is extremely important to me.  Almost as important is my daily newspapers (I actually get two Monday through Thursday, three on Friday and Saturday and two Sunday newspapers, not counting subscriptions).  Coffee is also a big part of my early day.

Listening is probably one of the biggest parts of my job and is the essential part of it.  Really listening, not just hearing.

As some know, my routine was disrupted when my newspapers started arriving at 5:00 a.m. or so instead of 3:30 a.m. or so.

I normally get up about 3:00 a.m. or so (no clock, I just wake up).  I walk several miles and then bike to the gym where I ready my daily newspapers while I ride the stationary bike.

The late delivery of my newspapers severely disrupted by schedule since I need about an hour to answer e-mails and prepare my day before I go to work, plus I absolutely have to have my 27 minute nap before I go to work!  Not getting the newspapers by 3:30 a.m. means I had to go to the gym and THEN read the newspapers after I got back from the gym, which didn't leave me time for the hour to prepare for my day at work.

Due to a wonderful person at the Commerical Appeal and my news carrier, he changed his delivery times and I now get my newspaper at 3:30 a.m  again.  It is hard to believe a small thing means so much, but I feel so much better now!

Nashville

I recently spent some time in Nashville.

Taking a walk downtown looking for a place to eat.  Inspired by fiddle music, I entered the "Broadway on Second Street".  They had food, so I ordered and listened to "Katie and Mark" play County Western music, at times with the fiddle playing.

Fiddle/violin music for some reason has always had a special attraction for me.  My Mom told me that even when I was a child, I'd stop what I was doing and listen when I heard the violin or fiddle.

I remember attending a small festival in some small city in Kansas years ago (I forgot the name of it) and I watched a fiddle player and I literally got lost in the music.  He noticed my attention and it was like we developed a special bond as he suddenly broke into one of the my favorites, "Orange Blossom Special"  Chills went down my back as I felt myself riding on the music and the fiddler played directly to my attention.

Some time later, I say Jana Jay play fiddle at a Cowboy Hall of Fame festival.  Again, the music moved me to the point that I started taking violin lessons.  I bought many of her albums and to this day I listen, to her music and chills go down my back.

I practiced violin about 10 years (note, I never said I played it!), I finally quit due to some skin problem on my hand and time limitations.

Walking down Nashville streets have a special attraction for me as I hear the fiddle music and want to go in to listen.  I listened to "Katie and Mark" for about an hour as I slowing finished my food.  I found the servers at "Broadway on Second Street" especially attentive and nice.

I feel a little frustrated as I walk down the streets of Nashville, hearing the fiddle music.  While I want to hear the fiddle music, since I don't drink alcoholic beverages for carbonated beverages, and I can only eat so much, my options are limited for listening.  I found very few places offer anything else (such as coffee or bottled water), so I am limited.  Maybe I can ask for a glass of water and give a big tip to listen!

The End of a Tradition?

Ever since I was in the 7th Grade, the daily newspaper has been my special time of day, that time of day I treasured.  When I was in the 7th Grade,  I used to grab the newspaper and read the comics.  My Dad told me if I just read the comics, he would stop taking it.  So....I faked reading the paper from cover to cover, and then started REALLY reading it from cover to cover and have ever since.

Currently, I take the Commercial Appeal (Memphis newspaper, overall a good newspaper), the Wall Street Journal and the Friday/Saturday/Sunday editions of the New York Times (I still don't know how they get it out here for early morning delivery, but I love it).

My paper used to be delivered about 3:15 p.m.  I get up and walk about 3:00 a.m., do some weights and then bike over to the gym.  For years, I get the newspaper, cycle over the the gym, where I read the newspapers while I rode the stationary bike.  

About a month ago, the papers (all delivered by the same person) started coming at 5:30 a.m., 6:30 a.m. etc., any time, but always too late for me to the gym with me.  

This throws me off, where I used to have time to read the newspapers while on the stationary bike, now I have to read the newspapers when I get back so I no longer have time to read and enjoy them.  

After complaining to the Commercial Appeal about late delivery, it is obvious they aren't going to do anything, so I will just cancel it, thus ending approximately 52 years of daily newspaper reading. 

I have no intention of paying for a digital newspaper or reading it on the iPad or computer.  I may as well watch it on tv if I'm doing that.

I'll miss my daily newspaper, but it will free up more time for me to do other things I enjoy doing.

Winter continues!

Saturday, February 2, 2013:  The winter continues and I am READY for it to be spring!  It already seems like a long winter and it is just February 2!   Of course, the winter hasn't been that bad and I think it is so colorful here in Spring, Summer and Fall, it is hard to  get used to the drabness of winter.

I got a "cold" in early January and then Aliene got one.  It lasted about 2  1/2 weeks overall, only bad a day or two but it just kept me feeling under the weather the whole time.

Aliene had her thumb operated on Wednesday, January 30, 2013, so she will have her arm in a cast and not be able to drive for at east 6 weeks.  At least she has had the operation and won't have to go through that again.  She feels ok overall, but still has some pain where they operated and she is getting used to using her right hand a lot.  It is awkward for balance etc.

I have been busy at work with numerous projects etc.  It definitely makes the time go fast as I wait for Spring to spring.  Many of the projects are almost unique, so they are enjoyable to work with.

January 5/14, 2013

2013 is here.  It is strange that the New Year seems like it happened a long time ago.  It is frustrating to have so much I want to do and not have the time to do it.

It was nice to have the break, although I got a "cold" New Year Eve and am JUST (1-14-13) in the process of getting over it.  It has been a long process.  I actually didn't feel the full effects until Sunday, January 6 and I actually missed work Monday, Jan 7, I felt so bad.  (First day I'm lost at work from being sick for six years!)

Aliene also has the same thing, although she also has a cough, which makes it really bad.

The days are already getting "longer" (well, more daylight), which makes me feel good.  Only about 60 days before the first signs of Spring!

What is really so bad about my cold is I haven't been able even to walk, much less ride my bike or exercise.  I tried a short early morning walk one day and got worse, although I don't know if the walk is responsible.

This morning (1-14-13) it is 28 degrees, with a chance of "wintry mix", in other words miserable winter weather!

We had a nice Christmas in Oklahoma City, although it got down to 13 degrees, which is much colder than it normally gets out here.  We flew up and back, which is expensive, but we don't have to worry about the weather that way.  It did snow on Christmas Day in OKC, but Aliene and I didn't have any plans, so we ate "Christmas Brunch" at the hotel and just stayed in the room all day.  We had planned on going to a Movie.  We always plan to attend some movie, but rarely do.

We did see "Lincoln" and it was good.  I am a "Lincoln" fan and have a collection of books about him as well as the Civil War.  We plan on going to Washington DC and I am looking forward to seeing some of the places that I missed in the past.  

Another week is starting.  Time just seems to fly, as I watch my unread pile of magazines  and books gather.  I have decided to not get any more magazine subscriptions or books until I whittle down what I have.  

I love newspapers.  I can actually get "same day" subscriptions to the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, so some days (Friday and Saturday), I actually get 3 newspapers. (As a reality check, I get a physical copy of the New York Times on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and the Wall Street Journal does not publish on Sunday.)  

I also read the on-line version of the New York Times on days I don't get it, and the on-line version of USA Today as well as the local Commercial Appeal so I am hopefully well-informed.

I refuse to let newspapers gather like I do magazines. If I don't read it the same day, it gets recycled.  Of course, it helps that I read the newspapers while I am on the stationary bike.

Christmas 2012

Christmas Day 2012

This is one of those years where Christmas seems to arrive suddenly.  Perhaps it is because the normal lull between Thanksgiving and Christmas did not seem to happen this year.  It remained (and remains) busy.

I am amazed at how fast children grow, and I always notice it in Christmas pictures etc.  I now understand when I was a child and adult relatives and friends would be surprised at how much we had grown!  I literally see children grow between visits.

We are in OKC, awaiting a Christmas snow (a "White Christmas").  For Aliene and I, all of the family activities are done by late afternoon Christmas Eve (although this year was somewhat of an exception as we didn't get through until about 9 p.m.)

Christmas Day used to be a puzzlement as we realized all family activities were completed and we might as well go back home.  However, we have come to enjoy the opportunity provided by a Christmas Day without any planned activities as such.  This provides an opportunity to reflect and discuss that I have come to value rather than considering it a "wasted day" because I didn't accomplish anything.

Kali turned 13 during the year, Katherine is 10.  I saw Angela (my daughter)  become a different person acting on the stage, a part of her I was pleased to see and never knew existed before.

I celebrated my 65th birthday and I assume became officially "old" although, as many people note, "I don't feel that old", which I assume is someone presumptuous, since I have no idea how it is supposed to feel.  I hope to work for a few more years (hopefully in Lakeland, a city I really love) and then I hope I can start a second career in an area I am slowly focusing on as the time approaches.  I just hope I can maintain a fresh and innovative approach to my job and not allow myself to get into a  behavioral rut.

A word here about Coffee!  I no longer drink any kind of "pop" (as I called it when I was a  child) after I learned that the affect of carbonated drinks did to my GERD.  To lose weight I basically stopped eating bread and potatoes since Christmas 2011 (losing 45 lbs in the process), so I consider Coffee to be my "last vice", a "vice", I greatly enjoy.  I probably have become somewhat of a "high maintenance" customer in restaurants by insisting on fresh, hot coffee.  I see not reason to pay $2.50 (more or less) and get a lukewarm cup of old coffee.  In fact, anymore when I order, I specifically ask for a "fresh" cup of coffee.  I don't always get it, but at least then I feel I can complain!

I have come to judge restaurants on their coffee.  For example, Steak n Shake, Firebirds, certainly Starbucks all have outstanding coffee.  J. Alexanders coffee is basically always lukewarm (they make it and serve it out of "warming pots' each day that don't keep it warm), TGIFridays' coffee is literally undrinkable (I don't know why, but all Friday's have the same undrinkable coffee, so it's not the server-it takes like a particularity nasty instant coffee).  Cracker Barrel varies, but is normally good, although not excellent.  Other restaurants (such a Macaroni Grill), it seems three is an unwritten rule that you don't get refills on coffee although they have excellent coffee.  Bonefish has excellent coffee and alos is reasonably good on refills.

I got back into bicycling this year.  I always have bicycled some, but this year instead of driving to the gym, I bicycle, thus getting my bicycling in and also saving some gas and being environmentally positive.  I also ride for an hour or more on weekends and nights I don't have meetings (last few weekends and evenings excepted due to rain or cold!), which I really enjoy.

Snow is forecast for today.  I don't like snow or wind and is one reason I really like Lakeland.  While it snows there, the snow is usually gone fast and high winds are rare.

A few Christmas's ago (I believe 3 years ago, how time passes!), it snowed 14 inches in Oklahoma City over Christmas.  We were snowed in our hotel for 2 days and basically lived out of vending machines.

I hear sleet outside, which was the forecast, sleet and then snow Christmas Day, which means we will be snowed in for the day.  It is now 6:19 a.m., Christmas Day, 2012.  I think I"ll run down and see if any coffee is available!

The Machine II

Today I decided to go ahead and get an appraisal on my house for a possible refinancing.  If it comes back low again, it should provide us with justification for the State Board of Equalization to reverse the decision of the County Board of Equalization.  If it comes back at the "comparable" price indicated by the comparable sales, it will be enough for refinancing the loan which will save us a significant amount of money!

The Machine

The Machine

In March of this year, we decided to refinance our house.  We didn’t realize we were stepping into a well rehearsed money eating machine.

The appraisal came back too low to refinance the house.  We accepted the decision as one of those facts of life until....

The County Assessor assessed our house at approximately $30,000 more than the appraisal we had received just several months before.  

We protested the assessment, which was lowered slightly.

In the meantime, we contacted our existing bank (Wells Fargo) about refinancing since the interest rate was now about 1.5% our existing loan rate.  Of course, Wells Fargo played all kinds of games to avoid refinancing, including not returning our phone calls etc., so I gave up.

Shortly before the appeal final date, I checked “Zillow.com” and was shocked to find the value of the house was estimated at $20,000 below our original appraisal, so I filed an appeal to the Board of Equalization.

Several months later, I received a Notice to appear before the Board of Equalization.  I went to their offices, a converted house, and, with a 10 a.m. appointment, was finally heard at about noon.

When my time came, I bought up my Appraisal and the Zillow.com estimate.  I was shocked when the members of the Board of Appraisal basically laughed at my “certified Appraisal”  and reaffirmed the original Assessment.  This, after watching the Board of Equalization reduce Assessments on the basis of “comparable values” (NOT Appraisals).  The Board basically said the Appraisal wasn’t correct since the Appraiser didn’t demonstrate how the comparable values were used to set the value of my house.  (If I understood correctly, this meant my house was actually worth $30,000 more than the “refinancing Appraisal”, which meant I actually should have qualified for a refinancing, saving about $300 per month!

So, actually I was happy, since I thought the Refinancing Appraisal would be corrected and I would qualify for a refinancing loan at even lower than the original refinancing rate.

I called the Loan Officer at the Bank and advised her of the “incorrect” appraisal and asked how I got it corrected.

Of course, she advised they have a “rotation list” of Appraisers and the Bank HAS to take the appraiser who pops out, regardless of whether she is competent or not.  They are absolutely barred from asking an appraisal be adjusted! This may sound good, but it means I wasted $400 on an incompetent Appraisal without any recourse.  Not only was I out $400, since the Board of Equalization laughed at the Appraisal, I am also out another $200 in taxes that either aren’t justified if the Appraisal is correct or I am out several hundred dollars per month due to an incompetent appraisal.  

The Bank representative advised me my only option was to pay another $400 for an “Appraisal” by another “appraiser by lottery” and we could be cheated out of another $400.

I feel like we are caught in a machine system that benefits the other parties while the consumer gets taken.  Being out $400 without  any chance of appeal (and then having the Board of Equalization basically say the appraisal is incorrect and still have no chance of appeal) is simply not right!

I don’t know what I am going to do yet, except I will appeal to the State Board of Equalization and try to get the Appraiser to explain why the Board of Equalization made the decision that his appraisal was incorrect.

I’ll keep you advised. 

I have a Learning Experience

Saturday, I had a valuable experience.  My bike ride started out well as I rode down Highway 64.  I was even reaching 26 miles per hour on the flat, which is wonderful for me, since I normally don't get over 20 going downhill.  After I got about six miles out, I suddenly realized that if the wind was at my back, I was going to be going into the wind on the way back!!  

I quickly turned around and headed back, about 4 miles into a 20 mph (and better) wind.  Worse yet, I could see a storm blowing in!  

A Fall Day in November, 2012

As the time change approaches, today (Saturday, November 3) is a wonderful day, sunny, light wind and 70's.  There is rain and cold coming in.

Thinking over the past year, I made some major changes in my exercise and eating routines.  I started "commuting" to the gym (which isn't really much since it is only about a mile), but I also started bicycling on my bike a lot more while maintaining my daily walk of 34 minutes or so that I have been maintaining for years.

Several years ago I started riding the stationary bike while reading my morning papers, instead of sitting around and reading my morning paper.  That helped my shape some, but a major factor was

-Eating a lot less bread (flour), potatoes and sugar!  The day after Christmas I started on a "low carb" diet and as a result i have lost about 45 lbs, decreased my shirt size from 18 1/2 to 17 (slim in some cases) and from around a 42 to a 36 waist.  I have also had to make major investments in new clothes but it is worth it!  What is especially fun is now being able to wear clothes I haven't been able to wear for years!

I recently started riding at night and weeks (in addition to my morning ride), frequently an hour or so.  I am surprised at how much I enjoy it and how few aches and pains (at least thus far) that I have from the increased cycling.  

To say I feel better (and I never really felt bad) is an understatement.  What is really nice is that I really don't miss the bread and potatoes.  I do miss the "sweet tea" (as it is made in Memphis!) and I have not (and will not) give up peanut butter!  As long as I continue to lose or at least maintain my weight I am happy!  

These are my thoughts on this wonderful fall day, 2012.  For some reason the Daylight Savings Time time changes is a time to reflect, especially on Sunday when the "extra" hour created by "Fall back" is available.

11 years in Tennessee!

11-1-01:  I started as City Manager of Lakeland 11 years ago today.  It also was my first Board of Commissioners meeting!  I couldn't forecast the next 11 years obviously, but if I could have, I wouldn't have changed my decision to come to Lakeland.

Aliene and I both agree we made the right decision in coming to Lakeland.  I have learned a lot and it has been a very rewarding position.  

Looking back, I am amazed at the changes in the past 11 years.

So busy I haven't really kept up this blog like I should have.  I have been keeping up my "calendar" (where I record major events of the day), but I haven't really kept up my journal where I go over my thinking and actions I have taken.

Sometimes I think to some degree my exercise has replaced my journal time.  I actually spend quite a bit of time exercising.  I walk for about 34 minutes, then bike to the gym (about 16 minutes both ways with some extra riding), ride on the stationary bike for 36 minutes (while I read the Commercial Appeal and Wall Street Journal).  Some days I ride the bike up to an hour more.  

I love the early morning time.  I usually get up around 3 a.m., take my walk, then ride to the gym, then back home.  I then take a short nap (27 minutes or so), and then work for about an hour, then eat and off to work!

Usually I find I can "write" memos or letters etc. while I am walking/riding and then I just put it on the computer when I get back!

Start my 12th year of Lakeland tomorrow!  Who knows how long I will be here.  I'd like to stay here another 5-7 years before I retire, but that is not all my decision!  I'd just do the best I can every day and go from there.

2012 Continues!

Saturday, October 13, 2012:

Extremely busy Fall!  No excuse for not writing more often, I just haven't.  I am keeping busy, which is good.  Most days, I exercise starting at around 3 a.m..  I walk about  34 minutes, bike to the gym (where I bike on a stationary bicycle while I read the newspapers).  Depending on meetings etc., I try to bicycle about 50 minutes each weekend.

Delta Airlines, which is the main airline out of Memphis, is extremely frustrating to book.  We actually try to drive whenever we can (or drive to Little Rock or Nashville and take SWA) rather than give in to their irrational fares.

We are going to do some landscaping in our yard, primarily to hide the ugly fence next door.  (I'll  try to post a picture of it, you can't believe it).  

I finally upgraded my personal phone to an iPhone 5 (from an iPhone 3, so I jumped about 4 generations!)  It is quite a phone.  I am getting used to "iCloud".  While Apple products can be frustrating, I still am using 3 "shuffles" (the chewing gum    size) and another iPod that are over six years old and still have the original batteries.  I feel like the   new shuffles are not near as good as the old ones.  

My Mother's LIfe, from the Perspective of the 15th Anniversary of her death

15 years ago today, I received a phone message from my mother, and she ended the message with a kind of gasp. I called back and didn't get an answer.  It didn't alarm me much because I assumed she had fallen asleep.

The next morning I called and when I didn't get an answer I called my brother in law and my sister checked and found she had died either during the night or that morning  

Later we found she had called all of us children, and many of her friends and relatives like she knew it was her last day.

The services were in Soldier, Kansas, near where we lived on a farm near Holton, Kansas for many years.  When I was a child, I remember visiting the Soldier Cemetery on Memorial Day to visit the graves of my Grandfather and Grandmother.  The Soldier Community is a unique small Community which maintains the Cemetery in pristine condition and also maintain a community center.  The people in the community still provide a lunch on Memorial Day and provide catering for funerals.  It is a very unique city.  We visit and find the tradition continues, the Cemetery is in excellent shape and the community center, with the outside playground, is still in excellent shape.

The week of the funeral was beautiful fall weather.  As I watched the leaves turn, I wondered why the end of human life couldn't be as beautiful as the end of Summer.  My Mom would have appreciated the fact that an American Indian presided at the services and he told stories about her life he learned from talking with all of us about her life.  

15 years later, I still have a problem reviewing the papers of her early life, with all the hopes and dreams of the young.  I review them and I think it makes me see her more as the individual person she was rather than my mother, which she also was.  

 It is difficult to imagine that 15 years have gone by since that day in 1997.  As I age, I appreciate more and more both what Mom and Dad went through, although I can't imagine how they did it with seven children to care for.  

The Invisible Man

(With apologies for H.G. Wells and Ralph Ellison).

As I continue to prepare for my "Ride with the Summer" (from Mexico to Canada) in either 2014 or 2015, I have started riding in the daytime in addition to my normal riding early in the morning.  I plan on training to do a 15 mile ride in October and next summer be prepared to do one of the week long rides of 50 miles or so per day (Free Wheel in Oklahoma or Ride across Kansas or Ride Across Tennessee) to help me prepare.

Since I am not used to riding with substantial traffic, I reviewed the guidelines and quickly realized I need to "act like vehicles don't see me".  The very first day I found value in that concept.  Another not even close to creating any problems, a vehicle made a left turn in front of me and probably didn't even see me.  This was in spite of my bright "high visibility yellow" shirt, and flashing lights etc.

I started "commuting" to the gym each morning, but that is in the dark with little traffic.  Riding in the daylight with substantial traffic is a new experience for me, since this is the first time in several years I have ventured to right the bike in the daylight.  I realized 2014 or 2015 would be here fast, plus I just enjoy it.

I am asked about getting bored while riding the bike.  Actually, I almost never get bored.  Many letters and memos have been "written" while I was on the bike!  I just need to return and write what I composed in my head!

In the early morning, I normally wear my iPod and listen to music.  (I listen to audiobooks while I walk in the morning.)

I am currently riding about 60 minutes per day, plus 36 minutes on the stationary bike and 32 minutes of walking.  This was over the Labor Day weekend and included 42 minutes of bike riding during the day in addition to my normal morning ride.  I don't feel like I have time time to ride as much as I need to to prepare for my "Ride with the Summer", but I'll do what I can!