Stay-Home Weekend. Negative Covid Test.

We thought this was going to be another adventure weekend. Another Friday Night Halfway. It would've been our fifth Friday Night Halfway in a row— a new record! But then Thursday at dinner I got the message I'd been exposed to Covid-19. Hawk and I decided Thursday night we should stay home this weekend.

I shouldn't make it sound like it's all Covid's fault. We were also tired from a long week. ...Me, especially, from QBRs this week with long days/late nights/early mornings several days in a row. By Thursday evening we hadn't booked reservations yet, though we'd narrowed our plans down to a first choice and a second choice. Thus as much as I was disappointed to lose a weekend of travel I was also relieved not to have to roll from a busy, busy week of work into hitting the road hard Friday afternoon and being out all day Saturday. The only minus was that whatever relaxation I could hope for over the weekend might be ruined by getting sick with Covid-19. 😨

Well, here we are at Sunday morning and I'm not sick. I felt a few symptoms Thursday evening like I might be starting to come down with something, but I think those were partly psychosomatic and partly from drinking too much Wednesday night. I was well Friday and Saturday, and took a test Saturday evening even though I had no symptoms. Negative result. My streak of being a Covid dodger— a Novid—continues!

And so far it's felt good to have a take-it easy weekend.

Friday evening Hawk and I made a simple dinner at home then watched a few hours of TV. That was about the right level of activity for the energy I had after a busy few 14-hour days at work.

Saturday I basically puttered around the whole day. I did a bunch of web surfing, worked on my blog backlog, and watched another hour of TV with Hawk. I did feel bored and underutilized at a few points but on the whole it was another day of matching my activity level to my energy level.

Today, Sunday, I'll putter a bit in the morning then have a leisurely lunch. A friend's coming over to visit and we'll likely have dinner together. Then the evening will be just Hawk and me, and we'll probably watch some TV together. Overall this weekend will be a decent way to wind down from last week and reset for the next week of work. Assuming I still don't get sick with Covid.

A Windy Day below the Nipple; Wheeling Around Lost Lake

Last weekend we drove up to the Sierra Nevada for a day of driving, wheeling, and hiking. I've already posted a few blogs about it, most recently Hiking Lost Lake to the Nipple. Yes, we were hiking to a summit called The Nipple. But we didn't get there. The wind was so fierce we turned back part way up.

How windy was it? Here's a short video clip showing you how windy it was:

Watch on YouTube

Yes, you can see how windy it was, with how much the camera is shaking— despite me holding it with both hands! And you can hear it, too. I recorded this clip with no narration so all you've got is the pounding wind. ...And this section of trail wasn't even the windiest I encountered. The windiest was so fierce that I didn't pull my camera out for fear I'd drop it & it'd be blown away!

After the hike we climbed back into our 4x4 to explore around the Lost Lakes (there are two of them). I shared a photo of Lost Lake already in Hiking Lost Lake to the Nipple. Here's a short video with scenes from wheeling around the lakes and a view across Upper Lost Lake:

Watch on YouTube

After finishing at the lakes we continued on the Forestdale Divide Road. We continued south from the Lost Lakes. It's about a mile down a hill trail strewn with loose rocks to Upper Blue Lake. From there on out we'd drive paved roads home. But first we parked and explored around the shore of Upper Blue Lake.



From here we caught a great view of The Nipple high above us. The shore of Upper Blue Lake here is about 600' lower than Lost Lakes. The PCT passes over the flank of the Nipple and comes down here... though not exactly here but around the other side of the mountain, at similar elevation. The trail shown at AllTrails starts from over there and heads north up the mountain. The route we followed earlier in the day, hiking from Lost Lakes and going south, cut the distance by at least one-third and reduced the ascent almost by half.

5 Things from Night 1 of the DNC

I was busy with work last week so I didn't have time to watch the Democratic National Convention. I'm just catching up on it now. I watched Night 1 of the DNC (from Monday) on Saturday night. Don't spoil the plot— I haven't read the books!

As Night 1 full videos ran some 6 hours I just watched about an hour of highlights. Here are 5 Things I took away from it:

1) From a messaging & communications perspective, it's great that Democrats are leading with a positive message

There's plenty negative Dems could say about Trump. And indeed many of the speakers did point out at least a few of his failings each. But on the whole the tone of the night was positive. That's important because audiences want to hear what a speaker or party is for, not just what they're against.

2) Jesse Jackson wheeled out, doesn't speak

Jesse Jackson has been an icon in progressive politics for decades. I remember when he ran for president in 1984 and 1988. (Well, he ran for the Democratic nomination those two times but did not win it.) I also remember him guest starring on Saturday Night Live, of all places, multiple times during his campaigns. He was always a powerful speaker. And he was flexible enough to continue articulating his message while playing the straight man in comedic skits opposite professional satirists. Thus I found his appearance at this 2024 convention saddening. Jackson, now age 82, is in failing health. He has suffered from Parkinson's Disease for several years. On Monday night he  was pushed out in a wheelchair by an honor guard. He struggled to wave to the cheering  crowd. He did not speak. I appreciate the nod toward his legacy, but seeing a once towering figure brought so low detracted from the night for me.

3) President Biden spoke strongly but not dynamically

So much has been made of President Biden's less-than-expected performance in a debate against Donald Trump two months ago. After months, nay even years, of Republican leaders trumpeting, falsely and without evidence, that Biden is mentally impaired and unable to speak coherently due to his advanced age, it touched off a three week storm of vocal dissatisfaction among Democratic donors and leaders that culminated in Biden dropping out of the reelection campaign. Thus when Biden spoke on Night 1 I was keen to watch his performance. Biden spoke strongly... but not dynamically. He was on point. He was coherent. He was forceful in his delivery. He was even inspiring. But he showed no range. He did little to vary his volume, tone, or pace of speaking. He used almost no hand gestures. In fact he mostly gripped the lectern with both hands as if to brace himself in a defensive pose. In my experience as a practiced speaker and speaking coach (I did this in Toastmasters for 7 years) these are hallmarks not of a mentally incapable speaker but merely someone who is not yet confident and skilled in their delivery. Could this be regression in skills because of age? Maybe. I don't know. But I more believe it's how Biden has always been as he's struggled throughout his life to overcome the stutter he's had since childhood.

4) Hillary Clinton was gracious in passing the "break the glass ceiling" torch to Kamala Harris

Former presidential candidate Clinton is painted by her detractors, mostly unfairly, as a bitter person. After the historically unprecedented setbacks inflicted on her 2016 campaign resulting in a loss to Donald Trump— a loss in the arcane and outdated Electoral College even though she won the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes— she arguably has a lot to be bitter about. Thus I I was impressed with the humility and grace Clinton demonstrated in her speech. Instead of recalling all the mean or unfair things done to her, instead of ruing about how she was not the woman to break the ultimate glass ceiling in the US, she warmly encouraged Democrats to help Kamala Harris do just that.

5) VP candidate Tim Walz tears up

Minnesota governor and VP candidate Tim Walz did not have a speaking role in Night 1 of the DNC. He did not speak, but the cameras often cut to him for reaction shots. It seemed like Walz was on the verge of tears the whole night. His face showed him struggling with raw emotion. I see this as a good thing, BTW. For far too long men have been socialized that showing emotion is bad, that it's a feminine thing and anti-masculine. But having emotions is not limited to one gender. I'm glad to see a male political leader model that it's okay for men to have feelings and show them.