2019 Winter February 19 Tuesday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_19

#Winter_of_19

30 degrees this morning, feels like 21 degrees, humidity 68%

Very cold weather, ice and snow moving in today and tomorrow.  We had the same weather almost a year ago.

Not very likely this time the forecast may change, it looks like it is coming.  

Walk yesterday was at the fitness center:

-Walk 34:56 minutes, pace 19 seconds slower than goal.  Walk was in two stage with exercises in between.  Normally I do exercises like the rowing machine and other arm and leg Machines.  

I’m still not sure how valuable they are, I almost think walking, swimming and bicycling meet  my exercise needs, along with setups and some minor weight lifting.  

It is a strange feeling knowing a day or two in advance that bad weather is coming.  Schools have already closed today (Tuesday) even last night based on the forecast.  I have a feeling this is one forecast that will probably be correct.  

Netflix messed up and somehow my place in “Orange is the New Black” was deleted and it started from the beginning.  That isn’t too bad, except that Netflix, unlike Amazon Prime, apparently has no way of going to a specific season!

I would cancel Netflix, except that it is already free (part of my cell phone plan).

I have to admit, even in the 2nd season, “Orange is the New Black” was struggling for story lines.  

After watching “Downton Abby”, Sopranos, and The Wire, that show was kind of a comedown anyway, after the novelty wore off, which was about half-way through the 2nd season.  At that point, I was thinking about quitting watching anyway, but inertia kind of took over.

I started watching the moving “Gotti”, but that got boring and predictable, so I started watching a  series called “Blacklist” which is kind of unbelievable, but it is keeping my interest.  Kind of like the old show “Mission Impossible” that I think I watched in college.

I only watch Netflix or Amazon Prime during lunch breaks and at Starbucks coffee breaks.   

I’m not quite sure why I started doing that, but I did.  Normally I would read during such breaks etc., or play with the computer, browse the internet.  

I guess I started watching Downton Abby because I felt I had missed some the first time I watched it.  

Why I started watching the Sopranos  or The Wire, I’ll never know, since I had no interest while they were on tv.  I’m glad I did though.  

While I realize it is pure fiction (even if loosely based on facts), I am amazed at how I started to believe the worlds of Downton Abbey, The Sopranos and especially The Wire (other than the language, which I felt detracted from the show rather than making it more “real”).   I never really bought into the world of “Oranger is the new Black”.  The flashbacks were especially detracting and confusing, at least to me.  

I still don’t watch any “live” tv series and actually have no interest in doing so.  Maybe after I retire!

That’s it for now, Tuesday, February 19, 2019 as we wait for the snow and ice.

#resist

#GOPTaxScam

2019 Winter February 18 Monday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_19

#Winter_of_19

23 degrees this morning, (feels like 12 degrees)  humidity 70%  11 mph wind.

Cold weather continues, generally about 20 degrees below “normal”, forecasting ice and/snow tomorrow.

Last day of a three  day holiday, which is always nice! 

Yesterday, bicycled about 30 minutes  and swam about 14 minutes. 

Reading a book by a local author, Tim Washburn, “the Day after Oblivion”.  It hasn’t grabbed me at the first page the way his first book did (“Powerless”) did, but I am getting involved in it now.  

In Powerless, the United States and most of the world lost most of their electricity due to sunspots etc.  Of course, without electricity, civilization quickly disappears, which some exceptions, as people start looking out for themselves.

As I have noted, we are very dependent on electricity, almost to the point of being scary, so I felt the book was realistic in a sense, and emphasized our dependence on electricity and the dangers of such dependence.  

It actually started me thinking about alternative means of electricity, including “off the grid” buildings that utilize advanced battery storage, low power consumption and development of single dwelling solar etc. to generate electricity and store it.  

The Day after Oblivion, continues in basically the same spirit, in that a nuclear war wipes out civilization as we know it, including electric power facilities.  

Disruption of electricity would mean basically no heat, no cooling, no internet, severe disruption to our delivery services  etc. followed by lack of food etc. 

As happens in the novels, I am sure society would soon degenerate into a mad search for food etc.  

Or, who knows, it could be people would continue to band together to provide for safety and food for all, instead of going out “all for one”.  

I like to think that is what would happen.  Realistically, it is the only way people could survive after such a disaster or a long term electricity outage, but it doesn’t mean that would happen.

Anyway, it is an interesting book and makes me think, which is what I like, especially in a novel. Not that I don’t also enjoy a purely escapist novel!

After trying the electric razor for several  weeks, I had kind of resigned myself to the “usual system” (the old blade razor).  However, I have come up with a compromise I like, I use the “old blade razor”  when I shower at home (instead of the fitness club), on weekends etc., and on many other days.

On days when I have a meeting etc. or after several days of the elector razor, I will use the “old blade razor”.  I have always heard it isn’t good to switch back and forth, but  If it works, it works!  So far it has been working!

That’s it for now, Monday, February 18,  2019

#resist

#GOP TaxScam

2019 Winter February 17 Sunday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_19

#Winter_of_19

30 degrees this morning (feels like 21), humidity 88%, wind, 10 mph

Cold continues with possible snow and ice in the next several days.  Exactly a year ago (the week of Presidents Day) there was two days of ice and snow that closed the schools etc.

The reason I remember that is we were away on a “warm weather vacation” so we missed all of it thank goodness!

Walk at fitness center Saturday , walk 25:12 minutes, swim 14 minutes, pace was 24 seconds slower than my goal.

As I have mentioned before, I am listening to the book “Leadership”, which details the leadership development of Presidents Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson.  

While luck played some role in the their ascent to the Presidency, a lot of it was hard work by them and being ready when they “lucky” break happened to occur. 

All of them had some significant challenges early on (either extreme poverty, serious illnesses etc.) that they overcame.  

The book switches between former Presidents at each stage of their life, which can be somewhat disorienting, I guess I am used to more linear presentations.

I think the format does point out how different, and yet how similar each of the former Presidents were.

Makes you sick to think of the petulant, pig-faced lying coward lunatic who is acting as president now.  Even worse are the congressional cowards who don’t stand up and stop the illegal and criminal actions and gross waste of tax dollars.

I want to yell “get a backbone” every time I see the congressional cowards sniveling agreement to the lying coward lunatic’s lies and blatant illegal and criminal actions. 

Signs of Spring are starting, with the first Auto Race today and Baseball Spring Training in about two weeks.  

In about three weeks, I should see the first Crocus (or what I call Crocus, the yellow flower), which means Spring has arrived, regardless of what the calendar says or what the weather is like!

Today, I actually saw some trees blooming, or at least budding, probably started during the 70 degree weather last week and are  probably now frozen for the year!

That’s it for now Sunday, February 17, 2019.

2019 Winter February 16 Saturday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights
#My_Journey_19
#Winter_of_19

22 degrees this morning,, feels like 13 degrees, humidity 94%  

Forecasting cold weather and possible snow and ice.  Hopefully not, In any event, Winter  s starting to approach the end.  

Actually, in another week, the “calendar Winter” will be two-thirds over!  What is better is that,  while March can have bad weather, normally the weather is much better.  

Yesterday, Walk 33:26,  (Merged, 2 one mile walks, walk, exercise, walk) Pace was 21 seconds slower than my goal.  

I’ve about decided some of the basic exercises  are good and I will continue them, although not on a daily basis.  

I simply don’t have the time (and don’t want to take the time even if I had it) for endless stretching and pulling etc..  I really feel walking, swimming and biking, although with some exercises and weight lifting is adequate.  

This doesn’t mean I’m not going to to the exercises, it just means they are secondary to my exercise program.  I won’t go into detail (perhaps later) but I will continue some of the exercises I learned on a 2 or 3 x weekly basis.

Start of a 3 day weekend, the last 3 day weekend until Memorial Day.  I plan on enjoying it!  

Looking again at “weeding” items.  I recently read an article with strong support for using “digital storage” to take pictures of items you may treasure, but are really no longer needed.  

Apparently a popular book on “tidying up” recommended not using digital storage and the article was strongly supporting digital storage.

I read the book, but wasn’t all that impressed or found it very valuable.  Apparently many people hav found it useful, but I disagree with some of the main thoughts in the book.

The “digital storage” is one.  I have found it very valuable to take pictures of, for example t-shirts or hats, with the knowledge I really have no use for them, but the memories are important.  

I have taken photographs of items, but haven’t actually “weeded” too many items by giving them away or whatever.  

I was able to dispose of books etc., by knowing I could replace almost any of them overnight.  

However, the t-shirts and hats etc. are basically irreplaceable, so even if I take a picture  I can’t replace them later once I dispose of them.  Of course an alternative for t-shirts is to make a “quilt” of them, so even if I can’t wear them, I will still have them and they will be  useful in a sense. 

I realizeI simply won’t wear most of the t-shirts again, so it makes sense to take pictures and either dispose of them or make them into quilts!

That’s it for now, Saturday, February 16, 2019.

#resist

#GOPTaxScam

i2019 Winter February 15 Friday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journeyi_19

#Winter_of_19

35  degrees this morning, humidity 63 % feels like 27 degrees.

70 degrees or so yesterday.  Nice, but cold weather is here again this morning.!  I’m glad the warm weather is here, but I’m ready for it to end.

Hopefully walk, exercise later this morning, freezing rain is close, will se what it is like when it is time to go to walk.  

Th petulant lying coward lunatic is scared to death of a couple of hate mongering extreme “radio show” hosts.  What a joke of  a president.

I have decided to stop supporting any newspaper, business or organization that supports the juvenile lying racist coward lunatic.  Regardless of how little I spend, they are using my money to further hate, lies and making a joke of the United States by supporting the lying coward lunatic.  

Walked and swam yesterday morning. at the fitness center. 

Walk was 25:02 minutes with about a 16 minute swim.  Pace was 21 seconds slower than my goal.  

One of the reasons I bought my Apple Watch was because I could wear it swimming.  Of course, now I won’t wear it because I can’t stand the thought of dousing it in water!  Instead I wear my $5.00 Walmart watch that probably does just as good except it doesn’t keep track of my swimming etc. However, I’m not that good of a swimmer, so the watch does keep track of the time.

Anther example of intentions not being what you plan!  

I am still trying to decide what my exercise plan is going to be.  I just feel that walking and swimming account for a lot of  exercise using the machines etc.  I’m planning on keeping trying it out.

I may walk and do the exercise machines etc. tomorrow morning.  I also may just decide to walk and swim and bicycle.

Trying out something a little new, writing the “bones” of this post the night before.  I”ll  see. 

Friday already and a 3 day weekend!  The week went faster than I expected, which is about what i expected. 

Another dream, this was just a snippet that I remembered.  It was a very strong dream, but Id didn’t remember much of it. 

2-14-15

Stopped for motel room very late, the town seemed to be a City we lived in in the late 90’s.  (Which of course, didn’t have a motel!)

They showed us the hotel room.  I twas weird since it was attached to a meeting room, not like most motel rooms. 

I wandered around the room and noticed some empty coke bottles and trash on the floor and then noticed the bed hand’t been made although it obviously had been slept in.  

I went out to get someone to give us another room etc.  

However, I couldn’t get the attention of the  clerks, the clerks appeared to be outside offices (It was warm weather.)

The Clerks were all sleeping or ignoring us.   There were lots of people milling around.

Woke up.  As I mentioned, it was just a snippet, but I remembered it as a strange dream, again about being in a motel.

That’s it for now, Friday, February 15, 2019.

#resist

#GOPTaxScam

2019 Winter February 14 Thursday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights
#My_Journey_19
#Winter_of_19

53 degrees this morning, 41% humidity, wind 22 mph.

The wind yesterday was high and it obviously continues this morning.  Even though the temperature is mild for this time of year, the wind really makes it seem cold and miserable.  

Supposed to reach 70 degrees today, which will be nice if the wind slows down!

Valentines Day today.  I like Valentines Day, it is somewhat of a fun day.

Took one of the cars in yesterday for “routine service”. Of course, a $44 oil change etc. suddenly gets more expensive with a change of brake fluid and cleaning the throttle, or something like that. 

I always hope they are telling me the truth, or at least a reasonable version, since I have no idea if the work is absolutely needed or not.  I always figure I would rather pay for preventative measures rather than end up broken down somewhere and paying emergency prices.  

That is one thing i learned in City Management, “emergency” prices went way up!  Usually it was smart to have someone on contract with a set price in the event of an absolute emergency.  Otherwise you never knew what you would end up paying or even if you could find someone to do the work.

It was a lot better to pay for prevention where possible than to end up paying emergency prices.

I had an especially vivid dream that it took me a while to realize was “only a dream” recently after I woke up, even thought the dream is rather wild.

2-9-19

Really wild dream.  We were in a big hotel at a resort area (but not staying there).  Some kind of Apple convention.

We wondered around visiting places.

I was in a room and came down a long corridor, , with wooden floors, ceilings and walls.  A the end there was a room with some sort of party going on.  

I left and the stairwell was like a giant back hoe bucket.  I sat in the bucket and looked down over a high  canyon.   

Than the backhoe backhoe bucket started down and went down fast, like a amusement park ride.

Then it started flying down the hotel corridors to all the meeting rooms etc.  

I would scream and yell as I went but the people didn’t seem to hear or see me although some would kind of pause and look around.

I realized (in my dream)  it was probably  virtual reality as I went.  It was quite an experience. 

First dream like this I can remember.

Didn’t recognize any of the people or where it’s location was.

I’m not always sure where these dreams come from or what they mean, but it is fun to think about what they mean!  

That’s it for now, Thursday, February 14, 2019.

2019 Winter February 13 Wednesday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights
#My_Journey_19
#Winter_of_19

42 degrees this morning, 52% humidity.  No walk this morning, early morning appointment.

Walk yesterday was 25;30 minutes, 16 minute swim.  Pace was 33 seconds slower than my goal.

Supposed to be almost balmy today, in the 60’s, but then “arctic” weather coming in.  I am definitely ready for Spring! 

Local city election yesterday.  I was proud of one candidate who will advance to the general election, proving that hard work and personal contact with the citizens helps!

However, I was astounded that several of the candidates who put up illegal signs etc. advanced.  If they can’t follow the laws during the campaign, how are they going to follow them when they are on the City Council!

Another thing that shocked me and really worry about the future of elections is the one candidate had a huge company from Chicago that spent thousands of dollars on ads, bailouts etc, including ads on the CNN Website, a full color brochure etc.  

This for a Council seat in a town thousands of miles from Chicago.  Of course, this was done “without coordination with the candidate” or some lie like that.

Makes you wonder what they expect to “buy” for their money, I am sure they expect to get good “returns” on their “investment” and they could really care less about this city.  

Hopefully the huge amounts of money spent (and the reasons out of town big organizations are trying to buy the election) will come out during the campaign for the general election! 

The city residents are very protective of their residential areas so hopefully the huge expenditures by the National Realtor Association Fund from Chicago will be discussed.  

I realize there is a balance necessary in any city, but at least the interest of the neighborhoods need to be protected.  

The City here has an unusual structure that I actually like.  While it has the “wards” or districts” the method of election is different.

Basically the residents of the Ward vote on the top two candidates for the Council person representing their Ward (who have to live in the ward) if more than two persons run for a specific Council seat.

However, at the General Election, the vote is city-wide on the top two candidates.  

I think this is a wonderful compromise to the traditional “ward” system where Council members are elected only from the voters in their Ward.  Too ofter, it leads to Council Members who think only of their Ward and not at the City at large.

By the method of the Ward residents electing the top two candidates, and city wide voting on the top two, the Council Members are accountable to both the Ward residents and and voters City Wide.  

That’s it for now, Wednesday, February 13, 2019.

2019 Winter February 12 Tuesday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_19

#Winter_of_19

36 degrees this morning (feels like 26), humidity 84%, wind 18 mph

Miserable weather continues.  Yesterday, temperature wasn’t all that bad, but cloudy with rain in the evening.  

Walk/exercise later this morning at the fitness center.  

The ability to swim, use the sauna etc. in an area that isn’t too difficult to get top or too far is really a dream come true.  Especially since, at least thus far, there has always been plenty of room to go swimming at the times I like to go swimming, use the whirlpool, sauna etc.   

I’m not really sure about the exercise machines etc. yet, or even the exercises with the small items I can use at home.  I don’t want to get all that involved in that type of exercise (i.e. every day), but I want to do enough that it helps.  

I will always believe that the basics of exercise I will continue to do is walk, swim and bicycle, with my basic exercises being crunches (sit-ups), working with dumb bells and the bench press.  I think the other exercises are valuable, I just need to balance the time involved with the value of the exercises.  

While walking, I am listening to Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book on “Leadership” where she has researched and writes about the leadership development of Presidents Abraham Lincoln,  Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson.

Thus far, the book has included each of their early development, which of course was varied.

Last night, at Toastmasters, a member gave an excellent speech about Leadership styles which kind of fit in with the book.

On another subject, I was pondering a box of Kleenex and how all of he tissues come out just right so the next one is ready.  Actually, one didn’t come out just right, which got me wondering how they do it.  

It is something we take for granted now,  but if you think about it, it took some creative thinking to even come up with the idea of a disposable tissue.  Even after the inventor got the concept, they had to actually decide how to manufacture it, market it etc.  

I used to live near a City the had a plant made the Kleenex boxes and, thinking about it, I wish I had asked about a tour.  

I was thinking about how they have to have the Kleenex “just right”, so that they fit in the box, and then folded so one is always ready.

I don’t know how long Kleenex tissues have been out, but I do remember my mom saying that they were much safer than cloth handkerchiefs because you could just throw them away. 

I’ll have to research that and see if there was any objection on environmental grounds when they came out.  Probably the benefit exceeded any environmental or other costs.  

That’s it for now, Tuesday, February 12, 2019.

#resist

#GOPTaxScam