NPR - Random thoughts

This is a wandering post, about a bunch of stuff I couldn't find enough to write about on the individual topics, so I'll pile them into one on a cloudy windy afternoon here in paradise. They're predicting a series of at least 3 storms coming through from this evening into Monday. Gee, thanks.

Anyway, onward with some thoughts, but before that, the photo isn't what you may think it is. Downtown Seattle is a wonderful place for street photographers. And many of the transients parse through things for stuff to sell or trade. And that's all this guy was doing, I just caught the moment during the St. Patrick's Day parade in 2007.

The parade itself was a disappointment. For one, the staging areas wasn't much to photograph. The parade was too short and raining all day. But the photo ops for people was great. I haven't decided if I will go again, but it does put me downtown and walking around for other photo ops, like this photo.

First, some rants.

What's with two or more women with their carts in grocery stores talking and taking up the whole aisle in the process? They'll stand there for the longest time oblivious to the world and people wanting by.

What's with women in grocery stores on cellphones? They wander around aimlessly talking and shopping and not paying attention to the fact they're in the way of other people.

What's with people on cellphones at deli counters? While the server behind the counter is talking to them about their order, they're talking on their phone.

What's with people with big, nearly empty carts in grocery stores who go so slow, and then stop in the middle of an entry to an aisle blocking everyone, and looking down the aisle for anything interesting totally oblivious to the world?

What's with people who wait in line at Starbucks, or any cafe for that matter, talking to friends in line and then getting to the cashier to decide what they want? And then have to fish through the pockets or purse for their wallet, and then for the card or money.

What's with guys in big four-wheel trucks, usually white or black with big off-road tires, driving 60+ mph on the multi-lane highway or Interstate talking on their cellphone, oblivious to everyone else?

What's with software company's that when you install an upgrade ask for the serial number of the old version, except in the installation you overwrite that version and lose the serial number? What are they thinking or did they really test the installation?

What's with drivers and crosswalks? They're supposed to know the law. Ok, I've been walking of late as the van's in the shop, but geez, folks, what don't you understand the rights of people?

What's with people who walk their dog right past the leash law sign and the station to get the waste disposal glove to let their dog run free and then not clean up after them, and then when asked they say, "He a nice dog and is not trouble."?

Second, a book.

I'm reading Karen Armstrong's book, "The Bible: a biography", and it's interesting. She was on KUOW's Weekday show. Fascinating stuff that really disposes almost everything they preach about the Bible these days.

I'm not getting religious or anything. I still haven't read the Bible and in Mom's estate they found mine from the mid-1950's, a basic King James edition. I don't plan to read it, yet anyway, I want to undestand the history of the Bible first. And Karen's book is interesting. The modern day interpretation of the Bible as absolute and factual is totally biased and wrong.

Apparently the Bible was written, edited, rewritten and on and on as a general guide in and for life than a rigid doctrine, or dogma, for living. Because it's always bothered me why preachers think it's so absolute when it's been through so many translations. It never was the word of God but the word of man in God's name.

Anyway, I'm still reading and thinking.

Third, the Presidential campaign. I'll keep it short. Now I wish it would be short too.

Fourth, getting old. You know those small aches, pains and problems that slowly sneak into your body. I've been a runner-jogger for 30 years running 15-20 miles a week with occasional hiatuses for work and life that happens. I rarely had any problems except occasional shin splints and a few days off usually solved the problem. That was until last fall when I got shin splints which hasn't gone away, even switching to walking 6-9 miles a day 3-4 days a week.

And over the years I've been a on and off avid day hiker, hiking 2-4 weekends a month 6-12 miles per day. I never had any problems with shin splints or blisters. But until last fall, again, I get blisters almost every time I walk now. It's just one of those things you just get frustrated about. but I know compared to many people's life and health, it's small and trivial. It's not cancer or some other life threatening illness or condition.

It's just the reality of getting old, but it still sucks.

Fifth, health supplements. Ok, it's not about the quality of their products, because I doubt very much if we really know the claims about the value and quality of their supplements is true or not. We only know what happens when we take them. And I've taken 4-6 over the decades for a variety of conditions, mostly digestive, joints, etc.

Ok, my complaint is when they suddenly decide to discontinue one they've marketed for decades. Why? I don't know but I've had to find substitutes or replacement for 2 of the 6 I now take. In just two months. One took a month of e-mails and phone calls by the store where I order it and myself to discover they just renamed it, so it didn't show up in the catalog under the old name nor did they reference the change.

The other one was just discontinued and an hour in the store comparing ingredients I found a slight different one which will work. I don't know it may even be better, but I won't know for awhile as my body adjusts. So my complaint. Change for the sake of change isn't really change, jsut something to be different.

Ok, that's the random thoughts of the day. And they're like the handouts you get from street vendors, just read or ignore it and toss it.