Fall 2015 October 18 Sunday

57 degrees this morning, walk 38:55 minutes

Sunday morning, the weekend goes fast!  

I decided to write a letter to the City Councilmember for my area, the Mayor and City Manager on the policy of the City that allows commercial to intrude so much on residential areas.

The intrusion  of commercial signs and commercial activities on residential areas is so blatant and displays such a crude lack of planning, and worse, concern for residents.  

Don’t know if it will do any good or not, but I figure if I don’t say anything no one will ever know how I feel about it.  

What really dismays me is that this is a city wide problem and the city has so little concern about it.  

They spend billions of dollars on “downtown” and “image”, but ignore the residents who really make up the city!

Anyway, I’ll see what happens.  One advantage I have is I am persistent, and I will continue documenting this disgrace to the city.  

Probably have spent my last early morning on the patio (at least the outside patio), the cold weather has settled in along with the cold wind.  

I will need to figure out how the fireplace works on the covered portion of the patio!

Reading a book about “disruption”  (Jan Bamit, “Disrupt You!”.  After I get through all of the authors bragging of how great he is (a lot of the book can be skimmed, he is very proud of himself!), there are a few good ideas.  

I don’t know if I can use the ideas anymore, but perhaps I can.  If I don’t find the ideas I will never use them!  A lot of it is “Power of Positive Thinking” concept that is hardly new!  

Not that I feel the “Power of Positive Thinking” is wrong or trivial.  In fact, I am a strong believer in “positive self talk”, positive role play etc. to develop positive results.  It is just the author repeats this in the book ad nauseam.  like it is something he thought up. 

Someone once told me that most self help books are just common sense or commonly known ideas, someone just has learned to package it a little different or somehow market it different.  

In the case of the this book, he doesn’t even do that, but anyway, he has a few ideas (not that I think of it its may be the way he presents old information) that are worth while looking at.  

Maybe that is the reason I read a lot fewer books now.  Most of the novels are simply rehashes and many of the non-fiction books are rehashes and don’t really present any new ideas or information.  

I found that the $50 kindle is worth about what I paid for it, or maybe less.  It is basically a marketing machine for Amazon junk, books, music etc.  It won’t accept any apps except those that help sell Amazon stuff etc., and is rather slow.  

The area where it is well worth the money is it’s audio book reader and probably it’s e-books if you buy Amazon e-books anyway (I don’t).  May be good for music, but I haven’t tried that out yet.  

Probably be good if you need a simple e-mail iPad for e-mail etc., especially if you are where you might break it or lose it.  

Otherwise, is nothing but  marketing machine for Amazon.   Won’t even accept the app “WeChat” etc. and many other common apps unless somehow it promotes Amazon.  Another disappointment from Amazon, what else is new?

That’s it for now, Sunday, October 18, 2015. 

Fall 2015 October 17 Saturday

57 degrees this morning.  Walk 38:43 minutes

Sudden change of temperature!  Yesterday morning there was a cold wind (in spite of the relatively warm temperature) and the coldness stayed all day, even though it got warm.

Probably means that “cold’ will be in the air until next mid May, with some exceptions.  This year I am going to get away to someplace “hot” in mid-winter/early Spring and get the cold out of my bones!

One thing missing from the nearby YMCA is a sauna and hot tub.  Although I don’t use them often, a sauna was good for getting the cold out of your bones in the Winter!  

I found that out when I was in Goose Bay Canada while I was in the Air Force, although the cold there wasn’t all that bad. 

I remember one time I left Goose Bay for Boston and it was well below 0, but I froze in Boston at 32 degrees!  A few years ago we were in Boston in the Fall (I think November) and my memory was right, it is flat COLD in Boston, no matter what the temperature says!

Woke up this morning following a particularity vivid dream, one that involved a past Mayor and City Manager.  I didn’t write down the dream so I won’t go into detail except that it involved looking for plans for some houses etc. 

I have to wonder about dreams, I can pick up some details that might relate to current happenings, but some of the dreams seem to come from outer space, so to speak.

Still listening to the book about the Mafia.  Again, I am just amazed at how the tactics of the Malfa (with the exception perhaps of the direct murders) compare with some of the more unethical companies that are interested only in profit and not really in providing the best service or product.

I also noted where three airlines paid off enough people in the government (oh yes, they call it “lobbying”) that they are limiting other flights so the airlines can continue to extort the public with high airfares, baggage fees etc and line the pockets of the officers of the company.  

Hopefully a “disrupter” will pop up for the airlines, like it has for taxi companies, hotels etc. and hold them accountable for their high fares and fees.

It seems that many companies have veered from the traditional practice of making a fair  profit for providing a decent service to getting the highest possible profit while provide for minimal service.   All in the name of “protecting the shareholders” (and paying themselves  grossly excessive salaries and benefits.) 

This city is simply unbelievable in the lack of protection for residential areas.  I saw another gross, sickening case, of bulldozers building more commercial right in the backyard of some very nice existing houses with NO buffer etc., not even a few of what pass for trees around here.  

There was some news coverage of the video billboard right in the backyard of several houses.  The response of the sign company?  “Lower the lumens of the video sign!” and “we have a right to destroy the value of a neighborhood by putting a video sign right in their back yard if we are 50 ‘ away!

I am sure the owner of the sign company is well away from any of his signs and has ample protection from any signs or commercial activity!  What a disgrace!

In addition, as I have mentioned before, there is a huge strip mall (the houses see the back of the strip mall, with all of the junk, lights, early morning deliveries etc. that will happen) about 100 ‘ in back of a residential neighborhood with absolutely no buffer!  

Another dream I noted on my “dream journal”.  As with most of them I remember and write down this was during my post-exercise nap:

10 16 15 Friday Dream

Dreamed I was in a club, apparently a Toastmasters club, where you prepare speeches.

Not sure what I was preparing, but I kept working on a speech, at different times.  

At times, in the dream, I worked at a place with a lot of large construction equipment.  

Not sure what my role was at work.  For some reason, I kept going back, and walking around the different areas looking at them and looking for something.  

I dreamed I had borrowed a wheel chair  (not because I needed it, but so I could get round faster.)

In my dream  I was trying to get to Toastmasters, but keep getting off the way there and ended somewhere else.  I kept thinking I needed to stop and practice my speech.  

When I finally to to Toastmasters, I wasn’t prepared and advised I was doing it on a impromptu basis!   

There was a lot of detail in the dream, but I remember very little of it.

That’s it for now, Saturday, October 17, 2015.

Fall 2015 October 16 Friday

66 degrees this morning  Walk 38:36 minutes

Temperature this morning was medium, but it seemed a lot colder because of the high winds.  Even at this temperature, it seemed to blow the cold into your bones. 

Thought is had started to rain right after my walk, but apparently was just the wind through the trees.   

About mid-October, if I remember correctly, the wind and cold wind would knock the rest of the turning leaves off the trees. 

However, unless I completely missed it (always a possibility!), the leaves haven’t even turned that much, much less any possibility of all the leaves getting knocked off.  

Friday already!  Somehow the week seemed slow, but also fast.  Listening to my “shuffle songs” I have heard it described as “living fast forward”, and “living life in stereo”  

I also hear some tunes that may be just as well forgotten, for example “May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Noise”.  Of course, guess which songs I get in my head! 

I am currently on song 250 of 6,544.

Getting in the habit of swimming, just like I do walking, which is good (I think).  I missed the first several days this week and really f let it.  I walk 7 days a week (unless it is raining etc.) and swim probably 3 or 4 times per week out of a possible five times per week.  

The only thing I don’t like about swimming is that fist cold blasé you feel getting into the pool!  Of course, if it was warm enough to feel comfortable getting in,  it would be too warm to swim!

I read with interest about the “software upgrade”  on the Telsa cars (at least some) that will lead to possible “auto driving”  

Maybe my thoughts over 50 years ago, after seeing the  advertisement of a car driving down the road with no driver etc. will become true in my lifetime!  

Of course, at the time, I thought I may not have to worry about driving since by the time I got to the age I could drive (the old age of 16), all the cars would be driverless!  Missed it by a few year!

Of course, when you read the fine print, it is “auto assist”, which is available on a lot of cars.

Another dream, this one again after my “post nap: 

1015 15 Thursday Dream

Dreamed I was in the house of  friends in Lakeland playing cards or some kind of game.  

At one point, I walked through the house and couldn’t get back to the card game, it was so big.  I kept walking around and couldn’t find the game.

At another point in the dream I was part of a group (or something) that went places on a bus, actually a regular school bus.  Apparently part of a church group or something like that (not a Senior Citizen Group, it included all ages)

There was a steep hill the bus went down, at one point there was suddenly construction n in the middle of the road and we had to take a detour.

The people in the bus went “o hoo hoo” and enjoyed the fast bus as it went downhill and careened through the detour.

Don’t remember much else, except when lost in the house, I could hear the cards shuffling and was scared I’d get in trouble for being late. 

That’s it for now, Friday, October  16, 2015

Fall 2015 October 15 Thursday

71 degrees this morning, walk 38:14 minutes 

Surprised at the relatively “warm” temperature this morning.  However, wind is up some, which makes it seem colder.  

Decided to change my morning “hyper-time”  procedure slightly this morning (on weekday mornings)  by changing the time I take a shower etc. and seeing if I can save several minutes.  

Several minutes in the “hyper-time” morning procedure is a lot.  The same amount of time later on in the day wouldn’t necessarily mean much, but in the morning it means a lot.  

I know that somehow activities tend to fill the time available, so I am always busy, but there is just a lot to do.  

It is interesting to note the “yearly repeats” of life start again with my new job.  Now that my first year is up, the yearly rituals (fund raising, etc.)and decision points (such as choosing a benefits package etc.) are repeating.  

I am  now listening to song #252 of 6,644 songs on my “original iPod”.  I am listening in “shuffle” mode, which means I may hear classical music. followed by Country, followed by rock, and then maybe some gospel.  Keeps the listening interesting!  

Since I don’t actually listen o music that much, much as I like it, I enjoy the opportunity to listen to music and revisit some of the songs I enjoy

I always think I will listen to music in the car on my “field days”, but I normally end up listening to CNBC or language lessons (I haven’t actually done that much lately).  Plus I don’t drive as far as I used to, so there is less opportunity for longer sessions.  

As I noted yesterday, there are many “yardsticks” during a year when I tend to look and see if I am progressing etc.  I didn’t note that the periodic “birthday” parties and gatherings of family remembers are periodic “yardsticks”, and, especially with children, it is amazing how time passes.  

Probably one of the most important yardsticks for me is the annual Courter Reunion.  A year is a long time, and it is a 68 year tradition, documented by many photographs over the years.  

We recently “finished” (for now) the hanging of pictures and photographs in our house. Our next step will be to scan all of the photographs we have onto the computer to properly save the photographs.  There are a lot to say the least!  

I am always caught a little off guard when I see my parents when they were young.  Especially when I realize that it has been so long (1994 for my Dad, 1997 for my Mom) since they passed away and realize if they were alive today, my Dad would be 109 and my Mom 103! 

Time and life pass before we realize it.  

Field Day yesterday.  Maybe one conversation with a man about my age made me think of some of the previous thoughts.  He was mentioning about what he had done in his life and whether he stood and things he had wished he had done.   

One thing I really like about my job is the wide variety of people I meet, some likable, some not so much, but all interesting with their own story! 

It is interesting during my morning walk and my bicycle rides to see the development of our neighborhood.  Even new houses are so gradual, I suddenly realize how much the neighborhood has changed, even just since we moved here.  

The “Free Wheel” bicycle ride (about a week long event) is at time this year that I can participate in it.  (In the past it has conflicted with another event).  I am going to start preparing for it, whether I actually participate in it or not.  It is a bicycle trip of about 50 to 100 miles per day for five days, with “sag wagons” and full support.  I may be a little off on the days etc. 

It is scheduled for the middle of June 2016, which should work well.

A lot of bicycle riders stay in tents etc., I think I’d find the nearest motel with a good hot tub and a swimming pool!  

I’ll see.

That’s it for now, Thursday, October 15, 2015.

Fall 2015 October 14 Wednesday

61 degrees this morning, walk 37:52 minutes

Record on walk this morning, which is kind of strange, since my recent walks (due partly to more clothing due to colder weather) have been longer.

At  times in my life, there are are certain times that are “yardsticks” to measure my life, or perhaps the year anyway.  One of these is New Year Eve, another is the time when Daylight Savings Time changes in  the Spring etc.  

Another time is around October/November when the world kind of pauses before the frenetic holiday season starts.  It seems to come anytime from Columbus Day to Veterans Day.

I think I suddenly realized the year is almost over.  While a year is just a name, it still is reality, in that it measures the passage of time in some way.  

It seems kind of strange because I really don’t have any specific goals, and my entire life I have had some kind of goal I was concentrating on.  

Strangely enough, I am relatively happy about that.  I think maybe my goal is just to deal with reality and improve myself in a “continuous improvement” mode, rather than any big leaps or big goals. 

That still of course means I have goals, so saying I don’t have goals isn’t really true.

I still remember when I learned about the management system of “Kaizen”, which was credited to Japanese management.  It was about 20+ years ago in a “computer self-learning” course at Rose State College.  For reason, it really had an impact on me!

I just looked it up on the Internet (to find the word “Kaizen”,( no way am I going to remember it) and I found that:

-The Japanese are no longer credited with being the origins of “continuous improvement”, at least in any of the top blog posts

-My own blog post of 8-27-15 is referenced!  (I forgot I had written about this before, but, so what?)

-Continuous improvement is now being criticized as not being good for innovation etc!  

-The Japanese economy is now being used as a criticism of “continuous improvement”

-Many articles are on “rethinking” of continuous improvement, or even describing “continuous improvement as “rapid change”, which is certainly a change in the definition!

In a way, what little I learned (I am going to have to research this a lot more!) proves the theory of “continuous improvement”, but also “continuous learning” where you keep up with the current literature of a subject!

I had no idea that “continuous improvement” had morphed like it has.  

That probably means I haven’t kept up with my “continuous improvement” goal or commitment!  

That is one thing I always tried to do in City Management was read and keep up with the current trends of thought.  

The International City Management Association” has a program where City Managers commit to 40 hours of learning each year.  It is a voluntary program, but I expect most professions require some sort of continuous learning.

  

I certainly hope the Doctors I use etc. keep up with the latest practices.  Just in the past year, I am amazed at the changes in the medical industry, as well as management etc.  

Anyway, one commitment I intend to make to myself is to keep learning new concepts and techniques and not allow myself to resist change just because change can be difficult.  

I carefully note when I resist something new, to see if I resist it “just” because it is new and will require some adjustment on my part!  Just because it is new doesn’t mean it is bad, but doesn’t mean it is bad either!

That’s it for now, Wednesday, October 14, 2015.  

-

Fall 2015 October 13 Tuesday

53 degrees this morning, walk 37:57 minutes

The saga of the “video bulletin board” continues.  It has become a subject on “NextDoor.com”, thank goodness.  I think NextDoor.com is monitored by the city, so maybe they will get some feedback on the extremely poor planning and lack of protection for the residents the city provides.

I’ve notice now that the strip shopping center in back of the (same block) of houses now are having bright lights that also shine right into the back of the block of houses.

NextDoor.com noted last night that the large video billboard was malfunctioning and I was pleased notice this morning that the entire bulletin board was out and it as no longer “videoing” . (No, I didn’t do it.  I admit I had some dreams about it, but I don’t believe in that kind of action.!)

I am writing a letter to our Council Member (they have the ward system here), with a copy to the Mayor and City Manager about the poor planning of the city and especially the lack of protection for residents from commercial construction.  

I also plan on contacting Sonic about their intrusive sign and lighting.  Nothing against Sonic food, but I’m not a “car eater” or a “take out and eat at home” person, so I can’t threaten to quit doing business with them. 

If I”m going to pay a normal price for a meal, I’m going to sit down and eat it, not eat in my car or take it home.  

Actually, I am surprised at how people RHW  “drive thru” and “take out” both from restaurants, banks, laundrys etc.  I almost never use drive thru’s, although I have gotten to the point that the few times I go to the bank, I use the drive thru more often than not. 

I almost never use any other type of drive thru.  I don’t like to eat in my car and I’ve learned from experience not to drink coffee in my car (I’ve ruined a few good shirts doing that!).  

Actually, I just realized that I do eat in my car, almost always, when I am “in the field” on my current job.  I bring along a “nature bar” and a small container of almonds/cashews/peanuts (unsalted!) and eat it while I am driving.  

I rarely eat more than that, other than an occasional ice cream cone at McDonalds when I have to stop for a rest break!  

When I am “in the field”, it is just too intense to stop for lunch.  It is hard to explain, but it is just a feeling that you have to finish as much as possible in the shortest possible time, primarily because you never know how much  time the next case may take. 

I always take as much time as necessary with each person.

Thinking about recycling this morning, with the disdain and poor recycling record of the city we live in (20% versus recycling rates of 80% for surrounding cities!) and their failure to provide proper containers (in a windy area, they have “open” containers and won’t allow lids!) and recycle much of anything other than paper and plastic, recycling is really a joke.

I notice I am now throwing cardboard (they don’t recycle cardboard, they are so prehistoric) away without even really thinking about it, so when they city really doesn’t care, it affects everything! 

Actually, trees do tend to recycle themselves, but it still takes a lot of energy etc. to cut and process new trees.

I have read articles about how recycling may not save that much money, but I think the effort is worth it, if nothing else it makes you think of conserving resources.  Or something like that. 

Something strange happened yesterday.  I got out of my car in the mall parking lot with the Apple Store when my iPhone (the 5, not the 6) quit working with the message “no sim card” (or something like that).  I went directly to the Apple Store and got it fixed!  

Actually, they just reset it, which I probably would have done if I hadn’t been so close to the Apple Store.  However, they did advise me this shouldn’t happen, so I need to get it checked out.

This was my work iPhone, which I use a lot, so I probably will be looking to go ahead and upgrade.  Now that I am forced to do so….

That’s it for now, Tuesday, October 13, 2015.

Fall 2015 October 12 Monday

69 degrees this morning, walk 38:42 minutes

Warmer this morning.  Made for a nice walk.  

Still considering all of the exercise alternatives.  It is difficult to fit everything in, but I’m sure I will  develop a routine.  

I really enjoy my walk, swimming and bicycling.  I also do some weight lifting every day and 40 sit-ups, but I would like to add some machines.  

I’m looking for ways to save time so I can fit everything in!  

Birthday Party over the weekend (Sunday).  We used to have them at restaurants, now we just have pizza at the house, which is a lot nicer.  It gives everyone a chance to visit with everyone and spend more time.  

We don’t have individual birthday parties (except perhaps for special years), but have a general “party” for persons with birthdays within a general time-frame, which can vary depending on everyones schedule!  

As family members develop their own families etc, it becomes harder and harder to schedule a time that will fit  everyone’s schedule and we normally  don’t have “everyone”, but a large majority normally attend every time.  

Listening to the book about the Mafia on my morning walk, seeing a sign put up in the back of of residences and reading about the greed of drug companies literally killing people so they can make a few more dollars, I have to wonder why people are intent on making more money when they literally have more money than they can spend?  

They literally cheat and steal and take a chance on going to jail and/or substantially damage other peoples lives when they can’t spend what they have.   

Doesn’t seem to matter if what they do is (technically) legal or illegal , they all are motivated by the same greed.

I am now on song 180 of a total of 6544 songs on my “original iPod”.  (There are a lot more in my iTunes library, but this is what I have on this iPod.  I am going through on “shuffle” basis, so I avoid having a bunch of songs by the same person.  

I also don’t listen to all of them all the way through, especially the “sound effects” or songs I don’t liquefier some reason.  Well, I listen, but it may not be all that long.

It is nice to listen to some songs that I welcome as “old friends”  that I may have forgotten about, or at least not thought about for a long time.  

What is always surprising is how  “new” music or songs so rapidly become “classics” (or “old”) music.  

That is one thing we really like about the CMA Fest, they highlight the latest songs and performers, but also provide the performers whose days in the limelight a change to perform.  

Of course, lots of times, you are so shocked at what age (or illness) have done to a person it is kind of sad.  On the other hand, you see others who have accepted the present and actually thrive on their present situations.

Also, we have been going long enough now, we have seen performers who were literally teenagers when we first saw them now as relatively mature adults, for better or worse.

I am always a little sad when I hear a sone and realize it is the only “hit” they ever had, and their career never really was successful after that one hit.  Actually, i think that is probably at least 50% of all performers. 

Start of a new week.  Have some “interesting” field work planned this week.  It is always interesting to go into a new situation and I am supposed to be the “expert”!

That’s it for now, Monday, October 12, 2015.  

Fall 2015 October 11 Sunday

65 degrees this morning, walk 39:02 minutes

Wind this morning and I am reminded of how the wind can make it appear so much colder (or hotter), but colder this morning.  65 degrees with wind is just as bad (or worse) than 54 degrees with no wind.  Not counting the hassle of dealing with the wind, especially when walking or bicycling.  

The oxygen situation is rather interesting, if you can call it that.  I have been measuring my oxygen level at various times of the day and am puzzled by the variation  It seems to be the lowest after exercise and when I am tired.  Of course, I don’t know how reliable the pulse oximeter is.  I am seeing the Doctor and hopefully will get some answers, or at least new questions to ask.  

We are members of “Next door.com”, which is designed to allow neighbors to communicate etc.  There has been some discussion on the “video” sign which shines right into the back yard of several houses.  I am glad to see many people feel like I do about it and hopefully something can be done about it.

I am surprised at the number of people who don’t know what city they live in.  We actually live about 1/4 miles from another city (with decent planning  that bans video billboards), but many people feel we live in the nearby city since the school system is named the same as the nearby City.  Kind of like misleading zip codes.  

In fact, our zip code is actually different than the city we live in (kind of like Lakeland, except this time we are on the positive side rather than the negative side).

Anyway, the houses are marketed as “X Schools, X area” (X being the city next to us, not the  city with the horrible, or perhaps lack of, planning.  Misleading to say the least.  

Anyway, during my walk this morning, I noted that the video billboard has pixelated  (that sure if that is correct) and shows a couple of bright spots where the lights failed and just shows a bright light.

I have even thought about contacting the advertisers and asking them to quit advertising on the sign, since it is a public nuisance, but I may let someone else take on that part if they want to.  I haven’t even noticed yet who the advertisers are, except the advertising is inappropriate for a residential area.  

The Toyota Camry front fender separated slightly, just like the Prius (also a Toyota).  I found out it is a “clip” that is defective that Toyota has not fixed and apparently is not subject to a recall.

Of course, when the “clip” fails, it can only be replaced by replacing the entire front fender.

This will be the last Toyota product I ever buy, based on that.  It apparently is a defect which has been known for years, and apparently Toyota just considers it some type of annuity so they can always sell fenders.  

That is too bad, otherwise it is a nice car.  I still plan on keeping it for seven years, but I will be buying a different brand of car when I replace it.

Another Dream:

10 10 15 Saturday Dream

Dream I was in a big convention and gambling area,l probably Las Vegas or Tunica .  Was staying in a big hotel.

Not sure why I was there, but I walked around.  I never actually gambled in the dream but I walked mourned and watched. 

This was a relatively big area.  Didn’t recognize anyone else in the dream, with the exception of references to Aliene back at the room.

I didn’t remember a lot of the dream.

That’s it for for now, Sunday, October 11, 2015

Fall 2015 October 10 Saturday

57 degrees this morning.  Walk (estimated, forgot to turn off stop watch) 38:20 min.

Forgot to stop the stop watch after my walk due to the security camera going off all the time, I though because of a spider web, but I couldn’t find one.  Bugs due set it off as do a myriad of other items.

Not a huge deal, except it sends us a message and makes a short video (of bugs, wind, lights, shadows, stray cats etc.), we are concerned we will ignore any real problem!  Crying wolf too many times isn’t good.

Moving in from the outside patio, just a little too cool!

We are studiously trying to avoid any news this morning until we have  chance to watch the ballgames we taped (especially the Cubs/Cardinals) so we can enjoy the games!  It’s a little harder now, not only avoid the newspapers and live TV, but Facebook, e-mail etc. idle conversations you overhear etc. may all ruin it!  Sometimes we still enjoy watching it, but it really isn’t the same.

I am starting to really consider what to do about newspapers.  I was extremely lucky in Lakeland that I had access to three newspapers (local, Wall Street Journal & New York Times) delivered early (by 3:30 a.m. or so).

Here, I can only get the local paper and the Wall Street Journal delivered by 6:00 a.m. (7:00 a.m. on Sunday!) when I get the Sunday New York Times.

I don’t have time to read it in the morning when it gets here so late, so I frequently don’t read it until the evening, when I at least read it faster since the news is old

I am considering the suggestion of not reading it until the following morning, since it will still be “new” to me or just canceling the physical copies.  Save some money and time. 

I like to think I would read them on the internet but  I won’t, at least the newspapers to which I currently subscribe.  For example, while I have full access to all three newspapers, I don’t read them on the internet much except to skim them.  

Also, my morning pattern has changed and I doubt if I would read the papers in the morning now even if I got them early.  My morning pattern is literally choreographed to the minute, including walking, writing, getting enough nap time, breakfast etc.  and I start work at 6:30 a.m. instead of 8 a.m, which is 1 1/2 hours right there!

Probably if I was continuing my exercise bike, I would go ahead and just not read the papers until the following morning (except for the Sunday paper).  Since I’m not, and probably won’t, I will have to see what pattern is best.  

We do plan on learning how “the machines” (exercise machines) work at the YMCA.  I have carefully avoided the machines all of my life (I think they are boring and prefer free weights), but I think the machines  would be good as far as insuring I get a reasonably good workout at least several times per week.  We get three “free” training sessions  

Busy weekend ahead, have to finish putting up pictures and then will have the semi-regular “group birthday” for everyone in the family (us, children, grandchildren etc.) who is having a birthday.  We group it around the actual birthdays and it generally works well if we can get everyone together!

That’s it for now, Saturday, October 10, 2015.