Has anyone noticed that the “thinking” gorilla has been on this page for a while now? I noticed. I haven’t felt like changing it recently. And I have been thinking a lot.

Some thoughts are coalescing in my mind.

1) I should spend more time with family and friends. That does mean less time doing theater stuff. I think I’m going to be very choosy about my theater endeavors. I’m not going to limit the number of shows, but I won’t be in a show just because it is the only show I’m the least bit interested in.

2) Part of everything is doing what I really want to do. Yes, some chores just can’t wait, but a lot of them can. Clear evenings should be spent with a telescope. Sleeping during the day should not be a problem on weekends.

3) NO is a very important word. I should use it more often.

4) YES is another important word. I should use it more often.

5) I didn’t contradict myself in the last two items. I need to learn when to say yes and when to say no.

6) I may end up hurting some feelings when I say yes or no. I will apologize for that, but not for my decisions.

7) Life is too short. There will never be enough time to do everything. There won’t even be enough time to do all of the important things. It is best to choose the most important things first. Old simulation with rocks, pebbles, gravel, sand and water… If you really want to know, ask. I may explain it in another blog…

8) I will stop worrying about sleep. The best thing is to sleep when I can and the rest will take care of itself.

9) Relationships with others are the keys to a happy life. If you are getting along with others, your life will be better. Hmm that was deep.

10) I know what real love is. I can’t really explain it, but I know what it is. Guess what, nobody can take that away from me. It is mine and it will always be a part of me.

I don’t think I would try it on ice cream. I picked up some cheap chicken strips last week and the first batch I made I was a bit underwhelmed. Today I loaded them up with melted cheese and Hot Salsa. Much better this time.

But really, I didn’t want to talk/write about cooking. Did you ever notice that some things are just better when combined with something else. A warm and sunny day is better than a cold and sunny day. Even though we like the sunny day part, the warmth adds something to it. Add to that a day off and the ability to spend it in the warmth and sun you get something better. Add in some good friends or family. Some fun things to do. You almost have a vacation…

Sometimes adding things doesn’t make it better. Sometimes it is worse. (try the salsa with Ice cream and let me know what you think.)

And there are the times you know what you want to add to something, but it just isn’t available. Things could be better. So much better. You know it would be, but the situation does not allow the addition of that item.

All this is life. We live with what we have. We take the good and the bad. Try to combine things to make it better. Try to tolerate when things don’t go quite right. And hope that we have the combinations that make life better.

When I went to work this morning, I just logged off of a working internet connection. When I got home this evening, the connection no longer worked. After spending quite a bit of time on the phone with my provider, the only solution was to re-install the software. It worked (as you may be able to tell), but I really don’t know why it worked. I really don’t know why the connection failed in the first place.

It is a Cell Modem. Open it up, dial the number — Name and password are automatic. I can’t see what went wrong. Neither could the tech person. I think the software reload was grasping at straws. Anyway, I’ve updated to the latest version, so I hope it will be good for a few months.

Oh well, I still got my laundry done today.. I just wish I had self cleaning clothes. And of course permanent press that was actually permanent. Buttons that stayed on new shirts! I wonder why my dark pants (black and blue) seem to shrink more than the browns, tans and beiges. They all started out the same brand and size. For some reason they all seem to shrink in the length.

Second game night last night wasn’t. We had the wrap up from the last game we played and then we would start my little session. Nope, we needed some characters made up, and we were hoping to have a few other people show up. In the end, we sat around and talked a bit (a lot) and made up a couple of new characters. Maybe next week.

Today didn’t turn out as planned either. I had all sorts of things I was going to do, and ended up doing none of them Oh well, it will still be there tomorrow.

I really need to go food shopping tomorrow. I don’t have much left in the kitchen. I can’t get by on chicken or fish with nothing to go with it very long. I need spice, herbs, garlic and onions… Cheese please! Some vegetables. Taters?

Since my youngest went off to college, I don’t shop nearly as much. But then when I do go, I need everything. I just don’t want to have so much on hand it all goes bad before I can use it. Maybe I should shop every other day or so… I’ll have to think about that at least for the fresh stuff.

I’ve been living on this earth for a bit over 50 years now, and I’ve noticed a thing or two. Some of this has to do with normal aging, but some is just things I’ve noticed over the years.

1) I’ve always liked spicy food, but I’ve come to the realization that it doesn’t like me. I won’t go into all the symptoms, but I’m glad modern medicine has kept up with my eating habits. Tums and Rolaids just don’t cut it anymore. Thank goodness for Zantac… Maybe the medicine world will keep up with me as I get older year after year.

2) For some strange reason I just can’t sit in the lotus position as long. My knees and ankles rebel at the thought. I’m still limber enough to flex, but my body doesn’t like the same position, any position for very long. At least I’m getting my exercise by moving around. No, I can’t touch my toes now, but I couldn’t in high school, long legs, short arms (really).

3) The old eyes just don’t focus as well. Oh well, I guess that’s why they make glasses. What is funny is that I used to be able to focus on distant object while wearing my reading glasses. That takes some doing now, but gives me a headache if I do it to long.

4) People respond better if you are nice to them. People respond quicker if you are loud and obnoxious. People give you strange looks if you sound like Stitch or Bullwinkle. 😉

5) Friends are worth their weight in gold. If you could convert them to gold, would you choose heavier friends?

6) Being alone is not the worse thing in the world. When you know what true companionship is, and you are now alone is in the top 10 of the worse things.

7) Tomorrow doesn’t always come, so make use of your time today. See the first part of number 5, it makes it easier to use your time today with friends.

8) I’m glad they never developed a way to get smell over TV. Some of the shows are real stinkers.

9) Sunsets should be time to reflect on the day. Sunrises should be a time to plan the day. Rest in between them, you may need it.

10) Sleep is overrated until you don’t get enough of it.

If the two previous posts weren’t enough to give it away, I thought I might just let everyone know. Yes, I’ve been thinking. A dangerous pastime.

There are a number of things driving the thought processes at this time. My children have either grown up and moved out, or are growing up and moving out soon (youngest is a senior in high school). Out of 4 daughters, number 3 will be getting married very soon (How did I miss that?). A good friend of mine lost his son (about the same age as my oldest daughter). It is spring and review time at work. I’m sure there are a couple of other things that I’ve misplaced from my brain.

All in all, I’ve been a bit busy, but today was a slow day. Not a lot planned, but things fell into place. A time for reflective thought. Good, bad or indifferent. Today was a day for thinking. Even the weather was cooperative. Rainy weather is always good for thinking.

And think I did. As far as I can tell, nothing dangerous has happened yet. 😉

It is amazing how we go through life not knowing. I know somethings about my friends, family and associates, but I don’t know others. I know somethings about mathematics and sciences, but there is a lot I don’t know. I know a bit of trivia, but again there is a whole lot I don’t know. I know a little bit about my corner of the computer world, and there are whole other worlds out there. Even people who know a lot, don’t know a whole lot more.

Then there are things that I really knew less about. I wish I knew less about death. I wish I knew less about heart disease and cancer. I wish I knew less about all the hospitals in the area. I wish I knew less about being a widower and an only parent.

There are things I wish I knew more about too. The list is growing everyday. I am sure I will learn more about things I don’t want to know about, but I will also learn more about the things I do want to learn about. It seems like a cycle in life. I hope to learn as long as there is life in this body. That may or may not happen, but it is my hope.

I also wish I knew what the winning numbers would be on the next lottery draw, but that hasn’t happened yet either.

I’ve been reflecting this evening about the things I think about. While watching Jeopardy, I noticed (again) there are some subjects I’m very good at, others (opera, actors/actresses, TV shows) I’m not as good at. If you do specific actors, If I like them I will know most of there works, if I don’t well none of it sinks in even if they are in one or more of my favorite shows.

Anyway, I was trying to determine what type of information that takes root in this brain of mine. Computer stuff, most of the time. Math– well it used to, some is still there. Science– A lot, mainly the physical sciences (Earth Sciences, Astronomy, Physics, some Chemistry). Things dealing with logic (math/word puzzles). Politics, current and some historical. Some history, geography. Comic book heroes, well some of them anyway. Science Fiction and Fantasy books I’ve read (short list, I don’t read everything). Some movie trivia (mainly Disney, Lord Of the Rings, Star Wars, Star Trek, Comic Book Movies, Harrison Ford movies, Mysteries, some comedies). Word play (taking and twisting words/meanings for fun). Some things of religious nature, especially the odd and frequently outside of common knowledge stuff.

Things that don’t take root. Anything about TV sitcoms (exceptions Mash, Barney Miller). TV shows in general (I don’t pay attention to much on TV anymore). Theater/Movies/Plays/Opera (except as noted above, or I’ve been in a specific show). Musical Groups/artists and Song titles. Artists and their work with a very few exceptions (I know the common stuff, who painted the Mona Lisa or the Sistine Chapel). Spelling/grammar (who knows, who cares sort of thing).

Other than that things come and go in my knowledge base quite frequently. If I’ve been playing Trivia games, I tend to keep trivia in my head. If I’m working on an intense project at work, that information needed there is front and center. Discussing Politics frequently, well that information becomes available.

Somethings stay in my head all the time. I can tell you when each daughter was born (it may take a second or two). I can tell you the day and time I proposed to my wife. I never forgot an anniversary. I remember the birthday of my first crush. I know what my last words to my wife were, I know hers to me, and her last words (that weren’t to me).

It seems like sometimes there shouldn’t be much room for anything else in my head. I do tend to keep some information that is no longer needed (Do I really need to remember the favorite color of a girl I dated in 1981?). Some I wish I would have remembered better (sending things in the mail at the right time). If I could only figure out how to store and keep the information I want/need and get rid or archive the information I don’t need/want. If I could figure that out I could write a book and retire…