Friday Fun Fact

Did you know that applause and explosion come from the same root?

Our current use for explode or explosion is quite different from its original theatrical use in ancient Rome. 
A loud rhythmic clapping was a way to force a poor actor off of a stage in humiliation. The loud, organized clapping was so disruptive that the performance could not continue and the target would be forced to exit in shame.
Ex = out
plaudre = clap
They literally clapped them off the stage.

Applause (also clapping, but less organized and less disruptive) expressed approval of the performance, while what came to be explode expressed extreme disapproval -- both clapping, but very different intentions.

I'm not sure how the loud, disruptive noise morphed into our current understanding of explosion, but figure it probably came into being after the invention of gunpowder and its thunderous clap of released energy.
I'm sure this weekend's firework celebrations of the USA's 250th year will be filled with both explosions and applause!

John
 

Wednesday Wisdom

Today's wisdom is stolen from a well known sneaker brand --
Just do it!

I get the idea of delayed gratification and waiting until the time is right, but sometimes the priorities are wrong. Sometimes there isn't a good reason to wait or the thing we are waiting for isn't well defined.
Whether "Just do it" refers to exercise, taking a trip, or getting into a cold pool -- Do it. Do it now.

I have wanted to get a pool for quite some time, but always managed to talk myself out of it. It is easy to talk myself out of anything that costs money. I'm too cheap to spend much money on things for myself (other than decent cigars, bourbon, or tequila). We finally got one!
It's a pretty inexpensive one, but it's also a bit of an experiment on if it will be worth it. 
My pre-experiment hypothesis is that it most definitely will be. In fact, the real danger is that pool usage will interfere with actually getting work done. I may have to impose some rules about work time before pool time -- kind of a Just do it after I've mowed the field!

We got one of the pools with an inflatable ring at the top. the base is quite a bit wider than the top ring, so a poolside table for drinks, Chromebook, Kindle reader, etc. is a bit tricky. I'm currently looking at floating tables or I may just craft something from a few boards and a cut up pool noodle. In any case, I am not waiting to find something to use the pool. 
I waited a whole hour after it was filled yesterday to get in! The water temp was a cool 68 (20C) degrees, but I was in and enjoying the vibe for about an hour. I'll be doing more research on maintaining a pool and largely learning as I go. 
Looking back, I can't think of a good reason why we didn't do this when we first moved into this house six years ago. 

Today's plan :
Weed eat the yard around the house and flowerbeds (I mowed it yesterday)
Load the smoker with a half pork tenderloin and some burgers
Mow the field
Get in the pool

I'd better get busy!

John

Half-way Point

June comes to an end as does the first half of the calendar year for 2026.
Rather than review the high and low points of the past six months from a national or global perspective, I am just going to take a very narrow look from my own viewpoint.

Early in the year, I finished my sixth winter of working in the crisis cold weather shelters for the homeless community of Springfield MO. The organization around the shelters continues to get better even if the overall number of available beds has not. I really don't know what next season will look like for me. I know there is a need and a place for me within the shelter where I've been working, but I would also like to spend more time in a much warmer climate during the winter months. 
As soon as the season ended this past spring, I headed to Puerto Vallarta for several weeks. April was a lovely time to be there, but January would be a better time to be away from here!  

The spring here has been quite lovely. Even the early summer temps haven't been too bad. Our house stays relatively cool with shaded porches on both front and back and a nice airflow through the house. We make use of the attic fan that our builder says nobody uses anymore and we have been pretty comfortable without using the air conditioner. 
I think we used it back in March when we had an unusual stretch of several 90 degree days, but that's been it. It may come on today or during this week's run of high temps. 

I am back to my cold-brew iced coffee for the mornings. I am thinking about fighting nature and moving to an earlier bedtime and wake-up. I enjoy my slow mornings, but that often puts my outdoor work into the hotter part of the day. If I get up a couple of hours earlier I can still have my slow mornings and start work before it is too hot. Overall, it's not that much of a deal. Summer is my thing and sweat doesn't bother me that much.

The yard work feels good, but I am out of shape for the heavier stuff. I really need to work on that. I am carrying far too much weight and not getting enough exercise. It's an old tune that I keep repeating, but I think I'm finally going to do something about it. I've started using the exercise cycle several times this past month. I'm going to make that a regular thing in the coming months. Setting exercise as a habit is going to be more difficult than it once was. Truly I have been less mentally motivated to move as I have gotten older.
Plus, I like to eat -- too damn much!
It's true -- you can't out-exercise your bad diet.
Damn!

Let's see what the second half of 2026 holds.

John

Monday

As happens on many occasions, after spending a day of manual labor I am extremely happy that I was fortunate enough to be able to sit on my butt in a climate controlled environment to pay bills and put food on the table. 
I will be back at it again today, but at least this is voluntary and I take frequent well deserved breaks to sit my fat, old ass down and keep from hurting myself too badly.

It does make me realize that recognizing and admitting to the physical limitations of aging are difficult things. We all know older people that shouldn't be driving, or walking without assistance, or living on their own (or shoveling dirt during triple digit heat index) anymore. 
We remember being able to do those things but neglect the gradual changes and the cumulative impact those changes have over the years. 

I do need to be more purposely active to battle some of the aging effects, but I also need to make peace with some of the new limitations I am encountering. Today, I will be doing both -- working hard in the heat and taking frequent breaks because it is the safe thing for a fat, old guy to do. 
At the end of the project I will have an above ground pool to relax in. I'm sure it will be worth it.

John

PS -- just a friendly reminder to my US readers

Favorites

Be honest -- Do you have a favorite coffee mug?
It's the one you will always grab if it's clean and available,
The one that never finds its way to the back of the cupboard,
The one that you never give to somebody else to use. 
It's your mug -- your favorite mug.

This simple mug is almost 50 years old.
I bought it from the Tulane University Bookstore when I was a freshman in the fall of 1978. It once had a rubberized emblem like this one glued to that circle on the front of the mug.

Although the emblem was lost decades ago, the mug has continued to be with me. It was my work mug that was in my locker for my ATC career, and is now used more often than the other mugs that occupy my cabinet.
To be sure, there are other favorites in the daily rotation of coffee mugs. Most were gifts and many are a little larger than the standard mug size. I really don't know why this one is the favorite. I dropped out of college after a year and rarely think back on those days.

Do you have a favorite mug for your morning coffee?
If you are commenting on Facebook, let's see some pics.
If not, tell me about your favorite. Was it a gift? Does it have a quote or pic that is meaningful to you? Is it a souvenir from a memorable trip or event?

Maybe I'll share some other mug pics in future posts.

John

Friday Fun Fact

 

John

Home

It feels both weird and comforting to be back on the deck for my morning coffee and quiet time after spending a few days away. I pulled out the Chromebook just once on my short trip and didn't spend much time on it. I need to get used to spending less time on both the Chromebook and cell phone. I do realize that I will be spending some time on my phone over the next few days as I get to explore and get used to my new one. It came in while I was gone and I'll get it activated today.

Although I haven't actually spent any time watching any of the World Cup play, I am very grateful for the reminders of just how wonderful this country can be. It is a little distressing to be in the position that it took a bunch of visitors to point out our abundance and wonder. It is just too easy to focus on the distressing stuff -- and God knows we have plenty of that too!

I brought back a couple of new potted plants for the deck. My Mom's peace lilies  had become root bound and needed to be re-potted. She wanted to keep the original planters she had, so I divided them and made three new pots plus two reduced sized plants for her original pots. These flowers are from my Dad's funeral from February of 2020.
I chose small pots as peace lilies tend to do well in smaller pots and slightly root bound. I am a little concerned about having divided them rather than just moving them to a little bit larger pot. I am afraid that dividing the root system will be too traumatic.  I left the original two pots with Mom, brought two home, and left one for my younger sister. I hope they all survive. 

I also added a couple of outdoor plants for Mom and took care of her hummingbird feeders. 
I'm not sure how I got to be the gardener guy. I'm mostly just faking it and learning as I go. I am happy that Mom enjoys sitting outside and looking at her hostas and flowers.

Although I have plenty of gardening work to do at home today, it will need to be pushed back to another day. An unexpected trip to the dentist this morning and taking care of phones and other stuff this afternoon will take a significant portion of the day. It is nice to be retired and have lots of time to do whatever needs to be done -- including morning coffee and quiet time.

Remember -- Spend 20 minutes a day in nature, unless you're too busy. In that case, spend an hour.

John

New Tech in Old Hands -- Look Out!

I'm getting an upgrade!
I'm not really much of a tech guy so it has never been necessary for me to have the latest or greatest in cellular technology. Typically, I go with the free phone or the cheapest one available. Back when Samsung's Galaxy S10 was something, I had one because it was a part of the deal when we switched our cell service. My new phones since then have been pretty inexpensive Android options.
Now we are switching again and I will be getting a Samsung Galaxy S26+.  I'm sure it is way more technology than I need and I hope that the bells and whistles won't distract me from living life away from the virtual connection that it provides.

I think I'd much rather be relaxing in our pool (above ground, arrives next week) with a book than chasing fake (or even real) news stories on my phone. 

I am enjoying my coffee on the front porch this morning. 
One of the downsides to living in a rural neighborhood is the lack of good internet service. Our electric co-op is now providing high-speed fiber internet and is laying the cable on our street this week. Although I measured the easement and placed the front flowerbed and fence to be out of the easement, my idea of where that is and where it actually seems to be may be a little off. One of their little flags is inside of the flowerbed. I am hopeful that it will be okay.

We have been using T-Mobile's 5G internet service and it is sufficient for our low-tech needs. To switch to the more advanced high speed fiber would more than double our internet cost. T-Mobile has a pretty good deal to switch our cell service right now and that's what we are doing with our phones. By switching now, our actual cell service will go up $10 per month, but our internet will go down $25 dollars per month. Plus we get two $1,100 phones for the low, low price of paying the sales tax.

I have to admit, the available tech is both convenient and concerning to me. I can understand the savings to businesses as their apps help to efficiently automate many things, but I also wonder about the alienation of many older people that don't use cell technology at all or only to call or text. 
Many restaurants have online menus, online pay, or just assume that everyone has a smart phone. Other businesses are trending that way, as well. Most of the time I am okay with less human contact and am willing to adapt. Sometimes I'm not.  I'm sure that advancement in AI technology will soon make human interaction less necessary when it comes to customer service and problem solving.

The ability to connect my phone to my truck is nice for navigation and listening to music, NPR, or something on Substack. I haven't been much of a follower of any podcasts, but that may change. It's also nice for incoming calls and texts. 
The amount of tech you can carry in your purse or pocket is truly amazing! We can be connected to people on the other side of the world almost instantly. It's too bad that so much energy goes into spreading fear and nonsense rather than making the most of the global community. 
Haters gotta hate.
smh

Just let me know when somebody develops a robotic gardener. I'm pretty sure I would be a better supervisor than I am as a laborer.

John

Thursday Theme -- no alliteration necessary.

I think it is time to move away from the Thursday Theology posts. 
Do I come up with a new theme for Thursdays, skip posting on Thursdays, or just post whatever and whenever?
Hmmm...

For today I am enjoying the many posts from visitors to the US during the North American World Cup. It is nice to be reminded of the vastness of our country and its diverse landscapes, cities, and cultures. One European visitor commented that back home Americans are criticized for never traveling outside of the country. He said we don't have to. We have so much to see and do in the USA that we really don't need to travel abroad to experience diversity.

While we do have so much here at home and even have cultural differences within the US, I think there is still a great benefit to be had from traveling abroad. And though there is much to experience from a visit to the US, there are still many things that are unseen as we deal with the realities of a capitalistic society that has gotten a bit out of control.

I think the posts that compare the food here to what is available in their home countries are the best. One post compared the college Freshman 15 to the World Cup 15 and complained that they would have to buy new clothes for the trip home as they are putting on so much weight that they won't have anything that fits them.
One British influencer has commented that Great Britain conquered many lands around the world for spices, but doesn't use any of them in their food! The flavorful varieties of food were a bit of sensory overload. 
It is true that there is such an abundance of food and portion sizes are extreme, but food insecurity is unfortunately very real for millions of Americans. Affordable food, affordable housing, affordable healthcare are all things that are challenging for many of our citizens.

I am happy that people can come and experience the beauty and diversity of the United States. We are truly blessed with an incredible country. We have bustling cities and pastoral farmlands, majestic mountains and beautiful beaches. There are lakes, rivers, canyons, forests, small towns and villages, country roads, and endless highways. We have crowded apartment buildings and rural homes on acreage.
And we have the foods of many cultures and the fusion of flavors as people add their own flair to the recipes of others.

Yeah, I love my country.
I am not really happy with our leadership right now. Frankly, I am embarrassed by it. And although I didn't vote for what we currently have, I'll accept my responsibility and own it -- this is who we have become. 
It's time we change that. 
We can be better than we are.

If you have an idea for a Thursday theme to replace the faux theology, please feel free to share it. Otherwise I may just leave this space blank for a time.

John

Wednesday Wisdom

Sometimes wisdom is simply a matter of awareness -- you know, being woke.
The world we live in is a marvelous place; full of wonder everywhere you look.
It is both simple and complex.
It can be minuscule and infinite.
It is brilliant and it is invisible.
It can be calm and peaceful or violent and destructive. 
Unfortunately, it is often ignored or taken for granted.

Pay attention to the world around us.
Be aware.
Be woke.

John

June 13, 2026: Just another day in the life of John

24,106 days
3,443 weeks and 5 days
792 months
66 years

However you choose to measure it, that's how long I've been living out my existence in this gig called life.

Although I believe I have learned a thing or two over the past 66 years, I doubt that I have left any kind of indelible impression in the vast timeline of humanity. Fortunately, that has never really been a goal.
Nor have I accumulated great wealth, nor achieved great power.
By any standard of comparative measurement, I have led an insignificant life. 

But here's the thing -- 
I am content.
We have a nice home and a quiet life.
Our kids are grown and doing well.
We have enough.

I really don't know what we should be striving for in life other than to survive.
I don't know if we should be conquering other people (whether that is locally or globally) or helping them to survive, as well. 
Should life be a competition to see who can accumulate the most things? live better experiences? control the most people? 
Should we dismiss the present in view of achieving some future reward in an afterlife?

At 66 years old, I have few of the things that would indicate I have had a successful life when judged by our US standards for success. 
I have no education.
I never worked beyond a small facility in my career as an air traffic controller.
I never owned a successful business, nor achieved any kind of celebrity status.
Outside of a very small circle of people, nobody knows nor cares about the existence of John Hill.
And that is okay by me!

Day #24,106 marks a new personal record for me. Completing it successfully will mean that I get to see Day #24, 107 tomorrow.
Success!
Hopefully, I'll see you then.

John

Thursday Theology

I often think that Thursday Theology is a poor label for these posts because it is obvious that I am no theologian, nor do these posts in any way fit into a framework that could be considered as theological.

Unless...

Unless you think of theology as something other than a study of God and the religion that a majority of the theologians analyze and break down.
And that would be me.

I see theology as a seeking to understand The Divine and the relationship between humankind and The Divine. I truly have more questions than I have answers as I seek this understanding. The answers I receive only seem to give evidence that no (or few) theologians have a great understanding of God and how God relates to us. It seems to me that their idea of God is far too small to actually be God.

And so I continue to seek and to understand with my own weak brand of what qualifies as real theology.

John

What does your idea of God say about you?

More for me and less for thee is a lousy way to live

I have noticed that being more contemplative leads to some unexpected sadness.
I truly feel sad for humanity as it seems that so many people are unhappy with their lives. 

Why do we feel the need to compete with each other?
Why do we think it is acceptable to tear someone down to get ahead of them?

I understand the survival instincts that are primitive and an innate part of our being, but we are able to reason beyond our most primitive instincts. Getting more for me doesn't always have to mean less for others. Communities build together to make more or better situations for everyone. 
We (in the US) have become so capitalistic that we would prosper by taking away from those in need and celebrating our success while ignoring the great suffering that we have caused.
What is wrong with us?

It is ironic that people use the word "woke" to put down a segment of the population that is aware of suffering and injustice.
Indeed, we are "woke."
We see the things that they do not. To see and be aware of such things is not a bad thing. To call out evil and injustice is a good thing. I think their anger comes from knowing that there are people that are aware of the evil deeds that they are doing or supporting through political actions. They are the ones that need to wake up!

This morning I am happily sitting on the deck. Groucho the cat is dozing on a sunny spot on the deck rug. I have finished my coffee and a small sparrow is chirping loudly from the top of the post that holds its bird house full of babies. I think he is waiting for mama to exit the nest so he can feed the little ones what he has gathered for them. 
Life is pretty good here. The only stress I have comes from the weeds that need to be pulled or needing to mow (again), or deciding if I'm going to brave the exposure to people at the baseball game on any given home stand evening.

Competing for more has never really been my thing. That's why I ended my career at a small level airport at the lower end of the ATC pay scale. I have enough. 
Ours is a simple life. We have a nice home in a semi-rural area. We can afford to travel to visit the kids. We don't worry about having food to eat.

I'm going to run some errands this morning, meet someone for lunch, mow this afternoon, smoke a cigar and sip bourbon this evening. The most stressful thing I have to do today is leave the house and encounter people that are in competition with each other. 
I will end the day in the same way I begin the day -- sitting on the deck enjoying the sounds of nature.

Just another day in the life of...

John

It's not really about politics

I really don't think of this as being a political post even though it is about a politician -- namely, President Trump. 
The thing is -- it has nothing to do with politics, but has everything to do with a person that is just a narcissistic asshole. 

Last night's stunt of going to the NBA game at MSG was all about Trump. It took away from the game and from New Yorkers being able to celebrate their team in the championship series. He made access to the venue inconvenient for everyone that spent hundreds (even thousands) of dollars to be there and cancelled all of the street celebrations and watch parties anywhere near MSG.
Not only did he not care, but he condescendingly said they can go home and watch it on TV. 

He's never shown any interest in basketball. This was just another hate-filled stunt to generate attention.
Frankly, I am tired of it.
I can endure political differences and people with opposing political views. 
He has no political views nor policies. 
He inspires hatred, causes division, and only does what benefits him personally.
He is like a mob boss in the highest office of the land.
He does not care about the US nor its citizens.
He does not care about our allies.
He does not care about humanity.
And he does not care about the states nor the individuals that have supported him beyond getting their money and their votes. 

He is ruining our democracy and our global reputation and the entire GOP is complicit.

I have no answers.
Just needed to vent.

John

Competing or Overlapping Social Media Accounts

Between Facebook, Instagram, Substack, e-mail subscriptions, and the few blogs I follow I am finding many duplicate posts from good writers and sources. I sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed by all of the noise and think I need to consolidate most reads to just one source so I can spend less time sorting through what I have read and haven't read.

I think I am going to follow most accounts on Substack and save Facebook and Instagram for the more personal accounts from family and friends. I need to drop a bunch of e-mail subscriptions.
Honestly, there are many days that I feel like I should dump it all. 
I mean, how much real benefit is there from the time I spend on social media? 

How do you use the various social media platforms?
Do you use one for everything and stay off of the others?
Do you use one for personal stuff, another for pics or videos, another for news and information, etc., etc.?

I'm just wondering how others deal with the media's constant need for our attention and money.

John

Thursday Theology

 There are far too many "Christians" with a political mindset and far too few with a Jesus mindset.

John

Morning Rethink

This getting started earlier in the day idea is only going to work if I get up earlier. For some reason I have slept later than usual these past couple of mornings. I don't know if I am going to need to adjust my bedtime to something earlier than midnight to 1 AM or set an alarm (not likely), but sleeping until 8:30 and having enough time to enjoy my coffee is always going to give me a later starting time when it comes to working in the yard/gardens. 
I am going to have to play around with this for a little while and see how I can adjust.

In the meantime, I am enjoying my iced cold brew this morning and listening to the local avian population, already busy with their day's work of finding food and feeding their babies.

As for me, I will get busy without the usual internet/social media scrolling. Perhaps I will make a Wednesday Wisdom post later this evening. 

Have a lovely day!

John

It's time to make the coffee!

Typically, 8 PM isn't the time I'd be making coffee, but since I'm making a batch of cold brew it works out very well. My usual method is to use 150 grams of coarsely ground coffee in a two liter jar and to fill it with tap water. That will be covered and remain on the counter overnight. I'll strain out the grounds in the morning and that will leave me with about 1 1/2 liters of concentrated cold brew that I dilute at a 1:1 ratio, giving me 3 liters of cold brew. 

Admittedly, this is a little light and you may want to use more coffee (175 g) or dilute it a little less. For me, this works well chilled and poured over ice with a little heavy cream and maybe a splash of vanilla. For this batch I am thinking about skipping the water dilution and going 1:1 with milk and a little vanilla.
If you are strictly a hot coffee drinker, you can heat this up and you will find it to be less acidic than your normal cup of hot brewed coffee.

My normal morning is a scant liter of pour-over brewed hot coffee, but the iced cold brew is also pretty good. Currently, I am drinking a bulk Ethiopian coffee and I am thinking that I will also throw a cinnamon stick into the brewing process.
Oh yes, this is going to be good!

Tell me about your coffee.

John

June 1

This was one of those Mondays that I met a shelter volunteer friend for breakfast. It is a fine way to begin the day and in this case, the month. During the cold weather season I worked on Sunday nights and he always volunteered for the Sunday night shift. After the shelter was shut down and the Monday morning clean-up crew arrived, we would go out for breakfast. We have tried to keep that up on Monday mornings and I think we have settled on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month.

We really don't have a great deal in common other than our ages and similar outlooks on life in general, but we have a comfortable friendship and easy conversation. We both have Red Access Memberships to the Springfield Cardinals but we rarely see each other at the ballpark.

I did manage a little quiet time before our breakfast meeting, but decided to save the blogging for this evening. I forgot that it was the first of the month and meant to step on the scale for a weight check this morning. I guess I'll have to do that tomorrow. 

Although I didn't have a separate exercise time today, I do feel pretty good about the work activity for the day. Tomorrow I'll work in some exercise to go with the activity of yard work. Most of this week will be a little cooler than yesterday and today, but as the summer days get warmer I may move my online time to the evening and try to begin the work/exercise part of my day a little earlier. Maybe that will help me to get more than two or three hours of work in before calling it a day. 

Maybe not.
We'll just have to see.

It's a beautiful evening in the Ozarks of SWMO. It's a comfortable 81 (27 C) degrees and the night sounds are beginning to make themselves heard as the sun sets in the west.
There is nothing particularly extravagant or special about my life, and yet I feel very blessed to live it. 

Rest well, my friends.
Let's do this again tomorrow.

John

Let's talk about June

The Ozarks of SWMO have wrapped up May with a week of cooler temps and quite a bit of rain. While the skies are still overcast this morning, I think the rain will be moving on for a few days and we will see sunshine and summer temperatures around 90 (32 C) degrees.
That works for me.

My head is telling me that I need to make a June plan to get some regular exercise. My body is groaning at the mere thought of it. Working in the yard is an easy out when it comes to being active, but it really doesn't make a good substitute for regular exercise. I think that a daily walk, bicycle ride, or even time on the stationary cycle would be a good start. I'm afraid I will have to make some changes surrounding my slow mornings and early coffee and quiet time.

Now my head is groaning.
I like my slow mornings and easy beginning each day. Changing it seems sacrilegious.
I feel like this is one of those times when the present John needs to think of the future John and make decisions based on what is best for him. 
Something I read recently said that we often make decisions in the present that harm the one person that we should be loving the most -- our future selves.

That hits hard.
The food, the friends, the habits of today all have an impact on who we will be in the future.
I remember an old man telling me, "John, if I'd known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself."
I should have paid attention to him 20 years ago rather than waiting until now.

It sounds like that falls into the same category as tree planting -- The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.
Oh! That reminds me -- I have some trees I need to plant!

Plant trees
Get exercise
That sounds like a good plan!

John

My Summer Indulgence

Baseball.

That's my summer indulgence.
I think this is the fifth year that I've had a Red Access Membership for the Springfield Cardinals, the AA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. I have always bought the cheapest package which includes ten ticketed reserved seats in one of the cheapest sections, and a general admissions pass to all of the home games. The pass also includes perks like discounts at the gift shop and concession stands. 
The GA pass does not include any of the promotional give-aways during the season. I have to use one of my ten reserved seats tickets if I want a freebie.

Last year the team won the Texas League Championship and I think I attended 20 games -- most of them by myself. This year's team is off to a slow start, but I've been fortunate enough that they have won all of the games that I've attended -- 5 so far.
Even in those five games they have struggled to generate good offense. Defensively, they're doing okay.

I generally park a few blocks away from the stadium and walk to save the $10 fee for parking closer. I also limit my concessions so this doesn't become an even more expensive habit. 
Today is another humid and overcast day, but we are not expecting more rain this afternoon/evening.
Due to Thursday's rain out, tonight's game is a twofer double-header. The last double header I went to the first game and then left to meet with friends at our midweek Barchurch. I may or may not stay for both games tonight.

What's your favorite summer indulgence?

John

A pic from last night's game.

Streaming Services

There are so many different streaming services that one could go broke in subscription fees. If I just wanted to watch my favorite sports teams or sporting events I could end up spending an additional $100 per month -- one for Cardinals baseball, another for Blues hockey, and a few more for different MMA promotions. Fortunately, I'm not that tied to any sport that I feel like paying extra for the privilege of following a particular team. 

Nor am I a big TV watcher in general. 
Living in semi-rural SWMO cable TV isn't an option for us. Satellite service is expensive and I have found it to be unreliable. Our internet is T-Mobile's 5g service, which is the best affordable option I could find. Through it we get enough bandwidth to watch two TVs and operate our phones and my Chromebook. We have a paid streaming subscription to Netflix, Prime Video that comes with our Amazon Prime subscription, and we get HBO Max as a perk to our cell service. Roku gives us access to several other services and news, but we still don't have access to local news or programming. In the past we have had paid subscriptions to Peacock (NBC), Paramount+ (CBS), ESPN+, and maybe a movie channel or two. 
Although there are shows that I watch on TV, I think I could get along just fine without it.

I had considered renewing my subscription to Paramount+ this year when the UFC signed their multi-year contract with them, but I don't like the idea of supporting a network that is so willing to sell off its integrity to a corrupt administration. I don't think I can say I'm boycotting it since I wasn't a subscriber before they gave me a reason not to be one.
I guess I'm just too cheap to pay to watch TV.

The one subscription that I do indulge in is Kindle Unlimited. I know that I could get free e-books from a number of other sources (including our local library), but I enjoy the "free with subscription" library through Kindle Unlimited. At some point, I may give that up as well, or trade it for a subscription to something else. I'll probably read around 60 e-books this year and could easily find more than enough material without the subscription fee.

What are your necessary and indulgent streaming services and subscriptions?
I feel like ours are relatively few, but they still add up to a significant monthly dollar amount.

John

A Longer Summer -- I like it!

Just as Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning to summer in the US, Labor Day is its unofficial end. Due to a simple quirk of the calandar, this year Memorial Day fell on the earliest date and Labor Day will fall on its latest date. That gives us (unofficially) a few more days of the summer season!

I like it!

I will take as many summer days as I can get.
It does appear that this summer might be warmer and wetter than usual. We are getting an early glimpse of the wetter part as it looks like today will be another dreary and damp day here in the Ozarks of SWMO. I don't mind the gentle spring rains that we've been getting recently, but the severe weather is a different story. There has already been severe hail damage and flash flooding in our area during some late April/ early May storms, and the forecast looks like the summer may be full of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. 
I guess summer has its downside, too.

My morning coffee on the deck is a wonderful way to begin a summer day, even an unofficial summer day such as today. 

As I have been contemplating the personal therapy that regularly posting seems to provide me, I have been trying to envision what Out of My Hat will look like in the coming months. The end of July will mark 20 years that I've been publishing here and the blog has changed as much as I have.
And that's a good thing!
I'd like to write more often, but don't like that this has turned into a type of daily diary. I guess I will have to figure that out. I'd like to be writing about something or sharing something that is beneficial rather than posting about another day in the life of John.

Here's a little celestial trivia for you.
Did you know that the earth is slowing down during this part of its annual orbit?
Because of its elliptical orbit it will reach its greatest distance from the sun in early July (aphelion). This is the point at which the earth is travelling its slowest. As the earth gets closer to the sun, it travels faster. It takes several days more to get from the March equinox to the September equinox than it does from the September equinox to the March equinox. 
Science is cool.

Enjoy your longer summer (my northern hemisphere friends)!

John

Do you have a hobby?

Maybe I just think of a hobby as more than it is.
Is a hobby just something you do to bring you pleasure?
Is reading a hobby?
Is enjoying a cigar a hobby?
Or does a hobby need to be an activity?

If you were to ask me what my hobbies are, I would probably say that I don't have any hobbies.
And yet --
I do enjoy reading and have finished 27 books in the first five months of the year.

Enjoying a good cigar is more than just sitting and smoking.
I want to know my cigar. I want to know its origin. I want to taste the cigar and note the subtle changes during a smoke. I want to value the time that it takes to smoke a good cigar and honor the skilled craftsmen (or women) that rolled it. 
It's weird, but I find there is purpose to smoking a good cigar.

Maybe it is more like the practice of meditation, and less like a hobby.
I know -- it's not a healthy choice. 
That is something to consider.

Taking care of the yard and flower gardens is just something I do -- often a bit reluctantly and not very well.. I enjoy the results more than I enjoy the work that goes into it. The work part often feels like -- well, work! 
I suppose it is the closest thing to having a hobby that I can think of.

What are your hobbies?
What activities or projects have you made a regular part of your life and who you are?
Do hobbies serve a valuable function or are they overrated and unnecessary?

John

Five People

One of the blogs that I visit regularly made reference to this quote this weekend:

It got me thinking.
First of all -- I can't think of 5 people that I spend time with.
Secondly -- are authors, bloggers, social media connections counted in the people you spend time with? Same with phone contacts or text messages? Or news outlets?
And finally -- While I understand the thought, isn't this really just a bullshit thing that sounds nice or is there some real documented evidence of this?

Certainly, we are influenced by people that we are surrounded by and the stuff we read or listen to, but do we choose to surround ourselves with people and information that affirms who we are or that challenges who we are?
If we assume that this is a true statement -- Who are your five people, and do they make you a better person or a worse person than you are on your own?

Overall, I think I do a good job of shielding myself from toxic people. Most of the time I just stay away from all people. Yesterday, I actually went to church for the first time in a very long time. Today I will be going to a ballgame. 
But being out where people are isn't the same as being with people in a way that influences behavior. I suppose an exception should be made about church people, but that's not necessarily a good thing.

There is a line in the Bible that says -- Bad company corrupts good character. 
We should be careful about the people we choose as friends. 
Maybe we also need to think about why people would choose to include  or exclude us from their friend circle.

John

#ThingsthatmakeyougoHmmm

It's Friday! (but that's not a big deal for a retired guy)

It's coffee on the front porch this morning. It's cool and overcast and I am wondering what I might accomplish today. I don't think I'll get much done in the way of yard work/gardening today, but I do need to replant some nursery garden plants into their containers for my container garden experiment.
I also have some large flower pots that I need to get filled, and a few succulents that need re-potted.

While I do enjoy messing with plants --  especially flowers, I have to admit that my limited knowledge of gardening can be frustrating. One would think that the vast amount of information that is available would be an advantage to an amateur gardener, but there is so much conflicting information and everyone is a self-proclaimed expert with an opinion. Research can be time consuming and frustrating.
Gardening isn't supposed to be frustrating.

I am also disappointed in the poor base of the gravel portion of our driveway as grass and weeds growing through the gravel have been a constant issue. It is the one big complaint that I have with the construction of our home. I know that a concrete drive is expensive and I may look into the cost of an asphalt driveway. It's frustrating. Our home looks nice, but the driveway sucks.

I have almost finished my morning coffee and the battery on my Chromebook is getting low. I'll probably sit here for a little longer before I start procrastinating in earnest about the day's tasks. 
It's Friday and the beginning of a long weekend as we observe (not celebrate) Memorial Day.
I hope your day is a good one.

John

My Plans vs My Expectations

In a few hours, Chris and a friend will be on their way to visit the Colorado kids and I'll be left home alone for a week. In spite of the cool, rainy forecast, I hope to catch up on the gardening and unending yard work in which I seem to have fallen far behind already. 
I may go to barchurch tonight and I have a ticket for Monday evening's baseball game. I am not expecting any other people gatherings other than those encountered while running errands or something.
I may decide on a coffee shop morning at some point. Coffee and a little conversation might be a nice change. Hit me up if you're interested.

While I truly would like to get lots of work done, the cool, damp weather may end up being a convenient excuse for not doing much. Some days it is just difficult for me to get motivated to do much.
As with most readers, my reading list is longer than I can complete in a decade and still growing, so sitting with a book and a beverage is always an option. 

Even as I make the plans to work a bunch, my expectations are that I will work more than I might normally, but not accomplish near as much as planning John would like. In the end, I know that I will remain a happy boy. 
I do expect to fire up the smoker at some point. I have a new meat thermometer that I need to try and a pork butt that will be good for a test run. I may also throw a turkey breast on the smoker while I'm at it. 

Big plans, low expectations.
Slow mornings. 
Easy working afternoons.
Quiet evenings with a cigar and a beverage.
Just another day in the life of...

John.

Books (and upping my reading game)

I'm thinking about upping my reading game.
In 2002, the Norwegian Book Club compiled a list of the 100 best books of all time as voted on by 100 writers from 54 different countries. You can find The World Library List here.

I know that I have read some of these like 1984 or The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in school, as well as several Shakespeare works and some of Poe's writings. I can't honestly say that I remember much about them. A number of these titles are on our book shelves or tucked away in boxes. I have to say that I find the list and the challenge to read these 100 books to be quite intimidating, especially the list of foreign titles.

Nevertheless, since I generally have more than one book going at a time, I plan to start checking some of these off -- even if it's just to say that I have or to sound more intellectual than I actually am.
I am about 85% of the way through my current non-fiction read, so maybe I'll be reading some Shakespeare over the holiday weekend.

What are you reading?

John 

Mind, Body, Spirit

I feel pretty good in two of the three -- mind and spirit.
That's not to say that they are completed projects. Like a garden, they need regular care and maintenance.

The body, however, is a wasteland of neglect. It's been fed crap and been sitting idle for far too long. My short bursts of activity are no substitute for regular exercise. Even a daily walk would be better than the nothing I have been doing.

Yesterday, I decided to combine the task of mowing with exercise and used the push mower to mow about half of the yard area near the house. I'm estimating it is about 1/2 to 2/3 of an acre. The plan is to finish it today.
I'm not going to lie -- I feel it this morning.

Wile it is true that some yard work/gardening is laborious and makes for good exercise, most of it is just activity. Activity is better than nothing, but I don't know that it is of great benefit to one's overall health and well being. Some time ago there was an old man that told me, "John, if I'd have known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself."

I would like to stick around and enjoy a long life, but I don't want to be miserable and unable to get around or be on a ton of medication.

While Monday Meditation tends to focus on the mind and spirit, today's thoughts are more about bringing the physical body along for the ride.
Reading and puzzle solving games are good mental exercises that I get on just about a daily basis.
Regular meditation and awareness of the life and nature that is around me and within me takes care of the spiritual stuff.
Unfortunately, I really don't do anything for the body.
That needs to change -- not just for today me, but also for future me. 

I recently read that without knowing it, we often hurt the person we should love the most by the decisions we make today. That person is our future self.
Hmmm...
That's probably worth thinking about.

John

Retirement does not suck -- or does it?

I've had a few conversations with soon-to-be retirees, and a few questions and comments about how I have adjusted to retired life. I found this article to be an interesting one, although I'm not sure that it applies to me in a significant way.  

While I very much enjoyed my career as an air traffic controller, I don't think that I ever really made that my identity. The same can be said about being an evangelist, except I would say that my identity was more tied to that than to the full-time gig.
I also very much enjoyed the magic hobby while never really identifying as a magician.

Oddly enough, perhaps the common thing of the three is teaching. 
I don't think I would do well as a classroom teacher where students are forced to be there. College level courses that students choose might be different. 
I think preaching and teaching have many similarities and the magic was really just a tool I used in sharing lessons from the bible.
I think I would still enjoy sharing information in a similar way, but it isn't something that is a part of how I see myself or necessary for my well being.

I think I am mostly quiet because most people aren't really listening and talking is just a waste of time. People want to hear themselves speak. They don't really want to listen. Some people will engage in conversation by asking questions and then interrupt your answer to continue to dominate the conversation. 

I am glad that I truly enjoy my retirement. I'm happy that the transition was an easy one for me. I can certainly see how it might be more difficult for others of my generation.

Perhaps the most striking statement from the article is -- "The CDC, incidentally, reports that men over sixty-five have the highest suicide rate of any demographic in the United States."
If you are nearing retirement or already facing the breakdown of losing your purpose or identity, maybe it is time to reach out for some help.

Personally, I'm content with the old, retired guy identity.

John

Thursday Theology

I've been thinking (WARNING!!!),
Does it really matter what I think about (or if I think about) God?

I recently saw an illustration that showed if our sun was the size of a single red blood cell, our galaxy (the Milky Way) would be the size of the United States of America!
Our Milky Way Galaxy is just one of around 2 trillion galaxies in the observable universe.

I mention the grand size of the universe to justify my thought that the Creator of all of this probably doesn't care what John thinks about God (or about anything else, for that matter).
However, I do think that what John thinks about God matters to John and to the people with whom John interacts.

A God big enough and powerful enough to create such a grand universe is too far outside of my understanding capability. 
Having said that, I feel that it is important to note that I do believe in the existence of a Creator, and God works out to be an accepted name for this Creator. In all honesty, I'm still trying to work out how the person of Jesus works into the whole picture. It is contradictory to say that we are too insignificant for God to take note of us and then also believe that this same God would personally visit us to set us on the right path of how we are to live and love throughout our insignificant lives.

From observing nature from its simplest parts to the vastness of the universe, I have deduced that our Creator loves harmony. From the instinct driven societies of ants to the trillions of complex galaxies that exist, there seems to be both chaos and order and yet both exist in a harmonic dance that defies understanding.
While nature tends to create things in order, it also devolves into chaos.
It's the circle of life. (cue The Lion King music)

Some life circles are relatively short and small. In the case of our sun, it is a bit longer -- about 10 billion years.
My point here is that I really can't begin to comprehend eternity. I need to keep things at a level that I can understand. I understand that I can be a decent person today, or I can be a jerk. I think I have spent more than my share of time being a jerk, so maybe I'll try being kind today. 
It is a little weird that a one time Southern Baptist evangelist no longer cares about eternal life but instead believes that he (I) needs to focus on the actual life being lived. It's also weird that the teachings of Jesus are more about living life than about what comes next.
Hmmm...?

John 

Wednesday Wisdom

I know that the algorithms that drive social media accounts tend to fill your feed with the things you respond to most often -- whether they be self affirming or fear mongering, your reactions drive the types of ads and articles that will appear.

Here are a few of the things that have appeared in my feeds recently.

This is an excerpt from a longer thread. The question asked poses some interesting thoughts.

These next two were together and I think they fit me well. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. It is just true that they fit well.

I really do enjoy my alone time.
I like working alone in my yard and garden.
I like my morning coffee time alone.
I like going to ballgames alone.
I don't mind long drives alone.

Don't get me wrong, here. I also enjoy time with people.
I enjoy meeting someone for breakfast or a drink.
I don't mind going to a game with somebody.
I enjoy conversations about life and finding out what other people are doing.

It's true that I will choose to be alone more often than I will choose to be with people, but having the choice is a privilege that I will take advantage of as often as possible. Oftentimes, guarding one's spirit means sheltering it from people or at least certain types of people.
Understanding that some people need people and other people need quiet is a distinction that many fail to recognize.

"You do you," is a nice sentiment, but it doesn't always work in real life. 
Many times "doing you" means catering to the needs of others.

I doubt that today's post actually shares much in the way of wisdom. Maybe it will give you a different perspective so that you can find your own wisdom from within yourself.

John

Nature's Ongoing Joke

Why are the weeds so proficient and yet I struggle to cultivate flowers or vegetables?
It seems that agriculture is man's constant war with nature. To produce abundant crops we use pesticides and herbicides and genetically modified seeds. Nature naturally (of course) spreads her seeds and plants grow!
It does seem kind of crazy, doesn't it?

We seem to spend a lot of time and energy fighting against nature when working with nature seems to be more beneficial. Currently, the US government is working against green energy like electricity generated from wind. It appears to be a personal battle rather than a scientific one, but there really isn't a surprise there. Empirical evidence and intellectual knowledge have little to do with anything our current administration does.

Although I rarely undertake household projects myself, adding some solar power on a smaller scale is one that I have considered in the past and may look into again. I'm not interested in trading an energy bill for a solar panel installation bill or I'd just hire somebody that does that. I definitely need to do some more research.

We did add an old energy saving device recently -- a clothesline! 
I can't say it uses solar power because it's on the shaded deck. At best it uses indirect sunlight, a little wind, and mostly just allows clothes to hang and dry naturally.
It is a retractable pair of lines so that it is out of the way when not in use.
While the deck prevents direct sunlight, it also screens line items from the devastating effects of birds that have been feasting on the nearby mulberry bushes! It is also much more convenient than carrying baskets of wet laundry down the steps to a line in the backyard. 
Chris wasted no time in using our newly installed air dryer and hung our freshly washed sheets and pillow cases out to dry shortly after I finished putting it up. I am certain that it will get plenty of use throughout the summer. It probably won't save a great deal in energy costs, but it is nice to do a little something that feels a little green and is better for some of our clothes.

I suppose it is time to figure out how I am going to work with and against nature today. There is always work to be done.

John 

Sunday morning thoughts

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms and mothers!

     * * * * *

I've mostly enjoyed being lazy these past few days. The outside work that I have accomplished has been pretty minimal. I need to get busy. I haven't yet caught up on the work I missed while gone and yet new things are piling up while I'm going to baseball games or smoking cigars!
Unfortunately, I am unburdened by worry and it will all get done in due time -- or maybe it won't.
As I said -- I am unburdened by worry.

Thursday morning I began a Thursday Theology post that went unfinished and unpublished. I didn't delete it (yet) and I may get back to it at some point. It is difficult to express my thoughts on God and how all of the faith/spiritual stuff now figures into my life and personal being. It's quite far removed from how I once believed it all should. My personal deconstruction has gone much further than others that I have talked to about their own deconstruction journey, so it feels a little lonely out here. Heresy has few friends -- even among heretics.
I think I still have too many questions to be able to say that I firmly believe in something. Maybe I will continue the post by finding those things that I do believe in (for now) and work around the things that I will forever question.

     * * * * *

What are you reading?
I have read 24 books of my 52 book goal and am currently reading The Buddha and the Bee: Biking through America's Forgotten Roadways on an Accidental Journey of Discovery by Cory Mortensen (non-fiction), and The Watchmaker's Daughter by C. J. Archer (fiction).

Be well, my friends!

John

Wednesday Wisdom (and other thoughts)

When I decided to cut my Mexico trip short, I noticed that the Springfield Cardinals would be in town this week and had a day game on Wednesday (today). I was looking forward to going -- until the forecast is for 50 (10 C) degrees at game time! 
Watching baseball in long pants and a jacket is not my idea of a great time. I've done it (Wrigley Field in April), but I think I'll take a pass today. There will be plenty of baseball later in the season.

I have gone from getting sweaty walking home from the coffee shop and getting into the pool to sipping my home brewed coffee in sweat pants and a sweat shirt. (side note: Why is pants plural?  I'm not wearing two of them.) It's a good thing I didn't pack them away with some of my other winter clothes.
 
     * * * * *

I've been thinking that I don't really like that Out of My Hat has turned into more of a daily diary than a blog with any kind of significant content. The thing that keeps me writing is that it seems to be good for me. Even the decision to write or not write brings a kind of thoughtful balance to my day. It's more about writing things down for my own benefit than about sharing thoughts. Reading comments and getting feedback is a bonus. Finding that others sometime have the same struggles and similar experiences or thoughts is comforting. Misery loves company, right?
The decline in overall readers over the years no longer bothers me. I'm sure that reducing my Facebook friends list from nearly 1,000 to around 250 and leaving the evangelical world had a lot to do with that. 
I'm doing just fine without the large community of fake, judgmental people and no longer feel pressured to live out a dual life myself -- the life people expect of me and my real life.

I very much appreciate my quiet, contemplative retired life.
I may not be doing much to bring about peace in the world, but neither am I doing much to stir up strife.
Maybe that's a win.

I'll keep writing for me, but maybe try to address significant content a little too.

John

Monday Meditation

It is the first Monday in May and I am enjoying my coffee on the deck. The wake up temperature was a breezy 60 (15 C) degrees and looks like it will be another beautiful day in the Ozarks.

As I sit and sip my coffee, I am contemplating the simplicity of my life and wondering if I would benefit from a more active appreciation of it. I'm wondering if I should be seeking things to enjoy rather than just passively enjoying what comes my way. 
In truth, I should be doing both. It's just that I haven't ever really considered actively pursuing appreciation of the world around me. 

What would that look like?
Is planning to go to the river or lake with my kayak a more active appreciation of nature if my purpose is to enjoy nature? Is it different from kayaking for exercise and then realizing the beauty that surrounds me?
I think that I am generally appreciative of the good things in life. I'm not sure that I ever really seek them out. Also, I'm not really sure that I need to. Maybe finding good in tough situations is something to consider.

It is easy to sit here in the peacefulness of the morning and appreciate the sights and sounds of the morning. 
It's easy to work the soil and "see" the future flowers that will bloom in a few weeks.
But sometimes it feels too easy. Sometimes it feels like I should have to do something to earn the right to experience the beauty that surrounds me.
Maybe that is a part of the gift -- the beauty exists whether or not we recognize it. Maybe it doesn't matter if we seek it out or if we notice it in passing. The moment that we find it or recognize it is the same. Either one is enough to steal our breath for a moment and force us to pause to admire both the simplicity and complexity of the world around us. 
Maybe just being aware enough to notice the beauty around us is the key.

It's just stuff I'm thinking about this morning.

John

Shhh...

One of the things that really stands out when returning home from time in Puerto Vallarta is the quiet.
Since it is a mere 40 (4C) degrees outside and I am enjoying my coffee inside, it seems especially quiet. I am looking forward to the quiet days and even quieter nights that my rural retirement allows me to enjoy.
With the exception of re-adapting to the cooler temperatures, settling back into the simple routine of an overweight retired guy living in the Midwest will come quite easily.

The yard definitely needs some attention and I think I will get right after it today. The afternoon promises to be sunny and warm, without the humidity that I've been experiencing in the tropical beach area around Puerto Vallarta. 
Sitting on the mower for a few hours seems like a fine way to ease back into the daily yard work routine. The weeding, tilling, and planting can wait for another day.

Another noticeable thing about returning home is how much greener it is than when I left just a few weeks ago. Perhaps the bright green is more noticeable because the tropics are at the end of the dry season and much of the vegetation is brown and anxiously waiting for the summer rains. 
The trees here are so green, the flowers are blooming, and the hummingbirds have returned. In spite of the cool nights, I am convinced that summer is on its way! 

While it is true that I would be happy living in a tropical ocean area, it is also true that I have an incredibly good life here, in the Ozarks of Southwest MO (SWMO).  I'm sure that adding a swimming pool and some kayaking to the mix will make this summer even better.

Just another day in the life of ...

John

 

Travel Day!

It's travel day.

Need I say more? 

I am hoping for no delays, smooth TSA/Customs interactions, and an empty seat next to me. Or maybe some big bucks to swap flights with someone that just has to get back to the US.

Being retired can have bonus perks.

Air travel is a wonderful thing...right up until it isn't!

Wish me well!

John

¡Hasta proxima mis amigos!

It's May!
That means we are half way through spring and well on our way to summer!

If my 3 weeks in Puerto Vallarta are any indication of what is to come, we are in for a hot summer this year! The warmer than usual Pacific waters mean we could be experiencing a Super El Niño event this year. 
Oh boy!

I am ending my short stay in PV tomorrow. Yesterday we took a trip to Guadalajara with a stop in Tequila. In Tequila we toured the Arette distillery and then continued on to Guadalajara for the Chivas women's play off game. It was my first professional soccer game and we got to see a winner! One of the women scored and set the all-time record for career goals scored by any Chivas player -- men or women!
I wish them well as they continue in their post season play.

I'll write more about the tour and trip in a later post.
Today we'll be driving back to PV and tomorrow I will be heading home.
It will be great to see Chris and I know there is plenty of work ahead of me. I am also looking forward to going to some local ballgames and maybe breaking out the inflatable kayak for some summer paddling. While I do love the time I get to spend in Mexico, I also know that I am fortunate to live where we do and I enjoy the life we have there, as well.

¡Hasta proxima, mis amigos!

John

Too busy doing nothing...

It has been pretty rare that I have been on my Chromebook or browsing on my phone for these past couple of weeks. While I am certain to have missed many interesting posts and pics, I can't imagine that I would have gained any life changing information. 

I also cannot say that I have been busy because I have done very little in the way of being a productive human being.
I have been to the beach a couple of times and managed a few long walks.
Yesterday we went to the botanical gardens and spent most of our time swimming in the river. I'll post a few pics at some point. 
I have met with friends for lunch, dinner, and drinks, and a night of karaoke.
I have been to the ballpark for the kids' softball games.  
I did finally get the crowns for my dental implants, which was the main reason for this particular trip.
And I have been in the kids' pool every single day and will be in it again today. I am definitely going to have to get one.

This morning's coffee is at another neighborhood shop -- Providencia Cafe. I find it interesting that many of the coffee shops don't open until 8 AM. A few, like this one, open at 7. 
I have been back and forth between a hot or iced Americano each day and am thinking it might be time to start cold brewing coffee when I get back home.

The springtime garden work is piling up at home and I'm not doing anything here other than lounging in the pool, tormenting the kids, and disturbing their normal life rhythm, so I have shortened my stay to just three weeks and will be going home on Saturday.
I really need to make a plan to get some regular walking or exercise when I get home. That kind of activity has been good for me these past two weeks. I am hoping that I have lost a few pounds on this trip. I have been more active (in spite of my time in the pool) and I am pretty sure that I have been eating less. I guess I'll see next weekend.

It's another beautiful day in Puerto Vallarta. 
I wonder what gems are in store for us today.

John

Retirement does not suck.

It's just another day.
It has been some time that coming to Mexico doesn't really feel like vacation. In fact, any travel since I retired just feels like being retired someplace other than at home. I don't feel like I have a life that I need to get away from, so being away from home isn't like a necessary escape.

I managed to talk myself out of a 2+ mile walk this morning. I had an iced Americano at the coffee shop around the corner from the kids and read a chapter or two in my new Kindle book. I had initially planned a walk to A Page in the Sun bookstore/Cafe but decided to Uber here instead.

I'll enjoy a second Americano, this one hot, and spend some time on the Chromebook. I'll check out some of the shops here in the Romantic Zone and then meet a couple of friends for lunch. I have a late afternoon follow up appointment with my dentist and then Aaron has an evening softball game. If I am going to keep my pool day streak alive, it will have to be a nighttime swim -- and that is actually quite likely.

It is a little weird that I am thinking about the gardening work at home that isn't getting done. If my dental appointment goes as well as I am expecting it to, I may consider cutting my time here a little short and returning to the comfortable routine of home a few days early. I am sure that sounds a little weird, but I truly am a homebody and cherish my quiet and peaceful life. I will need to research getting a pool, though. A daily swim throughout the hot summer will be something to look forward to.

It's not quite the hot, humid rainy season just yet, but it is getting close. The tourist season is dying down and the local shops are gearing down for the "low" season.
We have hot and humid in SWMO but without the ocean. We do have lakes and rivers and plenty of humidity adding trees. I need to make use of my inflatable kayak this year. That would be a decent summer activity.

It's time to enjoy the sun and enjoy my day.
I hope yours is wonderful.

John

Happy birthday, Aaron!

I took a casual walk this morning. I grabbed a cold brew coffee at Emmana Cafe on the way and enjoyed a pretty easy walk to my current location --  A Page in the Sun. It's a little coffee shop and bookstore on the square in the Romantic Zone. On the way here I passed by the finish line area of the ultimate marathon that is this weekend in PV. 
I am amazed -- not only at the runners completing it, but at how good they looked at the finish. 
Wow!

And I was going to be proud of myself for walking a little over two miles for my coffee this morning!
smh

     * * * * *

In an hour or so I will be meeting up with the kids and some of their friends to celebrate Aaron's birthday. It's hard to believe that this pic was taken 37 years ago!

The kids (Aaron and Jenny) have a pretty good life, here in Puerto Vallarta. 
In addition to living in a tropical beach city, they travel frequently and have made visits to Great Britain, Spain, Morocco, Bolivia, and Australia in the past few years. Plus they went on a Caribbean cruise with a friend this past winter.
You have done well, Aaron!
I am happy I get to celebrate with you this year.

John

Poolside

I am blogging poolside today!
I had originally thought about an early morning walk to a coffee shop/book store in the Romantic Zone, and then to hang around until possibly meeting some friends for lunch. Since we decided to meet for lunch next week, I decided that I would wait until tomorrow to make the long walk for coffee and then meet up with Aaron and Jenny's friends for a birthday brunch for Aaron.

Today I just had coffee around the corner and have been chillin' in the pool and occasionally reading a few pages in my book. The late morning sun is beginning to make its way over the pool and will be full bright for several hours before slipping behind a building and casting a shadow over the pool in the late afternoon. 

I have a little bit of shade on the east side of the pool for a little longer and thought I would type out a few words.

I am very happy that Aaron and Jenny have this place and a wonderful community surrounding them. They have several diverse friend groups. Some overlap a little and others remain separate. While many are expats, they also have local friends and non-US expat friends.
Between weekend beach days, weeknight softball games, and occasional game nights at a local brewery they stay busy and connected with the people from their different groups.
Naturally,we have a much smaller circle of friends here, but I do look forward to spending time with them whenever we are around.

Maybe I need to work on building some friend groups back home.
Meh -- maybe not.

John

No Thursday Theology

And maybe no more Thursday Theology.
I mean if the Pope's theology is being corrected by neophyte Christian Vice President Vance what chance does a self-educated person like me have?
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth quotes fictional Bible verses in prayer, President Trump depicts himself as Jesus, and conservative Catholics and evangelical Christians rush to worship them.

There is no theology to address such anti-Christian worldviews.
Should one even try?

I am quietly living out my own theology -- study of God.
I am no longer trying to convince others to follow any religion, but would encourage people to examine their own thoughts and beliefs of the nature and ways of God.

I am going to finish my coffee and enjoy the day.
I am going to be grateful.
I am going to try to be kind.
And at some point, I am probably going to get in the pool -- just because I can.

John

Wednesday Wisdom

Desire leads to suffering.
Attachment leads to suffering.

We are addicted to suffering.

The first two statements are often associated with Buddhism.
The third is from the Toltec shamans of Mesoamerica.

I mention these things because a part of my own self awareness is realizing that we are probably not going to be moving to Mexico -- and that's okay. We can certainly visit here often.
And we have a wonderful home in the semi-rural community of Highlandville MO.

I like our home. I really enjoy the flowers and the limited isolation that we have. The climate is pretty moderate and easy to endure, no matter the season. And we do have four pretty distinct seasons -- I could just do without two of them (fall and winter).

I thinks it is funny to listen to our friends here in Mexico talk about their boring lives. We generally see them at a local bar's karaoke night. They are quick to say that is the only night that they regularly go out and they are otherwise boring homebodies.

I get that. We are also boring homebodies.

That's not to say that I am ever bored. Chris likely gets bored from time to time, but I am content to sit and observe the world around me or read a book. There are always flowerbeds to be worked or things to do that I actually do enjoy doing.

And if I do find myself in a rare bored moment, civilization is just a short drive away.

I am better at being friendly than I am at being a friend, but I'm okay with that and others just need to deal with it.

Hmmm...

That doesn't sound too friendly, so maybe I'm not as good at being friendly as I think.

In any case, I am trying to live life with fewer attachments and fewer disappointments. I am working through the addiction to suffering, although I really don't see that as a problem for me.

A good cup of coffee

A smooth sip of bourbon 

A relaxing cigar

A well written book

A hummingbird at the feeder or flowers

Butterflies and bees surrounding the flowerbeds

The quiet way the sun sets at the end of the day 

These things are as present at home as they are here and they make me happy.

What makes you happy?

Are you addicted to suffering?

What would your intervention or recovery program look like?

Be well, my friends!

John

Monday Meditation

The thing I love the most about the ocean is the energy. It is generally a calming pulse that seems to fill my spirit. It is something you can sense without actually seeing or hearing it. Just being near an ocean allows you to feel that energy. Being able to wade out into the ocean, to float or swim in it -- it is like a religious experience, like being directly connected to the Creator. 

I don't think I would ever take it for granted, even if I lived here and experienced it every day.
Truthfully, I get a similar sense of energy from digging in the dirt or walking barefoot on the ground, but the ocean energy is much more active and easier to feel. 
Both the land and the water are filled with life and share energy with all creatures that touch them. We (humans) have managed to divide them with borders and laws, but they do not recognize the foolishness of people. They treat all creatures equally. 
Through the land, through the waters, even through the air -- we are connected. We are connected to nature. We are connected to one another. And we are connected to the Creator.

Ain't life grand?

John

PS -- I am back at Estacion Cafe today. Perhaps I'll walk a little farther tomorrow.

Poolside coffee

Estación Café is closed on Sundays so I walked a little bit farther to Organic Café for this morning's coffee. It is more of a walk-up and walk out kind of coffee shop so I am now enjoying my Americano by the pool at the kids place. 
It is pleasant out here this morning. 73 (23 C) now and it will be sunny and 90 (32 C) later this afternoon. 

By then we will be on the beach in nearby Bucerías. 
Life is pretty good. 

I finished another book and the next book in that series isn't due out until next spring, so I am on to something else. I had planned to stick to easy reading while I am enjoying the tropics, but I may double up with a second book as one of Jenny's friends dropped off a book that sounds pretty interesting -- Worse Than A Lie by author Ben Crump.
I'll have my Kindle book, Stolen Book, Shuttered Library by Stewart Buettner, to read when I'm out for coffee or on the beach and the actual book book to read here at the kids' place.

Sounds like a plan.

I know -- it is a privileged life to be able to read and to have the time to read. 
It is something I am aware of and I am grateful for it -- both for the privilege and for the many books that are available. 

John

¡Buenos días!

Good morning from the Estación Café corner coffee shop near the kids' place in Puerto Vallarta!
It is bazaar day and the vendors have stocked their booths for several blocks. You can buy anything from plumbing, hardware, tools, clothes, bags, shoes, fresh produce, and cooked food. It's quite the weekly event.

Yesterday was a good travel day. I arrived midday, spent the afternoon in the kids' new pool, and then made it to Monzón Brewery for an evening brew and to meet with some friends. We'll hit a couple of different beaches today and tomorrow and I'm sure I'll connect with more friends. 

I wasn't on my Chromebook at all yesterday and don't plan on being on it after posting this note today. I may post a few pics on Facebook or Instagram, but I am hoping to spend much less time on such things.
We shall see how that goes.

Be well,

John