Last Edited Lifestyle Blogs (3,355)

Living in a 55 and older community only has some benefits and a longer list of 'not so good' things. Last week, the paramedics were in front of one of the units around the corner from me. This morning while doing my walk, I see a pile of things next to the dumpster. Crutches, a few different walkers, a shower bench to name a few. My guess is the person from last week didn't make it and the apartment is being cleared and prepared for sale.

Sadly, this happens often in retirement communities. A friend once said "There's only one way out!"

One thing that caught my attention in the pile of junk... a vertical flat screen TV with a floor base. My guess is it was used in retail advertisement. Very cool and I was hesitant to run back, get my car and bring it to my condo. Groan... not one more thing. So, I passed it by.

Actually, if there's something I'd like to get my hands on is a reel-to-reel tape recorder. I've got lots of rock band rehearsal and concert tapes I'd like to transfer to a digital format.
There are places that do it for a fee... thanks I'll keep looking.

One man's junk is another man's treasure.

While it would be nice to purchase a new car, I'm not prepared to have payments for the next 4-5 years. My current car is 'growing old' quickly with all the miles I'm driving. Several coworkers have purchased pre-owned vehicles from 'off lease only' saving thousands on low mileage cars that are still under manufacturers warranty.
I believe the answer is really to keep the car and rent/sell my current house and rent/purchase something much closer to my job.

Little by little, we've been in renovation mode fixing things around the house getting it ready to carry out a plan. I'm teetering about saving money (for a purchase) or spending money in renovation that could increase the current value.

It's summer and rent prices are lowest right now. If I wait too long apartments in the area near my office will jump up as much as 50%

Soon, but not now.

Living a simple lifestyle and 2 hours less on the road 'driving to and from' means 2 hours more to enjoy life.

The word inspiration comes up frequently in my business, usually mentioned by clients and their designers. They email or text to me photos of kitchen or furniture ideas they have seen online.

If you didn't know, I design and sell custom cabinetry.

Today, I received a photo of a long TV wall unit with floating shelves and a fake fireplace in the middle. The customer gave a description of what they liked about the photo and what they want different. Got it. My meeting with the client is tomorrow. I'll be ready.

Yesterday was a similar scenario. I received a few photos on Monday, we met in the showroom on Wednesday. The woman was very impressed with my presentation and the products we manufacture. When asked how long I've been doing designs, I said "I had brown hair when I started in this business!" We laughed, she liked the joke and felt comfortable with my ability to design a great kitchen for her and her husband.

I was at a previous job for 8 years and it's a good feeling being in the groove again.

A little personal life reveal here.
I thought at my age, I would semi-retire, pick a few projects and have more than 50% free time. That hasn't happened. The company I'm working for got stronger after COVID. We opened a showroom last year and the owner wants greater sales this year.
While we were allowed to use the showroom during construction, we couldn't make any financial transactions until the city signed off on the building permit. I had a client meeting the morning the building inspector gave us the 'go-ahead' and I made the first sale in the new building. Milestone.

That means, new logo, shirts, business cards. I'm enjoying the new look!

This week was hectic with lots of appointments and a few new projects to price.
I'm feeling some pressure to have all my commitments on time. If there is a time constraint, I still make my meetings and gather more information for the next meeting. This is okay as every project has multiple sets of revisions. So if my drawings aren't 100% complete for the meeting, my presentation is good knowing client revisions are normal.

I reached out to some older contacts and they have started bring me new business. Passing by a jobsite with a new house going up, I connected with the general contractor and will have the opportunity to bid that project and get added to bid any future projects they have. Win-win.

I think the new car purchase this year is also a boost of positive energy. Nothing wrong with the previous car, as it was only 3 years old. I do a fair amount of highway driving and the new car rides nicer, more comfortable with less interior road noise.

Things are good. Real good. My mood is up, I decided to use a designer who had some free time to help me with drawings. I'm using her as a tool to allow me to be more productive and not use my additional free time for play and not work.

That brings me to a few things. Hopefully we all know the distance of Internet (not seeing, hearing people as in real life) often reflect a view that is different to what the person is like in real life. Because of this, some people could be perceived as arrogant, moody, aggressive, mean spirited or bitter when they are actually not. Like a mirror, I've returned less-than pleasing comments with less-than pleasing comments. That doesn't show me in the light I would like to be seen. Someone said 'don't argue with a fool, they will bring you down to their level' I must remember that.

Member gonelikethewimd who is like her name, comes in only to comment and quickly disappears. She commented on another blog that I appear to be taking all the news surrounding ex-president Trump personally. Could it be? I respect her opinion, but every news channel, Yahoo page, YouTube video is 95% about him. In truth, there is nothing I could that could add or subtract to what is going on with the lying and legal mess he created. We can only wait and see the outcome.

My inspiration blog...

I wasn't interested in the 1960's folk music scene and too young for the coffee-house crowd. I knew who Bob Dylan was and knew he was an influence to the musicians I listened to, but I didn't listen to his music directly.

Dylan has been a major figure in the popular music culture for more than 70 years.
My friends used to make fun of his voice and how Tom Petty with a similar likeness, could have been his son. There was a funny skit on Saturday Night Live about that.

It wasn't until a generation ago that I started listening to some of Dylan's songs. Yes, never too late. He's 82 years old now and had gone through health issues, some related to drugs, financial trouble and he keeps on rolling along.

The video is one of my favorites. It's from a concert in Madison Square Garden with a stage full of musical greats.

My Back Pages by Bob Dylan.

Many people who lived in ancient times seized on anything that would bring them hope and comfort to improve their well being in the treacherous world that existed. Religions were created and supplied a deity or group of deities that would have the power to change the world and the life of an individual if he or she prayed to the god and showed devotion.
Church leaders who promoted the religious stories and myths now had the power themselves to dictate the behaviour of their flock.
With Crownology, the human science, only facts are relied on with regard to the existence of the human race. There are no gods or other deities, or spirits to worship.
Discoveries in science bring greater knowledge of our universe and only through the work of scientists can we discover why we are here and how we got here.
While we are here, Crownology is an opportunity for every thinking being to exist whilst following certain behavioural relations with each other.

CARE..........................Show that you care about others and pursue acts that benefit people where possible.
RESEARCH...................Always be interested in scientific research and the discoveries that have had or can have an affect on our lives.
OFFER..........................Offer help and guidance to others when required. The desire to help is the important factor here, even though the act may not be achievable.
WHY............................Always use your ability to think and examine the facts. Question established views. Ask why and demand evidence.
NEW...........................Be particularly interested an any new developments with regard to space exploration and have an open mind to the possibilities of the existence of extra terrestrial life.
CROWN--OLOGY.
If you accept the above, you can live in the world of Crownology and become a member of Crownforce. The world where worship is not required and intelligent thinking exists to help each other gain knowledge.
We have all seen how un predicted events can change the world. Covid pandemic, wars in other countries. They suddenly occur and lives dramatically disrupted. Can you imagine if we were suddenly confronted with alien visitors? Ignore the possibility or be prepared. Crownforce will expect this event and through unity, we can deal with the situation.
Alien intelligence will be aware of our communications and look for people who they consider to have the ability to think and examine the signs left by extra terrestrials who visited civilisations in ancient times. Religions and cults were a distraction and followed by those who did not search for the truth and desired simple answers to life.

I looked out of my kitchen window this morning and noticed an object on the patio. It was a dead bird. Probably a young starling that was experiencing its first taste of life in the outside world. It was of course dead, and no doubt due to its lack of knowledge about predators was easy prey. I then wondered what I should do with it. Half an hour later, perched on my garage roof was a magpie. It eyed the dead bird and then pounced. Taking it on to the roof. First dropping it then grasping it again and putting it further along near some trees. It commenced plucking the feathers before carrying it away and no doubt to its own nest to probably feed it's young.
My problem was solved by nature's method of utilising creatures to do the necessary work and this brought home to me the cycle of life.

Haim Eshed, a former Israel space security chief, stated that aliens from a Galactic federation have been in contact with this planet and advised governments not to publicise this, as humanity is not ready yet for official exposure, and such revelation may cause mass hysteria. He also states that aliens have intervened to prevent nuclear apocalypse, as it may have detrimental effects on the universe
Paul Hellyer a former Canadian defence secretary called on governments to reveal information on UFO's and the fact that extra terrestrials have visited this planet for many years and that much of our new technology has been sourced from them ( computer chips, fibre optics, screens etc).
Apparently, agreement was reached with governments and this Galactic federation to assist in gaining knowledge about the human race and their position in the universe.

The progress of AI can not be prevented according to experts, and the future of
this planet is in jeopardy. As long as there are countries that suppress their population, the number of new ways to observe individuals behaviour will increase, and anyone who steps out of line with government policies would be taken care of. Also the development of armies of robots would be inevitable, and would replace humans, and could be used to invade weaker countries.
Already, closed circuit cameras are used in autocracies such as China, to watch their citizens, and what hope is there to ever reverse the future escalation of AI.

Vote now. Yes or No.
I will count votes.

Is it the desire for the citizens of the USA to welcome back ex President Trump? Would it make you happy to see him in the White House?
What do you think?
This time, would you allow him to count the votes himself? Was he cheated last time?
Should tanks guard Capitol Hill in case he lost?
Should his wife be vice president?