The election is over

Well the election is over for us - we did our part and mailed in our ballots a long time ago.  As what often seems to be the case, the elections are not about the true issues.  But rather a mess of mudslinging and character assassination.  Long ago I determined that every politician will promise the moon.  So you can't use that as a reference.  But rather you need to look at what they actually did in past as opposed to what they say now.  Both of the major party candidates are lacking in this regard, which is why I voted 3rd party.

Well there is that and the fact that there really isn't that much separating Democrats and Republicans. They agree on 90% of the issues and only use a few hot spot issues to get their bases fired up.  And even when they disagree, there is generally an area where they can compromise and come up with a solution that works for both parties.  Take abortion which is a hot spot issue.  The cause of abortion is unwanted pregnancies.

So instead of doing legitimate work to join hands and reduce unwanted pregnancies - it is easier to name call and finger point.  The net result is nothing gets done.  And both parties can dust off their arguments for and against for the next election...   In other words it works better politically that this remain an issue to stir up the base on either than to actually compromise and work towards resolving or at least reducing the problem.  Guns are another hot button issue and I could list a few more.

Ohio is a battle ground state so we have listen to the bucket fulls of drivel that are spewed out on our local broadcast stations. I will be so glad when this is over.  The way I see it about 1/3 are Democrats and about 1/3 are Republicans.  It would take a major act for either of these two groups to turn about and vote for the other party.  And about 1/3 are independent. Yeah, I know folks like me are voting 3rd party, but this group is still a small blip on the radar.  But this last group has to have some inkling about who they are voting for come fall.

So of this last 1/3 maybe 5 or 10% are truly undecided. Therefore all these ads are aimed at these few who have no clue.  I wonder how much per vote of these undecided that each candidate are spending. It has be a hefty amount.  Someone needs to vote on a button where if you are already a decided voter that the political ads are skipped for you!  I can see why cord cutters leave the networks - ad fatigue!

Well win or lose Trump has changed politics in America.  The democrats were against him, the mainstream Republicans were against him.  He was like Custer taking arrows from all sides.  And Hillary had everyone campaigning for her - her husband, Joe Biden, the President.   Yet it seems like this will be a close election. It is the political machine vs the outlier.  The bully versus the crook.

  Yet I still feel confident in my vote.  It does not matter for this election, but I hope that in years to come that it helps set the foundation for a true 3rd party.   Insanity is doing the same thing over and over - that is voting for the lesser of two evils as is the case for the past several presidential elections.  Neither one of these candidates are worthy of being president in my opinion.   But over 90% of Americans will vote for these buffoons.  Am I the crazy one for voting Libertarian - or the 90%+ that do the same thing election after election but expect different results...  

Summer Vacation Ends

Well I ended up with an extended summer vacation this year.  Thanks to a layoff from Luxottica.  They are going with another vendor for their manufacturing software and so they will no longer do any further development on their existing software. No developers, no need for me and many of my coworkers. 9 out of 22 were released. Once they change, they plan to also have this same vendor do their support, so my whole group could eventually be shrunk down to a handful of analysts.

So I was let go in June - it was like being in school again and having the summer off. Even went to Gulf Shores, Alabama with the girls and their families to celebrate Vanessa getting her degree.  And I actually lost weight, did some honey do stuff and kept busy working around the place.  It was a trial run for being retired.  It worked out OK - I planned my week by the day each Sunday evening.  So each day I had something to do - no sitting around on the porch.  Then I cut back on spending.  I was able to get it fairly close to what we are planning to spend monthly upon retirement.  So in that sense it was good to get a trail run and get a feel for what to expect. I did not sit around and do nothing - even on the weekends.

I was kind of sort of hoping to stay under the radar on unemployment.  If I had not gotten hired by January then I would have officially retired at that time. I cannot touch my IRA until age 59 and half, although I do have about 2 years of income I can get my hands upon. So that would have bridged me until that time. But I was contacted by a company for a job and restarted work in September - I am  working for a subcontractor to a subcontractor doing work for Wright Patt.   So summer vacation has ended - it is back to the grind for me.  I guess on the plus side it is an opportunity to put even more back for retirement so that we can do that trip to europe that we were talking about.

One thing that I noticed is that when your income is limited, you use a lot more discretion when shopping.  You go in a store, get what you need turn around and get out.  Since I got rehired, I do the opposite - hey I could use that, and look here - this is on sale. How quickly that thrifty habit is forgotten about.  Once again there is no worrying about the total amount, and just getting whatever you want,  not just what you need.  I went to a store to get a $5 item last week, and walked out with over $40 of stuff.  On the way to the car I was shaking my head at myself.

Worked both Cash and Serenity this weekend. They helped me with firewood. Both worked hard and earned some $$ to take home. We also got to play a little bit - Cash and I played World of Tanks.  The next morning he was not listening to me - I had to tell him several times to do things. I gave him a stern lecture that he does not want to make Grandpa mad by ignoring me when I give him an order to do something.  He was taken aback and did finally help cleanup as requested.

Serenity looks as though she will be like me - partially left handed.  She picks up and throws things with her left hand but does some things with her right hand.  I also saw that Cash can be timid at times and has Serenity do things for him.  He wanted to check out a boat, but he told Serenity to go up there first and check it out.  Then when all was OK, he went up.  Apparently Serenity is expendable in his eyes...  When I told Sarah the tale, she remarked that Serenity should wear a red shirt - a reference to the red shirts worn by the expendable junior officers on Star Trek.

Both kids got to explore on their own for the first time. I figured that they were old enough now to go traipsing over the hillside on their own.  Something that I enjoyed as a child.  I hope that our woods is as full as adventure to them as the woods that we got to play in as youngsters. Lots of Indian and Civil war battles, lumber jack camps, etc. as I recall.   Although Cash was of course drawn to some of the old cars that his father left on the other side of creek years ago.  Old rusted heaps in my eyes, restorable relics in his.

Sudden Sunsets

This has been a tough summer for my peers who have suddenly had their sunset thrust upon them too early.  Yes - my age bracket (50+) is playing on the back nine, but there are still more holes to play before that final putt into darkness.  Several of our classmates have fallen this summer.  This is in contrast to a couple of summers ago when it was a happy summer - the summer of the boy where we had 3 boys born into the family within about 2 months of each other.  This is a somber summer where instead of new life beginning - lives are being taken before their time.

Cancer seems to be the worst culprit.  Slowly and painfully chewing the life out of people. No quick ends,  I guess that you do get to say good bye to those you love and make amends, but it seems like such a tortuous way to go. But some have gone fast, too fast for any last words for your loved ones. And with this wave hitting,  5 that we know of so far and the summer is not over.  It makes it hard to think that this is part of getting older - saying good bye to classmates and relatives.  And realizing that the next Memorial Service you go to could be your last - your own!

And all this against a backdrop of the mass shootings in Europe and the US. It puts a person into a funk. You start to get numb to it all.  But it also makes you think of your own sunset, which we all hope doesn't come for a long, long while. And we need to think to ourselves -  that if we all live a righteous life and make those around you better then your sunset will be golden however and whenever you go.

Young Thomas

Young Thomas,

As Shakespeare once said, advice is wasted upon the young. But as a moth futilely finds itself drawn to a light, I find myself drawn to sharing what little wisdom that I have acquired over the years. But if perchance I can help you avoid a pothole or two on this lifes road then perhaps all was not in vain. So what follows is advice from the eldest to the youngest.

Neither a lender nor a borrower be. Lending money to friends or family is not loan - it is gift. If the money is paid back then so much the better. But don't hand over money willy nilly no matter how earnest the recipient is. And I hear that you are going to Wright State – a frugal move. Try to keep your students loans to a minimum. It all has to be paid back - with interest. And when you graduate the inclination upon getting that first job is to treat yourself to a new car. Get a car new to you that is 2-3 years old and still has good life in it. Again payments and insurance on a new car can put you in a bind financially. Our father is frugal and being frugal - but not cheap is a good way to lead your life. Life is easier when you have money. Ask any homeless person.

Moderation in all things. Alcohol, food, love, etc. – all are beneficial in the right quantities but an overindulgence in one or all will cause harm to the body or to the soul. So indulge – but know your limits so that you are never in over your head. Otherwise you could end up in a motel room in Las Vegas and wake up in the morning with a hangover - married to a stripper named Bambi. She talks a lot and likes to crack her gum when she chews it. Yep, shoulda used moderation.

I am glad of your choice of professions. But don't be afraid to explore other careers. Lots of folks go to school, find something they like better and change majors. I started in Business Administration, but ended up in computers for instance. But your chosen profession is good from the standpoint that it pays well. So that will help with social security solvent for us old timers. I plan to travel a lot, so those SS checks will keep me in gas money. And an additional bonus is the degree is in the medical field. So the money we get from social security will be turned around to keep us in viagra and prostate medicine which you can provide. For this I am doubly thankful.

Oh, but who am I kidding. Life is like giant millstone that grinds us all down. You are young and full of ambition and dreams. But life will grind all this out of you – look at me. Leaving nothing but coarse husks on the grain elevator of life. And then some cow will eat these husks and then... well you know what the cow leaves on the pasture. Don't let this happen to your life. No what you need to do now is flee – find a steamboat with your graduation money and sail far away to the Pacific. There you can start fresh on a tropical island and fish in the afternoon and drink daiquiris in the evenings. Yes if I had it all to again that is where I would be!!!

Well my advice should not be followed by any rational human being – but there it is. Use it as you will.

Your older brother,

J. Chris Tilton

Thorns and Flowers

Had a moment this evening.  Took Annabelle down to the creek and we did some exploring.  I explained how some plants have flowers, but some plants have thorns. I showed her some bramble bushes and hedge to show thorns.  So one has to be careful when exploring in the woods.  She wanted to climb to to the top of the hill.  I decided to let her go on her own to see how she did.  She carefully navigated the trees and eventually made it to the top - where she exclaimed,  look at me - I did it myself!

And it brought back to mind a melancholy moment watching Vanessa learning to walk years ago and thinking that those little feet are going to walk her out the door someday.  It brought me to thinking that as parents we teach our children the pitfalls and rewards to watch for, but it is their little feet that have to make the journey on their own.  You can only hope that your lessons of thorns and flowers hold true and that they remember what they were taught on their lifes journey.

We did have another learning moment - by the electric fence.  I explained that the fence bites - it has electricity and electricity can hurt you.  She went over by it and I held my tongue. I knew what was going to happen - some lessons we have to learn on our own. She reached out and I saw her snap her hand back. "Did you touch the fence?"  "No, no I didn't"  I knew that she reached out and touched it, but I also wanted her to learn to listen to gramps.  The next time I give advice - I have a feeling that she will listen. In life we enjoy the flowers but we must be careful of the thorns.

Satisfying weekend

This past weekend was satisfying on several different levels.  Chelsea and Dan were in town for his birthday, so it was nice to see them.  He seems to be on the right track with his job as a customer service rep, and heading in the right direction.  We went to Golden Corral and then bowled after the dinner.  Everyone had a good time and we stayed up until like 1am.

Robert called - it was nice to chat with him. We touch base every so often and it was an expected call, but I am always happy to hear from him.  His company is coming off of it's best year ever.  Coca Cola resigned him as an agent for 2016, so that is a big account that he can rely on.  He is also an outsourced VP for an Aloe company that is developing a drink for nationwide release.  They wanted to formally hire him, but he told them that he had too many commitments and could not back out.  So they made him a sub contractor and he even has 2 direct reports. We had joked about this at work - companies are outsourcing IT jobs left and right, so why not outsource executives.  Looks like this is coming true too!

 He made me feel good - told me that he considered me more of a real Dad than anyone else.  So it feels good to have a positive effect on someone.  He works hard and is successful - glad that things are working out for him.  In turn he has helped my kids from time to time.  So I appreciate that this has gone full circle and he has been able to mentor and advise my kids from time to time.

The weekend ended up with Joe coming back home late Sunday night. He flew from Japan to Atlanta and finally to Dayton.  He got in around 10:35pm.  He said that he thought that the cat was dead in Atlanta - he picked up the carrier at the baggage area and cat didn't move a muscle.  He finally tapped on the cage and called his name and the cat slowly responded.  I imagine that cat was happy to finally be released.  Ryker was fine at the airport.  All surely slept well last night.

So it is satisfying to have spent time with family and also to see everyone doing well.

Independent Annie

Last night we celebrated Dan's birthday and we ended the night at the bowling alley in Richmond.  On one lane we had the children set up with bumper pads and for the little ones they had a little ramp where they placed the bowling ball and gave it a push.

So I helped out Annie initially. I carried the ball over to the ramp and let her actually put it on the ramp. It was a 12 pound ball and I did not want her to drop it on her foot or anything. But she wanted to do things on her own.  And soon she got the ball herself and carried it over to the ramp.  Didn't want grandpa to help her anymore.

But even that evolved - she saw that the grownups were not using ramps on the next lane over and so she began to scoot the ramp out of the way.  Then lugged her bowling ball over and rolled it down the alley on her own. Now she did not knock as many pins down, but she is learning to do things on her own - so you have to like that.  An independent spirit in that 3 year old.