Summer 2014 July 2 Wednesday (Smoke Alarm Sadism)

Summer 2014 July 2 Wednesday (Smoke Alarm Sadism) 

75 degrees this morning. 

Head a loud obvious “beep” this morning around 2 a.m.  Of course I knew whatever it was, it wasn’t good.  The smoke alarm decided on this time to start the loud obtrusive “beep” of a low battery.  I can imagine the shouts of glee in the smoke alarm factory when the sadists who make them discover a particularly loud “warning” of a low battery and program it to go off at the worst possible time.

For us it is the worst possible time, considering that the smoke alarm, for some reason, is placed on the highest place on a “vaulted” ceiling in the master bedroom.  (The last place any smoke would reach.)  Of course, the only furniture in the house is two folding chairs and an air mattress, not even a stick or tool to knock the smoke alarm down.  It currently has stopped, but who knows when it will start again.  Obviously the last occupants didn’t follow the rules about chaining the smoke alarm batteries.  

I did listen to music (Enya in this case).  I realized how long it has been since I have simply listened to music, and not while was driving, walking, reading, talking or something else.  I realized again how close to poetry music is.  

Hung out at McDonalds for about 3 hours Tuesday morning using their internet, drinking coffee and eating a parfait.  I probably mentioned before the parfait is wonderful and only $1.00. They also have nice background music (kind of a jazzy classical sound) and some interesting characters who apparently hang out there.  McDonalds internet is  a lot easier to access than Starbucks.  Not sure why, but I log on the McDonalds with no problems, while sometimes I have to fight with Starbucks internet, although eventually i always get on.

Overall good day yesterday, weather was good, went to the Apple Store for a short session on “iPhoto”.  Watched the US soccer game, and ate “Hideaway” pizza (their pizza is a real treat).

We anticipate at least a partial unload of our household goods today (hopefully our tall ladder will be on the truck). It has been nice to be able to have time to get things done (including reading etc.) without having the “shoulds” looming over your shoulder.  I think we will also be glad to get into a routine, although the routine we have had (even with no internet, TV or furniture) hasn’t been all that bad, as long as that darned smoke alarm stays off.  Of course, we know (or at least hope) it is temporary.

It will be so nice to get my bicycle  back.  I miss it and walking.  We are not in a “walkable”/“bicyclable” area, but I can design routes for each.  (I expect I will get lost a few times in the neighborhood, the planners went nuts on this addition.) I will also be glad to get my weights etc.  I haven’t used the “heavy bag” or punching bag for years, but I will try it, if I don’t use it i’m sure i know people who would love to have it.  

I thin that is what makes donating books bearable, I think the books will have the opportunity to be read by someone who will enjoy them, perhaps the books I donate will play a role in someone enjoying or changing their life.

I was thinking, my future is wide open, as I begin to fully realize I have a lot of options I can look at.  Realistically, I have a good 10, probably 15 years of work life left and I may was well do something i enjoy and is rewarding.  Money is important, but secondary.  It was a great 12 years. I am even thinking of going to school to get some additional skills if I need to.  

The next part of our journey is beginning with the delivery of our furniture.  We will place the furniture and then the furniture will start placing us as we adapt to our new environment and life.  

Direct from McDonalds, that’s it for now, Wednesday, July 2, 2014. (Actually, the wi fi in McDonalds was so poor this morning, I went to the Starbucks!)

Spring 2014 June 13 Friday

63 degrees this morning. Should be relatively clear day.

Working on iPhoto some more, trying to organize my photos. It is a time consuming task. Also, I am at the point where when I discard a picture, it is gone for good! I think that this is the last and only picture of that specific moment in time of that specific place or person and I am deleting it! ''

Maybe what makes pictures special is that there is only so many pictures you can comprehend and review and appreciate. Too many and they start to blur and maybe even lose their meaning and the person looking at them loses their ability to appreciate each individual picture. Anyway, no matter what, it is very difficult to weed pictures, just as it is difficult to week books etc.

I usually have to make several runs, first I delete the obviously bad photos (blurred etc.), then I sort anything that seems to be a duplicate or duplication. Than I get into the value judgement of what I delete and what I keep. I have no rules, other that I try to keep the most representative of an experience or person or place.

Speaking of weeding, deleting and throwing out, we are going to hit "packing" in a big way this next week, although we still aren't sure when we are moving. We decided it was best to "be prepared" and pack/sort/weed what we don't need in our daily life. Of course, that makes it difficult when I want to find something, or most of the times, actually impossible!

I have noticed from past experience, weeding/throwing out/giving away items becomes a lot easier as a deadline approaches. It becomes much easier to part with items when you think about packing and transporting them. The clothes you may wear "sometime", or the book you may read suddenly become much less valuable.

Speaking of clothes, for years I carted some clothes (jeans etc. dress shirts) based on the fact I would wear them when I lost weight. Several years ago, I was able to wear many of them and I get a little feeling of satisfaction every time I put them on and remember when I couldn't even come close to wearing them!

Long, although generally satisfying day yesterday, as noted by my short entry. Some days are "short entry" days, even though a lot happened and some days are "long entry" even if not much happened. I think every day can be a long entry day, but some days there is just too much going on to allow time for a long entry. Of course, there are days where a long entry is absolutely required to accurately document the day.

Interview yesterday seemed to go well, although you never know. I try to learn from each one. It will be a very interesting job if I am offered it. It would be much different than I have been doing and would be a different life style, but that could be good.

I am not a person who believes change is necessary for its' own sake, but change is going to happen and I would rather control change than be controlled by it. More to the point, change is necessary to adapt to new procedures and technology and is absolutely necessary in my belief in "continuous improvement", making small improvements every day.

I first heard the phrase years ago (actually it was in a "telecommuting" course I was taking at Rose State College in Management. I may have heard it before, but this is where it first reached my conscious mind and grabbed me. I realized this is what I was doing anyway, but it gave a name to it.

Of course, then (at least in my mind) the question of "what is improvement" comes up. I guess in the end, if you feel it is an improvement, it is an improvement. Of course, I have learned a lot from "improvements" I eventually rejected as not being feasible or workable, and at least I have learned that approach is not workable!

That's it for now, Friday, June 13, 2014

Spring 2014 June 3 Tuesday

75 degrees this morning.  Sitting on patio, it actually feels fairly cool.  (The temperature is now 73 degrees).  Still cloudy.

Thinking of Amazon.com again, I have to wonder about a company that will "punish" or inconvenience it's customers in a fight with a vendor.  That is bizarre.  I have always wondered about those creepy e-mails that pretend they know what I want to read/listen to/watch or even buy (they don't).  About my only dealing with Amazon now is through Audible and I'm trying to find another source for audio books.  I may find it is cheaper to just pay full price for the ones I really want.

I have really come to enjoy and appreciate audio books.  Actually, as I have mentioned, it is especially effective to read and listen to the same book in roughly the same time period.  I find I do miss some nuances (and actually some complete points, to my chagrin) on one that I pick up on the other.  I also find I read "e books" much faster and probably miss more of the information than if I read a physical book.  

My bicycle is still making funny noises and I have a feeling I will be taking it in for a major checkup.  The "pedal freezing" was was the result of he chain jumping off and getting into the main gears around the pedal (I'm  not sure what it is called).  I hope it won't happen again, but I know my bike and it is making some noises which don't bode well for the future (at least for the bike).  I like my bike, but would really like to go back to a mountain bike.  Once things settle down for me (as far as a job and location), I probably will buy another bike anyway, although I was thinking of a "electric assist" bike (one you pedal most of the time, but can get some "assistance" on hills.  Dream on, I expect.

i hope to learn to ride in "a group setting", so I am safe to ride with!  i ride by myself almost all the time, and am definitely not used to riding in a group.  I really am aiming at doing some longer bike rides, such as the Ride Across Tennessee/Kansas, Free Wheel Oklahoma etc.  and then do my "ride with the Summer".  

I really wonder where time goes.  I easily worked 80 hours per week on my previous job and then literally went cold turkey to none, and I still don't have time to do a lot of things I would like to do.  I may start keeping track of how I use my time and see if I am wasting any.  I don't sleep more, I get up at the same time, do the same amount of exercise etc.  (I may fudge a little on this and take some extra time.).  Of course, sending our resumes, job hunting, dealing with unemployment, social security issues etc. takes a lot of time and mental effort, but still, I don't have the time to do the "leisure" reading I expected to do.  I have learned a lot about computer programs (especially Evernote, iPhoto, and my MacBook innards) which will help me in the future.  But I still speed read through the morning newspapers, magazines, and novels rather than take the time to enjoy reading them.  I do read too many newspapers, but that is a vice I am going to keep, like coffee.

I think my sleeping habits are finally back to normal.  I got a reply to a "thank you" note I sent to someone in China who was especially nice and helpful and I felt a twinge of "something"  (not sure what), and I thought again about the wonderful time we had in China.  It seems like such a distant memory now and I really don't want to let the memory lapse, even if I never return.  

(Real time now):  They are finally mowing the yard, so I probably will need to go in off of the patio.  Grass and computers don't mix well, even a tough MacBook.  Also, I don't care for grass and dust with my coffee!  

(Now inside);  Sometimes I wonder how the patio affects my thinking versus being inside.  Along with that, in Lakeland I never see the sunrise or sunsets like we did in Kansas or Oklahoma (unless we get near the Mississippi River or away from the hills and trees).  One thing I miss about Oklahoma and Kansas are the sunsets.  Actually, I don't "miss" them, until I am in Oklahoma or Kansas and see one of the beautiful sunsets, then I realize how much I miss them.  Kind of like the wind, when I get out of the car in Oklahoma and feel the wind, I remember something I DON"T miss about Oklahoma or Kansas, the persistent, continuous wind!  

Fairly busy day today, some "busy" items this morning, lunch with a friend, Apple Store appointment.  Working on iPhoto. It may be an endless task.  I do a little everyday, right now I'm just trying to "weed" out duplicates, and pictures that just aren't that good, which is a lot of them!  

That's it for today, Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Spring 2014 5 28 Wednesday

66 degrees this morning.  Some rain last night, also somewhat cloudy this morning, but no problem with walking or bicycling.

Thinking this morning about "X+1".   I heard the story about Test Pilots were asked how many times they could flout the rules when they tested their new airplanes (I expect you don't expect a test pilot to follow the rules) and their answers was "X+1", with X the number of times you did it and +1 when you got caught or wrecked!  

I always enjoyed this concept and have used it in many different situations.  I think the "+1" is the reason that you keep on living and pushing regardless of the situation.  Anyway, it is fun to think about it and apply it in different situations.

Currently my status is "Change is coming".  No matter what, the "World without end is ending" and some type of change will take place, especially in the career situation, where we live and other factors.   I look forward to change and like variety and stimulation in daily life, but I also like the stability of a regular job and knowing I am going to live somewhere for at least a while.  It is likely we may be moving in the near future and my job status could change suddenly (or not), which will make the Summer of 14 the time of the most changes in our lives since the Fall of 2001.  In that case, the change was structured and I/we were in charge of the change.  This change is wildly unstructured and we have final action of approval of any change, but we don't really have any control over the change.  If that makes any sense.

My MacBook Air is back, but the problem still isn't fixed.  All they can say is they "can't replicate" the problem.  I understand that but it seems like there has to be a reason.  I haven't really searched the Internet yet for answers and that may be the key.  I'm sure I'm not the only one having this problem.  It is good to have it back, although I am always pleased at the versatility of the iPad when I have to use it.

Back to changes in our lives, I really expect we will be moving sometime in late June.  Where or why we don't know yet.  It may depend on a job, it may depend on the house being sold, or there is a good chance it could depend on both. 

I both look forward to the change and regret the loss of some of the routine and friends I have come to enjoy as part of the fabric of my daily life, knowing that the change will be a major loss and change for us as well as others.  

The trees in back of our house are in full "leaf", which provides a completely different atmosphere from Winter.  I am stilling on the patio, enjoying the patio and the trees (I call it the forest) and the birds welcoming the day.  Some morning I will record the birds and post the sound track.  The birds beautify the air with a burst of sounds in the morning, unlike later on in the day.  

I spend several hours at the Apple Store yesterday, getting ready for my iPhoto structuring.  I'm not sure how I will find time for it if we are packing etc., but I expect I will work on it a bit at a time.  I decided to do the latest events first, since I will remember them better and maybe it will put my mind in shape to structure the earlier events.  I am putting all my photos on a hard drive and working just off that hard drive.  

I am working more on Evernote.  The support staff has been good about analyzing my problems/questions and suggesting thoughtful answers. I still feel like I'm not using it to it's full potential, but then that is true of all my computer problems!  

That's it for Wednesday, May 28, 2014.  

Spring 2014 5 23 Friday

70 degrees this morning.  Trying to sit on the patio, but there is still a slight coolness in the air (sigh).  Normally Memorial Day is about the time it really starts getting hot in the morning, so hopefully this weekend is it.

The Veterans Job Fair went well.  It was very professionally done and while I really wasn't suited or interested in many of the jobs offered, (there were a few which made it well worthwhile going, if nothing else just for the experience) and the organizations/businesses there were very open to questions and providing information.  They even offered a lot of "freebies", which I skipped except for a "string backpack" that I use when I bike and normally break about one every three months.  However, the one I am currently using has lasted for a long time, maybe even a year.

Trying to get my iPhoto library organized.  The most frustrating part has been getting ride of "duplicates, thumbnails and the "faces" that Apple uses that somehow duplicated to about 14,000 images.  The Apple Store staff has been very helpful in helping me approach this.  I'm not sure where Apple recruits for their store, but they hire a lot of really great people.  (They hire a good variety of ages, etc. also, which makes me feel good about the company.)

I don't quite know how my iPhoto library got so disorganized (probably through years of "tu it" delays!), but I am intent on getting it organized into albums and then stored somewhere.  I am actually learning a lot, it is interesting.  Apple apparently added more "1 to 1" staff, which is great, until everyone else learns about it and then it will be hard to get an appointment again!  They have a lot more appointment times available for the "1 to 1 personal", which is either 30 minutes or an hour of direct "1 to 1" training, which is great, because I always learn a lot.  "Open Training" is for when you have a project that you don't need continuous help, but you may need some assistance to help you over  hump and that  is also great.

 I noticed I am just scanning Facebook more and more as more "sponsored" ads and junk are in the "news feed".  Hope I don't miss anything I world really like to see, but I only have so much time. 

Looks like it will be a great day.  I even have another appointment at the Apple Store this mooring, hopefully can break through the problems on iPhoto.  I don't mind spending the time on it, I just hate to waste time.  The time on the patio this morning has been good, even if a little cool, it is good to be back and see the trees, hear the wind through the tress and the birds.

We no longer have our bird feeders.  It just got too messy.  We miss the birds, but it was a continual hassle fighting the squirrels, raccoons and other varmints as well as we weren't sure what type of pests were in our lawn to eat the discarded seeds.

We will try to go to a Redbirds baseball game (or two) this weekend.  That is always fun when the weather is nice. 

Just looked at my gmail account spam folder, I had over 200 spam in the last three days!

That's it for now, Friday, May 23, 2014

Spring 2014 5 22 Thursday

66 degrees this morning, although it didn't seem as cool as 70 degrees did yesterday.  Thursday, already!  Time passes.

I read two stories this morning, one in the Wall Street Journal about how "suburbs are coming back"  and a story on the on-line USA Today that "cities are still growing at the expense of suburbs".  Since anything regarding cities and suburbs is interesting to me, I read the WSJ story earlier with great interest and then read the USA Today with equal interest and some bewilderment!  There is a logical exclamation that the USA Today was using past census date (updated) and the WSJ was probably basing the story on recent empirical  trends.  I'll need to go back to WSJ story now and read it again.

I expect that it actually depends on which City you're talking about although (if I recall correctly) some of the most progressive cities are mentioned as the areas where the suburbs are "coming back".  I'll research this a little.

Speaking of cities, I think Memphis is a city with a lot of potential to be a great city, and I think the suburbs contribute to it and hopefully will continue to grow..  The Memphis Mayor (Mayor Wharton) has displayed some courage and foresight in making Memphis much more livable and attractive, and some of the suburbs (unfortunately now excluding Lakeland, which is going backward) are also making major advances to being "livable".

One of the Memphis Grizzlies (the basketball team) mentioned Memphis was "gritty" and a "blue collar" city, or words to that effect.  That actually is probably someone true, but it also is part of the Memphis tapestry of a variety of incomes, people, housing, and urban geography that makes it a very attractive and exciting city.   I wouldn't mind living in the downtown area, myself (although I hate to thing of what would happen if "THE" earthquake should happen).  

Coming up on six months of being unemployed.  I have decided I am going to write a blog about being "White, Old, Male and Unemployed".  Not to mean other unemployed people don't have it worse, but my experience is my experience and I won't apologize for how I feel.  I am shocked that the obvious age discrimination, but while I was on the "other side" and hiring people, some of the older people we hired (or didn't hire) expressed the horrors of being old and unemployed and looking for work and discussed obvious age discrimination .  I am going to a job fair this morning and I am sure I will feel a good dose of it.  On the other hand, I can understand the need to provide younger persons employment, although with the "new" career of a series of short-term positions.  I think the flat discrimination against old people is what is absolutely unacceptable.  

I really feel the younger generations are going to get a nasty surprise when they get old (we all do, or accept the alternative) and don't have sufficient retirement income.  I think now is the time to look at how to resolve that problem.  

I am about to tackle my 3000+ photos I took on the trip to China (and  about 50,000 pictures of other occasions, including Christmas's long past!).  It is time to sift through the photos and send many away and highlight others.   My desktop computer is actually running slower trying to sort through 50,000 photos (many the fault of the Apple "Faces"  aspect of iPhoto).  I will have to delete, delete, delete and then figure out how to backup my photos.   I will work on my videos/movies after that.  

I didn't try to sit on the patio this morning, may have been a good day for it, but I have a busy day ahead, although "busy" is relative anymore.  

That's it for today, Thursday, May 22, 2014.

UPDATE:  Both of the stories on Suburbs and Cities (Wall Street Journal and USA Today) were using the same data!

Spring 2014 April 17 Thursday

37 degrees this morning.  

Learned more about iMovie yesterday at the Apple Store.  It is a fascinating program and can really do a lot.  I learned aspects of it I didn't have any idea even existed.  Of course, I don't take video that often, (except by accident), but I do have fun with it and it will be entertaining.  Probably use it more for work.  

The special effects, the music, maps etc. you can put with it is relatively easy, just a matter of time and learning.  My problem is I get stuck on something minor and there I am.  The Apple Store has a good answer for this with their "Open Session" where you work on a project and ask for help when needed.  (The 1 to 1 is literally a single teacher instructing you in the subject, which is wonderful.)

Probably will accept a contract on our  house today (or at least a counter-offer).  We love the house and hate to think of leaving it.  It is a wonderful house in a wonderful location.   On the other hand, we've only had it on the market for two weeks, so we may wait.  We are in no hurry to move, unless I get a job somewhere outside of this area.

Picked up my beloved MacBook Air yesterday.  It is nice to have it back. I got along fairly good without it, but I am glad to have it back.  It is so much more convenient, and actually a lot faster than other computers.  (Something to do with the flash drive, I think.)  I worked on iMovie on it and it is  very fast. I think the problem with my iMac is that iPhoto ran amok with "faces"  (I ended up with almost 60,000 pictures and got rid of 20,000, but I still have 40,000 pictures) and I think it is using up all of the processing power.

Evernote sounds like such a good idea, I just can't seem to get used to using it.  I used to to keep my car mileage and things like that on it, and the books I wanted to read, but that is hardly using it at it'll highest capacity.  Kind of like using a computer as a glorified typewriter, although I don't even know if they make typewriters anymore.

By the way, I need to praise Staples Office Supply.  After becoming throughly frustrated at FedEx Office trying to make up a business card with two sides (one English, one Chinese) and being stymied by FedEx bureaucratic requirements to use their templets, colors etc. and the inability to insert the Chinese Language, and wasting several hours on this, I went to the Staples web site and ordered a double-sided business card in exactly what I wanted in a matter of minutes!  A wonderful representative (I wish I had gotten her name) helped me when I realized my order wouldn't get to me before a meeting, she even redirected my order so I would get it prior to the meeting!  THAT is customer service!  

We're still thinking about the contract on the house. It is for less than we really want for the house, but there is some other factors which would increase the value of the offer to us.  A hard decision to make.

That's it for now.

Spring 2014 April 11 Friday

66 degrees this morning.  A "cool"  66, but it's getting there. The sun is shining and the trees and grass are greening up.

Starting to take pictures of some of my "things" that it it time to get rid of.  I am starting on some hats which have long seen their useful life.  I wear them for exercise etc., but I have many more than I will ever need.  So a picture will maintain the "event" status of the hat (and in the future t-shirts, even books etc.) but I won't have to lug it around anymore and hopefully someone else can use it!  I haven't decided where to post them yet, I will keep them in a folder on iPhoto until I decide.  

Had a physical this morning.  It was interesting, a technician actually came to my house and did the physical.  Overall it was good.  

I am considering starting a "writing" business, if I can decide how to market it and if there is even a demand for it.  I enjoy writing letters etc., and I can (I'll brag on myself a little here) can whip out a letter or document in several minutes that takes others hours.  Maybe there is a niche I can fill someplace and supplement my income also.  It would take a while to build a clientele, but it may be worth a try. 

Preparing for the China trip has been fun.  I even downloaded some Chinese language lessons for my iPod and I will listen to them while I walk instead of my usual books and maybe in the car etc.  I have also read several books about the Chinese culture (including "On China" by Henry Kissinger, which have been fascinating.  As part of the conference and pre-tour, I will get to visit with Chinese officials of several cities etc. which ought to really be interesting.  We are also taking some side tours, assuming this will be our one and only trip to China, although you never know!   We area also meeting with a Chinese native who will review the culture and language with us.  We are also eating at the only "true" Chinese restaurant in the Memphis area to get familiar with the food, especially with Aliene's eating restrictions.

Strange how chance plays such a major role in life.  I was mulling over the China Conference when I went to a "breakfast" sponsored by the Memphis Chamber.  There, I happened to sit with a person who owned a business that worked with local companies on helping international workers become familiar with the US culture, English language etc.  I mentioned to her we were considering going to China and she encouraged me to do so.  When I decided to go, I contacted her company, which advised me of the restaurant and the person who could help us adjust to the culture.  

We have probably spent more time planning the trip than the trip will take, but it has been a lot of fun!  We completed most of the details yesterday at AAA as far as tours and in country flight.  (We are going to Shanghai, XI'an, Beijing, Wangzhou and then Shanghai before we depart!  

Going to the Apple Store this afternoon for follow up work on iMovie.

(Later):  In my "third place"  (the Apple Store) doing open training (meaning I work on my own until I get stuck, and then there is an expert there to unsnag me.  I do love this place!

That's it for now.

Spring 2014 March 27 Thursday

52 degrees this morning, but seemed much colder due to wind and mostiure in the air.  Cloudy, but since rain wasn't really fore cast until later today, I rode the bike.

Deleted 20,000 duplicate pictures yesterday at the Apple Store, but still have about another 30,000 to delete.  For some reason they are deleting so it probably means another trip back to the Apple Store.  Some kind of problem with their "faces" recognition program it causes the "faces" to duplicate.  At first I thought it was an error on my part, but now I don't believe so.  

I just realized the Apple Store is my "third place", like Starbucks is my "second place".  Of course I can't just go there and hang out, but with the open training, I can work on a project and have an expert on call in case I run into a problem. It works wonderfully, I don't know why more tech companies don't have some kind of program like that, instead of making you call and be on hold for hours while they try all kinds of time-consuming "tests" before admitting their product is defective and take it back or refund your money.

Back at my "second place" (Starbucks) waiting for Aliene to finish some items.  We are close to getting the house ready for sell, it has been a long process.  The Realtor may have us do some more, depending on what she thinks would help it sell.  

I had to stop my project of taking pictures of the Hot Wheels, since one of the rules of selling your house is no personal items like that (including stuffed bears, personal pictures etc.)  I didn't count them in the interest of getting them packed etc.  

I went by the library and saw several books I have wanted to  read, but I have too big of a stack of "to be reads" now!

That's it for now, may note more later depending on how the day goes. 

Winter 2014 January 7 Tuesday

5 degrees this morning.  (yes, five degrees, single digit!).  This is the coldest it has been since we moved here, I can't actually rememberer the last time it has been this cold.  Walked this mooring, not bad.  I don't bicycle out of caution.  I did ride yesterday in about 14 degree weather, and it really wasn't that bad, except for my fingers getting cold.  +15 libs over my target weight today, although only the Monday weigh-in is recorded.

Apple store today to try to figure out my iPhoto photos.  I have a lot of photos to delete and organize.  I am also going to try a new keyboard for my iPad which is connoted with magnets. I haven't had a lot of luck with magnet conniptions, but I couldn't really find anything else.  I bought a "smart cover", which turned out to be an absolute disaster, one of the worst products Apple has ever made.  (I dropped the iPad twice due to the defective "smart cover".  Even Apple personnel recommended I go to Office Depot (not specifically, but to another store) to get a decent case. Hopefully this will work out better, but I have 14 days to take it back.  

Noted in the WSJ this morning that "ginger" may help asthma.  I need to let Angela know about that.  I have "exercise induced" (which is made worse by cold weather) asthma, but it really isn't that bad.  I cover my mouth when I exercise in the cold and do the 'puffs".

The "puffs" are a perfect example of environmental stupidly or maybe a payoff some place.  The "puffs" were working find and were cheap to buy.  THEN to minimize the "environmental impact" of all of those puffs (probably  one minute of a small jet from all of them together), the FDA changed the standards and only one company could meet the standards.  Of course the price went sky-high and it doesn't work near as good.  I strongly believe in environmental improvement, but his was simply stupid, someone had they head in a place it shouldn't be.  To be honest, I don't know for sure that this explanation is true, but I know it went from a very effective drug to a lot less effective and substantially more expensive.  A pharmanist told me about the FDA and the reason for the change was the "environmental damage" caused by the aerosol. 

"Weeded out" two file drawers yesterday.  A lot of memories in there, but very little I really needed.  I thought about scanning all of it before I tossed it, but decided not to. Probably, after not looking at it for at least 7 years, I will need it tomorrow!  There are a few items I will send to "shoeboxed" to get scanned.   I am going back to try to weed one book per day.  It is hard to do, believe it or not. 

I looked at the "Apple" remote control Ferrari on the Brookstone web site, and, sure enough, I get this creepy message about the item in my Facebook news feed.  Makes you want to get disconnected, at least don't give your real name.  I'm sure I will start getting junk mail and junk phone calls now about it.  One reason I NEVER use the "sign in with Facebook" option.  

Need to go through my papers today again and start sorting stuff out.  Actually hasn't been that bad yet.  One good thing I don't have to weed stuff, I just want to slim it down a little!