2017 Summer September 19 Tuesday

2017 Summer September 19 Tuesday

75 degrees this morning, walk 34:35 minutes 

Actually coolish this morning with a light wind.  Lightning to the north, but never close enough to really create any concern.

Sitting out on the patio, wonderful, although a slight wind keeps is very cool, but not unbearably cool.  

Walk this morning was good, 6 seconds below my goal pace.  I don’t know if I am walking near my goal because that is my goal, or because that is the pace I would walk even if I didn’t have a goal for the “pace”.

I think one of the main features of our lives are the goals we set and achieve (or don’t achieve, just as long as we have goals). 

As I age, I am a little concerned when I see myself perhaps not having as many goals. While the opportunity for many previous goals diminishes, the opportunity for new goals is created and I plan on keeping on creating goals and hopefully achieving them!  

When I read/listen about the early/pre Industrial Revolution, i have to marvel at the difference in life for people in general.  While sometimes the past is idealized, I think people don’t think of the grind of everyday life for the ordinary person in the past.  Not that there isn’t some “grind” now, but it isn’t near as bad as it was back years ago.

Before electricity, food during the winter was limited and was frequently not healthy etc.  

Thinking of all the labor saving appliances, the extraordinary convenience and time saving of the modern office electronics etc., the life of the everyday citizen is a lot better now, at least in industrialized countries

Of course, the off-setting factors are also there, such as terrorism, smog and pollution (although pollution of rivers and drinking water used to be so prevalent it was safer to drink beer than water).

Perhaps I will have to rethink that, smog and pollution have actually greatly improved over the days of cities throwing everyone untreated into the water etc.  

One example of the differences in hazards are one of the main conversations of the 1870’s was the discussion on when horse manure was going to take over cities!  Cars solved the problem, but bought their own hazards.  

Computers, tv etc. have their own dangers and drawbacks, and I think it is good that people are aware of the abuses and dangers. 

Anyway, I have no qualms about saying I am glad I am growing up in these times and not earlier times.  I really think one of the really major problems now is illegal/abuse of drugs by younger people.  I hardly have any answers, but I think of some of the destruction I have see from the use of illegal/abuse of drugs and I have to think that preventing the start of such use is a priority. 

That’s it for now, Tuesday, September 19, 2017.