On My Mind

Kindle won't even come on at times. That's okay, I've lots to do!

Testing....I could not post just now....Sorry Gershun.

I like movies as a distraction. Just rented "Bohemian Rhapsody". (Warning to not read if you haven't seen it yet.) Felt such sadness, then respect for their talent. Mostly felt glad that Freddy woke up and fired those who were taking advantage and got back with the band. There's some message there about realizing who you are and what is important. Anyway, that is what is on my mind today.

Here in the U.S. the government tells you what you are going to get in retirement,
then spends a whole lot of time notifying you how they are taking it away, bit by bit.

CW back in the golden years when I was actually making some money - ah me sigh - I remember reading a sweet and friendly note from Her Majesty's Inland Revenue explaining Class IV National Insurance contributions. These were chargeable on people's "excess" income, they said, and although you didn't get any extra benefits or entitlements by paying them you were contributing to the nation's welfare overall. So that was a happy thought. Well done me.

Our tax people, credit where it's due, I have always found delightful to deal with as people. They are polite and helpful and - as long as they don't think you're trying to pull a fast one - sympathetic.

If you ever want to start a really exciting fight, get some public sector employees and some private sector employees and some self-employed people in the same room, find a safe place to stand, and say "final salary pensions!"

Some questions are better left alone. I have answered a few like that.

I recently got a statement telling me how much Canada Pension I'd be getting if I qualified today, I'll be living the good life with an extra 250 bucks each month. Makes me think I should have just immersed myself in the underground economy and invested my contributions instead. What has always annoyed me is that contributions are based on earnings so the poor get to retire poor too, they can't top up even if they come into some money along the way. If all I had was CPP, OAS and the Supplement for low income I'd be so screwed.

DeeAnna, lost posts are the reason some of us asked for the "needs answers" feature. If the question is something that you feel needs attention then you can bump it up, but sometimes there are questions that are incomplete, nonsensical or not appropriate to the forum that are better left alone.

And what do we call an investment scheme where the money collected from current subscribers is not invested but in fact is used to pacify earlier investors? Yes, correct, a pyramid scheme.

When companies do that sort of thing we get very cross and send their CEOs to jail. When governments do it, and in our case have been at it for over a hundred years, we call it national insurance.

This is online:
Currently, the full benefit age is 66 years and 2 months for people born in 1955, and it will gradually rise to 67 for those born in 1960 or later. Early retirement benefits will continue to be available at age 62, but they will be reduced more.
What is the Social Security Retirement Age? | National ...

Smeshque,

For me to collect SS I have to be 74 yrs old. The SS we pay in now goes for the people who are on SS now. I know it really doesn't make sense. So, what you are paying into SS that money is going towards those who are receiving SS right now.

CM- you are probably right, The way things go now a days.

Just for the "heck" of it, I looked at pages 2, 3, and 4 of the Forum and found 4+ postings that have NO answers or replies.   The Forum has been so busy these past couple of days that there are postings from 5-9+ hours that have never been replied to.  What can we do about this problem?  I don't want these people to feel that we don't care about them.

They'll probably just keep raising the age at which you become eligible, Smeshque.

Over here it used to be 60 for women and 65 for men. That obviously wasn't okay from a gender equality point of view, plus they raised the age for men from 65 to 68, I think it was, so then they had to even up the gap, so they started shunting cohorts of women up the scale bit by bit.

Since all this began I've rather lost track, I don't know what state pension age is now. 117, I expect.

By the year 2035, SS will be unable to pay full benefits to US residents. It will be cut by 25%.
So probably in 25 more years, maybe none.
Looking like DH and I will not be receiving and SS. I guess what we pay in now and all our working life, goes for those now.
And so the story goes......


Send-It appears Murphy has run away.
Was Al Capone the right answer? To who said, Never mistake kindness for weakness.

Did Murphy run away?

Smeshque,
Al Capone.

Countrymouse, Linda 22, Thanks so much for the information.

Here's a good link for Maine

https://www.maineparkinsonsociety.org/support-groups/

Google Parkinson's support groups - I found a couple that listed groups around the country. MJFox Foundation is a good source of information. Look for a Rock Steady program in your area. I can't say enough about how much this exercise/PT program has helped DH. I saw changes in balance, muscle strength, no shuffling...just wonderful. He's even had improvement in range of motion in his shoulder, which we'd been told might need surgery (just needed steady PT). The side benefit is an impromptu support group of people who get it.

Does anyone know of an organization that has local čhapters in the US for persons or caregivers of people with Parkinson’s? My younger brother was diagnosed about 2 months ago and we’re looking for resource information.

For those of us who are "off" anyways, we enjoy the company.

MsMadge took the day off, and she is not even in Canada!

Yay! Easter Monday! Just after Easter Sunday!

Easter Monday is kind of a weird semi holiday in Canada, some people get it off - most notably gov't offices, schools and companies with strong unions - and the rest don't.

Went back to the store for journals.
All the "S" engraved journals were gone. Too bad.

Those Canadians, get Easter Monday! One more chance to eat chocolate eggs and bunnies.

Gershun keeps reading my mind. I was in a store where they had small journals with a choice of only two different letters, engraved in gold on the cover.
I bought one, and the clerk asked if it was my initial for my name.

I explained, yes, but there are only two choices, maybe the "J" stands for Jesus?
She laughed. Asked what the other initial is? Well, it is an "S", and you know what that stands for! She then laughed much more.

Maybe I should buy that one too.....I said. It is my sister's initial. LOL.

You should Madge. I say , do things that make US happy. We deserve it, taking care of our loved ones. Like I probably said before.. being a caregiver is a job & were the boss. Do what you want. Have some fun and relief!


Unite Together

Madge,

I have thought of taking creative writing. I may one day. I do enjoy expressing myself in writing. It's therapeutic.

I was in a bookstore the other day and they have really nice journals with beautiful covers.

Aye are es?
done.

It makes you wonder 'what did we do before technology?' Oh wait...we interact with eachother! We not only enjoy the people we were around but we enjoy just what the day will bring. Remember those days when you woke up just wondering what will happen that day or who will you run into? When people actually looked at you or do I dare say--smile at you! Everybody is busy being busy.
But I have to ask...what will be these people's regrets not getting that prefect picture or that new cell phone or will it be that they missed their lives because it was stolen from them by technology and they never even knew it!!!

Gershun

you should take a creative writing class

So, hubs is not cooperating with filing taxes, he says "tomorrow".
Coachella Music Festival has his full attention.
I am not going to scream.