World of Wonders, Wednesday Ws June 28 2023

Where have I been?  The office for a rare Thursday meeting, the farmers market, and IKEA for kitchen stuff and fringeless rugs for my bedroom. The rumba keeps getting stuck, or tries to eat the rugs in my bedroom, time to put them in storage and try something new.     

Why the helicopter? My aunt loved to explore - an adventure - and always said she was going to take a helicopter tour - her only ride in a helicopter was from an emergency room to a trauma center. Take the ride while you can enjoy it, she didn't and didn't live to have another chance.  Almost 30 years later, I am reminded of that message every time I see a medical helicopter. 

What have I been listening to? Vocals from the 1970s and 80s. 

What's next?  A four day holiday weekend. 

What's pickling?  Garlic dills, the beets I packed last month should be ready to eat. 

Who have I seen?  The usual, neighbors, co-workers. 

What have I been reading? I finished Thinking 101 okay - but not great.  I am reading Tom Brokaw's new book Never Give Up, it is very good. 

What would I recommend reading?  A friend of ours' has short stories in two anthologies of fiction,  Twelve Hours To Del Mar and Lips on Unfamiliar Skin (both are part of the The Writing Salon anthology series.) The books feature new writers, people who write for passion.  They are available on Amazon (and likely in print in the UK.) 

What have I been writing?  Minutes for our most recent board meeting, consolidated a draft strategic plan, and a fact sheet that was due yesterday, and finished last Friday. I have started a couple of semi-fictional short stories about men in my family.  I need to remember they are fiction and I don't need to worry about getting the facts straight.   

What is happening?  One of my staff is in Spain for three weeks, another one is leaving Friday for 10 days in Italy.  See, I am not the only one who travels.  

What made me smile this week?  One of the compliance people at the office said something brilliant, "the rules were not designed with this business model, and maybe they need to be updated" in the meantime we need to comply.  Great minds think alike. 

Was I surprised by the latest Titanic misadventure?  Not really surprised.  That kind of adventure has a lot of risk.  I can understand the desire to go where few people have gone, to do something few people have done.  I have done a few of those, they are calculated risks.  Working at those depths is difficult with the best of hardware, risky even then.  The ocean floor is largely as unexplored as space.  Would I do that one? No. I am fascinated by the Titanic, I have a piece of coal recovered from the debris field of the Titanic. 

When is the next adventure?  August. 

Why are we here? Just because, that answer worked for my mother.  

What have I done this week for me? Back in the gym, on the treadmill 60 minutes a day, almost everyday.