Manana!

Ahhhhhh....it may be hard to imagine but a retired person can still be a successful procrastinator! Even without the press of other business, I have been avoiding reorganizing my office space.

My primary excuse has been that since I have to remove stuff so I can move it around and there's really no place to move it to, how can I even get started?

But Cathy has given me an ultimatum to clear space for her scrapbooking project, so I gots to be doin' it!

I moved a bunch of paper from the shelf under the window and the table next to my desk onto the guest bed, but it doesn't seem to have helped much. What is it that rushes in to fill a vacuum? Well, paper and stuff do that in the office!

We did discover a bunch of stuff we hadn't known was there: some printer paper, a set of computer speakers, a CD with soup kitchen stuff on it from 2005, etc.!

Here's what I have to do:

Go through the paperbacks in the closet bookcase and donate most of them to the Four Seasons library. Then I can put hardware items (keyboards, mice, a laptop with Win 3.1 on it, extra routers, etc.) in that book case and get them off the table and out from under it.

Then I will reorganize the main bookcases. Probably store some of my "prized" textbooks somewhere. (I keep them just in case Sara ever says, "Grandpa, what's a transistor?") I want to make some free space in the bookcase behind me, just for tossing stuff. Then I can use the table top for incoming mail, bills, tools, etc.(and my USB turntable -- gotta get back to the vinyl-to-digital project!).

Next comes the other bookcase and the cabinet under it. Don't even remember what's in that cabinet!!!

But for now I think I'll just see if I can't get rid of some paperbacks.

Boxes! I forgot boxes!! I probably have never thrown out a box. God forbid I have to return something I bought!! Have to have the box. Hey, I should mark each box with the date that piece of equipment's warranty expires! Then I could throw it out (actually, we recycle them).

So anyway I am procrastinating by writing this. However it did give me some resolve to do the paperbacks, so I'm off! :-)

On another note, Sara's OLPC came in yesterday and ALan wants me to check it out and bring it to them when we come up in May rather that paying to ship it. Maybe I should --- NO! NO-NO-NO!!!Paperbacks first!!

Latest Visit to Boston

We went to see Lisa, Alan, Alisa and Her Cuteness, Sara early in February so below is the usual slide show.

You'll see Sara, Sara at dance class, the Xmas presents the kids gave us old folks, Alan's crown roast, a cake for Cathy's retirement and Sara and Cathy making dessert.

And there's video below!!

Toilet Disappoints

:-( Well, the wonderful Toto toilet is not living up to its reputation as being able to flush anything organic you drop in. Had to call the plumber with a closet auger last time. It is better than the oldone but not as much as we paid.

Friday Night

S, P, C and I went to the NJ Symphony comcert last night and I was wowed by the soloist! Kyoko Takezawa played the Beethoven "Concerto in D for Violin and Orchestra" and she was fabulous! At the end of the first movement, there's a long cadenza, and the way she played, it was as if there were TWO violins playing. I don't mean the usual double-bowing where the bow hits two strings at once and the fingers play one; she was fingering two strings and playing counterpoint to herself. It was exciting!

The concert opened with a hideous number by a person still alive -- 'nuff said! -- and ended with Sibelius's "Symphony No. 2 in D, Op. 43". The conductor was an emaciated Finn with elongated arms and legs. S was reminded of "Mr. Bean"!

Cathy is enjoying retirement and has surprised herself with how quickly she has adjusted. We've been going to the gym to walk lately. She does 30 mins on the treadmill; today, I did 15 each on the treadmill and bicycle. My physical therapy is over so I'm lucky to have C "motivating" me.

B (or W, as some of you know him) is at a writing residency in Costa Rica, of all places. He's having a great time and writing like a demon. There's a link to his blog somewhere on this page.

Just discovered that AOL access -- including email accounts -- is free, and was pleased to pass that along to my fellow residents, many of whom could probably appreciate the savings.

I have a new website: another bridge club, so it's pretty simple. mounthollybridgeclub.com, to be specific.

March already! I'm looking forward to the Celtics and Bruins in the postseason, March Madness (I'm a fan of the Rutgers women's team) and, of course, the Red Sox and opening day of Major League Baseball. (Too soon to start worrying about the Patriots.)

The more I look at it, the more I like the so-called Fair Tax. "The FairTax proposal is a comprehensive plan to replace federal income and payroll taxes, including personal, gift, estate, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security/Medicare, self-employment, and
corporate taxes. The FairTax proposal integrates such features as a progressive national retail sales tax, dollar-for-dollar revenue replacement, and a rebate to ensure that no American pays such federal taxes up to the poverty level....The FairTax allows Americans to keep 100 percent of their paychecks (minus any state income taxes), ends corporate taxes and compliance costs hidden in the retail cost of goods and services, and fully funds the federal government while fulfilling the promise of Social Security and Medicare. " See fairtax.org for details. If only!!