Posts filed under ‘RANTS & RAVES’
THE SECRET TO A GOOD RETIREMENT: WHAT NO ONE WILL TELL YOU , PART 1
I am a writer, and I hope that someday to gain some success. I am also a retired scientist therefore, have some knowledge of this game of ‘the good retirement’ you might say I gained through ‘on the job training’. With that in mind, I am writing a piece that many will find discouraging and I’m sure with which many will disagree. I can only speak from experience, and for myself. With all the talk about retirement, due to that nasty habit we have developed by living longer, I thought I’d voice my experience. Nothing you read here may help you. My hope is that someone out there may benefit.
Here we go.
Other than being a writer, I am a person trying to survive in today’s world and economy. I think I have the secret, at least for myself and maybe those young and prudent out there (that’s a hint as to what is coming up) to a secure life after you retire. If you are beyond ‘young’ you will not enjoy what I’m about to say, but such is life, but then again, you may have journeyed down the right road early on.
Newspapers, periodicals and direct mailings focused on seniors tout the way to a retirement where all your dreams are fulfilled. Where life will be a comfort and no worries will cloud your future. Once you reach a certain age, you will bombarded with offers to free dinners at the trendiest local restaurants to listen to the profits of retirement success. The only success realized will be their own profit.
I’m not saying that you don’t need advice, but what you get at these fancy restaurants may not be the most helpful. Could even hurt you.
I’m not going to give any specifics, but what follows next is fact. You just have to believe me.
My first experience with a financial adviser was through my employer, a large company with many who signed up. After my wife and I provided all the data asked for, he asked me, “How you like to retire at 57?” Who wouldn’t? As time went on and our daughter set off to attend NYU, during a meeting he just mumbled saying, “I don’t know how you’re going to pay for it.” That retirement ‘at age 57’ went out the window. Eventually, we heard about another adviser with a local reputation. Word of mouth, the best way to a reputable business whether it’s plumbing or investments. We decided to change advisors and that’s when things got a little ugly. Attempting to switch our investments for one to the other was like pulling hen’s teeth. The new advisor expected there to be difficulties and he was right. To make a long story short we are very happy with our new man. Oh, and he doesn’t charge a fee, only takes a percentage of our profits. If we don’t make money he doesn’t.
So if you’re at that golden age to take action, stay away from the free meals, unless you’re really hungry. To my mind, it’s all bullshit… to be continued.
STRUGGLING TO GET IT PUBLISHED: WRITER’S RESOURCES, ALSO, WHAT LIES AHEAD
As I stumble through the maze of trying to get my work published, I run across websites that may be helpful. I’ll let you be the judge on how helpful they really are, but I’ll share them.
Next week, I will perhaps make many enemies and maybe one or two friends.
My new series, Rant & Raves, will take a personal look at retirement for that is where I am now. I find the process not difficult and share my ‘insight’.
Most of my enemies will come from the gurus lecturing on how to retire with no worries, the term ‘snake oil’ comes to mind. This will be a personal journey, not meant to be chiseled in stone, merely etched in sand. But having gone through the process, i.e. living to this point, I feel the need to share my ‘wisdom’.
Anyone wishing to ease that retirement from my first life, my writer’s life is still in process, look below.
Here are some links where you may purchase my work.
Melange Books
http://www.melange-books.com/authors/walttrizna/index.html
Barnes & Noble.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/walt-trizna?store=book&keyword=walt+trizna
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=walt+trizna
RANTS & RAVES: CHEESBURGERS VS VITAMINS
As I write, I try to determine if my thoughts are the result of old age or maybe keen observation. You be the judge.
In this past Sunday’s Philadelphia Inquirer, 12/28/14, I read an article in the Health Section about eye care vitamins. I take eye care vitamins with the hope of not becoming a macular degenerate, I’ve got enough problems. The article focused on a study done by four research centers, one being the Penn State College of Medicine, finding that very few of the eye care vitamins sold had the level of ingredients printed on the label, and some contained herbal supplements not included in these ingredients. A comment in the article relates, ‘By law, dietary supplements need not demonstrate safety or effectiveness, they merely have to refrain from claiming to treat, prevent or cure any disease.’
Okay, here’s a stretch: Does it seem that fast-food is more closely regulated than vitamins? To my knowledge, no one goes to a fast-food joint to improve their health. If they do, I hope they are under close supervision and reminded to take their meds. However, people do take vitamins to improve their health.
What am I missing here?
Here are some links where you may purchase my work.
Melange Books
http://www.melange-books.com/authors/walttrizna/index.html
Barnes & Noble.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/walt-trizna?store=book&keyword=walt+trizna
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=walt+trizna
BEGINNING A NEW YEAR, 2014 in review
This is the time we make promises to ourselves, most of which we won’t keep. Time to reflect on the year past and the one that approaches. Time to get on with life.
As in the past, my blog will focus on writing, on where and how to publish your work, and how to endure this absurd profession. If I have any successes, I’ll share them with you. Failure will find itself under the rug.
For the coming year, I’ve decided to begin a new category, one I’ve felt growing for some time now. I already have a category, Observations and Opinions, but I find the title too mellow for what I observe as I travel through space and time. Rants & Raves will be the new category I plan to visit often in this upcoming year. It will encompass subjects which, to me, make little sense, or in general, just piss me off. The older I get, the larger this category grows.
“How does that apply to writing?” you may ask. As I read I find many current authors address issues in their fiction nudging important topic into public view. My last post, Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver, is a case in point where she addresses climate change incorporated in a fantastic story. But this trend is not new. Currently, I’m reading Charles Dickens’, Hard Times, an author whose work constantly addresses the wrongs in English society. Then, there is Upton Sinclair writing The Jungle, altering the meat processing industry. The list goes on and on where fiction is used to alter fact.
Let me finish this post by thanking you for entering my life and thoughts this last year, and hope that our relationship continues.
Finally, I’ve included my past year’s blog life as reported by WordPress.
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,400 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 23 trips to carry that many people.
