Ace Wisdom

Shortly after we bought our first cottage in the 1977, I bought a used red boat. It had a 65 horsepower Mercury outboard engine and it could pull a skier. It seemed perfect for the lake that we were on and in retrospect it was a good “learning experience” about boats.
That little red boat was a piece of sh–. The previous owner must have hit the motor on a sandbar or something because the back motor mounting transom had been rebuilt. That transom eventually began to crack and we did some temporary fiberglass reinforcements and repairs.
Then one day in the early 1980, I got a call at work. Grasshopper No.3 had talked your Mom into looking at a new “gold flecked” gorgeous Glasstron speedboat at the local boat dealership. It was on sale and was last years model. The question was “would I come and look at it”? Talk about a set up.
We bought that boat. The used red “starter boat” was traded in. The 65 hp Mercury engine was mounted on the new boat. It turned out to be a perfect match including the jet black color. The local credit union loved my business.
That new glastron boat with it’s stunning gold color with glittering glass flecks was the class of the lake. It was kind of “look at me, look at me”.
Grasshopper No.3 spent a summer or two crusing around the lake probably doing things I don’t even want to know about. People that frequented the lake remember Grasshopper No.3 and the gold glastron.
Recently Grasshopper No.4 met a family that spent several weeks each year at our lake. One conversation led to another and suddenly they were talking about the stunning gold boat and Grasshopper No.3. There was some mention about how fast the boat went but that was a myth. It went fast but others were faster. None of the boats were prettier.
I’m not sure why I let your Mom and No.3 talk me into a new boat. Maybe deep down, it is what I really wanted.
The story of the young boy and the beatiful golden boat would make a great children’s story. Hey, maybe I was “the child at heart” living out my own fantasy.
Love,
Dad

I had my Obamacare physical this morning. The physical is encouraged by the government to be administered each year and it is paid “in full”. I guess the idea is preventative care. I had been told that I needed to allow more time for this physical because of Obamacare.
Most everything physcially was the same. They took the normal blood tests and checked all the vitals. Yeah, I had to cough (twice).
The big difference was the questions. I was asked a lot of questions about my life style by the attending nurse. I was asked a second time by the doctor. So there was redundancy (possibly to catch lying).
I was asked if I wore seat belts when I drive? What has that to do with my health?
They wanted to know if stairways at home had railings?
Did our bathtub and shower have hand rails for stability?
You get the idea. I guess the questions are relevant to my lifestyle but why does the government need to know that info.
One question related to whether we had a Will and/or Healthcare Power of Attorney. This one is hard to argue because if they have documents on file, they might make better judgements if it is necessary to “pull the plug”. I was asked to provide the documents. Yeah, right!
When the physical was all over, I asked if I could get internet access to my medical records. The answer was yes but I needed to fill out a form including my Social Security Number. I was reluctant to provide the SSN but I did. On the way home it dawned on me. When you qualify for Medicare A insurance at age 65, they issue you an insurance card. Your Identification Number on the insurance card is mostly made up of Social Security Number info. The doctor, the hospital and anyone with access to your medical records can get your SSN. Dah!
So I fought the good fight. I tried to resist as many questions as I could but in the end, “Big Brother” won. Damn. I tried!
The Packers (of whom I am part owner) play their first pre-season game Thursday. Whoa.
Love,
Dad

Since I lived through World War II, the historical significance of things from that era have always interested me. Like aircraft! Last week, the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) held it’s annual convention in Oshkosh. It flew in the last remaining B-29 Superfortress Bomber. The B-29 is famous for dropping the atomic bombs on Japan, essentially forcing their surrender in 1945.
The last B-29 is named “Fifi”. I think the one that bombed Japan was the “Enola Gay”. It was a huge airplane for 1942. What made it special was that it could fly further and higher than any previous bombers. It had a pressurized cabin so that it could fly higher than other planes. When it made its bomb runs over Japan, it was so high that normal fighter aircraft could not reach it. Fly high and safe! That was the B-29. My kind of plane.
I read an article that said EAA was offering rides on the B-29 out of the Appleton Outagamie Airport. Believe it or not, I made a trip out to the airport to see the B-29. I only got to see it from a distance, but it was smaller than I had imagined from all the pictures. I guess it was big according to 1942 standards.
Part of me wanted to take the half-hour flight over EAA and the area just to experience the ride. Powerful engines (4-2000 horsepower engines). Slow gradual takeoffs. It is hard to imagine the 12-15 continuous hours in the air to drop strategic bombs! You get the idea.
I can’t say that flying on a B-29 would have been on my “bucket list”, but it would have been a candidate.
Being the thrill seeker and risk taker that you all know I am, I thought, “lets check it out”. What were the flight times? How much did it cost? The flight times were numerous. The fee per person was over $1000. Oops. Fantasy over! B-29’s and their mystique are a fascination, but not $1000 fascinating.
I got to see the last B-29 that will ever fly. It took me back. No, I didn’t sign up to fly. Getting to see the “last one”, priceless!
Love,
Dad

Grasshopper No.4 is commited to coaching Grandson Tommy in the Youth Football Program this year. Grandson Dominic plays his first freshman high school football game at the end of August (I’m sure Grasshopper No.4 will be at all games). And then, No.4 has agreed to be “an unpaid Assistant Quarterback Coach” on the high school team. When does he work?
It seems that No.4 has a great deal in common with Brett Favre. Brett has become “an unpaid Assistant Football Coach” for Oak Grove Mississippi High School. He receives no money but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel the stress. Favre wakes up in the middle of the night dreaming of plays. That sounds vaguely familiar. Favre is quoted as saying that “his whole job is to keep things simple”. That also sounds vaguely familiar.
Of course the other thing that Favre and Grasshopper No.4 have in common is that they are both independently wealthy meaning they can afford to volunteer for coaching duties.
The great people of the world have developed ways to take complex situations and make them simple. John Wooden, the best basketball coach who ever lived, kept things very simple and emphasized executing the simple game plan. Vince Lombardi kept things simple. Lombardi could talk all day about one play and how to execute it.
You get the idea. Simplicity (especially with kids) wins. It is either by divine coincidence that Grasshopper No.4 and Brett Favre (who is not exactly a mental giant) discovered the “simplicity formula” or dumb luck. Whatever the reason, both are on the right track.
Just a note. I saw Grandson Tommy’s last baseball game. He was catching. An opponent was trying to steal home base. The baseball diamond was very dry and the light wind kept stirring up the dust. The player stealing home came crashing into Tommy (who had been thrown the baseball) stood his ground. There was a tremendous collision and a huge cloud of dust. The dust cleared. The crowd cheered. Mighty Tommy had hung on to the baseball and tagged the runner. Out! The runner was out! Yes sir, Tommy had prevailed. The mighty Tommy had tagged him out.
Simplify your life. Deal only with the important things. Get rid of all the extraneous sh–!
Love,
Dad

I am not an expert on pensions but I feel compelled to share what little I do know. You know! Retirement pensions. Actually, your Social Security benefits are a pension.
50-60 years ago it was common for many companies to provide for employees retirement by setting aside “profits” on an annual basis. It meant that employees could receive regular payments (usually monthly) according to a pre-determined schedule upon retirement.
Here is a word you should remember when people talk about pensions: “assumptions”. Most companies hired a financial expert known as an actuary. He was a shriveled up old man who wore green eyeshades and sat in a closet calculating the numbers involved in a pension.
Assumptions going into a pension include things like the number of participants, the amount of indiviual pay each person gets, years of service, conditions for qualifying and vesting schedules. And more….
Remember that many pension plans began 50-60 years ago. The money that the sponsoring company set aside each year would earn interest and growth from investments. Mr “green eyeshade guy” normally guessed on a rate of return for the investments. 8% annual return was fairly common.
Alas, everything is not going as was designed for pensions. The money that is in the funds for pensions has been making 1% per year for the last 12 years and there have even been “loss years”. Some companies have been losing money and delay putting aside money for their pension plans. In fact, if a company goes bankrupt and has an unfunded pension plan, guess who “get it in the shorts”? Yep, the pensioners. There are some plans backed by insurance but that gets complicated.
Pension plans have been replaced by 401(k)s and IRA’s leaving the individual in charge of their own plans. Companies have wanted distance themselves from published retirement plans because the original assumptions always change.
I know of one family member participant on a pension. Good luck!
Before the rest of you feel relieved, we all have the prospect of our Social Security pension being interrupted, changed or cancelled. The original assumptions of Social Security have changed and the Government has pi—- the money away. Good luck to us all!
Love,
Dad

I’m headed for Green Bay and Lambeau Field. Today is the annual stockholders meeting and I want to be sure to give my input. I got my admission ticket yesterday. I’m sure they will hold the meeting until I get there. Stockholders get full access to the Lambeau Atrium until late afternoon. I think I’ll spend my Green Bay Packers dividends at Curly’s Pub. That will keep me busy until late afternoon.
Then it is on to pick up my new eye glasses in Sheboygan (provided they come in today). There go the rest of my Packer dividends.
Then if weather permits, I’ll get to watch Grandson Tommy lead his youth baseball team to victory. Actually the youth baseball brings back old memories. The worst player was positioned in right field (nobody ever hit a ball to right field so they couldn’t jeopardize victory). Then the worst player was placed last in the batting line up (it reduced the chances of having to bat). No, Tommy is catching. He is not in right field. As a hitter is smashes the ball most times at bat. Look out Milwaukee Brewers. Here comes Tommy!
It will be late evening before I (we) get home tonight but my day will have included Packers, new glasses and a Grandson playing baseball. This retirement thing is okay.
My horoscope tells me that today “the sky may be above me but it is also inside me. With every breath I take today, I will intermingle my essence with the sky and exhale my interpretation of the universe”. What the hell does that mean? Who writes that sh–!
If anybody needs a job, my source tells me the “gas fracking” operation in North Dakota will hire any “warm body” and pay big bucks. The only negative is you’ll have to live in a tent.
Love,
Dad

Anticipation is the spice of life. Football season is around the corner. The Packers have great promise. The Badgers are a work in progress but if they find a quarterback, it could be an exciting year. Grasshopper No.4 begins a new 3 year personal contract to coach Grandson Tommy through “youth football”. Grandson Dominic begins his high school football (freshman team). Does it get any better?
Last night, your Mom and I attended Grandson Tommy’s last Summer League baseball game (regular season). He is easily the biggest player on the team and I have yet to witness him strike out. He hits the ball solid every time at bat. I anticipated (there is that word again) sitting in the shade, watching baseball with a cool beverage in my hand. Instead, there was a northeast wind, 15-20 miles per hour and a steady wet mist. The highest temperature was around 63 degrees. The weather wasn’t what I anticipated.
I have been limiting bread and greasy foods in my diet. Every now and then I get a craving for a “quarter pounder with cheese”. You know! Something obscene and bad for you. For almost a week I planned to “screw the diet” and satisfy my craving. The anticipation was overwhelming. So Tuesday evening, at supper-time I drove over to McDonalds for my “fix”. There were no cars in line so I was able to drive right to the window speaker system where you order. Does it get any better? They were waiting for me. Then I noticed there weren’t any cars around McDonalds. It turns out they had a power outage and sent everybody home. So I didn’t get my quarter pounder with cheese and it will have to wait until another day. I just have to anticipate how good it will taste! Maybe God was trying to tell me something.
Anticipate a great weekend. Make it happen!
Love,
Dad