Retirement is not for Weenies!

I've enjoyed a full year now drawing my Social Security entitlement (paying into for 40+ years entitles me to it, by the way). But I do feel a bit guilty taking my money. After all, my Social Security income is part of the huge budget deficit and $14 trillion+ national debt, according to a rather wealthy group of politicians in Washington.

Even so, I look back over my past year and give it an A-. First of all, being home more with my honey has been really good, the best part even. Having more time with the grand-kids now that I'm not "too worned out" as my 4 year old grandson Robbie says when we suggest that he pick up his toys and other gear - tools, fans, computer parts, wires, etc. "But Gran.... I'm too worned out."

But that's not what downgrades my otherwise stellar AAA rated retirement. For one thing, I watch far too much daytime TV....... and evening TV - the news is all bad, Dr. Phil is hammering troubled families, Oprah quit her day job, but Ellen DeGeneres still makes me laugh! The weather has been the same for over a year now - too hot or too cold, too dry or too wet. Not much change that I can see, so watching the Weather Channel is useless most of the time.

I really like News Shows, except Fox News. The Fox team is just too funny and I can't take it. The other network talking heads are trying too hard to appear neutral and balanced. But I happen to know that they are spinning what works best for the big guys running everything from the top of their pyramid..... the one you see on the back of our slowly fading paper dollars. The big eyeball knows whats best for the US. So I try to just chuckle at Wolf and Ed and Bret and Brian and Anderson as they try to keep us informed of the official story, and keep the fear simmering.

Of course some of the official story does happen to be true. After all, we can can see from the video footage that the Libyan rebels are good fellows who will now settle down and let the US led NATO forces gently guide them into becoming a new democratic nation. We all know that Qaddafi was a stinker, but that's what worked for him for 40 years and kept things lined up right with the rest of the world until....... well, until he pissed off the wrong people and didn't line up right anymore I guess. We can only hope that Libya will indeed be free. Ah, but I digress.

Another thing..... this summer (2011) I was blessed with about eight (8) weeks in Sweden as a consultant. I love it there, but it was a strain on retirement for sure. But, considering that I am not actually in the wealthy class, the additional income was very nice to have going into the Fall of uncertainty. Okay, maybe it's not uncertain, just a bit edgy when you consider the lack of reason in government and financial leadership, big bank irresponsibility, and the general economic pain that is needlessly being inflicted on the middle - er, the lower class. There's really just two classes now. Actually, there is a marginal income difference between the very poor and the middle class, but then a steep jump to the quite well-off, many of which are in the government. The top 50 congressmen and women each have a net worth between 6 million and 290 million dollars.

Our view of global uncertainty depends on who we talk to or listen to.... media, books, people, etc. My banker says the world corporate economy is improving but the bank's hands are still tied when it comes to lending. But apparently consumers are more confident these days, except in housing, automotive, and a bunch of other things. Prices are jumping - especially in energy and food. But inflation is still low according to the government data guy sitting in the basement of the government GAO building across from the White House, running his adding/subtracting machine and matching his numbers with what the big eye on the pyramid wants to see.

But still, life is good in the Retired Lane. Health is good. Money hasn't dried up yet and we're all happy with the prospects of an even better future after the transition to a global system of Light-based love for all of humanity. No more wars. No more hatred. No more power and greed. Just enlightened awareness of who we really are in the Universe.... people of Light with a great tendency to kindness and concern for others well-being. This will take a bit of a shift in our thinking, our values, our spiritual energy, and our understanding of truth. Such a shift in consciousness and realignment of energies may cause some turbulence in the days ahead. May be a good time to fasten your seat-belts and not "move about the cabin" too much.

On that note.... stay tuned in to what's going on around you! Respond to concerns and challenges by looking within yourself. If your thinking or belief rings true, then keep going. Otherwise, adjust, and then keep going! Don't give in to fear when you see or hear scary things. Don't listen to the fear-mongers about how bad it is or is going to be. Focus on the Light, especially within you. And best of all, Light always does win, but not necessarily in our time-frame. Be patient in love and light my friends.

One of the challenges of retirement, even in the slow lane, is the value of money. A lot of pressures are working on the value of the dollar, as you can see from the following charts: