# Son of Perdition - tales from the darkside



## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 6, 2014)

Entry #1 - Introduction

I've probably started a diary/blog/journal 5 or 6 times.  Each time I find myself wondering what the heck was I thinking.  No one would be interested.  So here goes another try.  I'm 69 and holding was born in a humble log cabin in Illinois, no wait that was somebody else.  My family consisted of 2 boys 3 girls and the usual issue of one mom and one dad.  I was the 2nd oldest.  I still have 3 siblings alive but have been estranged from the younger 2 since my mother passed, bad feelings.  My father was a mason contractor for 42 years, mother worked low paying odd jobs throughout her life.  My brother and I followed somewhat in our father's footsteps.  I lost interest and jumped back into computer support when the local economy was in the dumps in the early 70's.  I never really liked bricklaying and I'm sure there will never be a reality show about the excitement generated standing on a scaffold, bent over placing one brick on the other.   

 I was raised LDS 'Mormon' and stayed with that religion until my late 50's I was never completely sold on the whole idea anyway.  I had a conflict with some of the brethren at work over my desire to have a cup of coffee once in a while.  I questioned their beliefs and soon found myself reading up on the history of the church becoming more disillusioned after each book.  I became somewhat of an expert on our early history and would argue with anyone who wanted to about my understanding and shaken belief system.  I had my name removed from the records and filed to be removed as member in 2002.  I have now tempered my thoughts somewhat and lost interest in making hell for the missionaries when they come around.  They are young men and women who claim to have a testimony and who am I to question their beliefs.  We now have an understanding since they refuse to give up on my wife, also a mormon.

 I had been in the USAF (63-67) and had been trained as a computer operator in the early days of computing.  In fact I found an article about the general time I had served.  It claimed there were only 12,000 first generation computers in existence at the time and most were owned by the government.  My tour was 4 years and *NO MORE* for me.  I worked for a few years at 2 different banking operations, one in Idaho and one in Utah.  I had a personal issue with our lead operator and decided to quit going back into construction.  I hod carried for 1 summer/fall on a high rise hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah.  The general wanted me to go south to St George Utah to work on a school but my dad offered me a job with his crew so I could stay with my family.  I worked another 3 years with him.  I quit when I was offered a position at a large aerospace firm in Northern Utah and remained with them for the next 35 years.

 I retired in 2009 and moved to Oregon because of extreme winters in Northern Utah.  I didn't ski and the only winter sport I participated in was snowmobiling.  It became too costly and my machines were ancient.  So most winters were spent watching TV, working and watching it snow.  By Feb each winter I was like a snow bound caged animal, I had developed a bad back because of childhood polio and couldn't do yard work or snow shoveling, after retiring we searched for a more hospitable climate moving in 2011, purchasing a manufactured home in a 55+ park and have remained 3 years without looking back.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 7, 2014)

Entry #2 - Travel

My earlier interest in travel was more of a need to satisfy my natural curiosity of things that are different.  I no longer fly out of fear and discomfort.  I mentioned that my problems with my back have limited my activities and sitting in  confined seating with little freedom of movement is painful on my back and legs.  When I do travel now it's usually by private auto.  I stop frequently and get out and move around helping relieve the pain.   

 We have visited 49 out of the 50 US states (North Dakota being the one I've missed), Mexico and Canada.  When I was in the USAF I traveled to Taiwan, all the Scandinavian counties except Finland.    Visited France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Germany and Holland.  I've lived in Idaho, Utah, Texas and now Oregon.  Auto travel has it's downsides but the freedom of choice and fly by the seat of your pants challenges are something I won't give up.  I usually drive and my wife navigates with map in hand.  My only request to her is try to keep me off the interstates as much as possible so we can enjoy something besides the chain motels and travel plazas that line the freeways.  Most times it's interesting and we see things that are usually not on the travel guides.   

 We always try to find out of the way places to eat and unique places to lay our heads.  Some have been a one time thing and wouldn't recommend them to my friends.  Others have remained in my memory as an enjoyable experience.  We had frog legs in New Orleans at Papa Joe's, fresh crabs on the outer banks of North Carolina, chuck wagon dinner and western show in Colorado, eaten $7 Jello dessert on Puget Sound, Sourdough bread at Fisherman's Wharf in SF, Bar-b-Que beef over an open pit in Texas, Burnt my tongue on the hottest Mexican cuisine in New Mexico, experienced grits in an out of the way diner in Tennessee, scrabble in New Jersey, something I'm not sure what meat was in it somewhere in Kansas and got ripped off at a horrendous cafe east of Tucson along many others good and bad.

 My travel is somewhat limited now but do enjoy a quick trip to surrounding states.  Where we have chosen to live is a place I would normally visit on a vacation so the need to get away is unnecessary now.  I'm on extended vacation now.


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## Bee (Nov 7, 2014)

Enjoyed reading your story , very interesting, thankyou.


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 7, 2014)

Thanks for sharing your story Son_of_Perdition, interesting to be sure.  Thank you for your service too.


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## Pam (Nov 7, 2014)

Interesting read. Do you plan to visit North Dakota to make it a round 50?


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 7, 2014)

Pam said:


> Interesting read. Do you plan to visit North Dakota to make it a round 50?


Not at this time, it's like my father used to say 'Leave at least one bite on your plate'.  Don't know what that statement meant, but it was one of his favorites.  He also advised me to, 'Never hire your friends or relatives, they secretly want to see you fail'.  One other one was, 'Never enter into a deal with a religious school teacher'.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 8, 2014)

Entry #3 - Gambling

Gambling has always been a secret and not so secret desire of mine.  Early on I can remember sitting with my older and younger sister outside at their little flower decorated table playing poker.  My father worked construction and had spent quite a few months working in Las Vegas during the 50's.  He would come home every other weekend (or monthly, can't recall) and tell us stories about his experiences.  I was always fascinated and hung on his every word.  He was there during the mob and Rat Pack days and his haunts were the Thunderbird and Tropicana to watch the shows and gamble.   

 I loved playing board games like monopoly, high finance and scrabble.  I had a knack for numbers once being called a mathematical savant by an angry pinochle opponent during my service time.  I loved to gamble but I never played slots.  Rather I enjoyed the table games.  I was a late comer to Texas Hold-em and have the bragging rights to say I won at Binions although it was only 1 dollar (still have the chip), but blackjack and craps are my first love.  I had heard of Thorpe's 'Beat the Dealer' but didn't read it until several years later when I became more interested and wanted to learn the proper way to play.

 I dedicated my gift with numbers and spare time along with the experience of card counting pinochle, hearts, spades and casino to becoming a more astute counter. I had spent a few trips in Nevada losing and learning then decided I need to approach the game garnering knowledge from the experienced players and authors.  I read every book I could find on both 21 and craps.  At one time I added the books I had purchased, amazed that I had acquired 25+ books on both.  I become somewhat expert at it and played mostly in Wendover, NV.  They had liberal rules and dealt mostly single deck games, a counters paradise.  I dabbled with craps during my off times and began to show more interest because of the excitement around the table.  21 is a boring game for counters and played properly it can be won consistently, but is akin to closely watching paint dry.   

 But the money is won or lost on craps, card counting is not illegal but they can ban you from playing if the suspect it.  I have only been asked to leave one casino.  I shored up my play and practiced deception to avoid getting caught.  Things have changed and not for the better for counters, they went to multiple decks, shuffling up more often and if you want to play at a single deck table be prepared to pay for it.  The minimum is usually $25 and up.  It makes a bad day very expensive.  I had gained the expertise to count up to an 8 deck shoe but the concentration to play properly is nerve racking.  Craps is more wide open and they don't ban you for winning, but they put as many obstructions in your way if you are.  Trying to speed up the game, harassing your play and hovering near you to intimidate and put the stink eye on you.   

 Casino life is like a carnival and I can only stand about 2 days playing full time.  Win or lose the drive home was long.  Our move to Oregon hasn't been favorable for my 21 play, but they have comparable craps rules at the tables throughout the 9 native American casinos here.  I've lost some of the desire to play as I age and have only been to 2 casinos twice in 3 years.  It's not to say I've lost my skills but I have to accept reality and give up on my idea to become a professional gambler.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 9, 2014)

Entry #4 - Travel Fun

 One day at work a few co-workers were sitting around talking about different subjects, one that perked my interest was about one's trip down the Grey's River in Wyoming, near Afton (hometown to Olympian Rulon Gardner).  He was telling how beautiful the trip was.  I asked what was the road like, great, a little rough at the top but got better as you went down.  I was looking for somewhere to take my family on a short road trip.

 I have always assumed that north was up and south was down on any map.  I knew it started at Alpine, Wy and ended somewhere north of Rock Springs, Wy.  So in my mind the top was at Alpine.  I loaded the family in the '76 Impala and started on our great adventure.  Alpine is less than 3 hours from home so I figured I could make the loop in just under 12 hours, so away we went.  A stop along the way to get snacks. and a noon stop in Afton for lunch.   

 Starting at what I thought was the top was a pleasant surprise, it wasn't nearly as rough as my trip adviser had said so I thought the 60+ miles would be a snap.  It was a graveled road and had been heavily traveled by logging trucks.  About 35 miles along our journey I was trying to avoid the piled gravel in the middle of the road as best as I could, but luck would have it I had a miscue and punched a hole in my transmission pan.  I knew the way back but I was about half way to the nearest small burg where I hoped to get help.  I ventured on, the road was getting rougher and narrower the weeds and grass were about a foot high in the middle of the one vehicle dirt road.  I was driving in the sage brush to miss the snow drifts, near the top we came upon a 4-wheel drive vehicle and I stopped to ask, 'How far?' the drivers first response was, 'What the hell are you up here in a that?'.  Since I didn't have an intelligent answer and I was in a hurry, I ignored it.

 We were about 15 miles from a small one horse hamlet.  When we arrived with the transmission slipping bad we found the only open store.  The had no mechanic but did have 6 quarts of fluid.  I stocked up at set off for Rock Springs.  My sister and her husband had an auto salvage yard there and I knew I could get him to fix me up.  Onward we traveled a little better feeling since my transmission was no longer slipping and I knew help was just ahead.

 We arrived in Rock Springs not knowing where their yard was but figured we could get directions.  I asked at a service station (along with 4 more quarts of fluid).  It's out 10 miles along I-80, take a left at exit ???.  NO PROBLEM, I took a left went under the overpass and ended up driving around more dirt roads looking for their 10 acres of junk.  I kept yelling to my wife, 'Where the hell do you hide 10 acres of junk?' she didn't have an answer.  We were chasing mustangs through the sagebrush and finally she convinced me to go back to the Interstate.  As I came under the overpass I noticed a small section of oiled road that went right to a frontage road. Yep that was were I was supposed to be.

 Long story short, my brother in law was there on a Sunday cleaning up and he saved the day, got me fixed and the rest of trip was uneventful.  The 12 hours turned into almost 18 and a resolve to get better information before I ventured out again.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 10, 2014)

Entry #5 – Doomsday Prepper, which I'm *NOT*!

 I have been watching with interest most of the reality shows on TV about life in Alaska, also like watching the 'Doomsday Preppers' so I can critique their planning, my thing.  I'm not taking away the importance of preparing for a major disaster and was raised 'Mormon' whom preaches food storage and self-sufficiency.

 Finding, hunting and acquiring vast amounts of animal protein seems to be a main focal point in their preparing for the long cold winters.  I don't think there are many 'Vegans' north of the 49 parallel.  One of the points that the analysts of the preppers make again and again is having a renewable food source through winter and summer.  Some raise goats, chickens, beef, pork, plant gardens and (shutter!!!) are prepared to eat creepy crawly things.  The is only a few, very few that have or plan to include rabbits in their survival menus.

 I raised rabbits on my little 'Gentleman's' 3 acre farm back in the 80's.  I never allowed my children to make pets of them and when it was time to butcher them, my brother-in-law and I processed over 20.  We did it on a day my children were in school.  It took less that 10 minutes per animal.  We froze all the edible portions in freezer bags.  I learned a lot about raising and housing them.  I also raised many of the other domestic animals.  Let me say that rabbits were a breeze compared to chickens, turkeys, pigs, goats, sheep and beef.  The cost was very nominal to beef and pork.  Chickens are the only other animal I would consider for survival because of the egg production, the incredible, edible egg.  I love eggs and when I was diagnosed with anemia, my nutritionist recommended eating eggs.

 Hutches are relatively inexpensive to build, housing them out of the elements, cooling and heating the enclosure is also cost productive compared to anything you can build for the other aforementioned animals.  Their feed is mostly grasses and clippings, but it can be supplement with inexpensive rabbit pellets.  Their waste can go right on your garden plots without fear of burning the plants.  When kept properly they have less diseases usually don't need any medicating.  

 Some facts I found on rabbits were encouraging and interesting:      

 Rabbit meat is all white meat.

 Rabbit has 795 calories per pound. Compare: chicken at 810, veal at 840, turkey at 1190, lamb at 1420, beef at 1440 and pork at 2050.  

 Rabbit has the highest percentage of protein.

 Rabbit has a lower percentage of fat than chicken, turkey, beef, or pork with unsaturated fatty acids at 63% of the total fatty acids.

 The cholesterol level in rabbit meat is much lower than chicken, turkey, beef, pork.

 The U.S. Department of Agriculture has stated that domestic rabbit meat is the most nutritious meat known to man.

 Research shows that rabbit meat has been recommended for special diets such as for heart disease patients, diets for the elderly, low sodium diets, and weight reduction diets.

 Because it is easily digested, it has been recommended by doctors for patients who have trouble eating other meats.

 Rabbit meat compares very favorably to veal.  

 One buck and two does can produce more edible meat in a year than one beef can.   

 Once you get over the, 'cute bunny' effect you may want to consider raising them.  If I was a prepper I would put them high on my survival plans along with a few chickens for egg production.


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## hollydolly (Nov 10, 2014)

Fascinating , and very eclectic..thanks S.O.P...I'm enjoying this diary!


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## Bee (Nov 10, 2014)

I second hollydolly, thanks S.O.P.


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## drifter (Nov 10, 2014)

Very interesting, SoP. I haved blogged and journaled for some years but have now layed aside any interest in doing so. I still write some because I enjoy it, but on the main I'm just an old man waiting his fate. By the way, my wife's family were members of the Reorganized Latter Day Saints. I've wondered the difference between the LDS and the RLDS. Do you know the difference between these two Church Organizations? Thanks. Again, enjoyed your diaries.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 10, 2014)

drifter said:


> I've wondered the difference between the LDS and the RLDS. Do you know the difference between these two Church Organizations? Thanks. Again, enjoyed your diaries.


RLDS (Reorganized Latter Day Saints) was started after Emma (Joe's wife) and son Joseph III had a riff with Brigham Young following Joe's and Hyrum death in the Carthage Jail.  Brigham Young was old Joe's first counselor and he wanted the reins and control of the church.  He got enough support to take over and push Emma and Joe III out, they moved to Missouri and formed a new sect based upon the literal interpretation of the Book of Mormon that establishes the practice of polygamy and other questionable beliefs.  

Both sects practiced many of the same ceremonies and followed the teachings that old Joe had established in Navuoo, Illinois.  The LDS under Brigham Young practiced polygamy openly until 1888 when through revelation the current chosen leader Wilford Woodruff banned it and excommunicated any member that practiced it, although it was never enforced.  It was a condition of statehood and Utah was made a state in 1896, polygamy continued until the early 1920's when they finally decided to toe the mark.  

I haven't studied the RLDS as much as I have the LDS.


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## drifter (Nov 10, 2014)

As I understand it from my mother in law's sister, whom I became friends with, the RCoLDS do no not or have not practiced polygamy. We used to have long conversations before she died, but not about church doctrine. Thanks for your response and explanation. I did find this family and other members of this church to be fine people who offered a helping hand to those in need and successful business people.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 10, 2014)

drifter said:


> As I understand it from my mother in law's sister, whom I became friends with, the RCoLDS do no not or have not practiced polygamy. We used to have long conversations before she died, but not about church doctrine. Thanks for your response and explanation. I did find this family and other members of this church to be fine people who offered a helping hand to those in need and successful business people.


I stand corrected I told you I wasn't as well informed about the RLDS as I am about the LDS,  They didn't practice polygamy as I thought.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 11, 2014)

Entry #6 - Homemade V8 Juice

 I mentioned in the last post about my venture into making healthy self-processed fruit juices.  After I had sold my juicer and tabled the idea to make anymore juice I got on a health kick.  One of my favorite drinks believe it or not is V8 juice.  I'm talking about the original flavor of 8 vegetables and a lot of salt.  Salt is the major consideration when adopting a health regime, too much you raise your blood pressure, too little you lose potassium, get leg cramps and in extreme cases kick the bucket.  So, arriving at the optimum dosage I decided to make my own juice.

 I bought a can, read the ingredients and return to the supermarket and purchased an equal amount of the required veggies.  Returning home I located my wife's super duper blender and proceed to wash, rinse and peel.  I then cut them in manageable pieces and pulverized them into what I thought would be a mixture resembling V8.  It turned out to be more like a thick green paste.  Upon pouring a glass and swallowing a goodly portion I entered into the retching phase of my venture.  Holy Cow! it was horrible!   

 After gaining composure I stood looking at what was left of the $40 worth of green slime.  I hated to see all that go to waste so my thought process devised an idea to maybe cook it into something palatable.  Muffins sounded like a viable choice.  I mixed flour, water, green slime, raisins and a few walnuts along with the normal baking soda, powder, eggs,,,etc.  The greatest health muffins were ready for the oven.  I spooned just the right amount into my paper lined muffin tin.  Set the oven at 375 and placed them on the rack.  It wasn't long before I was inundated with the most horrible smell emanating from the kitchen.   

 Once again, Holy Cow! whats that smell?  Grabbing the tin I went outside and sit them on the picnic table.  I walked back in the house to what can only be described as a demented challenge to industrial strength air freshener.  I opened every window and door, luckily it was summer time and I didn't send the furnace into gimble lock.  I turned on the AC and placed two fans from my workshop in strategic locations.  Nothing seemed to help much.  So now it was time to test my creations.  They were still warm enough to melt the butter and have a bite.  Nope failure once again although the butter was ok.  Everything in the dumpster.  I figured I wouldn't let the wife know, she was a receptionist at a local dentist office and had a 2 block walk to come home.

 When she arrived home I knew my attempt at covertness was also a failure.  She said she could smell it almost immediately leaving the office and wondered if they were working on the city sewer system.  After laughing about it and telling everyone she could she banned me from ever using her blender or oven again.  Little did I know that yeah there may be 8 veggies in V8 the bulk is probably 99.5% tomatoes.


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## drifter (Nov 11, 2014)

you make it sound a bit funny but I know from my ventures in the kitchen what unholy concocsions we can at times brew up. I guess our experience comes from the messes we have made in our endeavor to be great at some good thing. Again enjoyed


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## jujube (Nov 11, 2014)

Great read, SOP!  I've really enjoyed it.


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## Lyn (Nov 11, 2014)

The V8 juice escapade managed to bring tears to my eyes from laughing. Loved you tried to salvage things with the muffins.  I hope you continue sharing. I have enjoyed reading.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 12, 2014)

Entry #7 - An OCD's Guide to Fame and Fortune

 Over the course of my lifetime I have attempted to create a business entity that would let me retire early and reap the rewards of entrepreneurial greatness.  I never approached any new interest as a potential hobby or leisurely pastime pursuit, I would look at the financial rewards of any venture.  As far back as I can remember I was always looking for the easy road to riches.  At an early age I had the usual array of lemonade stands and sold greeting cards door to door.  I would shun anything that required too much physical labor and tenacity.  As I matured my interests were varied with the bottom line being what can I reap from this product.   

 I'm tone deaf and have no artist talent so I had to rely on others to produce a sell-able product.  I married a very talented and crafty woman who created beautiful porcelain dolls, tole painted items that won awards at the county fairs, could make anything with her hands and two crochet hooks.  My son is musically gifted and plays several instruments and has belonged to numerous bands.  I was the idea man with little follow through, execution was my weakness.  My other non-asset was being obsessive compulsive.  In other words I totally get Leonard from the 'Big Bang Theory' and Melvin Udall from 'As Good As it Gets'.

 The beginning of my journey started at an early age but it evolved into a more earnest endeavor when I neared my 40th birthday, I suffered greatly through my middle age crazies, life was hell for me.  I almost quit my job but a national disaster changed my mind and I decided to pursue things I could do while still employed, that turned out to be the smartest thing I ever did.  Some of my attempts at financial gain were:

*The Mellinger Company*, back in the 80's I answered an ad to learn mail order business for Mellinger's, I paid the $169 to get my personal guide and a box of cheap trinkets to sell through mail order.  The only thing I learned from them was how to place an ad and never use your home address only post office boxes to receive the millions of orders and checks that would be forthcoming.  Never placed an ad and can't remember what I did with the junk that was still in it's original box 10 years later probably someone made a few bucks at one of our yard sales.  Lesson learned.

*The tax man cometh*, I trained myself and read everything I could about personal and business tax preparation.  I did have about 40 paying clients at one time but lost interest and pushed them all to other prepares because I couldn't justify the fees that were they were charging, I made about $3 an hour doing them.  It was one of the most boring forays I took on.  It was fun snooping into people's personal lives but I wasn't dishonest enough to benefit from the information.  Tax preparation is an identity thief's paradise.  Also it was becoming more involved and I didn't want to make a mistake that could cost me or someone money.

*Ebay*, I sold and bought Zippo lighters, Linux OS media, empty CD cases and my wife's dolls.  I figured that if we made our cost the only gain came from over charging for shipping.  Ebay/Paypal fees were eating up my profits and it was a time consuming, packaging/mailing nightmare with little upside.

*Computer Repair and Sales*, way too much competition and found you can't compete with the big boys.  Dealing with the public is dark hole that can only be remedied by completely removing oneself from the loop.  Customer support calls were taking up too much of my spare time, and everyone wanted me to sell at cost to them.

*Wood Products and Children's Furniture*, here again I felt the need to deal with the public again.  Seemed I didn't learn for my other quests.  Slashing prices and taking a loss was the standard just to get the product sold.  I did create some usable and unique products but no one wanted to make me rich doing it.  Yard sale fodder and you know how financially rewarding that is when you are the supplier.   

*Yard Sales*, while not a plan to get rich it was the only way to declutter my shop, basement, closets and counters of the things I bought for resale or made from raw products.  It was humiliating to stand and dicker with drive bys and drop ins over a $2 still in the package item that cost me $20 originally.

*Livestock*, I did make a little money buying calves raising them to a certain age and selling them at the auctions.  I figured I made my best profit selling them at 6 months.  Chickens were more trouble than they were worth, Hogs were another story.  The market for pork was changing daily, it seemed I was always just ahead or just behind the highest prices.  Most of the time I did recoup my expenses but barely made enough to raise a free one for myself.  They were a pain to get to the slaughter house they had their own plans when the time come to load them.  Incidents that are now humorous have prevented me from ever trying that again.    

*Dog Run Septic Tanks*, here is the only thing I every attempted that made a profit.  I lived in the country and we were on septic tanks.  Mine needed to be replaced and luck would have it that my oldest sister's husband was a backhoe operator and had installed many, many tanks and drain fields during his career.  I only had to pay for the supplies, I think I installed it for about $800.  Him doing all the machine work and me being his assistant and grunt.  Afterward a woman at work was telling me about the mess her Golden Lab did to their yard and the mess she had in the dog run.  She said she had one of those doggy dooly things buried in her grass but the waste never dissolved and it would fill up creating more work for her.

 I told her she needed a septic tank for her run.  I sat down and drew one up on paper utilizing supplies that could be purchased at your local big box home improvement center.  She needed a 55 gal plastic barrel, approx. 80 feet of PCV pipe that had to have holes drilled in it, a load of gravel and some straw to create one.  He husband and father done the labor with my drawing as their blueprint and soon had a working system.

 She told me how great it was and I should market the plan.  Whatever, I used my desktop and a drawing app to create the plan.  It was crude but workable.  I next had to place an ad in a magazine, timing was important as I learned and I placed a $55 ad in late fall, I got one response and reluctantly decided to place another ad in the spring in another magazine.  I chose 'Gun Dog' the ad cost $95 for one month.  It came out in April, my wife called me at work and 'what are you into now?'.  It seemed I had received over 25 envelopes all addressed to my DBA at my home address (this is where I should have paid attention to Mellinger's).  Over the next 2-3 weeks I received over 300 orders.  The total cost to me was less than $1 (stamp and envelope), I sold them for $6.95 made a tidy $5.95 per order.   

 Only problem I encountered was someone looked up my address and got my phone number, called and wanted to come see a working system.  Whoops, I didn't even have a dog and convinced him that the only working system was at my friends house and she would be glad to demonstrate it.  He decided to not come up and not order a plan.  I got to thinking that maybe somehow I could be charged with fraud and decided to close my business.  Never did revisit that but my son wanted to give it a go, never had any followup so I don't know whether he did.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 15, 2014)

Entry #8 - Investing

 Back in the 90's I dabbled with stock investing.  I mentioned that I still have one share of my foray into dividend re-investments.  During this time a female co-worker's father had passed away, she had a 30K inheritance that she wanted invested.  She like many others had no working knowledge and asked me to help her.  I still don't know where anyone got the idea that I knew anything about it, other than my gift of gab.  Anyway I advised her to buy mutual funds, I had her buy a book entitled '100 best mutual funds' or something like that.  We poured over them and decided that one family of funds was consistently on top of the heap.

 In the 80's our company had started a 401K plan and was somewhat restricted.  There were only 6 choices.  But I digress, back to her fund selections, we decided to invest in 3 funds that mirrored our 401K choices.  We stayed away from international and the company stock funds and chose a balanced, a small cap and an index fund.  Over the next few years into the 90's she was showing a good ROI.  During that time she had also sold her father's store and his RV, she had additional $25,000 and wanted to invest that.  I suggested to try a few well known stocks.  Luck would have it she purchased 5 different stocks and one of them almost doubled when it was announced that they had been bought out by another company and their product had pushed the stock up more than 80%.  Boom now I'm an expert.   

 Also during that 10 year period our 401K plan had changed somewhat and they allowed us to make daily trades.  They probably never envisioned that there would be anyone like me out there, no skill at investing but someone who knows the power of compound interest.  I used my self-perceived skill with numbers to figure out a plan for trading my funds around based upon the percentage gain and loss that the index (SP500), the international and our company stock would do daily.  I had login rights to her account, her and I were experiencing a better than average ROI on our 401K.  One of my personal quirks is my inability to keep a secret.  Other co-workers were listening and soon I was the go to guy to maximize their retirement.  At one time I was moving over 750K a day.  Yep right I had control of three quarters of a million to play with.  Others were not so trusting but they did follow my lead and give me a call just prior to closing to help them decide which way to go.

 Zap!  It all came to a sudden stop, our company stopped daily trades, only allowed monthly trades.  They said it was because the fund managers were losing fees, huh? they make money either way, more trades the better.  It made it impossible to do what I had been doing so I had all of my 'friends' change their passwords and I dumped the plan.  We had made good money by our standards during that run.  It was years later that I found out that our company's team of investors were embarrassed by my returns and they had to put a stop to it, that information came from a former manager who had moved back into my area and we were talking about it.  I was on their no-fly list.

 I tried day trading and made my wife a little bit of money, but she doesn't condone gambling and got nervous whenever I lost on a stock.  So I invested her IRA into self-directed mutual funds that she has since sold.  My Michael _Milke__n_days were over.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 15, 2014)

Entry #9 - The Dare to be Great Plan #36, Sports Betting

 My earlier mention about the power of compounding begat another venture based upon sports betting on the NFL.  After I had been shutdown with my 401K day trading, I decided that this could work in other pursuits.  Using a spreadsheet I devised a betting scheme whereas I would pick one game a week to cover.  Whether it was for or against the spread or whether they would cover the total points or not.   

 At the time there were 16 weeks of league play, it was before the bye weeks.  Now, I'm no avid fan of any sport, I like pro and college football, I watch a little baseball and follow the Utah Jazz in basketball.  I have no skill whatsoever picking the outcome of the odds.  I did however have a few co-workers who were nuts over sports, they would sit by the hour discussing this team or that player.  I knew my skills were with numbers.   

 I presented my plan to those fans (co-workers) I considered more expert than I.  All were intrigued when I showed them the possible outcome of my plan, I figured 11 of us would invest $10 each and if we were successful we stood the chance of increasing our share to over $150,000 each at the end of league play.  It wasn't some pipe dream it was just presented the outside possibility of parlaying by applying compounding to our bankroll through successful wagers.

 A gambler will tell you that every possible system has been tried thousands of times to beat the casino and mine was no different.  I thought I had devised the perfect plan.  But it wasn't to be, at the same time 8 female Baccarat dealers, (I mention the phrase female since that was what the sports article reported in the paper) were playing the same system.  Their story was they invested/committed $10 each, they would meet once a week to decide their bet.  They had to stick with the plan until the end.  They lost the 1st week so they put in another $10 each.  They were successful for the next 11 weeks and had build their bankroll to $130,000.  They only reason it was reported was because the casino they were making the bets at had refused their 13th week bet - over limit.  Another larger casino had accepted their bet and we waited to hear the outcome.

 We never heard anything the next week so I called the Las Vegas Sun's sports desk to get a followup.  The gentleman I asked laughed and said they went down.  The game they had taken was Miami vs Chicago.  Chicago was a 3 point favorite and the Bears were ahead by 4 with seconds left.  They were playing in a blinding Chicago snowstorm and Miami had the ball, Dan Marino threw a 63 yd 'Hail Mary' pass into the end zone that was caught by a Dolphin player for the win as time run out.  To me it was a good bet, once again nothing is a sure thing.   

 I had to drive the 175 (350 round trip) miles to Wendover to make the bets and was relieved when we lost our bankroll after a few weeks.  My last bet was $1880, I wanted to take the Eagles over the Cowboys in Philly (we would have won) but our 'expert' convinced us to take the Browns over Phoenix.  His reasoning was no American start up could possibly beat a stalwart old school National team.  I think Phoenix only won 6 games that year and the Browns should have won but believed the odd makers press releases, all they had to do was show up.

 I tried unsuccessfully the next few years and still get a kick out of trying to outguess the spread.  I now know that Jimmy the Greek, Lefty Rosenthal and Phil Steele were a little better than I, so I won't give up my day job, but the upside was, I didn't have to spend 5 1/2 hours on the road to make the bets.


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## Meanderer (Nov 16, 2014)

Son, I like your stuff!


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## drifter (Nov 16, 2014)

You write some good enjoyable narrative. It's the stuff of life and life is a many sided thing. Keep at it.

drifter.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 16, 2014)

*Farm animals* - Max & Irene

 My little 3 acre weed infested gentleman's farm generated a few comical incidents.  My first experience other than a few domestic dogs and cats were 2 wiener pigs.  I bought them at 6 weeks, brought them home in a card board box in the back of my pickup.  I had an old machine shop/chicken coop/horse barn structure that's real only practical use was to tear it down save the wood for the rustic barn wood.   

 I had fixed up one of the horse stalls (previous owner use) and spread out a bale of straw.  They looked so cute running and jumping around.  I soon learned that their table manners were non existent.  Mistake one was not anchoring down their trough, after their first meal they decided it would be appropriate to nose under the trough and dump it.  Next I took a water heater cutting it lengthwise in half, that slowed them down until they reached middle age, 2 months.  I next welded legs to it to keep it stable.  The 10 X 10 stall was adequate until they wanted to go exploring.   

 A pig's favorite pastime is rooting in the dirt.  They burrowed underneath the outside walls and was romping around when I arrived home one day.  I re-secured them and went to the local seed and feed.  Purchasing several panels of hog fencing at great price, my brother-in-law and I built what I thought was a secure pen.  It took two days to burrow underneath the panels.  Next was to dig an 8 inch trench and bury the panels deep enough to deter them.  That worked fine until they reach market size.  Where do two 250 lb hogs go, answer anywhere they want.   

 My pen building skills improved somewhat after that.  I had mistakenly had made pets of them.  I had named them Max & Irene.  They had personalities.  When it came time to take them to the butcher, I now had a stock rack in my pickup and built a loading ramp, easy right?  No Max and Irene had other plans.  A panel of plywood was suggested, I looked like a knight from King Arthur’s court trying to coax them into the ramp, they were smart enough to go around the edges.  Next someone suggested a 5 gal bucket placed upon their heads.  If a 250 lb hog doesn't want a bucket on their head they just twist their neck and are free.  Finally somehow we loaded them and off to market we went.

 A week later having sold one to my bro-in-law I brought Max home in a box full of neatly wrapped white packages.  Home grown pork, yahoo!  My wife first made a delicious pork roast, at dinner her and the 3 kids were singing my praises over my skills as a farmer.  I just sat there and my wife noticed I wasn't eating.  'What's wrong, doesn't the look good?'  she asked.  'Yes' I said. Then she said, 'You're not eating'.  My only answer was, 'But honey this is Max.'


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## AprilT (Nov 16, 2014)

I'd read this in book form.    As usual a very good read.


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## Meanderer (Nov 16, 2014)

I understand Son!  You didn't want to bite the ham that feeds you!


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## Meanderer (Nov 16, 2014)

Son, How many pounds of pork did you end up with, after "Max" came home from the processor?


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 16, 2014)

Meanderer said:


> Son, How many pounds of pork did you end up with, after "Max" came home from the processor?


As I recall it was between 90-100lbs.  We had the lard rendered.  We had 3 or 4 5lb containers of that.  Made the best pie crust.


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## Meanderer (Nov 17, 2014)

Son_of_Perdition said:


> As I recall it was between 90-100lbs.  We had the lard rendered.  We had 3 or 4 5lb containers of that.  Made the best pie crust.



"That's Salada Tea!"   Made me think of the names we may still use, like "lard-ass" or "tub of lard", when referring to someone who is fat.  Don't know if kids today still use those names.  I found a recipe for "Rose's Lard Caramel", in an article named "Who You Calling A Lard Ass?".  Good Lard!...maybe you could give it a try!
http://thedish22.wordpress.com/2013/08/19/who-you-calling-lard-ass-roses-lard-caramel/


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## Meanderer (Nov 17, 2014)

Here are a few ounces of Hamlet Son!

View attachment 11157


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 17, 2014)

Gambling Stories - Remembering 2 and no more

 My Mentor and Scam Artist http://aggressivecraps.blogspot.com/

View attachment 11158

 On one of my solo trips to Vegas I had just finished a grueling 3 hour session at the craps table.  I had won can't exactly remember how much but it was a worthwhile stay.  I was at the Orleans off strip.  I was leaning on the vacant adjacent craps table drinking a cup of 'free' coffee, watching the action at the table I had just vacated.  An elderly chap, Richie Ambrose, walked up and leaned alongside me.  We watched for a few throws and he turned to me, said, 'Watch em they have no clue how to play, do you play?'  'Yes' I said cautiously.  He then asked what was my play like.  I told him, not giving any details but a general synopsis.  'Humpf, you are playing wrong, let me tell you I have dealt craps for 33 years and know how to play.'   

 He proceeded to tell me some things about himself and how he was the expert on casino craps, in fact he said that he has a web site with instructional videos.  He had dealt craps to the wiseguys in Jersey many years ago.  He was a professional pool player who had been on a tournament circuit back in the early 60's and was playing in Vegas when he decided to stay.  He got a casino job and because of his experience he soon migrated to dealing craps.  He continued to deal for the next 33 years and had retired.   

 He was a crafty scammer who soon had me fronting the money and making the plays to follow his system.  I had bought in with $200 and we played his system for about an hour at which time I said I'd had enough and he had proved his method to me.  We were ahead by a few hundred and cashed in and walked away to the sports betting area.  They allow you to sit there without playing.  We got us a cup of coffee and he presented his card that had the basic play, which I completely followed because of my experience.  He handed me the card and said he normally sells his system for $95 but if I give him $50 it would be enough.  Sure why not he had made me a couple bucks.   

 After he left I realized I had been conned!  Here we were playing on my money and him standing behind me giving instructions that while it made money, I realized that I would have made probably the equal amount or more playing my way.  He walked out of there with my $50, a smile on his face and another sucker was born.  Small potatoes but at $50 an hour he was supplementing his social security and didn't have to report it.  I found his web site and read through it, it was a repeat of his con he used on me.  It was laughable and I sat there wondering how many other 'suckers' had fell for his plan.

 Oasis our 5 hour layover

View attachment 11159

 My co-workers and I had concocted a trip to Wendover after our last swing shift one Friday, my wife was aware of it and while didn't condone gambling she allowed me my dream.  We left after work and one group left via the southern route and the two of us who lived further north took the northern route through NW Utah, traveling north of the Great Salt Lake.  You hooked backup up with I-80 at a little spot in the road called Oasis, it's then a 35 miles leg to Wendover.  My driver also my second cousin had decided since he didn't want to put too many miles on his leased pickup had disconnected the speedometer cable.  It hooked into the transmission, it also allowed the tranny fluid to leak out as you traveled.   

 Just outside Montello, NV another whistle stop along the two lane road his pickup tranny started slipping to the point that it was undrivable.  We limped into town and stopped at the only thing open, a rundown little bar that served burgers and beer, and 3 slot machines.  We went in, asked to use the phone and called 3 of the casinos in Wendover hoping that our southern friends had arrived. No luck, no one answered the pages.  We got a beer and started telling our tale, one customer was a trucker and said he was going to Vegas on a run and was taking alternate route up to Wells, then south along 93 (the road used in 'The World's Fastest Indian' with Anthony Hopkins, great movie) to Vegas.  We could catch a ride with him to Wells then make connection with our friends.  Sure, why not?   

 We made it to Wells, called again, no luck.  Our ride left and we decided it would be a good idea to wile away the time playing 21.  At some point during the night I got down to my last $10 and quit I went over to my cousin's table and he was ahead $200-300, great we had money to fix the pickup and get home.  He said to play alongside him for awhile and loaned me $20.  Within 30 minutes he leaned over to me and said, 'I'm broke, it's up to you.'  I looked at the table and my last $5 was in the ring.  I grabbed it and said, 'We're darn near broke.'  I had the $10 of my money and the $5 of his and that's it.   

 We were now desparate, no money to call, no money to fix his truck, no money to by gas and it we were 200 miles from home.  I said our only option is to hitch a ride back to Montello, hook up his cable, buy a quart of tranny fluid and hope we have enough gas to make it home.  We didn't have money for food and hadn't eaten in over 14 hours.  Fun times were ahead.

 We walked to the on ramp of I-80 and managed to hitch a ride with a Catholic Deacon who was on his way to Wendover.  We couldn't go with him all the way because our friends were on they way home.  He had his golden lab 'Riley' riding with him.  It was the days of the leisure suit and I was wearing one, dark blue.  Riley was a friendly dog and I took the seat in the back with him.  He also was shedding, blond hairs all over me and the rest of the car.  When we arrived back at Oasis I discovered I was covered with blond hairs, my wife will be so understanding.

 We spent the next 5 hours throwing rocks at bottles and trying to hitch a ride, we did buy 2 Squirts and a package of jerky.  No one would stop they would speed up to get by us.  It was years later I learned that there was Nevada State Prison between Oasis and Wells with signs warning motorists not pick up any hitchhikers.  It also seemed that my leisure sure resembled the current prison garb.  We finally got a ride and only because my cousin recognized the pickup exiting I-80 and knew the driver.  The cab had only enough room for the driver, his wife and one passenger.  So both of us choose to ride in the back, we hadn't showered and had been playing in the sagebrush.  The ride to Oasis was an experience, it was raining and the driver was going at least 70.  The rain drops felt bee stings on the back of our ears and neck.   

 We did make it to Montello, at the now open one pump garage the driver helped hook up the cable and he loaned us enough to get 3 quarts of tranny fluid, the $12 we had left bought gas.


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## Meanderer (Nov 17, 2014)

It seems that Richie gave you the live version of his video, for $50...a bargain for sure!  ...or think of it as a $50 cup of coffee. 

The Oasis didn't look too inviting, and  I have heard of a hairshirt...but not a leisure hairsuit. The life of Riley for sure!  If only you and your Brother-in-law had been chained together....it might have made a great movie: "Two Squirts and a Pack of Jerky"!

Two great tales Son, Thanks for the ride!


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## Meanderer (Nov 17, 2014)

Son, I enjoyed reading your rabbit story.  When we were young,in the 50s, my Uncle would go hunting rabbits and we always had some to eat.  Mother would say it was chicken,  and we liked the white meat.  We never were never too curious about where the rabbit feet & rabbit tails came from.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 17, 2014)

Meanderer said:


> Son, I enjoyed reading your rabbit story.  When we were young,in the 50s, my Uncle would go hunting rabbits and we always had some to eat.  Mother would say it was chicken,  and we liked the white meat.  We never were never too curious about where the rabbit feet & rabbit tails came from.


 Thanks for reading my blog.  We had an abundance of wild rabbits to hunt but the problems you can encounter from the wild ones more so than the domestic is a disease called tularemia, I tried never touching a wild one jack or cottontail.  It can be fatal to humans if infected and not treated.  Domestic rabbits can get it but not as common, also beavers, otters and other aquatic animals get the disease more than rabbits.   

 I inspected mine before butchering wearing sterile gloves for any noticeable problems.  But, you can get Salmonella and other diseases from chickens & turkeys being they are more apt to have an infectious disease.   Washing and thoroughly cooking your meat helps control the diseases along with proper refrigeration.


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## Meanderer (Nov 18, 2014)

Good morning Son,  I've been wondering what kept you out of North Dakota?  Is it possible for you to write about ND without having ever been there?  Could you do a dream sequence/virtual visit?  I have been to four States that I know of, and can't imagine traveling like you have done. Just sayin!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Dakota


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 18, 2014)

Farm Animals - Final Yea! – *Herbie & Abigal* 

 After figuring out what I needed and what works for hogs my next challenge was raising sheep.  A co-worker and gentleman farmer like myself offered me a ewe.  She had got mastitis in one side of her milk glands.  It made her questionable to continue breeding her.  She was pregnant and he didn't want to continue feeding her.  It cost me nothing more than her clipped wool the following spring.  I brought her home and named her Abigal.   

 A few weeks later I noticed her pawing the dirt in the corral and she laid down and dropped her lamb.  Cute little cuss, so keeping up the naming concept I gave him the moniker of Herbie.  Abigal was my weed control and I had to chain her at strategic locations to better utilize her skills.  Herbie was attached to her and never left her side.  I docked his tail (needed to keep burrs from attaching themselves) and docked his other area.  Herbie was Abigal's constant companion.

 During early spring I was working graveyard (11-7) at night, we had a dress code then and I was dressed in slacks, button down shirt and dress shoes.  I came home and noticed that Abigal had somehow got her head stuck in the section of field fence that she was chained to.  I felt sorry and knew I had to free her.  It had been raining and was continuing to drizzle.  I didn't want to go in and change, figuring it was a minor inconvenience.  Going over and pushing, pulling and twisting her head around I even got behind her and tried to pull her chain.  I was slipping in the mud and getting more frustrated.  I finally could see the only way to dislodge her was to strattle her neck and push on her front legs.  She popped out and charged to one side catching my leg with her chain.  Down I went and luck would have it I twisted and injured my back.

 I crawled to my feet hobbled into the house and went straight to where I stored my 3006, grabbing a shell I headed back outside telling my wife that Abigal was history.  I fully intended to get out of the sheep business as soon as I could.  I can imagine the scene me bent over walking like Quasimodo, my wife walking behind me crying to me, 'Please remember Herbie, I refuse to raise him!'.  That was the right thing to say, I relented unloaded my rifle and walked every so slowly, my wife helping me back into the house.  

 Later on after I knew that shepherding was not in my future I gave Abigal & Herbie to a family of field workers who were elated to have them.  I had eaten lamb chops prior to those days and never really cared for it, Herbie was safe from me and mine.  

*Heidi & my goat whispering days * 

 My last mention of farm animals has to include Heidi, the goat.  I'm not even sure where we acquired her but she was there for 2 summers.  She was the only animal I could call a pet other than my usual array of domestic cats and dogs.   She was just there.  She foraged for her food eating her fill from the grain bin and drinking from the calf watering trough.  I never had to worry about her.

  My eldest daughter was about 8 and was her friend.  They played 'King of the Hill', Heidi on the picnic table gently butting heads with Jen.  They would go everywhere together.  Walking to the barn, Jen riding her bike and Heidi running along side.  Jen still talks about her.   

  Anything was fair game and cried out to be jumped on.  Our cars my truck, I had to shoo her out of the truck bed if I wanted to go to town.  Goat tracks on the hoods and top of my wife's car.  And of course the little round droppings found everywhere.  But we all loved her.   

 Heidi helped keep the lawn, bushes and the wife's flowers in check.  She made it her goal to shred all my junk mail and any cardboard or paper to something resembling confetti.  She became my first paper shredder.  Cleanup after her was fun if the wind didn't do it first.  I finally gave her to a family whom raised goats, and I'm sure she enjoyed a fruitful existence with many of her new friends.

  After those I quit naming the livestock, 2 reasons – 1 there were becoming too many and 2 it was less traumatic knowing we or someone would be eating them within a very short time.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 19, 2014)

I'll answer your question about ND here since it was a repost of yesterday's.  North Dakota never really was on any of our travel itineraries.  Somehow we just never planned any trip that required us to go through there.  Although I did like 'Fargo' the movie.  Who else besides the Coen brothers would have a pregnant sheriff chasing maddened killers around the frozen north?  That's also why my favorite movie is 'The Big Lebowski'.


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## Meanderer (Nov 19, 2014)

I liked the goat whisperer! ....no ifs, ands or butts!


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 24, 2014)

My career was somewhat involuntarily ending in 2009.  I had to make a choice either retire at 64 or stick it out another 3 years.  Our pension plan had ended for newer employees (under 15 years), I was grandfathered in but nothing is a sure bet.  Our pension was based upon your highest 5 years during your last 10 years.  My highest earning years were 1999-2004.  The contracts we had were ending and they had cut our overtime.  I had been receiving the 2-4% increases during the previous 5 years (2005-2009) and still was not making nearly as much as I did during those gravy train years of unlimited overtime.   

 My 'Perfect Storm' was brewing and the decision was made for me.  Retire in 2009, get the severance package, sell the home and move to a more hospitable climate with lower utilities and a more favorable tax base.  Eliminate the higher mortgage on an oversized, overextended home that seemed to be losing more each day and couple that with the damage my 401K suffered I had to make a snap decision.  It turned out that my employment position was safe and I wasn't eligible to volunteer.  It took some maneuvering and a little begging to get on the RIF list and get the benefits.

 Snap, Boom, Bah!  I was out and for the first time since I was 18 years, I was unemployed with no prospects.  We spent the next year and a half spending over $10,000 to upgrade the house to sell and take a $40,000 loss on the valuation done in 2008.  I had just purchased a new auto with a 5 year payment plan.  We had purchased a new auto in 2008 for the wife with another 5 year plan.  I had amassed some other bills and paid some of them off with my severance package.  But, still had the white elephants to pay off.  I was paying $700 a month for Cobra health insurance to protect my assets until we both reached 65 and Medicare.  $8,400 yearly was a big chuck out of our monthly income and savings. 

 We recovered and are the better for it.  We love our new location and lower living expenses.  Our income is adequate and we have built up a little savings for emergencies and long term goals.  Our final expenses are covered along with enough to weather a catastrophic health event.  2011 was a different story and looking back I wonder how we made it.  When the home sold and we were homeless for the first time in our 45 years of marriage things looked bleak.  I wish I had paid more attention to the experts.

 What this story shows myself that I can adapt and things do change.  I'm relating this to show that I have matured and think that my priorities are more focused upon getting things in proper perspective.  I've mentioned that my one vice is casino gambling, I remember the lean times, the trips back when I didn't even have a dime to buy a cup of ice to chill my Diet Pepsi that was unopened rolling around the back of my car.  I also remember the good times when I was flush with future expectations of fruitful trips because I was coming home ahead.  

 Saturday my daughter and son-in-law invited us to take a short trip to the local watering hole (casino) to spend a night of buffets and frivolity at the 21/craps tables pretending we are high rollers.  I told her to give me until today to make up my mind.  I have the money but I was at a point where I can take that money and payoff the last auto loan along with the last of the construction loans freeing up more income to save and plan for our necessities.  Guess what?  I chose to stay home and miss the fun just to say I paid off 2 loans/bills that have been my cross to bear since 2010.  My wife is still in shock and my daughter and husband are on their way without us.


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## Twixie (Nov 24, 2014)

That's a good post..

Priorities..


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## Meanderer (Nov 24, 2014)

Wow Son, even I was surprised by your ending! You passed a major hurdle on the road to recovery.  Congratulations!  My Brother in Law had an upholstering business, and the back of his truck had the words "On the road to recovering"! HAHA!


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 3, 2014)

In one of my earlier posts about gambling, I related the story about being stranded in Oasis, NV with my 2nd cousin.  Yesterday I received an email from a former co-worker with an obituary attached.  My 2nd cousin and gambling partner had passed away on Monday the 1st.  I come from a long line of alcoholics and he was from that same string.  

He basically drank himself to death at age 53.  Cause was liver and kidney failure.  It was sad but not unexpected.  He was a gifted athlete, likeable and intelligent but he had those damn alcoholic genes flowing through his body.  I watched 2 uncles destroy themselves and if my father didn't have gall bladder problems that he thought and was diagnosed as ulcers he probably would have died the same way.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 3, 2014)

A post made by my daughter on Facebook reminded me of another animal story.  We lived in a small bedroom community outside Salt Lake.  20,000 population with manicured lawns curb and gutter throughout.  My wife was a cub scout den mother, she hosted a meeting of the leaders once and as they were leaving I got into a conversation with one of the men.  He was a hoot, he saw I had a older pickup with camper shell which triggered his story about raising pigs.  

He said he bought two wieners put them in the back of his pickup /w shell.  He lived in a quiet neighborhood much like ours.  He had 6-7 kids and money was tight.  He brought the pigs home and manufactured an escape proof rear so they couldn't jump out when the shell was opened.  He kept them in there the 4 months required to get them to marketable size (250 lbs) he fed & watered them. 

When the smell got too rank he would drive the pickup to the car wash, hose it out, drive it back home and park it at the curb again.  He did this for 4 months.  When they were ready for market he drove them to the slaughter house and was the only time he needed to unload them.  I can't attest to the accuracy of the story and whether it was an urban legend but it was the only time I had heard of it.  

Meeting him and talking to him it sounded completely viable and I have no reason to doubt it's truth.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 5, 2014)

Placing our heroes on pedestals.  All through history we read about heroes and demigods that have lost some of their luster as time and truth marches on.  One only can wonder about the process we humans use to place them into position of worship.  Since it has been going on since Eve talked Adam into taking the bite of the forbidden fruit or the first human stood upright we have had our idols.   

 Columbus was my first hero connected to the founding of the Americas.  All the explorers were praised as daring heroes discovering new and wondrous things.  But as we all now know there are questions and doubts to their authenticity.  Columbus, Pizarro, Ponce de Leon, Coronado among many others where not the benevolent discoverer's that our 5th grade history books had portrayed them.  They murdered, conquered, raped and pillaged the Native American people, stealing everything that was not tied down and wiped the earth of some of their existence.   

 We have made deities of many horrible people Hitler is probably one of the most well known and at one time he was held in the highest esteem of leadership almost to point that his subjects would bow down or commit terrible atrocities at his command.  Religious leaders are no exception you have your Jim Jones, David Koreshs, Marshall Applewhites, Joseph Smiths and the Sun Myung Moons.  Leaders of many and abusers of most.  Sports heroes aplenty along with Rock Stars and Movie stars.  We need to tread lightly when setting up our heroes and realize they are just human have a better gift of gab and are subject to human frailties that we encounter every day.

 I had a discussion with my older sister about Bill Cosby and his alleged accusers.  She asked, 'How could he do some of things without our knowledge?'  My answer comes from a training exercise I was subjected to back in my corporate days.  We were studying 'Maslow's hierarchy of needs'.  I'm not going to go into detail about it but the bottom line is everyone has needs and wants, it's a personal thing where we stop and draw the line when we have progressed up the steps to reach our goals.   

 The top three is my estimation and firm belief is once we reach financial perfection we gain power and that gives us the opportunity to then satisfy our desires.  Money begets Power begets Sex.  With money the powerful people can cover their tracks and ****** perversion.  We 'normal have nots' don't have the resources to cover our tracks so we need to reign them in and act according to standard expectations, something not normally considered of high importance to the 'Haves'.   

 My heroes are few and far between and know that I will adapt as their exploits are proven false but I still have a some.  I watch sports listen to music and love to watch movies.  I just don't get into believing they are any better than I, only they had more opportunity and talent to work with.  I know my strengths and weaknesses but don't worship others with higher skills.


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## Meanderer (Dec 5, 2014)

Son_of_Perdition said:


> A post made by my daughter on Facebook reminded me of another animal story.  We lived in a small bedroom community outside Salt Lake.  20,000 population with manicured lawns curb and gutter throughout.  My wife was a cub scout den mother, she hosted a meeting of the leaders once and as they were leaving I got into a conversation with one of the men.  He was a hoot, he saw I had a older pickup with camper shell which triggered his story about raising pigs.
> 
> He said he bought two wieners put them in the back of his pickup /w shell.  He lived in a quiet neighborhood much like ours.  He had 6-7 kids and money was tight.  He brought the pigs home and manufactured an escape proof rear so they couldn't jump out when the shell was opened.  He kept them in there the 4 months required to get them to marketable size (250 lbs) he fed & watered them.
> 
> ...



...here's his first attempt to get pigs in truck!


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 7, 2014)

During one early summertime evening after I had planted a garden, I noticed that my plants were being eaten by something.  I decided to stakeout it out and see if I could catch the culprit.  It wasn't long before out from under my neighbors wooden garage emerged a rodent of unusual size.  Not sure that I wanted to confront him decided that I would give our animal control a call.

The dispatcher said she would sent someone down.  20-30 minutes later I had a patrol car and a animal control vehicle parked outside my home.  I went outside to meet them, the patrolman was a former school mate and we struck up a reunion of sorts.  Me, the AC officer. my wife and the patrolman ventured out back to observe the damage and hope to get a look at the rodent.  

It wasn't long before he appeared.  My friendly cop/school mate asked me if I had a shotgun.  I went in the house retrieved the gun and a few shells then went back outside gave it to him and he called his intentions in telling his supervisor that he was going to shot the varmit, he got clearance and he left on his Rambo routine sneaking up through the raspberry bushes until he could get a clear shot from a safe vantage point.  BOOM! the rodent was history, the AC officer bagged the former offending criminal.  

We talked a few more minutes about the rodent, school, friends and then walked back around the front to get their vehicles, I was escorting them carrying the shotgun.  None of us had thought about what anyone within hearing range would think was going on.  Cop cruiser, AC vehicle and the sound of a shotgun going off it was no wonder everyone of my neighbors were safely standing on their front yards peering over their hedges or around the trees to get a look.

The cop and AC officer got out of there before they had to answer too many questions and I calmly walked back in the house with no explanation.  It was the next day before anyone inquired what had happened and only the nosiest neighbor dare brooch the subject.


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## NancyNGA (Dec 7, 2014)

Missing is the information on what this rodent was.  Come on, Son, what was it?  A mouse?


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 7, 2014)

NancyNGA said:


> Missing is the information on what this rodent was.  Come on, Son, what was it?  A mouse?


To me it looked about the size of a shetland pony but I think the AC officer said it was a woodchuck, in honestly it was smaller than a beaver and larger than a squirrel.


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## Meanderer (Dec 8, 2014)

You....you dirty....muskrat!


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 10, 2014)

Sorry, wrong forum subject.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 22, 2014)

Sorry, I just needed to vent and somehow justify my actions.


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## Meanderer (Dec 22, 2014)

Hello Son,  I am always a little jarred, to return to your diary and find "Sorry ...".  It's good to vent!  ...maybe that's what George is doing too.  Hope your holidays are happy ones!  May the New year be good to you my friend!   Keep writing!


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## Meanderer (Jan 3, 2015)

Happy New Year Son!  Miss your writing!
View attachment 12530
...oh yeah, and write something every day!


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jan 3, 2015)

Meanderer said:


> Hello Son,  I am always a little jarred, to return to your diary and find "Sorry ...".  It's good to vent!  ...maybe that's what George is doing too.  Hope your holidays are happy ones!  May the New year be good to you my friend!   Keep writing!


I've been writing down my thoughts on a private blog.  I like to vent sometimes and find that either on Facebook or on a forum a person has a tendency to put down things that have no meaning or interest to anyone else.  I catch myself critizing say a movie or TV show only to put that opinion down, then later on realize how lame or, 'What was I thinking' with that post.  I could use simply 'notepad' or 'Word' but it becomes random and doesn't make much sense.  It's my way of blowing off steam.

I have started many blogs before, for whatever reason I delete them only to restart one a few months later.  Must be my OCDiness, when in doubt reorganize, that came from the corporate world days.  I'm still here and enjoy the other diaries and most of the posts from the members.  I really have adopted the ideas from that little book I read many years ago about not sweating the small stuff.  I try not to get too involved with things I have no control over.  I try not to respond to a political, religious or any controversial subject, i.e. birth control, same sex relationships, conspiracy theories,,,etc.  I've wasted too many hours and created too much stress to myself when I do.

The blog I post at has no comment section, I opted out of that and if I decide to change a word or line I have that option anytime I want.  It looks cool, organized and no one's feelers are hurt.


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## merlin (Mar 24, 2015)

Thanks for sharing that amazing story S.O.P, I am new here and just discovering gems like yours, it feels like finding a long lost family and learning about all the characters in it.

Thanks again!!


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## Son_of_Perdition (Apr 1, 2015)

After retirement a few years back I was financing & insuring 2 autos 1 for me & 1 for my wife.  I was paying close to $600 a month for payments and another $75 a month for insurance.  I paid off the loan for my wife's, it was a small compact with very few miles on it.  Mine was a newer pickup.  I decided to sell the pickup and commute with the wife.  I never realized how cramped hers was until I started driving it.  I couldn't see past the rear view mirror and had to bend at the neck to see the traffic lights when pulled up waiting for my turn.  I am 6'3" and the car was designed for a small stature female with tiny feet.  I drove & rode in it for 2 years when it became apparent that I was a danger on the roads.  My field of vision was limited.  I had to get something capable of carrying me comfortably and I could drive safely. 

I had set aside a emergency fund for items that would become a necessity over time.  I had built up the savings where I had at least 6 months of expenses covered rent, utilities, insurance and food.  It included enough to cover unexpected expenses that came along such as one time annual payments.  I decided that with the extra I could afford an older vehicle that would meet my needs for comfortable transportation.  I didn't need an expensive luxury auto but something that would accommodate my larger frame and height.  I started looking I decided that a mid-sized SUV would be just the ticket, gas mileage, seating for at least 5, an adequate cargo area.  I looked at older SUV's with price & safety in mind.  I perused craigslist, ever mindful of scams and dishonest advertisers.   

I went to a few 'no money down/no credit checks' small lots.  Prices were out of line and going to a new car dealer limited my choices to newer used and way over my budget for my needs.  The smaller lots catered to credit restricted customers and since I was now a first time cash customer I found I was in the drivers seat & could control the deal better.  I refused to give in to the shady dealer who wanted to make a substantial profit from me and had only a few units in my expected price range.  I would go armed with my information on value and price dictated by either Kelley Blue Book & NADA guides.  It was an interesting quest but not too successful.  I spent a few more days watching the ads and finally I was presented with an ad for a older SUV, the owner was an established mechanic and had purchased the SUV for his wife as a temporary vehicle.  She drove it for 5 months until they decided to purchase her a newer one.  The owner took the SUV in and fixed everything that he could find wrong then listed it for a quick sale.  He wasn't in the used car business and just wanted it off his lot.  The price was in line with low book value, he had made all the engine repairs, replaced all the tires with new safer ones for his wife.  I test drove it and found it matched everything I was looking for.  I bought it. 

I stopped in on my way home to license it in my name and the next day I called my insurance agent for a quote.  His quote was much higher than I anticipated and I called him on it.  But, he was firm on his quote.  I then went online and requested a quote from esurance.com.  I received several quotes but most were too high.  I was called by a customer service rep, he put me in touch with a marketer who finds reasonable quotes from various sources.  I set my limits and what I wanted for coverage, knowing how the game is played I also was firm in my decisions.  The compact my wife drives is 10 years old and only had 22,000 miles on it.  Book price on it was only $5,500 + $3,200 for the miles and I had $1,000 deductible collision and no comp.  If we had been in an accident and we were at fault then the insurance company would only give me $4,500 for repairs, nothing for the mileage.  Every financial advisor recommends dropping collision when the value drops below $5,000.  The value on my SUV was only $2,000 so it would be a mistake to take out full coverage.  Liability coverage should only be what your net worth equals because the adjusters for a no fault state will only settle for what your net worth is, nothing more, so over paying for additional liability is a waste of money.  

I finally settled my insurance quest on one company, albeit the company had a slightly lower satisfaction rating than my current company but money was the motivation.  I was able to drop as much as $25 a month off the rate that the other companies were quoting.  I did raise my liability coverage to a higher rate but dropped all collision from it.  Total savings $675 - ($46 ins) = $629 a month.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Apr 9, 2015)

When I was looking for a decent backup auto I noticed that most listed vehicles had unusually high mileage, even the newer models. Repossessions at my home town bank, all had high mileage. 80k used to be considered high, now it seemed like everything listed has at least 150k or more. It's no wonder we have an oil crisis and the driving force behind war is control of oil.

We have more vehicles, more pollution and higher insurance rates. Our little '05 Mini has 22,500 miles on it and I was told that the only time that advantage could be used is if I traded it in, the dealership wouldn't give me a dime extra but would use it to sell it up line. If it was totalled the insurance would only give me the average value minus my deductible.

Savings accounts and being frugal only hurt the economy and I need to get out there spending my nest egg on unnecessary items to clutter my life to get more rewards on my credit cards. Many years ago while doing someone's taxes, they were getting a large refund and they asked me if they should buy more things on time so they would have more interest to deduct thereby getting a bigger refund. I couldn't answer that without a little sarcasm, so I just said no.


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## Son_of_Perdition (May 15, 2015)

*Debt Stigma*


For many seniors, the “Golden Years” is just a mirage. In your working life, the idea of retiring, living comfortably and enjoying yourself always appeared on the horizon like an oasis in the desert. Once you got there, however, you found only struggle. Inflation, low-wage jobs, health issues, improper planning, the recent financial crisis or dozens of other reasons now find you just scratching by rather than savoring this time comfortably. Like many seniors in this country, you are in survival mode. Some of you have been barely surviving for years. Others, like the 10,000 Americans who turn 65 every day, are just now facing the reality. Many of you are surviving on only Social Security month-to-month.  


Many retirees or soon-to-be retirees are in fine shape. They’ve worked at good-paying jobs for decades, saved through 401Ks, and have their homes paid off.  But there’s another group in a much different situation. Consider that nine out of ten Americans 65 and older are receiving Social Security. And the average monthly Social Security benefit for those 65 and older is $1,262. Many receive much less than that. 53% of married couples and 74% of those unmarried receive 50% or more of their income from Social Security.  23% of married couples and about 46% of unmarried seniors rely on Social Security for 90% or more of their income.  


The median income for seniors 65-74 is $36,320; if you’re over 74 that drops to $25,417, and 12% of those 65 and older are living at the poverty level.  Only 66% of workers have saved for retirement, down from 75% in 2009.  Nearly 40% of retirees have a problem with their level of debt. As an example, only 52% said they could come up with $2,000 for an unexpected emergency within a month 28% of workers who responded said they had less than $1,000 saved for retirement.  


If you are living on government benefits alone, your housing is likely 40% or more of your total income. The percentage of persons in the 65-to-75-year-old group with a house payment or a home equity loan increased from 21% in 1989 to almost 37% in 2010. Seniors are also taking on more credit card debt; in 1989 the average credit card debt for seniors was $2,100, but by 2010 that number had increased to $6,000, it's been pointed out that we will talk about our weight more easily than we talk about our credit card debt. And of course, all seniors face substantially increased health care costs. The portion of expenses devoted to health care costs can be expected to increase from 10% at age 65 to 20% at age 85.  In addition, seniors are splurging on new cars and trucks. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Expenditure Survey, in both age groups, those ages 65 to 74 and those 75 and older, new and used cars and trucks are also among the top five fastest-growing expenditures. That category has been growing at a rate of 6.5% since 1990, and it now represents 2.6% of expenditures.  


One of the fastest growing bankruptcy groups is seniors who had debt when they retired and continue to borrow.  Medical expenses, taxes and other costs continue to go up while retiree income is going down.  Even with Medicare, there are still a lot of out-of-pocket expenses. Many seniors are proud and don’t want their families to know the kind of mess they’re in.  So they begin living off credit cards and suffering from the embarrassment of calls from creditors and debt collectors.  Although many seniors feel that filing bankruptcy carries a stigma of personal failure and shame, sometimes, it’s their only option.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Oct 29, 2015)

Haven't posted here in a long time, but this entry should be delegated to my diary.

I am one to probably jump on anything that looks interesting, but not one to follow the crowd otherwise.  Dieting, fought weight all my life, contacted polio at age 9, slowing down my activities.  I developed stenosis in my back as a result.  Weight is the common factor when analyzing my conditions.  It affects my moods, motivation and movements.  So, over the course of my life I did try several fad diets, fen fen, Atkins & the many varieties, cabbage soup, paleo, Mediterranean, South Beach, Sugar Solution,,,etc.  All were a waste of time for me except the low carb, high protein & Sugar Solution.  I have been on a self/controlled low carb (1500 Cals/100 Carbs) since late August.  I can honestly say I haven't cheated once in the last 90 days.  Near death is a great motivator.

Over the years I also took supplements, St. John's Wort for anger management, iron when I got anemia that resulted in surgery, bee pollen for whatever reason, I can't remember.  I moved on from those because of side effects, too much iron caused sleepless nights and anxiety, bee pollen didn't seem to help much & the cost & acquiring it became a pain, counter reactions with prescribed medications and St. John's.  I now take one 5K Vit 'D' almost a standard requirement for anyone living in the rainy/overcast days of the Pacific Northwest.  I started Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) on Oct 9th.  Other than an aspirin a day, I take no other supplements not prescribed.  

Tuesday I went for my 90 day follow up A1C/general blood drawing and Dr consultation.  I've mentioned many times being OCD, but in this case it was helpful for the visit.  I charted everything GLU, BP, medications & noted times.  The doctor kept saying he was impressed and used my charts for reference.  I have returned my GLU to normal (80/130), my BP is between (125/65) with a normal heart rate (55/85) and I've lost 40 lbs.  I don't get the results back until Fri or Mon but he indicated I should be <7 on my A1C (<6 is the goal), I was >12 in Jul.  He told me upon leaving he's never had a patient with >850 GLU return to normal so quick.  

I don't know what to credit the numbers too whether it's the low carb diet/grundle of beans, the cinnamon/flaxseed/almond butter in my daily oatmeal, the 2 Tbl spoons daily of ACV, the injections & pills or what but something is working.  I converted 3 of my neighbors along with my wife to the wonders of ACV.  I should maybe start a new religion because of the BS that convinced them to start drinking it.  I'm helping put Bragg's back in the public eye.  

I've included a copy of my chart from Oct '15.

View attachment 23455


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## NancyNGA (Oct 29, 2015)

I know the dilemma.  I can never figure out what, if anything, causes something good or bad to happen, because I'm always changing at least two things at once.  But frankly life isn't long enough to test out things one-at-a-time, and then wait to see if it makes a difference.   :shrug:

Congrats on your numbers and the weight loss!


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## Son_of_Perdition (Oct 29, 2015)

NancyNGA said:


> I know the dilemma.  I can never figure out what, if anything, causes something good or bad to happen, because I'm always changing at least two things at once.  But frankly life isn't long enough to test out things one-at-a-time, and then wait to see if it makes a difference.   :shrug:
> 
> Congrats on your numbers and the weight loss!



Numbers just in:  A1C count in Jul '15 = over 12%. Just got my results of my 90 day follow up test Oct '15 = *5.4%* goal is to be below 6%.


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## NancyNGA (Oct 29, 2015)

:thumbsup:


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## Son_of_Perdition (Oct 31, 2015)

Diogenes of Synope was a Greek philosopher who used to wander the streets with a lantern in the daylight “in search of an honest man.”  As I read the post by 'AZJim' about the IRS scam, it led me to thinking about finding an honest man in this day and age.  You could probably eliminate most politicians, lawyers, used car salesmen, religious leaders, advertising executives, drug companies, corporate board members, stock brokers, cable and wireless salesmen, newspaper reporters, well most anyone trying to pry your hard earned dollars from your purse or wallet.  That just leaves us and most wage earners.  I'm not saying that they are all honest but as a general rule I've found that dealing with the lower echelon of business society you develop a more trusting atmosphere.  We have professions that generate trust like the medical field and financial experts, but even those professions are fraught with a few bad apples.  

I listen today about the latest and greatest gizmo that someone is pushing or the newest fad diet, get rich quick scheme, or how to better yourself through chemicals.  I also am aware of the warning posted about some drug you may have taken in the past and now can join a class action suit to get a few dollars back after the lawyers get their cut.  I was reading about a lawyer who had filed various bogus claims against BP for the loss of income and damage to the fishing industry.  He had filed a $49,000 claim in the name of a dog named Lucy Lu.  When questioned about it he tried to justify it as valid.  I watch reality TV simply because it's what on nowadays, knowing that most of it is staged for entertainment purposes and try to imagine I'm watching real life, which I know is BS.

We now have the internet and the uncensored, unedited vehicle that anyone connected can post anything they want and usually never have to retract or correct their entries.  Readers as a whole believe most of the information by using a quote and citing an author for something they said that co-insides with their thoughts and beliefs, something I've done several times myself, I hate to admit.  You can pay a few dollars and find out almost anything you want to about anyone.  It's all a shell game to me, where's the pea?  As someone said many years ago, TV the great waste land.  Believe me the internet is bigger and more dangerous than TV could ever be.  At least in the early days they had censors but with the proliferation of the 'Net' and cable it has become more open and unbelievable with few checks and balances.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 3, 2015)

'Hello World' New Venture  -  I'll have to start using my diary for my posts and keep my comments in the singular forum threads.

Stepping out into a new area. I acquired an 'ANDROID' tablet last month and while it's fun to play with, I've decided to expand my world somewhat and start creating 'Android APPs'. I used to do a little programming using older technology in my early days of my career. I used COBOL & Fortran but I was not hired for my programming skills rather for my experience with hardware, the programming was put on the way-way-back burner. Different times I created MACROs in WordPerfect then Word, Lotus 123 then Excell, mostly on a limited basis and for my own use exclusively. I did created a spreadsheet that was accepted for Utah State tax returns. It was a thing of beauty and I used it for several years before TurboTax.

Interest waned and I moved into UNIX/Linux support in the late 90's and the early 2000's until retirement in 2009. Along the way I dabbled in HTML/Javascript/Java/PHP programming but just didn't stick with it after retirement, I created a few personal & business websites for friends and family, but most have fell by the wayside as most websites do. Now with the discovery of an open source service to create 'Android Apps'. I'm giving it a go. I have a few ideas and hopes that they will spawn more elaborate and useful apps. The web is amazing and dangerous all on the same TV tray next to my recliner. I hope this new venture is as interesting as I've found some other technologies to be. Time will tell. 

Update: created my first simple but it took a few tries. My Credit Union doesn't have mobile apps so the launch icon I created works just like a shortcut on your desktop/laptop. I had to create 2 additional screens, 1st (launch icon) to acquire the CU's webpage, 2nd needed 2 input boxes for USERID & Password, the 3rd screen needed an input box for my secret phrase. Worked good finally.  No eye candy as yet, still working on the details.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 4, 2015)

In 1963 I decided to join the Air Force.  There was an evaluation test that helped give your tour of duty a guide.  I passed high enough to qualify for IBM schooling but only as an alternative to my first choice which was accounting/finance.  I was fortunate enough to be selected for IBM schooling.  My classes consisted of learning the PCAM (Punch Card Accounting Machines) equipment that was then mainly being used for the military.  Computers were in existence but only a select few installations had them, I think there were something like either 1,200 or 12,000 installed world wide.  PCAM equipment used wired boards for control and job input was done on punched cards.  When I was assigned overseas, the first installation was located on the island of Okinawa and I had been selected for the USAF Security Service.  It required a Top Secret Crypto clearance.  I worked at a Joint Services Processing Center (JSPC) who reported to NSA.  It was my first exposure to computers, they had 2 (1401 & 1410).  Jobs were input through 5 and 8 level paper tape, large reels of magnetic tapes and punch cards.  

I was then assigned to Darmstadt Germany still with the USAFSS and worked on a 1401 utilizing the same methods of job input.  After the service I got a job in Idaho Falls at a data center for a large potato processing company that had a 1430 with either card input, check reader/sorters and large magnetic disks.  I then was hired at a bank processing demand deposits and other commercial accounts again using the same input devices.  After a 3 year break in career choices I was then hired in what became my final company, I worked for them for 35 years.  It was a large aerospace manufacturing plant.  I started on more advanced computers also using the same input devices, including floppy discs.  We had moved into using 'dumb' terminals for input, engineers, accounting, manufacturing and well almost every employee was using TSO (Time Sharing Option) & IMS (Information Messaging System) along with others methods.  The mainframes were IBM using the MVS OS to control/input the production jobs punch cards and the 'dumb' terminals used JCL (Job Control Language) to schedule work.  That was my first exposure to what would become the 'Internet' but at that time it was called Data Link.

In the 70's personal computers came on the scene, very basic and limited.  The Commodore 64 was my first hands on personal/home computer experience in the early 80's, never had one but our company was experimenting with them.  More of a novelty than useful, but it peaked my interest.  I finally got my first PC in 1986 a Tandy 1000, 3.5" & 5.25" and a massive 20 MB hard drive, our company had PS2's for a few employees to work with, not many.  In those days the OS was either IBMDOS or PCDOS, Bill Gates had developed those utilizing his 'Basic' language for the personal/home computer.  It was all terminal entry keystrokes.  In 1976 Steve Jobs and his team introduced Apple to the world.  I remember sitting up nights with my Tandy building *.bat files with menus to select an application to process.  The files consisted of a series of keystroke entries that rolled through executing one entry at a time until you closed your application.  It was simple programming, 1984 Apple changed all that with the introduction of their version of 'Windows'.  MS didn't get on board with that technology until later with 'Windows 3.0'.  But the idea was spawned by Apple, Gates and his team just reversed engineered that like they did with WordPerfect and Lotus 123 to create MS Office.  

Over the years I had several PC's each better than the last with more memory, larger monitors, faster CPU's and larger hard drives.  I was content to use Bill's technology until my newer obsession, the Net.  Seems like I would get bored with what I was doing then something else was being introduced that would grab my interest and hold me.  I self-taught myself the coding systems for web pages (HTML, Java and JavaScript) played around with those for many years then as I neared retirement and health issues I figured I had been saturated enough and started losing interest again.  Was I wrong!  I acquired my latest 'toy' an Android tablet.  I discovered that all my experience with keyboarding, building *.bat files, HTML, JavaScript and Java would come in handy when I researched understanding, creating and building apps for tablets.  They are nothing more than I was creating back in the early 80's with my first PC with a little more eye candy.  What comes around goes around.  You can't fool an old fool.  It is not unlike how you script icons or 'shortcuts' for PC's now.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 5, 2015)

In conjunction with my previous post, I embarked on what my wife and children claim as one of my obsessions.  Reinstalling newer or different Linux distros on my laptop.  I had LinuxMint(Mate) 17.2 installed and had a clitch that while was irritable wasn't affecting the performance.  I downloaded Ubuntu's latest version.  It's presents itself as a clone of the previous Windows (8.0 & 8.1).  It also reminds me of an iMac launch screen.  Icons that resize when you pass your mouse over them.  I set up the laptop to dual boot either LinuxMint or Ubuntu from a menu.  I must admit that while Mint is more clean and simple to use, Ubuntu was addictive operating much like a tablet or touch screen laptop (which mine isn't).  I had tried Android-x86 first but since my video card is intergrated on the motherboard and not high end I had trouble getting it to run without a stylus & touch.

I then tried to load LinuxMint(Cinnamon) 17.2 but after using a 'torrent' application it indicated that the file was corrupt, something you usually don't get via 'torrent'.  So that's how I arrived at installing Ubuntu.  I left it in dual boot mode and am in the process of downloading a 4.65 GB openSUSE distro.  I used it years ago and found it very stable and clean, once again you got to hand it to German engineering.  I have used several over the years that were good: Fedora, Zorin, PCLinuxOS, Mageia, Puppy even Peppermint finally settling on LinuxMint and have used it over the last 6-7 years.  Now for a change, openSUSE claims it includes enterprise technology.  Enterprise is mainly used as a business application but can also be used by groups including HOAs, clubs, anyone wanting to have a community of like minded peers or family able to network their files, photos & what have you. I may not go anywhere with it but does offer an interesting route I can play with.  Enterprise is also available with Apple & MS but I imagine at an extra cost, while Linux is free, my favorite expense.

I installed openSUSE and discovered that my wireless card in my year old laptop is older technology.  The distro didn't load any drivers, after 3 tries I finally had to use a USB wireless adapter to get the internet to research the problem, I had thrown all my ethernet cables away and was just short of going downtown in search of one.  I next had to download and install the firmware for the wireless configuration.  HP probably had extra wireless cards from years ago and decided to save a few bucks installing them in units they were trying to get shed of.  Only guessing but caused a few swearing bouts.  It looks like an Android tablet without the touch screen capabilities, the stylus is useless also.  Really like it, loaded with software applications and so far fairly easy to navigate.

View attachment 23727


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 7, 2015)

Being diagnosed as type II diabetic during a recent 4 day stay in the hospital getting my blood sugar under control, I was confronted with the realization that I wasn't bullet proof. I have a family history (maternal) with diabetics. My mother passed from complications as did several of her aunts, uncles and cousins. My older sister is dealing with it and has for 10 years, she is now my go to support mentor. Frustrations with diet, carb counting and discovering what different foods do to my blood sugar. Charting my BS, BP and injections and couple that with my financial budgeting I have created a part time career. I remember the Franklin day planner days and scoffed at the idea that I would need a structured road map to exist. That has all changed but works well with my OCD.

Things that have become reality is the fact that I had horrible eating and exercise habits and now must pay the piper. Dieting is a way of life for me, I wonder how I have been able to stick to something so restrictive for 6 weeks never ceases to amaze me. Only one time did I push the envelope and was sorry immediately afterward. What I thought was one tablespoon of peanut butter was closer to one third of a cup. Everything needs to be measured accurately. Nutrition labels need to be adhered to religiously and controlling calories and carbs are my guidelines.

First discovery was I can't consume many bites of bread and it must be 100% unbuttered whole wheat. I found I can eat oatmeal for breakfast so that has become my only source of grain. I also have spikes with bananas, potatoes/sweet potatoes, carrots and peas. Beans are great but only the plain white ones, less carbs. My only treat is two tablespoons of almond butter and cinnamon (supposedly controls BS & works for me) mixed with my oatmeal. I am allowed coffee but must add half n' half to cut bitterness. Water is my only liquid I drink now and need to drink at least 5 16 oz glasses. 1500 or less calories along with 130 carbs a day are my limits. Thank heaven I like eggs! My once daily serving of 3 ounces of lean meat (needed for the B-12) used to be an appetizer that precluded a 750+ calorie burger with a heaping mound of fries.

I had to take the best of many diets: Atkins, Mediterranean, Paleo, cabbage soup, gluten free, vegan,,,etc to develop something that controls my personal BS. It's a learning process, anger, arguments with my non-diabetic wife, watching her go out to restaurants with my children while I sit home eating my slim offerings is a way of life for me. I was going along poking fingers and watching my meter blink getting my BS down to an average of just over 100 thinking I was on the mend. I then run out of the strips, and after getting a fresh supply my BS jumped 10 points. What! I researched and researched for an answer only find out that the medical supply industry has limits and ranges it uses to produce the strips. Some use different chemicals and processes so you may not be getting an accurate score.

You can have a 30-40 point difference between the many meters sold or given away along with different variances even with the different lot runs of the same manufacturer. We can send men to the moon but can't create an electronic device that 24 million Americans rely on, does that make you feel safer with computer braking/speed controls in your auto at 80 mph? We wouldn't accept that shoddy production from our iPhones or tablets. It also seems that it doesn't matter how much you spend on the strips you have no way to depend on it's accuracy without meeting your co-pay and have an A1C done. That's more accurate but the usual schedule is once every 3 months. Something rotten in Denmark?

I have nothing but repect for the hospital staff, I was kept informed, monitored and given the best care I could expect. The diabetic specialist visited several times with information, instructions and training devices to administer my injections, the doctors were professional and concerned about my progress it just seemed that the ball was dropped when I was released and had to purchase what turned out to be questionable equipment to begin my recovery. I was instructed to take my BS at intervals 4 times daily. They told me accurate records would be the best guidelines I could use, but using questionable equipment was counter productive and results were suspect at best.

It's now 16 weeks since my release, I've dropped 55 lbs my GLU count stays solidly between 94-102.  My blood pressure averages 120+ over 60-80.  I had a visit with my doctor on the 27th of October and a blood test was taken.  Results were very positive with only two alerts from my doctor.  My good cholesterol (LDL) was low, my triglycerides were within normal range and my bad cholesterol was also normal although a little on the high end.  I cut back on the meat & eggs added more vegetables.  But the count we were all waiting for was NORMAL.  The doctor expected below 7% on my A1C based upon my numbers from my charts, below 6% is considered normal I was 5.4%.  Needless to say me, the wife and I assume the doctor were elated or at least satisfied.  

I have been consuming 3 Tbsps of Apple Cider Vinegar (Braggs/w the mother) daily.  It has helped curb my appetite, cleared up my kidney output and hopefully is helping mend possible damage my high sugar count could have done to my internal organs.  I have converted 3-4 senior neighbors into taking ACV, no one seems to like the taste.  One neighbor reported last week that he is back into his size 40 pants from a 44, others have fell by the wayside simply because of the taste.  My shirts and pants are looking pretty baggy, I refuse to buy newer/smaller cloths, it's a motivational thing, I always feeling like the diet is working wearing my former clothes.  Putting on right sized duds makes me feel bloated and starts working on my real success with my diet to the point of second thoughts about how well it's working.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 13, 2015)

Becoming quite a domestic.  I never professed to be a great or even good cook, rather I like to experiment with different mixes.  Mentioned before that I attempted homemade V-8 juice, total disaster!  Before that made my kids spaghetti using pepperoni for the meat, another terrible mistake.  Then after my latest health issue I decided to mix re-fried beans and cinnamon, taste was like burnt rubber.  

I have also purchased many appliances to make me a better cook.  I was an advocate of Ron Popeil and all his gadgetry.  I bought the Hot Dogger.  It was one of most wicked appearing gimmicks with 2 rows of 5 harpoon like spikes that electrocuted the poor wiener to death.  Next was the hamburger cooker.  It darn near set off the sprinkler system at work, so that was shelved, my eldest daughter even got into wanting to give them for Xmas, but I talked her out of the 'Inside the egg shell, egg scrambler' luckily.  I think I must have purchased each one over many years but at the moment no more come to mind.  I did buy a juicer and used it once then sold it, but that's a long story.

But today I had been contemplating the purchase of a single serve blender, I eat healthier now and have included beans, quinoa, flaxseed, and now hemp hearts.  I dislike the bean skins because of their habit of sticking to my false teeth, that's why I tried the re-fried variety.  But gads for the sodium!  Instant 20 point jump in my blood pressure, that's already high.  I was at our local Walmart and they were setting up an Xmas display, on one table was a cheaper clone of the 'Bullet' As Seen On TV.  The bullet sells for $79 and my new single serve blender sold for $17.  

View attachment 23932

I came home and suffered the stares and warnings of my wife that it's my project and she won't clean it.  I had started a pot of beans yesterday and finished them this morning.  Very limited salt.  I mixed a daily portion of beans, quinoa, cottage cheese, hemp hearts and fresh salsa.  Pureed it to a paste and had my wife give me half of the mix for lunch and will use the second half with my evening meal.  IT WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY GOOD.  I had the texture and taste of hummus without the higher price.  The unused beans should keep in a covered bowl in the refer for at least 7 days.   Serving size 1/2 C, calories 135 and 19 carbs.  Loaded with nutrition and is great for blood sugar count.

Things I discovered was the need to place the wetter ingredients at the bottom of the tall cup first then increasingly dryer ingredients up until you add the beans last.  Spinning the blade base on the cup then placing it on the base worked best.  It took 3 sessions of about 30 seconds each to reach the desired consistency for use.  Cleanup was actually easy since it washed the cup and blades under the faucet into the drain no need to use the disposal.  All the parts except the motor base are dishwasher safe, making my task simple.  I will try spraying on a little cooking oil on the blade base so that the excess 'paste' slides down into the cup to save a little extra.


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## NancyNGA (Nov 13, 2015)

That's a nice outfit Son.  And what a bargain!


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 16, 2015)

I consider myself as informed or highly functional as anyone in 2 and working on the 3rd areas.  Computers, or at least now since I no longer speak MicroSoft or Apple, I have a better understanding and skill in the Linux/Unix world.  Gambling, or until four years ago I was able to count a single-deck up to an eight-deck shoe with enough skills to make a little profit from most tables, I was and still able to completely understand everything about the game of craps.  I place myself in the top 1-3% of the gambling public in those 2 areas.  Because of health, I have lost interest and motivation to spend my vacations or spare time alongside other gamblers. 

I was a couch potato, who excelled at 'Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon'.  I maintain my current events, history and technical knowledge as much as the next person because of the internet.  The third area I'm slowly gaining ground on is 'Medicare' and all the nuances of the 'doughnut hole'.  I have an appointment with my Primary Care Doctor tomorrow to discuss changing my medication for diabetes to a much cheaper model.  He has me on the Cadillac of the insulin group.  I found Walmart has a brand they sell at their pharmacies at a much lower ratio.  Being on a fixed income with no visions of gaining much ground against the politicians I have to re-evaluate my direction.  

I'm 70 years old, if I was 25 and diagnosed as diabetic I would want the best care along with the best medications.  But at my age and income level while adequate, can be sabotaged by an unchecked medical condition and subsequent recovery methods.  What they administered to me in the hospital to get me on the road to normal ongoing diabetic management was probably the best I could expect and I am willing to pay the copay’s I've been billed for.  I found I needed to redirect my outlay income for proper care.  I have assumed 95% of the responsibility of contracting the malady the other 5% I chalk up to genetics.  I led a sedentary lifestyle before and have been trained now to understand my part of the management team.

I'm the CEO, CIO, CFO of the team.  I am in charge of my care and with input from my PCP I hope to prolong my existence a few more years, but realizing that at my age time is limited.  I spent the last few weeks researching and getting over fits of anger when I would get confused about health insurance and the coverages, along with the mystical 'Doughnut Hole' believe me it's real and could get costly without some knowledge.  I'm gaining experience and (AHA!) dwelling the house of 'confusion'.  What they have done (the politicians) is akin to criminal and we are at their mercy.  You have to take control of the situation as much as they allow you.  I had great insurance when I was first employed then over the years reorganization, changes, economics and the bottom line changed all that.  I accused my insurance company of creative accounting several times and protested to my employer but nothing changed.

I plan to pursue the lifestyle I've finally adopted, low carb diet, take my medications, get exercise and try to keep a positive attitude.  Yesterday I was finally able to get into sized clothing that I was wearing 45 years ago when I was first married.  I'm still a little overweight according to the government charts but everyone is elated with my progress.


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## AprilT (Nov 16, 2015)

Good going Son_O_P


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 17, 2015)

After gaining knowledge and functionality during my career and after retirement with Linux/Unix I enjoy a pretty virus/malware free computing experience.  Since I adopted Linux as my OS of choice I have only had one incident related to hacking and that came through Facebook games.  I had been playing with several members some known and some unknown.  I had an attempt to log into my 'Google' email account from a location in the Ukraine.  Google blocked it because of the originating location, thanks Google.  I had stupidly used the same password for both FB and Gmail.  A mental slip that wasn't repeated after that.  

I have experimented with several distros over the years, finally landing on the LinuxMint distro as my choice.  I had used and enjoyed using Suse back year ago and hadn't look at it until a month ago.  I was reading the reviews of the latest which is called openSuse Leap 42.1.  It's a rolling release meaning it will be supported with security and updates for at least 3 years and just came out the beginning of October.  It is a more advanced than LinuxMint, the favorite of many Linux users because of it's simplicity and ease of user for newbies.  I decided it was time to try a more advanced version and haven't been sorry with my choice of Leap.  It's visually ascetic and after taking it for a test spin I can say it is my new 'favorite'.  

Suse is created by a German team of developers who are dedicated to security and graphically minded.  I like how it responds and took a little getting used to the flash screens that roll in from sides.  I took a few screen shots to show a little of what I experience on a daily session today.  Linux is not for everybody but it can be with a little experience.  The are countless help forums on the web with answers to anyone's questions or problems.  I found the Linux community wants to show everyone what is available and how to used it.  Most of it is free from the operating system to thousands of application packages.  It's not entirely functional to the standards of a graphic artist but it will make your photos pop.  You have some many choices for software I can't think of many you would lack.

Below are what I see everyday:

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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 17, 2015)

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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 18, 2015)

In life we all have factors that we deal with everyday.  How you manage/control the factors depend upon your approach to a satisfactory conclusion or day to day dealing with each factor.  Marriage, financial, children, education, career, retirement, health and death.  How you deal/manage/control each requires how much risk you are willing to accept.  I want to minimize my risk in all areas, I compromise, giving in, accepting responsibility for my short comings and tried to work as a team member in all areas.  

I try to identify risk and reward eliminating as much risk to obtain greater reward.  I have phobias that enter into my decisions.  I fear flying, heights, closed in places, I don't like to swim in water I can't reach the bottom.  I don't drive fast, try to control my temper when behind the wheel and always drive defensively.  As I age I realize that I wasn't getting enough exercise but childhood diseases influenced my activity.  I was trained for my career in the USAF and I attended several college classes and training sessions to maintain and enhance my level of career security.  I spent 35 years at the same company and worked in my chosen career for 48 years.  

I had secret desires to change careers but family responsibilities hampered those.  I had visions of becoming a professional gambler, something I enjoyed and was successful to a degree simply because I managed my time and money well.  I was going to become a brick mason (I had worked with my father for 14 years in my late childhood through my teenage years).  But the decision to team with my brother was tabled because of his addiction to drugs and alcohol.  I obtained a contractor's license on the first test and dabbled in the trade until it became more trouble & time consuming than it was worth.  

Now in retirement I receive a substantial pension and my SS.  I have my 401K invested in safe low risk/low reward vehicles.  My income is higher than my net take home pay when I was working.  My living expenses have been reduced 30% since retirement because of our move to a warmer climate and into a state with lower living/tax expenses.  I don't travel as much as I did when I was working and that's okay with me.  I chose not to expose myself to danger, risk, or life threatening situations anymore, I'm also okay with that.  I never got a rush from many things most of all 'risk'.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 19, 2015)

I enjoy the holidays, in my youth with 4 other siblings vying for gifts from our parents tight fisted income was not a warm remembrance of mine.  My parents were working class and money seemed to always be tight.  My mother had her favorites and my father would want to appease her to keep peace in the family.  So not being one of the favorites made me feel like an urchin out of a Charles Dicken's novel.

As time went on and I married, had children of my own I allowed my wife to set the stage for our holidays.  She is a warm giving person and her being from a family of 12 made her more aware of the joys and heartache of the holidays.  She started in Jan each year planning for our next Xmas season.  Our house was always decorated warmly with fresh cut trees, holiday cooking and included music in the background.  We had 3 children and each had a choice of 3 items they wanted.  Our funds were limited but she always tried her best to get their final choices.  

As they aged the choices became more expensive, but she somehow managed.  Each child was raised the same but each had their own personalities, the oldest, my son was indifferent to his gifts & he wanted to shop the 'clearance' racks.  My 2nd, a daughter is a giving person and still is, she wanted to spend more on her gifts than we allotted.  The 3rd, another daughter was more materialistic and would reluctantly get a random gift for her siblings and then want to buy for herself.  The 3rd still keeps score.

I always took into account what was expected of me and I tried to provide the expected funds to supplement my wife's minimum wage jobs.  We had and still have happy holidays that can only be attributed to my wife's tenacity.  Our family congregates at our house on Xmas eve and spends Xmas day at our house, their children bring their favorite gift to play with and being OCD I have to temper my misgivings and allow the clutter to gather around my chair.  Our oldest granddaughter now married with children of her own was remembering our past celebrations, about the joy she remembered going to Grandma's and Grandpa's. 

I found another 'list' of the tricks that entice you at the holidays.  I read through it and realized that these are not too much unlike the marketing tricks that I encountered when I was in my heyday of the pseudo 'professional gambler' days.  No clocks, bright lights, bells and whistles, very alluring cocktail waitresses carrying 'free' drinks, cheap food, cheap rooms and colorful surrounding all to make me spend more time in the casino and played heavily upon my normal desires, FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).  Here is the edited list of marketing tricks retailers use at holiday time. 

1. They Relax You With Carefully Chosen Music

Research reported by the American Psychological Association and European Journal of Scientific Research shows that when you go into a store with relaxing music, you are much more likely to spend more time in the store. Spending more time in a store can lead to spending more money before you leave.

2. They Use Scents to Get You to Spend More Money

Just as retailers use music to play to your sense of hearing during the holiday season, they also use holiday-specific scents to try to increase your will to spend money.  Retailers often scent their stores during the holidays with seasonal fragrances such as gingerbread and pine. Similar to Christmas music, this tactic invokes a sense of warmness and generosity, all leading to larger purchases.  The more pleasant a shopping experience is, the more likely you'll walk out the door with less money in your hand.

3. They Take Advantage of Nostalgia

Retailers frequently sell items that appeal to people's feelings of nostalgia, such as a '50s-style dining set, an old-school video game system or a retro turntable.  Gifts that trigger a memory or inspire a young person to try something from the past can offer richness that general gifts like candles cannot.

4. They Use Bulk Pricing

You might be accustomed to seeing "buy two for the price of one" deals, but you can expect even more of them -- and larger bulk offers -- during the holidays. Grocery stores, in particular, use this tactic frequently, such as by offering 10 items for $10, making you think you have to buy 10 to get the $1-an-item deal. But, usually, you can get the deal price regardless of how many items you buy.  Adding the sentence "maximum 8 cans per customer" to the price tag of soup cans caused sales to increase by giving the illusion of a great discount even if none was offered.

5. They Use the Number 9

While shoppers are accustomed to the majority of retail items going for prices such as $39.99 instead of $40, not many shoppers stop to think about why merchandise is priced this way. Not using round numbers is another trick intended to make you spend more.

6. They Play Tricks on Your Eyes

Stores often put items with the best price margins for them right at eye level for you so that you see them easily. Items that are better buys for the customer -- and therefore not as profitable for the retailer -- are more likely to be found at the bottom or top of an aisle.

7. They Mark Up Prices Before the Holidays

[High-low pricing] is when retailers have relatively high everyday prices, then release 'holiday' coupons to make you think you're getting an amazing discount via the coupon.  In reality, retailers that use high-low pricing know they'll sell minimal items at full retail, and if they do, it's a bonus.

8. They Convince You to Buy Gift Sets

Gift sets seem like a great deal because the value of all items priced together is typically lower than if you were to buy them separately. The stated value of the set, however, is the full retail of all items in it, so it can sometimes be cheaper to buy the items separately if they are on sale.  Buying gift sets also can lead to overspending.

9. They Skew Perception With New Luxury Items

The holiday season is a popular time for some retailers to mix luxury items into their product assortment so that prices on their regular items look much more reasonable by comparison, Sanders said.

10. They Make Finding Clearance Items Hard

Clearance racks or shelves are often located all the way in the back of a store or hidden as much as possible because retailers want you to have to walk through the entire store to get to them, according to Business Insider. By walking through this layout, you're more likely to see higher priced items and potentially buy them. Once you do find the clearance section, it's purposefully in a state of disarray. True bargain shoppers don't mind sifting through the mess to find the great deals, but the average shopper is more likely to be turned off by the obstacle and instead buy non-clearance items, letting the retailers win.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 21, 2015)

*Introduction*​ ​ *Advantages or Dis-advantages using the alternative operating system (OS) Linux as compared to IOS or Windows.*​ ​ *Advantages of Linux:*


 Most Linux distros are free….. users do not need to pay for a copy, but this is only one aspect of freedom enjoyed by Linux users! In addition, Linux distros can be freely downloaded and legally installed on as many computers as you want and freely (and legally) given to other people. Because most distros are open source, you have access to the source code and can customize Linux to be whatever you want it to be; you can even create your own distro if you like!Linux is easy to install!  In many instances, it is actually easier to install Linux to your computer than Windows. Linux systems rarely crash, and when they do, the whole system normally does not go down. The “blue screen of death” familiar to Windows users is not a worry for Linux users.


 Because most computer malware are designed to attack Windows (often through Active X which is not typically found in Linux) the odds are considerably less for Linux to be infected with a virus than Windows. The same holds true with spyware, trojans, and worms. While Linux malware does exist, they are relatively few in number and none have become widespread so far. While Linux is very secure by its nature, users should still employ good sense while surfing the Internet.  As long as Linux users download and install only from their distro’s official software repository, then security is greatly increased. One nice security feature In Linux is that files must be made to be executable by someone with administrator privileges, which requires a password.  


 So even if a Linux virus is loaded on a Linux computer, it will not be able to run without the user who has administrator privileges intentionally making it executable. Another important aspect of Linux security is the fact that it is open source. Because the programing code is available for anyone to view, there are many eyes constantly examining it, which makes it highly difficult for malware to be hidden within the code.  Also, security patches normally come much quicker to Linux than other operating systems because so many people are contributing to it. Here are some resources with more information about Linux security and why Linux computers are much less likely than Windows to ever become infected with a virus:


 Unlike Windows, Linux does not easily become bogged down with spyware, viruses, trojans, etc., which can greatly reduce a computer’s performance. Also, because Linux does not have a registry like Windows, it is not plagued with registry errors which can slow down a computer over time. Finally, the hard drives on Windows (especially Windows 10 and older) computers need to be defragmented on a regular basis in order to maintain faster performance, due to being formatted in NTFS. On the other hand, because Linux is normally formatted in a different way using ext4 among others, there is no need to defragment a Linux hard drive.


 If you have an older computer (especially Pentium III or later) laying around, you can install Linux and in essence have a new computer. In many cases Linux will run faster and you can do all of the basics such as browse the Internet, email, play games, and create and edit documents, spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations. It should also be mentioned that Linux runs great on newer computers as well.  With Linux, you have so many choices in a wide variety of distros!


 Linux comes in all sizes and flavors, which offers a wide variety from which to choose the distro which will best suit your needs. Another advantage of this variety is the innovation that is taking place in the Linux world because it is open source.  


 Popular distros such as Ubuntu, PCLinuxOS, and OpenSUSE offer excellent software repositories within their package managers where virtually any type of software can be downloaded and installed to your Linux system for free. This includes just about anything you can imagine, such as games, educational software, office suites, and much more! Some smaller distros, such asPeppermint OS, Lubuntu, Bodhi Linux, and Puppy Linux are based on Ubuntu and as a result have access to Ubuntu’s software repositories. One very nice aspect of these repositories is that the software found in them has already been tested for compatibility and safety. For example, the thousands of free and open source software found in the Ubuntu Software Center has been tested and examined by Ubuntu, so a user can be confident that the software will be compatible with Ubuntu and will not include malware.


 With Linux distros such as LinuxMint, Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, PCLinuxOS, Fedora and many others, the majority of any software needed can be downloaded, installed, and updated from a central package management system provided by the distro. The result is a very smooth and seamless software updating process for Linux users.


*Disadvantages of Linux:*


*Many Windows programs will not run in Linux.*


 iTunes, Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer and many other Windows programs will not run natively in Linux. The good news is that there are decent ways around most of these problems. For example, music libraries can be managed with an iPod using programs such as Amarok, Banshee, or Rhythmbox in Linux. Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome are outstanding Internet browsers which can be used in the place of Internet Explorer. It is also possible to run iTunes in Linux using Wine, VirtualBox, or Parallels, though it is difficult to have good results. LibreOffice and OpenOffice are excellent office suites which can be used in the place of Microsoft Office, but while overall compatibility in both suites is good with Microsoft Office formats, it is not perfect.  


 There is a smaller selection of peripheral hardware drivers (for printers, scanners, and other devices) in Linux as compared to Windows, though many new Linux hardware drivers are constantly being added. Closely related to this issue is the fact that not all Linux distros work with all sets of computer hardware, so a person may need to try more than one distro to find one which works well with his/her computer. When it comes to printers, some manufacturers offer better Linux support than others; for example, HP offers excellent printer support for Linux.  


 Despite this, most Linux distros, especially the major ones, are very intuitive and user-friendly. Also, the desktop environments in Linux are in many ways similar to Windows in their appearance. One thing which should be emphasized is that there is also a learning curve for Windows XP users who switch to Windows 7 or Windows 8 & 10.  


​ *Benefits*​ ​ *More **For the Undecided*


 A modern, very stable, multi-user, multitasking environment on your inexpensive PC hardware, at no (or almost no) monetary cost for the software. Linux is a rich and powerful platform--don't think of it as a "poor people" operating system. Out-of-box Linux has as much capability as MS Windows NT with $5000 in software add-ons, is more stable, and requires less powerful hardware for comparable tasks.


 Standard platform. Linux is VERY standard--it is essentially a POSIX compliant UNIX. (Yes, Linux is a best-of-the-breed UNIX. The word "UNIX" is not used in conjunction with Linux because "UNIX" is a registered trademark.) Linux includes all the UNIX standard tools and utilities.


 Unsurpassed computing power, portability, and flexibility. Linux is most popular on Intel-based PCs (price of the hardware), but it runs very well on numerous other hardware platforms, from toy-like to mainframes. One distribution (Debian) expresses the idea like this: "Linux, The Universal Operating System." Linux can be customized to perform almost any computing task.


 Advanced graphical user interface. Linux uses a standard, network-transparent X-windowing system with a "window manager" (typically KDE or GNOME).


 Dozens of excellent, free, general-interest desktop applications. This include a range of web browsers, email programs, word processors, spreadsheets, bitmap and vector graphics programs, file managers, audio players, CD writers, some games, etc.


 Thousands of free applets, tools, and smaller programs. "Small is beautiful" goes well with Linux philosophy. The small Linux tools and applets often work in tandem to perform more complex tasks.


 Hundreds of specialized applications built by researchers around the world (astronomy, information technology, chemistry, physics, engineering, linguistics, biology, ...). In many fields, Linux seems like "the only" operating system in existence (try to find out what your friend astronomer runs on her computer). The software in this category is typically not very easy to use, but if you want the power, it is the best software that humanity has in these areas.  


 Scores of top-of-the line commercial programs including all the big databases (e.g., Oracle, Sybase, but no Microsoft's). Many (most?) of these are offered free for developers and for personal use.


 A truly great learning platform. If you are a parent, you should be really glad your daughter/son does Linux--s/he will surely learn something of lasting value. If you are a teacher, you should consider the installation of Linux at your school. "It is indeed a strange world when educators need to be convinced that sharing information, as opposed to concealing information, is a good thing" (http://edge-op.org/grouch/schools.html). You select Linux if you care to provide education, not training. The better the university, the greater the chance their computer department uses Linux in teaching. For example, under Linux, you can immediately begin modifying and compiling for yourself a spreadsheet application which is in every bit as advanced and capable as MS Excel. Linux puts you right on the cutting edge (in technology, project management, QA, methodology of science). Many teachers won't use Linux in schools because they are lacking in computer education themselves (at least that's what I see).


 Excellent networking capability built into your operating system. You think you don't need a network? Once you try home networking, you will never be able to live without it! How about connecting the two or more computers that you have at home and sharing your hard drives, CDROM(s), sound card(s), modem, printer(s), etc.? How about browsing the net on two or more machines at the same time using a single Internet connection? How about playing a game with your son over your home network? Even your old 386 with Win3.11 may become useful again when connected to your Linux Pentium server and when it is able to use your network resources. All necessary networking software comes with standard Linux, free, just setup is required. And it is not second-rate shareware--it is exactly the same software that runs most of the Internet (the Apache software runs more than 50% of all Internet web servers and Sendmail touches some 70% of all e-mail). The pleasure of home networking is something I was able to discover only owing to Linux.


 Connectivity to Microsoft, Novel, and Apple proprietary networking. Reading/writing to your DOS/MS Windows and other disk formats. This includes "transparent" use of data stored on the MS Windows partition of your hard drive(s).


 State-of-art development platform with many best-of-the-kind programming languages and tools coming free with the operating system. Access to all the operating system source codes, should you require it, is also free. The "C" compiler that comes standard with Linux can compile code for more platforms than (probably) any other compiler on earth. Perl, Python, Guile, Tcl, Ruby, powerful "shell" scripting, and even an assembler also come as standard with Linux.


 Freedom from viruses, "backdoors" to your computer, software manufacturer "features," invasion of privacy, forced upgrades, proprietary file formats, licensing and marketing schemes, product registration, high software prices, and pirating. How is this? Linux has no viruses because it is too secure an operating system for the viruses to spread with any degree of efficiency. The rest follows from the open-source and non-commercial nature of Linux: Linux evolved itself by "bazar-like" mechanisms to encapsulate the best computing practices, code legibility and correctness, security, flexibility, usefulness, coolness, performance.


 The operating platform that is guaranteed "here-to-stay." Since Linux is not owned, it cannot possibly be put out of business. The Linux General Public License (GPL) insures that development/maintanance will be provided as long as there are Linux users. There is a great number of highly-educated Linux users and tens of thousands of actively developed projects.


 A platform which will technically develop at a rapid pace. This is insured by the modern, open-software development model which Linux implements: "build-on-the-back-of-the-previous-developer" and "peer-review-your-code" (as opposed to the anachronistic closed-software model: "always-start-from-scratch" and "nobody-will-see-my-code"). Even if the current "Linux hype" died out, Linux will develop as it did before the media hype started. Open source development does have its peculiarities: the development appears rather slow (vertically) but it proceeds on a very wide front, dangerous security bugs are fixed almost upon discovery, there are typically several alternatives for a program of similar functionality. Linux depth cannot be overestimated.  


 For more information and choosing your next operating system go here: www.distrowatch.com


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 21, 2015)

Here is a link to take you from start to finish for an openSUSE 42.1 leap install, it's my newest favorite distro

http://www.linuxtechi.com/install-opensuse-leap-42-1-step-by-step/


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 21, 2015)

Since I don't discuss politics or religion, I think I will also quit discussing 'Medicare' and the related convoluted costs, also I'm through talking about health supplements since I have no working knowledge in the medical field and what works for me will probably not work for others.  Now my tenent to avoid 'argumentative' subjects and resolve to keep my mouth shut is complete.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 24, 2015)

Tylenol and your liver

One aspect of my continuing treatment for diabetes was of particular interest to me, only because I had been alerted to the ramifications and danger of a rising count of my ALT/AST numbers from my previous CBC's.  I was previously diagnosed with TYPE II pre-diabetes by my personal doctor.  Then my glucose soared out of control in July '15 and trying to figure out what caused it to escalate hasn't been determined or relayed to me.  I have since strictly dieted on a low-carb/low calorie regime and have gained control of my glucose levels with the aid of all my OTC supplements, metformin and insulin injections, lost 60 lbs and from what my doctor said about my last CBC have improved all numbers dramatically, but do need work on my cholesterol/triglycerides.

18 months ago I was reading the then results of the A1C test and noticed 2 numbers that had been flagged.  There were my ALT/AST counts, they had an asterisk (*) by each indicating a retest.  My count was in the high 50's I think (56/58).  I researched and was alerted to their cause & effect on my health. I copied a explanation of each from a highly reputable website.

ALT = alanine aminotransferase. AST=aspartate aminotransferase. Both are liver enzymes. Most ALT elevations ( above 37+) are caused by liver disease.  Previous IM (Intramuscular injections- shots) may cause elevated levels. Certain medications also. Mono, severe burns, shock, gall stones are other causes (to name a few). 

ALT normal range is 4-36. AST normal range 0-35. 

Exercise may cause increased levels, with my sedentary lifestyle that was not possible. It can be used in the diagnosis of heart problems & also what is referred to as 'fatty liver' condition, that can lead to liver failure and death in extreme cases.  

After surgery in 2011 and the subsequent follow up I was prescribed a dose of 2 extra strength pills daily of Tylenol for pain.  I had never been told to stop and it did help relax me at night for better sleep.  There were warnings was about the continued use of Tylenol like pills and the effect it had on your liver, that was just before the next A1C and I decided to stop taking them myself.  I had reached the mid 70's on the count at that time and of course I was fearful of the lasting effects.  As luck would have it my new doctor also had noticed and told me stop taking them, he did prescribe a full dose aspirin daily but need to watch the bruising.  

Over the next 2 A1C's commencing in early in May '15 my ALT/AST count had dropped slightly to the low 60's but was still high.  After Jul's health scare, I had included supplemental items in my diet, flaxseed, almond butter, cinnamon and apple cider vinegar.  I had a CBC on my first visit after my hospital stay in Oct '15 and my A1C count had dropped to 5.4% (108 average glucose level), but more noticeably to me was the ALT/AST counts were both in the low, low 30's.  Normal, stopping Tylenol, control of my A1C, supplements, whatever worked.

As I age with my health concerns and lack of agility, you become more aware of your surroundings.  Falling seniors break hips frequently and because of all the attacks on our body along with depletion of vital nutrients and certain side effects of ongoing medications, caution is the byproduct.   I often use a quote from Clint Eastwood's character 'Dirty Harry', 'A man's got to know his limitations'.
__________________________________________________________________________

Additional UPDATE:  As my Linux knowledge grows with each passing day, my realization that the new Linux distro I installed (openSUSE Leap 42.1) and my Android operating system on my tablet are not that different.  I had been using LinuxMint for years and had used Suse many years ago but hadn't bothered researching it until just recently.  I have to hand it to German Engineering, damn it's nice.  I had installed Leap in place of my latest Mint.  I'm elated to find out that a tablet and now my non-touch HP are so much alike.  Given that the tablet is more mobile than the laptop, there are definite advantageous to using Leap & a laptop (touch & non-touch).  It's a distro designed for the business, personal and scientific audiences, very ascetic in looks and usability.  

If I had purchased a touch screen back in Nov '14 I would have found out how much better it was than just a mere tablet alone and couldn't have justified my purchase of a tablet.  I can't judge but it seems that Leap was created with some of the same features & feel as Windows 8.0 & 8.1 wanted to achieve.  Since I shunned both of those I can only surmise this is what they had in mind.  I haven't looked at Win 10 as yet my only exposure was when my son came visiting he had 10 installed but had it configured to look like 7.  I still can't get the reasoning behind that option.  You open your system further to the world than XP, Vista, Win 7, 8.0 & 8.1 ever did and I wonder why you need to allow everyone access to your computer usage.  Call me paranoid but I figure it's too intrusive and controlling than I want to expose myself.

The other advantages with Leap include the security of a finally designed Linux distro and with all the access to applications that you can't get with an Android OS that looks and feels much like an Android should.  Also the most blaring advantage is the cost.  Free and open is always better than licensed restrictions and controlled costs to have something that doesn't perform as well or in my estimation nearly as well.  As for any comparison to an Apple environment I can honestly say Apple is the Cadillac of the OS's but it does have it's security issues, albeit so does Linux but on a much smaller scale.  It's the prohibitive costs associated with owning an Apple versus going with FOSS.  Maybe if I had a degree & career in graphic design I would want the strengths and versatility of an Apple.  My own little retired needs trump the need to spend so much to obtain the pro ported 'best of the bunch'.

I am heretofore an advocate and avid supporter of openSUSE Leap and can only hope that it keeps getting better with each new distro.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 25, 2015)

I'm a free thinking atheist Democrat.  There it's said, I try to avoid all discussions about religion and politics.  I tried to defend Obama back after the Bush era, but now that I've become disillusioned over Obamacare he's lost my drum beating.  I shudder to think that we may have Hilary over Bennie but of course I'll survive as long as she keeps her hands off my SS.  I can't imagine anyone of the current Repubs getting in especially Jeb, but I've been wrong before.  It looks like another election when my vote won't count for much.  But vote I will.  

I have an account on FaceBook that I use mainly for keeping tabs on my children/grand children.  All three post regularly the divorced son befriends every young or middle aged divorcee within a 200 mile radius.  My eldest daughter (a widow) is paranoid like me and uses an alias, never posts anything personal and only responds with likes to her friend's posts.  She makes a personal visit once a week so we do keep up with her.  The youngest is an open book, uses her name and populates her posts with kids, cats and more information that is necessary.  

I only have 20 friends & most are relatives.  I have a couple of friends I met through my eldest daughter whom stayed with us when they were visiting.  The Texan (female) is a vegan, peta, gluten free, german Sheppard owning radical and I have to just skim over her posts, the other (husband & wife) are really out there.  Him a foul mouthed political hothead, her while humorous is also an avid atheist and soccer mom whose only child and grand child are perfect.  I get a kick out of reading their rants, and their posts defending their beliefs.  Some get pretty rabid, so I never comment for fear the government has them on some kind of list.  I'm almost afraid to unfriend them.  I've deleted my account several times but find my curiosity gets the better of me, so I renew and catch up with very few comments.
_________________________________________________________________________________

If anyone is curious about trying a Linux OS there is an .iso image just released that runs as a stand alone.  In other words you can boot up your computer using the downloaded .iso image on a DVD.  It's called Knoppix, I had permission to use it at work because of the extended capabilities it afforded me that our standard XP & Win 7 couldn't.  There were UNIX applications I needed to use in my work but since we had a limited amount of UNIX terminals we found we could run them under a Linux OS.  

We run Knoppix stand alone as a portal to our UNIX environment in the early days & with the reluctant approval of the CIO, who didn't want to hear about the penguin.  Now checking back with former co-workers they have a large group that use UNIX/Linux in their daily functions.  I'm talking about a company that has over 18,000 employees most with terminal access and found the need for other OS's than MS.  It is cheaper and more functional for some aspects of the workforce.  

Knoppix hasn't had a new release in over 18 months.  From the reviews it claims the developer were creating something dynamic and mostly bug free.  Time will tell but it is a great Linux OS.  The other advantage for the paranoid is the fact that it runs off a DVD and all new data is loaded to a temp location on you existing hard drive thereby making the DVD based OS unchangeable.  You can also direct you data you want to keep dumped to a jump drive for offline line storage.  Absolutely no malware, keystroking, tracking or intrusion to your operating system.  

If you have a newer unit you will probably have to dis-able your secure boot, that information will be somewhere on a search with enough help to get even the novices on their way.  I have an HP just one year old and it took about 2 minutes after a search to disable mine.  It was 30 days later that I trashed Win 7 pro and went exclusively to a Linux environment.  It was just after I had a hacking incident through either Yahoo or Facebook games.  Google intercepted the attempt, warned me and I decided I didn't want the exposure that Win 7 gave the world. 

During the last few hours I decided to download the .iso image for Knoppix, burnt it to a DVD and created a bootable DVD with 4 GB of applications,  I changed my boot sequence to DVD, inserted the DVD into my drive, booted up with a stand alone operating system, only thing I had to enter my modem password to connect to the web with Firefox.  The advantages include no file can be attached or written to any resident apps, eliminating hacking passwords, installing spyware, malware and tracking.  It also gives me a bootable resource to recover files if something goes wrong, it can be used with Windows also as a backup.  It doesn't need a hard drive and can recover files if your hard drive is accessible.  

View attachment 24204

I enjoy this forum but have tried to accept the responses to my posts with an open mind but being a control freak with OCD tendencies I get my nose a little out of joint over some of the responses.  For that I apologize to all and promise to keep it as light as I can and not dwell on my problems as much as I have in the past.  I'll still stay out of political, religious and areas I really have no working knowledge of.  It is hard for me to remove myself from a good argument when I think I know what I'm talking about & don't.  I'm definitely long winded most times but I find I feel the need to give everyone the minute details of my stories.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 29, 2015)

December '15 being the last month I will have either Comcast, DirecTV or (shudder)Dish feeds for my viewing pleasure I'm set to thinking about how life will go on.  There are pros & cons realized with that decision I had made almost a year ago.  Now that my old nemesis AT&T has bought out my DirecTV the decision was easier and final.  I had issues with Comcast, mostly their raising my monthly fees 15% without providing better quality viewing.  I was usually able to make the annual trek to their office and get the bill reduced until back in Nov '13 when I was told I can either pay the increase or cancel my service, I opted for the latter and haven't been remorseful since.

My alternate decision and a gifted salesman at CenturyLink convinced me to sign up for a bundle of their internet and a 2 year contract for viewing pleasure through satellite.  Don't get me wrong DirecTV is probably the best service out of the other 2 but it has run it's course and I don't want to be associated with AT&T again.  I will still maintain my CenturyLink service, one reason while I connect at a lower band width I can stream Netflix without buffering, that was a mainstay of Comcast's service.  I was going to continue with DirecTV for the grand kids and what little I could watch in the evenings, but that has all changed.  I lost my infatuation with 'Reality TV' after reading and researching the backgrounds of those 'faked', 'staged' and 'unreal' shows.  

I find that Netflix, Hulu and many of the other producers of viewing entertainment are making their shows available through the internet and my ROKU device.  I will get an antenna for local programming that usually carries most of the college and NFL games.  But other than that I watch reruns anyway so streaming meets those needs.  I found I can stream YouTube giving me a large monitor for my grand kids to watch those videos.  I will even followup with the fees for Netflix mailed movies, Hulu's better TV schedules and the unbelievable choices on YouTube, even if necessary to paying a fee to YouTube if they decide to move in that direction.

The other choice I have is to hit the 2 Redbox machines at our local Walmart located across the street from our park & close enough to walk.  I need the exercise and now they have a lighted crosswalk I will venture over whenever the mood strikes me.  The savings will be noticeable after I get all set up with my decisions and should save me between $40-50 a month.  The return route takes me past a few businesses that I occasionally visit so it won't be just to get a movie, I can include a stop at the sidewalk coffee shop, Subway and a grocery store that specializes in local organic produce.


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## Butterfly (Nov 29, 2015)

I cut the cable a couple years ago and haven't regretted it one bit.  It got WAAAY to expensive for cable or satellite.  Now I use my Roku and I can always find something to watch if I want to.  I have Netflix and Acorn (love Acorn, all the British mysteries, and a lot of other stuff).  AND, no commercials.

I have Comcast for internet and haven't had many problems with it.  It's expensive, but so are the other options here.


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## rider1046 (Dec 1, 2015)

"  It is hard for me to remove myself from a good argument when I think I  know what I'm talking about & don't.  I'm definitely long winded  most times but I find I feel the need to give everyone the minute  details of my stories."  Son, I could have written that myself! I've just sat here and read your diary all the way from the beginning. Hope you keep it up. 
I'm barely computer literate but enjoy what you are writing about Ubuntu. I have 3 new(er) laptops, one each running Win 10 Pro, Win 8.1, Win 7 Pro, and an older Sony Vaio with XP Pro. The Sony was state of the art when I bought it and I maxed out the RAM but it was not recommended for upgrade to Win 7 so I have mostly not used it. Awhile back, I looked into Ubuntu and wound up downloading one of them to a DVD and booting up the XP machine with it and playing a little. Given a little time, I may put that one back into use for some of the grandkids. It's still pretty spry for an old dog. If you don't mind answering a question, would you recommend LinuxMint for a simple, easy to understand, and low maintenance platform as I just don't have time for anything that's going to be aggravating or time consuming?


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 1, 2015)

Absolutely LinuxMint would be my choice for a simple, complete and more closely emulates XP or 7.  I would chose the 'Mate' version over the Cinnamon, Cinnamon has hardware issues because it's more advanced.  Make sure to use the version that matches your machine configuration (32 or 64 bit).   It is a complete distro, but like all distros does require ongoing frequent updates .  As a side note I downloaded and burnt a DVD with the latest Knoppix, it is a great standalone distro that runs completely off the DVD, storage can be on your hard drive or a USB drive, your choice.  With Knoppix once you get online there is no more configuration issues.  Mint is coming out with 17.3 soon, so I would wait for that.  Good luck.


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## rider1046 (Dec 3, 2015)

Thanks, Son. Appreciate the advice. I'll probably wait until January to try it (covered up this month) but may have to get back to you for help. Until then, keep up your writing. I'm a follower.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 4, 2015)

On Tuesday (Dec 2) I was scheduled for my 4th common medical procedure.  I prepared myself 5 days, 2 days, 1 day in advance of the visit.  Stopping blood thinners, stopping medications, consuming a liquid diet.  I had changed my healthcare supplement plan to another company since my 3rd procedure, their recommended prep was low cost and not what I was used too.  I spent 4 1/2 hours drinking some of the nastiest liquid concoction I've ever had to drink.  It was questionable at best whether it worked as well as the other 3 times.  It was definitely a case of you get what you pay for.  

As luck would have it everything came out OK.  I had a good report with no problems or warnings.  It's one of those things you have to do and you are overwhelmed with relief when it's over and positive.  My next scheduled procedure is now 5 years hence and if it is good I am through.  As I was leaving I smiled at the receptionist and parted with my comment of, 'Let's do this again soon real soon, have a good day.'  For 2 days now I been purging what is remaining of the 'nectar of the gods' concoction.  I hope I can remember to ask for the original prep in 5 years.


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## NancyNGA (Dec 4, 2015)

Glad the report came out positive.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 5, 2015)

I have continued to include: cinnamon, quinoa, hemp hearts, apple cider vinegar, almond butter & have my rolled/steel cut oatmeal every morning.  I drink 1/4 C (tot 3/4 C) half n half in my 36 oz of coffee daily.  All of them have been listed as beneficial for health especially type II diabetes management.  

My previous counts were solidly in the 90's with a few in the high 80's.  I was looking back over the chart for the last 15 (60 tests) days and noticed that only twice was I over 100 (I was preparing for a colonoscopy and all bets were off) my other counts were in the low 90's with several in the 80's and twice in the 70's.  During my procedure they were monitoring my BS so I didn't drop too low.  I am now conscience of me possibly going the other direction and becoming hypoglycemic a very dangerous condition.  Before I was nervous anytime I was above 100 now below 80 is my new worry.

I eat a balanced diet every 5 hours maintaining 1500 calories & 100 carbs daily.  I've lost so much weight none of my former clothes fit, but hang ridiculously on my frame.  I've bought smaller but now even they are getting roomy.  I'm not bragging but it's been 4 months and I think I've over compensated along without cheating once in that time.  My Thanksgiving dinner was a sizable chunk of turkey, 1 C of broccoli and 1/2 C cottage cheese.  I don't even dare eat a packaged cup of sugar free Jello for fear of back sliding. 

I'm basically a gluten free, fat free, processed food free, sugar free food junkie.  My g-grandson asked me what can I eat.  my reply was if it tastes good, I can't eat it.  Thank God for meat (if it moves I eat it), oatmeal, coffee, my 5 fruits and veggies and cottage cheese.  My wife laments about my willpower, but I think it's because my OCDness is getting more out of control.  It's hell living in my mind.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 11, 2015)

Out of fear of offending anyone, I'm sitting here mesmerized while helping my wife 'watch' our g-grandchildren.  We have them a coupla times a week to help their parents out (both work).  What has grabbed my interest stems from the children's interest in YouTube 'Playdoh' videos.  I'm talking about watching a woman create different things with the 'Playdoh' kits.  My wife has banned chewing gum & 'Playdoh' from our house (messy). but the videos are accepted.  

The children are 6 & 3, it started when they wanted to commandeer my laptop.  We observed they laughed and commented to each other during the video.  I have a 'ROKU' and found I could add the link to YouTube then view them on my TV.  No commercials, no hard selling toys, no violence, just creating animals, food,,,etc.  I hope later in life it doesn't warp them.  The videos are even interesting to me, but I'll never admit it.

I decided to post this after observing my wife (who hardly watch TV at all) watch them and comment as they go along.


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## NancyNGA (Dec 11, 2015)

Son_OP, now you've got me curious and I'm pulling up Playdoh videos. Neat! 

 Playdoh was a little after my time.  We had clay back then, from the stone ages.


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## AprilT (Dec 11, 2015)

As a kid, I loved play-doh and all the concoctions they came up with to make all kinds of fun shapes and designs with it.  Loved me some play-doh.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 11, 2015)

Thanks Nancy & April, we took us a little break for lunch & now we are learning how to create a 'Thanksgiving' dinner with 'Play Doh'.

Additionally, great news this afternoon, I had my 4th colonoscopy last week.  Dr said everything looks great & see me in 5 years.  Then this afternoon his office called telling me based on the tests, history and results they feel I never need another one, unless I develope problems.  I'm 70 and expected the last would be at 75.


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## Shalimar (Dec 11, 2015)

What a lovely Xmas present son. So pleased for your results. Lately you have been through the ringer. I used to make an edible play do for my kids. Loved it almost as much as the peanut butter logs I made. Thanks for triggering some lovely memories.


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## AprilT (Dec 11, 2015)

:applause2: YAY! for you, that is good news, so glad you had such a great call from your Doctor's office.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 13, 2015)

Relooked at the web site I recommended, too much vulgar language, sorry my bad.  I have to start looking before I leap.  I'll think of something more appropriate to rant about soon.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 14, 2015)

New Daily Rant


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 14, 2015)

Old Friends,


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 29, 2015)

The thread I posted to in 'Computers & Phones' is like life.  When I reached my senior (Golden) years.  One of my resolves was to uncomplicate my life & avoid stress.  I had spent the last 35 years dealing with technology & it's inherent problems.  I was on the phone constantly with one of our 17,000 employees troubleshooting issues whether it was application based or human error.  I had a bank of monitors to make my job easier (?, Ha!).  I was stressed all the time & having a low threshold for anger, I hated my job.  Now I watch as younger & in their mind more important users walking, talking and watching their smartphones 24/7 with the inability to pay attention to a conversation or react to a problem.

Two days after Xmas my wife had taken a series of pictures with her ancient digital camera & wanted to download/upload them to Facebook.  It became another stressful event in my life but I was able to finally arrive at a solution as I noted on another thread.  When I was uploading her pics I asked her to watch what I'm doing in case I'm not around.  She said, 'No go ahead that's what I got you for'.  

On Xmas eve we had our g-granddaughter's pedal car in the box still unassembled from her grandfather.  My wife asked her step-father to take it in the bedroom and assemble it.  He was too busy with his #$(*&^! smartphone to assume the responsibility.   It was still in the box on Xmas morning and if my mechancially minded other SIL hadn't felt sorry for her it probably would still be in the box.  Her mother was no help since she had her head bend over her smartphone.



*I USE LINUX* it's easier, secure and less stressful than anything coming out of Redmond, WA.  I email, surf the web, *DON'T* play online games & read & post on this forum & Facebook, use a spreadsheet to budget & track my health/prescriptions.  Nothing more complicated than that, my flip phone sits in my remote caddy seldom used, (emergencies only).  My grandkids are morphing into their parents watching their tablets or phones for excitement.  I played with a hammer, nails, cardboard boxes, slammed my sleigh down the hill in winter, played baseball, army, dug trenches all over my dad's back yard & like to think I had a normal childhood.  We had 3 TV stations that my dad controlled.  We did our homework & played outside til dark then in the house and usually right to bed.  I walked everywhere, my first car at 16 was usually parked since I couldn't afford gas.


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## AprilT (Dec 29, 2015)

What a very cute little g-granddaughter.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jan 1, 2016)

Venturing in the forum topic 'Computers & Phones' for is like the twilight zone.  I've been reading the newest threads & realize that I live in my own cloistered world of *LINUX*.  I should remember my conversations with my wife about her Win 7 problems and her total reluctance to change.  I had a very similar discussion with one of her friends yesterday (our neighbor), I asked her what does she use her computer for, she gave me 8 reasons or uses, of the 8, 7 were all browser based.  The other was to type a few letters with MS Word (Free LibreOffice Writer).  I tried to explain what browser based was and explained that all OS's use the same 'free' browsers except Safari (Apple) or Spartan-IE (Windows).  Safari is capable and intuitive but IE was/is in my estimation a bloated, unsecure and useless MS proprietary attempt to gain control of your browsing, it will be interesting the direction Spartan takes in the future.  I spent two 2 days and many wasted hours cleaning, optimizing and correcting the addons or problems with my wife's, time I'll never get back.  

Now my venting is over I'll post a list of checks and balances that I have garnered from other sites relating to safe internet browsing, some have been copied from security bloggers and others from the 'Wired' link on security.  Here is that list with a few of my own.  

1.   Get rid of Windows, install Linux.  
2.   Use Firefox. 
3.   Install Ghostery in Firefox.  
4.   Remove all traces of 'Flash'.  
5.   Use DuckDuckGo search engine.  
6.   Use encrypted email service.  
7.   Install all recommended updates. 
8.   Never, ever click on an embedded link in an email from an unknown source.  
9.   Online games played on Facebook, Yahoo & most social sites are notorious for installing tracking, spyware, keystroking or malware.
10.  Install & run BleachBit.  
11.  Encrypt your passwords, files, drives.  
12.  Change your passwords, including modem access every 30 days.  
13.  Never use a credit/debit card linked to your personal bank.  
14.  The more information you enter online the more likelihood exists for identity theft.
15.  If avoidable never allow anyone access to your financial accounts.
16.  Auto bill paying while a perk can also cause major financial problems if website security is weak. 
17.  Never upload personal files to the cloud.  
18.  Never take online surveys.  
19.  Browse for updated information on current scams & avoid 'phishing'.  
20.  Check Your Bank, Credit & all Financial Accounts Daily.
21.  Change Your User Names.
22.  Tighten Your Privacy Settings.
23.  Purge Your 'Friends'.
24.  Tell a Few Lies, my favorite.
25.  Check Your Credit Report. 
26.  Consider a Credit Freeze.
27.  Stop Using Public WiFi.
28.  Stop Clicking the 'Remember Me' Box.
29.  Turn Off Geotagging.
30.  Sharing Is Not Necessarily Caring -- Share Less, my weakness.


Update:  After posting this, I was reading on wired.com about computer security.  I know 'Google' has been toying with a passwordless login.  I'm not sure of their progress but the following article I read this morning gave me more insight and understanding of the concept.  It's a long read but does have some very interesting points.  Click *HERE *


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jan 3, 2016)

*Monthly Diary 2016

January

First weekend of 2016*: Had a productive weekend by my standards.  First we survived New Years night with a sleepover of our two g-grandkids. They insisted sleeping with grandma, thank you!  Morning was a marathon round of cartoons & pancakes for them.  Second our washer (5+ YO?) went out, we had jury rigged it 3 times before but now it was time to get a new one.  That also meant we needed a matching dryer (they sit at the back entrance & in our kitchen).  Home Depot (12-29-'15) was having a sale, we went the frugal route.  Wash/Dry nothing fancy no delicate cycles or permanent press.  Got a great buy (total = $650 OTD), free delivery, free installation, free removal of old & luck would have it didn't get charged for the darn new pigtail.  Easy_Peasy!   Third I had a check that needed to be deposited.  I tried to cash it at Walmart but was declined since it was my first & something was out of normal range.  It was a check from my pension ( I had changed from auto deposit 2 check), so should have been no problem.  Anyway I went home, decided to try mobile banking.  Neither me or the wife have smart phones so I had to opt for my new tablet.  Downloaded, installed app & after 2 miscues took an acceptable picture of the front & back of the check.  It was accepted, deposited & was able to draw cash out all withln 1/2 hour.  Technology is great when it works.   



> Walmart moment:  Had an embarrassing 'Walmart' moment this afternoon, went alone to our  local Wally World. I was dressed in my baggiest fitting clothes. It was  ice cold and my hoodies' arms hung below my finger tips, the shoulder  seams hung almost to my elbows. I had my largest shirt and pants on. I  never realized how much I looked like a homeless person. As I was  walking up one of the aisles a woman was coming down and stopped about  1/3 the way. As I pushed my cart past her I noticed she was just  standing with her hand placed on her purse that was sitting in the child  seat. After I passed she lifted her hand and turned toward the shelves.  I really need to get a new wardrobe.



  1st  99/93/88/97 - 2nd 84/93/87/93 - 3rd 89/93/92/76

*Daily log 01_04_2016*:  Since the beginning of 2016 and in reality going back to the days following my *final* endoscopy (12/02/15) my glucose counts have been in the mid 90's.  While that's normally great it adds a new wrinkle to my health regime.  Low blood sugar,  I take my count upon waking in the morning and then once before my noon & 6 PM meals, my final test is at bedtime usually around 10 PM.  It had started out at 89 at 6:30 AM & finished at 10 PM with a *74*.  Too low, I had to eat my first piece of candy since Jul '15, felt like I had cheated.  But low BS can be very dangerous!  I usually have 1/2 C of sugar free Jello & 1/4 C low fat cottage cheese to take my BP medication along with my dose of long acting insulin, I dined on 1/2 C beans and 1/2 C cottage cheese instead.  During the night I was awaken at 2:30 AM as most seniors are, I took my BS test as an early warning it had risen to 84 allowing me to continue sleeping.  This morning at 6 my count was 91 completely normal.  I asked the wife to add another Tbsp of almond butter to the breakfast oatmeal.    Being OCD does have it's drawbacks.  Off to Costco for some needed supplies & get my power walk in.  I had ordered 8 shirts from my usual online retailer & added to my spring clothing ensemble (2 non-hooded sweat jackets) tossed the older economy sized ones.  Roads were still icy under the bridges but slow is better in those conditions, I wish others would pay heed.

Problems with my new found mobile banking, problem with photo quality so after depositing check, withdrawing money the check got reversed and taken out of my bank on hold.  I had to go to a member bank and physically deposit the check back into my account.  Reviews about the tablet were good except the quality of the camera, should have heeded that before I tried the tablet as a smart phone.

4th - 91/94/92/86

*Daily log 01_05_2016*:  Uneventful day, although I did things straightened out with the bank.  Unbeknownst to me is the fact that whenever you deposit the bank puts a two hold on the funds if the amount is over $200.  Mine was more, I had enough funds in the bank to easily carrying me until the funds were released.  It was a learning lesson but something I should have known based on other checks over the years being deposited.   Anyway things are rosy in my financial world again.  Currently we are doing our grandparent duties, watching the 3 YO cruise around the house catching a drive by look at the kids shows that are constantly a part of our life as long as they are here.  Mailed off my annual payment to my 'Vantage' Plan provider.  I had failed to sign up for a 'Vantage/Supplemental' plan when I first got my Medicare coverage.  It was 9 months later and as a punishment I have to pay whatever plan I have an additional $3.20 monthly.  Not breaking the bank but is an aggravating monthly pain in the a$$, so I send a check to cover an annual fee.  I have tried for 2 years to get them to hold it out of my SS but it's seems to be an impossibility in their accounting dept.

5th - 87/98/


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## Yaya (Jan 3, 2016)

WOW!  You have been around - interesting story - life has not been boring for you - uh polygamy - yes they do - I say this from experience.


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## imp (Jan 3, 2016)

*"I played with a hammer, nails, cardboard boxes, slammed my sleigh down the hill in winter, played baseball, army, dug trenches all over my dad's back yard & like to think I had a normal childhood."

*Exactly the route I followed, too! Then graduated to Chemistry, explosives, accident with burns, so turned to high-voltage experimentation. Working on yet another big Tesla coil even now!   imp


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jan 6, 2016)

After adopting a cash/debit card only existence 4 years ago, I have devised my 2016 New Year's resolution for increasing my savings budget.  I originally came up with a different version of the plan when I was still working.  I was having a discussion with one of my co-workers about different budget plans.  I was telling him how I utilize our bi-weekly pay checks into a semi-monthly budget.  I paid my mortgage & utilities on the 5th paid my loans/credit card payments on the 20th.  It had taken me just over 6 months to reach a workable plan by delaying the use of my funds by increasing 2 additional days each subsequent payday.  On the months where we got 3 paychecks realizing any benefit didn't happen until the 3rd month following.  It did pay for 2 enjoyable Vegas trips.  I followed that plan for a year, year & half, it worked great but as with all my financial plans I started spending ahead until I reached the saturation point for failure. 

Lessons learned & the parameters changed when I retired.  I started getting lump sums on a monthly basis, I had rather substantial credit card/auto loan debt that I had to tackle along with realizing that my days as a (psuedo) professional gambler were behind me.  My severance & unused vacation pay helped get it corralled but still took another 2 years to eliminate all my debt other than space rent/utilities.  I get both deposits no later than the 14th of the month leaving a few days extra on the no income side.  Budgeting was something I approached with gusto & now 4 years later I'm in a good place financially.  No debt (no credit card or otherwise), only basic living expenses. 

Details I work with.     

I get my pension on or about the 1st of the month.
I used to have my pension auto deposited.
I changed to check, takes 3 days longer to receive.
The bank puts a 2 day hold on the funds.  (5 days in limbo)
The checks are void after 60 days. 
I had attempted to go mobile deposit but it is easier & less hassle in case something goes wrong & it gets me out of the house, drive to the bank, walk in & have a teller make the transaction.  

I receive my SS on the 2nd Wed of the month.
I will continue to have it auto deposited.
All my monthly bills are paid out of my SS. 
Remaining SS is enough for monthly needs (food/gas/misc). 

The PLAN details:

I will deposit my Feb pension on the 2nd Wed in Feb.
I will deposit my Mar pension on the 3rd Wed in Mar. 
I will deposit my Apr pension on the 4th Wed in Apr.
I will deposit my May pension into my savings on 1st of May.
I will deposit my Jun pension on the 2nd Wed in Jun.
I will deposit my Jul pension on the 3rd Wed in Jul.
I will deposit my Aug pension on the 4th Wed in Aug.
I will deposit my Sep pension into my savings on 1st of Sep.
I will deposit my Oct pension on the 2nd Wed in Oct.
I will deposit my Nov pension on the 3rd Wed in Nov.
I will deposit my Dec pension on the 4th Wed in Dec.
I will deposit my Jan pension into my savings on 1st of Jan.

Fed&St tax refunds are auto deposited to savings usually by 1st of Mar.

Now the reason for such a convoluted plan, I'm impulsive, I'm the charter member of a store's target group with their impulse racks near the check stands.  I buy because I'm aware I had credit on my card so why not spend it.  I was also the card issuers best customer.  Someone who uses his card & carries a balance from month to month.  I had to change my ways & the only way I could think to do it was to do the most extreme measures, get rid of my cards and pay them off.  I even had to cancel my paper because I liked looking at the Sunday ads to see what I couldn't live without.  If it's in check form & not available with a simple swipe I can control the urge to shop.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jan 8, 2016)

Win 10 experience.  My neighbor's old (6 YO) laptop would not bring up his display.  He ordered a new one with Win 10 installed.  It arrived Wed, he brought it to me on Thur.  He wanted his purchased copy of '*SpyHunter*' installed.  He was frustrated because the new one had many pop ups asking him to purchase additional software, (Tweekers, virus/malware/adware removers, subscriptions to online services,,,etc.).  He has used 'SH' for a year now.  It's one of the highest rated eradicators of deeply embedded aware/malware I could find doing research.  He purchased it but was clueless trying get it installed.  I started & was able to get 'SH' installed & started the 1 hr+ scan.  It located & flagged *1906 threats! * I was reluctant but after reviewing & web searching the threats, I concluded that they were nothing more than 'adware' purposely installed by either Win 10/MS/HP & the installed trial software that came with the new machine.  

It had 2 trial virus scanners running.  His start up was loaded with pop up offers.  After running 'SH' and removing the threats I rebooted and found that some or his shortcuts/icons were no longer working.  I removed them from his desktop.  I had also installed *Glary Utilities*, which is free but has a boot up timer, we reduced his boot up by 50%.  It also fixes his registry, clears browsing history/tracks that is missed on browser shutdown.  After 'SH' had done it's thing I rebooted, I was a little unnerved because when it was rebooting I got screen after screen of incidents associated with the scan.  It finally rebooted, I had removed both virus/scanners & activated Win 10's built in firewall.  He has a commercial copy of Norton & thinks he can install it.  

I know I've read how MS is tracking your activity & told him once he gets Norton installed & rerun 'SH' we need to opt out of the Windows tracking that you can shut off.  Chrome was installed when it arrived & I installed Firefox, installed addons *ABP *along with *Ghostery* on both browsers.  All this was done with the understanding that if I screwed up his system, I would install a Linux distro.  He was ok with that, he had played around with my laptop for a short period of time and was comfortable with the fact that he only used his laptop for mostly browser based applications, games, Google maps, emails,,,etc.  The only standalone apps I installed were freecell, mahjong and solitaire.  I didn't hear from him Thur evening or as yet this morning, time will only tell.

*UPDATE:*  He showed up at my door within an hour of posting this.  He had been changing settings, which included the display size to 125%.  Problem he encountered was his camera software was out of sync & locked up his laptop.  He couldn't shutdown, reboot or get beyond a spinning, churning indication on a blue screen.  He had tried several keys, ALT/CTRL/DELETE ( I don't even know if that are still active with the newer versions of Windows?).  I finally found a combination of keys to let me reboot.  I told him to get stronger glasses & a try to leave that setting alone.  Back to his house he went laptop tucked under his arm, I learned a new trick.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jan 9, 2016)

Going over my current situation I realized something that has been a thorn in my side for 6 months.  I bought a used SVU in Apr '15.  I paid $1,500 Cash + (taxes, transfer,,,etc.).  Then in Oct '15 I found I had a split in the radiator.  Quoted replacement & labor was $650 (towing would be extra).  So left it, continued to pay liability on it @ $15 monthly.  If I paid all I would still have an older unreliable SVU.  Logged on to my auto insurance & canceled coverage.  Called St. Vincent's vehicle donation line.  They will tow it for free.  I will receive a receipt for tax purposes but since I don't have enough to use it, it's moot.  But on the other hand I saved the $650 + 180 + $40 = $870 over the next 12 months without worry of breakdowns or other related expenses with it.


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## Shalimar (Jan 9, 2016)

Smart move son. Lateral thinking at it's finest. Salut!


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## FazeFour (Jan 20, 2016)

ALT/CTRL/DELETE does work on my Win10 - not in the same way as in prior versions, but it does allow you to reboot from a settings (or power) button. What keys did the trick for you, S_O_P? Do you remember? I had all kinds of problems when I converted my 2yr old desk-top to Win10, and finally called their customer service, which was pretty good (at the time, anyway). It's clear Win10 comes with lots of tracking abilities, and I figured that going in, but these days I don't much care about that.

P.S. I'm referring to your post on 1-8.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jan 20, 2016)

Turned out to be the 'F9' key on boot up.  My YO HP is the 'esc' to get in and disable the secure boot, that enables me to boot up a USB or DVD.


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## rider1046 (Jan 29, 2016)

Haven't been on for a while so I stopped by to swap howdies as they used to say where I come from. Where do you live in Oregon? My brother is in Coos Bay, niece in Medford.
I installed Win 10 Pro on my 3+ yr old Win 7 Pro laptop without too much  difficulty but it hasn't been without it's minor pains. Traded off my  Win 8.1 so didn't have to mess with it so only have two to go, both  running Win 7. Not really a whole lot of difference in day to day use of  Win 10 over Win 7.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jan 29, 2016)

Eugene, Willamette Valley area, north & east of Coos Bay, 55 miles from the coast.   Go Ducks!


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## rider1046 (Jan 29, 2016)

I'm a Tennessee fan and we got Mariotta!


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## Son_of_Perdition (Feb 5, 2016)

Things:

I have back trouble that nags at me constantly.  I was clubbed footed at birth, in casts until 2.  I contracted polio at age 9, causing curvature to the lower lumbar.  I was diagnosed with stenosis of the spine sometime between 40-45, it now causes numbness below the knees.  I use an expandable wrap for support & relief.  I found an added benefit from the wrap, it helps with my ongoing diabetic diet.  I can't eat like I used to, the wrap constricts my stomach making it uncomfortable when trying to eat too much.  I wear it most of the day & night which prevents too much movement causing unneeded jolts to my nerves.

I'm a Linux junkie, almost to the point of being a pest, probably reached that status now.  I had been using LinuxMint (Mate) for years & based upon an article I read on ZDnet authored by Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols: http://www.zdnet.com/article/why-sw...mac-when-you-can-use-linux-mint-17-3-instead/ I decided to give LinuxMint (Cinnamon) a try.  I downloaded the .iso file burnt to a DVD & installed under the dual-boot option along with LinuxMint (Mate).  Very glad I did, while it has a lot of the simularities found on Mate I like the added perks available on Cinnamon.  

My career was centured around the UNIX/Linux support team but I was the after hours tech support for all things (Mac, Windows, UNIX/Linux, 1,000+ Windows/Linux/Unix servers, networking, remote access & account security).  I was on the phone from 5 PM until sometimes after midnight.  I grew to hate phone calls, shuddered everytime it rang.  I found I liked things simple, XP/7 & limited exposure to Apple issues, (I found most Apple/UNIX/Linux users were will versed & problem solving was usually easy).  Windows was another story, it consumed probably 85% of my calls, either user or OS problems.  I had 3 21 inch monitors set up for apps & one was dedicated to online help files, mostly MicroSoft.  

After the Cinnamon install I decided to give Thunderbird (email app) that is developed along the lines that Outlook is.  It's intuitive & easily configured.  It solved the transfer of emails between different accounts without forwarding each & every one to my main account, I refused to get on the smart phone band wagon because of my hatred of a phone, I do have a mainly unused tablet sitting in my bedroom that I expect to access when the weather gets better & I start my outdoor activities.

I have this neighbor, I've talked about him on several computer related posts, his latest has to do with his inability to ignore email spam & keeps accepting the requests to install things on his newly acquired Win10 laptop.  I did get him to try my wife's old laptop that I had deleted everything Windows & installed a copy of LinuxMint Mate.  He claims he has tested it, liked it & wants to take it to his brother up on the farm to show him.  His brother has been researching Linux & is intrigued to the point he wants to see a live demo.  I may or may not have 2 new converts, I keep telling him I no longer speak Windows so he's basically on his own until comes over to the dark side.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Feb 13, 2016)

*Retirement*

Sitting here this morning, I was thinking about the changes I've made to my life, both financial & health wise.  I hear many times that life is an ongoing adjustment to your environment.  It's all about compromise & adapting to change.  To whit:



> *Taxes:*  I used to dabble helping others file their tax returns, my wife said it was because I was a snoop.  One of my assets is my skills & interest with numbers, while I'm somewhat hindered with other skills (too many to list), I try to limit myself now to less exposure to change even in the fields that require those skills.  I have told friends & neighbors that the rules have changed making a drug store tax expert like myself a relic.  I have removed the chance of embarrassment of committing errors that could be costly to others & stick pretty close to only attempting to do my personal returns.  I have discovered ways to make it so my costs are usually zero.
> 
> Prior to retirement I was of the mind set that I wouldn't let the government use my money interest free so I played the delay game along with extensions to get what I thought was financially beneficial to me.  I would owe every year & figured I did better paying the government for the use of my own money.  That's changed since retirement.  I now adjust my with holding making sure I got a return, with the amount of interest banks are paying I adjusted my with holding up to get a bigger refund.  I had been an avid investor in my late 40's & 50's but when 2008 hit that changed.  I no longer had the desire or financial motivation to dabble in the markets.





> *Entertainment:*  If you look up 'couch potato' in the dictionary you will probably see my picture.  I'm close to being a savant playing 'Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon' & answering the Trival Pursuit entertainment questions.  I enjoy movies & TV.  I was okay paying whatever the cable companies charged until retirement & re-evaluation of my needs versus my expenses.  I canceled Comcast, opted for CenturyLink & DirecTV.  The speed of my internet suffered but not my streaming, go figure.  I was going to cancel my DirecTV but in a weak moment I let the retention expert talk me into one more year, won't happen again this Dec.
> 
> I re-evaluated my streaming, deciding that Netflix was not as good as it used to be & was getting more costly with questionable quality.  They were showing more or their own productions & the available streamed movies were recycled on DirecTV nightly.  Movies that were never box office block busters or I have most of them on DVD (but too lazy to get up & insert it in the player).  I canceled my Netflix, signed up for a free 'tubitv' account getting a lot of the fare that Netflix was offering.   I then accessed TCM.com finding I could watch their current selections of classic movies on demand for free, even was able to watch them on my Linux laptop (something I couldn't do with Netflix) my ROKU menu has many 'free' sites that I can stream.





> *Technology: * As noted many times in my posts, I use Linux, 'free' & easier to navigate than the mess out of Redmond, Washington.  Nuff said.  I haven't been subjected to the extortion placed on users of MS & my personal privacy is not worth the effort to hack my system to mine any data, I use 'ABP' & 'Ghostery' to reduce the targeted ads, I lock down my browser & email service to eliminate more, I placed a piece of tape over my cam on the laptop & hold onto my older 46 inch Sony HDTV not upgrading to invite a cam recorder into my living room to monitor my activity, I drive a 11 YO MINI (24,000 miles on it), no GPS, no Onstar, limited computer chips with no auto pilot installed.
> 
> I have this ongoing conversation with my coffee buddies on Thursdays, about the invasive pop ups, updates & requests for personal information, extortion charges to have ad free games or ability to access certain sites.  My answers have now dried up because I've found most seniors are adverse to change or new ideas.  I just sit there now listening to them complain about how expensive life is.  Yes & getting more expensive but with a little change you can lesson the outgo by giving up convenience or trying to keep up with 'Madison Avenue' & their insistence you need the latest, greatest gizmo to make your life complete.





> *Health issues:*  Seems like every time I turn around either my wife or I have to juggle ourselves to make this or that health care appointment.  Being newly diagnosed as Type II diabetic I have spend several visits to my primary care along with appointments with a cardiologist, ophthalmologist, physical therapist, nutritionist & spend 20-30 minutes every month answering questions from my Medicare Vantage Provider.
> 
> I was dumbfounded when I reached the 'Doughnut Hole' after 4 months on my diabetic supplies & was presented with a $900 co-pay from my pharmacy.  I didn't get that prescription opting for the non-patented generic brand that turned out to do as good as job for much, much less.  I now buy all my drugs from Walmart mostly over the counter but to run them through my Vantage plan for some help.  I have lowered my costs to about 10% of what I had been paying.  I have also lowered my A1C, my CBC results to normal levels with the generic drugs & my supplements (cinnamon, flaxseed, hemp hearts, apple cider vinegar & coffee).  I have benefited financially as well as health wise following a modified Atkins diet, losing the equivalent weight of a 10 YO child.  I've lowered my blood pressure to normal range with both the diet & pills.



All of the above adjustments haven't seemed to diminish my well being or bank account, my disposable income has increased at least 25% compared to my pre-retirement take home.  We eat better & healthier than at anytime in my life.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Apr 1, 2016)

Empty


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## Son_of_Perdition (Apr 24, 2016)

Growing up in a culture that shunned gambling & gamblers, I've had many moral thoughts about my choices.  When you realize that gambling is connected to every decision we make.  You chance waking, dressing, eating, walking out your front door, driving to you destination & making the return trips.  Deciding what career choices will be our best benefit, what we do for entertainment, dining out, walking in the park or grocery shopping, it all has risk & reward.  I enjoyed playing Monopoly as a child, risked life and limb climbing trees, jumping across a stream.  All risk, I first became aware of real gambling when my father worked in Vegas during the 50's.  He played craps with his $10 weekly allotment, telling stories about celebrities he observed & met.

I went into my teenage years questioning the strict guidelines endorsed by my born into faith.  I listened to the sermons, the warnings & consequences that I would suffer if I embraced that life style.  It wasn't until my service days & subsequent early single 20's that I ventured into that darker world.  I became less of a babe in the woods after studying the mechanics of gambling.  I was very proficient with numbers, math was my best subject throughout school.  I read as much as I could about the subject learning from others, at one point I counted up the books I had & read that were about either 21 or craps.  I had 22 books stacked up in my closet.  I practiced hours on end.  Learning all I could.  I had been going occasionally out to Wendover, NV from my home in Utah.  I was getting better at it each time I went. 

I won enough over time to finance renovating 2 homes, buying craft supplies for my wife, paying for her trips to Calif for several doll shows, buying molds & a $1000" kiln.  Every time I won (which was about 70% of the time).  I shared with my wife & children, all the while they were counting the money they were telling me how wrong it was to gamble.  I remember the morning after I returned on one trip handing over $2,000 to my wife.  She was sitting crossed legged on the bed, greenbacks piled in front of her saying 'It just isn't right!'.   In fact she would give me a total needed for some purchase or the other when I walked out the door to drive to Wendover.

After retirement, with my health problems I took a few trips out but it just wasn't the same, I wasn't feeling well, the enjoyment was gone.  Now 5 years later with improved health, adopting the agnostic approach to religion, a more positive attitude & enough income to take these trips I decided it was time to spend my golden years pursuing my hobby.  I've reached a level of expertise that makes me a threat to the casino.  It's been estimated that there are only 3,500 professional gamblers in America, how they came up with that total is questionable since no one advertises they belong to that group.  Also, the numbers show that you are considered to be in the top 1% of other visitors to a casino.  It's a very select group.

I was adequate in my career, staying when others lost their positions through the 'Challenger' disaster & economic crises of 2008-2010.   But when I walk into a casino I have an overwhelming feeling that I'm better than most other gamblers.  I never play the high risk games, slots, keno, roulette.  I do play video poker occasionally but only to get a rest not often afforded at the craps table.  Video poker has more addicted gamblers hooked on them but they do offer a small chance to make a dollar or two if you walkaway when you win.  My wife & youngest are my most ardent nay sayers, but have benefited most through the years, my son doesn't gamble at all, music is his obsession.  My oldest daughter is my only supporter, she learned how to play craps & does it mostly for the fun of it & the 'free' drinks.  She is a controlled gambler, going a few times a year, limiting her trips to $300 & having a good time.  I approach it as a managed rewarding pastime.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Apr 25, 2016)

After posting a few threads, I come to the conclusion that no one pays any attention or responds to my posts, so be it I have to realize that I can use thread as a venting venue, say what I want hopefully not offending anyone or spewing foul words around.   I try to avoid the religious, political & PC sensitive issues.  Here is my latest contribution.

Here I am locked into 8 more months of DirecTV, weak moment!  I just received my latest bill, noting a $2 monthly raise in my basic package.  I was aware of the $2 raise on my Netflix subscription a few months back commencing in May-June?  My CostCo membership is going up an additional $5 sometime in the next year.  My wife's Medicare Vantage plan went up $19 monthly in Jan '16, my plan is for 'diabetic' so somehow I missed that bullet.  Our auto insurance went up an additional $12 semi-annually ($24 yearly) in Mar '16, I'm waiting for the July bill for our homeowners insurance that I'm sure will climb.  

All minor, granted but on the whole they start adding up. It's the $10 bills that sabotage your budget not the big ones, you know about them.  Haven't been notified that my AARP membership may go up, but could conceivably happen.  I lost my 25% discount at Papa John's so now we drive through the pickup at Domino's to treat my grandkids.  I pre-pay for an ambulance ride in case I or my wife need it, that jumped in 2015.  We've never used it, more of a co-pay insurance.

The DirecTV will be canceled in Dec, preparing myself for that call.  I will have to accept the CostCo jump, because of the $5 rotisserie chicken.  My auto insurance needs to be looked at, I switch usually every 1 or 2 years, find they offer introductory fees for the first year or so, before the increases start.  Netflix lineup for May is dismal to say the least, some of the movies included have been done to death on my basic DirecTV package.  One example, 'The Replacements' & 'Sixteen Candles' both been on DirecTV almost daily.  Most of their new shows are self-produced, can't say much about their quality but they will endorse their own shows first & want me to pay for it.

After all those 'little' jumps, I'm reminded that I'm on a fixed income & my SS stayed the same in Jan '16.  Our savings interest is minimal, expecting them to offer negative rates in the future.  If that happens then out she comes, put it in a sock under our mattress.  Netflix once again will be history.  Only thing my AARP discount gives me now is $.50 off my Consumer Cellular wireless monthly bill - $6 a year.  Will probably give that up.  

I was made aware of the offerings at our library from a few of our residents, books but more important to me is the massive list of movies they carry.  I browsed the catalog noting many, many older classic movies, along with new releases that are available including 'The Replacements' & 'Sixteen Candles' all for free.  I have a large (300) collection of movies from my working days & the thought crossed my mind to offer them as donations to the library.  I have also been going over to our local Walmart's Redbox machines (2) to get myself newly released movies on occasion.  Probably spent less than $10 last month, saw 'Bridge of Spies', 'The Intern', 'The Martian' during the last two weeks, waiting for 'The Revenant' coming out in May.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Apr 26, 2016)

Daily or not log for April 26, 2016

My wife's Win 10 laptop needed tweaking, I usually run BleachBit, Glary Utilities, Revo Uninstaller, update her free Avast virus protection,,,etc.  I try to do it on a weekly basis, if only she would allow me to trash Windows & install a Linux distro my life would be easier.  I have to isolate her, turn off her bluetooth, helps to keep the possibility of an intrusion low.  Today I found that her Avast program had installed a web browser called 'SafeZone', can't say whether she replied to a prompt or it was installed during the upgrade that seems to happen frequently.  I couldn't remove it through the normal apps, Revo Unstall or Windows, so it remains in limbo after I canceled the shortcut.  If only I could convince her to come over to the dark side.

Second entry - my trip to Vegas

What got me thinking about the pursuit of happiness in my life, GAMBLING!  Stems from helping my next door neighbor obtain airline tickets for a concert in Las Vegas this coming Aug.  He's totally computer illiterate, wanted to surprise his companion with the flight news to complement their concert tickets & hotel reservations.  Booking the flight was a breeze, discovering the fees charged for additional items was an eye opener.  After finalizing his purchase I pointed out that the price was more than 175% of the original price quoted.  He wanted baggage, both carry on & checked, assigned seating & since my printer was on ink life support, he needed the airlines to print his boarding passes.  All fee based, luckily the flight was only two (2) hours so meals were not an issue.  His total price for all was well over $1,400.  

I started thinking more & more about Vegas, I decided to plan a trip.  My health has vastly improved, weight has dropped to a human level.  My wife abhors gambling & missing a free trip is something she can live without.  I first looked into a road trip, it would take 2 days of travel with a layover in Utah, if I chose to go that way.  Otherwise it was a 14-16 hour drive through some of the harshest country the west has to offer.  If I broke down I had to decide what a lonely senior would do in an emergency.  Driving was out, next I looked into rail travel, 35 hours making multiple connection changes with either bus or train.  Sleeping in an upright position, nope rail was out!  I even looked into bus travel 25 hours stopping at every burg changing buses, lugging baggage.  Bus travel was out!  I decided to face my fears & check airlines.

After much research & input I found I could take a 2 hour flight, have a free shuttle pick me up at the airport, drop me off at my hotel/casino, return the same way 5 days later, stay 4 nights in the hotel, have a free buffet each morning all for less than $385 total, what was I thinking?  It's the only & most logical decision.

Third Entry - Health

On Monday Apr 25th I went for my wellness check up & CBC, this evening they had posted my numbers.   One note as a result of being diabetic you learn to monitor your health closely, it's a balancing act to eat right, get proper sleep, take your meds & get exercise to maintain your BS.  I am between a rock & hard spot, you need to eat, no skipping meals.  I  rose on the 25th, tested my glucose, ate breakfast, took my meds.  Went to the doctor, one of questions was have you eaten, yes 2 hours ago.  The PC came in also noted I'd eaten said he wants to do a complete CBC. All my numbers were great, every one was within the range expected.  My good Cholesterol was high normal, my bad had risen since Jan but was still within normal range, my triglyceride levels had dropped by 1/3 were mid range of normal.  My A1C was 5.0% in Jan it was 5.3%.  Average BS was 97, Jan was 108.  I felt my numbers were great but of course my bad cholesterol rise will probably be noted on my follow up letter.  I pointed out to my PC that I know you need to fast 12 hours prior to a CBC but being diabetic it's not advisable to skip meals, so what do you do?  He nodded, pursed his lips & agreed.   My BS count was 82 at the time of the CBC.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Apr 27, 2016)

April 27th, 2016

One of my favorite & oft time quotes I use is from a Dirty Harry movie, Clint said, 'A man's got to know his limitations'.  My wife & I have been updating/remodeling our main bathroom.  The couple we purchased the home from had a jetted tub & nice shower installed before, their son was a plumber.  The tub was shaped something like a 3 leaf clover.  It was supposed to be a 2 seater, I never used it in the 5 years we've lived here, my wife used it once (the g-kids love it, too bad!).  We strictly use the shower.  My wife wanted to do a few changes, you know how that goes, one thing leads to another.  

Knowing my wife, I made an innocent comment after her lament about the white elephant tub. 'I have no problem if you want to get rid of it'.  Next thing I knew she had hammer & pry bar in hand banging away at the tile & skirting.  Next day our SIL was over helping remove it, stub off the water supply & haul it out in the carport.  Now we had a 5 ft wide empty space.  Built in storage, upper & lower cabinets was her solution.  Our SIL installs cabinet & counter tops for a living.  I also questioned the idea that, 'Why do they make vanities so short?'  I have a bad back, bending over to wash my hands, brush my teeth is a chore.  Next thing I know we were discussing replacing that along with new cabinets (same height as kitchen cabinets).  Ca-Ching more expense!  

We had remodeled our former home but both of us were in better shape & younger.  Now we had the finances to hire it done.  She called the plumber, needed to redirect the water to the shower, cap drains, put shut off valves on the supply line to the vanity, replace the commode, new flange, new wax ring.  Why not redo the floor, we've done laminate flooring so to Home Depot we went.  Over the next few weeks we purchased custom made cabinets, vanity, flooring, commode, cabinet tops & many sundry items to complete the replacements.  We're almost done, purchased the molding but not cutting & installing until this weekend.

I shuddered to think what it has cost us, but by most standards it wasn't as bad as I thought.  We got the cabinet tops installed at discount because of our SIL, the custom made cabinets are all wood rather than fiber board & found a great inexpensive shop that made them.  My wife painted all, textured the walls to match the rest of the room.  She mentioned yesterday after the plumber had left that we have paid them over $700 for their 3 visits.  Paid $900 for the cabinets, paid SIL's company $600 for the cabinet tops & sink, paid HD at least $750 for the many visits there.  So a very rough estimate is somewhere in the $2,500 neighborhood & we & SIL did most of the labor.  The only original item still remaining is the nice shower.  One last purchase needed is a mirror, luckily that is not a major expense, surprisingly.   

Turned out real nice, my daughter said we should put in a little table with side chair to enjoy it better.

Additional thought - Since our 2011 relocation & manufactured home purchase (original cost $8,000, heck've of a buy from a motivated seller) we have removed all the carpet & installed laminate flooring in the 2 bedrooms, living & dining area, extended the depth of our patio by 4 feet with new cement.  Removed & enlarged (4X12 to 8X20) our raised front porch/w new metal roofing.  Removed 60 feet of a towering ivy incrusted arborvitae hedge replaced with a 6' cedar fence including cemented posts.  Remodeled our main bathroom as noted.  All of this was done mainly by my wife with me helping where I was physically able too.  Each time she finished she declared, 'This is my last project', don't be fooled she still wants to update & remodel our kitchen.  She did mentioned also last week that all she's going to do with the little bathroom is paint, yah right!  Only thing I want to do is remodel our main bedroom closet to make it more usable & attractive.

Card games at the senior center - Rejoined my cribbage group this afternoon, some old some new, hadn't been there for 8 months.  I was wrapped up with managing my diabetes.  As of monday my PC doctor took me off the short acting noon injection.  I was having low BS around 4 PM, I had been reducing my long acting myself by 1/3, was still hitting a low spell in early afternoon.  Low carb lunch (scrambled eggs, hemp hearts, bell peppers & small avocado).  Anyway I enjoyed the interaction with my fellow seniors.  We play for a quarter a game dbl on skunk, Quarter in the kitty for a 24 count & a quarter to play at the front desk.  Usually play 3 hours mostly to break even, 10-12 compete.  Played cribbage since my late teens, hold my own can't make a living doing it.  Pretty cheap entertainment.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Apr 29, 2016)

April 29th, 2016


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## Son_of_Perdition (May 4, 2016)

*Tiny Home - MY Great American Camp Out*

Been interested in the 'Tiny' home movement.  After watching different reality shows I came away with my own take on it.  We own an 8 acre heavily forested plot high up in the Sawtooth mountains, near a large reservoir & river.  It's an area frequented by camping, fishing, canoing, hiking & ATV trails, boating & hunting.  The area is accessible by passenger auto from April thru Oct.  Weather is mild with normal rainfall during the spring, summer & fall.  Heavy snows from late Nov thru late Mar.  My total yearly expenses for the 8 acres amount to less than $350 including HOA fees & taxes.  Currently my son uses it for a storage area, got to put a halt to that.

To avoid more expenses & taxes I have no desire to build on it, only use it as a long term family camp site.  There are no utilities other than a neighbor's deep well.  Cost to install one would be prohibitive, more than I am willing to spend at this time.  We have looked into solar, wind & fuel cells, again costly.  Several of the reality shows have different formats.  One is for the DIY's, both novice & handyman.  One is for the house hunters, mostly complaining about storage & space (what do they expect of the 'tiny' home concept?).  One is for the uber rich who can well afford to have one built for upwards of $60K plus.  

My physical abilities have diminished so DIY is probably out, the purchase of an existing one is also out.  I can't afford more than my current home to have one built.  I'm just looking for a self contained unit that we can live in year round.  A self-contained 5th wheeler is the answer, you can purchase a decent used unit for less than $20-25K that will meet our needs, a decent used pickup large & powerful enough can be obtained for $15-20K, both units can be resold in the event of my passing, while a DIY 'tiny' home will not meet all needs or tastes for reselling.

I can pull the 5th wheel to Laughlin, NV during the 5 winter months, back to my mountain top again for the other 7.  Our current living expenses are close to $16,500 annually.  I could easily cut that down to an estimated $11K by following my plan, total includes commuting/dray-age plus space rent in LV ($600 monthly).  

When we first retired our goal was to minimize our needs, downsize & relocate to a milder climate.  I discussed it thoroughly with my wife who is somewhat reluctant to give it a go without a trial run, I think next year 2017 barring any major problems will be my target date for that.  We'll shudder the house/our daughter will be the caretaker during our absence.


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## Son_of_Perdition (May 5, 2016)

All my life I ate eggs, I fought with my mother & sisters over my love of eggs.  They would argue about how unhealthy they are for me.  How I will have hardening of the arteries, heart disease & probably die an early death.  My wife & daughters took up the fight later on.  Eggs were the devil's workshop.  At Easter time they would hid the colored eggs until they spoiled so that I wouldn't eat them.  I would boil up 3 doz, make pickled eggs, then eat them all over a few weeks along with my usual breakfast that always included eggs.  I consume at least 2 doz a week now, yep 2 doz!  I'm 71 got a clean bill of health from my PC doctor, cardiologist, ophthalmologist, oncologist & the labs that have done the 3 blood tests in the last 2 months.  I was reading another article about healthly foods, eggs are a 'super' food.  To all of the naysayers, I thumb my nose at you!  You can have your egg white omelettes.  Here is their list of 12 benefits of eating eggs.  

You’ll boost your immune system

If you don’t want to play chicken with infections, viruses and diseases, add an egg or two to your diet daily. Just one large egg contains almost a quarter (22%) of your RDA of selenium, a nutrient that helps support your immune system and regulate thyroid hormones. Kids should eat eggs, especially. If children and adolescents don’t get enough selenium, they could develop Keshan disease and Kashin-Beck disease, two conditions that can affect the heart, bones and joints.

You’ll improve your cholesterol profile

There are three ideas about cholesterol that practically everyone knows: 1) High cholesterol is a bad thing; 2) There are good and bad kinds of cholesterol; 3) Eggs contain plenty of it. Doctors are generally most concerned with the ratio of “good” cholesterol (HDL) to bad cholesterol (LDL). One large egg contains 212 mg of cholesterol, but this doesn’t mean that eggs will raise the "bad" kind in the blood. The body constantly produces cholesterol on its own, and a large body of evidence indicates that eggs can actually improve your cholesterol profile. How? Eggs seem to raise HDL (good) cholesterol while increasing the size of LDL particles.

You’ll reduce your risk of heart disease

LDL cholesterol became known as "bad" cholesterol because LDL particles transport their fat molecules into artery walls, and drive atherosclerosis — basically, gumming up of the arteries. (HDL particles, by contrast, can remove fat molecules from artery walls.) But not all LDL particles are made equal, and there are various subtypes that differ in size. Bigger is definitely better — many studies have shown that people who have predominantly small, dense LDL particles have a higher risk of heart disease than people who have mostly large LDL particles. Here’s the beauty part: Even if eggs tend to raise LDL cholesterol in some people, studies show that the LDL particles change from small and dense to large, slashing the risk of cardiovascular problems.

You'll have more get-up-and-go

Just one egg contains about 15% of your RDA of vitamin B2, also called riboflavin. It’s just one of eight B vitamins, which all help the body to convert food into fuel, which in turn is used to produce energy. 

Your skin and hair will improve

B-complex vitamins are also necessary for healthy skin, hair, eyes, and liver. (In addition to vitamin B2, eggs are also rich in B5 and B12.) They also help to ensure the proper function of the nervous system. 

You’ll protect your brain

Eggs are brain food. That's largely because of an essential nutrient called choline. It’s a component of cell membranes and is required to synthesize acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter. Studies have shown that a lack of choline has been linked to neurological disorders and decreased cognitive function. Shockingly, more than 90% of Americans eat less than the daily recommended amount of choline, according to a U.S. dietary survey.

You'll save your life

Among the lesser-known amazing things the body can do: It can make 11 essential amino acids, which are necessary to sustain life. Thing is, there are 20 essential amino acids that your body needs. Guess where the other 9 can be found? That's right. A lack of those 9 amino acids can lead to muscle wasting, decreased immune response, weakness, fatigue, and changes to the texture of your skin and hair.

You'll have less stress and anxiety

If you're deficient in the 9 amino acids that can be found in an egg, it can have mental effects. A 2004 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences described how supplementing a population’s diet with lysine significantly reduced anxiety and stress levels, possibly by modulating serotonin in the nervous system. 

You’ll protect your peepers

Two antioxidants found in eggs — lutein and zeaxanthin — have powerful protective effects on the eyes. You won’t find them in a carton of Egg Beaters — they only exist in the yolk. The antioxidants significantly reduce the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts, which are among the leading causes of vision impairment and blindness in the elderly. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, participants who ate 1.3 egg yolks per day for four-and-a-half weeks saw increased blood levels of zeaxanthin by 114-142% and lutein by 28-50%!

You’ll improve your bones and teeth

Eggs are one of the few natural sources of Vitamin D, which is important for the health and strength of bones and teeth. It does this primarily by aiding the absorption of calcium. (Calcium, incidentally, is important for a healthy heart, colon and metabolism.) 

You’ll feel fuller and eat less

Eggs are such a good source of quality protein that all other sources of protein are measured against them. (Eggs get a perfect score of 100.) Many studies have demonstrated the effect of high-protein foods on appetite. Simply put, they take the edge off. You might not be surprised to learn that eggs score high on a scale called the Satiety Index, a measure of how much foods contribute to the feeling of fullness.

You'll lose fat

Largely because of their satiating power, eggs have been linked with fat loss. A study on this produced some remarkable results: Over an eight-week period, people ate a breakfast of either eggs or bagels, which contained the same amount of calories. The egg group lost 65% more body weight, 16% more body fat, experienced a 61% greater reduction in BMI and saw a 34% greater reduction in waist circumference!

My paternal grandmother loved her eggs also, I can remember as a child how I would go with my dad for a visit on Saturday mornings, a large plate of butter fried eggs, home fries, thick cut bacon & baking powder biscuits.  My favorite were the eggs, the biscuits were the vessel to get the yoke to my mouth.  She lived to 92, lost her mind but still had eggs every morning.  My father lived to 94, died after a fall but had eggs up until 2 days before his passing.  Neither were joggers, hikers or much into any exercise, just hard working people who loved their eggs.  Dad & her never drank soda, only coffee (hot & black).  Wouldn't eat margerine only real butter.  Both outlived every doctor who advised them to eat more healthy.


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## Son_of_Perdition (May 9, 2016)

As I worked in the tech field, I developed my own personal preferences, I hated phones & anything to do with them.  Grew to distrust MicroSoft & embraced 'Open Source'.  I have spent the last 15 years pushing, basically making a pest of myself endorsing open source over proprietary.  I kept my then simple flip phone available for travel & emergencies, scoffing at how young & old have become more & more addicted to their screens.  I have now moved on still locked in the OS arena but am more willing to see what is out there.  My wireless provider upgraded & no longer supported my flip phone's technology so I was forced to get on board with an android (linux) smart phone.  I could have went with an upgraded flip phone but the cost was reasonable to obtain a smart phone.

I done the basic setup back in Feb '16, powered it off to save battery & only carried it when I went on solo errands.  During that time one of the members who also uses OS posted about getting an android tablet from Amazon for less than $100.  I got interested & followed suit.  Now it was up to me to start using it.  I played around with it but realized that a tablet is lacking in comparison to a laptop.  I sat it aside next to my phone.  We get an occasional visit from our g-grandchildren, the oldest, a boy was showing interest in tablet games (MineCraft) so after my experience with turning him loose with the remote for our ROKU, I figured he could handle the tablet.

He soon had 10-12 'free' games loaded, swiping away, laughing & totally mesmerized playing the games.  I kept it charged for his visits because his parents wouldn't let him play his own tablet for more than an hour at home.  They set rules that as a grandparent I ignored.  The thing that riled me was they wanted him to restrict his interest all the while they were glued to their phones.  I allowed him total control of the device.  Soon I realized one of the first things is to obtain a clear protective cover for the screen if you use a stylus.  He swiped & swiped until the screen started looking like the plastic auto headlight lenses that need restoration.  

I then got more interested in my planned junket to Las Vegas, won't go back into that story.  I realized that I had no desire to hassle with a laptop or tablet, just another thing to keep track of.  I knew I needed my cell, so it became apparent I needed to learn how to use it.  After charging it up I jumped in with both feet.  I brought up the .pdf instruction booklet that was online on my laptop.  I downloaded apps, connected to my email account, CU account, retirement account, facebook & anything I figured I needed while casino hopping.  I enabled bluetooth, connected to my network.  Darn I can see how addictive they can become.  I still power it off when not in use.  Use my laptop when home but it will come in handy in LV.

The only thing I will need for the trip will be to activate text/data for the month I plan to travel.  It will only cost $10 extra & can be removed monthly, but is imperative to connect through my wireless service rather than the free wifi offered by so many hotels, coffee shops or cafes.  Browsing can be done on those open connections but anything personal or financial needs to be on a more secure source.  I must remember to take the power cord!


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## Son_of_Perdition (May 27, 2016)

Gave it some thought, no interest


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 17, 2016)

It's been 7 years since my retirement.  I decided that the world of Desktop, laptops, tablets & smartphones OS's are advancing faster than I was.  I gave up trying to keep up with Windows as such.  I was also trying to stay current with as many Linux distros as I could.  I reached the saturation point where I was only hitting & mostly missing.  I decided to focus on one distro that I had become comfortable with, LinuxMint.  I found several free ebooks online to read.  I first downloaded & read the latest publication of 'Linux for Dummies' I had found that while the title is somewhat misleading there is enough new information to help catch you up.  

I then downloaded & read 'Linux Bible' - 9th edition, both those books were somewhat redundant but I did extract information I could use.  Next I downloaded both 'Linux Mint Essentials' & 'Linux Administrator's Guide' read the first & about half way through the admin guide.  Newer changes to the Linux OS was mind boggling, I tweaked my firewall, installed & freshened a virus checker (yes, Linux can get viruses) ClamAV, created 'aliases' to streamline my security, updating my system outside of the installed GUI.  Locked down 'Firefox' disabling things like 'Flash' unless absolutely needed disabled memory hogs taking up cycles.  Created shell scripts to automate routine tasks like system & network monitoring.

I used to tell co-workers that the beauty of computers is to get a basic understanding of them through experience, then you can start anywhere & within 6 months to a year you can become fairly technical using them.  Spreading yourself too thin can be frustrating & serve very little purpose.  Focus on the things you are going to use for a more enjoyable & secure experience.  You can't know it all, I learn new things almost daily that while of no use to me do hold my interest for a time & is stored away for future reference.


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## exwisehe (Jun 17, 2016)

Sorry for this but (I have to be honest):  I am a religious school teacher.  (post # 6)


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 17, 2016)

exwisehe said:


> Sorry for this but (I have to be honest):  I am a religious school teacher.  (post # 6)



You'll have to take that up with my father in the afterlife, he passed away in 2005.  He was also a bigot, racist & would have been a raging alcoholic if his ulcer had let him.  'Sins of the Father'

https://www.openbible.info/topics/sins_of_the_father


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## exwisehe (Jun 17, 2016)

Terrific verses, thank you.

Yes, I would have loved to talk to your father.  Where I live, I am visited by Mormons quite often.  I always invite them in, show hospitality and listen to what they say.  I have some materials they have left, and I read them, believe it or not.  They are quite faithful Americans, love our country, and especially emphasize a stable home life.

   As you have probably guessed, I cannot accept many, if any, of their beliefs, nor can I read scripture from their version (when they come, I ask them politely if I can use my bible, read the verse from my version, and they usually accept that).

I'll leave it there.  Its too complicated to get into the differences in doctrines that separate us.  So I tell them we must agree to disagree, and not become embroiled in argumentation that would leave a bad taste in either mouth.  So usually they access the situation, pray, and then leave.

You certainly have lived an exciting and multivariate life, and I look forward to more of your posts.  You seem like a heck of a nice guy.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 17, 2016)

Well I like to think of myself as a 'nice' guy but my wife & kids may take exception to that.  I try never to engage in either a religious or political discussion, I'm that guy that shows up to a gun fight armed with only a pocket knife.  It's a very slippery slope for me.  I did move away from the 'Mormon' faith after an issue over the WOW transgression by drinking coffee.  

Your points trigger thoughts with me about the whole concept of 'retirement' or the Golden Years.  I live in a senior community with 180 other single, married or communing senior units.  It's an interesting lifestyle, but one thing that is constant, the arrival a the emergency vehicles that seem to come on a weekly basis.  We had befriended a couple a few years back.  He was losing his eyesight, couldn't drive his wife didn't know how.  He was the unhealthy one or so it appeared.  Two weeks ago his wife suddenly passed away.  He told me he was going to move into an assisted living facility.  He is my age, his wife was younger.  I couldn't accept the fact that she was gone first.  

Then, last week my wife's sister called saying her & her husband (my buddy I had known since early childhood, pinochle partner, served in the military together & had introduced them) were traveling here for a visit.  He suddenly had a medical issue, they turned back & he ended up in critical care not expected to return home.  He was also my age.  His health issues are long standing & it looks like his heart has finally given up.  He is the third member of our 4 member group of friends to have failing health, the other two passed away years ago.  I decided it was time to take stock of my life.

I'm financially comfortable, have a good pension, SS & no bills other than space rent & utilities.  We have adequate emergency & long term/major purchase/final expenses put aside.  We have income to do things I had earlier shunned because of the wasteful cost associated with them.  We dine out once a week, & 'shudder' stop at the coffee kiosk 2-3 times a week.  We used to travel & still enjoy the trips, but that is probably not happening because of our age & reactions are slowing.  My wife loves her garden, reading & doing crafts (all kinds).  I am all thumbs helped her pull weeds one time, but pulled too many flowers in the process.  Been banned from the garden.  I like movies, play a mean game of 'Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon' enjoy tinkering with computers (in my former life I was a tech admin) & first & foremost I love casino gambling.  I found myself justifying my obsession/addiction to others when I mentioned I'm planning a solo junket to Las Vegas.  

Craps is my game of choice & have had several profitable trips, more than losses.  I manage that hobby/addiction as well as or better than I manage my diabetes.  I never spend money needed for other things, I live an uncluttered, minimalistic lifestyle, no collections or any kind.  Non materialistic, being OCD & raised by a mother who was a hoarder taught me to live with less.  My planned trip was agreeably blessed by my wife.  Life plans after retirement should not be made too long term.  Things happen & no one can predict them.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 22, 2016)

Happenings in my life

The wife (project girl!) seems to have a new project planned at all times.  Remember we rent our manufactured home space.  

1.  Complete rearrangement & replanting of all flora & fauna.  Ongoing she moves her plants as often as I (OCD person) moved his 'junk' piles when were owned our little gentleman's farm.  Weeds would grow up between the metals requiring a new location constantly.

2.  Remove all the carpet, too humid & having one shedding cat necessitated reflooring 2 bedrooms, frontroom, dining & hallway with laminate.

3.  Repaint the house.  My contribution - buy a new paint sprayer & enlist SIL to climb the ladders.  He gets to keep it at his house.  Then on top of those projects I ended up having surgery & chemo with my wife doing most of the home nursing & support.  End of year 1.

4.  Time for a new larger porch.  Extended it 3 feet wider, needed new awnings, decking, skirting & rails that was a two year project, I helped where I could.  End of year 2 & 3.

5.  Hey, let's rip out the wall of evergreens separating us & our neighbors, we'll replace it with a new wood fence.  The evergreens were 60 feet long & 12 feet high with ivy interlaced throughout.  She's not satisfied with just cutting them down, need to remove the roots also, enlist SIL & teenage grandson to help.  That was year 4 the same year I developed full blown type II diabetes.  Somehow she was able to complete that & cater to my every need.

6.  We had an oddly shaped jetted tub, in our mstr bath.  It was a physical obstruction for seniors to access, what were they thinking.  Also why are bathroom vanities so darn low.  I'm 6'2" with a bad back, my wife is normal sized but agreed about the height for a senior owned home in a senior park.  Ok let's redo the bath completely.  Everything replaced or painted except the drains & water pipes, SIL installs & manufactures vanities, cabinet tops & cabinets.  Got to admit it turned out nice.  Early year 5 finished.  Then she wanted to extend our patio to accommodate the growing extended family relocating here.  Let's excavate & add an additional 3 feet to the width X 30' long.  Mid year 4 finished.

This morning she announced her itinerary to me, but before she started I put my foot down, '*No projects for the rest of the year!*'  Although, she is planning to relocate our one storage shed, but SIL has a machine that they use to manhandle the heavy sheets of granite that has been used for that very purpose.  He assured us it is a simple effort & he will do it.  That shed was my man cave that has 'morphed' into a jumbled maze of fake Xmas trees, ornaments & gardening sundry.

In between the projects we have had our house & roof washed to remove the algae & grime.  Replaced our beds, all new window coverings, front room furniture & dining settees.  Only thing that remains constant from our pre-retirement years is the TV & her mother's heirloom dresser.  New washer & dryer, a needed necessity.

7.  Projected task looming is a complete remodel of our kitchen, new appliances, minor plumbing, cabinets, cabinet tops, sink,,,etc.  I'm sure the SIL will get involved.  It's works out good for us, they have 4 growing kids, that need vast amounts of food, school supplies & clothing with their mom, a stay-at-home housekeeper & special needs care for her youngest.  We supply extra cash for those needs & feel ok about asking SIL for his skills & good nature.  We buy all the supplies he does the labor.  Works out great for us.  Only projects he doesn't feel good about is plumbing.  So we do have a plumbing firm on retainer, or so it seems.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Aug 21, 2016)

To hell with it!


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## tnthomas (Aug 21, 2016)

Son_of_Perdition said:


> To hell with it!



No more projects?   Me neither!   I just have to "do something" with a half done storage room, behind the garage.

   Also, the master bath needs a new floor and plumbing fixtures- sink faucet, shower valve, perhaps a new toilet.    A bigger medicine cabinet maybe, the kin with mirrored twin bi-fold doors.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Oct 21, 2016)

Been missing for awhile, haven't noticed eh?  I still lurk whenever I can.  I'll be glad when the election is history, can't say as I'm going to miss it.  I am a sometime Democrat mostly Independent.  Can't say as either candidate is my favorite.  I just wish Elizabeth Warren was in the mix.  Oh well, life goes on.  Had a doctor's appointment today, labs, it was my 6 month PCP follow up after my Type II diagnosis.  Hope things come out well, doctor seems to think I'll live a while longer.  Problem was he was in a talkative mood today, covered many subjects including religion ('Do you believe in a higher power?'), then he moved onto politics, gest of it was, he is a stance GOP, telling me to ignore what his candidate says & think of what he could do for our country.  Very uncomfortable visit.  I don't want to anger my doctor, you want them in your corner.  I forced myself to remain quieter than normal, my wife was more argumentative.  Thanks to the powers that be, he had other patients to see.

What's been taking up most of my time was a death of one of my best friends, also our BIL he passed away in Aug.  He had many, many dire conditions that he had suffered through.  Starting with a bad auto accident which led to plastic surgery in his early adulthood, then Hep C from the transfusions, then kidney failure, dialysis for last 8 years, then a stroke, then finally a quadruple bypass.  He survived them all but his quality of life was crap.  He finally succumbed to a drop in BP resulting in losing the use of his lower bowels and legs.  He refused any more medications or therapy, he wanted it to end.  We went to Utah for his funeral, our first time back in 5 years.  We enjoyed visits with old friends & relatives.  We stayed at our son's met a few of his female friends (his 2nd divorce & resolve to never marry again).

With my weight loss, BMI is 24.8 (normal weight), BP normal, A1C < 5 & I'm feeling better than I have for many years.  I'm much more active, walking somewhat everyday.  During my career back maybe 15 years ago I purchased a plot of land.  It is 8 acres in a forested area, near a lake up on a mountain.  Never had done anything with it.  My son was using it for a storage yard & I always wanted to use it for the purpose I had bought it for (family cabin).  I had a conversation with him, then when I returned home my oldest daughter had embarked on a quest of her own.  She's a widow with enough to support herself & had reached the point in her life where she wanted to give the whole scene the boot.  She bought herself a used van, had a mechanic go through it & now has plans to go van dwelling, summers here-winters in AZ.  She's going to sell her home, take the proceeds & live her life on the road with her dog.  She's very independent & loved to camp when she was younger.  She alway had a wish to do this even when her husband was alive.  I also had a conversation with my younger daughter & her husband.  He is very handy.  He's a cabinet maker/counter installer for a local company.  We discussed the idea of developing the land for a permanent camping area as a backup plan for creating a retreat in the event of a national disaster.  I'm not a survivalist/prepper/extremist in any shape or form what I am is a planner.

As you move through life into retirement planning becomes second nature or at least it was for me.  I lived by my wits until my 50's then I started planning retirement.  Luckily I had a decent pension plan along with SS to look forward to.  I was vested into a solid plan that my former company offered.  I also had my 401K but that is only a reserve that I hadn't planned to sustain me in my 'Golden Years'.  It's a perk but now nearing 72, needs to be drawn on.  I retired with mind blowing debt that was all my fault & have since retired all of it.  Planning & budgeting became my hobby after 3 life threatening conditions that I hope are behind me.  Also, going on a fixed income, making sure my wife is well taken care of were my main focus.  All my ducks are in a row now, I have adequate income to indulge my desire to develop the 8 acres. 

I wanted to originally live in a motor home, purchased one just after retirement, it became a money pit, mostly in storage so off with the old so to speak (sold it, 3 years gone).  I became interested in the series (Preppers) a year or so back.  Critiqued them, commenting to the wife what they should do, decided the only thing I would store was toilet paper (someone in Texas came up with the same idea).  Then, tabling that idea I next became interested in the 'Tiny Home' movement.  I had the land, skills & vision to make it workable.  My only hold up was the expense.  I couldn't see where you could possibly build one for the estimates that were quoting on TV.  I'll be darned it I was going to spend $50K for 200 sq ft.  I tabled that also, next I re-looked into a motor home.  Draw back to that is if the mechanics go bad you are into putting more money & effort into those than there are worth.  Next, was actually a workable solution.  My son has a 29' travel trailer he bought but didn't realize the hassle & expense to trail an over sized trailer all over the US.  He suggested he move his trailer on the land, I purchase him a smaller more manageable one for his truck, Bob's your uncle.  

The only trouble with the above scenario is the snow fall we get on the mountain in the winter.  So, we would have to build a cover, again another expense.  He has solar panels, generator & all the camping gear I would need.  So it's definitely a good plan for the summers.  My latest idea is to build a modular site with at least 4 smaller buildings.  What you say!  I was reading about a guy who lost his job, moved to another state for employment, bought some ground, lost his job again, bought a small used travel trailer for working from home as a contract employee, bought a 2nd trailer, gutted it made it his bedroom & bath, bought a 3rd, gutted it made it his kitchen & dining area.  My idea is to move the 29' on the property in the spring, buy the material to build me a 12 X 16 ft shed (2 doors, 2 windows) make it my sleeping shed.  

Next spring with a tow-able chuck wagon we have in the family, buy the material for a 2nd shed same size, use it for kitchen/dining.  Then in the 3rd spring live in the first two & buy the material for a 3rd that can be used for a living room/whatever.  Somewhere along the way I need to group a smaller 8 X 8 shed for a bath house & latrine.  The 12 X 16's will cost at current rate less than $3,000 = $9,000 & the 8 X 8 will run $1,500.  I figure without furnishings I'll need less than $12,000 for all four.  I've priced all the material at Home Depot along with porta potties, stoves, refrigs, beds & chairs so I'll be into all of it less than a nice 30' motor home.  I worked construction & have remodeled 3 homes myself along with my SIL & son we should be able to do all the work ourselves.  

We will have our own little quaint tiny home site, on our mountain top.   I don’t plan to move there full time, only I thought maybe once a month spend a few days doing repairs, upgrades & sitting by the camp fire with coffee cup on my knee.  My wife said she has no desire to venture with, she’s completely content to stay at home while I camp.  If I could get into fishing, there is a major river in the canyon below that is considered one of the hot spots for trout fishing.  Who knows?  Also, back in my early adult life I did do a little deer hunting.  The mountains are full of mule deer, but when you shoot one the work starts, I’m not that keen on venison or trout, I’m a meat eater as long as it comes in those little white packages that you thaw & through on the grill.  So they are probably safe from me.

My 3 year plan.


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## SeaBreeze (Oct 21, 2016)

I noticed Son, good to see you back!  My condolences for the loss of your brother in law, very sad.  That mountain top home site sounds sweet, sound like fun to do some trout fishing there.  Glad to hear you're in good health, hope that lasts for a long, long time!


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## Jackie22 (Oct 21, 2016)

Yes, glad to see you posting again, enjoyed reading about your plans and hope they work out for you.


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## AprilT (Oct 21, 2016)

Welcome back! Don't feel bad, my absence wasn't noticed much either, I only recently got back on board myself; not much is different, many of the same good people still around keeping the fort running.


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## NancyNGA (Oct 21, 2016)

Welcome back, Son.  Your plans sounds exciting.   The work will help keep you healthy, I think!


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## Son_of_Perdition (Oct 21, 2016)

I had reached a point in my life where I wondered as Melvin Udall did, is this as good as it gets?  I had been vegetating on my front porch since moving here after retirement.  I was hating my neighbor through no fault of his own.  My only focus was on his side door & the short span of road that passes in front of my house.  I had no hobbies, no interests, my friend(BIL) has passed I had lost interest in even the mundane things I did such as surfing the web.  I was in a rut, my wife had her garden, flowers, books, puzzles, none of which interested me.  I knew it was mentally unheathly so I looked for an outlet.  The trip to Utah helped clear my mine enough so I could think.  My wife pointed out that we were in a good place financially, healthy as two 70 YOs can be.  

Thanks to all for the welcomes.  I have focus now with a plan if nothing more.  It was interesting to see the reactions of my friends here when I talked about it.  Most were negative, or so it appeared to me, but I watched them knowing that most are in the same place I was, waiting to die, but not admitting it.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Oct 29, 2016)

With my 6 month A1C standing at 4.6% my PCP's follow up letter indicated  I could lower my insulin.  I  was at 14u LA & 5uX2 SA or < 50%  of my original doses.  Avg BS is 85 down from 97.  Damn LDL (bad) is  high, I guess 5 eggs a day could be blamed.  Hate to admit the wife may  be right.

Watching too much TV or should I say too many reality shows.  First I watch a couple segments of one of the 'Tiny Home' fakes.  Couldn't understand why the lookie-loos want a stick built one that looks like a metal tool box rather than opt for a nice 5th wheel or larger travel trailer.  They have budgets ranging > $60K, when they could walk on any RV lot & pick a nice, completely equipped livable unit for less than $30K.  Wife thinks it's the stigma of owning a 'trailer' rather than a 'house'.  They're still mobil, weather proof & equipped with almost everything you could want in a 'tiny home'.  Go figure.  

Next watched a segment of the new '10 ways the World is going to end'.  It was about nuclear war, first strike would be to whip out all the electronics, internet, computers, cars, airplanes, basically anything that is controlled by circuitry, then they would attack with ground bombs to whip out the bunkers, the Pentagon, the military strong holds & next the population centers.  Depressing to say the least, but me in my OCD mind wondered how they could control their missiles when all the electronic equipment worldwide would be destroyed.  Oops! hadn't thought of that, it would make everyone cutoff from everybody else unless they wanted to walk across the Bering Straight carrying all their weapons to attack us.

Last I watched a documentary on plastic waste, I lamented on that a few posts ago but of course the negative nellies posted that it was like the global warming, it wasn't actually happening.  They had some realistic videos of the dead fish of the ocean & fowl of earth dissected showing the ingested plastic pieces that had killed them.  It sure looked real to me.  I live near the Pacific coast & I see some of the waste washing up on the beaches but if it isn't real, I'm not sure what I'm seeing.  My worry is all the plastic they are using for automobile production & all the electric waste housed in plastic that is being dumped by polluter's & Goodwell.  

I finally had to watch a comedy on Netflix to get my mood a little higher so I get drift off into deep slumber & have sugarplum dreams.

More thought, which will be my last & probably only political comment.  *Since I DON'T like or respect either leading candidate & think Gary Johnson's intelligence level is just above that of a toad, I'm going to throw away my vote this election & vote  Pacific Green/Progressive. Like their politics.  It's either that or 'Independent' I don't want anyone to blame me for the mess we are heading for or claim that I can't complain because I didn't vote.

*More about off grid living.

I ran onto a story written by a guy back east who is living it. Back in 2008 he lost his job, applied many places got a job a few states away from his home.  He moved there, bought an unimproved remote piece of ground to build a home on.  It had water & power.  He bought an older used travel trailer to live in temporarily.  A few months later the job dissolved & he was once again without income.  He did have a little savings left.

He decided that he needed a better arrangement, so he bought another used t-trailer & gutted the first, remodeled it with a decent bed & small shower/commode.  Now with two trailers he found the need to create another living space for his home office (he was doing a little at home contract work).  He gutted the 2nd, remodeled it with a kitchen dining focus.  Large refrig, new stove, cabinets & a nicer dining table & chairs.  The 3rd was gutted, remodeled it into an office & living room (couch/TV).  Now with 3 smaller used t-trailers grouped together he had spent less than $8K for all of the improvements & trailer purchases excluding the cost of furnishings.  His land was his largest expense, TV, couch. frig, stove & bed were also extras that he would have needed where ever he was going to live.

He grouped them together like we did when camping only resource he has since added has been a septic tank for his commode, still washes his clothes at the laundry mat .  He does most of his cooking, eating & entertaining outside by the fire pit.  Has a nice bedroom/adequate bath, kitchen/dining area when needed & somewhere to have his TV/computer center for working, reading or watching TV.  He called it a 'modular' camp with about 250 total sq ft.  Added benefit is he only has to heat up one small space at a time, either when he sleeps or cooks or is working/watching TV. Loves it & has lived in them for 7 years now, really never planned to make it permanent.  He still has visions of building a home there or somewhere but is getting along quite nicely. 



> I was thinking this concept may meet my idea better, I would build individual units (sheds) approx. 12 X 16 rather than buying older used trailers, since the snow fall on my property location is prohibitive you would need a pitched roof shelter for each.  So if you have to build a cover go the extra & make a shed out of it.  I drew up the plans, estimated the material & priced everything out at Home Depot, see how an OCD mind can wander.  Total cost for each shed (3) would be just over $3K.  Including floor, sides, 2 windows, 2 ext doors, metal roof, trusses, insulation & sheet rock.  I figure I can do all of it for less than $10K.  I would have a total of 576 sq ft.  I could add the furnishing as I go along including a waste disposal setup (a composting commode can run you $2,500 or more where as a septic tank setup will cost less than $500.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 2, 2016)

Wonder why I'm even posting here.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 4, 2016)

We are living in a world that is constantly surrounded by technology  and screens. The world is becoming a great deal smaller, as it is  becoming almost second nature to chat with somebody on the other side of  the world, across town (or even a different room of your home) with a  quick text, instant message, call, video call or email within arm’s  reach! While communications are more accessible and convenient than ever  before, some people are reporting increased loneliness because although quantity of communication is there, quality is unfortunately not.


  More and more people are looking to reconnect themselves with nature  and taking a step back from technology and the digital world to get in  touch with mother earth.  There is a holistic appeal to living off the  land, cultivating and growing your own food where possible, generating  your own energy and making a conscious effort to spend some time away  from the computer, phone or television screens.


 Many Americans  are looking to get back to nature because it's a healthier lifestyle  option. It is not only more friendly for the environment, but eating  fresh food, spending more time outdoors and being active can do wonders  for an individual’s health.


 Vacations that bring the holiday  maker closer to nature are also becoming increasingly popular. From  camping holidays, hiring RVs or buying are all fantastic ways to get out  of the city and truly appreciate the beautiful surroundings nature has  to offer. It is the perfect opportunity to leave technology at home and  go for walks, observe wildlife and experience a different kind of  living.


 In addition to getting back to nature, being in more  control of what we put into and onto our bodies is also becoming more  prevalent in today’s society, with people looking to cut out processed,  unhealthy food. Americans have become a good deal more health conscious  over the past five years.


 Americans are also interested in buying  more organic products than ever before, the U.S. Department of  Agriculture reports that more and more people are becoming interested in  the move back to all-natural farming techniques, 80 percent of American  families are now actively and regularly making organic products as part  of their shopping list.


 Consumption of seasonal food that is  sourced locally has many health benefits and also considerably decreases  an individual’s carbon footprint. Home grown food is also a fantastic  way to decrease food waste (nobody wants to throw away food they have  grown themselves) and save money, which are both fantastic for the  environment.


 So, despite living in a world that is so immersed in  technologies and dependent upon computers, it appears that the trend of  people getting back to nature is increasing. This will lead to more  people becoming environmentally aware which will only result in good  things for the environment and the world we live in.


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 4, 2016)

I'm all for getting back to nature Son, and buy organic foods when I can.  Living off the grid on a large wooded property would be something nice to pursue, at a younger age anyway.  I think everyone would benefit by not using chemicals, artificial hormones, etc. and wake up to what they're doing to the earth and themselves.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 5, 2016)

Webster's dictionary defines 'plan' as - a set of actions that have been thought of as a way to do or achieve something.  Nothing says you can't change them from time to time, as any woman knows.  I have now set a newer updated plan into action for my retirement activities.  As mentioned before I, we own a parcel of ground 8 acres in size & location is near a beautiful body of water along a fish laden river on top of a mountain.  Ideal for summer time residence but the downside is the winters & snow fall, located midway between Canada & Mexico.  Elevation over 5000 feet so the snow fall is a major consideration that I wanted to avoid at all costs.  I was going to build on it simply because having owned it for many years I had never done anything constructive to it except talk.  

Now at my age & health limitations, building is something that I never thought clear through.  It would require someone to do the back breaking work with me as the 'idea', financial support.  No one really wants to do it for a favor, somehow money always seems to creep into the discussion.  I had to shelve the idea & rethink my desires based upon the limitations.  I can still drive adequately but carrying building material is very, very limited.  Location is ok from April through the end of October, so 8 months would be the outside I could use it.  The other 4 months would be sitting at home watching TV & it rain. Originally when I was getting ready to retire my desire was to do the 'Snow Bird' thing winter in AZ, summer in Montana.  Wife put the skids to that idea she didn't want to camp full time.  

Health issues have dominated my retirement until I feel I got a handle on it.  I have reached a period on my life where I have changed my diet, met all the goals my doctor has set for me & have achieved a somewhat active existence. I still wanted to SB it but the wife is content to remain in our double wide & tend her garden, do her crafts & interact with our neighbors.  I am not that sociable & get bored easily with the conversations I'm subjected to with my neighbors.  I have no hobbies, other than the usual outlets bored people have, TV, sitting on the porch, playing a few card games & watching people.  

My wanderlust daughter is so like me & her latest has to do with locating a parcel of ground nearer our current home, setting up a homestead for the spring, summer & fall.  Her plan is to spend 3-4 months out on the desert near Quartzsize, AZ, called 'Desert Dwelling'.  Sounds like a great time but for a more limited physically 70+ YO it's not something I want to do.  NEW PLAN! next spring, 1.  Buy a 3/4 Ton 4X4 relatively new, dependable but not expensive pickup with camper shell.  2.  Buy a 24 foot or less travel trailer, no 5th-wheel because of the camper shell needs, buying a pickup & t-trailer is more feasible because if the pickup fails I still have the t-trailer.  3.  Plan my journey to spend Apr-Jun on 'my' mountain top - Jul-Oct in my current location, love the summers here - then spend Nov - Mar in Laughlin, NV.  Establish residence in NV, (no state tax).  I'm hoping the wife comes from time to time for a visit in the winters.  Don't know.  

I just have to remember to avoid telling the acquaintances that know me personally about my plan changes, it makes me look kind of flaky but I think of it as adaptable.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 6, 2016)

My son went to the property today, he was testing for cell service, which turned out to be okay (requires a little walk up south to the crest of the saddle).  Attached are 4 of the pictures to give you an idea about the area we need to landscape for t-trailer parking.  



IMG_1 - This is looking west from the access road, slight incline.



IMG_2 - This is looking north towards the reservoir.



IMG_3 - This is looking west see neighbor's building. 



IMG_4 - Looking NW shows the only piece of camping equipment (a picnic table no on wants to haul again).



IMG_5 - Shows the north sections of the HOA, we own section J-2c, 8 acres.


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## Butterfly (Nov 7, 2016)

How far is the property from civilization, Son of Perdition?  I mean for the purposed of getting groceries, medical help, etc., if you needed it?  Would  you have a generator?


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 7, 2016)

Butterfly said:


> How far is the property from civilization, Son of Perdition?  I mean for the purposed of getting groceries, medical help, etc., if you needed it?  Would  you have a generator?


Good question, we are 13 miles from a small town of about 4,000 with medical staff & clinics, groceries, gas, golfing, parks.  We are 40 miles from the nearest large city, 60,000, University, Walmarts, fine dining, very well staffed & equipped hospital, clinics.  We are 60 miles from where I grew up & most of my relatives, former work mates & relatives.


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## tnthomas (Nov 7, 2016)

S_o_P,

I'll have to live vicariously through your experiences as you chronicle them here, as living the dream firsthand isn't an option for me.



My grandfather(mother's side) had his fill of everything, and built a cabin up in the mountains of Eastern North Carolina and lived out his days there.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 7, 2016)

Thanks tn, I found after 5 years fighting health issues, boredom & rain that I needed something I could focus on.  Health issues hopefully behind me, still like an occasional day-dreaming session on the porch, but I needed something I could do myself.  As mentioned my wife whom I love & have spent 48 years with has her interests & based upon my heritage, family longevity & the possibility that I could conceivably live for another 20-25 years I couldn't see myself spending it doing what I was doing.  Got healthy, lost a ton of weight, got walking decided that there is more to retirement than this.  

I was born club-footed, wore casts for 2 years didn't walk until I was almost 3.  Contracted polio at 9 spent many therapy sessions with the health workers learning to deal with my pain.  Played HS varsity football, but was always the slowest runner.  At age 18 joined the Air Force, had to take many physicals & meetings with the doctors.  Got in mainly because of my test scores & the Vietnam conflict in full swing.  They needed spies (USAFSS worked with NSA).  After enlistment played golf, hunted, fished, played 1st base on the company softball team & tried to do the normal activities everyone else did.  At age 40 I was diagnosed with stenosis of the spine.  Painful back problems have plagued me all my life.  But I refused to give in.  Now a senior with the same damn back problems I still refuse to give up.

You have to adjust you expectations & activities, but it can be done.  My father told me that the man with back problems has to be the weakest man on the job, get others to do the heavy lifting, learn to live with your problems.  I did!  My current plans include my ability to finance most of the improvements to the property, the funding of a decent truck & trailer & my love of travel.  I've always been somewhat of a loner, like my solitude & can ignore everyone around me.  My loss of hearing really helps that.  I used to get in my compact pickup take off driving solo through the country, taking pictures, visiting long forgotten places & just sitting on a high spot in the road thinking about the pioneers & their conditions.   I loved the west, the old west.  It was said that I put my guns on just after getting dressed me in the mornings, John Wayne was my hero, I grew up with Hopalong Cassidy, Lone Ranger & Tonto & other Saturday matinée cowboys.  Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Red Ryder & Rex Allen.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Nov 14, 2016)

Waste of time moving on


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## Callie (May 3, 2017)

I just finished reading your entire blog. I enjoyed a lot of it. Thanks!


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## Son_of_Perdition (May 10, 2017)

In November 2016, I had an occasion to visit with my daughter about her plans, she is a widow whom had lost her husband in 2010. She was living near us but we had never really discussed our plans. She was telling me about her new interest, 'Van Dwelling'. She does things on the spur of the moment much like me. She was telling about Bob & his RTR musings. She directed me to the cheaprvliving.com website. I came home with the idea planted in my head. I immediately started reading the site. I became intrigued with the concept. As noted above, I'm not a novice to camping but it has lost a lot of luster & motivation for my wife. She loves her garden, crafts & other artistic endeavors. I on the other hand am not very crafty & am totally tone deaf, no musical ability at all. A little Asperger, with ideas pinging around in my head 24/7. I have many grandiose ideas but very little follow through.


 I have survived cancer surgery, follow up chemo & am managing my Type II diabetes with gusto. I have lost a lot of weight actually down to normal BMI. I have become more active, as active as a 70 YO can be. I wanted to get off my porch & travel, the idea works for me. I studied the site for a few weeks finally joining & posting. In Feb 2017 I purchased my van for conversion. Money is not really an issue but I like everyone, need to control my urges. I wanted to go the cheap frugal way to start out, normally I would have jumped in with both feet, bought me a new van & spend all our income on preparing it for the quest. What I finally settled for was a 1995 Chevy G30 cargo van from a local contractor. They buy them in fleet mode, maintaining them for the crews, it's their lifeblood to keep them on the road.  The site aludes to naming your van, whatever so I have tagged mine - *'Mellow Yellow'* Donovan's hit song from the 60's (my hey days).  


 The van runs very well, has a few dings & could use a professional paint job. The two seats are ripped & could stand a new covers. They are good enough for now. There is a roof rack used for ladders still installed I gutted the cargo area, cleaned up the cab & went to the car wash to hose out the back. I drew up plans, elaborate plans mind you but soon realized that there are as many ideas for conversion as there are van dwellers worldwide. I had looked in getting an enclosed cargo trailer but again costs & the fact I had nothing that would pull it, I had to rethink my options. A running van, albeit a high mileage van would suffice for now. I installed a shelving unit for cheap Walmart crates, a 2x4 bed frame (I did get a good mattress). Bought a grundle of bungy cords & went about modifying it to make it livable.


 It's not pretty but one of my traits as an Asperger, my ability to ignore the status quo. I've never worried about keeping up with my neighbors, what works for me works for me. If you don't like it, you don't need to visit, it's paid for. Easy enough? I sit in the van & create different configurations of my wall hangings. I found several things not normally designed for RV living that work very well. Home Depot, Amazon have been my go to guys. The delivery drivers were visiting at least twice a week. Brown trucks, white trucks & mail trucks are my frequent visitors. The less I have to create the easier it will be, I've looked at generators, dual refrigerators, power converters & new flooring but have finally settled on the spartan way. Nothing fancy but doable.


 I have a few things that need taking care of before I venture out. First & foremost I need to have it gone through by a qualified mechanic. It had sat for 3 years before I bought it. The hoses, belts & tires are probably in need of replacement. I hope the engine & tranny are sound, it seems to run & sound very well to me. but as a drug store mechanic I bow to the professional in these matters. I also want to get a receiver hitch installed in the chance I may need to tow something. I'm leaving the option of getting a travel trailer at a later date & would like to be able to use the van. I also need to replace the rubber seals around my back doors, they leak a little but haven't been a big issue even here in the soggy NW.


*Food, Cooking **& **Personal Hygiene* 


 I bought a portable potty chair, one with arms for raising & lowering myself in safety. Bag it, dump it! I bought several light weight milk crates from Walmart for my 'stuff'. Cheap but functional. I mentioned I did get a good mattress & along with that I bought the whole ensemble of bedding. I had at first thought about a sleeping bag but at my age getting in & out of one may be a nuisance. Sleep is important. Another trait us Aspergers have is our ability to eat the same thing day in & day out. Being diabetic presents many problems as far a diet is concerned. Luckily I like eggs, meat & cheese, all good things for diabetics. Vegetables are an issue I have to watch because of my cancer surgery. Most leafy, undercooked or raw are my nemesis. Gives my gastric discomfort in a big way. I can eat them if they are steamed & soft. But, not in plentiful supply. I have to get my daily quota but not overdue them.


 Coffee is usually my only drink of choice, although I do take 24 oz of water with my Apple Cider Vinegar before meals. I eat no breads, pasta & most fruits because of the added sugar or metabolism of the starches. I watch my glucose count really close up to 5 times a day, I'm very anal about it. I take my insulin & meds on schedule, that being the only thing that need refrigeration other than a few items. Eggs, vegetables & half n half are also required to remain cool for a couple of days. Insulin is vital. It breaks down when heated. But I found that the blue freeze bags work very well. An unopened bag of ice in the bottom of my cooler will keep everything cool enough to use it before it spoils. Buy my eggs in dozen cartons rather in bulk. Buy fresh veggies & watch the creamer for floaters. All my meat is purchased in cans, I know the linings & sodium are killers, I do monitor my BP daily. So far okay.


 I can control the spoilage & other food borne problems by buying fully cooked meats, I opt for tuna, chicken, roast beef, turkey & pork when available. No waste & no doggie bags to contend with. I have cut my red meat consumption down to once a week, still need the B-12. The one other item I do make sure I have plenty of is canned beans, the low sodium kind, they are recommended on every nutritionist advice column for helping control your glucose. I was eating a lot of grains oatmeal, brown rice, flaxseed & almond flour but found that it's much more enjoyable to have normal digestion rather than a mad rush to the potty 2-3 times a day. Again that age thing along with my bowel resection. I have become sensitive to the chemicals used in todays products, I find plain warm water & soaked paper towels work wonders.


*Boon docking, Travel & Homesteading*


 As noted, I own a parcel of ground near a body of water in the mountains of southeast Idaho.  It's unusable during the harse winter months (Dec-Mar), the HOA frowns on you driving on the roads during that time, it's not serviced & they don't like you tearing it up. The summers there are tolerable but it's much better here in the NW during Jun-Sep. My plans right now unless change happens are to drive to Idaho in late Sep, spend the next 45-60 days on my mountain, then a 2 day drive to Quartzite, AZ. Bookdock in Las Vegas to satisfy my gambling habit for one night eat at the buffet, sleep in the casino parking lot. Should be okay, I'll look like any service van around.  


 Then drive the last leg into Quartzite for the next few months, probably around the end of Mar early April. That's when the fees are due on the property & I get my new combo. Spend Apr thru May in Idaho again, then drive back to the NW to revisit my wife. The only boon docking I plan is on either the trip down or the return trip. I should be able to reach each destination on time. I will use the time in the NW to do maintenance on the van, the time in Idaho will be to do what landscaping needs attention & the time in AZ will be for my van dwelling, fire sitting or renewing old friendships.


*Mellow Yellow is **R**eady**! * 


 The mechanic went completely through it, replaced all the belts, tuned up, replaced wires & plugs.  Took it to the tire shop dropped a little more cash but got all new traction tires.  Brakes are new (must have been replaced before I bought it).  Licensed, insured & coining a name of a TV series I’ll be ‘Hell on Wheels’ this summer, (my g-grandson’s observation).   


 We had an ocassion to make an emergency trip to eastern OR last weekend, on the way back we scouted out the campgrounds from Bend to the Willamette valley.  6 were great, more were still closed because of the winter but the 6 were great & would accept my van dwelling as long as I pitch a small tent for cover.  Sleep in the van, cook outside on my stove & sit by the fire pit in my camp chair.  I plan a few trips this summer gradually extending the stay until I feel comfortable enough with what is required to do it solo.  My daughter has now put up her house for sale, bought her van & will tag along for a few trips.   


 First trip is planned for the 22[SUP]nd[/SUP] of May, hopefully for my first 5 day 4 night sleepover.


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## RadishRose (May 10, 2017)

I enjoyed reading your post immensely! I hope you'll write about your upcoming trip later this month. It sounds like so much fun.

Do you worry about animals and do you have an iphone or other access to weather?


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## Son_of_Perdition (May 10, 2017)

RadishRose said:


> I enjoyed reading your post immensely! I hope you'll write about your upcoming trip later this month. It sounds like so much fun.
> 
> Do you worry about animals and do you have an iphone or other access to weather?


I have a healthy respect for all animals, whether they fly, slide along the ground or walk on all fours.  The only animal that requires watching is the 2 legged kind.  For that I did buy myself a rifle.  It's the first time in a long time that I went to purchase one.  My son inherited all my guns many years ago.  

The paperwork to get one was akin to the paperwork to buy a house.  Check this, check that.  For the slithering kind of animals I did buy some 'snake' shot.  There are a few rattlers on our property.  I neither fish nor hunt now.  

I have a smartphone with apps, need to get a data plan though.  I have a laptop to pay my bills once a month or the smartphone's apps.  I have also been weaning myself off all the social networks since Nov.  I cut the cord as they say with my dish & only use Hulu or Netflix.  It was easier than I thought.  I got me a senior pass from the Government/BLM.


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## tnthomas (May 10, 2017)

SoP,  I envy you, _getting-our-of-town_, and leading a simpler life.


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## RadishRose (May 10, 2017)

Well, it sounds like you'll be safe, Son.


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## Son_of_Perdition (May 12, 2017)

First jaunt will now be May 17th.


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## Son_of_Perdition (May 18, 2017)

*Maiden Voyage*

   May 2017 my first camping trip in Mellow Yellow.  Two weeks ago the wife & I came home from an emergency trip to E Oregon.  Everything worked out ok, then on the return trip we scouted out 6 improved tenting, drive in campsites along the last leg of our trip, the drive from the last turnoff is 72 miles long mostly along the McKenzie River, OR.  Beautiful forested two lane road.  2 campsites on top had snow still in the campground & one was inaccessible (gate down).  One we stopped at was the 'Paradise' Campground.  It turned out to be the best of the 6.  Flushing metal toilets, garbage service, water spigots throughout the camp.  Sites were all sizes but each was ideal for my purposes..   

 This morning May 18th. I called for reservations concerned that the Memorial Day weekend might get a little crowded, since retired with no time limitations I plan to make most of my trip starting on Mon or Tues mornings returning on Fri.  4 nights 5 days.  My first target date is May 23 (Tue) until May 26 (Fri).  There was 64 spots some reserved, some first come, most had already been reserved.  I opened an account on www.recreation.gov, went on line & selected an available site.  Entered my Interagency Senior Pass card, the fees were $20 a night (most expensive of the 6 sites) but got it for $10 a night plus fees, total $43.  DONE!


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## RadishRose (May 18, 2017)

Looks nice!


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## Meanderer (May 24, 2017)

I also enjoyed reading of your latest adventure, Son, and was encourage to hear you are doing well!  Your plans and preparation sound great, and your pictures of "Paradise" are wonderful!  I look forward to reading more.  Good luck and stay safe!


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## Son_of_Perdition (May 25, 2017)

Trip report - May 25th.  Lasted 1 1/2 days of my scheduled 4 day/3 night stay.  It had turned cooler the 2nd day.  According to the weather report it was only 72 at home & considering it's 10-15 degrees cooler in the mountains, I can attest to that fact, got home just after midnight.  I found several things I needed for the next journey, broom a must, canopy (was hunting shade first day, sun the 2nd).  Park closer to the picnic table next time, lugging everything over an uneven terrain for each meal is tiring.  Plastic utensils paper plates/cups are essential, sorry to say they will be tossed in the garbage or burnt after use.   

 Paper towels are manna from heaven.  I think I can get by with a fry pan & tea kettle without the extra steamer & sauce pan.  Doing dishes is not enjoyable.  Breakfast is still the best meal out-of-doors & I can fry eggs.  Everything else will come fully cooked from a can, I learned to eat my meat cold rather than try to heat it.  Beans & cottage cheese are great if you don't mind the beans not heated.  My 2nd vegetable en tree will have to wait until I get home.  Apple sauce from Walmart in the little sealed containers are helpful.

 2 days/3 nights max.  Shower when I get home.  My bedside commode worked great.  A urinal is man's or woman's constant companion.  I was thankful I had a supply of Louie L’Amour books I was able to finish 2 & start the 3[SUP]rd[/SUP], got too cold to hold the book.  A metal van conducts both heat & cold with gusto.  It was like an ice box, but warmed up when I was hauling my supplies from the picnic table to the van with my flashlight at 10PM.  I had got my right shoe & sock soaked then tried to enjoy my book but the cool & wet pant leg never did warm up.  I jumped in bed at 7 PM trying to warm up, not in that ice box, even my nose was cold.  Shorts only work on a sunny beach.

 Scenery was beautiful.  Trees, chipmunks, lots of crawly things, very few flies & no mosquitoes (too cold).  Had a very secluded spot, camp was only 1/3 full maybe they listened to the weather forecast.  No one bothered me not even the camp host since I had pre-paid for the spot.  She did wave as she passed on her 4-wheeled ATV the first day.  With many, many trees you get a lot of floaters in your coffee cup or eggs.  Some look like bugs others you can recognize right off.  Carry a warm coat I don't care if the temp is supposed to be in the 90's.  Long pants, warm socks are on my list from here on out.

 Next time out I'm finding a place I can park for free & carry a few gallons of essential water for coffee & a spit bath.  I remember a camping trip we were going on with another couple, they were to bring all the cookware us the food.  They never showed so with all the food & no way to cook it my wife improvised & made pans out of tin foil, or do they make disposable fry pans?  Maybe a pie tin will work, daughter pointed out I don't need a spatula just eat right from pie tin then toss.  Somebody can recycle it but not me.  Cash n Carry will have all the paper products I need, they burn.  Below is the start of what I thought would be a great 4day/3 night stay.  Next sojourn is planned for the 13th, 14th & 15th of June.


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## Meanderer (May 25, 2017)

Well done, Son!  A shake-down cruise can eliminate a lot of non-essentials and spotlight much needed replacements.  Comfort is not a four letter word....thanks for the update.


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## Son_of_Perdition (May 27, 2017)

Several things learned on my maiden voyage, I have new respect for my wife.  Feeding 3 kids & a fire-sitting-coffee drinking-basically-lazy-husband for 48 years cleaning up after them, washing the dishes, cooking, washing the dishes,,,etc all the while agreeing or pretending to agree that camping was fun.  I also learned that when you are solo in a secluded 2/3 empty campground there is no one around to hear your rants & swearing.  You find you have to do everything yourself.  Loading, unloading, setting up camp & tearing it down at 10 PM with only a flashlight.  Lucky for me I had finished 2 & started my 3rd Louis L'Amour book about the Sacketts.  Our heroes were beaten up, walking in the desert with no water & fighting all sorts of vermin & villains.  By jingle if they can survive & get the girl in the end so can I.  Of course the girl was in the stories not real life.

Remember my user name is northing more than a name, something I remember from my Sunday school lessons.


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## tnthomas (May 27, 2017)

Louis L'Amour, I gobbled down a ton of his books during the '80s.   One of my favorites- Bendigo Shafter .

If you like stories about the old frontier days, check out The Massacre at Fall Creek by Jessamyn West.


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## Son_of_Perdition (May 27, 2017)

tnthomas said:


> Louis L'Amour, I gobbled down a ton of his books during the '80s.   One of my favorites- Bendigo Shafter .
> 
> If you like stories about the old frontier days, check out The Massacre at Fall Creek by Jessamyn West.


One of the few things I have beliefs or thoughts about is reincarnation.  I believe that I was a cowboy in my previous life, I guess I never got closure on that.  I love westerns all the stories my dad used to tell me, he rode fence for the Utah Brownings (the gun people) in his youth, broke mustangs in the spring, turned them loose in the fall.  I lived in the west both in my mind & physically.  My heroes were John Wayne & Clint Eastwood & all their characters they portrayed.  I read L'Amour books when I had idle time in the service, kind of got away from it when I started my career, so darn many manuals to keep current.  Just since my new found stirrings for camping I found that I could cut the cord & get away from TV without too much trouble.  My wife suggested reading, my neighbor is selling his home & was an avid western lore reader.  He is downsizing his library & gave me most of his Zane Gray & L'Amour books.  Some I have read, others I plan to.  He donated all the others to our library (which is across the street).  So my plans are to borrow them for every trip.  I'll take your advice & see if they are included.   

Another thing I like the 'ignore' option, I learned also that since retirement I don't have to deal with 'Nasty' people anymore!


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## Son_of_Perdition (May 27, 2017)

Spend the better part of an hour setting up my latest purchase, a 10 x 10 Ozark Trail canopy from Walmart.  Actually easier setup than I was anticipating.  Got the thing up then moved it to the back stradling the doors of the van.  After getting shed of the storage unit in the back I had plenty of room & wondered why I wasn't using those doors.  I had been using the side sliding door.  It required a lot of room to open & close not to mention the noise.  Decided to close off (not use) the sliding door giving me 4 feet more wall space.  I did need to get a taller step stool to use because the back of the van is higher than the side.   Figured I gained 18 sq feet of usable space with removing the shelf unit.  Overall I now have over 200 feet of covered space for camping.


 All my supplies are stored neatly under the bed or hanging on hooks bungeed tightly to the wall now that I downsized my actual needs versus my over-the-top Asperger expectations.  The canopy bag /w canopy fits nicely at the back doors & will not be there after setup when I need to gain access during camping.  It actually works much better than the original setup.  I bungeed the canopy to my upper roof rack rail & that lifts it high enough (4") to close the doors.  I can put my table /w Coleman stove (eggs & coffee only) & chair under the canopy with ample room for others.  My propane (20lb) bottle sits next to the table connected with supply tree so that I can add my 2nd supply line snaked through a planned hole in the back door for my 'Mr Buddy' radiant heater that is coming from Amazon.   


 The 3rd fitting is for my propane lantern on the very top, I never did give that a try on my 1st trip.  Darned if it doesn't work though & look great.  No more toting the supplies to the picnic table over rough terrain.  I took 3 pictures in my driveway with the setup but somehow they were all erased when I hooked up the smart phone to my PC.  I'm be darned if I'm going to set it up just to get a few photos, let me assure this was one plan that worked out A'OK.  Next time I'll download the pics before disassembling the setup.  Oh & disassembly was much easier, took less 10 minutes.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 16, 2017)

See no one sees me.  Goodbye


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## Lara (Jun 16, 2017)

I see you. Stay.


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## Trade (Jun 16, 2017)

Yeah Dude stay. I wasn't aware there was a thread like this so thanks for bumping it. I'm thinking about doing something like this myself.


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## Lara (Jun 17, 2017)

Son_of_Perdition said:


> ...it's like my father used to say 'Leave at least one bite on your plate'.  Don't know what that statement meant, but it was one of his favorites...


hmm, intriguing. It may mean different things to different people. Other than the literal meaning of don't over-indulge (when your tummy is full walk away), it may have further or deeper applications like we shouldn't use more of the earth's resources than we need. Exercising self-control. 

Some mother's used to make their children eat everything on their plate possibly setting a mindset leading to obesity. It became a power struggle. So the saying could apply to letting go of having to have the last word in an argument. Or maybe he meant don't burn any bridges...leave something to come back to in the future in case you want to.

If your father was an environmentalist then he may have related to these thoughts of self-control from the late Slim J Hooey who said...

"I have come to terms with the future. From this day onward I will walk easy on the earth. Plant trees. Kill no living things. Live in harmony with all creatures. I will restore the earth where I am. I will use no more resources than I need. And listen, listen to what the earth is telling me." 

I did a painting of this quote because it spoke to me. One of my favorite paintings I've done. If you come back then I'll take a picture of it and post it here for you.

Trade, keep us posted on that thought


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 17, 2017)

Big test today at noon.  Will be going camping next Tue, 20th.  Picked out a campground that is actually closer to my home than the first try.  I have my new Mr Heater (Buddy).  Propane tanks with hoses & plenty of warmer clothing/bedding.  My test for lunch I prepared my canned turkey, shredded cheese, 1 pad butter, canned chilies & vegetarian refried beans.  I used a simple pie tin on our kitchen stove, wife suggested I preheat the tin then turn it way back to low.  Added all my ingredients at once.  Watched it closely, stirring a little with my plastic fork.   


 When the butter, cheese & beans were melted & mixed in with the meat & chilies I removed it from the heat, careful not to burn myself & carried it to our table.  Felt the bottom it was warm but not too hot.  Sat down chowed away with my fork, drank my cowboy coffee, when I finished I dumped the cans, pie tin, fork & coffee cup in the trash.  No cleanup or dishes of any sort to do.  I did have to store the excess beans & chilies in the fridge for the next meal.  I will use paper bowls & tin foil for storage discarding or burning them before returning home.


 It may not be the home delivered gourmet meal some are getting, but it tasted delicious to me.  Low carb, veggies, little dairy/meat protein, coffee, a diabetic's meal.  Total estimated cost: $2.75.


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## Lara (Jun 17, 2017)

Sounds tasty and what a deal...a cup of coffee alone costs 2.75 these days. Well, enjoy before you have to return home


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 17, 2017)

*Cowboy or Sheepherder Coffee*​ 
 Brewing a great cup of 'cowboy' coffee seems like an easy task.  The good news is, unlike other culinary endeavors, making good 'cowboy' coffee is more about technique than splurging on a bunch of gadgets. I use an 8 Cup stainless steel pot, size doesn't matter since you want to only make enough coffee to fill one 24 oz cup.  A bold and delicious cup is attainable at home if you avoid these common mistakes. My method is:




 *Step 1 *- Bring 3 (24 oz) cups water to boil (approx 10 min).
I         use an 8 cup stainless steel pot, (Ozark Trail from Walmart - $13). 
 
 *Step 2 *- Add level ¼ Cup ground coffee, stir.
I         use long metal spoon, steam will burn your hand. 
 
 *Step 3* - Let boil 1 minute, remove from heat, stir.
I         stir again @ 2 min, then let rest 2 minutes (grounds settle). 
 
 *Step 4 *- Pour slowly into cup from pot through strainer.
I         use 24 oz paper cup or my 20 oz ceramic mug, leave room for 1/3 Cup cream, enjoy.
 
 Slow pouring, less grounds in strainer, rinse/spin/dump in bushes, they love it.   


*6 Mistakes to avoid:*


*1.  Using water that isn't hot enough*


 One of the most important things is to use boiling water that's between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit—nearly impossible to achieve with many commercial drip brewers. Water in this range extracts the most flavor from the beans.  Higher altitudes water boils at a lower temp than 212 degrees.

*2. Using beans that were ground a long time ago*

 Buying pre-ground beans is a no-no. The minute coffee beans are ground, they start to release their nuanced flavors. The longer you wait to brew, the more the flavor will have diminished. The easiest way to ensure fresh-ground beans is to buy them whole and grind them in the grocery aisle to use throughout the week. Otherwise, do it yourself at home: Invest in a low-cost blade grinder or, if you're a regular coffee-drinker and willing to splurge, spring for a burr grinder for an even finer grind.  

 Power up the grinder while the water is heating up.  Ideally, you want to use beans that have been roasted within the last three weeks. The easiest way to ensure this is to know the roast date. Coffee roasters who sell their beans on site will often label the bags with this info. If you grab a bag of local beans at your grocer or farmers market, check the bottom of the package—they often stamp the date there.  


*3. Pouring into a cold cup*


 Think about it. If you pour hot liquid into a container of a lower temperature, it won't stay hot for long, right? Prolong your sipping pleasure by pre-warming the cup. The best part is that the water is already on its way to boiling—just pour some of the water into the cup, leave it in there while the coffee's brewing, and empty it before filling with coffee.  


*4. Drinking from the wrong kind of cup*


 Those dainty china teacups you pull out for a tea party or the super-functional Corelle coffee cup you've had for years are going to drop in temperature quickly, leaving you with  room-temperature joe. A thick-walled cup maintains the coffee's steaming hot temperature for longer. Try to find a diner-style white coffee mug with a thick wall. I also like sipping from sturdy, handcrafted ceramic mugs.  Metal cups lower the temp rapidly also.


*5. Eyeballing the measurements*


 Spooning your recently roasted and carefully ground beans into the filter by eye is a habit you'll want to break now. Measuring grounds allows you to control the strength of the cup. A good rule of thumb 1/4 Cup to 24 ozs of water, makes 20 ozs of coffee after boiling loss. This will result in coffee that is bold and assertive.


*6. Not upgrading your sugar and milk*


 How one takes his or her coffee is a matter of personal choice, but I always recommend trying to get the most flavor for your sip. In terms of creamer, I like to splurge and use half-and-half. Nonfat milk can water coffee down.  I use no sweetner or artificial flavoring, but again personal choice.


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## Trade (Jun 18, 2017)

Son_of_Perdition said:


> Big test today at noon.  Will be going camping next Tue, 20th.  Picked out a campground that is actually closer to my home than the first try.  I have my new Mr Heater (Buddy).  Propane tanks with hoses & plenty of warmer clothing/bedding.  My test for lunch I prepared my canned turkey, shredded cheese, 1 pad butter, canned chilies & vegetarian refried beans.  I used a simple pie tin on our kitchen stove, wife suggested I preheat the tin then turn it way back to low.  Added all my ingredients at once.  Watched it closely, stirring a little with my plastic fork.
> 
> 
> When the butter, cheese & beans were melted & mixed in with the meat & chilies I removed it from the heat, careful not to burn myself & carried it to our table.  Felt the bottom it was warm but not too hot.  Sat down chowed away with my fork, drank my cowboy coffee, when I finished I dumped the cans, pie tin, fork & coffee cup in the trash.  No cleanup or dishes of any sort to do.  I did have to store the excess beans & chilies in the fridge for the next meal.  I will use paper bowls & tin foil for storage discarding or burning them before returning home.
> ...



Have you ever read "The Complete Walker" by Colin Fletcher? There are several editions out. It's great. This post reminds me of that book.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 18, 2017)

Trade said:


> Have you ever read "The Complete Walker" by Colin Fletcher? There are several editions out. It's great. This post reminds me of that book.


   Haven't read the book, with all my physical restrictions I had to adapt my needs & wants to what I was able to accomplish myself.  The Van Dwelling started as a lark, I found I wanted to get back to camping but on a limited basis.  Financially it wasn't a necessity.  Having no hobbies, no collections, no desire to accumulate unneeded stuff, I found I led a pretty boring life.  Computers were a big part of my life, but even the tech world has lost it's luster.  I was a movie buff, but really how much wasted time have I spent re-watching some of my favorites.  I like to read & that can be done anywhere.  I hardly ever watch sports, too commercialized & caters to the over paid prima donnas.  Don't have any favorite teams.  As a child I played many sports, wasn't the best but adequate.  I found I hated football, too many bumps on the head.

 Moving on - I live in a senior manufactured housing park, 180 other residents.  Some disabled, some just gave up on life.  I sit on my porch (another favorite) watching neighbors realizing they had no more interest in activities than I.  Taking care of their little gardens, a few flower pots & for excitement an occasional night out at either the buffet or free pie night at the diner.  My health started suffering, I started thinking of how to generate a little excitement around me.  I started a game night at the club house, I call bingo & go to the dinners.  Been doing it for 6 years now & ready to scream, I told my wife I want to quit them all, it's become rather mundane & boring.  So being on the autistic spectrum as I hope a high functioning Asperger I want change.

 After my first journey I discovered several things I did like along with many I disliked.  One dislike is washing dishes, clean up the camp, the housekeeping that's involved.  I started looking for ways to minimize my processes.  Getting rid of reuse able dinnerware was first, using things other that pots n pans was next (do need my water pot for coffee).  How to keep my food fresh & not contaminated was on the agenda.  Paper plates, disposable cookware, plastic utensils, paper towels, running a dry camp were the answers.  Whatever I could eliminate was addressed, no showers (4 days max).  No laundry, take enough to last & wear them more than once.  Lighten my load, I went from 10 milk crates loaded with everything I thought I needed down to 5, most not half full.  The only thing I did add was more blankets & a safe propane heater.   

 For food I opted for canned goods, surprising what you can get nowadays.  Most of my veggies can be stored without refrigeration, sweet potatoes, canned beans, carrots, brussel sprouts, my allowed fruits consist of prepackaged unsweetened apple sauce.  Of course my meats (poultry mostly) are canned, safer than fresh.  Eggs can be kept on the shelf for up to a week, have them in those little doz camping containers, you need to turn them every few days, but I eat a lot of eggs.  2 doz last a week.  Cheese, stays ok in those resealable packages, & in the cooler along with my insulin.  I use evaporated milk instead of half n half for my coffee.  Haven't had them go bad if I cover them.  I bring most of the water needed for coffee & believe me I get my 80 ozs of liquids daily.  Yes coffee counts.   

 I have to watch my sodium intake that's the only downside to canned.  My BP is normal but it requires a battery operated cup.  I don't smoke, drink or chase wild women, my only vice I enjoy is the gambling I've mentioned throughout my diaries, but that is under control with my budget.


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## Lara (Jun 18, 2017)

Thanks for posting your Cowboy Coffee recipe (and mistakes..helpful). I'm going to email a copy to my son in Alaska. He's fishing for salmon as we speak but has a break now and then. I suspect he usually gets his coffee at the local McDonalds for now. I remember when he was here he used a crazy amount of coffee grounds, didn't measure, said that's how he likes it....eek. He doesn't need caffeine. He's already uppity enough  

Pretty soon, any day now, the local fish markets will finally carry Alaskan Wild-Caught King Salmon...the best...also costs the most but usually can find it on sale. I bake it at 400-425 for 15 minutes. Melts in your mouth.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 18, 2017)

Lara said:


> Thanks for posting your Cowboy Coffee recipe (and mistakes..helpful). I'm going to email a copy to my son in Alaska. He's fishing for salmon as we speak but has a break now and then. I suspect he usually gets his coffee at the local McDonalds for now. I remember when he was here he used a crazy amount of coffee grounds, didn't measure, said that's how he likes it....eek. He doesn't need caffeine. He's already uppity enough
> 
> Pretty soon, any day now, the local fish markets will finally carry Alaskan Wild-Caught King Salmon...the best...also costs the most but usually can find it on sale. I bake it at 400-425 for 15 minutes. Melts in your mouth.


   Back many years ago my daughter brought me a grinder & lb of beans, she lived out of state about a year later she came for a visit.  Wife said I'd better do something with it.  Ground it all up, wasn't at all impressed.  What'd I do wrong?  Read up got into the whole Arabica bean/burr grinder/freshly roasted scene.  Drank that for years, then came 'French' press, really wasn't at all impressed with the stuff the coffee snobs were telling me.  Found out after experimenting with my own version of 'Cowboy' coffee where I learned about the temp of water on the coffee, I had been using all the wrong equipment, cups & timing.  As I see it now comparing 'cowboy' to French press, I see no difference like them both equally.  Taste & methods are very similar.  In fact I get less sediment when I follow the steps for cowboy coffee in my cup than I do with the FP.  All I can say is Mr Coffee has no place on my counter.  I'm not one for kiosk coffee & 'Starbucks' is too bitter.



 A side note, it was an issue over my love of coffee & my religion’s ban, that drove me out.


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## Trade (Jun 18, 2017)

Lara said:


> Pretty soon, any day now, the local fish markets will finally carry Alaskan Wild-Caught King Salmon...the best...also costs the most but usually can find it on sale. I bake it at 400-425 for 15 minutes. Melts in your mouth.



  I've been buying Salmon at the neighborhood Walmart. It's farmed Atlantic and goes for $8.74 a lbs. I've got some in the frig right now that I am going to fix tonight. I coat the baking pan with olive oil, then put in the salmon and sprinkle it with Old  Bay seasoning, and then bake it at 350 until I think it's done. I put it in while the over is pre-heating which takes about 8 minutes or so, then leave it in for 10-15 minutes after it reaches 350, then I shut the oven off and leave it in for another 5. This has nothing to do with any special cooking process. It's just that I hate to waste all that electricity that the oven uses while it's heating up and cooling down. Anyway it's pretty decent Salmon, but I'm sure nowhere near as good as that Wild Caught stuff you are talking about. This is the fresh never been frozen salmon I'm talking about. Walmart also sells this frozen stuff. I tried it once and it was awful. I'd eat it again if I was in a situation like the Russians were during the Siege of Stalingrad, but that's about it. 

I think tonight I'm going to try that 425 setting for the oven like you do. And I'll wait for it to fully pre-heat before I put it in and then time it for 15 minutes and see how that works. I'm going to have to look for that Alaskan Wild Caught King Salmon too. Most of the local markets sell local caught stuff from the Gulf. My favorite is Grouper but it is crazy expensive. Plus I hate to buy it because they have been decimated by over fishing. It takes a grouper about  6 years to reach maturity to where they can reproduce. 

Here's my dad with a nice grouper he caught back around 1950. 




And here he is with two of my uncles with their catch for the day. As you can see they kept a lot of small fish including grouper that never got a chance to reproduce. 

  That was what people did back in those days and as a result the grouper population crashed. I remember when you could buy grouper for 30 cents a pound. Now you are lucky if you can get it for $15 a pound.


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## Trade (Jun 18, 2017)

Son_of_Perdition said:


> Haven't read the book, with all my physical restrictions I had to adapt my needs & wants to what I was able to accomplish myself.



I understand what you are saying about the physical limitations. I was into biking in a big way and I had dreams of doing a cross America tour. Not on my own but on one of those fully supported tours. My wife and I did a number of shorter ones around Florida. They are a lot of fun. You just pack up all your camping gear in a duffle bag and they transport it for you from place to place. Plus they have support vehicles cruising along the route to help you if you get in trouble. And sag stops with drinks and snacks along the way. Usually they reserve a field at a local school where you can set up your camp for the night plus you can use the showers at the school. And they generally provide Breakfast in the morning and dinner in the evening. All you have to do is pack up your camping gear and put it on the truck. You take whatever you need for the day on your bike and ride to the next stop. They pick out nice rural scenic routes for you, provide maps, and you ride at your own speed. You meet a lot of interesting people on something like that. And the cost for all that is usual pretty reasonable. It's really a great inexpensive vacation. Now the cross America one would be quite an adventure. I think they take about 6-8 weeks. I was really looking forward to doing it with my wife who could outride me any day. However, she has epilepsy and her condition has gotten worse with age. It's controlled somewhat with medication, but she still is subject to seizures and about five years ago she had one while we were biking and crashed and broke her hip and had to get a replacement. That put an end to biking and now we are limited to day hikes. I suppose I could do something longer by myself, but I don't feel good about leaving her on her own like that.


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## Lara (Jun 18, 2017)

*Trade*...I sure hope your salmon turned out alright or I'll feel responsible.  Great pics of your dad (is that your shadow on his pant-leg?) and uncles...not to mention the grouper! The fresh wild caught Alaskan King Salmon is about $23-27 per lb. but It's been as low as $17 on sale. I don't buy much so it doesn't matter that much. I figure one portion for me is about $6 and I buy 2 portions at a time. You can't get a McDonalds lunch for that (I'm guessing since i haven't been there in about 30 years). I just use olive oil and sea-salt, and sometimes sprinkle Panko crumbs in with that on the top. Then squeeze fresh lemon on top when done. Alaskan King Salmon season is way too short though.

Your overnight biking trip sounds like so much fun. I did one like that in Williamsburg VA. as a day-trip. I biked with the ski-club, small group (a dozen) as we rode from Plantation to Plantation. The plantations had refreshments for just us when we arrived. It was beautiful weather and flat terrain so fairly easy but a long day I remember. The ski club had hike's and such planned year round to stay in shape for ski season. I sound athletic but, no. I was an okay tennis player but struggled to keep up with the ski-club.

I'm sorry to hear about your wife's troubles. It's nice she has you to be there for her. You're an angel.

*Son_of_Perdition*...I'm on an organic herbal tea (no-caffeine) kick right now because I think coffee was making me feel hungry (I don't like de-caf), so I've put my coffeemaker in the cupboard but it's a Braun with a fine metal mesh filter. I also would insert a brown paper filter, though not necessary they said. And I always used deer-park spring water. Not just purified, but Spring (although our city water is rated excellent but I don't trust it). I think it helps the flavor of the coffee. I would use Peet's Italian Roast or Whole Foods bulk coffees where you can get as much or as little at a time and grind the beans in the store. I would add Whole Foods Unsweetened Almond Milk or Costco's Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk.


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## Trade (Jun 19, 2017)

Lara said:


> *Trade*...I sure hope your salmon turned out alright or I'll feel responsible.



I did it at 400 for 15 minutes and it came out fine. But to be honest, I couldn't tell any difference from my usual method, so I'll go back to baking it at 350. I use 350 almost all the time because it's the default setting. All I have to do is hit bake, then start and it takes 7-8 minutes to preheat. But yesterday when I set it for 400 it took 15 minutes to pre-heat. So it took as long to get from 350-400 as it did to get from room temperature to 350. Seems like a waste of energy to get that extra 50 degrees.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 19, 2017)

Back in my earlier days of my semi-forced retirement in 2009, I approached my wife with the idea to join the 'snow-bird' movement.  We lived in N Utah, we had a large (2,700 sq ft) home, too much for her & I to care for.  We wanted desperately to downsize & move to a more hospitable climate (her want).  I on the other hand wanted to keep on the move, never putting down roots, we had done that!  I wasn't into gardening, hoarding (my term, hers collecting), hanging onto memories.  I just wanted to experience new.  Only problem was my health, I knew something was amiss.  Little did I know what the next 5 years would hold.  Surgery, chemo, Type II, change of lifestyle (diet, weight loss & getting healthy).   

 Now 8 years later & much healthier, normal weight I still have my feet planted in albeit a new spot but with the same old thoughts & routines.  She still loves her garden, smaller cheaper home.  Our space rent like everybody else's is rising.  We are paying (with all our utilities), upkeep & rent now about what I was paying monthly for my old house payment including taxes/int.  My new taxes are very very low compared to what I would be paying on the older home.  All my children & grand children are coping with life without much help, thanks to their persistence.  I'm in a good spot financially, not rich but able to meet all my bills, save a little & even go to a movie now & then.

 I jumped into the Van Dwelling with both feet & no thoughts about the outcome.  I been camping locally testing the waters, haven't lost my enthusiasm for 'moving on' but been having new thoughts about my approach.  Looking at all the configurations RV's, truck & camper, van (mini's & cargo), tiny homes, even how do the car campers do it.  I have come away with what I hope is a doable solution to my dreams.  A heavy duty pickup/shell & smaller self-contained travel trailer.  I could carry excess cargo in my pickup, pull my living quarter's behind me, park it, unhook & use my pickup for shopping, sight seeing & mobility.  There are some inherent problems with any configuration, as there is with home ownership.

 My wife, oldest daughter (whom just sold her home & going to homestead somewhere) & I were discussing the homeless, housing crunch & associated costs.  That fruit didn't fall from that tree!  She likes gardening but isn't married to it, has about a 5 year attention span so the nomadic life is very attractive to her.  My grandson just graduated from college & is relocating to the Southwest, his father & mother (divorced) still live in areas around N Utah.  My divorced grand-daughter is talking about moving her & her 2 children to CA.  My youngest daughter lives near us but her husband is capable & has the skills for working almost anywhere & has moved a few times for work.  In other words my family, the typical American family will be spread all over the west.  We don't have roots, just places we live.

 I know a few of the problems associated with 'snow-birding' & think I can live with them.  My wife has her SS income & with her share of my pension is quite capable of living in her home & park.  According to my perception & thoughts on the matter going nomadic is a possibility for me.  No ties, no tangible memories only what's in my mind.  I can & have toured many places in our small travel trailers, my only issue is backing the damn things.  But practice makes perfect.  I have my 'Senior' pass that gets me 50% off at most of the campgrounds.  I'm not afraid to boon-dock on BLM land for free nights.  One can in theory live in the USFS campgrounds on less than $300 a month, that cost includes utilities, even power, flush toilets, drinkable (potable) water, garbage, sewer, gray water dumps, some even have personal waste dumps.

 You can stay for 14 days/nights in any campground.  When you have to move you need to relocate more than 25 miles from your previous site.  Following the sun so to speak.  Pacific NW in summers & into the fall, SW NV/AZ in the winters into the springs & on the road during the late springs/late falls.  Gas (?), insurance, food (you have to eat anyway), don't need wifi when you have McDonald's, Starbucks, Libraries, Free wifi spots.  Cell service for emergencies, no text or data just talk.  All the costs are things you need now so what's different on the road.  I can stay in 26 different camps throughout the year, meet new people & if they bother me I can move on.  I have lived without cable for 6 months & it gets easier on a daily basis.  Tomorrow I'm off for a few days at Bogus Creek campground.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 19, 2017)

Today I bought me one of the last items I thought I'd EVER need.  After my 'hypothermia' camping trip my wife suggested I get me a pair of long johns or PJ bottoms, I normally do wear a t-shirt most nights.  I bought a pair of PJ bottoms this morning for tomorrow's journey couple that with a warm pair of socks, my Mr Heater (Buddy), by golly!  I'm ready for whatever Mother Nature can throw at me.  I haven't had a pair since I can remember when, my mother would be able to tell if she was still here.


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## NancyNGA (Jun 19, 2017)

Picture?  Please?


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 19, 2017)

NancyNGA said:


> Picture?  Please?


If you're talking about the PJs I don't think either one of us want to see that!  Maybe 50 years ago.  Besides I just loaded all my clothing & canned food in the van under the bed.  It does take about 5 times banging your head on the roof to remember it's there.


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## NancyNGA (Jun 19, 2017)

OK, Son.  Hope you have a great time camping.


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## Meanderer (Jun 20, 2017)

Happy trails to you, Son!nthego:


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 23, 2017)

The latest camping trip was a success in most ways, but there were a few downsides.  1.  I will need to use a decent set of pots n pans.  Eggs, done ok, hobo dinners were good, got real tired of nothing but canned chicken.  I'm *NOT *destitute so why am I skimping on the main course.  A steak now & again is not going to do me under at this late stage of life.  I can't have hot dogs (my pre diabetes favorite), but I think I can have a burger sans bun or a T-bone once in awhile.  2.  Beans, good - sweet potatoes, very good - carrots too raw, need to get them closer to the fire.  Apple sauce still a mainstay @ 10PM.  3.  *DON'T *forget the mosquito spray next time.  I had to sacrifice the mornings & after 6PM to the little critters.  Yesterday I was watching a real life scene on what certain insects do to other insects, I would slap the pests around my neck, face & hands (I was wearing heavy clothing) brush them off then watch as the busy little ants would haul them off to their lair.  Over pine needles, what ever was in their path.  It don't take much to entertain me. 

4.  The 'Mr Heater' (Buddy) worked great, turned it on before turning in, again at my 2 AM rising, then just before getting dressed in the AM to begin my mosquito recon.  5.  The 'cowboy' coffee was fantastic, did have to let it boil a little longer since I was up about 3000 ft.  6.  The new heavy iron fire pit grill worked great, didn't lose my hobo dinners through the government grills that have 4 inch spaces.   I just laid it across those & tossed the foil wrapped dinner on top, 30 minutes later I was playing 'hot potato' with them trying to get them unwrapped.

My camp I chose was called Bogus Creek Campground on 138 E of Glide, OR (see pics), 138 is the main W 2 E approach to Crater Lake Oregon.  Been there a few times.  Decided 2 nights/3 days is about all the dirt & grime - no shower that I can stand.  This trip 4 days 3 nights I was starting to get a little 'gamey'.   A shower was the first order of business.


Didn't have a lot of neighbors, I stayed in the first one (pic).  Of the 14 spots only 3 were occupied more than one night, mine, camp host & a friendly pair who willed me all their ready firewood when they left.  I still getting rid of things I found I don't need.  Down to 4 crates, cooler, clothing & bedding.   Next jaunt will be around the 18th of July.  Hate to compete on the 4th with all the others.


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## SeaBreeze (Jun 23, 2017)

Sounds like a nice camping trip Son, you're right about the steak, they taste so good made over a fire.  Oregon's pretty country to enjoy outdoors.


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## NancyNGA (Jun 23, 2017)

Thanks for the nice pictures Son. Glad your trip was a success.


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## Lara (Jun 23, 2017)

Beautiful photos...clear and pretty colors of nature. Nice clean campsite. Love the sunlight coming through the trees. 

If I get bit by a mosquito I scrub it with soap ASAP, dry it, apply pure coconut oil, leave it a few minutes while it itches even more, wipe it off, apply a fresh application of the pure coconut oil...done. It stops itching for good. Probably  because coconut oil has antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal properties. 

A natural solution for mosquito repellant is to add a few drops of lavender oil to pure coconut oil...if you don't mind smelling like a girl lol


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 24, 2017)

I am the 'LINUX' camper, some are Windows campers, (trucks, travel trailers & campers) while the elite of the camper realm are the Apple campers.  Fancy motorhomes, self contained, satellite dishes, microwaves, TVs - Class 'A', 'B' or 'C'.  Can't agree that's much of a camping experience.  You need to get dirty, grimy & smell like a forest fire.  That's camping.  This AM I did relent about my resolve to avoid doing dishes, I bought me 2 'Lodge' cast iron skillets, one 10" & one 8", should be able to fry my eggs & ham or steak whatever I decide.  I can then turn them face down on the fire pit grill to let the pit purify them.  Got to thinking about all the foreign material we consume daily from whatever we eat.  Rodent dropping in your coffee grounds, the FDA allows so much.  You read everyday about something recalled for health reasons or things that shouldn't be in your meals but is.

 You can wipe the pans out but what does it hurt to have a few lumps from breakfast mixed into you burgers at noon?  Have you ever stopped at McDonald's, I have and had a few friends that worked there, nuff said.  Another friend worked at Oscar Mayer's in Ohio for a few years, to this day he will not allow his 4 offspring & now his grandchildren to consume hot dogs.  We live in the US or other civilized countries, but do you realize what many of the residents of other countries are consuming on a daily basis?  Check out one of the delicacies that Cambodians go into the forest to hunt.  With 6 billion humans inhabiting the earth do you think that everyone eats Carl's Jr, Burger King or French cuisine?  Think again.  Andrew Zimmerman's show proved that belief was false.

 Back to my planning for my next journey.


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## NancyNGA (Jun 25, 2017)

Son_of_Perdition said:


> ... I bought me 2 'Lodge' cast iron skillets, one 10" & one 8", should be able to fry my eggs & ham or steak whatever I decide.  I can then turn them face down on the fire pit grill to let the pit purify them. ...


I like your kind of skillet cleaning. :thumbsup:


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 25, 2017)

NancyNGA said:


> I like your kind of skillet cleaning. :thumbsup:



I'm sorry if I came across too strong, but I remember camping with my father.  We eat things that didn't start out in the mix.  We used cast iron dutch ovens for roasts, breads, stews,,,etc.  My mom would just wipe them out, turn them over in the fire for a few minutes then store them.  It brought to mind last Sunday my wife wanted a hamburger on the charcoal burner, fire it up, wipe it a little, slap a burger on.  No fuss, the flames sterilized the grate.  She washes those once or twice during the summer but usually just let the flames & paper towels clean them.  You're not susposed to use those wire brushes anymore, gets metal bits from the wire bristles.  I'm not too sure they digest.  I don't think your goats would want to eat them.


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## NancyNGA (Jun 25, 2017)

Son_of_Perdition said:


> I'm sorry if I came across too strong, but I remember camping with my father. ...
> 
> I'm not too sure they digest.  I don't think your goats would want to eat them.



I was serious Son.  It sounds like a great idea, especially camping. No bad things could survive on the skillet. 

Don't know about steel, but people routinely dose goats with copper rods, in copper deficient areas.  Reason: Slow release.  It takes about a month to dissolve in the stomach.

Copper bolus (capsule) contents:


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 28, 2017)

Two things on my horizon today.  Planning my next journey a little closer to home.  The campground is located within 33 miles of my home.  I was clued in to it by my daughter, she loves to take road trips with her dog in & around Oregon.  One place she recommended to me was Whittaker Recreation Area/Campground the campground is larger than the others I've stayed at with 31 sites, mostly tent camping or smaller RV/trailer.  The largest they recommend is 35 feet, no electricity or hookups/waste.  Riding through I noticed that most were secluded & smaller parking spaces so pushing a 35 foot RV into those spots won't allow much more than the rig.

 They have flush toilets, garbage, host & most amenities that other sites have.  The river is slow flowing very clear, & it mentions swimming.  I wouldn't be fearful of any of the river I could see, no rapids, slow flowing pools, it does mention fishing but in Oregon you had better know the rules.  No live bait, a lot of flying fishing, certain species are off limits so knowing what they allow will keep you on the right side of the Fish & Game.  All campsites seemed to have a level spot for tents, of the 31 sites very few were occupied.  I'd say less than 1/4.  It was a Tuesday & finding that most campers are weekend campers it is the best time to locate a vacant spot.  All sites are on a first come, first serve basis, no reserves.  Your stay can be up to 14 days so it would work well in my vagabond camping in & around Oregon.

 Each spot is $10 half that ($5) if you have a 'Senior Pass' which I have.  It's getting cheaper with each passing week.  I WILL take my mosquito spray with me.  Also I have changed my concept of not doing dishes a little I will cook with a cast iron skillet, wipe it clean then store it.  I have been experimenting with different meals on my Bar-B-Que this last week.  Working fine, today I tried my new mainstay veggie 'Sweet Potatoes'   

 Reading up on them, if the hype is anywhere near the truth, they are the miracle food.  They have been used for centuries with great results, they can feed the needy, homeless & masses with great nutrition & health benefits.  AND, they are damn easy to prepare, this noon I sliced the ends off, turned it lengthwise & sliced them in half the long way.  Placed them face down in my 8" skillet with a little virgin olive oil.  Took about 10 minutes after I got the heat controlled.  I didn't use any seasoning, (forgot) but they were very edible.  Complex carbs are important for blood sugar control & body nutrition.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jun 29, 2017)

Taking my trusty 'Lodge' skillet in hand, wife was off on errands so she left it up to me to make my own breakfast.  It’s usually a 3-egg omelet.  Got the pan, cheese, eggs, small canned chicken, chilies & EV olive oil in ready mode.  Heated pan, added oil, then when it spread nicely I poured the egg/chilies mix into the pan.  Everything ok so far, when I thought the timing was appropriate I spread a thin layer of shredded cheese & the chicken came next.  Let it cook for a short time, everything ok up to that point.   

 Lastly tried to fold the eggs into what I assumed looked like an omelet.  First thing I discovered was that cheese is not recommended when wanting to wipe out the pan for reuse.  The chilies kept the eggs somewhat in original texture.  It folded ok, but noticed uncooked eggs which I tried to remedy by turning the concoction.  Half went over the other half resembled something I'm not sure what.  Finally giving up trying to make a world class omelet I grabbed fork, chopped in all into scrambled eggs.  I must say it all worked for taste but would not win any omelet beauty contests.   

 The pan on the other hand was playing difficult, cheese crusted covering about 1/3 of it.  It had become one with the pan, scrape, scrape, scrape with my non-metal spatula until I had cheese confetti piled in the center, dump - never use cheese again, add it when the eggs hit the plate.  The meal was satisfying but unsightly, my answer to anyone's query would be 'I meant to do it like this!' my usual answer to justify my mistakes.


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## Meanderer (Jul 1, 2017)

Let's get cracking....the art of making an omelet!


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jul 1, 2017)

Watching an over-the-top 'Vegan' produced documentary (What the Health) on Netflix last night got me to thinking about my diet & personal health.  Being diabetic on the mend so to speak, I took exception to the premise that all dairy, animal protein, eggs,,,etc were the devil's workshop.  I came away with a new resolve, at first I jumped on the band wagon to ban all the 'evil' food groups from my diet.  Then I watched, researched the credits for sponsorship.  While there were no real vilians or groups that benefited from the documentary save 'Vegans' I decided the regroup my thoughts.  My CBC is great, in the opinion of my PCP & Oncologist.  Both very happy with the results, A1C/Tumor markers,,,etc.  I was on board with going radical vegan, for about 5 minutes.   

 But in my reasoning since I decided I would take a different approach, adopting more of a vegetarian, actually ovolacto-vegetarian who can eat a few eggs, whole dairy products including moderate servings of cheese & a small (3-4 oz) serving of meat.  In my charts for my glucose counts I did discover that red (beef) would spike it a little, not much but if I stayed with pork/poultry I was okay.  My LDL cholesterol counts were acceptable/normal but at the high end.  My HDL was smack dab in the middle of normal.  My BP is normal but is medicated.  I would like to get off the meds for that, so maybe going a more moderate approach with my meat consumption I can actually entertain the idea to get off my pills.

 My camping days were going along fine but this documentary showed me I was thinking too far outside the box.  Damn!  My non-dish washing days compromised.  Wife suggested I go back to the idea of cooking with a limited set of cast iron pans and hang the idea to eat only plant based food, go with the frozen chicken breasts/pork chops/steak or lean hamburger, it's only for 2 days a week not forever!  They will stay frozen for that long & it's easier to wipe the skillets when using a little EVO (Extra-Virgin-Olive) oil.  Eat my scrambled eggs & sausage in the mornings (2) have oatmeal at home the rest of the week.  This I can do.  I can use the 'hobo' approach with my steam veggies in tin foil/real butter/Mrs Dash.  Of course nothing is going to get my 'cowboy' coffee, matter of fact not one negative point about drinking coffee, except the use of half n half, *FORGET IT!
*
 The only thing I agreed with them on is the dangers of processed foods, realizing & avoiding the canned meats which are processed, loaded with sodium & preservatives.  Yep, will be better off with fresher cuts of meats.  Just hope the farmers haven't loaded them down with added sodium & hormones.  They never did touch on the idea of eating more insects in our food chain which is almost a given.  Good protein!


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jul 8, 2017)

Back in 2004 there was a book published with the support of 'Prevention' health books, authored by Sari Harrar.  It was called 'The Sugar Solution' my wife & daughter became fans of the book.  I remembered all the salads, veggies & beans.  Of course I figured that I was 'bullet' proof, but would go along with it since they were my cooks.  Can't remember what results were forthcoming but I think I did lose a little weight.  Moving on with my hot dogs & 'Hot Pockets' I soon fell back into my old routines.  Lately I resurrected the idea because of my Type II & all the research pointed to beans or 'Complex Carbs'.   

 I have incorporated many complex carbs in my management of glucose, beans as with most other complex carbs have high carb count.  I shied away from them for a time but now realizing what they actually do for a diabetic I've returned.  My Medicare supplemental health care provider calls me now every 6 months for a follow up.  The last was in April '17.  She had checked with my PCP's report & both her & the PCP suggested I continue on my weight loss regime.  My weight at the time & BMI were both in the normal range for my height, age & scale numbers.  They wanted to see a small loss (3 lbs) by October '17, I guess it's to give me a goal or a reminder to eat properly.   

 My oncologist wanted me to stop with the weight loss, since a cancer patient does a little better having a few extra lbs in case he needs to go back on chemo.  My numbers all good, my results of my last colon procedure was clean, in fact the professional told me at my age, counts that I'm through with any more invasive tests.  Great news to me but the oncologist said 'NAY!' we need one more at 75.  I've decided against it because of the potential dangers that older seniors have the chance to experience as they age.  It's a point of contention with me & the wife but unless I become mentally unable to care for myself I think I'll ignore that suggestion.

 Back to the complex carbs, I have been including them - beans, sweet potatoes, fruits,,,etc in my diet.  I found that I feel fuller, have less trouble between meals with hunger & have lost the magical 3 lbs that I was told to shoot for.  My BS counts are low, I've lowered the units of insulin from 14 long acting/12 short acting to 12 long acting/6 short acting daily.  I only take my BS test 3 times a day rather than 5, saving a few pennies in strips & insulin.  The PCP indicated in April that maybe I can stop with the insulin in October, but that depends on my test results.  I have been managing it on my own so I hope to get the clearance to stop completely - except taking the Metformin, something I expect to do the rest of my life.   

 The book is no longer in publication & reviewing my wife's copy I found that some of the author's suggestions are not in line with today's information, it's like everything else someone who needs to justify their job suggests changes to the lists & you just have to find out for yourself how it affects you personally.  I did a search for 'Sugar Solution' but found that a Mark Hayman has created a program, he can charge for his advice, humpf.  He was also endorsed by the 'Clinton' foundation & comes across like a Tony Robbins of the diet community.  Some sites list him as a 'scam' artist.  I can't say one way or the other but the original book was pushing complex carbs & that seems to work for me.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jul 22, 2017)

Being somewhat changeable & fly by the seat of my pants has brought about many ideas.  Some I have acted on some I have dismissed because of work involved & commitment to the project.  I got into van dwelling as I have said many times 'As a lark'.  I did purchase a cargo van equip it with more than I needed or could ever use.  Realizing that my camping days are limited by my physical abilities & age.  Sleeping, eating & sitting by my camp fire are probably the most I will ever be able or want to do.  It's not quite the same as tent camping although I do have a small 4 man tent to abide by the rules.  My van is considered a metal tent by most, so it actually meets the requirements.

 I have downsized my gear, made it into more of a basic sleeping quarters & a method to transport my gear.  I have a folding camp chair matter of fact now I have 3 (took my daughter & grandson) bought them a like chair.  I do have a 10x10 canopy that requires a 2nd person or I can tie it to my bumper to hold the poles to set up.  I have a propane stove, bar-b-que & heater along with all the connections needed.  I have 5 lidded containers, down from 10 to carry my supplies.  I have an insulated cooler to carry my 3 days supply of food (3 days camping is my maximum exposure).  My van houses a decent bed with all the linens & pillow needed.  I have a bedside commode for emergencies as well as a lidded urinal for night time use.

 I carry a rifle but has never been out of the scabbard.  I have the usual array of tools to make minor repairs or apply first aid to small cuts & abrasions.  I have 3 2 gal water containers, another over purchase & a 5 gal that I fill & keep available for all my cooking or wash up.  I found I didn't need the propane lantern I purchased since I'm usually sitting by the fire until after 10 then it's off to bed via flashlight or LED lantern (one that won't kill me).  I had cut a round hole in the van wall to accommodate the propane line for my heater (claimed to be safe, but taking no chance) I have used it 5-6 times since acquiring it, no more than 20 minutes at a time.  Those portable propane bottles will serve quite nicely & can be easily attached, removed & should last up to 2-4 hours, should give me 6-12 uses for temporary heat until my bedding takes over.   

 I have a fire pit grill that has been used 2-3 times for steaks, hobo dinners & keeping my coffee hot.  It has legs but find the campsites have metal fire pits with grills that you can place the folded grill (small grid) to cook or if you have no pre-built fire pit you can unfold the legs & use it over the rock ringed pit you have built (BLM requirement).  I have 5 Home Depot buckets for waste (either water or garbage) I burn everything burnable (no plastics or metal) & discard my bags into the camp site provided dumpsters or carry it out until I find a proper waste bin.  All things you learn as you camping experiences unfold.  I opt to use improved camp grounds simply because they usually have acceptable toilets, potable water, waste containers & structured spots.  I get 50% most of them, so the cost has never been more than $11 per night.

 My latest has to do with my daughter (the fruit that didn't fall far from the tree) has sold her house, closed & immediately purchased a 2 acre plot of level ground that is not zoned for permanent structures.  You can have anything smaller than 200 sq feet & not on a permanent foundation.  Great for camping, using anything that normally is used in an RV camping site.  Motor home, travel trailer, camper & truck or tent.  You can even put up a shed as long as it is smaller than 200 sq ft & not on a foundation.  My plans have changed, I've been invited to move whatever I want to the site, help with garden & sustainable meat supply.  I raised chickens, turkeys, rabbits, pigs & beef cattle on my little 3 acre plot back in the 70 & 80's.  So my plans are to focus on rabbits for meat, range chickens for eggs & to keep the bugs at a minimum.

 I'm searching Craigslist for a 24 foot travel trailer (maximum length allowed) self-contained with composting toilet.  I will still use my out door cooking & waste requirements but use the travel for more usable quarters.  I will use the setup as a home port, with camping journeys around the local areas without going to far away.  With 200+ campsites within a 100 mile radius I figure I will have enough variety to make it enjoyable.  My wife said she would visit occasionally but wants to maintain our current housing because of her love of flowers, friends & convenience for shopping.  I will also return the visits to take advantage of the showering, washing & drying of clothes & paying my monthly bills on line.  We do have cell service on the land so in emergencies I can access the web.  Solar power will probably be used but for now it will be more rustic.


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## NancyNGA (Jul 22, 2017)

So... a new adventure for you, Son.   Keeps you on your toes, planning, and thinking of the future.  Those are good things (I think).  Sounds like fun.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jul 22, 2017)

I find that most of my 55+ YO neighbors were at first doubters, now I have many that stop by or corral me in the club house asking me about my adventures.  It seems they are curious & non-judgmental at all.  I'm sure some are joking about it but not to me.  They seem to have real interest in the idea, telling me about their camping days.  At least it is more mentally healthy doing this rather than watching & obsessing about my 85 YO neighbor & his little idiosyncrasies, I'm doing something I enjoyed in my youth but have found easier ways to accomplish the experience.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Jul 31, 2017)

My user name is something from my earlier (youth) religious classes at my parents chosen cult.  I have since fallen away & had my name removed from their membership rolls.  It was a personal issue & won't go into it here.  But since joining this 'senior' forum I have had remark posts that elude to my user name, lamblasting me for my thoughts & feelings.  Get over it, I can't change it as I have asked the admins to allow me to change it.  Not possible.  I couldn't explain to anyone the basis for the name other than it sounded cool at the time I was setting up my account, it was an innocent mistake for which I'm now sorry for any impression that it conveyed.

I had also vowed not to enter any discussions about religion or politics, two areas that while I have opinions are not to be taken as fact.  It's just my opinions.  I was taken to task for the use of the word 'stupid' from a quote that was either credited to Abe Lincoln or Mark Twain.  I added my 2 cents to the quote then was attacked by a member for the use of the word.  Since that time I have lurked watching the comments on the political threads mostly.  Calling other members names or eluding to names that would insult me & my thoughts.  I have remained quiet but bemused that it's ok to insult other members with comments.  I will get on with my life without a backward glance, please get on with yours.


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## NancyNGA (Jul 31, 2017)

Son, please try to ignore this person and forget it.  Most of us aren't self-centered enough to report people every time they make comments like that.


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