Summer 2014 August 9 Saturday (Audiobooks and iPods and ex iPhones)

81 degrees this morning, muggy, although not as bad as yesterday.  After walking yesterday there was a light rain, and, when I rode my bike the temperature had dropped by 5 degrees or so and it was almost cold, no mugginess.  I noticed how much faster I went on my bike in the cooler weather. 

Walked 55:01 minutes this morning, (a new record) meaning I have dropped almost 4 minutes off my time since I  first started walking this route.  Of course , logically, at some point, I will reach a time where I can’t walk any faster, although probably I will reach an time where I take a second or so off every few months and at some point probably will almost never take any time off my “record”. 

Actually I try to avoid trying to do a better time every day, since it puts the focus on a quantitative  goal rather than the journey and I am more interested in the journey and the general goal of maintaining my health and weight.  And listening to my books.

Started listening to “Capital in the Twenty-First Century” during my morning walk..  I may need to rethink that!  Even with my interest in this, my mind tends to wander.  I’ll see how it goes.  There are some interesting parts, I just need to get my head into it. 

 After listening to  the “Bully Pulpit” while I walk and a James Patterson story while I drive, this is a little bit of a shock to my mind!  

I am tempted to listen again to the Bully Pulpit since I am going to see Doris Kearns Goodwin in person in September (along with 3,000 other people!).  I’ve actually seen her three times before (always an excellent and interesting presentation) and talked to her briefly when she sat down by us at lunch.  I have also read all of her books, which are always interesting and I seem to learn a lot from them.  Probably “Team of Rivals” (about Lincoln) is the best, but she is the type of writer it is hard to say anything is “the best”.  I also really liked her books about Johnson and Roosevelt also.

Actually I probably am probably going to start listening to some podcasts about starting my own business in the near future while I walk.  Right now, that is a priority, as soon as I get them on my iPod (formerly my iPhone!).  Actually I have two “ex” iPhones that are now iPods (one Aliene’s and one mine).  I actually jumped from an iPhone 3 to an iPhone 5 and Aliene from an iPhone 3S to an iPhone 5S. 

As long as the batteries are still good, (and they show no sings of failing after, I believeI, about 6 years (for the iPhone 3).  I have an iPod and three iPod shuffles that have batteries that are about 7 years old (I believe, I lose track!) that still have good batteries and are operating well. 

When to retire an electronic device is always a good question.  It seems like there is always a use for an iPod.  My original iPad (an iPad 1) is still going strong, but I do have a little problem finding a use for it.  It is good for music and listening to books but so is all my iPods and ex iPhones.  (Otherwise, it is very slow compared to the latest iPads).  

It is strange how the line of thought in this daily journal finds it own life.  I didn’t have any intention of writing an entire post about my old iPods and iPads and ex-iPhones!  Every day, it seems to develop it’s own life.  

By the way, on my birthday, my internet speed doubled, from 50 mbps to 100 (I actually measured it at 129 mbps download and 36 mbps upload).  Probably much more than I actually need, but it is nice to have it.  There is actually one level higher.  

Family birthday dinner at On the Border last night.  (Katherine and my birthday). Aliene and I invite everyone out to eat to celebrate the birthdays.  It is a nice gathering.  We limit our visits to On the Border for good reason.  I don’t weigh myself for several days after visiting!  I like the tamales, retired beans and the chips, one of the few times I allow myself to each such food!  Like dessert, I don’t avoid it completely, but do limit it.  

Actually I gained some weight during he move, but am now close to my low again, where I like to be.  I can actually tell the difference in how my clothes fit and how I  feel.  

That’s it for now, Saturday, August 9, 2014.

Spring 2014 5 20 Tuesday

70 degrees this morning.  A little cool, but I decide to sit on our wonderful patio to write this.  The wind is blowing through the trees, the birds a chirping and it is wonderful.  First time this spring.

Re-entry into daily life after China has been ok.  I have gotten back into my exercise routine without any problems.  I am waking up at 2 a.m., probably related to jet lag.  I like the extra productivity time, but I know it isn't sustainable.  My experience in China has made me a lot more aware of Chinese stories and books..  Actually, in China I really enjoyed the "Shanghai Daily", which was a English language paper for Shanghai residents and provided a lot of insight into Shanghai.  

Reading and listening to "The Bully Pulpit" by Doris Kearns Goodwin.  I love her books.  I read it on the way from Shanghai on the plane and got about maybe 25% through, so it is not a fast read but it is  a good one.  I also am listening to it on my morning walk.  I discovered I liked doing that since one reinforces the other.  It is a book about Teddy Roosevelt, but also William Taft and S.S. McClure and numerous other characters that are woven into a really enjoyable story.  

I first heard Doris Kearns Goodwin at a landmark City Managers Conference in Cincinnati.  I immediately got all of her books and started reading them (it took me several years).  At the same Conference I heard Beck Weathers (Left for Dead) and his fascinating story about mountain climbing, which was more of a story about addiction (not the right word) and focusing on the wrong thing and not letting yourself lose focus over what is important in life.  I also started reading mountain climbing books, and still do, but I have not desire to climb a mountain, any more than I'd like to learn boxing because of my secret liking for boxing.  

I heard Doris Kearns Goodwin in Pittsburg and actually met her at the TGIFridays restaurant in the Airport.  (She spoke on "Team of Rivals".  I just told her I enjoyed her books and left her alone, but I was kicking myself for not bringing all of her books with me to ask her to sign them!  

She is going to be at a conference later this year and I"m sure, will speak on The Bully  Pulpit. I am looking forward to it and I want to finish the book and the recording before the conference.  The recording is challenging, I think it is 39 hours.  At 1/2 hour per day (my walking time), it will take me about 3 months to listen to the entire book.  

I will be going to my first "job fair' this week.  I am going more for experience as anything, but who knows.  

Rats, wind is coming up a little too cool on the patio.  I don't know how it looks so bare in winter and so lush in Summer.

Our house is on the market again.  The buyer we had the contract with backed out for a variety of reasons.  She wanted some modifications and I think found they cost than she expected.  

One of the difficult aspects of being away for awhile is to catch up on all your mail and reading material (magazines etc.).  It takes me a week to go through everything and I just throw away all the back magazines and newspapers.  I learned a long time ago not to even try.

Watched a Front Line last night about "solitary confinement".  It was fascinating, a study of absolute rage at being in a small room by yourself and how prisoners deal with it.  

On the plane, I noticed how everyone waited the next meal, snack etc.  Kind of like being in prison you think of it, you're in a seat belt, under complete control of authority, and no means to escape!

That's it for today.  Tuesday, May 20, 2014.  

Winter 2014 January 20 Monday

Bryant, Arkansas, 34 degrees, 39 degrees in Memphis.  Overall great day weather wise.  Good drive in to Lakeland.

Picked up bike, (general maintenance and checkup), be good to get on the bike again.  I hope to start building up my stamina so I can start riding in some longer rides and eventually my "ride with the summer".  May even try it this year.  

Aliene's mother passed 3 years ago on this date.  It was really sad, she was flying back to see her before she died and she was called on the plane, just after she fell (didn't hurt herself).  Although she knew her mother's time had come, she wanted to be there just in case her mother knew she was there and it could help her in the transition.  

Decisions are looming.  So far, I have been able to allow my future to be guided by events, soon, I am going to have to guide the events, depending on what happens in the next 40 days.  I expect to hear tonight or tomorrow about the Texas project, if I will be considered for it or not.  

I take naps throughout the day, normally one when after breakfast before I go to work and one after work, occasionally one at noon.  These are short "power" naps.  They really help keep me alert and I enjoy them.  I take about a nap every two hours when I am driving.  Not a long nap, normally five minutes or so.  It really refreshes me and I actually enjoy the sound of the traffic going by as I drift off for my break.I don't know if I will need to take cat naps when I ride my bikes on longer rides etc.

Started listening to Doris Kearns Goodwin's "The Bully Pulpit".  It is a good book, I am also going to read it.  It is interesting to read and listen to a book in the same time frame (as I am doing now with "Get Rich Slowly" by Jim Cramer.    I saw Doris Kearns Goodwin speak at a conference once (in Pittsburgh) and then she sat down right next to us at the airport.  We just told her we had enjoyed her speech and she was very nice.  (I should have gotten all of my books by her autographed!)  

I have thought about riding my bike on a longer ride, maybe the "Ride across Tennessee" or the "FreeWheel Oklahoma".  It would be good practice for my "Ride with the Summer".  

Fall 2013 November 16 Saturday

54 degrees.  Amazing how the weather can change!

Saturday morning, a good time!  I had planned to get get some things done this morning (like getting my new iPad Air up and running) but got caught up in responding to e-mail from yesterday (and I hate to say it, but some from Thursday also!).  Such is life.

Hopefully I can catch up on my newspapers, magazines and mail today.  With all of the meetings and just being busy I am woefully  behind.  Of course, they will just be tossed today if I don't read them. That is the most effective way I know to deal with accumulated newspapers and magazines.  Normally I would have tossed he newspapers yesterday, but I made a slight exception today since I just didn't have time yesterday to finish up.  They will be out by noon today no matter what, read or unread.   I have too many tendencies of a "hoarder" to let anything accumulate.

Still listening to "A Brief History of Time".  I am also reading a rather interesting book, " The Laws of Subtraction" (by Matthew May).  His comments on how minimal may be better are interesting.  I haven't read enough of it yet to really develop a comprehensive view of the concept, but it has been interesting so far.  

Going to download a copy of the latest Doris Kearns Goodwin Book (The Bully Pulpit, I believe) to listen to.  I also bought a "hard copy".  She really is an interesting historian and i have read all of her books at least once.

I first heard her speak at a conference and have heard her several times since in person and of course see her on tv all the time.  At the same conference I also heard Beck Weathers ("Left for Dead", which started me on reading a number of books on mountain climbing.  I have absolutely no desire to be a mountain climber, but I enjoy reading about it and watching it.  Kind of like boxing, I never want to do it, but I love watching it and wonder what and why anyone would torment themselves so much.  Boxing has the excuse of making money, but very few mountain climbers (other than guides) make much money at their sport.  It still is fascinating to read about and Beck Weathers and Doris Kearns Goodwin gave me a lot to read!  Doris Kearns Goodwin books on Presidents (Johnson, FDR, the early days of JFK, Lincoln and her book on baseball) are super, but take some time to read.  I wish she would do one on Truman.

After seeing her at a conference, she actually sat right next to us at the airport restaurant (a TGIFriday's).  Like sitting next to any celebrity, we told her we enjoyed her talk and then didn't bother her.  It was fun meeting her though and she was very nice.

I always have a problem getting used to the early darkness, and the worst part it here.  I always can't wait until Dec. 21 before the daylight starts getting better again.