NaBloPoMo Success!

I made it!
Yay, me!
Thirty consecutive days of posting nonsense!

I do realize that Out of My Hat doesn't post much in the way of valued content anymore. While I do still check on things like views and look forward to any comments, I now mostly write as a way to organize my own thoughts and converse in a way that preempts the interruptions of actual conversation with people that don't really care what you think or have to say. 

     * * * * *

It is November 30 and it is cold in the Ozarks of SWMO. Sometime around sunset yesterday the temperature dropped below freezing and it will remain below freezing until sometime Tuesday afternoon. It is a bit of a shock to the system for a guy just returning from the tropical beaches of Mexico.

With the cold nights comes dangerous conditions for many that have no permanent shelter nor safe, warm places to sleep. There are a number of places that offer overnight shelter, but there are too few of them and there is a great need for volunteers. 
Tonight begins my sixth season of volunteering/working with one of the shelters that is a cooperative effort of three local Springfield churches. The coordinators from the three churches are compassionate, caring, and truly hardworking people. I am honored to be a part of the work that they organize and do on top of their regular day job duties. 
Please consider being a part of our work. There are volunteer duties that vary from very little contact with people like setting up, cleaning, and hauling laundry, to full on spend the night watching over and caring for 30 or so people and their pets. 
Let me know if you are interested or have questions. I will happily point you to the people that can help you to be involved and fulfill a great need this cold weather season.

Today will be a lazy day and a long overnight.
I am glad that I won't feel the need to post tomorrow. 
On the other hand, I will have plenty of time to do so while our overnight guests are sleeping, so you might have more useless reading waiting for you tomorrow.

Be well
Be warm
Be grateful
Be kind

John

Home

After a long and unsuccessful travel day yesterday, I finally arrived home to a rainy and cold day. 
Friday's first flight was delayed several times and the gate for the absent plane also changed several times (which is really pretty stupid). I changed my connecting flight to Springfield to the last flight of the day as soon as the initial flight was delayed. That might have worked if we didn't make an unscheduled stop in Houston. 

I don't know what that was all about other than to say the airline's excuse was no doubt a lie, since they said it was due to weather in Dallas but weather radar didn't show it to be that bad. By the time we took off to resume our flight to DFW my SGF flight was already on the ground in Springfield.
All-in-all, such things are truly first world problems and it would be a shame if all of those people leaving Puerto Vallarta let a bad travel day ruin an otherwise wonderful vacation.

At least today's journey was easy and I figured I would throw this out there and hope for a Sunday post to complete the NaBloPoMo challenge.

It is good to be home.

John

Travel day!

It's time to go home.

And it will be good to be home.

Unfortunately, the dental work was a bit of a bust. Mistakes were made and I will need to plan another trip to finish up the work that was started.

Initially, I was going to be able to buy the two round-trip air fares and get the implants for less than the cost of the implants in the US.

Now cost wise it will be a wash, but I've still spent two months in PV, so...

It's been a little frustrating, but first world problems shouldn't be more than that. 

And speaking of first world problems: The 60f degrees difference (15c) from when I depart PVR and land in SGF is kind of a big deal! 

I did bring long pants and a long sleeve shirt, but I figured I can manage walking from the terminal to the car in shorts and a short sleeve shirt, so that's what I'm wearing. There will be plenty of time for winter clothes in the coming weeks.

¡Hasta la próxima, mis amigos!

(Until next time, my friends!)

John 

Thanksgiving

For the second year in a row Chris and I are apart at Thanksgiving. Last year I was home alone while she was here in Mexico on a moms trip to see the kids. This year I am the one in Mexico as I needed to extend my stay to complete the dental work I am having done.
Together or apart, we have many reasons to be thankful.

We have a good life.
I never get tired of sitting on the deck and looking out over the country view. We have a nice, comfortable home and live in a moderate climate. While we may have difficulty deciding what we're going to have for dinner each night, we never stress about going hungry. We have books available on Kindle and a library that isn't too far away. 
Books, food, comfort, and each other -- what more does anyone really need?

I am proud of our kids.
They live in vastly different climates -- a tropical beach city and a rural mountain setting.
And each is happy where they are. 
We'll be going to see Hannah, Jason, and the pups in a month and have been visiting in Puerto Vallarta with Aaron and Jenny on this trip that ends tomorrow (Chris went home last Friday). 
They all seem to be enjoying life. 
What more could a parent want for their kids?

In all honesty, today won't be that much different from most days. 
To be sure -- there will be some different foods and gatherings of friends, but I feel thankful on a daily basis. Life is not Instagram perfect, but it is a good life. 
"Just another day in the life of John" is more than a stupid little saying. It is an attitude of gratitude and recognition of the good life that I get to live every single day. It is not extravagant nor is it extraordinary. It's just a simple, but good life.

I hope that you find many reasons to be thankful today. While today may be the US holiday to give thanks, it doesn't take a holiday to show gratitude and express grace to one another.

Be well, my friends!

John

Wednesday Wisdom

Reassurance or research
 

John

Simple Life

I'm sitting at the coffee shop around the corner from the kids' place and enjoying the morning. I can't really say that it's quiet because there is a steady stream of traffic on the cobbled road that is right next to my sidewalk table, but there is a certain serenity in the morning noise.
I've noticed a young woman that passes by me each morning as she makes her way back from the small neighborhood store. She has a bag with several eggs (no carton) and whatever vegetables she needs for the day. Apparently it is a part of her morning ritual to walk to the store and buy whatever they will eat for that particular day.

You can buy seven or eight eggs if that's what you need.
If you are making soup and need two stalks of celery, you can buy two stalks of celery. 
If you are looking at avocados, the owner will ask if you need them for today or tomorrow and then she'll pick out the ones that will best serve your need.
There is fresh produce being delivered and sold every morning as I walk past on my way to the coffee shop. 
There are many neighborhood kids walking to the nearby school. I have seen some being dropped off, but most walk, solo or in small groups. I haven't seen any school buses.

But a simple life doesn't mean it's an easy life -- at least not by the standards I am used to.
Many homes have no central air-conditioning and are lucky to have mini-split units in the main living area or sleeping areas.
Tap water is generally not potable, so bottled water must be purchased or a separate filtering system of some kind.
LP is delivered where gas is used since there don't appear to be underground natural gas lines in most areas.

The city is pretty walk-able and so I walk here -- a lot more than I do back home. Traffic is a completely different thing and I think I would have to be here for quite some time before I would be comfortable driving anywhere. I don't know if I'd ever be very comfortable on a motorcycle here. 

The people here work hard.
There are a lot of small business owners that work very hard at making things work for themselves and their families. 
There appears to be much more manual labor available and the laborers work hard. I don't know where the idea of "lazy Mexicans" came from, but it wasn't from anyone that actually watched them work!

I think that much of the living that I have observed here is harder than most people from the US would want to endure on a daily basis. But there is also a peacefulness that is rare in the US. It would be interesting to see if people would be willing to trade a little comfort for a lot of peace.

Just thinking...

John

Reading

Reading can be so much more than just understanding words on a page and passing time.
Reading can be more than informative; it can be educational. Even fictional stories can expose a reader to different cultures, times, and people.

Reading can be its own meditative kind of escape. It can transport the reader into a fantasy world of dragons, ancient gods, or futuristic super heroes and high tech wizards. I almost always have at least one book that I am reading -- often one fiction, one non-fiction.
I find reading of any kind to be good for either mental stimulation or for a calming, relaxing effect, depending on the material and my needs when I open a book or turn on my Kindle.

I also use reading (books) to keep from spending too much time reading internet garbage. I've done fairly well at reducing my screen time and social media time recently. I hope to be even more purposeful about my screen time in the future.

So...
What are you reading?
Why do you read?
How do you learn?

John

Sunday Morning

Today finds me at a softball field not far from where the kids live. We took a bit of a detour on the way to the ballpark to grab a cup of coffee from a nearby coffee shop. Aaron has the early game so I am just using this time to write while he and is team are warming up.

Our tequila tasting trip from yesterday was really quite wonderful. In fact, it is deserving of its own post and I will be doing that when I have the time to devote to it.
Today will be an easy day. Softball this morning, then who knows what this afternoon? 
All-in-all ...

Just another day in the life of John.

It's the weekend!

I know -- What difference does that make for a retired guy?

There is a big market that steps up in the several blocks at the end of the kids' street every Saturday morning. I'll be heading out for coffee and to do a little browsing in a few minutes. I don't expect to buy anything, but the atmosphere is always pretty festive and it will be a great way to begin the day.

Tequila tasting this afternoon. Aaron's baseball game and Jenny's softball game tonight.
It's going to be a full day. I'd better go get that coffee!

Have a grand weekend wherever you are.

John

Stuck in Paradise

Poor planning and a false assumption on my part has forced an extension of my stay in this tropical location. Since the cost to extend my stay is far less than booking a future trip to complete my dental work, I will be staying an additional week. Chris will be traveling home today and I will be moving from the Airbnb where we have been staying to the kids' place. 
Sacrebleu!

There are worse things in life.
Although it is an inconvenience and there is an associated cost, being here in November isn't the worst thing that could happen.

While the stay here is very much a departure from the quiet routine of home, I have kept up with some of my normal practices. I get up and go to bed at around the same time. I begin the day with a couple cups of coffee and time on the Chromebook. I read and enjoy an occasional cigar.
There are way more people encounters each day than I am used to -- probably as many each day as I would have had in the entire month at home! It is much louder in the city than it is from the quiet, rural setting of Highlandville MO.

Still, I am able to adapt and find a comfortable routine.
I am walking and moving much more than I do at home. I am managing to read about the same amount of time and really haven't watched more than a few minutes of TV. I am keeping up with a bit of blogging and have managed to post daily for the first three weeks of November. 

While I do believe that happiness is a choice, I also understand that privilege can make that much easier. Both our home in rural SWMO and spending time in the tropical beach area of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico are pretty easy places to be happy. 
But one could also find plenty to complain about either place and make themselves miserable. Oftentimes, changing our state from misery to happiness is just a matter of changing our attitude.
I do realize that's not always easy for some people.

I'll manage to be happy in the additional week here. 
I hope that you will be happy wherever you are in the coming days. 
It's a choice.

John

Community

On several occasions in the past, I have mentioned the overall feeling of community that I sense here in Puerto Vallarta. The more I think about it, the more I wonder what it would take to duplicate that feeling back home -- or if it even could be.

Unfortunately, I think that most of it is cultural and would take a generational shift in how we take care of one another. Also -- and I fear this for my Mexican friends -- I can see or sense that capitalism and its evil characteristics are making slow progress into the culture. While still a generational shift that will take time, I hope that they will see the signs from the corruption in the US and take great precautions to prevent such things in this country. I have hope that the strength of their communities will stand well against the few individuals that will wield power and wealth to attempt to overtake and control them.

On a much smaller scale, I am again realizing that I have a very small personal community of people. I also realize that I bear the responsibility for that. However, I am unclear about just how I feel about changing that. I may need to take some time for self-evaluation. 
Or maybe it's something that will take a little outside input to determine just how important a personal community (is that an oxymoron?) can be. 

In the past, church has provided most of the community for me. Church as I once knew it no longer exists for me and I really haven't found a community to take its place. I thought something more progressive might work, but I have found that, in many ways, even more progressive churches are still church. I just need to figure out how many allowances I can make between what I want and what I can accept.
Perhaps I need to be more purposeful in my search for community.

I don't think it is unusual for older men to have little or no community. That doesn't mean it is a good nor a healthy thing. It's mostly just a typical thing, but a thing that needs some attention. 
Hmmm...
Maybe a winter project to work on.

John

Wednesday Wisdom

Why do we listen to people with a platform but no credibility?
Why do we give opinions the same value as facts or science?
and Why do we let people get away with that shit?

John

Today is the Day

Today is the day I came here for -- to complete the dental implants I started earlier in the year. 
My dentist was on a nearly month long vacation in Japan so I scheduled the appointment for today, the 18th of November. But I really wanted to be here for the Day of the Dead celebration, so we came earlier for that. Getting to spend time with the kids and having some overlap with my nephew's time here has been a bonus.

Medical tourism is really becoming a growing industry for many countries that decide to meet the needs that the US healthcare system fails to meet at a reasonable price. For anyone needing dental implants and wanting to vacation in a tropical beach town -- I was able to pay for my two implants and two roundtrip airfares for less than the cost of the implants back home!
And I can recommend a fine dentista here in Puerto Vallarta!

Elective surgeries are also big on the medical tourism front. Many cosmetic surgeries, gender affirming healthcare procedures, and other things that are not covered by many insurance plans in the US are much more affordable here and in other countries that have learned to capitalize on our healthcare failures. 

I'm going to go out for coffee this morning and then a morning walk to begin the day. My dentist appointment isn't until this afternoon so I imagine another easy day in the life of John.

John

¡Feliz lunes! (Happy Monday!)

I am a little bit sad that this will be my last Mexican Monday for some time. We will be back home later this week. I know that I will enjoy the comfort and familiarity of our own home, but I will also be missing both the physical warmth and the social warmth of life in Mexico.

I have certainly had some meditative moments while sitting on the beach or floating in the ocean, and there is a peacefulness that exists in spite of the sound (noise) that permeates the city, but it is hard to beat the quiet meditation that I am able to have sitting on our deck with just the sounds of nature. 

The first time I experienced the ocean I felt the energy of the earth pulsing in the waves. It was something I could see, hear, and feel. And while you can't really smell or taste energy, you can smell and taste the ocean and be reminded of the earth's energy. I remember mentioning that to a farmer when I got back home and was sharing my experience. They said that they felt that in the earth; in the land.
It made sense to me as a young man, but it wasn't something I had experienced -- yet.

Today I do feel the earth's energy and life in its land. I love contact with the earth and believe that walking barefooted or working in the soil holds life giving value. I have learned to be sensitive to the energy of the earth from our landlocked home in Southwest Missouri (SWMO). It's weird how learning to sense energy from the land can help one sense energy from other living sources like plants, animals, and even other people.

Did you know ...
That the earth has a pulse-like beat that happens roughly every 26 seconds? While we can detect it seismically, nobody knows where it comes from nor what exactly causes it.

Just things I'm thinking about on my last Mexico Monday.

John

People

 

...or why they've been taught that.

John

Beach Day!

Again!

I am looking forward to today.
All summer I saw pics of a beach that the kids were going to with their friends on the weekends. It's not like the area of the beach that we've been going to. This one doesn't have the restaurants and drink service, but it also doesn't have the large numbers of people. The temperatures today are expected to be a little cooler than they have been and it should be a beautiful day. 

It is hard to believe that our short stay here is almost over. I'll be back to typing out my blog from the deck in just one week from today. Although it has been a warm November back home, the cooler temps will seem much colder as we return from the tropics of Mexico.
Being at home is always nice, but I could also be at home in a much warmer climate!

In spite of having the same free time to be connected to the internet and news of the political bullshit that has become the norm in the US, I find that being around people that are not as invested nor impacted by US politics to be refreshing. While the expats living here are certainly aware of and appalled by what is going on, they don't dwell on it the way it is back home. Even the remote and isolated life on the deck doesn't compare to the remoteness of being in another country.
Unfortunately, there is an overall kindness and caring about community that is present in Mexico but is very much missing in the deeply red populations of rural SWMO. There is both community and kindness in our area, but it is often limited to people that look, think, and believe the same way. I have become much more aware of just how exclusive kindness is in our rural area and it is pretty disgusting.

However, I will not be thinking about that as we head to the beach this morning. 
I will love being with our kids and their friends.
I will be enjoying the beauty and power of the ocean.
I will sense the rhythmic pulse of the earth.
I will absorb the warmth and life from our local star (the sun).
I will read my book.
I will live in a kind world

...at least for today.

John

 

Friday Fun Facts

Did you know there's a flat spot in the curvature of the ocean?
Okay, no scientist really describes it as a flat spot, but that's how my own pea brain pictures it.
The Indian Ocean Geoid Low is a place where the earth's gravity is much lower than the surrounding area so the water of the Indian Ocean is pulled away from the low gravity area making the surface of the ocean nearly 100 meters lower at the center off it than the surrounding ocean.

Because of the size of the area, there isn't really a perceptible hole in the ocean, just a gradual decrease and increase in the actual sea level versus the mean sea level.
Over 100 meters; nearly 350 feet!

I wonder if you measured your vertical jump from the deck of a ship at the center of the geoid vs outside of it if your jump in less gravity would increase.

Our little planet is pretty amazing, isn't?

John

Thursday Theology

Something simple for today's theology post.
I truly believe that the best theology is simple and easily understandable, while still giving us something to think about.

Live life well today.
Be kind.
Be grateful.

John

Wednesday Wisdom

I thought that a traveling themed meme might be appropriate for a Wednesday Wisdom post while visiting Puerto Vallarta.

May all of your journeys be good ones.

John

Nothing to see here -- Move along

Sometimes I wonder if people in the US realize how small their impact is globally. 
Oh, I get it. The US is a major player in world economy and trade and most definitely has the world's largest military -- but the day to day bullshit and the 42 (and counting) day government shut down doesn't mean anything as the rest of the world goes about its daily routine. 

Friends returning from international flights from anywhere other than the US are not concerned about cancellations or over-stressed air traffic controllers. Social programs and healthcare aren't being cut. There isn't a great political division among the general population that divides families and breaks up friendships.
The divisiveness of US politics has even less impact here than it does in my little corner of Highlandville MO.

It's pretty nice.

I really hate what politics has become in the US. 
I hate what I see in other people, and 
I hate what I have become politically, as well.
Government has stopped governing and is working on a divide and conquer policy as if half of the country is enemies with the other half. This isn't a f*#king playground that gets divided by the biggest bullies even though that's what it looks like.

I thought I was going to write a big political rant this morning. Then I decided that I wasn't going to write anything at all -- maybe just post a meme or inspiring quote. Finally I decided that a little venting rather than a full-blown rant might be helpful for expressing my frustration while maintaining some control and peace of mind.

Maybe there are others with similar feelings.
Maybe not.

I may find myself on the beach this afternoon.
The rhythm of the waves and the energy of the sun bring harmony and life to my troubled soul.
How are you coping?

John

Monday Morning

It's 23c in PV this morning and 23f in Highlandville MO!
That's 73f vs -5c.
Brrr...
Apologies to those that are enduring the cold blast in the Midwest.
We still have 11 more days in PV. I will make the most of enjoying the summer-like temperatures while I can. 

I spent most of the day yesterday just lounging on the beach with an occasional dip in the ocean waters of the bay. Although it's still a little early for whale sightings, I did read a local article that a humpback has been sighted in the bay already. That's good news for locals and tourists. 

Staying in the Romantic Zone is a reminder of how quiet our life is in rural SWMO. Other than some traffic noise from a nearby highway or a neighbor's lawn mower, it's mostly just birds or other wildlife to disrupt the silence. Any city would be a stark contrast to what we have, but the festivity and the night life in PV make it exceptional. 
Monday morning coffee in this little shop isn't too bad. It's a relatively busy little shop, but the atmosphere is calm and most of the patrons are tourists getting a little pick-me-up before beginning their days.

My day is basically like most Monday mornings -- coffee, keyboard, quiet time (maybe not so much on the quiet). My life is pretty simple. I like it this way. 

John

Cold weather season

The first Arctic cold air blast of the season is moving into the Ozarks of SWMO. I have to admit that I am happily missing it and enjoying the warmth of the Mexican tropics. While I am sunning myself on the beach this afternoon, my friends back home will be preparing the overnight crisis cold weather shelter for our unsheltered friends.

This is the Facebook page for the shelter where I normally work/volunteer. 
If you can help by volunteering in some way or contributing to the many needs the shelter has, we would greatly appreciate it. 
It looks like this early blast of cold will only last for about three days and then we'll be back to warmer overnight temps for a couple of weeks -- but the season is long and there will be many nights and many needs over the course of the coming winter months.

Please consider helping if you can.

And for those of you that are not in the SWMO area -- I am certain that there are shelter needs in your area. Please look them up and see what you can do to help.

John

People

What do you like about people?
What don't you like about people?
And -- be honest, now -- which of those characteristics and traits describe you?

How often are we the people that we don't like?
How often do we do the things that aggravate us when other people do them?
If you weren't you, would you like you?

I'm curious.
If I want you to like me, what should I do or avoid doing?

Just wondering

John

Do Better

 

John

Going and Doing -- or NOT!

Yeah, that's not really for me.
I mean I do like going out occasionally, but the constant rush of having to do things, be places, and see people just isn't really my thing -- at all.

Last night we found ourselves 1700 miles (2700 km) away from home and doing exactly what we would have been doing at home -- Chris inside watching Netflix and me on the deck smoking a cigar.
I guess we truly are creatures of habit.

Aside from getting to visit with the kids, our trip to PV is to finish with my dental implants later this month. My dentista is currently vacationing in Japan, but I wanted to be here for the Day of the Dead celebration, so we came early. 

With the first part accomplished and the second part still more than a week away, we are just here to extend our summer by a few weeks. 

Life is good!

John

Wednesday Wisdom

A life of relative leisure is certainly a privileged thing to have, whether it is living here in Puerto Vallarta as some of our friends do or living in rural SWMO as we do. We got to meet up with some of our PV friends last night and I am really happy for them and the life that they have here. 
One of the conversations last evening centered around identity and how it can make retirement difficult for some people that identify themselves by the work they do. 
I think this is more prevalent in the US than it is in other cultures and countries.

For me -- one of the more difficult things about adjusting to retirement was just finding a new rhythm of daily life. Apparently some people also need to redefine who they are.

Who are you?
Wouldn't it be nice if we could be who we are without feeling like we have to meet the expectations of others?
What if we (as a society) didn't place expectations nor judgments on one another and just let each person manage life in their own way?
What if we didn't have to have a purpose, achieve goals, accumulate wealth, or be successful by societal standards to have worth?
What if we didn't focus on doing and just enjoyed being?

What if... ?

John

Taco martes

No
It doesn't work nearly as well in Spanish as in English. 
And since Taco Tuesday is a US marketing thing that capitalizes on alliteration and tacos are just an everyday thing here -- let's just call it martes or Tuesday.

It's day 4 of NaBloPoMo and I suppose I should be writing about our time here in Puerto Vallarta. It's still warm here, but as I've said -- summer is my thing. I spent most of yesterday relaxing on the beach, sipping palomas, and enjoying a cigar. Jenny joined me and it was a pretty good day. 
Chris joined us for an evening walk along the malecon to take in the Dia de los Muertos sites with the evening lights. There are a lot of tourists here for the holiday as the low season is coming to an end and the high season is ramping up.

I don't know if we'll be back for this celebration again, but I am glad we made the trip for it this year. We still have a couple of weeks and we will enjoy the warm days and always festive and friendly atmosphere. And although I rarely indulge in the US Taco Tuesdays, maybe I will start a new trend by going to los Molcajetes for dinner today -- Molcajetes Martes!

John 

Awake

It's not often I find myself awake after a single sleep cycle and unable to quickly fall back to sleep, but... that does seem to be the case in these early morning hours. One of the great perks of retirement is that the clock on when you need to sleep becomes less important and you can pretty much sleep whenever you can and get up in those times when you can't.

It is 3:30 in the morning and the coffee is just about finished brewing. I have two books on my Kindle and one from the library and I have my trusty Chromebook and less trusty wifi signal, but I am probably the only one up and using it. 
There is a disadvantage to being awake in an unfamiliar place and to not really having any available snacks. I have yogurt, granola, and some protein bars. I can make due with that or step out to the convenience store that is basically next door.
It appears that I may have a Wordfeud opponent that is in a time zone where they are up or perhaps they are also experiencing a bit of insomnia. At least they have made a couple of plays in our current game. I am magicianary if you are a Wordfeud player.

I am not really being meditative at the moment, but I am thinking about personal responsibility -- owning who we are, who others perceive us to be, and figuring out if we need to reconcile the differences or if it is okay for us to be perceived to be different people than we think we are.
I think it's probably okay for people to think I'm a jerk or unkind -- as long as I'm not really being a jerk or an unkind person. But how obligated am I to changing either their perception or my behavior? 

Just stuff in my head.
Since my Wordfeud friend seems to have gone back to sleep (or maybe off to work) I think I'll pour another cup of coffee and read a book.

Happy Monday
(It is Monday, right?)

John

NaBloPoMo 2025

National Blog Posting Month

It's that one month when bloggers strive to post daily for the month -- or at least it used to be.
Let's face it, blogging is a relic of the past and video messages from influencers on various platforms are now the way to communicate with the masses.

Fortunately, I've never been an influencer nor have I ever really tried to communicate with the masses. A few years of preaching and performing magic was more than enough for me. My little blog is just a way for me to organize some thoughts, share some ideas, and kind of bring a little calm to my own world. You can be in charge of your own world and finding whatever influencers you desire to follow. 
Following John is not highly recommended.

I've got a two day streak going, so I may just see how it plays out over the coming days. I am not going to make it a goal, but I may make a bit of an effort to post daily. In any case -- Happy November!

John

Daylight Savings Time -- Can we just end it?

We won't notice the change from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time this year. We went from Central Daylight time to Mountain Daylight time when we arrived in Puerto Vallarta, but since Mexico no longer does the twice a year clock hokey pokey we will now be on Central Standard Time and we don't have to change our clocks. 

I've pretty much always thought it was stupid. 24 hours is 24 hours. We can adjust work or school schedules and it's not like we don't have artificial lighting for late-night summer activities. I am sure that we will notice the early sunsets when we return to the Ozarks of SWMO. 
It's no biggie. We have lights.

I could be wrong, but I doubt the time change has the economic impact that it once had. I think technology probably nullifies most of that. Outdoor recreation areas are well lit with the latest/greatest high bright, low cost lighting available, and I'm not sure why we ever needed later daylight hours to go into dimly lit bars and nightclubs.
Isn't it time to recognize that the reasons for switching no longer really matter?

On the other hand -- the clock doesn't really matter to me. Do whatever you want to do. I'll go to bed when I'm tired and wake up when I'm finished sleeping, and find ways to occupy the hours in between.
Most things in life don't have to be as hard as we make them.

John