December 23, 2024
Good morning! Happy Holy Days!
As if conquest, bloodshed, famine, and death weren’t enough, the Brits are running low on Guinness! (Partial nod to John)According to Google Analytics, Minnesotans do not crave nor do they bake fruity/ nutty Christmas cookies — nor classic cookies (whatever they are) — nor chocolate, but rather…… we fall under the category of Festive… whatever that means. Our Christmas Eve tray, courtesy of our meticulous, loving, in-home baker who has been doing this for 50+ years — will feature more than a dozen Festive Varieties.
So, I guess that makes us normal, or typical, or average, or somewhat consistent with the data.
- Remember that old mnemonic device they taught us in Grade #8?
- P.I.T.I.?
- Principal — Interest — Taxes — Insurance?
- Have we reached the point at which it should be T.I.P.I.?
- Because, my friends, the taxes and insurance on a home might be approaching amounts greater than the principal and interest portion of a mortgage.
- Do the math… we are at the tipping point and beyond from this anecdotal corner of the world.
- In 2025, the taxes and insurance on our home will be greater than the mortgage payment itself.
- Fear: When did it prevent you from doing your job — or a better job — or your best work?
- I once was in the room when a very successful CEO told the small group, “You had better know what makes you afraid.”
- That was ten or more years ago and I’ve thought about his comment a lot because it was so unusual — and a bit eerie… weird, even.
- It continues to gnaw at me, especially his vulnerability in expressing it —
- (vulnerability was not yet the de rigueur positive attribute it is today)
- — and then realizing gradually how very, very true it is…
- … and how devastating the consequences of being unaware could be.
- Half the people my age are either dead or retired — and the other half aren’t.
- Our society doesn’t really have a definition nor a rite of passage for retirement.
- One thing appears certain: You stop getting paid.
- Which for the most part is not a good thing.
- I’ve often looked longingly at those early morning Coffee Clubs convened daily at thousands of McDonald’s restaurants, especially in rural areas.
- The members of each Club are admitted based on having done some real work of some kind for a half century or more.
- (Sorry, they are also 99%+ male; I don’t do the sociologies, just report them.)
- Experience is chiseled on each face — as are confidence and resolve, sometimes resignation, occasionally anger.
- And, it helps if you are able to come up with a smart-ass remark from time to time… and, if you lean to the right when making the remark.
- I don’t know where the left-leaners convene their early morning Club meetings?
- The members of each Club are admitted based on having done some real work of some kind for a half century or more.
- Are you looking to be on the cutting-edge of competition for a share of the world’s next big opportunities.
- We will quote Bradley, Etc., et al., experts on the topic, but not right now because readership will be down this week due to the holy days; next week and beyond.
- Could you name a half-dozen of them? A dozen? Two dozen?
- Here’s a teaser, or as they say, a trailer: Robotics — Cybersecurity — Batteries… stay tuned.
