Category: General

 

The author of the essay “Why can’t we read anymore?” is a professional who deals with books. He wasn’t happy realizing he only read 4 books in her spare time last year.

The author found himself stealing moments from his daughter’s play and other experiences in his life – “Kodak Moments” – to check his phone.

He couldn’t concentrate enough to do recreational reading.  Once he got a few pages in he felt compelled to take a break and check his social media accounts.  He knew she had been conditioning himself to have a short attention span.    All social media at work, television after dinner and Internet usage after dinner was stopped cold. In time his concentration came back and his quantity of recreational reading soared. He also felt less frazzled and had more energy.

Nothing new, in fact I discovered all of this on my own years ago. When I stick to a rule of no web surfing before noon, the compulsion to surf the Internet drops significantly. I surf less all day and I feel less frazzled from not having switched back and forth between things all day long. Reading fiction instead of nonfiction tends to help too.

I’m seriously thinking of going back to this rule for another round. My goal for this year is to read 12 books. I should have 4 done by now and I think I only have two.

Happy 2014 Winter Solstice Everyone!

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the
religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all . . .

and a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2014, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped
make America great, (not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only “AMERICA” in the western hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform, or
sexual preference of the wishee.

(By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for
her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent  holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.)

When I moved a few months back Tommy was the first person I met. Very gregarious, I soon got in the habit of petting him.

I asked a fellow tenant about him. She said that he has been around for many years, that other neighbors told her that he used to wear a collar, and that they think someone left him behind when they moved. She added that she was told someone in a neighboring building let him inside during the winter. He looked well fed, people in my town like “sharing cats” and taking turns taking care of them.

A few months later I saw a guy walking some dogs and Tommy approached them. I told the guy he wasn’t my cat, but that he was friendly. He said he knew, that Tommy was his cat, that he was an “outdoor cat”, that he got him his shots, that neighborhood children gave him treats, and that he didn’t mind.

I started buying cat treats for Tommy, but I didn’t want to leave the food outside where it might attract rats. So, I started inviting Tommy inside to give him his treats. Usually he leaves after a few minutes, but sometimes he hangs around.

Here is he making himself at home.