Now that the pandemic threat has gone down (still around, but seems less dangerous due to vaccines, etc.), we can now worry about inflation going up and investments going down. My grocery and utility bills have almost doubled.
We can simply buy less groceries (that's a choice), but I don't think we can make the utility bills go down as it seems like we aren't using more, just paying the companies back for back usage?? I have the feeling that we're paying back what-ever happened with the Arctic freeze in the past... not sure how that works.
And of course our investments are taking a hit (not that we're heavily invested - we're pretty cautious in retirement, but still losing). Something will have to be done soon... just not sure what (another choice).
We're happy about the possible student loan lessening... as we're still paying back the student loans we took out to put our 3 kids pretty consecutively through college. So yes, we're part of those retired folks who have been paying back our kids student loans since the 80's... and figure we'd probably do it for the rest of our lives. And could the kids pick it up... possibly, but we tend to think that our kids' education should be on us.
OK... enough with the concerns, let's get on to something of a lighter nature.
Well, first I have to mention this as we streamed this movie last night and it was definitely a bummer (bad choice). You'd never know by the title "Silent Night". Thought it would be an uplifting Christmas movie - NOT!! It was a very strange Christmas Eve somewhere in England where a deadly fog (toxic gas) was taking over. I won't say more... only DON'T WATCH IT!
And there is a lighter side to grocery shopping -
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| I'm good with this... and |
All of our grocery stores are now in the process of re-arranging everything. People are walking around shaking their heads and looking lost. DH and I take 2 carts and we usually meet somewhere to say "I can't find...???" It's not like the shelves are empty these days, they've just moved! (so now it's not just that I can't remember what I needed, but once I do remember, I can't find it 😖).
Closing with an uplifting thought:
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If this is true... and I'm pretty sure it is to some extent... then we need to really up our game! Closing this now... Have a good day! Happy Sunday! Hugs (virtual), Rian |
Such a game changer if we upped our game.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Joanne.
Delete"Choices we make" is right on, a couple years ago I debated moving my retirement stocks into something a lot less risky, but I held off because they were doing so well. I am TOO invested and my stocks have dropped 175K in value since January. Nothing to do but ride out the storm! Rian you made me laugh with your warning of that horror movie Silent Night! And I'm happy to say my supermarket (that I've shopped at since the early 90s) has never moved anything in it--I don't think I could take it! :^)
ReplyDeleteDug, you are lucky if your supermarket has never moved anything. They seem to re-organize around here a lot. DH thinks they are trying to get all the stores structured the same so that we can pull up an item on our smart phones and it will tell us what aisle it is in... (??) Maybe.
DeleteChoices are everywhere. Sadly at the moment it seems I often have to choose the least bad rather than the good. Big sigh.
ReplyDeletePower and grocery prices are escalating here too.
I smiled at the cartoon about adulthood. I have often asked supermarket staff 'where are you hiding 'eggs/cheese/whatever' this week.
And love that final thought. Scary but true.
EC, I laughed when you mentioned 'the least bad rather than the good'... this seems to be the choice - when it comes to politics anyway.
DeleteI like the little sayings you have shared. I also love whatever you find to bring to the internet table to lighten my day. I too am noticing how much things cost these days! :-)
ReplyDeleteI find keeping a sense of humor helps... and realizing that everyone is going through the same troubles - to different degrees. Mother Teresa's advice of doing 'little things' with great love is a start (sometimes it seems the only thing we can do).
Delete“Silent Night” is set in France during World War One. The gas was mustard gas, used by Germans and responsible for many deaths of British soldiers.
ReplyDeleteI thought I read that it was set in England... but I could be wrong. Where-ever it was set, it's not a movie I'd recommend.
DeleteI can sympathize with you about the grocery store reorganization. The one that I go to most often (it's the closest) is ridiculously large. As a result even before the reorganization which took place sometime this spring I think, getting the things I need made for a long walk in most instances from one side of the store to the other with nothing needed in between to make for more efficiency. I went one day last week and they had the flour and sugar in one aisle and the baking soda, baking powder, salt, pepper and spices in another aisle. The one with the flour and sugar was finished off with mostly cake mixes. Well, duh! What kind of sense does that make? I asked someone who was putting things on one of the shelves about where I might find yeast----he didn't know. I opened by saying that I had looked in all the logical places which left the illogical ones which were about infinite in this case. I just can't figure out the "why" of the changes that were made.
ReplyDeleteThe new HEB that has just opened here is huge. It is well stocked and has everything... but it is huge... lots of walking to get around. I will shop there, but probably not every week as I find it a bit overwhelming.
DeleteI love the choices of images, especially the coffee and adulthood ones. That's me in the grocery store for sure!
ReplyDeleteCOVID is on the rise in our province, lots of outbreaks in care homes and hospitals. I'm not sure it's lessened, just that our attention is no longer on it. But it does seem to keep mutating into more pervasive but less deadly forms...I think.
Media attention here is more on the economy, which seems to be a global issue at the moment. Or at least an issue in the West. I had a small amount of money invested and last week I finally had enough of it losing. I transferred it to a secure investment, and while I lost a bit (it's not a lot to begin with), I'd rather that than lose more. I will need it sooner than later; I don't have 10 or 15 years to wait. So my choice was to cut my losses and invest at a decent interest rate, since those rates keep rising.
I do think we're responsible for all of our choices, but we're emotional animals and it's well-nigh impossible, IMO, NOT to be influenced by our past, by trauma, etc. So while I agree with that quote/image, I also don't think it's that black and white. All we can do is be self-aware and try to make the best choices we can, given where we are in our soul's Journey. Just my $0.02.
Take care; stay well.
Kim, I'm so sorry to hear that Covid is on the rise in your area. It's still around and they're talking about a possible new surge this winter - but things have pretty much calmed down around here. Hardly anyone wears masks (except us).
DeleteAnd yes, the economy is the attention now... and we all will need to make some changes soon.. if we haven't already.
And I do agree with you, everything is not black and white... there's a lot of gray areas. As you said, we can only do what we think is best... and pray that it's right.
If there is a good thing in the problems with the economy, health and pending war, it is that we sure aren't alone in the mess. This boat of troubles is planet wide. Somehow my Pollyanna nature truly feels we will all come out of this scratched up but whole.
ReplyDeleteYes, Patti, this is a global problem... which makes one feel that it isn't 'just us' messed up. And I think your Pollyanna nature is a help in surviving these times...
DeleteI hear you. I hate it when they rearrange the grocery store aisles. And I just got my first delivery of heating oil -- at $4.27 a gal compared to last year's $2.70/gal. Break out the sweaters!
ReplyDeleteI'm not complaining, Tom... well, maybe a little... just questioning how everything can go up at the same time? Any relief that helps people get through this is Ok with me.
DeleteI do like all the little sayings you've found, especially the grocery ones. Our stores have also been re-arranging, and our Walmart is getting bigger. All those profits from increased prices!
ReplyDeleteAs a former accountant, my recommendation would be to talk to your financial advisor about the options for your investments. I'm sure they'll have lots of questions: do you rely on those investments for retirement income or are the investments for the unexpected events is one. I don't the tax laws in the US, but in Canada, redeeming these investments would likely result in a capital loss and it's not a particularly good idea to redeem if one doesn't have a capital gain to apply the loss against, though it can be carried over or back for certain periods of time. No matter what you decide it's prudent to have that discussion.
Good luck!
Thanks for the info, Mae. We do plan to do that.
Deletei worry about the world we are leaving behind for our loved ones!! i sometimes wonder if the grocery stores move things around, so by the time we find what we want we can't remember what the price should be!!
ReplyDeleteand oooooh the student loan dilemma. i see both sides but we wrote checks for our kids, are we going to get a refund, i don't think so!! my sons are less than a year apart, both in college at the same time.
I see both sides too, Debbie. But (IMO only) I feel that every child deserves an education and medical insurance... and if I have to help pay for it, then so be it.
DeleteBut I do think our country could provide free education and medical insurance for those who need it and those who want private can choose private. We're glad to pay for our kids' student loans and have never been late... but if the government wants to help now when times are difficult, we're OK with that.
My feeling about student loans is that thse who were fortunate enought o pay them off need to be thankful. Those who cannot afford are taking nothing away from the more privileged. I realize that is not a popular opinion, butit is my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI think I agree with you there, Olga... but it's not likely an opinion that everyone will agree with.
DeleteDear Rian, thanks for sharing thoughts here on several topics that affect all our lives. As to pay-back of student loans, I'm all for it for those who had to borrow again and again to get an education and their parents couldn't help out. I remember myself at age 18 in 1954 and trying to get the money for college--for a girl no less. Then when I was 33 borrowing to get my master's degree and trying to pay that back in the ten years that followed when jobs were scarce.
ReplyDeleteAs to the grocery store, because I no longer drive, I'm seldom in the store. I order on-line and have the groceries delivered. I'm so grateful---SO GRATEFUL--for that option.
And as to choices, I've thought a lot about that since Meniere's entered my life and came to the conclusion that for me, I have no control over almost anything except how I respond to life's vicissitudes. So mostly I try to choose a response that represents looking for the good in all that life offers me. That works for me and keeps me from moving into the self-pity room of my mind's labyrinth! Peace from Dee Ready. (I'm going to write a blog review of your book in November. I so like your characters and your way of writing. Thanks for all the work you put into this book that you've shared with us.)
We've noticed prices going up at the grocery store, but it hasn't bothered us too much. We just have to be patient. I believe it's not just our country. It's happening worldwide.
ReplyDeleteWe were lucky that college was affordable when our kids were going to the University of Illinois. We had put away a little each month to pay for it. Since it was instate, the price was reasonable. Actually, my son went back to school in New Mexico because he discovered political science wasn't a great idea after all for a major and got a second degree in biology which he paid for himself while he was working as a firefighter. And then he continued on for a masters and I'm wondering now what kind of debt he might have now. Hmmm...
I agree with you in that with prices going up... we just have to wait it out. And yes, I do think it's happening worldwide.
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