May 16, 2025

Yesteryear
One year ago today: May 16, 2024, the textbooks themselves.
Five years ago today: May 16, 2020, I need a workshed.
Nine years ago today: May 16, 2016, WIP
Random years ago today: May 16, 2017, yet another guitarist.

           I got nothing for you this morning except this object for sale in Sebring. The price tag is $176,000 and yes, it is a container unit. The smirk on my face is because I had once considered investing in these—for the third world, not Florida. The delivery, set up, and land are extra. That means these crates now represent the cheapest “permanent” form of housing on the market. There are still patches of land for sale out in the boonies for $10,000 that would leave you without gems like water and power and no, you cannot run in your own.

           Around half your floor space is the necessary hallway that runs front to back. Other than that the cheapest places for sale are fixer-uppers near Lake Wales that you would have to sink money into instantly. By contrast, I lived here eight months before undertaking serious repairs. Then again, that was necessary to build up reserves again. I took a huge but calculated chance that nothing would go wrong that I could not repair myself.

           Did you get a load of that new “study” by Oberlin that says good decision-making is the result of White privilege? That’s correct. Oddly, I agree with the process but somehow must have failed at connecting it with race. I’ve always maintained that discipline and privacy, when undertaken soon enough in life, will magnify positive outcomes later. Now Oberlin (a black school) says this is an unfair advantage. Oberlin calls it a “virtuous cycle”.
           It works because making good decisions results in increased return of resources and options that encourage further good decisions. I can confirm this, but would point out this works in so many areas besides money and success that only the willful can ignore the message. Yet Oberlin goes on to say that successful people are not more talented and hardworking but (duh) only appear that way due to a “compounding accumulation of ill-gotten gain”, which they use to erect an “insurmountable barrier that is traveling away from the rest of us at light speed”.

           Gulp, I never realized practice and reading every day was such an evil thing, much less ill-gotten. I’d best mend my ways, they say, and become a broke, wailing, gronk just to fit in. According to Oberlin, the sacrifices I had to make were nothing but White privilege. That is, I could not have done them in isolation. Was is Barry or the Hildebeest that said nobody in America makes it on their own because there is a government roadway nearby.
           Sure, I’m aware some will say I’m the same because I’ve also said nobody did it on their own. Ah, but I’m not saying that and I’m not against that. What I don’t like is those who know damn well they got free money who ladle out advice without specifying where the money came from. Like those people who post on-line how they live “off the grid”, then show a million-dollar spread with a horse barn, apple orchard, and a nine bedroom log cabin.

           On the other hand, I’ll tell you this place cost $18,000 and I got the money by saving up living in a trailer court for eleven years. By the time I finished paying hidden fees, the price was just over $20,000. And I had less than $200 left in the world the day after I moved in. That is in stark contrast to what the Homes & Garden troop is willing to admit. And if that container is the standard to go by, I want $220,000 for this place today.
           A glance at the market shows a bleak picture. I would have made some different decisions had I known I’d live this long. But nothing earthshaking because at no time have prices been in range of anybody who didn’t get a head start. Who has the required $60,000 (20%) down payment unless they already own a house? The mortgage payments over 30 years are nearly $2,500 per month including the required insurances and taxes. You can bring up any of several sites in Polk County that show without degrees or experience, you’d be lucky to get a job paying $20 per hour. You would not qualify for a $300,000 mortgage. See addendum for follow up.

Picture of the day.
Micanopy is real.
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           Unable to start up in the heat, I reached for the bass and ran through all the new numbers except a couple I want to really focus on. I can’t find a copy of “The Accountant” and I’ve never seen all of “Joe Dirt 2”. This is not going to be a big day, but tomorrow is something special. The Reb has a major event that could spiral her into the big time. It’s times like this that people like us thrive. It is what I would do if I had the talent, there is nothing life that compares to a stage when the audience loves you. I would rather dwell on a lifetime of failures than lead the empty lives I see everywhere. They never fall who never climb.
           How odd, when I get under the joists to run wire, I hear a distant phone ringing. It stops when I get out? Mystery. So the Supreme Court said Trump can’t deport illegals without “propert notice.” I believe that gives Trump the right to send in the Marines. Says right there in the Constitution you can’t aid people here illegally. I believe I’ll go shopping tomorrow.

           More news out of South Africa, the Mandela people continue to shoot themselves in the foot. The word is they are continuing with the land expropriations despite a 90% failure rate of blacks taking over White farms. I’m reminded of that huge orange grove, largest south of the Equator. The surrounding tribes won a land claim and took over the estate, promptly chopping down all the trees for firewood. Then torched the packing plant to protest they had no jobs.
           The back work shed has excellent cooling fans and I’d planned to build more boxes. Instead, the heat had me lie down for a siesta and I slept until past midnight. I promised I’d report any changes that I even think are connected to aging, so I don’t think I’ll ever die from lack of sleep around here. The local rent-a-stall vendor place has tripled their prices, so selling any boxes that way is doubtful. And I’m still not completely happy with the boxes. The joints need to be glued, which is a cost and process that I’d rather avoid.

ADDENDUM
           What if I had to return to work. What could I do and what is out there. My days of lifting and moving are over, so that leaves computer work. Unlikely as it is I would work rather than contract the job, let’s look at the closest thing I could still do for eight hours a day if I had to. Careful here, I am not seeking a job that will kill me, so rule out management stress. The reality is I’m more apt to follow my traditional pattern of taking any job to get in the door, then shooting up the ranks.
           There are plenty of what are now called “fiscal accounting” positions in the $18 per hour range. You work under an accountant, good, let him take the flak, and the job is record keeping and data analysis. My major background in statistics would quickly separate me from the pack, so what is top dollar in this field? Let’s look it up at Indeed.com, it says here the most is $30 per hour and yes, I could live on $240 per day. Let’s see what Trump does with the taxes, you do know all the Democrats and RINOs will turn on any cuts he tries.

Last Laugh