Wednesday, January 10, 2024

My World of Wonders, aka The Wednesday W's January 10 2024


What am I struggling with a little? Remembering that it is 2024. 

Where am I? New York City for lunch with Mitchell, Sean and Jeffery. 

Where have I been?  The office a couple of days, the farmers market, then a train to NYC, Roosevelt Island, Guggenheim Museum, and hanging around Times Square.  

Who have I seen?  Erica, Beth, Trisha, Logan, Holly, Travis, Marjorie - all in the office.  450 people on the train, thousand in New York. Kent an old friend in NY for lunch. 

What surprised me this week? A couple more rounds of people saying kind things about my retirement.  

Who deserves a slap this week? Social Security - they send a message saying log into your online account for an update, you log on, and the message is we have approved your request, details are will be in the mail in 10-14 days.  The technology they are using is stuck in 1990.  1 out of 5 slaps, if Congress would fund them properly they could do better.  5 out of 5 for Congress.  

Who deserves a big THANK YOU this week? Cheesecake Factory.  Cheesecake factory known for their cripplingly huge calorie counts, has a special menu with nothing over 590 calories, even a couple of skinny cheesecake options.  Lunch was good, and not the entire daily caloric need of an adult in one meal.  

When is the next adventure?  Early February, I am going to a conference in Louisville, Kentucky for a few days.  

What made me smile?  I took my prior office email off of my phone, I realized that when I get home from this trip I don't have to think about work duties. 

What Surprised me?  I am in the top 1% of readers based on the number of books I read in an average year. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/01/05/how-many-books-did-you-read-2023-see-how-you-stack-up/ 



17 comments:

  1. I expect you are aware that the world puzzles about some of the very old fashioned tech systems you use, especially the non tech like cheques. Does this partly come from as you say, insufficient funding of areas of government to upgrade technology?

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    1. Not my choice to use some of the antiques, some of it is funding issues, some of it is business policies, some of it is consumer resistance to change. Let me give an example, when I pay my property tax, if I pay - other than by check ie - pay on a credit card that I can then easily pay online, I am charged extra.

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    2. Ok. For bill paying we don't but many other places charge a fee to pay by credit card and even debit card which has half the merchant bank fee. Businesses save so much by not using cash or having to deal with bouncing cheques, it really is outrageous. Of course many small businesses prefer cash so that they conceal some from the tax department.

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  2. Attending a conference sounds like work to me. Are you sure you have retired?

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    1. I am only going to the fun parts, and I don't have to toe the company line this time.

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  3. This is your first World of Wonders, aka The Wednesday W's, as a retiree! Thank you for sharing your book list. I have purchased a few based on your commentary.

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    1. I pick up book recommendations from other bloggers.

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  4. For me, the W in Wednesday is for "Watering Wednesday" so I can remember when to water my indoor plants! Yours is more fun.

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    1. I am forbidden from keeping house plants, the cactus died from neglect.

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  5. Have fun in New York!

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    1. Thanks, we have had a great time.

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  6. Oh man I think I'm only in about the middle. I spend w-a-y too much time on this infernal machine. But I DO spend a lot of time with cookbooks! And, BTW, good work on finding the lo-cal menu at the Cheesecake Factory. No one needs to select from their regular menu.

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    1. Cookbooks can be fun to read.

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