Obituaries

Lately--well, the past year or so--I've been paying a little close attention to the obits. Don't know what it is, maybe just a case of getting older.  That, and the fact that a few guys I went to college with have passed away. 

I always check for the long obituaries first.  Usually it is from an older person, and you can actually learn quite a bit about a person in just a couple of paragraphs.  A lot of soldiers have been passing on of course, and it seems that a lot of them were successful in their lives after the military.  They were the "Greatest Generation".  Then you have the stories of the people with lots of kids, or teachers for decades, or successful businessmen who started with nothing and made it to the top.  Seem like interesting folks, and when I see someone who lived until they were eighty something I really don't feel so bad for them, as they had a long life, which says something.

I don't like reading about kids who have died.  Especially those who pass accidentally. Feel so sad for them, and for those they leave behind.  I wouldn't have known how to deal with a loss some of these people face.  Of course, every so often you read about a young parent who passes away.  I really feel sorry for the kids left behind. And then you have the people who die who are your age.  This really gets me thinking.  Sometimes I wonder why them and not me?  Good living?  Dumb luck?  Who knows.......

Every so often you come across someone you know.  An old neighbor, a friend you haven't seen or thought about in years, an old teacher, maybe a long lost relative.  These always bring back a rush of memories for me...What was the person doing since I last saw them?  Where were they living?  Family?  There almost always are nice stories or tidbits about folks who pass away.  It's always nice to know that someone has a good word to say about you when your gone.  Hope they don't have to lie when my number comes up.....

Just Sayin'...

Today is small business Saturday.  They want us to go out and shop at the small businesses in our towns and eat at the local restaurants.  Heck, they even had Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York (and the richest guy in the state of New York) promoting this idea.  I suppose this is a good idea.   But maybe they should have thought of it before the Walmarts and McDonalds and Home Depots of the world took over.  Just sayin'.......

I'm wondering when people are goin to take down the election signs from their yards.  It doesn't seem to be one party over the other, but both sides.  Are people just lazy?  Do they think there is going to be a recount?  Have they had this stuff in their yard so long they just think it's part of the landscape?  Just sayin'...

I really don't see the appeal of the Black Friday sales.  Oh I have been there.  The mad dashes, the must have gifts.  But it is crazy.  People can get hurt. Every year the sales seem to get earlier, who knows, maybe next year they will start before Thanksgiving.   I think I'll just use the computer from here on out and let them bring the stuff to the house.  Just sayin'.

I miss the days before cell phones and Ipods and what not.  People don't seem to spend any time just talking to each other anymore.  You walk down the street and people have their ear buds in, you barely get a nod.  Go out to dinner and you hear beeps and buzzes and what not, and half of conversations.  I realize that times have changed, and I have guilt here as well.  But what is so important?  Just sayin'....

The Powerball jackpot is $325 million.  It is the 4th largest jackpot in the history of the lottery.  If you win the pot by yourself, you can take $213 million lump sum or $11 million a year over 30 years.  That is a large pile of cash.  I have no idea what I would do with it, but I am willing to give it a shot.  Remember, if you do not play, you cannot win.  But also remember, play responsibly.  Just sayin'....

Well, we are entering into the hustle and bustle of the holiday season here now.  Holiday parties and visiting relatives and shopping for gifts and everything else that people do this time of year.  Please remember to travel safe, watch out for the other guy, and don't forget the reason for the season.  Just sayin.....

Thanksgiving

Well, we're just about at the start of the holiday season.  Thanksgiving means many different things to different people.  To some it's the start of the shopping season. For others, it's a day full of football.  Others are lucky enough to spend the day with their loved ones, while others are just happy to have a day off of work. 

When I was a kid it seemed like we always had Thanksgiving at my grandparents house.  My aunts and uncles and cousins would be there, and Gramma always made a big feast.  I still would like to know how she made those mashed potatos.  Boy they sure were good.  The Mrs. and I don't really have much family around.  We will be spending the day with my Mom and the kids, and maybe my sister will show up with her family.  I know it is a far cry from how some people will spend Thanksgiving, but we'll have a good time and it will be nice to spend time together.

I started thinking about the things I'm thankful for.  I'm thankful to have a loving wife who takes great care of me.  I'm thankful for my wonderful children who would seem to have decent futures in front of them.  They have never caused me any (meaningful) distress, another thing I'm thankful for.  I'm thankful the Mrs. and I have our jobs, jobs that have provided a pretty good life for us.  I am really happy that there really isn't too much that I want to do that I haven't been able to do. 

I'm thankful that when I flip a switch the lights come on, and when I twist a handle the water (clean) flows.  I'm happy to have a roof over my head.  I am thankful to be well (over?) fed.  I am thankful everyday for all my friends.  I am thankful to live in the greatest country in the world, even with its flaws.  It is better than any alternative.  I have so much to be thankful for, and I need to remember how lucky I have things.  Hope everyone is able to spend time with family and friends, and remember to be thankful for what you have....

Exit Strategy

I've been noodling around with what comes in the next phase of life for a while now, and have finally decided it is time to take things a little more seriously now.  I want to try and get things in order so if (when) something happens to me the Mrs. will be somewhat taken care of.  It ain't as easy as it may sound.

First of all, everyone has an opinion and of course they are all correct.  So you read it and take some of it and come up with your own answers.  Insurance, social security, health care, all important thins to consider.  There just can't be one correct answer for everyone, so you need to take a look at this stuff from all different angles.  You never know what the future will hold, and conditions change all the time.  Still, there comes a time when you need to start having some sort of a plan, and I guess the time for me has arrived.

I have 8 semesters of college to take care of.  Can't believe Stew will only have a year left, and Aleah will be half done come summer.  The Mrs. and I are covering the tab.  We have told the kids this is there inheritance, and not to expect there to be anything left when we pass on.  Don't know if here will or not, but if you don't have expectations you won't be disappointed.  We are fortunate to be in a position to do this, but we saved over the years and it's worked out.  I don't think of it as a burden but a privilege.  The only other thing is the mortgage, and the house is worth more than we owe, so we are okay there.  And the rates are so low I don't think you really want to pay it off early, except for piece of mind.  We'll work on that after the tuition is done.

Need to look at the insurance.  More life insurance?  Probably not---don't want to make myself worth more dead than alive.  I have to sleep here ya know..only kidding Cath.  Life insurance is good, need to look at long term care though.  That is probably my biggest fear, winding up in a nursing home just having it suck away everything you ever had.  Also have to look at the health insurance for retirement, especially before Medicare kicks in---if it will still exist.

 The Social Security deal is another vexing problem.  Draw and suspend.  Spousal benefit.  Wait until your seventy.  Draw at 62. My dad died when he was 67.  I'll be damned if I am going to wait until I am 70 just to have a bigger check.  I  need to find a chart or a web site or probably just do the math to figure out how long you have to live before it makes sense to wait to draw Social Security.  Right now I'm thinking a bird in the hand.....

Of course, the Mrs. and I are fortunate to have traditional pensions, with defined benefits.  I have to laugh at people who give me static about it too.  All you high fliers from the 80's with your high paying jobs who had all the travel and fancy gizmos are now complaining about me having a pension.  But guess what?  There isn't one of you who couldn't have done the same thing I did.  Dream job?  Hell no.  But it paid the bills and actually will allow for a comfortable retirement.  Good for me.

So what are we gonna' do if I can get all this stuff figured out?  Well I don't really think the kids are coming back here after college (who knows), but if they don't I don't really see us staying either.  I really am disliking winter the older I get.  Too far south is too hot for me though.  We need to find some place in the middle of it all--would like to somehow avoid the devastating weather too.  We'd like to travel, and am sure we'll get some of that in as well.  Just take some time and enjoy the world around us. 

Actually anxious to see how all of this is going to work out.  I hope the health holds out, and the economy holds out, basically the world holds out to see what the stage of life is going to hold.  Hopes it's good

The Day After....

Just a few thoughts the day after the 2012 presidential election---

First of all, I'm glad it's over.  I thought it was a very negative campaign on both sides.  Lots of talking points, but you really had to did to get to the meat on the issues.  I wish the candidates would have gone more in depth on their ideas.  Guess I can dream....

Exit polls say that women, Blacks, Hispanics, college aged men tended to vote for President Obama.  White males tended to vote for Romney.  Problem for the Republicans is that white males are shrinking as a percentage of the voters.  The demographics are changing.....

The spin is out there.  If this or that, .2% vote different or whatever.  That's Monday morning quarterbacking.  You can spin numbers anyway you'd like.  And you could do it for most past elections as well.  Time to face reality and move on.

Democrats may think they have some sort of mandate, but I don't think so.  What I really see is that we are living in a very divided country.  I think that Congress and the President had better start working together and get some compromising  going so we can get the country moving again.  I'm looking for a hero.  Maybe a new guy like this Angus guy from Maine.  Maybe one of these new women Senators.  Maybe somebody in the House who doesn't care about getting reelected.  Maybe the President.  Somebody needs to have the guts to put themselves on the line, take the lead and get a coalition together and get something done.  Hold folks accountable.  Make them explain why they are voting one way or the other.  Be open and honest with the American people.  Who knows, might just lead to the Presidency. 

Couple of fun and interesting facts I learned over the past couple of days....

Linda McMahann drops $100 Million of her own cash on two losing runs for the Senate.  Guess we'll see a couple of extra WWE events coming up.

It's been 84 years since the Republicans have won the Presidency without a Nixon or Bush on the ticket. 

Can't comprehend the money spent on these elections---is there a better way?

I think Karl Rove is a tool.

Well that's it for now.  I am (sadly) sure that both parties are already planning for the next election.  I am sure they are going over the exit polls and trying to figure out how to win the next election.  I want to wish all the Senators and Congressmen and the President the best of luck.  They will need it.

Political Mail

Happily it is Sunday, so I won't have to sort through all the political mail I have been receiving.  It seems like there is more each day, mostly presidential and senatorial, but even some stuff from people running unopposed.  I hadn't really paid much attention, but decided to take a little time to read some of the stuff.

Got a couple of pieces from the NRA.  They are concerned about my right to bear arms, or to go hunting.  I am concerned with all the shooting of people going on.  I don't know anyone who goes hunting with an assault rifle.  I don't really think anyone is going to be able to take away your hunting rifle.  I think we need to keep military weapons out of private citizens hands.

I got some mail concerning family values.  About Godless politicians.  About gay marriage.  I don't really care about gay marriage---what you do is your business.  And my family values probably don't dovetail with yours either.  Find it interesting that some folks (including some friends of mine) preach this family value and religious stuff but practice conflicting things.  Better get your own house in order first....

Then I get the stuff about student loans.  Now you have my interest, as I have a couple of college students, and know a ton more.  I hate the fact that higher education prices have gone up so much.  I think part of the deal there is that aid became too easy to get, and schools just raised tuition and fees to tap into it.  I don't like the amount of debt kids graduate with.  I think we need to keep interest rates down, but also think this is a problem we will be dealing with, sooner rather than later. 

A lot of mail has been about jobs.  About the need to create more jobs.  About how we have to keep the jobs we have.  I think everyone would agree we need more well paying, family supporting jobs.  I think there are too many company executives only looking at the bottom line and their own checking account.  I would agree people should be rewarded for their hard work and diligence.  I would also state, though, that we are going to wind up with a two class society.  And that upper class is going to be awful small.  We can't just let people keep slipping into the lower class and poverty.  Check your history---start about 1885 or so....

There has been other stuff as well--where and when to vote, vote early, stuff from unions, from PAC's, even a position paper on President Obama's plans for the next four years.  I have gotten (and delivered) all kinds of election mail, with all kinds of different positions on different subjects.  It is a lot of information to go through, but it important to figure out what is important to you and to vote accordingly.  Good luck!

Sandy

I've been following the storm and the aftermath of it and am just amazed.  The destruction and loss of live is really sad.  The amount of flooding that occurred is really what gets me.  I know what water does to things, and there will probably be problems for years to come.  People's homes are gone.  Entire areas are cut off from the rest of the country.  I can't imagine being without power for three of four or however many days it has been or will be.  The stores are out of food, and gas stations have no power to pump fuel.  

And other fallout.  The election will be affected, everything from not being able to vote early to flooded polling places to Republicans praising Democrats.  Glad to see in the days leading up to the storm the fine merchants were engaged in price gouging (not).  I'd be really leery about buying a used car anytime soon.  I would imagine prices will rise for all of us when this all shakes out.

This was really a far reaching storm.  Blizzards in West Virgina, flooding up and down the east coast, heck there were even voluntary evacuation notices here in Wisconsin.  The damage across the country will be way up in the billions when all is said and done.  But things will get better.  They will get the tunnels pumped out.  Electricity will be restored.  People will rebuild their homes and get things cleaned up.  I don't see how people can say things will get back to normal though, because I'm not sure what normal is anymore with the weather.  Just seems to me that the storms are more intense, and things are on a larger scale than they used to be.

So help.  Don't send food or supplies, they have no place to put it yet.  Make a monetary donation if you can.  Say a prayer or two if you are so inclined.  Give blood--the need is great.   And take some time to make some plans of your own for when the natural disaster hits you.  I have a feeling it may be sooner rather than later.

Oh, and for you runners out there.  The New York City Marathon is still scheduled for Sunday, so if you can get there the competition may be light and you might have a shot at a good finish.  You never know, good luck.....