Spring 2014 April 16 Wednesday

35 degrees this morning..... all time low is 30 degrees in 1950!  I went ahead and did my exercises routine, not too bad.  Sunny day this morning.

Working on "iMovie" on the Mac, have another instruction period at the Apple Store today.  While I  rarely watch videos, I think I need to learn how to compose smoother and better quality videos. It is amazing what you  can do with just the basic "iMovie" structure.  (Notice, I said "you" not "I", at least yet.  I actually got pretty good with Keynote (Apple's PowerPoint) and enjoyed doing it, but there wasn't a lot of demand for slide presentations!  I do use it for business and sometimes just for fun for myself.  It is like a lot of things, the more you learn the more you know you don't know.

I have probably mentioned this before, but the app "WeChat" is truly amazing. The main restriction (like Apple messaging and FaceTime) is the other person needs the program, but the app is available for any cellphone platform.  You can message, call, walkie talkie, video etc.  I am still learning it.  So many apps promise a lot more than they deliver (or there is really no purpose to the app, or other apps or programs simply do it better), it is always fun to find an app that delivers and actually has a purpose.  

Tax day is past.  Computer programs have really saved time on taxes . Plus the fact that Aliene is so will organized, I spend very little time on fling taxes.  I always enjoyed preparing tax returns, and the computer takes away a lot of the paid.(still don't help on the pain of paying the taxes!)

The Tennessee City Managers Association (TCMA) is having a session on "Lincoln's Leadership Lessons" at its Spring Conference.  I am looking forward to these sessions.  The Conferences have become a lot more informative and valuable since the current Executive Director (a retired City Manager) took over.  

It is so nice to look out my back window and see the "forest" greening up again.  It seems like forever since they were last green.  This has truly been the "Winter of our Discontent" and a long, hard winter, both in actuality and in spirit.  Spring is coming!

That's it for now.

Winter 2013 December 31 Tuesday

23 degrees this morning.  

It was cold out there, didn't feel too cold until I came back from the gym (on the bicycle) and hit some wind going down the hill.  I usually wear a bandanna on my head, but I needed a hat this morning!  Actually, it really wasn't that bad and I was able to get my full exercise program completed.

Wonderful day today after the cold weather this morning.  We had some minor things done at our house and I went to the Apple Store (Aliene's phone developed ringing problems and they replaced the phone and I did some work on some computer programs while I was there.).  I have been working on some creative aspects of the programs such as keynote etc.

I am always pleased at the little things that happen that are so pleasing, an e-mail or call from a friend, something in the mail I was waiting for or, like the other day, I actually heard both the "Four Seasons" and "Canon in D" on XM radio in one trip!

I always am surprised when the realize the full capacity of iPads, iPods, iPhones etc.  I can actually listen to any specific song or music anytime I want to.  It is still nice when I hear a favorite song or music unexpectedly.  

As far as Resolutions, I really don't make them at New Year.  I may made some promises for improvement to myself at anytime, but I normally don't do it at this time of year.  I also never (unless requested) do "year in review" type stuff, because while I hope I learn from the past, I just normally don't have time to rethink the past.  Doesn't mean I don't note events or happenings and hope to learn from them. 

I will always remember 2013 as the year "the world without end, ended".  I knew it would happen sometime, too bad it happened in this way.  My first Mayor told me he thought of the City as a ship going down the river, people get on, people get off, but the ship keeps on going down the river.  

As far as another year gone by, I am beginning to fully realize the problem older people have in the common perception by many people of what older people can and can't do or what they are going to do.  I think everyone assumes I am going to die or retire shortly, or I don't have new ideas etc. or whatever.  I can understand some of the comments I have heard in the past.