Winter 2014 March 20 Thursday

46 degrees this morning.  A little colder than I expected 46 degrees to be!  However, Spring is almost here!

The "toss and pack" is continuing.  Kali and Katherine have actually been a lot of help, not bad for 11 and 14 years old.  I was surprised at how many "Hot Wheels"  cars I have (both the Hot Wheels and other brands).  Hopefully they will see the light of day in the near future. I was thinking when I got out of the Air Force and my first move to my first "real" job in Liberal, Kansas, everything I owned fit in a car trunk!  Now I have a hard time getting everything in a moving van!  Possessions truly become our masters if we aren't careful.  

Starting on the book by Joshua Zeitz, "Lincoln's Boys" about John Hay and John Nicolay who were his Secretaries.  I didn't realize that his papers were private until 1947, so basically they were the only two who had full access to his papers.  When I was in Washington D.C. over a year ago, I especially enjoyed going to Lincoln's "Country House", although it wasn't open when  we went there.  It apparently was the only place he could truly relax.

In an epic fight with T-Mobile.  Since I use very little cellular (mostly WiFi) on my iPad, I bought an iPad from T-Mobile since they offer 200 mg of free 4g if you buy a 4g iPad from them.  In this case, I cancelled my ATT service for my old obsolete original iPad which was about $20 per month and agreed to buy the iPad for about $25 a month with 200 mb free per month.  (I actually bought an iPad Mini also at a slightly less charge, same agreement, so only the iPad Air was actually somewhat "free".)  SURPRISE.  There is a $10 per month"demand" charge for each iPad. I had to talk with two people at T-Mobile before I could even get them to agree that the $10 was not mandatory and then I was shunted off to someone else and I finally hung up.  However, at least I got them to agree that the $10 per month charge was voluntary and not mandatory.  They are as bad as airlines.

I have to admit I get really tired and angry of the price gouging by Delta and Hertz, but the personnel actually performing the service are almost always great and very helpful and frequently can find me a way out of some of the bureaucracy of both of them. 

That's it for new.  May add more later today as life goes on.

Fall 2013 December 3 Tuesday

51 degrees this morning

Good to get back to my exercise routine this morning.  I think I will delay reporting my weekly weigh-in this week after the Thanksgiving weekend!  I thought I maintained my eating habits fairly well but obviously the scales say I didn't!

I start my new Life style today, although actually I have a 4 hour training session this morning so I can maintain my continuing education credits for my Certified Municipal Financial Officer (CMF)) certificate.  It it an intensive (eleven 8 hour classes followed by a graded test) to obtain the certificate so I am making sure I maintain the 24 hours of continuing education each year to maintain it!   Then Aliene has a Doctors appt., so at least it will be a relatively busy day.

Looking out my window I realize it is truly winter, or rather late fall, the leaves are either completely off the trees or brown.  I probably won't be here (at this house) to see the wonderful colors or Spring come in for 2014, although you never know.

I decided it is best to maintain my routine, at least my early morning routine and I will set up a true office where I will work out of.  I really don't want to bother Aliene in her routine.  

For some reason Hertz has, for the third time, substantially increased my bill after my "confirmed reservation rate" is much less.  In Wichita, I had to actually take my computer in to show her.  This time, I decided I'll just call the head office and after this I will print out a copy of my reservation and bring it with me.