We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
Mrs. BD and her pal attended an open rehearsal at the NYC Ballet today. They are going to the public performance later this afternoon. The NYC Ballet is in the top 5 in the world, but I can hardly tell any difference. Mrs. BD and her pals sure can. They are dance (ballet and modern) enthusiasts. Actually, dance fanatics.
No doubt many of our readers can not fully appreciate the art of dance (it's been decades of struggle for me, but I persist), but attending the rehearsals is an eye-opener. Same goes for music rehearsals.
NYC has more dance, musical, and theatrical venues than any city in the world. If you give those things a try, it's your place to go for an interesting time and a fun dinner out somewhere.
An interesting podcast below about Americans working past "conventional" retirement age. The first half praises the personal and productivity value of working at least until 70, and the second part has somebody claiming that a later retirement age turns mature adults into slaves.
There is no free lunch. I tend towards working until one can no longer work, but I get some pushback from that view. If I retired, I really do not see what good I would add to the world, to my family, or to my finances. I hate the idea of feeling useless, put out to pasture. However, I have seen lives blossom in retirement, but more often I have seen lives shrink and shrivel in retirement. There can be a tendency for regression. Remember, retirement (government savings plans, social security) is a recent invention, from the 1880s by Otto von Bismarck in Germany.
Sure, to save Social Security (SS is a fait accompli), I'd gladly move "the conventional age" to 70 or 72 rather than, as it is now, the maximum. People live longer and healthier than in the past, and thus have more to offer, and longer. Retirement is not an entitlement. SS is. Of course, despite SS, anybody can work as long as they choose.
Part 1 of Kenneth Clark's BBC Civilization series. My favorite line: "These buildings are not wigwams." This series was a big hit when I was young.
Included in this section are Vikings, Celts, Christian history, how the cross became a Christian symbol around the year 1000, the Moslem invasions of Europe, Charlemagne, and art. Years ago, we traveled to Skellig Michael partly inspired by Clark.
A commenter says "I shudder to imagine what a 2017 remake of a series about Western Civilisation would be like."
The protagonist is a 12th C English stonemason who travels to France to learn about the new design fad we now know as Gothic. Besides the architecture, there's a lot of novel in this novel. Good fun and a compelling portrait of 12th C England.
Last year I had a bit of spare cash burning a hole in my pocket, so instead of a second exotic spousal trip we decided to do a little work on ye olde homestead (it is, indeed, an old farmhouse, 1820) to enjoy as we begin to experience a touch of grey.
Not a large project, but everything is complex in an old rambling firetrap of a place. You have to make some steps. We combined two small bedrooms into one gracious one, and added 14' to the upstairs (while expanding the kitchen workspace downstairs) for a walk-in closet and space to put an upstairs washer and drier.
Not a big deal, really, but why we put off putting that washer and drier upstairs for all of these years seems crazy to me. Sure could have used it when the kids were little. It feels sinfully luxurious but I think I earned it. GE machines, ok but maybe not the best.
The plumbing was a little complex, of course. Plaster walls.
Arguably the best hike in the USA are the trails down - and back up - the Grand Canyon. It's the only way to see the Grand Canyon up close and personal. The hike up takes twice as long as the hike down, roughly. It's not too challenging but it is glorious.
We did it 12 years ago and stayed 2 nites at the rustic Phantom Ranch on the riverbank. That's the way to do it. That first cold beer at the bottom is the best beer in the world even if it's Bud Lite in a can. The food there is great, thanks to the mules who carry everything down and up all day. Phantom Ranch has some cabins, 4 dorms, and a wonderful mess hall.
It's not a hike for young kids, and it's a hike for spring or fall - not summer. Too hot. One handy service they have is that they will take a duffel bag down for you on mules, and back up when you leave. Thus all you need to hike with is a daypack with water and snacks.
When you're out there, why not hop over to Sedona for some easy hiking in red rock country? Lots of pleasant hikes, few of the basic ones long or arduous:
That principle even applies to progressive types too. Some examples:
- People demand that their own kids go to school every day and learn things. - People demand that their kids work and become independent - People force themselves to conserve assets and not to be reckless - People do not welcome strangers into their homes - People demand that their families be law-abiding and respectful - People demand perfect behavior, appropriate dress, and positive achievements of their kids
I guess I could go on and on, but it's interesting how our conservative, bourgeois expectations can dissipate the further people are from us.
Prof. Peterson nails it at the Oxford Union. There is really nothing more to be said on the topic. As he sagely observes, there are few "solutions" in life - just trade-offs.