The end of June already caught me by surprise. Between the fun and busy work schedule, I blinked my eyes, and the month is gone, be it for a few waning hours. It also marks the halfway point of 2023. It was a wonderful month and a stressful one at the same time.
Some say I got another year older. As you can see on the calendar Summer began on the 21st. A loved one begins anew. A long weekend on the Eastern Shore with my best friends. It was so dry I spent minimal time mowing grass. Things were good.
Physically I’m continuing to get the body at an optimal weight. Mentally it was a stressful month. My hopes and progress in my hobbies weren’t as fruitful as they could have been. I’m trying not to beat myself up over that but it is frustrating.
So maybe some change is needed. I do a fair amount of reading but I’m not getting to a few books on photography I’ve wanted to read. So in July, I’m going to finish 2 of them. I’ve got to make some infrastructure decisions. This laptop is getting old in the tooth and I’m old and the eyes aren’t once what they were and I need more screen size. I haven’t owned a desktop or external monitor in decades.
I’ve also got to start pressing that shutter button more. So some focus on that will be made starting tomorrow morning.
There is so much to be thankful for and much work for us all to do ahead. As I think about how to use some of that retirement time, I hope I can devote some of it each week to making something better for someone else who needs assistance.
I’m no expert on this Student Loan forgiveness plan. I haven’t read the meat of it. So I’m open to being corrected. But with what little I know, I have no problem with the student loan debt forgiveness plan being scrapped and rethought. I didn’t have the money to continue community college even while working so I stopped after year one. I wanted better for my children and with loans we (them and us) made it possible and we repaid every penny. And we are not of great means and sacrifices were made to make that happen. When you take a loan and sign the papers it’s your responsibility.
But I also believe there is room for common sense exceptions where a family may have been hit with a crisis like a disaster or medical emergency. I have no problem with loans being adjusted to account for the disruption of Covid. I have no problem with some exceptions for some professions that are struggling like medical and education that don’t pay well and aren’t appreciated but are very needed. I have no problem with exceptional financial hardship cases.
Random Thoughts of the Day
- Whoops, too many words and not enough images today.
- Tony’s Pizza in West Friendship has good steak and cheese subs. I’ll have to check the pizza out soon.
- I’m torn about people doing fireworks in the neighborhoods. I’ve never done it personally but never thought negatively of it till I started to realize the effect on some animals and more importantly on some people. I fully sympathize with those who have the sounds of war in their heads and that having them outside your front door at home might be an issue.
- Then there is always the FOOL who lights fireworks off in the wrong spaces and set neighbor’s homes on fire. I’ve had to clean them off my roof before. So why not leave it to the professionals, go out with the family, and do the Oooohs and Aaaaahs together safely?
- Lots to do for a Friday night so I better get to it.
