August 28, 2013 is the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington by Martin Luther King, Jr. and his followers http://50thanniversarymarchonwashington.com/. This is the march during which he gave his "I Have a Dream" speech http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm. Tonight, I watched several shows on NPR about this march and this era, including about Robert Kennedy http://50thanniversarymarchonwashington.com/ and his assassination.
Lubbock will have a commemorative march on August 28, 2013. I would like to participate. I turned my ankle on Sunday, August 25, 2013, and I am not sure I can make the march. It is my hope that a large contingency of Anglo Lubbock citizens will join this march. I suspect I will be disappointed.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
A Lack of History
Today is the birthday of Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36th President of the United States of America. When I moved to Texas in 1977, and for many years afterwards, the non-profit organization that employed me celebrated the birthday of Lyndon Baines Johnson as a holiday, and so, I got the day off.
I never forgot this, in part because August 27 was also the birthday of my father, Joseph Napikoski, who was born in 1919.
But, nevertheless, this is a Texas holiday.
Today, as I interviewed patients at work, and asked them the standard "orientation" questions, some of them knew the date: month, day and year. Not all did, but some did. When I asked these patients, who were all fairly young, not one knew that it was the birthday of a former president, and very sadly, not one of them knew that Lyndon Baines Johnson was a former president, nor that he was from Texas.
This is so sad. I am so convinced that our future depends upon the lessons learned from our history. Granted, offenders in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice are not always the smartest or most astute people. And they will probably not shape our future. But it made me wonder how many people of their same young age knew who Lyndon Baines Johnson was, and that today was his birthday.
I never forgot this, in part because August 27 was also the birthday of my father, Joseph Napikoski, who was born in 1919.
But, nevertheless, this is a Texas holiday.
Today, as I interviewed patients at work, and asked them the standard "orientation" questions, some of them knew the date: month, day and year. Not all did, but some did. When I asked these patients, who were all fairly young, not one knew that it was the birthday of a former president, and very sadly, not one of them knew that Lyndon Baines Johnson was a former president, nor that he was from Texas.
This is so sad. I am so convinced that our future depends upon the lessons learned from our history. Granted, offenders in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice are not always the smartest or most astute people. And they will probably not shape our future. But it made me wonder how many people of their same young age knew who Lyndon Baines Johnson was, and that today was his birthday.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
The Moon Moved
Tuesday evening, i sat out after dark. It was the night of the full moon, and it was a beautiful evening, and a gorgeous sky. The moon rose in an arc that took it over of the middle of the pecan tree to the yard in the east. Wednesday evening was also beautiful. As I watch the moon rise, I was surprised how many degrees to the north it rose as compared to Tuesday night. I expected some change, but the amount for one night really surprised me. Hmmm. It was still a beautiful moon.
Friday, August 23, 2013
Mandatory Gun Ownershop
I was driving home from work today and heard about this story on NPR. It was just a one line, so I went looking for more information. It seems that Nelson, Georgia passed a mandatory gun ownership for the head of household in the city. I did find a story http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/political-insider/2013/aug/23/ga-city-agrees-change-law-mandating-gun-ownership/, with some background, that I found very interesting. Hmmm. Is this sincere, or a stunt? Too bad that guns are used in stunts like this. Guns are not a laughing matter, and not something to use to manipulate anything.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Do You Subscribe to Mountain Wings?
I do subscribe to Mountain Wings http://www.mountainwings.com/past/13232.htm. It is really too conservative for my taste, and it is too "Christian" for my beliefs, but it is also practical and down to earth in some ways.
So, this came in tonight (really the edition for 8-20-13):
MountainWings A MountainWings Moment
#13232 Wings Over The Mountains of Life
-------------------------------------------------
If You Cannot Solve It
======================
If You Cannot Solve It, It's Not A Problem,
It's Just The Reality
~Barbara Coloroso~
It is this kind of pithy commentary about life and reality that I like about Mountain Wings.
This really hits home. I want to solve everything, but there is so much reality that we cannot solve: losses, incarcerations, disasters. These things leave us bereft, but the only reality is that this is what has transpired, and now I have to step up and do what I can to deal with it.
I try not to bend reality. I hope I do accept it.
So, this came in tonight (really the edition for 8-20-13):
MountainWings A MountainWings Moment
#13232 Wings Over The Mountains of Life
-------------------------------------------------
If You Cannot Solve It
======================
If You Cannot Solve It, It's Not A Problem,
It's Just The Reality
~Barbara Coloroso~
It is this kind of pithy commentary about life and reality that I like about Mountain Wings.
This really hits home. I want to solve everything, but there is so much reality that we cannot solve: losses, incarcerations, disasters. These things leave us bereft, but the only reality is that this is what has transpired, and now I have to step up and do what I can to deal with it.
I try not to bend reality. I hope I do accept it.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Time Warp
I am sure that I have mentioned before that I am a creature of habit, and my Saturday morning habit is one I have kept for a very long time: I get up and run errands, especially going to the grocery store, gassing up the car, and frequently, going to the library before I run all other errands. The last few weekends, I have not kept that schedule, and have done fun things, or just read, which is a really fun thing, before running errands.
This Saturday, I tried to get back into my habit: I did not need to go to the library, but I did get gasoline and run errands. My intent was to get home, unload the groceries, and go for a haircut.
Well, I tried very hard to keep Haiku out of the garage as I was unloading the groceries, because she gets up on the top shelves, and getting her down is a precarious business. I have done it a couple of times, but the precariousness of it makes me be very careful about when I scrabble her down. She gets herself down quite nicely, thank you when she is ready. But, she raced into the garage, anyway. I went after her, and she could sense that I was upset, so where did she end up? On the top shelf. I know she knew I was upset. I went back into the garage, and sweet talked her, and I could tell she settled down. But still, I way over reacted about not getting to go for a haircut when I wanted to go.
Haiku stayed on the top shelf for several hours, and came down just within the window for me to go to get a haircut. Because I use the local Pro-Cuts, and can wait for more that 30 minutes to be waited upon, I figure more than an hour for a haircut. I was debating if I wanted to go or not, because I wanted to be home for the start of the Yankee vs. Red Sox game. Well, a dear friend called, and that made my decision for me. We talked for quite some time. We had not talked in a couple of weeks, and I was so glad to hear her voice and connect with her. By the time we finished our conversation, I decided I could not get a hair cut and be back in time for the start of the Yankee vs. Red Sox game. No big deal.
So, I watched the Yankee vs. Red Sox in the afternoon and early evening. After the game, I started reading, waiting for the temperature to drop to make sitting in the yard comfortable. All of a sudden, I had to realize that it was no longer light outside. As the evening went on, I had the sense that it should still be light out, but of course, the evening was progressing. Even after midnight, I had the sense it should still be light out, and it was not, of course.
This kind of time warp happens to me when I am reading a book that absorbs me, and I have no sense of time. It was well after midnight, when I went to bed, but it did not feel that late. I was reading a Deborah McCrobmie mystery: In A Dark House, which kept me absorbed until late. So, it felt like it was much earlier in the evening than it was, when I finished that book.
After I finished that book, I started the next book: Gilbert King's Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America. This is a very serious book about the civil rights movements in America, even before it was popular, in the 1940s and later on. I did finally get tired enough to go to sleep.
But even with changing to that book, I never felt like it was late enough to go to bed. Hmmm.
When I experience a time warp like that, I am very uncomfortable. It is almost as if I have an "out of body" experience. But of course, that was not what happened. It was just a discordant reality feeling.
This Saturday, I tried to get back into my habit: I did not need to go to the library, but I did get gasoline and run errands. My intent was to get home, unload the groceries, and go for a haircut.
Well, I tried very hard to keep Haiku out of the garage as I was unloading the groceries, because she gets up on the top shelves, and getting her down is a precarious business. I have done it a couple of times, but the precariousness of it makes me be very careful about when I scrabble her down. She gets herself down quite nicely, thank you when she is ready. But, she raced into the garage, anyway. I went after her, and she could sense that I was upset, so where did she end up? On the top shelf. I know she knew I was upset. I went back into the garage, and sweet talked her, and I could tell she settled down. But still, I way over reacted about not getting to go for a haircut when I wanted to go.
Haiku stayed on the top shelf for several hours, and came down just within the window for me to go to get a haircut. Because I use the local Pro-Cuts, and can wait for more that 30 minutes to be waited upon, I figure more than an hour for a haircut. I was debating if I wanted to go or not, because I wanted to be home for the start of the Yankee vs. Red Sox game. Well, a dear friend called, and that made my decision for me. We talked for quite some time. We had not talked in a couple of weeks, and I was so glad to hear her voice and connect with her. By the time we finished our conversation, I decided I could not get a hair cut and be back in time for the start of the Yankee vs. Red Sox game. No big deal.
So, I watched the Yankee vs. Red Sox in the afternoon and early evening. After the game, I started reading, waiting for the temperature to drop to make sitting in the yard comfortable. All of a sudden, I had to realize that it was no longer light outside. As the evening went on, I had the sense that it should still be light out, but of course, the evening was progressing. Even after midnight, I had the sense it should still be light out, and it was not, of course.
This kind of time warp happens to me when I am reading a book that absorbs me, and I have no sense of time. It was well after midnight, when I went to bed, but it did not feel that late. I was reading a Deborah McCrobmie mystery: In A Dark House, which kept me absorbed until late. So, it felt like it was much earlier in the evening than it was, when I finished that book.
After I finished that book, I started the next book: Gilbert King's Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America. This is a very serious book about the civil rights movements in America, even before it was popular, in the 1940s and later on. I did finally get tired enough to go to sleep.
But even with changing to that book, I never felt like it was late enough to go to bed. Hmmm.
When I experience a time warp like that, I am very uncomfortable. It is almost as if I have an "out of body" experience. But of course, that was not what happened. It was just a discordant reality feeling.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Thinking About Writing
I have not blogged since 8-8-13. I was not too concerned about that for the first couple of nights. A break, a day off, is not bad. But last night, I tried to blog, and could not clear my mind enough to be able to write anything. This happens, more frequently than I would wish, but it happens.
During the last few days, I have listened a lot to the Gregorian Chant CDs that I have. They help to mellow me. I have to say, I honestly believe that my physical health as well as my mental health improves when I listen to Gregorian Chants. The first Gregorian chant I purchased was "Salve Regina" on a Philips label. Later, I purchased "Gregorian Melodies, Popular Chants Vol 11," and "Gregorian Book of Silos"
I was reflecting the past few days, how much more physically safe and sound, and calm I am, when I listed to Gregorian chants. I have a CD of bagpipe music that also contributes to my mellowness, but not to my groundedness. And if that makes no sense, I am sorry, I cannot explain it any other way.
At work today, I was thinking about my inability to blog, and that I needed to listen to some of the Gregorian chants, if not all, that I have.
Imagine my surprise, as I drove home, that NPR had a story about the music of nuns: http://www.npr.org/2013/08/13/211639502/life-as-prayer-the-singing-nuns-of-ann-arbor. I like the comments of the sister who says: "We bring people back where the culture, sad to say, is selling them short," Sister Joseph Andrew says. "The culture is not saying you need silence; you need to calm down; you need to meet God in however you might choose to worship him. And I think when you turn this music on, something interiorly starts to calm down. And there starts to be a freedom to be able to really listen to God within."
I so agree, and have discovered I so want to live my life with this calmness. After Ken and I divorced, Mack, my dog, and I developed a pastoral kind of life. It was idyllic.
Then, I got involved in a relationship with Bob. I did not identify it at the time, although some of my friends did, but the emotional turmoil of the relationship was convulsive. It was not until I was finally out of it in 2006 that I truly realized how destructive it was.
I have returned to a more idyllic existence. I still have turmoil in my life. I would not be human if I did not. But life is so much more pastoral, and idyllic. The Gregorian chants help me have the existence.
During the last few days, I have listened a lot to the Gregorian Chant CDs that I have. They help to mellow me. I have to say, I honestly believe that my physical health as well as my mental health improves when I listen to Gregorian Chants. The first Gregorian chant I purchased was "Salve Regina" on a Philips label. Later, I purchased "Gregorian Melodies, Popular Chants Vol 11," and "Gregorian Book of Silos"
I was reflecting the past few days, how much more physically safe and sound, and calm I am, when I listed to Gregorian chants. I have a CD of bagpipe music that also contributes to my mellowness, but not to my groundedness. And if that makes no sense, I am sorry, I cannot explain it any other way.
At work today, I was thinking about my inability to blog, and that I needed to listen to some of the Gregorian chants, if not all, that I have.
Imagine my surprise, as I drove home, that NPR had a story about the music of nuns: http://www.npr.org/2013/08/13/211639502/life-as-prayer-the-singing-nuns-of-ann-arbor. I like the comments of the sister who says: "We bring people back where the culture, sad to say, is selling them short," Sister Joseph Andrew says. "The culture is not saying you need silence; you need to calm down; you need to meet God in however you might choose to worship him. And I think when you turn this music on, something interiorly starts to calm down. And there starts to be a freedom to be able to really listen to God within."
I so agree, and have discovered I so want to live my life with this calmness. After Ken and I divorced, Mack, my dog, and I developed a pastoral kind of life. It was idyllic.
Then, I got involved in a relationship with Bob. I did not identify it at the time, although some of my friends did, but the emotional turmoil of the relationship was convulsive. It was not until I was finally out of it in 2006 that I truly realized how destructive it was.
I have returned to a more idyllic existence. I still have turmoil in my life. I would not be human if I did not. But life is so much more pastoral, and idyllic. The Gregorian chants help me have the existence.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
The Butler
Once again, I will say that I do not watch Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show" a lot. But I was watching tonight. Robin Williams was one of the guests, and he is in the movie "The Butler http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1327773/." As I understand it, this is a true story of a Black butler who served the Presidents in the White House. I am going to try to watch for this movie in Lubbock. I want to see it.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
President Obama on The Tonight Show
I used to be a big fan of "The Tonight Show http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/ " with Johnny Carson, and later with Jay Leno. For the last 8 or 9 years, I have not watched it very much. In the last few months, I have watch it some, especially on Monday night, when Jay does "headlines."
Tonight, after the local NBC affiliate finished the news, I switched away from that channel. As I did, I saw that President Barak Obama was going to be on "The Tonight Show." So, I switched back. I did not catch all of the monologue, but I did get to view all of the interview with President Obama.
Before I wrote this blog, I thanked "The Tonight Show" for having the President on. I also sent a thank you to "The White House http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact" for his appearance.
I am thankful that we have a president who will discourse with people who represent the American public. Granted, Jay Leno is a celebrity, but he is not a high powered politician, and he asked down to earth questions.
Go America!
Tonight, after the local NBC affiliate finished the news, I switched away from that channel. As I did, I saw that President Barak Obama was going to be on "The Tonight Show." So, I switched back. I did not catch all of the monologue, but I did get to view all of the interview with President Obama.
Before I wrote this blog, I thanked "The Tonight Show" for having the President on. I also sent a thank you to "The White House http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact" for his appearance.
I am thankful that we have a president who will discourse with people who represent the American public. Granted, Jay Leno is a celebrity, but he is not a high powered politician, and he asked down to earth questions.
Go America!
Storms
I did not think we were supposed to have rain today. But, when I exited from a workshop this afternoon, there were storm clouds to the south. I went out tonight, and there were big drops falling at my house. Driving through the city, there were places that there were drops, and places they did not fall.
Watching the weather report tonight, there were places in the city that received rain, and places that did not. At my house, there was a slight rain, not enough to wet under eaves or bushes. The odor of ozone was prevalent. There was lightning to the north and east. But the likelihood of significant rain is very small.
Watching the weather report tonight, there were places in the city that received rain, and places that did not. At my house, there was a slight rain, not enough to wet under eaves or bushes. The odor of ozone was prevalent. There was lightning to the north and east. But the likelihood of significant rain is very small.
Human Rescue Coalition
Lubbock has something called the "Human Rescue Coalition" which has been meeting and currently has been working with the Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Task Force, overseen by the Lubbock Rape Crisis Center, dba as "The Voice of Hope," to bring this issue to the forefront in Lubbock. Today, there was a workshop regarding Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking, and a "Night of Awareness" about sex trafficking, pornography, prostitution, and the lack of resources for people who are trying to exit this lifestyle.
I attended both sessions. I did not need the CEUs offered at the workshop, but I accepted them. I mostly attended because this is a youth at risk issue, and I am trying to learn more about youth at risk, as a member of the board of directors at Catholic Charities. But, I can use the education credits towards the required 40 ACA credits that I need at work.
The Human Resource Coalition has a Facebook page. Which I will probably not access.
I was pleased to learn that they meet at the Catholic Diocese building, which lends its support to this issue. I am so pleased to see the Diocese of Lubbock involved in human rights issues.
For more information, look at the Voice of Hope webpage at VoiceofhopeLubbock.org.
I attended both sessions. I did not need the CEUs offered at the workshop, but I accepted them. I mostly attended because this is a youth at risk issue, and I am trying to learn more about youth at risk, as a member of the board of directors at Catholic Charities. But, I can use the education credits towards the required 40 ACA credits that I need at work.
The Human Resource Coalition has a Facebook page. Which I will probably not access.
I was pleased to learn that they meet at the Catholic Diocese building, which lends its support to this issue. I am so pleased to see the Diocese of Lubbock involved in human rights issues.
For more information, look at the Voice of Hope webpage at VoiceofhopeLubbock.org.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Shredded Paper
Haiku and Taki like paper. More correctly stated, they like shredding paper. Tonight, I was doing some printing, and had a stack of clean, unused computer paper on the desk. All of a sudden, Haiku was on the paper and shredded the edges of it. Well, by the time she pounced and shredded the paper, it was too late for me to react. The sheets of paper were ruined.
So, then I walked into the bathroom. There was a string of toilet tissue hanging from the wicker tissue holder, in shreds. I suspect that Taki was the culprit. She likes to unravel the toilet tissue rolls. Sometimes, I come home and the inside of my house looks like it has been "TPed." Sometimes she just gets little pieces. Sometimes she strings it through the house. Sometimes, she hides the roll!
Well, the habits and antics of my cats are very entertaining to me.
So, then I walked into the bathroom. There was a string of toilet tissue hanging from the wicker tissue holder, in shreds. I suspect that Taki was the culprit. She likes to unravel the toilet tissue rolls. Sometimes, I come home and the inside of my house looks like it has been "TPed." Sometimes she just gets little pieces. Sometimes she strings it through the house. Sometimes, she hides the roll!
Well, the habits and antics of my cats are very entertaining to me.
Conflicted Fans
I have written before about being a conflicted fan when the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees play together. It is easy to cheer for my two favorite teams when they play other teams. But not when they play each other.
My brother shares that he has lots of teams that he cheers for, so I would just say that he is a big baseball fan.
He tells me most recently his grandson was confused when the Boston Red Sox played the Arizona Diamondback, because he did not know which team to cheer for. Well, I can relate to that. I am 60 years old, and just this year, decided the best way to handle the Red Sox vs. Yankee dilemma was to cheer for a tied game with lots of extra innings. After all, that has happened before, more than once.
My brother shares that he has lots of teams that he cheers for, so I would just say that he is a big baseball fan.
He tells me most recently his grandson was confused when the Boston Red Sox played the Arizona Diamondback, because he did not know which team to cheer for. Well, I can relate to that. I am 60 years old, and just this year, decided the best way to handle the Red Sox vs. Yankee dilemma was to cheer for a tied game with lots of extra innings. After all, that has happened before, more than once.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Hydration
I have thought to write about this before, but honestly it is one of those things that I think I have done, but cannot find evidence that I have done. If this is a duplication, then please forgive me, especially if I expressed myself better in a previous blog.
Lubbock, Texas is considered a semi-arid region, but when the temperature climbs into the 90's and 100's, who are we kidding: this is the desert, especially in the years when the rains are below 15", our "average rainfall," which happens quite frequently. Of course, I have lived in Lubbock since 1977, and in the early years, the emphasis on human hydration was minimal, but has especially increased in the last 10 or so years. As we learn more and more about bodily functions, we learn more and more about the need for hydration. However, in the nutrition classes I attended in college in the early 1970's, and perhaps, even in junior high and high school, we knew to drink at least 8 8 oz glasses of water a day, minimally. That has been a standard for quite some time.
A few years ago, I visited family in Phoenix, Arizona in June or July. I was impressed that in the downtown area, around commercial buildings where pedestrians are expected, they had "hog misters" or hoses that misted the area to help keep pedestrians cool.
The first time I had experienced "hog misters" in a commercial setting was when I was married to Lisenby, and we made a trip to San Antonio. We went to "El Mercado" and the area was repleat with "hog misters." Of course, as with Phoenix, it was so hot that by the time you walked away from the areas affected by the misters, you were neither cool nor damp.
The other things about hydration in Phoenix that impressed me included that there were street vendors lined up along the pedestrian ways, selling ice cold bottled water, at reasonable prices. We went to an Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game at Chase Field http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/ari/ballpark/index.jsp, and there were all sorts of ice water vendors.
Additionally, we went wandering throught the malls or stores or whatever they call them in Phoenix, downtown, and even the high dollar gift, accessory and clothing stores had small refrigerators near the cash registers. They sold cold drinks, predominately water, but sodas as well. A store of that ilk in Lubbock would have a large, unfriendly sign on the door that said "No food or drink." I did not see that in Phoenix. It may exist, but I did not see that. Human safety prevailed over merchandise security, I hope.
This reflects the awareness of the importance of hydration of humans in the desert. Accomodations such as air conditioning make desert living possible. What is so sad is that in the north and east, so many poor people do not have air conditioning, and surviving a heat waves is not possible.
Partly, that is due to their not knowing how to survive in the heat: increased fluids, moving air, ice buckets in front of fans, decreased activity, and seeking air conditioned buildings when their homes are not air conditioned. But it is also in part due to their bodies not being acclimated to the heat. How can they be? This takes time and patience.
It is also due to their not having the resources to install air conditioning, or to seek an air conditioned venue, including because the heat has so weakened the person, they cannot reach out for help.
But ultimately, I believe hydratrion is the key. I think humans need to consume at least 64 oz.of water a day, more if the temperatures are in the 90s and 100s, and more if they are working physically in heat of 80° or more.
They need to pace themselves, take plenty of breaks that include fluid consumption, and watch for signs of heat stress, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. I think the reason these are not endemic problems in Phoenix compared to Chicago, is not because the poor in Phoenix necessarily have air conditioning (they may or may not) but because they understand how to survive the desert heat.
Ultimately, utimately, hydration is so important. Seek shade. Seek moving air. And hydrate.
Lubbock, Texas is considered a semi-arid region, but when the temperature climbs into the 90's and 100's, who are we kidding: this is the desert, especially in the years when the rains are below 15", our "average rainfall," which happens quite frequently. Of course, I have lived in Lubbock since 1977, and in the early years, the emphasis on human hydration was minimal, but has especially increased in the last 10 or so years. As we learn more and more about bodily functions, we learn more and more about the need for hydration. However, in the nutrition classes I attended in college in the early 1970's, and perhaps, even in junior high and high school, we knew to drink at least 8 8 oz glasses of water a day, minimally. That has been a standard for quite some time.
A few years ago, I visited family in Phoenix, Arizona in June or July. I was impressed that in the downtown area, around commercial buildings where pedestrians are expected, they had "hog misters" or hoses that misted the area to help keep pedestrians cool.
The first time I had experienced "hog misters" in a commercial setting was when I was married to Lisenby, and we made a trip to San Antonio. We went to "El Mercado" and the area was repleat with "hog misters." Of course, as with Phoenix, it was so hot that by the time you walked away from the areas affected by the misters, you were neither cool nor damp.
The other things about hydration in Phoenix that impressed me included that there were street vendors lined up along the pedestrian ways, selling ice cold bottled water, at reasonable prices. We went to an Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game at Chase Field http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/ari/ballpark/index.jsp, and there were all sorts of ice water vendors.
Additionally, we went wandering throught the malls or stores or whatever they call them in Phoenix, downtown, and even the high dollar gift, accessory and clothing stores had small refrigerators near the cash registers. They sold cold drinks, predominately water, but sodas as well. A store of that ilk in Lubbock would have a large, unfriendly sign on the door that said "No food or drink." I did not see that in Phoenix. It may exist, but I did not see that. Human safety prevailed over merchandise security, I hope.
This reflects the awareness of the importance of hydration of humans in the desert. Accomodations such as air conditioning make desert living possible. What is so sad is that in the north and east, so many poor people do not have air conditioning, and surviving a heat waves is not possible.
Partly, that is due to their not knowing how to survive in the heat: increased fluids, moving air, ice buckets in front of fans, decreased activity, and seeking air conditioned buildings when their homes are not air conditioned. But it is also in part due to their bodies not being acclimated to the heat. How can they be? This takes time and patience.
It is also due to their not having the resources to install air conditioning, or to seek an air conditioned venue, including because the heat has so weakened the person, they cannot reach out for help.
But ultimately, I believe hydratrion is the key. I think humans need to consume at least 64 oz.of water a day, more if the temperatures are in the 90s and 100s, and more if they are working physically in heat of 80° or more.
They need to pace themselves, take plenty of breaks that include fluid consumption, and watch for signs of heat stress, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. I think the reason these are not endemic problems in Phoenix compared to Chicago, is not because the poor in Phoenix necessarily have air conditioning (they may or may not) but because they understand how to survive the desert heat.
Ultimately, utimately, hydration is so important. Seek shade. Seek moving air. And hydrate.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Loose Ends
The last couple of nights, I left work a few minutes before 5 PM. I usually do not leave work until 5 PM, or sometimes, much later. But we have been on lockdown, and clinical efforts are severly restricted by that.
I had done everything I could do within reason, and left close to the end of the day. Having said that, I put in well over 40 hours this week at work.
Last night, I had an errand to run on the way home. Even so, I arrived at the house much earlier than is normal. As I did tonight. However, because it was within feeding time for the cats, and they are accustomed to me feeding them when I get home, I fed the cats, did little household chores and then chilled out before fixing and eating dinner.
Last night, I could not get comfortable and found it very difficult to fall asleep.
Tonight, it is too early to think about falling asleep. I finished a book, and will start another soon, but am feeling at loose ends, and unable to settle down and really relax.
Part of the problem is the heat. We had had a spell of very pleasant weather that enabled me to open the house and sit in the back yard, in the evening, reading. I know it is too hot to open up the house. I think it might be too hot tonight to sit out, but I need to check that out.
Sometimes, I just feel "out of my skin." I dislike that feeling. But I know it is temporary. I do not know what causes it. I do not know what cures it. It just is.
I had done everything I could do within reason, and left close to the end of the day. Having said that, I put in well over 40 hours this week at work.
Last night, I had an errand to run on the way home. Even so, I arrived at the house much earlier than is normal. As I did tonight. However, because it was within feeding time for the cats, and they are accustomed to me feeding them when I get home, I fed the cats, did little household chores and then chilled out before fixing and eating dinner.
Last night, I could not get comfortable and found it very difficult to fall asleep.
Tonight, it is too early to think about falling asleep. I finished a book, and will start another soon, but am feeling at loose ends, and unable to settle down and really relax.
Part of the problem is the heat. We had had a spell of very pleasant weather that enabled me to open the house and sit in the back yard, in the evening, reading. I know it is too hot to open up the house. I think it might be too hot tonight to sit out, but I need to check that out.
Sometimes, I just feel "out of my skin." I dislike that feeling. But I know it is temporary. I do not know what causes it. I do not know what cures it. It just is.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
The Web
In 1994, a spider had constructed a beautiful, complex, giant web anchored on the eyebrow or eave overlooking the back door of my house. It was gorgeous, and for the longest time, I did not disturb it. That was the year I had siding put on my house. I remember getting several estimates. One of the estimators made a derisive comment about the web. Another estimator commented on it's beauty, and acknowledged what a shame that it would have to be knocked down. That estimator represented a well established business. Their price was a medium price, not the low bid of the web detractor. And not the high bid. But, in part because of the estimator's comment about the web, I used that company.
Last night, when I went outside to sit and read in the beautiful night air, I saw one long strand of a spider's web, from the eave, to the eunonymous bushes, about 2.5 or 3 feet off the ground. Today, there are multiple verticle strand, and multiple horizontal strands. About 5 feet off the ground, there appears to be a central web developing. The panes are uneven, and there is a lot of flotsam and jetsam accumulated on the web. Most amazingly, only the outer part of the concentric circles of the web exists.
I do not know how spiders build webs. I am wondering if this spider has some flaw that makes the web less than symmetrical, as most webs are. I wonder if in the next day or two, the center of the web will be filled in with more filaments.
I am delighted that I am offered the opportunity to observe this gem of nature!
Last night, when I went outside to sit and read in the beautiful night air, I saw one long strand of a spider's web, from the eave, to the eunonymous bushes, about 2.5 or 3 feet off the ground. Today, there are multiple verticle strand, and multiple horizontal strands. About 5 feet off the ground, there appears to be a central web developing. The panes are uneven, and there is a lot of flotsam and jetsam accumulated on the web. Most amazingly, only the outer part of the concentric circles of the web exists.
I do not know how spiders build webs. I am wondering if this spider has some flaw that makes the web less than symmetrical, as most webs are. I wonder if in the next day or two, the center of the web will be filled in with more filaments.
I am delighted that I am offered the opportunity to observe this gem of nature!
Dealing with Time
Since the 14th of July, when I had the sense of somnabulence, I have been having difficulty dealing with time. I recall, when I was a child, some of my teachers, and my father saying that you could teach yourself to register time: when to get up, when to go to bed, approximately what time of day it is. I can usually do that well, not necessarily needing a clock, unless I take a nap during the day. Or, unless I am rapt in a project.
And, when I was in college and we had an interviewing course, the professor said you would get used to having 50 minute sessions. And, I did develop that skill, and still have it, although where I work now, I seldom need it.
But since I have had that somnabulent experience, I am feeling out of sorts about time.
I can still gauge and estimate how long tasks should take, and plan accordingly. But I am having difficulty staying focused on what day it is. The last few evenings have had such mellow evening air, as I sit in the back yard and read, I have to remind myself what day it is, that I have to go to work the next day, that it is not a weekend, and that I am not on vacation.
I do not have as much difficulty during the day, but I am still having to work at reminding myself what day of the week it is. I do not recall having this problem in the past. It is as if I am floating in time and not grounded, and have to force myself to be grounded.
It is a peculiar feeling, a little disconcerting, but very relaxing. As if, although it is a week day night, I am doing weekend time, with no stressors, worries or concerns. It is in some ways a nice, almost comforting feeling. The only discomfort it affords me is that I will forget what day it is and forget an obligation, such as going to work!
And, when I was in college and we had an interviewing course, the professor said you would get used to having 50 minute sessions. And, I did develop that skill, and still have it, although where I work now, I seldom need it.
But since I have had that somnabulent experience, I am feeling out of sorts about time.
I can still gauge and estimate how long tasks should take, and plan accordingly. But I am having difficulty staying focused on what day it is. The last few evenings have had such mellow evening air, as I sit in the back yard and read, I have to remind myself what day it is, that I have to go to work the next day, that it is not a weekend, and that I am not on vacation.
I do not have as much difficulty during the day, but I am still having to work at reminding myself what day of the week it is. I do not recall having this problem in the past. It is as if I am floating in time and not grounded, and have to force myself to be grounded.
It is a peculiar feeling, a little disconcerting, but very relaxing. As if, although it is a week day night, I am doing weekend time, with no stressors, worries or concerns. It is in some ways a nice, almost comforting feeling. The only discomfort it affords me is that I will forget what day it is and forget an obligation, such as going to work!
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