That’s right. Daughter no 4 is moving there to complete her ‘final’ two years of college.

So the MO and I are heading there later this week to find her somewhere to live.

It’s a 4 hour drive and I am vey sure the MO will be tapping away on the iPad and talking on the phone for the entire journey. It’s kind of like a weekend getaway for me as She will be working the entire time.

Good news is there are many breweries to scout out in and around Asheville, so my calendar is full.

Did I mention that Physical Therapy is a scam. I have been going for a couple of months now for my lower back. No change in the back, but bank account is definitely lower.

I guess an MRI is in my future.

Stay tuned for an episode of ‘How does a US mortgage broker handle trying to get a mortgage in Australia’. This should be crazy.

Have been in physical therapy for the last several weeks due to lower back pain. Getting older is no fun.

March is medical month for me and the MO. Physicals, eyes, dentist and now PT (for me)

The MO has a bad hip and is also in the PT program.

She was supposed to be at the dentist this morning however the phone and computer were her slave masters. Now dentist is postponed until later this afternoon.

Good news is we each had our first dose of the Pfizer vaccine this week. Looking forward to the second dose and protection from this virus.

Looking forward to travel in the future. I have no clue how we have survived this long, hunkered down at home and keeping isolated. We are social creatures and need that personal interaction

Anyway, back to it.

The mortgage originator is upstairs pounding away on her keyboard, while, at the same time, talking a customer off the ledge.

While all this is going on, it seems the country is tearing itself apart over this election cycle.

After living on this planet for 64 years, I can pretty much guarantee that we will always have diverse views in politics. Also, most people are quite normal and will make their own minds up on issues. It’s always the vocal minority that grab headlines.

So, lets count the votes and move forward whatever the result.

If my candidate win, I will do the following;

1. Go to work

2. Be happy with my life

3. Love my family

4. Look forward to a bright future

If the other guy wins, I will do the following

1. Go to work

2. Be happy with my life

3. Love my family

4. Look forward to a bright future

I encourage you all to do the same.

How do you define success? Is it how much money you have or can accumulate? Is it more family orientated? The size of your house, car status? I think you get my point.

So, success for me has a variety of definitions. It has little to do with money, although you have to have some. Perhaps, it is different in each life stage. I seem to remember thinking that I couldn’t be successful unless I could provide for my family. Then the family grew up. So what now?

I guess it will be different for everyone, and will change along the way.

Hard work has always been my mantra. Whether it is work related, family related of socially related. I believe that working hard is fundamental to a happy life. If you have a job, work hard at it. If you have a family, work hard on those relationships. If you have friends, work hard on those too.

Working hard is a metaphor for a happy life. You only get out of it, what you put into it. So, work hard but don’t forget to enjoy life as well.

It just makes sense to vote as soon as the polls open, rather than waiting for Nov 3. We have about 330 million people in this country, and about 140 million people who vote. If you think that the polling stations across the country can handle 140 million voters on one day (Nov 3), then you would also believe in incredibly long lines and waiting hours to vote.

I know, there are absentee ballots etc so 140 million people don’t turn out on that one day, but lets be clear. The more people who vote early eases those lines and wait times. That sounds like a good plan to me.

This year, early voting turnout seems to be much higher than in prior election years. I assume COVID-19 plays into this turnout. I also assume that many more eligible voters are turning out this time around. We could have 150 million + voters this year.

The hallmark of any true democracy is the ability for its citizens to elect their government, freely, fairly and without any harassment whatsoever. Regardless of red or blue leanings, we should all celebrate and encourage everyone eligible to vote, to vote. I hear some people say that we don’t need everyone to vote as some people have no interest in politics, and if we encourage them to vote, the result would be tainted. I think that line of thoughts really diminishes our democracy.

The Mortgage Originator just came downstairs, phone in hand, chattering away with a customer. Printer is now in motion. It’s been a busy time for her. Low rates and Covid-19 fears have driven the rush to purchase second homes. If you can’t travel, why not get a place of your own.

Ok, back to my original thought. Go out and vote early if possible. Encourage your neighbors to do the same. And get your flu shot. That’s important too. Facts over opinion, science over rhetoric.

Yep, it’s Fall again. Cooler, sunny days followed by rainy dull days. Today is one of those rainy dull days, and its Friday.

During these Covid days, it occurs to me that there are many people who, on days like today, are locking indoors, and suffering. I don’t mean feeling bad about Covid, or the rain for that matter, but rather they are suffering from a real mental health crisis.

A lot of us have spouses and kids as support for our social outlet. I only have to open my ears to hear the Mortgage Originator, upstairs, talking on her phone and banking on her keyboard. I know she is there with me. Perhaps I am just one of the lucky people.

Spare a thought for the single person, who is locked into their residence with zero social outlet. No-one to go see, no-one to come visit. We are human beings. We need company, physical contact, and conversation.

So, go safely, and seek out those lonely ones, give them hope. Offer help when possible and let them know that while we need to social distance, we can still find ways to be together.

It’s the right tings to do.

So, I have spent the last week in the NC mountains. Very close to the Georgia state line.

Funny thing about mountain people. They seem to think differently from city people. I guess the population density is different, the economic status is different, demographics are different and certainly the air is different.

I saw a lot of Trump signs and a few Biden signs. I saw Covid 19 hoax signs, and I saw people in the bigger towns wearing masks.

It’s an interesting time we are living. The simple fact that a pandemic can be politicized, that people think that their Government is lying to them, that people think that mask wearing is a political statement, that people think that the death numbers are way overblown.

I do have hope that over time, and with better (real) leadership on each side of the political spectrum, we can overcome there divides. Simply changing the highest office will not be enough. We all need to do better at exhibiting tolerance, listen more closely, check our information sources, and stop listening to ‘talking heads’. Opinion is not news. It’s not even your opinion, its theirs.

So, sit back my friends and ride this crazy ship to wherever its taking us. And, after everything else fails, do what the captain says.

A set of facts or opinions, presented in a rational manner and in a forum where probing questions can be asked and answered. You MAKE an argument.

The idea of an argument, it to make a case and ideally have people agree with you, change their mind in your favor, or simply enlighten them.

Agreements do not require fighting, voice raising, thumping tables, insults, over talking other’s.

It’s a simple concept developed in the ‘Senate’s’ of Rome and Athens

Strange how we view arguments as ‘fights’. Something is wrong, very wrong.

Rational argument is a very good thing. It advances civilizations and produces better outcomes for those civilizations.

Let’s all make more arguments.

With any change of season, we expect weather changes. We have a habit of looking at seasons as markers, or partial year sign posts. I am not convinced that this is an appropriate way to look at time and life.

Time is the ever moving bogy man. We can’t see it, we can’t grab hold of it. It is more of a concept that a real thing. A simple mind construct.

I guess there are scientists who study the concept of time. I think that we are caught up in this topic because as we live longer, our physical and mental agility deteriorate. We eventually die. This, I believe is the crux of the matter.

Death if our final act. We don’t last forever, at least physically. Time then, is merely a way to define the length of our lives.

I prefer to believe that, regardless of time, our lives should be measured by our words and deeds.

I shouldn’t have to even say this, however it seems we all need reminding be be more kind to everyone we meet. We don’t need to judge people on their political, religious beliefs, nor color, sexual orientation, age etc.

We are so divided and as a result, our discourse have become more vitriolic. So sad as it takes a lot of emotional energy to be mad/angry and it costs so little to be nice. I just don’t understand it.

We should all be able to agree that nice is better than mad/angry. If that’s true, we should be able to get along better than we currently do.

My Mortgage Originator deals with happy and mad people all day long. She cry’s after some nasty calls, and generally has a stressful job.

Just calm down people. We are here for a good time but not a long time. Making people cry is simply unacceptable.