Winter 2016 January 22 Friday

30 degrees (20 degree wind chill), 25:58 minute walk

A stiff north wind this morning! Fortunately the cold doesn’t really bother me during my walk, I basically dress for it.  

Within the next several days we will have a better idea if the moves (selling our house and buying the other house) will actually go through.  Probably a good chance, but you never know.  We will live with whatever happens.  

Listening more to the biography of Woodrow Wilson during my walk.  The United States is now in WWI with the military draft starting.  

The writer notes that Wilson, who had no military experience was an excellent Commander in Chief.  

One key he notes that I never really thought about was that Wilson decided early that American soldiers would not be “replacements” for other nations armies,l but would fight as American troops under an American Flag etc.  

I had never really considered the importance of that, not only in the military, but in all aspects of life and careers.  Feeling part of a coherent group with common purposes or a common purpose is probably the key to success in many cases. 

I know my personal experience is that persons who feel part of a group (even if they are always complaining etc.), are almost always better performers than persons who don’t.  Of course you also have to define “part of the group”.

Since we are involved in buying the house etc., we probably aren’t going to take a short vacation to a warm spot this winter as we planned.  I think late January or early February would be a good time to “escape” for a few days to a warm place and forget about the cold.

Of course, an argument could also be made for March, since the cold part of Winter is over, but it seems forever before the warm weather really returns.  

We have noticed it always seems to get extremely hot just in time for the CMA Fest!  A lot of activities are outside, and it is just  uncomfortably hot.  

Also, the crowds are getting bigger and bigger and it is getting much harder to get around and really attend everything we want attend.  

Also, even though Nashville seems to grow hotels like rabbits, it is still difficult to get a room for the CMA Fest.  We used to not have a big problem, but this year we were lucky to get a room downtown and I doubt that we can get one downtown next year unless  the increase in hotel rooms makes a difference.

Oil prices are having a definite impact around here as companies start to lay off people and the retail stores are noticing the decrease in sales, probably due to both the internet and people either losing jobs and concerned about losing their job.  

Earthquakes continue to jolt the area.  I watch as the “Richter Scale” increases.  Earthquakes used to be in the 2.5 and under range, or at least 3 and under.  Now a 4.5 etc. isn’t all that unusual and that is dangerous.   

That’s it for now, Friday, January 22, 2016.

2016 Winter January 21 Thursday

34 degrees this morning, Walk 28:59 minutes 

Winter continues to grind out one day at a time, as we work towards Spring. Spring is two months away today!  At least Winter is 1/3 gone!  

Of course even after Spring, there is that long cool period and there are periods where it is uncomfortably cool until at least mid-May, although there are usually periods of good weather there.

They are taking registrations for the week long  bicycle ride across the state in June.  I had planned to be a lot further along in my bicycle training by now.  Of course, with the cough, I still haven’t started riding again.  I’ll start again soon and see what happens.  

I’m not all that enamored as to the route of the ride this year.  The ride is designed to go through small towns and staying overnight in small towns, which I think is a good idea.  

Walking has been going well.  I probably will start to increase my distance again, although I am considering shortening the walk so I can ride the bicycle in the early morning again.  

The area we are moving to (assuming everything goes well, we should know any major roadblocks in the next week) has a lot better bicycle riding area.  There are actually “off road” trails as well as a lot more low-speed streets and, as I mentioned, my favorite YMCA is  only 1.5 miles away, accessible by at least two alternative bike paths!  My kind of City!

Browsed a book about the future “living on Mars” the other day.  Unfortunately I misplaced it for several weeks and found it just in time to get it back to the Library without a fine, so I didn’t read it as such.  I’ve kept my eyes open to recheck it, but haven’t seen it yet. 

I doubt if i will ever see it, but I expect there is a good chance we will be able to live on Mars soon than we think!  

I have always wondered if there are any “limits” as to what we can achieve?  Or perhaps the question should be not limits, but what are we going to concentrate on achieving?  

AsI discussed yesterday, there is no moral or ethical reason, companies shouldn’t spend billions to create a better shoe or soap or computer program, smart phone app, or whatever. 

However, the “alternative costs” are there, since our resources are limited.  

Many of the science fiction etc. books envisioned many of the wonders we take for granted now, computers, GPS, smart phones, etc., even the “wrist phone” Dick Tracey used is now achievable!

Of course, we still haven’t  cured the common cold, found a reliable cure for many diseases etc.  

Worse yet, we have not discovered how to reduce crime and human suffering world wide or how to control or eliminate Terrorism.  

Some of the scenes I see of the brutality and human suffering world wide is just astounding and very disturbing that supposedly human beings could be capable of such things or worse yet that they do such things without any consequences, or at least any negative consequences.  

I have to feel they are simply “sub animals” or perhaps “sub insects” and so low on the cycle of life hey should be exterminated without any consideration for the fact they are supposed to be human beings.  Perhaps fortunately, I don’t have a say in the matter.  

Listening to my original iPod, tune 524 of 6524, Sara Evans “I keep looking”, and the lyrics actually are somewhat in line with my thoughts, “when I get what I want, I get unsatisfied”.  Todays wonderful inventions and advances become commonplace so fast. 

That’s it for now, Thursday, January 21, 2016.  

2016 Winter January 20 Wednesday

29 degrees (21 degrees wind chill) this morning.  Walk 25:58 minutes

Walking shoes are now over 50 % of estimated life.  If I had gotten the lower quality (well, at least lower price) shoes, they would be ending their estimated life.

The walking shoes retain their “spring” and probably aren’t quite as good as new, but they certainly are still well suitable for walking.

I have found that products (especially shoes etc.) deteriorate slowly and you don’t really realize how bad it is until your feet start to hurt etc.  

Of course, “estimated” is just that and I find most products either last longer than expected or fall apart soon.  

I am still amazed at the advertising that says there is a “lifetime” guarantee and then in small print (or somewhere else completely) defines “lifetime” as 5 years or whatever!  To me, “lifetime” should mean “lifetime”, or it should be advertised differently.  

Certainly no one is making them use the term “lifetime”, so they should be honest and say 5 years or whatever.  

I do like my “UnderArmour” sweatshirt, it actually does stay cool but maintain’s heat while I walk and is very light.  

Of course, other, less advertised and way less expensive brands do just as well, although I don’t have a sweatshirt quite like this from another brand.  

It is actually one the few of the heavily advertised athletic brands I own, since I normally avoid Nike etc., since I figure if they can give $90,000,000 to an 18 year old kid and spend billions  of money on uniforms etc., they are probably charging too much for their products.  

Also, it seems the money could be used to improve their products.  

I’m sure they have studies showing it is money will spent and will increase sales and profits etc., but I will continue to make my small one person protest.  They don’t really care anyway, since I am hardly their target audience anymore, but at least I know I am not contributing to the huge sums of money spent on marketing, etc.  

That is somewhat the same with the hybrid car, at least I am not contributing (or contributing as little as possible) to the “oil cartel” that pays for terrorism etc. 

I think small, personal protests are important to a person, even if it doesn’t really make any sense and the huge businesses  could really care less.  At least a person knows they are doing what they can to protest whatever it is they don’t support.

While walking this morning, I was astounded a the lights from the shopping center behind the row of brand new houses, how they lit up the backyards of houses like a football field.  

This, in addition to the huge video billboard and the Sonic with its’ huge video billboard and 24 hour loud music pretty well destroys the residential character of the area.  

Our house is not impacted by this, but I am ashamed of a city that has such poor planning and such disregard for it’s residents that it allows such destruction of its residential areas.  

I really feel the residents should boycott the shopping center and Sonic, as well as the companies that rent on the huge video billboard.  And perhaps vote against any of the “development initiatives” (with a resulting sales tax, the most regressive tax) until some of it is spent on neighborhoods.

Spent the day “in the field” yesterday.  It is always interesting.  I am always surprised by how I run into something new, and, than that same day I will have three or four of the same situation (that I never ran into before) happen that same day!  

That’s it for now, Wednesday, January 20, 2016.  

2016 Winter January 19 Tuesday

36 (feels like 21) degrees this morning.  Walk 25:36 miles 

No coughing or other  problems during the walk this morning.  Keeping to a shortened walk for several more days, if nothing else until I get my routine back again.  

Surprised (I think) to see the “SpaceX” rocket blow up.  I guess I’m not surprised, that technology is so complicated, any little thing going wrong can destroy the rocket.  

I guess that is what they call a “learning experience”, although it probably was a very expensive experience.  

For some reason, I never really thought there would be a least three private “space” companies, just like self-driving cars, there seems to be that “moment” when there is something in the air.

While I haven’t studied it extensively, or much at all for that matter, I think history shows many inventions are made by separate people/companies working completely independently. 

Of course, it could be that innovation and invention are built on previous successes (obviously they are rather, not could be), and there is just a logical succession of invention and innovation.  

Of course, when you read about how the hated “control/alt/delete” command came to torment us all, I’m not sure if it is always good!

You think about it, there couldn’t be self driving cars without GPS or computers, there couldn’t be a smart phone without the internet.

Of course to read the early history of computers, it appears there wasn’t necessarily “something in the air” going on, but rather the gross “borrowing” of ideas!  

As I have mentioned before, many times you read about the “success” of some of the new technology companies and it is basically a matter of good luck, “borrowing” other ideas, and simply ignoring the law and the law can’t keep up with technology fast enough.  

By the time the law catches up with technology, the  technology company has enough money to “lobby” politicians to change the law! 

With the unlimited campaign funding, who knows where it will lead, but I am sure it will end up with the “fatcats” getting much fatter and the “alley cats” starving more and there being a lot more “alley cats”  as well as “alley cats” going homeless etc.  

Hoping someone with some courage will get in and limit campaign contributions.  Equating corporations with a person has absolutely no foundation and is against humanity, in my opinion.

Corporations have certainly shown they do not have a heart of soul or ethics (only people do or don’t) so they can hardly be considered to have the same rights as a person  

Nothing agains private enterprise. I am all for it, but it has simply gotten out of hand to the point that “crony capitalism” allows one or two corporations so much advantage and so many government benefits, no none else can compete.  

Anyway, it will be interesting to see what happens.  I don’t know that I have any impact on it, but I can try.

We continue preparing to move and hope everything goes through ok, we are approaching some critical points (appraisal, loan approvals etc.) that will decide what happens.  

It is always such a process, and now the government requires so many forms and so much information, it has become counterproductive and probably hurts more than helps.  

So, what else is new!

That’s it for now, Tuesday, January 19, 2016.

2016 Winter January 18 Monday

20 degrees this morning (feels like 8 degrees), walk 25:23 minutes

I walked rather fast this morning on a shortened “starting back” walk.  I will probably walk a reduced walk for about a week or so, depending on how I feel.

Didn’t cough.  I started to and then I reminded myself to “breathe through my nose” which I did relatively well. That is something I need to keep working on.

As you may guess, I debated about walking this morning due to the cold, but the cold has never bothered me before, so I went ahead.  

20 degrees is cold for this area, but it wasn’t too bad.  Obviously the activity kept me warm, maybe not toasty, but warm.  I was glad to finish!

Listening to more about Wilson.  I didn’t realize his 1916 re-election was so close, it came down to one state, California.  

Even there, the votes were so close, the election couldn’t be called until votes from a mountain county had been bought in by horse and wagon to be counted! 

For several days, Wilson thought he had been defeated and slept much better!  I know the feeling.  

Anyway, an analyst afterwards indicated that (maybe right or wrong) that of the twelve states where woman could vote (I can’t believe this is only 100 years ago!), Wilson won in eleven of them, so he was probably elected for that reason.

He ran on the campaign of “he kept us out of of war”, which of course also didn’t last long, but not due to his not trying, unless he was much more devious than thought.

Holiday today, Martin Luther King Day.  

It feels so good to feel relatively well again.  I am going to try to spend some time each day just feeling good about feeling well, so to speak!  

We checked yesterday and were pleased to find our potential “new” home (new to us)  is only 1.5 miles from my favorite YMCA, and the area has a multitude of walking trails and ways for me to walk or bicycle to the YMCA.  

Of course, the big problem is the YMCA doesn’t open early enough for me, so I’ll need to find a way to adjust to that.  I was spoiled by the 24 hour fitness center in Lakeland.  

I was pleased to find all of my “Apple” devices batteries were still holding out after the long period of not being used.  I am just amazed that the batteries are still good after 9 years or so!  

It feels so good to get back into the routine of exercising again!  

I also weighed myself for the first time in a month and find my weight was not that bad, in fact I’ve lost a few pounds.  Nothing significant, my weight can easily vary by 5 pounds or so, but at least it isn’t the disaster I thought it may have been .  Probably the stomach virus helped a little on that one, although it has been a week since I had it.  

I was pleased to note the Sonic had shut off their large video sign (that reflects light on a number of residents, fortunately not ours) and their 24 hour loud music had been shut off.  

However, after noticing it during my walk yesterday morning, it wasn’t turned on at all during the day so there must be something wrong with it or (hopefully) they are removing it.  More likely, they are installing a bigger sign and louder speakers so they can be more obnoxious than before on the mistaken theory that the bigger and more disruptive the better.  

Went to a new breakfast restaurant yesterday (Eggington’s) and were very pleased by it.  I didn’t realize it was a chain, we thought it was a local restaurant.   It may not be good for me since they have a “tamale breakfast”!

That’s it for now, Monday, January 18, 2016. 

2016 Winter January 17 Sunday

29 degrees this morning.  Walk (estimated, forgot to turn off stopwatch) 30 minutes

Shortened walk this morning, exactly one month since my last walk (Dec. 17). Overall, seemed to go well, shortened it slightly just to be cautious.  Did full set of setups and weights.  

Don’t feel the walk worsened my cold, although I am still well aware of a slight cold.  I’m going to keep taking it easy!

Disappointed I forgot to stop my stopwatch.  I realize it doesn’t affect the benefits of my walk at all, but I would like to know how long I walked!  I can figure out somewhat from my phone.  

Felt good to walk again, and start listening to “Wilson” (the autobiography of Woodrow Wilson) again.  Again, I am amazed at how much time Presidents had for personal activities and how some of the activities I really didn’t realize happened during his time.

For example, this was the time of “Pancho Villa”, for some reason I thought he was back in the 1800’s!  

Right now, where I am listening, he is trying to stay out of WWI.

Went to the meeting yesterday morning (no snow or even rain).  Actually it was pretty good and I am glad I went.  It was a Toastmasters “Officers training” session and I feel I learned quite a bit.  

Perhaps they were correct in having it on a Saturday morning of a three day holiday, since I have Monday off also, so it makes losing my Saturday morning a little easier.  

While there, I saw a Toastmaster I met when I first joined Toastmasters who is still heavily involved in Toastmasters.  

He was (and still is) involved in a “prison Toastmasters Club”.  Obviously attendance is good!  It actually is a “privilege” they have to earn to attend the meetings.  

While I realize prisons are absolutely necessary, I think sometimes the emphasis on punishment far outweighs the basic objective of rehabilitation of a person, if at all possible.  I feel many persons are sent to prison where they would be much more valuable (and still accomplish the goals of punishment and rehabilitation) by community service.  

One thing that absolutely enraged me was that “contract prisons” take their high profits and lobby for heavier prison sentences!  Where are their ethics?  I really wonder how such persons (if they are indeed human) can actually live with themselves. 

Lobbying for more human misery as a way of making money is almost unthinkable.  

If they want to state their personal opinion for heavier sentences, it’s a free country, but to lobby for heavier sentences as a way of making more profits? Obscene.  It ought to be illegal, maybe with some time in their own jails!If 

I feels so good to start feeling reasonably good again!  After I feel miserable for long period of time, I learn to treasure each good day, or even hour and minute and second for that matter.  Sometimes, I think  “I’ll just enjoy this moment and not worry about anything”.  It is amazing how it calms you down and perhaps allows you to concentrate on your priorities and not worry about low priority items!

I think that is what concerns me about the news media (of much of it).  The news is about low priority items in our lives.  In the overall scheme of our lives, who really cares about “celebrities” , sports etc?  They certainly should not be on the front page.  

I can see the day when TV is more like many web pages where you don’t have to sit through “news” you aren’t interested in, but you have a menu of stories etc. to choose from.  Of course, we heavily use the DVR to accomplish the same purpose!

Feels good to think, in actuality, this is like Saturday morning and I am off tomorrow also!

That’s it for now, Sunday, January 17, 2016.  

2016 Winter January 16 Saturday

36 degrees this morning.  No walk, still prone to coughing, although it is much better.

Haven’t weighed myself for awhile, going to need to face the music and do that!  I don’t feel like I’ve gained that much, but without exercise I’m sure I have.  

Actually, one reason I haven’t weighed myself is that we set the scales in a different area while we were showing the house.  

The coughing  still pops up at odd moments, I guess just to remind me it is still there!  

Forecast was for some snow this morning.  Looks like it will miss us.  

I am never a fan of snow (unless I absolutely don’t have to drive etc.) but this morning I have a meeting that I would just as soon not go to….:)  I was thinking last night, “come on snow”!  

I think that is always the case, many of our “wants” are based on the situation at the moment.  

I kind of wondered why they scheduled a Saturday morning meeting on what is a 3-day Holiday for many of us.  Well, at least government workers, but there are a lot of us around here with the military base etc.  

Of course, it is impossible to schedule a meeting to please everyone.  

I am not used to driving long distances anymore for meetings, and this one is scheduled in a suburb about 30 miles away, so that is also one reason I would have welcomed just enough snow to stop me from driving!  

Gasoline is now down to $1.37 per gallon around here and I understand it is as low as $1.29,  although I haven’t seen that.  I absolutely thought I’d never see gas under $1.00 per gallon again, but I can see it coming.  If someone had told me gas would get to less than $2.00 per gallon, I wouldn’t have believed it could happen.

Maybe not a great time to be deriving a hybrid, but I actually like the hybrid, it has the pickup of a V8, something to do with the electric motors on the car.  They provide great torque, whatever that is.  At least I think that is what it is.  I’ll have to look it up on the internet.  Plus it is fun to drive.  

Probably the only thing I miss is the roar of the V-8, but I can do without that for the money it cost.  Wait on that until I get my Corvette!:)

There is something I really like about tis time of day (early morning).  I miss sitting outside, but that time will come again.

Unfortunately, Aliene got the same coughing problem I had.  Maybe not quite as bad, but even a touch of it is bad.  She also can’t take much medicine for it, so she suffers a lot more through it (without complaining near as much as I do, by the way, even though she can’t take much to relieve it).  It is a vicious cough, it just wears you out, plus the way it lasts on long.  One month is over 10% of the year   that I have missed exercise etc and haven’t really felt well!  

Of course, I can’t complain.  I have enjoyed relatively good heath, I’ll just need to really be careful so it can continue!  

We are still in the process of selling our house and buying another house. Any little thing could derail the  entire deal, but we are basically willing to go with the flow on this.  Obviously we have a lot of qualms about the new house, wondering if anything (or I should say when and how much) something will go wrong with it.  It isn’t old as such, but it isn’t new also.  We’ll deal with it whatever it is.  

That’s it for now, Saturday, January 16, 2016.

2016 Winter January 15 Friday

40 degrees this morning (feels like 30 degrees), no walk

Apparently psychologically I am getting ready to walk again.  I don’t want to take a chance and start again too early and find myself back to coughing a lot again.  

However, I am starting to wake up at the time I always walk.  

For the past few weeks, it has been easy to sleep more knowing I will probably be better if I sleep or at least stay in bed longer.  Now, I can’t sleep more and am ready to get up at my normal time.  Still a little early (still coughing), but it shouldn’t be long.  I sure don’t want to get this again and not be able to exercise for a month again!

Still getting rather disgusted with “spell check” and some of the seemingly random words it suddenly decides to insert!  I guess it is like a “self driving car”, I can depend on it to do a lot of the heavy lifting, but I can’t not be alert!

Read that the ‘self driving car” will be here earlier than many people expect.  I think the increase in productivity will be tremendous!

Or perhaps, I should say the increase in available time, not productivity, they certainly aren’t the same thing!  

The other day I went into an office (I own’t say where to protect the guilty!) and literally everyone was looking at a smart phone! It is not that unusual that that happens and I go into a lot of different kinds of offices.   I have to wonder, what to people have to say to each other?  

Of course, I look at my smart phone  only for important information!:)

However, just looking at me, even with no commute.  On days I am “in the field”, I probably spend an hour driving and several hours just catching up on paperwork in my car.  

At work, we have a mobile computer and after a visit we update the computer, which is a considerable amount of time.  With a self-driving car, I could update the paperwork between visits rather than just parking, frequently with the engine running. (or finding a McDonalds or Starbucks to do my paperwork while I suck down some coffee). If you had a long commute the time savings would be tremendous.  

I wouldn’t doubt that a “self driving car” would have almost as much impact as smart phones and maybe even the internet.  

Considering the still considerable amount of “dark” areas with no cell phone or GPS coverage, I have to wonder how it will ever be something long-haul truckers or people on long trips could use.  It could require a massive investment to make sure there were no “dark areas” where the “driverless car” would suddenly become a “dumb car” just like a “smart phone” becomes a “dumb phone” when it loses coverage

The driverless car technically could cause the loss of a lot of jobs in the transportation industry, but it seems it would be a long time before a true “driverless” car/truck/bus would be available unless it was on a separate lane. It would still require some type of driver plus security etc.

It is like many inventions that now it seems like everyone is working on a “driverless car”.  

Of course, when I was a child, I never thought I wouldn’t be using a driverless vehicle by now, rather than basically the same basic concept (although much advanced) for over 100 years  We are still driving the “horseless cart”!

Just read about Lakealnd, Tennessee where the governing  board extended their own terms by 14 months by changing the election date.  It is hard to observe the destruction of the city (Lakeland) where I used to live by the current group of incompetents and spoiled brats, so I probably will quit reading about it, since I can’t do anything about it.  It is a sorrowful end to spending 13 years of my life and career in trying to make a better city now in the hands of such a group.  Be careful who you vote for!  Probably kind of like raising a child and than seeing them become a criminal.  (Fortunately I haven’t had that experience!)

That’s it for now, Friday, January 15, 2016.

2016 Winter January 14 Thursday

36 degrees (feels like 28 degrees), no walk 

Very close to starting my exercise, at least a limited exercise, program again.  I have some appointments today I didn’t want take any chance of a relapse, plus I figure by now, one more day won’t make any difference in my physical fitness.  

I’m not coughing much as such, but my throat has “reminder” of coughing as I say.  Maybe not tomorrow, but by this weekend, I should be able to start walking again.  

Swimming and bicycling will have to wait a little longer.  

Actually where we are moving to (and a major reason why we are moving) will have bike trails and streets more suitable for a  decent bike ride.  I may get more training in hills, but that is good.  It may even lead to an “assisted peddling” bike when things settle down financially.  

Again, I am always amazed (or maybe surprised, or maybe thoughtful) about the disparity in the way money is viewed.  Considering the amount of money on fees etc. associated with buying or selling a house, a bicycle (or anything you want and will use that is more then just a trivial sum of moneyI).

For example, I hear all the time, “just another $100 per month” (example only, could be $20 or $200).  Well, $100 per month will buy a darn fine bicycle the will last years!  Or anything else that Aliene or I would actually want and use.  

However, when dealing with houses, cars, etc. it is passed off as a trivial amount, “just another $200 per month” (yawnI)  (most of it fees of course).

It was kind of a shock to realize how much our taxes will be, but I also feel the taxes are somewhat of  an investment in our community and value of our house.  I, probably as much as anyone, know how much it takes to keep a city operating smoothly, and I can’t even imagine what it costs to operate a school system.  

While we won’t directly benefit (well, actually we will) from the outstanding school system in that area) it is good to know the area believes in supporting an excellent school system, as well as maintaining residential (and commercial) value by not allowing video signs and a strong belief in protective zoning to protect residential areas while providing for quality commercial areas.  

I am so glad to get away from this city’s policy of allowing anyone to slap down a bunch of concrete and put up  low end commercial, throw up huge video signs that destroy a neighborhood etc.

Also, the City we are moving too (which actually is only about 4 miles from our current house, but a million miles in terms of enlightened zoning and quality residential development) also believes in community and regional parks and not just the developer building a community center and some cheap playground equipment on some junk land that is then required to be maintained by the HOA.

Not to say they are perfect, but at least our new city is making (or has made) strides providing for a better residential quality of life.

Actually, I deeply resent the despicable policy of this city in allowing commercial interests to destroy the residential areas.  It is costing us a lot of money to get out, but we feel better now than later.

I obviously will be active in the new city in trying to ensure the policies of the city continue.  If the deal (or deals) falls through and we have to stay here, I plan on becoming very active in expressing my displeasure at the policies of the city and the negative effects it has on residential living.  

I guess I am displaying “if you don’t love it, leave it” action, although that isn’t quite right.  It is more of a surrender to the power of the commercial and residential developers and the complete irresponsibility of this city’s leaders and administrators and planners in their responsibility to provide and protect it’s residents. 

they don’t seem to realize without providing for their residential areas, the city will never be a great city no matter how much money they throw at commercial and “economic” development.  It will always be a backwater town that is exploited by developers and other con artists.

That’s it for now, Thursday, January 14, 2016.

2016 Winter January 13 Wednesday

32 degrees (feels like 26 degrees) this morning, no walk.

Still have occasional fits of coughing.  I get to thinking I”m over it and then I start again.  Aliene is also coughing.

The Flint, Michigan situation is truly a nightmare, from what little I know of it.  I don’t know enough to comment on it, except if the allegation that children will be affected for life from a mistake by the city or state, it would be the thing any person who was responsible for administrating a city dreaded the most.  

For some reason, I recently have been thinking of the years of being on call “24/7/365”.  (26 years straight).  Regardless of  where you actually were, you were responsible for anything that happened or at least for dealing with anything that happened.  

I even looked up the Quote from “And the Mountains Echoed” that, oddly enough, I read within two weeks when I suddenly had “freedom” from concern about a city.  In the story, the man has been an assistant (perhaps a servant) for his entire adult life to a “Master” who had just died and left everything to him.  He now had freedom (and resources)t o do anything he wanted. 

"Now I was free to do as I wished, but I found the freedom illusory, for what I wished for had been taken from me. They say, Find a purpose in life and live it.  But, sometimes, it is only after you have lived that you recognize your life had a purpose, and likely one you never had in mind”.

The years I spent being responsible for a city, I always wondered what it would be  like to no longer be concerned.  Suddenly I was there (and am now), and I realized that it had simply been my purpose in life at the time.  That was why it never felt like a burden, or really even a concern.  It was just the way it was.  

Even now, over two years later, one thing that seems to happen when I get sick is I have this underlying concern that is still present, about being able to handle any emergency, although the requirement  is no longer there, at least from the perspective of a community emergency.  

Now I feel a different type of responsibility, and I occasionally still feel a little guilty when at quitting time, I don’t continue working on resolving a matter etc. but again, that is just the way it is now.  

I think about time, because, for the first time in my life I actually have the capacity to have more time by “retiring”.  While it is the money, it is a lot more than just money that I keep working.  I am lucky I found an “encore career” that I enjoy and that I feel actually helps people, at least in a small way.  

What always concerns me is that “work expands to fill the time available”  (either personal or job wise).  I noted it is true again now.  Even though I spent well over two hours exercising, now that I have not been able to exercise, I wonder where the two hours go each day that I “save” in not exercising!  I am looking forward to exercising again, and I am sure I will find the time!

That’s it for now, Wednesday, January 13, 2016.