Summer 2014 August 13 Wednesday (Smart Thermostat)

Summer 2014 August 13 Wednesday (Smart Thermostat)

70 degrees this morning.Yesterday, when it was 64 degrees, I noted it didn’t seem cold.  However, I changed my mind when I rode my bike, it was cold!  Walk today 54:04 minutes, a definite new record.  I knew I was walking faster this morning, but I don’ know why I was so much faster today compared to yesterday.  May be because I am concentrating on walking faster.  

Getting my “molds” for may new teeth (teeth implants) this week.  Then I will get my “new teeth” installed (i guess that’s the right word) in two weeks and the almost year long process will be over.  It really hasn’t been that bad, I would definitely would do it as having to continue dealing with the bridge.  The cost is about the same as a bridge replacement and will be the last time I need to do it.  

The electric rate we have is a “Smart Thermostat” rate, although we haven’t had the “smart thermostat” installed yet.  We asked for approval to install it, but haven’t heard so we are assuming it is ok.  There is no charge for the smart thermostat which I assume allows us to program similar to a “Nest” thermostat, which would be my preferred option.  

The Smart Thermostat (or Smart Meter) rate apparently saves us money, although probably not as much as someone who is out of the house a lot.  The rate varies from .05 cents a kilowatt to a high of .42 cents a kilowatt depending on the “electric load” the electric company is experiencing or projects to experience.

Anytime the rate is more than .05, we get an e-mail that for certain hours the rate will be higher (normally .10, .19 or .43) depending on their forecasting load.  

While we will probably have better savings when we have the smart thermostat installed, we also get a weekly report on number of kilowatts used, our savings versus the “regular” rate etc.

What I really like is that I can check with their website on my iPad, computer or even my iPhone and see exactly how many kilowatts we have used today (actually real time), this week, and since the last bill etc.  I don’t use it as much as I should.

If nothing else, the “smart thermostat” program has made me very aware of our electricity use.  I am more conscious of turning lights off, keeping the AC turned up (or down, depending on how you look at it, in other words, the hottest possible temperature where we are still comfortable at) and using ceiling fans before I turn the thermostat lower.  

Our house is somewhat naturally cool.  With the exception of one room, almost all rooms where you expect a ceiling fan has one, and that helps a lot.

We haven’t had to water our lawn yet, and I hope that continues.  I see nothing more wasteful than using drinking water to keep a lawn green or water plants that aren’t natural to the climate.  An individual doing it on their own is one thing, but I always felt that development requirements for irrigation of medians etc. is particularity wasteful, depending on the area you are in. There is proven technology to use wastewater etc. safety and effectively and I feel the emphasize should be on promoting such technology rather than promoting he waste of our precious ground water.

Watching the tv show based on the “CMA Fest”.  Makes me wonder if I attended the same festival or not.  At least they are showing the music this year and not some made up story like they have don’t in past years.  Thank goodness for the “fast forward” button and DVR’s.  

That’s it for now, Wednesday, August 13, 2014.

Spring 2014 June 9 Monday

68 degrees this morning.  Rain, and more rain.  

CMA Fest was a lot of fun.  Even our seating area, I noticed that there was much more visiting as the days went by.  (Many of the persons have the same seats each year.  I was complaining about an act (that they was a type of music I don't like and  i feel completely unrelated to even music, much less Country Music) and the man in front of me turned around and agreed with me.  I was surprised to realize exactly the same thing had happened with the same man the year before!  I need to be careful how loud I talk although in this case it didn't matter! I was amazed that my voice carried with the other noise around.)

There are always changes we don't like and changes we do like, and we try to complain about the bad changes and compliment on the good changes.  

I had a lot of fun with my new knowledge of "Evernote" during the weekend.  I was able to make "video" and/or "audio" "notes" to subjects (such as CMA FEST 14) and even have a GPS notation of the location.  Evernote is fun because there is always something new to learn and try.  It can also be frustrating, but I have found their staff support is pretty good, if not extremely fast.  

Another job interview this week.  This one promises to be especially interesting for several reasons.  Whenever my job entailed hiring people, I always considered the long-term impact to both the person involved and the organization.  When turnover is so low that a person you hire may retire there, you realize the impact of your decision both on the person and on the organization.  Or you realize how one person can impact an organization either in negative or positive terms.  

That's it for today, Monday, June 9, 2014, a rainy and wet day and week.

Spring 2014 June 8 Sunday

68 degrees this morning, cloudy.  

Aliene and I had a nice Anniversary (due to the date of the CMA Fest, we always say our Anniversary Party was attended by 45,000 people!)  Fortunately we are not responsible for organizing it!  It seems like the past 17 years have sped by, although there are many memories.

 Always amazing how a conference or festival finishes.  You wait for it, plan for it and then suddenly it happens and is over.  The CMA Festival was plagued by rain the entire time, although only one event was really affected by it (and it was delayed).  It was strange to watch (and be part of) 45,000 people (plus or minus 5,000 or so) sitting in ponchos in the rain watching music.  As long as it wasn't lightning or rain blowing on the electronics, the music continued.  The continuation of the rain over the past several weeks has really been amazing.  

Seeing all of the various music artists, I always wonder what makes the "edge" that brings stardom, fame and wealth, and just playing either making a living or even not making a living.  Of course, being in the right place at the right time is important, but it seems that there is a lot more too it at that.  Of course, marketing makes a difference, but you have to have talent to market.  

It is true in sports also, since as the Memphis Redbirds (AAA, just the level below Major League Baseball), many of the players are probably skilled enough to make it in Major League Baseball, where the difference in income and status is literally unimaginable and is based on either the (in this case) St. Louis Cardinals needing a certain position or having skills better than someone else, even if it is just slightly needed.  

We always say (and this is really somewhat true) that there are no servers etc. in  Nashville.  All servers  singers, songwriters or musicians!  They are all hoping the wheel of fortune will stop for them, in most cases it doesn't.  (Nashville has an amazing number of young homeless people). Some do make a good living at what they love, some don't, some hit the big time.  I try to see the difference, sometimes I can, sometimes I can't.

Another aspect I notice each year is the push to "change" County Music (or not change).   I realize any type of music is going to change, but at some point it becomes another type of music and should be played elsewhere.  It has really been evident the last few years, especially after ABC started televising the event, it has become a lot more commercialized.

I actually didn't care for Country Music until about 25 years ago, when I suddenly started liking it.  Not sure why, because I didn't like it up that point.  At least I was open to change!  

I can't change it so I'm not going to worry about it, as some point we will just stop coming.  I was surprised to realize this is probably our 10th straight year of attending.  I was thinking we had been attending for 6 years or so, but I did some research and realized it was been at least 10 years.  We have seen a lot of changes in that time, not all positive, some very positive.  \

Going to be a busy week. 

That's it for today, Sunday, June 8, 2014.