Open Thread - Tuesday, January 17, 2016 - Challenges
Good Morning, 99%'ers.
My posting this Tuesday is temporary until next week when a new author will take over the Tuesday Open Thread slot. I will let him or her introduce themselves to you then.
Almost two years ago, a friend of mine ran for and won a seat on our local city council. Shortly thereafter, she asked me if I would be willing to serve on any citizens' board that might come open and I said yes. In December, I was appointed to a little used and not very active citizens' board. This board does not meet regularly, but only meets when necessary. After I volunteered to take over today's Open Thread, I was notified that the board to which I was appointed to will be meeting early today. So I will not be responding in real time this morning but will try to respond to all comments when I return.
For the last couple of years, I have been trying to walk several miles a week to try to get back into some semblance of physical shape. Last July, I invested in a fitness watch and subsequently began upping my mileage. In August, I began walking with a neighbor and she showed me a lot of new routes, many of which were far more challenging than the ones I had been using. While walking together we both found that we were walking longer distances and really enjoying our conversations while doing so. As a result, I am seeing parts of this city away from the more popular streets. Walking gives us a chance to stop and talk to people along the way and to see our community in a way that we could not be doing if we were riding around in a car.
The first difficult route my walking partner showed me included a very steep hill that I never thought I could climb without stopping halfway up. I knew this hill from my own routes, but always avoided it. It was a real challenge and I really wanted to be able to make it up that hill without stopping. With months of practice since those first days, I can now easy ascend it, talk while doing it, and actually look forward to us going up it.
The second major challenge my walking partner introduced me to is what we call the mountain. The mountain is located in a small and fairly new neighborhood. We believe this neighborhood was the site of a former summer camp as there are many youth and church camps located in this part of North Carolina. Part way up the mountain is some vacant land with rows of wooden benches sitting among the trees that have since sprouted up. They were probably rows of outdoor pews for a former church camp.
Although the grades on the mountain are not quite as steep as those on the hill, the mountain is two and a half to three times the length of the hill and its steepest grades are at the upper end, rather than at the beginning. This mountain is a real challenge and I always dread it. But I am learning that I must walk the lower slopes of the mountain at a slower pace so as to save myself for the steep grades at the end. The mountain has been by far the more difficult challenge for me, one I still dread trying to make it to the top without stopping. My challenge is that I hope that some day I can actually look forward to walking the mountain like I now do for the hill.
Self imposed challenges, be they physical, mental, or creative, are something we humans need. They allow us to set goals that test our self imposed bounds. There is a certain amount of satisfaction in challenging yourself to do something that you may think you cannot do. If I keep trying, perhaps some day I might even make it up the mountain and be able to talk while doing so.
As always, this is an Open Thread, so feel free to post whatever is on your mind today.
Comments
Good morning
Hope you had a good meeting gg.
Walking the streets in Carolina is much different than walking streets in Michigan. Cold, snow, ice and wind really make me want to never go outside. I often wonder why people here don't move. I stay becAuse my husband won't leave. He stays for [our house on] Lake Huron. As a Coastie, he spent 3 years on a buoy tender stationed out of Charlevoix on Lake Michigan.
@JTC I am on my iPhone, and the new site is much, much better. I can see the type, and the text are fits. No more scrolling from side to side. The Navigation tab is perfectly placed and makes it so much easier to get around.
Have a good day everyone.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Reply to: dkmich
Thanks, dk. It all went fine. For some reason sitting on a citizens' board reminds me of when I used to work for local government. Imagine that!
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
California is brand crazy
Hoped for this, instead got Prop64. Might as well enjoy the flush!
Cambodian Happy Pizza would help a lot. (santiphap) Delivered, please.
Or perhaps some Hazy Thai Wings. Couch lock brings santipap.
Couple of suggestions off top of head:
1. Every one at the D.C. Womens March should consider Lysistrata as radical form of protest, for as long as it takes.
2. Ban Viagra and Testosterone use in Congress and the White House, for as long as it takes. Pass it on.
Peace & Love, pass it over
Thanks
Reply to: eyo
We sure could use PEACE all around the world.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
OMG, a Coastie! Forbidding.
It's actually raining (had to check my Wx site) outside, not inside. Plumber visit later with interior wall cut-through needed. Tired of hearing inside drips, and floor tiles complain. They are floating on concrete slab! Nightmare, now daymare. No snow out, my lawn has a flat cover of wet leaves, much raking ahead. Bought a new, still-boxed composter.
My house inside is an entropy example. Dog is Mr Hyde for my Dr Jekyll and shreds anything available. For a TBI, post-concussion person, this bending over is hard, but getting better. Progress. That be a long O, Canadian style. Smile. Self-joke.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Reply to: riverlover
I hope that all the chaos that has been your home and your pup will go away soon. We had one years ago that destroyed three couches. I honestly thought she was the devil incarnate.:P
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Like the change in font size!
Makes it much more readable both on desktop and phone/tablet. Full marks, JtC!
For my musical contribution du jour, I'll hit the wayback machine and feature a long-gone and very obscure band that we used to play shows with at the also-long-gone Chet's Last Call in Boston- directly across from North Station/The Gahhden, and one floor above the Pink Pussycat Lounge. For about a year in the early 80s, my band and these guys essentially alternated as the house bands at Chet's. Miss those days, at least the parts that I can remember....
Later worked with the lead vocalist/guitarist at Kurzweil, and did some more recording with him. Good times.
Reply to: skod
I agree, skod. The site really looks great. Especially, I agree about the font size. My poor aging eyes have a lot of correction to begin with and I did not want to admit I needed to add more magnification on top of all that.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
After gig last night met 2 Australians who were fed up w/ Neolib
They talked about how gentrified NYC had become, and compared it to Melbourne - playgrounds for the Rich, a Marie Antionette wet dream for fascist global financial elites.
One said she was working two jobs and was going to school but considered herself homeless, meaning she didn't have her own place at the moment and was moving amongst a set of friends' places.
The other one said similar things to what we're hearing about the socialized economic systems of Europe having been chipped away at by the Neoliberal scum and their odious, greedy philosophy who/which have infiltrated the top levels of gov't, resulting in rising college costs, privatization of resources, etc.
These two had come to NYC as part of a contingent of choir singers from around the world who had just performed at Carnegie Hall the night before. Bot were aware of what their government was doing and what was going on in the world (which I find is usually the opposite with many of our country folk).
I was wearing my Occupy shirt while playing so that instigated a conversation that included their reminisces of the encampment in Melbourne and how anti-protest measures were enacted afterward by the scared Protectorates of the Wealthy masquerading as elected public officials
We hugged at the end in recognition that We Are Many, and vowed to keep speaking out.
Your regiment sounds really good, GG. Mind and body. I need to get back to yoga again. Just so tied up with the baby duties and feeling exhausted. On top of which it looks like I have strep throat, after the Boy went through a succession of infections recently. Thought the vitamins I had begun taking recently had staved off catching what he had (and think they did for the most part) but eventually I succumbed too.
Nice relaxing grey day here. Looking forward to putting him down for a nap now and hopefully getting one myself too...
"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"
- Kurt Vonnegut
Reply to: MarkfromQueens aka thirty three and a third
Occupy lives. It is just underground. The issues Occupy was addressing have not gone away, nor has the people's anger and frustration about them.
We do not walk as fast as I did when I was going solo. I would walk as fast as I could to get it over with. Now I actually enjoy the walks. We are faster than regular walking, but I am not busting my butt to get back home. Too much to see and enjoy while we are walking.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Good morning gg and all
I try to walk everyday too, but I'm not in the 6 mile club - more like the 2 mile club. Tuesday is trade day in hillbilly holler, but it was slim today after a light drizzle last night. It is a stroll rather than a walk, and you stop every time you see a friend or acquaintance to visit... quite unlike a brisk exercise walk.
There was a fiddler from Brevard at our dance weekend. I was thinking that's your home? The dance was on Alabama's highest mountain in an old CCC lodge. It is a pretty active experience. Here's a shot from last year...
Hope your citizen's meeting is productive, and that everyone has a good day!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Reply to: Lookout
It has become keep moving for me. I am not trying to go real long, but I am enjoying the various routes even when I go solo, so I keep going.
Cool to hear that your fiddler was from Brevard. It is not surprising though. There are so many musicians in this town. My walking partner's husband plays with several weekly jam sessions, most notably the one that meets at Oscar Blues Brewery. Music and cycling are two big reasons why Oscar Blues decided to locate here. They often have up to 30 musicians show up, mostly playing blue grass. The Grammy award winning bluegrass band, Steep Canyon Rangers is also based out of Brevard with three of the six members having been born and raised here, and still live here. The other three members live right up the road in Ashville. They often play with Steve Martin, which is an interesting story in itself.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Hey, gg, thanks for the OT.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Reply to: enhydra lutris
Thank you for all the work you do here too, EL!
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
okay, so now it looks like everyone in Russia
is going to be trolling us.
The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.
Reply to: UntimelyRippd
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Why it's called Oakland
Volume seems loud at beginning and end but in between it's Robert Redford, not too bad.
rhythm lives
thanks
FRONTLINE: The Divided States of America
Hi gg98, I think this will be very interesting. FRONTLINE's docs are usually pretty good.
Here's a preview:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/divided-states-of-america/
I think we were born to run/walk. We are built for it. Good luck with your endeavour to reach the mountain top. It will be so exhilarating!
To thine own self be true.
Where I live was once a Garry oak meadow
The Garry oaks are protected here if the diameter of the trunk is over 8". We have a Garry oak park near the shore of Oak Bay. I hope the remaining oaks in San Francisco can be preserved.
https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/treebook/garryoak.htm
To thine own self be true.
Thanks for taking the baton GG
I'm out of comments just now