Is it really 10 years?

Clipart Number 10 15

This morning was foggy and frosty.  Fog had mostly cleared when I captured this image.

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The effect was most evident on the asparagus fronds.

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Ten years ago today, I posted my first tidbit on Secondary Rds.  That first year was fun and exciting.  I posted every day and sometimes more than once a day.

Lately that has changed.  It has been about a month and a half since my last post.  I’ve thought about posts, but they haven’t made it to publication.

About the time of my last post, Sylvia’s computer began to have problems–serious problems.  I checked for the last full backup of her system.  The program had stopped working over a year earlier.  (Note to self: check backup status at least once a month.)

The rescue effort started as I began to save data onto a thumb drive.  I got it all except her email addresses.  The last time I powered up her machine, it took two and a half days to boot.

We talked about alternatives and decided to put her on the Linux machine that I was not using.  I installed the data from her Win 7 computer on the Linux box.  Configured everything for her.  It worked well for a while.  Then Sylvia said, “How can I print?”

So I went to install a printer.  The system asked for a password.  I tried the words I had written on the sleeve of the installation disk.  They didn’t work.  Now what?

Next try.  I had a Win 10 computer hooked up to my amateur radio equipment.  I pulled that out and started to transfer data files.  That computer died in short order.

Fortunately, I had ordered a new hard drive.  I installed that in the Linux box.  After downloading the latest version of Manjaro xfce Linux, I installed that operating system on the new hard drive.  Once again, things did not work right.  Aarrgh!

Crushed, I spent some time pouting and feeling sorry for myself.  Then I took my XP laptop out of storage, hoping that it would be my rescue.  It was another miscue.

Inspiration struck.  Sylvia had been using Win 7 on her [now dead] computer.  I had an installation disk for that same version of Win 7.  Using the code from her old computer, I installed it on the new hard drive in the Linux box.  Joy!

The process took about six weeks, but Sylvia is back in business.  However, she is still reconstituting her email address book.

Another week went into fixing the Win 10 computer.  I only had to re-seat the four memory cards.  I’ve removed Win 10 and am now using Manjaro Linux on that machine.

Sylvia’s old computer and my old laptop, both without hard drives,went to recycling.

What’s Next?

Then our daughter-in-law’s father passed away.  It was not unexpected, but it still was painful.

Returning home from visitation, Sylvia stopped by the grocery store.  While I waited for her I watched a sparrow land on a beautiful red Cadillac.  What happened next had the makings of a blog post, but sorrow overcame.

More

Then our church’s new website went live.  Others had done that, but then it became my turn.  Because we are moving to a new domain name, my task was to setup two mailing lists and some email addresses.  Sounds easy, but it is not.

Most folks and ISPs have spam filters set very tight.  Each person on the list must be contacted directly.  They have to add an email address to their address book or contacts list.  Then I can get an invitation through to them to join the new list.  That is still ongoing.

Future Plans

No big plans here.  We are taking it one day at a time.

Eight Years and Counting

Today is the eight-year blogaversary of Secondary Roads.  Out of curiosity, I looked for the first post.  It is no longer in the archive.  Out of good taste, I suspect the author deleted it.

sorryBy custom, I’d post an image with a number 8 to mark this occasion, but I think the above image above provides the better message.  Otherwise you might see something like this:

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Somehow this image seems out of place in this space.  Secondary Roads is about living a plain and simple life.  Shortly after Christmas, I found this in a daily devotional guide: “It was a simple [story] from an old friend living a simple life, reminding me that simple isn’t naive or stupid; it’s direct and unpretentious.”

Sounds like a good way to live.  Hey look!  A squirrel.

Seventh Blogaversary

Secondary Roads

Secondary roads,
Take you off the beaten trail,
Lead you to less stress.

number7

My first blog post went online seven years ago today.  Much has changed in that time.

In those first few years, I’d spend up to six or seven hours per day cruising blogs and clicking on badges.  It was hard work trying to increase my blog rating.  Fortunately, that has gone the way of the dinosaur.  Family and close friends are now my target audience.  I blog to please them.

I also blog to learn.  There is always something new to discover and to try.

Thanks for joining me on this journey down secondary roads.  Here’s looking forward to this next year of blogging.

Lessons Learned

Be careful when passing other cars — don’t let this happen to you.

It has been said that, “We learn from experience — we gain experience from making mistakes.” I tend to agree with that view. At least it seems to work that way for me. Your mileage may vary.

One lesson I have to learn anew from time to time is the need to pay attention to my body. It is important to observe and learn how the body reacts to what one does. To what one eats. To what one drinks. Body reactions are clues that should be examined and acted upon.

After the weekend excitement, I’ve decided that some changes are necessary in my life. I’ll be changing what and how I eat. I’ll drink more water and less Pepsi (my vice of choice).

I will be more active. That means spending less time in this chair in front of the computer monitor.

That will result in changes here on Secondary Roads. I’m going to try to continue to post on a daily basis. I started this blog as a way to connect with my immediate family, and that is working. I wanted the discipline of writing on a regular basis. Again, I’m satisfied with the results.

Along the way, I got involved in Entrecard and Adgitize. Adgitize has paid me a bit of money — not much for the effort involved. Entrecard has brought a lot of traffic to the blog and through EC I have found several friends. I spend a very significant portion of my day clicking on Adgitize ads and on Entrecards.

I have become aware that extra time on the computer adds stress in my life. I don’t understand the logic, if there is any, it just happens. I need to spend less time here. I left Adgitize once, but returned. Twice, I stopped accepting ads, gave away my EC credits and prepared to leave Entrecard. I never did leave.

After careful consideration, a talk with Sylvia and with my sister, Clara, I have decided to drop Entrecard and Adgitize. The widgets should be gone by the end of this week. I have talked about this with my two sons earlier.

This is a bit scary, but friends have left Entrecard and have told me that they do not regret their decision. Thanks Rita T, PJ and Colleen your help and encouragement is greatly appreciated.

If you visit only to drop, I’ll miss you. For the others, I do hope you’ll visit regularly and leave a comment so I’ll know you’ve driven down these Secondary Roads. Many of you regulars are already in my Firefox bookmark folders. I’ll add some more of you in the next few days. In enjoy reading your blogs, and I don’t want to give that up!

There are several programs waiting for me on the DVR and the recliner is calling my name. I’ll BCNU.

2009 Edges Toward the Exit

As 2009 wanes, the first blogiversary draws near. That’s right, this blog was launched on January 2 of this year. And what a year it has been.

For a few days, it had another name. And then I renamed it, “Secondary Roads.” There are several reasons for that. True, I live on a secondary road. It’s a gravel road, and that means our cars are always dirty. Always! It also means that the snow plow will come through some time after other roads have been cleared. It helps to have a sense of adventure if you live on a road like ours.

I’m officially retired. I do a few things for my local WISP (Wireless Internet Service Provider). I’ve done the Website (www.reliableinter.net) since the company was formed. I also process work orders. No office to go to and the commute is only a walk to the computer room.

I’ve spent my time in management and board meetings. Today it’s fun to get off the expressway and enjoy the secondary roads of life. Life is more laid back and there is time to smell the roses.

No longer do I drive into the big city. No traffic jams. I don’t mind backing up and pulling into a handy driveway to let my neighbor have the road. He needs it. The equipment he pulls behind his huge John Deere stretches from one side to the other of our secondary road. The sights, smells and sounds are more interesting on secondary roads. And there is less traffic. Yes, the road is usually rougher, but just go slower and enjoy it.

Even after I got off the expressway, I could still see folk jetting by — overhead. That’s okay. I don’t participate. Well, not anymore. If I sing “I’ll Fly Away,” trust me it’s not on a jet plane.

I’ve given up the fast lane, expressway interchange and jet plane. I’m living a laid-back retiree’s life.

No more business meetings, time cards and dead lines. Is it boring? Only if you have no imagination. No sense of wonder. Only if you are not comfortable in your own skin.

I love secondary roads, driving slow and being able to see the world about me. There’s a freedom here that you can’t find on the expressway.

This post is taken from a couple of posts from earlier this year. In case you missed them, I wanted to let you know why this is “Secondary Roads.”

Why Secondary Roads?

What does Secondary Roads mean and why does this blog have that name?


Some folks thrive on the expressways and interchanges of life. They are living their lives in the fast lane. For them. complicated is great. I spent part of my life there, but found life much more satisfactory and satisfying living at a lower speed limit. Away from the crowding and traffic jams.


Even after I got off the expressway, I could still see folk jetting by — overhead. That’s okay. I don’t participate. Well, not anymore. If I sing “I’ll Fly Away,” trust me it’s not on a jet plane.

I’ve given up the fast lane, expressway interchange and jet plane. I’m living a laid-back retiree’s life.

No more business meetings, time cards and dead lines. Is it boring? Only if you have no imagination. No sense of wonder. Only if you are not comfortable in your own skin.

I love secondary roads, driving slow and being able to see the world about me. There’s a freedom here that you can’t find on the expressway.