Washing the Kitchen Floor

When I remodeled the kitchen, I replaced the original sheet vinyl with a neutral gray faux stone vinyl tile.  Good option, expecially when it needs maintenance.  Having spilled a nearly full jar of avocado oil on it, sopped up crudely with paper towels, it needed a scrub with detergent.  The pattern on the sheet vinyl allowed for separation into zones for washing though not nearly as easily as the tiles.  Fill plastic tub with hot water, dump in some Mr. Clean, and a little effort with a sponge mop that has an available scrubber brush.  Move furniture or other stuff out of the zone I'm working on, sweep, and wash.  Did half.  I can tell which half.  The rest today, though more stuff to move back and forth.  Worth effort.

If They're Really So Good at This

 

ADL Seminar.  Lasted but a few minutes before I left.  Covid isolation has introduced me to opportunities not previously available.  Arguably atop the list has been free seminars via Zoom sponsored by top notch agencies who invite world class experts who will take questions even from a peasant like me.  These will hopefully continue once Covid becomes part of history.  The Anti-Defamation League, whose previous director I placed atop my most admired fellow Jews, stepped down, keeps a low profile so not to overshadow his successor who from my assessment can be easily overshadowed, has a legacy exceeding a hundred years of advocating against anti-Semitism in particular but other forms of ethnic animosity as well, or at least their public expression if not private thought.

Ethnically driven physical attacks and verbal assaults have expanded after a few decades of attempted brotherhood.  World War II gave genocide its deserved bad reputation, but we still had future slaughters in Cambodia, Rwanda, and what is left of Yugoslavia.  Anti-Semitism appeared in a different form in France and Germany as Islamic immigrants expressed their imprinted ideologies about twenty years ago but remained marginalized in America until more recently.  Unlike Europe, for every incident in America there has been an overwhelming public response condemning this activity but a more tacit response in the privacy of voting booths giving it an OK.  

Back to the seminar of short tenure.  Anti-Semitism has become more public in America and the ADL has in its mission  to resist it.  The form morphs to meet circumstances from denial of employment, university admission, or social club membership in my grandparent's time, a very visible lull in my parents' time, and now exploitation of easy public access of any view, no matter how ugly, by social media or other electronic global communication.  The ADL opted to focus on social media, where I must say, being something of a technologically deprived geezer, my own cyberspace niche really does not receive anti-Semitic provocations.  May be more prevalent to the younger folks whose subscriptions link them to campus events.  I do get some FB pseudoFriends posting some stuff rather unflattering to the Black population but more a byproduct of their political affiliation that has placed Jews IN and Blacks OUT.

Most Zoom panels sponsored by agencies invite experts of different backgrounds to give their presentations.  This one had only ADL staff, competent no doubt, but not diverse of mind.  And from the introduction they pitched the ADL's origins and legacy.  As they did this, the obvious question arose.  If they've become America's premier agency at combating Antisemitism, why do we have a resurgence on their watch?  Maybe they really aren't as good at this as they would like us to think.  

Medicine takes a parallel path.  The people in the pulmonary office's waiting rooms have more portable oxygen than patients in their primary doctors' waiting rooms.  The endocrinologist's patients have HbA1c of 10% a year into treatment.  Maybe experts address meltdowns better than we prevent having meltdowns.  I would think if the ADL were really an effective agency, over a hundred years their mission would have moved from combating overt antisemitism to ethnic hatreds not as well controlled or keeping residual anti-Semitism in the sewers with the manhole covers sealed in place.  But they really have not effectively addressed root causes or enduring remedies, leaving them to engage in skirmishes as they arise.  Probably have better ways to approach this ongoing challenge.

Clearing the Hall

Last year when we had a ceiling drywall fracture over our upper hall, the painter insisted we clear the floor in its entirety before he did the repair and painted the entire ceiling.  We complied.  To this day our upper landing has a fully visible orange wall to wall carpet with no objects on it.  I do not know where we moved the previous stuff to but I don't miss it.

Clearing the downstairs hall also comes as part of another initiative, this one more voluntary.  I would like to resume having guests come for shabbos dinner once sundown arrives earlier.  That means making the entire first floor suitable, as in decluttered.  Clearing the Family Room is a separate initiative unrelated to entertaining anyone other than my wife and me but hall, kitchen, living room and dining room are within the guest territories.  Of these, only the hall has been intractable so it gets attention.

I think it best to think of the project in zones:

1. Left side
2. Right Side
3. Closet
4. Living Room Entrance
5. Corner

Other classifications are also useful, my stuff, wife's stuff, for shredding, for basement, storage containers, important papers, disposable papers.  I also often classify things as paper, cloth, other.  But for now zones works best.  I'm not doing badly these first few weeks.  The Right Side has been mostly purged.  Two boxes of shredding went to the UPS store, one box to my own shredder in several aliquots.  Wife's stuff isolated for transport elsewhere to remain until we or our heirs are forced to sell the house.  If it hasn't been touched for  years in a visible location it can remain untouched in a less trafficked location.  Having purged the laundry room last year, I should be able to relocate two boxes of milchig containers that don't get used but will become suddenly essential as soon as they get moved to our recycling bin for disposal.  Some things will probably stay.  I have a plastic file crate that contains hanging files, some stacking rectangles for visibly attractive storage, a strong box for important papers.  It won't be empty like the upper hall, but visibly attractive.  Very doable and I'm committed to doing it.

Saying Goodbye to a Mensch

I had never been to a Hindu funeral despite many medical friends from India.  The son of a dear friend fell victim to a fatal pedestrian mishap a few days ago, assembling his many medical friends, neighbors, relatives from afar, and members of the Indian community at the funeral chapel where the sanctuary filled before my arrival.  Tributes came in sequence of a few minutes, conveying a compelling impression of the deceased, who I may have met one time many years ago when his father was a professional medical colleague.  The young man, certainly young by end of life standards and sudden tragic end, lived a very meaningful life, pursuing a variety of interests, some personal pleasures, others contributions to family and neighbors.  He like to walk among nature, photograph what he experienced, sample craft beer, expand his kitchen talents, and assemble photographs for his relatives who are geographically disperse but have shared memories now readily transmissible at the speed of light.  Basically a mensch, a man dedicated to his family, to the world, and the pleasures put in place by nature for people to enjoy.

Amid tragedy, even devastation as my friend has no other direct descendants, there is a joy for the time he had and the way he allotted that time.  Hindu custom is to cremate, with that aspect of the ceremony following the tributes.  There seems more a finality to that than to our Jewish requirement of burial, where we erect grave monuments that become part of history long after the two generations that follow have either inclination or ability to visit, placing a nearby stone on the matzevah as something of a calling card.  Cremation leaves memories to be internalized with oral legacies that perpetuate.  The comments at the funeral tied the deceased being honored with those who predeceased him and those still present.  Family and menschlichkeit endure.

Committing to EZ Pass

While planning my first of what I hope will be many drives to Pittsburgh, I was taken aback by the usurious toll fees for the Pennsylvania Turnpike, an estimated $60.  On questioning a couple of friends who make the trip with regularity, neither could confirm that since they have EZ Pass.  If their tolls are indeed that, it goes under their radar as they have autofill.  Checking the fees on the web, and getting a somewhat higher but convenient bill than I might have anticipated from a plate photo generated bill from the Northeast Extension, there is a very steep discount for easy pass, one that pretty much pays for the upfront fees needed to start EZ Pass membership.  Worth it just for the round trip to Pittsburgh.

I do surprisingly little toll driving.  Occasionally I will go to NY with NJ turnpike tolls and bridge tolls, to Baltimore, or southern Delaware which has nominal  tolls.  And some states only discount if the EZ Pass was issued in their state.  It may be better to get EZ Pass from Pennsylvania.  There is a 48 h waiting period and a phone number to call so I'll try to get that under way.  Since I am making the trip soon, the speed of setup matters.  The most expeditious may be to go to DE EZ Pass on I-95, pay a convenience surcharge and be ready to go or perhaps go to Wegmans over the state line which serves as an agent for Pennsylvania EZ Pass to see what theirs entails.  But soon, either way.

Rejoining Costco

My bifocals having been washed out to sea, I needed a replacement.  Costco Optical has remained independent of that Italian eyeglasses cartel, so I've made my purchases of bifocals there for some time.  Even with the $60 membership fee, the price falls below what the cartel affiliates ask and the quality has been more than acceptable.  As soon as they opened, I headed over, picked frames, submitted the prescription, and rejoined Costco after roughly a two year lapse.  You need not be a member to buy liquor or get a soda from the snack bar, so I've done that in the interim, but otherwise window shopping.

Once my new eyeglasses had been paid for, I toured the store with my renewed membership.  As a generally prosperous empty nester I already have too much stuff.  Eating selectively and in a limited way has brought me to weight goal for the first time in several years.  So despite the enormity of what I could now purchase, I really don't need anything other than replaced bifocals.  Might my membership at Costco create want?  As I toured the food section, indeed I saw the things I used to get.  Lox at a relative discount but still more than making my own gravlax.  Big salmon fillets so I can make my own gravlax.  They didn't have Beyond Burgers last time I held a Costco card.  They make quick good suppers so if the price is right I could get some.  Didn't see other destination purchases:  herring, whitefish salad, kosher certified tiramisu, or big Hebrew National salamis.  Not even those packaged kosher dinners that just need warming for a shabbos dinner too tedious to make myself.  Nor do I care to regain my previous weight with the alluring big bag of kettle chips or other munchies in bulk.  But next time I need coffee pods, theirs are the best buy.

Clothing can be a good deal.  Maybe replace my cargo pants that tore.  Didn't tour the appliance options, office supplies, electronics, bedding, or those oodles of better things for better living.  I live OK now.

When I pick up the glasses, I'll get a cart perhaps and fill it with mostly food of desire.

Need to Reset

While it was supposed to be a relax at Fenwick Island day, the pleasant surf got the better of me.  I rarely enter more than waist high but a big swell with breaker knocked me down.  In the process it dislodged my bifocals, giving them an honorable burial at sea.  Fortunately I kept the previous pair in the mid-seat tray of my car, so driving home did not pose an inordinate obstacle that losing my keys might have.  And I kept my composure, maybe leaving a little early, maybe showing some irritation with my wife passenger for not being a better scout to find a place for overdue hydration and nourishment.  I salvaged that too, checking on my Waze app the amount of detour that diversion to the Dogfish Head Brewery would entail.  Being acceptable, we headed over there for a small afternoon brunch and four personally selected 3 oz samples in just the right size stem snifters.  Then home, marred by a brief but torrential rain around Dover but smooth sailing the rest of the way.

I slept well, a mite irritated but resigned to having to renew my Costco Membership as the most cost effective way to replace those bifocals.  That being overwhelmingly the most vital of today's projects, I still have to maintain today's treadmill presence and secure tomorrow's shabbos dinner from Shop-Rite and review the parsha commentaries for this shabbos.  If I do all that, the housework, recreation, and scholarly efforts can all be postponed a day.

Fixing a Hose

Japanese beetles have infested our roses.  Unlike Chinese virus, we use the nomenclature without any animosity to the honorable people of Japan or those who have migrated elsewhere.  They are just called Japanese beetles.  But we need to get them off our rose plants so my wife purchased a fumigation kit that attaches to a hose.  Unfortunately, I have also been using that hose for my garden.  It took some effort to get it wound around the spool of a wheeled hose reel, which still leaks slightly at the faucet connection despite a new washer and some plumbers tape.  Good enough.  It otherwise worked well and kept my garden adequate if not optimal.

In order to use the fumigator, I had to remove the nozzle which had frozen.  Eating Wheaties to enhance grip and forearm strength did not help.  I found a wrench designed for the purpose.  However on gripping the hose with it, the fitting was designed to rotate the hose unless gripped from the brass male connection itself, which I did, only to deform the connection, creating a new leak that I could not fix.

Fortunately, the world of goods and services anticipated that less than skilled yardmen would need help.  They designed a whole variety of adaptors to replace my bent one, some brass for $10, some plastic for $3.  Being a low end user, I gave the cashier a $10 bill, pocketed my change with the $5 bill to go into the stored change for mad money at year's end, with the other two singles into my wallet.

My wife needing a lesson in practical widowhood, I took her to the backyard after removing the excess packaging from the fitting.  Armed with a pair of scissors and a Philips head screwdriver, we were in business.  Snip off the old fitting.   Remove the plastic collar that will anchor the fitting.  Insert the plastic fitting into the hose, more difficult than expected but we need a tight connection.  Replace the anchoring collar over the hose fitting connection.  Turn on faucet.  It worked with no leak at the hose end.  Attach a new nozzle.  Turn water back on: again no leak.  Rose bushes have been given a second chance.

The Moo Truck

 

University of Delaware has an agricultural division, which I visited shortly before OLLI went virtual.  The state derives a fair amount of its GDP from agriculture, primarily poultry but as you drive to the southern counties there is also farmland growing assorted vegetables on a commercial scale.  The pride and joy of the University's agricultural division has been its creamery which produces and sells ice cream.  My tour of the facility showed it to be more part of an educational mission than a commercial one.  We watched them make the product using parts of the curriculum from the academic courses and market the product using curriculum from the business courses.  Free sample as part of the tour but there are several fixed sites and a mobile van known as the Moo Truck where the ice cream can be purchased.  

OLLI being a division of the University, the truck comes to the OLLI campus periodically during the school year.  I found the prices exceed what I was willing to pay so never bought any but as a promotion for the return of OLLI to live learning, the Moo Truck will be coming again, this time with cups of unique ice cream courtesy of the University.

They had an event last week with ice cream as a perk to get people to submit their Covid vaccination cards into the University Health System database, a requirement for attending classes live when they resume in the fall.  It did not go well.  So this week, it's just the truck.  I could use some great ice cream and a lot of overdue hellos.

Looking at the Week

Tisha B'Av has come and gone, leaving me with my first coffee in about 45 hours.  I have been fasting  since retirement, as it impaired patient care when I had those obligations.  I missed the coffee but did not get withdrawal symptoms.  Ate reasonably sensibly after dark, decent night's sleep I think, though my sleep monitor that assesses the pattern failed.  And did a few chores but did not do anything directly related to Tisha B'Av ritual other than fasting.

Since work is permitted, I did my usual Sunday weekly outline in the morning, though without coffee as a break from listing tasks.  I came up with an unusually long list. Usually I have two columns coded by different color pens, though this week I had to put the green or professionally related tasks between the two columns. I have an ordinary number of blue household objectives but an unusually large number of red family/financial projects, and a growing number of black everything else endeavors filling about 1.5 columns.  Stephen Covey's 7 Habits taught me to think in terms of a week, much like the Torah does.  While Commandment #4 focuses on shabbos, it prefaces this with a requirement of working six days to earn this day off.  

From the morning after Monday review, it's hard to tell if my growing list will ever get whittled down.  Some are particular to this time of the month:  my financial review, donation, a couple of seminars that interest me, preparation for OLLI's fall semester, a few synagogue obligations, maybe a visit to Fenwick Island, my monthly Medscape submission.  Those do not carry forward indefinitely providing I do them.  Others are intermediate components of larger projects.  These get done only to be replaced by the next component.  And increasingly, I find things that have a life of their own, items that have no deadlines or often even end points.  Will go fishing when I get around to it, and then again when I get around to it.  But for now, I think the list has gotten too long to retain its utility, so those One and Done's that shouldn't appear on next week's initiatives need priority for completion.

Synagogue's New Home

My first shabbos morning in the new sanctuary, functioning as leader of Shacharit and one of the Torah readers, or I likely would have postponed my return a few weeks longer.  The room, far longer than wide, does not really hold a lot of people, perhaps leaving the impression of full attendance.  Comfortable movable chairs, attractive Ark and chanting table, decent acoustics and in the rear half walls covered in a cherry red with starkly contrasting white trim, though with more lemon yellow less awakening walls in the front half.  Commercial movable rugs seemed more for acoustics than aesthetics.

People mostly the same with the addition of one young couple.  Ritual proceedings very much the same.  Still I much prefer having space that is really ours.  We remain tenants of another congregation but not one with a parallel offering at the same time as ours.  This is better.  It felt more like ours.  I have now been restored to a consumer of worship.  That's not the same as being a contributor to the synagogue where my impression of blackball remains.

Overnight TV

Sleep has become more restful now that I adhere to sleep and wake times with little variation.  My smart phone tracker, while not terribly accurate, has proven consistent on consecutive nights.  I will have one major awakening following about two sleep cycles, stay up a bit, then get two more then a fifth sleep cycle, feeling adequately rested when the wrist buzz of the smart watch signals it is time to arise, which I do.  If I violate the principles, it has been by staying in bed too long after each sleep interruption.  I set a limit on myself, which I exceeded last night for the first time in a while.  After an hour of watch watching, I got myself up, heading into My Space for some TV, impeded by misplacing the needed Roku remote from its usual resting place.  Finding it, I scrolled what was one, made and initial poor choice on Smithsonian Channel followed by a better choice on Science Channel.  I took my tracker to the lounge chair, but eventually just put it on my desk where it remained.  It took about 50 minutes to get drowsy again, but on return to bed, the remainder of the sleep cycles seemed OK.  Perhaps a little less total sleep than average but reasonably functional for what I have on my Daily List today.

Blood Bank Brew

Platelet donors at one time left with a form of home clutter at one time.  My collection of T-Shirts, caps, fleece covers, a beach bag, flip flops, and thermal mugs could start a Blood Bank Museum in my house.  Platelet donors are their most dedicated group. We largely set our schedules and maintain it, not really needing an incentive or even thanks.  They got the message and did away with the parting gifts some time ago but still offer incentives to donate periodically, though to all donors.  Whole blood sources may be less consistent with their giving, creating the need for rallies at mobile sites or other means of making it as easy as possible for people to participate.

In lieu of clutter, the Blood Bank substituted an experience.  Donate anything, or even just register and get screened out as ineligible, and they will offer a coupon good for a $2 off a pint of craft beer at any of the sponsoring brewpubs.  Only one being convenient to me, I redeemed it as a reward to myself for accomplishing a difficult writing submission before deadline.

While Two Stones Pub's northern location around the corner makes for a quick and mostly good supper, I had not been there in a while, maybe never in their late afternoon Happy Hour time.  Easing Covid restrictions, which became official the day before in our state, pretty much opened the bar where I helped myself to the last seat that could offer me empty seats on either side.  I never quite understood Cheers or even the Public Houses of the British Isles where people went more to create community than to buzz the susceptible parts of their CNS.  At one time beer had a safety advantage over water so people consumed it as their primary beverage, though eventually hot tea and hot coffee could also sterilize the water.  Now beverages of any type have become so available as to be overconsumed.  It is also more economical to purchase and consume for home use, making the beverage, whether beer or coffee, a forum for communal presence rather than serve a physiological need.

Two Stones must have had its small cohort of regulars who gather along the bar in late afternoon.  Since my last visit, the restaurants have expanded their own unique brews in a central location to distribute to the small eating sites.  Good variety of house offerings and not unusually expensive even if not discounted by my Blood Bank donation or Happy Hour.

I selected a pint of one of their signature blends, a very crisp dark amber liquid with fine bubbles and just the right blend of bitterness and sweetness.  One that would sell in a much expanded market, I think.  While I took a paper to work on, and did for a bit, the two folks behind the bar served a little as cruise directors, opening conversations with their patrons, including me.  We spoke about the Blood Bank promotion primarily.

Pint glass emptied, amply rewarded by the Blood Bank for my consideration and by myself for submitting my article, I drove the half-mile home.  I'd pay full price for this experience.

Partially Done

On transcripts professors had the option of deferring a grade in favor of designating a course Incomplete when a make-up exam or paper had not been completed.  That almost never happened.  Yet it frequently happens as I juggle my semi-annual initiatives with my ongoing daily or weekly chores.  My newest writing project for the New England Journal Fiction Contest took multiple stages and revisions, now ready for editing and mandatory word reduction but won't be complete until submitted within deadline.  Making my home's lower level suitable to invite guests also comes in stages.  Intermediate steps are vital to the outcome though disruptive.  Laundry gets done by type of clothing, never really fully done but often close.  Most of the things I pursue, from reading the  Quran to learning my next Torah reading require increments of effort, eventually completed where there are firm endpoints, never really completed when, like fishing or exercise the end target lacks definition.

On my daily task list I try to designate those items that are finite, even when part of a larger purpose.  I know when my blood pressure has been taken or when the herb pots have received their day's attention.  Other projects are designated as completable, they will not return to the list once checked off.  Things like getting the car inspected or making travel reservations, those one and done items.  They may not be the most important in any day but the satisfaction of completion without return enhances their priority.  I could use more of those but the big projects that prove most gratifying nearly always come in additive stages.

Helping the Democrats

As a new Election District representative, I find myself getting some combination of acclimated and socialized.  We had our monthly meeting, attended by two state senators, both rather professional, and our state representative who has shown himself dedicated, honorable, and more productive than I would have expected.  Our regional chairwoman has remained welcoming and organized.  A few subcommittees have been tasked and seem to perform well.

On a more expansive scale, I attended a six session course called Best Practices Initiative, the Democratic National Committee training program for its volunteers and maybe some paid staff too.  Very informative, though with all the intricacy created nationally the electoral results seem to lag behind.  I learned about organizing, fundraising, social media platforms, making alliances, recruiting, and correcting missteps.  All have applicability far beyond any political constraints.  And at least at the state level, the message has been promoting us, not undermining the opposition.  This may be why I drifted in their direction from the center.

Peaceful Protest

We gathered to make a statement in opposition to anti-Semitism which has gotten more overt, with responses too fractured.  It has three sources, an emboldened political right who Republican candidates need for their secure votes, a residual of the African-Americans who in a quest for a Just America resent those who have made it when they didn't, and Islamists who think Jews should remain dhimmis without sovereignty.  As a Jewish community, we all abhor the more violent elements of anti-Semitism, but accept or even rationalize it as understandable when our views on other elements of concern intersect with the anti-Semitic elements.  While the speakers all viewed America as a hate free haven, at least for Jews if not Blacks, undocumented immigrants, LGBTQs, and Islamists, they failed to address a few of the more glaring issues.  Why now as America's history plays out?  They didn't really address the levels of infraction.  Shootings and using Jew as a verb may overlap in underpinnings though not in consequences.  

A useful gathering for common purpose.  Those recent heroes from the Capitol Police had a relatively easy day with prosperous, peaceful Jews claiming their commitment to and stake in America's destiny.  No food trucks got looted.  No militants carrying provocative signs.  Useful, though incomplete.

DC Rally

Not been to a rally to promote American values or Jewish values in a very long time.  The last I remember distinctly took place on the plaza of the Philadelphia Art Museum during my college years when Jews from around the metropolitan area assembled to advocate the permission of Soviet Jews to emigrate, something that happened about ten years later. Today Tzahal depends on the children of those immigrants to Israel.

Mistreatment of people has accelerated, something that has widespread voter support easily exploited by any number of demagogues, leaving Americans well short of its theoretical goal of Liberty and Justice for All.  Poor people want to be less poor, African-Americans don't want police to put their lives in danger, everybody objects to having a day in a classroom subject to a mass shooter.  And support for these groups invariably extends well beyond the people directly affected.  American majority sentiment is pretty good at coming down on the side of what is right, even if the electoral results and judicial interpretations of legal applicability to immediate situations don't.

So an invitation to a public protest of anti-Semitism sponsored by a coalition of Jewish organizations, a few of which I admire, came my way.  DC is not very far.  The closest I've been to a crowd since Covid pandemic restrictions has been a day at the beach, not counting traffic jams.  If I can get a shuttle bus at a reasonable rate, I'm in on this one.  

Staying Cordial

My usual abrasive self probably has a very early, deeply ingrained imprint, a part of me that enhances my uniqueness, though sometimes at a price.  Models of highly successful momzer's abound, one reaching the Oval Office and creating a loyal following but with a lot of victims.  I don't think I ever really had victims.  Moreover, there were ample times, even most times, when being ornery would pretty much intersect with being unprofessional so got set aside.

From time to time I seek reversal, or at least a façade.  Citalopram each evening makes me more internally tolerant but it also helps to add a task like Friendly or Cordial to my daily task list.  Currently it's Cordial. And it's been going mostly OK but requires vigilance to return to the objective as I stray.  Unlikely to ever really become habitual but still worth working on.

A Glorious Fouth

4Jy comes on a Sunday this year, so celebrate today, postpone workday holiday.  Something of double whammy for the new medical residents, perhaps.  I put on a USA t-shirt but have little else planned, as the holiday also starts the part of my half year when I am most enthusiastic about forging ahead.  Done a few things already though not yet those hard work initiatives.  Maybe start some of those before the fireworks that I don't plan to attend go off.  

While my daily task list has ample amusements, I feel more directed this holiday to efforts that move me ahead even if the steps are only small increments that enable achievement of what I set out to perform months from now.  Perhaps I should change the approach and get some of those things I really don't like doing but have to like the treadmill completed first, a few other things that linger undone on my daily task list checked off once and for all if they the types of activities that do not reappear once done.  My stash of $5 bills collected as change this half year amounts to $50 + $35 unspent from the last half of the previous year.  Things I need I just buy, things I want but don't need come from that collection.  I don't really want much.  Maybe experiences more than things.  Adventures in nearby and distant travel, some creativity that I make excuses not to pursue, some creations from my kitchen or sampling the best of somebody else's brew tank.  4Jy in its original was really about hitting a collective reset button for new adventures.

New Semi-Annual Cycle

My first day.  I'm eager to plod ahead.  A few continuations or renewals, a few new.  

1. Wt/Weight goals: Health
2. Book Draft: Frontier
3. 3 Books: Mental
4. 3 Guests: Friends
5. 3 Day trips: Travel
6. 3 Videos: Long Term
7. 3 Articles: Self
8. 1 OLLI Committee: Community
9. Family Room: Home
10. Major Trip: Family
11. BH Certificate: Purchase
12. Monthly Expense Log:  Financial

Looks SMART