Here’s two mysteries for you. First, why do motels, say this one in Steinhatchee, FL, put all the beds in one room? That is not generally how families sleep in this country, with a few obvious exceptions like New York baggage handlers, I mean. I understand the idea is the motel wants you to rent a second if you need any privacy, but there is something plain rotten with the entire US hotel-motel organization and its deceptive advertising practices. The second mystery is where in sam-hill is Hammond, LA, and why would I even give the place a mention?
Laugh or cry? It’s tricky to choose with this new book “Moscow Rules”. As near as I can tell, it is an Israeli-Russian spy novel, though we are not supposed to know Washington uses Tel Aviv for the regional dirty work. That’s a secret. Motive? Every time the Mid East bad guys get a bigger rocket, America lends Israel the money to buy the defense system. The loan is never repaid. This was all prophesized somewhere, you know. And the Jews have found the perfect cure for being beaten up in Lubyanka prison: chicken soup. Fixes broken ribs in two days, flat.
How I plowed into 60s Brit music today, nearly passing out from exhaustion without being able to fall asleep. A stupor, that's what they call it. Comes from hard mental work or drinking. Your character is revealed by which one you choose. Finally, late in the day, I took the scooter up to the dance studio near Oleta and chatted with the staff. If you are unaware, I partially worked my way through college as a ballroom dance instructor and I miss it. That, and music, let me tell you, beats working for a living.
The mayor was present. It turned out to be more of a ballroom renovation completion. Chock full of the type who make good dance instructors, duly noted. Marveled by the only building in the area not re-named “Trump” I sampled the watermelon slices and drove home in the sunset. Yep, I must lose some serious weight, I said once again. I may have caught the flu over there. One of their staff looks like Steve Buscemi.
Finally, I’ve got a potential lead in Palm Beach, a two bedroom place on its own land, albeit in a land association. They extend their own financing since you cannot get a mortgage on a mobile in the state of Florida. It’s not prohibited but the banks have collectively agreed not to do so. Nothing official, mind you. For this reason all sales are from and back to the association. It sounds odd, but has advantages.However, the purchase terms are a little vague and I need them spelled out. They’ve left out mention of small expenses, like a $353 association fee every three months, so I have to get them to commit that I am not required to pay any fees they don’t reveal before the purchase date. It disconcerted them, but they are most eager to sell. The place is beautiful and it would be mine all mine in three years if they take my offer. Here’s the front yard. Renting is permitted after the owner has lived in it a year or more.
While nothing is agreed yet, you can take this property as typical of what I’m seeking. I have nothing to lose by waiting and we’d first like to know why half of Ft. Pierce suddenly went for sale. Although that cowtown isn’t anything in the league of where I’m interested, the coastal economy of Atlantic Florida is largely based on video gambling and unemployment benefits. Oh, and gentlemen’s clubs, let’s not forget gentlemen’s clubs like I tend to since Wallace left.
Trivia. Did you know that in Mongolia today there are 16,000,000 descendents of Genghis Kahn? It would be crass to make a joke that's why they all look alike, so I will do no such thing. Most of us know potatoes were first grown in the Andes, but why? Ah, because it was too cold for corn. I learned the TEA in TEA party is capitalized because it is an acronym for “Taxed Enough Already”. And the first paper money in America was printed in 1690.
Other noteworthy events today, I stopped at the shoemakers where it is business as usual, meaning slow. I wanted to chat with Boris, who knows people who bought up condos in the Boca area when they were going for around $18,000 each. Then again, consider what they were used to back in Russia. He says they are happy, but myself I am distrustful of any situation of shared expenses. There’s always a group of free-riders that monopolize and the danger remains of the winners having to split the costs if the losers refuse to pay. I was listening to see if his friends were happy with Boca. It seems so.
My position on voter ID is “against”. I feel there is already enough ID out there to ensure honesty if only the authorities would enforce it. Also, there is no assurance the authorities would not conspire over time to abuse voter ID as well. That is, voter ID would do for better voting much what driver’s licenses do for better driving. But now add another dimension. Felons cannot vote, which makes sense only in a nation where so many people have been in prison that, if allowed to vote, they would represent a real political force.
Nor was that rainstorm last day my imagination, the one where the lights turned green. It was a record rainfall since 1945. Something like 2-1/2 inches in 24 hours, nearly double the old mark. And it only rained maybe an hour and a half that day. It was coming down, let me tell you.
Last, I’m informed some controversy is overdue. So, today I went to the thrift and a tall, thin late 40-ish lady in shorts started flitting around me. I’m like, what gives? How can I turn that into something controversial? I move around, yep, she’s glomming onto me. I left. This is supposed to make my detractors conclude I think I’m too good for anybody who shops at a thrift. Not so, but I would have no problem thinking like that if I wanted to.
True, I was there myself in the thrift, so doesn't the same rule apply to me? Nope, my intention was to buy exercise clothes, not get a date. Besides, she reminded me of Theresa, for whom recreational sex exists in theory only. So what did the thrift lady want? Around an hour later I walked into the library and another lady said hello, but this one was standing beside a bloodmobile. Get it? Ha-ha?
The happy news is that after all these months, I was able to diagram a half-adder from memory.
ADDENDUM
Thanks for making this a record month. It was exciting running myself ragged. No expertise is required to figure out the Savannah holiday was the most economical yet. To my surprise, I was not surprised. That’s because what efficiency there is in my budget is based on resource allocation. It works for me because of the way the system is arranged and because it [resource allocation] is not something the proletariate naturally do well.
I mean, I too want the fancy house and fancy car and fancy woman, but these are elusive goals in our society where success is largely based on head-starts in life. The money-lenders know this and it is amazing how people will borrow to pretend they are something they are not. What suckers! My strategy is pay as you go. Think of it this way, I just got back. Little joke there.
May is plan-ahead month, not the gala of October closing of the books, but still fun as far as budgeting goes. It’s tradition. Last year it was in May that the Colorado trip was cooked up. What’s in the works this year? Well, you know how long I’ve wanted to get back to school. School is plain expensive and you don’t see students working their way through any more. Illegal immigration put a stop to that. School is a matter of dollars, check back with me on that later.
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