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Anton Kuerti.
Yesterday I got some terrific news. One of the departments dealing with
the student loans I took out in college has decided to stop taking out
the large chunk of my disability check they had been taking out since
the beginning of the year to put on the loans. This is the result of my
petition for a Disability Deferment being approved last February — but
of course it took one hand of the U.S. government all this time to
realize what the other hand is doing. And it will take even more months
until the U.S. Treasury is contacted and actually stop taking the
deduction each month. Nevertheless there is some light at the end of
the tunnel. I live off of very little money. And the loan deductions
were a real hardship. Having all my check again makes the difference
between being broke all the time and actually being able to do some
extra things every once in a while. So to Uncle Sam I say: Get a move
on it, dude!
As I mentioned in an earlier post it's tough (nay impossible) to save
back money if you don't have any. But now I can realistically think
about putting a little money back. There are three main options for
using the extra money. Each of these has been brewing in my head for
a couple of months now — though before, of course, they were just a
daydream. Besides getting my full check back, I also will be able to
get about $300 by selling my old Nikon F100 and kit, which I've been
planning to do for some time now anyway.
I almost hate to mention any of these. It's been my experience that
talking about what you may call "future contingents" usually just
results in writing that you go back to later and shake your head and
say, "Ah, I never did do that." But I've decided that since I am pretty
much out of ideas for a post today anyway that I would talk about my
Big Plans For the Future, though it is probably of no interest to
anyone except myself.
Here's the list:
- Get a new flat-screen TV.
My current one is now 13 years old. It still works, but it has been
impossible to see the box scores on sports — it kinda looks like San
Diego bleah and Seattle bleah at the top of the bleah inning. And
though the old RCA was a fine TV in its day, the picture can't match
today's technology, which is significantly more clear and sharp. It
would be nice to get this as a Christmas thing. And it sure would be
nice for the Olympics coming up next February. - Buy a new laptop.
There are some big current problems with my current laptop. First, I'm
down to 1 Gig on the limited 9 Gig drive. It would of course be possible
to use an add-on drive. But that brings us to the second problem — the
box only has one USB port. So if I were to plug the add-on drive in that
would mean having to unplug it if I wanted to upload pictures from my
camera. And it gets worse. Last month the PS/2 port on the computer
stopped working. I opened up the box and tried to fix it, but it was just
too fubared. So I've been having to plug my mouse into the USB drive also.
The bottom line is that it's tough in this day and age to work off a single
USB drive. Add to that the fact that the computer is old and slow and has
way too little RAM memory, and the conclusion is that I really need a new
computer.There are some interesting deals out there — it is certainly a buyer's
market. I found a Hewlett-Packard at Tiger Direct that made my mouth
water a bit. It's reconditioned, but by doing that I would save $200
over a new model. And it's loaded. Huge drive, massive quantity of RAM,
full keyboard with numeric, a Memory Stick slot for my camera, and —
best of all — 3 USB ports. Oh yeah. Incidentally, it's identical to the HP
model they use at my doctor's office. - Take a frigging vacation.
Except for my monthly trips over to Idaho with Renee, I haven't been
out of Spokane on any type of real vacation since November 2006. It's
definitely time to get the hell out of Dodge. Trips cost a good deal of
money, and I certainly can't go anywhere I want because of that, but I
did find an interesting event in Portland next February. It's a segment
of the Portland International Piano festival with a recital by Anton
Kuerti. He will be doing Beethoven's Diabelli Variations, one of the
first pieces of classical piano music I ever listened to way back in
high-school. And not only that, but I guess Kuerti is considered to be
the leading interpreter of that work these days. Plane fare to Portland
is cheap. The big expense is the hotel, but I think that I should be
able to afford a nice room near the concert hall, such as the Hotel Lucia,
located where there would be plenty to see on foot. The Hotel Lucia
is also right next door to a Thai restaurant, and has 24-hour room
service serving Thai. Ohhhhhhhhh yesssssssssss. You know, except for
the recital, I might not even leave the hotel.
Well, knock on wood. I do know that unless some sort of miracle occurs
that I will only be able to do 2 of the 3 things on the list. I just hope that
I in fact do 1 of them.
Beethoven, Sonata in C major Op. 2, Adagio.
Anton Kuerti, pianist.
Yeah, that's kinda the way I'm leaning right now too, Darko. Although who knows what may be going through my screwy brain a couple months from now. :lol:I'm afraid I can't measure up to your shoe size. Etc. :p
Congratulations, Edward! :hat:It always feels great when you find yourself able to breathe a bit after months and years of having the belt tightened way too tight. I'm very glad for you.And it's good to see you making such wonderful plans!:up::smile::heart:
Edward, you can watch Hulu.com and see just about any TV episode of almost any series on TV, and there are many sites like that. Adobe Media Player has many shows you can watch on their player, too. Get the laptop (or a desktop) I like desktops because I can more bang for my buck with a desktop.I still owe student loan also. I got in trouble making the payments at one period and they garnished a paycheck or two. In desperation I called them and they very helpfully hooked me up with a loan consolidation from the U. S. Dept. of Education and is income contingent. My payment is now very small and this is really helpful since I, too, am living on small social security check every month.
If I am in your shoes (I hope this is correct expresion, even though I have no intention to steal your shoes – my number is 11.5) I would forget about TV and buy a new PC and go to that Portland concert. You may always buy a TV card or USB TV tuner and watch some of the programs on your PC. Well, the quality is not the same, but I don`t care too much about TVs anyway….
😀
Thanks Star! I hope it works out. :up:Hey you know among the Luxury Amenities they list at the Hotel Lucia is Get It Now button on every guest room phone for any whimsical or necessary desire.Wow, my mind is working overtime already. :p
:lol:I'll bet it is.:p
L. I'm glad you got your loan thing worked out. I know what a bear it is working with all those people, yeah?In my case I had to deal with the Federal Student Loan people, a place called EdFund who were collecting the delinquent debt, and the U.S. Treasury who officially are taking it out. My only problem with watching TV on the computer is that TV is one of the few breaks I have these days away from the computer. If you know what I mean. In fact since I got the cell I'm shutting down about 7 or 8, playing with my dog, and I do Comments on the cell as I watch TV.But you are right. There are many options available these days. I'll have to check that HULU thing out if simply out of curiosity.
Very glad to know that you're finally getting some space to move in – economically.Being able to make plans and see the plans becoming reality is vital for everybody.Good for you, man!
Definitely go on the trip. I'm going to a couple of places next year….come hell or high water. Don't know where yet. Some little place that has a beach. Would love to have a cabana boy bring me a cosmo under my umbrella protecting me from the sun.:lol: There has to be an art museum or at least little shops selling art, quaint coffee houses, a hole in the wall dive bar with someone playing the piano, junk shops with odd ball things in them….the list could go on. I know people who love to go on cruises. I would rather just fly somewhere, enjoy the scenery, museums, food, people etc., then fly home. On a cruise, I've heard all you do is eat and gain ten pounds.
@ Allan.Allan, thank you. Yes, life continues. Day to day, etc. As Regina Spector put it, "And everyone must breathe / Until their dying breath."@ Pam. How about San Diego or L.A.? They both probably have the entire list. Of course, Spain would be much better.I surfed to find you a cabana boy photo, but decided that maybe it was best to leave that to the imagination. :p
Always did like San Diego. We went many summers in a row when the kids were small. It'd certainly be a lot cheaper than Spain.
Well, no cabana boy or beach, but Fredericksburg, Texas fits the rest of your demands.
@ PamSD zoo, Sea World, Scripps — that to me would be worth it right there. @ LindaAs a matter of fact I was thinking of starting my own small business — Ed's Computer Butt Cushions. If it goes through I will send you a complimentary butt cushion. :p
Edward, I spend way too much time on the pc these days. I don't get out very often, and I am getting butt sores from sitting at this computer desk for so many hours. 😀
Thank you so much Edward. I will try out the prototype please. I really, really need this product! 😆
Well it seems I haven't even started yet and I'm backordered on my new butt pillow. :p
I sit by my computer for 8 hours at work plus few hours more at home. I am lucky to have my trainings to keep me alive :left:
+1:D
You too Dare? OK Edward Piercy. We have need of two of your butt cushions please.
How about 7 inches of regular pillow stuffing thick with an Egyptian sateen cotton cover. Which would be like my bed pillow, except smaller. Of course this is still in the concept stage so I'm willing to toss some ideas around. I probably wouldn't want to use electricity, but it sure would be nice for it to have a cooling system to keep my butt cool during long blogging sessions. .
By the way – very nice Beethoven piece!
See, you may be on to something lucrative there. If you make it with the gel filling, or the microbeads, it would feel pretty satisfying to MY behind. Bet it would to Dare too. My desk chair is cushioned, but it ain't enough.
Yeah, but you have to think of your butt, Star. You don't want it to suffer, do you?
Definitely not, Star. Piercy Butt Pillows may save the world from a pandemic of hemorrhoids.
Glad you liked it Allan. Do you have any requests on the butt pillow idea? :p
Put me down for one, too.Wait…. Those things are starting to sound expensive.:lol:
😆
A little suffering never hurt anybody.Wait….:D
You'll see….your butt too will get aged and need comfort one of these days.:lol: