Thank you! Episode is very well-timed for our studies right now.

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Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor

I think you could get a car for ~ $10k. My car is 14 years old, worth about $4k, and I wouldn't hesitate to drive it. It's never given me a single problem and I'm somewhat lax about maintenance. For $10k around here, in a very high COL area (SF), I could get the same car, but 3-4 years newer, for $10k. I'm not saying you should get a 14-year old car, but that you can find a very reliable car in the ~$10k price range. Talk to your Edward Jones person or a tax person before you make any decisions based on feedback here. You may be surprised at how much you owe in taxes if you pull the money. It may be more than the high interest rate you're worried about. Another idea I know some people won't agree with but I'm hesitantly throwing it out there because it's not been mentioned yet: a home equity line if you own your own home. Interest rates are pretty good and it should be safe to borrow against it as long as you keep the money in investments so you could pay it off in full if you had to. I'm pretty anti-debt and I don't usually suggest a home equity line for a car, but you're in a pickle and as long as you keep the balance in investments and maintain discipline about paying it down, it could work.

I've been following CA closely because I live here. I think CO has a more general universal healthcare ballot initiative, but if there's one specifically about prescription drug prices, I haven't heard anything.

My daughter also likes fountain pens and penmanship, and when she was the same age as your oldest, I bought her this starter set. The pens are fine and she likes having different colors and the pouch. Maybe next year I'll have her move up to something else, not sure.

California will be voting on a ballot initiative in November. Perhaps things will begin at a state level like other things and eventually become federal. Not sure if it will pass and if it does, whether it will be challenged in court.

It varies by state, you can read about CA here. There are definitely districts in CA where they residents pay more in property taxes but receive less money. Robles-Wong v California was a lawsuit related to this topic, although it was later combined with another lawsuit and in the end the plaintiffs lost earlier this year. I agree about the book. I read it every few years.

Oh no, I hope you feel better soon, and not only because I'd like to hear the Faulkner comments as well. ;)

Yes! I have a Rose of Sharon in my yard and I think of Rosasharn when I see it.

My favorite book of all time, without a doubt. There have been books that have come close, I have probably read better-written books, but this one altered my heart and soul forever. One of my best musical evenings was seeing Bruce Springsteen perform a small (300 seat) concert as a benefit for the John Steinbeck Research Center at San Jose State University. Steinbeck's widow was there as well.

I'm still working on Michener's Hawaii and The Last Policeman and enjoying both. I received The Elementals from Amazon, so I'll try that next. Carrying over from last week... I saw the movie as well. I'm not a Trekkie at all; I haven't even see the original series. But I like JJ Abrams so I went and saw the first of this series in 2009(?) and I've enjoyed all 3 of them. I think I like the second one best, and a lot of that has to do with Benedict Cumberbatch. Wow, this sounds breathtaking!

Maybe you can try the headhunter again? That might be another place to start since he or she was able to get your DH interviews before.

We did not and it was fine, but we are going through Carbon Chemistry this coming year, so I haven't seen what's included in that.

Glad you're okay! I'll let the kids know your story because they've been making notebooks for Minn of the Mississippi and are interested in snapping turtles right now, though I doubt they'd want to see one really closely in the wild!

Don't panic! :grouphug: A lot depends on your lifestyle and cost of living so there's no one number for everyone. If you have a somewhat complex situation, the most detailed and flexible retirement planner I have found is The Ultimate Retirement Planner. My own preference is Firecalc, but most people seem to prefer the straightforward kind. If you check out Fireclac, the interface isn't that great, and the tabs at the top are very important if you're not retired yet. The URP might be a good thing to fill out and take with you to a professional.

Just looking over my expenditures to see what you may have left out. Maybe you need a shopping category? Replacement electronics (computers, cameras, phones, chargers, etc) Toiletries/makeup/perfume/hair products Gifts for birthday, holidays, etc Books/audiobooks Medical/dental, maybe life or disability insurance depending on your kids' situations Newspapers/magazines Mailing/shipping Fines/fees Charities/donations/political Small appliances like electric toothbrushes or hair dryers

I come from a culture such as this one. People make dumb decisions, but they still have a place to get food, shelter, company, laughter, etc. They're in your tribe. Money might be harder to come by if they keep making bad decisions. I have a cousin who is married to an addict who squanders all their money, so they are fed and housed in their own place by threats of the family pitching in, but nobody gives them any extra unless they slip some to her to buy something for herself.

I've been traveling with family but I'm back now. My current read is still Michener's Hawaii, and I'm really enjoying it. I'm taking lots of rabbit trails on this one, plus it's over 1000 pages so I'm only halfway through. It worked for the seafaring week and now I guess it works for this week's theme too, if the sailors are the first people to arrive on Hawaii and the missionaries who came later via a frightful route around Cape Horn. The book has a section in which the one of the Hawaiian characters (Keoki) explains to the main missionary (Abner) why the Hawaiians, who don't understand the Bible very well at that point, love the section of Genesis they call "The Begats." He says it is very much like their own history, in which kahunas memorize their lineages going back 800-1000 years, which Abner doesn't really believe, but he duly writes it down and sends it to Yale as an example of Hawaiian mythology. The reason for writing it is that Keoki believes his own son, who is getting too old to memorize something so long (exiting the poll-parrot stage?), will need it written down as he has spent the time he would spend otherwise memorizing oral histories on learning English and reading the Bible. Anyway, while I was reading about the connection between the kahunas' memorizations of family history, and the "begats" section of Genesis, I was reminded of another thing I've been reading aloud to the kids. We've been reading Lord of The Rings since the winter (with many rabbit trails/discussion as well) and if you're familiar with it, you may remember the Long List of the Ents. I've been thinking a lot about the historical importance of memorizing oral histories. Stacia, I put The Last Policeman on hold at the library and am looking forward to it. I'm sort of intrigued by someone who would try and solve a mysterious crime when the end of the world is nigh! I admit I would probably just (reluctantly) let it go to spend time with friends and family, but a part of me likes to think if I were on my own in the world I would pursue it as a last act of humanity. M--, I added The Elementals to my Amazon cart. I also read a lot of horror as an adolescent and teen, mostly Stephen king, and I too felt I outgrew it a bit. I have been working on an extended version of The Stand (400 extra pages) when I have time, but really the book that drew me back into the genre is Danielewski's House of Leaves. I wasn't just interested in something so avant garde (although that was a large pull too) but also in a frightening book with more depth, so your recommendation got me excited about The Elementals.

World Tales by Idries Shah is by far my favorite. I was given a copy of this book when I was a kid, and I read it over and over again. When my kids were old enough to have it read to them, I rescued it from my parents' house and read it to them. It does have a bit of nudity in a few of the drawings. ETA: Apparently his foundation has made it available through Google Books UK, here. But it doesn't have the illustrations. Still, you can use it to check out the stories. The note says this is a copy of the paperback edition that doesn't have the art, and if that's the case, I would prefer the old hardcover with illustrations. I found an online photo of example art here.

I knew who he was. While its a shame he has left us, I'm happy he lived a long life and that his wife, who is significantly younger, will be able to carry on his work. They worked together very closely so she is prepared. He also has two sons and two daughters, and at least one son is committed to continuing his father's work as well. It seems he was preparing for death for a while, having handed over much of the information and knowledge, and planning his own funeral. These last generous acts will hopefully smooth the transition for those who need help the most.

These were my favorite lines from the book. That first sentence really made me think about the life ("first draft") my father was given, and how he managed to turn it into something so much better and different than what was expected. And I loved the metaphor in general, which if it's expanded, includes an implicit acknowledgement that some are given first drafts that are almost complete novels, and others just a few pages of scribbles of an unformed thought or vague idea.

I won't have time before I leave town tomorrow, but if anyone here wants my copy of Sergio Y., I'd be happy to pass it on. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and since multiple people are reading the same book, I can send it to anyone who would like a copy if they would like to read it as well. Just PM me and I'll get it in the mail week after next.

I also recommend looking into the oxalate issue and taking uva ursi capsules every day.

I'm sorry. The same thing happened to me, except the idiot was also writing on a notepad while talking on the phone, and we were on the freeway but had stopped for traffic. I would suggest looking for a D.O. who does osteopathic manipulation in your area, even if it's out of pocket. It's a huge help and mitigates many long-term consequences. It's better to go with the injury is fresh, before you start compensating too much with your muscles due to the pain.