We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
Keith Richards is a cool dude. Lives in New Canaan, CT, of all places. Fun. A delightful guy. The saying goes that every time you ignite a cigarette you add a day to Richards' life.
Mrs. Salt Water New England's garden. Not sure what the plants are. Deep leaf mulch from last fall, and the black stuff. Very neat. Everything she does is neat and stylish. So are her boats.
It looks to me as if lots of people do weights and cardio on the same days. I never do that, unless you count a little jump rope between lifts to loosen up.
My reasoning is that a weights day calls for at least one (or two days for those over 40) of active muscle recovery, by which I mean just calisthenics or "cardio." That's why I have weights days, "cardio" days, and calisthenics days.
However, if you do cardio and some heavy weights on the same day, do the weights first. If you do them the other way around, you may not have the oomph to move the amount of weight you need to.
Of course, it depends on how you want to define "disease" Is a "personality disorder" a disease?
What about overweight and obesity? There has been a big debate about that, but the pressure to term overweight a disease rather than, say, a physical condition, is all about insurance coverage. Otherwise, such questions would matter little.
Speaking of desire, what about those magnetic attractions to one of those of the opposite (or, I suppose, same) sex? Those can be as powerful as drugs and make people behave just as crazy.
I may be late to the party to knowing about this innovation in recycling that I stumbled upon (figuratively) after a few beers at the local beer hall. A quick look at the Internet says that there are many variations available, even make your own (a worthy project for fraternity houses).
42:1 As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. 42:2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? 42:3 My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me continually, "Where is your God?" 42:4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I went with the throng, and led them in procession to the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival. 42:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help 42:6 and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 42:7 Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me. 42:8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. 42:9 I say to God, my rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?" 42:10 As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, "Where is your God?" :11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God. 43:1 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people; from those who are deceitful and unjust deliver me! 43:2 For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you cast me off? Why must I walk about mournfully because of the oppression of the enemy? 43:3 O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling. 43:4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. :5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.
Our post about White Sharks got me thinking about the human hazards of conservation. Balanced conservation requires habitat, predators, and prey.
Some of those predators do not always play nice with people and human activities. I am thinking about sharks, Grizzlies, Black Bears, wolves, Cougars, Tigers, etc.
I think most people are more comfortable with conservation of a benign, pastoral Nature, but that is a pipe dream. Nature kills stuff. The natural imbalance where I live is mainly an infestation of White Tailed Deer. We have no wolves to control their population, and the hunters can not get to enough of them. Deer hunting is not easy, especially in semi-rural areas.
Benjamin Franklin once said, “In all your Amours, you should prefer old Women to young ones.”
Franklin delivers eight reasons for this, which I’ve condensed:
1. They know more, conversation is better. 2. They try harder. 3. Decreased if nonexistent chance of conceiving children. 4. They’ll keep the relationship quiet. 5. Sexual pleasure is the same. 6. Younger women get too involved emotionally. 7. You’ll feel less guilty than if you “debauched a virgin.” 8. “Lastly They are so grateful!!”
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Bless the bed that I lie on. The are four corners to my bed, Four angels round my head, One to watch, and one to pray, And two to bear my soul away. Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.
Although modern societies have made extraordinary progress in solving a wide range of social problems, from poverty and illiteracy to violence and infant mortality, the majority of people believe that the world is getting worse. The fact that concepts grow larger when their instances grow smaller may be one source of that pessimism.
As social problems shrink, there is less need or demand for the Left. Then the challenge is to magnify smaller issues right down to the microscopic, invented, or imaginary ones. Raise the volume. They are gettng the hang of that. Especially Scare the Blacks, but I don't think that will work this time. The reparations deal might, though, because who does not like the idea of a free check in the mail?
Two years ago, I wrote about how Connecticut morphed from a low-tax state to a high-tax state. The Nutmeg State used to be an economic success story, presumably in large part because there was no state income tax. But then an income tax was imposed almost 30 years ago and it’s been downhill ever since.
Northwestern CT, and north into the Berkshires of Massachusetts, is one of the most charming antique parts of the USA. Rolling wooded hills, more horse farms than real farms (but still some of those). A fair share of elegant country estates. People there fuss about their gardens, are civically-engaged. It's not tattoo-land.
I'm talking about the area from Great Barrington MA down through Salisbury CT, Kent CT, Litchfield, Washington, Warren, Goshen, Woodbury, Southbury, etc. Perfect semi-rural villages, each with its dominating Congo church.
We visited the Hollister gardens again this weekend. I like the way that even their formal gardens are not manicured - sort-of random but always with good structure, good garden architecture.
Over the years, I think I have grown weary of the vegetable gardening hobby. It was more fun when the kids were young, and learned from it. Some of my pals have wonderful and attractive vegetable gardens, but it can become just a chore. I just focus on tomatoes for now. Too many other fun things to do on weekends, not to mention social duties. I focus more on shrub borders, perennial borders. I'd rather mow a meadow on a tractor, with a cold beer or two and a ceegar, than hoe a vegetable garden.
To each his or her own, I guess. I have my eye on a rural property in Litchfield County with a pond, a trout stream, meadows, and woodlands. Antique farmhouse, barns, and cottage. Trouble is, we never seem to have free weekends.
RIP, Steve Dunleavy: 
Something reminded me that I have not seen any 
Theater of Dreams: 
PRAGER:
Interesting book: 
Our post about White Sharks got me thinking about the human hazards of conservation. Balanced conservation requires habitat, predators, and prey.
8 Fun (and Possibly Dangerous) Activities Enjoyed by Past Generations