Maintain And Control
12 August 2017 | Tipperary Waters Marina
Thursday 10 August 2017
Today was chockers with excitement. Drove the Ford to Gibbsy's at 0745 for oil change and rego inspection (REH-joe - that's Australian for auto registration, they apparently have some difficulty pronouncing more than two syllables) with folding bicycle in trunk for return to boat, then one or both of us will bike to Dr. Sam's for enlightenment (there's that word again) on cantaloupes.. err, prostates and cholesterol levels, which had not been completed from last week's blood draw.
- Later
All the physiological bits and pieces are within acceptable parameters and no chemistry or sharp object interventions are in the offing. In a related story, old wrist blood pressure monitor died and replacement usually couldn't organize a response until pumping up to 280 mmHg. Subsequent stratospheric readings possibly due loss of feeling and fear of incipient gangrene. New monitor measures on the way up and gives more aesthetically pleasing results. May not be accurate, but blithe ignorance is wonderfully comforting.
Checkup, rego inspection and oil change were almost half cost of car and nothing needed fixing.
Saturday
Biking around Darwin (today for 25 km with Jan who is feeling delightfully better) is also a thrill a minute. Mandated speed limit on all bike paths is 20 kph. While pretty minor, this arbitrary regulation like most constitutes an upper limit on good things and a lower limit on bad. In open areas with no traffic one is not allowed to get good exercise, but is authorized to endanger children, dogs and crotchety oldsters by passing too quickly. Do not, however, misconstrue this manipulation as wrong. The blessing is that government absolves one of the pesky necessity to think or use judgment. Except for a few minor issues that need trouble only the most selfish, this is great since most people are taught from childhood to remain dependent. Going from parental oversight directly to paternalistic control by politicians and bureaucrats is a facile transition that makes life so much easier. We can all relax, comforted in the perception that these paragons have the expertise, knowledge and wisdom to order our lives better than we can. Not you, of course, everyone else.
Jack