Boomers

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by GTOguy

My loser ne'er do-well family member tells me how 'lucky' I am. Decades of living under my means, budgeting, investing cautiously, never buying a new car, re-locating for the job, etc. and here I am, retired comfortably. I tell him "the harder I worked and the less money I blew, the luckier I got."
I had so much sick time banked when I retired it added up to almost a half a year.

Originally Posted by Frankie the Fink

It rankles me that some friends and relatives look at where I an now and tell me "You've been lucky". I guess 45 years of saving regularly, making good financial decisions, moving all over the country for promotions and working my azz off in sweaty aircraft hangars until I could climb the ranks and get an executive white collar position after years of night school is "lucky".

So weird ? Right ? Godd@mn boomers.

When I hear that I respond with: "Luck? Not so much. I've been blessed".

[GTOguy]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

When I hear that I respond with: "Luck? Not so much. I've been blessed".

You are, actually blessed. All over-chick'd guys are.

[DDSLT5]

Originally Posted by Don Rickles

You took my post literally.

It was meant, to compare my "sink or swim" to life, to child development. To today's upbringing, the way the young are being taught. There's always a net, a tube, a water wing, something or someone always there to protect them from falling down and getting hurt.....or completely failing the lesson.

My kids didn't have water wings, we taught them how to swim, they didn't die. They either learned or kept themselves out of the pool until they did.....

One of my favorite teachers in high school - taught Algebra, Calculus and Finite Mathematics. Above the door of his classroom: WORK OR FAIL.

Simple. I loved it! Those that busted their asses got the rewards!

TO THE VICTOR.......GO THE SPOILS!!!!!

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by GTOguy

You are, actually blessed. All over-chick'd guys are.

.

[DDSLT5]

Originally Posted by Don Rickles

Devils advocate: Who reared and raised the young......did you beat your kids? My parents weren't shy with a belt.....I lived, but I never raised a hand. My mistake.

I disagree. You don't need to raise a hand to evoke the correct behavior. I have never hit my kids........but they know Goddamn well what proper behavior is, and that poor behavior will not be tolerated. It's so easy now though - just take away the 'device' of choice. They HATE that. More importantly, they desperately crave the approval of their parents. Of course, that means I'm not their best friend, and it means I say "NO" from time to time. IMO, that's what being a parent is all about. I grew up with a tonne of 'tough love', and that has made me into the hardest working mofo I can be. There are worse things!

[DDSLT5]

Originally Posted by Mick

No, I never beat my kids, nor intentionally caused them any physical pain or discomfort. If a 5 year old can get the best of you to the point where you feel you need to hit them, you're a moron.

Just one man's opinion.

This is correct. No matter what the age. Make your point without striking the child.

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by Don Rickles

Devils advocate: Who reared and raised the young......did you beat your kids? My parents weren't shy with a belt.....I lived, but I never raised a hand. My mistake.

I'm a firm believer in spanking, but at the appropriate age. Not on too young to not understand that actions have consequences; not on too old where a slap on the top of a bare thigh doesn't make them cry.

[DDSLT5]

Originally Posted by Frankie the Fink

It rankles me that some friends and relatives look at where I an now and tell me "You've been lucky". I guess 45 years of saving regularly, making good financial decisions, moving all over the country for promotions and working my azz off in sweaty aircraft hangars until I could climb the ranks and get an executive white collar position after years of night school is "lucky".

So weird ? Right ? Godd@mn boomers.

Totally feel ya on this front. It doesn't happen to me anymore.....because I tell people NOTHING about myself. ZIP. ZERO. First of all, nobody gives a damn, and second, they'll likely find a way to turn it around to talk about themselves, so I just let them talk.

BUT - there was a time when I was in school. People would ask - what are you taking in school? I would tell them. It doesn't matter what I said, whether Medical, Legal, Veterinary, Dental, Business etc - the response is the same - OH yeah, I was going to do that.


WERE YOU????? IS THAT A FACT????? Yup - that's all there is to it - simply say you're going to and BINGO, you're enrolled in a professional program! No years of studying your ass off at all.

These types of lazy bastards never accomplish anything of any substance in their lives, and truly have no clue what a true commitment to bettering oneself even looks like.

[DDSLT5]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

I'm a firm believer in spanking, but at the appropriate age. Not on too young to not understand that actions have consequences; not on too old where a slap on the top of a bare thigh doesn't make them cry.

Then the child is smarter than you are.

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by DDSLT5

Then the child is smarter than you are.

That was my plan all along, and it worked.

[DDSLT5]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

That was my plan all along, and it worked.

Ok. I guess I'll be happy for you!

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by DDSLT5

Ok. I guess I'll be happy for you!

You should be. My son has a degree in chemical engineering, cum laude, from NC State, has 11 patents with Boeing R&T, and currently works for MIT.

So yeah, he's a lot smarter than me, a lowly civil engineer who repairs old houses.

[dvarapala]

Originally Posted by Mick

My favorite is when young folks say "baby boomers ruined social security".

So how many of the politicians who voted to appropriate the SS trust fund and use it for other purposes were NOT boomers?

[DDSLT5]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

You should be. My son has a degree in chemical engineering, cum laude, from NC State, has 11 patents with Boeing R&T, and currently works for MIT.

So yeah, he's a lot smarter than me, a lowly civil engineer who repairs old houses.

Proof is in the pudding! Here's something fun for you to do. Ask your son what he thinks of corporal punishment. Make sure you're sitting down!

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by DDSLT5

Proof is in the pudding! Here's something fun for you to do. Ask your son what he thinks of corporal punishment. Make sure you're sitting down!

He and I have discussed it numerous times throughout the years, and of course, we're on the same page.

[Mick]

Originally Posted by dvarapala

So how many of the politicians who voted to appropriate the SS trust fund and use it for other purposes were NOT boomers?

Well, let's see. I'm not very good at math, but I'll take a swing at this one anyway.

First, let's look at some facts:

1. Congress approved the move to the "Unified Budget" in 1968 which is what allowed Congress to raid the social security overage.

2. The minimum age for a seat in the House of Representatives is 25 years old.

3. The minimum age for a seat in the Senate is 30 years old.

4. In 1968, the oldest boomers were 22 years old.

This is where I struggle a little bit, so let's review the question in light of the facts presented above:

"how many of the politicians who voted to appropriate the SS trust fund and use it for other purposes were NOT boomers?"

Answer: All of them.

Any other questions I can help you with today?

[GTOguy]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

He and I have discussed it numerous times throughout the years, and of course, we're on the same page.

The thing about Yadkin is, he's logical. And, looking at the end product, a good husband and father. Solid, Yankee-Redneck-Transplant stock. As conservative as Norman Rockwell and Mr. Greenjeans. Salt of the earth, but with an engineer's slant on things. As a parent, I give him a solid A. I know only a handful of people in our age group (early/mid 60's) who have kids they can be actually proud of. Most seem to be participation trophy failure-to-launch wet blankets.

[dvarapala]

Originally Posted by Mick

First, let's look at some facts:

Any other questions I can help you with today?

I know you're old and your memory is as fuzzy as your math, but in the 1980s there was this guy named Ronald Reagan who happened to be President of the United States. And I guess you've also forgotten about the Social Security Amendments of 1983 which were passed during his presidency.

With the help of Alan Greenspan, Reagan pulled off one of the greatest frauds ever perpetrated against the American people.

Instead of being a proud day for America, April 20, 1983, has become a day of shame. The Social Security Amendments of 1983 laid the foundation for 30-years of federal embezzlement of Social Security money in order to use the money to pay for wars, tax cuts and other government programs.

Is it your claim that none of the Boomers who were members of Congress in 1983 voted in favor of this legislation?

[LATB]

Originally Posted by DDSLT5

I disagree. You don't need to raise a hand to evoke the correct behavior. I have never hit my kids........but they know Goddamn well what proper behavior is, and that poor behavior will not be tolerated. It's so easy now though - just take away the 'device' of choice. They HATE that. More importantly, they desperately crave the approval of their parents. Of course, that means I'm not their best friend, and it means I say "NO" from time to time. IMO, that's what being a parent is all about. I grew up with a tonne of 'tough love', and that has made me into the hardest working mofo I can be. There are worse things!

I was raised by a dad who was Benito Mussolini and a mom who was Sister Teresa.

It made me very hard on the outside and soft on the inside.

I’m actually serious.

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by GTOguy

The thing about Yadkin is, he's logical. And, looking at the end product, a good husband and father. Solid, Yankee-Redneck-Transplant stock. As conservative as Norman Rockwell and Mr. Greenjeans. Salt of the earth, but with an engineer's slant on things. As a parent, I give him a solid A. I know only a handful of people in our age group (early/mid 60's) who have kids they can be actually proud of. Most seem to be participation trophy failure-to-launch wet blankets.

I told my son once, when he was a boy, that I knew what he was going to do next before he even thought about it. His response was as expected, logical: that was impossible, no way could I know what he was thinking, never mind predict the future.

I told him that he was me, just 32 years later, and I had tried a lot of things and failed at many, succeeded in some. And that he could either listen to me and learn from my mistakes, which was easy, or make those same mistakes himself, which would be a lot harder.