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.
We took a surprise trip to the NJ/PA border to look at some apartments for a friend. She lives in Georgia and is thinking of relocating. We decided to use this as an opportunity to go bike riding along the Delaware Canal, and make a day of it.
Bike rides aren't all that interesting but are great exercise both physically and mentally (riding gives you tons of time to concentrate). I spent a great deal of the ride thinking about a person we'd met at one apartment. She said was a writer and a professor. A writer of anything I might attempt to read? Why yes, it turns out. She is a 'futurist' and writes about Artificial Intelligence. A topic which is changing my job on a daily basis. I told her I knew quite about AI, and look forward to the day it replaces me. She looked at me quizzically and said "Really? That's strange, most people would fear it. Besides, we have to hope it comes with a Universal Basic Income."
I simply looked at her and said "No, I don't fear it. I've studied history enough to realize change is good. The Industrial Revolution destroyed some jobs, it's true. But it created many more, and those jobs paid better. It also created new industries altogether. I see the same thing with AI. After all, AI is great, but it will probably always be better with humans working in tandem, rather than as a standalone, though some standalone items may exist. Overall I see more jobs coming from it, not fewer. Training is what needs to improve, not payoffs to those who don't want to learn."
I didn't get into a deeper discussion, since I wanted to ride my bike. She seemed amazed I was so nonplussed. Actually, I think she was surprised to meet anyone willing to discuss the topic but shocked at my indifference to her perceived negative consequences. My reasons are based on economics, but also her personal story, which made my ride a mental exercise.. She espoused a point of view which may seem to make sense, but her behaviors told a very different story.
"This is a book about how it happened," the author writes. "In particular how we went from there being nothing at all to there being something, and then how a little of that something turned into us, and also what happened in between and since." What follows is a brick of a volume summarizing moments both great and curious in the history of science, covering already well-trod territory in the fields of cosmology, astronomy, paleontology, geology, chemistry, physics and so on. Bryson relies on some of the best material in the history of science to have come out in recent years. This is great for Bryson fans, who can encounter this material in its barest essence with the bonus of having it served up in Bryson's distinctive voice. But readers in the field will already have studied this information more in-depth in the originals and may find themselves questioning the point of a breakneck tour of the sciences that contributes nothing novel. Nevertheless, to read Bryson is to travel with a memoirist gifted with wry observation and keen insight that shed new light on things we mistake for commonplace. To accompany the author as he travels with the likes of Charles Darwin on the Beagle, Albert Einstein or Isaac Newton is a trip worth taking for most readers.
Like many other animals, humans are napping creatures. Our Western society doesn't really take that into account, nor should it because we demand a lot from people.
In my workday, I schedule in a 20-minute catnap after a chicken-salad lunch. It does me a lot of good, since I do my daily workouts at 6 am. After my catnap I am good for another 6 hours of work or a drive to NH.
Mediterranean-based societies have siestas - especially Spanish and Italian. Naptime, or sex + nap. In many cultures, lunch is their dinner and I do not know how they handle work after a large meal. I don't know about Asians or Africans.
I do believe that some of what we term "sleep disorders," and diagnose at great expense and often treat with amphetamines, are simply due to a need for a power nap. People vary.
Jimmy Buffet, multi-multi-millionaire, once mentioned how rewarding it can be to discover a $5 bill in the pocket of some old jeans. Funny how that works. When my Dad would visit me at college, he would slip me a $50 - "walking around money." Small gestures and unexpected small rewards can mean a lot.
Our early Spring Cleaning has resulted in small hills of those black leaf bags filled with old magazines, old books, old clothing, household clutter, obsolete paperwork, lots of shredded old financial records and tax records, etc etc. Some fairly heavy, some not, but far beyond the usual.
We are required, more or less, to separate bags of theoretically-recyclable garbage from other garbage, but I believe it all ends up in a dump in West Virginia. Regardless, when we have large piles I always scotch-tape a $10 or a $20 to the pile.
To the sorts of people who say "He gets paid to do it anyway," I say "Bullshit." The piles of snow and ice do not make the job any easier. My theory is to always tip people who do personal work for you unless they are the owner of the business. When you give a tip, you make life better for a little while and you feel better too. Even if it's only beer money.
For some very occasional household jobs like rug cleaners, window-washers, or annual barn-cleaning crews, I will tip before the job begins. Try it sometime. I make a point to always have some $5s, $10s, and $20s in my pocket to show gratitude and to create small moments of good cheer and more positive helpers.
It is often claimed that the happiest two days for a boat owner are the day they acquire it and the day they sell it.
That is hyperbole of course, but it makes a point about the burdens, expenses, and hassles of ownership. Even having a closet full of firearms means taking them out and cleaning and oiling them once a year. Hassle. New roof for a house or barn? Major.
So our survey question is this: What were you once thrilled to possess and later thrilled to get rid of?
I hope nobody says a spouse, but they probably will. I'll start it off with more than several acres my wife and I inherited on Martha's Vineyard. The old house on the land had been sold decades ago to pay estate taxes, but an elegant family compound could have been built on the land. Just a dream. I never had the spare dough to do that, and, really, I have a perfect set-up now although we are too far from salt water. Sold the land a few years ago, big capital gains and fees, etc., but I got off the hook for the property taxes, maintaining the right of way, and maintaining the fields in the center of the property which we never used. Big relief. Fact is, if we love the Vineyard (it's an ok yuppie place) we can rent a house for ten days and go there whenever we want. We never do. We go to Rhode Island instead, and rent.
Side note: This is Saturday, which means three of the best shows on TV are on tonight on Fox. 'Watters World' at 8 (EST), 'Justice With Judge Jeanine' at 9, and, especially, 'The Greg Gutfeld Show' at 10. If you don't have a TV (like me), all three will have been posted to YouTube by tomorrow. If you haven't seen a Judge Jeanine opening monologue, buckle your seat belt.
Following is a review of four movies.
IMHO:
— John Wick - The best shoot-em-up action flick I've seen in years.
— Inception - The most intriguing movie I've seen in years.
— Interstellar - The best space adventure I've seen in years.
— A Dog's Purpose - The most wonderful movie I've seen in years.
Weekly 3-4 hour hikes are good for mind, body, and soul. Also good for a marriage. Also good for breaking in new leather hiking boots.Meindl Perfekt Light Hikers - not all that light in weight unfortunately but tough enough for all purposes other than crampons. Made in Italy - not Germany.
Lots of Bluebirds on this pastoral and not very challenging countryside hike last weekend - hills but no steeps and well-groomed trails. Many meadows. I love large meadows, despite their being unnatural in New England.
Darn Tough Socks.
American Houses: A Field Guide to the Architecture of the Home 
