A Good Experience

Yesterday, the A.C. just conked out. It wouldn't work. I heard a sound (which I later learned was the compressor circulating the refrigerant through the lines), but there was no air blowing and thus, no cooling. It was a hot, humid day. Not the best time for not having 'air'. I was dreading what lay ahead.

I now have air. And I can look back at the experience with a smile. It had a positive outcome. I learned a lot and verified things I learned. I also established a better relationship with the companies involved (there are two).

Here's an informal list of the benefits of this experience:

1. I responded well. I didn't panic. I didn't freeze. I took charge and took action. I did all I could to make sure the problem was taken care of as quickly and as smoothly as possible.
2. I was assertive as a squeaky wheel. Things moved faster because I followed up my calls to make sure things were being taken care of expeditiously. The property manager told me she'd call right away in the morning. Turns out, she didn't. It was only because of my morning call that she took action.
3. I was thorough in my action. I made sure all the bases were covered. I lingered in the conversations to allow the thought process to develop. Some things just don't come up in split-second thought; they grow as the conversation develops. This brought about the offer by the property manager to stay at a motel for the night. I didn't take it up nor did I want to, but it was comforting to have the option available.
4. I was observant. I watched all the work being done and learned a lot. I asked a lot of questions, too. This led to having the drain piped flushed out, which is good yearly maintenance recommended in the tips I read about. Also, I learned that it's not good to use the fan only if the air handler is in the garage because you are just blowing hot, humid air through the ducts and into the house. I also asked about the second filter slot. I didn't need it, so he sealed it up. This made the handler more air tight and thus, more efficient. Money saved and more cool air for less.
5. Socially, I learned the dynamics between parties. I found out that the second repairman was not on good terms with the property manager. He feels she doesn't like him. He was about to say, but cut himself off. I think if was because he realized it would be an impropriety to say any more. I handled the interactions with the various parties well. It was a boost to feel like I did a good job all around.
6. I was very good at finding the positive side of the situation. Yes, it was hot and humid inside. It was uncomfortable. I had a fan, though. And I had electric power. I thought of how this is what it would be like if a hurricane plowed through, except I would be in the dark with no refrigerator. One reason I didn't accept the motel offer was that I didn't want to leave all that I did have here. I'm glad I stayed because being in the subtropic heat reminded me of the visits to the Philippines. I actually had a pleasant feeling of nostalgia during the evening. It brought back a lot of memories and, even more appealing, a lot of sensations I had while on those trips.
7. I used the incident to jump start the organizing process. I already had some momentum going, but this really got me moving. I got so much done in short order and the momentum is still driving me forward. Lots of small victories to celebrate all chunked together. This is probably the greatest outcome of all.
8. I feel better prepared. I recently heard interviews with Amanda Riply, who wrote "The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - And Why". She spoke of the importance of drills and practice runs where you gain familiarity of what it's like to experience situations that are uncommon. This familiarity makes it easier to go through the unfamiliar when it actually happens.
9. Sparking interaction. The relationship has been mended a bit with The Fussy One. We had a good reason to talk and had a common problem to work through together. It brought out some of ill feelings she's had that are pent up. I felt the release in allowing her to express them. We were able to find humor in the situation. It was great to laugh with her.
10. I found where the grain bugs were feeding. It was Bing's kitty litter that I was keeping in the garage. They found it all the way from the kitchen. Originally, they came from the bulk grains I got from the natural food stores. I read that all produce and grains are likely to contain the eggs of buts. I remember wondering where the fruit flies were coming from and later learned that they were probably eggs laid in the banana bunches. It's something that it is difficult to avoid.
11. I did well with this juggling act. I handled the situation well. I handled the various people involved well. I handled the physical challenges well. I still got my flaxseed crackers finished! I continued the dehydrating even though it generated more heat. It was one of those moments where there are pros and cons, and you just have to choose what you are willing to sacrifice for the gains you desire.
    

I think I got everything. It's striking to see it listed out. I see just how much I got from this experience. Socially, it was fun. Relationships were tightened. I that much more knowledgeable as a handyman around the house. I feel more prepared and confident in dealing with a disaster situation. I got a big push in my big goal of organizing everything thoroughly. I am more confident in handling all the various things involved in this situation. I am proud of how I handled everything. I got some practice in seeing the other side of difficulty. I told myself that this too shall pass. I observed with dramatic suspense how things would unfold to the end. I managed to laugh through this and have some fun.

Fay Turns Away

This was the first hurricane to a be threat this season. But it took a turn and seems like it will blow by The Trigger without any effect. There was no rain, even. We did have a nice breezy overcast day that continues still. In these conditions, it was nice to make it out to the owls' perches to arc ambidextrous and keep the tether tight.

The leap of progress seems locked in for this plateau. That feels great. Another 300 completed with many consecutive completions. I'm also getting further out with greater ease. It's all coming to me. When I stopped chasing after it, it became so easy. It feels effortless and flowing. This is a boost that I can savor concretely. Meaning, without any doubt; with absolute sureness.

No longer in the danger zone

Hurricane Fay took a turn to the east just as I hoped and figured. This is usually what happens when a storm comes hugging up close from Cuba. You can see the tracking forecast progression. It goes more and more east as it heads north. In the end, there no way of really knowing where a storm will go, but this has been the general trend. I'm glad the trend continues. And that it remains a tropical storm instead of growing to hurricane status.

Lots of wind and rain. The drenching was good. It passed right over Lake Okeechobee and dropped several inches. That lake was reported to be around three inches low in level, so Fay helped to fill it back up. The balance of nature in action.

Giant Grass as Ideal Biofuel

Here's another story I liked hearing. It's about giant grass (scientific name being Miscanthus Giganteus). I thought it was about bamboo, but this grass is more like grass as I think of it except the blades are much bigger. It is similar to bamboo in that it is from China, too. The full nonscientific name is Giant Chinese Silver Grass.

Here is a solution that has yet to be utilized. This fast-growing plant can be used to replace food crops like corn and soy for bio-fuel. I like that it takes it carbon as it grows which offsets the carbon emissions it creates when burned as fuel. Also, the story mentions that it's a crop that only needs planting only once, unlike the other bio-fuel sources.

Giant Chinese Silver Grass

Cottonwood Treehouse

Here's another recent mention of the cottonwood tree. I came across it by accident while doing a crossword puzzle. The clue for 32 Across was 'Cottonwood tree.' The answer was 'ALAMOS'. Didn't know this was the Spanish name for this poplar tree before. I'm glad to think of the cottonwood tree now instead of having it connote war or rentals. Much better to think of cottonwood which is a poplar tree (another great word attached to a great image). It appears to be sturdy wood judging by the use of dead cottonwood tree trunks used to support the treehouse in this story. I like that the interior walls are made of old doors, one serving as a fold down table that seats six.

Cottonwood Treehouse

Tail of Discovery

The oldest of the Space Shuttles launched yesterday at around 5pm. I saw the trail of Discovery's rockets from the backyard. I was hoping to see more (I've seen the shadow of the shuttle and the glow of its engines ahead of the trail both during day and evening launches), but the sky was hazy. There were thick clouds just above the horizon nearby and a layer of stratus further away, so I didn't see the trail till the shuttle cleared the nearby cumulus clouds and soon lost it when it entered the stratus layer. The result? An unimpressive live sighting of the launch. I stared at the dissipating trail feeling robbed by the present weather conditions. It was a beautiful day just the same.

Can't see it, but the trail is there above the puffiest cloud.

I did follow the launch on NASA TV. So I caught the countdown live and the takeoff from the launchpad. I saw replays of the flight through the atmosphere into near space orbit. All this really intrigues me. It captures my imagination. The unity of nations gives me hope for the world. This launch was the heaviest load to break from the bonds of gravity. It is because it carrried "a giant Japanese lab addition to the international space station."

Yikes! Wonder what the carbon footprint of a launch is.

Reuters

Honeycomb Table

Here's a cardboard table using the thick honeycomb variety. Sturdy with a nice look.


It looks even better in use and with some decoupage on the surfaces.

This Table Looks Even Better In Use


Here's An Eating Nook With More Cardboard Furniture

Images came from this press release from PRWeb.

These Are The Makers

They have a company simply called CardboardDesign. They're based in New York City. This is their online home.

Ichthys

Another inspiration for furnishing the Modi Bode. It resembles the so-called Jesus fish.

Solid-Looking Card-Board Chair

Days in the Months of the Year

Okay. Forget all that's written below. I just realized the easiest way to remember for me is not to focus on the days with 30 days or less, but to think of the months with 31.

These are the months that have 31 days: the 1st, 3rd, & 5th; 7th & 8th; 10th and 12th.

Simply put, it's the odd months till the seventh. Then it's the evens start at the eighth. It's like going up the white keys on the piano starting on F up to D. It's whole tone, whole tone, whole tone, half tone; whole tone, whole tone. July and August. Those are the only neighboring months with the same number of days. February is a no-brainer. It's well-ingrained that it's a 28-day month with an extra day on leap years. So forget the rest and keep it simple. Odd months up to the seventh, then even months starting at the eighth. 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12. Those are the months with 31 days.



Below this is obsolete jabber.

This is my version of the rhyme to remember the number of days in the months of the year.

30 days in september
april , june, and november
every 4th february gets an extra 1
making it 28 + 1
in all others there are always 31


Although I have a better way that ingrains it in my memory instead of using a device for recall. The Japanese have a way that works great for their language. Basically, they make beneficial the fact that they can make words, phrases, and sentences out of numbers. Along with that, they name months by number: 1st month is January, etc.

Seeing what months have less than 31 days numerically, I find this the quickest and easiest way to recall, and better, to remember the number of days in each month.

2, 4, 6, and 9, 11 all have less than 30 days. The first one has the least - February with 28 and 29 on Leap Years. This the best way for me because I can pair it with knowledge that Halloween is on October 31, and that the first and last months have 31 days, too. Also, knowing that it's an every-other thing basically with a half-tone thing happening between July and August ingrains it even more.

If all that fails to come to mind, the knuckle method is a good one to fall back on. Make a four sign with the left hand. Count from the pinky to the index (no thumbs). Turn the hand over and continue from the index again (reminding you that the two index months have the same number of days (31). February comes after the pinky, the smallest finger, so that reminds you that it's the shortest month. Even this I don't feel a need for in the end. The best tool for recall and in the long-term remembering is remember 2, 4, 6, 9, 11. This makes positive use of the fact that we will never forget the numbers 9 and 11 when put together.

Suckle That Fig

While I was listening to The Plays The Thing broadcast of 'Stick Fly', I heard the rare use of the word 'sychophantic'. The meaning never sticks with me because I never use the word, nor do I hear it used much. In fact, in this case, it was used as a tool to help portray the intellectual air of this privileged family—they argue whether the right word to use is implicit, intrinsic, or inherent. One character described her father as having a 'sycophantic' relationship with the subjects her wrote about.

Looked up the word again and this time found more interest in the etymology. Its origins come

'from Ancient Greek συκοφάντης (sukophantēs) from σῦκον (sukon), “‘fig’”) + φαίνω (phainō), “‘I show, demonstrate’”).'

- wiki

Nani Fruit

It goes further to say:

'The gesture of "showing the fig" was a vulgar one, whom was made by sticking the thumb between two fingers, a display which vaguely resembles a fig, which is itself symbolic of a cunt (sykon also meant "vulva"). The story behind this etymology is that that politicians in ancient Greece steered clear of displaying that vulgar gesture, but urged their followers sub rosa to taunt their opponents by using it.'

Fig Montage

When I looked at images of figs, that said it all. This supports my thoughts about the apple. And I heard a while back that the more accurate translation
is that it was a fig.

Slices

Marmelukes in Egypt

Here's another string of connections. One new thing that leads to another and another.

First, I was listening to the January 7, 2008 archive of Leonard Lopate Show on WNYC. I was originally interested in another story, but spotted one titled 'How the West Discovered Ancient Egypt'. The keyword in all this is 'mirage'. One reason, it's the title of the book of the guest being interviewed—Nina Burleigh. The meaning for the title is multi-layered. That alone calls for another listen.


Another reason is to hear again about the Mamelukes. Very curious. I'll just say: White boys taken from their homeland and bred to be slave soldiers in the Middle East and North Africa. Their name translates to 'possessed' or 'owned'. I say 'white boys' not to be derogatory; they were boys taken from The Caucasus, which is where the inaccurate term 'Caucasian' comes from.

Wiki on Mamluk

This is another example of how history is not told completely. More and more, people are telling the rest of the story, though. This is something to look into more.

Twenty-Eight Days Makes a Habit

"Do anything for 28 days and you break the cycle and that new thing becomes a part of you."

This might be one way to reprogram the subconscious mind. Neuro-science shows that our conscious mind can process 1,000 bits of information per second whereas the subconscious mind can process 1,000,000 bits per second. So there is no contest when the two compete. Therefore, if you try to beat the subconscious mind with the conscious, you will fail miserably. The solution is to focus on reprogramming the subconscious for it will follow whatever it is set to do and do it automatically and without question.



Use all the tools: Replace a habit with a new one by doing one thing instead of another. Do it regularly for a month and it becomes a habit deeply ingrained. Use active meditation and creative visualizations to see yourself there while in a relaxed state of mind, preferably while the brain waves are in theta. Affirm the change to the new with statements that speak in the present and positive. Allow it to happen with ease and the comfort in knowing that it is already there.

Click to enlargen.

Remember: In every problem, there is already the solution.

Stark Black and White

Misery

Came upon this image doing a Live Search. It struck me immediately. The phrase 'stark contrast' comes to mind. Thoughts of using this in a t-shirt design came to mind. This effect can be done to an image by adjust the levels in Photoshop.

The photographer is Victoria Frigerio. Here's another image by her that has a bit more detail in it. Another effect to use in a shirt print.

Sisters

The Relentless Worker Undeterred

A listener sent these images to C2C. It is of a group of ants carrying a corn chip across a parking lot.



He said that while talking to his friends, these ants carried the chip together from one end of the parking lot to the other.

You may be thinking of the strength of these ants because that is what is most often stated about them. (Actually, pound for pound, they are not that strong. We are stronger. Because we have to be.)

Amusing, But Not Real

But their true strength lies in their teamwork, organization, and relentlessness. They can move a lot of earth because of these traits combined with their shear numbers. And that is at least one of their benefits to the planet. They serve as living tillers of soil, moving the nutrients around and enriching the soil with their daily activity.

Here are links to other impressive ants:

1. An ant that broke up a nut because she couldn't carry it whole over an obstacle. ☉
   
2. Two shots of ants carrying crumbs up a wall in someone's office. ☉
3. A closer look of an ant using its head to carry what looks like a berry. ☉
4. Another group of ants carry a bread crumb. They fell down a hole while carrying it, but soon emerged to continue on. ☉
5. Big close-up of an ant's 'high-speed antics'. ☉
6. 'Teeming ant hill'. ☉
7. Carrying a Cheerio. ☉

Words that come up when people who've taken the time to really observe ants: organization, community, teamwork, tenacity, relentless, undeterred, steadfast, workers, and impressive.

They are an inspiration to observe and consider.

Bing in 3GP

Will this video play?