Notes – Jan 10

Am I better off this week than I was last? 

A little. Numerical stats, including my weight, are about the same. Glucose measurements interest me because my glucose has fluctuated from day to day.

Activity

I walked daily and swam a mile daily. I used to feel like swimming took effort. Now it’s my relaxation time. I swim a mile in 30 minutes, a 1:47/100 yds pace.

I biked three days in the last week. Yesterday the temperature was in the 30’s with a light rain, and I did a somewhat hilly 25 miles over 2.5 hours. Because of salt and mud, I had to keep cleaning my bike.

Thought to contemplate

Everyone has a different world view, and we each have our own challenges. I can’t expect something significant to me to matter to someone else. And the changes in my mental clarity are largely invisible to those around me.

Work

This week I’ve allocated goals to 4 of 5 days. If something takes longer, I ‘ll use the 5th day.

Family

I hope my focus on my health is helping me to be more present for my family.  I suppose that I need to be aware of how a change in habits affects my family and forces them to react to the changes. 

Community

We had Book club Friday night. Along with other topics, like the validity of historical fiction as literature, we talked about the concept of a community newsletter that one could read on the weekends. I just bought a book by Carl Bernstein that comes out tomorrow. Bernstein is speaking January 18. And I just subscribed to the North Scott Press because I want to see what Chris Connelly said is a great newspaper. I may want to reach out to Bill Tubbs after I read a few issues.

One could say that people turn to Facebook for their local news. One could say that people get their local news by being involved.  I personally feel that a thoughtful local newsletter would gain credibility through trust. Implementing it, is another question.

At book club, we also discussed the Pennsylvania Senate election, thinking in terms of who might be the most electable against a huge influx of out of state money. I don’t like the idea of a someone moving to Pennsylvania in order to run for the US Senate. 

History

I finished reading Pierre Salinger’s novel from 1971, On Instructions of My Government.  The book was good, but I think the title is forgetful.

Now, the title Bad Mexicans is easy to remember.  I’m reading a proof of  Bad Mexicans, by Kelly Lyle Hernández. I like it, have learned a ton, and definitely want to read her book, City of Inmates. And I’m also reading March 1917, by Will England.  I got a subscription to newspapers.com so that I can look up characters in the news get more background.

As I biked yesterday, I listened to a Joe Watkins YouTube video about the Nixon/Kennedy debate and then listened to the actual debate.  I can see how people who listened to the debate would have thought Nixon won while those who watched the debate thought Kennedy won. Joe Watkins was a guest speaker yesterday at church.

Maps

Finally, Gene Thorp, a cartographer, was featured on Avenza.com. Here’s a link to his portfolio. It’s impressive. I think it’s important to spend time looking at maps that others have designed.