Uncategorized

AAs a teen, I was reading Hemingway, Camut, and other serious works that caused me to question our existentialism.  My teenage daughter has fallen in love with Harlequin romance novels.  As we head into the hottest days of the year, she only has three things on her minds: horses, college applications and romance reads.  Sure, there’s no “bad time” for romance, but like an iced coffee by the pool, summer lovin’ just hits different.  And she's sporting her bikinis from Kulani Kinis,  a trendy beachwear company off the East Coast of Australia. At least she is still reading, because most kids are not reading for pleasure.  Around 25% to 40% of U.S. adults report reading zero books annually, while the percentage reading for pleasure has seen a steep, long-term slump. Daily reading for pleasure has dropped by over 40% in the last two decades. Broader historical data and recent polls outline these shifts: Long-Term Trends: In 1978, a Gallup poll indicated 88% of Americans read at least one book in the past year. By 1992, 61% of adults read a book for pleasure annually. Recent Decades: According to the Pew Research Center, 25% of U.S. adults read no books at all in a given year, 38% read between one and five, and about 13% read six to 10 books. Reading for Pleasure Drop: Data from the American Time Use Survey found that daily leisure reading dropped from 28% in 2004 to 16% in 2023. Harlequin Romance novels are romantic, uplifting, couple-focused stories that invite readers to get swept away to glamorous destinations all over the world, and experience all the intensity, emotion and sparkle of falling in love. The novels are typically characterized by

What if you only had 10,000 days left? The Average Person Lives 27,375 Days. Make Each of Them Count. That is the average lifespan in the United States today: 27,375 days.  If you are typical, that is what was deposited in your “time bank” when you were born.  Every day, whether or not you want to, you make a withdrawal of 1 day.  When the days run out, you die.  Game over. To find out how much time you have left if you are an average man or woman, take your age and multiply it by 365.  Then, subtract it from 27,375 days.  For example, if you are 25 years old, you have 18,250 days to live (27,375 days – 9,125 (because 365 x 25 = 9,125)).  If you are 50 and average, you have 9,125 days left to live.  If you are 65, you have 3,650 days left to live. The average person lives 27,375 days. Make each one count.  Spend part of the year fishing in Canada or sailing in the Caribbean.  Learn to cook or paint.  Don’t just sit in your office or at home, mindlessly collecting pieces of paper called money so you can pay for a car that needs to be replaced every few years or a house that won’t do you any good when you are gone! One of the secrets to Steve Job’s success was reminding himself every day that he was going to die.  Only a few years later, he did just that.  He had fewer days than most people, passing away at 56 years old, yet accomplished more than almost anyone who has ever lived.  “It’s easier to sort out problems on top of a horse,” Ronald

https://streamhorse.tv/blog/f/a-skijor-toolbox-a-nuts-and-bolts-guide-to-equine-skijoring From https://www.leadvilletwinlakes.com/things-to-do-detail/leadville-ski-joring-crystal-carnival-weekend/ https://gallatinskijor.com/     WHAT IS SKI JORING? Leadville Ski Joring is an action-packed sport where a horse and rider race down snow-packed Harrison Avenue in Leadville’s downtown, pulling a skier who’s holding onto a rope. As the horse gallops, the skier flies over jumps and spears rings set up along certain parts of the course. It’s a thrilling event to watch or join! See what the New York Times had to say about this thrilling event in The Wild West, On Skis. Now, Big Sky, Steamboat and many others also have skijoring.      

More coming soon... PSE is required by most airlines which is what a friend has for her dog. Ray Allen Dog Supply for Vests and Everything Related to Bitework Dog Training Commands in Several Languages Compiled by Mark Plonsky, Ph.D. with lots of help from the Internet community. Copyright © 1996-2019 Note phonetic pronunciations are shown in parentheses. A slash ("/") indicates alternative possibilities. Keep in mind that the translations from English are not always literal, but rather, they attempt to reflect the terms used by native speaking dog trainers of the various languages listed. ENGLISH GERMAN FRENCH CZECH DUTCH Heel Fuss (fooss) Au pied (oh-pee-aye) K noze (kno zay) left=Volg right= Rechts Sit Sitz (siitz) Assis (ah-see) Sedni (said nee) Zit Stay Bleib (bly'b) Reste (rest) Zustan Blijf Down Platz (plats) Coucher (coo-shay) Lehni (leh nee) Af/ Liggen Come/Here Hier (hee er) Ici(e see)/ Viens Ke mne (khemn yea) Hier Stand Steh (shtay) Debout (da-boo) Stuj (stuuya) Staan Retrieve/ Fetch Bring (brrring) Rapporte (aport) Aport Apport Jump Hopp Saute (soot)/ Aller Skoc/ Hop Over Go Out Voraus (for owss) En Avant (onn-avauhnn) Vpred (va porshed) Voruit Track Such (tsuuk) Piste (piss-te) Stopa Keuring/ Zoek Guard Pass auf/ Wache Garde (guard) Pozor Bewaken (bay-wawken) Bite Packen/ Fass Attaque/ Mord Drz (dursh) Stellen Out/Let Go Aus (owss) Halte(alt)/ Donne (don-aye) Pust (pusht) Los/Loslaten (those-lawten) Speak/Bark Gib Laut (gheblout) Aboie (ah-bwaa) Parle Stekej (esteke) Blaffen (blauffen) Luid Narcotics/ Dope Rauschgift Drogue Hledej oznac Find narcotics Such Rauschgift Cherche Drogue Drogy Building/ Blind Search Voran/ Revier Cherche (Sherch) Revir (revere) Revieren (ray-fee-eren) Kennel/ Crate Zwinger/ Box Chenil Kotec Hok/ Kennel Go Outside Geh Raus/ Geh Draussen Dehors Jdi ven Naar Buiten Go Ahead Geh Voraus Vas Volno Voor

Farmer's Markets in Denver Area Mile High Flea Market https://www.allselfsustained.com/14252-2/ More coming soon...

Retirement Tiers But ask yourself, "What are you retiring to?" I used to complain about meetings constantly. Monday check-ins. Quarterly reviews. Status updates that could’ve been emails.   I don’t miss the meetings.  I miss the structure.  The calendar gave my days shape. It divided time into purpose. It created momentum. Without it, my days stretch out wide and formless. The calendar wasn’t just scheduling—it was scaffolding. I dismantled it and never rebuilt anything in its place. I didn’t realize how much of my identity was welded to a job title until you don't have one. Travel is an experience. Purpose is participation. It turns out rest is recovery—not a destination. Once you recover, you still need direction. When I worked, I influenced outcomes. My decisions mattered. Problems got solved. --- The Man Who Enjoys the Bucket List Hasn’t Arrived Yet The version of me who fully embraces travel, language lessons, cooking classes—that man was supposed to show up on Day One of retirement. He didn’t. Maybe he needs to be built first. Maybe the real work right now isn’t crossing things off a list, but becoming the person who actually wants to. I suspect the next meaningful chapter won’t come from leisure—but from contribution. I just haven’t I planned retirement meticulously—from a financial perspective. I tracked the numbers. Modeled the projections. Accounted for contingencies. But I never asked the most important question: What am I retiring *to*? Not what am I escaping. Not what can I afford. Not what’s expected. What do I actually want? What’s the Amount of Money You Must Have to Be Considered Rich? Schwab’s survey showed Americans’ conception of being rich means having a net worth of $2.2 million. This number represents a

A life at sea isn’t for everyone, but some passengers hop on a cruise and make it their home — from anywhere from a few months at a time to buying a permanent residence. Long-term cruising is particularly popular among budget-savvy retirees. Many compare it to the cost of living in a retirement home and find it more economical. Aside from the obvious fact that one of these options is at sea, the two have notable similarities such as meals, organized activities, and room cleaning. Some cruisers jump from one ship to another, and others stay on the same ship constantly. For an upscale option, The World is the world’s largest private residential ship, with 165 permanent residences onboard.

"We don't do commercials because our customers are not sitting around watching t.v."  -Lamborghini Charlie Munger cautioned against indulging in ostentatious purchases, highlighting the dangers of envy-driven spending. He emphasized that fixating on others' possessions breeds resentment and detracts from appreciating one's own blessings. Munger, renowned for his frugality despite his substantial wealth, denounced the allure of status symbols like luxury watches, advocating for a more prudent approach to wealth management. Instead of succumbing to extravagant expenditures, Munger advocated for strategic investing. He favored value investing, seeking out undervalued stocks with strong fundamentals and enduring competitive advantages. Munger believed in investing in businesses with "economic moats" that safeguarded their profitability and market share over time. He famously applied a buy-and-hold strategy, recognizing the power of compound interest and patience in achieving long-term financial success. Munger's prudent financial philosophy extended beyond investment strategies. He emphasized the importance of personal integrity, financial discipline, and cultivating contentment. Munger's approach to life centered on avoiding envy, maintaining fiscal responsibility, and prioritizing relationships with trustworthy individuals. In essence, his formula for a fulfilling life comprised simplicity, resilience, and adherence to timeless principles. I am mostly an Index fund buyer.  However, I very much like Warren Buffet's stock buying mentality for Berkshire Hathaway, which I hold stock in.  I was recently asked what about investing in a luxury brand, such as Rolex, as the price of Rolexs has soared since covid. Adapted from https://www.liberatedstocktrader.com/rolex-stock/#:~:text=in%20this%20report.-,Is%20Rolex%20on%20the%20Stock%20Market%3F,and%20scholarships%20for%20the%20underprivileged. 5 Great Alternatives to Rolex Stock Three good alternatives to investing in Rolex stock are Ferrari, Kering, LVMH, Hermes, and Nike. 1. Ferrari NV (NYSE: RACE) Most people cannot afford a Ferrari, but they can buy Ferrari (RACE) stock. Ferrari’s value comes from its brand, like

Sources in Hong Kong for jade jewelry: https://www.thejadejewellery.com/categories/bracelets?page=4&sort_by=&order_by=&limit=24 Introduction There are two minerals that are commonly called jade, nephrite and jadeite. The traditional Chinese jade, is nephrite. Just to make things even more confusing, in New Zealand, jade is called pounamu or greenstone. As one of the world's oldest decorative stones, jade has been prized for its beauty across the world. Properties Close up of a carved nephrite slab, from Marsden River, New Zealand. Bown Collection Source: Geoscience Australia The two jade minerals, nephrite and jadeite are both tough and have small granular crystals giving a fibrous appearance. They have quite different chemical compositions and structures. Nephrite is a type of amphibole mineral and jadeite is a type of pyroxene mineral. Nephrite can be white, yellow, green and brown to black, depending on the amount of iron and magnesium in the mineral. Jadeite can be green, pink, purple, brown and white. Nephrite jade is very tough, the toughest known natural mineral, three times tougher than ceramics and even tougher than steel. This explains why it was used in neolithic times for knife blades, axe heads and later for ornamental carvings. While it is not as hard as some other minerals like diamond, nephrite is made from an interwoven meshwork of fine fibres or needle-like crystals so is not brittle and does not break easily. Coarser crystals and alignment of minerals decreases the toughness of the mineral. Jadeite is the second toughest mineral known, but is not as tough as nephrite as its interlocking crystals are less fibrous. The interlocking crystals or fibrous structures of these two jade minerals mean they can be polished easily, so are ideal for carvings and jewellery. The Properties of Jade

The concept of “Rumspringa” is a uniquely Amish tradition. It is a period of adolescence where Amish youngsters are allowed to leave the community and experience life outside their own. This period of soul-searching marks a transition from their childhood in the community to adulthood, and it’s up to them to decide whether they want to stay and continue farming or leave for a more “modern” way of life. This period of self-reflection illustrates the Amish’s embrace of choice and individuality within the boundaries of their community’s traditions and beliefs. After you are done messing about in life's various temptations or rumspringas, it's usually time to get back to work. If you want to achieve great success in life, it’s important to lock down what cornerstone habits you need to build. As you build these habits, keep the initial task simple so that it does not require much motivation to complete it. Here are some examples: For your spiritual life: Try starting your morning with five minutes of meditation. Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed, close your eyes, and breathe. If you need help getting into the right headspace, several apps can help guide you through it. When you can let the thoughts go in and out of your mind without judging them and aim to find stillness in the moment, you’re setting yourself up to reap the benefits.  TM and yoga sun salutes are great ways to start this habit. For your physical health: It’s vital that you get enough sleep every night. Use a smart device to help track your sleeping patterns and statistics. To decide when you need to get to bed, count backward from your wake-up time