It has been 7 years since I left the workforce at the"Foods". Many of the people that I worked with have either moved on to different jobs or retired. One manager (I'll call him Mr. P) has entered the teaching arena at UW-Oshkosh. He teaches undergraduate business courses at night.
One of Mr. P's classes is doing case studies on Company DNA. I guess the DNA signifies identification of all the parts that make up a company. With the "deep" understanding of a company assets and culture (DNA), techniques can be applied to continually improve the company. Huh?
Mr. P had one of his students contact me to do a case study on the "Foods". I inquired as to whether I get paid for this effort and I was informed that it was "giving back" to develop future business leaders. Now let me get this straight, Mr. P gets paid to teach and I work gratis with his students. Sounds like he learned his lessons in finance well.
Stay tuned. You all will learn about corporate DNA whether you want to or not.
Debs is back home and at last contact had her heart rhythm was normal and the medication was working. I guess there is a checkup in a week. Hopefully they got it right this time.
Nana is training all the staff at Rocky Knoll how to do things right! She seems to be in control.
Stay warm.
Love,
Dad
Isn't there a children's tale about Chicken Little getting hit on the head with an acorn (or apple or something) and he immediately screams to the rest of the poultry world that "the sky is falling, the sky is falling".
What has this got to do with me you ask? Well the weather forecasters have been telling us for a week that a storm is coming. The weather system in question had not even moved into California and the alarms went out. So during the week of sunshine and tollerable temperatures, all I hear is that "a snow storm is coming, a snow storm is coming". Don't we have enough things in the world to worry about without worrying about snow in about a week?
We live in a world of alarmists!
There is a large asteroid coming towards earth and in the year 2036, there is a one in 4500 chance that it might hit the earth. Start worrying right away.
Global warming is going to destroy the world. In 100 years, there is the prospect that average temperatures in the world could go up 2 degrees. This alarm comes 30 years after the prediction that the earth core is cooling and we will have another ice age.
Excessive C02 emissions will destroy the ozone layer in the atmosphere. The biggest contributor to unwanted gases is cows farting. How concerned should I be?
Enough about the Chicken Little Effect.
Nana is temporarily checked into Rocky Knoll. She seems pretty good at "rolling with the punches". The goal now is to expedite the process of getting her back "home".
Debs has gone though a series of medication experiments (it is a trial and error process) to slow down her heart. The current medication has not done the job and I understand they stopped and started her heart again. Supposedly restarting the heart re-establishs normal heart beat in the majority of cases. Then with medication and a re-established rhythm she can live to be 100. They are still experimenting!
Paul is looking for opportunity. Apparently it wasn't in Manitowoc. The good side is he now avoids all the snow, rain and sleet that go with a commute along Lake Michigan. I think they call it Lake Effect Snow.
Chris and Shelby are getting ready to move. They are not going far. I think they plan to move is next weekend. Their new home is not too far from where we lived on Greenfield Steet in Appleton.
The only thing sure in life is that things will keep changing. The sun will come out tomorrow. And no, the sky is not falling.
Stay warm.
Love,
Dad
I walked out the door this morning and it was 32 degrees. 7:00 AM and it is already 32 degrees. Who needs the warmth of Florida or Arizona? Whoopeeeee!
Tomorrow Grasshopper No. 1 returns to the hospital In Wausau. The rapid heart beat has returned but not to the extent it did before. So for one, two or three days (whatever it takes), the doctors will try different medication combinations to control the heartbeat. Here is hoping they find the solution soon.
Tomorrow Nana enters Rocky Knoll outside of Plymouth until she gets fully enrolled in a new assisted care program. Depending on how long the bureacracy takes to get her approved for the new program will determine how long she stays at Rocky Knoll. It could be a day, a week, a month or several months. The promise is that everything will be expedited and she will be back in Kindred Hearts shortly. Anytime the government says they will take care of you, I get nevous. Here is hoping the process goes quickly.
Tomorrow I will do my taxes using Turbo-Tax. Interesting enough, the biggest job is calculating the medical deductions. First there is Medicare A that we don't pay for. Then there is Medicare B that we elect to receive and pay around $100 per month per person. Then there is the prescription drug program that we pay for on a monthly basis. Then there is supplemental personal medical insurance to cover what Medicare doesn't cover. And then there are the things not covered by the insurance programs such as dental procedures, deductible amounts for prescription coverages and the cost of eye glasses. When you get done filtering through all the receipts, you only get to deduct the costs in excess of 7.5% of your income. It almost doesn't seem worth the effort.
If you notice, there is a medical pervasiveness to this blog. The message is don't get sick. Don't get old. Don't get stuck on government programs. I guess there is something to "living it now".
To continue my cynical view of the world (it is what I do best), I want you to know that the Wisconsin Badgers are rated the No. 1 basketball team in the nation for the first time in their history by the AP poll. They play Michigan State on the road tonight and the Badgers will lose. The No. 1 rating is like a curse. The Badgers are still a very good team and could go far in the NCAA tournament.
I grew up around baseball. It comes with promise each year. It means weather will be getting better. It means that you can get out the gloves and toss around the "pill". It means a potential championship as teams work with new players and young rookies. It conjures up visions of hot dogs, popcorn, soda and even a brew. It is America. Yep, and the Brewers will still suck!
Love,
Dad
This blog is about George and Lyla (Grandpa and Nana). They took humble beginnings and together built a fulfilling life. They had 3 children to generate life's promise of "family". They took the risk of starting their own business. They earned success. They retired with some reluctance but they knew that they had lived the American dream. They passed on their business and they were confident they could live out life in dignity.
Grandpa's health failed in his middle 80's and he passed away after his body just gave out. He was proud of what he accomplished and he was allowed to live out his retirement in dignity.
Nana just turned 96. Her choice has been "assisted care" for the last 5 years. She is very capable of most things and her mind is sharp. The financial resources that she and George built over a lifetime have allowed Nana to have her residence of choice.
The dilemma is that Nana is broke! 96 years of financial independence has slowly disappeared. It seems to me that this is a cruel fate of life. Aging can strip away the financial dignity that was built over a lifetime. Her choices are gone. She is now totally dependent on others.
There are State sponsored programs that should allow Nana to continue to live in the assisted care facility she has enjoyed over the last 5 years. The State controls where you live, the doctors you can see (they have to be in a the State approved program), her drug purchasing program and she gets the princely sum of $45 spending money each month. Imagine having only $45 to buy discretiionary things each month. Her social security check must be surrendered to the State.
Nana will always have the dignity and respect that go with living an exemplary life. I hope the loss of financial independence does not strip away any of the dignity she has earned.
One of Andrews' Laws is that everybody is entitled to the dignity they have earned. It is just common sense. As we all stand the prospect of living longer lives because of medical improvements and drugs, we could outstrip our own savings and financial resources. I pray that everyone is allowed to keep their dignity.
Love,
Dad
Tomorrow in Valentines Day. It is the time for all romantics of the world to create an "aura of caring" for those you love. My special invitation is that you be my valentine. You are special to me and I hope your day is filled with special things. Please be my valentine.
My weekend was spent with a toothache. It was the precursor to a root canal. There aren't many pains in the world that are more annoying. It just never goes away. You can not "block out" the pain. So you try to make yourself busy. Go places. Do things. Of course none of that works so you end up being cranky and spaced out. Yesterday my dentist did a "pulpectomy" removing a portion of a nerve with a final procedure in a month. Yes, the pain has subsided and I can't remember why I was so miserable.
I noticed this morning that the Regis Hair Salon at the Mall was relocating within the mall to a better location. The new outlet has hardwood floors, stainless steel sinks and a bright and cheery environment. There must be money in hair styling. Regis is a mid-west chain and apparently very sucessful. There is also a hair styling outlet in the mall called Cost-Cutters. I seem to know that name. Wait, I think Jenny works at Cost-Cutters. Wouldn't you know that Regis owns Cost-Cutters also. So if you go the the mall, it doesn't make any difference whether you go to either salon because they are owned by the some company. Go to Cost Cutters. They have special people like Jenny.
Here is a reminder that Andrews' Laws still work. One law is "there is no such thing as job security". Job Security is an illusion. It is a perceived feeling. Yesterday, Marty Schottenheimer, the coach of the San Diego Chargers football team was fired. He had won 14 games and lost 2. He had the best record in football. His job was secure. Job performance was outstanding. Right! Marty's was told his relationship with his General Manager boss was dysfuctional and the General Manager fired him. Huh? So Marty got his just reward; a boot in the ass for a job well done. So much for job security. My "law" applies.
Just a note on filing taxes. Refunds are great thing. If you file electronically, you get the refund faster but my understanding is that you pay an additional $15 fee. If you file normally, it costs you postage. Then, if you file using one of the local "tax preparation companies", they will give you your money immediately on the premise that they charge you the interest on the money until the refund is received. So after a handling charge and a large interest cost, you get your money. If you file normally, there are no finance charges. Is this a great country or what?
So as I close, I remind you to reach out to your favorite people in the world and make them your valentine tomorrow. For that matter, make them your Valentine everyday. Wouldn't that be special.
Love you all,
Dad
Sometimes the stars of the universe get in alignments that cause strange things to go on.
First is the "lusting astronaut". I guess with Valentine's Day approaching, it is appropriate that somebody famous has to do something in the name of love. I don't remember her name but a female astronaut drove 900 miles non-stop wearing a special absorbant "huggy diaper" to intercept her perceived rival for the love of an unsuspecting male astronaut. Clearly something snapped. It was "star" alignment. You want a stock tip? Buy Huggies.
Anna Nicole Smith dies at 39. She looked pretty healthy to me. The fascination with this over-stuffed blonde was money. She marries an 89 year old billionaire who realizes his dream (he dies in bed with a beautiful girl at age 90). Anna spends the rest of her life fighting other family members over the money. It still isn't settled. Her son dies of an overdose at age 20 and her 3 month old daughter's paternal father has not been identified. It looks to me as if the daughter will spend a life surrounded by billions living a life of quiet desperation. Could it be the stars?
Then there is the damn cold. What is this 16 below zero stuff? It goes on and on and on.
My garage door has an arthritic condition that acts up when it gets cold. It goes up automatically and it "stutter stops" on the way down requiring manual intervention. But there is hope. As the days warm up and the temperatures in the garage get above freezing, the garage door works. It has to be mechanical arthritis.
Okay, lets get positive. February 7 marked the 43 birthday (last Wednesday) of Grasshopper No. 3. He is in effect the West Allis (a suburb of Milwaukee) Flash. He is the only offspring to be born in Milwaukee. I can tell you it wasn't 16 below zero when he was born.
Then there is February 11 which marks the 96th birthday of your Grandma Lyla (Nana). There have been some early celebrations but there will be more to come. She was born in Minnesota but I'm not sure of the exact location.
So Grasshoppers, there is evidence of "long life". Nana is 96 and she is obviously on your mother's side of the family. On my side, there is a great-grandfather who reached 95 and a great uncle who approached 100. Your prospects of longevity are excellent.
We've gained 1.5 hours of length to our days since December and warm weather will return. The world will learn to live without Anna Nicole and without astronaut "cat-fights".
There is a famous play where the lead song lyrics are "the sun will come out tomorrow"? Grasshopper No. 5 knows it well. Look for the sun.
Stay warm!
Love
Dad
Your child is 18 years old. You want them to retire with a lots of money! Is there a simple way? I mean, a simple formula for success with minimum pain.
Yep, there is! Always pay yourself first. Save a small amount of money from each paycheck, put it in the bank until it builds up and then invest in blue chip growth stocks that average 10% annual growth. If you save $20 per week for the 47 years until retirement, you will have $700,000 in your accounts. If you can manage $30 dollars per week to age 65, you will have over a million dollars.
There is a catch. The weekly savings can not be touched. It is not for impulse purchases or any other kind of use. $20 or $30 per week is manageable and over the years as you earn more, it becomes easier.
You need to set aside money on a weekly basis without fail. The suggestion is $30 per week but more or less is dependent on your earnings and level of commitment.
Never miss a weekly contribution. No exceptions! This is a habit. Make a special trip to the bank each week to deposit your money.
Never touch your cash or investments. Never, never, never. Figure out different ways to solve you day to day financial problems as though your "set-aside-savings" don't even exist.
Invest your accumulating cash in solid blue chip growth stock for the "long pull". Forget the stocks that promise to make you rich in 20 days.
Enjoy the success of your program. The money totals will grow and you can take pride in what you are accomplishing.
If you 5 Grasshoppers had started saving $30 per week at age 18 and stayed steady with your commitment, the following totals be sitting in your bank accounts:
Grasshopper No. 1 - $182,425.
Grasshopper No. 2 - $165,676.
Grasshopper No. 3 - $136,276.
Grasshopper No. 4 - $ 52,555.
Grasshopper No. 5 - $ 27,817.
Start today. Pay yourself first. Never deviate from your plan. Never withdraw from you accounts. Invest wisely. Have fun! it works! Use the concepts of disiplined savings, compounded growth, and long term "focus".
Love,
Dad
Today is Feb. 2 and it is Ground Hog day. It is the day when stupid people believe that if a ugly little "rat" can see his shadow when he emerges from a hole, we will have 6 more weeks of winter (or is it the other way around?). Who cares?
There was one family birthday on Feb. 2. My great grandfather (Myrna's dad) always celebrated on Ground Hog day. He lived to age 95. The date was lucky for him.
Today is also a full moon. If anything bad happens to you today, it is explained.
It is also Super Bowl weekend. It is a weekend when people spend huge amounts of money to see a football extravaganza that means absolutely nothing. It is an excuse to celebrate something. I didn't know the facts until recently but the Thursday and Friday before Super Bowl Sunday account for sales of more TV's than any other days of the year. So some fans go out, spend $2500 to buy a 55 inch flat screen HDTV and then invite friends and family over. Another small fortune is spent on appetizers, pizza, and beer. And the winner is? The NFL. Beer producers: Budweiser and Miller. Cable and Satelite broadcasters. TV manufacturers. Media types of all kinds. Is this a great country or what?
Now my rant. A Baptist church in Indianapolis was going to host a "Souper Bowl Sunday" featuring hot soups and chili along with showing the 200-300 participants the Super Bowl game on a 12 foot TV screen. They were to charge a small fee which was to cover the food. Guess what? The NFL issued them a letter telling the church it was illegal to advertise a Super Bowl event (Souper Bowl, come on), charge for it, and show the game on a screen larger than 55". The event has been cancelled. Apparently Sports Bars are exempt because they have an on going relationship with the NFL (they pay huge fees to satelite TV to get featured games). What a crock of unadulterated bullsh--! I know the NFL is trying to protect their franchise but it seems NFL lawyers have forgotten about common sense. Why do you want to irritate your good customers (and parishners)?
So how does the NFL ruling affect you? Don't you dare hold a Super Bowl party with more than 10 people using a screen larger than 55 inches. You could be arrested and held for copyright infringement. You dare not attend a party with over 10 people either.
Grasshopper No. 4 understands the concept of "serving the customer". In this case, the NFL should be trying to bring it's product (a NFL Championship Game) to as many "fans" as possible. In doing so, they will make a lot of money. Everything will take care of itself. Why irritate 300 Baptist fans in Indianapolis and then potentially all Baptists and then potentially a denominations? Why risk a potential boycott of the stupid game? The NFL has not heard of good public relations.
Yes, I am going to watch the Super Bowl anyway! It is good thing I'm not a Baptist.
Stay warm. Enjoy the Super Bowl.
Love,
Dad