Vacations, what are they good for?

 Cycling, Food & Wine, Life, Philosophy, Vacations  No Responses »
Oct 172011
 

There used to be a time when I enjoyed going on vacation, but now not so much.

I don’t know if it’s simply because of all the little things I hate about traveling, i.e. packing and unpacking, checking into and out of hotels, airport hassles etc. or simply the fact I don’t need to travel anywhere.

I already live in an area which has everything most people dream of in a vacation. I sure don’t need to drive very far, or fly to all corners of the world, to get away (my justification for our latest trip to Solvang/Santa Inez). I can go to Disneyland for that, and still sleep in my own bed at the end of the day.

Sure it’s enlightening to experience new places, but I’ve seen most of the US, and I’ve been to France, Italy and England. I lived in Okinawa for 18 months, and vacationed in the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Fiji (twice), Tahiti, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. I’ve even been to New Zealand. I don’t need any more enlightening.

Plus, I’m not into culture. I’d just as soon watch a travelogue, or look at photos someone else has taken of the places I’ve never been. My real reason for going anywhere is to experience the food and wine of a region, but I can get all that right here in beautiful southern California, and in spades!

So why go through all the hassles of leaving home, worrying about how Morris and Chloe (our cats) are doing, or feeling down because I’m not out riding my bike?

The truth of the matter is I don’t. I just need to accept that realization.

I know hearing all that won’t please the travel industry very much, but why do I need to please them? [I never really considered them an industry anyways.] It should, however, keep the local restaurant’s happy, as I’ll be able to frequent them more often, as well as the wine industry, by keeping my wine cellar well stocked with lots of high quality wines.

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 Posted by Marc at 10:02 am

We’ve all been brainwashed

 Health Care, Life, Philosophy  1 Response »
Sep 272011
 

Admittedly it’s taken me 63+ years, but after reading James Altucher’s latest blog post, I’ve become enlightened.

Everything we’ve ever been taught, or told, our entire belief system, has been designed with one thing in mind, and that is to control our every action. It used to be religion was the only control mechanism (at least so I thought), but now that isn’t enough. It’s gone way beyond that.

From the idea of home ownership and raising a family, to the necessity of getting an education. Even the design of our health care system has all been designed for one purpose, and that is to change the way we think, and inevitably control our very being and every action.

It was L Ron Hubbard who said,

If you really want to enslave people, tell them you are going to give them total freedom

Think about it. Why is so much emphasize placed on the notion of getting a job, buying a home [with a big mortgage], raising a family, and building roots in a community? It’s simple, because once we do, “they” have us by the balls, so to speak. We’re no longer free to pursue the so called “American Dream”. We’re inextricably coupled to our homes and families. We can’t move, because we’ve literally established roots.

Even our health care system has been designed with that same purpose in mind. To control us!

I’ve often wondered why businesses don’t object to being burdened with the responsibility of insuring the health care of their employees, rather than having that responsibility dumped on the government. It certainly would increase profits. Or would it?

By tying health care to employment, employers have made it more difficult for employees to strike out on their own and compete [to pursue that "American Dream"], or even change jobs, because obtaining health insurance is either too expensive, or simply unobtainable for many due to pre-existing or chronic health problems. The current system allows employers to have greater control and influence over their employees, and artificially keeping wages down, by creating an immobile work force.

It’s a conspiracy on a grand scale, and the American public has fallen for it, hook, line and sinker.

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 Posted by Marc at 6:25 am  Tagged with: ,

Talk about a bad week

 Life  No Responses »
Sep 152011
 

First, my attempt at joining another bowling league on Monday was met with disappointment, as they already had enough bowlers. I knew that was a possibility, but I was hoping.

Next, I discovered I had an infection in my eye, which on top of me not being able to wear my contact lens in that eye, is requiring an antibiotic and steroid treatment. Fortunately [or unfortunately depending on your perspective] I have monovision (I only look out of one eye at a time), so I should be able to cope better than most with one eye. It just isn’t very comfortable. I’ll know more this AM when I go for a bike ride.

Then this morning, I discovered my bank charged me a $12 returned check fee because of an error they made in copying the routing number from a check I deposited using the Chase Mobile App on my Android cell phone. Hopefully that error can easily be rectified, but that will be the last time I use that app.

One good thing sorta, I did get my Cruz bike back this week, but it wasn’t fixed totally to my satisfaction. It will be OK, but I guess I can just add that to the list.

I’ve often heard it said, “when it rains it pours”, which it did [literally] last Saturday, so maybe that was an omen of things to come, and I have had a pretty good run as of late, so I can’t complain too much.

I’m just hoping things start improving now.

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 Posted by Marc at 6:29 am

I feel the need to rant!

 Life, Philosophy, Politics  1 Response »
Sep 112011
 

For starters, I hate people who refuse to get a flu shot, or other vaccinations for that matter. Some people think they are a conspiracy to make us sick. Others just think they don’t work. That’s one reason I stopped working. Two people in the office didn’t believe they worked. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, they think they can get the flu from a flu shot. And this is despite the fact they always got the flu (and still came to work).

I get one ever year even though most medical experts don’t believe they work on the immune compromised. Mostly I depend on others getting their flu shot to protect me. Fortunately I managed to avoid the flu this past season, and I’m hoping for the same again this flu season.

So everyone PLEASE get your flu shot! If not for yourself, then for me. :)

I also hate riding my bike in the rain. That happened yesterday, and I was not a happy camper. It wasn’t raining when I started out, and I didn’t think it was supposed to rain (although it did look pretty ominous), but somewhere along the road, I got soaked. The worst part is your shoes and feet getting soaking wet, not to mention the cold. I will admit though, the hot shower did feel pretty good afterwards.

Facebook is another thing I am learning to dislike more and more everyday. It occupies too much of some peoples time. I especially hate the re-post requests, i.e. repost if you are or know of someone with cancer, if you know someone in the military etc. and the invites to different events or whatever. If I’m interested in something, I’m sure I’ll find out about it some other way. But mostly I just don’t need to know what my friends and relatives are doing every single minute of every single day.

And finally, I hate people who think supply side economics works. (OK, You didn’t think I let you get away without at least one political rant for the day.)

I believe in demand side economics. If people want/need something bad enough [take drugs for instance], businesses [drug dealers] will pop up to supply that demand, regardless of the impediments [taxes, regulations, police] put in their way.

You can make all the widgets you want, I’m not going to buy them no matter how little they cost. (Remember the Edsel?)

But make something I need, or even just want, I will buy it regardless of the cost, that is assuming I have enough money to buy it.

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 Posted by Marc at 2:01 pm  Tagged with: , , ,

No vitamin D today

 Cycling, Life  No Responses »
Sep 052011
 

I awoke this morning to a bright flash of light. At first I thought I was imagining it, or maybe I tore a retina, but then I heard a long rumble which I determined to be thunder. I was relieved to say the least, but also a little surprised. I wasn’t expecting any rain. I can’t even remember the last time it rained here, it’s been that long.

At least now I have an excuse for not going on a bike ride today. Monday is usually a day off, but since today is a holiday, I was considering it. I’ll just go with my normal routine, and go to the gym instead.

The only problem is, it’s going to be difficult getting my allotment of vitamin D today. While the threat of rain is supposed to dissipate by early morning, the forecast is for partly cloudy conditions throughout the day, which could make it a little more problematic receiving enough UVB rays necessary for Vitamin D production.

Oh well, such is life. Everyday can’t be perfect, and yesterday was a beautiful day.

Hopefully I have enough vitamin D stored up from past exposures to get me by!

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 Posted by Marc at 6:47 am  Tagged with: ,

What now?

 Life, Philosophy  2 Responses »
Aug 222011
 

I can remember when I was a little kid, and my most pressing concern was not being able to touch the floor with my feet when I was sitting in a chair.

I can also remember being in elementary school, and all I could think about was going to high school, then going to college. Then when I finally got to college, my only thoughts were about getting my first job, and then changing jobs, after which I couldn’t wait till I was able to retire.

Well, been there, done all that!

My only question now is, what’s next? Now that I’ve reached the penultimate goal of retirement, what’s left to do?

Sure I could travel some (and we are planning a 2 week barge cruise through Europe this coming May), but that’s only two weeks. What am I going to do the other 50 weeks? Plus traveling is hard, i.e. there’s the preparation, the getting through airport security, arranging for a house sitter to take care of the cats, even for just a weekend. (They wouldn’t do good in a kennel.)  It’s just such a strain.

So here I sit, posting to my blog, reflecting on what was, and wondering whether this is my destiny to just sit around the house being bored, trying to decide what I want to do today, and the next day, and the next.

Life sure was so much simpler when I was younger.

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 Posted by Marc at 8:08 am  Tagged with:
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