Surprises on the Way to Work

This morning I woke at 5 AM and started work at home. I had a 10 AM appointment in my office, so left the house to make that appointment about 9:30. My usual drive is along Shepard Road; on one side is the Mississippi River and on the other side is a railroad track. When one approaches downtown St. Paul it is usual to see a steam plume from the District Heating Plant, but there was a huge amount of white steam this morning. I couldn't figure out what it was; the steam was clear white so this clearly wasn't smoke from a fire, and it the plume was right on the railroad track. Then I saw it -- a steam engine pulling a series of antique passenger cars. There were people around everywhere taking pictures, so quite obviously this was planned. I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time.

No photo. It is not a good practice to talk on a cell phone while driving. It strikes me as even a poorer practice to try to take a photo with a cell phone while driving!

Memories of Summer Adventures

The days are getting shorter and the light is changing. Fall is coming in. Summer seems far away. But the pictures help me remember summer days in Torun. Here are two pictures of churches in Torun. After the churches of Warsaw and Krakow, these seemed so "plain." The difference seems to be that the walls are not as decorative as churches elsewhere in Poland.

Retirement Adventures

I'm not retired! But it seems the world thinks I am. In late August I started receiving a number of phone calls about the fact that I had retired. The phone calls were all in a panic from my daughter's social worker saying I had messed up my daughter's disability Social Security due to my retirment. It took me awhile to straighten the rumors of my retirement.

Then on Thursday I met a former Minnesota Department of Health colleague. He asked me how I was liking retirement. Again I had to explain I wasn't retired. Today at a neighborhood restaurant I met another former Minnesota Department of Health colleague. Same question. I'm working 60-70 hours per week. Why does everyone outside my work setting think I'm retired?!?

Retirement Adventures

I'm not retired! But it seem the world thinks I am. In late August I started receiving a number of phone calls about the fact that I had retired. The phone calls were all in a panic from my daughter's social worker saying I had messed up my daughter's disability Social Security due to my retirment. It took me awhile to straighten the rumors of my retirement.

Then on Thursday I met a former Minnesota Department of Health colleague. He asked me how I was liking retirement. Again I had to explain I wasn't retired. Today at a neighborhood restaurant I met another former Minnesota Department of Health colleague. Same question. I'm working 60-70 hours per week. Why does everyone outside my work setting think I'm retired?!?

Adventures in Perception or maybe Misperception

This evening I was at a reception given by the School of Public Health, University of Minnesota. I saw a colleague I had not seen since leaving the Minnesota Department of Health 6 years ago. He said, "How do you like retirement?" I laughed and told him that "for other than the 60-70 hours per week I'm working for another employer, retirement is great."

Then in the car I opened my wallet to get out some change to pay the parking ramp toll, and found the parking ramp lights making my Nordstrom silver-colored credit card glow in shades of red and green. I've had this credit card for years and this is the very time I learned there are dancers embedded into the card. Under those parking ramp lights, they were way cool!

Another Funny Moment

This morning I was in the nearby neighborhood cafe for breakfast. There is a round table in the back occupied by the men who solve or debate all the problems of the world. It's very much like one finds in any small town.

I overheard first: "Of course Minnesota votes for Republicans. We have a Republican govenor and a Republican Senator." Then I heard a woman say, "But's when is the last time Minnesota voted Republican for a President?" There was a long pause and then came the answer with a male voice, "Abe Lincoln?"

Funny Adventure

This past few days have been very stressful in my private life. This afternoon I went up to the laudromat. I noticed a man, who almost looked as if he was homeless, come into the front of the laundromat apparently only to play a video game. When he turned, I saw his T-shirt which is priceless. It said, "The Bible says a lot about Saint Paul, but nothing about Minneapolis."