December 2015

December 2015

Tuesday 01- 56 to 32 degrees

I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a 1.21 mile jog at 18:36 min/mi, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening 1.12 mile walk at 20:38 min/mi with Cassie.

Cleaned up the yard some. I got rid of the ashes that have accumulated from burning leaves in a barrel and tossed them into the dumpster.

Too dang cold to go for a night jog.

Read more of chapter 5 in geology.

I put two of my ebooks up for free for 5 days: “Azure Sea of Dreams” and “A Little Desert Home”. 5 days free is all they give you...

Wednesday 02- 61 to 38 degrees, clear skies.

I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a 1.22 mile jog at 17:21 min/mi, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening 1.09 mile jog at 17:45 min/mi  with Cassie and did some pullups and punched the heavybag for 3 minutes.

I finished reading chapter 5 of the geology book.

I did my stretches, lifted 20lb dumbbells, and took Cassie for a .50 mile jog up the hill and back at 20:13 min/mi.

Thursday 03- 64 to 40 degrees.

I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a 1.20 mile jog at 17:39 min/mi, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening walk 1.07 mile jog at 21:50 min/mi  with Cassie and did some pullups and punched the heavybag for 3 minutes.

I did my stretches, lifted 20lb dumbbells, and took Cassie for .53 mile jog up the hill and back at 19:06 min/mi.

Friday 04- 60 to 41 degrees low clouds all day.

I did my stretches, yoga, took Cassie for a .63 mile jog at 19:56 min/mi, core trainer.

I went to my doctor’s for a checkup. I had to be there at 10:30am and I am not a morning person so I had my brother Kevin call me at 9am, but he lives in Tucson where it’s an hour later and he called me at 8am... oh well, it was a nice dream I was having too.

Sunday 06- 61 to 42 degrees.

I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a 1.20 mile jog at 17:02 min/mi, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening 1.09 mile jog at 17:32 min/mi  with Cassie and did some pullups and punched the heavybag for 3 minutes.

I did my stretches, lifted 20lb dumbbells, and took Cassie for a half mile jog up the hill and back at 19:08 min/mi.

Monday 07- 71 to 47 degrees

I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a 1.20 mile jog at 17:02 min/mi, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

I went to the dentist, but first stopped at AutoZone to get replacement tail-light that burned out, got gas, and made it to my appointment right at 2:30.

I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening 1.09 mile jog at 17:32 min/mi  with Cassie and did some pullups and punched the heavybag for 3 minutes.

I did my stretches, lifted 20lb dumbbells, and took Cassie for a half mile jog up the hill and back at 19:08 min/mi.

I think I pulled a muscle in my right chest and will lay off lifting weights for a a few days.

Tuesday 08- 75 to 49 degrees. A nice sunny day.

A day off exercising! My chest muscle isn’t as painful as last night; I think it was caused by the new type of pull ups I am trying to ease myself into.

I removed the burned out tail light and replaced it with a new one. I unhung my front door that kept scraping against the floor and took a saw to the bottom to cut a quarter of an inch off. The door closes fine and doesn’t rub against the floor.

Wednesday 09- 76 to 50 degrees.

I woke up and me and Cassie went to visit Sherry and her dogs, Barry, Abby and Willie. While Cassie was out playing with the gang, me and Sherry went shopping and ate lunch/dinner at the Asian Buffet. Sherry gave me a bed she didn’t need any longer along with some sheets and blankets. Like always, Cassie was very tired after her visit playing with her fur friends and slept all the way home and the rest of the night.

Thursday 10- 54 to 49 degrees.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for a 1 mile jog. Note: I am not going to time myself the the new watch thingy anymore because it’s just too demanding to keep a log here on it.

I took the old crummy mattress that must had been pre WWII and threw it into the dumpster. I moved the new bed into the bedroom and set it up after giving the bedroom floor a good cleaning. Very nice to be sleeping on a comfortable bed.

Friday 11- 54 to 40 cold and windy with dark clouds.

I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a 1 mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag.

Saturday 12- 60 to 36 degrees.

I took Cassie for a mile jog.

Geminid Meteor Shower: Very clear where I am (and cold) saw a bunch here and there when I went out with Cassie so she could do her business. Should be better tomorrow night.

Sunday 13- 61 to 35 degrees, windy all day with clouds moving in during the late afternoon.

Geminid Meteor Shower: Went out again Sunday night (just got back in 1:30AM)... saw more meteors then I think I've ever seen in one sitting. Dang cold too!

Monday 14- 54 to 34 degrees with lots of wind.

I did my stretches, lifted 20lbs dumbbells and ran a mile with Cassie.

I mostly watched various TED Talks on Youtube.

UPS delivered my new microscope. I am going to start a new hobby! I’ve been watching videos courses online on how to use one; there’s a lot more than I thought.

Tuesday 15- 49 to 29 degrees. Still windy, but not like yesterday.

I did my stretches and went for a mile run with Cassie.

I went shopping for supplies.

Wednesday 16- 50 to 29 degrees.

I did my stretches, took Cassie for a 1 mile jog.

I cut up a whole bunch of wood for my wood stove.

USPS delivered my telescope.

My neighbor’s golf car broke down and he came to my fence at 5pm asking for a tow to his house. I couldn’t keep Cassie from barking at the guy. I had stopped by his house to say welcome to the neighborhood when he and his family just move in about six months ago, but they didn’t seem all that friendly and have never dropped by my home and I hadn’t heard from them since.

Thursday 17- 54 to 32 degrees with clear skies.

I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a 1 mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag.

Friday 18- 61 to 32

I did my stretches and took Cassie for a mile run.

UPS delivered my 8 inch Dobsonian telescope!

Saturday 19- 64 to 32

I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a 1 mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag.

Right now I assembled the 8 inch Dobsonian telescope and I am checking out the optics right now. I will assemble the frame tomorrow and the scope should see first light tomorrow night

Sunday 20- 56 to 37 degrees with clouds throughout the day, but cleared in the evening.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for a walks.

I put the frame together and mounted the telescope. I took it outside into the night sky where it saw first light. I adjusted the finder scope, checked out that everything was in order and turned her 8” mirror onto Andromeda Galaxy and a few other objects. There was hardly any adjusting to do and I didn’t even have to collimate the main mirror. A car had just drove past at high speeds on our dirt road when I was having the most fun I’ve had in a long time. I got worried about dust from the road and packed her up and put her safe inside the house. I will have to devise a plan to keep the dust out of the DOB when outside.

Monday 21- 62 to 46 degrees and cloudy.

I did my stretches, lifted weights, took Cassie for a 1 mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag.

Tuesday 22- 66 to 46, very windy and cloudy today. The strong winds woke me up several times during the night when part of my garage roof came apart and I had to go out to fix it. I finally got to sleep and didn’t wake up until 1pm... My whole day was gone before it started.

It was after nightfall and I took Cassie out to go pee when I saw my neighbor’s truck go up the embankment and get stuck there. I saw that she wasn’t going to get it out herself so I got my shovel, threw it in the back of my truck and went over and dug her out. It only took me about ten minutes, no more and she was on her way.

Wednesday 23- 62 to 40 degrees mostly sunny.

We went to Sherry’s house to go shopping for supplies at Stater Bros. and sacks of dog food at the Tractor Supply store while Cassie played with her fur friends.

Thursday 24- 61 to 38 degrees, cloudy.

I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a 1 mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag.

Friday 25- 45 to 29 degrees, very windy and cold outside.

I got a telescope and microscope that Santa Claus... err UPS and FedEx brought me.

Me and Cassie stayed inside and watched TED Talks on YouTube and other interesting stuff.

Saturday 26- 46 to 30 degrees, just as cold and windy as yesterday if not worse.

We stayed inside again because of the high winds.

I started going through my boxes of old receipts, bills paid, from as far back as 1997 when I moved up here; some even older from the 70s. It was many boxes packed one upon another taking up my space and adding to the clutter that seems to be affecting my progress. I sat there for three days tossing this and that, I mean who needs to keep a telephone bill from June 2001? I kept all my tax filings, correspondence, birthday, holiday Christmas cards, photos, and little mementos to remind me of those lost to me throughout the years, but the rest went into my woodstove and kept my home warm for three days. I do not know why I kept all these receipts and such; it was kinda like I felt some corrupt entity was waiting, watching for a weak moment to take everything from me. Or maybe I was just lazy, but I now took heed to these words I heard spoken once before, “If you don’t clean up your mess eventually someone else will have to do it for you.” I now feel free of this baggage whose weight weighed heavy on my soul.

Sunday 27- no wind finally! Still a bit cold.

I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a 1 mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag.

Monday 28- 53 to 35 degrees mostly sunny.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for all her walks.

I had to go to the dentist office because a screw worked its way out of my implant. I left my house early and went to the post office to pick up some packages there and then shopping at Stater Bros before my dentist appointment.

Tuesday 29- 54 to 33 sunny.

I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag.

Wednesday 30- 53 to 30 degrees.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for a mile jog.

Thursday 31- 53 to 29 degrees.

I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag.

I finished reading “365 Starry Nights” by Chet Raymo.

I'm getting ready to go for a run up the hill in front of my house in 2015 and run back down it in 2016... I think it's a good way to run out the old and bring in the new

***** Stuff I Wrote this Month******

Do not abandon your dreams.

A new year is upon you. A time for reflection. To re-evaluate and renew what works and let go of what doesn't, be they things, people or addictions. Walk away from their drama to make room for new beginnings. Eliminate those distraction seizing control of your life, carrying you farther off your course to flounder in the gray turbulent seas of uncertainty and denial to become the flotsam and jetsam washed upon the shores of self-pity and doubt. Make your destiny your own, follow your dreams and no others.

~RD

A steady hand on the tiller, a cup of hot coffee to fight off the chill, a stiff breeze to fill her sails, and a warm bed to come back to is all I ask.

~RD

The beginnings of a Poem Story?

Come along ye children let me recite thee all a tale, of an enchanted land not too far over there. Deep in the forests, beyond civilization’s cold reach, surrounded by thickets of bramble and moss tapestry trees, lies a mystical clearing where fairies truly appear, so ye not be frighten cause there’s nothing to fear.

There be flowers always blooming, grass taller than you, where spring always lasts throughout the whole year. A stream runs on through it, as calm as you please, do ye hear water bubbling across rocks and small boulders in the sweet summer breeze?

Little girls with elfin ears slumber upon mushroom caps laden with goose down filled soft satin sacks. Each one is combing each other’s long golden hair spun from strains of diamonds which are precious, added silver for its shine and gold that be rare and so hard to find. Their hair glistens and sparkles filling the dark void which threatens to devour and to destroy, their small little meadow that they call home with such joy.

They comb as they watch and start laughing at the boys with three hoof toes go dancing and a prancing, and a clowning, speaking in rhyming prose. Singing and playing their flutes to find the right tune, which will impress and lure the girls lying pretty off of their shrooms, and into the meadows to enjoy in the fun and frolic together as if they were one.

~RD

I am lucky to remember what I said or what I thought I would have said if I said it.

~RD

My response to an article “Ebook Reader Innovation was Stagnant in 2015”:

Well they haven’t upgraded the paperback for many decades now. Still no backlighting, same antiquated way to turn the page, and the memory storage hasn’t been improved since the papyrus era and takes up much wall space (good for insulation). My biggest complaint is you can’t change the font size and the pages yellow over time. Paperbacks tend to lose bookmarks if you drop them, but the dogeared ones stay put. The good news is that the page refresh hasn’t been affected since neolithic times.

I met a homeless woman sitting on blankets in front of Walmart with her little dog. I noticed people walking past her trying to avoid eye contact. I went in and did my shopping and came out the same door hoping to see her. She was still there and I stopped and asked her if she wanted anything from McDonalds. She wanted fries and a coke and she watched my groceries for me while I went inside. I chatted with her for a long spell to find out her story, as newspaper columnist like you and me like to do. It was a sad story about how she fell off her horse and broke her back a few years ago. She lost her job at the Eisenhower Hospital, has to take these horrible meds for pain, and her boyfriend had just kicked her and her dog out and she is now living in her car. I gave her ten dollars. I would have liked to have done more.

More should be done... there shouldn't be any homeless people in America unless they want to be (I've met a few fellow Veterans like that).

There is a lot of land out here where the homeless could setup tents or have them provided in a safe environment. Maybe purchase a large lot and work with the county to get around some of the code restrictions. There should be state, county and federal service counseling for programs that they qualify for, on site.

I believe it can be done if we want to do it... or maybe it's just me fantasizing; I do a lot of that.

Bob

*************