Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Summer journey of 2013
May
29
Summer journey of 2013
What better way to document, share, and just keep in touch with friends and family than with my blog? It's been so long ago now and was so political in the past that it might have been followed by my family, close family and most conservatives towards the last entries. No I will try and keep this to the summer of 2013's journey and happening, sightings, and folks along the way with hopes those that decide to follow enjoy this as I'm sure I will regardless. It's the 29th and we were hoping to hit the road on June 1st, and who knows may still make that date. A couple of things that might delay that a day or so are daughter Lisa and grandson Jack returning from their vacation to California, and Yosemite National Park, they are due back on Sunday the 2nd so we might just stay to see them before we head out. Second would be that I procrastinated in making my eye examination appointment and it turns out the old eyes are getting a bit weary. I now need some specks that will take normally 7 to 10 business days to make and Monday the 3rd of June will be the seventh working day, so we're hoping for quicker than normal results! I started packing some things into the coach(motor home) yesterday and plan on finishing my stuff up today, yes Bev has been busy and will need a few more days as usual with the ladies. The service on the coach went well, oil change of the motor and the generator, furl filter and a 22 point inspections of the entire coach like fridge, water heater, lights, water tanks, tires, air conditioners etc. and we passed in pretty good shape. Bev wants a recliner lawn chair and the good ones at Camping World run about $159, but I got a flyer yesterday with a sale on these recliners at 2 for $199 and I have a 10% off coupon so maybe we'll get then beings they'll be 2 for $179.10 after with the sale and coupon. OK it's getting boring so we'll end it for today and hope some of the old followers drop back in and give us another shot. Not saying there won't be totally no current events listed but a more pleasurable blog I will strive for, and between this and FB our journey will be well documented with interesting tidbits of information. Mike
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Miss me?
Wow, I just noticed it's been since July that I've added to my blog. Some of you may be happy about that and then again some just might have missed my rants and raves! Today is just to get things back going, no big opinions or stories to tell just getting back into the swing of things.
I was in adding to my "Pinterest" and decided to add my blog as one of my pin's or boards and hope to keep up with it once again now. If you haven't seen or tried Pinterest give it a look see, you may find it interesting and very informative on a variety of subjects.
Check my blog out now from time to time, hope to be back in the swing of things now!
I was in adding to my "Pinterest" and decided to add my blog as one of my pin's or boards and hope to keep up with it once again now. If you haven't seen or tried Pinterest give it a look see, you may find it interesting and very informative on a variety of subjects.
Check my blog out now from time to time, hope to be back in the swing of things now!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Summer fun.........at what cost?
This has not been a good year for a lot of families this has not been a good 2 years for many families including the writers. In past years this would have been a most wonderful summer, trips to Iowa for reunions, trips to Mexico for a wedding, trips across the country as last summer and not just for me and my wife but hell we take the kids and grand kids whenever possible. We've already missed two reunions in early June and now will miss a wonderful wedding in Mexico in July and at this point are only hoping we can make a short trip to SoCal for the grand kids to somewhere like Lego land or Knots berry farm.
How do the majority of families manage summer trips like this for the kids and grand kids? Have you looked into the ticket pricing for a lot of these theme parks? What brought this blog on today is an ad I seen on TV last night building up the opening of the new Star Wars ride at Disneyland. Keep in mind all parks have added so much stuff that a day is way too short to visit all areas of the parks, and thus the "park hopper" tickets. I understand a "park hopper" ticket allows you to come and go for 2 or 3 days to these parks and their multiple theme areas. Lets take a family of 4 for example and according to the add the Disney hopper pass cost $199 each, that's $800 for that family just to get into the front gate! It's been years since I've visited Disneyland but I know even 10 years ago it cost between $50 and $100 a day for food and snacks for each family member during their visit, and that doesn't include if you buy the kids a T-shirt with Mickey on it. Then we have hotel expenses and this is a conservative guess of $150/night and maybe a breakfast or dinner outside the park to save a few bucks will still run $75 a meal for this family of four. Now if you have a family of four and opt for the 3 day hopper ticket with all the expenses I come up with approximately $1875 for this three day stay for this family plus gas and miscellaneous expenses would most likely be at least $2000. Even if this family received and saved for this trip the $1000 tax break a lot of folks Mr. Obama supposedly gave this too, it wouldn't cover half of the "THREE DAY" vacation!
Just to keep things in perspective the other parks are bit more reasonable but not much better. Legoland $89 each for a 1 day hopper (Legoland has 3 area's and a 3 day hopper is preferred), SeaWorld $70 for a one day ticket, and Knotsberry farm is by far the best price but half the attractions is $39 for one day. So who is visiting these parks and where is the money coming from, my guess would be the majority of visitors are using a credit card and will be paying for this vacation long after the next 5 or 6 vacations. I'd be willing to bet that at least 75% or more folks put this expense on a credit card or they couldn't even be going on this vacation. Hell those with money that can afford these 3 days extravagant vacations are too frugal to spend that kind of money on an amusement park in most cases would be my guess.
This is not about me or anybody else that might be going through tough times in this economy, this is about the cost of taking your family to a theme park. In this economy more folks are relying on credit to get by or to do those things the cash just isn't in the bank for, and those credit companies are continually raising the debt limit and the folks continue spending. Disneyland is no doubt the happiest place on earth and I totally agree with that, I've been to Disneyland a number of times and Disney world once and would return in a minute. I'm thinking the parents might not be the happiest folks around when the bills start rolling in.......This shit is expensive!
How do the majority of families manage summer trips like this for the kids and grand kids? Have you looked into the ticket pricing for a lot of these theme parks? What brought this blog on today is an ad I seen on TV last night building up the opening of the new Star Wars ride at Disneyland. Keep in mind all parks have added so much stuff that a day is way too short to visit all areas of the parks, and thus the "park hopper" tickets. I understand a "park hopper" ticket allows you to come and go for 2 or 3 days to these parks and their multiple theme areas. Lets take a family of 4 for example and according to the add the Disney hopper pass cost $199 each, that's $800 for that family just to get into the front gate! It's been years since I've visited Disneyland but I know even 10 years ago it cost between $50 and $100 a day for food and snacks for each family member during their visit, and that doesn't include if you buy the kids a T-shirt with Mickey on it. Then we have hotel expenses and this is a conservative guess of $150/night and maybe a breakfast or dinner outside the park to save a few bucks will still run $75 a meal for this family of four. Now if you have a family of four and opt for the 3 day hopper ticket with all the expenses I come up with approximately $1875 for this three day stay for this family plus gas and miscellaneous expenses would most likely be at least $2000. Even if this family received and saved for this trip the $1000 tax break a lot of folks Mr. Obama supposedly gave this too, it wouldn't cover half of the "THREE DAY" vacation!
Just to keep things in perspective the other parks are bit more reasonable but not much better. Legoland $89 each for a 1 day hopper (Legoland has 3 area's and a 3 day hopper is preferred), SeaWorld $70 for a one day ticket, and Knotsberry farm is by far the best price but half the attractions is $39 for one day. So who is visiting these parks and where is the money coming from, my guess would be the majority of visitors are using a credit card and will be paying for this vacation long after the next 5 or 6 vacations. I'd be willing to bet that at least 75% or more folks put this expense on a credit card or they couldn't even be going on this vacation. Hell those with money that can afford these 3 days extravagant vacations are too frugal to spend that kind of money on an amusement park in most cases would be my guess.
This is not about me or anybody else that might be going through tough times in this economy, this is about the cost of taking your family to a theme park. In this economy more folks are relying on credit to get by or to do those things the cash just isn't in the bank for, and those credit companies are continually raising the debt limit and the folks continue spending. Disneyland is no doubt the happiest place on earth and I totally agree with that, I've been to Disneyland a number of times and Disney world once and would return in a minute. I'm thinking the parents might not be the happiest folks around when the bills start rolling in.......This shit is expensive!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Life's too short...............
I was thinking the other day about travel and the past few years and getting together with family and friends, and how even if you attend a family reunion you still don't see all your family for a number of reasons. Sure we have those that live miles away and you can't always accommodate everyone as to a location, but usually have it where or near that place where most of the family lives and we all can understand that. As you may or may not know my immediate family lives here in Arizona and most all of our family on both sides lives in Iowa or close by in the Midwest. Fortunately for us if we plan on traveling the 1800 miles or so to attend reunions our families (My side and Bev's side)have them on the same weekend in June. Now being from Gods country here in beautiful Arizona the Midwest is not the most pleasant of places to spend time in June either, the combination of heat and humidity is like being in hell at times but you do it for family you don't see everyday.
One of the two family reunions is a long standing one, it's been scheduled and attended by family for many years now, and the other was resurrected about 6 or 7 years ago now by myself and a lot of help from my sister. One is growing smaller due to a number of things, folks growing older and passing on and younger families just not attending no matter how close to home the reunion may be. I guess when your really young you enjoy the playing with cousins eating picnic food and playing games but when you begin to have families and other activities the generations now just don't view family get togethers the same way we used to. Life's too short and families are growing apart faster and faster and one day this generation will realize that and how much they missed by not taking the time to stay close to not just immediate family but extended family also!
I don't want to sound old here, but what else could it be to feel sorry as I do for these past two generations, sorry for missing out on cousins and what good friends they can be. Growing up my cousins were some of my best friends and still are today, and now with families moving away or others holding onto old grudges they just don't see each other nearly as often or seem to want to.
Grudges, now that is one that really has bothered me for a long time. When you have friends or family that live blocks or short miles or across town or even across the state from one another and don't see each other due to some petty incident that happen way too many years ago that is nonsense! Mom did this for him............Mom spent that on her.......Mom didn't do the same for me.......she loves my brother or sister more...........Bull..shit! Since I'm mad at her I'll punish them all and myself and my KIDS by not showing up to the reunion! Life's too short and you're only punishing the rest of YOUR family by keeping them away from THEIR family and family gatherings. It's once a year and then could end up being more often as you renew relationships and find your cousins, uncles and aunts are doing the same things you like and could enjoy each other more often.
Attend that reunion this year if at all possible, let your kids meet, play with and renew relations with cousins and relatives. Enjoy some fried chicken, burgers and dogs too, how about aunt so and so's potato salad...............wow I wish I could make it this year myself but the economy has taken it's toll and the cost of traveling those 1600 to 1800 miles just can't be spent at this time this year. Me and my family will miss you all this year and we hope to see pictures from someone after the reunions. If you can make it please do and I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself for a moment or two at least..................Life's too short and family is all we have sometimes so don't lose them!
One of the two family reunions is a long standing one, it's been scheduled and attended by family for many years now, and the other was resurrected about 6 or 7 years ago now by myself and a lot of help from my sister. One is growing smaller due to a number of things, folks growing older and passing on and younger families just not attending no matter how close to home the reunion may be. I guess when your really young you enjoy the playing with cousins eating picnic food and playing games but when you begin to have families and other activities the generations now just don't view family get togethers the same way we used to. Life's too short and families are growing apart faster and faster and one day this generation will realize that and how much they missed by not taking the time to stay close to not just immediate family but extended family also!
I don't want to sound old here, but what else could it be to feel sorry as I do for these past two generations, sorry for missing out on cousins and what good friends they can be. Growing up my cousins were some of my best friends and still are today, and now with families moving away or others holding onto old grudges they just don't see each other nearly as often or seem to want to.
Grudges, now that is one that really has bothered me for a long time. When you have friends or family that live blocks or short miles or across town or even across the state from one another and don't see each other due to some petty incident that happen way too many years ago that is nonsense! Mom did this for him............Mom spent that on her.......Mom didn't do the same for me.......she loves my brother or sister more...........Bull..shit! Since I'm mad at her I'll punish them all and myself and my KIDS by not showing up to the reunion! Life's too short and you're only punishing the rest of YOUR family by keeping them away from THEIR family and family gatherings. It's once a year and then could end up being more often as you renew relationships and find your cousins, uncles and aunts are doing the same things you like and could enjoy each other more often.
Attend that reunion this year if at all possible, let your kids meet, play with and renew relations with cousins and relatives. Enjoy some fried chicken, burgers and dogs too, how about aunt so and so's potato salad...............wow I wish I could make it this year myself but the economy has taken it's toll and the cost of traveling those 1600 to 1800 miles just can't be spent at this time this year. Me and my family will miss you all this year and we hope to see pictures from someone after the reunions. If you can make it please do and I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself for a moment or two at least..................Life's too short and family is all we have sometimes so don't lose them!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Iowa Caucus................???
I can't imagine too many things less democratic than this, and sure I know it doesn't mean a hill of beans as far as the Iowa populace choosing a candidate goes so why bother? I lived in Iowa 38 years before moving to Arizona and still don't understand why a caucus and not a primary election of the people, or why a handful of friends and neighbors end up choosing. There are many criticisms of this process, and there is a debate over the effectiveness and usefulness of caucuses in Iowa. One criticism is that the caucuses, especially the Democratic caucus, are a step backwards from the right to a secret ballot. Also no delegates vote, party voters don't "vote", they are counted and the delegates sent to the convention from Iowa for each candidate depends on how many supporters they had at the caucus. Furthermore, the delegates are already handpicked by the candidates........now that's the democratic way!
Like anything else the press has gotten a hold of it and since 1972 it seems these caucus things are supposed to be so some importance. I remember turning 21 and being able to vote and following the primaries starting always with New Hampshire, even living in Iowa New Hampshire was the first. Sometime in my "hippie" years it seems Iowa and something called a caucus started to be talked about, I still must be high because I'm still lost as to why............why can't all citizens of Iowa vote? I guess it was 1972 that the Republican party started holding it's caucus on the same day as the democrats and that maybe brought it to the national media at any rate I think Iowa is now populated enough to have a primary. It's no longer a farm every 25 to 50 miles apart or near a town or community, it's time to move into age of populace voting.
Like anything else the press has gotten a hold of it and since 1972 it seems these caucus things are supposed to be so some importance. I remember turning 21 and being able to vote and following the primaries starting always with New Hampshire, even living in Iowa New Hampshire was the first. Sometime in my "hippie" years it seems Iowa and something called a caucus started to be talked about, I still must be high because I'm still lost as to why............why can't all citizens of Iowa vote? I guess it was 1972 that the Republican party started holding it's caucus on the same day as the democrats and that maybe brought it to the national media at any rate I think Iowa is now populated enough to have a primary. It's no longer a farm every 25 to 50 miles apart or near a town or community, it's time to move into age of populace voting.
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