Summer 2013 September 19

73 degrees today, very nice, neither too cool nor warm.

My experiment with trying to "have it all" and read the Commercial Appeal, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times is actually going well.  I thought I would be overwhelmed by the amount of time it takes to read them, but it hasn't.  I have had to set priorities. 

 I actually have a lot of respect for each paper in it's respective world it attempts to inhabit.  (I also read the on-line version of the USA Today.  I like it, but I also never look at the videos.) It is worth the time, and, if I am out of town, I can look at them on the Internet.  (The Commercial Appeal has the best replica edition by far.)

I have learned to skip the "junk" news about "celebrities" (except for local ones that Michael Donahue writes about), crime, puff pieces etc. Each paper seems to have it's own brand of news that is unique and I actually find little overlap.  Like several t-shirts I have read "So many Newspapers, so little time"  (Well, they actually read "books", but same thought.

My early mornings, from 3:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. are so packed, I have no flex time built in.  So anytime I have an early morning meeting I have to cut something.  I tell people (if I"m late) I didn't get up late, I just ran out of time!  I always leave time for my 27 minutes nap in the morning after I walk, ride and shower.  

Today is election day here.  I will be glad to see all of the signs gone and not trashing up the city.  

 Still listening to the Willpower Instinct.  I plan on deep-reading chapter 2 of the book this weekend and making notes on it.  Probably becoming better organized will be my "willpower" project.

Either tomorrow or Saturday will officially end the Summer of 2013 and Autumn will start.  Overall, it's been a good Summer, a little cool, but a good Summer.  

Summer 2013 September 16

63/67 degrees this morning.  I wonder if the warm weather is gone for the year?

Monday, need I say any more?  Actually, I normally look forward to returning to the office. The area of the dental surgery is aching this morning and so I feel I am somewhat subpar, although it isn't enough to worry about.

The Lakeland City election is this weekend.  Hopefully things will settle down after that and the residents will have made the correct decision for the future of Lakeland.  I feel the local elected officials of a municipality are the most important elected officials in how they affect the lives of residents.  A city can have a huge impact on the local environment.  At least the signs will be gone.

Going back to making 8 cups of coffee in the morning (I have been making individual cups since surgery since I was concerned about hurting my mouth).   I like drinking coffee, what I say is my only remaining vice, although I don't know if it is that much of a vice anymore.  I especially like drinking coffee while sitting on the patio and reading the paper, but I feel it is more valuable to read the papers while I exercise on the stationary bike.

Lost a little weight since dental surgery.  I would like to lose about 10 more lbs (just enough so I don't have to buy a bunch more clothes).  I lost weight in the past two years (with a modified "low carb" diet of little bread or potatoes, although I do eat fruit) and had to buy all new clothes at the tune of about $1500.  And I had the pleasure of finally being able to wear the clothes I had kept for years for "when I lost weight", which was probably the highpoint of losing weight!  I have been stalled at one weight for about a year (since November of  2012), although I am not dissatisfied with that weight.  

Losing weight, especially the relatively  large amount I did, was pleasing and I do everything possible to not let "weight creep" allow me to get overweight again.The weight charts still say I am overweight, but I know what I can maintain and look and feel great at, which is about 12 lbs less than I weigh now.  

Aliene's brother and his wife are coming by for a visit today.  This is their first visit to us here in Lakeland, so we will enjoy showing them around Lakeland and Memphis.  Probably include a trip on the Mississippi.  One good thing, when I was in grade school, I learned to spell "Mississippi" as a rhyme, so I never have a problem spelling it!

No poem today, I completed "The World Without End is Ending" and I have never written another poem that I would care to publish.