Thursday
I had thoughts of attending this family reunion in North Carolina. Besides financial factors - the cost of an air ticket to get there and back would undoubtedly be very high, not to mention a rental car, hotel and eating, plus whatever activities - I don't know any of these people.
The idea of spending a week with people I don't know? Could be an awesome time, could be a nightmare, could be a bit of both. Last time I spent a single day with an unknown family was not the greatest time on earth. That was when Caleb and I went down to visit my dad and his wife for - Thanksgiving I think it was. Some of her family was there and the dad/husband/son of my dad's wife was........more than I was willing to deal with.
He talked and talked and talked and talked - endlessly - didn't want to hear anything anyone said, or if he did let in a word or two, he would instantly go on his own little venture of how HE had done the same thing or been through that kind of ordeal or whatever.
I don't even have these people as FB friends - my family lines - save one. So, let's say I could magically come up with the $1,500 or whatever to go and "enjoy" myself. Lots of unknowns in that sort of situation.
Funny that I have all of these relatives that I have never known. I saw them when I was a little kid - I mean little as in around 8 years old or younger, I really can't remember what age, I am sure it was before the age of 10. My family moved out west when I was 10 and that was the end of any visits to relatives.
It's a strange thing to have a family that lives within 50 miles of each other but doesn't want to talk to each other, much less spend any time together. I have never really given any consideration to the fact that I have never known any of my relatives.
Well, whatever. It is what it is and I'm not going to do anything to change at this late point in the game.
The news is all over the scale. Japan and it's denial that the plant is going to melt down - we all hope it won't, of course, but experts from the U.S. are saying elsewise; the security council is waffling while the "rebels" are being slaughtered in Libya; but here's one that got my attention: a mayor in Florida is recalled and booted for his stance on tax, tax, tax the people.
I would love to see that happen with certain members of the city council in the city of Phoenix and it's mayor as well. There have been proposals by one of the council members on how to save money so that taxes don't have to be increased. They seem to want to up the water bill by 5% every year. It would be a hoot if it started a trend: just recall these people who think that dumping the burden on the taxpayers even more than they are already being dumped on is, somehow, a good idea.
That would get them ALL shaking in their boots. Gee, I better rethink this. Here's the point: these municipalities are basing their activities, expenditures, budgets on what it USED to be. You know, when the economy was good and all kinds of money was flowing into their coffers? Instead of cutting back, they seem to want to just keep things the same and make taxpayers foot the bill for it. I don't think so. The average pay and benefits for a city worked in Phoenix is $100,000 PER YEAR.
This is what the council member was talking about cutting back, that and other things.
Whatever, just musing. I must get offa here.
ben
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