Although we got out of bed reasonably early, 0730 - 0800, we haven't done much with the day except for walking Indy several times, dealing with E-mails, and a shopping expedition to Wal-Mart, Office Depot, and Pet Smart. I bought an MP3 player at Office Depot to use when I exercise. The Sun City Association exercise facility has several TV's placed strategically so that the exercisers can watch them. I need an MP3 player with FM capability or an FM radio to tune in the TV's, most of which stay on Fox News Network (see below). According to the promo material for the MP3 player I purchased, it has FM radio functionality; however, I can't find this option. I'll have to take the MP3 play back to Office Depot for exchange.
I decided to forego the exercise today because I'm rather sore from the exertions of the past week.
Following is a copy of an E-mail I sent John Hampton, one of my oldest and best friends from LaGrange. John and I have known each other and have been close friends since Jr High (we went to different elementary schools). He well-knows my religious/political/societal proclivities and asked me if people in Texas shared any of my opinions. Hence the following reply:
John,
Thanks for the card you sent: It was postmarked on 07 Jan 09 and arrived today,
10 Jan 09. I don't know if the card traveled on Pony Express but a two-night,
three-day passage seems reasonably quick for US snail mail.
We haven't interacted with many folks here except on a casual basis, most often
walking the dog. Andrea has a childhood friend from Lavonia, four years older
than Andrea, who lives in Sun City - Mary Ann Taylor. Mary Ann and her family
are long time members of Lavonia United Methodist Church. Mary Ann and Andrea
went to lunch yesterday. Mary Ann once told me that she looked forward to my
newspaper columns in the Franklin County Citizen, which she received each week
via mail. I suspect she's more liberal than conservative. Mary Ann also
attends Georgetown First United Methodist Church.
Tomorrow will be the second time we've attended Sunday School. I suspect my
natural tendency to comment will resurface directly. The class, primarily
composed of our contemporaries, seems welcoming and outgoing. I suspect they'll
stay that way with Andrea, if events transpire as they often do.
Some observations related to the mileu here:
The excellent exercise facility that comes with the Sun City package, and which
we've been utilizing frequently, has about a dozen TV's set up strategically to
help the exercisers manage the associated pain. The other day, one set
was tuned to Oprah, one to CNBC, and the remainder to (wait for this) Fox News
Network. I haven't seen one set tuned to CNN, much less PBS. The channel
changers are available and I may attempt to change one of the sets to CNN and
then to the Austin PBS channel - when I decide to live a little more
dangerously. I'll wait to employ this tactic until I'm at the exercise facility
without Andrea.
Several vehicles in the parking areas for the exercise facility have bumper
stickers extolling the conservative view, including one that states, "Liberalism
is a mental disease".
I have, however, seen a few Obama/Biden campaign bumper stickers around and
about, although
they're in the vast minority.
The Letters To The Editor of the Austin Statesman, a good morning newspaper to
which we now subscribe, frequently contains commentaries with liberal positions.
Again, these beacons of light do not account for the majority.
The editorial position of The Statesman is definitely more liberal than
conservative. All in all, The Statesman reminds me somewhat of the AJC.
Anne-Marie and Christina like living in Austin because of the overall liberal
bent of the city and because it reminds them of Chapel Hill.
It is way too soon for us to make any definitive conclusions but I wouldn't be
surprised to find a few like-minded individuals around here. I will search them
out; but, as you know, I get antzy when I'm around people who express only one
type of perspective.
Hope you're well. We are. News from Gumlog indicates the lake has risen 5-feet
as of this morning with more rain forecast this weekend. Perhaps, long distance
rain dances are efficacious.
Continue to reach out and touch to stay in touch.
Blessings,
Mike
The rest of this letter shouldn't be in italics but I can't figure out how to get the font back to normal.
We had a good time with Christina and Kelly yesterday in Round Rock - for lunch and shopping at IKEA. I bought moderately priced desk chair, which we will leave with Christina/Kelly or Anne-Marie when we return to GA. I needed the desk chair to preserve my back/shoulders/etc. I do miss my Gumlog home office.
Blessings to all,
Mike
The rest of this letter shouldn't be in italics but I can't figure out how to get the font back to normal.
We had a good time with Christina and Kelly yesterday in Round Rock - for lunch and shopping at IKEA. I bought moderately priced desk chair, which we will leave with Christina/Kelly or Anne-Marie when we return to GA. I needed the desk chair to preserve my back/shoulders/etc. I do miss my Gumlog home office.
Blessings to all,
Mike
2 comments:
Sounds like ya'll are settling in. I also enjoy Austin for the yoga, the food, the parks, and the fact that people really love living here.
Some of that is like Chapel Hill, but Austin is its own unique place.
Love, anzy
It doesn't actually remind me of Chapel Hill per se. It is just that Austin is like Chapel Hil in the sense that people love living there, it has great food and lots of fun things to do. I actually think it is really different than Chapel Hill as Chapel Hill felt like a small town when we were there and Austin feels like a city. And I suppose both places are known for being Liberal- although they are both Liberal enclaves in very Conservative states, so they share that as well.
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