3000 Seniors tooting ~ almost a festive suggestion Last week Sandy UT saw the annual Seniors Expo at the Sandy Exhibition Center. It's a two day event providing excelent information, services, entertainment, interactive displays, and in many cases, an enjoyable outing. In my mobile chair, I was in competition with eager Senior, skilled users of walking canes, wheel chairs and assorted mobility equipment. The event had height as well as depth with colorful balloon arches and silver, floating lettering announcing venue areas. Candy, pens and writing blocks were common, sought after give aways. Fresh popcorn and cookies were in demand. One Senior Living Facility was giving white signalling whistles. Demand exceeded supply on the first day. Carrington Court had taken 3,000 whistles with the... 10/08/2012

The "Earthquake Lady" prepares Utah for living in earthquake country Last week in Sandy UT I listened to a presentation by Maralin Hoff, "Earthquake Lady, from the Utah Department of Public Safety. Maralin is a Community Outreach Specialist, imparting her message to all parts of Utah for nearly two decades. For those of you who read my weekly post on seismic events (earthquakes) in the Intermountain West, you will know  that in my hobby of observing these events in the region, I seek to inform, never to alarm. Maralin is full on different. She is more "in your face" expecting the Big One. She gets her message across very well, supported by literature and a large number of comprehensive display boards. Even pets have their own survival packs under Maralin's preparedness preparations. We ... 10/08/2012

We bounced along for the week in the Intermountain West My hobby interest is observing seismic events (earthquakes) in the Intermountain West (Utah to Yellowstone) with my home , Sandy UT in the middle of the mapped area. My observations each cover a period of one week. As usual my information is to inform, never to alarm. My information comes from the US Seismic Service at the University of Utah This last week produced fifty seismic events, of these, 32 were in Utah and 12 in Montana (10 at West Yellowstone). All events for the week were in the micro range.   Kanab UT produced the highest reading, 2.7, twice. Enoch UT recorded four events, and Emery UT and Paragonah UT, three each. The closest to Sandy UT were events at Herriman UT, Tooele (pron.Twiller) UT and two at Stansbury Park UT... 10/02/2012

Daily challenges make life exciting in Sandy UT I like to think I lead a well-ordered, if hectic, life. I get the most out of each day. Now I realize the importance of Plan B, and sometimes Plan C.  D E and F are somewhere there as well. Friday saw my wife drive herself to Alta View hospital in Sandy UT for tests. A phone call advised me she had been admitted for observation, just as a lift piece on my van broke. All the parts shops were now closed until Monday (yesterday) Hasty rearrangements of weekend activities, or at least some of them. Since Alta View Hospital was but two miles distant, I could use my three wheel scooter if I watched its batteries carefully and charged them at both ends. I had to be home for a fridge delivery (time only approximate). Twice a day to the hospital, o... 10/02/2012

Well Served by Destiny A beautiful Autumn morning, a delightful time for a scramble (my version of a tactical outing on my 3 wheel scooter), fresh air with cool temperatures, fine and dry. The weather in Sandy UT at the moment is worth bottling. Sandy UT is a great place to visit anytime; it is a wonderful place to call home. After getting my photo updates, I remembered a bank transaction I needed to do. Zion's Bank sits on the busy corner of 700 E and 9000 S in Sandy ~ a mere 450 yards from my home. Since the 3 wheeler is more difficult to get into the bank lobby than my power chair (two doors need to be opened simultaneously) I put myself in the into the drive-thru line. Little traffic, so I was at the window very quickly. "Hullo, my name is Destiny, and I am so-o glad you came to see... 09/27/2012

A lull in seismic events this week in the Intermountain West My hobby of observing seismic events (earthquakes) for the Intermountain West (Utah to Yellowstone) over the last week shows we have had 24 events ~ all in the micro category. 18 events across Utah, with a 2.3 at Tropic UT 3 events West Yellowstone MT. Biggest for the week, a 2.6. 2 events Warm River ID 1 event Hoya NV. The closest to me was a a micro event last Friday at Canyon Rim UT, 5 mile NNE of Sandy UT. Information on seismic events for the Intermountain Corridor is readily available from the US Seismic Service located at the University of Utah. As usual the information provided by my hobby is designed to inform and interest, never to alarm. As a resident Sandy UT I observe the normal precautions relating to the area, e... 09/25/2012

A week of seismic events in the Intermountain West Seismic events are also called earthquakes. They are a common feature of the Intermountain West (Utah to Yellowstone). Their occurrences in weekly blocks provides the substance of my hobby. I observe and report seismic activity in the region. If you were to draw lines from corner to corner on the US Seismic Service (located at the University of Utah) map, then you will find me living at the cross over (X), in Sandy UT. As always,my intention is to inform, never to alarm. This week has produced thirty events for the Intermountain West. 14 events in Utah 14 events in Montana - 8 of these recorded in West Yellowstone MT (4 Thursday, 2 Saturday) 1 event Idaho 1 event northern Arizona. All earthquakes this week were in the micro category, mo... 09/18/2012

Heritage Festival at Historic Sandy UT Come to the Sandy Heritage Festival on Saturday, September 15 at 11am. It's at the Main Street Park (90 E 8720 S) in Historic Sandy UT. 84070 As a Sandy UT resident I received a notice of the festival from Sandy Community Events, sponsored by the City of Sandy UT, to spread the word. Food and entertainment provided. Entries sought for the Vintage Car competition. See you there on Saturday             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 09/13/2012

A week of seismic events provide fascination. A week of 37 seismic events (earthquakes) in the Intermountain West (Utah to Yellowstone - the Intermountain Corridor) for the last week. The information to fuel my hobby (to inform, never to alarm) of observing seismic activity in this region is provided by the US Seismic Service located at the University of Utah. Information provided for each event is more detailed than is necessary for my weekly written observations, but I find it fascinating. I live in Sandy UT, at the approximate middle of the map for my observed region. I like to think our magnificent mountain scenery benefited  from eons of local seismic activity. This week: 15 events across rural Utah. Largest 2.5 (micro category) at Mayfield UT 13 events in MT, 12 of these at West Y... 09/11/2012

Christie kneads people in Sandy UT My favorite Massage Therapist (who happens also to be my wife) works in Sandy UT.Christie is a Licensed Massage Therapist who impressed me with her skills eight years ago when she visited me in Australia before we were married. I hold Australian Massage qualifications, but here she has Allchristie Massage as her sole business. With her Reiki qualifications and their application, Christie does spectacular work with relief of phantom pains, the very real bugbear of amputees. When I first experienced her work in this field, I was a skeptic ("Fair dinkum, Mate. Don't come the raw prawn").  Bear in mind I am a double above knee amputee who knows where everyone of my toes are. Needless to say two warm calves, much relieved from cramp,  and I was sold. (Three... 09/09/2012

The Hundredth day sure feels good. Celebration in Sandy UT today My 100 Day Attack is over bar the shouting. It's my celebration time in Sandy UT. Tomorrow, Day 101, is planned as my day of rest and gratitude. For those of you have followed the Attack since Day 1, June 1, 2012, I hope you have joined me in some of the consistent, persistent effort involved in the exercise. You will feel the effect also. The Attack is a personal endeavor that I undertake at least once annually to lift myself, to make myself competitive in today's world. My"natural" comfort zone is just that, comfy; limited and excused of achievement necessity because of advancing years and perceived disability. I do not buy that scenario. Life is a magnificent ride; nowhere does it promise to be fair It is better to wear... 09/08/2012

A wordle with a touch... Active Rain is quite a playground  (and a classroom) for me. I get to enjoy the work of others and then get to practice and adapt it to my needs. The serendipity that comes from combining thoughts of others that are freely shared is a daily source of wonder. Gary Coles got me interested (intrigued, really) in Wordles - word pictures that I can produce from my own script. I play with the program from www.wordle.net to satisfy my needs. Gary founded the group Wednesday Wordles. Craig Daniels (Craig's Classroom) with his "Graphics for Bloggers Course" inspired my diving into graphics on a regular basis (as well as watching his course videos over and over to see what I might have missed). His suggestions for graphics production have brought me a long way in my blogg... 09/05/2012

A quiet, light week in the Intermountain West   Even hobbies of exciting observation can have quiet times. This week of shake and rattle in the Intermountain Corridor (Utah to Yellowstone) has been reasonably quiet.   As usual, reporting on my hobby of observing Seismic Activity (Earthquakes) in the Intermountain West is always to inform, never to alarm.   This last week the Intermountain West showed a mere twenty events, all in the micro category. Of these eleven were recorded in Utah with Lemington UT having the largest at 1.7.   Montana produced seven events with West Yellowstone accounting for four of them.    ID and AZ (near the southern UT border) had one event each.   I am excited that Seismic Activity is natural to this area giving me something to observe. I am excited at living... 09/04/2012

Ninety out of One Hundred completed Ninety days in and still charging along. Heat from the dry summer or the friction of sustained effort?  Into the last ten days of the attack with gusto. I can use my 1.1 multiplier yet again to stretch a little further – in a sprint to the finish.  An increase in telephone calls, an increase in door knocking, an increase in meeting new people.  Apart from the  1.1 multiplier (applied each ten days of my 100 Day Attack), previous increases of new people are producing even others (quality introductions) over and above the new ones I find in my increased activity.  Summer heat and shady spots have been my allies during this attack. I go where my Sandy UT residents and clients are to be found.. Early morning rising is a pleasure, producing quiet time and ... 08/29/2012

Fairly quiet in the Intermountain Corridor. This has been a fairly quiet week for seismic activity (earthquakes) in the Intermountain Corridor, a mere 28 events ~ all in the micro range, although a 2.9 at Big Water UT and a 2.8 at Lechee AZ are knocking at the 3.0 boundary of minor earthquakes. My hobby: observing the seismic activity of the Intermountain Corridor (Utah to Yellowstone) in periods of one week. I chose this defined area to observe because I live in the middle of it in Sandy UT. In portraying my excitement for my hobby, my intent is always to inform, never to alarm. Seismic information for my area of interest is readily available through the US Seismic Service located at the University of Utah. Kanosh UT featured big last week with twelve events, but this week could regist... 08/28/2012

Power problems lead to summer ramble in Sandy UT Normally the batteries on my power chair take a beating in the colder temperatures, and snow drifts, of winter ~high demand and super-cooling. So when my power supply recently dropped from providing ten hours of go to twenty minutes of uncertainty, investigation was necessary. Possible short, or bad battery cell? On strip down, I found both inside brushes had jarred loose, but were still functioning. Batteries showed full charge and tested well under load. Still the malfunction. Enter my standby batteries. Like spare tires, these batteries normally languish in un-use, looking the part but not being put to the test recently.Two deep cycle batteries weigh in at around fifty pounds. The change over is best described as fiddly. The offending ... 08/24/2012

A bout of activity and a link with history After a minor earthquake (3.1) and five other seismic events (all micros) last Monday (just outside the scope of this map) Kanosh UT (Millard County) has hogged the attention of my hobby again this week with 12 micro (largest 2.7) earthquakes for this 168 hour period. My hobby: observing the seismic activity of the Intermountain Corridor (Utah to Yellowstone) in periods of one week. I chose this defined area to observe because I live in the middle of it in Sandy UT. The nearest event to me this week was Bluffdale UT. Seismic information for my area of interest is readily available through the US Seismic Service located at the University of Utah. As always, my observation of seismic activity is to inform, never to alarm. Of this week's forty sei... 08/20/2012

How do you "break the ice"? Social media allows us to be verbose while encouraging a paperless existence. We can post long and often with our blog sites ~ and interactive replies can produce short acceptance of view or long arguments of dissent. The Facebook format encourages shorter burst of thought and equally often obtuse replies with abbreviations Twitter requires a modicum of discipline limiting users to 140 characters (including spaces) Spare a thought for a medium I like ~ buttons. Even my largest production size of 3" does not allow for many characters to get my message across. In some cases the message contains different meaning for different viewers. Sometimes my alter ego O'Larry the Clown influences the content. Apart from boring branding for political aspirants, buttons cov... 08/15/2012

Thoughts on Early Morning in Sandy UT I have already been up five hours, and it's only 9am. It is my choice ("sleep is an optional extra"). Not your drag 'em up kicking and screaming type of up or I have to get up because it's up to me type of up, but a joyful choice to start a new, productive day and I don't want to miss a minute of it type of up. I have goals, written goals. I have a plan. Not fixed in stone, mind you, but measurable and tweakable (love these modern words for imprecise description).  Plenty of time for feeling and writing gratitude. Not only have I been able to pursue some rewarding, creative work, and some reading, but for exercise  I ventured outdoors in my chair with my dumbells, to watch the sun rise over the mountains of the Wasatch Front. My mountains by adoptio... 08/15/2012

Like scattering confetti in the Intermountain West, a shake or two... A minor earthquake (a 3.1) a few hour hours ago at Kanosh UT, 29 seismic events (earthquakes) for the week in the Intermountain West (Utah to Yellowstone) 28 in the micro category, 22 of the events for the week within the borders of Utah, 6 of those events near Huntington UT. Our portion of the seismic event map produced by the US Seismic Service, located at the University of Utah looks like a confetti scatter, making the Yellowstone part looks like it has been napping this last week All this is of interest to me as my hobby is observing seismic events in the Intermountain West on a weekly basis. My area of interest has me living at the middle of the map,in Sandy UT. Information is readily available (even up to hourly... 08/13/2012