Saturday, August 27, 2022

The Saturday Morning Post : Getting Older Today

A comment before my scheduled post today.  I am so glad to see the student loan debt forgiveness.  I benefited from a public interest student loan debt forgiveness plan that the State of Kentucky had, $10,000 and a year's interest taken off my balance, allowed me to pay off my debt in a little over 7 years.  I paid for most of my education.  For undergrad with the exception of one semester (my midlife crisis) I worked full time, went to school part time and paid as I went (at a nice expensive private school.)  For law school I was a full time student, and finished with a little over $45,000 in loans in 1999.  The student loan payments were more than our mortgage payment, and I went into public service work, at a modest salary.  For years I worked 50 hours a week and moonlighted to have a life and pay the debt. A little help in paying it off, was such a great relief. I hope everyone who benefits from today's forgiveness feels the same.  We are one of the few countries that treats higher education as a profit making business, instead of the building block of a stronger country.  Everything we can do to lessen the burden, makes us all stronger.  End of rant, onto my Birthday. 


It is my birthday I was born a long - long time ago, in a land far-far away from here.  Very early in the morning.  

I am always a little surprised by my age.  I am getting very near to retirement age.  And I sometimes wonder where the past 40 years have gone.  I have been filing tax returns for 50 years.  

I do believe getting old beats the alternative. Besides I am too old to die young.  

My father lamented that he had lived too long when his ability to enjoy life diminished and each day was a struggle.  There is a line in a Jimmy Buffett song, I'd rather die while I am living, than live when I am dead.  

When I was young, I never imagined that I would have the education that  I have, that I would have traveled to all of the places I have, experienced the adventures I have.  All in all, life is good to me.  

So today will be a trip to the farmers market, hopefully the pastry boy is in.  A little blogging.  A nice dinner - we will probably go out.  Gifts are limited these days.  My Sweet Bear always seems to find something fun and unexpected.  With a small family, that continues to shrink, there are not a lot of greetings.  

What does the next year hold?  More travel, I committed to taking a couple of major trips a year as long as I am working, it is good for my psyche.  I am finalizing plans for retirement, by this time next year I may be able to count the remaining months of work on the fingers of one hand.  

My wish, another decade or two of enjoying life.  

25 comments:

  1. Happy birthday! Eat something yummy!

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    1. Thank you, we are going out to brunch soon

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  2. Anonymous8/27/2022

    Well, I very happy birthday then. When I was young, tertiary education (university) was free. While most of the important tertiary instructions are government owned, students do now have to pay and most via a loans system that garnishees a percentage of their wages when their pay reaches a certain amount. There are ways and means to circumvent repayment but most end up paying at some point in their lives.

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    1. I wanted the debt paid off, I took the standard 10 year plan, I have a friend who has been on an income based plan for almost 20 year and still owes $120,000

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  3. Excellent rant!

    Wishing you a birthday filled with celebration, love, and ease. Keep getting older and may you be forever young.

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    1. Thank you, young in my mind at least

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  4. Happy Birthday My Sweetest Dearest!!! Love you 😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘

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  5. Happy Happy!
    My father just turned 90 and he says the same thing about that alternative to getting older.
    Enjoy your day!

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    1. Thank you, as long as we keeping having fun along the way - Onward!

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  6. Happy Birthday! Enjoy your special day. May all your wishes come true!

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  7. Happy Birthday and enjoy your day!
    p.s. I agree about the student loan situation.

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  8. Happy Birthday and many happy returns of the day, to get you into and enjoying time spent as you choose, with your Bear. PS, I also have a Bear.

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  9. Happy Birthday dearest!!!! You have had a good life and set example on how to enjoy it.

    And I agree with the student school loans forgiveness. We as a country need to do better with giving better education and further education that's a way more affordable. Many would go to college and better themselves if they could. Why do we want a country of uneducated?

    Oh that's right. So republicans can control uneducated and the poor.

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    1. Thanks, a just woke from an afternoon nap,

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  10. Hope your birthday was full of joy
    I came for Breakfast.
    Coffee is on and stay safe

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    1. Went out for breakfast and dinner yesterday, it was wonderful

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  11. One of the perks of writing late is I got to see all the Love here in the comments. I hope this next year is one of your best ones yet.

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