Summer 2015 September 10 Thursday

68 degrees this morning, Walk 37.47 minutes 

New time record for my walk, in fact the first time I have completed it in less than 38 minutes (I believe anyway).  

Anytime I set a new time record, I review where I walked to see if I unintentionally took a shortcut!  Sometimes I suddenly wonder if I am lost while walking (although I quickly get my bearings), so it would not be unusual if I took a wrong turn, but I”m pretty sure this is my usual walk this morning.  

68 degrees is a 13 degree drop from the last time I sat on the patio.  Obviously I can feel the coolness, but it really doesn’t feel uncomfortable, in fact it feels very comfortable.  However, there i son wind.

Listening to a book about  Elon Musk during my walk (founder of Paypal, Tesla etc.).  Unfortunately  the book is written in a tone of awe that indicates it will only be positive.  Nothing wrong with positive, I appreciate it, but I think someone like that deserves a balanced biography, not a book written in a tone of awe  (or a tone of he can do no right either).  

I do get tired of people trying to tear down persons like Elon Musk, but if you are going to write a biography….  Maybe it will get better.  At least I will learn something, since I know absolutely nothing about him.

I never really had any positive feelings for “Paypal” and try to avoid using it except where absolutely necessary, although that is just me.  I prefer to use my credit card and get “rewards”!

Maybe if I had a business, I would feel differently.

The walk went ok in spite of the carelessness and lack of cleanup by the builders.  I have a flashlight to get around the junk in the street and the balls of dirt left from the lack of erosion control.

Read up some more on “Lifetime” warranties after noting a story about a person who purchased a product with a “lifetime” warranty and was advised after making a claim after seven years that the “lifetime” of the product was five years!  

I should have noted the name of the company, since I would want to make sure I never purchase a product from them.

I did find out that a company saying a product has a “lifetime” warranty has to define “lifetime”, although it is unclear exactly where and how.  

I think they ought to make it simple and say “lifetime” means “lifetime” instead of allowing room for companies to confuse the issue, which the unscrupulous will.

I”m still not sure if my “lifetime” guarantee means “lifetime” or not.  Why not just say “five years” if they define five years as a “lifetime”? 

Of course, there is the other side, a “lifetime” guarantee also means the “lifetime” of the company which makes the guarantee.  

Started listening to music while writing this every morning. Right now, of of my favorites, the “Orange Blossom Special” with the fiddle and accordion!  

Also reminded that while Apple makes some great products they also make some major flubs.  Listening on a very early generation of the iPod shuffle because after the “gum stick”, iPod Shuffle, I don’t care for any of the IPod Shuffles.  I don’t know why the batteries are still good after almost 9 years (I believe), but I just am glad they are.  

Office day today.  

That’s it for now, Thursday, September 10, 2015.  

Summer 2015 September 9 Wednesday

73 degrees this morning, no walk

No walk this morning due to heavy rains last night.  While it has gotten better, the lack of erosion control is still a  major problem and large areas of mud are on the street.  

The coughing is still hanging on, although not  really a major problem, other than the fact it just keeps hanging on! It may well be something I am allergic to.

Yesterday morning I found a “flyer” taped to my door about painting our address on the street curb.  I was disturbed by the thought that someone snuck on our property and taped it to the door.  (We were here and the door bell was never rung.)

I reported it to the City, but I shouldn’t have been surprised to learn that they don’t need any type of permit to come onto our property and solicit and they can paint anything they want on the street curb even though it is public property.  

It goes along with the lack of concern for erosion control and the “developer/builder” first rules of this city.  Money talks loud here, a lot louder than residents do.  

I recently (as in ten minutes ago) found out someone on Facebook can put “events” on my calendar that I have no  interest in attending.  

What is really disturbing is that I can’t delete them!!!  Only the organizer can.  I am going to go to the Apple Store and if it can’t be blocked, I will simply quit using the Apple calendar and block it from my computer.   That is an outrageous invasion of privacy that is becoming routine.  

Interesting to see what the “Apple” event will be today.  This cycle is Aliene’s turn to upgrade her phone.  I am interested in the “Apple TV” and the iPad also.

While of course I like the features and the speed  of the newer iPads, I really like the battery life and some of the other features of the “original iPad” that I still use on a daily basis for audiobooks, music and photos etc.  I assume at some point it will be completely obsolete, which will be too bad.  

For example, my iPhone 3 can no longer run the Audible-book App, while the iPhone 3+ runs it fine.  Neither does an adequate job of monitoring our security system, which is too bad since it wold be perfect if we could “repurpose” either one as a security  monitor. 

When Aliene upgrades, I probably will start using her iPhone 5S for my work phone and repurpose my iPhone 5 as the security monitor and audible book phone.  

We already use the iPhone 5 as the audible book phone for the Camry.  It is amazing how well it works.  We just turn on the car to “Audio” and the book starts playing1  If we turn off the car, it automatically stops it and it is ready to go right where we left off!  

It took us a while to figure out, but now it is like magic!

I used to make cd copies of the books, but no longer need too, which saves me a lot of frustration!  

Another dream, yesterday morning in my “post walk” nap:

9-8 15 Tuesday Dream

Dream on a rooftop.  Had been traveling and for some reason stopped and got up on a rooftop (actually a huge bluff) overlooking a baseball game.

I keep on thinking it was time to leave the baseball game and get back on the road.

There was 4 or 5 people involved, I recognized only a previous Mayor I had worked with for a long time and had a positive relationship.

When we left, for some reason the Mayor was driving.  At one point it was raining and the windshield wipers were so dislocated they were operating, but were clear to the side and I thought we had to remember to tell the dealer the windshield wipers needed to be checked.

As we left a long trailer (kind of like a truck trailer that carries the long logs etc.) came loose and rolled up the hill and hit some things and then rolled down the hill, completely at large and rolling fast, it barely missed a group of men eating at a table.

Somehow, the car we were in, the runaway trailer ran under the car but did not damage it as it passed under the car.  

During the dream there was some discussion on when to leave the ball game etc.

For some reason I keep wondering what city it was, and I was told Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Another very strong dream, I woke up surprised it was only a dream.  

Normally, on my morning nap, my alarm wakes me.  This morning, the dream woke me and as I andI forgot part of the dream.

That’s it for today, Wednesday, September 9, 2015.

Summer 2015 September 8 Tuesday ("The Coat' passes to a new generation)

81 degrees this morning, walk 38:12 minutes

Still a cool breeze this morning in spite of the stated temperature.  Kind of the best of both worlds.

Passed on “the coat” to my Granddaughter, who expressed an interest in it.  Basically it was a jean jacket I decorated with symbols of various parts/events of my life or just things that interested me. 

As suggested to me, I took a lot of pictures of it and extracted a promise from my Granddaughter that if she ever tired of it and didn’t pass it onto another generation, she would give it back to me!  

“The coat” symbolized a period of my life that I enjoyed but wouldn’t want to do now.  I’m not sorry, I enjoyed it, but that period is past.  

Hopefully Katherine will enjoy it and modify it to suit her own tastes and experiences!  

I will post the pictures, probably here, but not on Facebook.  

“the Coat” actually goes back more than 25 years, although I haven’t worn it or thought much about it for 20 years, so it was time for it to be passed on to someone who will enjoy it and use it.  

Actually, that is one of the best ways I have of thinking about giving up things, is that someone is will enjoy them, or at least get some utility from them.   

Baseball season, at least the team whose games we attend, is over, although there is at least one “playoff” game left.  We throughly enjoyed it, although we (or at least I) wished I had exercised more control over the “all the food you can eat” available at each game.  

I have to say it was very good food, they did an excellent job of preparing it.  Each game, there was a “buffet” of usually hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken breasts, cheese, chicken tenders, popcorn, peanuts and cookies, and, frequently, corn dogs!  

During the game we could order such food as peanuts, cracker jacks, big pretzels and cheese, potato chips, M & M’s, etc.  It was like being both in heaven (all the food was so good and available) and hell (It was so tempting!), although in the end I was the one that made the decision on what I actually ate.  Also, I had all the water and coffee I could drink, which was wonderful!

Back to work after a 3-day weekend, always a little difficult!  It seems after a 4 day weekend, you are ready to go back to work, a 3 day weekend always leaves you wanting a little more free time.  

Today will be an “office day” as I catch up from last week and prepare for this week.  I enjoy the fact I always have something waiting for me to do.  

The oxygen machine is going ok, I am still figuring out exactly how to use it.  I expect I will be able to tell the difference, if any,  during the “work week”.  

This morning, my book (Outlaw Platoon) ended shortly after my walk started.  While I had another book I could have started and another device with music, I decided to walk in silence with my thoughts.  

I enjoyed the silent walk, although my desire to listen to something is stronger than my desire for a quet walk.  

That’s it for now, Tuesday, September 8, 2015.

Summer 2015 September 7 Monday (Labor Day)

82 degrees this morning, walk 38:03 minutes

I never thought I would find 82 degrees “cool”, but sitting our here this morning with the light breeze it is very pleasant.  Certainly not “cold”, but not hot either.  Of course, as soon as the sun rises…..

Read yesterday about  how the “private theft”  companies (masquerading as “private equity”  companies ) operates.  They ought to be jail instead of leading tax free lives of luxury.  Basically, the firms couldn’t sell the company, so they simply declared  a value on the company and issued debt at an estimated 35 times the value of the company and paid themselves a huge dividend. Of course, the company went bankrupt. 

Now, “justice” is arriving and the bankruptcy court is attempting to recover the stolen funds.  Of course “private equity” makes so many political contributions, there are all kind of laws protecting their thievery, including a huge tax break!  (This was in the Sunday New York Times, and documented, not an internet posting someplace.)

I got to thinking about that and the excessive pay of many executives. At least the executives  are usually not outright crooks.  I, almost jokingly, advised my Granddaughter I no longer eat at Chipotles since I found out how excessive the owners are paid.  Actually that is exactly how I feel.  Why should I support someone who really feels like they deserve an obscene salary and benefits?  They don’t.   They simply try to justify their greed.  

At least they are paid by people who actually use their products (and, of course, supported by excessive tax breaks and low salaries they pay their employees.)  More on that some other time as far as cable tv and advertising being used to force the many to pay for the few.   

This is another one of those things I really can’t do anything about, so I try not to dwell on it, although I occasionally make a small contribution by refusing to buy at certain stores.  

Monday, Labor Day.  I always like holidays because I figured that if I got a call on a holiday (especially a “major” holiday like Labor Day) it really was an emergency, unlike if I was simply on vacation.  

Of course, now every weekend is like a holiday, which is nice.  When I am on vacation, I still check my work e-mail and voice mail,  but that is just habit and I like to think it is simply providing good customer service.  

Yesterday we have been in our current house for three months. Overall, we are enjoying the house and feel we made the right decision.  Like any major decision, or any small decision for that matter, you never really know if the decision was correct or not.

I think it is like anything, it is a matter of living life as it happens and making the best decision you can based on the circumstances .

It is hard to tell what effect, if any, the “nighttime oxygen” is having.  I do feel I sleep a lot better, but three days is a short test.  Of course, I also haven’t used it the night before a work day yet.  I

It isn’t affecting my wakeup time at all, I just sleep 4 1/2 hours and wake up.  Of course, I also take a 30 minute nap after my walk and then a 12 minute nap before I start work after breakfast and some short naps during the day, so I actually get plenty of sleep.  

Just took a short break to play the air guitar and sing along with Billy Idol on “Rebel Yell”.  One of the problems with listening to music while I am writing my journal!  Sometimes it creates delays.  

I also play “air violin” with Vivaldi’s  “Four Seasons”, that is my favorite music.  I am hoping I can attend a live concert of it sometime.  It is like the “Orange Blossom Special” and “Black Mountain Rag”, there is all kinds of ways of performing it and I enjoy each performance, especially in person.  

That’s it for now, Monday, September 7, 2015.  

Summer 2015 September 6 Sunday

80 degrees this morning, walk 39:05 minutes

80 degrees again this morning!  Again, it doesn't really seem like it is that hot in the early morning breeze.

I decided to listen to music while I sit out on the patio this morning.  There is a  dog continuously barking in the distance.  While  the barking isn’t close enough to bother me, it does bother me that someone would let a dog bark like that!   There is usually a reason a dog barks. If if it is continuous, it probably means the “owner” took a three day weekend without taking care of the dog.  A real shame.

Maybe I shouldn’t try to cover up  something that is bothering me, but it is nice to listen to music while I’m out here.  I do miss the early morning sounds (I am too early for the birds.)  

Third night of sleeping with machine that produces “night oxygen”.  It is relatively comfortable, don’t know the effects yet or even if I am using it right!  

There seems to be less times I am sleepy during the day, but since naps have been a part of my life since I was in high school, I don’t know if there is any major difference. 

I am lucky that I can sleep with it on (actually I sleep just as well or even better), although I don’t need to use the mask, which I’m not sure how I would do if I had to use that.  

I did a “home sleep study” several weeks ago, and the next thing I know I have this big machine delivered to provide oxygen.  It is about the size of a small refrigerator, and very heavy.  Somehow it manufactures oxygen from the air (I believe by removing the other elements of air to make pure oxygen.)

To be honest, I has was a little freaked out by having to use oxygen, but based on my research it appears to be a very minor oxygen deficiency, if any.  

We are lucky, we have an excellent primary Doctor, he is currently on vacation and I expect he will explain this when we next visit.  He uses e-mail to communicate some things, which is nice, and we can also get test results on our personal internet account.  

We can also e-mail minor questions to the Doctor and he actually responds!

It was the oxygen research that made me think of elevations.  My blood oxygen was probably actually ok in Memphis, but low here due to the difference between sea level and here!  Maybe not that much, but some.  Of course, they may adjust it for elevation.

I was surprise to learn that many blood pressure units the hospital /Doctors use is based on Algorithms, which, in my opinion, is about as good as a SWAG, although I am sure that it is reasonably close.

Wanted to report on another dream:

9 3 15 Saturday (Dream during “after walk” nap

Dreamed we were living in a house we lived at in Waldo, Kansas.  During this period I was in the 8th, 9th and 10th grande.  

I dreamed we were living there and one morning we started to see really  tall people both really tall and regular) go over to our next door neighbor, not our real neighbors, but in the back of the house.   This was early morning.

Many of them started to go out back yard before they realized their error.  “Our back yard” was defined by a garage separate from the house, with the entry point being between the house and the garage.  

We realized that the property right in back of us was being used for a music concert.  The music started playing loud.

I dreamed that a couple with a baby (or babies) was also moving into the house we lived in and they were unpacking, trying to hang out diapers.  They were also folding them.

Aliene, Kali and Katherine were in the dream.  I didn’t recognize anyone else in the dream.    

The dream seemed very real and I was surprised to wake up and realized it was a dream.

Don’t know why suddenly dreaming about very tall people etc.  Dreams of  tall people and sheep pushed off of roofs, very strange.

That’s it for now, Sunday, September 6, 2015.

Summer 2015 September 5 Saturday

80 degrees this morning, walk 39:32 miles

In spite of the stated heat (80 degrees) it  really does’t seem all that hot in the early dawn.  

The night at different elevations is definitely different.  It is much cooler even at this elevation than in Memphis (which was  around 250’ above sea level.

I was surprised to read that  oxygen in the blood is significant lower at higher elevations.  I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised, since that has been discussed as far as athletics training at higher elevations etc. to adapt to the new elevation.

I may get used to the different elevations, but I don’t know that I “adapt” to the different elevations.  Probably I do or I would never have noticed it.  

I never thought of the places I grew up (Kansas) as “higher elevation”, but I guess it is called the “high plains” for a reason.  

I still remember the first summer I went to Denver for a summer job.  During a break I want to Pikes Peak.  I got out at Pikes Peak and almost fell over from the (I assume now) the lack of oxygen.  

There is another mountain west of Denver.  Don’t recall the name, but it has, supposedly, the “worlds highest highway”, probably with 3 or 4 asterisks that limit the designation.  Anyway, I remember that mountain didn’t bother me, maybe because we drove and took breaks, so we somewhat got used to the elevation.  

I really wonder how (of course the why is always there also), the many people ascend Mt. Everest, and also the many who have been killed there.  I think in most cases, falls and bad weather affect more people than altitude sickness.  

Anyway, even at 80 degrees, it is very pleasant on the patio in the early morning.  Later today, after the sun rises I m sure it won’t be as near as pleasant.

Aliene and I both have continued vestiges of the cold/sinus infection/whatever it is.  I have an occasional cough, but overall feel much better.  

As I mentioned before, I am listening to the book “Outlaw Platoon” on my walk.  I think, just like the Viet Nam war, the disparity in the “worlds” is just amazing.  

The book describes the culture and the culture is so different, it is almost unbelievable that two such different cultures exist on the same planet, and maybe they don’t “co-exist” as such.  

Currently, the author is on leave from his Platoon, describing the sudden change from battle to family.

Now that my cold is hopefully over, I intend to bear down on eating less.  The one “eating plan” (i hate to use the word “diet”) that works for me is the “low carb” plan, probably because it eliminates many high calorie foods, as much as the carbs.

Actually, I kind of consider there are “good carbs” (fruit, vegetables, peanut butter)and “bad carbs”  (bread, potatoes, candy etc.).  I don’t worry about the ‘good cards”  (I was kidding about peanut butter being “good carbs) but try to control the “bad carbs”.

I think the  biggest factor is simply being aware of what I eat and avoid eating the bad items, or at least control them.

Looking forward to a three day weekend!

That’s it for now, Saturday, September 5, 2015

Summer 2015 September 4 Friday

76 degrees this morning, walk 39:20 minutes

Several busy days “training” a new person.  While I always learn something in the process and enjoy it, it is nice to get back to my normal routine.  

I am slowly but surely getting ride of the cold/sinus infection whatever it was.  I think it was more than just a sinus infection, since Aliene developed some of the basic symptoms (coughing, rough throat etc.) although not as bad.  

Saw (and smelled) a skunk this morning during my morning walk.  To say I tread carefully would be putting it mildly.  Actually I smelled it in one place and saw one in another.  

Skunks always remind me of the time I just kind of nicked a freshly hit skunk.  Our car had a horrible odor for a week.  

Went to see a play at a local theatre last night.  It was a “dress rehearsal” play.  While the play itself does not qualify as one of the best I have seen, I enjoyed the live performance and the efforts by the persons who obviously are doing something they enjoy doing for very little in return, at least in terms of money.

I wonder what continues to energize the people involved.  I am sure that they perform much more than one role, in the sense that actors probably also have to do the stage work etc.  

That is one of those things I always “plan” to do, but somehow  never seem to get around to doing it, so I am glad I did it and I plan on doing it again.  

Meanwhile, as I sit outside I am glad I can’t hear the dog barking incessantly in the distance in the house.  How someone can sit and let a dog bark, not only for the dog, but also for the thousands of people who are bothered by the barking, especially at this time of the day.  

I really wonder about people with so little concern for others and so wrapped up in themselves. 

Friday before a three day weekend.  Means the drivers around here will really be driving bad today.  It is always bad around here on a Friday and the Friday before the last three day holiday of Summer will probably be especially bad. 

College football kind of crept up on me.  I was surprised last night to learn that one of our favorite state college teams was playing.  I guess that is one of the true signs of the ending of summer, as sure as the birds flying south!

I realized recently that i read very few actual books anymore.  I think it is just the advancement of technology taking up my free time, other activities etc., but I still have to wonder at not havig the compulsion I have had all my life.  

It isn’t that I don’t read, I still read all the time, magazines, papers, etc., but I just don’t seem to read many books, especially fiction books.

I’m not sure if I have changed, or the world has changed.   While I realize  that time is simply being filled with other activities that were’t here years ago (computers, information available on the internet etc.), I find I just don’t have the desire to read the normal books.  

If I start a book and recognize a well-worn plot, I am likely to ditch it, in favor of a more non-traditional book.  

More on that later.

That’s it for now, Friday, September 4, 2015. 

Summer 2015 September 3 Thursday

]

75 degrees this morning, no walk

This morning was the first morning  I woke up without a cough, thank goodness, although just thinking the thought made me cough!  Anyway I think it is getting better.

“Field Training” day yesterday (where I trained a new person in the field) and “Office Training” day today.  I find out out much I know when I have to teach something and frequently learn something myself.  

Got my new accounts for the month yesterday, although due to the  training, I didn’t have a chance to look much at them.  It is always fun to get the new accounts and process them.  It becomes almost a game, which then lasts the rest of the month.  

I wonder if I approach all problems/projects like i approach these.  First, I try to get rid of the ones I shouldn’t have for some reason, that someone else should take care of etc.  (Surprise, the computer that allocates them makes mistakes, although many of the mistakes are also caused by human mistakes!)

Then I prioritize them according to how long they have been on there, the priority, and, for existing ones that are carried over, what I know about them previously.  

Usually, each day, I try to get several I know I can get resolved and immediately get off the list so I can reduce the number of items on the list, several I know will be “long term” and several new ones to start.

As I learned the program, I learned a lot more about it, including how to organize the list, comments I can place on the side where I view the summary of the task, normally one line, so it is important to summarize it in several words etc.  

Really a weird dream this morning, I didn’t write it down immediately, so I’ve probably forgotten a lot of it but:

We were at some kind of meeting or conference, we had flown there.  Somehow we all missed our flights back (Aliene and I were flying from Little Rock, so it must have been in Memphis or at least based on us living in Lakeland at the time.)

All of us missed our plane back for some reason, although in the dream it is vague as to  where “back” is.

A Commissioner from a long ago City where I was City Manager (not Lakeland) was there and keep driving off in my car and taking my cell phone.  No idea whee that came from.  

The weirdest part (and the last little bit I remember), was that someone keep pushing a sheep off of the roof of houses.  

In the last part, someone pushes a sheep off the roof of a house and the sheep lands right next to me.  I wonder if it is hurt, but someone says that “sheep are used to it” and the sheep looks calm and walks away.  

It would be interesting to determine where some dreams come from (well, maybe not!).  

Hopefully my cold, or whatever it is, will be over soon and I can resume normal activity.  Although at least I can function now, it still is a nuisance.  I will go for hours and then suddenly start coughing.  

This is where you say, thank goodness for modern medicine!  

Three day weekend coming up.  The only downside to Labor Day is that is it signals the start fo the true end of Summer.  

That’s it for now, Thursday, September 3, 2015.

Summer 2015 September 2 Wednesday

75 degrees this morning, walk 38:30 minutes

Higher  wind this morning than usual at this time, makes it a little cooler, but not uncomfortable yet.

Today marks one year on my current job, 14 months in this city,   

There is a one year “probationary” period here, so I assume this means I am now “permanent” or whatever they may call it.  

What I really like is that the job always has something to learn.  Although it can be frustrating also, I always run into some situation where a completely new situation requires a completely new challenge.  

When I look back two years (right before the work started on my teeth implants on Sept 5), there is no way I would have guessed where I would be in two years, certainly not sitting on the back patio here in the dark and the wind writing in my journal and feeling pleased that I even have some scrub trees to look at (although I can’t see them in the dark) instead of the backs of a bunch of houses.  

Probably what I have learned in even one year on the job about people and myself would have surprised me.  

To make matters more interesting, my Supervisor retired  effective August 31.

I realize change is necessary and a part of living, and overall is a positive thing, but the change of a Supervisor has always been a major change, whether it was positive, negative or neutral.  

Of course, it may be different now, since I am a piece of the jigsaw puzzle, not the person responsible for putting the jigsaw puzzle together.  Big difference to the tree, but not not the forrest I guess!

Walk this morning went good.  I am back to walking my normal walk, doing my normal exercises etc., but haven’t gotten back to swimming yet or bicycling. 

This coughing etc., just seems to last forever, Aliene has the same thing although maybe not quite as strong as I got it for several days.  Just enough to be irritating. 

As far as the changes in the past two years, I don’t know what I think of them.  Sometimes I think of it when people say that something happened “for the better”.  I honestly can’t say  that.  I can say I don’t mind where I am at now..

I enjoy my job, the house etc., but I always will think of the other road which could have happened also.  Note I said “think”, not “dwell”.  I really don’t worry about it, because it can’t be changed, and I had some experiences I would never have had otherwise with people, my current job, the trip to China etc.  

Anyway, another dream yesterday, a little different than past ones.  

9 1 15 Dream

Dream 9 1 15

Dreamed living in a very dense neighborhood area, I believe in independent houses, but dense.

Sitting outside my neighbors would be yelling at me to not take pictures or loiter or look in the windows. I could hear them but couldn’t yell bak to them I was on my own property.

One (or more) of my neighbors would keep yelling “Sir” and than some kind of instructions.  

A parade of actors (kind of like as character such as the White Rabbit, a pencil etc.) came past on the street.

It was like we were living in a downtown district with lot of activity.

A lot of neighbor activity also.

Every once in a while, something would happen, I’m not sure what, like a bell ringing and then the parade word come past.  

Seemed to be in the dark, not sure if late night or early morning.  Didn’t recognize any of the neighbors or characters .

Not an unpleasant or scary dream, actually a rather placid and calm dream. 

Summer 2015 September 1 Tuesday

76 degrees this morning, 39:10 minute walk

Went ahead and did my “normal” exercise this morning, with the knowledge that I could cut it short at any time.  Actually, went pretty well, considering how much coughing I had done  

Sitting back out on the patio, realizing my time for doing this (at least in this manner) is getting short.  The cool of the morning always arrives much sooner than I expect and at some point it is simply uncomfortable to sit out.  

It may be different here since there is covered patio which is pretty much protected from the wind, so that may be interesting to try.  Not the same but not sitting inside either.  

I always have to wonder about people who have no respect for other persons “noise” levels, who drive loud cars, have dogs who bark at any time or, especially, who think you want to listen to “their” music and play it at top level.  Not any real problems like that in this neighborhood, a few annoyances, but nothing really significant.  

Actually what bought it to mind was the book I am listening to while walking where one soldier puts his headphones on and signs loudly all hours of the day and night, disturbing the sleep of the other soldiers, who desperately need their sleep and are tired from battle, wounds etc.

Through a quirk in the military system, this specific soldier can’t be disciplined by anyone in the area.  I haven’t gotten to the point where they eventually resolve the problem, or maybe they don’t, or maybe the book will never mention it again.  

I think there is a special place in hell for people who don’t respect other people’s right to quiet etc. or who act like that.  Not literally just as a concept.  

The toads are having a good time at the front of our house.  They seem to feel if they don’t move, you can’t see them, which is ok with me, except when one is sitting in the driveway and we have to chase it away before we go into the garage.  Apparently the feeding hours are good there.

It was good to get out on the walk and lift weights etc. again. I always tend to resume normal activities too soon, but it seems like it may have been a good time to start again.  It  certainly did my mind good to walk again.

Tomorrow will be the one year anniversary of my new job and actually one year and two months in this city.  I’ll probably bring it up tomorrow, but just in case….  

It is strange, it feels like it has been forever, but it also feels like time hasn’t even passed, but it also seems like the past is another world that I occasionally visit  

When I was City Manager, I sometimes observed I wondered what it was like to have an “8 and done” job.  I have one now, although I have a hard time observing both the “8” and the “done” part, but I do it and enjoy it.  

Of course, what makes this so enjoyable is that the job itself is a challenge and I deal with unique situations and unique people (I guess there are no other type of people other than “unique” people) and it makes for  very interesting day. I couldn’t have fallen into a better “encore” job for me if I had designed it myself.  

Probably the one thing I miss the most is working with cities, especially when I observe and have to live with some of the policies of this one.  Not that they don’t have a lot of good people (they have been very responsive overall), but some of he policies and procedures seem to have not advanced to the modern concepts of best practices  or even the pre-modern.  Stuck in the seventies.   

I am very glad to be able to basically resume normal activities.  I intend to be very aware (and thankful for) the opportunity to feel “normal” again!

That’s it for now, Tuesday, September 1, 2015.