2018 Summer July 9 Monday

72 degrees this morning, walk 35:32 minutes 

Overall good walk this morning, the air was  little more humid.  

Saw the “man in the moon” (side view) this morning.  I’m sure I’ve seen it before, but it was especially clear this morning, kind of a 1/3 moon and a side view of a sharp nose, a somewhat menacing  grin and a sharp chin.  

Perhaps I assumed the “menacing” part of the grin, but it was definitely there.

I started to stop and take a picture, but didn’t think it would come out that good plus it costs me time on my walk!  I’ll check around and see if I can find some pictures of it in the “pose”!

Otherwise walk seemed to be comfortable although my pace was 30 seconds slower than my goal.  For some reason I thought i was going faster than that, but I guess that is why I document it!

I got an answer on my “when to use too, or to”.  Aliene advised me that I use “too” when I could also use “also”,  which makes sense!  I especially like simple rules that are easy to remember!

Speaking of “remembering”, I just realized yesterday that I was off a year on when I was in Denver fro my second Summer in Denver.  Last year was actually the anniversary year. Doesn’t matter, memories are still the same!

This weekend we had our semi-annual “birthday party” for family members (for the first six months).  We originally did it quarterly when we lived in  Tennessee as  a way of keeping up with everyone and continued it on a semi-annual basis.  

I recently learned about the sudden death of (Tennessee House) Representative Ron Lollar.  

Representative Lollar was my  Representative in Tennessee and he was the classic Politician whose performance and ethics made one proud to be a Politician.  His total goal was representing and helping his constituents as well as he could and he did well.  

When I went to Nashville (the State Capital) on city business, he literally took me under his wing and showed me the grand tour.  He was one of those people who “never met a stranger” and, if you were, you weren’t a stranger long!

I don’t think he ever wanted anything from the job other than the opportunity to sever the people he represented and he did it well.

I won’t go into his successes except to say he achieved things that no one thought he had a chance of achieving except him.  

He followed his passion and I admired him for his tireless passion in working towards improving his District and the State of Tennessee.  

I had the rare opportunity to work with a class act, Representative Ron Lollar, and I know the people of Tennessee will miss him and long honor him for his achievements for his district and the State of Tennessee.  

That’s it for now, Monday, July 9, 2018.

2018 Summer July 8 Sunday

74 degrees this morning Walk 34:49 minutes

Overall good morning for a walk this morning. There was a coolness in the air although it was hardly cool, but it didn’t have that heavy air either.  

About a half-moon, hanging out in the east, so I won’t see it this morning, at least when I am sitting on the patio.

I didn’t really expect to set a fast pace, and I didn’t, 9 seconds slower than my goal.  On the other hand I didn’t really expect to set a good pace when I started, so I am overall pleased with the time.  

More or less the middle of Summer.  I saw a post the other day by someone who was reminiscing  about 50 years ago, and I realized I was in Denver, Colorado working at the Samsonite factory 50 years ago this Summer.  

I believe it was my second Summer, which was not as good as the first, although still ok.

I think the first Summer had so many new experiences-thinking about a person who has never lived in a city of more than 1,000 people or so (at the most) suddenly living in Denver!  It was a new world with new experiences to say the least!  

I lived in an apartment and took the bus to work.  That, and the factory workers gave me a whole new exposure to life, and the experiences I expect changed my entire view of life.

Since I worked on the assembly line, it was an entirely different type of work than I had been exposed to, as well as the assembly line workers.  I developed an appreciation for the work they did and met a wide variety of people, including other summer workers.  

One of my best memories of the first Summer in Denver was buying tamales on the street corner from street vendors on the warmish/coolish Denver nights.  They were so good!  

Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the tamale selling street vendors weren’t there the second summer and I never saw them again.  

Several years later I returned to Denver (I was assigned there by the Air Force to attend training), and it was, of course, never the same as that first summer.  Nothing against Denver, but the old magic was gone, and I think I always regretted not being able to recapture the magic of that first summer when I went to Denver.  

By then, the smog had gotten worse, and it just wasn’t the same. The last time I went, I don’t think I saw even a memory of that first Summer in Denver. 

On the meat eating front, as I mentioned, I ate some meat loaf Friday night, which seemed to go ok.  I had a small hamburger patty at the ball game last night and part of a hot dog. No major reaction this morning.  I will plan to cut down on carbs as i start eating meat again.  

That’s it for now, Sunday, July 8, 2018.

2018 Summer July 7 Saturday

2018 Summer July 7 Saturday

75 degrees this morning, walk 34:35 minutes 

Good day for a walk this morning.  In spite of the somewhat lower temperature, it seemed hotter and the air more “dense” than previous recent mornings.  

No moon this morning.  I am sure there is a reason for when the moon is visible, or at least maybe a rational for it.  

Pace was 5 seconds slower than my goal. 

There is a lot written on “challenging yourself” or how “challenges” are good, as long as you try to meet them.  

I thought of that this morning when I increased by weight on the Bench Press exercise by 50 lbs.  I have been kind of cruising along on the weights, easily able to lift the weight I had set it at.  

I really hadn’t intended to increase it by the full 50 libs, but decided to try it.

I usually do 12 repetitions to a set.  With the increased 50 lbs I could do 6 repetitions or at least 6 repetitions comfortably and I have no intention of injuring myself by tryin to lift too much  weight two soon.  

I figure will will gradually increase my repetitions until I get to 12, when it may be time to add a few more lbs. 

Anyway, my point is that the increased weights suddenly made my weight exercises more interesting and (perhaps too strong of a word) “exciting” by having a challenge to meet each morning.  

I have learned the wisdom of “one bite at a time”, so it may be another siz months, year or for all I know, 2 years before I am ready to add more weights to the “bench press” and add more weight.  

Actually, well over a year ago I increased my dumbbell weights by 10 libs (5 lbs in each side) and I am still getting used to that, so who knows how long it will be before I actually get to the point I can comfortably  increase weight.  

The key point also is “who cares”.  I don’t have any pressure (other than self pressure) to increase the weights.

Heard the ‘first bird” this morning just now.  Right as scheduled, or at least it appeared on it’s won schedule.

Another weekend starting (well, it actually started last night).  I am enjoying the Summer days and the mornings on the patio and try not to think about the sun setting earlier each day and the cold weather to come before Spring comes again.  Such is life. 

Ate my first “substantial” meat since February 20.  My favorite, meatloaf prepared by Aliene.  I ate what is a small portion for me and will wait to see the reaction.  I felt slightly nauseated this morning etc., but don’t know if it is the meat or those two  Taco Bell bean burritos I had for lunch!  

That’s it for now, Saturday, July 7, 2018.

2018 Summer July 6 Friday

78 degrees this morning, no walk (schedule)

Beautiful morning on the patio!  Slight coolness in the air and the insect noises provide the music of the morning.  No moon visible tonight.  

I am surprised at how bright the white Crepe Myrtle is in dark.  It is almost like a light.  

I try to figure out  what the morning noises are, but I usually don’t have any idea.  A variety of insects etc, I assume.  

Recently (actually at the Family Reunion), I learned about the reason that GMO (genetically modified foods) can be hazardous.  I learned it wasn’t a problem with the “hybrid” crops that I remembered my Day using, but the “modified” part that built in resistance to herbicides, or, to me, worse yet, actually are artificially modified to contain an insecticide.  

We are supposed to eat these without question when they may contain poison!?

I need to research this some more, but with the EPA selling out to the insecticide industry, coal industry oil etc., we no longer have any protection whatsoever against unethical or greedy businesses who have no concern for the damage they are doing to our lives or the environment.  

I was surprised at the amount of information about GMO’s.  I’ll research it from the angle of what is dangerous about what I eat and go from there.  

Listing to the book on Robert Moses, I find he encompassed a lot of what was badP about public administration as well as the good.

One major danger is what I call “the camels nose”, in that if you let the camel get his nose in the tent, eventually the camel will take over the entire tent.  

Robert Moses literally lied about he cost of a project.  He would get $10,000 for a project and then get millions more on the basis of “we don’t want to waste the $10,000, than “don’t want to waste $100,000”  etc.  

Probably that is one of the biggest problems in public administration is rejecting the temptation to throw good money after bad on the theory that you’ve already invested in the project.  

I think that might have changed some in the last few decades, but it is still prevalent and a real problem with both private and public projects.  

One of the big fallacies I hear is that “government should run like a business”.   That is simply not correct.  I hear about tremendous waste and failures in business and too often “run like a business” means they have donors, lobbyists or buddies who they want to give business, or, to be more specific, give huge problems from tax dollars.  

The currently band of criminals certainly are  certainly shoveling tax money to private prisons and  the lying coward lunatics donors, lobbyists and his own businesses.  

That’s it for now, Friday, July 6, 2018

2018 Summer July 5 Thursday

74 degrees this morning, walk 33:45 minutes

Almost coolish this morning, didn’t notice it during the walk, but do notice it sitting on the patio.  No moon tonight that I could see.

Pace was 13 seconds below my goal, which I am pleased to note!

We had a nice Independence Day Holiday.  A nice balance of activities.  I actually like a mid-week holiday as well as I like a 3 day weekend holiday.  A Holiday is a Holiday!  

Just read about “Private Equity” firms (which I despise anyway) have reached a new low by sending “convenient loan” checks to “low income” persons, with interest as high as 33%, and with a “small type” provisions that the person with the loan pays all kinds of fees, pays for the private equity attorney etc.  

This is allow funded by “private equity” where some scammers raise a lot of money by promising huge returns (with huge fees for themselves), which are also tax advantaged thanks to well paced “donations” to politicians.  

In the example mentioned a $1300 loan had turned into a $3200 amount within a year.  There must be  special place in hell for people who run scams like that, and they certainly shouldn’t be allowed special tax breaks or to use the public court system for what is extortion and blackmail.  

Hopefully Judges will start throwing these criminal scams out of court and jailing the scammers for the extortists and criminals they are.  

Speaking of scams, of course our mortgage loan was “sold” to another servicer.  While they can’t change our interest rate or add fees etc., they have liberally interpreted the escrow rules.  

While I”m not going to waste time on the particulars, somehow there is  “limit” that we can be required to have in escrow and then they have to return the amount over to us. I assume there is also a minimum (and I can understand that).  

The “mortgage scam” company has interpreted that to mean that the MAXIMUM we can be required to have in escrow is also the MINIMUM we have to have so they increased our escrow payment so they can have free use of the maximum amount of money, even though there is no reason we should be required to maintain that balance.  They are simply rigging the law to maximize their profit again. 

Now that I think of it, I will check with an Attorney on this, I am tired of getting scammed by companies like this.  

Today I will probably be getting my new accounts at work.  I always look forward to getting them, kind of like getting the mail.  

It breaks up my month and provides a variety of activities.  For obvious reasons I can’t go into much detail, but I enjoy the variety.

Sitting on my patio this morning.  I love this time of day, the darkness, the cooling breeze and even the chatter of the birds and the “night insect” sounds.  

Our Crepe Myrtles are finally “blooming”.  While I like the red ones, I notice the white ones actually light up the dark, I can see them in the dark.  They may be prettier in the dark than in the sun!  I guess that is good!

That’s it for now, Thursday, July 5, 2018.   

2018 Summer July 4 Wednesday

77 degrees this morning. walk 34:20 minutes

Excellent walking weather this morning.  Actually almost cool in spite of the temperature.  Moon is far back and is obscured by clouds or smog!   Actually the air feels very clean, so I am sure it is clouds.

Pace was 4 seconds faster than my goal this morning, I guess you could say my goal is to be faster than my goal, especially in the summer months.  As I have mentioned, I’m not all that concerned, I am just glad to get out and walk.  

Holiday today, which is nice.  Even more important is the reason for the holiday and the recent attempts of the lying coward racist lunatic and his band of cowards and criminals to take away many of of freedoms, including freedom from oppression by likes of the kook brothers who use their unlimited money to try to oppress our freedoms, freedom from companies who are paying off the career criminal pruitt to pollute our air and water etc.  That is just the start.  

Anyway it is absurd that this clownish lunatic has had such a negative impact and his juvenile vile bullying lying tweets are given such impact by the news media and the people he attacks.  What a joke and a disgrace for a president.  

I am always a little surprised about how this journal proceeds.  Frequently I will have some thoughts in mind to write about and then when my fingers hit the keyboard, they develop a mind of their own.  That is actually good.

Some days, it flows so fast I can’t hardly write it down, other days it may come a little slower.  

I enjoy writing, and the way it frequently seems to flow on it’s own, the words coming so fast I almost can’t put them down.  

It may sound strange, but I always enjoyed writing Proclamations and Resolutions for cities because it was almost like developing music, it had such a flow.  

I still like the written word above video.  I almost never watch videos, especially news videos, it just doesn’t make sense to me to waste 3 minutes on something I can read in 10 seconds and get the same information! 

I can see where instructional videos could be valuable because I could actually see the steps etc., but as far as videos about news (on the computer), I almost never watch them.

I am always surprised when I read about how the “future of smart phones” is video etc.  Not for me, but, then a lot of things aren’t.  

Going to take part of the day going to Apple to learn more about my “Apple Watch”.  I just feel like it has a lot of potential I’m not using.  I enjoy it and feel it is well worth the money, but I just feel I could get more out of it.  

It is reasonably good on phone calls, messages etc., keeping track of my walking (and cycling) statistics etc. as well as being a “wallet”.  Of course, it also keeps time!

Anyway, I thought I’d take advantage of the opportunity and learn more about what I can do with the watch. 

I hope everyone has a happy, and perhaps a thoughtful, Independence Day.

That’s it for now, Wednesday, July 4, 2018. 

2018 Summer July 3 Tuesday

80 degrees this morning, Walk 34:08 minutes

Wonderful morning for a walk.  The humid “heavy” air was much better and there was a slight cooling breeze.  Walked a little later than normal this morning, but it was still a fine time to walk.  No traffic (at all) always is nice!  

Pace was 17 seconds faster than my goal, which pleased me after the disastrous pace yesterday!  I didn’t consciously attempt to walk faster all the time, but occasionally I tried to pace faster.

Between the “brain chatter” you have while walking, and listening to my book, I don’t pay a lot of attention to my pace.

Listening to the biography of Robert Moses, I am again reminded of the severe problems of a lack of “transparently”.  Not be transparent means not being accountable.  

I doubt that he could have gotten away with his antics today, I think there are just too many opportunities for persons to publicize actions.  

On the other hand, today it is much easier for a politician to “buy off” news media.  The fox “news” (which is a joke) is a cheerleader for the most criminal president ever, who blatantly lies, is a coward and a raving lunatic.  

I have seen similar in a recent city I worked in where a politician “bought off the news media” and gets away with gross violations of the open meeting law etc. because the news media “likes” him.  

It is really too bad much of the news media has turned into who can slant or distort (or ignore criminal behavior) instead of the former role of the news media to be an honest, ethical reporter of the news.

Of course the lying coward racist lunatic has made the matter worse by the whimpering of “fake news” when the truth is told or he merely disagrees with an opinion.

Of courser that has made him so isolated from the truth, he lives in a complete fantasy world where he can do no wrong, and only watches the fox news junk lies or listens to such criminals as pruitt who kowtow (I won’t use the more descriptive word here) to him and tell him what he wants to hear.  

Of course “kowtow” isn’t a undescriptive word.  It actually has a long history of describing someone who gives up their ethics and life hoping someone will take care of them.  It also has other definitions.  

Of course, “kowtow” originally was a sign of deep respect (as originally used in China), but obviously the common usage had changed to define someone who uses it as a means of tricking a boss etc. into thinking the “kowtower” really thinks they are great.

Somewhat in the manner of “The Emperor has no clothes”, no one will point out to the lying coward racist lunatic what a fool he is making of himself and how stupid and rancid his decisions are.  

July 4 tomorrow.  Frankly, I am always amazed at the amount of money wasted on fireworks.  Not that I don’t enjoy a good fireworks show, but….  I guess waste is in the eye of the beholder. 

I plan on using part of the holiday to learn more about my “Apple Watch”, some of the basics I probably miss out on, plus especially how to use it for activities tracking.  

While I find the way I use it now valuable, I think it can be much more valuable to me.  

Moon is over my left shoulder again, obscured by clouds.  Birds are chattering, chirping and singing by now.

That’s it for now, Tuesday, July 3, 2018.

2018 Summer July 2 Tuesday

2018 Summer July 2 Monday

76 degrees this morning, walk 36;17 minutes  

Walk this morning was ok, although the humility was very high.  

Sitting on the  back patio, enjoying the morning in  the cooling wind.  The moon is high over my left shoulder  (as I  face west).  

Horrible pace today (56 seconds slower than my goal), but, as I say, at least I walked!

July 2 makes 4 years since the “official” moving date to here.  As I mentioned the first month, at first I would record the time months, and then in years.  At some point, it will be reported in decades!  

In the same time frame, July 2 marked 3 year-end ten months for me at my current job.   As I have mentioned before, it would be hard for me to have found a job I would have enjoyed more air found more rewarding.  

Looking back, i am amazed at what I have learned in this job!  

The past four years have been filled with surprises as well as rewards.  

Another Courter Reunion over.  While I can’t do it here or in public, I would like to note what I learned.  Sometimes, I am amazed at what I learn about my family and what I apparently missed as I grew up.  

A surprise of another sort and someone of a mystery, I found my Grandmother’s name (Anna) goes back in the Courter family for literally centuries.  As far as I can tell (and I may well be wrong), the name “Anna” goes back unbroken to about 1720, and continued in the family until my Grandmother.  I’ll need to research this some more because it  appears almost impossible, since that would mean that each male ancestor married an “Anna” and each daughter was named Anna.  Maybe the name “Anna goes back to at least 1720, but it isn’t direct descendants, which is m more likely the case.

For whatever reason, my Grandmother didn’t name either of her daughters “Anna” and neither my mother nor any of her sisters or brothers continued the name, although there is an Anne.  

Looking through the history, all kinds of questions came up (how did my Grandfather and Grandmother  meet? etc). that will be interesting to look up.

I was surprised at how much information was available at just a quick check on the Internet  Most of it was factual or pictures etc. but there was an amazing variety.  

Fortunately we missed all fo the rain etc on the way back and had good weather all  the  way back.  

That’s it for now, Monday, July 2, 2018.  

2018 Summer July 1 Sunday

71 degrees this morning (76 degrees)

A lot of storms going through, both yesterday and right now, but I think all of them missed this area and will hopefully miss this area and the route home today.

July 1, the beginning of the second half of 2018 already.  Sometimes you get in the mode of “stop the world, I want to get off” although on the other side there are always some future event, or whatever that you are anxiously waiting for, so it is hard to reconcile the two feelings sometimes.  

The Courter Reunion, like many events you wait for, is suddenly here and gone.  Actually it will continue this morning until early afternoon.  I have always noted how the major events, like conferences, trips etc. that you plan for and wait for are suddenly over, almost before you expect it.  

Another reason to live in the moment, by which concept I mean truly experiencing each moment, not by trying to do to much etc.  In fact, if you really live for the moment, by definition you aren’t trying to do too much since by spending your time maximizing your time, you aren’t living in the moment!

What I really like about the Courter Reunion is you have time to visit and I always either meet another relative or learn something I didn’t know before ir both.  I don’t always meet a new relative, but I do learn something I didn’t know very time!

This area has a unique impact on me, since I see things or “triggers” that I remember from when I was a small child and we made trips here.  Obviously with some major exceptions, it has all changed, the I remember some of the names of the roads, bridges and parks.  Obviously the interstate system changed a lot. 

Probably what I always find intriguing is that I remember when the “new” highway was built.  The Highway is now an “old” highway!   Actually, the original highway still exists, at least as far as I can tell, although not a state or federal highway anymore.  

Tomorrow I have to download and start a new activity sheet, as the new fiscal year begins for most State and Local Governments.  

July 4 is on a Wednesday, which means a one day “holiday” in the middle of the week.  While I like 3 day weekends, I also enjoy the Holiday in the middle of the week.  It is kind of a respite and, although you don’t have a long weekend, it is still a Holiday and I enjoy it!

Discussed “healthy eating” yesterday.  I still haven’t gotten back into eating meat, although I know I will need to, so I can avoid carbs etc. and hopefully start on a healthier eating pattern.  Part of my problem is somewhat psychological (or maybe “mental), in that I know I increase come high carb foods I enjoy (including desserts) to make up for not eating meat!  Not a good idea!

Not that I couldn’t have a healthier eating pattern and continue avoiding eating meat, but for me, it is difficult for me to lose weight (or at least avoid gaining weight).  I have found the one sure method of losing weight is to avoid high and “fast” carbs.  

Looking forward to continued visiting etc, this morning, even thought it will be limited in time, as everyone starts to return home from another Courter Reunion.

That’s it for now, Sunday, July 1, 2018.