Covid19 Spare time

KARNUT · April 11, 2021

Saturday morning my wife shared her day's list of tasks along with her running record of things that need to get done before borders and travel open up. In turn, I shared my list which was to go to Walmart and buy air & cabin filters for the truck. This contrast in expressed workload/responsibilities would have sounded hilarious to the untrained ear. We may have different ways of dealing with issues but we both had very busy days. The amount of daily routines, chores and obligations we expect of ourselves can be overwhelming. I like to think of at least one thing I will enjoy and focus on it for the day. Sometimes, I have to do a helluva lot of stuff to make time to achieve my target but I strive to keep my goals achievable. I say all of this to get back to the topic of retirement. Don't ignore or postpone planning for it just because it is so far away, or your financial needs are immediate, or you think you don't have the time. Move on it today!

One of the joys of retirement is it doesn’t have to be done today. That makes doing the task fun and not work. If it can’t be done between 7-noon. It’s tomorrow’s task. 12 on is me time.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Donstar · April 12, 2021

"Me time" takes on different forms, for me, and I don't have to be alone to enjoy

23 hours ago, KARNUT said:

One of the joys of retirement is it doesn’t have to be done today. That makes doing the task fun and not work. If it can’t be done between 7-noon. It’s tomorrow’s task. 12 on is me time.

Me (we) time is a huge part of retirement and perhaps this gave us an advantage during the initial Covid19 lockdowns. When I was at the "peak" of my career my biggest personal responsibility was to get myself to work every morning rested and ready. Once I was in the building, other factors consumed my time until I needed to go home and refresh myself to report to work the next day. My work took up the most profitable stage of my physical and mental abilities. After 3-4 decades of this, I was rewarded with a tired body, comfortable pension and a lot of additional "me time". I initially replaced my workday with other work type projects around the house. By the time the lock downs came, my "me time" agenda was filled. I never feel bored or experience, "having nothing to do".

KARNUT · April 12, 2021

"Me time" takes on different forms, for me, and I don't have to be alone to enjoy
Me (we) time is a huge part of retirement and perhaps this gave us an advantage during the initial Covid19 lockdowns. When I was at the "peak" of my career my biggest personal responsibility was to get myself to work every morning rested and ready. Once I was in the building, other factors consumed my time until I needed to go home and refresh myself to report to work the next day. My work took up the most profitable stage of my physical and mental abilities. After 3-4 decades of this, I was rewarded with a tired body, comfortable pension and a lot of additional "me time". I initially replaced my workday with other work type projects around the house. By the time the lock downs came, my "me time" agenda was filled. I never feel bored or experience, "having nothing to do".

Working in a family business is a different animal. Just like being self employed. 12 hours a day was average. You never stop working really. Especially when the wife is a part of the business. I probably worked 70 years at 50. If 8 hours a day is considered a work day. Not complaining, lucky really. I retired at 58. Got a great partner going on 57 years. Me time is we time too. Although we are quite different in some ways. Life isn’t boring ever.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Grumpy Bear · April 13, 2021

12 hours ago, Donstar said:

"Me time" takes on different forms, for me, and I don't have to be alone to enjoy

Me (we) time is a huge part of retirement and perhaps this gave us an advantage during the initial Covid19 lockdowns. When I was at the "peak" of my career my biggest personal responsibility was to get myself to work every morning rested and ready. Once I was in the building, other factors consumed my time until I needed to go home and refresh myself to report to work the next day. My work took up the most profitable stage of my physical and mental abilities. After 3-4 decades of this, I was rewarded with a tired body, comfortable pension and a lot of additional "me time". I initially replaced my workday with other work type projects around the house. By the time the lock downs came, my "me time" agenda was filled. I never feel bored or experience, "having nothing to do".

I chuckled when I read this. I couldn't tell you how many times I've told people that I read the definition of boredom with the words meaningless to me. I've never felt bored a second of my life. And I've never needed 'motivation' from an external source.

A nine year old explained to me once that boredom is just the state of being 'not entertained'. Pretty smart for a girl that age.

My mind is way to inquisitive and active for that sort of thing. Caught myself while frying eggs this morning tranced watching the albumen solidify and the steam painting a pattern on the skillets curve. Steam? The albumen is 90% water. I did not know that. Now I do. Inquisitive watchfulness. Some time, under some circumstance that will become a useful thing to know.

Schooling did not teach me this. My parents did not teach me this. God taught me this skill. The Bible is not the only book God wrote. His works of Creation I find fascinating.

Proverbs 6:6-11(Byington)

Go to an ant, idler,

see its courses and become wise:

It, that has no chieftain,

marshal, nor ruler,

Lays in its food in summer,

gets its provisions packed away in harvesttime.

How long will you lie abed, idler?

when will you get up from your sleep?

A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding your arms to lie abed—

And your poverty shall come like a prowler

and your want like a man under arms.

School just taught me how to articulate my observations, measure them, make sense of them, share them.

Donstar · April 14, 2021

On 4/12/2021 at 8:19 PM, Grumpy Bear said:

I chuckled when I read this. I couldn't tell you how many times I've told people that I read the definition of boredom with the words meaningless to me. I've never felt bored a second of my life. And I've never needed 'motivation' from an external source.

A nine year old explained to me once that boredom is just the state of being 'not entertained'. Pretty smart for a girl that age.

Some words spark a strong reaction. I worked in the elementary school system and found some children would use the expression, "I'm bored" to define every moment there weren't clowns present. Around my house when I was growing up you wouldn't try claiming boredom more than once. My father had layers upon layers of "activities" to combat idle hands. I passed the knowledge on to my own children that the remedy for boredom isn't always fun!

Grumpy Bear · April 14, 2021

47 minutes ago, Donstar said:

Some words spark a strong reaction. I worked in the elementary school system and found some children would use the expression, "I'm bored" to define every moment there weren't clowns present. Around my house when I was growing up you wouldn't try claiming boredom more than once. My father had layers upon layers of "activities" to combat idle hands. I passed the knowledge on to my own children that the remedy for boredom isn't always fun!

Boredom in a dictionary doesn't provide much in the way of definition directly but I find Oxfords list of similar word or phrases more telling. Lack of interest. Lack of enthusiasm. Lack of concern. Oh and one I've never run across, ennui:

a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement

It would seem that boredom is the habit of a person who feels the need to be catered to or an least center stage. The habit of a child like one. Not that I'm right about this but rather expressing what it appears to be.

In adults it seemed to me to be more the inability to distinguish the difference between external and internal motive.

Something that happens upon people who need a 'reason' instead of 'feeling a duty' to do this or than. They, externally motivated people, cut the grass because of 'what the neighbor's might think' or what the home owners association might require or because the are getting paid to do so. They take no pleasure in it or derive any satisfaction in the finished job. It's just a job.

The internally motivated person does it because of the joy they receive looking at a task well done. This person may do his neighbors grass who is under the weather as a favor never meant to be repaid or his parents from a sense of duty, a debt that can not be repaid. Often putting more effort into it than they do their own.

When I hire a task done I know which person I'd rather have do the job.

I wonder....can this be taught? I would expect only to the humble or those trained from youth by example more so than instruction.

Anyway...morning coffee is getting cold. Thank you for your company.

KARNUT · April 14, 2021

Some words spark a strong reaction. I worked in the elementary school system and found some children would use the expression, "I'm bored" to define every moment there weren't clowns present. Around my house when I was growing up you wouldn't try claiming boredom more than once. My father had layers upon layers of "activities" to combat idle hands. I passed the knowledge on to my own children that the remedy for boredom isn't always fun!

I started working at 12 years old. We wanted money we had to work. Chores around the house were obligations, no allowances. I grew up in the farm country in New Jersey. At 16 I worked on an egg farm. Getting to work via bicycle I bought. I was lucky when I hit high school they tried split session so 6-12. At 17 I worked at a gas station for a few months. One day my father drove up and said come to work for him. Something I never considered. I started as a fueler and greaser. At the bottom. After graduating I started operating heavy equipment. A terex ts-24 was the first one. Tracks or rubber I’ve run them all. The hardest was a dragline. Never mastered the art of fine grading with a D-3 cat on building pads. Moving to Texas in 78. In 82 rejoining the new family business until retirement. Boredom, never had the time. There’s always something to do or see. I even did Uber for awhile after retirement. Figured if I wanted to drive around. Let someone else pay for it. That was interesting. I thought people were strange. That confirmed it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

aseibel · April 19, 2021

Finally knocked out another project. When we bought the house, it only had the deck. You were trapped up there and had to go through the house to get out on the lower patio. I installed the landing and stairs, so now the kids have an easier path to the trampoline and sandbox. (Great for tracking sand into the kitchen)

Trex decking and Trex signature aluminum railing. It looks nice, but not cheap stuff. Just this flight of stairs cost me about $4k in materials. I can't imaging having to pay a builder to do this, I spent 4+ weekends on it and had some family help lift the stringers into place.

Grumpy Bear · April 19, 2021

52 minutes ago, aseibel said:

Trex decking and Trex signature aluminum railing. It looks nice, but not cheap stuff. Just this flight of stairs cost me about $4k in materials. I can't imaging having to pay a builder to do this, I spent 4+ weekends on it and had some family help lift the stringers into place.

You did a nice job!

We hired out and used a similar product to refurbish our decks a few years ago. They used plastic over wood railings instead of alloy thought. Anyway, the floor planks are doing what PVC products do in the heat...warp. Pulling up nails Areas that were screwed down are fine. The plastic decorative accents lasting about a year. Ice got to them.

Edited April 19, 2021 by Grumpy Bear

aseibel · April 19, 2021

2 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

the floor planks are doing what PVC products do in the heat...warp. Pulling up nails Areas that were screwed down are fine. The plastic decorative accents lasting about a year. Ice got to them.

Thanks Grumpy.

I've seen some plastic decking with the hollow extruded profile, those are far too flimsy. This Trex is solid, so it holds its shape much better. It doesn't wave in between the joists even with 16" OC. Everything is screwed down. I really like the deck, but just lamenting how much it costs compared to the last one I built entirely out of treated lumber. But all material costs have shot up so much...

Grumpy Bear · April 19, 2021

4 minutes ago, aseibel said:

Thanks Grumpy.

I've seen some plastic decking with the hollow extruded profile, those are far too flimsy. This Trex is solid, so it holds its shape much better. It doesn't wave in between the joists even with 16" OC. Everything is screwed down. I really like the deck, but just lamenting how much it costs compared to the last one I built entirely out of treated lumber. But all material costs have shot up so much...

This stuff we used is a composite pvc/sawdust center in a vinyl casing. Looks(ed) nice.

Wood prices are off the hook right now. Just heard on the evening news a story that a sheet of plywood that pre-COVID was $14 a sheet is now $55 sheet and the big wood boys are refusing to talk to congress about it. :crackup:

Locally they are rationing plywood to builders to something like 20 sheets. That is a lot of homes stalled in mid build. Gas local is up over 25%. First time I've seen E-85 actually 30% cheaper than 87 in my area.

Donstar · April 19, 2021

Very nicely done! My in-laws have an upper deck w/o stairs and have a dog. They have to go through the house with the dog every time he needs out. This was particularly comical when they were puppy training. It was amusing for me because my brother-in law was a builder by trade and a fix like yours would be well within his abilities. BTW Is the water feature natural or added as part of the development? We have a subdivision in town that was based around a small lake made specifically for the project. It is a beautiful spot and improves with age!

aseibel · April 19, 2021

6 hours ago, Donstar said:

Very nicely done! My in-laws have an upper deck w/o stairs and have a dog. They have to go through the house with the dog every time he needs out. This was particularly comical when they were puppy training. It was amusing for me because my brother-in law was a builder by trade and a fix like yours would be well within his abilities. BTW Is the water feature natural or added as part of the development? We have a subdivision in town that was based around a small lake made specifically for the project. It is a beautiful spot and improves with age!

The water is a detention pond only. It never fully drains since its deeper than the ground water level. So the frogs and a pair of ducks call it home.

Donstar · April 20, 2021

16 hours ago, aseibel said:

The water is a detention pond only. It never fully drains since its deeper than the ground water level. So the frogs and a pair of ducks call it home.

I just spent time learning about retention and detention ponds! Very interesting. There are some incredibly creative ways urban areas have employed to manage excess run-off. Ponds range from a beautiful water feature to an ugly pit. Ducks calling your pond home means it is on the beautiful end of the spectrum!

aseibel · April 20, 2021

2 minutes ago, Donstar said:

Ponds range from a beautiful water feature to an ugly pit. Ducks calling your pond home means it is on the beautiful end of the spectrum!

It's shocking what thrives in basically waste water run-off from the streets. I don't know how much salt gets in there from winter ice melting, but it is definitely present in the water.

Due to the elongated shape of my lot, I have over 100' of frontage, which is the most of all my neighbors. Last year when the quarantine started I spent about 1 hour a day cutting down the willowy brush that had sprouted along the banks so I have a clear view from my deck. If the other neighbors let that stuff keep growing, it will block their houses from view and it will fell like I have a private pond. Some mornings it will be a pair of geese. Yesterday I saw a single swan out there, but opening the patio door to get a photo scared him off.

It is excellent as an ice rink in the winter months. I shared snow clearing duties with a couple other dads and we had good skating for nearly 6 weeks this year.