May 21- I wrote a page or so just a few minutes ago and had a printer problem (not connected with this), but it cut me away from the blog page long enough that I lost it all! Here we go again!
Anyway, it is hard to believe that it has been almost 3 weeks since I wrote anything here. Not sure if it is lack of motivation or not enough to talk about. If anyone is actually reading this, please give me some feedback.
I am also thinking of starting a blog on the topic of emission factors and perhaps other technical topics with the long list of state/local contacts that I have accumulated over the past several years. It is a pain to keep up, but perhaps some good can come of it and we can get some action stirring around. I might do that on ghg inventories and registries just to get some additional feedback also on the article I have been asked to write for EM. It seems that there are a lot of holes and confusion whether addressing the national reporting requirements, the TCR, the DOE/EPA efforts or whatever. The states are going blindly down several paths that will converge on further confusion if not organized and thought through carefully. Everyone seems to be going their own course. A recipe for non-solution of the problem(s).
The first week of the month, we spent most of it on yet another round trip to Tennessee. Joan's bachelor brother was having eye surgery again and needed help, so we were there primarily for that.The surgery went well and he was able to get a temporary pair of glasses so he could see (better than in a long time) the day after we left. However, during the week, I also tore off about 2/3 of the faulty siding on Joan's old home getting it ready for further repairs and painting. It was not that hard to do except for cutting myself now and then with nails and sweating a bit, except for the part of being up on a ladder a lot. I don't like heights, especially on ladders with no one around.
I also got to spend quite a bit of quality with mom who is going to be celebrating her 87th birthday in July. She is fairly healthy right now and I have to keep reassuring her that it is OK to pay my cousin in-law who has a lawn service, to mow her 1/2 acre of grass. She still wants to climb on the riding mower and do it but I fear the result would be a fall at some time in the future. She can be stubborn. We did some small repairs, bought flowers, planted a few, talked, watched TV and took several naps. It is good to be able to take a nap when you feel like it!
We had to leave the day before Mother's Day, but got home so that Joan could have a small bash with the kids here. We cooked up some good beef on the barby and enjoyed the evening.
The middle of last week, our 89 year old former neighbor/friend who is in a retirement home in Black Mountain was able to get a ride down with her son in law who was coming to Burlington to baby sit with grand children while the parents went to the beach. She stayed for a week and is quite a pistol. I wish I had her memory, though it seems to be getting a little more distorted over time. I can't discern that very well as mine won't let me keep up. We took her back to Burlington today so she could ride back to Black Mountain.
Well, I have to stop and go eat because the boss is calling time on dinner. I will try to get back to this process more later - just as soon as I get some sort of feedback.
JimS
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
May 21 Non-update - really down to goofing off!
I can't believe it has been almost 3 weeks since I updated this. It reflects upon the level of discipline and motivation to task, I suppose, but it has been a "busy" time but without major events. I will bore you with a few details and move on.
The first week of the month (May) was accounted for by another round trip to TN. Joan's bachelor brother in our (joint) home town had surgery on his other eye and needed some oversight, so to speak, and drivers, etc. So over the hill and back we went once again. The surgery went well. He has been also in the midst of getting some repairs done on his barn roof and locating and moving two (18 wheeler-sized) trailers of "stuff" from his old Oak Ridge storage area to his barn lot. One of the traiers is accounted for and the other seems to be missing. They assured him that it would be there soon.
During my down time there , mom and I (home about 4 miles away from Joan's brother) spent some good times together, doing repairs, napping, making short trips to Lowe's, watching TV, etc. I have been able to convince her to continue having my cousin (in-law) who has a yard service mow her yard for this year. He mowed it part of last summer when she was sick. Though she is 88 in July, she has a riding lawn mower and a half acre of grass that she is head set on doing herself. I think she will let him do it for now, especially since her mower is not cutting level at all times. I worked on that and thought I had it fixed, but it is still off a little.
Then it was back home for further loafing, contemplation, etc. We had a small bash for Joan for Mother's Day and she seemed to enjoy it. A few days later, our 89 year old former neighbor who now lives in Black Mountain in a retirement center, came to stay a few days. She and Joan were head set on spending a few days at the beach, but the weather and other factors discouraged that. We took her to Burlington today to meet her son in law who lives in Asheville, but had been there for a week babysitting his grand kids while the kids went to Myrtle Beach.
I have been by the office two or three times. It seems a different place but I miss it. I have been continuing some of my" studies," but there is not a sense of urgency right now. The Legislative Commission canceled their last meeting, I understand which could mean that other things have risen above them in perceived importance in the new session. Several crisp, self contained, and doable legislative packets with clarity of purpose and results need be developed for the new thrusts in this session. Most seem to have been tied up on other things to focus the head time to make it happen.
I am preparing a paper on climate change/AQ inventory implementation issues that I was asked to do, and it is progressing well. A l0t of things are probably going to happen before it is published however, so the urgency to get it done is just not there yet. There are so many climate law/policy matters that are absolutely going to change and many that are likely to change that it does not seem overly productive to do anything substantial. Work on adaptation and mitigation technologies and policies must continue in the meanwhile.
The TCR protocols are final and many/most(?) people do not seem to have even read them yet. Same goes for the certification protocol which will be finalized (post comments) soon.
I am finding that there is an art to goofing off. After 42 years of continuo8usly being a bureaucrat, it is not easy to sit and take a nap or take time out to actually fulfill some of the plans that have been forming all that time. For example, I am starting another blog on emission factors with notification to the many state contacts that
The first week of the month (May) was accounted for by another round trip to TN. Joan's bachelor brother in our (joint) home town had surgery on his other eye and needed some oversight, so to speak, and drivers, etc. So over the hill and back we went once again. The surgery went well. He has been also in the midst of getting some repairs done on his barn roof and locating and moving two (18 wheeler-sized) trailers of "stuff" from his old Oak Ridge storage area to his barn lot. One of the traiers is accounted for and the other seems to be missing. They assured him that it would be there soon.
During my down time there , mom and I (home about 4 miles away from Joan's brother) spent some good times together, doing repairs, napping, making short trips to Lowe's, watching TV, etc. I have been able to convince her to continue having my cousin (in-law) who has a yard service mow her yard for this year. He mowed it part of last summer when she was sick. Though she is 88 in July, she has a riding lawn mower and a half acre of grass that she is head set on doing herself. I think she will let him do it for now, especially since her mower is not cutting level at all times. I worked on that and thought I had it fixed, but it is still off a little.
Then it was back home for further loafing, contemplation, etc. We had a small bash for Joan for Mother's Day and she seemed to enjoy it. A few days later, our 89 year old former neighbor who now lives in Black Mountain in a retirement center, came to stay a few days. She and Joan were head set on spending a few days at the beach, but the weather and other factors discouraged that. We took her to Burlington today to meet her son in law who lives in Asheville, but had been there for a week babysitting his grand kids while the kids went to Myrtle Beach.
I have been by the office two or three times. It seems a different place but I miss it. I have been continuing some of my" studies," but there is not a sense of urgency right now. The Legislative Commission canceled their last meeting, I understand which could mean that other things have risen above them in perceived importance in the new session. Several crisp, self contained, and doable legislative packets with clarity of purpose and results need be developed for the new thrusts in this session. Most seem to have been tied up on other things to focus the head time to make it happen.
I am preparing a paper on climate change/AQ inventory implementation issues that I was asked to do, and it is progressing well. A l0t of things are probably going to happen before it is published however, so the urgency to get it done is just not there yet. There are so many climate law/policy matters that are absolutely going to change and many that are likely to change that it does not seem overly productive to do anything substantial. Work on adaptation and mitigation technologies and policies must continue in the meanwhile.
The TCR protocols are final and many/most(?) people do not seem to have even read them yet. Same goes for the certification protocol which will be finalized (post comments) soon.
I am finding that there is an art to goofing off. After 42 years of continuo8usly being a bureaucrat, it is not easy to sit and take a nap or take time out to actually fulfill some of the plans that have been forming all that time. For example, I am starting another blog on emission factors with notification to the many state contacts that
Friday, May 2, 2008
April 22 - May 2. A Real Different 10 Days of Learning how to retire.
I have several lists. One for proposed writing and photo projects, one for the house "to do's", one for the lawn, one for the cars, and on and on. However, retirement is being able to toss the lists and do what either seems to need to be done at the moment or just taking a nap. Or I may go dig in the dirt and pull weeds. They are always there. Today, I did a honey do job and stripped the wax off the kitchen floor and re-waxed it. It looks pretty good!
In the past 10 days or so, I have done a variety of things and Joan has run errands, been shopping and other things to give me needed space. She particularly loves the flea markets and the thrift shops to pick up a lot of odd things and hunt for bargains. I went with her on one of these adventures last week and picked up a couple of ideal "layering" items for the days in Alaska. On the fishing boat and at Denali, it may be near freezing in the AM and then mid to high 70's at mid day and then back to the low temps later in the day, so layering is suggested. I found a nice, ideal slicker with a liner and hood for the fishing day for $8. It is almost new. With the price of extra luggage on the air lines these days, I may consider leaving some of it behind in Alaska rather than have an extra bag. I can't really anticipate how a day can have 22 hours of daylight! Sleep habits may change.
I think I have most of the Alaskan details ironed out. We will all three (son Jeff, Charles Davis (office buddy at DAQ and myself) will bet into Anchorage on Saturday late afternoon. We will take a rental car and drive to Seward for 3 nights. The first day in Seward, we start out early to try to catch some salmon and halibut. If you are not familiar with a halibut (I wasn't), it is like an overgrown flounder. It is a giant flat fish and the eyes migrate, just like a flounder, but the big ones get up to 700 pounds! Our worst nightmare would probably be to catch 3 of these huge fish and then have to clean them and ship them home (they provide the facilities, ice, boxes and FedEx). "Finest gutting facility in Alaska." Apparently, the fish are sort of hard to get rid of if you don't ship them home. As I understand it, the commercial fishers can't take them and others may either be tourists or other people who don't have any thing to do with them either. We have a former member of our church who went to Alaska many years back and married into an Iderod (Sp) family. Her father in law, her husband, and her son have all won the race at some level. They have a summer dog sled training and tourist attraction in Seward and take you into the woods on wheeled dog sleds for a fee. I am sure they can use some fish if we catch too much. My usual result is that no one catches anything when I go. Someone told me that the salmon have been slow to show up this year and there is some concerns.
Also in Seward is the Marine Sciences Museum, supposedly (paid by for blood money from the Exxon Valdez mess). We will be staying at an Army recreation facility there. They have their own fish and tour boats. The third day, we take a boat trip up to Kenai National Park and hope to see the whales up close, glaciers melting and calving, puffin, eagles, bear (on shore), probably moose, elk and miscellaneous other creatures.
From Seward, we drive back through Anchorage and on up to Denali and stay at a bed and breakfast just a short ways outside the park. We take a 11 hour bus shuttle into the park to Wonder Lake and back (dirt/gravel road, a school bus-like transporter). They have a ranger on board and stop for wildlife and you can get off at various stops and take a later shuttle. You have to bring all your own food and snacks, drinks, etc. The people at the Dome Home B&B seem real nice and have been very helpful. That first morning, we won't get to make use of the full extent of the breakfast as we have tickets on the shuttle at 7:15 AM. After a night to recover, we go back to Anchorage and spend a night and tour around Anchorage to see what is going on there. We then take separate red-eye planes back to RDU or Charlotte and arrive back in NC in mid-Sunday morning.
On the way up, I am going by way of Portland to the A&WMA meeting. I am also using frequent flyer miles (anytime miles-w/o restrictions) and going to Anchorage from there. Currently, I am scheduled on Saturday to go up, but may change to Friday as there is only one American flight to Anchorage, and I HAVE TO GO BACK TO DALLAS THEN TO ANCHORAGE! What a bummer! It means 12 hours flying, but the alternative seems to be a full fare ticket at $1200 plus - and climbing so I guess it will be worth $100/hour. It also increases the likleyhood of my flight being delayed and the problem is that I have to be with them when we go to Seward. I am anticipating.
I have not really filled in many details of what I have done during these 10 days or so. Mostly, get up in the AM (by or before 7 am) and try to remember what seemed so important to do when I went to bed the night before, drink my coffee, decide on breakfast, if any and finish off the paper (Yuk, too much politics!). I also have had a very sick friend, and one with a broken leg that needed some help, have been to a Rotary meeting (they are scoping me out!), and have run lots of errands to the cleaners, grocery store, etc. I went in to work (past tense) two days and spent some time. I went to a Legislative Commission (Global Climate Change) Meeting and met former coworkers for lunch another day. It seems like I ought to be going back to work (Working on some potential opportunities there on a VERY scaled-back basis). I mourned the loss of the history of EPA and DAQ in the abandoned papers, books etc. that no doubt have found their way toward CO2 and methane by now. You have to turn loose some time. I have several boxes of personal stuff that I have on my list to go through soon............. Two days ago two boxes stacked just at the top of the stairs to the play room somehow managed to topple over during the night and fully emptied themselves from the top to the bottom of the stairs. What a mess!
Well, Joan's bachelor brother in Tennessee who does not have a driver has his second cataract surgery on Monday, May 4, so another 5 1/2 or so drive is coming up Sunday. We will probably stay there till Mother's Day and head on back so that we can get to doing other stuff, like sorting books, digging and pulling weeds some more.
I will pick up again somewhere just after Mother's Day if I don't get another inspiration before then.
JimS
In the past 10 days or so, I have done a variety of things and Joan has run errands, been shopping and other things to give me needed space. She particularly loves the flea markets and the thrift shops to pick up a lot of odd things and hunt for bargains. I went with her on one of these adventures last week and picked up a couple of ideal "layering" items for the days in Alaska. On the fishing boat and at Denali, it may be near freezing in the AM and then mid to high 70's at mid day and then back to the low temps later in the day, so layering is suggested. I found a nice, ideal slicker with a liner and hood for the fishing day for $8. It is almost new. With the price of extra luggage on the air lines these days, I may consider leaving some of it behind in Alaska rather than have an extra bag. I can't really anticipate how a day can have 22 hours of daylight! Sleep habits may change.
I think I have most of the Alaskan details ironed out. We will all three (son Jeff, Charles Davis (office buddy at DAQ and myself) will bet into Anchorage on Saturday late afternoon. We will take a rental car and drive to Seward for 3 nights. The first day in Seward, we start out early to try to catch some salmon and halibut. If you are not familiar with a halibut (I wasn't), it is like an overgrown flounder. It is a giant flat fish and the eyes migrate, just like a flounder, but the big ones get up to 700 pounds! Our worst nightmare would probably be to catch 3 of these huge fish and then have to clean them and ship them home (they provide the facilities, ice, boxes and FedEx). "Finest gutting facility in Alaska." Apparently, the fish are sort of hard to get rid of if you don't ship them home. As I understand it, the commercial fishers can't take them and others may either be tourists or other people who don't have any thing to do with them either. We have a former member of our church who went to Alaska many years back and married into an Iderod (Sp) family. Her father in law, her husband, and her son have all won the race at some level. They have a summer dog sled training and tourist attraction in Seward and take you into the woods on wheeled dog sleds for a fee. I am sure they can use some fish if we catch too much. My usual result is that no one catches anything when I go. Someone told me that the salmon have been slow to show up this year and there is some concerns.
Also in Seward is the Marine Sciences Museum, supposedly (paid by for blood money from the Exxon Valdez mess). We will be staying at an Army recreation facility there. They have their own fish and tour boats. The third day, we take a boat trip up to Kenai National Park and hope to see the whales up close, glaciers melting and calving, puffin, eagles, bear (on shore), probably moose, elk and miscellaneous other creatures.
From Seward, we drive back through Anchorage and on up to Denali and stay at a bed and breakfast just a short ways outside the park. We take a 11 hour bus shuttle into the park to Wonder Lake and back (dirt/gravel road, a school bus-like transporter). They have a ranger on board and stop for wildlife and you can get off at various stops and take a later shuttle. You have to bring all your own food and snacks, drinks, etc. The people at the Dome Home B&B seem real nice and have been very helpful. That first morning, we won't get to make use of the full extent of the breakfast as we have tickets on the shuttle at 7:15 AM. After a night to recover, we go back to Anchorage and spend a night and tour around Anchorage to see what is going on there. We then take separate red-eye planes back to RDU or Charlotte and arrive back in NC in mid-Sunday morning.
On the way up, I am going by way of Portland to the A&WMA meeting. I am also using frequent flyer miles (anytime miles-w/o restrictions) and going to Anchorage from there. Currently, I am scheduled on Saturday to go up, but may change to Friday as there is only one American flight to Anchorage, and I HAVE TO GO BACK TO DALLAS THEN TO ANCHORAGE! What a bummer! It means 12 hours flying, but the alternative seems to be a full fare ticket at $1200 plus - and climbing so I guess it will be worth $100/hour. It also increases the likleyhood of my flight being delayed and the problem is that I have to be with them when we go to Seward. I am anticipating.
I have not really filled in many details of what I have done during these 10 days or so. Mostly, get up in the AM (by or before 7 am) and try to remember what seemed so important to do when I went to bed the night before, drink my coffee, decide on breakfast, if any and finish off the paper (Yuk, too much politics!). I also have had a very sick friend, and one with a broken leg that needed some help, have been to a Rotary meeting (they are scoping me out!), and have run lots of errands to the cleaners, grocery store, etc. I went in to work (past tense) two days and spent some time. I went to a Legislative Commission (Global Climate Change) Meeting and met former coworkers for lunch another day. It seems like I ought to be going back to work (Working on some potential opportunities there on a VERY scaled-back basis). I mourned the loss of the history of EPA and DAQ in the abandoned papers, books etc. that no doubt have found their way toward CO2 and methane by now. You have to turn loose some time. I have several boxes of personal stuff that I have on my list to go through soon............. Two days ago two boxes stacked just at the top of the stairs to the play room somehow managed to topple over during the night and fully emptied themselves from the top to the bottom of the stairs. What a mess!
Well, Joan's bachelor brother in Tennessee who does not have a driver has his second cataract surgery on Monday, May 4, so another 5 1/2 or so drive is coming up Sunday. We will probably stay there till Mother's Day and head on back so that we can get to doing other stuff, like sorting books, digging and pulling weeds some more.
I will pick up again somewhere just after Mother's Day if I don't get another inspiration before then.
JimS
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