EZ Time.

Friday, June 12, 2020

Glenda and I are vacationing at a cabin in the Tonto National Forest of Northern Arizona about 20 miles east of Payson and just below the Mogollon Rim. As a retiree without employment, I’m learning a lesson that I think I needed: How to take a break from doing nothing.

I noticed this morning that time seems different here and now. It has less meaning. I arose at first light and watched the eastern horizon become bright with a new day’s sun. I had a light and easy breakfast and prepared Glenda’s protein shake. I did my 20-minute yoga routine. I took a shower and dressed. And through it all I didn’t care what time it was. I not only don’t need to be anywhere else, I have absolutely no plans to go anywhere else. Other than the small necessities of living (preparing food, cleaning up afterward) there is NOTHING I must do. Nothing that needs done. Nothing that calls for my attention. The cares of the world could be light-years away. And that truly does make time feel different.

I haven’t had any deep thoughts nor epiphanies nor do I feel like I need any.

The word ‘vacation’ has an etymology and a heritage: Empty time; a time to be unoccupied. I’ve taken many ‘vacations.’ Today seems to be the first time I’ve ever truly experienced what empty time feels like.

It feels good—really, really good—to just BE and to breathe. For this I am thankful.

State & regional driving styles.

On Friday we drove east to west across the state of Nebraska on Interstate 80. This is what I have observed: Car in left lane at 7 miles per hour below the posted limit? Ohio plates. Car blasting past us at 90 mph plus? Nebraska plates. Wandering from lane to lane and changing speed for no apparent reason? Wyoming plates. Driving EXACTLY the speed limit and signaling each lane change for at least 1,000 feet before the move? Iowa plates. Two bicycles on a rack on a Subaru going 3 mph over the limit? Colorado plates. I wonder what other drivers noted about the driving style imposed on our sedan with Texas plates?

Obviously, we cannot claim to have results of a scientific study of driving styles from observation of a few drivers on one road on one day. And no offense is intended to the fine drivers of any state. The observations, above, are based on a small sample one summer afternoon. Still, the characteristic styles were noted often enough to form an impression so I believe there is some substance to my opinions. And besides, there really was not much else to look at!

For example, I have often pointed out that my home-town drivers tailgate horribly, do not know how to merge into moving traffic on an expressway (don't have a clue about matching speed), and they have no comprehension for what a "yield" sign means. Half think it has no meaning and the other half think it means "stop." This would be less troublesome if there were signs on the back of each car declaring the driver's (lack of) understanding regarding the "yield" signs. I hope I've not picked up those habits.

One other observation during this trip from San Antonio to South Dakota (so far.) Highway speed enforcement activities vary tremendously. We saw eight officers running speed radars within the city limits of Austin, Texas, on IH-35. Three of those officers had cars pulled over. Further North in Texas, we saw a few state and local troopers, but not a concentrated group as we had seen during the 30-mile or so transit of Austin. Continuing North, the state of Oklahoma had a few state troopers on the freeway--I did not see a county or city officer while we were in the state. In Kansas we did not see a single officer--not one, although a camera of some kind took our picture at 67 in a 65 zone as we entered Kansas from Oklahoma. Nebraska also did not show us a single law enforcement officer while we drove across the state. So far, I have seen one state trooper in South Dakota.

Driving well is not EZ!