2018 Spring June 19 Tuesday

77 degrees this morning.  Walk 34:06 minutes.

Relatively cool walk, the air felt a lot less dense.  As usual in my walk, I just try to walk one step at a time and don’t think about the distance I have to go.  

Pace was 8 seconds faster than my goal, which I was glad to see.

Thinking about walking or any mid to long term project, so much of success is doing each day, each minute successfully and proceeding toward your goal whatever that it.  

That is one reason sometimes I feel like I am flittering away time, although I realize flittering time is an art in itself and necessary for a balanced life.  I guess I need to flitter  time on the right things!

Some years ago, I saw a quote, and I actually posted it on my office wall and I try to live that way that life is lived one minute, one second at a time.  I believe it was written by a survivor of the Holocaust and was how she survived the ordeal, by only living one second at a time.

As I mentioned last night in response to a question at Toastmasters, most stress results from future expectations that never happen anyway.

Back to “retirement”, I am always astounded to read supposedly astute and qualified financial advisors who thunder “you should have your mortgage paid off by retirement”.  In one case, the person was even saying you should have your mortgage and all debts paid off by 45 years old!

I think they have lost track of any common sense.  I see nothing wrong with debt, most people became rich by carefully using debt!  

I fail to see the difference between a house payment and rent payment, except (depending on circumstances obviously), you are getting something for your house payment.   The main “unknowns” about owning a house isn’t the mortgage payment, but the unexpected (and certain to happen) repairs etc., not a stable mortgage payment.

Even if you don’t “make money” on a house, renting ls literally throwing money away. At least a house, unlike a car etc., usually at least maintains it’s value.  

I really don’t know where these “financial advisors” are coming from.  Paying 3 to 4% on a mortgage of an asset that generally increases in value is hardly a bad deal. 

I think a lot more people (older, younger or whatever) have been devastated by poor financial advice than by a mortgage.

Of course I also ignore the “financial experts” that by now at our age expound that any  retirement funds we have should mainly be in “bonds.  That would have been a really stupid decision over the past few years and on any long-term basis! 

Perhaps the “financial advisers” should concentrate on “bad debt” and “good debt” instead of making broad assumptions based on their stereotypes of older people!

Patio is wonderful this morning.  I have kept track and found that the birds start chirping/singing about 5:15 a.m.  It will be interesting to see if that changes when the daylight shortens as the summer continues.  

That’s it for now, Tuesday, June 19, 2018.