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Reflections on City-Data after seven years of participation:
I feel like participation in City-Data - not just in the Retirement Forum but in a variety of other general forums - gives one a slice of life view that one would never be likely to get just from one's own friends, acquaintances, neighbors, family, and colleagues. The net is simply cast more widely here, geographically, occupationally, and in every other sense. Almost every point of view is represented sooner or later, and many people are more willing to bare their inner feelings because of the anonymity. Some of the more striking discoveries I have made:
1. There are people who have a well thought out philosophical position that procreation is immoral because the new life created will certainly undergo some suffering and it is immoral to create the conditions for suffering. Those folks are quite content with the thought of the human race going extinct in the near term. I disagree strongly.
2. I have been surprised at the number of "men are the enemy" women. If I had encountered just one or two I would say to myself, well, there are always some strange extremists out there. But it's hard to wrap my mind around the shear number. (I hasten to add that MOST female posters on City-Data do not belong to that tribe of angry women. It's just that the tribe is more numerous than I would have thought.)
3. I have always been aware of the existence of near total estrangement between parents and adult children because I have one uncle (now deceased) and cousin (his son) in that condition. But again, it's the numbers which have surprised me here. A thread in this Retirement Forum has attracted so many folks who express gratitude in having a place to share their intense pain on the issue. The amount of pain in their stories boggles the mind.
4. My reading over the years about introversion and extroversion taught me a long time ago that some people need a lot of alone time to recharge their batteries and prefer socializing with one or two people at a time, while others get their energy from interacting with large groups and do not particularly enjoy or value time alone. What I have learned to my amazement on City-Data is the extreme nature of the aversion to human interaction on the part of a few, to the extent that they seek out self-checkout lines at supermarkets to avoid checking out with a human cashier. They even avoid stores lacking the self-checkout lines.
5. It is a sorrow to note the amount of free-floating hostility and anger in people who lash out at others instead of agreeing to disagree.
6. And finally it is heart-warming to note the many wonderful people who have gained wisdom with their years and who are full of good will toward others and a desire to be helpful. They counter-balance all the others and at the end of the day, they make participation here worthwhile.
PhxBarb: Sounds like the actual move was a grind. Terrible about those movers who you paid but never showed. Hard to know who would do that. And that mortgage company!!
But, it sounds like you have found "your spot"! I am happy for you. I hope your move brings much enjoyment to you. Let us know how things are going!!
Does anyone here have any information/wisdom you would share with me regarding debt consolidation? At this point I can only do the minimum payments which really does almost nothing to reduce the debt.
Anyone at all familiar with Nerd Wallet? Or perhaps know of a better way to consolidate?
Yes, this is a financial question but I am 75 and retired. I am hoping to get the wisdom from someone who might have gone through this upsetting situation or perhaps knows of someone who did.
I have been absent for a few months, but I am alive and kicking.
My 60th came and went, and starting last month the slow gradual transition to RETIREMENT has begun. I now work just a 4 day work week. It wasn't that easy, but Officer Clark - through his union and the university - cut my hours down to just barely over 30 per week. This means I am still "full time" and retain all my benefits like health insurance and paid days off. When I drop below 30, if I choose to continue working I will be considered part time. That will probably happen sometime next year.
NYGal, if you are 75 ... my thought is you shouldn't worry about debt consolidation. Just my opinion. I could be wrong. My inclination would be, at age 75, just pay the minimum ... and don't worry about it.
NYGal, look at your state for debt consolidation. I think most states do that sort of thing through local offices. Not 100% sure but that's what I always heard.
Does anyone here have any information/wisdom you would share with me regarding debt consolidation? At this point I can only do the minimum payments which really does almost nothing to reduce the debt.
Anyone at all familiar with Nerd Wallet? Or perhaps know of a better way to consolidate?
Yes, this is a financial question but I am 75 and retired. I am hoping to get the wisdom from someone who might have gone through this upsetting situation or perhaps knows of someone who did.
Thank you!
Be careful as you try to work this out and as someone else suggested seek public agency help. There are to many companies and sorts wanting to give you a supposed fix so they can profit off of you. I know you have posted many times here so I have a sense of your situation etc. It is a difficult challenge facing many seniors and some would say a crisis in the making. One of the challenges one can face in retirement is that pay raises, promotions and new jobs stop and your ability to grow you income can cease. That eliminates for many the ability to get out of debt by earning more.
I see that you posted this on St. Patrick's Day. My wife and I always get dressed in green from head to toe and spend St. Patrick's Day at an Irish Pub in whatever city we happen to be in at the time. This year we went to Coral Gables and ended up making the local NBC newscast when the reporter set up for her live broadcast next to our table. Here's a link to the video of us being "interviewed." (Note: I don't know how much longer the link will be active, as I doubt the news station will keep the story on its website much longer.)
Haven't heard from Meo lately. Wonder if she is on her trip to Tennessee. Looking forward to hearing from her.
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