After a whirlwind summer that included a trip to Idaho to memorialize by cousin Paul, a trip home to Ohio, two very busy weeks in Japan and then a week of jet-lag induced lethargy I’m feeling good. This was my first really productive day in a while and I got everything accomplished.
The first was a backlog of items for work. I still have more to do but am now in a much better spot than I was. After work I then cleaned the turtle tank and did a lot of yard work. The dead leaves from the eucalyptus trees really pile up and now they are gone. It is 6:28 PM on a gorgeous day that is perfect for sitting on a newly cleaned patio. The sun is shining with little breeze that makes the cool 65 degrees feel more like 75. I realize how lucky I am especially since much of the world, let alone a lot of the USA is absolutely roasting.
Seeing those temperatures really is frightening. Unfortunately capitalism has put us in this bind with their focus on short term profits and being unable to see where the train is heading throwing up all that pollution. I remember Al Gore campaigning on this threat but nobody listened and he lost. Then for the next two decades you had Republicans laughing about it when it snowed. It seems somewhat like divine retribution as those states that are baking have always been solid red states. They are now in such a fever that not even 100 degree days on end will do much to show them how much danger we’re all in. I’m particularly worried about food supplies and what seems to be a feedback loop where the weather will simply get worse. I’m afraid humanity is in store for a very bad future.
I think in the minds of most people there is a voice telling them not to worry, everything will go back to normal. That has often been the case until it doesn’t. I’m very afraid of what our future is going to look like.
But for today all is well and I’m feeling not only accomplished but much better. Having a productive day will help do that. There is some sad news however and that is last night the coast guard was out over the ocean for about two hours searching for something. When that happens it is always for a person and I learned that someone walked into the waves and didn’t walk out. I’m sure that will be in the news should I check it. It sounds like a suicide. From my perch here the ocean seems so calm and serene. But having lived near it for almost two decades I’m well aware it is to be respected as it can and does take a life from time to time. People have been caught up in sneaker waves, rip tides or just going out when the tide was too strong.
In other news I’ve got two more days being a bachelor then the family returns. This year I was traveling most of the time they were in Japan or with them. That left perhaps a week and a half of time alone and I didn’t get to any special projects I usually have in store. I really didn’t have any projects in mind but I can always find something. Lesser activities were reading Indigenous Continent and watching the Netflix series The Ottomans. I’m almost done with the series but have a long way to go in the book. One big project was completed but not by me, and that was getting a new roof. That has been completed and now I need to schedule the solar install.
I’m really looking forward to solar as that means I’ll pretty much be able to use as much energy as I like without any cost. I have some ideas to mine crypto, or perhaps keep my ambiance going 24/7 but we will have to see how much excess is produced. It does give me peace of mind as energy prices are always going up and with the volatile weather I’m afraid energy demand will only increase causing a lot of pain for households.
Returning to the topic of the summer I was very busy with all the travel. As always I’m not sure where the time has gone but am glad I got to spend time with family in both Ohio and Japan as well as renewed bonds of friendship. Regarding longtime relationships much has changed and that is primarily due to two things: MAGA idiocy and the passage of time. At 46 I found that many are too busy with friends and family and the old bonds have withered, so much so that many couldn’t even muster the motivation to come out to meet. I suppose that is to be expected as the saying goes “If you have 5 good friends when you’re middle aged you’re doing well.” I too am to blame somewhat as I don’t always want to go out because it usually involves drinking. I like to have some drinks but at my age alcohol always makes me feel lethargic for the next two days and I enjoy being productive. Therefore, it is often best to not go out with friends at all and I had to turn one down who wanted to get together on Wednesday for a few drinks of course. I’ve had my fill of drinks this summer and now it is time to get back into shape and focus my mind.
The sun has now passed behind the tall eucalyptus trees which has caused the temperature to cool about ten degrees here in the shade. I’m debating whether or not to make dinner as I enjoy the large weigh drop when I’m not eating three meals a day. Alone, one small meal is usually enough but I do have an urge for pasta while watching Netflix. I also dropped five pounds since yesterday so that gives me some incentive.
With that I think I’ll go inside and make myself comfortable.
