Spring 2014, April 20, Sunday

55 degrees this morning.  However going to be a beautiful  day today, at least it appears so right now.
Living in somewhat of a suspended state for the past 4 months (will, actually since September 19, but really since November 26).  Not a bad state, just a sense of waiting, a sense of major changes, which isn't always bad (or good).

 Easter is a a time of renewal and new life in many aspects.

I have really been busy, but obviously my busy time has been spent on different goals than the past 25 years.  Think about it, but don't really have any major thoughts about it.  Perhaps that is why it is like living in a suspended state.

Hopefully not "Waiting for Godot", although definitely not any boredom.

Trees are greening up well.  Soon I will be able to enjoy the patio on mornings again.  At least until, and if, we sell the house.

I have a list of "books to read" that I don't even want to count, plus books I have on hand, books on my computer etc. to read.  However, I feel I don't have time to read right now, since I feel my priority has to be my next stage of life, and especially, now, preparing for the China trip.

On the other hand, maybe that (reading a good book/s) is what I should be doing.

By the way, I do have my computer back, good as new.  I plan on working on "iMovie", hopefully develop some short videos as a learning experience.

That's it for now.

Winter 2014 March 19 Wednesday

54 degrees this morning, windy, so still very cool.  Spring is almost here.  I did see some Crocuses the other day (or what I call Crocus), which to me means Spring is here, with maybe a freeze or two left!

When we go out to eat with Katherine and Kali, we are probably a test to the server.  Kali is a vegan, Aliene can't tolerate gluten and I try to avoid carbs (except in fruit and vegetables).  Katherine will eat anything if she is in the mood for it.  Most restaurants are actually unfazed by it.  

It is strange what is difficult to toss or give away.  Some of the smallest things, many that I got free or have little actual value that I could buy anywhere for very little, are the most difficult to throw away.  For example, the "gimme" notebooks that I have lugged around for 10 years.  Surely it is time to toss or give them to a good home that will use them!  Ditto on many books, especially technical books for devices I no longer have!

Some books I will never give away, including "Watership Down", my collection of books on Lincoln, my Tony Hillerman books (including paperbacks), my collection of literature books I read when I was a child, my copy of "SnowCrash", Silent Spring etc.  As they say, so many books, so little time.  I love each book in it's own way.  Even the books I know I will never read, I have a hard time discarding.  My one positive factor is that if someone wants to read it, I will give it to her without pause.  Books need to be read!  

I actually don't have any real problem with e-books or e-magazines or e-papers.  Many bigger books are difficult to read since they get heavy.  On a long trip, having books on my iPad vs. lugging a bunch of books is not a difficult decision.  Ditto my subscription to a service that provides e-magazines for $10 per month, and my e editions of the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Commercial Appeal.  I still read (and greatly prefer) the physical newspaper, but at least the e-edition is there.  They still have a lot of little problems come up, but overall they do a good product.

T shirts are the hardest thing to get rid of, since many of them are souvenirs and remind me of an event or person etc., especially a run, bike ride or some special event.  The ones that are too big, I finally packed away.  I believe I have compromised with Aliene that, of the ones that fit me that I know I will wear "sometime", I am packing them away, to see the light of day elsewhere.

However, I don't want to become like some people I know, and spend more than an item is worth to store it for years!  (This usually happens with furniture, and with the exception of my library card case, I have little attachment to furniture).  I was rather surprised at my impressive collection of knives I have picked up over the years.  They are small and easy to store, but when I need one.....

Just like pens and pencils, I have a bundle of them, but when I need one I can't find one!

That's it for today.

Winter 2014 March 14 Friday

47 degrees this morning, but developed into a beautiful day.

I read a comic strip "Zits" that really hit home.  I"ll try to include a copy.   It concerns passwords, I just laughed and laughed about it since it really hit home!

Nice visit with Aliene's brother and sister and their spouses tonight.  Sometimes, no matter what you do, the best times you remember are something like eating takeout pizza and visiting for several hours!   Same as last week when we visited with our friends from Virginia, it's not the tours or anything else you really remember and enjoy, it's the times you just sit down and visit.

Deep into the novel "White Fire"  I don't know it is about a novel that takes me to get involved anymore.  I have learned not to waste my time on something I"m not interested in, so I just steel myself to quit a novel that hasn't grabbed me by a certain time.  I'm not sure when that time is.  Some novels, which are nothing but repeats of earlier novels, I can drop fast.  Yet other novels, which are basically the same thing, grab me!

I can remember when I was in college and for a few years after that, staying up all night reading a novel or book that had grabbed me. (The novel "It" by Stephen King even had me checking the sink and bathtub drains at 2 a.m. in the morning!  It was a while before I truly trusted drains again!. Later I read where he said he should have added an "sh" to the book title, but I really enjoyed it.)

One of the hardest things about giving away books (I never throw the away, I always hope they will have another read by someone) is i always think I will want to read it again!  I have the entire "John Jakes" serial novels he wrote for the centennial, that I probably will never read again. all of the Harry Potter books, all of the Hobbit/Lord of the Ring series, the high school literature books I read in the third grade (and probably never understood for a couple of years in many cases), John Grisham books, Stephen King books, David Badacci,  all my Tony Hillerman books, my Lincoln collection (that I will never get rid of) and many others.

Some of my legendary reads were "Gone with the Wind"  (read straight through from about 4 p.m. to about 7 a.m. the next morning I may be a little off on the times), the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, 36 straight hours, with some time for naps I am sure.  (Actually I was working, I had to be "on call" and was supposed to stay away, I believe for 18 hours, but I was pulling a double shift).  I never read a book in one sitting anymore, the last book I read in one sitting was "Bright Lights, Big City", I read it as an early snow carperted   the city.  I'm not sure why it fascinated me so much, but I really enjoyed reading it.  Now I am lucky to read a chapter at a time and finish it in several weeks. Maybe "sometime"  I will do it again and finish my books.  I really like Nicholas Evans books, (The Horse Whisperer, the Loop, the Smoke Jumper), but he write so few books, I think those are the only there he has written, although he has written a book about how languages are becoming extinct ($42 in paperback!)

I feel about authors the way people feel about their children or family, you hate to mention one of them in particular because you are scared you will leave one out and you really love them all in their special way since they are all individually important.

Actually I have read more the  past several weeks, "The Circle", Anne Hilllerman's book (I believe the Spiderwomans Daughter) and now White Fire.

Summer 2013 August 4

73 degrees this morning, a little cool.  Out on the patio, but a cool breeze is making it a little cool.

Birthday days are upon us!  Mary Anne, John and I.  It was always a fun time. (As I remember it anyway)

Weekend has been busy in spite of myself.  My "books to be read" list keeps growing.  I did finish "Watchers" yesterday, which is for our book discussion page.  I read an "e-book" version of it, and read it in moments when I had time.  

School starts tomorrow here.  In a way it signals the end of Summer, and is, for some purposes.  However, here, the Summer really continues into almost November (sometimes up until Thanksgiving) and the true Winter seems to hit around Christmas and last until late February and then an extremely long Winter/Spring of coolish weather that seems to last forever until mid to late May. 

Not a lot planned this weekend, working on some items for work (letters to applicants, memos, planning etc), going to the last of the Redbird ball games for the season.  I was surprised at myself that I really enjoyed attending Redbirds ball games, I have been attending (in sporadic fashion until about 4 years ago) for almost ten years now.  

While I ride my bicycle daily (except when it is raining), I haven't resumed my long distance rides (hour or more), mainly due to time.  I will need to start training soon since the time is coming for my "ride with the Summer", either in 2014 or 2015.  Perhaps I just need to go out and do it.  I am trying to figure out how long it will take me and the best routes.  My experience with biking in the same lanes as cars indicates it is NOT a good deal for the bike rider!  That is my primary concern

Summer 2013 July 28

Relatively cool this morning (73 degrees).  

Saturday and Sunday I am frequently the only person at ATC, although there are other "regulars" at that time, they are primarily weight lifters.  (This is in the 4 a.m. to 5 a.m. time frame.  During the week (primarily Monday through Thursday), I expect our little community is about 30 people, and can vary from 10 to 50.  There are about 20 "regulars" that I recognize as regulars.  I don't talk with any of them (unless I drive and shower there), except for an occasional "hi".  It is a part of my life where I don't really interact with anyone else, kind of like driving.  I do wave to the Walgreens truck driver as I ride through the Walgreens parking lot.  Apparently this is the time they trade drivers.  Other than the truck driver, I always wonder who leaves their car in the Walgreens parking lot all night.  (This isn't every day.)

Enjoying the weekend, as normal, not enough time.  I usually add a book or two to my list of "books to read" from the Wall Street Journal or New York Times and look in dismay at what I haven't read.  I am also far behind on magazines. But it is nice to be busy.  

Summer 2013 July 26

Very cool this morning, 66 degrees.

I really get tired of the computer companies making junk and then trying to charge excessive rates to "fix' their mistakes.

Latest case was a Google Matrix 7 that failed after 7 months.  Staples refused to honor the guarantee (even though I had an "extended warranty" and they admitted the battery hadn't lasted near long enough.  

Apple is just as bad.  I have an iPod Nano (7th Generation) which won't sync now.  Makes it a piece of junk.  I can understand why Steve Jobs called so many things "s**t".  He produced a lot of it.  Some excellent products also, but also some real junk that Apple Computers never took responsibility for.  What really upset me was the extortive rates they wanted to give me advise on the ipod, which is only about 7 months old.  

Glad it is Friday.  Seems like a long week even though I took Monday and Tuesday morning as vacation time.  Of course, I'm still catching up.  

I keep a list of books I want to read.  My list has grown to the point, I know I will never read all of them.  Doesn't mean I can't try!