I don't want this offer to show up on the internet search engines. Hoping to make this offer to long time readers and lurkers before going internet wide. Perhaps reading between the lines and recalling my travels, it may become apparent what I am selling.
As a member of a camp group (TT), the original investment was a good decision. I've been ahead for all these years. However, considering my travels this year and the planned travels in the next two to three years, it is time to sell the membership to another. I will not be able to break even on the annual fees.
If there is an interest, send me an email and I will respond with the details for you to decide. $600 is the purchase price and xfer fee of $1000.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Turn Off The Noise
Walking along the Wind Cave trail in Usery Park, I could hear the definite sounds of something resembling music. Soon around the next bend, two girls (no more than 20) were heading toward me. One had a very small sound device attached to her collar and that was the thing that was sending out the poor quality music that they could both enjoy and irritate me. I usually acknowledge other hikers on the trail. These two. NO WAY.
Turn off the radio. Did you hear the gila woodpecker. Hear the sound of your shoes on the gravel. Look for the lizard. Be aware of the world around you. Don't block it out. How about hearing the rattlesnake. Look up to see the soaring hawk. Look around to see the saguaros across the slopes of the mountain. Didn't you notice that the ocotillo are blooming, but the stems have no leaves. Don't you wonder why that is. You aren't even talking to each other.
Go to the athletic club where all that noise is acceptable and encouraged. When out on the trails, be aware of the natural world and leave that other world at home.
Turn off the radio. Did you hear the gila woodpecker. Hear the sound of your shoes on the gravel. Look for the lizard. Be aware of the world around you. Don't block it out. How about hearing the rattlesnake. Look up to see the soaring hawk. Look around to see the saguaros across the slopes of the mountain. Didn't you notice that the ocotillo are blooming, but the stems have no leaves. Don't you wonder why that is. You aren't even talking to each other.
Go to the athletic club where all that noise is acceptable and encouraged. When out on the trails, be aware of the natural world and leave that other world at home.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Hazards Of Curiosity
The Fishhook Barrel Cactus has bright yellow fruit. My first taste check was several years ago. On the recent Tucson hikes, there were opportunities to share the taste with fellow hikers. Most were reluctant, but a few overcame their fear of something that wasn't found at the grocer. To me the taste was like kiwi-apple. However, I have noted variations from one to another. In the most recent tasting, it was more apple taste. That was the consensus of those who took the taste test.
On another hike, I decided that I would check out the fruit of the Jumping Cholla. Some -- incorrectly -- call it the Chain Fruit Cholla. Nothing fruity about it. Being curious what it might taste like, I looked carefully at some of the "fruit" dangling at the end. Making sure (without my reading glasses) there were no spines, I pulled off the end fruit. There were no large spines, but some invisible spines did manage to embed in my finger tips. That was enough to keep me from a taste. Couldn't see the spines in the finger tips, but they were there. Once at home, an emery board was used to abrade the skin of finger tips where those spines could be felt. That resolved that problem.
Resolved never to taste Cholla again. Don't say never.
Hiking a trail in Usery Mtn Park, I found several older gentlemen (older than me by perhaps a decade) closely examining a Jumping Cholla. One of those gentleman said they were edible. I said, "Not". At that point one of the guys pulled off a very small end fruit, handled it and offered to his buddies. All refused and then offered to me. After a brief examination, I took a very small bite. Looked and tasted like gelatinous green. After relating my taste impressions, they hiked away. I headed in the opposite direction, and realized that bite was not going to get any smaller. Spitting it out, I realized there were some spines in my lip. No emery in my pocket and a long time before I was home, I ran my tongue back and forth over the lip as I continued my hike. Not sure why that worked, but eventually the spines were no longer felt.
Did those guys put something over on this youngster. Did they know. For me it was learning experience. Curiosity can be hazardous.
Good
On another hike, I decided that I would check out the fruit of the Jumping Cholla. Some -- incorrectly -- call it the Chain Fruit Cholla. Nothing fruity about it. Being curious what it might taste like, I looked carefully at some of the "fruit" dangling at the end. Making sure (without my reading glasses) there were no spines, I pulled off the end fruit. There were no large spines, but some invisible spines did manage to embed in my finger tips. That was enough to keep me from a taste. Couldn't see the spines in the finger tips, but they were there. Once at home, an emery board was used to abrade the skin of finger tips where those spines could be felt. That resolved that problem.
Bad
Resolved never to taste Cholla again. Don't say never.
Hiking a trail in Usery Mtn Park, I found several older gentlemen (older than me by perhaps a decade) closely examining a Jumping Cholla. One of those gentleman said they were edible. I said, "Not". At that point one of the guys pulled off a very small end fruit, handled it and offered to his buddies. All refused and then offered to me. After a brief examination, I took a very small bite. Looked and tasted like gelatinous green. After relating my taste impressions, they hiked away. I headed in the opposite direction, and realized that bite was not going to get any smaller. Spitting it out, I realized there were some spines in my lip. No emery in my pocket and a long time before I was home, I ran my tongue back and forth over the lip as I continued my hike. Not sure why that worked, but eventually the spines were no longer felt.
Did those guys put something over on this youngster. Did they know. For me it was learning experience. Curiosity can be hazardous.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Breaking A Habit -- Follow Up
It is now three months later that gluten is out of my diet. It is great not having acid indigestion, heart burn or acid reflux. Once cutting out the grains, there has been one episode of acid indigestion. That was after consuming a hot dog (without the bun) at a farmers market. Pinto beans and salsa were the toppings. Could find nothing else I ate that day that could have caused the indigestion. Could there have been wheat flour filler in those hot dogs. Note to self: hot dogs are not range fed beef.
Three months later, a welcome side effect was an additional small weight loss. A year ago I was 20 pounds heavier. At that time, I cut back on breads and other carbo loaded foods. That resulted in a 10 to 15 pound loss -- depending on the date of a weigh-in. Since I eliminated the grains from the diet three months ago, today (this morning) I weighed in at 145. It has been decades since I last weighed 145. To lose weight was not the reason to cut grains from the diet. It was a 30 day test to find out how I felt. Less than 30 days later, no more indigestion. With that incentive, it was easy to continue a diet without grains. The positive "side effect" was that I lost additional weight. Another side effect is the lack of hunger cravings -- for the bread and the cookies.
Dining out is not that tough. There are plenty of items to choose from most menus that do not include wheat flour. Of course, that would not include breads or pastas -- or desserts. Salads or meats are a safe choice. Avoid the soups and sauces. There is no way to know what may have been used as a thickener.
With the positive experience behind me, I have become an evangelist encouraging others to start a 30 day trial without grains in their diets. I understand how difficult it can be. Breads and all the other wheat flour products taste good. I was there. All I recommend is to try it for 30 days. In addition to how you may feel, two objective measures may help in the analysis of before and after: weight and detailed blood work. It's only 30 days. It's not the rest of your life.
It was time to thank a "mentor". After rewriting my Breaking A Habit post of two months ago, I sent my success story to the author of The Primal Blueprint -- Mark Sisson at Marks Daily Apple. Two days ago, my Life Is Great story was posted at his site.
After breaking a habit, life is great.
Three months later, a welcome side effect was an additional small weight loss. A year ago I was 20 pounds heavier. At that time, I cut back on breads and other carbo loaded foods. That resulted in a 10 to 15 pound loss -- depending on the date of a weigh-in. Since I eliminated the grains from the diet three months ago, today (this morning) I weighed in at 145. It has been decades since I last weighed 145. To lose weight was not the reason to cut grains from the diet. It was a 30 day test to find out how I felt. Less than 30 days later, no more indigestion. With that incentive, it was easy to continue a diet without grains. The positive "side effect" was that I lost additional weight. Another side effect is the lack of hunger cravings -- for the bread and the cookies.
Dining out is not that tough. There are plenty of items to choose from most menus that do not include wheat flour. Of course, that would not include breads or pastas -- or desserts. Salads or meats are a safe choice. Avoid the soups and sauces. There is no way to know what may have been used as a thickener.
With the positive experience behind me, I have become an evangelist encouraging others to start a 30 day trial without grains in their diets. I understand how difficult it can be. Breads and all the other wheat flour products taste good. I was there. All I recommend is to try it for 30 days. In addition to how you may feel, two objective measures may help in the analysis of before and after: weight and detailed blood work. It's only 30 days. It's not the rest of your life.
It was time to thank a "mentor". After rewriting my Breaking A Habit post of two months ago, I sent my success story to the author of The Primal Blueprint -- Mark Sisson at Marks Daily Apple. Two days ago, my Life Is Great story was posted at his site.
After breaking a habit, life is great.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Unusual Saguaro
After several unusual saguaro sightings and photos from my Tucson stay, I said there would be no more until another unusual saguaro was found. Here it is.
Doesn't look so unusual. Parked in the dry camping area at the Usery Mtn Park entrance waiting for a space to open, this saguaro is enclosed in a concrete wall adjacent to the parking lot. That saguaro doesn't look that unusual until a closer inspection reveals that it is too perfect. With binoculars it becomes real obvious that it has no thorns and the Gila woodpecker hole is really just paint.
Headed over to the entry station to ask. It is a Verizon cell tower.
When I first arrived here, I could get a 4G signal for a few minutes and then it went to 3G. Sometimes it became so confused that the air card had to be restarted. The Wilson truckers antenna is stored right next to the air card. Plugged in the truckers antenna. Made no difference. This was before I realized that phony saguaro was a cell tower.
Took the truckers antenna outside and mounted it atop a mast. Now it was outside and extended about three feet above the top of Wandrin Wagon. Access was 4G consistently. After this experiment is when I found that phony saguaro.
Sometimes things are not what they appear to be -- including a saguaro.
Doesn't look so unusual. Parked in the dry camping area at the Usery Mtn Park entrance waiting for a space to open, this saguaro is enclosed in a concrete wall adjacent to the parking lot. That saguaro doesn't look that unusual until a closer inspection reveals that it is too perfect. With binoculars it becomes real obvious that it has no thorns and the Gila woodpecker hole is really just paint.
Headed over to the entry station to ask. It is a Verizon cell tower.
When I first arrived here, I could get a 4G signal for a few minutes and then it went to 3G. Sometimes it became so confused that the air card had to be restarted. The Wilson truckers antenna is stored right next to the air card. Plugged in the truckers antenna. Made no difference. This was before I realized that phony saguaro was a cell tower.
Took the truckers antenna outside and mounted it atop a mast. Now it was outside and extended about three feet above the top of Wandrin Wagon. Access was 4G consistently. After this experiment is when I found that phony saguaro.
Sometimes things are not what they appear to be -- including a saguaro.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Long Pants Weather
Dag Nab It. It's Cold Here! Well. How cold is it. Glad you asked. It is so cold (high 40s) I had to find a pair of long pants.
Finally gave up on the temps trying to get into the 50 degree range. At 10:30 I donned the long pants. Needed to hang out with the herd so I headed to the suburbs of Tucson to have some tea at Starbucks. Came out about an hour later to rain/snow/ice precipitation. The ice cubes lowered the air temperature a bit more. Sure glad I wore long pants.
As I drove back home, there were occasional breaks in the clouds to allow sight of snow on the Catalina Mountains. Good place for the stuff.
Upon a return to Wandrin Wagon in the early afternoon, Tucson temperature at Wandrin Wagon was 49 degrees. That was colder than Denver -- or Green Bay.
Used to be able to tolerate cold much better. The circulation in this old body just isn't what it once was. Or could it be the 15-20 pounds of insulating fat that I lost over the past year. Sorry. No details here. That is a subject for a future blog entry.
Original plan was to hitch up this morning and move to the next stop near Phoenix. Since I don't tow Wandrin Wagon in the rain, it is at least one more day awaiting a sunny tomorrow.
The RV spaces in my immediate area of the park are all empty. They have been empty for a week and more. Guess they decided to head back north where it is warmer than here. When I arrived last December just two of the neighboring spaces were occupied. Three months later, they are all vacated.
Three months... Wow. That time went fast. There are a few items left on the exploring list that I never did get around to. Perhaps next year on a return visit, I can complete the Tucson exploring.
During the three months of my stay, RVer Steve led hikes from the park twice a week. Usually there was an additional hike each week -- sometimes with friends passing through Tucson. Other days disappeared with exploring Tucson sites including multiple visits to the Desert Museum. Then there are those tasks that are essential to living: laundry, grocery shopping, farmers markets, Silver Slug maintenance, etc.
Thanks for the visits with acquaintances, friends and relatives for lunches: Jerry and Marilyn, Duane, Stella and Frank, Boonie, Linda and Earl, Jaimie and George, Jim B, Flora and Phil, and several other Saguaro SKP park residents that were in Tucson on more than one occasion. Long time friend and hiking buddy Rich from Colorado stayed for a week of exploring. After three months, I hope I didn't forget anyone for that list.
Not to be forgotten were the many new acquaintances made with the park hikers and the social hour that followed each hike. Looking forward to a re-meeting next winter.
It was a pleasant three months. Already considering a longer stay for the winter season of 2012-2013. Returning next year just to experience some days without sunshine when the temps don't get into the 50s. Looking forward to it so I can wear long pants.
Finally gave up on the temps trying to get into the 50 degree range. At 10:30 I donned the long pants. Needed to hang out with the herd so I headed to the suburbs of Tucson to have some tea at Starbucks. Came out about an hour later to rain/snow/ice precipitation. The ice cubes lowered the air temperature a bit more. Sure glad I wore long pants.
As I drove back home, there were occasional breaks in the clouds to allow sight of snow on the Catalina Mountains. Good place for the stuff.
Upon a return to Wandrin Wagon in the early afternoon, Tucson temperature at Wandrin Wagon was 49 degrees. That was colder than Denver -- or Green Bay.
Used to be able to tolerate cold much better. The circulation in this old body just isn't what it once was. Or could it be the 15-20 pounds of insulating fat that I lost over the past year. Sorry. No details here. That is a subject for a future blog entry.
Original plan was to hitch up this morning and move to the next stop near Phoenix. Since I don't tow Wandrin Wagon in the rain, it is at least one more day awaiting a sunny tomorrow.
The RV spaces in my immediate area of the park are all empty. They have been empty for a week and more. Guess they decided to head back north where it is warmer than here. When I arrived last December just two of the neighboring spaces were occupied. Three months later, they are all vacated.
Three months... Wow. That time went fast. There are a few items left on the exploring list that I never did get around to. Perhaps next year on a return visit, I can complete the Tucson exploring.
During the three months of my stay, RVer Steve led hikes from the park twice a week. Usually there was an additional hike each week -- sometimes with friends passing through Tucson. Other days disappeared with exploring Tucson sites including multiple visits to the Desert Museum. Then there are those tasks that are essential to living: laundry, grocery shopping, farmers markets, Silver Slug maintenance, etc.
Thanks for the visits with acquaintances, friends and relatives for lunches: Jerry and Marilyn, Duane, Stella and Frank, Boonie, Linda and Earl, Jaimie and George, Jim B, Flora and Phil, and several other Saguaro SKP park residents that were in Tucson on more than one occasion. Long time friend and hiking buddy Rich from Colorado stayed for a week of exploring. After three months, I hope I didn't forget anyone for that list.
Not to be forgotten were the many new acquaintances made with the park hikers and the social hour that followed each hike. Looking forward to a re-meeting next winter.
It was a pleasant three months. Already considering a longer stay for the winter season of 2012-2013. Returning next year just to experience some days without sunshine when the temps don't get into the 50s. Looking forward to it so I can wear long pants.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Taxing Cold Day
This morning it was raining. Cold and not a good day to do any exploring. Yesterday it was in the low eighties. Today. Not so nice. Since it was cold and the predicted high was in the 50s, it seemed like a good day to make chili. On second thought leftover chicken chili verde will be a great meal.
With the cold weather, I was confined to Wandrin Wagon. Might be a good time to do the taxes. TurboTax makes it easier than reading the IRS forms. However, there are times I had to guess at the answers. Don't know if I guessed right or wrong. After a couple of hours, the taxes were done and a refund is due. E-filed the paper work and it was accepted by the IRS. According to the TurboTax software, the refund amount will be in my checking account in 7-10 days. Can't wait to spend it. Oops. Not enough for the new iPad.
Did I mention it was a cold day. The temperature crept into the 50 degree range for a short while before heading back to the 40s later this afternoon. This was the view of the cloud draped Tucson Mountains shortly before lunch.
Scheduled departure from Justins Diamond J was tomorrow. However, since another cold and rainy day is in the forecast, I am going to hang around for a warmer day. It appears that Tuesday will be the day to hitch up.
With the cold weather, I was confined to Wandrin Wagon. Might be a good time to do the taxes. TurboTax makes it easier than reading the IRS forms. However, there are times I had to guess at the answers. Don't know if I guessed right or wrong. After a couple of hours, the taxes were done and a refund is due. E-filed the paper work and it was accepted by the IRS. According to the TurboTax software, the refund amount will be in my checking account in 7-10 days. Can't wait to spend it.
Did I mention it was a cold day. The temperature crept into the 50 degree range for a short while before heading back to the 40s later this afternoon. This was the view of the cloud draped Tucson Mountains shortly before lunch.
Scheduled departure from Justins Diamond J was tomorrow. However, since another cold and rainy day is in the forecast, I am going to hang around for a warmer day. It appears that Tuesday will be the day to hitch up.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Pricing Of eBooks
I started buying eBooks from Amazon a long time for the Kindle. Long before the iPad, I was paying $9.99 for the eBooks. Always wondered how that amount was divided among the publisher, the author, connectivity through Sprint and Amazon profit. Since there was no book manufacturing costs, it still seemed like a lot of money and more than a sufficient amount to go around.
Then one day I noted that eBook titles were $12.99 -- at both Amazon -- and -- Barnes and Noble. Turns out that was early 2010. I understand pricing going up a little at a time, but the three dollar jump turned me off and I bought few books after that unless they were available at the old $9.99 model.
Turns out it was greed to make easy money for Apple. "When Apple came out with the iPad, it allowed publishers to set book prices as long as Apple got a 30 percent cut and publishers offered their lowest prices through Apple." Quoted from a Bloomberg article: U.S. Said to Prepare Apple Lawsuit Over E-Book Price-Fixing
The Wall Street Journal article U.S. Warns Apple, Publishers paraphrases material from the Isaacson's bio of Jobs. (Near the end of the piece.) The whole thing was a Jobs idea. It appears the real goal was to eliminate Amazon competition.
Will the prices change. Wondering. Before the Justice Department files suit, all parties will settle the thing for a fine and none will admit any collusion. They will just pay the fine and go on with business. Just another example of big business greed.
Enter the world of self publishing eBooks. No doubt the future of book publishing will look very different. With that, book stores will probably go the way of record stores.
At the Authors Guild, a Letter from Scott Turow: Grim News is in response to the planned Justice Department filing. Scott Turow is an author and president of the Authors Guild
Additional comments by John Scalzi in The Collusion Case Against Publishers
Then one day I noted that eBook titles were $12.99 -- at both Amazon -- and -- Barnes and Noble. Turns out that was early 2010. I understand pricing going up a little at a time, but the three dollar jump turned me off and I bought few books after that unless they were available at the old $9.99 model.
Turns out it was greed to make easy money for Apple. "When Apple came out with the iPad, it allowed publishers to set book prices as long as Apple got a 30 percent cut and publishers offered their lowest prices through Apple." Quoted from a Bloomberg article: U.S. Said to Prepare Apple Lawsuit Over E-Book Price-Fixing
The Wall Street Journal article U.S. Warns Apple, Publishers paraphrases material from the Isaacson's bio of Jobs. (Near the end of the piece.) The whole thing was a Jobs idea. It appears the real goal was to eliminate Amazon competition.
Will the prices change. Wondering. Before the Justice Department files suit, all parties will settle the thing for a fine and none will admit any collusion. They will just pay the fine and go on with business. Just another example of big business greed.
Enter the world of self publishing eBooks. No doubt the future of book publishing will look very different. With that, book stores will probably go the way of record stores.
At the Authors Guild, a Letter from Scott Turow: Grim News is in response to the planned Justice Department filing. Scott Turow is an author and president of the Authors Guild
Additional comments by John Scalzi in The Collusion Case Against Publishers
DISQUS Is Out
Thanks to all who tested the DISQUS widget for comments. However, after discovering some issues with its handling at Safari and Opera, it was removed.
Decided to go back to blogger comments without the captcha requirement. What that means is that I will moderate all comments once again. Yuch. I'll see how long that lasts until I tire of it.
A future approach may be to have all register to be able to comment. That may be the next solution if I tire of the moderating routine.
Decided to go back to blogger comments without the captcha requirement. What that means is that I will moderate all comments once again. Yuch. I'll see how long that lasts until I tire of it.
A future approach may be to have all register to be able to comment. That may be the next solution if I tire of the moderating routine.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Comments and Captchas
Those captchas are a pain. When trying to comment on other blogs, it takes at least two tries for me to find something I can read and then enter into the little box. Getting notes from some readers who would comment and have the same issue, I decided to do something drastic. I have implemented DISQUS as a widget for comments. I believe it has been installed correctly. Not sure just yet. May take a day before I know for sure.
What does this mean to those who wish to comment on my blog. Not sure I entirely understand the process. I've done a little testing from a couple of different browsers. Clicking on the "comments" word, will bring up a menu to register or login. There are choices other than the DISQUS. I chose DISQUS to register my Yahoo email address. After I did that I was able to make my comment without having to enter captchas.
Once registered, subsequent comments will be easier since it will know who you are.
This will continue to be a test of the new system. In this process -- you the reader and -- I am in the same situation. We will be learning as we go.
Don't want to comment here, send me an email. Click on the "email me" icon and shoot me your thoughts or experience with the new comment system.
Don't get a whole lot of comments now. With this new program, I may get even less. That's okay.
What does this mean to those who wish to comment on my blog. Not sure I entirely understand the process. I've done a little testing from a couple of different browsers. Clicking on the "comments" word, will bring up a menu to register or login. There are choices other than the DISQUS. I chose DISQUS to register my Yahoo email address. After I did that I was able to make my comment without having to enter captchas.
Once registered, subsequent comments will be easier since it will know who you are.
This will continue to be a test of the new system. In this process -- you the reader and -- I am in the same situation. We will be learning as we go.
Don't want to comment here, send me an email. Click on the "email me" icon and shoot me your thoughts or experience with the new comment system.
Don't get a whole lot of comments now. With this new program, I may get even less. That's okay.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)