2017 Fall November 9 Thursday

2017 Fall November 9 Thursday

33 degrees this morning, 35:30 minute walk

Walk this morning was good, wind was still and it really didn’t seem like it was that cold during my walk.  Of course I dressed for it also.

One smart purchase I made some years ago was a hooded sweatshirt made of some kind of fabric that doesn’t really get too hot, but also protects you from the cold.  Not sure how it works, but in this kind of weather I use it a lot and it works well.  

One of the first “Under Armor” items I ever purchased.  I wish I knew what the fabric was so I could buy one more and be able to wash this one more.  

It is kind of like the shirts I wear after I shower or swim, I have had them literally 20 years and they are literally falling apart, but I don’t know where I can find the same fabric, that is cool but also soaks up any moisture.  It is especially nice after I go swimming.

As I recently mentioned, one of the reasons I hate to shop, especially for clothes, on-line is you need really know what you are getting until you see it and feel it, and it is such a hassle to return something. Also it applies to many items that you order they are literally cheap junk.

Speaking of hassles, I got a replacement iPhone (for some reason the connector was loose and the charger clip wouldn’t stay in well all the time)  and I am dreading having to set up the new phone.  It is a lot easier than it used to be but still a hassle.  

I didn’t think until this morning I also have to set up the iWatch (moan).

One of  the reasons I was delaying an iPhone X was I didn’t really want to hassle with setting up a new phone and now I have to do it anyway, probably on one I won’t keep all that long before I get an iPhone X.   Such is life, although it is likely to be some time before I get an iPhone X.

I am always surprised when the tv cable asks if I want any “recommendations on what to watch”.  Why would I want the cable company to advise me on what to watch?  I actually have more than enough now,  I normally have to delete a lot that I simply don’t have time to watch.

Another thing I hate about  on-line shopping.  There algorithms aren’t very smart if they think I need more than one printer etc.  Anything I buy, regardless what it is, I get hassled for months and sometimes years about the same item!  

I really think it is simply set up to take advantage of advertisers.  Sometime, the advertisers will get smart and stop wasting their money, although it could be one of those situations where the “per unit” price is so small it costs more to sort it out than it does to just blast everyone who ever purchased the item.

Of course, they may not be considering the anger it creates when they continually flood you with unwanted ads for an item you may never buy again (which I will certainly never buy a Canon printer again) or not buy for years.

I have quit going to any web page that has the “popup”, either the video no matter how small you can’t get rid of, or the full page ads.  I just quit using the web site. 

That’s it for now, Thursday, November 10, 2017.

2017 Fall November 8 Wednesday

2017 Fall November 8 Wednesday

42 degrees this morning no walk, rain.

Cold weather is here, even some hints of snow coming in.  

I have been trying to watch my activities to see how much time I can save by avoiding “piddling” or activities that don’t really warrant a lot of time or that waste a lot of time.  

This is especially noticeable in the early morning from the time I get up to when I go to work plus the first few hours of work, I frequently feel like I am just doing piddling things that just take up a lot of time and aren’t really important.

Of course, there is a lot of requirements that seem to take a lot more time than they are work, basically bureaucratic rules that just keep you from getting your work done.  

But there are a lot of things both on my personal time and work time that it seems I could speed up or eliminate to save time.  

Making a list of items you don’t need to do sounds a little counterproductive!  Maybe sometimes you have to invest time to make more time later, just like you invest money to have more money later.  

Anyway, I”m going to keep on trying to eliminate trivial meaningless activities.

This assumes that I can measure what is trivial!  

Life is made up of a lot of different things and sometimes trivial activities are important in the overall fabric of life.  

Looking back, I can see a lot of changes I have made, things I used to do, but no longer do, whether for better or worse. 

I think time is similar to money in a lot of ways, it is easy to piddle it away on meaningless things, but there are a lot of things/activities that may seem meaningless but are really important. 

Part of these thoughts are based on what I have recently read (and remember) about how people learn.  Many activities that are considered “meaningless” or “time wasting” is actually opportunities for learning.  

That’s it for now, Wednesday, November 8, 2017.

2107 Fall November 7 Tuesday

 2017 Fall November 7 Tuesday

44 degrees this morning Walk 33:19 minutes

Coldish walk this morning, still not used to it. 

Good to get back to walking and also my weights and exercise, which I haven’t done since Friday.  

Pace was 1 second faster than my goal, which is good for the cold weather and additional clothing.  

Apparently the pace goal is approximately in the right place, or you could argue that it isn’t right, it should be one I progress toward, but don’t achieve that often.  On the other hand, a “goal” can be a “goal” and not have to demand “continuous improvement”.

I think continuous improvement is good as far as job skills etc, but I”m not sure if it applies to physical exercise.  It kind of depends on what your goal is.  There is really no reason I should walk fast, just that I should walk.  I do need to check on the heart beat thing to determine if I am waking fast enough, although I”m not sure if I really buy into that concept anyway.  

Interesting to discover that my granddaughter, who is a Senior in high school, will soon be reading 1984.  I told her I never really thought I would see a true “1984” when I first read it, but I sure see it now.

Of course, GPS, security cameras etc. are what would make a true 1984 possible and they exist now.  

What is even more disturbing is the current political climate actually supports such concepts of 1984 as “adjustments to truth” and the “Ministry of Truth” are part of the currently lying bully coward lunatic’s “administration”.

The “Ministry of Truth” exists to “adjust” history.  One example was if the chocolate rations were changed from 30 grams to 20 grams, the “Ministry of Truth” made sure any references to there ever being 30 grams were erased so that it appeared the rations were always 20 grams.

Of course we hear many examples of “adjustment to truth” or “alternative realities” pushed by the lying bully coward lunatic and his incompetent, kow towing, criminal appointees. 

I think what is almost worse than the lunatic so called president is the cowardly, sniveling, criminal appointees who are ignoring the truth and push the lies and cowardly behavior as a way of getting what they want.

I don’t think they realize Karma will assert itself  and that extremes tend to bounce far to the other side when they will be the “outs” who are treated the same as they are now treating people. 

Hopefully it will be soon.

That's it for now, Tuesday, November 7, 2017

2017 Fall November 6 Monday

44 degrees this morning, no walk

Yesterday started off great with 68 degrees but then got colder as day went on.

Skipped walk this morning, sort of a “recovery day” from the physical activity over the weekend.    I expect a consideration was the 44 degrees!  

Of course, I have to walk in cool weather this winter, but I have learned to take the cold weather one day at a time in winter!  

Seasonal music has started, at least on the the cable television channels and some radio channels.  I actually am glad they start early, I enjoy it and normally don’t get tired of it.  It used to not start until after Thanksgiving, but I am glad they start it early.

There are internet stations that play Christmas music year round, and I always think I will get my Christmas music fix in the summer, but I never think of it.  

My Dad was a music teacher and I remember there was usually a Christmas show the school put on, so Christmas at our house was usually delayed until after the Christmas show at school (which was mid December if I remember correctly).  

My oldest iPhone I am using (about 3 years old) developed a problem with the charger port, for some reason the cable wouldn’t stay in the charger very well.  

Insurance will provide a new phone (with a “small deductible” of course), but I dread the thought of having to activate the phone and put all of my passwords etc.back in.  

The iCloud etc. has made it a lot easier, but it is still something I am not looking forward too.

Aliene is looking forward to this Thursday, hopefully something will change on how she gets around on her fractured ankle.

She actually is getting around pretty good, considering the limitations of having a fractured ankle. 

The fractured ankle and the limitations it imposed on her activities have certainly opened my eyes to “minor injuries” and the impact they can have on your life.  I am sure that Aliene’s injury is considered “minor”, but there is noting “minor” out the impact on her life!

Short work week this week, we observe Veterans Day on Friday, so this is a 4 day work week.

That's it for now, Monday, November 6, 2017.

2017 Fall November 5 Sunday

2017 Fall November 5 Sunday

68 degrees this morning, walk 35;25 minutes

Woke up this morning thinking I would enjoy the extra hour and not walk or exercise after the aches from moving yesterday.

Instead, I noted it was 68 degrees and I wasn’t about to waste a good morning!  Also I didn’t really ache all that much so it was ok anyway. 

It was nice to walk in “warmer” weather, especially since I saw the forecast and it is going to be a beautiful day today (read “warm” or at least not cold or cool!)

I had forgotten to plug in the iPhone I had repurposed to be an audio player, so I listened to music on my 10 year old iPod which still seems to have the strong original battery!  That is amazing.  

I try to charge all of  my old phones etc. up occasionally, I don’t know if it really keeps the batteries fresh, but I expect it helps.  Anyway, when I forget to charge up my audio player iPhone it helps!

Pace was 2 seconds slower than my goal.  I was hoping the music and warmer weather would reduce my pace, but it didn’t seem to make that much difference.

The item we had been advised was originally supposed to be here Friday and then was “rescheduled” to Monday actually arrived yesterday (Saturday) after all.  

I’m not sure if my letter of protest to UPS made any difference or not, but at least it arrived and I have learned not to trust that the “scheduled” pickup date as the true date.  It has happened before, but not on a critical item.

I read recently that returns (at least on clothes) purchased on line approaches 40% of the purchases, meaning 4 of every 10 purchases is returned.

In addition to boycotting PapaJohn’s pizza for supporting the lying coward bully lunatic, I have added New Balance, Forbes, Hobby Lobby, Dollar General, Reebuck, Forbes, and Jenny Craig.

I don’t and wouldn’t buy them anyway, but MillerCoors, National enquirer, People Magazine, Yuengling beer,   LL Bean and Amitrade/ScottTrade, Carl’s Jr. and Hardy’s.   are also on the list as extreme lying bully coward lunatic supporters and I will make sure I don’t support any of the companies.  

Unfortunately the owner of NASCAR was also on the list, so I canceled my recordings of NASCAR races, although they have been too long and boring for years anyway.  Of course many of the NFL owners are huge contributors, but NFL football has long been boring and I quit watching it (except for the playoff’s) years ago.  

I may have to develop an interest in NBA basketball since many of them are not supporters of him and in fact are actively against his lying criminal lunatic policies.  

Not that they will miss anything I would have contributed, but at least I don’t feel like I am supporting them.  

I always like the “fall back” daylight savings time change, except for the fact it means Winter is coming.  I feel like I have gained an extra hour, and just for one day, time kind of slows.  An illusion I know, but I live the illusion and just enjoy it!

That’s it for now, Sunday, November 5, 2017. 

2017 Fall November 4 Saturday

2017 Fall November 4 Saturday

46 degrees this morning, no walk.

Cooler this morning.  No walk, going to help someone move and I wanted to make sure I was fresh!  

I actually enjoy helping someone else move-much more than I do moving myself!  

Moving is such an important factor in someone’s life, it determines such things as who your friends (and sometimes your enemies) are, where you shop, where you eat, schools your children go to and numerous other aspects of your life.

Kind of jarred into reality yesterday by walmart.com and UPS as far as the fantasy about “better customer service”.  Ordered something important that I get by Friday from walmart.com assuming they would keep their word and get it to my by Friday.  

By 6:30 p.m. or so I start getting worried and check on it.  I found they had arbitrarily (without bothering to notify me) changed it to MONDAY! Of course they hadn’t bothered to e-mail me either, even though they had my e-mail, phone # etc. and they couldn’t be bothered to notify me!

Of course I checked with walmart.com and they blamed UPS (United Parcel Service, not the U.S. Post Office).  I checked with UPS and after some extremely poor customer service, I was advised that “UPS doesn’t work weekends” and doesn’t deliver in my area and I couldn’t even pick it up!

I really thought customer service was being improved, but obviously not at UPS!  After this I will specify when I order something I do not want it delivered by UPS.  I am surprised they stay in business with their despicable customer service and obviously uncaring if they do a decent job or not.

I am beginning to wonder now about the future of on-line buying with the horrible service and customer “care” by United Parcel Service.  I really think part of it is the attitude and the policies of the lying bully coward lunatic and the band of cowards in congress who kow tow to him setting the tone for “customer” service.  

Reminds me of another subject, while we don’t order a lot of pizza, but we usually use “Papa John’s”.  Never again.  I found out the owner supports the lying bully coward lunatic, cut employees hours so he could avoid providing health insurance etc.  Not another penny to that company!  

I am going to start researching the products I buy to make sure I don’t support anyone who supports the lying bully coward lunatic or the cowards who are trying to adopt a “tax reform” that will rip off the lower and middle class and shovel tax $ to big companies, the special interests and, of course, special benefits for “developers” like the lying bully coward lunatic who got “special exceptions” in the bill worth billions to them!

I guess if you are going to be crooked and pay off your donors and special interests and lobbyists who shovel money to you, you may as well be blatant about it!

That’s it for now, Saturday, November 4, 2017.

2017 Fall November 3 Friday

 2017 Fall November 3 Friday

52 degrees this morning. Walk 34:58 minutes

Surprised this morning how cold 52 degrees was!  There was a light mist or fog that made it seem much colder than similar (or lower) temperatures recently.  

Thought at first it was  going to start raining (there was a 20% chance) but it just remained a light mist.

Pace was 18 seconds slower than my goal pace.  

The iWatch now provides a detailed record of my heartbeat.  I will need to try to figure out what it means!  I haven’t really paid any attention to my heartbeat while I walk, so I will need to read up on it.

Stopped by a art exhibit at a downtown boutique hotel that was developed from an old car manufacturing plant in the downtown area.  

The Lobby itself is almost a work of art (including the restrooms which are truly a work of art!), in fact the lobby and lounge area are a work of art.

In addition, they have an art display that illustrated how far I am behind in modern art!   Actually, I really enjoyed it, I didn’t always understand it, but then that is the purpose of art to make you think, or at least it is one purpose.

It is one of those exhibits that I appreciate because I can enjoy it in small doses. It is something I can stop by for a short period and enjoy it.

It is impossible to describe the art.  I doubt if they allow pictures, but even pictures wouldn’t do it justice, you have to actually see it.  

The one that I have been thinking about is a simple table with a wedding cake on it.

A couple are “seated” at the table (manifested by a video of a man and woman on a chair).  A 3D mouse is eating the wedding cake, but neither of them notice since they are texting or looking at their phone!

As I said, it is much more effective to see it than to try to describe it, but it really illustrates the impact of “smart” phones on our society.

What are we truly missing when we are so enthralled by cell phones and our pavlovian response to the beep (or whatever) of a new text or notification?  Not that it is good or bad, it just is.  I think it has some both positive and negative aspects.

It is Friday!  Another weekend is here.  As I mentioned before, time seems to speed by, except when we are waiting on something like Aliene going back to the Doctor about her fractured ankle, then it seems to drag forever!

That’s it for now Friday, November 3, 2017.

2017 Fall November 2 Thursday

58 degrees this morning Walk 34:38 minutes

Temperature considerably higher this morning versus last few days.  Yesterday morning around 11:30 a.m., I was talked to someone about how nippy it was and then by afternoon it suddenly warmed up and it has stayed warmer.

Obviously I’ll go along with warmer weather!

Having to hurry this this morning, I forgot to plug in my laptop and so I have limited battery time (sigh!).  Actually I could plug it in while I use it, but I am too lazy to mess around with it, it is inconvenient to do so where I sit to write this.

Of course, I also could use the desktop or even my iPad, but….  I like to watch a copy of “Mad Money” or something else while I write this, so I”ll write fast.

Pace today was 2 seconds slower than my goal.

I really wish I could increase my pace, but I really don’t want to try to increase it so much that I don’t enjoy walking anymore. 

Read more again about the absolutely abhorrent practice of forcing people to become basically slaves to “chicken producers” (in this case) as an “alternative drug program” to jail.  

Instead of jail they have the option of entering a “drug treatment program” which is basically slave labor (no pay or benefits) in a “chicken factory” when they process chickens with little or no actual treatment.  How in the world could this happen in today’s world?

I have to wonder who the poultry producers paid off to get free labor that they basically treat like slaves, don’t pay them, work in substandard conditions etc.  

I have to wonder about the so called judges who would even think of allowing this.  In at least one state a judge went to jail for it.  Of course in this state, it continues.  

People are still asking “can this really happen in today’s world”, but it has been reported several times by legitimate news media, and the so called “protectors” of our rights (Attorney General’s etc.) are still “looking” into it instead of investigating and indicting and at least stopping the programs.  

I read an editorial/opinion piece about how the lying bully coward lunatic is slowing destroying our form of government by this constant lies, vile false personal attacks etc

I finally quit trolling him on Twitter because I felt dirty after reading his vicious lying lunatic delusional tweets.  He lives in a world worse than a sewer and I decided it was too fifthly for me to even visit there.  

It is really a disaster to actually have such a lunatic liar as the so called president, much less for the cowards who enable him.   

What gets me is the cowards that piously say “he won the election” like we have to kow tow to a lying bully lunatic and enable his programs just because he was elected by accident.  (actually he lost the election by 3,000,000 votes)

Second of the month again, we have lived in this area fro 3 years and 5 months today and I have worked in my current job for 3 years and two months and our “new” car is now 3 years old.  Time passes and the next election is getting closer! 

That’s it for today, Thursday, November 2, 2017.  

2017 Fall November 1 Wednesday

2017 Fall November 1 Wednesday

41 degrees this morning.  Walk 35:14 minutes

Good walk this morning, cool, but I have to get used to it.  Discouraging to think this (or colder) will be the norm until next May!

Pace was 33 seconds slower than my goal.  I seem to be slowing down, but I noticed that before when I start wearing heavier clothes and it is cold outside.

Continuing my comments on Starbucks, I have found one sandwich I like.  The rest of them taste a little like wet cardboard, or rather what I would expect wet cardboard to taste like.  

They do have some good deli type sandwiches, but for some reason they are packed with other items I don’t care for.  I tried one with hard boiled eggs once I liked, but the next time I ate it, it tasted old.  

Not that I intend to trash Starbucks, I like Starbucks, certainly the concept of Starbucks as well as the coffee and some of the food.  (There dessert items, like the cookies, are wonderful, but I try to avoid food like that!)

I mentioned that I ate at Starbucks Saturday and Sunday last weekend, that is very unusual.  Since Aliene’s foot limits her mobility, at least at this time, we didn’t go out and eat breakfast on Saturday and Sunday like we usually do, so I tried Starbucks.  

As I mentioned, the one sandwich is wonderful, and I sure they have other sandwiches that are good, but I sure haven’t found them yet.  

While time continues to speed by, I have noted that some things, such as Aliene’s fractured foot seem to slow it down.  

She is supposed to see the Doctor a week from tomorrow, and somehow, at least for this, time seems to crawl.   Of course, I am hoping the Doctor will tell here everything is going well, but it seems like it will be a long time before next Thursday.

We have avoided any “what if’s”, and assume that her fracturing her foot happened, and we can’t do anything about it.  We can think all we want of what we could have done to change things.

Perhaps that is one of the hardest things in life is accepting what happens, especially to things you can’t do anything about.  

November and December starts the “we’ll do it after the Holidays” time!  Actually that probably doesn’t start until around Thanksgiving, but I usually consider Veterans Day to be the start of the Holiday season, as I consider it.  Seven of eleven Holidays are in the next four months, actually more like 3 1/2 months.  

Field Day today, hopefully it will warm up a little.  Yesterday, it started at 41 degrees when I got up and was 36 degrees when I started work!  

Soon it will get into the phase of mine where every day is one more day back to Summer!

That’s it for now, Wednesday, November 1, 2017.