Life and Random Thinking

Assignment 1 – Blogging 101

Posted on January 5, 2015 by dfolstad58

This is my first assignment in Blogging 101. Why? you say are doing an assignment after three years of blogging. Why?

Why not? It’s the first blogging course I’ve ever taken and it’s always good to prime the pump.

Assignment numero UNO

write and publish a “who I am and why I’m here” post

Peachland BC across the street from Bliss bakery on Okanagan lake, just me

My name is Dave, I am here on WordPress to learn, and be creative. I am also interested in sharing about the Okanagan, and perhaps test to see if I can write, and others will find my writing interesting.

I logged onto a blog post in India just a day or so ago and a young girl wrote about her life. She was an excellent writer and I realized her life was very different than mine, and I asked her to write more about her life, and culture there. I likely will never get to India, and perhaps there are others around the world who are interested in my life in Canada in comparison to theirs.

I am retired one year from a desk job but I retired for my health because I have had a kidney transplant and retirement would be better for my health. Someone may be interested in kidney transplant patients because they know someone who may be facing dialysis also. Since my transplant was 27 years ago, they may find my experiences encouraging, possibly hopeful.

I am here to learn, I am doing this Blogging 101 course to learn more as so far I am self taught. I am also here to share about Canada and this tiny corner where I am fortunate to be planted.

This part of Canada is beautiful, beaches, wineries, clean warm lakes to swim in during the summer, and skiing and boarding in the ski resorts in the winter. Most people can bike or drive to work in less than 15 minutes. Questions?

Posted in blogging assignments | Tagged BC, blogging101, Canada, Learning, Okanagan, Penticton, Wordpress | Leave a comment

New York City’s First Cat Café: Meow Parlour

Posted on January 4, 2015 by dfolstad58

This gallery contains 3 photos.

Originally posted on almostfreeNYC:
Meow Parlour, New York City’s first cat café which opened less than a month ago, is everything a cat lover has ever dreamt of. What is a cat café? Cat cafés originally started in Asia in…

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2015 – Time to plunge in

Posted on January 3, 2015 by dfolstad58

2015 has arrived for us all, whether we drag our heels, kicking and stomping or whether we dive in wholeheartedly with anticipation to improve, heal, or attain.

plunge (the definition) – it’s a verb

jump or dive quickly and energetically.
push or thrust quickly.

synonyms: thrust, jab, stab, sink, stick, ram, drive, push, shove, force

or a noun

an act of jumping or diving into water.

“we went straight from the sauna to take a cold plunge”

synonyms: dive, jump, nosedive, fall, pitch, drop, plummet, descent

“a plunge into the deep end”

In the Okanagan where I live, we own snow shovels, and bags of de-icers or salt for our sidewalks and driveways. Some folks enjoy all seasons; making the most of Mother Nature no matter the temperature, some dread the cold of winter, while others just appreciate each day as it comes.

winter sunshine

The daylight hours are shorter but there is nothing as refreshing as cold air on the cheeks, and sun sparkling across unbroken snow.

Plus there is the pleasure of a warm mug between the fingers as we sip hot chocolate and melted marshmallows.

Another tradition in many communities including ours is the (insane) Polar Bear plunge. I do not ever intend to indulge in this particular tradition regardless of how “green” New Year’s Day is. However this year the day looked mild, Mother Nature can be deceiving, and so I ventured forth on January 1 to Sunoca Beach which is about 16 km north of Penticton where the hardy fools plunge annually on Janaury 1.

Imagine the scene, cold wind, I was shivering inside my jacket, hat and gloves and all around me stood “children of all ages” in their swimsuits waiting for the sign to run into Okanagan Lake screaming, and then repeat in reverse direction. I joined them around the bonfires, and hope the brave souls had the thickest of robes to dash into and then wrap themselves around aforementioned hot chocolate. The event is supervised and search and rescue are in the water to help any who flounder.

I’m in training for next year, I’m going to put an ice cube in a seasonal refreshment 🙂

Here’s my visual for you!

Posted in health, humor, okanagan related, travel | Tagged bear, plunge, polar, screaming, sunoca beach, swim, Tradition | 6 Comments

Thanks to all my readers in 2014, PLUS a post about Exertion and Success

Posted on December 30, 2014 by dfolstad58

: makes me smile

: sand between her toes

: lunch with my son in Brewster

: cute

: perception 101

: watch that flipper buddy

: Sicamous paddlewheeler on Okanagan Lake, north end of Penticton

: biking along the channel, some locals

: just for fun

: posing at Tojo’s restaurant

: should I buy Google?

: seasonally cool today

: bye

I know you haven’t heard much from me in awhile. I got distracted and did fewer posts but even so I did manage 88 posts this year and I had 3200 views this year. Thanks to you. Blogging is something I enjoy but that enjoyment really is super enhanced by comments and likes.

I would like to do more next year, so I request your continued encouragement in 2015.

One post I have been thinking about is in regard to exertion. In an effort to develop a healthier lifestyle that includes regular exercise I have been doing a Heart Conscious Exercise Program three times a week. It is a ten week program and you go three times a week exercising doing both a cardio and strength program. I hope that ten weeks will be enough that I have a good foundation to continue on my own for a healthier 2015.

What about you in this post? On the wall at the clinic is a chart for perceived effort. You need to apply yourself to excel but not over do it, right?

RPE Scale As I look at this chart three times a week I wondered if it applies to more than exercise. Our lives and our enjoyment of life are crossovers of work, family, friendships, wouldn’t you agree?

We are happiest also when we are busiest I believe, but without overdoing it. For example, think about any area of your life. Are you satisfied with that area? I will use Friendships as an example right now. How are your friendships? Close enough? Do you see your friends often, and hear from them regularly. I am blessed with some wonderful friends but I know in 2015 I want to exert myself more in this area. I know I can improve so that I am even more blessed in this area, every area.

In fact in every area of my life, I think I will try to exert myself a little harder in 2015 for a full and blessed 2015. If I want the result, then I have to make the effort.

What about you in 2015 – is there an area that you only making a “fairly light” effort and are going to move to “somewhat hard”.

Thanks for reading, thank you for your encouragement, and thank you for your comments.

Posted in health, Thinking Out loud, Uncategorized | Tagged 2015, effort, exertion, improve, improvement, success, thank you | 2 Comments

It’s hard to believe but it happened

Posted on December 30, 2014 by dfolstad58

This gallery contains 12 photos.

Originally posted on Life and Random Thinking:
Since I planted roots here in the Okanagan, summer holidays have without exception been the “Tourist In My Home Town” variety. I have a close friend though who has been encouraging me to…

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