Ponderings for April 16th 2022

[br6205]

Thank you, Mike, that was very kind of you and I hope your day is great.

 

[chac54]

Being homebound I am a slave to electricity and the internet. When I go up I managed to short out my electricity as it turned out caused by my microwave shorting out. It took 8 long return trips to the garage many stairs up to the first floor then more down to the garage to trip the fuse control all 16 of them since I did not know which was the right one to get electricity back after finding the offending cause. Not a good start to my day. Of course I need a new low power over as it is all my room can tolerate. I will pay for all this body wise later today I am sure. But at least I am up amd running after 3.5 hours!

Yikes, quite the adventure!! How you feeling Br? I hope OK...

 

[br6205]

Remarkably it did not affect me physically, Chac, thank you for your concern and have a great day.

 

[mikeyank]

I may be going out on a boat this weekend or next, with a friend to do “Whale Watching” in New Jersey. That would be something new for me, but it sounds like fun. If I go I will be sure to take some pics to share on the forum.

View attachment 82391


Those are my ponderings for today.

My friend and I did the whale watching trip yesterday and it was really interesting. The boat left the dock in Manhattan on East 34th Street and sailed down to Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Here is a map showing exactly where that is.



From Wikipedia”

“ Sandy Hook is a barrier spit in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The barrier spit, approximately 6 miles in length and varying from 0.1 to 1.0 mile wide, is located at the north end of the Jersey Shore. Wikipedia”

I learned that the humpback whales which we saw yesterday travel between the Caribbean and this is the furthest north in their journey as they stock up on small fish which help sustain them through the year. I did not get any great pics myself as by the time a while jumps out of the water, it is too late to snap a pic. My friend took videos and captured two of them jumping, but this forum does not allow such videos to be posted. Perhaps with the new format, in the future I can share homemade videos and even pics taken on my phone in the upright position and hot just horizontally.

I will share a few pics although not of the whales jumping.

I took a New York Waterway ferry to get to the dock on East 34th Street and here are a few pics from that ferry ride.





Here are a couple of pics I took when I saw a whale jumping but missed them but perhaps you can detect the splash in the water where they were just below the surface.





After the boat docked back at East 34th Street on the East River, we walked to Second Avenue where we found a nice Irish pub to sit and eat and drink and enjoy the late Saturday afternoon. I did take a couple of pics of the Empire State Building walking up East 34th Street.





Overall it was a great way to spend an August Saturday. Sorry I did not get any good pics of the whales jumping, but I hope I was able to share the flavor of the day.

 

[br6205]

As always I appreciate your great explanation and wonderful pictures, thank you my friend.

 

[chac54]

My friend and I did the whale watching trip yesterday and it was really interesting. The boat left the dock in Manhattan on East 34th Street and sailed down to Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Here is a map showing exactly where that is.

View attachment 83111

From Wikipedia”

“ Sandy Hook is a barrier spit in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The barrier spit, approximately 6 miles in length and varying from 0.1 to 1.0 mile wide, is located at the north end of the Jersey Shore. Wikipedia”

I learned that the humpback whales which we saw yesterday travel between the Caribbean and this is the furthest north in their journey as they stock up on small fish which help sustain them through the year. I did not get any great pics myself as by the time a while jumps out of the water, it is too late to snap a pic. My friend took videos and captured two of them jumping, but this forum does not allow such videos to be posted. Perhaps with the new format, in the future I can share homemade videos and even pics taken on my phone in the upright position and hot just horizontally.

I will share a few pics although not of the whales jumping.

I took a New York Waterway ferry to get to the dock on East 34th Street and here are a few pics from that ferry ride.

View attachment 83112

View attachment 83113

Here are a couple of pics I took when I saw a whale jumping but missed them but perhaps you can detect the splash in the water where they were just below the surface.

View attachment 83114

View attachment 83115

After the boat docked back at East 34th Street on the East River, we walked to Second Avenue where we found a nice Irish pub to sit and eat and drink and enjoy the late Saturday afternoon. I did take a couple of pics of the Empire State Building walking up East 34th Street.

View attachment 83116

View attachment 83117

Overall it was a great way to spend an August Saturday. Sorry I did not get any good pics of the whales jumping, but I hope I was able to share the flavor of the day.

I can imagine the big splash thanks for the pics!

 

[mikeyank]

August 25, 2022

I retired from working full time in June, 2016 and began working my two days a week in the office which is a perfect blend for my mental health to get out of the house and to use my brain. Yesterday was a very busy day where four different people were asking me to accomplish tasks and I had to keep everything in mind and to prioritize. But I accomplished what I had to do, and that is satisfying to myself.

However my employer sell school supplies and this is the “back to school” season and for each of the last six years during late August/early September they ask me to put in two extra days and to work a four day, Monday - Thursday schedule. And yesterday I got the call for starting next week. I love my two day schedule with an off day or four days off between work days to relax, do chores, do laundry, cooking something, shopping at a leisurely pace and occasionally going out either with a friend or by myself. It is the best of both worlds for me.

But now I need to start the tougher schedule beginning Monday so I will try to enjoy my last four day weekend of freedom. But I did work full time for 44 years so I guess for the next four-six weeks, I can do it one more time.

That is my rant/pondering for today.

 

[br6205]

Mike count your blessings you are physically able to, I am unable these days to stand very long & the other day I had a bad back attack which was even worse in bed. So today at least sitting is almost pain free. The irony is of course before my illness I was always on the go & enjoyed doing physical labor.

 

[chac54]

I've no ponderings today, I'm in a rant mode. I've been up for about 40 hours, tried sleeping but it was being an elusive bitch last night. Wish me luck that the sleep gods bestow on me at least 5 hours tonight, I'd take that right now. I'm on day 5 of less than 4 hours sleep at night. I hate insomnia

On the good side I watched more Shameless, Upload and just stared at my popcorn ceiling. I stayed home from work today, I just couldn't do it with no sleep. I experienced my first anxiety attack I think too (thanks Dr Google and WebMD LOL). God I'm a mess LOL

One thing I know is that I wish each of you an amazing night my fellow peeps.

 

[br6205]

I am so sorry to hear of your sleep issues. I have been lucky not to have that issue and but sympathize with you my friend & hope tonight you will. All my love your friend. br.

 

[mikeyank]

I've no ponderings today, I'm in a rant mode. I've been up for about 40 hours, tried sleeping but it was being an elusive bitch last night. Wish me luck that the sleep gods bestow on me at least 5 hours tonight, I'd take that right now. I'm on day 5 of less than 4 hours sleep at night. I hate insomnia

On the good side I watched more Shameless, Upload and just stared at my popcorn ceiling. I stayed home from work today, I just couldn't do it with no sleep. I experienced my first anxiety attack I think too (thanks Dr Google and WebMD LOL). God I'm a mess LOL

One thing I know is that I wish each of you an amazing night my fellow peeps.

Hi Chac. I sure hope you got a good night’s sleep last night. I’d like to make a suggestion that rather to self diagnose with “Dr. Google and WebMD” that you visit an actual MD and consider talking to a therapist about the underlying issues you may be experiencing. When I was in my late twenties I was hooked up with an old fashioned Freudian physiatrist. He was a straight married man in his late seventies but he totally related to me and used terms like “sucking cock” and “fucking” during our discussions. He was very easy to relate to. But the point is that he understood me better than I understood myself and made me learn to love myself, which was something I needed. An outside professional therapist can sometimes do wonders. Good luck buddy.

 

[tampa24]

I hope you can get some peaceful sleep Chac. I'm sorry to hear you've been struggling lately.

 

[mikeyank]

As the calendar turned to September yesterday, the weather followed suit with much cooler, low humidity days, with blue skies and a gentle breeze. Thursday I finished my first of several four day work weeks, but today begins my weekend and as I was just out to do some errands, I noticed how blue the sky is and decided to take a few pics to share on the forum.

HAPPY LABOR DAY weekend my fellows forumites

 

[br6205]

Be aware it can be hot through late October as it was last year. Thank you Mike for those lovely pictures.

 

[chac54]

I am so sorry to hear of your sleep issues. I have been lucky not to have that issue and but sympathize with you my friend & hope tonight you will. All my love your friend. br.

Hi Chac. I sure hope you got a good night’s sleep last night. I’d like to make a suggestion that rather to self diagnose with “Dr. Google and WebMD” that you visit an actual MD and consider talking to a therapist about the underlying issues you may be experiencing. When I was in my late twenties I was hooked up with an old fashioned Freudian physiatrist. He was a straight married man in his late seventies but he totally related to me and used terms like “sucking cock” and “fucking” during our discussions. He was very easy to relate to. But the point is that he understood me better than I understood myself and made me learn to love myself, which was something I needed. An outside professional therapist can sometimes do wonders. Good luck buddy.

I hope you can get some peaceful sleep Chac. I'm sorry to hear you've been struggling lately.

Thanks everyone, this is one of the reasons I love this forum and all of it's peeps. We can yack about anything that's on our mind.

I need to find a new doctor, last time I mentioned it to my PCP he barely registered it. I just go through spurts where I don't sleep well (I am totally an overanalyzer and tend to run every situation through my head.) Last night I did get sleep which was good, I slept from 10 PM ish to 4 AM before I started tossing and turning waiting for the alarm to go off. I think the 2 benadryl and 2 alieve I took helped (my shoulder has been aching a bit). And yes, probably a therapist would be helpful.

 

[chac54]

As the calendar turned to September yesterday, the weather followed suit with much cooler, low humidity days, with blue skies and a gentle breeze. Thursday I finished my first of several four day work weeks, but today begins my weekend and as I was just out to do some errands, I noticed how blue the sky is and decided to take a few pics to share on the forum.

HAPPY LABOR DAY weekend my fellows forumites

Amazing pics! I didn't have to run the AC today which was a nice change. By this time I'm sick of the rumble LOL

Happy Labor day!!

 

[br6205]

At my stage in life every day where pain is not bad is a great day & my day is beginning well as yesterday ended well. Have a great happy day & week end Chac & all my fellow Forumites.

 

[chac54]

I recently heard Willie Nelson's "The City of New Orleans", I remember my Mom playing it over and over when I was a kid growing up. I started researching this song to find out what it's roots were and it was originally written and sung by Steve Goodman, a guy who had cancer at a young age (20's). It was then made famous by Arlo and then Willie did a version too that is probably the one that most people think of when they hear the song. This lead me to listening to Arlo's other works and I found a rendition of Elvis's "I can't help falling in love with you" I thought it was a good performance and I'm sharing it with you all. It doesn't start till about 2:50 into the video.

 

[mikeyank]

I recently heard Willie Nelson's "The City of New Orleans", I remember my Mom playing it over and over when I was a kid growing up. I started researching this song to find out what it's roots were and it was originally written and sung by Steve Goodman, a guy who had cancer at a young age (20's). It was then made famous by Arlo and then Willie did a version too that is probably the one that most people think of when they hear the song. This lead me to listening to Arlo's other works and I found a rendition of Elvis's "I can't help falling in love with you" I thought it was a good performance and I'm sharing it with you all. It doesn't start till about 2:50 into the video.

You just made my day Chac. That video and the story you told us about your mom and about Steve Goodman, Willie Nelson and how you learned about Arlo Guthrie put a big smile on my face. As I recall you are in your early forties and for you to have the appreciation that you do of music and artists from my time reminds me of how important and wonderful that “my generation” to quote The Who, was and still is.

I have friends who still go to Dead shows to this day and they tell me that the audience ranges from children to teens all the way up to their grandparents. And by the way there was no need to tell us that the song begins at 2:50 in the video. Arlo’s wonderful weaving of story telling and singing and drawing the audience into the show starts at the very beginning. And seeing and then hearing Pete Seeger is an added bonus.

Thank you Chac. I’d never heard that version of the Elvis song by Arlo and you indeed made my day. What a wonderful post and video in every way.

 

[chac54]

You just made my day Chac. That video and the story you told us about your mom and about Steve Goodman, Willie Nelson and how you learned about Arlo Guthrie put a big smile on my face. As I recall you are in your early forties and for you to have the appreciation that you do of music and artists from my time reminds me of how important and wonderful that “my generation” to quote The Who, was and still is.

I have friends who still go to Dead shows to this day and they tell me that the audience ranges from children to teens all the way up to their grandparents. And by the way there was no need to tell us that the song begins at 2:50 in the video. Arlo’s wonderful weaving of story telling and singing and drawing the audience into the show starts at the very beginning. And seeing and then hearing Pete Seeger is an added bonus.

Thank you Chac. I’d never heard that version of the Elvis song by Arlo and you indeed made my day. What a wonderful post and video in every way.

I'll be 43 next month. I'm glad it made your day, I think the younger generations do not give enough credit to the musicians before them that paved the way and created the wonderful genres of music that we have now. It's great to see younger generations listening to the music we grew up on, I hear my nephews listening to 80s rock bands and it makes me smile. I'm definitely going to be listening to more folk music that Arlo has done and hopefully other artists along the way. I have gone through different phases I guess you'd call them, I was into country for awhile, now I'm expanding even more.