Too Much Broken Stuff

Bari Weiss' had a shortlisting of provocative articles from the concluding calendar year, including an outstanding piece by Alana Newhouse, editor of Tablet Magazine where she traced the origins of our many broken  systems.

https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/everything-is-broken

Systems don't work.  Trust in organizations has dissipated because the leadership doesn't deserve the respect they seem to demand.  I was kept on hold for two hours by a financial institution trying to move my son's custodial account to his own adult account, something already 15 years overdue and not done largely because of the previous hassles trying to do it.  My doctor's office properly tried to ascertain if it was safe for me to keep my appointment amid respiratory symptoms.  They notified me to come, but when I came the receptionist again tried to ascertain if I should have come.

My home needs major preparation for when end of life frailty forces me to vacate it.  Trying to find a suitable pro has not gone well.  My earbuds only cost a dollar at the dollar store but only last a few hours in my pants pocket.  The ones that cost more don't last notably longer.

When I take my car or computer for repair, they no longer ask my story of what I wrong, but go right to the instruments with ineffective remedy when a quick assessment involving cognitive skill would have done better.  Some of the younger doctors go right to the imaging too, without historical  or exam justification for doing what they ordered.

Our judges, Torah's pinnacle of requiring integrity, underperform our sports referees who may be our last bastion of meting out equity among combatants.  My synagogue evokes flashbacks of Hebrew School and USY cliques.  Our least capable professionals seem to be the ones most adamant about being addressed by their titles. Our public officials pander to the evil that tips the balance in their direction.  We've gotten too quick to punish adverse events without correcting the systemic errors, be they medical, police, or social.

It's all broken.  Worse, I'm not sure anyone wants to incur the imposition required to not have all these malfunctioning systems and products.

New Year's Eve Shabbat

Covering the hospitals on Christmas and surrounding days always assured me not having to do that for either Thanksgiving or New Year's.  Each could be festive, though the final day of the calendar year was nearly always a work day.  Festivities take place after work with the legal holiday something of a denouement with Bowl Games or just not having to go to work or check mail that day. 

Retirement takes a different perspective.  I no longer have work obligations on New Year's Eve so I can spend the day making a special dinner, much like on Thanksgiving.  This year it coincides with shabbos.  Since the span between supper and the Big Steel Ball knocking down New York comprises a lot of snacking with a split of bubbly when the Apple lights up, I've planned something of a contiguous indulgence from kiddush to welcoming the calendar transition.

Snacks tend to be milchig.  So will shabbos dinner.  Coulibiac, or Russian Fish Pie, always seems festive, making a small compromise with commercial puff pastry.  The price of mushrooms has gone up as has parsley.  Still I opted for Shop-Rite bunch parsley though leaves of my outdoor pot herb garden probably could have gotten me by.  Just enough steps to keep me engaged in cooking activities, not nearly as many as Thanksgiving.  A vegetable.  Got carrots.  Glaze with maple syrup or honey should contrast the fish pie, which already contains rice as the starch.  Cheesecake for dessert.  For some reason, amid a national cream cheese shortage, Shop-Rite has been selecting their house brand bricks for one of their leader sale items.  Add some sour cream or unflavored yogurt, sugar, graham crackers and eggs plus some patience in bringing items to room temperature and a multiday treat comes forth.  Sparkling cider in its finest form also on sale, to avoid the evil soda.

After supper snacks have been accumulating.  Cream puff mini's with a digital coupon, a few types of crackers.  Corn chips with salsa. We don't pop popcorn on shabbos, though.  

Kiddush to Big Steel Ball spans about six hours, though.  As attractive as these indulgences seem, unlikely I really want to make this one continuous meal.

Choosing My Olli Courses

While their new system of assignment of oversubscribed courses by lottery has removed any urgency to submit my next set of Osher preferences before anyone else, I've been putting the worksheet under other papers to the right of my laptop too long.  I want to enroll in three or four courses at a time, a little less than I undertook in college and a lot less than was assigned in medical school.  One will require performance on my part, either drawing, watercolor, or music, the other three didactic in some way.  I look forward to in-person resumption, as much of the benefit of the OLLI program has been a form of loneliness therapy.  Efficacy of a chat and coffee far exceeds a screen and email.

Procedure of selection generally involves creating a grid Mon-Thurs as I don't want Friday classes, then early AM, late AM, early PM, avoiding late afternoon sessions.  Then, going through the catalog one subject at a time, I entered possibilities in the appropriate square of my grid.

Once completed, I circled the one in each of the twelve boxes I found most appealing, then pick four.  Almost there.  Drawing conflicts with a lot of other things I might consider, watercolor does not, so even though I would prefer pencils, I'll try watercolor and one of the other classes that meets at the same time as drawing.  Some classes only run for half the semester, invariably the first half, which is why my final selections could use a little more analysis.  I'm good at sticking to what I decide.  Misgivings rarely appear.  Give it another day, then submit the registration electronically.

Facebook Survey

FB invited me to answer some questions.  I don't know if they invited everyone, which would skew their sample as people with an axe to grind would be more likely to take them up on the offer, or whether they randomly invited a subset of users.  I took the bait and answered honestly.  Basically it has become another advertising medium like the newspaper and TV, offering me content for my attention but inserting commercial notices to offset their overhead for doing this.  And the consumers seem to be on the decline.

As a service, to which I have now subscribed twelve years, the more purposeful allure has run its course.  I renewed old friendships, some more firm now than when we interacted in school decades ago.  Little expansion has occurred.  Indeed, there is some contraction with presentations from some of my favorite  people much less frequent, sometimes essentially absent.

People used to exchange thoughts.  Now people resent the exchange, perhaps in parallel with resentment of challenges to ideas elsewhere in America.  People promote their agendas.  I know who is in Free America/ Smart America/ Real America/ Just America from what appears under their name.  People focus on milestones, responding in large numbers to birthdays and anniversaries.  There are condolences when an obit appears, though not many laudable summaries of the life just completed.  It has become Sound Bites for the eyes.

Most of life, which FB once reflected far better than it does now, has little to do with milestone events.  To get from one birthday to the next there are activities in some form every single day.  Special efforts to make dinner or take a course, fondness for a pet which still appears regularly, travel to a new place, the new restaurant, meeting somebody famous or highly accomplished, having a regrettable day at work.  FB could have captured lives.  Its users opted not to let it do that.

Contiguous Sleep Cycles

My upper respiratory infection has been trending to resolution with symptomatic intervention.  Cough drops, some therapeutic, some more tasty, have done what they should.  Fluticasone may be taking effect  on the rhinitis, or perhaps I am just recovering.  NyQuil has proven the most valuable, not so much because of any anti-tussive or sympathomimetic properties but because it enables me to transition from one sleep cycle to the next seamlessly.  This rarely happens spontaneously nowadays.  My iTouch buzz even woke me this morning from a more significant part of the sleep cycle.

Despite some effort to understand sleep and sleep hygiene better as it increasingly affects me, the role of transitions from one cycle to the next seems ill-defined.  Nature did not intend it to be wakefulness, though perhaps a periodic scan for predators each night might have evolutionary purpose.  Probably not as much purpose as full alertness when daylight arrives.  Even if mediated by exogenous chemicals, I appreciate the more continuous nightly snooze, even if I don't understand its mechanism or how the NyQuil components compensated.  Though, for sure, it is not a suitable chronic sleep aid.

Semi-Annual Cycle Winds Down

Christmas has come and gone bringing me to the final week of this semi-annual project cycle.  I didn't do badly at all.  My weight hovered just above target.  I looked back over my health log to discover that I had lost about 4 kg a year ago which is when I banned a few items from the shopping cart.  It has been pretty static for the entire 2021 calendar year as has my waist.  But I did well with treadmill consistency, if not intensity.  I will focus more on intensity in the coming half year, letting the anthropomorphic results play out as they will.

My intent to write a book fizzled entirely.  Bad habits, mediocre commitment, unwillingness to do what it takes.  An attempt to go All In for a month totally failed.  Yet it's an important frontier to me, so it remains as my Frontier Initiative for the coming cycle with better focus on set times and milestones.

I did well on reading, as I usually do.  That repeats as my Self Initiative.

I want to entertain in my home, meaning a combination of tidying and making friends and taking initiatives.  Planned three, did one.  Give it another go as my Friends Initiative.

I wanted to offer assistance to an OLLI Committee.  Latching onto one was not as straightforward as I expected.  It's hardly an impenetrable USY Clique.  Give it another try with more persistence as my Community Initiative.

Went to three day trips with new experiences.  One of my reliable and gratifying initiatives.  I  made a few modifications to this Travel Initiative.  This cycle the trips will all be in my bordering state of Maryland.  Having driven its width for the first time, there's a lot there to sample.  I will accept not only a day trip to a new place or new experience but allow a short overnight or two night stays if that enhances the experience.

Having a YouTube presence could have made a fine Long Term project.  I learned how to do a basic presentation, settling on a cell phone video instead of camera, tripod, microphone.  It would really cost more than I want to spend and don't feel sufficiently motivated to pursue this.  It will be abandoned, for now if not forever.  My replacement Long Term Initiative will be to complete the renovation to My Space so that it also becomes my Sanctuary, my go-to place for motivation and for comfort.  Once done right, always done.

I submitted three articles to publishers, more counting Medscape, which I probably should give up.  The writing came early in the cycle, some good stuff, a lot of false starts.  Then a stretch of half-hearted efforts.  I really like expressing myself.  I'm not a troll on internet response opportunities, but I think what I express should have substance, require planning, go through an editor, and appear for others to read.  It remains my Mental Initiative with better focus on set times to write, places to offer the writing, and mileposts to keep me on track.

The family room upgrade got started but it needs professional help.  I could make progress for an hour or so but never the five-hour stretch that it would take to transform this to optimal living space.  Better to abandon this project.  Instead, for my Home Initiative, I always enjoyed the challenges and rewards of my gardens.  A change this time.  Outdoors for vegetables, front entrance for herbs.  Rethink and replant Aerogarden.  Last time I enhanced soil in the beds.  This spring I will need to cut back adjacent overgrowth that hides some of the surface that full planting requires.  Made lots of mistakes in previous years, learned from them.  Fewer mistakes this time.  The effort brings me a small measure of cheer, something in short supply.

My Family Initiative included targeted time with my wife, something I expected more of in retirement.  To accomplish this, I allotted a trip, one of serious tourism.  I got some resistance.  Instead, we settled on an interesting road trip to Mammoth Cave National Park and a few days in the Poconos.  This time I shifted some of the categories.  Family is still targeted wife togetherness though in smaller regular aliquots, special dinners, TV time, small two person projects.  Things that would not get much resistance.

Purchase Initiative has become surprisingly hard since I don't really want anything that I have to save up for.  I bought a car on short notice as my dear Honda became undriveable.  Not a planned purchase at all.  Having gotten a gift certificate from B&H Photo from my kids for my birthday, I set out to spend it.  I don't even know what most of the doodads that they sell are for.  Delegated this to my wife who selected a hand scanner towards the end of this semi-annual cycle.  I desire experiences more than things.  My landmark anniversary approaches next summer.  If our health and public health allows, this may be the opportunity for spending a little on post-retirement travel.  That's the initiative, to be introduced on our mid-point anniversary on Valentine's Day.

Financial Initiative also takes some thought, since I have ample funds, now augmented by a monthly Social Security check.  I've been logging my expenses each month, placing on an Excel spreadsheet, and tabulating expenses by category each quarter.  It's tedious on the days that I transcribe this, gratifying when I'm done.  This continues.

So this semi-annual cycle reaches its conclusion.  Some successful, a few abject failures but at least giving me an ideal of what motivates me and what I am willing to commit to.  Very much looking forward to the revisions and continuations as they start playing out next week.

Twas the Day Before Christmas

Without elaborating an opinion, more places seem to be shutting down this year.  Most of the stores close at about 6PM.  By then shabbos will have already commenced.  Nothing open tomorrow except gas stations, places for medical urgencies, and  first responders.  A day of rest, maybe respite.  Churches open.  Synagogues too, as the legal holiday coincides with our weekly observance of shabbos.

Have enough gas.  Need mini-challot, so off to Shop-Rite this morning.  Ingredients for cheesecake on sale, so get that too and make the cake in a few days.  But for the most part, let the year count down, some projects completed, others to continue, others to be abandoned.

Bagel and a Schmear

Not been to Einstein Bagels in a long time.  It used to be a Sunday morning destination when I had one of their $1 coffee mugs, where I would take my weekly planning pouch, sip the coffee while I outline the coming week.  The deal disappeared as did the mug.  From time to time they would also offer a bagel with cream cheese and coffee for $1.99 with a coupon, that I always had.  Brew HaHa across the street at the next strip mall had better coffee so I went there instead.  Then, between retiring and Covid, and the creation of My Space, I just did coffee and planning at home each Sunday morning.

Einstein's returned the coupon, this time $3 instead of $2 but adapted to other price rises, still worth purchasing one time, which is all they allow for this.  I went as a treat to myself for doing something important, though I cannot remember what.  Being early winter with a mask to protect the public if not myself, my bifocals promptly fogged so I couldn't see anything on the menu board.  As I got closer to my turn the fog was less.  I could see some of the bagel options, selecting what they called Ancient Grains.  I could not see the cream cheese selections, but veggie is always safe.  Then a cup to take coffee from their dispenser, ultimately selecting house blend.  Handed the cashier a $5 bill and the coupon.  She scanned the coupon which discounted the total at the register, handed me my change and my bagel in a small bag, and off I went to the coffee dispenser.  

With Covid, they closed their indoor eating tables but still had some outside.  Despite it being mid-December, I took an outdoor table, took small bites from the bagel, sipped coffee, and had a restful few minutes before returning to my car with the rest of the coffee.  

At home, I have bagels in the refrigerator most days, plain cream cheese despite a recent national shortage most of the time, and the ability to make coffee.  Einstein's does not compete successful with coffee, as I have far more than two varieties.  Their bagels and cream cheese are each superior though.  Keep my eye out for the next coupon.

New Smoke Detectors

 When the old smoke detectors consistently went off with ordinary cooking, then chirped incessantly, it was time to make a decision.  Dismantle them and take my chances or get new ones.  In the decades since last replacement, technology has changed.  Home Depot had a selection, No Frills not among them.  Apparently new installations all allow AC power with battery back-up, though we have no wiring to connect this.  In some units you can change the battery without disassembling the unit.  My second choice.  Ultimately I opted for two basic detectors run with transistor radio batteries that came with each unit.  

The base that attaches to the ceiling seems pretty standardized.  I had screws remaining but on the lower level the screws were insecure so I just repositioned them using the base as a template. Other than not having a Philips head screwdriver worth using it installed.  Then activating the battery took some doing as the terminals were not labelled positive or negative.  It turns out the manufacturer inserted plastic guides so they would only fit one way.  Screw the business end to the installed base, test it with the little button, and we're safe until the contents of the stove sets it off.

I though the upper unit would be easier as the screws were already in their proper position.  All I needed to do was loosen them, take off the old base, put on the new base, and add the electronics.  I did not anticipate the old base adhering to the ceiling as a consequence of fresh painting we needed done last year.  Prying it off took some ingenuity and some work.  Once off the screws did not fit perfectly into the new base but close enough to keep it secure.  Perfectionists don't do well.  Made sure it wouldn't wiggle, then installed the battery and completed the assembly.  A quick test of efficacy and we now have a safer home.

Dollar Store Demise

With much publicity, Dollar Tree announced an across the board quarter mark-up to all items.  Some are worth 25 cents more, like the low dose Nature Garden Sleep Aid that prompted my visit but I couldn't find.  Other items probably aren't worth the dollar.  Pundits place the shoppers in two genres.  One group are people trying to get by who just cannot spend supermarket prices on certain staples, school supplies, snacks, and OTC remedies.  Others are people like me with ample funds who just enjoy puttering around, selecting bargains with no restraint, and counting the total as I go.  

This visit rather alienated me.  Profit margins must be strained, cashiers at a minimum with no self-cashier, shelves empty, an image of grunge with toiletries and OTC section strewn across the shelves.  Snacks, which I shouldn't be eating, no longer included the small boxes of cheap pastries, replaced by those two-packs of cake or buns that you get at the gas stations during road trip stops.  No longer bargain.  No longer fun.

Pharyngitis

After sitting adjacent to the lamp on my desk in My Space, the bottle of fluticasone received some preparatory shakes before squeezing the dispenser to deliver two sprays to each nostril.  It is intended for allergic rhinitis but should serve a similar purpose for infectious rhinitis.  My throat has gotten sore, enough to impede sleep though not sore enough to limit me to liquids.  No fever.  No systemic illness.  Yet a suspicion of Omicron Coronavirus can be hard to dispel short of a negative home test.  I might, as quarantine would affect some upcoming plans.  While my preference has been for sweetened Luden's Cough Drops, which I acquire when they go on sale, generic Hall's Honey Lemon serve the purpose while staying less medicinal than the more anesthetic Cherry Menthol variety.  Not seen Sucrets in a while or Chloraseptic spray.  Could look for them when I seek the Corona Test.  

While not systemically symptomatic, or at least I think not, I have some sleep deprivation.  As the illness progressed, I aided my catch-up with generic Dollar Store Melatonin, which would still be worth the new price of $1.25 if what they have at Walgreens is not competitive.  Learning something from two stops at very different places on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, cheap high proof whiskey can be swilled in a way that clears sinuses.  I did that successfully, though at the price of a burning tongue.  Perhaps I can spend a portion of the $5 bills I've accumulated on a bottle of good bourbon that has less lingual sting.

Despite a petty illness, not quite at its peak methinks, it remains a work day with things I can still do.

Transitioning the Calendar Year

Our next two Shabbatot coincide with American legal holidays, Christmas and New Year's Day.  They are also transition points for me personally.  While working, I could expect Xmas to be an active day or weekend, sometimes a long one, taking call for patients who did everything they could to avoid the hospital.  As a result, I always had New Years off, taking it as minor revelry at home with some champagne as I watched the Big Steel Ball knock down New York.  More importantly, it was the first day of my new semi-annual initiatives, which always began a little behind the 8-ball needing some catchup sleep.  So it goes this transition too, though in retirement, Christmas is a day off.  An uncertain shul day, but I have a reason to go this year, even if a personal imposition.  I set my twelve initiatives on good paper in indelible ink with colored gel pens.  I transition the whiteboard after Christmas and begin doing them on New Years.  Some are maintained, some replaced.  While I've focused on weight and waist measurements, this half-year I will be shifting to treadmill performance, the anthropomorphic measurements having remained static for over a year.  I want to be more consistent with expressing myself, usually via writing.  Those projects continue though with a better performance focus and mileposts.  My day trips continue, again with more focus, allowing for an overnight adventure.  My Family Room being a lost cause, I shifted the home efforts to My Space and my gardens.  I've derived benefit from logging expenses, both from the data generated and from my reliability in doing this.  It continues.  I need to do better as a husband, I think, whether my wife agrees or not.  That becomes a focus for the next six months.  I'm satisfied with what I've chosen to pursue.  After months of ennui, I feel more of an inner drive to see what among these I can accomplish and how much satisfaction or frustration each effort generates.

Ranking My Initiatives

As this is one of my two semi-annual planning months, I modified my usual approach a little.  As has become customary, I set up my twelve categories, listed everything in the proper paper box knowing some initiatives are appropriate to multiple categories, the using an Excel Spreadsheet, listed unique projects.  It came to 46, of which I can select 12.  After having the program alphabetize them, I ranked them by importance which is only one of many inputs in choosing which 12.  I insist that whatever is chosen comply with a SMART system:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Timed

Many of the 46 are not, though I don't yet know which.  From that and categories, I should be able to set the final list in the coming week.

Baalabooster

My left deltoid feels sore this morning, about 18 hours after the pharmacist inserted some liquid to stimulate antibodies protective of Covid, in some or all its forms.  No systemic adverse effects thus far.  My energy is no better or worse than it has been, adequate for intended treadmill session.  My mind and spirit seem unaffected. Each could be better.  Each has been worse.  I've largely recovered from the driving stresses of this week's road trip, able if not eager to move along to my next set of irritations.

Wild Wonderful West Virginia

First day of road trip to Mammoth Cave got us to Charleston, the capital of West Virginia with a handsome Capitol dome off the right on the highway.  While I intended the trip as relaxation, which it was for the first half of the drive, problems with the GPS not adequately compensated by road signs succeeded in returning me to frazzled.  GPS, both Toyota Scout GPS and Waze, each failed for interruption of internet connection in the mountainous regions of the state.  Finding a hotel and getting there when we were already somewhat lost did not go well.

Settled, fell asleep, awake early and ready for hotel's hot tub before proceeding on, supplemented by some needed coffee and starches at the buffet.

Western Maryland seemed dotted with small but not tiny towns, some which have seen better days.  At one time they probably were anchored by factories of major industrials, now seem more dependent on the colleges and correctional facilities that generate income from outside.  West Virginia seems less town dominant with a major highway having vast stretches with only traveler rest stops for food and gas.  The state university, including its medical center, seemed off the beaten path, with other locals who we asked directions to it as we picked up snacks not being sure where it was.  

Our early December travel probably deprived us of some more flourishing mountain scenery of a month previously.  A few wild animals represented on our trip only as road kill, a skunk and a red fox standing out.

Finish coffee, ease my aching back in the warm jets of the Jacuzzi, more substantial breakfast later.

Packing for My Road Trip

Two days of driving anticipated to get to Mammoth Cave, then two days back.  Nearly all of it is Interstate which connects towns large enough to support Walmarts and Walgreens.  So I'm never really up the creek if I leave home without something that I turn out to need, my Visa card accepted most anywhere.  Yet some level of anxiety of not having what I need when I need it persists.

Clothing is fairly easy, as I'm pretty good at keeping my duds organized. Just go over the bins and drawers in sequence, taking what I think I am likely to need, or even might need amid weather that transitions from fall to winter.  Closets also maintained in a way that I can take a flannel shirt, jeans, sweatshirt and the like as I walk along its length.

Much harder to assess what I will do while away.  At the park I will need a camera.  It is also my opportunity to do some of the things that end up on my daily list, propagated from one day to the next except shabbos, that I never really do.  I could draw since that only requires a pencil.  I could take my coloring book and pencils, something that relaxes me sufficiently and predictably to make me remiss in not assigning time for that at home.  Watercolor too cumbersome.  Think I'll leave my harmonicas home.  Probably ought to take laptop.  What about tripod?  A chance to make a YouTube video.  The park offers license-free fishing.  Would be remiss not to pack a rod and minimal gear.  Have a Torah reading assignment.  Make extra copy and squeeze practice into spare moments.  Also time to outline my next semi-annual projects.  Take the outline.  Wouldn't be without my Samsung Galaxy J7 Star which allows me to hear an audiobook and read an e-book, each in  progress.  And the hotel has an indoor pool.  Should plan to take advantage of that, as well as scheduled treadmill sessions.  And choosing courses for the upcoming OLLI Registration can be done through cyberspace.

Most of this stuff I've been wanting to do but haven't made the commitment to do, or at least puttered along with excuses to do something else like cleaning around the house instead or keeping appointments.  Need to divest that for a week, enjoy scenery as I drive, stop at places I would otherwise have not stopped to rest and look around.  Vacation has gotten overdue, which makes it especially welcome with the likelihood of taking too much stuff with me to anticipate more contingencies than I should.

Reconsider Social Media

Facebook has again gotten out of hand.  After no Twitter, I'm back to a little Twitter which is limited but slowly accelerating.  Each diverts from things that I want to do more.  As I get to the month of semi-annual planning, starting with how my projects fared for the current cycle, I need to consider how badly I really wanted to do what I affirmed previously and reviewed daily, then take that bucket of time, energy, and resources in that direction.  FB and Twitter are not in that direction. 

Upcoming Vacation

While my next getaway, an overdue one, temps me just days away, some of the preparation poses a challenge.  Laundry all done, decide what to take.  It's a two-day drive in each direction covering four states, each with its own toll systems and one that does not accept my Pennsylvania EZ Pass and none that offer a discount for having one.  My account has $18 left, but I'll probably need to enhance that before I leave.  Don't know what to expect for December weather in mid-Kentucky.  Mammoth Cave apparently would make a good wine cellar, easy planning for that.  Should plan for rain too.  Long sleeve weather.  Since I'm driving, I do not have to worry about packing excessively.  Probably fill my wheeled duffle for contingencies. 

I've done two-day drives previously, most recently to Charleston and back a few years ago.  I like the quiet of the highway, really an integral part of getting away and returning home.  There's usually necessary driving breaks with an unexpected search of what's around the area where we take our break.  A winery maybe, a distillery in Idaho once. Often lunch in a town I will never visit again.  Sometimes a roadside sign will prompt a detour.

Mammoth Cave allows fishing so take a few items for that.  A good justification for replacing the broken rod tip on my most versatile rod.  And camera.  Leave laptop home, or take it. Could go either way.  Probably take it.  Passport leave home.  Can get rain poncho from a Walmart if it looks like one will be needed, but take a decent umbrella.  Camera yes for sure.  Tripod, probably.  Don't know where my selfie stick is.  And some chargers.  And some extra cash.  More escape than indulgence but could use a little of each.  They are overdue.

Electronics Failure

My new Camry, new for me though three years old, has electronic doodads that I don't know how to use, though with appreciation to the many people who insisted I become reasonably literate, I can follow the instructions posted on other electronic doodads.  It took some effort to bring the Toyota app from cyberspace to my android phone to the car's screen, not helped at all by an unanswered call to the Toyota dealer's help line, which they invited me to use.  But Entunes seemed to work OK.  I paid $15 for a year of Scout GPS which also worked.  Until a few days ago, when my full screen got replaced by a single Yelp option.  I could not restore it despite doing my best to follow online instructions, theirs and general Google results.  It seems Entune failures are rather common.  The dealer's help line at least returned my call.  While I expected somebody to run me through the programming, that was not to be, so a personal appearance has been scheduled.

Solicitations to Spend

While retail has had some turmoil, we still spend money in substantial amounts right after Thanksgiving.  Our promoters offer us Black Friday, Local Saturday, Cyber Monday, and now Giving Tuesday.  No shortage of invitations to any of these.  While there are many worthy non-profits, I think yesterday's Tuesday left me saturated with solicitations.  One of the best things I ever did for myself and a select number of non-profits has been to make my Tzedakah systematic, distributing a certain amount on a certain day each month.  Cyber Tuesday just got out of hand.  Maybe move it to Palm Sunday.