Summer 2013 July 9

79 degrees this morning, perfect day for the patio this morning.  

Really hectic day yesterday, had to spend most of this morning catching up, so don't have time to write much right now, hopefully tonight.

I promised myself I would always write "Something" every day, so I will.

Something.

Evening, Tuesday, July 9:  Sitting out on patio, really first evening out here.  It is nice, shady and a light wind keeping the bugs away.  

Life can change suddenly.  A friend was coming over to pick up Aliene for a meeting they were going to, and she hit a mail box and smashed up her car.  That moment when you wished you could take back 5 seconds and you know you will be spending a lot of time etc. on details.  Fortunately she was not injured and the car is drivable, but she is still facing the hassles of car repairs etc. Monday and time for nothing, with time being the most expensive.

The summer seems to be speeding by.  Soon it will by my 66th Birthday.  I hear that and turn around looking for my Dad.  I can't  be 66, I feel too young, I have to many things I want to do before I grow up!  Actually, Daddy would be 113 this year and Mama would have been 101.  Time passes whether we are ready for it or not.

Soon we will be going to the Courter/Wherry reunion.  Returning to the basic roots of my childhood each year is a strange journey, each year my daughter and granddaughters (and Aliene and all my brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, Nieces, Nephews etc.) getting older also.  Sometimes I go out the the farm and Holton, Kansas where I developed some of my earliest memories.  I see towns I remember when I was a child, such as Circleville, Whiting, Wetmore, Downs, Netawaka, etc. and I realize many of my memories, even now, are routed in this area.   When I vision a town square, I envison Holton town square (as it was almost 55 yeas ago now!!!!! and a jail, the Holton Jail etc.  I still remember walking around the courthouse and fining a dime, so I made a point to walk there every time we came to town.  (I never found anything again.) The memories rush in, even when I am rooted in the present.  

Strange things such as the "new highway" when I was a child, now almost 60 years old!  Of course, the farmhouse I grew up in is long torn down, as is the school building I went to the first 4 grades at (literally a "one room" school with a teacher (Miss Porterfield) who taught all 8 grades.  

I can remember looking at an ad showing a group of four people playing cards as the car drove itself down the highway.  I really thought that would happen by the time I "got old" at 30 or so.  Maybe soon, it will be a reality.  

I remember buying the fist transistor radio.  It cost $20 and I put down .50 in layaway.  I think Vincent got it out, since I would never have had that much money!  (My friend got .50 per week allowance and I remember thinking, if I could get .50 per week, I would never need anything more!  He still lives in the same house by the way, with a family of his own.)

Summer 2013 July 8

I wonder sometimes about attachments to inanimate objects, since as my inability to simply throw away some things after they are worn out.

Yesterday, I read an interesting article about peoples attachment to t-shirts.  

With over 200 t-shirts of my own (some torn to the point of being unwearable), I was interested and understood the story!  I can understand my attachment to "event" t-shirts that bring back good memories etc, but I also remain attached to no-name t-shirts that I don't wear and probably never will.  I have many that are now to big but I generally feel there isn't such as thing as a t-shirt that is too big!  

Several years ago, when I absolutely had to throw away a t-shirt (probably five in the last 20 years), Aliene cuts out the design with the idea of  making a quilt of them some day.

More improbable is my attachment to my iPod shuffles (the gum package type) which are starting to lose their battery power.  After almost 7 years, I can't complain.  However, I really like this type of iPod Shuffle and I can't bring myself to throw them away and I am not mechanically inclined enough to replace the $6.95 battery, but too cheap to pay $52 (more than a brand new iPod Shuffle!) to have someone replace it.  I do throw away magazines and newspapers (give them away when I can) and I also need to get started on disposing of my books, old conference notes I will never review again etc.

Hats are a real problem for me to throw or give away.  Since I take a large hat, I finally have decided to give away (if decent) or throw away (if not) all hats that don't fit me perfect.  

Perfect day on the patio, 76 degrees at 3 a.m.  Busy week ahead, but oddly enough all of my night meetings were canceled.  Interviewing applicants for a vacancy, which takes a lot of time and energy to prepare for.

The World Without End is Ending

THE WORLD WITHOUT END IS ENDING

POEMS OF THE MIDNIGHT HOUR

BY

ROBERT WHERRY

COPYRIGHT 1993

LAKELAND FREE PRESS

CORNER OF MAIN AND BROADWAY

I watch myself

A bright red fireplug

Upright and permanent

Corner of Main and Broadway

Cars growl past

Exhausts spewing

Reminders of passing

Shoes pace

The concrete desert

To token destinations

Voices

Echoing an endless litany

Of 

Hello good-by, excuse me

Buy me, sell me

World without end

Waiting for my moment of 

Glory

As I stand at attention

Corner of Main and Broadway

URBAN RENEWAL

A dog of another color

Ambles over the red brick road

Followed by

A freckled boy

in tattered blue jeans

And shirt

Feet bare

A rusted Ford

Resolving to run again

Waits on metal rims

A faded blue pickup

Bares all

Amid broken glass and

Torn metal

A broken down sofa

And matching chair

Highlight the

Tangle of weed-infested yards

Amid the wasteland

Scaling paint, sunken roofs

And boarded windows

A black and white

Silently observes

The vapor

Of the dream

A bright white house

Red roses shining like torches

Waits

For the return

To glory

WINTER SUNDAYS

Sundays, my Father

Walked briskly in the early morning cold

Heels crunching on the frozen grass

And describing his early life of 

Shoveling coal for little pay

Oranges only at Christmas

Life without electricity, running water 

And money, while I

Walked with him 

And dreamed of a future 

Of thundering red Corvettes

Travel to beaches and mountains

And plenty of money

Sunday afternoons

He listened to classical music

During his after dinner nap

Dreaming of the good old days while

I listened to the Orange Blossom Special

And the Black Mountain Rag

Captured crooks

With the Hardy Boys

And dreamed of fiddling

With Bob Willis and the Texas Playboys

Dilemmas

In the magical kingdom

Of life

WHAT THE QUILT KNOWS

With its

Red, white and blue squares

Solid and respectable

Pink spirals

Crawling

Toward black borders

Intent on irrelevance

White spheres

Besmirched by

The years

Visual vanities

Crafted

Out of colors of the psyche

Knowingly wrapping itself

In the starched propriety of

Respectability

SHE

She kindly broke his wings with an honest 

        answer

And with rejection broke his winds of hope

Her sudden laughter broke the wings of his dreams

As memories broke the wings of the moment

Than the clouds broke the mood of the day

SEAS OF CHANGE

Where mountains

Rise from the smooth skin of earth

Where glass eyed lakes

            form glittering images

Where valleys wrinkle 

            the face of the earth

There intrudes the symbols of childhood

A steel-eyed Indian, in harmony with nature

Lewis and Clark

          mapping the destruction to follow

There, in the wilds of Idaho

Calling me

I dream of endless trees

A life without care

Part of me lives

For the full moon rising

Over the mountains

Reflecting on the water

Alone with my thoughts

Part of me wanders in

        a world without people

And has reached the bottom

Where I live in

            a sea of change without change

PORCH MAGIC

The porch 

Surrounding the house of our yesterdays

Elaborate architecture of wood

Flat as the Kansas prairie

The rotting

Unpainted boards

Became elaborate cities 

With high rise office buildings

Freeways, parks

And people

Surging seas with warring ships

Peg legged pirates,

Feuding on the stormy water

Burying gold coins in wooden chests

On small deserted islands

The badlands teeming with desperadoes

As we rode in

Beat the bullies

And loved the ladies

Rejoicing in our shadow lives 

In the blazing summer sun

The reality of the porch was,

Cool nights

Sleeping with the dogs and the cats

A shady spot on a hot summer day

Twisting on the support poles

Intoxicated by the motion

Of reality

Good as the myth

HAIKU

Spring dissolves into

dusty dry red pictures

of ordinary death

winter arrives as

a glittering and guilty

victim of summer

patterns of green lurk

in trees, visual systems

of an early spring

birds, brightly colored

trill songs, desperate homage

to slumbering sun

DREAMS OF YOUTH

Living in the present

Life,

A never ending song

Of highs and lows

Old age

A foreign place

Never to be visited

Like a never present tomorrow

Hearing the sweet songs of Spring 

Dissolve into

The sour dirge of Winter

Visual fading

As the years 

Stain the colors of

Dreams unfulfilled 

Like a sunset, swallowed by the dark

Touching

The rough dry form

Of the wrinkled replica of life

The roughness of the years

Like hardened bark on a tree

Tasting the my

Of sour

Shattered success

And bitter

Tattered dreams

Hearing the cheers of youth

Turn to the jeers of

Retrospective thoughts

The redundant musty odor

Of wasted time and opportunities

Like the muddy river, never

To be the ocean

DAYBREAK

Yellow light,

Fractured by the shades

Filters into the room

6:50 a.m.

Sleep collapses into shrilling alarm

With silky voices

Into reflection

Of plastic answers

Brain foggy

Dark emotions

Dreams, now

Exposed to light

New decisions

The new day

Hits my face

Like cold water

Day breaks

Into the glass of light

Cold water

Hits my face

New day

New Decisions

CELEBRATION

I celebrate

The first jolting cup of hot black coffee

Lake a blade cutting through the fading dreams

I celebrate the ritual of 

Lifting weights of iron

In the middle of daily chaos

I celebrate the surprise phone calls

The morning mail,

A letter or card arriving

Like a sudden unexpected gift

I celebrate the cherry pie

Delightfully red and sweet

A marvel of perfection

Amid the routine of ordinary

I celebrate the twilight

And all stars defending the settling

Of darkness

Summer 2013: July 7

Warm enough (74 degrees at 3 a.m.) to sit out on the patio this morning and work, read the paper etc.  Nice to be back here again.

I drink a lot less coffee on weekends than I do on weekdays.  At home in the morning, I may drink 1 or 2 cups of coffee and than 2 or may 3 cups at breakfast (1 1/2 or two "Venti" dark roasts).  On weekdays, I usually have 6 to 8 cups of coffee before I even go to the office.

Good weekend thus far.  I like a weekend with a mix of going out and time to just kick back and do some lazy reading, writing or playing with the computer in an aimless fashion.

I am going to try posting pictures to this site that may illustrate my day.  Currently, I am taking a picture of where I am each morning and posting it to my Tumblr page, and, if I have time and think of it, to my Twitter and Google + pages.

Summer 2013 July 6

One of my favorite activities (next to sitting on my patio on a perfect summer morning), I am at Starbucks drinking their wonderful coffee, and enjoying the ambiance  of Starbucks.  Their coffee is excellent, the staff is always excellent, the food.....well, it could use a little work, although I notice I still eat it and enjoy it.

I recently participated in a "book club" which just started in Lakeland.  It has introduced me to some new writers and books (Edward Kilsey Moore, "The Supreme's at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat" (a WONDERFUL book!) and Kate Morton, "The Secret Keeper".

I have come to accept and even really enjoy a lot of features of the "e-reader" (I use my iPad as an e-reader), and listen to many books (as mentioned before, "Steve Jobs" is a fascinating book and it definitely keeps my attention while I am walking), but I still enjoy the newspapers in physical form.  Even though I can access my three favorite papers completely on internet (Oddly enough, the Commerical Appeal has the best format for it's "e-appeal" while the New York Times and Wall Street Journal are much more difficult to read on the internet.  I still prefer the paper Commerical Appeal, but it's electronic newspaper is a suitable substitute.  It uses the "replica" format and I can read stories as I desire.  As I mentioned before the USA Today internet edition is wonderful.

Yesterday I started posting my thoughts on "Google+".  i'm not quite sure of the impact of that, I doubt that Google + will continue to operate unless it suddenly increases in usage.

I have had a lot of fun posting photos to "Tumblr" and even on my Twitter page (probably to the annoyance to those who may read it).

I didn't used to take many pictures with my iPhone, but when I upgraded from an iPhone 3 to an iPhone 5 (I believe that is a 4 generation jump), I found I enjoy taking pictures with it.

As a person who doesn't like "take out" and "eating in my car", I am always amazed a the number of cars in the drive thru line at Starbucks and other places (especially Chick fe lee (not the correct spelling).

Summer 2013 July 5

July 4 is over.  Didn't do much, other than went to a ball game and relaxed.  The relaxing was wonderful, the Redbirds had an off night to say the least.  We decided to stay for the fireworks show afterwards, although fireworks are't really my favorite activity.  I remain unimpressed by the massive show of money being blown up.  I do have one more fireworks show in Lakeland, which is always nice.  

At some point this year I will probably need to face having two teeth (tooths?) implanted.  Not looking forward to it to say the least and definitely not looking forward to paying for it.  Shortly after I got out of the Air Force, I had a year to get my teeth worked on free.  I did it and had a tooth pulled and have ever since regretted going to the dentist.  Knowing what I know now, I expect the tooth could have been saved, but.....  It has a bridge and it has always been a source of problems.  I believe the implants (if successful) will solve the problem.  

Today will be both a "Monday" as well as a "Friday".  Hopefully it will be a slow day at work at work and I can catch upon some administrative work.  I normally do all of my administrative work at home since my work day is consumed by meetings, phone calls, e-mails etc.  It actually works out better since I can concentrate better.

Summer 2013 July 4

For some reason, woke up early this morning.  Too early to walk (2:00 a.m.), since I don't fell comfortable walking until about 3:00 a.m., when I normally wake up.  One of the few times I had had trouble either going to sleep or waking up early.  Normally I automatically wake up 4 1/2 hours after I go to bed.  Along with several naps that is enough sleep.

Years ago (about 25 years ago, believe it or not), I started waking up early, so I would get up and walk rather than just lay there.  I started waking at 5 a.m., and then over a period of about 10 years it slowly started earlier until I was getting up at 3 a.m., which I decided was early enough!  When I started waking at 2:45 a.m. and 2:30 a.m., I just stay in bed.  Today was an exception in that I was wide awake at 2 a.m.

Early morning is almost a different world, which may be one reason I enjoy getting up that early.  

Another relative cool morning (71 degrees).  It is hard to explain how 71 degrees is cool, but it is too cool to sit on the patio. Once the sun comes up 71 degrees is good.

July 4.  Another measuring point throughout the years.  I don't really remember that many specific July 4 celebrations, although I can remember setting off fireworks when I was young (including taunting my oldest bother and having a small firecracker go off in my hand) and various celebrations.  

Alison Krauss video (Missing You) on the tv.  One of my favorite singers.  

Summer 2013 July 3

Another cool morning (67 degrees).

I am amazed at what is considered "news".  I get "alerts" on my phone about some pro basketball player signing for millions or dollars or I just switched off CNN because of story about someone's "monkey".  So What?

Anyway, at least I can at least shut them off.  That is what I really like about reading vs. watching tv or videos, I can skip the junk.  If that is really what people want, fine, but let me use my time in more productive ways!

I like reading "USA Today" on their "app", but I don't read watch any of the time consuming videos and I can skip over all the stories about sports and "celebrities"  which is why I enjoy reading it.  (I read the "news", "money" and "tech" and sometimes the "travel" sections. )

I went to the Apple Store and finally got my iPhoto somewhat straightened out.  I also got my ringtones on my iPhone fixed.  I love the Apple Store, especially when I get an especially good coach like I did yesterday.  He was fantastic.  Actually most of the Apple personnel who work in the "1-1" and help on the "open training" are excellent.  They are patient, usually good instructors and know what they are teaching.   Only one time did I feel like I was being treated as "stupid and old", which I may will be when it comes to computers, but I love learning new ideas!  My major problem with computers is I hit a roadblock and can't get past it, the Apple Store program helps.

If you ever buy an Apple computer, buy it from the Apple Store and pony up the $99 for the "1-1" program-it is well worth the money.

July 4.  It used to mean the summer was half over.  It still may mean that, but in Lakeland it means summer is just getting into full throttle, in terms of heat.  I enjoy it.

Summer 2013 July 2

The cool morning weather continues, which is not like Summer!  It was 66 degrees this morning when I took my walk.

Working on my "iPhoto" program hoping to finally get my digital photographs organized.   Well, at least somewhat organized.  

Watching a replay of the "Tour de France" this morning.  It is fun to watch.  Listening to the book Steve Jobs and the author said he wanted at one time to name the Apple computer the "bicycle" since he considered the bicycle one of the worlds best inventions (or something like that).  It is really an outstanding book.

Bicycling always looks so free.  I am glad I took up bicycling when I did (actually seriously started in 1999) and I wish I had started earlier, but it is only recently that bike lanes etc. really begin to develop.  I finally gave up on trying to figure out how to fix a tire etc and just realize that mechanical ability is not within my scope of learning.  I know I could do it if I put the time into it, but my time is better used on other endeavors .  I bicycle almost daily (to the gym), but I haven't gone on any long rides recently.

Summer 2013 July 1

July 1, a new month (and last half of 2013) begins! 

Rain this morning.  A soft, relatively cold (for summer) rain.  I walked this morning, but didn't ride the cycle.  

Watched video's of two of my favorite sports that I usually don't watch because of time restrictions, car racing and bicycle racing.  Somewhat of a difference in speed!

Looking forward to the Courter/Wherry Reunion this month.  It is good to see everyone and have the opportunity to visit without time being a major restraint.  It is close to where I grew up, so occasionally I will see or remember something from when I was young (we moved from the area when I completed the 6th Grade in Netawaka and the beginning of the 7th grade.  I hated to move and even now can remember how I felt against the move.

The last half of 2013 will be interesting for us.  Lakeland is voting on establishing a Lakeland Municipal School System (if it passes July 16, the election of the School Board members will be November 7) and the elections for the Lakeland Mayor and two Commissioners in September.  (The City Manager is appointed by the Board of Commissioners).

One of my favorite hobbies, following the stock market, has been especially interesting the last month and promises to continue to be interesting the rest of the year.

Independence Day holiday is this week.  I had forgotten how much I always kind of liked the day off during the week.  

Summer 2013 June 30

Too cool to sit out on the patio this morning.  Indulging in my secret vice, watching Country Western videos while reading, working etc.  That is the only thing I miss when I sit out on the patio in the summer.  Not sure when I started watching Country Video videos in the morning, but I have been doing it for years.  "Watching" may be the operative word, since I frequently couldn't tell you what I actually saw, but occasionally one catches my attention.

I like a wide variety of music, probably partly due to my Dad who was a music teacher.  I remember him listening to "Music from the Masters" on Sunday afternoon on WIBW Radio (Topeka) and take a nap.  He would be surprised now to find numerous classical (and other) music channels both on radio and tv and especially the internet.  I'm not aware of any any classical music videos though.

When I was in Oklahoma City in the early 1990's there was a hockey team called the "Oklahoma City Blazers" that provided inexpensive and fun entertainment.  I always loved the opening where they would turn out the lights, the hockey team would come out and skate, spotlights would come on and some music would play which sent chills down my back.  For years, I have been trying to fine the name of the song when purely by accident the other night I heard it on the Memphis Public Library station on Memphis music (but I think they were emphasizing Chicago music with Memphis connections for some reason).

It was the opening notes of Styx "Fooling Yourself".  One of life's great puzzles finally solved!

I am hoping I can get by photo's in iPhoto figured out.  Somehow they got duplicated (maybe when I bought a new computer) and it is a mess trying to find one.

Summer 2013 June 29

Saturday morning, slightly coolish on my favorite spot, my back patio, but still the best place to be.  (Temperature is 68 degrees)

The wind is up slightly, (but nothing like yesterday morning), so the wind in the trees is pleasant.

July 1 is always an important date in City government because that is when the new fiscal year starts.  Somewhat of a second New Year.

Summer 2013 June 28 (Summer Storms)

In spite of forecasts of rain, I was able to get all of my exercise in this morning.  I frequently walk even in the rain, but I avoid bicycling in the rain or even when the streets are wet.

However, about 6:30 a.m., the wind came up (very strong for Lakeland) and now the rain is falling hard.  Some lightning and thunder, but primarily wind and rain.

When I use the iPhone weather app or watch the radar on TV, I am amazed at the advances in weather forecasting and information.  Of course, the weather is still here, but at least we can prepare somewhat for it.  With the number of trees in Lakeland, wind is always a problem.

June 30/July 1 will mark the midpoint of 2013.  It has been an extremely fast year!  "Early Voting" on the referendum on the creation/establishment of a Lakeland Municipal School System is tomorrow, June 29.  The actual election day is July 16.

Heavy rain (6:53 a.m.) but it looks like it is going through relatively fast.  Hopefully, no wind or water damage.  One of my lawn chairs blew over, so it was a very strong wind.

Listening to "Steve Jobs" on my morning walk.  A very interesting and well written book that includes a lot of observations that impact our culture and views of business development, especially creativity, marketing and personnel development and supervision.

Summer 2013 June 27

84 degrees at 3:00 a.m. this morning!  I love Summer!  Actually it is cooler now (about 6:30 a.m.) because it has clouded up some.

I am against irrigation systems for grass (waste of water etc.) on principle, and mine seems to know it.  Even though I have it set not to spray my favorite place on the patio, somehow the wind manages to change to spray it so it is wet when I go to my patio in the morning!

Thursday morning.  The week seems to speed by.  I go to work, the day is over and I realize I have basically spent all my time in meetings, conversations or phone calls and I still have all the memos, letters and e-mails to return!  It keeps life interesting anyway.

Looking forward to the Courter/Wherry reunion in several weeks.  Angela, Katherine and Kali all look forward to it also.

I am starting to think about riding my bike more to prepare for the "Ride with the Summer" either in 2014 or 2015.  I may do some longer rides to prepare.  I really am not used to riding with people around me, so I may enter some (of the slower) "rides" of 20 miles or so.  I would like to do the "Ride Across Tennessee", but it always seems to be on time when I have another conflict.

"Early Voting" on the Lakeland Municipal School referendum is this Saturday.  We expect a good turnout.

Summer 2013 June 26

Time happens.  Like it or not, time goes on, so I figure I may as well enjoy  or at least be productive!

Sitting out on my patio.  I have developed a routine of working on e-mails, memos etc. on my desktop and then coming out on the patio.  Beautiful morning.  I saw a deer near the back yard last week but haven't seen it since.

I have  a long list of books I am interested in reading some day, with "some day" being the operative word.

I have decided to start paring my "stuff" including my books, which is especially painful.  (I'm not paring my Hot Wheels collection, that is the only thing that is increasing!

I can't feel the days get shorter yet, but I know they are getting shorter.  Of course, the majority of the summer is still to come.

Listening to "Steve Jobs" as I walk each morning.  I am amazed at how the personal computer industry developed, almost in spite of itself.  It is a very interesting book and is about a lot more than "Steve Jobs".  

Summer 2013: June 25

On my walk this morning, the book I was listening to, "Steve Jobs", somehow got "rewound" and I ended up listening to most of what I listened to yesterday again.  That is ok if my mind wandered, but this book is good enough I concentrate on it, so it was irritating to have to listen to it again and try to refind my place.

I blame Audible (owned by Amazon) for an amazingly poor product and even worse customer service.  I am supposed to be able to record the audio books one time to a CD and it simply doesn't work.  Numerous calls and e-mails to Amazon/Audible have no result.

Of course, my experience with Amazon has been amazingly poor service, little or no response, other than the continuous clutter of books etc. that Amazon "thinks" I will be interested in, which I automatically send to my trash.  I am amazed Amazon actually thinks they have ANY idea of what I want to read and I deeply resent their thinking so.

Back to audio books, I also dislike Apple products for that reason.  The first iPods had a switch to avoid accidentally brushing the iPod (in my case, an old iPhone 3 I use for an iPod Touch) and changing the book.

I know, I can stop using Audible books and certainly can get by without Amazon.  As soon as Amazon starts collecting sales tax, I will never order from them again.  If I could find a replacement for Audible books, I would.

Spent yesterday at the Tennessee Municipal League conference in Memphis, picking up the required "continuing education" credits for my Certified Municipal Finance Officer designation.  I worked too hard for it to let it lapse!  Overall it was good.

Another beautiful morning out on the patio.  I love my time out here and really value it.  I wonder if I would value it so much if I had more time.

I was pleased last night I was able to change my battery on my bicycle helmet light (the back one that flashes red etc that supposedly can be seen for a mile).  Being a mechanical zero, I am always pleased when I take the time to figure something mechanical (and it works), I am pleased.  I'm not really sure if that is actually "mechanical", but I'll assume it is for my purposes anyway.  Sometime maybe I will learn to change a tire on my bike, although it is more effective to just avoid flats!

Summer 2013 June 23

Although I can't feel the days getting shorter, I am sure they are.  Actually, the days seem to be static for several days before the sun starts its decline earlier.

One of my original iPod "shuffles" (the gum package kind, the very first design) just had it's battery go out for good.  Since I got it almost 7 years ago, that is not bad for a battery.  Of course, it cost (last I checked) $52 to replace the battery, which is more than the new shuffle cost.  I think I will buy a battery ($6.00 or so) and try to replace it myself.  If I mess it up I haven't lost much!  Maybe a project for my daughter and granddaughters.

I actually have three of the original shuffles, I use them daily on a rotation basis when I exercise.  I like them a lot better than the newer iPod Shuffles, a case of design improvement not really being  a design improvement.    The new iPod shuffles are a lot more difficult to use than the original shuffles.  They hold a lot more, but so what!

Overall, I have been impressed with Apple batteries.  I have an "original iPod" (80 GB) which is at least six years old, and an iPhone 3 which has to be at least 5 years old, both of which I use on a regular basis.  (The iPhone 3 is no longer connected, but I use it as an iPod Touch.

Went to a Redbirds game last night.  I enjoy  sitting out in the wonderful weather and enjoying the game.

Today is somewhat of a "work' day since I have a presentation to a homeowner's association.

Summer 2013 June 22

Saturday morning on the patio, another beautiful day!

Musing about my recent trip to the CMA Fest.  Memphis residents are much better hosts than Nashville residents/businesses.  It is almost universal.  Memphis residents, police, businesses etc. are much more helpful and courteous, almost never uncaring and rude as most persons in Nashville are.  Just my opinion from my experiences.  Maybe it is because Memphis has much better sweet tea than Nashville does.  (Nashville has the weak tea of OKC, Memphis has strong tea and the sweet tea, which I avoid due to calories etc., is absolutely wonderful.

Overall, a busy weekend planned.

Went to "On the Border" last night and overindulged in refried beans and tamales.  I have a weak spot for tamales ever since I went to Denver between my Freshman and Sophomore year of college (to work at Samsonite) and I bought tamales from vendors on the street corner.

The next year the street vendors were gone, I always wonder what happened to them.

Summer 2013, June 21, Summer is Here

Summer 2013 is here! Of course, it also means the days will start getting shorter, but there is still the majority of summer left!

This morning is a beautiful day.  The sun is shining and the birds are singing, and I am scheduled to have BBQ for lunch, so it will be a great day!

I have been testing the "Google" $250 notebook made by Samsung.  I never bought a Samsung product that was reliable and this is the last of a series.  In the late 80's, I had a Samsung Monitor that lasted about a day past it's warranty, last year I had a Samsung phone that didn't even make it past it's warranty,  This "Google Notebook" impressed me at first, but it will suddenly freeze up and you will lose a lot of your work.

So much for Google, back to Apple!  I had hoped I would like it.  I actually do like it, but it is worth what you pay for it, or perhaps a lot less.

I am saving this every few sentences to avoid losing it.

Sitting on my patio, enjoying the early morning and looking forward to Summer!

Summer 2013 June 20 The Bullfrogs are back!

This morning, while out for exercise, I heard the bullfrogs in the pond again!  That makes my heart sing, since it means (to me) that Summer is truly here!

Of course, after tomorrow, the long descent into Winter starts again, but the greater balance of the Summer is actually left!

Today promises to be a busy day.  I have to go to Memphis for an early morning meeting (groan!) and then it is busy for the rest of the day also.  When I have to go through early morning "rush hour" traffic, I always am thankful I don't have to do it every day!

I took down the bird feeders about a month ago and really miss watching the birds.  A "weasel" (probably actually a raccoon) kept getting into the feeders.

Summer 2013: June 19

The year 2013 is almost half over.  As always, it is hard to believe time is going so fast.  I look at undone tasks that I have been planning for years and wonder where the time goes.  Or another amazing event is to look at a shirt or book and realize I have had it for 30 years! 

Hopefully rain is over for awhile.  City budget is basically completed, which is a relief until it needs to be amended! There is always something to do.

I do spend a lot of time on exercise and reading newspapers (and magazines), but I guess I figure it is worth it. I currently read the Commercial Appeal, the Wall Street Journal, the on-line edition of USA Today (which is one of the best on-line papers) and the Friday, Saturday and Sunday editions of the New York Times.  I'd like to get the daily edition of the New York Times, but I really don't have the time.  I do read a brief summary the NYT puts out.

Today is a wonderful morning.  

Summer 2013 June 18

Rain last night.  (and yesterday afternoon).

Didn't ride my bicycle to the gym, but I did get my other exercise in.  Cloudy and muggy this morning (71 degrees when I got up).

I recently joined (or participated in starting) a "book club".  We missed the first meeting because of the CMA Fest, but read the book "The Supreme's at Big Earl's All You Can Eat" (or something like that).  It was a wonderful book, and emphasized to me again on how many wonderful books  there are out there that I haven't read!  Giving new meaning to "So Many Books, So Little Time"!".  If you have a chance, read it, it will be a new experience!"

I have been keeping a list of books I have read since 1989 when a friend gave me a book about books that had a calender (without dates).  I occasionally make an attempt to put them on my computer, but never have finished.

I am always amazed when I come across a book I read (such as "Bright Lights, Big City" and realize it has been 20 years since I read it!  It literally just seems like yesterday!

Going to the University of Memphis campus for a meeting this morning.  Not looking forward to the drive.

Summer, 2013: June 17, 2013

Yes, I know it isn't technically "summer" yet, but I celebrate it anyway.  I figure summer is here when I can sit out on my patio in the morning, and spend the weekend in shorts, t-shirts or polos and scandals (depending on what I am doing).  

I recently discovered "Next Issue" which is an "app" that includes a wide range of magazines for "one low monthly fee" ($9.99 for basic, $14.99 for "premium").  I am trying it for one month free.  Probably won't have time to really use it.

May be rain today.

Summer 2013 June 16

My oldest brother's birthday (Vincent) is today.

Enjoying another morning of sitting on the patio, finishing reading the paper etc.

I think about my journals sometimes.  The written ones are packed in a box somewhere and the computer entries are somewhere in cyberspace.  Probably never to be seen again.

With some reluctance, I have gotten used to reading e-books on my iPad.  I use my original iPad one and have a Nook and Kindle apps.

I also have gotten used to listening to audio books while we drive and on my morning walks.  Still have bouts of inattention, but overall enjoyable and another way to actually multitask and "read" the many books on my list to read.  The books certainly make the time go faster when we are traveling.   I keep a list of books I want to read on "Evernote" and the list just keeps growing, with my pathetic attempts to whittle it down by reading the books on it!  Just too much to do!

Still trending up to the "longest day of the year"!

Summer, 2013: June 15

A weekend, thank goodness.  First day of sitting out on my back area enjoying coffee and working etc. I'll try to get a picture of the back yard on there.  (I do post in on my Tumblr and twitter pages.)

This is the summer I will actually turn 66, an age I couldn't imagine not too many years ago.

Enjoying the weather and thinking about how to celebrate the "longest day of the year" (not really, because the longest day of the year also means the descent into winter! Or something like that.

Didn't get my Wall Street Journal for some reason this morning.  I miss it when it doesn't come.  It is a real blessing to be able to the the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times delivered to my door!  (I only get the Times on Friday, Saturday and Sunday since I literally don't have time to read it during the week.).

My typical morning is to get up about 3 a.m., usually piddle for about 10 minutes, walking for 30 minutes, than bicycle to the gym, where I am on the stationary bike (really the newspapers!) for about 34 minutes, bicycle back, shower, take a 27 minute nap (why 27 minutes?  I don't know either!).  Then I work for about an hour and a half (reading, sending e-mails, updating things, writing memos I don't get time to do during the day etc.), than eat my breakfast of Oatmeal, blueberries, and (lately) and apple with peanut butter and then head to work!

Somehow it all works out and I love my routine.  I also drink about 8 cups of coffee (as measured by Starbucks, which is about 3 real cups of coffee!)

Summer 2013 The Beginning and the End

June 13, 2013:

This is the time of year that I love, the days are getting longer, hot weather is coming and on weekends and evenings I can enjoy the weather (barring rain or storms).

It is somewhat bittersweet each year to realize that at the height of Summer (June 21), the days start getting shorter and it is a sure thing that Winter is coming again!  However I enjoy the summer while it is here.

We just got back from CMA Fest in Nashville last weekend.  It is always fun and relatively inexpensive. We get to see the "legends" as well as newcomers and the established stars (such as Taylor Swift, Brad Palsy, Derick Bentley, Carrie Underwood, Zac Brown Band, Little Big Town, Kenny Rogers etc.   

I always realize how courteous and friendly Memphis is when I go out of town.

We have been really busy, which is nice in a way, but it is difficult to keep up with everything.  I still get up around 3 a.m. and walk and ride my bike etc.

I started a "written" journal in 1988 and now don't have a written journal with all of the electronic alternatives.  I miss writing on paper, but not so much that I insist on writing in a paper journal!

Newspaper again

The Commercial Appeal was delivered too late to read this morning.  If the delivery schedule has changed to make my delivery late again, I am going to cancel the subscription and get my news elsewhere.

Light bulbs

Light bulbs must communicate.  After not having a light bulb go out for months, we had five light bulbs  go out over the weekend!

Newspaper

Recently, I was asked to write what I did each day in six words.  I assume I was supposed to write some pearls of wisdom on may job.  However what I wrote was:

Exercise, Newspaper, Coffee, Listen, Resolve Conflicts

That actually does describe my day.  My morning exercise routine is extremely important to me.  Almost as important is my daily newspapers (I actually get two Monday through Thursday, three on Friday and Saturday and two Sunday newspapers, not counting subscriptions).  Coffee is also a big part of my early day.

Listening is probably one of the biggest parts of my job and is the essential part of it.  Really listening, not just hearing.

As some know, my routine was disrupted when my newspapers started arriving at 5:00 a.m. or so instead of 3:30 a.m. or so.

I normally get up about 3:00 a.m. or so (no clock, I just wake up).  I walk several miles and then bike to the gym where I ready my daily newspapers while I ride the stationary bike.

The late delivery of my newspapers severely disrupted by schedule since I need about an hour to answer e-mails and prepare my day before I go to work, plus I absolutely have to have my 27 minute nap before I go to work!  Not getting the newspapers by 3:30 a.m. means I had to go to the gym and THEN read the newspapers after I got back from the gym, which didn't leave me time for the hour to prepare for my day at work.

Due to a wonderful person at the Commerical Appeal and my news carrier, he changed his delivery times and I now get my newspaper at 3:30 a.m  again.  It is hard to believe a small thing means so much, but I feel so much better now!

Nashville

I recently spent some time in Nashville.

Taking a walk downtown looking for a place to eat.  Inspired by fiddle music, I entered the "Broadway on Second Street".  They had food, so I ordered and listened to "Katie and Mark" play County Western music, at times with the fiddle playing.

Fiddle/violin music for some reason has always had a special attraction for me.  My Mom told me that even when I was a child, I'd stop what I was doing and listen when I heard the violin or fiddle.

I remember attending a small festival in some small city in Kansas years ago (I forgot the name of it) and I watched a fiddle player and I literally got lost in the music.  He noticed my attention and it was like we developed a special bond as he suddenly broke into one of the my favorites, "Orange Blossom Special"  Chills went down my back as I felt myself riding on the music and the fiddler played directly to my attention.

Some time later, I say Jana Jay play fiddle at a Cowboy Hall of Fame festival.  Again, the music moved me to the point that I started taking violin lessons.  I bought many of her albums and to this day I listen, to her music and chills go down my back.

I practiced violin about 10 years (note, I never said I played it!), I finally quit due to some skin problem on my hand and time limitations.

Walking down Nashville streets have a special attraction for me as I hear the fiddle music and want to go in to listen.  I listened to "Katie and Mark" for about an hour as I slowing finished my food.  I found the servers at "Broadway on Second Street" especially attentive and nice.

I feel a little frustrated as I walk down the streets of Nashville, hearing the fiddle music.  While I want to hear the fiddle music, since I don't drink alcoholic beverages for carbonated beverages, and I can only eat so much, my options are limited for listening.  I found very few places offer anything else (such as coffee or bottled water), so I am limited.  Maybe I can ask for a glass of water and give a big tip to listen!