Saturday: Up, Down or Sideways

The Flowers Are Rioting In My Parking Strip

Saturday I competed in a Toastmasters contest held over the web, via Zoom.
We had a run through a week ago, and I practiced every day. For the past few days, I set up my own Zoom meeting and recording my run-through. I even gave my speech when our Timebank meeting yesterday finished up and we had some time just to chat (they liked it, relating well to the age stuff.)
So ... of course I had technical problems logging in. The Zoom session said I was waiting for the meeting host to let me in for ages. I was prepared! I logged in via my cellphone, confirmed that the meeting was underway, and got started on the reading of the rules while I rebooted my laptop. Fortunately another speaker was having even greater troubles so I didn't really cause any delay.
This shows the value of logging in early and having a backup path.
Also: I won the contest. Yay!
This was my "Up, Down or Sideways" speech (which I'll post elsewhere). During the usual contestant interview afterwards, the Contestmaster Santiago asked what, in retrospect, should have been an expected question: when did I think it was ok to punch down? That was a direct and wonderful reference to my speech, and it really made me think. Great question! And it gave me something to think about for further speech preparation.
I really enjoy giving that speech. I can deliver it full of spirit and the Zoom format lets me exploit facial expressions - especially in the eyes.
Afterwards, I had a quiet day around the house. I planted about half the seed onions Julie gave me, and moved some sprouts into pots. I resolved to move into the master bedroom now that it has been empty for a couple of weeks; it's time I take full possession of my space.
I had a good talk with one of the Toastmasters Trio, about fulfilling an Area role next year. She made a compelling case for it being an opportunity to practice leadership, which I feel I need. In response to her email broaching the subject, I spoke frankly of my intentions and observed shortcomings, and she responded with reassurance and advice. It will be good to have a mentor and I will repay with service both in Toastmasters and in my other service areas!

Friday No Call Back

Grafitti on our walk

I extended the north fence garden about 3 feet and planted the sprouting potatoes and the sunflowers I'd tried to sprout in plastic disposable salad bowls that unfortunately held water after the rain. I'll see if they come up. In the front yard I planted some donor Phlox and lilies in the place where I ripped out a bunch of cleaver using a strange sort of rake I probably got at the thrift store but never used before.
I practiced my speech, cleaned a little, napped a lot. The cats wake me about 4 times a night so I'm operating more crespucular than usually.
The union email suggesting some IM people may be called back to work persuaded me not to sign up for mask and FEEST commitments until after 5. Since I had no call from work then, I went ahead and took two of each next week.
This evening, the Timebank Communications and Membership Committee had another Zoom meeting to finalize our suggest for a TB Mission Statement for submission to the Board. This is supposed to be a key element in applying for grants. It didn't take long; everyone is smart and reasonable, so we hung and chatted. Someone asked about my speech in the contest tomorrow, so I gave it again. It felt much more natural and conversational giving it to all those faces; there wasn't much feedback but I did get a few snickers which was nice, and one comment about taking my glasses off to make my eyes more effective. I appreciated that as it was something I worked on but had not gotten a direct comment on before.

Thursday Miscellaney

When I pulled up to Hannah and Julie's I saw a worm crossing the street. This looked fraught with peril even in this time of low traffic, so I tossed it onto their garden and was rewarded with several minutes of watching it work out how to dive into the soil and get to work. I don't believe I have squatted and watched worms for about 60 years, but it fascinated.
Throughout the walk, houses presented more to see.

Shopping for FEEST
(They won't actually let us buy beer #nofun)

At 10 I did my FEEST shop with Milo and someone whose name I didn't catch. None of us seemed to know why we shopped the Burien Safeway while the addresses were in Highland Park, but what the heck. My two customers requested bulk flour, and of course there was none at Safeway, but I remember what H&J had said about Cash and Carry. It turns out that they have 25 bags that were perfectly fine (although these turned out to be my first cash donations to the program. That's ok, if directly asked I would have contributed $10 or $15.) The amazing thing is the per-pound price of the big bags is better than half that of grocery store bags. This is something to think about!
My zone for the Mask Brigade had no pickups so I had that part of the day off, but late in the day was a sudden request to pick up from the concentration points and deliver to the main center in Greenwood. I carefully mapped out the route, but just before starting, checked email and the special was canceled; the scheduled driver was available. This just goes to show: always do last minute checking!
I did got another Harvard Digital Lab for the Social Science study questionnaire, and completed it. Science!
I read a union email saying that IRS may be calling employees back who are not teleworking. I am expecting I might be called back and resolved to let phone messages go to voicemail so I'd know exactly what was being said, and wait until 5pm Friday to sign up for mask and FEEST shifts next week.
During Reema's Zoom Zumba, I got a call from "ERC" which I thought might be "Employee Resource Center" When I returned the call, it was entirely unrelated; the robot voice was checking to see if my name was "Jacob" or if I knew a "Jacob" who used this phone number etc. I guess someone gave my number when accruing a debt?

Garage Chalkboard

Pansy House

Pansy House

Pansy House

Pretty Snail, Bad For Garden

Telephone pole sistered with extra chunk on top for woodpeckers

Bird House Bench

A 25 pound bag of flour under $7on

Wednesday Misc

Today's walk took the long hill up to the highpoint. Thanks to the cross streets, which were necessarily level, it was a form of interval training - five or seven steep slogs, with pauses to catch breath. It was definitely work but satisfying when accomplished.
I shopped again for FEEST, this time with Soy. We picked up a whole lot of fruits and veggies at McPherson's, and then over toSafeway to get the rest. She took the requests involving halal meats, to go to the halal butcher, and I took the two others to their apartments.
Afterwards I went to the dollar store to get stuff for someone through the Time Bank, and to Target to see about stuff from another Time banker - the former was successful and the latter not. I picked up cat food and miscelleany for myself.
Home I am napping a lot, perhaps due to Arthur waking me at night, perhaps because I can.
Tonight I attended another Toastmasters meeting on Zoom, which was centered around a project for developing a course of instruction. This was very interesting indeed.
I am gradually clearing stuff out but it's a slow process, partly due to my reluctance to through anything away, partly due to doing so many other things: 4freeCLE, Toastmasters, WPTL, helping out the occasional veteran, gardening, block watch (a little bit), FEEST, the Mask Brigade, and now a morning walk with friends - I don't know when I would have time for work!

Taskmaster Tuesday

The morning walk was especially long today; for some reason we went up to the Admiral District. I don't really care; it's nice to chat and I need the steps, of which Hannah's gadget said there were more than 13,000. I guess that counts as exercise.
I prepared for this evening's Toastmasters meeting, as Toastmaster. When I picked up an unboxed but factory-wrapped N95 for the Mask Brigade, and the donor also apologetically asked if we could use a couple of unused surgical masks in a baggie. "My silly mother wants to give this," she said, and "Why not?" I accepted.  I have no idea whether it can be used but it is a gift nonetheless.
FEEST shopping was at Westwood QFC, of all places; it went quickly but I never shop there because usually it's more expensive. However they had a screaming deal on tunafish that brought me back after the official shopping was done.
I often feel tired; I don't know whether I'm anemic or lazy.

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Monday Monday

After this morning's walk, I cleaned house until time for the WSBA/WPTL webinar 2020-04-20

Ron called to see if I could help his friend Lynn find a new home for a small apartment fridge; I said she could call me and when she did, I suggested Buy Nothing SeaTac, which sounded good to her. Ron also talked about me helping out with DAV Chapter paperwork once a week once I retired; I agreed to try it starting August.

Later Cyril called with another matter involving the VA hospital; I was able to refer him to the Administrative Law Section.

Attended CLE Human Rights In Cinema. I looked at the list of films the speaker recommended, and recognized why many of them were there. I suggested she look at "Blade Runner", in which we the audience believe the hero (Harrison Ford) is defending us against monstrous "Replicants" only to discover at the end that we had bought into their dehumanization and were cheering massive rights violations. Should this not be a warning to us all?

North Garden

I gardened for an hour or two in the north yard, near the foundation. I hope this will still be productive when the heat bakes the south yard. I transplanted miner's lettuce, planted potato and most of the nasturtium seeds Hannah and Julie gave me, and then some flowers, chiefly periwinkle and the leftover colms of some flowering plant I don't recall. I am still dithering over where to plant the lilies I got over the weekend from a curb; perhaps after I plant the beans along the fence, there will still be some fence to share.

We had Zumba as usual - how quickly the strange becomes the usual with repetition - 

Late in the evening I finally got to Precision Nutrition, and I like the suggested Habit: Eat Slowly

House And Bear

Max Says Hi

Mondrian House

Cozy House With Bushes

Casual Sound View

Stop & Smell The Flowers

Trellis String Art:
West Seattle Bridge

Trellis String Art
Coronavirus