A few Measly Steps a Day

I compiled 8 "Study Moments" about how condos work 10 years ago on one of stints of service. In my professional life, I emphasize to my clients that boards do better when they self-educate. So, I'm re-sending the series, one per day except for Easter Sunday.

I'm doing myself a bit of good, too. Swore that somewhere it was written we had to use Robert's Rules of Order. Still might be there, but I couldn't find it.

Have a client the next 2 Wed. evenings. Everyday I make happy discoveries. Reddit has a streaming channel now, and braver souls than I stream themselves performing music and redditors can support them with reddit coins that you can buy and I support the artists can redeem for cash again. I have no idea, but I think it's interesting.

D, write on, write fluidly.
Revu2

Thanks, R.
Things are going well for me right now. I have the plot summarized so I can keep writing without having to stop and wonder what will happen next. I'm half way through with my clean-the-garage project. This is a biggie. My garage used to look like the "hoarders" photos. But I got most of the webs down from the ceiling and I have clean spaces to work on, and a lot of the junk is given away or thrown out. Remember the pig? Tom shared the pig with a friend (actually it was the friend's idea.) Anyway, we now have about a hundred pounds of pork. (apologies to any vegetarians reading this.) It's manageable, and apparently we have a functioning freezer that Tom cleaned out. On a positive note - Tom and I are eating low-carb diets - which goes will with a hundred pounds of pork.
Here's me signing off.

I wish millions of people were clamoring for my books. (Except that my first one really isn't that good.)

14,000 words written in April so far. My goal is one hour a day which translates into 1000 words per day or 30,000 words. Which is perfect for me right now.

Hello AFMSAD,

Poof, a week flies by. D. write on, keep your pace, keep the chain going!

We had a short power failure today, so my S.O. and I walked to the high-end mall which still had power and strolled around commenting on stores which are still opened, will open, or are gone.

Before this shelter-in year, I once hiked to the local university and claimed one of the study rooms when I needed it. It worked great several times. But, they've been understandably hyper-safe so I can't do that tomorrow. Though supposedly a place of thinking and learning, their charges (students) act like their sense of immunity to harm is a real thing. As soon as they had opened the greek houses this summer they had a bunch of fresh c-virus cases to deal with. 139, I think.

Is the whole of higher education is a status-conferring ritual with little substance? I read about the lead of a teachers' union pushing back against re-admitting students into K-12 schools. She was quoted in the news, "there's a lot of fake news and disinformation out there ... " And I thought, "you're the head of a union of teachers. Can't one of your members figure out where to find trustworthy information with references that you believe?"

That's what I've been doing since Feb. 2020. So I had confidence Moderna and Pfizer, JnJ, etc. were going through all the stages all clinical trials go through. I read the WHO's summary update on research that said surfaces were less a risk than at first believed. That those clear face shield were worthless, better to stick with masks and the 6 ft rule. And so on. The WHO report cited sources for further digging.

Again, if teachers are lost on how to independently research the truth in the flow daily news, what rights do they have teaching "critical thinking?" Or anything?! Alright, off the soap box.

Hope the power's on tomorrow as I have two critical calls to attend.
R

You raise an interesting question, R. While I agree that the lead of a teachers' union should be able to distinguish fake news from real news. It's getting harder and harder to do. Especially if, way in the beginning someone were to watch Fox News and mistake it for real news. I know a lot of good, intelligent people who did that. Yes, there are clues - facts changing from month. And it's very hard for people to reject something they believe to be true. And it scares me that with more and more things going to electronics, it's going to be harder to differentiate between fact and fiction.

Well, actually my point is that teachers, instructors in determining what's valid, should use the tools they teach to research and get to the best sources, compare sources, and use their discernment. This is a major health, economic, and political event happening live during their lifetimes. In other words, be active and do their own checking vs being passive.

They do know this because it's part of their training on teaching critical thinking. Many K-12 teachers a Masters Degree and this is what you're taught in grad school. My barb is they don't apply what they know. Thus, is 'education' an empty ritual where the adults can't even apply what they supposedly teach? The goal is to prep young souls for living, not to churn the processes taught back into school settings and nowhere else.

To be in a leadership role (union president) for people that presumably know these tools and to not be able to show the public you're up on what's true is a discredit to their profession. Any one of their members could nail down the truth.

On the other "side," the school board doesn't take undue risks or consult a crystal ball—it makes decisions on reopenings based on the same sources that the governor and health departments use. Those sources come from collated data from separated government departments across the state or country. WHO's data comes from collating data from national governments. When a school board vets in public session what the data is and whether to approve reopening any citizen (or head of a teachers union) can also see what sources they are leaning on.

Anything we need to 'track down' is there somewhere to be found on the WWW. Medical journal abstracts? Tables of the raw data? Literature reviews. All there, you have to search, judge the quality of the source, and you have to think.

I once read a great blog by a teacher who casually tossed off during class that an article wasn't to be believed. And the students were fascinated, how did he know that? The source, the care with data collection and description, whether it matches what else you understand, the date, other works cited, and so on.

I know this is a philosophy and stance that the weight of determining the truth rests in ourselves, not in passively accepting things that happen to catch editors attention. Propaganda and spin are nothing new; readers have always held their own responsibility to see through the hype and lies that anyone with a pen can spew.

Anyway, I won't excuse the teachers without a written note from their parents.

R

I agree. The head of the teachers' union should be able to differentiate between real news and fake news.

I'm in the trough of my biorhythms, so keeping quite contentedly at home for a few days.

Meanwhile, got through an emotionally important annual meeting at our condo. Seems, somehow, some owners, without using the "I" word think I care too much. I guess either suggesting they care too little, or prehaps just the right amount.

Todo's

• Wrangle an agreement on timing + text to send to one of the owners.
• I have a tiny bit of paid research tomorrow ($20 for my half hour).
• A pair of books to read.
• Slip in a walk, and perhaps reading in the sunshine.

Revu2

After a year of not doing much and not seeing many people, all of a sudden, I'm driving around and doing a lot. It's a shock to the system, but probably a good one.

Plumbing problems are temporarily fixed. I have heat. It's a good life.

I should be excited. I'm going to be working on the disaster preparedness plan for our church. I'm emerging from the world of COVID to the larger world of outside with other humans. It's an adjustment. Today, I'm off to get an allergy shot, and later I'll be picking my grandson up from school. Here's hoping the grouchies dry up.

Sure, get excited, why not? Disaster prep is great.

I suspect your April writing goals are chugging along.

Here, I'm smack up aganist some people's astonishing ability to expend more energy and time denying engagement that just saying yes and getting to work would take. We spent 3 inconclusive hours talking about fair work among owners. In 3 hours, with several teams, we could have cut a chunk out of several projects.

I got approval and grudging agreement to sit in on a call with one distant owner who has a service watching their properties. When she said she was in Asia, and I said, no problem, we can figure out something and still use Zoom. Then their rep wrote that she has full authority, do we need a letter?

Well, full authority from her or the owners if they'd bothered to lift a finger over the past 6 years they've been owners. All we asked for was 45 minutes and now we've all put in more than that reading and responding to email. Sad people.

I told them I'll get back to the thread early next week. I have some accounting work to do for the condo this weekend.

Geez.

Thanks for letting me vent.
R

Happened to come across a reference to legendary soccer coach Bill Shankly. Find it in the quotes thread.

About the same time, I realized that a way to picture my approach to making change stick is to find the seam, place a wedge, and skillfully hammer away. Crack growing? Keep hammering.

Has this been written by anyone? It took some fancy google skills but I found at least one leadership blogger onto it. Savoring it a section at a time.

This relates to my condo challenges. Where are the seams? There's one at first move (doing research and writing up a recommendation). An enormous one is the changeover of owners! We have several due this year. As the incoming prez I have a legit role to connect with them and present my plans and policies.

Anything written opens a seam and most people consider writing a type of work. Fun is to be overdone, Work underdone.

I sense I'm onto something when I awaken with ideas + energy. I have a new toy, a recorder built into a 35gb USB drive. I mean—I have walkman cassette recorders (2 of em) and recording on my flip phone (that takes over a minute to access) and this thing sweeps them aside. Pick up, click on, wait for the double blue light, speak. Then I have several ways to rough in a transcript of what I said.

Busy starters set their own urgent schedule. We need a Reserve Study (30 years of estimated major expenses) for the resale certificates. I'm on it. I have something to add as a narrative of how we envision ourselves managing this over 30 years. Some of the expectations implicit in condo living, winning, aggressive attitude (It's on us to watch our expenses or vendors, poor quality, & Inflation will pick up clean).

In the cycles of my merry condo 'team' we are at a low point. Morale mysteriously refused to budge from bottom, owners are racing to avoid obvious responsibilities. As Bill Shankly might say, situation excellent to rebuild the club.
Revu2

Good wishes for your condo issues. They would be a real problem for me.

My issues - the bad ones - bad visit to the dentist and my washing machine still pumps its water into my bathroom. My method of dealing with it - for now - is to take laundry to the laundromat. The problem as I see it is that the plumber snaked out the wrong pipe. When I get around to dealing with this, I will probably be *****y.

My good issues - Writing is fun, and I mostly know where I'm going. Working on the disaster plan - I usually hate paperwork, but for some reason I'm enjoying this project. I'm basically doing it all myself, so I don't need to disagree with anyone. Right now I don't have a single problem. I have to get info from a few people - I emailed them, and so far people have been getting back to me faster than I would have. When I have the whole plan put together, I'll submit it to the Vestry, and they can haggle over changes if they want to, but it will be one session of discussion only. Things aren't supposed to be this easy. I'm probably forgetting something. I have to get ready for my granddaughter's birthday party. - just going to it, not creating it.

HI World. Only milling about through some old files looking for an acronym once shared on the Barbara Sher site using SLOW. Came across this gem.

I have a great respect for incremental improvement, and I've done that sort of thing in my life, but I've always been attracted to the more revolutionary changes. I don't know why. Because they're harder. They're much more stressful emotionally. And you usually go through a period where everybody tells you that you've completely failed.
Steve Jobs

Much more emotionally stressful. And there are periods where you're utterly alone. I'm at that place now. Even my partner can't resist rolling her eyes. Well, step out of the way you're blocking my path.

Came across this while looking for someone's acronym for SLOW. Haven't found it yet but did find a couple of my own to put on reminder cards:
CALM
C -calm your breathing
A - access the full situation
L - list your action options
M - Make your best move

8/12/15 LOSST: CALM — Life Off Script Self Talk - Calm my breathing, Access the full situation, List options for action, Make the best move
Revu2

HI,
Sorry for being AWOL for so long. We had an out-of-town birthday party. Lot of fun. Then, when I got back, I hit a whole bunch of problems and wasn't up to doing much. I'm hitting snag after snag after snag.

Anyway, here's hoping for good things.

Will and Jody are about to hit a big snag, speaking of snags. She's about to be deported. My audiologist wanted to be a character in the book. I'm making her a Mountie. That's the good part about writing. When it's good, the imagination and the creativity is Heaven with a capital H.

I hope today goes well. I'm working on the scene I guess I shouldn't write it here, but it's tempting.

What else - husband, plumbing, and drywall issues, in that order.

Have a good one.

Dealing with life, a step at a time. D, breathe and tell each issue to "take a number."

I'm whelmed with writing a grant. Seems spring is the grant writing season. Third one in 3 springs. New client, complex application, and always the complexities of building a clear enough image in the reviewers' minds that they award the grant.

Feeling drained from "carrying it around" most of the time and actually working on task about 3 hours a day. Plus, of course, previously planned installation of the new patio sliding door with screen. Cleared and washed the deck. Moved my standing desk. Also, up at 7:15 tomorrow morning to get ready to let them in.

I don't think my Dear Partner appreciates how hard my work is and how consumed by it I need to be to it well. Ideally I'd have an office away from anyone for a month and food left on my front door step.

Well, let's all just carry on,
Revu2

Yes, proofing is too dang hard!

I'm always amazed at the projects you do.

Me - I was going great guns, and then ran out of steam. So no I'm slugging along. Maybe tomorrow will be better. I'm managing to do a little bit every day. which is good. I'm even running out of steam posting here.

Hi World,
Taking a breather from writing/editing. As in, a few minutes to do other stuff so my backmind can sort things out.

Today: after putting my time on this grant I'll consider a break. I like to combine getting outside with a destination. Today, we need bread. A constraint is riding my bike too much being this idle for so long would exhaust me and I couldn't work well tomorrow.

Also, funsville to polish off a book: Insanely Simple. About Steve Jobs and his leadership/design philosophies. Also reading Borges and Me, about J L Borges and Jay Parini's luck encounter with him 50 years ago.

OK, this breather has breathed. Revu2

Today: 2 hours of dual proofreading with my assistant. We'll get as far as we get. Found 3 Steinbeck quotes that'll see me thru:
There is in the air about a man a kind of congealed jealousy. Only let him say he will do something and that whole mechanism goes to work to stop him. The Greeks worked this out to their satisfaction. Jealous gods always present.

God save me from amateurs. The don't know what they are reading but it is much more serious than that. They immediately start rewriting. I never knew this to fail. It is invariable. For that authority of ignorance and that is something you simply cannot combat.

From East of Eden: In human affairs of danger and delicacy successful conclusion is sharply limited by hurry. So often men trip by being in a rush. If one were to properly perform a difficult and subtle act, he should first inspect the end to be achieved and then, once he had accepted the end as desirable, he should forget it completely and concentrate solely on the means. By this method he would not be moved to false action by anxiety or hurry or fear. Very few people learn this.

To the day, Revu2

I really like your quotes, especially the first one which is oh so true!

Good dental news! (How often does that happen?) My bridge was loose, and dentist #1 tried to pull it off and recement it. Tried several times and couldn't do it. We talked a lot about implants (I can't afford them) plates, pulling teeth, partial plates, and other unhappy things costing a few thousand dollars. Dentist #1 tried to recement the bridge. It lasted about a week. Dentist #2 drilled a hole in the loose crown which held the bridge, sterilized the space inside, and packed it with cement. So far - looks good. Yes! (Cost - about $50.) Today was a low energy day. I'm trying to get a little writing in so the day won't be a total loss.

Hello World,
D, seems dentist #2 knows how to improvise better.

A bit irritable yesterday but a social gathering in person (!) outdoors in a park lifted my mood a lot. Under time and "amateur" pressures so know I'll need to watch my interactions through the week. No fixes, just endurance and attention.

Revu2

R, We need the social interaction, and we need to be outside more. No wonder your spirits lifted. I find I got used to sheltering, and now it feels normal. But it's really important for my mental health to get out and be with friends, so I'm bucking the temptation to be a couch potato (computer potato.) To that end, I'll make two phone calls after I finish this post, and then I'll go for a walk/jog. (consider it my steps for today.)
Happy gathering in person!

So great to get a Big Project done & Delivered. Ahead of schedule. Alas, over the budget the client had set aside in her thinking. Wrestled all day with thoughts of conceding part of my fees. Totaled my hours today and I'll bill all of it & see what she says.

Did order a few small things to cheer me up. Bot a small device about the size of a toaster that's a personal air conditioner. Evapolar brand. Saw it discounted on one of my feeds but their buying process proved too much. So then found it for even less, still new, on Poshmark. Scored it.

It's powered via USB cable, draws just 7.5 watts, and cools by blowing water through a filter. Filters run about $25 and they say refresh twice a year. First, don't need AC all year, Second, even when I do it's about 30 days total across the summer months. So, I'll see. My heat pump AC draws 15,000 watts for comparison, 2000 times more electricity.

The other was looking to solve something. I bought "popping" sorghum, that I can't seem to get to pop. Pivot, maybe I can grind it & blend it in with corn grits. So I had to crush them to the right size. Cuisinart and coffee bean grinders turn it into flour. And a bunch escape intact. Picking them out for another round is a pain. Along the way I bought a strainer from Daiso with the right grid size. Better, still a pain.

Whatever I got needed to be small and hand powered cuz I'm only grinding 1/8 of a cup each time. Salt or pepper grinders! Finally settled on one by PepperMate and got it today. A bit of precautionary cleaning before giving it a drive. Yes, the coarse grind does the trick.

Sometimes I think I must finish a project and buy stuff as a reward. But in another sense, I like buying mid-project because it's a distraction, yet concrete in that I end up with something in hand I can use when I do finish.

Revu2

Beautiful day in California.

A friend offered to help me set up a web site. A step for me - write a mission statement - what am I all about? An interesting question.

I'll goof off a bit more and then go do fun things in my garden.