2016 Winter January 10 Sunday

18 degrees this morning (feels like 4 degrees), no walk (still coughing, stomach virus)

Winter is definitely here for this area!  It is supposed to be below freezing all day.  

Still recovering from stomach virus, yesterday was a lot better than Friday, although I still felt weak etc.  The cough didn’t help.

When I went to the minor emergency room, I was advised the cough could will likely last 4 weeks, which is next Friday!  A lot longer than the 7 days I originally expected or the 18 days forecast I heard another patient say it would last.

Apparently the stomach virus is something that was “going around” as they say.  The next time I start to feel that way, I am going home sick!  I am lucky things worked out as well as they did.  (I won’t go into the gory details.)

This kind of reminds me of the time years ago when I ran a 5K in the rain.  I developed a huge cold (no cough fortunately) and probably a slight case of the flu.  I remember it just seemed to last forever.  

The “new” NFL pro football season, the playoffs, are starting.  I actually haven’t watched a game this season, but plan on watching some of the playoffs. 

Somehow, I just lost interest in pro football when the tie-breaking “first score wins”.  started.  It just made it seem so meaningless, or maybe I was already bored by pro football. 

Nothing against it, I just lost interest, probably the big money has ruined it, for whatever reason.  

I do resent having to pay for sports that I don’t watch (pro football, pro basketball etc.) via higher tv cable bills and the higher prices resulting from high advertising costs companies spend on commercials for sports.  

Of course, the same could be said for local tv stations who try to gouge cable tv companies for “local carry” fees and run threatening ads about “not be able to see this channel” when they are available by free.

Of course, speaking of gouging, the medicine companies are becoming experts at it.  There may not be a right answer on this, but there certainly has to be something that is better than what it is now.

We are in the process of doing everything that is involved with selling and buying a new house, moving etc.  

Probably the worst part is preparing all the paperwork for the loan etc.  There always seems to be one more thing that is needed, and you get these demands that you make decisions that will affect you for years in a matter of seconds (interest rate etc.) without any real information. 

Of course, there are always the “extra fees” for every little thing, as we are fleeced by all of the businesses involved for huge fees for everything, including some fees for nothing done.  

Not looking forward to moving again at all.  Actually Aliene has completed a lot of the packing (she is really good at packing), but the entire process of moving is difficult and expensive.  

This will be a “move out one day, move in the next”.  We didn’t realize the luxury we had of moving to this house where we had time to move a lot of things over before the actual move-in.  

That’s it for now, Sunday, January 10, 2016.

2016 Winter January 9 Saturday

33 degrees this morning (feels like 24), light snow/rain, no walk

Friday had a “stomach virus” that was absolutely no fun. I had forgotten what it was like, and hopefully it is over, although I plan on taking it easy today.  Apparently it is “going around”.  

Finally went to a minor emergency facility just to be sure.  Got some medicine for nausea and instructions on how to handle it.  Better yet, it wasn’t the flu or something more serious.  She also advised me I probably have another week to go on my cough, which is just occasional now,, but still disrupting.

Advised to drink lots of liquids (Gatorade and water), eat soup etc.  Water tastes so good after the episodes I had, and thank goodness I could keep them down.  

As I remember people saying when I was a child, “if you have your health, you have everything”.   Fortunately, my illnesses have been short term.  

It feels so good not to feel nauseated! 

Forecast was fro a “winter storm” today, although I don’t see any snow outside,the weather forecast says it is snowing.  Maybe someplace else or maybe it is coming here.

The house sell/purchasing is proceeding. As usual, there is a whole lot of stuff they need ‘yesterday”.  However, I felt so bad, I really couldn’t do any of it, so it will need to wait.  I don’t like having to make important decisions while I am sick, to say the least!

One thing I resent is being pushed into a decision when it affects our financial life so far into the future.  To start with, being expected to make a decision on a house or a car etc. on a one or two visit time.  It is just too easy to miss items, as I have noted to my regret, actually almost in cars more than houses.  

The only way to really proceed is to have a list of ‘Have to’s, or Have to not’s’, things you absolutely have to have or things you absolutely don’t want.

Even then, you can always make a decision that you don’t need the specific “have to” or you can deal with the “have to not”. 

Of course, actually doing it is a different matter!

Another, rather strange dream yesterday morning.  I didn’t remember most of it but jotted down some notes on it:

Dream Jan. 8 2016

Dream I was driving someplace and stopped and went into to a warehouse facility.  For some reason I sat in a chair, an easy chair, and kept trying to put my warm ups and socks on.  I couldn’t seem to handle getting them on.

Workers would come out and talk and kind of look at me, but ignore me, apparently assuming I worked there.

At the last, a  solider with one stripe came in and looked at me and then ignored me.

I keep trying to get my warm up and socks on, but couldn’t do it.  I thought about walking out to the car and putting my clothes on in the car.

I woke up, a really strange and real feeling dream.

That’s it for now, Saturday, January 9, 2016. Hopefully I will start feeling better soon!

2016 Winter January 8 Friday

40 degrees this morning, no walk (still have cough)

Almost started walking again this morning, but decided to wait one more day.  Coughing has almost stopped, but still some and I don’t want to get it started again like it was!  

The big news is we have a contract to sell our house and have a contract to buy a house, assuming all of the details work out.

If everything works out, we will be moving in about a month, although of course we have already started the process and I already have a backache to prove it! Actually, Aliene has done most of the packing and I have just moved some boxes around.

While we don’t have “sellers” or “buyers” remorse as such, obviously we do have afterthoughts and concerns on whether we are making the right decision or not.  I think so far we both are happy with our decision, and will be disappointed if it falls through as it obviously could.  

It has been a busy week, both job related and personal, and of course, moving etc. will keep it busy for awhile.  

We are definitely not looking forward to moving and hope this is the last time for awhile! 

The last time we had the luxury of gradually moving into the house.  This time it will be a “move out/move in” all in one day (actually probably move out one day and move in the next day) process, which is disruptive for awhile while we find everything again!

Actually, Aliene is an excellent packer, which helps a lot.

I will miss our backyard with the trees, but we are gaining in other areas, so it probably will all offset.  

I am reading an detailed Newsletter I receive occasionally.  It reviews some very detailed thoughts concerning the economic situation of the work, the effects of terrorism, the election etc.  

I am reading it and planning on discussing it with the person who sent it to me.  There is a lot too discuss in it!  

When I know I will be discussing something I  read, I read it with a different purpose in mind and I spend more time thinking of the impact and different interpretations of what I am reading, which makes it interesting.  

I think the importance of Newsletters like this from someone who obviously has access to better information than I do, is that it makes you think about what he says and in the process it helps you understand what is going on, or at least points out possible consequences that we will need to deal with in the future.

What i really like about the Newsletter is there isn’t a single story about sports, “celebrities”, social media etc!  Such a relief, especially sports and “celebrities”.  The only thing is I am so used to skipping over  the sports and celebrity news, I need to remind myself to read it in detail.  

Strange that the New York Times is so often cited for bias, but it is probably one of the least biased papers I read. At least their stories are bylined so you know who is writing it and have some idea of their beliefs.

Of course, this is more of a news analyst and thoughts about the impact of trends rather than a news report, but I am really tired of what the news media now considers “news”.   I don’t mind stories about sports or celebrities, just keep them in the proper place and don’t call it “news”!   

Hopefully, I will be able to walk and start exercising tomorrow.  It has been three weeks today.  I know I am getting better, but it has been a very slow process!

That’s it for now, Friday, January 8, 2016.

2016 Winter January 7 Thursday

41 degrees this morning no walk, rain, still some coughing 

“Automatic Spellcheck” is one technological advancement which sometimes creates more problems than it solves.  Frequently I look back over what I have written and it is a completely different word, sometimes that conveys a completely different meaning!  

I need to investigate more and see if I can set up “must approve change” or something like that, or just go back to the old way of running spell check after I am done.  

It is especially aggravating when it changes the spelling of someone’s name!  

At least it does make me go back and review what I wrote!  I still miss some, but the ones I catch sometimes would be embarrassing!  Or, sometimes the spell check “assumptions” as to what I meant that I miss are embarrassing!

Hopefully I can get back to walking soon.  The rain prevented it today (the mud on the streets from the construction make it impossible to walk after a rain), but my cough is still hanging on just enough to be a problem when I am out too much etc.  

Sometime I need to jot down how much time I spend on various activities during the day (reading the paper, on the computer etc. and decide what priorities I want with my time.  It still seems that there is  a lot more to do than I have time to do it!  There are just too many projects for the time available!  

Starting working the new accounts yesterday on a field day.  I enjoyed it, it is always interesting to meet new people and find entirely new situations I haven’t ran into before!  

Speaking of time, I am always surprised at how much time we spend in cars, just in our normal activities.  Self-driving cars that made that time productive would be an amazing increase in time available.  

Of course, cell phones seemed like a big time saver when they came out.  However, I think the amount of time on a cell phone, especially a “smart phone” has expanded to where it is a major time waster now!

We call back and forth, text etc. and sometimes I realize how relatively a short period of time we have had access to “smart phone” technology.

I believe I got my first cell phone in about 1993, so it has been over 20 years.  Of course, the coverage was spotty, it was expensive and at first the phones were big and bulky.   

The first iPhone was on June 29, 2007, so it has been less than 10 years since the first iPhone.  I probably got one two years later (the iPhone 3 came out in 2009), so I have only had one for six years.  It is difficult to think of life without one now!

I do remember looking at the iPhone Touch and seeing how intuitively it was, was immediately attached to it and thought why not have a phone with it!  

Of course, my first “smart phone” was a Blackberry, which I really thought was amazing, that I could get and send e-mail from anywhere!  

I try to picture how my granddaughters (or anyone less than 20, and especially those just being born) view life now, with computers, smart phones, the internet etc. and who knows what else!  It is really an entirely different world.  

Of course, you also have more terrorism, more crazies etc., cybercrime etc. to worry about, as well as rapid change in technology affecting their careers etc.  

I am already tired of winter weather and am starting to think of every day as “one day of winter at a time” as I start the countdown for Spring!  A little early for that, but at least I can think of every day as a day closer to Spring, it will be here soon!

That’s it for now, Thursday, January 7, 2016.

2016 Winter January 6 Wednesday

37 degrees this morning (feels like 28 degrees)., no walk, light rain, still some coughing.

Wednesday already of the first full week of the new year.  This year is flying by, just like 2015 did.

I will be glad to get back to walking and listening to books again while I walk!  I really enjoyed my routine of walking, swimming and biking and can’t wait until I get back to it.  

I think the combination of listening to the books, and having time to just randomly think while swimming and bicycling etc.  was probably as good for me as the exercise was!   

I have been seeing more and more articles (or maybe I am just more aware of them) on the “value of boredom” and the negative effects of 24 hour per day stimulation of smart phones, instant tv etc. and just never having any time to randomly think or plan.  

If “self-drive” cars become a reality, that is “true” self-driving cars, we will lose another opportunity to randomly think while driving, since as the car drives, we will be expected to work, read etc.  instead of driving the car with at least some time to just think.  

Actually, I get some of my best “work” done while exercising or even just taking a nap.  I may not actually be doing anything as such, but I am mulling over things and frequently develop ideas for action, or am able to develop plans etc.  

I think so many of the “emergencies” or problems we fell we have “today”, are not really emergencies, or even important, but just avoiding boredom or having to think through and develop action to resolve real problems.  

Perhaps the 24 hour stimulation we have now is just a way of avoiding problems.  If you can immerse yourself in a tv show (or for me, a book etc.), it is simply a way of avoiding facing the real problems in your life.  

Actually, I think it is healthy to be able to be able to avoid thinking  about pressing problems for brief periods, but not all the time, eventually you have to face and resolve your problems!  

I have absolutely nothing against technology, in fact I love it, although I think we don’t think of the negative consequences of it enough, or, for that matter, even the consequences of it enough. 

I realize change is going to happen no matter what, but that doesn’t mean we have to just accept some of the negative aspects of change, we can develop a means to deal with change.  

The other day I saw a “news story” (which of course i realize may or may not be true), where  a company was requiring employees to use “cards” to use the bathroom to monitor their bathroom breaks and taking action if they were more than six minutes per day!  Obviously this is taking technology too far!  

I think the same think of companies that monitor keystrokes etc. Sometimes they use technology to the point where they are dehumanizing people and, in my opinion, such “supervision” is a lazy way of management, since it appears the managers are scared of employees and don’t want to take the time to really manage employees.

Anyway, I realize there is the other side, that people spend time on personal activities on the internet, visiting etc., so there is a reason for using technology, but, like anything, it just gets taken too far sometimes.  

Back to “boredom” etc., I remember how I feel when the electricity goes out, or I am on an airplane etc., waiting to see someone without anything to read etc., and the sudden panic at having to just think!  Don’t know if I can call it a “panic” but the thought is there.  

Anyway, almost every time, I find something to value in the “downtime”, even if it is just a good idea on how to deal with downtime!

That’s it for now, Wednesday, January 6, 2016.

2016 Winter January 5 Tuesday

29 degrees (feels like 19 degrees) this morning, no walk, still slight cough.

Really planned to walk, at least a little this morning, but still not quite there.  I am not going to take any chances of a relapse!  Maybe the Vitamin D3 will give the cough a final blow.

Cold air seems to be hanging on.

Regular Field Day yesterday , and only a very few isolated problems with my cough, which is encouraging.  My voice still sounds a little rough, although I never had a sore throat as such.

Last night, at Toastmasters, there was some very interesting discussions on a variety of topics (the group I belong too has some very philosophical members!).

One of my questions was “what would I say now to a 12 year old Robert”  (me when I was 12 years old!.)  A very interesting and thought provoking question.  While it is entirely an exercise and will never happen, it still raised some thoughts.

Of course, I would advise him to both study and play harder.  Not worry so much about what other people thought, but on the other hand present your honest self regardless of what people thought.  (Well, within reason anyway!)

Other suggestions again would be to make more mistakes by trying something different, but be more adapt at learning from mistakes!

I would emphasize living and learning from each day, and, while preparing for the future, don’t be worried about the future.  

Perhaps, I would also tell him that 99% of the stuff I worry about during my teen (and adult) years isn’t really worth worrying about!  

My main advice about money would be to start saving money no matter what, even if it is just a small amount as soon as I got my first job and don’t touch it no matter what.  (I think IRA’s had just started when I was in my first job, maybe it was later.)  And, never, never, touch your retirement plan once you are vested!

I could think of a lot more suggestions, but another question concerned “Wisdom”.  

Of course, when I think of wisdom, I think of the story about the young person who goes up the mountain to see the wise person and asked “how do you get Wisdom”.  The answer, “Experience”.  After thing about it, the young person climbs the mountains again and asked “How do you get experience”.  The answer:  “Mistakes”!  Of course, I would add “learning from mistakes” to that!

The first of the month, probably will have a lot of new work items today, something I always look forward too.  At least if not today, sometime this week.

As I have mentioned before, it is like getting a lot of mail, or maybe Christmas once a month!  I look forward to the new accounts, meeting the people, resolving the problems or questions etc.  I don’t mind working the existing accounts to resolve them (I try to learn from my previous mistakes!) but new ones are fun also.  

I don’t know that I will be working long enough to obtain true “wisdom” in this job.  There are a very few people who may have “Wisdom” in this job, but most are always working towards it, which is the important thing. There are a lot of good people.

The way I learn (by actually doing something rather than just reading about it) works well in this job, especially since a lot of it is knowing where to look and not necessarily knowing it verbatim.  On the other hand, it is important to be correct, so I always check to make sure my memory is right!  Even then, every situation is so different, every situation can be a learning experience.  

Hopefully, will be able to start walking again tomorrow morning.  Not quite there yet this morning.  

That’s it for now, Tuesday, January 5, 2016.

2016 Winter January 4 Monday

26 degrees this morning (feels like 19 degrees), still no walk, but didn’t cough this morning, so soon….!

I have been waking up at my normal time to walk, and then snoozing, based on the theory that the more sleep or at least bedrest I get even if I ‘m not asleep, the better for my cold.  Probably tomorrow, or more likely Wednesday, I’ll start getting up and trying to walk, depending on how I feel.

I have learned the perils of trying to do “too much too soon” and how it can cause a delay in recovery, so I intend to be careful.

Planning a “Field Day” today, so that will be a good start, since it is relatively cool today and my main problem has been cold air setting off the cough.  

Starting off the first week of the year today!  We’ll see how many “after the first of the year” or “after the holidays” projects or items suddenly pop up.  Not just at work, but otherwise also!

On the other hand, people I contact no longer have the excuse of “I”ll do it after the holidays” etc., so that is good also!

Being ill for a while always makes me a lot more aware of other health issues, as I wonder how the “final transition” will come and how I will feel/approach it when it does.  Hopefully it will be some time yet, but it is not something I can really prepare for, although I do attempt to live so it is delayed as long as possible!  When it comes, I just don’t want to have many regrets.  Thinking about it makes me value the routine as well as the events of daily life even more! 

In any event, I will be glad to get back to my daily routine of walking etc.  I have missed it a lot, not just for the exercise itself, but the way it makes me feel better for the entire day.  

Had a small Christmas event yesterday with Angela, Kali and Katherine.  It was nice, even if a little delayed!  It is just amazing to realize how grown up all three of them are at their various stages of life.  

Our Christmas/Holiday events are getting longer and longer, starting at Christmas Eve morning and now extending past New Years.  Of course, we have always practiced the “twelve days of Christmas” celebration!   It also makes it so much easier to get together eventually with everyone.  

The oxygen machine actually didn’t bother me much last night, as I get more used to it.  It also seems to be improving each night also.  I can go on the internet and get a “score”, which has been improving each night.  I don’t know that it makes me necessarily “feel” any better, but the machine reports that my sleep is a lot less active than it had been (from mild sleep apnea).  I’ll see.

I don’t seem to be dreaming, but I expect if my sleep is a lot better and I have having fewer “events”, I just don’t remember my dreams as well.  (I so take my regular short nap without the oxygen machine.)  

I was surprised to learn from my “sleep test” that I have over 40 “events” (stopping breathing, light breathing etc) per hour.   I was never quite sure of what exactly that meant), although  5 or under is “normal” . 

 Under the machine, I am measuring less less than one per hour, so I guess there is an effect.

With no exercise, and more “holiday” food, I have been reluctant to get on a scale and learn what has happened!  However, I figure I’d rather know so I can start doing something about it!

It will be interesting to see how many times I write “2015” instead of “2016” today and this week!

That’s it for now, Monday, January 4, 2016.

2016 Winter January 3 Sunday

Up at 3:35 a.m., 31 degrees at 4:13 a.m.  No walk (cough)

Tomorrow starts a full week of work and routine again.  I’m not sure when I will start walking again, but hopefully this week and then start swimming and biking again soon.  

It  has been a long cold/coughing spell.  I’m probably more concerned with my immediate reaction to coughing when I get into cold weather as much as anything, see if it continues.

I was surprised to read that Bill Gates (Microsoft) is a voracious reader and actually does a blog where he reviews books he reads.  Sometimes  I really wonder where people like him get time to read and then write a review.  I guess, like they say, you make time for what is important to you.  However, that only works to a certain point, since there are other priorities also.

The story actually was that whenever Bill Gates made favorable comments on a book, there was  a “bump” in sales for that book, which I guess is normal.  

I have never been a good book reviewer, I really don’t know why.  Just not one of my strengths, or I just never learned to do it.

Angela, my daughter, is a wonderful reviewer of books and movies.  When she was a child, we’d go to a move (one in particular, “Turtle Diary” sticks in my mind). I would fall asleep and Angela would give me a synopsis after the movie and I was always amazed that she was so good.  

Occasionally she reviews a book  or movie in writing and I am amazed at how good they are.  I encouraged her to pursue it, but you know how parental advice is! 

The oxygen machine actually is progressing fairly well.  I am getting more used to it and my “score” is improving.  The machine gives you some basic results and I also get a score from the internet.  

it has kind of a cell phone connection in it that it sends the results to my area of the internet and also the insurance company or at least the provider and they report to the insurance company.  (Similar to our alarm system, it isn’t a cell phone, but you don’t need a phone.)

I was surprised at how many young (in comparison to me) persons have to use the same type of machine.  Of course the Sleep Test diagnosis also said I should (or at least suggested) I see a dietitian about eating property so I can lose weight better, probably not a bad idea.   

The insurance company I had before tried do a lot of this by phone calls and the internet, and quite frankly, it was a good try, but it just didn’t work, at least for me or anyone else I knew who even bothered to try it.

Of course, I don’t know if seeing someone personally would work ether if all they do is shove some papers and internet sites at you and tell you to read them.  Somehow  that doesn’t work.

I think all it dose is allow someone somewhere to make some checkmarks and bill the insurance company a hefty sum!

I do need to use “My Fitness Pal” more.  It is good, it is just a pain to use, it doesn’t have a good search function, or worst yet, a decent “spell check” system.  I think if I really put my mind to it, I can make it work and it will be good for weight control. 

So many “looking back” and “what will happen in 2016” articles etc.  I am already tired of them.  

Journalism has significantly deteriorated in the past few years as the ethics of just “reporting” the news has changed to “making” the news and trying to change readers/viewers opinions by slanting the news.  My opinion anyway.  I miss the fair, unbiased reporting that was “news” and not sports or “celebrities”  that I could care less what they do or say.  I have always felt that way, not just age!

It will be interesting to see what 2016 brings.  I expect events will happen I couldn’t forecast in my wildest dreams!

That’s it for now, Sunday, January 3, 2016. 

2016 Winter January 2 Saturday

31 degrees this morning, no walk, still cough in outside air etc.

When I first got this cough/head cold, I was depressed at the thought I would have it for 7 days.  It has now been 15 days and I still have some remnants of it.  Actually, my major problem is the cold air makes me cough, not just cough, but a coughing fit.  

As I briefly noted, another earthquake yesterday morning.  This time, there was no mistaking it, it was an earthquake.  It seemed to come from the east and roll to the west, shaking everything as it  went.  

They revised it from a 4.4 to a 4.2, but the numbers don’t mean anything, the effect does.

While we didn’t appear to have any damage, it was more disturbing than the first one and news reports appeared to indicate more damage (cracks in windows, chimney pulled away from house, dishes knocked off etc.  

For all intents and purposes, the holiday season is basically over again and a new year starts with renewed emphasis.

It is now “after the holidays” or “after the new year” that everyone used to delay things for the past two months, so will see what happens.  

I was dreading the start of the new year at the YMCA with all of the persons with new “Resolutions” to swim etc., but I doubt if I will be swimming again soon, at least until later into next week, if even then, depending on how my cough goes.  

I basically will have to wait until it is completely gone if I am around other people (swimming or machinesI), although I can start walking as soon as I feel up to it and don’t have a coughing fit in cold air.

I think if I was going to make a New Year Resolution, it would continue to be to experience each day, even it is a bad day or a negative experience, and enjoy the experience.  

I think especially after I have been sick, I get a renewed feeling of making sure I am fully  experiencing each day and experience, whether it is positive or negative.  It isn’t something I necessarily think about all the time, it is just something I need to do.  

I don’t want to even think about doing taxes this year.  Last year, with the multi-state tax return (even though Tennessee has no income tax, this state’s tax return was almost like it was designed to confuse you. 

I was very disappointed in “Turbo Tax” last year, it wasn’t too good at multi-state returns (except charging a large fee  for the State Return and continually prompting you to pay for “extras”.  I felt like it was a cell phone company or a cable tv company!) ) and I was wishing I had used a tax preparer, although I don’t know that that would be  good idea either.  

My taxes will be more “normal” this year, which will help.  

Again, at tax time, I urge persons who are contributing to retirement accounts to fully fund your Roth IRA first (or better yet a Roth 401k/etc.)  The IRA and 401k especially are basically designed as fee getters for the mutual funds, financial firms etc., although it is better than nothing.  However, the tax bite is a lot larger on “regular” IRA’s and 401k’s  than they would lead you to believe, but 70% of something is better than 70% of nothing!   However, I think the value of the regular IRA and the 401k are very misleading for people who are saving for retirement, but at least  it is something.  

Persons with only a 401k (or similar) retirement need to be especially watchful for the fee gougers  and the “financial experts” who are waiting to gouge you with fees, many hidden. 

Anyway, I look forward with anticipation to getting over this head cold/cough, and living “one day at a time” through the Winter as spring approaches again!

That’s it for now, Saturday, January 2, 2016. 

1-1-16 Earthquake!

4.4 magnitude earthquake this morning at exactly the same time as the one several days ago.  

This one felt like I thought an earthquake would feel, kind of a long drawn out shaking.

2016 Winter January 1 Friday

27 degrees this morning, no walk (coughing)

Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!  

Hopefully my coughing spells will stop and I will be able to start walking again soon.  I still can’t exert myself without coughing.  The “18 days” will be over next week and hopefully that will be it.  

I am more than ready to get back to exercising again.  

I find it rather hard to consciously believe that it is 16 years since January 1, 2000!  It really doesn’t seem that long ago, but it has included our move to Tennessee and back, which was almost like a completely different life. 

While I normally get right back into exercise, I am a little concerned this time, since it is taking me so long to get over my coughing.  Of course, that has happened before.  It is just that it is not just not exercising, my entire sleeping pattern changes etc.  Of course, with the cough and head cold, I have deliberately tried to sleep as much as possible.  

The CPAP Oxygen machine is difficult to deal with.  I fall asleep fast, but wth the machine it has been a lot more difficult to stay asleep.  The other oxygen machine was fine, but this one is a lot more difficult.  

It has a partial nasal mask that isn’t that bad, but it is the mechanism that holds it on that is difficult.  I”m sure I will get used to it but….  

As usual, while I don’t have any specific “resolutions”, I do have the goal of losing weight (or at least maintaining) and also maintaining my exercise, with emphasis on increasing the exercise machines and bicycling.  

The exercise machines have been better than I thought, although I haven’t really gotten into a regular routine yet, and getting into a regular routine has been delayed due to my head cold and cough.  I think they are definitely worth the time.  

I don’t really have a lot of professional goals this year, which is odd after years of having some strong professional goals.  

I continue to hope to learn some of the computer apps and programs better.  

Evernote is a continuous puzzle to me, although I am learning parts of it.  I find when I need to do something, I learn it .  

For some reason, it is hard for me to learn a program just to be learning a program.  However, when I need to learn to do something specific with a program, I learn it relatively fast. 

However, I have found it is good to learn a program just to know that it is there.  When it is time to learn a specific task, I have the general knowledge to help me learn it.

Of course, I continue to work on my photos, I expect I will never truly organize them, mainly because I have a hard time deciding how to organize them! 

Kind of like organizing your files, and finding out you have so many categories it is difficult to find a file since you have so many categories to look through!  

This time of year, after the holidays, is kind of a dreaded time, since it is Winter and the Spring seems to take so long to arrive.  Of course, it is encouraging to see the longer days (of light), the occasional day of Spring etc.  Usually with the arrival of late March, you can figure the really bad weather is over around here, it is just a matter of the continual coldness in the air and waiting for Summer to arrive again.  

Looking forward to 2016, I hope we look back in a year and say “What a great year 2016 was”!  

That’s it for now, Friday, January 1, 2016.