NYC Journal

[Calzone]

Austin,

I seem to be getting too calm. I’m so relaxed at times I can fall asleep.

That’s my problem. I still restrict my coffee to only a small cup if I’m out. I don’t drink coffee in the morning, and if I do have it it is the afternoon to kinda wake up.

“Maggie” has an upset stomach. I have the chance to make “Mel’s Mix” today.

Life without coffee is a bit too relaxed. Day’s without coffee generally are lazy days. I’m having a coffee now so I can get some work done.

Earlier I bought almost $40.00 worth of stuff with the quarterly money I get from my health plan. Loaded up on Magnesium, which is a good mineral for anxious people according to our Gerontologist PCP.

Maggie is so fussy that she loves this Scotts toilet paper that is pleated like paper towels. They don’t always have it in stock so I bought the only two packs that were on the shelves. I used a mess of coupons and saved about $30.00. Part of that was almost $8.00 off my next purchase as “Rewards.” The luxury toilet paper was even on sale. Lucky me.

I have a $20K price in my head as far as the 1966 C-10 if I just make it road worthy. Pretty much it would be doubling my money, but otherwise I would just keep it. I figure it is a luxury item that I could live without, but I kinda like it for many-many reasons. The cash flow would be timely, but the truck could have a very useful future…

Oh-well…

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Mixing up 36 cubic feet of Mel’s Mix was pretty easy. The peat moss and Vermiculite weigh little.

Mel’s Mix kinda simulates potting soil, very light and does not compact. I can see it holding lots of moisture so in a way it is a step towards hydroponics. In fact the Vermiculite can be used as a bedding to grow things hydroponically.

In effect a square foot garden is just a form of container gardening.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I set up HOG last night with a set of low tension strings. Of course the guitar is less boomy, but it still displays a lot of warmth and bass. Used two piano turns on the wound strings to dial in the treble/highs to match the two unwound strings.

Did not have to adjust the truss rod so far, and the action and playability is like an electric guitar. The lower tension allows a really easy and smooth vibrato making this guitar really great for playing blues.

The tapered bracing favors a flat tonal response and depends on the body size and depth for a good bass response, unlike scalloped bracing that has a boom to the bass, but a scoop in the mids. I favor the midrange voice and warmth that the HOG provides.

In a ways there is a “Calzone-Factor” because what is popular among some acoustic blues players is the playing of small guitars with scalloped bracing for the treble and bass voicing.

I’ll see today if the truss rod needs adjustment. Neck does well with a perfectly straight neck.

Nice to have a dedicated blues guitar.

This one is exceptional.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

One of the unintended consequences of going green and organic on our property is that the animals and insects prefer our property over our neighbor’s.

I get buzzed by bumble bees and our yard is noisy with birds. Along with the bumble bees, come the wasps and yellow jackets, ants, chipmunks, deer and other critters.

Our next door neighbor is OCD about his lawn. He fertilizes and weed kills to manicure his lawn.

My weed killing is pulling the yellow flowers of dandelions. No flowers equals no seeds. Because I’m lazy I don’t rake the grass clippings effectively mulching my lawn, and to be honest my lawn looks as good as my neighbor’s, the monster.

I recently bought a Milwaukee M18 battery powered lawn mower, that is rated best in its class. On my first cut I used the 1 inch settings and pretty much made my lawn like a golf course green. This mower really does a superb job.

My use of Milwaukee tools has not gone unnoticed, at least by my invasive neighbors who surveil our lives a bit too close for comfort. They hang a Don’t Tread On Me flag, but I guess they don’t walk the talk.

I’m the kinda guy who is live and let live. I guess part of me is very liberal in that way. I am not anti-gun, and I strongly believe in the right to bear arms in our constitution, but I’m not a gun nut. Our neighbor’s are and are very outspoken about gun rights. Then there is a point where their gun rights are in your face all the time, and this too I find invasive.

There was a comment about my not wearing a shirt when I’m working in the yard sweating. I am not a beach whale, so why make any snarky comment that I take as personal insult.

So here is the smut: on our avenue of 13 houses lives a neighbor that is a PhD scientist who not only is an outspoken environmentalist who is mucho active in our community, but she is on the side of the extreme left.

Of course these neighbors hate reach other over their politics. I hear the all the complaints of when the city building department complaints that go back and forth.

So basically a full blown feud is ongoing that everyone knows about.

Evidently things I do annoy my next door neighbor. BTW no complaint/complaints were ever made against us, and you got to know that my hill-billy ways do nopt follow the rules.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I had time to tweak this carved top hollow bodied Tele. Another great guitar that weighs very little and is mucho lively. It has some Gibson resemblance and flavor, and is a lot like a Gibson ES-335, but with Tele single coil pickups.

Perhaps an odd guitar that shouts custom guitar because its look is not of a factory produced guitar.

Plays like butter even with a heavy set of 12’s strung up. Features 3-on-a-side tuners, but on a top bound Tele body that has a carved top like the semi-hollow ES-335.

I think I need a coffee to wake up.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Today is turning out to be a bit of a guitar day. Having a lot of pleasure going through my gear and playing each guitar. Some I am tweaking and doing changes to the setups.

Today is a cloudy drizzly day, and I need/require coffee to keep me awake.

I am mucho glad I retired early. I realize that I’m kinda tired and shot from decades of nonsense that was my life.

In reflexion I feel a bit sad about my intrusive neighbors. They are younger than us, but already have some serious health issues. Then again they are kind in their ways and generous to us. The sad part is that something is deficient in their own lives that they somehow are over invested in spying on us.

We may be a bit colorful or different, but we are not really so interesting to garner such investigations. I kinda remain aloof because I don’t need or require an understanding. I’m a complicated person anyways, and my individuality and original thinking need not get projected upon others, especially from people that I think are prone to be judgemental.

I fear I would be subjected to criticism because my thinking likely would not align with theirs. Also in a one sided way ideas really would not be shared, but be debated. I often find myself not responding, because what is the point of arguing?

I come from a space where there are three sides to any story, not just two. IMHO some people are just rigid thinkers.

I don’t object to the right to bear arms. In fact I believe in it, but when it is in my face too much I object. Some people are stuck in their agendas and then try to force the agenda on others. If they knew and understood where I stand then perhaps they could tone it down.

I explained once, but evidently they did not listen. Gun rights is only one thing that is self righteous: there are other points.

I guess I object to intolerance. Kinda funny how they are traveling and vacationing into the “Blue-States” in search of a location to retire. Pretty much they say they can’t stand the politics her in New York, but at least here politics are less intrusive and live and let live and be and let be is the attitude. New York and California are strongholds for individuality, freedom, and tolerance.

I find it amusing that in reality the local politics of the state really has little impact on their lives. I can’t say that of some other states.

“Just trying to mind my own business,” I say, but it is pretty hard around intrusive people.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

It takes 9 calories to burn a gram of fat. If you do all the math if I do an hour of running, biking or rowing it burns about 500 calories an hour, and to burn off 5 pounds of fat it would take about 41 hours of work via just exercise without a diet.

Pretty much an hour a day is not a lot, but it is actually hard to do.

Things like the weather, other obligations, illness, doctor’s appointments, family events, and timely things that have to get done around the house. Pretty much fitness has to be a very high priority to get done, yet life happens.

It is possible I could loose the 5 pounds I want to regain my beach body in about a month by cutting some carbs, but I need to start doing some aerobic exercise of at least an hour in duration every day, and the best way to get this accomplished is get up and do it as the first thing in my day, even before eating.

Joining the gym perhaps tomorrow could speed things up, and I could always do something like rowing for an hour and then hit the gym. Pretty much this would be making finess a lifestyle which in my book and plan is required.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

A day in the city for me to handle my business. Basically will kill the day, but oh-well. Kinda important to get done before June.

In another quarter I will be 66 years 8 months old. My full retirement age. If I wait to collect at age 70 I get about 10K more in annual benefits a year. Because longevity is on my side for me waiting till 70 makes the most sense.

Pretty much I have time to collect at my full retirement age if say after the election the situation unravels for Social Security where I can lock in my benefits.

My two pensions is like having 1 1/2 million dollars in a bond fund and collecting and living on just the interest. At age 70 my income will be high. Right now I’m living partially on my hospital pension that I was forced to collect once I hit 65 and no longer was employed by the hospital. The rest is savings that I have to pay taxes on. It gets ugly paying taxes, but paying now while my income is low is better than when I’m 70.

Pretty much at age 70 I will have more money than I need, and my expenses will be down. We plan on saving and hoarding money and continue to live below our means.

Cal

 

[JoeV]

Cal, I have friends who are in the processing of uprooting their lives and moving to a blue state (Idaho) because the politics are too “liberal” here in New Mexico. They have a custom-built Victorian-style mansion that was their dream home, but they’re leaving that all behind. And they’re retired, so not the best move financially. The political divide in this country is evil; and not just that, but is influencing these people into what amounts to financial suicide, all because of what some talking heads on radio and TV say.

 

[Henry]

Cal, I have friends who are in the processing of uprooting their lives and moving to a blue state (Idaho) because the politics are too “liberal” here in New Mexico. They have a custom-built Victorian-style mansion that was their dream home, but they’re leaving that all behind. And they’re retired, so not the best move financially. The political divide in this country is evil; and not just that, but is influencing these people into what amounts to financial suicide, all because of what some talking heads on radio and TV say.

This is wild to me, as someone who lives very close to NM (Hobbs is the closest Applebees to me, for reference). Perhaps it's the oil-field vibes but every time i go to NM i get the feeling that it's actually rather conservative. The state "politics" might not be, but the reality on the ground seems radically different.

Ignoring that places like SantaFe feel more conservative to me than parts of West Texas, at least in terms of how the "elite" parts of the city react to visitors.

I grew up in Albuquerque in the late 80's early 90's and never thought of that city as being particularly liberal, I suppose. So maybe it's my bias showing.

 

[Calzone]

When I was in New Mexico many people dying of AIDS before there was any treatments moved to Santa Fe. It was a peaceful place to die.

Also at the same time there was a big huge influx of people from California. Perhaps a change politically because of this migration?

I suspect that New Mexico has evolved and changed over the decades.

Even back in the 80’s there was conspiracy about Mormons Running the lab in Los Alamos.

BTW I love my next door neighbors. They are so kind and loving to us, but their level of interest in us is too much.

Peekskill is largely Democratic, but our small tiny neighborhood we were told by a man who held a seat in the Peekskill government that our hood is a Republican stronghold.

I don’t think there is a perfect place, but then again I’m a happy guy.

Our neighbors say they would be heartbroken if we moved to the Carolinas. Currently “Maggie” is suffering about them moving away. Pretty much a contract will be signed shortly.

I think Maggie and I are where we want to be. We would like to die in our Baby-Victorian, anyways that is our plan, but you never know.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Yesterday’s venture into NYC involved over 9 miles of walking. These 9-miles were the walk to the Peekskill train station to avoid paying a crazy annual parking fee over $500.00, and walking from Grand Central to the Upper East Side. I did this 5 days a week when I did my commute. The walking I did from Grand Central saved me a $2.35 Metro Card fare each way.

This was not strenuous, but was long enough to do a lot of good. I avoid the subways now as much as possible. Not the safest place. I carried a book and my paperwork in my motorcycle backpack that is streamlined and small to have my hands free just in case I have to protect myself from an aggressive biker.

My old hospital where I worked has tightened security and pretty much felt locked down. I use to know all the security guards, but now it seems like an entire new crew. Also lots of new hires. Pretty much not the same hospital I left behind. It made me glad that I did not work there anymore. I suspect a high turnover rate.

I guess I found it disturbing how much the city had changed, and also how much the hospital seemed to loose its culture.

The streets are less crowded and busy, and I was able to avoid the usual sidewalk congestion that is a nuisance. Perhaps this was the only good thing I found in the city I once loved.

For me the city is not the same and lost its charm. There was a time when living anywhere else seemed like a death sentence, but now I don’t miss it at all.

A sunny day and an expected high of 80. I likely can get some work done today.

“Maggie” has been great condensing our living by getting rid of things. She is a big source of clutter and mess. I have a lot of stuff, but it is contained and not spread all over the house. She is basically now organizing her life and culling through stuff that should of been thrown out years ago that has accumulated.

We likely will do a bit of snow birding this winter to visit the kids. Pretty much I can avoid the winter weight gain and maintain my fitness by running, walking, and doing pushups and chin-ups. Running with heavy hands slows down the impact on the joints and ensures a good cardio workout due to the extra burden on the upper body. I also feel the swinging of my arms helps improve balance.

I can bring my dumbbells and my kettlebell to get ripped.

Last December in the Carolinas around Christmas there could be frost in the morning, but a high of 80. Walking a beach in December was so refreshing.

Tonight is a First Tuesday “Salon” where an artist will be featured. Pretty much it is a monthly meet-up of artists at the Bean Runner Cafe which back in the day was a blacksmith’s shop. The featured artist is a politically active lesbian artist that fled Arkansas for reasons of safety. She is kinda politically charged, so I don’t know if she fled for political or because of the sexual oppression.

Pretty much she came just before the pandemic. BTW what I know of her work it is powerful, and I can see her getting death threats because of her activism. Really powerful images. Looking forward to going tonight.

I think Maggie has a physical therapy appointment today. I am also keen on seeing about joining my gym.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I’m reading a book called “Goodbye To All That” which is a collection of essays about loving and leaving New York.

The premise of the book and the title is riffing off a classic essay written by Joan Didion.

Our new friend Sari who we met at the Woodstock Book Festival was the Editor of the book. First printed in 2013, it was revised and reprinted in 2021. Now pretty much a classic.

Anyways an interesting read. This is a book that I read when waiting for “Maggie” to finish her physical therapy.

Of course NYC is a unique place, and since the pandemic it certainly has changed and evolved. Perhaps devolved is a better word. Anyways I don’t miss it, and pretty much for me it was a bit of a trap that did not let me move forward. Just the struggle of living there kinda consumed me and my time.

Really did not have time to relax or do my self exploration that I’m performing now. I’m not only more relaxed and happier, but I’m also getting more done, and there are many more possibilities.

Leaving NYC made me unstuck. I’m not involved with living in a frenzy anymore.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

A garden now is planted.

Eggplant, Zucchini, yellow squash, scallions, carrots, radishes, cherry tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, 4 different lettuces, plus arugula.

Later in the week we will get some pea and string bean seedlings from a friend.

Although I no longer have my digital studio in Madhattan where I went vertical, here in Peekskill I have to build some trellises for the plants to climb on.

I have three of my two by two squares set right next to each other on the north side of the garden. This is where I will have to make a major trellis for the eggplant, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and yellow squash. Almost vertical gardening.

For the carrots it is actually great that I have a 12 inch depth, even though in a square foot garden only 6 inches is required. The Mel’s Mix is very loose and holds moisture well. Very sponge like and simulates potting soil in consistency. Pretty much a square foot garden is an oversized container garden.

I can see how you can get a very high yield in not so much space. Very practical.

I guess our start is a few weeks behind, and I hope for a long growing season like last year.

The Roma tomatoes are really plum tomatoes to make sauce. We will likely have a big crop, and the idea is to purée the plum tomatoes and mix with spices to freeze to later make sauce.

If we have a lot of zucchini we can slice it and freeze it. Same for beans and peas.

We pretty much will be eating even better.

I think we planted too many scallions and radishes, but this was to make a woman happy. Not easy to do, no sense in arguing because you know men can never win.

Anyways I do eat a lot of scallions, don’t know how many radishes I can eat. Oh-well.

“Maggie” is doing a really big/huge herb garden. Also know that unusable surpluses will go to C-HOP our local food pantry.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

An interesting First Tuesday Salon at the Bean Runner Cafe.

The reason for VL Cox’s migration to Peekskill was an Arkansas law that allowed denial of medical care due to religious reasons. Her being a lesbian could mean being left to die in an emergency situation.

To fight off depression she decided to move.

VL moved to Peekskill about the same time we did.

Some of the stories told of her work that deals with racism and social justice really set a hook into me.

This one piece involving doors and labels she tried to get permits to display at the state capitol building failed. At one point she was told in a hostile manner to go try and set up her display at the Lincoln Memorial, and then she did just that.

Pretty much it became a viral event and became national news.

She later sued the State of Arkansas and won the right to display her work at the State Capitol.

So here we have another person relocating to another state for political reasons, but this time because of a possible life and death decision where under the Religious Freedom Bill she and others could be denied medical care and left to die.

Pretty much she was known enough also to be in physical danger also.

VL Cox is a very interesting artist on so many levels. Age is 62 BTW.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

The next few days will have periods of rain. Glad my garden is planted, the added moisture will help get the seeds germinated.

The empty house remains an eyesore, and “Maggie” gets aggrivated over the lack of progress. The lawn is overgrown and full of dandelions that are flowering. This guy Joe I have not seen around for a while. He paid cash for the house, because no bank would lend on a home with too many issues to get a CO.

There was a burst of work, but now there is no momentum or carry through.

My neighbors say that when the house is in the condition to be able to get a mortgage it instantly becomes a $500K house even though it is only about 1100 square feet.

I am beginning to wonder if Joe, the buyer/owner, now has remorse. Also does he know that he is annoying his neighbors? Not a good idea. Seems like a dead project.

I need to stock up on more supplies from Home Cheapo to have on hand to build out some things. Maggie has an eye doctor appointment today.

I have a boring life, and I love it.

Cal

 

[Nokton48]

Owl in our Apple Tree by Nokton48, on Flickr

Morning Devil Cal,

This Owl was eyeballing the squirrels running around in our yard. He sat on our apple tree branch for a while and then back into the woods. My Wife loves owls (I think they are beautiful too). She says this is a "Bard Owl". Later on he fell asleep high up in the canopy. And Yes there are two of them. So perhaps Owlets?

 

[Calzone]

Devil Dan,

Again, you suck. I’m so jealous.

I have too many chipmunks, and squirrels. Owls are not only mucho cool and beautifull, but are kinda needed in my yard.

Again you are a lucky guy.

BTW at night I hear swamp noises from the frogs, and in the morning birds wake me up before 6:00 AM.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

A red screen today on the markets. Even oil is in the red. Is there a slowdown in the economy happening, or are the markets thinking the FED will raise rates?

I also figure there is a real land bridge being built out between Brooklyn and the Catskills. There always has been, but now with an UBER tight market the demand seems to be getting worse.

I wonder the way things are going if there will be a rapid die off of baby-boomers that might happen to alleviate the housing shortage? Life expectancy dropped a lot, something like only 76 tears instead of 82 years. Many of us baby-boomers are not is so good a shape.

The people who either moved from Brooklyn by relocating, or actually are wealthy enough to have/own vacation homes perhaps can enjoy their privilage, but also may enjoy a longer life. When I say “Brooklyn” I mean affluent people that can enjoy privilage.

My thinking is about the economic divide in demographics of basically the have’s and have not. Like I said many baby-boomers are not in good shape, and in that I mean both physically and financially. Living paycheck to paycheck in retirement is eventually a death spiral.

Here in Peekskill we are situated around the halfway point between the Catskills and NYC. Not a bad place to be. I don’t see the housing shortage in the lower Hudson Valley ever going away. Demand will always remain high. Don’t forget that a large part of the NYC watershed is nearby, and therefore further development has to be curtailed.

On our drives into the Hudson Highlands places like Fishkill are not restricted. Pretty much a huge business and industrial corridor opens up that is massive. I would not want to live there. Although populated, also kinda sterile and barren in away.

Basically I’m in a hot spot as far as being east of the river, but to the west across the Hudson lay the Catskills and their unspoiled natural beauty. I have now a really good lay of the land and a sense of how the geography is a destiny for Peekskill.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Some light gardening today after buying more stuff at Home Cheapo.

After Cataract surgery evidently there are follow through procedures. A cloudiness developed that required a laser. One ye was done today. In about a month the other eye will get done.

My turn for cataract surgery is perhaps a decade out I’m told. By then technology will advance even more. I have almost $10K saved in a Health Spending Account (HSA) reserved for the extra costs for any upgrades. Know that MediCare only covers a basic Cataract surgery, and if you want any upgrade or the latest technology then it is your dime. The almost $10K is tax deferred money, and pretty much no taxes are paid.

“Maggie’s” lenses cost an additional $10K out of her pocket. She basically only needs glasses for reading. There was a possibility that she might of not needed glasses at all, but oh-well. Know that her prescription is an extreme near sightedness also with a bad astigmatism.

I washed the Audi A4. It’s a black 2015 that sparkles like a new car because it has been garaged its entire life. I got it with 16K miles on it, and now it has 47K miles on the odometer. Pretty much the car is still fresh and is a decade old.

Seems that getting a mortgage on a new home in the Carolinas is EZ-PZ. Financing is provided by the builder on brand new construction. The kids who are both educators now have jobs, but the pay is mucho less money and not in New York dollars. Things are less complicated down there.

With all the building going on down there they need new schools and more teachers. BTW down there is no tenure, and also no unions. It is a very different game down there.

Things are moving fast.

Cal