Modern marketing. Here’s the $8 refill for the $9 pen. Better stock up. And we all love scattered showers, because they know when I have to make a 40-mile round trip to Plantation. Even wearing rain gear, I was soaked to the bone including socks and underwear when I arrived. It was that important and I had to be there. It cleared up nicely for the return trip when there was plenty of time. Is it me, or is it really Florida?
Don’t expect much today, as I didn’t get back until nearly dark. So, I’ll talk predictions and events not yet pending. For example, I dislike being under the restriction of not traveling more than an hour’s distance from my heart clinic, but the reason is that I’ve done every last interesting thing there is to do in this town. I crave adventure my whole life and the way it’s been for the past eight years I just don’t like it.I’ve been trapped here for eight long years. I was leaving town when I collapsed. It hasn’t been that bad, but I would rather have waited the time out in Colorado or Oregon. Even Texas, but let’s not go overboard on that one. The travel restriction should be gone with a month, anyway. I’ve cheated by going to Naples, Key Largo, St. Augustine, and such over the years. Staying right here raises a quality of life issue. My biggest dislike of Florida is that there are so few people like me. Everybody wants a handout.
Both bases are covered, I have plans in place for both travel and the slim possibility I could be trapped in Florida the rest of my life. If the latter, I would sure get a lot of research done. My dream life is nearby a small desktop lab, which differs from having a home workshop in that most men don’t study in their workshop. Actually, not many of them do any work there either, but shhh.
Suppose my heart has stabilized? That would triple my remaining life expectancy and it would be my own fault if I don’t prepare. The Smithsonian says by 2050 there will be 600,000 Americans over the age of 100. And they will all be ahead of you at the Winn/Dixie checkout. I believe the same article stated people under 35 lost 51% of their net worth in the housing collapse. So, that crowd will be in their 70s by 2050, and broke and mad as hell. Trust me, once you are over 35, you never recover from that kind of loss.
On the other hand, I’d have plenty of company when this state becomes full of really poor people. In 2004 my income fell by 91%. It’s improved since but I will still need to decide on some long-term (over seven years to payout) investments or I’ll wind up in the weeds. This goes against convention that says I should spend every penny I get on having a good time. But in a sense, I’m already doing that. I don’t associate debauchery with fun, though a little temptation never hurts. So, I will plan ahead with the intention of investing, but stop at intention for now.
My future today involved going to Karaoke. I could easily do this circuit and put on a damn good show. All music plans are on hold, I’ve even decided not to pursue playing for the remainder of the summer. By October, I should have the Fishman and some kind of powered mixer. I’ve got a 3-disk Karaoke machine but no burner for the thousands of songs I collected while the going was good.
I sang “Pirate Looks at 40” and “Oh Lonesome Me” to a sparse crowd of early drinkers. There’s a rumor about that business is too slow but it is even slower elsewhere and nobody has closed up in the past several years. There hasn’t been time to find my own style of singing, but I’ve learned when not playing bass, I can croon and swoon the older gals in the audience. The problem is, the older gals in the audience kind of look like my grandmother. I have no musical direction at this time.
