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Family

I find myself up late

As I am here writing this, it was late Saturday night when I started. It is now early Sunday morning as I try to wrap it up. I am extremely tired but I have been having some issues of late in terms of sleeping and breathing. Twice I have found myself in the emergency room dealing with shortness of breath. The last time I had a very low potassium level. Low potassium has been something that I have been dealing with for several years. The shortness of breath has been recent. Not clear if it is do to low potassium, or some other issue. The doctor runs the usual tests, and finds nothing. I find that it becomes a problem as my weight increases, as it fluctuates, day by day.

I have tried to see my doctor, but that has proven difficult. We have had similar issues with my son, who is on his second doctor because the last one just up and left.

Medical care in New Mexico has been a problem and it is only getting worse. Many doctors have left the state and the major reason appears to be the exorbitant cost of malpractice insurance, and a very ripe and litigious population. The democrats control the government and pass laws favoring the lawyers within this state. The most recent government session at the roundhouse in Santa Fe made some minor changes. Sadly, the damage had already been done. Additionally, as New Mexico is a very rural area, there are many miles that people have to travel in order to receive medical attention. The hospital in Los Alamos has difficulty keeping doctors. My daughter was born in that hospital, but the delivery of children has stopped recently, due to a lack of the right doctors.

I know a great many people who travel out of state for medical care. Whether it is Phoenix or Denver, it is a good seven hours by car.

Right now I am very tired and having eye trouble. My teeth implants are bothering me but no other issues at present. I am here in the dining room writing as Jewel is on the sofa sound asleep. It is hot, the fan is going and the humidifier is running.

Today was a good day as I was able to watch my daughter participate in a cross country horse lesson south of Santa Fe. It was good gut Roman continues to be a putz from time to time. My daughter needs to take charge and push him through the jumps. When the horse wants to jump, he does it well but there are times when he doesn’t want to jump. I can understand it on a hot day, like today.

Son stayed home, indoors in the air conditioning. I presume that he chose to play video games, do something with AI, or perhaps watch some YouTube or Japanese animation. I call them cartoons but get corrected.

It has been hot these past few weeks. Some rain, but not enough. It is dry and there are several forest fires that are currently being tracked in the surrounding area. We have also had several red flag days. These are days where it is dry, there is low humidity and the wind gusts up to between 20 and 30 mph. They have several fire crews in the area, and several planes and helicopters engaged in fighting the fires. The weather is not cooperating. But let us hope that monsoon season will soon appear.

Well I am going to try to get some sleep now/ Until next time.

Categories
ramblings of a madman whatever

Yes. I know. It’s been awhile.

I cannot believe that it is already May. Time flies. It’s been awhile since my last post, at the start of the year. This is my second post for the year.

Earlier this year I turned 65. I am still working full time. Another year older and deeper in debt, I guess. For me, its work, reading in the evenings and some work around the house and at the stables.

Trying to get the kids through another year of school. For son, it is his senior year of high school. Son will plan to take the summer off if he graduates, and then a gap year of working, enrollment in some college classes. For daughter, it is another year of college. Her junior year. With Roman in tow, she plans a summer of competitions.

Having a reset year this year in terms of where I am going. Trying to figure out the pathway for the next 30 years (or more). I have two trips planned thus far for the summer. Both are trips planned are concerts to see the RUSH: FIFTY SOMETHING Tour. Starts in early June. I have tickets for July and October.

I have a long list of things to do and need to begin to make the transition from work to the unknown. My list includes, but is not limited to:

  1. Go hiking with a notebook and a book and colored pencils to draw.
  2. Have an honest conversation with God.
  3. Lay down at night and look up at the stars.
  4. Camping trip.
  5. Travel somewhere with no itinerary, alone and explore something new.
  6. Take an art class.
  7. Fly fishing.
  8. Museums and battlefields.

More things fill the list but we will leave it here for the moment. Work around the house includes redoing the back yard, but I also need to rebuild the fence, pair the house and need a new roof. Inside needs work. Daughter wants to work on the stable this year.

Lets see where the next few months takes if. In the fall we have important elections coming up. Our country needs to rise up against the destructive liberal cabal that is the prelude to the destruction of our nation.

Categories
life

Rambling Reflections: New Year’s Resolutions for 2026

It an early Friday morning, January 2, 2026. I have enjoyed the time away from work but need to get back into the routine of my daily life. I let my schedule slip and now I need to return to the real world. Another year is behind me, and a new one has begun. Does early to bed, early to rise, make a man healthy, wealthy and wise?

Let’s start with the obvious. I made some New Year’s resolutions for 2026. Let’s hope that they turn out better. As I look at last year’s results, I realize that 2025 was indeed a very bad year. Without going into the details, I need to spend 2026 recovering and returning to the old ways. Trying to reach out has brought pain at great cost. So, I will ignore the past but remember the lessons. Either I am stupid, lonely or just stopped thinking. Probably all of the above. Thus, I see less crypto, less talking to strangers and more road trips. Throw in some camping and fishing and I might have a better outcome.

Despite what the angry liberals suggest, 2025 rocked for America. It did not rock for me. For me, it is time to return to rugged individualism and advance myself through hard work and realize that the outside world is an evil place. It’s not even a nice place to visit. If the world is such an evil place, shall I plan for tomorrow like a prepper? Thus, I see more reading. Throw in some drawing and painting. Staying closer to home and family.

Over the next few months, I get to wade into the world of Medicare. As this is the year I turn 65, I find myself still working. Not because I need to. Rather, it is because I want to. I still haven’t refined that retirement plan just yet. As it is, I see that I need to consolidate, declutter and work around the house. Several projects planned. I hope that I can get them done before the summer. Invest in and spend my time on what I know.

I need to consolidate my investments and plan for the next act in my life. While the stock market has had another great year, I myself did not do so well in many external investments. Need to regroup and adjust accordingly. Write off my losses and continue to pay down debt. Return to being frugal and invest for the future. That said, I expect much volatility in the market in 2026. Much of that will be generated as the world shifts from the metaverse to the AI verse. If you thought that the metaverse was hyped and bad, the AI verse will be worse. For me, I just want my MTV.

As for this site, I need to write more frequently but be less verbose. Reflecting on this post, it has nothing on the subjects that are my typical tags. Nothing about my son or daughter. Both are doing well and home from school a tad longer, thank you. Nothing about horses. Ruby is retired and enjoying life with the other horses on the plains of Southeaster Colorado. Roman is on winter break from college, also in Colorado. Jewel is lying here on the sofa as I write this post. Trump is still our President. Contrary to what the fake news writes or speaks, his policies are turning the country around and putting it on a better path. I still despise him as a person. I don’t vote based on the personality of the person. Rather, I vote for what will make life better for our country. With that said, I cannot believe that America will turn 250 this year. Perhaps bicentennial coins might be a wise investment? As it is, I cannot believe that they retired the Lincoln cent!

Well, I have rambled on now for over two hours and several cups of coffee. Not really sure what I have said, but the words look good on the computer. They express optimism going into this new year. As a new year is upon us, and I hope that it is better than the last. With that, here’s hoping that Pearl Jam tours in 2026.

Categories
ramblings of a madman

… It’s been awhile

Hello one and all. Yes it has been a long time since my last post. That last post was April 3rd of this year to be exact. The McKeeSpot is still around, and I am still alive and kicking.

So you ask, what have I been up to? As I mentioned in that April post, I have found this to be an interesting time in my life. And much has transpired over the past six months that I plan to write about. I have been very busy, both personally and professionally.

Lets start with the professional. I am still working a normal work week. I am still in my current job. Soon I will have surpassed 35 years of employment. I will turn 65 next year and will be old enough for Medicare. As I write this, I plan to continue to work for a while longer. Guess I haven’t found a better gig to support the third act in my life, yet.

Personally I have been exploring the world in terms of the internet. And yes, it is a dangerous place. There are scams and there are scammers. You can be hacked and not know what to do. It doesn’t matter if it’s a dating site. It is a random and you are infected before you know it. It can be a random email, or a text message from some unknown number. Even established websites (LinkedIn, Substack, FaceBook, etc.) have their share. They are full of scammers who prey on us lonely hearts (or naive people). The established sites don’t know who these scammers are. However, they are aware they exist. Good luck trying to report them to get them removed. All you can do is block them.

Or they block you and have moved on to their next target. Some have lots of followers. They may not be legitimate influencer’s but they certainly can influence one’s future if you get connected with them.

And why does the magnificent seven tech companies sell tools or allow the scammers to run? Why do these large companies allow for fraudulent email services to be established? Mask phone numbers? Good luck using tools to search phone numbers and location, or explore the names of people. If they do not have a legitimate footprint on the internet, they are fake. Alternatively, they have correctly limited their information. But once your information is out there, good luck trying to remove it. With AI, a machine creates a whole new life for you. It’s not created by yourself or by fact. This machine can destroy your credibility and take your ID. Cyberdyne is alive and well. I read this morning about growing grassroots efforts. Their objective is to limit or not allow data centers across the country. They take too much power, they destroy a hard working jobs, thinking that the future will be better.

And the tricks are the usual. Found you interesting or love your posts. Lets continue the conversation on some other app. WhatsApp looks like the instrument of choice, but there are others. There I have personally conversed with six different women, all who have the same line. They are lonely. The younger men their age are immature. Let’s invest jointly into a crypto account and make lots of money. This way, we can travel the world together. Yet they are all young, attractive, and are tech savvy and have good jobs. Or so it appears…

I have found that several crypto platforms that are defi, or decentralized finance, are fake, and the scam is set. Some are actually registered with FinCEN. Some of the crypto companies know the fake sites but will not tell you as such. You send your money and it is lost, all the while they suggest excellent returns. They may look legit. Some are legitimate. Nonetheless, most will let you withdraw some, but not all, of your money. Why? Because your money left the moment it was deposited. The women always want you to invest more. Those ocean houses and world travel cost dollars.

You can quickly end the conversation with the scammers in most cases. State up front that you are not interested in investing with them in crypto. They quickly move on. For others, it takes awhile. They sell you on their legitimacy. They have great pictures. More often than not, the pictures are from other people’s Instagram or other sites.

Over the past year, I have conversed with six. I will write about all six and the trials and tribulations. You can (and will) lose money. Sadly, our government, and the crypto companies, are unable, or unwilling to deal with these fraudulent investment scams. The government has limited tools. The crypto companies will do only so much, and it is to limit their liability, not yours.

I am sure that there are legitimate crypto investments. I have found some of those. Often, legitimate women that I have conversed with have helped me. They are exploring the internet, just as I was, while looking towards the future. I still converse with them. The real test is whether they want to meet in person, no strings attached. I will write about these, because they too run the gamut of stories and falsehoods.

Exercise caution with anyone you meet on the internet. The future we are leaving our children will not be as great. It will not be as wonderful as the one our parents left us.

I will write more in the future. Until then, it’s a brave new world out there. Be safe. Be careful.

Categories
life

My Transition: Embracing Change Amidst Life’s Busy Schedule

It has been a few months since my last post. My wish remains to post more often. This remains the goal as I get ready to renew my website and WordPress account. It gets to be problematic given all of the commitments on my time. Between work and kids, there are times where there are not enough hours during the weekday. By the weekend, I am so mentally tired. As the weather turns to spring, summer, and fall, my time commitments shift to outdoor adventures.

Needless to say, I have found this to be an interesting time in my life. Much has transpired since that last post. I have been very busy, both professionally and personally. I continue to do the same job. I have been doing my current job before I started writing TheMcKeeSpot. It began as an idea after a morning coffee cabal with a great colleague. He retired several years ago.

Over the past few years, many of my friends and colleagues have retired. Many return and “double dip” and work part-time as a contractor. As I contemplate my own retirement, I stay focused on retiring and not planning to be a contractor. Yet, economic changes are affecting my life. Personal changes in my life are also influencing my decision. These changes convince me that this represents a good “middle of the road” approach as I ease into retirement. I will probably follow in their footsteps when I do retire.

Recently, I got a promotion of sorts. This was after 15 years at the same level and job title. Obviously, a promotion should be a time to rejoice. Unfortunately, the HR processes at Los Alamos are broken. It was more of a way to reclassify people into the correct job title. It was not a real promotion. Many of the work processes are, in my opinion, broken.

I continue to do the same job that I have been doing for over a decade. However, there has been much change. Changes have been in terms of the people that I worked with and admired, and how work is performed. About the people, many who have worked on the project for years, retired. I am happy for them. None of the change has improved the work load, the work product, or made processes more efficient. Regarding the work environment, I have coined the phrase “bureaucratic work free safety zone” to characterize the entire place. It takes twice the number of people and twice as long to move ahead with even the simplest of activities.

Given all of this, my thoughts turn towards loosing myself in the wish to balance work and life. It has been a long time coming. Yet, I stay lost in the busy schedule of work. I often ignore family, friends, and self-care. Of late, I have vowed to change much of that focus as I contemplate retirement.

I have been planning much to do for myself over the next several months. This week, as I write this, I am in Phoenix addressing a medical issue. I have talked about this issue over the past few years. Enough procrastination has lapsed and now I am working the issue. In two weeks I have planned work travel, followed by another Pearl Jam concert. This will be followed with hiking and camping back east for a couple of weeks. I will be with a friend who has been great at uplifting me lately. This story remains a work in progress. Finally, June will follow with some fishing with great people in Alaska.

I plan to end the summer by traveling with the kids. The kids are preparing for school in August. A trip away will be a great way to end the summer. I also plan to decide on the next chapter of my life at this time.

Categories
life

A Picturesque Sunrise in New Mexico: My Hurkle-Durkle Morning

After a fantastic dinner and an overall great evening last night, I went to bed about usual time. It was met with sleeping in later than my schedule allows. There is a 200-year-old term I learned on the internet called hurkle-durkle. It is a Scottish term meaning to lounge in bed long after it’s time to get up. Well, I certainly did the hurkle-durkle this morning.

I doubted that it was a real expression. However, sure enough, the internet was able to educate me on the subject. You can read about it here:

https://www.scotsman.com/news/scotland/hurkle-durkle-scots-word-meaning-origin-4491313

That said, I hurkle-durkled until 6:30 this morning. Absent coffee, I hurried up, got dressed, and drove to the stables in order to catch sunrise on my iPhone. I’ll save the why for another time. It was a beautiful morning. The stables were quiet, except for some horses, a few chickens crackling and some sheep. The air was crisp but had a very pleasant smell about it, surprising for an area with many horses.

According to my weather app, sunrise was at 7:04 am this morning. The fact that it was February 2nd, Groundhog’s Day, was not lost on me. Sunrise, I expected to see my shadow. Here is the first picture when I got to the riding arena at about 6:55 am this morning.

Just beginning to creep up and over the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Let me continue with its progression…in silence.

And there you have it. The last picture was around 7:12 am. Another beautiful sunrise in New Mexico. Not much orange in the colors of the clouds. But it was the start to another great day.

In my mind, I was reminded of the music from 2001: A Space Odyssey, Also sprach Zarathustra. You can close your eyes and here the opening notes. They almost parallel the rising sun. However, it looks like the sunrise was doing its own abbreviated form of the hurkle-durkle.

In some ways, a sunrise is like a new beginning. It is kinda how I have been feeling for the past several weeks. A new beginning for me. A new sunrise as I continue to travel through my life’s journey. More to come. Stay tuned.

Categories
ramblings of a madman

A cold spell. Has Mother Nature snapped? Have I snapped?

A cold front has transcended the United States this week. Cold, wind and snow in some places, below zero temperatures in others. Here it has been very cold and windy. I think winter has finally arrived, almost in full force. Except for the lack of snow.

The climate doomsayers constantly remind us about various days as being the warmest the earth has experienced. Never do they talk about or trend the coldest days. Or they frequently discuss the warmest year on record. They also talk about how weather phenomena continue to drive bad conditions. It is worse this year than in previous years. The situation continues to get worse year after year. People attribute the magnitude of destruction from the California fires to the Santa Ana winds. And all of the destruction that we see is because of climate change. I am certain the Santa Ana winds have been around for much longer than either you or me.

Suffice it to say, the fires are bad because of the lack of poor land management. There is a lack of reducing fuel on land. Additionally, there is insufficient investment in infrastructure because the land becomes overpopulated. Mother nature has not snapped.

The intensity of storms or winds may have increased compared to what was experienced in the past. We all likely agree on this to some extent. And I think we would all acknowledge that the human race has had some impact on those changes. However, we will all disagree on the specific conditions of the change. Increased CO2 from the emissions of cars, petroleum products, burning coal for electricity? Decreased forestation, where less trees cover the planet. Changes in water and air conditions (pollution). More buildings, roads and parking lots. We differ on where humans have played a role in changing the climate. And I am sure that we differ on how to fix it, if it even can be fixed?

Quite simply, there are too many people on this planet.

Climate and weather is Chemistry and Physics. I am reminded of Le Chatelier’s Principle. When a reaction at equilibrium is disturbed by a change in conditions, the system will respond. It will act in a way that counteracts the disturbance. Then it will re-establish a new equilibrium. Or is it the simplification of Newton’s Third law, that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction?

Some interrelation mathematical dance tied to a myriad of hydrodynamics codes. Whether it is the weather, nuclear weapons design, investing in the stock market, who knows (or cares). Perhaps I have snapped!

My coworker and I were talking about this the other day. Not the have I snapped part. A conversation separates the normal workflow of the day. Schedules, reports, review reports or data, technical presentations to prepare, meetings to attend (and accomplish nothing). The status of our activities. Earned value management? She was getting things wrapped up work wise before venturing off onto another photography trip. This time it’s to British Columbia and Alberta to visit among other things, some lake that has frozen methane spheres. And if nature and conditions cooperate, animals will be photographed in their natural habitat. Hopefully, the northern lights will also make an appearance.

You can read all about the methane bubbles here: https://www.abrahamlake.com/Frozen-Methane-Bubbles-at-Abraham-Lake.html

As for the scientist in me, I wonder if you can burn the methane ice bubbles like cow dung. Or will they just explode?

She travels the world whenever time permits, which is another way of saying when vacation hours accumulate. She has photographed penguins in Antarctica, twice. She has captured pictures of volcanoes in Iceland. Stayed in an ice hotel in Scandinavia as part of a trip to see the Northern Lights. Castles in Scotland. She has documented (on film) animals in Africa. She has taken photographs of wildfires. She has photographed the crews working to contain them. She has also captured images of polar bears here in America. And of my daughter’s horse Ruby…

Our conversation was about melting glaciers and their impact on global warming. We also talked about the salinity of the water (Le Chatelier’s Principle in action). Why does one use salt to melt ice? Lastly, we discussed ideal beachfront investments for the future, as I have to trivialize everything. Does melting ice actually flood the planet and change the coastline in the future?

Her vacation travels make me think about my need to travel across this country, and elsewhere. Especially as I ponder retirement. Unfortunately, I accumulate too many vacation hours and hardly use them. OK, I occasionally travel for concerts. Early May is already set with a planned concert. A few other trips are in the planning stages. As for work, our paid time off, or PTO, combines vacation hours and sick hours. I seldom use all of it and so it accumulates and then I just take days off. As I seldom get sick, those hours also just accumulate. I might suggest that is because I take good care of myself, but we know that isn’t entirely true. However, my last physical indicated that I was in good health. There are a few things I need to work on as I get older. I will address those issues this year.

Next week, many people will snap because Trump will be inaugurated as our 47th President. Talk about a cold front settling across the nation! As for this post, I am left with many topics to detail in future posts. Until next time, stay safe, stay warm and enjoy. All is well.

Categories
life the week in review

Early January 2025. What will the new year bring?

This marked a return to normalcy after the winter break. My daughter departed Saturday for the spring semester of her sophomore in college. Due the of breakfast on weekends we decided to visit Viola’s on Friday morning for a father-daughter. She left Roman in Colorado for the winter break. Remarkably, she managed to ride other horses over the break. She took a few lessons and earned a few dollars by taking care of other horses at the stables. I believe she would be happy if she could make a career out of that type of work.

My son returned to school earlier in the week and has already managed a week of high school classes. Now that his sister has left, he must hope for good weather in the afternoon. He cannot take the bus home. Therefore, he has to walk. Alternatively, he hopes that one of his parents can pick him up. His junior year is progressing better, but he is just doing the minimum to get through. For, breaks consist of playing computer games and spending a significant amount of time watching various videos on YouTube. He should have figured out a niche and become some type of YouTube influencer. I suppose there is still time.

I worry and wonder about their futures. I am concerned about how they will secure employment and what fields or careers they will pursue. I also wonder how they will take care of themselves, given the current state of this country. Will they have the opportunity to continue to enjoy the activities they do now in the future? Have I adequately prepared them for life after I am no longer around? It is evident that their lives today are vastly different from mine at their age.

A quiet dinner at an Olive Garden, sometime in 2017.

I can only hope and pray that I have prepared them for tomorrow.

As for me, I have returned to work, and I am thinking very hard as to when I will retire. I need to think about myself. I must consider my next 30+ years I believe I have left on this planet.

Today is a very cold Sunday in Los Alamos. I write this post on a very quiet day while contemplating taking the dog for a walk. The recent news is about the fires in southern California. Having twice evacuated over the past thirty years because of forest fires, I understand how those people feel. If you have the time to pack, you might wonder what will happen. Will you return to a pile of ashes? Fortunately for me, that was not the case. Sadly, there is much destruction in California over the past week.

I previously wrote about the fires in Los Alamos in May 2022. I also wrote about them in April 2022 and in May 2020. This post isn’t a further reflection of these types of disasters or the empathy that they trigger. Droughts, poor forest management and other contributors add to the lessons learned from these events. So far this winter, we have had very little snow in Northern New Mexico. What kind of weather will the spring, summer, and fall bring? Will our once a decade fire cycle be different?

Equally unmentioned until now was the return of the McRib after Thanksgiving. But it was a tasty reminder of several previous posts on this blog. But I didn’t mention it until now, nor did I critique the culinary experience.

The result the fires will be higher homeowners insurance rates in the coming year. I have already experienced increases in my automobile insurance. Given my current stage in life, I have added more coverage through an umbrella policy. This helps protect my family.

With the arrival of spring, I must downsize as part of my retirement strategy. Although I no plans to sell the house, I do need to focus on the backyard. My retirement planning also includes more hiking, more camping, and more travel. And perhaps, this will be the year I finally finish reading Atlas Shrugged!

Until next time.

Categories
Family life

Another end of the year is upon us

I can’t believe that 2024 will soon be over and 2025 will be upon us. I will soon be another year older. I will be 64. I am entering what I often refer to as my third act on this planet. Sadly, I am still working. But, I am pretty sure that this will be my last. As I no longer enjoy it, I am finding getting up every day a difficult task. The reasons that I worked so hard are gone. The enjoyment I once felt is just no longer there.

Wow! Thanksgiving came and went. And in typical fashion, I spent the day doing chemistry, creating yet another tasty meal. One thing that I have

learned over the years is that cooking might be easier if I have the proper tools. Must have been the wine that got me through the day. So for Christmas, I splurged and bought myself all new pots and pans for cooking. That certainly came in handy when I cooked the Christmas day meal. Over the years, I have found that I certainly let food dictate elements

of my life. Certainly a possibility for when I retire is to combine food with travel, besides other themes.

I also found myself more in the Christmas spirit this year. I do not know why! I decorated both inside and outside the house compared to other

years. Pretty sure that I was not dreaming of a White Christmas. After all, how many people celebrate Christmas with a display that includes an inflatable Grinch. Added a few new nutcrackers to the collection and the kids got me a new ornament for the tree.

I sit here this Sunday morning. I am enjoying my first cup of coffee. The mug was made by my daughter. I am also savoring a Nonna Randazzo’s King Cake from New Orleans. This delicious treat is a Christmas gift from my sister. Son got me a coffee roaster and beans that I will soon have to

try. And I have always wondered if one can grow coffee beans in New Mexico? An entrepreneurial twist to retirement? If anything, I certainly need to get to Mardi Gras sometime.

Having wrapped up a weeks vacation over Christmas. Getting ready for a second weeks vacation over New Years. Not much planned with the kids off from school and home. Roman stayed behind in Colorado for daughter’s Christmas break from college. The weather has been great. It is getting into the upper 40’s during the day. There is no sight of snow on the horizon. I have found myself sleeping in until 6am instead of my normal 3am start of the day. Soon the sun will be up, expected to reach the low 50’s today. Will take Jewel out for her morning walk shortly. As the year ends, trust all is well with everyone. Soon 2025 will be upon us. Let’s hope that it is a better year than the last.

Categories
life

Exploring California’s Ohana Festival and New Orleans Adventures

Welcome to early October. It has been a few weeks since the last post. This is the time of year when I often plan my vacation. Nothing extravagant like some of my friends, who venture off for weeks to Scotland and Ireland. That said, I have placed such trips on my bucket list for the future—when I retire.

More often than not, my vacations are typically long weekend getaways. They are solo trips to a music festival, usually in a place that I have never visited. This year was no exception. I decided in early April to attend the Ohana Festival in California.

I would sum up the Ohana Festival as great weather, great music, and great food. It was a fantastic weekend to sleep in, charge the batteries before returning to work. The food was delicious and aside from all of the walking and drinking, I managed to put on 10 pounds. And while the location, on a Pacific beach was spectacular, the water was too cold to enjoy the surf.

Of course, given the cell phone age, I managed to take pictures to share of the adventure.

The music lineup included Dogstar, The Breeders, The MOSS, and Turnpike Troubadours, along with DEVO, Sting, and Alanis Morissette, among others. Pearl Jam was also featured. These were just a few of the acts from the three-day event. The two Pearl Jam concerts started off explosively but, in my opinion, ended as some of their least remarkable performances. I shouldn’t have been surprised; it was the conclusion, or nearly so, of the Dark Matter tour. They seemed to lack the vigor I had seen at an earlier show in Las Vegas.

I returned from California and spent a few days at work. There it was wrapping up the fiscal year and starting anew. Of late, work has become more of a negative distraction than the whole idea of accomplishing specific goals. That trend continues and certainly has pushed me towards making this my final year. My week at work involved less actual work and more preparation for retirement, along with planning for my upcoming trip.

It was another long weekend vacation. This time, with son in tow, we ventured off to New Orleans and my niece’s wedding. Daughter, unfortunately, could not attend due to college classes.

I figure that it was a complete wedding, New Orleans style. There was a jazz band. People enjoyed dancing and music in the streets. The celebration included a streetcar trip. The wedding took It was a black-tie event and thus the need to wear the tuxedo. For me, there were relaxing moments on the front porch. I enjoyed drinking a gin & tonic while reading a book. I also spent time pondering the future.

A visit to the Crescent City isn’t complete without exploring the National World War II Museum. My son found it engaging. The ‘broken world’ exhibit felt particularly relevant as we approach this election cycle. I can’t help but think that we may be facing some challenging times ahead. The sentiment remains unchanged regardless of the election results, unless a clear frontrunner appears with policies that align with my vision for the near future.

And to that end, I have already voted. Yes, I voted early and in person. Otherwise, this election cycle has been madness. I get between 50 to 100 phone calls, text messages, e-mails, and snail mail requests for donations every day. This happens daily. I cannot believe how much money the democrats have raised. I honestly believe that the amounts indicated some illegal shenanigans that need to be investigated. However, I wonder why we cannot raise those kinds of funds to ease homelessness. We could help those less fortunate or provide disaster relief.

Well, it is Sunday. I have been at it for a few hours. I have been to the grocery store. I have taken Jewel for a walk. I have been out for coffee. The rains from yesterday have subsided for the moment, but more in the forecast. There is snow in the mountains and autumn has clearly arrived.

Until next time, enjoy the pictures, have a great week and get out and vote. I am afraid that our Constitutional Republic may be hanging in the balance. Why would Warren Buffet sit for a photo on a toilet? He must be thinking that this is the direction of the economy.