I am an obsessive list maker and planner. There is probably a twelve step program for this. However, my family is so disorganized that it would be disastrous if ratcheted down to normalcy in this area.
As many of you know, I'm taking a much anticipated and salivated for vacation, cum meditation retreat, on Star Island. The only way to get there is by taking a 30 minute boat ride (Dramamine is my friend). Because of the limitations of the boat, each passenger is allowed one checked bag weighing no more than 40 pounds or two checked bags weighing no more than 25 pounds each. Passengers also get one carry on.
I have been obsessing about this for several weeks now. I don't want to get to the boat check in and be told that I have to leave some stuff behind. I also don't want to be out on the remote island without everything that I'll need/want over the course of a week.
I plan to use my carry own for my meditation bench, due to its weight and the fact that I don't want it tossed around by porters. There's room in my day pack for it along with a number of other precious and special bits (camera, iPod charger, etc.)
So, I decided that today was the day that I was going to pack my new duffel bag with all the items on the current version of my packing list to see how much it weighs.
I am stoked! My packed duffel weighed in at less than twenty pounds, and I still had some room in it! Hopefully, I'll have room for my prop pillow so I can comfortably sleep on my side.
Happy dance!
Friday, July 03, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
All night market purchases
Years ago, we saw a stand up comedian do a bit about all night markets. She wondered what motivated people to go out to the market at three a.m. One night she was behind a woman who was purchasing kitty liter and Vasoline. She fought a desperate urge to ask the woman why she felt a sudden urge to purchase that combination of products in the wee hours of the morning.
While chatting with the cashier at Walmart this morning, we mentioned this story. He laughed and said that he once found himself buying condoms and road-side flares in the middle of the night at a 7 Eleven. He said he needed the condoms, but that he was happy to have stumbled on the flares and thought they might come in handy sometime. He often wondered what kind of impression his purchase made on the cashier.
I offered that it showed that he was planning a head. One item in case he got lucky, and the other in case his luck ran out.
I think I made his morning. :D
While chatting with the cashier at Walmart this morning, we mentioned this story. He laughed and said that he once found himself buying condoms and road-side flares in the middle of the night at a 7 Eleven. He said he needed the condoms, but that he was happy to have stumbled on the flares and thought they might come in handy sometime. He often wondered what kind of impression his purchase made on the cashier.
I offered that it showed that he was planning a head. One item in case he got lucky, and the other in case his luck ran out.
I think I made his morning. :D
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Neither mercy or sympathy
While it is unclear exactly how much money Bernard Madoff stole from duped investors, it has been stated that accounts opened since 1995 lost at least $13.2 billion. Diddled account statements for Madoff clients show approximately $65 billion in non-existent assets.
Leaving emotion aside (lots of those accounts were for non-profit and educational organizations who invested their endowment funds with Madoff), is it unreasonable for the government to seize all of Madoff's assets while putting him away for at least 12 years (of a potentially 150 year sentence)? The man is 71 years old. It is highly likely he will die in prison.
U.S. District Judge Denny Chin entered a preliminary order on Friday seeking a $171 billion forfeiture from Madoff. While it is doubtful that Madoff has that much in assets, his properties, holdings, and salable personal property may be in the low billions at the very least.
Madoff's lawyer, Ira Sorkin, argued that Madoff deserved credit for his voluntary surrender and full acceptance of his responsibility. He believes that the amount sought is "grossly overstated -- and misleading -- even for a case of this magnitude." He claimed that "We seek neither mercy nor sympathy." But he did ask the judge to "set aside the emotion and hysteria attendant to this case" as he determines the punishment.
While most analysts of this case call Madoff's actions a Ponzi scheme, I think history will recast the terms used. Ten years from now, when someone tries similar tactics, it will not be called a Ponzi scheme. The success of Madoff's scheme, both in amounts and time it took to uncover the house of cards, will have people calling such behavior a Madoff Scheme.
He won't need his assets where he's going. Let's try to repay all his victims. Anything left should go to the government for the administrative costs in cleaning this mess up.
Case closed.
Leaving emotion aside (lots of those accounts were for non-profit and educational organizations who invested their endowment funds with Madoff), is it unreasonable for the government to seize all of Madoff's assets while putting him away for at least 12 years (of a potentially 150 year sentence)? The man is 71 years old. It is highly likely he will die in prison.
U.S. District Judge Denny Chin entered a preliminary order on Friday seeking a $171 billion forfeiture from Madoff. While it is doubtful that Madoff has that much in assets, his properties, holdings, and salable personal property may be in the low billions at the very least.
Madoff's lawyer, Ira Sorkin, argued that Madoff deserved credit for his voluntary surrender and full acceptance of his responsibility. He believes that the amount sought is "grossly overstated -- and misleading -- even for a case of this magnitude." He claimed that "We seek neither mercy nor sympathy." But he did ask the judge to "set aside the emotion and hysteria attendant to this case" as he determines the punishment.
While most analysts of this case call Madoff's actions a Ponzi scheme, I think history will recast the terms used. Ten years from now, when someone tries similar tactics, it will not be called a Ponzi scheme. The success of Madoff's scheme, both in amounts and time it took to uncover the house of cards, will have people calling such behavior a Madoff Scheme.
He won't need his assets where he's going. Let's try to repay all his victims. Anything left should go to the government for the administrative costs in cleaning this mess up.
Case closed.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Grendel rocks!
For those who follow me on Twitter or Facebook, this is a re-run. However...
I am excessively proud of my son. He managed to pull straight A's for THE YEAR as a high school sophomore with a full College Prep schedule!
Last year was a disappointment. His grades were all over the place. Finally, near the end of the year he was diagnosed with ADD. His PCP put him on Concerta. That pretty much salvaged his finals in the nick of time last year.
He was on the medication all year this year, except for an erratic few weeks this winter, where it definitely showed its effect.
At some point he will need to learn to function productively without the medication. However, we need to make sure he develops habits that will continue without it. He's far from that just yet.
In any event: GRENDEL ROCKS!
I am excessively proud of my son. He managed to pull straight A's for THE YEAR as a high school sophomore with a full College Prep schedule!
Last year was a disappointment. His grades were all over the place. Finally, near the end of the year he was diagnosed with ADD. His PCP put him on Concerta. That pretty much salvaged his finals in the nick of time last year.
He was on the medication all year this year, except for an erratic few weeks this winter, where it definitely showed its effect.
At some point he will need to learn to function productively without the medication. However, we need to make sure he develops habits that will continue without it. He's far from that just yet.
In any event: GRENDEL ROCKS!
Monday, June 22, 2009
What's worse than finding a dead mouse in your basement?
How about six dead mice in the space of about three days? How about not finding whole mice, but finding just the back half? How about finding one of those halves in the washing machine as you are removing the clean clothes to the dryer?
My younger cat is doing his duty. After years of playing with toy mice, he has graduated up to real mice. (Though he did catch a mouse when he was only a couple of months old.) We think that the mice are coming in to avoid the constant wet outside after three weeks of rain.
We have found vomit with mouse parts. We have also found rear ends (tummy, feet, and tail). We haven't seen any heads or front legs. He must like those.
Yuck! :D
My younger cat is doing his duty. After years of playing with toy mice, he has graduated up to real mice. (Though he did catch a mouse when he was only a couple of months old.) We think that the mice are coming in to avoid the constant wet outside after three weeks of rain.
We have found vomit with mouse parts. We have also found rear ends (tummy, feet, and tail). We haven't seen any heads or front legs. He must like those.
Yuck! :D
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