2016 Winter February 20 Saturday

65 degrees this morning.  “First Walk” in new neighborhood 32:00 minutes.  

Didn’t meet a car, person or, better yet, any barking dogs!

Moving continues and will probably continue for some time!  Unpacking boxes and trying to organize as well as unpacking to try to find something!

Walk this morning was good, although I way overdressed for the warm weather.  Of course, some things I can’t find include my walking shoes, reflective clothes etc!  However, at least I could find enough clothesto walk.  

What is really strange (and probably somewhat normal) is that I took special effort to put some clothes and items I would need for either work or daily living in a place where “I knew” I would find it.  Of course, guess what!  Not all plans work!

I thought the first day “in the field” for work would be difficult, but it went well.  I always get a positive feeling from meeting people, even when it isn’t always a positive event.  Of course, people run the full range of personalities etc. 

Overall I am impressed by the people I meet, although most of them have to be tuned in to customer service, which may make a difference, even on a non-customer.  ‘

 I find (hopefully) it is getting easier and easier to donate/throw stuff I haven’t used for a long time or just don’t need.  Hopefully the practice will follow the spirit and I will be donating/giving away/throwing a lot of stuff.

My coughing seems to have somewhat  subsided (of course, just when I have a Doctors Appt. scheduled for it!), but i’ll wait and see.  Hopefully it has stopped and I can adopt some preventative measures to at least minimize coughing  in the future.

I heard yesterday that yet another person who became rich off of new technology and a successful business is trying to build space ships.  This would be the third person (at least)  

I wonder if, like many inventions, there isn’t something in the wind and everyone is working on the same thing.  considering the amount of money it must cost, that is not an insignificant amount of money.

It may be the race to be first and “set the standard” that other people will follow.  It seems budding space ships for possible passenger travel is a low market endeavor, but there probably is a lot of market for carrying satellites to space, doing tests etc.  may are enough to keep several companies in business.

I expert there are several alternative results.  It may be there is a market for all of them and the different standards won’t matter, which I doubt will happen.

More likely, one company will be successful and buy out the other companies, although it is an entirely new  business, so it is impossible to know what may be successful.

I am hoping the warm weather continues.  Yesterday, the weather  was so nice people were wearing shorts and feeling very comfortable.  I know, because I changed to shorts also!

At the least, there should be  very little cold weather left this winter.  Usually by early March things   start to warm up    and cold weather is very sporadic rather than vice-versai.  

Didn’t go to the “opening night” of the Library Book Sale.  May go this weekend, if my granddaughter wants to go, but otherwise, i just don’t want to tempt myself to buy more books!

That’s it for now, Saturday   February 20, 2016.

                              

2016 Winger February 19 Friday

64 degrees this morning.  No Walk

Getting adjusted to our “new” house.  Still unpacking and trying to find things!  I’m sure there will be some things we won’t find for months!

Plan on resuming walking etc. tomorrow morning.  Still have to locate some of my walking items.

There is always a little trepidation about walking in a new area, although there is also the anticipation of discovery.  Since I really don’t have my route worked out yet, Saturday will be a good time to start looking for a new route.  

A new route, like anything new, has some anticipation and also some thinking about where to try to walk.  In the case of this neighborhood, the alternatives are almost endless, whereas in the my most recent neighborhood it was very limited.  

Also hope to resume biking and swimming soon.  I decided to wait until after my Doctors appt. about my lingering cough.  We also will be much more moved in by then.  

I really do like my new office.  One thing I really like is I an adjust the window shades so I can always have natural light coming into my office without the morning sun (it faces east) being too overwhelming.  While there are houses around, one part of the window faces a natural area, which is  really nice.  

For the first time in I don’t know how many years (at least 15 and probably 28), our trash pickup day is not on a Monday!  It is on a Friday, which will take some getting used too.

The new City (we live in a new city with a different electric utility, water, trash, sewer etc.) even though we only moved about 3 miles!  Actually here the City handles the electric utility.  

This City is also much more protective of residents, which is why we moved.  

This city is much more progressive on recycling, with a “big blue” (or maybe “big green” ) 105 gallon covered cart that (in most cases) won’t blow away in the wind.  They also take cardboard etc., unlike the past city.

The only drawback is it is every two weeks instead of weekly.  I can live with that, the only problem will be remembering which week is  recycling!  I may just put it out every week and not worry about it!

While moving, I noted the many clothes and other items I don’t really use that much (read, I wouldn’t be caught dead in some of the clothes), so I plan on continuing to “weed” out clothes and other items I don’t use anymore.

Unfortunately, since we only owned a house for part of last year, we may not have enough deductions to qualify to itemize on our tax returns.  That means all the time we spent on keeping records for the home office, job expenses, donations etc. was basically wasted, although we will definitely qualify this (2016) year!  

In regard to the garage door openers.  I was able to program both cars to open one garage door, even without the garage door openers.  It will help some, since instead of coming into the house and opening the garage door, I can open the large garage door and run in and shut the “little” garage door.  

Since we are going to be here for awhile (like it or not!, although so far we really like it), I also plan on my favorite project of replacing light bulbs with LED light bulbs both to save on electricity and also to not have to change the light bulbs so often!  

Of course, I have to remember the General Electric LED “night light” that was supposed to last 13 years and ended up lasting three months (if thatI).   I complained to GE about it and got a $5.00 “coupon” on a GE light bulb!  I sent it back with a letter explaining my thoughts about their reaction.  (Not a nasty letter, but plainly stating my thoughts on it.)  

That’s it for now, Friday, February 19, 2016.  

2016 Winter February 18 Thursday

58 degrees this morning, no walk (moving)

Moving, the “closings” on the houses etc. went about as well as could be expected.  No major glitches etc. (except for the electricity going off for about an hour while we were moving, but it didn’t really cause any problems.  

No walk this morning because I couldn’t find my walking clothes anyway packed somewhere!) plus just the normal activity of moving etc.  

I actually really like our “new” house thus far, although we are still organizing etc. and probably will be for some time.

The only really negative thing was the bush league actions by the previous owners of now leaving any toilet paper in the toilets and not mentioning that 3 of the 4 garage door openers don’t work.  

Of course that makes you wonder about what type of persons they were and what else they “forgot” to tell us!  I”m sure we’ll find out soon.

However, overall, we couldn’t have have asked for a better move, or certainly a better day to move (sunny and, I think, around 75 degrees!)

Still have occasional fits of coughing. I have another Doctors appointment in the near future and hopefully will resolve the coughing issue.  Not near as bad as the first month by any means, but yesterday marked two months.

There are a lot of things we like about the new home, including a “bonus” room upstairs for storage (and my exercising) etc.  that we like. 

In the past, I did my exercises (very short weight lifting with bar bells, sit ups etc.) outside, under the covered part of the patio.  That may sound weird, but it really was actually rather nice, even in winter since I always exercised after my walk so I was dressed for it.  However, I will enjoy the inside.  

We like the fact the garage is somewhat bigger and we were able to get both cars in the garage!.  Not having the garage door openers in working order didn’t help, but….

A major negative is the last of much of a covered patio (only a very small part is covered) and that may be a project as time goes on.

Today I will start back to work after a 3 day holiday and two days of vacation.  I couldn’t help but sneak a look at my e-mail and discovered my work computer issues had returned.  They are getting a new base under warranty.  Actually, it is a tablet.

We live by our computers (since we have a home office and are mobile several days per week) so any disruption or problems is serious!  Hopefully they will are worked out soon.  

Now the part of moving starts where we organize and unpack and move in.  We already have targeted several things to take for donations, and I expect we will have much more as we realize there is really no reason to keep something we haven’t used for years if it doesn’t have any sentimental value also.  

For example, I have been dragging around a “heavy bag” and boxing mechanism that takes up a lot of space and is very awkward.  I’d like to use it but don’t have the space it really needs.  I found the receipt and I paid slightly over $100 for it years ago, but have probably spent much more that that just dragging it around and the wasted space it takes!  

Should be a simple decision, but it isn’t!

Some neighbors came over and introduced themselves, which is nice.  We are looking forward to unpacking and returning to “normal” as we attempt to find things!  

That’s it for now, Thursday, February 18, 2016.

2016 Winter February 17 Wednesday

38 degrees this morning (feels like 34 degrees).  No walk.

In the middle of the process of moving.  “Closing” today when the sale of our current house and purchase of the new house will be completed.  

Currently out house sits vacant and literally 99% of what we own in on a truck (or trucks in this case) waiting to move into the new house.  

Actually it was nice last night not having anything to do (about moving), nothing to pack or unpack, after basically 45 days of thinking about moving and, starting this afternoon, unpacking everything and organizing it in the new house. 

Priorities for unpacking are, of course, items for daily living, and then trying to get both the cars in the garage!  Sometimes easier said than done, although it seems to work out as we decide on where everything goes.

We went to Cracker Barrel restaurant last night, since one is close.  It had been a long time since we have eaten at a Cracker Barrel and I was surprised and pleased to see that they had introduced some “wholesome” food items that were low calorie etc., but still sounded good.  They are retained many of the previous items!

Hotels/motels are popping up aournd here like weeds.  I really wonder where the people come from.  Or for that matter, where did they go before the hotels/motels were built?  

The new motels aren’t really replacing any old hotels/motels, they are just new, but somehow they seem to be busy, and, while not always full, at least busy enough that new hotels and motels keep on coming!

It’s not like they are “convention” rooms that are filled by conventions etc., they are just business/vacation/traveler type of hotels.

For example, in the area we are staying tonight, not long ago, there was maybe two hotels and I really think there only one has been here more than five years.  Now there are five hotels, all aimed at what is considered to be “modest rate” hotels, probably aimed at business travelers, recreational travel and temporary “long term” stays.  

Actually, I have wondered about this before, so I have asked around.  I haven’t  really gotten a consistent answer, but much of it is, of course, business and recreational travel.  

However, a lot of it may come from sports teams (obviously especially on weekends), people coming to the area to attend sporting events, other type events etc.

However, it still doesn’t answer my question of where they are coming from and where they stayed before.  

Considering what it takes to build and operate a motel, someone obviously knows a lot more about it that I do and is willing to commit some money on it.

I have just started doing my tax returns for last year, and I realize I probably am paying substantially for the new developments in some form of subsidized taxes for most of the developments!  When you consider the property taxes, sales  taxes and income taxes, we pay a lot of taxes.  Not that we don’t get a lot of benefit also, but….

I really don’t mind paying my “fair” share, but somehow I get the feeling that most of the lower/middle income residents are paying much more than our “fair share”.

We’ll see what happens today on the housing situation.  I have read horror stories about “closings” that weren’t completed for various reasons and the thought of 99% of our possessions being on a truck with no place to live  (or perhaps worse yet, unpacking in the house we just moved out of) isn’t a good thought! 

That’s it for now, Wednesday, February 17, 2016.

2016 Winter February 16 Tuesday

52 degrees this morning, no walk (moving day)

In spite of being 52 degrees there still is a chill in the air that makes it seem colder.  

Moving Day today, with all of the last minute concerns etc.  Then will come the long period of unpacking etc

One thing about the unpacking part, while you feel a need to get back to feeling like you are living “normal” again, there is no deadline as such, just trying to determine how to organize everything.  

We are having movers move our items and set up the major furniture, appliances etc., which helps a lot.  However, there was an unbelievable amount of time spent on packing boxes etc. 

Hopefully the unpacking will be a little easier, although probably a lot of unpacking will occur because of the need to find something!  

I leave the house and neighborhood without any real nostalgia for either the house or neighborhood.  Not that I didn’t really like the house, it is great.  We didn’t live here long enough to really feel like we lived here.  

It is true that about the time we finished “moving on”  (in our cases when the final pictures were up), we decided to try to sell it, but I never really felt like I lived here permanently.  Even the walk seemed somewhat temporary, although I developed a nice route that I liked.  

While I thought about “this is the last time I”ll sleep in this house”, it didn’t have a good or bad feeling about it.

Taking vacation leave from work.  Even though my job is much different, I still feel a little uneasy about being “off”, kind of a feeling that  something may come up that I need to be there.  It doesn’t really apply to my current job, but I still get the feeling.

I think one thing I really like about the morning hours (from when I get up to when I start work) is the feeling of calmness and the lack of feeling that I “should be doing something”.

That seems rather strange since my morning time is so structured that I literally schedule every minute from the time I get cup to the the time I start work.

For example, as soon as I get up I make a few notes in my calendar (finish up the previous day, make notes about new day etc.), then I walk, do my exercise and weights,  then (depending on whether I  swim or not), I take a shower etc.  Than I write and post my journal for the day.  Than I take a nap.

Then it is up for the day and I eat breakfast, and if time read the paper.  If there is time, I take a very short (5-10 minute) nap before work and then I start work.  

Maybe the structure of it is what makes it  seem so relaxing, since I don’t get the feeling that I should be doing something else.  

One of the things I really like about the early morning hours is the chance to reflect and think.  Even though I listen to a book while I walk, it still is an opportunity to reflect and think and nap times are almost more like the opportunity to meditate as the opportunity to take a nap., although I definitely take a nap!  I have found that a nap (in the morning) of 20-30 minutes is best.  Later in the day, a nap to 10-20 minutes is usually best.  I don’t wake up feeling groggy.

I have always tried to make 15 minutes or so in the morning just for reading something I wouldn’t otherwise read, but somehow it never works out.  I’m not quite sure why, it could be that I feel that is something I can do later in the day.  

That’s it for now,  Tuesday, February 16, 2016.  

2016 Winter February 15 Monday

48 degrees this morning, walk 35:33 minutes

In the final throes of moving.  Packing everything we can, except for the few essentials.  Very fortunately Aliene is an excellent packer and actually she has done most of the packing.  Probably one of the best packers I have ever seen, she could also really good at packing for travel.

Anyway, that makes a huge difference when moving or traveling!  

Today is a “three day weekend” Presidents Day today.  I always enjoy it since it is the last holiday until the last Monday in May, Memorial Day.  It doesn’t mean quite so much now since I can take a day of vacation and actually “get away” whereas as City Manager, while I was never really “away” on a holiday most everything shut down, when I took vacation, everything kept on going, so I always liked Holidays.  

Listening to the “Great Course” on the Civil War, it is very interesting and I learned some new facts or concepts.  

For example, I had never realized before that the “smooth bore” versus the “rifled bore” made such a difference in the Civil War.  

The “rifled bore” had a much longer range for accuracy (300 yards versus 100 years), which meant that calvary charges were almost impossible, and artillery couldn’t get close like it could with “smooth bore” rifles.  

With “smooth bore” rifles, it was so difficult to aim accurately (and to “repeat shot”) plus frequently jams, the calvary charge was very effective and artillery  could  get close without any real repercussions.  

Quite a difference in  battle on both sides.  

Also, he mentioned that many of the units were “hometown” units.  While I realized this in general, I didn’t think of the importance of the esprit de corps resulting from basically neighbors and relatives serving together.  

The unit successes and failures became a reflection on the community and soldiers wrote back home on how each other performed etc.

Also, while I realized this in general, 2/3 of the battle deaths were from disease, 1/3 from actual battle.  It was kind of shock to learn details of the lack of medical knowledge and procedures.  

Also, he mentioned that a general unit of solders (I don’t recall the number) required six tons of food PER DAY! to survive!  I am amazed they were able to do it considering the transportation of the day.

He mentioned the south was especially always hungry and he mentioned you never see an overweight confederate soldier!

Pondering the move.  Whether we made the right decision or not, we will find out over time.  We didn’t live here long enough to develop a lot of attachment to the house, but there are certainly a lot of things we will miss after we move.  

We will like having more storage and display space.  While it’ isn’t essential to my life, it will be nice to be able to do my exercise indoors (although the covered porch was fine and I never really was uncomfortable out there).  Hopefully I will be able to set up my weight set so I can bench press etc.  Currently I use only barbells, which has actually worked fine.  

Hopefully I will also be able to let my Hot Wheel/Matchbox cars out of their captivity and display them also.  

We will miss the large covered back porch and probably one of our first projects will be covering the back porch, although actually living in the house may establish other priorities.  

That’s it for now, Monday, February 15, 2016.

2016 Winter February 14 Sunday

48 degrees (feels like 40), walk 35:29 minutes 

I dressed for 48 degrees for my walk this morning, not thinking of the  effects of the cold wind!  There is  really no good way to dress for this weather.  I did warm up as I walked so it worked out ok.

Moving to a new house is somewhat of a process and, since we can’t actually move until right after we close on the future house, we are missing the process of gradually taking over boxes etc. and mentally deciding where everything should go we had in this house.  I like that process a lot better, but it is impossible in this case.

While I realize it is in the “short term”, we have packed up a lot of stuff and so have been living with a low fewer alternatives as far as clothes etc.  Of closure, we are doing fine with a lot less “stuff” although of course it is in the short term. 

We plan on continuing to pare items we don’t use after we move.  I am really thinking of picking out a few “best” of items such as t-shirts, hats, shirts etc. and donating or throwing the best.  

Having a decent library system available has helped us avoid buying books etc.

The Library Book Sale is this weekend.  I am going, but probably will buy very few books.  I think I purchased four last year, and they were the type I donated back after I read them. 

I do watch for books on Lincoln, and some books by favorite authors.  

Books are evolving, since technology etc. moves too fast for printed books to even be printed before they are obsolete.  That probably changes the nature of the subject of books.

However, on the other hand, I can “print” a book in a few hours and send any number of copies by e-mail, web site etc. immediately to anyone in the world anywhere, so the potential (and I emphasize potential) impact is tremendous.  

The key is probably getting people to read it, the same as a “regular” book. 

Of course, I go to the Library Book Sale because I love books and I being around people who like books and who are anxiously buying books by the box!  

Of course Libraries are becoming a lot more than they used to be.  I can remember going to the library when I was a kid and spending hours looking at the books and magazines and then I worked at the college library for several years.  

The Presidential debate last night was interesting to say the least.  I am looking forward to the commentary on it and the actual voting.  Again, it is a shame that a few states who are hardly representative of the United States are allowed to have such an impact on the election.  

I remember excited Tim Russert  got about the Presidential Election of 2008 (although he died before the election)  he would really be rubbing his hands in anticipation on this one! 

I recently read that the general culture of the United States is changing as politicians, business etc. increasing defines us by “groups” and not as individuals.  

The problem is that then this tends to to reinforce “group think” and we don’t feel as individual as we used to.  Even people who strongly assert the basic concept of individual decisions are defining themselves by groups and so actually are reinforcing the decline of the individual in our society!

If we don’t feel as individuals, then we actually act out what we perceive are the group goals and so we get in line and act as part of the group!

My thoughts are based on an article in the Saturday Wall Street Journal.  I will need to read up some more on this.  

Tune 718 of 6544, “Give me your Names” from Schindler’s LIst, performed by Itzhak Perlman. I don’t remember what the scene was in the movie, but it is a very beautiful song.

Happy Valentines Day! 

That’s it for now, Sunday, February 14, 2016.

2016 Winter February 13 Saturday

(Happy Birthday Margaret)

36 degrees (feels like 28 degrees) this morning, walk 34:40 minutes

My sister, Margaret, has a birthday today.  Happy birthday Margaret!  

Windows.  We were talking about how so many houses now seem to not have good windows, rooms build with small windows etc. without any real access to see the outside or of get any kind of natural light. 

Of course, in this city, it may be because no one wants to look outside and see the commercial businesses with their huge billboards and bright lights, junk etc.  that are allowed to intrude on residential areas. 

However, it appears to be epidemic in all houses.  Actually, I think it is probably just a cost saving thing, a big to-do is made about windows in the living room etc.

Anyway, we miss windows.  One thing I never liked about this house is the lack of windows in the bedrooms etc..  

Of course, minimizing windows could be considered a safety measure or even an energy saving building method.  

I’d put my money on the theory it saves money (or rather makes more profit) for the builder to leave them out.

Our so called “best estimate” on our “closing costs” etc. was “off” by about 35% of course, on the low side.  So much for “best estimates”.  I think the best alternative is just to save like heck and pay cash for your house!   Otherwise, you are at their mercy.  

In all fairness of course, some of this was the double cross by Allstate Insurance in tripling our homeowners insurance (there was still an increase, but it was less because we are switching insurance companies).  

We were hopeful about our new city, but I was disappointed by the old style, intrusive utility application.  I feel like the new city is still back in the prehistoric past on their utility application.  The information requested was not only an invasion of privacy, but also dangerous in the information they requested providing an opening for identity theft etc.

Not only that, but you apparently have to go in person to make a deposit. 

They just appear to be about 100 years in the past.  

Fortunately the city appears to believe in protecting residential areas from intrusion by commercial businesses and their planning practices are a little more up to date.  Also, they do have an active program of bike and pedestrian paths and public recreation facilities. 

In the last phases of moving out, still have a lot to do, but it is manageable.  

Listening to a “Great Course” presentation on the Civil War.  It is excellent, I am enjoying it and learning some new things, or or at least a different aspect.  

I am always surprised (although I probably shouldn’t be) by how much the present reflects the past.  

Even though this is 150+ years ago, it seems like human behavior, at the very basic, remains he same and I can actually see the same type people now in the behavior of people 150 years ago.   The issues have changed somewhat, although even some of them haven’t changed much.

Interesting “Field Day” at work yesterday.  That is what I really like about my job, I never know what to expect!

That’s it for now, Saturday, February 13, 2016.

2016 Winter February 12 Friday

33 degrees this morning, walk 34:54 minutes

Finished the biography of Woodrow Wilson, so started on “Great Course” of the Civil War.

I tried to speed it up to 1.5 times normal, but that was a little fast, so I did 1.25 times normal, which is perfect.

I noticed I probably paid more attention to the faster reading, plus it also sped up my walking speed (by about a minute), kind of like listening to fast music does.

It is interesting because it really does create an incentive to pay more attention.

The “Great Course” audiobook of the American Civil War is actually quite good.  I have avoided the “GreatCourses” because I tried one once which was as dry as dust, but this is interesting.  The Professor is an author of a number of books I have read already, and he knows how to keep it interesting.  (If you are interested in the Civil War that is!)

I will probably try a few more of the “Great Course” audio books, kind of mix it up.  

I figure if I listen at 1.25 times normal, I should be able to complete the 32 hour book in about 24 hours, more of less.  (I always go back a little bit when stop for the day so I can get some context the next morning.)

Eight hours might not sound like a lot, but for me it will be about 12 days of walking that I can be listening to something else.  

My newspaper is starting to arrive at 4:00 a.m. and the New York Times is now available 7 days a week!  Of course, that is about a week before I am moving.

Hopefully the early arrival of the paper will be available at our future house, it would really help with my exercise program.  

The YMCA I will be going to doesn’t open until 5 a.m., so I will need to restructure my time some if I intend to go in the early morning, or I may just not worry about it and go later in the day when I can swim when the swimming pool isn’t as busy.  I enjoyed my previous schedule.  

I do enjoy my walk through neighborhoods, even if it is the same route!  Bicycling is good if I have a regular schedule or I really enjoy just meandering around on my bike and going where the mood strikes.

I am seriously thinking of looking for a “pedal assist” bike, after the costs of the move etc. have the chance to straighten out.

I don’t really want an “electric” bike as such, I’d like one that has a battery that when the pedal resistance gets to a certain level (such as going up a  steep hill) it will kick in and help a little!  That is part of the fun of a bike, so I don’t want it to do all the work, but…..

Today I am probably going out on a “field day”.  I probably have enough paperwork to make it an “office day”, but I’ll see.  I don’t have anything pressing in the field, that sometimes that is when a “field day” can be especially valuable or interesting or both.  

I really meet some interesting people, a wide variety go into business for themselves.  Thinking about it, part of it is the career of the person, some jobs tend to lead to a business, some would never be their own business.  

Somehow the time is flying.  Already February 12, 2016!  I hate to sound like a broken record, but I think 2016 is moving faster than 2015!

Hopefully, after we are moved in (of course the actual move in will take a lot longer, but I am talking about when everything is basically in it’s intended place), things will slow down a bit.

That’s it for now, Friday, February 12, 2016.  

2016 Winter February 11 Thursday

40 degrees (feels like 34 degrees) Walk 35:37 minutes

Decided not to extend my walk to my previous (pre  coughing) distance since I will be doing a new walk  route shortly, after we move. 

It will be interesting (and somewhat scary in a way) to establish a complete new patter of living.  We aren’t moving far in distance (probably 4 miles max), but it will be a complete new world to us.  

Finished the biography of Woodrow Wilson this morning.  It was a good “listen”.  I learned a lot about a President I knew very little about.  

Now, the fun part, picking a new book to listen too!  It is actually a relatively serious decision, since even a 12 hour book takes me about (roughly) a month to listen to, or maybe three weeks.  The book on Wilson was 32 hours and several books I am considering are in that range, so it is an important mater!

I did try “speeding up” a test book this morning to 1.5 times it’s normal speed and feel it may work well.  

I always like the idea of actually “saving time”!  If I can listen to a book (or podcast) at 1.5 times normal, it will allow me to listen (if my math is right) about 50% faster, or a 10 hour book should take 7.5 hours?  Maybe that isn’t right.  

Anyway, it is saving time, and I am always all for  that if I can maintain the quality and my test indicates it should work fine.

Of course, the main test will be some of my devices, if they can speed it up correctly.  They are all getting old and obsolete.

I use an “app” for my book listening (Audible books).  I was listening on my “original iPad” which of course was ancient several years ago.

I called Audible with a problem and the representative couldn’t believe I the “app” edition I used was still operational   He didn’t realize that old of the app still worked!  (I didn’t tell him I had even an earlier edition I used with my iPhone 3!)

I believe my iPod shuffles are  10 years old now and each (I have 3 for some reason) has it’s original battery and runs fine.  One even got ran over by a car (or maybe a number of cars) and still works fine.   Maybe I can use them in a testimonial ad sometime!  

Of course, I guess they have no  reason to publicize them since they aren’t made anymore.   

Recently tried to buy a stylus for my work laptop (I apparently have “fat finger syndrome”) mainly just as a “point” device.  I thought I found one that worked, but it only works for certain programs, so I am a little disappointed. 

Thinking of my personal future laptop, probably the main competition is between an iPad Pro (with keyboard -coffee proof yet!) and stylus or a Microsoft Surface. My work tablet is a Dell. It is nice, but has some quirks.  

I am very impressed with the Apple “notes” app, (comes with all iPhones and iPads).  It is very impressive, especially with the drawing feature.  It is easy to “share” and save and use.  

Actually I am probably as impressed with the Apple Notes “app” as with any app or program.  It knows what it is, doesn’t try to do too much and is simple to use.  Can’t get much better than that.

Actually, I use it for a number of reasons, one is my daily log, which I “store” on some e-mail addresses so I won’t lose them.  

Unlike this journal, I am the only one that sees my “log”.

That’s it for now, Thursday, February 11, 2016.