3 dot journalism - a variety of topics

Spraying to all fields-3 dot journalism

Often, Champs respond to newsletters with sage comments that I cannot share with you immediately but want to at a later date. Sometimes, I have to lump comments on different topics into the same newsletter. Such is the case today, which is why the newsletter is called, "Spraying to all fields."

Actually, I must admit, that I borrowed that title from the iconic formerSan Francisco Chronicle columnist, Herb Caen, who called his form of writing, 3-dot journalism. He referred to many of his columns as "spraying to all fields," a baseball term that refers to batters who hit to right field, center field, and left field, all over the place, spraying the ball in many and all directions. 

Caen's columns were a series of unrelated paragraphs; he was a genius and was loved by readers, especially in the Bay Area. That being said, here is our version of spraying to all fields today.

From Terry, Thailand, aka "The Funny Plumber," who is married to a Thai woman, lives part of the year in Thailand and part of the year in southern California. Regarding background checks, he responded, "I had to go halfway around the world to find a lady that could not do a background check on me." Terry always puts a humorous and refreshing spin on topics.

***

Regarding all of the stuff we keep stored in attics, garages and basements, most of which we likely do not need, two Champs commented.

Joanne emailed, "I did got rid of stuff 15 years ago. Everything I have now fits in my Jeep or I can't have it. Every once in a while I think about something I no longer have but then I realize I gave it to someone who could really use it, or, I got rid of it because it wasn't worth saving. I did not have corporate papers to hang onto, but I could not believe how much stuff I threw away. Makes you feel a lot lighter."

Tom's response: Does this mean, Joanne, that you live in your Jeep?

Liz, Illinois, "I got rid of stuff years ago, weeding out and keeping only the very minimum when I moved into my current house six years ago. I loved all of the empty spaces I had created and breathed more freely.

"And then, guess what? 

"My son moved in with me, with all of his pack-rat clutter, and now my basement, attic and two garages are once again filled--with his stuff. My plan is to get a pickup truck and, in the dead of night, haul all of this stuff away. Wish me luck on that!"

Tom's response: Liz, you aren't the only one who is housing a return-to-the-roost son or daughter, and the stuff that accompanies them. Some Champs would need a semi-truck to haul their kids' stuff away. I have no children so I can't comment on what to do in a case like this, other than to say older kids should understand the imposition they are putting on their parents and set a deadline to get out from under foot.

Sometimes, circumstances make that hard or impossible to do. I know of Champs who have grandchildren living with them. When I owned my deli, I would see younger employees move out of their parent's home to live on their own and quickly discover it's a tough world out there, and before you know it, they were back at home.

***

Marta, Montreal, responded: "Your recent newsletter regarding marriage and responsibility for a spouse's health care costs, made me think how unfortunate that there is no national health care program in the USA. If people WANT to get married, it is a shame that they might not because they fear financial disaster through a medical crisis.

"My American cousins fear 'government involvement' in their medical care might mean poor care, and our Canadian system is not perfect, but it makes me happy to know that my contributions all of the years that I worked mean that my poorer neighbor, who contributed less, or those on welfare, receive the same care I get.

"My cousins' fears and attitudes mean they vote for a system that keeps them paying over $800 a month in premiums before they receive any medical care, and then there are the 'co pays' when they see a medical professional. Whenever we visit our American cousins and other friends, much of the discussion is about the outrageous cost of medical care, whereas that is never a subject at home here in Canada.

"Thanks for the newsletter, much appreciated, but you have not billed me for a while. Isn't there a charge? I'd be happy to pay it."

Response from Tom: The newsletter, currently at least, is like your Canadian health care, there is no charge. I charged a small fee at one time, but then decided to stop charging because I wanted to be able to write about any topic I wanted, and not only about dating later in life. That is why the newsletter title is "On Life and Love After 50."

I made that decision years ago while I was gainfully employed. Now that I am retired, if the money gets tight, perhaps I will have to start charging again, but not for now.

Which leads me to mention that the newsletter, during the next couple of months, will likely include some travel columns, since my life partner, Greta, and I are heading for Austria on April 14. Any Champs interested in following that trip will be able to read my travel blog on the Travel After 55 website.

That is a website of mine that contains articles and pictures of many of the trips Greta and I have taken in the 17 years we have been together as a couple. The Austria blog has been started but there is not much on it yet. We will be staying in Graz, Austria, the second largest city.

Here is the link:Tom's Travel After 55 website. On the home page, click on the white tab that says "travel blog" and the Austria story begins in the upper left hand corner where you see this photo. 

  

Photo Old city Graz, Austria, our home-to-be for one month

                 photo courtesy Christian Schachner

I love hearing your comments, stories, questions and experiences. Keep them coming. They make the newsletter possible. 

Stuff - Clear out the clutter from her attic and keep the relationship

Stuff

Copyright Tom Blake 2015

Holding on to a good mate, keep your clutter out of her attic

Last year, we mentioned comedian George Carlin’s You tube video about “Stuff.” It’s about all of the unnecessary stuff we hoard in our lives and the need to get rid of it. At the end of today’s newsletter, there is a link to his performance. It’s humorous.

When that newsletter ran, I did not anticipate that it would apply to me within the next few months.

Fourteen years ago, I moved into my girlfriend Greta’s home. I said to her, “I have written 973 newspaper columns and two books, I have a lot of stuff to store.”

She said, “Why do you need to keep all of that stuff?”

I said, “When I quote people in a column or a book, I need back up proof that they gave me permission to use the information. That can entail a lot of paperwork.”

Greta said, “I have an attic in the garage; we can put your stuff there.”

Over the years, the amount of stuff stored in her garage grew. I wrote a memoir in 2006 titled, “Prime Rib and Boxcars. Whatever Happened to Victoria Station?” That created another eight boxes of stuff. And in 2009, I published another book, “How 50 Couples Found Love After 50.” Another four boxes of stuff. Not to mention the cases and cases of unsold books that were stored.

Then there was all of the stuff I moved to the attic from my mom’s home when Mom passed. It is amazing what we accumulate in our lives. Boxes and boxes of stuff no one else will ever want.

Oh, when we traveled, we kept files on all of the places we’d been. More stuff to store.

Then, there were another 2,114 columns. Plus, there were records from my home that I had rented out, while living in her home. Also, there were some records from my Dana Point, California, deli—although I had a storage unit at the deli that held most of those records.

The attic in Greta’s garage was like the old coffee company, “Chock Full of Nuts.” Her attic was chock full of stuff (my stuff).

When you own a corporation, you are required to keep seven years of records, in case Uncle Sam or Governor Brown decides to audit you. Egad, that boils down to two or three boxes of records for each month. That’s at least 24 boxes per year, times seven, or about 168 boxes of deli corporate stuff that’s got to be stored somewhere. We had a deli storeroom.

On January 30 this year, I sold the deli; I had to move those 168 boxes from the deli storeroom to somewhere. Where? My sweetie’s garage floor (remember, the attic was chocked full), leaving no room to park a car. My stuff just wouldn’t fit into my garage at my home, where we now live.

And then my wonderful, kind, gracious, partner of 17 years humbly said, “I love you. But, we need the garage stuff moved because we have vacation renters coming to stay in the house and they need to park their car in the garage.”

What she meant was, “In other words, move your stuff to somewhere else. Now.”

Egad again, what to do?

My CPA said, “Rent a storage unit for your deli records. It’s a tax write off.”

So, that’s what I did. I found a place called Price Self Storage in San Juan Capistrano. Their logo looked like the old Price Club logo. That’s because the owner was the Price Club Chief Financial Officer before it became Costco. It’s amazing the trivia we uncover when we venture beyond our boundaries.

The space I rented is seven feet by ten feet. I have spent four days packaging and moving the deli stuff and some of my stuff from Greta’s garage to the storage unit. All the boxes are marked and dated.

I actually had fun doing this.

When Greta saw her garage cleared out, she gave me a big hug. By clearing out my stuff from her home, I remained in good standing in our relationship.

Of course, while sorting through my stuff, I started throwing stuff away. I filled four 50-gallon trash containers. If there is a lesson to learn from this move, it’s to start sorting the stuff you’ve accumulated in attics and garages now--while you’re still capable of doing so. Don’t leave the task for your kids and grandkids. It can be a monumental, emotional task. You find stuff that was significant in your life. That happened numerous times.

For example, I found an autograph on a 3 x 5-inch card from a football player named Ron Kramer who was an All-American at the University of Michigan and a tight end for the Green Bay Packers. I went to his wedding in Jackson, Michigan, in 1958.

I found two photos from 1975. The first is of Johnny Cash, holding his son John Carter, along with Johnny’s wife June, and me.

The second photo is of June Carter Cash and me.

I found a written authorization from Johnny to use his quote on the back of my first book, “Middle Aged and Dating Again.” It was signed, “In the 20 years I have known Tom Blake, he has become an authority on dating and relationships.” The authorization is dated August, 26, 1996.

Going through your old stuff can be heart-wrenching and rewarding. It’s amazing what you will find—stuff about your parents and events that happened to you years before. Stuff you’ve forgotten, stuff you just can’t toss out.

I found a hand-written letter, written by my mom on June 17, 1946, to my dad, when he went to France to help post World War II Europe get back on its manufacturing feet after the war.  

But best of all, I am still in good standing with the woman of my life of 17 years; I got the stuff out of her garage.

Clear out your clutter. It may save your relationship. And you will be doing your heirs a huge favor. And you never know what precious stuff you might find.

Link to George Carlin’s video on stuff:

George Carlin video