Danny the Papillon/Chihuahua mix says to tell you that he has no need for training classes. He already has me and my wife behaving perfectly. Love your post. Sounds like a great life.
Economic chaos is transitory, and I tend not to be concerned about it, but there's a tiny bit of stress this time because the sudden demise of my lead client is about to put a big dent in my income -- and finding new clients at 70 in this environment may be a tad challenging. But I'm not losing sleep.
Thank you for pointing this out, Dick. When a guiding light like Jonathan departs an online forum like this one, it's inevitable that the forum will change. The longer a poster has been a member of the forum, the more disconcerting and even distressing the changes will be, and it is inevitable that some members will step away. It is the nature of the medium. But yes, it is striking how many of those no longer contributing are female, and it's a worthy issue for discussion. I hope those who have ceased to post are still keeping an eye on this neighborhood and might return when they find it comfortable again.
Mark, I'd say more committed than ever. The sudden drop in my cash flow makes me even happier that I have all that money in my accounts instead of stuck in the walls of my house. My pal ChatGPT ran some rough calculations for me last night that indicated I can still live 'till I die on my nest egg without tapping my home equity to pay the bills, and that pleases me greatly. I should also add that the dropoff in my income was not unanticipated, even if the loss of this particular client is a surprise. I have long expected the gradual deterioration of my outdated business model (along with my outdated lower back) and planned accordingly.
Dick, many of the "services available to supplement" the retirement of low-income seniors have been cut or made less accessible. Again I urge you to get out into your community and converse with the folks at senior centers and elder housing facilities. I think you still have an unrealistic view of just how difficult it is out there in America.
I'm sorta dealing with it now. I haven't been anybody's employee for 30 years, just a part-time contractor/consultant, but my lead client suddenly got some bad news and will likely shut down by the end of the week. I've just lost about half of my income, but I've got some savings, plus Social Security, Medicare and no kids to feed. Nearly 100 people are about to lose 100% of their income, and many of them don't have a cushion. It won't be fun looking for a job with decent health insurance benefits in this madhouse of a country right now. I feel sorry for them, much more than myself. The shock is that it can happen so fast. There was zero indication this was possible when I left for my vacation a couple of weeks ago.
Guns won't do most people much good in terms of food acquisition unless they are robbing their neighbors (for Twinkies). Hunting isn't exactly a widespread skill in modern society, and I don't think cows and chickens will just wander into my yard to be harvested. I do hope somebody hunts down the dog next door, but it won't be me.
Bruce, I think you're shopping for the wrong thing at Costco. In the case of the crisis scenario you have portrayed, I'd rather have food on hand than gold. You can't eat gold, and you may or may not be able to use it to buy food -- it's not a commonly used form of currency. My disaster preparedness is in my pantry, not my home safe. In all seriousness, my family has had experience with this situation -- they were locked down with no warning in Wuhan when the pandemic broke out. They had plenty of currency and jewelry, but no access to food acquisition. It was a long, miserable three months.
Comments
Danny the Papillon/Chihuahua mix says to tell you that he has no need for training classes. He already has me and my wife behaving perfectly. Love your post. Sounds like a great life.
Post: Wrapping It Up
Link to comment from March 27, 2026
Economic chaos is transitory, and I tend not to be concerned about it, but there's a tiny bit of stress this time because the sudden demise of my lead client is about to put a big dent in my income -- and finding new clients at 70 in this environment may be a tad challenging. But I'm not losing sleep.
Post: Any concern?
Link to comment from March 27, 2026
Thank you for pointing this out, Dick. When a guiding light like Jonathan departs an online forum like this one, it's inevitable that the forum will change. The longer a poster has been a member of the forum, the more disconcerting and even distressing the changes will be, and it is inevitable that some members will step away. It is the nature of the medium. But yes, it is striking how many of those no longer contributing are female, and it's a worthy issue for discussion. I hope those who have ceased to post are still keeping an eye on this neighborhood and might return when they find it comfortable again.
Post: Where are the ladies?
Link to comment from March 25, 2026
Amen.
Post: Where are the ladies?
Link to comment from March 25, 2026
Mark, I'd say more committed than ever. The sudden drop in my cash flow makes me even happier that I have all that money in my accounts instead of stuck in the walls of my house. My pal ChatGPT ran some rough calculations for me last night that indicated I can still live 'till I die on my nest egg without tapping my home equity to pay the bills, and that pleases me greatly. I should also add that the dropoff in my income was not unanticipated, even if the loss of this particular client is a surprise. I have long expected the gradual deterioration of my outdated business model (along with my outdated lower back) and planned accordingly.
Post: America Doesn’t Just Do Layoffs. It’s Fallen in Love With Them
Link to comment from March 18, 2026
Dick, many of the "services available to supplement" the retirement of low-income seniors have been cut or made less accessible. Again I urge you to get out into your community and converse with the folks at senior centers and elder housing facilities. I think you still have an unrealistic view of just how difficult it is out there in America.
Post: Retirement in America is not a pretty picture…and not getting better.
Link to comment from March 18, 2026
I'm sorta dealing with it now. I haven't been anybody's employee for 30 years, just a part-time contractor/consultant, but my lead client suddenly got some bad news and will likely shut down by the end of the week. I've just lost about half of my income, but I've got some savings, plus Social Security, Medicare and no kids to feed. Nearly 100 people are about to lose 100% of their income, and many of them don't have a cushion. It won't be fun looking for a job with decent health insurance benefits in this madhouse of a country right now. I feel sorry for them, much more than myself. The shock is that it can happen so fast. There was zero indication this was possible when I left for my vacation a couple of weeks ago.
Post: America Doesn’t Just Do Layoffs. It’s Fallen in Love With Them
Link to comment from March 18, 2026
Guns won't do most people much good in terms of food acquisition unless they are robbing their neighbors (for Twinkies). Hunting isn't exactly a widespread skill in modern society, and I don't think cows and chickens will just wander into my yard to be harvested. I do hope somebody hunts down the dog next door, but it won't be me.
Post: Why Marlboro Gold is better Than Gold
Link to comment from March 12, 2026
You don't have to barter if you already have what you need. Canned stuff, beans and rice last longer than tobacco.
Post: Why Marlboro Gold is better Than Gold
Link to comment from March 12, 2026
Bruce, I think you're shopping for the wrong thing at Costco. In the case of the crisis scenario you have portrayed, I'd rather have food on hand than gold. You can't eat gold, and you may or may not be able to use it to buy food -- it's not a commonly used form of currency. My disaster preparedness is in my pantry, not my home safe. In all seriousness, my family has had experience with this situation -- they were locked down with no warning in Wuhan when the pandemic broke out. They had plenty of currency and jewelry, but no access to food acquisition. It was a long, miserable three months.
Post: Why I Own Gold Bars
Link to comment from March 12, 2026