Bragging - part II

Bragging Day - part II

Yesterday I was bragging about my exercise and mental games  (Really mostly a challenge to myself to keep going!!!)

As I mentioned then:

In my look at Alzheimer’s disease, there are several positive factors that one can follow::

• Exercise
• Mental stimulation
• Social interaction
• Diet and nutrition
• Sleep
• Meditation
• Positive attitude

So, let’s see if I am keeping up with the rest of my prevention of Alzheimer’s goals:

Social Interaction:

My big event is once a week when I play social bridge.  I do get to groups, but not always much interaction. Playing with the Williamson County Symphony is nice - and I’m in a group of people, but not much interaction.  Church is nice - and I get to visit with friends afterward. I generally see one of my friends for a two-hour coffee session once a week (plus 500 texts between the two of us!!!)  I went to my second Granny Basketball practice two days ago - again, not much socially, but some interaction with fellow human beings!!! I could be doing more!!

Diet and nutrition:

Okay, I have a weakness - I like snacks and sweets.  Plus somebody always makes cookies or coffeecake for the bridge group - and I make sure I enjoy that!!  And, (shhh- don’t let anybody know), I do have that gallon of Chocolate Chip Ice Cream in the freezer

And, I still have about ten pounds to lose.

Sleep:

My sleep patterns are interesting.  I fall asleep quickly (frequently thinking of what I’m going to write for this daily blog).  But, I wake up at least two times during the night for the restroom and after the second one, I tend to be awake for an hour.  But, I get at least one great nap during the day (generally twenty minutes or less).

Meditation:

I have a daily quiet time for reflection, scripture reading, and prayer.  I also interact with KW on spirituality topics.  

Positive attitude:

Yes!!  I have talked of being a Pollyanna - who sees the good in everything.  Only when I get a little tired might my attitude slip!!

Other points of interest:

Finance is going to be a concern for me as I/we go into our divorce.  I try to share our income with my wife - and it is going to be okay. (But, repairing the transmission on my car last week for $4670 did hit the finances!!!)

Family:

Maybe the lowest point on my attitude.  I am trying to compensate through other activities!!

How are you doing with these categories?

Hugs!!

Karen

Bragging Day - part I

Bragging day!!!

(Okay, I’m sorry - but not too sorry - to brag today - and I hope it motivates you!!)

In my look at Alzheimer’s disease, there are several positive factors that one can follow::

• Exercise
• Mental stimulation
• Social interaction
• Diet and nutrition
• Sleep
• Meditation
• Positive attitude

Exercise:

There are gyms all around you.  January is “Gym” month - as people make New Year’s resolutions to get fit and work out.  Gym membership is good, but even better is GOING to the gym regularly!!  

(Aside - a couple of years ago, I was in that group - gym membership and didn’t go.  Fortunately, it wasn’t a fortune to belong to this gym - but to make it work, I had to go!!)

And, one of the best ‘gym’ activities you can do for free - walk!!  I do have a membership at the Georgetown Recreation Center (about $10 a month) - and I do get there probably five times out of the week.  But, I also live in Texas, where the weather is at least tolerable in winter and I can walk outside.  The Georgetown Recreation Center does have advantages when it is colder and in the summer when it is hot. Plus, I walk on a track and can listen to audiobooks and watch basketball and volleyball games (and take a shower!!)

Around Thanksgiving, I wanted some kind of fitness device (like a Fitbit).  I said something to a friend (KB) who said “Hey you have a step counter on your phone”!!  So, no Fitbit, but keeping track of my steps. I have used the free MapMyWalk app on my phone and I am part of the 2020 Challenge to walk/run 1020 kilometers in the year 2020.  

So, back to bragging - I am averaging five miles a day.  That is 10,000 steps, which is what many experts suggest.  In terms of the MapMyWalk app, I reached the 200-kilometer last week - so, if you will, I’m over 20% in the challenge.  If I keep this up, by the end of April I’ll get to the 1020 kilometer mark!!! (The MapMyWalk says I’m in the top 2% in that challenge.)

Mental

Last week, I marked seven years using the daily (free) Set game on my computer.  A nice spacial and logic game that does challenge me most days. Likewise, about a month ago, I reached 1000 days in the FlowFree Hex game on my phone.  Up to thirteen dots on a grid that you need to connect without crossing another line (they use different colors to help identify the lines - and if you need too, you can ask for help.  Help isn’t quite free as you will have to watch a promotional video (aka “advertisement”) to get the hint - but that’s not really different than watching TV!!

Likewise, I reached the 1000 day barrier in the original FlowFree game.  (FlowFree Hex has hexagons while the original had squares). My daily routine is to get the Set game and FlowFree games done in my first hour of the day.  

I am also playing bridge which requires thinking - plus gives a person a social venue.  

So, yes, I am bragging - but in my retirement, I have carved out time to get my physical exercise and my mental exercise!! (And, all except the gym membership are free!!!)

And, another mental exercise is writing a daily blog.  I missed about four days last year (when I was on my ‘vacation’ to the mental hospital).  

(And, I feel good!!!)

How about you?  

More on this tomorrow!!

Karen

Facial Recognition in London

Smile - You are on camera!!

https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/24/21079919/facial-recognition-london-cctv-camera-deployment

London is activating Facial Recognition.  This article says:

“Live facial recognition cameras will be deployed across London, with the city’s Metropolitan Police announcing today that the technology has moved past the trial stage and is ready to be permanently integrated into everyday policing.

“The cameras will be placed in locations popular with shoppers and tourists, like Stratford’s Westfield shopping center and the West End, reports BBC News. Each camera will scan for faces contained in watch lists, which the Met says will predominantly contain individuals wanted for serious and violent offenses.”

“When the camera flags an individual, police officers will approach and ask them to verify their identity. If they’re on the watch list, they’ll be arrested. “This is a system which simply gives police officers a ‘prompt’, suggesting ‘that person over there maybe the person you’re looking for,’” said the Metropolitan police in a press release.

“Operational use of the cameras will only last for five or six hours at a time, says BBC News, but the Met makes clear that the use of this technology is to be the new normal in London.”

*****

Some other cities (San Francisco in particular) have debated facial recognition - and declined to implement it.  Privacy experts suggest this is an invasion of privacy.  

Like many issues - there are two sides to this issue.  Crime and terrorism could be curbed through facial recognition.  Known criminals could be identified and questioned and possibly apprehended.  Safety for the citizens is important.  

London, in recent years, has suffered from terrorist attacks.  It has become a political issue as one of the British political parties have blamed one of the other parties of being ‘soft’ on terrorism.  

Facial recognition has been around for a few years - and gradually getting better.  The concepts are that a person’s basic face is like fingerprints - so grow (or shave) a beard; dye your hair, add weight or lose weight the points on a face are still unique.   To humans, beard, dyed hair and different clothes will probably pass as a different person.  To computers with the facial recognition software, the person is fully identified.  

In effect, with enough computer power, every human could be traced through facial recognition.  The man with his mistress could be identified for the wife.  The child playing hooky from school could be identified.  The person selling drugs on the street corner can be identified.   

Civil liberty advocates want privacy (and privacy over security). If a woman is escaping from an abusive relationship (with a policeman), she could be found. The concept of ‘what I do with my time is my own business’ is being trumped by the concept of identifying potential safety, terrorist and dangerous issues before they happen.  

While I don’t do anything wrong (or anything that is majorly wrong - whatever that means), I could be identified as being in “the right place at the wrong time” and called in to testify.  Like the various red-light cameras that identify drivers who run the red lights, this will keep people safe.  But, there have been (ahh) a few times, when maybe (just maybe), I entered an intersection on yellow that (ahh) became red as I was in the middle of the intersection.  

So, security versus freedom again are at odds with each other.  If a person wants to have a tryst with a lover on the sly, facial recognition could make that tryst public.  

How do you feel about this issue?   For freedom of movement, go where you want to go - when you want to go - and not worry about being on camera - or be watched wherever you go.

As the novel 1984 suggested “Big Brother is Watching You”!!!

Hugs!!

Karen

The Doomsday Clock moves closer to midnight

Doomsday Clock closer to Midnight

http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20200124-it-is-now-100-seconds-to-midnight

We are closer than ever to wipe out humanity!!!  (Or so the Doomsday Clock states)

The article says::

“The iconic Doomsday Clock of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, symbolizing the gravest perils facing humankind, is now closer to midnight than at any point since its creation in 1947. To underscore the need for action, the time on the Doomsday Clock is now being expressed in seconds, rather than minutes: On Thursday, the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board, in consultation with the Bulletin’s Board of Sponsors, which includes thirteen Nobel Laureates, moved the Doomsday Clock from two minutes to midnight to 100 seconds to midnight.”

“As the statement issued Thursday by the Bulletin explains: “Humanity continues to face two simultaneous existential dangers—nuclear war and climate change—that are compounded by a threat multiplier, cyber-enabled information warfare, that undercuts society’s ability to respond. The international security situation is dire, not just because these threats exist, but because world leaders have allowed the international political infrastructure for managing them to erode.”

“The Bulletin notes that the Doomsday Clock has now moved closer to midnight in three of the last four years. While the Doomsday Clock did not move in 2019, its minute hand was set forward in 2018 by 30 seconds, to two minutes before midnight. The Clock was adjusted in 2017 to two and a half minutes to midnight from its previous setting of three minutes to midnight.”

*****

Growing up during the Cold War - after World War II - we had drills in school for atomic bombs.  While the atomic bombs ended World War II, their existence forced the USSR (aka “Russia”) to develop atomic bombs.   

At this point in time (January 2020), there are eight countries with atomic weapons:  The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom (aka “England”), France, India, Pakistan, and North Korea.  It is also assumed that Israel also has atomic weapons, but that country neither admits nor denies that.  

Iran is considered not to have nuclear weapons, but that is debatable.  (They have nuclear power plants and have supposedly been working on atomic bombs - just ask Israel who has attempted to negate such development.

*****

To end World War II, the Allies/United States bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki with atomic bombs in 1945.  Before that bombing, German and Italy had signed unilateral agreements to end the war, but Japan had not.  The emperor and imperial army seemed to say “We will fight to the last person.” Seemingly Truman and the United States decided that the atomic bomb, as disastrous as it was, would actually save lives by ending the bitter conflict.  And, it did. Shortly after the explosions, Japan surrendered unconditionally. 

But, after the war, bitterness between the Soviet Union and the United States grew so each had stockpiled multiple such weapons.  The concept was that each could kill each other country's citizens several times over!!

The Middle East has been a sore spot for centuries.  Biblically the rivalry goes back to Abraham who had two sons - Isaac and Ishmael - where supposedly the blessing of God was to be on Isaac - the legitimate son of Abraham through his wife Sarah.  

Religion is part of the enmity between the Arabic and Muslim states and Israel.  Seemingly some in the Middle East would love to ‘blow’ Israel off the map with a nuclear weapon even if it destroyed the rest of the world.  Plus, the hostility between India and Pakistan (and even the disputed territory of Kashmir) could flare up to nuclear destruction at any time.

So, the doomsday clock is closer to midnight.  Some crazy madman could set it off with one push of a button and destroy us all.

From Barry McGuire’s song of 1965 - The Eve of Destruction:

“And you tell me over and over and over and over again my friend,

You don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.”

Hatred flourishes, but, as a Pollyanna, I believe (and hope) that we can become peaceful people, living in a world of peace, but if the analysts are correct, we are closer to total destruction than ever!!!

Are you worried?  How can we turn the tide and find ways to ‘love-one-another’?

Hugs!!

Karen   

Pandemics and Coronavirus!

Coronavirus (and 

https://www.history.com/news/6-devastating-plagues 

Coronavirus has become a news item.  

One of the news articles states:

“The contagion that’s locked down travel for tens of millions of Chinese has claimed 41 lives, with 15 new deaths announced today, among them a doctor in Wuhan who’d been treating Coronavirus patients. Outside of China, cases have been reported in seven Asian nations, Australia, America and France. Hong Kong declared a health emergency and canceled Lunar New Year celebrations, while Taiwan has banned tour groups from China’s Hubei province, where the virus originated in Wuhan.”

“What’s the international response? While the World Health Organization hasn’t declared an emergency, nations like Britain, investigating suspected cases and tracing 2,000 recent arrivals from Hubei, are on alert.”

Yes, viruses come and go.  But, the threat of a pandemic does exist.

Over history, there have been major health pandemics:

-1 The Plague of Justinian

“The pandemic is believed to have originated in Africa and then spread to Europe through infected rats on merchant ships. It reached the Byzantine capital of Constantinople in 541 A.D., and was soon claiming up to 10,000 lives per day—so many that unburied bodies were eventually stacked inside buildings or left in the open. “ and “It is believed to have killed at least 25 million people, but the actual death toll may have been much higher.

*****

10,000 deaths a day - with unburied bodies filling the streets. And, even with the population of that day, 25 million was a huge death toll!!

*****

-2 The Black Death

“The populations of whole towns were wiped out, and it was said that the living spent most of their time burying the dead in mass graves.” and “The Black Death finally subsided in the West around 1353, but not before it killed as many as 50 million people—more than half the population of Europe.”

-3 The Italian Plague of 1629-31

“These harsh measures may have helped contain the scourge, but it still killed some 280,000 people, including over half the residents of Verona. The Republic of Venice, meanwhile, lost nearly a third of its population of 140,000. Some scholars have since argued that the outbreak may have sapped the city-state’s strength and led to its decline as a major player on the world stage.”

-4 The Great Plague of London

“Somewhere between 75,000 and 100,000 people eventually perished before the outbreak died down in 1666. Later that same year, London was visited by a second major tragedy when the Great Fire of 1666 torched much of its city center.”

-5 The Third Plague Pandemic

“The worldwide outbreak would eventually claim some 15 million lives before petering out in the 1950s.

*****

Today, travel between countries flourishes.  Viruses can spread easily as travelers, business people and even international students can bring germs from around the world to our neighborhoods.  

Will the Coronavirus be a pandemic?  Who knows.  

One of my summers at Citibank, plans were made for “Continuity of Business” in case of a pandemic illness.  What if half of your workforce were infected and died? What if half of your customers were infected and died?  

While modern health analysis can spot potential issues, diseases can spread quicker than medical help!!  Are you ready?

Hugs!!

Karen

Vulnerable - part IV (the last)

Being Vulnerable

https://www.bustle.com/articles/150219-7-ways-to-let-yourself-become-more-vulnerable

Day four of being vulnerable!!  (Okay, I thought one day would work for this topic, then two and yesterday I decided I needed to go farther and deeper!!!)

Back to the article - starting at point 3 of 7

-3 Be open to being vulnerable

You may find yourself in a position where you can ‘run and hide’ or be ‘open and vulnerable.  Obviously, you want to weigh in on the position. Is this a place and a time to be open? Can you trust the people you are with?  If this is a casual conversation, you don’t need to be too open and too vulnerable; but if you have a rapport with the people around you, you can open up.

The article suggests that one needs to face such situations early on.  Running and hiding just won’t work in the long run. The article says “accept that you'll have to eventually get used to those kinds of emotions, so today might as well be the day.”

-4 Trust That You Can Deal With The Outcome, No Matter What

You have to go into the situation knowing that even in a negative outcome, you can hold your head up.  

The article says “You might have to lick a couple of wounds, but you're strong. You have enough in you to handle the worst.”

-5 Share your hurts with others

From the article, “If you open up about your feelings, failures, and thoughts to someone you trust, you not only get help on the soothing forefront, but you get another shot at practicing vulnerability. It's important to keep in mind that depending on others to soothe us can actually increase feelings of vulnerability." You're opening yourself up to another person, which is great practice” in becoming more transparent and authentic.

-6  By Not Being Vulnerable, You're Giving Away The Power To Hurt You

The author of the article quotes Jennifer Kass, “"It's only when we close our hearts and put up protective barriers that we are at the mercy of everyone and everything around us — from this place we become victims of our circumstances and give away our power by letting external things and other people control how we feel." 

You can come off as having those barriers, of being a rock or an island.  You might even just fade into the background as faded wallpaper!!!

-7 Realize You're Already Hurting Yourself With Inaction & That You Can Only Go Up From Here

Don’t be a spectator in your own life!!!  Take part, be open - to both success and failure in terms of human relations.  Going back to the turtle, he only makes progress when he sticks his neck out.

*****

Aside and personal.  Earlier this week, I took a comment too deeply.  I allowed it to fester - it boiled over in my thoughts.  I circled around it and found the speaker was shoveling dirt into my path and I didn’t need to take that  Even back to scripture - Psalm 139:14 says “I am fearfully and wonderfully made”.

So, how about you?  Can you be authentic in your life?  Are you open to being vulnerable? For me, let’s face it, I don’t have all the answers (and most of the time, I don’t even have the questions!!!  I want to be ME!!! (After all, who can do a better job of that?)

Hugs!!!

Karen

Vulnerable part III

Being Vulnerable

https://www.bustle.com/articles/150219-7-ways-to-let-yourself-become-more-vulnerable

Being vulnerable is opening yourself up to rejection (or acceptance).  Rejection hurts!! Acceptance is good!! But, every time you start out on a journey/concept / idea the two options exist - acceptance or rejection.  

Back to Simon and Garfunkel - are you a rock, or you an island?

Part of their lyrics are:

Don't talk of love

But I've heard the words before

It's sleeping in my memory

I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died

If I never loved I never would have cried

*****

If I had never loved, I never would have cried.  Do you relate to that? Loving sometimes means being vulnerable and crying!!

You know love adages and words of wisdom.  For this thought, I’m thinking of the statement “A turtle only makes progress by sticking out his head”.  (and legs and tail). We can pull within our shells - put on a happy face, hide the hurt inside us and go on.  Basically, you can be a phony.  

Let’s look at the article and see if we can get help:

-1 First things first, accept that you are worthy!!

You have to believe in yourself.  That can be a challenge. I’ve known of parents who cannot say a nice thing to their children.  The children hear “You’re a brat”; “You are a loser”, “Can’t you do anything right?”, “Why are you so bad?”

It has to be hard to overcome the psychological abuse that is put upon you by negative statements from your parents or teachers.  

YOU ARE WORTHY.  

Eleanor Roosevelt said this: ““No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”.  You have to believe you are strong, you have to believe you are worthy. You have every right to stand up.  

Now, some want to put your down.  If I was at a table of Nobel Prize winners, would I feel inferior?  That can be tough. If I was a new parent and was at a table of experienced parents, would I feel inferior?  If you were a new teacher/nurse/engineer/ mechanic/whatever and a person with years of experience came over and said “You are doing it all wrong - you are worthless” - would you feel inferior.  Can you back into your brain and say “I may not have al the experience of this expert, but that’s okay. I am not worthless - I am just a beginner.  

Last year about this time, I wanted to learn to play Pickleball.  The Recreation Center had times for pickleball and I showed up. It was a rotating system, where teams of two waiting for their turn.  When one team lost, they sat down and the next two in line went on the floor. I had two experiences where I went on the floor and was indirectly told ‘go away’ - indirectly saying “I don’t want to play against beginners.  You are worthless in my eyes - go away”. That hurt. There was a time on the schedule for beginners - .and when I went at that time, the others were more accepting. (Unfortunately, it was at a time when I had another activity that was more important to me.).  

Now, to be honest, beginners on a pickleball court can take away the fun and exercise of experienced players.  I was watching a game with four superb players making great moves to keep the ball in play. For maybe twenty minutes there were heroic saves, diving shots, and excellent hustle.  In my few games, they lasted maybe two minutes as I managed to hill the ball out-of-bounds, faulted on my serve, and just messed up. It would have been ideal for me as a beginner to play somebody “my own size”.  

I don’t fault those who were playing.  Weak and inexperienced players don’t provide the challenge that stronger players give.  I view the people who told me to go away as not being toxic - but not very friendly. 

Do I hate them?  Nope. Do I want to spend time on a pickleball court with them?  Not unless I get better and they can accept me!!!

I have been playing bridge in two groups.  My goal in playing bridge is to have a good time, work on memory and logic skills and enjoy the social atmosphere.  The one group had played together a long time and were more competitive than I wanted to be. Not a bad thing - they were wanting to improve their bridge skills and I was occasionally guilty of not being a better bridge player.  There was also a ‘bully’ in the group. After a few occasions of negative interactions with her, I could fight - or just not make playing in this group a priority.  

If I wanted to improve my bridge skills, I would have gotten books, and studied concepts.  I would have worked on it - like I work on exercising or music-making - with research and practice.  But, in pickleball and in bridge, I am happy to be mediocre. Do I have value? Am I worthy? ABSOLUTELY.  Did I allow them to make me feel inferior? Just a little. If my job depending on pickleball and bridge skills, I would work on them.

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent”.  And, I don’t consent to be inferior (especially in areas where I am not very good) - where I consent to be a pretty raw beginner.

Wow - I got off on this topic - so more tomorrow!!

Hugs!!!

Karen