Ace Wisdom

Grasshopper No.3 has a birthday coming up.  Feb. 7th.  This year it coincides with Super Bowl Sunday.  Happy Birthday No.3.  I won’t reveal his age but we lived in Milwaukee in the early 1960’s when he was born.  May your day be special.

Your Mom took me to see “Newsies” last night at the PAC.  I’m told Disney made a movie of the same title 20-30 years ago.

The Super Bowl is celebrating 50 years since inception.  The Green Bay Packers of course won the first one.  The legend of Max McGee grows.  He caught 6 passes in the first playoff game including 2 for touchdowns.  He did it without sleep and being “hung over” from the night before.  Now there is an inspiration for all parents that have a son playing football.  Actually, Max was a really good guy!

The Denver Broncos, one of the Super Bowl participants, had two fans pay $8,000 each for tickets to the game.  The logic was that one buyer was 71 years old and this might be his last chance to see his team in the “big one”.  I understand the logic but is any football ticket in the world worth that kind of money?

Excelling at football can lead to many things.  Sports Announcer or Spokesman for companies such as Jockey shorts, Wrangler jeans and yes, pizza. Russell Wilson has raised football prestige to a whole new level.  He will deliver the commencement address to the University of Wisconsin graduating class next May at Camp Randall.  Imagine the wisdom a 28 year can impart to young kids (ages 22-24).  I’m sure Russell’s message will be to pursue your dreams. His dad taught him to always ask “if not me, who”? The more I think about it, he may be the perfect person to inspire young graduates.

My message (from a 75 year old) is “if not you, who”?

Love,

Dad

 

 

Ripon Foods cookie company produced it’s last cookie Jan. 27, 2016.  The last morsel of delectable dessert came rolling off one of the oven lines last Wednesday.  I’d like to think that the last cookie was a macaroon sandwich, chocolate chip sandwich or mint patty.

The city of Ripon has adopted the tag line “Cookietown USA” since the mid 1990’s.  They promoted Ripon with a Cookie Days (Daze) every summer. The City will change it’s tag this year.  It is sad to see it end.

There has been a recent study that confirms people who frequent local bars (taverns) are healthier than those that don’t.  As you know I was raised around a tavern.  It has something to do with being part of a circle of friends and social interaction.  People actually talk to each other. Usually the atmosphere is upbeat. Who knew?

Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow this morning.  That means an early Spring.  Yes!

Grandson Collin and wife Audrey are expecting their first child “soon”. Family history has lots of February birthdays.  My brother Jack was born on Feb.1.  My Great Grandfather John was Feb.2, Grasshopper No.3 was Feb.7, and “Nana”, who died at age 98, was Feb.11.  I understand Audrey’s birthdate is Feb.4.  Whoa!  I wonder what Feb. date is next.

Mardi-Gras precedes Ash Wednesday (Feb.10). Most people think the day before, Fat Tuesday, is the official celebration of Mardi-Gras.  I’m told people who live in Texas start celebrating a week early.

Love,

Dad

A belated Happy Birthday to grand-daughter Dano.  I always know how old she is because her birth coincides with the year your Mom and I moved to Appleton.  That was 1985.  That makes Dano 21.  Right! And that make me 65.  Happy Birthday Dano.

The flow of free money continues.  Your Mom and I used another Christmas gift certificate. We got to see the “Legends” at the Fireside.  It was a little different from previous years where they featured local band artists. Legends means an Elvis impersonator among others.  I can’t believe I am admitting this but the best impersonator of the day might have been Elton John.  Elton John?  I don’t even like Elton.

Here is my “money” tip of the month.  You are all getting ready to mail your 2015 taxes or have already “done so”.  When you get your refund, put it in the bank.  Don’t pi– it away on something frivolous and un-needed.  It is the easiest “savings exercise” you will ever experience.  Compound the tax refund by investing it wisely and someday you’ll be rich.  Just saying!

The reward for the best players in the NFL is to be named to the Pro-Bowl “All-Star Game” in Hawaii.  The player gets to take his family to Hawaii for a week, play a silly game of “tag” football (nobody wants to take a chance of getting hurt) and then fly home.  Players don’t want to go.  They are tired. They risk injury and it takes 10-15 hours flying time.  I see Aaron Rogers feigned an injury and will not attend.  Coach Mike McCarthy of our Packers was to be the coach of the NFC squad.  Oops!  He has a stomach virus and can’t make it.  Did the NFL ever consider dropping the All-Star event.  Could money be involved?

January is over!

Love,

Dad

 

Armed with a “movie gift card” from Christmas and suffering from Green Bay Packer withdrawal, your Mom and I went to see Revenant with Leonardo DiCaprio. Because we were flush with “free cash”, we had the reclining reserved seats along with popcorn and soda.  The free money thing is great.  The movie was terrific but not for the feint at heart.

Grasshopper No.1 shared several jars of her fresh Chicken Dumpling soup. Your Mom started eating it immediately.  Something about having to eat it quickly of she wouldn’t get any.  Really?

I got to drive Grasshopper No.3’s “newish” Audi.  I thought the economy was going in the “tank”?  It goes from 0-60 mph real quick.

More “white stuff” (snow) this morning.  Actually if you don’t have to shovel the “stuff”, it was kind of pretty.

I need to load my Turbo-Tax software to see if it works.

I picked New England to defeat Denver Sunday.  I was wrong.  I pick Arizona to destroy Carolina.  I was wrong.  I guess the lesson is pick the opposite of what I do.

Denver will win the Super Bowl.

Love,

Dad

In the Wizard of Oz, the movie transitions from “black and white” to technicolor in an instant.  Our house went from “Christmas lights” to “normal” in an instant.  Normal is good!

I’m not sure what it means when McDonald’s closes it’s outlet at the local Mall.  You would think with all the “people traffic”, the Mall would be the perfect location.  I think it has something to do with the high cost of renting their food court location and lots of competition from low cost operators.  There is also a game being played as McDonald’s tries to avoid paying Obamacare penalties on people being classified as “full time” employees.

Your Mom and I were watching a VUDU movie the other night and it began “buffering”.  Forever buffering.  So I rebooted everything including the router and the Wi-Fi extender.  After all the clever technical trouble shooting, I could not get internet service.  Nothing.  No Internet explorer.  No iPad Wi-Fi service.  I immediately called my reliable Time Warner service provider.  They were eager to help so while I was giving them my account information, they cut me off.  I got their busy phone signal.  I recalled Time Warner and after “holding” for 10 minutes, I got a service tech in Ohio.  He checked my service and said it appeared okay but he decided to reboot my location.  Suddenly everything worked.  I asked if anyone else was experiencing the same problem and he said yes, “all over the midwest”.  Why didn’t Time Warner tell me that “upfront”.  I pi–ed away an hour of my valuable time screwing around because Time Warner had an internet problem. I’m sure I’ll get a rebate on my monthly fee.

New England Patriots win in the snow and Arizona will sack Carolina.

Love,

Dad

 

 

There is a fresh pot of chili simmering on the stove.  Chili sounded good after egg rolls, veggie wraps and peanut butter soup experienced during the holidays.

Thank you all for making Grasshopper No.5’s late Christmas party a success.  She was still talking about it when she left on Sunday.  We lucked out with weather during Christmas holidays.

I remember my dentist telling me when I was younger (in my 30’s) that there was no reason I shouldn’t be able to use my permanent teeth for the rest of my life.  Of course there was always the caveat that I needed to take care of my teeth by brushing 6-7 times a day.  Eating healthy foods was part of the deal.  I am 75 years old and have 1 implant and an empty hole where a molar used to rest.  What the hell!

Which brings me to your Mom.  She had a tooth pulled yesterday.  I’m not sure how many permanent teeth she has had replaced but it is quite a few.  Her Mom (Nana) had a partial plate of false teeth at an early age. What the dentist forgot to tell me 45 years ago was heredity has a lot to do with. Actually on the other side of the ledger, Grasshopper No.3 has only had 4-5 cavities his whole life.

No your Mom and I do not have dental insurance.

The Packers are done “dancing”.  I will say they make things interesting.  “Hail Mary passes”.  Overtime.  Bad luck on the toss of a coin.

I see the Milwaukee Brewers are already selling season ticket packages. That’s it?  That is the best we’ve got to look forward to until Spring?  I challenge you to name two players on the Brewers team.

Stay warm!

Love,

Dad

Grasshopper No.2 is headed to Hawaii for a seminar.  Something about required education credits to maintain “active” chiropractic status.  The seminar lasts two days.  Her trip lasts 12 days.  How does that work?

My foray into buying lottery tickets is at an end.  The $1.6 billion PowerBall  is now history.  The winning “Powerball” number was 10.  I had a ticket with 10.  I had nothing else.  I win $4.  It is an example of the poorest investment risks ever.

For those of you with 401(k) retirement accounts, last year you lost 3%. Since the start of January, 2016, you’ve lost another 8% in stock mutual funds.  Do like Scarlet O’Hara in “Gone With the Wind”, worry about it tomorrow.  The law of averages will save you.  Stock Funds average 6-8% growth over a 20 year period.

Just a note on following greatness. When Lombardi retired, he was followed by assistant Phil Bengston.  Nobody remembers Phil.  In the case of Lombardi, how do you follow “God”?  Bo Ryan just retired from coaching the Wisconsin Badger basketball team.  Bo, is a Wisconsin legend. He handed the reins to his assistant, Greg Gard.  Wisconsin has since won 1 game and lost 5.  The prognosis isn’t good.  Again, how do you follow a legend?  How do you improve “perfection”?

I am waiting for financial advice from my advisers vacationing in Texas. Where are they when you need them?

Love,

Dad

 

 

This date, 25 years ago, Grasshopper No.3 married the love of his life. Here is wishing the young couple a very Happy Anniversary.  It is indeed a special milestone.

As you all know, I did not win the Power Ball lottery last Saturday night. Nobody did.  Just to show you how ridiculous the odds are, I had a ticket with 5 picks, a total of 30 numbers. I hit on “one” number out of 30 and I was probably pretty lucky to do that. The prediction is that Wednesday night the “pot” will swell to $1.4 billion (that is with a “b”). Yes I did buy a ticket.  If I win, I don’t want to be called by my first name.  I want to be addressed as “Sir”.

Grasshopper No.5 assisted her best friend with camera work at Lambeau several weeks ago.  Since she is from Minneapolis and the Vikings football team made the playoffs. No.5 was again invited to assist camera work last Sunday (the game was outdoors at Minnesota University).  It turned out to be the 3rd coldest NFL football game in history.  The game was played in below “0” temperatures and -20 F. wind chills. No.5 declined the offer to assist.  Smart, very smart.  Hey, we didn’t raise any dummies.

I hate to jinx the Packers journey to the Super Bowl but here goes.  The Packers will beat Arizona Saturday night and Seattle will beat Carolina setting up a NFC championship game at where else, Lambeau.  The Packers will extract a sort of revenge against Seattle who beat them in unlikely fashion in the playoffs last year.  The Packers will slip into the Super Bowl. Hey, I can dream can’t I.  I’m the same guy who buys a lottery ticket with 300 million to one odds.

Stay warm

Dad

Talk about lousy investments!  PowerBall will total $700 million Saturday night.  The odds of winning are one in 292 million.  The odds of getting struck by an asteroid are better than winning PowerBall.  Buying a ticket is beyond high risk.  It is just plain stupid.  Yep, I bought a ticket this morning.

It has been 10 days since we had “the” 12 inch snow storm.  Our City in it’s infinite wisdom decided to do “clean-up” by re-plowing some of the streets.  This morning my driveway was piled high with wet, sloppy, heavy snow.  And it is raining!  Really?  I’m moving to Texas.

This next observation may not interest most of you but I was watching UCLA play Arizona in a college basketball game.  The coach for UCLA is Steve Alford, maybe the greatest shooter of a basketball ever (he played at Indiana and won the 1987 National Championship).  Steve Alford coaches his son, Brice.  Last night with the score tied at 84 against Arizona, Steve chose his son to take a long jump shot as the clock expired.  Brice took the shot.  It arched high.  It was on line.  It swished the net.  UCLA wins.  I can’t imagine how the Dad felt seeing his son make the game winning shot.  I can’t imagine how Brice felt?  Money isn’t everything.

For those trusting informed, highly paid, investment advisors for your 401k’s, your stock mutual funds are already down 5% and one full week of the New Year is not finished.  In fairness, it is going to be a volatile year with lots of “ups and downs”.  Acewisdom predicts the market will be up slightly by the end of the year.  Echoing Aaron Rogers, “relax”.

The Packers will beat Washington on Sunday.

Love,

Dad

 

I do have a New Years Resolution for 2016 (as of this morning).  Any time I hear a political ad on radio or TV, I will immediate switch stations.  My sanity is involved.

Grasshopper No.5 and friend found enough time to visit your Mom and I on Sunday during her journey to Lambeau.  She has never been to the “Catholic Football Cathedral”.  Not only was she going to Lambeau for the Packer-Viking game but she would be down on the field assisting her special friend with camera duties.  She did it!  We have the pictures to prove it.  I haven’t heard the stories about the “cold” yet.

I am a little bit concerned. Grasshopper No.5 has been showing signs of a preference for the Minnesota Vikings.  Our family has never had to deal with a Grasshopper who has “turned”.  I am not absolutely sure but she bears watching.  I don’t even know what the penalty should be for becoming a Vikings fan.  What penalty did Brett Favre get when he went to Minnesota?

Grandson Collin has boasted about his Subaru all wheel drive car for almost a year.  You would think there wasn’t any comparable vehicle. We had a foot of snow last week.  Guess who got stuck in his drive way trying to get to work (to plow snow no less).  I am concerned.  Collin and his bride are expecting their first child in early February.  What if the Subaru breaks down or gets stuck again?

Your Mom and I got to watch the first episode of Downton Abbey, Season 6.  This is the final season of the collapsing Edwardian Aristocracy in the early 1900’s in England.  Good stuff.  The rich people are losing their money and status.  The servants are finding better jobs. I predict that “the inmates will be running the asylum”.

The days keep getting longer.

Love,

Dad