Life On A B-I7

Day #195

The Three “C’s.” (Also, my favorite formula.)

Coffee + Cats = Clarity

April Fool’s Day

Also known as “All Fools Day,” its origin is somewhat shrouded in mystery. My preferred explanation originates from the late 1600s. France, after the Council of Trent, switched from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar. Before the Council’s order in 1563, the new year according to the Julian Calendar, began on the Spring Equinox. The date varied each year as the Lunar Cycle differed slightly from year to year. The Gregorian Calendar chose January 1 as the start of the new year, presumably to simplify and standardize the new year’s starting date. People who were slow to adopt the news of this change were considered to be “April Fools.” It was customary to attach paper fish to their backs signifying their gullibility. It makes sense if you’re French apparently.

Pranks have become the way to celebrate April 1st. My favorite was pulled off by the BBC in 1976. They reported that at 9:47 AM, an unusual alignment between Jupiter and Pluto would allow people to briefly levitate. Sure enough at 9:48, hundreds of people phoned in to report that they had actually levitated. They were (presumable) not wearing paper fish.

Another classic prank was pulled off by NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” radio show in 1992. The show reported that Richard Nixon was returning to political life, the segment that was aired was complete with the voice of Richard Nixon apologizing and declaring he would never lie again. The voice was recorded by the famous comedian and impressionist Rich Little.

All of this simply goes to show that you don’t need a special day once a year to shade people and get them to believe outrageous things. Example: the willingness of people to buy Bibles from someone who has never even read one and can’t quote a single verse from his $59.99 “special” edition.

# 194

Start slow and small.
Build a routine.
Track your results.
Cut yourself some slack.
Keep going.

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Dangling Participle

Some say a dangling participle is the sign of an inexperienced writer. If readers see one, they immediately close the book and move on. It takes a skilled writer to use one and get away with it. I don’t even know what one is. My method of writing is: If it sounds good, go with it, if it sounds bad, fix it. That’s how I ski too — except by feel and not by sound…

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A Song to Carry With You

If there is a secret to life, it’s living in the here and now.

— Delbert McClinton and Glenn Cook

It also doesn’t hurt to, whenever possible, dismiss the shit that doesn’t matter.

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# 193

According to a Sioux Elder, the meaning of life is found in the ability to address everything that we encounter with a song. To do that we will need to have some songs at our disposal. We also need to keep a few at the forefront of our consciousness. We need to curate a personal list of songs that we can call on to carry us through whatever situation we may be facing.

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# 192

Remember, it is never a good idea to fall too much in love with your ideas, you could always be wrong. The more in love you are with them, the more likely it is you are blind to something you should see.

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On Writing and Books

You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.
—Jodi Picoult

A writer only begins a book. A reader finishes it.
—Samuel Johnson

The first draft is just telling yourself a story.
—Terry Pratchett

A room without books is like a body without a soul.
—Cicero

So many books, so little time.
—Frank Zappa

Books are uniquely portable magic.
—Stephen King

If I had to pick a favorite, I would choose the quote by Cicero. I’m a fan of the Stoic school of philosophy. That doesn’t mean I know much about Stoicism, but I’m learning.

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Opening Day

Today is the opening day of the 2024 Baseball Season. This is just what America needs. I would love to be at T-Mobile Park tonight to watch the Mariners take on the Boston Red Sox. I remember years ago attending a game in Fenway Park. Those were the days when Jay Buhner played right field for the Mariners. What a thrill that was. I had a seat in right field, third row from the fence. Jay made a leaping catch above the wall directly in front of me. That was a moment to remember.

Why America needs baseball right now is not an issue I care to delve into in depth. What I will say is that history will look back on this time and agree with me that baseball is a constant that will serve in a large measure to provide some sorely needed truth and integrity to the American soul. The optimism that baseball brings encourages me to hope that those Americans who have been persuaded to believe in election-denying lies will eventually see they have been intentionally misled.

Note: Taking a cue from Andrew Weissmann, The abbreviation “JEA” used in the title of this post means “Journal Entry Addendum.”

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# 191

Nothing in the Universe is lost. Destruction is always counterbalanced by creation. You can’t have one without the other. You might be familiar with the phrase, “conservation of energy.” That applies to the human sphere as well.

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Writing

I have a fantasy of someday being a good writer. I’m pretty sure it takes more than writing every day to get there. Writing every day is a start. Other things help, not just with writing, but also with living. I’ve lifted these ideas from a Substack article by Saurav Mandel titled “7 Secret Habits That Will Make You an Unstoppable Writer.” I don’t want to be unstoppable, I just want to write well. Here are the author’s points with my take on what they mean. I’ve decided to adopt some of these into my daily practice (some of them I already have adopted).

Just to be clear, I don’t completely agree with Julia Cameron. She seems to believe that anyone can become a writer, all they have to do is write every day. I think she is using that as an argument to sell books about writing. I believe it takes, not just skill, but a natural inclination to tell a story, an inclination that, on a good day, I lack in large quantity. Still, I do this for now, because I find it rewarding. So here are the things I do in order to become better at writing — not necessarily to become a writer…

1 Hand-Copying (Going to give this one a try)

This one is new to me, something I’ve never even thought of doing. It’s an interesting idea. I am intrigued by the fact that Saurav mentions this one first. He suggests that by hand-copying the work of good writers, you engage mentally, visually, and physically to incorporate the words into your own innate approach to writing. He suggests this is the most powerful exercise you can do to improve your writing, you are “programming” your mind. I like that, especially since I spent a lifetime programming machines. I’m going to give this a try on my brain.

2 Walking (Definitely)

Akin to meditation, walking is a source of inspiration. Thirty minutes a day is all that is needed to generate ideas that can be used in my writing practice. Maybe as good as that is, it also provides health benefits. When you’re my age, it’s important to keep moving. Use it or lose it. Of course, cycling and skiing aren’t bad substitutes for walking.

3 Reading (Definitely)

Never stop reading. Reading is the lifeblood of writing. Not only does it inspire subject matter, but it also helps to expand and diversify my writing skills.

4 Journaling (Definitely)

I’m a huge fan of this practice. I’ve been journaling almost daily now for over three years. I have no plans to quit. The benefit to me has been enormous, not just in my writing practice but in other ways. Besides providing me with writing inspiration, it has given me the ability to look at myself and evaluate changes that I should make. It has also helped me improve my communication and dare I say, helped me help other people too.

5 Meditation (Definitely)

This is good for more than writing. Meditation is calming and helps to improve focus. Ten minutes a day is enough to be beneficial.

6 Watching TV (Nope)

Watching TV allows you to absorb dialog and storylines that may be inspirational. I’m not into watching TV. This isn’t my gig.

7 Doing Nothing (Nope)

I do this one pretty much naturally. The idea here is to give yourself some time each day to simply allow your mind to freely associate without any physical or mental distraction. Sounds a lot like meditation to me.

On the question of grammar, I have Grammarly installed (the free version) but I do have a bad habit of ignoring some of its recommendations. It wants to make my writing more clear, and in particular, more confident. I’m not ready to make my writing sound more confident. The world is much too complicated a place for me to be doing that…

Speaking of inspirational routines. (Most if not all of the referenced Items above.) I forgot to mention cleaning kitty’s food dishes and his litter box. Those activities could be just the thing to bring forth the next great American novel…

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A Brief Bio

I was born on January 19, 1954. I’m 70 years old at the time of this writing. I am now retired and have been for the last five years.

My early childhood was spent overcoming Asthma. At the age of 10, I came home from school and told my parents I wanted to sign up to play Little League baseball. My mother was skeptical but I managed to prevail. I spent three years playing Little League and it was a wonderful time. I went on to play baseball in Junior High and High School. At age 11, I learned to ski. I rode the Saturday ski bus with my two older sisters. They did their best to ignore me but I didn’t mind, I was too young to care much about being included in their circle. Skiing captured my imagination and I have been an enthusiastic skier ever since.

I went to Lake Washington High School in Kirkland Washington. I played Baseball and Football there and lettered in both sports. I graduated in 1972 with passing grades, just north of a 3.5 GPA. I had a girlfriend in High School who was a year younger than I was. I planned to marry her after we both graduated from college, however, that turned out (as you might expect) not to be the case. In the fall of ’72, I enrolled at Washington State University. My first semester was a success academically, I received straight A’s (the last time that would happen until my final year in college). I missed my girlfriend, so I left Washington State University and enrolled at Shoreline Community College to finish the academic year. The highlight of that summer was a paper I wrote for a Political Science class about the Nixon Watergate affair. I concluded that Richard Nixon was aware of the plan and had participated in the cover-up. A year later my conclusion turned out to be correct. The lowlight of that summer was when my girlfriend told me she no longer wanted to date me. It was a blow that took some time to overcome.

In the fall of ’73, I enrolled at Seattle University. I remember my father encouraging me to go there. I think he might have been a bit worried that if I didn’t get into a real school soon, I might never complete my college degree. I enrolled and ended up graduating in the spring of 1976 with a major in Political Science and a minor in History. Like high school, I graduated with a GPA just north of 3.5. A solid, average accomplishment. Not graduate school material. I spent my last year at Seattle University dating the daughter of the Political Science Department Chairman. Once again I thought I was headed toward marriage once I graduated. I even converted to Catholicism to pave the way for our future. She was Irish Catholic, She went on to graduate school in California and we drifted apart even though I continued to hold strong feelings for her for quite some time. After graduation, it was time to get a job, but that was the last thing I wanted to do. I suppose that was partially due to my disappointment over losing my second love, but also it was 1976, a lot was going on and work seemed like a boring choice. So I opted to ride my bicycle from Seattle to San Diego. I couldn’t think of a better way to defer a career decision. It turned out to be a terrific experience. I bought some packcloth and sewed my own panniers and rain gear and set out on the journey. The year 1976 was of course our country’s bi-centennial, it was also the Bike-Centennial. Lots of people were riding their bicycles across the country to celebrate the nation’s anniversary. They all hit the Pacific Coast in Florence Beach, Oregon. Once riders got to Florence Beach, many turned south. I rode with someone every day to San Diego, never the same person two days in a row.

I arrived in Bandon Oregon on a Saturday. I pulled into the State Park and a young, attractive Ranger Intern was handling camping registrations. After securing a campsite I asked the nice young lady where the Catholic Church was. At that time I was still attending church regularly, largely in the hope there was a chance my S.U. sweetheart would decide to rekindle our relationship after she finished her graduate school studies.

The next morning I showed up for Mass. After Mass, I met the Ranger Intern and her entire family on the front steps of the church. After brief introductions and small talk, her father offered me a job on his fishing boat. (I don’t know if his daughter encouraged him to do that or if he just needed able-bodied labor, I like to think it was the former.) I had to reluctantly decline, my goal was San Diego and I was not to be deterred (I did entertain the idea of returning to Bandon after my ride, but that never occurred).

The camping highlight of the trip was the night I spent in the Redwood Forest. The majesty of the Redwoods was overwhelming. The French toast I cooked the next morning was pretty good too. I shared it with my fellow campers.

The trip finally ended and I returned to Seattle. It was now time to find work. Reluctantly I began my search. I had no real clue what I was going to do. Again my father stepped in with encouragement. He suggested I apply for a “Management Training” job at the Bon Marche in Seattle. “The Bon” as we called it was a retail department store, something of a Seattle landmark at that time. That was not enough to change the fact that it was a horrible job. After three months I was transferred to the Longview store where I was given the position of “Department Sales Manager” (the title did have the word “Manager” in it) for women’s ready-to-wear and lingerie. (Not men’s wear, I did find that slightly disturbing.) I stayed out of the lingerie department as much as I possibly could. I do remember one day when the lead associate, Ardel Moore, was having trouble fitting a difficult customer. She asked the customer if she would like to have the “Department Sales Manager” assist her. The customer took her up on the suggestion and Ardel immediately yelled from the fitting room, “Brad!”

Shortly after that dramatic incident (for the customer) A regional sales manager came through the store and toured my department. He asked me lots of merchandising questions. I thought I was being clever and I made up answers right and left. At the end of the tour, the manager looked at me and said, “Mr. Adkins, that was one of the most interesting tours I have ever had.” I was elated. Then he looked at me and said: “I want you to remember one thing: I have you by the balls and if you EVER bullshit me again I won’t hesitate to squeeze…”

That was pretty much the end of my retail merchandising career. I resigned a week later. Stuck in the town of Longview, I started looking for work. That’s when I caught a break. I did not realize it at the time, but it was a life-changing opportunity. I applied for a job at the Weyerhaeuser Company as a research technician. History and Political Science would not necessarily qualify me for a position like that, but I applied anyway and was hired. They only needed someone with a head on his shoulders and not much more, so it turns out I was well qualified. However, I had doubts about my ability to pull it off. A couple of days before I was scheduled to report to work, I called and told them I couldn’t accept the position because I was under-qualified. The fellow I was talking to, Bruce Kuneau, told me to meet him immediately at the restaurant outside the gate, he wanted to buy me a cup of coffee and chat before he would accept my refusal. I met him and he told me in no uncertain terms that he wanted me on his team. I agreed to give the job a go. It turns out I was not under-qualified. I loved the work. It was my first real-world introduction to the scientific method in action, and it turns out I was well suited for that sort of work. I learned data collection with electronic instruments of various types. Data entry and analysis, and the best part, when the Tektronix 4051 desktop computer came out (one of the first of its kind) I discovered that computers were my thing.

I worked for Weyerhaeuser for the better part of three years, gaining experience in the “tech world.” I could have stayed in the job longer, but living in Longview was a drag, recreationally and socially, so I decided to look for work in Seattle. I took a job with the Boeing Company as a Computer System Requirements Analyst. I remember well the interview. The hiring manager asked me, “Do you know why I’m hiring you?” I had to admit I had no idea. He said, “Because your Dad is a successful manager in the company, so that means you’re probably going to work out okay.” Once again my Dad played an instrumental role in a life choice, only this time he had no idea he was doing so. The job was junior-level stuff, but I was exposed to different computer hardware and within a fairly short period, I learned to program computers. I had found my niche. I enjoyed making the machine jump through hoops. That was the start of my 37-year career with The Boeing Company.

I eventually ended up being the lead developer on Boeing’s HR Data Mart. That database held a large portion of Boeing’s personnel and payroll information. The information stored in the Data Mart was extracted nightly from the back-end Data Warehouse and provided the interface to employees’ online access to their personnel and payroll information. It was a great job because I got to program in several different languages. I was also responsible for the design and construction of the software that was used to extract data nightly from the back-end repository. I was a bit of a rebel. At that time Microsoft Windows was all the rage for corporate desktop software, but I refused to use it. Instead, I did all of my work using a Linux desktop computer. In many ways, it made the job harder to use Linux because so much more infrastructure had to be hand-cobbled. I loved that. I also enjoyed the fact that people looking over my shoulder had no idea what they were looking at. It was very self-satisfying.

As soon as I reached age 65 I retired. I loved my work, but there were other things I wanted to do: ski, cycle, hike, and camp, to name just a few. I’ve been retired now for five years and I’m enjoying life to the fullest. I don’t do technical shit anymore, in fact, I’ve forgotten almost everything I know about Linux and databases, but I do love to write and I have put my “tech” skills to use publishing a website of my writing — just for fun.

I’ve ridden my bicycle across the country twice since I retired, I hope I have one more crossing left in me. I’m skiing better now than I ever have. I have two beautiful daughters from my first marriage and one beautiful daughter from my second marriage. I have an extraordinary partner who is an amazing woman. We are deeply committed. It is my fond desire to spend the rest of my life with her. I’m very fortunate, and very grateful.

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# 190

The trick to understanding anything new to us is to look at it from as many perspectives as we can. Even those perspectives that may not be our own.

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An Agreement

The Cat and I have an agreement. He likes to pretend he is outdoors, so I let him drink from the bathroom faucet. I turn the water on in a slow trickle and he laps up the water to his heart’s content. I’m sure it’s good for him to drink plenty of water (it’s good for all of us). Sometimes I let him drink from the kitchen faucet — don’t tell anyone that.

His end of the bargain is somewhat arbitrary… there is nothing he has to do for me in exchange.

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Mt. Bachelor Mountain Host

I would like to be a Mountain Host next year at Mt. Bachelor. I’ve spoken to several hosts while skiing there this season. They have all been encouraging. It’s not a tough job. Smile a lot. Help people find their way around the mountain. Take photos for people, and occasionally if someone gets out of line, call the Ski Patrol. (You don’t have to be a policeman yourself.) The toughest part of the job is learning the mountain so you can give people good directions. I’ll be working on that in the off-season.

You also get a season pass and a cool ski jacket.

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# 189

This quote struck me as special. “Do not pass up the chance to experience, beyond the sun, the world where no one lives. Consider your origin: you were not made to live like a brute, but to pursue virtue and knowledge.” From Dante’s “Inferno, XXVI.”

To my way of thinking, “the world where no one lives” could be anywhere you want to make it. This is a good reminder that we must always be curious. We must always seek truth and knowledge.

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# 188

Each year I plan to take on a different writing project. This year it has been “A Year of Living Thoughtfully.” Last year it was “Poetry Challenge.” I’m considering making next year’s project, “A Year of Living Creatively.” We shall see.

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1 - Powder

2 - Fresh Corduroy

3 - IPA

This is #3, extolling the virtues of #2.

If you can’t have a powder day, fresh corduroy is the next best thing. After a day of fresh corduroy or powder, a good IPA (and this is a good one) will cap off things very nicely.

I need to get a headband like that Dude has… The hair too…

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Corbet’s

You can watch a lot of videos on YouTube about people dropping into Corbet’s Couloir. Back flips, front flips, helicopters, all of it way over my head. I skied to the top of Corbet’s, took my skis off, and walked up to the edge. Looking down I gained a whole new respect for the athleticism required to ski this bit of insanity. I’m glad I took the opportunity to investigate.

Speaking of insanity. I’ve been thinking about summer skiing in South America, specifically Argentina and Chile. The good news is you can go skiing in South America when it’s summer in North America, the bad news is, it’s not worth the trouble unless you have the strength and stamina to boot-pack at 10,000 feet elevation. The lift-accessed terrain in Valle Nevado, Argentina is less than spectacular. A better bet is Portillo in Chile. More difficult to get to, but better terrain than Valle Nevado. If I were twenty years younger, I would go to Portillo and spend a portion of each day boot-packing. That’s not an option anymore.

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# 187

What is the most difficult thing you can do? Perhaps it is…

Read a poem and search for understanding.
Read a poem with just your presence involved.
Read a poem and let it share what it will.
Read a poem and allow it to speak to you.

If you feel something you’re a winner. You’ve been given that which was meant for you. That is a good way to approach everything in life.

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It’s a Small World

Life is full of surprises. I was recently on a four-day ski vacation in Jackson Hole with my Sweetheart. She was in a women’s ski camp and I was free skiing. Day 1, first chair, I rode up the mountain with this fellow. We started chatting and I learned a good bit about him. Retired, avid skier, and among other things, a former professor at Whitman College. That part intrigued me. I asked him where he did his undergraduate work, and he told me Whitman College. Now my interest was really peaked. Since he seemed about my age and my Sweetheart also graduated from Whitman, I asked him off-handedly if he knew my Sweetheart, as a matter of fact, he did. He told me with a huge smile that they had dated in college!

My new friend (and I suppose former rival — of sorts) skied together all day. He was leaving the next day for two days of skiing at Grand Targhee but he was coming back to JH on Friday. We made plans to ski together on Friday, which we did all day. He’s a terrific guy (which I assume speaks well for me…?)

He’s returning to Whitman next month to present a guest lecture. My Sweetheart and I will be attending. I’m looking forward to seeing my new ski friend again.

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# 186

The Stoic Philosopher Epictetus, in 55 BC, said the following:

“Do not seek to have everything that happens happen as you wish, but wish for everything to happen as it actually does happen, and your life will be serene.”

I recently listened to someone describe how disturbed they became each time they drove into their neighborhood and saw something that was not to their liking. The person went into great detail about the emotional distress this caused. I couldn’t help thinking about this quote from Epictetus. Obsession over situations that are out of our control is a waste of energy, not only that, but it will eventually kill us.

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# 185

Do this every day to be a better writer and a better person.

Daily Practice

1. Hand-Copying
2. Walking (or Cycling or Skiing)
3. Reading
4. Journaling
5. Meditation
6. Writing

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Spring Skiing

Spring Skiing on Mt. Bachelor in Oregon, rockin’ classic ski sweaters. These are Delaine classic merino wool sweaters made in the USA. Reminiscent of the finest ski sweaters imported from Germany and Austria, but made right here. They make you ski better too!

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St. Patrick’s Day Dinner

Who doesn’t celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? A very dear friend of mine is a proud Irishman. He doesn’t speak with a brogue, but he is as Irish as you can get in every other regard. This dinner is celebrated in his honor.

Corned Beef

3 lbs Corned Beef Brisket
1lb Baby Carrots
1lb small Yukon gold potatoes
Beef Broth
2 Yellow Onions
1 head Green Cabbage.
Garlic
Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread

I went to two stores looking for Authentic Irish Soda Bread. It’s a small town and I couldn’t find any — so I made it myself.

4 cups Flour
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
5 Tbsp Butter (cubed and softened)
1 cup Raisins
(I prefer Golden Raisins over Currents)
1 Egg
1 - 3/4 Cups Buttermilk

Whisk dry ingredients. Add cubed butter and mix by hand. Stir in Raisins. Make a hole in the middle of the dry dough mixture and add whisked Egg and Buttermilk. Fold until well mixed. Turn out onto a floured surface and press into a ball, work the dough until it has a consistent texture but do not overwork. Place the dough in a cast iron skillet approximately 8” in diameter. Dough should be slightly mounded, score an “X” on the top, and bake for 30 to 45 minutes at 400 until a toothpick comes out clean.

The dinner was delicious.

May your troubles be less and your blessings be more and nothing but happiness come through your door! Old Irish saying.

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