Spring 2014 April 28 Monday

73 degrees this morning.  Rain during walk, drove to ATC.

Heavy rains, tornado sirens went off, but really not that severe, apparently going to be stormy.  At least I feel Spring is here now for sure, with tornado activity!

Monday morning.  I have become a loyal fan of CNBC and especially "Jim Cramer and Mad Money".  I don't sit and watch it as such, but just have it on, so I miss a lot, but see some of the highlights or breaking news.  (I don't like some of the programs, so I turn it off, with "Squawk Box" and "Mad Money" being my favorites.  My secret vice of Country Music videos early in the morning continues!  Of course this morning I switched over to the news when the tornado sirens went off.  

Finalized our contract on the house yesterday.  I assume the inspections etc. follow.  All we need is for the storm to cause some storm damage during this process!  If it all goes through, we will be moving in late June. 

We actually got a coupon for toner just when our toner went out!  How lucky is that!  Toner hardly ever goes on sale, since you normally buy it when you need it regardless of price.  

Planning to go the Redbirds bell game tonight, probably will transfer the tickets now.  The Redbirds have this really neat program that allows you to transfer your tickets to another game if you can't attend (I think it is a national program called "Ticket Return", and it is really great.)  That is the main reason we buy a "half season" ticket.  (I just bought one ticket and transfer tickets so we actually have two tickets for games we want to go to.)  

Speaking of CNBC, I remember when I first got interested in the stock market when I was in the 8th Grade.  I have always been fascinated by the action, I assume, and the psychology of why it goes up or down.  I actually new about the "flash trading", I read about it several years ago, but it was presented then a just another technological advancement.  Of course, they didn't say anything bout the opportunity for someone to actually preview someones trade and increase the price to them.  It was presented as a way to benefit from "inefficiencies" in the various markets.  I don't think an "inefficiency" includes being able to see what someone is trading and stealing from them by increasing the price!  

I actually read Michael Lewis (author of Flash Boys) years ago, but really noticed his book "The Blind Side" because of the Memphis connection.  I was actually listening on the local public radio station and heard a brief excerpt from the book and bought and read it before it became a movie.  It was a fascinating book as all of his books are.  

That's it for now.  Monday, April 28, 2014

Winter 2014 January 13 Monday

55 degrees this morning.  An unexpected rain.

Radio station at ATC Fitness this morning was absolutely horrible.  The announcer must have stopped growing in maturity at about 6 years old and his callers are worse.  Playing stupid "tricks" which are vicious and not funny at all.  Music is really horrible and not gym music at all.  I don't know why ATC Fitness can't have better music.  Otherwise, it is great, always clean and well maintained etc.  and really can't be beat.  I don't notice it that much when I ride my bike, but when I drive (like this morning when it was raining), it is horrible.   

I am really enjoying the warmer weather.  Hopefully it is a pre courser to an early Spring.  

Listening (and reading) Jim Cramer's (Mad Money) book " Get Rich Carefully".  I enjoy reading it and enjoy watching it when I have time.  I used to record his podcast and listen to it as I walked the next morning so it was timely, but I missed the opportunity to listen to other books.  I primarily listen to non-fiction books when I walk, sometimes I buy the book (like The Willpower Instinct) or listen to it several times.  I have listened to some interesting books, everything from Lincoln, the Civic War, an entire book (and very interesting!) on perfume, one on the history of the search for uranium (this one will shock you), ad the Aztecs (this one will really horrify you),  Audiobooks vary widely, I was really looking forward to a book about the building of the Panama Canal, but it was disappointing.  I don't know if it would be better if I read the actual book or not.  I am currently listening to and reading "Get Rich Carefully", which is interesting.  I see what I missed in one when I hear or read it in the other!

I have loved reading about and studying investments since i was in the 8th grade.  I have long given up hope of "getting rich" whether carefully or not, but I still enjoy reading about it.  I actually started when we got an afternoon paper when I was in the 8th grade.  I'd grab it and read the comics (at the back) and my Dad said (i doubt if he was serious, but....I thought he was back then) that if all I was going to read was the comics he was going to cancel the paper.  So, I started faking reading it and begin my lifelong love of newspapers, politics and the stock market and investments.  

I am always surprised when I look back and note the small events which later became major factors in the way my life has been effected.

Hopefully the rain will stop and the sun will reappear, but right now it doesn't look it it!

Fall 2013 December 5 Thursday

70 degrees.  Rode bike this morning, got caught in the rain on the way back.  Since I don't ride in the rain much (although I'll have to learn), I took it slow and easy.

I noted with regret that the one "regular" radio station I listen to, KRXO 107.7 in Oklahoma City, has converted to a "sports talk" format.  I found that hard to believe, but it is apparently so.  What a waste.  I got tired of listening to regular FM/AM radio because of the DJ's who think laughing for long periods is entertaining, crude "jokes" on people, vulgar language etc.  I'm really not interested in their personal opinions.  Fortunately there is XM radio, iPods etc., so it works out better anyway.  I still hate that 107.7 converted, there music was always good and probably caused me to drive about 10 mph faster.  No speeding tickets due to it thank goodness.  Ocassionally XM will have a DJ, so I turn to another channel.  I called and asked them why they had a DJ and they said some people prefer it since they "want a friend" on their morning drive.  Fair enough if that is what they want, but I"m still switching to a non-dj format.  

I keep thinking some day I'll learn how to use Evernote.  I think I got it and then it gets buggy on me and I can't trust it.  I plan on taking some time every day just working on Evernote and see if I can figure it out.  It seems to crash a lot.

70 degrees this morning, but the REALLY cold air is apparently coming in.  Probably freezing rain Friday and Saturday.  Freezing rain is a lot worse than snow (in my opinion).  This time, unless it affects the electricity, it probably won't be a major factor for me (other than inconvenience) since I don't have to get out anyway.  

I have not had to adapt much to "every day is Saturday" yet since I have been busy with a variety of meetings, Dr. appointments, meal appointments etc.  i am sure it will hit soon.  

Watching a tape of "Mad Money"  Jim Cramer is truly amazing on he tv program, as much an actor as anything, but also knows what he is doing.  I also enjoy his books and other web offerings, but his tv show is really where he shines.  

Fall 2013 November 9 Saturday

39 degrees this morning.  Didn't seem to be that cold.

Saturday morning on a three-day weekend!  I like looking ahead and seeing a clean slate for several days!  The possibilities are unlimited!  (so to speak!)

I have started watching a recording of "Mad Money" in the morning.  While I don't pay as much attention to it as I probably should, it is probably better for me than watching music videos (and almost as entertaining!)  I used to try to watch the news in the morning, but I prefer "hard" news and not the talking heads trying to tell me what to think or slanting the "news" so much it is it just their opinion.  

I still get most of my news from the Newspapers (either printed or electronic).  Probably one reason is I don't have the patience to watch long winded reports or even videos (I "read" the on-line USA today every day, I think it is a great format, but I never watch the videos since they take too much time to convey the information.  Saying that, I do watch (several days a week)  a recording of the national news (NBC and ABC) so I can speed through any boring reports or the "feel good" (or bad) reports they fill their time with.  We also watch a recording of several of the Sunday morning shows (Meet the Press, Face the Nation, This Week, 60 minutes) with the remote in hand ready to speed through some of the more bland or the bizarre behavior by the "guests" when they yell over each other.  I don't know what the host doesn't keep them in line.

Watching some of the early music videos I am always stuck by how the singers have noticeably aged through the years (just like me!).  Nothing wrong with it, it is just a fact of life, but the change is rather startling. I expect I would see the same thing in movies and tv shows if I watched them.  

The last "regular" tv show I watched was "Hill Street Blues" so it has been a while since I watched a tv show.  Just a matter of time and quite frankly, priorities for the use of my time.  Aliene likes to watch "CSI" tv shows when I am at work.  Maybe some day I will get on Netflix or Hula and watch an entire series in one day!  Probably after I retire, which I hope is a long time off and I hope I don't have the time after I retire either!

Summer 2013 August 22

74/76 degrees this morning, still somewhat cloudy.

I realized this morning how much shorter the days are getting.  Like the frog in "gradually boiling" water, I didn't realize how much later the sun was rising.  I used to note the sunrise and sunset in my daily journal and maybe I need to start again to realize the passage of the seasons.  

Listening the the book "Willpower"  (I'm sure there are many books with that title, I'll check on the author), and learning some very interesting ideas, especially about the pursuit of "pleasure" and "happiness". 

I get my audiobooks from Audible and, as an Amazon.com company, they have the famous horrible customer service if you have a question or need help, so it is difficult to do anything other than "listen" to the book.  I can't really go back and listen to certain parts as I can with a CD due to limitations imposed by Audible which don't make any sense.

Anyway, the book has some interesting comments about why we always think "tomorrow" we we will have more time and why people get addicted to video games, eating etc.  (it's not that it brings you pleasure, it's that you always think the NEXT time will be pleasure and fulfillment).   I'm sure those are relatively common ideas, but I like the way the book presented it.  This will probably be one of those times when I get the physical book so I can review some of the specific ideas.

The book had one example of what had to be a highly unethical (if it had been done now) study that tied in electrodes to subjects brains and than allow them to "pleasure" themselves as much as they wanted.  People pushed the button so often they frequently even wouldn't eat and had to be forced to quit.  (This is a rough idea of it, I need to research this some more).  

Otherwise, life continues. It is so busy, I find myself multitasking too much.  For example yesterday I realized I was (at the same time):

-Eating breakfast

-Watching "Mad Money"

-Reading the "USA Today" web site

No matter how good I am at multitasking there is no way I could really maximize any of them.  Actually that is ok, as long as I realize I'm not really doing all three tasks well.  Obviously eating breakfast doesn't really matter whether I am effective or efficient.  All I want to do from watching "Mad Money" or reading USA Today (website) is get the highlights.

USA Today has the best website newspaper of any newspaper I have seen.  I never watch the videos (due to time limitations), but I like the way the stories are arranged, I can skip all the junk stories about sports, "celebrities" etc. and just read what I want.

Actually the Memphis Commerical Appeal has the best "e-newspaper" of them all, it is an exact replica of the actual newspaper and, unlike the New York times and Wall Street Journal, it is actually easy to navigate and read.  Really as good or better than the physical newspaper, although I prefer the physical newspaper.

When I am out of town, I always ready the Commerical Appeal on-line, but really don't have the patience to read the New York Times or Wall Street Journal on-line.  They are poorly organized and awkward.  

I was reading some City Manager comments on the City Manager section on "Linked in" and I was stunned at some of the comments in answer to a question about "a good City Manager is always in trouble".  Hopefully I misunderstood some of the comments or they were half-way joking.

Summer 2013 August 14

70 degrees this morning (actually 70 or 73 degrees depending on the site).  It actually felt cool during my exercise this morning.

I ate some popcorn (the caramel and cheese kind which I shouldn't eat anyway!).  It affected my sleep in ways I won't mention, but my iPhone app clearly indicated I slept at "77% efficiency" as opposed to my normal 97% or so efficiency.  The app says to strive for 85% efficiency, so I thought maybe I wasn't doing something right that I was so "sleep efficient"  I guess the app does work!

A little cool to sit outside this morning, plus I want to finish watching the Cardinals game (taped) and "Mad Money".  I hate it when tv interferes with my life (even taped tv!), but I could decide to enjoy the patio and not watch it also.