My left and right knee have been bothering me not allot but just enough. I finally researched and did some exercises to strengthen the hamstring quad and other muscles. The idea that the knee has no muscles and you must strengthen the muscles around the knee to prevent strain on the knee.
I walk 5 miles a day to train for the PCT. Unfortunately most of its on concrete or asphalt. I try to walk on grass (but its wet) or dirt when possible.
I am pretty automatic about the walk, especially during the week. There is no exploring as I have to get back by a certain amount of time to start working.
As I was coming up to this work-site I was looking at the gutter. Normally there is crap like sand bags or plastic wrap. The bags are used to prevent debris from flowing into the storm drains and the plastic crap gets blown around (its been windy lately). As I start walking by this amalgam of crap, a head rears up.
I take like 10 steps in the opposite direction, I didn't know what it was.
It was a dog, one of those Yorkie type dogs, foofie, but this one gave me a wierd look its lower teeth were evident. It wasn't like it was snarling at me, the dogs lower mouth just drooped open.
It looked sick.
I thought, if I find someone with car to stop, maybe they will take it somewhere. I also thought on my return, I will give it some water.
When I returned it was gone.
7.11.21 update - Chinese running lady (I don't know her name) I had warned her about the dog and she said thanks. The next day she told me she went up to the dog and talked to it. It got up and started following her. She lead it to the dog park enclosure and shut the door around it and then called animal control. They came and picked it up.
I started talking this walk about 2 years ago. I don't really remember when it started I just do it.
Its about a 5 mile round trip that takes me from suburbia to open fields of hay and tractors.
On this walk I have seen coyotes, turkeys, rabbits, snakes, brand new cabinets and make a few friends along the way.
I noticed that rabbits never look when they cross the road and routinely find them dead on the road. Some skunks stand right in the middle of the road or in the middle of a field.
Once when they dug a ditch across the field about ten snakes perished on the road. For some reason I felt it my duty to pick them up and move them off of the road.
On these walks when the haze is not bad, or on a clear day (rare) you can see the snow on the Sierra's. Normally the haze is less to the west and Mount Diablo and the coastal range are usually in sight.
Sunday, June 13, 2021
I was taking my daily walk talking to myself as I always do. It turned into an 11 mile walk and I called it the Thesis Walk 2012. I guess its a thesis of walking and talking to myself
The thought was about being in a situation and determining if you remain or leave.
I will describe my situation (two neighbors and son).
We lived between two assholes. One was a prissy HomeDepot worker who knew everything about home improvement and well you didn't. He liked to get together with the other asshole. This other asshole got mad that our dog barked. Instead of talking to us (she was barky but had a bark color) he threatened me when I was with my infant son standing at the window of my house. He just had an off vibe about him and I grew to hate everything about him, I even hated his name. Then Prissy asshole moves out and rents his house to some white trash people who single handedly kept the camel brand alive. Add endless ghetto basket ball games trash on the ground and several calls to the police.
We could have put the house up for sale and moved or gutted it out. Or would you call it grinding it out? At what point do you value your time here on earth more than putting up with these shitholes? Eventually the white trash had to move when the house was sold and we got some great neighbors. Finally asshole #1's wife's father died and they moved into his house and sold, again great new neighbor.
Second story
My son hated going to high school (of course that is my impression, I am sure there are things he liked) for me everyday was a guess on whether he would go or not. He was in demanding classes and normally got good grades, until he didn't. I posted to Reddit and people responded. Save your health and sanity, have him take the exit exam, which he did after his sophomore year.
Then eventually imbued with the responsibility of self and after one or two missteps he enrolled in college and is progressing.
As I walked and looked at Mount Diablo and the coastal range, I started to ponder, do I value my time?
Of course selling a house because the two neighbors are horrible is a slightly bigger ask than graduating/getting out of high school but I am never going to get those years back of anger and coming home from a day at work to an unenjoyable environment.
I question why I chose to accept this at all? I realized that I view myself, my personality as a grinder. I learn by repetition and I feel like the titanic. Very subtle changes to the rudder result in slow changes in trajectory. But then again that is just the story I tell myself about myself.
Mount Diablo, but you can't see it. You can see the Blackberry brambles!
Saturday, January 21, 2017
January 21 2017
It has been a pretty rainy few weeks add a stressful week of work an evening stroll around Elk Grove Creek, which is pretty full found us at I Love Teriyaki for a evening bite. We decided to share a Tempura Plate and two cups of Miso Soup.
The place was not busy. It must have taken at least 20 minutes if not more to call my name out so I could pick up our food, which was OK and then later the miso soup.
Let me repeat, the place was not busy at all. The Tempura was OK the portions were fair, the chicken kind of burnt. But the miso soup was horrible. Tasted like warm water with some tofu and seaweed in the bottom. Bad sign, messing up something so easy.
So you have to wait forever for them to slap together your plate (Rice already cooked, as is the chicken, salad and other green salad as well). The only thing they had to make was six pieces of Tempura.
Then the just call your name setting your food down next to all the people coming in to order. Too close in my opinion.
Then the food was mediocre at best.
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Seattle Trip 12/21/2016
I am writing the blog to document our trip, uncover places where we could get better and places where we could save money.
While traveling I also noticed improvements that businesses could make to improve service.
For example we stayed at the Motif Hotel in Seattle.
A nice hotel, centrally located. Not much to complain about, except for one thing I thought they could improve on. Here is the scenario, we left Sacramento at 2:40 on our flight to Seattle, we got there around 4:00 pm and then rode the Metro Link to downtown. Trudging thru the rain to the Motif we entered the hotel greeted by some hot apple cider. Here is where they can improve. There is an area where we had to wait in line to check in. One check in person was engaged in chit-chat with a guest, the other was assisting someone. While this might not seem like a big deal, there was other hotel staff popping their heads in and out. Now maybe they were staff that takes your luggage to your room or do other things. I however when tired and hungry don't want to wait.
So here is my idea for a solution. Get tablets and allow for any staff to walk up to you while you sit on the couch and check you in. So you wait on your customers instead of the customer waiting on you.
We flew on Wednesday from Sacramento Metro Air Port after being dropped off by our son at the airport, one checked bag cost $25.00. I really like Sacramento Metro Aircraft its clean not busy and easy to navigate.
For first time or new travelers it took us a little time to figure out where to go. Normally I was just dropping people off or picking them up so you don't know about going up the escalaotrs and then thru security and on to the trams that take you to the gates where the planes dock.
Waiting for the plane we grabbed some food from Jacks Urban Eats, I have been Turkey deficient since Thanksgiving and I wanted more. Unfortunately the Sandwich was dry with no pickles cranberry sauce or gravy.
The flight was pretty full and since I was loaded down with a duffle bag and a backpack when they asked for people to check any bag due to limited overhead storage, I jumped at the chance, wishing I did not have to check a bag for $25.00 (both ways).
The flight to Seattle was only 1 hour and maybe 20 minutes and worth every penny. If you love flying and like to look out of the window, definitely book a window seat. I do and have never been disappointed.
Arriving at SEATAC was different matter again not totally familiar with an airport now we realize that if you have checked bags you need to get out of the gate (and security) and normally go down the stairs to grab your bags. As with any travel be prepared for slightly different things to happen. We found the area where the carousel was but the handlers had grouped the bags on the floor together. We simply asked one of the handlers and they pointed it out to us.
Then we had to find out where the light rail station was, for awhile it seemed like the signs kept on pointing forward, eventually it pointed up to the escalators. If your rushing or tired or uptight you might miss this, just slow down and relax.
Just keep on following the signs, thru the parking garage on and on until you hit the paystation. There was a small line but we were able to pay and then move on to the platform. The light rail was clean and sparsely occupied. Our stop was about 6 to 8 stops away. Hunger was gnawing at me. We got off a the Westlake station
Got turned around looking for the hotel and had to push thru some people protesting for black lives matter and respect Muslims. Good for you but I am hungry and tired so stop blocking the g*d d*m sidewalk. Its funny how all these people protesting were older white people.
See above for the check-in at the Motif.
Hungry and a bit tired we ignored the suggestions of hotel staff and walked down the stairs to the Elephant and Castle restaurant. Bad decision!
We walked in and saw many tables available, but the lady told us to wait (for what ?) Then finally we were seated and it took awhile (10 minutes) to have our drink order taken another wait for the waitress to come back and tell me that the beer I ordered was out another 5 to 10 minutes to bring that beer to me. All the while the waitress seemed to be doing nothing and people who had a different wait staff already eating food. Now the food was just as bad, tasteless wild caught salmon, cold lumpy potatos and gresy flat onions. Why I did not send this food back was my fault. As travelers I sometimes think we would eat slop rather than man up and complain.
I did complain as they gave us a survey to complete and I have yet to hear from them.
The next day we went to the Speciality shop (really just a big Petes for people from California) and ordered cripsy bacon sandwiches and some caffeine, Delicious low cost and great service,
From there we walked the wrong way up a hill towards a mall. Back down the hill we made it to the touristy part of the market to see the fish toss. Which brought a smile to my face!
We wandered far and wide stopping to buy some soap and a hat the market had some cool flute playing somewhere.
