It’s been a year since I visited this space so I thought I’d add some thoughts.

 

Nationally, the last three months have seen improvement in the economic environment in the U.S., but today specfically blew chunks.  I’m still waiting for things to get back to the point where I’m  comfortable being retired (again).

 

Obama certainlyh has taken control of a lot of things, including the banking system, GM, and moving quickly on Health Care.  Lots of bitching out there about the U.S. moving towards socialism.  I can’t really argue but that that seems to be the direction; however, I prefer to think that the political moves going on are both a temporary necessity as well as temporary expedients.  For example, i believe we have GOT to get off of our reliance on foreign oil.  We’ve paid much too high a price in blood, treasure and respect for the U.S. as a result of the need to coddle those in the Middle East who hate us (and from all appearances will continue to hate us no matter what).  If it takes majority ownership on the part of the government to force development and sale of vastly more efficient vehicles, then so be it.   I really don’t care  a fig about ‘freedom of choice’ when it comes to this issue.  Just because Americans are used to getting what they want at virtually any price doesn’t mean that’s the right thing to have happen.  We’ll see.

 

As time goes by, as expected, work relationships are fading with interactions with my former colleagues becoming fewer and further in between.  This was, of course, totally to be expected and I have maintained some good relationships which do appear lasting so no real issues there.  As a retiree with more time alone on my hands I’ve learned to live with and by myself quite well.  The wife continues to work (thanks, Economy) so I am pretty much free to set my own schedule an do things  as and when I like.  All in all quite a liberating experience.

 

This has been the second consecutive year where Spring weather has been unusually cold and wet.  Today is June 15 and we’ve had perhaps two or three days of summer weather (i.e., higher than 80 degrees).  At the same time, last winter was one of the worst in terms of snowfall in years.

 

Speaking of which, I think the old bod has told me that I’ve done enough snowmobiling.  Too much back pain resulting from the constant beating on the trails.  In fact, a friend recently made the comment that “Getting old means a day never goes by when something doesn’t hurt”.  I find that to be a bit of an extreme at this particular point in time but can feel this is where things inevitably end up.  Sort of answers the question I always wondered about, to wit:  “Why do professional golfers lose their skills as they age?”  Of course, this is also indicative of my overall total lack of any talent in the playing of the game, but I used to look at the pros and think they made it look so easy and were so good, I wondered what it was that led to their loss of the ability to play at the pro level.  I now understand the pain involved in just performing routine movements for no reason (other than naturally occurring arthritis).  And I can’t imagine actually walking 18 holes anymore (the dual hip replacement thing there).

 

I finally finished my Vietnam memoirs and have sent them to my brother Larry for a look.  He plays a large role insofar as he and I were stationed together over there.  Not sure what I’ll do with them after he comments.  Possibly may publish them just for yucks and to have a few copies of a book I wrote.  We’ll see.

 

Still not sure what I’ll do with this space, if anything, but plan on stopping by once in a while just to rap.