OK, I promise to knock off the “M ±” stuff after this entry. I suspect it comes from watching too much Babylon 5. Then again, I’m not sure it’s possible to watch too much Babylon 5.

The Younger Sister called this morning to let me know she was now well into the coughing/sneezing/nose-blowing portion of her cold. We agreed that it would be in our mutual interests for her not to go with me to the conference this weekend. I went ahead and called the conference coordinator, and replaced her with The Socialist as my guest. I had them sign him up for all the same sessions I’m taking. I don’t know if he was truly earnest about wishing he could have gone to Harrisburg with me or not, but if he wants, the opportunity is now his. I couldn’t get the money refunded anyway, so I had nothing to lose by doing this.

I purchased four small pots of mums and a rather large pumpkin for my office. Three of the four mums (white, purple, white) I put in the window box outside the window by my desk. I put the window box up myself when I was first moved into this office, nearly four years ago. It has amused me because my office is on the “industrial” side of our office building, and the cheery flowers contrast oddly with the large trucks and heavy equipment that go by my office on a regular basis. The box, however, has seen better days, and I note with some sadness that the wood is badly warped on the sides, and the nails are starting to pull out of the wood. This will probably be its last season before I’m forced to sacrifice it to the Garbage Gods. Still, in its present dilapidated condition, it fits in with the rest of the decor around here.

The fourth mum (purple) and the pumpkin I’ve placed on the stairs leading up to the outside door of my office. The silver mini-corn I purchased a week ago is on the door. In all, I’d say that my office is finally looking “lived in” again.

I’m seriously thinking about removing the Gumby collection from my office. Yes, I know it isn’t exactly professional, but that’s never really bothered me. There’s too much in here though, and the place is starting to look junky. I might even bite the bullet and sell the lot of it off on e-bay. I could use the extra cash, and I’m not really into collecting Gumbys any more. I’d keep my old Gumby and Pokey, of course, and a few of the nicer items like the Limoge Gumby pillboxes. But Cowboy Pokey’s and Blockhead G’s days are numbered.

Spoke with my broker this afternoon to let him know that I wouldn’t have the $3000 free that I’d need to make a deposit to my Roth IRA this year. I’m not flat out broke, and The Socialist has already offered to give me an assist if I need it. Still, I do not like borrowing money for any reason, especially when it exceeds the double digits. When I asked my broker if it was a sound idea to liquidate some of my non-IRA holdings and move them into a Roth, he proposed another arrangement instead. Apparently there is an annuity available that will give an excellent return, offer me similar tax advantages, and offers an up front bonus that would exactly offset the loss I’d be taking if I sold off some of my stocks. He’s going to set it up for me, and then send the confirmation paperwork out. I’m relieved that he found this for me. Because of my medical history I don’t qualify for most insurance policies.

When I was 39 I tried to purchase nursing home insurance, so that I’d have something to cover costs in my old age if it became necessary to incarcerate me. I was told I couldn’t apply until I was 45. When I was 41, I contracted viral cardiomyopathy, and suddenly the cost of the insurance, if they’d even give it to me, skyrocketed. Now, with my transplant, no insurance company will touch me with a ten-foot pole. It’s up to me to earn enough to cover coming retirement expenses, a task I find increasingly formidable. This annuity will go a long way to help defray coming expenses.

To the Socialist (if you read this): See! I am an optimist. I’m planning on living a good long time.

To the less chronologically endowed than I out there: Consider starting your IRA’s when you’re still in your twenties and early thirties. You will end up with tons of money for your retirement that way. I just wish that IRA’s had been an option for me way back in the dark ages.

Saw this on a forum I visit occasionally and post on very infrequently:

Digital Camera for Sale – Only Used Once

Click thumbnail – Picture will open in separate window

Seriously, if anyone knows what the real story behind that photograph is, I’d appreciate hearing about it. I hesitate calling that a “once in a lifetime” shot, but I have my suspicions.

Now do you see why I titled this M+1? If I’d called it “Mums Gumby Stocks Bull” you’d have all thought I was one fry short of a Happy Meal.