81 degrees this morning.
Next stage of teeth implants today. The surgeon will “uncover” the posts for the new teeth, and then when that heals, the Dentist will install the new teeth (actually crowns). It probably will be almost a year to the day by time it is finished.
It has probably been the “longest” year I have lived for awhile, although it seemed to go fast. It wasn’t “long” because of the teeth implants, but because of the other events regarding my job, realizing that my age is considered a handicap (basically saying my experience doesn’t mean anything), moving to another area and other events.
On the other hand, it means anticipation (both good and bad) about change also. I have always enjoyed and anticipated some change, while also dreading some changes, if that makes any sense. I guess I could say I like controlled change within an overall larger structure of predictability.
For example, my early morning routine, I don’t like change. From the time I get up to about 8:00 a.m., I like it to be the same procedure., and I really liked my routine before we moved. After I became “in transition”, I worked at keeping my morning routine the same so I wouldn’t lose my sense of having a purpose each day, even if it was just exercise, reading the papers and my “15 minimum minutes” of reading something I wouldn’t otherwise read and listening to a nonfiction book while I walk.
The time I walk and listen to a book is valuable to me. i have listened about uranium production, the Aztec culture, politics, job search, autobiographies, and oner subjects that I may not normally learn about. Now that i walk about twice as long, I can listen to more, which is good. Frequently I will listen to a book twice, and I always learn something new the second time around!
I recently gave my granddaughter my “Walkman” cassette tape players, accepting the fact that I would not probably even listen to cassette tapes again while I walked (thank goodness), nor even my CD Walkman, although I can’t bring myself to give up my CD Walkman, although even when I bought it about 7 years ago, I had a hard time finding one. Of course, I now use my iPods/old iPhones converted to an iPod touch. I am amazed that all of the batteries still work in my iPod’s and iPhones. My original “iPod shuffles” are about 8 years old and the batteries are still good in all three of them! It will probably be a real shock when they give out. Replacing the battery in the iPod Shuffle (unless I do it myself, which is probably impossible for me) costs more than buying a band new iPod Shuffle, although the new Shuffle’s are near as good as the ones I have. (I have several of the new ones, and they just aren’t the same.)
On the newspaper situation (having to rely on “digital” newspapers more since the physical papers arrive so late or aren’t delivered in my new location), I have found that the iPad seems to be a better way to “read” the newspaper than computer. It isn’t the device, it is the format. The iPad “app” system is just more flexible than the web site delivery system. Had to explain, but try it sometime and you will see what I mean. The design of the newspaper is much different for the iPad, than for the computer.
Overall, the audiobooks and the digital newspapers are a major change in the method of learning. Certainly I like the chance to listen and learn while I walk/drive and I like the way I can skip through the digital newspapers, but I still like the physical newspaper better.
That’s it for now, Monday, July 28, 2014.
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