Michael: CARBs

The tall dark figure
Is a tree; not a spectre
Out to frighten me.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

On our way to a run Kimme and I were chatting about what it takes to be an athlete. The next day I realized the qualities we thought were important could be summarized into this pithy acronym: CARBs.

I’ll spell out the acronym using running as my example, but it can be applied to any athletic endeavor.

C - Consistency. I just read an e-mail from Trail Runner Magazine that coach David Roche suggest that consistency is the most important element in improving as a runner. He suggest running 5-6 days a week, year in and year out.

A - Aspirations. If your workouts aren’t focused around a few specific outcomes it’s not very likely you’ll improve.

R - Risks. Getting better involves a certain element of risk. For example, if you want to be a competitive trail runner it’s going to require some downhill speed. And pushing it on a downhill ups the possibility of falls. That’s why I encourage people to wear gloves. You may not fall often but if you’re going to push it, you will fall once in a while.

B - Balance. You may aspire to become a better runner, but if you’re not willing to balance running with recovery and other physiological and/or psychological adaptations required to enhance your running, again, your improvement will fall short of your aspirations.

I think this short and sweet little acronym just about covers the basic elements of what ought to be considered when developing an exercise program.

Michael: Where's My Limo?

The deep rose highlights
Under the dark morning clouds
Will soon wash away.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Currently I’m reading a book on Scribd about how globalization is exacerbating the gap between the rich and poor in many countries around the world. I don’t doubt it’s true, but again, it got me thinking about the differences between Volcan and Los Angeles.

 I’ve mentioned before that helicopters, sirens, street lights, theaters… and many of the other accoutrements of big city living are missing from this small farm community. I’ve also noted that there are no homeless sleeping out on the streets here. But the other end of the spectrum completely slipped my mind until I picked up this book.

Outside of some very nice homes, though not of McMansion proportions, there are no signs here of the super wealth that is just taken for granted in Southern California. There are no mega sport cars like Lamborghinis or Ferraris screaming down the main drags of Volcan; no limos or chauffeurs in sight; no exclusive shops; no bling or high end fashion and definitely no paparazzi. Here all the big cameras are saved for the birds.

This isn’t a judgment on either Volcan or Los Angeles. Actually I’m kind of curious what it says about me that I hadn’t noticed this glaring difference until now.

Michael: Another Opportunity to Give

From darkness till dawn
The sentries tall and slender
Stand ready and proud.

Monday, October 3, 2016

Many good hearted retirees seek out ways to help their communities by doing volunteer work. I’ve done a little but haven’t gone out of my way to make myself useful. I’m not proud of that, but I’m not particularly embarrassed by it either. I figure when the right opportunity presents itself, I’ll happily or, who knows?, maybe even reluctantly, join in.

Last year I was asked if I’d like to help teach English as a second language. No problem. I never heard back from the person who contacted me.

Last Thursday Kimme and I were approached by a real estate agent’s son about volunteering to become search and rescue workers. Given the growing tourism of Volcan and it’s proximity to some very well known and rugged trails, we were surprised such a group didn’t already exist.

The group is just getting organized and the goal is to meet a few Saturdays a month to learn skills such as first aid, navigation and knot tying that would be crucial in search and rescue missions.

For us, not only would it be a great volunteer gig but also an opportunity to learn skills that we should’ve already acquired as fast pack hikers. Naturally, we’d help out in any way that we can. But if this pans out, I’m going to feel a bit guilty about volunteering for a group that, at least initially, would largely benefit me.

Michael: Guilty about not Feeling Guilty

Rain on a tin roof
Can be more of an assault
Than a tranquil song.

Sunday, October 2, 2016

My mom told me that last week Southern California was experiencing a bit of a heat wave. She also said there have been a couple of times they’ve been close to having a bit of rain but it hasn’t panned out yet. California is now mired in its 5th year of drought.

Meanwhile, a few thousand miles away I told her people were out and about smiling on a late Thursday afternoon because we hadn’t had rain in a day and a half. During the rainy season, that’s about as close to a drought as it gets around here. There’s really no reason to conserve water or electricity. Neither are in short supply here.

Still, I feel guilty if I let the water run or forget to turn the front porch light on in the morning. Mostly because of the way I was raised but also because of living in Southern California and the several droughts the state has gone through during my lifetime.

I’m not saying that the Panama highlands are better. California is my home and I hope to live there again some day. But I do hope before that day comes the state will have made significant strides in managing their water and energy difficulties.

Michael: Trash Disposal

The rusty hinged screech
Of the roadside hawk may be
A breakfast invite.

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Trash disposal here in Volcan is a throwback to a  bygone era in the U.S. sans the old metal cans. Here, you simply put your trash in a garbage bag, place it either by your gate or in your metal grate cage by the curb to protect it from the varmints, and every week it’s picked up by the garbage men. Here the garbage men operate in two or three men crews using a cattle truck. No fancy compactor truck like in the states. No separating out recyclables either.

Or so I thought. You see we don’t actually do all of our own garbage work.
Every Monday I walk over to our landlord’s house and lift our garbage over the fence and place it along side her trash in her wheelbarrow. She always has a small Ziploc with a few dollars clipped to her trash. How nice, I thought, a tip for those hard working hombres. But it’s not a tip. Garbage disposal here is done by private entrepreneurs . They charge a dollar a bag. Man, those guys are cleaning up (That’s a pun.).

Also, where we live near a dairy farm, or I imagine any place where you have a little bit of land, some people take their natural food remains and throw them into a compost pile.

Another space saver is burning whatever can be burned, and that includes materials that one wouldn’t even consider burning in the states. For example, we’ve been hanging on to some large chunks of Styrofoam packing material because on the net it says it’s toxic when burned. But I’ve been told to burn it. In fact, the look I got when asking was, “Why are you asking that goofy question, that stuff burns really easily.”

I haven’t set a match to it yet. I feel a little reluctant burning something I know gives off toxic fumes. But again, I suppose when in Rome, burn what the Romans would burn.

Michael: Little Known Reasons not to Drink Milk

Weightless on my arm
The butterfly probes my skin
With its hair thin tongue.

Friday, September 30, 2016

There are a lot of cows around here. Before moving here we didn’t drink milk and being here amongst the milk producers has only served to strengthen our conviction that the dairy industry is bad news. Sorry cows; this time it’s personal.

For one they are both directly and indirectly causing us grief. Our telephone line is always under threat of being taken down by a milk truck. And our PVC water lines are always close to their heavy hooves.

Half the time we run on farm roads we can never be certain whether it’s only mud on our shoes or some combo of mud and manure.

We’ve also never been in any of the swimming holes nearby, no matter how hot the day is or how inviting they look because we know that there’s got to be a good mixture of run off cow dung in the pools , rivers and streams.

Sure, you they may seem docile and innocent enough, but cows are bad news.

Michael: For Once I Can't Blame Panama

Almost a clear night;
Where the sequined stars shining
In a black spotlight.

Thursday, September 29, 2016

This morning I went to read the news on my tablet and the internet wouldn’t come up. All right, what was it this time, electrical storm, dairy truck some new Panamanian gremlin?

No, not this time. This time it was my tablet. My lap top is working fine. Now to try and trouble shoot. First off I was advised to make sure the airplane mode was turned off. Check.

Next, I was supposed to make sure the radio from the internet adapter was on. That was a bit more problematic as neither the computer nor nextbook informed me how to do that. Nor did either of them explain why the small bar icon for the internet was replaced with a box with a microphone and a red x. I’m presuming that is the check to see if the adapter is transmitting. But that’s just a guess as the icon isn’t explained in either the paper or on-line guide.

Stumbling around a bit further my computer said that the wireless driver wasn’t functioning, but again didn’t suggest a solution: download another, ask a friend, trash the cheap piece of junk…

But I really have grown quite fond of it and would like to get it up and running again, so I called tech. support. It’s been a long time since I listened to over a half hour of uninterrupted classical music.

Thought I’d try sending an email instead. They’re suppose to get back to me in 24 hours. The clock is ticking.

And speaking of clocks ticking…During a frustration break I decided to replace the battery on my Timex Ironman watch. Turns out it’s rather a delicate soul for having the moniker of Ironman. This is the second Timex watch where after replacing the battery the sound alarm stopped working.
That’s alarm is why I use the watch. This also seems to be a very common problem, though a google search (on my keeping my fingers crossed operable lap top) suggested maybe I put the back panel on backward and turning it around might fix the problem. Success.

So my 8 hours of tech. work today wasn’t a complete failure.