Hillary Clinton won tonight's debate, hands down. Carly Fiorina won the recent GOP debate. Could we be facing the first election where a woman will definitely be elected President net year?
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Sunday Matters
Long conference call with my 21-year-old and his mother today as we try to help him navigate the treacherous waters of incurring debt while at college. I've worked with him the past few years to try and prepare him to handle these matters on his own.
Sometimes, for all parents, it feels like the deck is stacked against our kids. The loan system itself is extremely opaque. You cannot easily tell which loan is for which kid, how much the interest rate is, and when what is due.
In other words, it is a racket. Of that I am sure.
But we are slowly and methodically figuring it all out. The basic point here is he, and all of our kids, will need these skills going forward.
He also is trying to buy his first car. Out there in Missoula, that would improve his lifestyle immensely. So we talked about Consumer Reports and Kelly Blue Book. But his greatest asset locally may be his friend Johnny, who knows about cars.
He is also talking about moving into an apartment next semester with his girlfriend. It would be university-based housing.
Ah...You know, when it comes to your kids as they reach these ages and stages, all you can do is sit back and hope for the best.
-30-
Sometimes, for all parents, it feels like the deck is stacked against our kids. The loan system itself is extremely opaque. You cannot easily tell which loan is for which kid, how much the interest rate is, and when what is due.
In other words, it is a racket. Of that I am sure.
But we are slowly and methodically figuring it all out. The basic point here is he, and all of our kids, will need these skills going forward.
He also is trying to buy his first car. Out there in Missoula, that would improve his lifestyle immensely. So we talked about Consumer Reports and Kelly Blue Book. But his greatest asset locally may be his friend Johnny, who knows about cars.
He is also talking about moving into an apartment next semester with his girlfriend. It would be university-based housing.
Ah...You know, when it comes to your kids as they reach these ages and stages, all you can do is sit back and hope for the best.
-30-
Friday, October 09, 2015
My Week
Dylan has been here most of the week; he is looking for work and playing video games with Aidan in Missoula. I stayed home of Wednesday, mainly to spend time with him. Technology helps them keep their relationship strong. I love that.
He and have gotten food from Mexican and Chinese restaurants, plus I have cooked spaghetti twice, including tonight.
Like most older people I had a health scare this week. I do not think very many young people understand what it is like to be in your late 60s, but my staffers seem to be able to, mainly because I have been open with them.
I went to my doctor yesterday and it appears things are okay for now. The tests came back mainly positive with a few indications of concern. But for now I seem to be okay.
Up in Napa, Julia and I have talked about a company called JustFab that she bought some shoes from 18 months ago. Ever since then, it turns out, they have been billing my credit card $39.95/month. I am sorry to say I have so many charges to that card that it took me until Wednesday to figure this out.
Since she was a minor when she made her (one) purchase 18 months ago, and they have been ripping us off ever since, the offered to refund me twleve of those payments. The rest they offered as purchases.
We accepted their offer. So Julia has $160 in clothes on the way; I am not sure what kind of mixed message this is sending her...
He and have gotten food from Mexican and Chinese restaurants, plus I have cooked spaghetti twice, including tonight.
Like most older people I had a health scare this week. I do not think very many young people understand what it is like to be in your late 60s, but my staffers seem to be able to, mainly because I have been open with them.
I went to my doctor yesterday and it appears things are okay for now. The tests came back mainly positive with a few indications of concern. But for now I seem to be okay.
Up in Napa, Julia and I have talked about a company called JustFab that she bought some shoes from 18 months ago. Ever since then, it turns out, they have been billing my credit card $39.95/month. I am sorry to say I have so many charges to that card that it took me until Wednesday to figure this out.
Since she was a minor when she made her (one) purchase 18 months ago, and they have been ripping us off ever since, the offered to refund me twleve of those payments. The rest they offered as purchases.
We accepted their offer. So Julia has $160 in clothes on the way; I am not sure what kind of mixed message this is sending her...
Sunday, October 04, 2015
Weekend Pace
A friend stopped by for tea. She is Japanese and often visits me on Saturdays. She took two copies of my book, Circle of Poison, one in Japanese and one in English, for a class she is taking on critical thinking and essay writing. I love that that book is still relevant for people.
Then I met a friend from work at the Atlas Cafe. First time I'd been there in a while. We ran into another friend from work while there.
Back home, my youngest son and I watched the baseball game on TV. The Giants did not make the playoffs so these last games are meaningless on one level. But somehow that makes them even more enjoyable to watch.
It's just the pure beauty of the game.
I got up early and did our weekly (or now bi-weekly) shopping trip. Bags of groceries and supplies. There were no lines and plenty of parking spaces.
As I unloaded the bags from the trunk of my old car, I spoke with my neighbor and heard the sound of a bird singing.
-30-
Then I met a friend from work at the Atlas Cafe. First time I'd been there in a while. We ran into another friend from work while there.
Back home, my youngest son and I watched the baseball game on TV. The Giants did not make the playoffs so these last games are meaningless on one level. But somehow that makes them even more enjoyable to watch.
It's just the pure beauty of the game.
I got up early and did our weekly (or now bi-weekly) shopping trip. Bags of groceries and supplies. There were no lines and plenty of parking spaces.
As I unloaded the bags from the trunk of my old car, I spoke with my neighbor and heard the sound of a bird singing.
-30-
Thursday, October 01, 2015
October 1st
My youngest son, the only kid staying with me this fall, applied for a job today. He said the interview made him incredibly nervous but he thinks it went pretty well. It is a retail job, doesn't start until November, and will involve being really busy during the holiday period, when he finally once again will have friends in the city.
I think all of us can understand how a young person feels going in for his first job interview. Hell, until I got my current job, during the many years I was jobless, I lost most of the confidence acquired over a lifetime when applying for jobs. After a long career of success.
In those interviews, it's impossible to feel that you are not being judged, and especially in today's American culture, you really are being judged and evaluated.
Plus he is an especially good, sensitive, sweet and brilliant individual. But none of those qualities necessarily gets you a job. I gently suggested that when you do get jobs you have to compromise on a lot of levels. So if he is too busy at Christmas to see his friends as often as he would like he will at least have enough money to have fun when he does.
All I could think of to relax him after the stressful interview was for us to go by El Matate, and get one of his favorite burritos. Tomorrow night we will order pizza. Later tonight, when his brother in Missoula gets online, they will play video games.
Thus is my life as a parent.
(Don't even get me started what it is like at work.)
I think all of us can understand how a young person feels going in for his first job interview. Hell, until I got my current job, during the many years I was jobless, I lost most of the confidence acquired over a lifetime when applying for jobs. After a long career of success.
In those interviews, it's impossible to feel that you are not being judged, and especially in today's American culture, you really are being judged and evaluated.
Plus he is an especially good, sensitive, sweet and brilliant individual. But none of those qualities necessarily gets you a job. I gently suggested that when you do get jobs you have to compromise on a lot of levels. So if he is too busy at Christmas to see his friends as often as he would like he will at least have enough money to have fun when he does.
All I could think of to relax him after the stressful interview was for us to go by El Matate, and get one of his favorite burritos. Tomorrow night we will order pizza. Later tonight, when his brother in Missoula gets online, they will play video games.
Thus is my life as a parent.
(Don't even get me started what it is like at work.)
Sunday, September 27, 2015
One of My Readers
Yesterday my youngest son slept in while I fiddled around doing the usual weekend chores -- paying bills, doing the laundry, washing dishes, cleaning...
When he woke up we went to our favorite hamburger place -- Whizburger -- for lunch. Then he watched an exciting Giants game on TV with me. (They won, 14-10.)
In between, he played video games long-distance with his brother in Missoula, who talked to us both over an Internet connection.
In ;ate afternoon, he went off with his Mom to practice driving. He has his license; he just needs to improve his driving skills.
He talked with me about getting nervous in job interviews. This is relevant because he has two coming up. He told me a story that I'd never heard before about an interview two years ago for an internship -- that he got.
In his letter, he addressed the hiring officer as Mister because they had a male-sounding name. When he got to the interview the person appeared to be a female, so he nervously apologized for addressing her as a man.
She then told him that she identified as a man, making the entire exchange even more awkward for him.
That's like in San Francisco for a young guy trying to find his way.
I just love our talks. He is such an impressive young man, even as he takes a gap year from college. He is reading six books -- all of them impressive works. He loves to read, a rarity for his generation.
When he woke up we went to our favorite hamburger place -- Whizburger -- for lunch. Then he watched an exciting Giants game on TV with me. (They won, 14-10.)
In between, he played video games long-distance with his brother in Missoula, who talked to us both over an Internet connection.
In ;ate afternoon, he went off with his Mom to practice driving. He has his license; he just needs to improve his driving skills.
He talked with me about getting nervous in job interviews. This is relevant because he has two coming up. He told me a story that I'd never heard before about an interview two years ago for an internship -- that he got.
In his letter, he addressed the hiring officer as Mister because they had a male-sounding name. When he got to the interview the person appeared to be a female, so he nervously apologized for addressing her as a man.
She then told him that she identified as a man, making the entire exchange even more awkward for him.
That's like in San Francisco for a young guy trying to find his way.
I just love our talks. He is such an impressive young man, even as he takes a gap year from college. He is reading six books -- all of them impressive works. He loves to read, a rarity for his generation.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Young Artists in the City
It was fascinating to see these four young art students study the murals and make comments.
Soon after, they headed back up to their school in Napa.
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