It's the Damn Door!!

A friend of mine shared this with me - and I had to keep it for posterity.  Gee - after all it makes perfect sense!

Ever walk into a room with some purpose in mind, only to completely forget what that purpose was? Turns out, doors themselves are to blame for these strange memory lapses. Psychologists at the University of Notre Dame have discovered that passing through a doorway triggers what's known as an event boundary in the mind, separating one set of thoughts and memories from the next. Your brain files away the thoughts you had in the previous room and prepares a blank slate for the new locale. It’s not aging, think about it... it's the damn door!

Retirement Options - riding the see-saw

Oh my.
How the thought of leaving my lovely home here in San Diego makes me sad.   I love the weather, the beaches, the mountains, the sights, the smells the sounds.    And most of all the wonderful friends and family I have here.

However,
Retirement means a fixed income.  And oh how California loves to tax it's residents!   Rent and purchased housing has reached the point of obscenity in price - even after the huge recession and drop in prices.   They'll never reach normal again, no matter how much they've come down.

I'm paying $1770 a month for a 2-bedroom apartment.  Granted - it is close to the beach and I am paying for that benefit....but no matter where I live it'll be high - if I move further inland I'd pay the same price but have more space for my money.  I decided I'd rather have the beach.

In 5 years I will be 66 years old.  Full retirement age for Social Security.  I will have worked 50 years of my life - and YES I do feel 'entitled' to a substantial SS benefit!  I paid into it for that long - and it was developed originally as a retirement benefit - not a death benefit, childrens benefit, fund to steal from or anything else.   (oops - stepping down off the box)...

I will have 10 years with my present job which should pay a decent amount (govt.) and have an IRA that my financial has well-invested for me.

Here's my present mindset:
I have looked at options beyond San Diego....
Considered Florida - spend 29 years there.
But only have a few friends and absolutely no family there.  The weather is okay but the bugs and humidity just don't do it for me.
Missouri - NO
Kansas - I have quite a few family members there.   It is close enough to Mo. that I could visit long lost friends, and not too far from Co. either (more family)

I hate winters, would miss the beach and mountains but would love springs and falls.   If I had a house with a basement that I could turn into 100% craft area - I could learn to like it there - as my playroom would be quite the escape.

AND - If I bought the house outright - I would have no house payments and all my income minus daily expenses (food, utilities, gas etc.) could be put away to go play during the winter (cruises, trips to warm places, etc.)

I'm sorta getting to like these ideas - and have found some interesting houses at ridiculously low prices (market is dead there right now) - I have my eye on 3 in particular.  Who knows.... I'm so up and down about it from day to day.   Stay tuned.  I'm still riding the see saw........

Something fishy in Paradise this Christmas!

What a wonderful thing.   Christmas was not the typical, commercial, - buy buy buy holiday with people going broke to get everybody something they'll never use - just to have a pile under the tree routine.
I lied a little - said 'no presents - just people' - but still got a couple things the kids needed.   (like electric blankets for winter as they live either near or on the water).  

However - there was one special purchase for the holiday.....the FOOD!!

Yessirree - tons of yumminess!!  Justin (in pic) made Jambalaya (in plates in pic) - there was also clam chowder (see bowls).   Prior to the meal - crab salad and ceviche' appetizers with crackers and chips (along with wine and cheeses).  Justin & Michelle (above) were quick to dig in!

Rob had to be silly when he found the hammers on the table for breaking open crab claws.  Jodi was a good sport and smiled sweetly.   The 'orange juices' on the table were Mimosas....  when the table was loaded with food - cameras popped all over the place - they'd never seen anything like it. 

I had some leftover black plastic on a roll from halloween that I covered the table with - then a roll of brown paper like you wrap packages with - right down the middle.  Then Shrimp, Crawfish, Snow crab legs, and stone crab claws were added.  It was a 'get it yourself' kind of feast.  The plates were plastic as were the bowls.

Over the years we have made it a tradition to invite those who would otherwise be alone on the holiday - this young couple Bree and Chris, would have been.   They were thrilled that that was changed for them.  So we cracked open the xmas crackers (you pull them - they pop and have jokes, prizes and crowns inside) - then put on our paper crowns - read our jokes enclosed in the crackers - and dug in!

Another guest was Mark (Standing in black with claws in hands) - whose wife Jo (my best friend) was in New Zealand to visit her mother over the holiday - so he would have been alone.  We posed for this pic and posted it on FB and tagged Jo.   I received a phone call from New Zealand just minutes later - she saw the feast and thought it was amazing.   We let her know that she was missed but she didn't have to worry because he was not home alone.
It was really nice to have the two boys and their girlfriends - along with added guests over to enjoy the fruit of my toils.   A good time was had by all - and I'm sure they'll talk to their friends about this one for a long time.  There was definitely something fishy here in paradise this Christmas!  It was a great thing!
Merry Christmas to all!  Ours was!!

'Tis the Season

Having a lovely weekend so far - went to a Christmas show at a friends church.  Lightning didn't hit the church because I was inside - so that's a good thing.  I can't even remember the last time I was in a church other than for a wedding or funeral.  I know - shame on me.  But I'm a good person and do what's right - so I'm not all bad.

Anyway the show:
The Orchestra was awesome, the singers spectacular and the show incredible.  It lasted about 2 hours and I enjoyed every bit of it.

The living Nativity was beautiful - I actually had tears in my eyes as they sang and the characters slowly came out.

 

The Adult (top) and Childrens (bottom) Choir were great.

 

'Tis the season - and I am 100% enjoying it this year.  2013 is going to be a great year - I can feel it in my (old) bones!!

I'm Dreaming of a Seafood Christmas

Holy cow!
Can Christmas be only 11 days from today? Really?  Why is it time dragged the whole month of December when I was a kid - and it seems to disintegrate right before my very eyes anymore!!

I only put up the 'little' tree this year.   Still in the process of getting organized unfortunately.  Sorta sucks being in an apartment with half the space I need.  I really need a house!

I'm gonna figure this out and next year have space for the big tree.   The little one is pretty enough granted.   But ohhhh how I love my big tree.

this is the little tree (above)
and below is the big tree (below) - you decide.....

The family has agreed upon 'no presents - it's all about being together' - but I broke the rule and bought some little something to put under the tree for each of them.   The poor little tree just looked so naked without something under it!  I guess they'll just have to forgive me!

I can't wait to share photos of the xmas feast with you!  (If I remember to take some)  It is going to be an extremely non-traditional meal.  No turkey, no ham.....Per request of the boys - we are having a seafood feast.  So far I have ordered direct from Maryland - -> shrimp for shrimp cocktails to start with for appetizers (Huge Gulf shrimp by the way) - Also Snow crab legs, Stone Crab claws (OMG I can't believe I found them available to buy - my kids have never had them.  I grew up in Florida and have experienced how incredible they are.   I have tried to describe how extraordinarily delicious they are - now they will finally see for themselves, Oh - and pre-breaded clam strips for frying are also ready for throwing in the pan.

Justin mentioned his Jambalaya - which may happen as well.   Hmmmm - maybe along with the shrimp cocktail appetizer, I'll make a crab salad and a chowder first course before digging into the main meal.   Not quite sure what else besides red potatoes and corn on the cob for the feed.

Guess I just need the red checked tablecloth, some traditional mallets to break claws with and bibs to make it complete.   I may have to look around to see what I can find. 

It should be quite yummy, fun and filling.  I can hardly wait.   This could be a new tradition (expensive but awesome just the same).

Stay tuned - to experience the feast of feasts (if you love seafood like we do).  Hope Justin can snag us come lobster to top it off - 'tis the season' after all - and our first day of the season - we did fabulously!!   If not - we'll have it another day - after all - still have a couple months before the season is over....

Lobster number 1 of the season - Justin is so proud

a close up  in the net (left) and (below) all the  buddies we caught in a couple hours.

This many would be great to complete the feast!!  The dinner will be attended by myself, Rob and his girlfriend Jodi, Justin and his girlfriend Michelle and possibly Jo's husband Mark - as she is in New Zealand and he is home alone.  Justin may be inviting a friend as well for a total of 7 potentially - so a catch this size would work really well!!  
Please santa claus - be nice and tell the lobster to jump into our traps!!  We'd like to invite them over for Christmas!!

Class Act

I love the feeling of accomplishment - when I take on a project that I have to start from scratch with no directions provided - other then 'do it' - and see it through from beginning to end.  And the end is a great success.

This is the case of my latest project.
I was asked at work to develop the curriculum for a "DRAT" team - then find team members, train them and thus have established teams for future deployment during a disaster.

What's a DRAT team you ask?  DRAT = "Disaster Rapid Assessment Team"   -  A group of people deployed out in the field to be the eyes and ears of the County - to give first-hand information regarding the needs of the community - triaging - the urgency so that the right things get to the right places in the right amount of time.

I was given this projectin April (with one other person assigned, who assisted in no way with the development or recruiting - only in the class) -  I was told it had to be 100% done before Dec. 1 in order to meet grant money deadlines.
 
THE TASK:
R&D: ... Research and development of curriculum and tools needed- based the training that would be necessary to safely deploy the team members into the field to do the task to the best of their ability.
RECRUITMENT:  ..... Recruit, interview and choose persons who would best fit the role of team members
PLANNING OF TRAINING: ...... Find the place, time and instructors to put together a class that would aid in readying team members for deployment.
TRAINING: ........ have a class
STRENGTHENING TEAMS: ........ Continue to keep members engaged, add additional members as needed and keep them all excited about being team members - with information, exercises, and classes.

Well - Friday (yesterday) was the debut class.   30 members were established after the recruitment and interviews and 24 were able to attend the class.  The class was also attended by Red Cross members and PHN leaders to understand what the County is doing.

The class was well-reviewed and much information was provided over a full-days training.  Everyone in the class was excited about all they had learned, all the tools and information they had received  and how well the class went.  
This is a great thing which aids in establishing further safety in the event of a disaster in my community.   Another addition to my legacy. 

The Class was truly a 'class act.'