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.
Biden’s Saudi Arabia Visit Was Worse Than an Embarrassment. The president’s 24 hours in Jeddah were dominated by photos of his fist bump with Mohammed bin Salman. Things went downhill from there.
18:1 The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day.
18:2 He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground.
18:3 He said, "My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant.
18:4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
18:5 Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on--since you have come to your servant." So they said, "Do as you have said."
18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes."
18:7 Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it.
18:8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
18:9 They said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" And he said, "There, in the tent."
18:10a Then one said, "I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son."
The brute reality is that most kids slot themselves into academic ability bands early in life and stay there throughout schooling. We have a certain natural level of performance, gravitate towards it early on, and are likely to remain in that band relative to peers until our education ends. There is some room for wiggle, and in large populations there are always outliers. But in thousands of years of education humanity has discovered no replicable and reliable means of taking kids from one educational percentile and raising them up into another.
"Trauma" is used in all sorts of ways these days. Let's just say that intense resistance exercise is as good for the head as it is for the body: The Healing Power of Strength Training
Do not compare yourself to others, or to what others do.
I admit that it is impossible not to notice others but, like golf, your important comparison is to what your performance and condition were a month or two ago. I know - you start with one chin-up while some 60 year-old lady is doing 10 or 12. Admire what she does if you must, but aim for 1 1/2 or two for next month.
As I mentioned, Mrs BD and I are in "training" for an 7-day hiking trip, 12 miles/day (with a side visit to Edinburgh). It's remarkable to me how endurance can advance by training for it. For serious hikers, our challenge is no big deal even with 50 lb. packs. Not me - I am fine with 12 miles once, but I don't know about daily.
Addendum: I heard on the radio this morning that Edinburgh is the #1 tourist destination in the Western world this year. I've been there. I don't really see the attraction... the appeal of Scotland is the grey dreariness as a contrast to the warm and sunny summers in the US.
10:25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
10:26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?"
10:27 He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
10:28 And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live."
10:29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
10:30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.
10:31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
10:32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
10:33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity.
10:34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
10:35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.'
10:36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?"
10:37 He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
Cod is perhaps my favorite fish (besides Grouper). Sadly, their populations on George's Bank, the Grand Banks, and around England have been overfished. Tragedy of the Commons. You can no longer be confident that you can catch one off the Maine coast.
Beware of bad science reporting: No, we haven’t killed 90% of all plankton.
8 Things Sleep 
New York’s Parents Are Exercising Their School Options. 