Not The Same

Last night I did something that I haven’t done in a long time… I stayed up to watch David Letterman. This being his last show, I wanted to see what kind of sendoff he would be given... especially the last Top 10 list. I guess you could say that curiosity got the best of me as I kept on thinking back to the night when I watched Johnny Carson sign off one last time before heading into retirement.

The evening was definitely not the same as the one I watched back in 1993. Not just in my perception and perspective but the final night had a completely different feel then that which happened 22 years ago. And that pretty much sums it up, the Carson departure was a happening while Letterman’s last night was something that happened. There were, of course, memorable moments (including an overdue (for many reasons) standing ovation for his wife and son) but it was not the same sad farewell that I remember so many years ago. However, I do prefer Foo Fighters over Bette Midler. 

With that said, I still recall many nights watching Letterman over the years. Once Carson retired, there wasn’t much of a choice for me as I was never a big fan of Leno and some of the newer hosts just didn’t catch my attention. Nothing compared to the classic Tonight Show but Letterman seemed to be the closest (albeit a tremendous departure itself) to that feel. At least that was the case years ago… since then things have most certainly changed and I have pretty much foregone  the late night shows altogether. 

Over the past 20 years Letterman and late night have changed. The politicizing dialogues / monologues that he and others have employed in recent years haven’t made me want to watch these shows. This is what truly differentiates Letterman from Carson. The Tonight Show was not a place for politics (decides a few light jabs during the opening) as Carson knew that his job was not to form public opinion or influence public policy (or the supply of toilet paper). This is why politicians were seldom seen on the set. Letterman has made his views very clear both in his monologues and in his banter with guests.

Carson was a mainstay in the media and on the television. We watched him to wind down and forget about the day. All the BS that happened during the daylight hours were put behind us as we were entertained for an hour each evening. There were other places to turn to get riled up and/or discuss politics. While he once embraced that basic concept, Letterman veered to the far left as time went on and that evening respite slowly evaporated.

The new crop of hosts seem to be turning back to that formula and reaping the benefits. This is why there are many that will continue to miss those evenings with Johnny and why Letterman’s departure seemed to be more of an inevitability rather than a surprise. Hopefully, with the last of his generation stepping down, we can continue our progression back to the way late night was supposed to be. I guess, like many things, only time will tell.

Investing Again

When I started at my current company there were many things that were discussed. The firm was newly formed when I first walked through the door in September 2013. In fact, the owner of the company was still waiting for the cable company to arrive later that afternoon to set up the internet. It was an interesting experience and much different from the previous conversation I had with her.

It was during that initial discussion when we talked about the clients, my role in the company, and many of the other benefits that would be part of my employment including healthcare, profit sharing, and a 401K (among others). Every salary position I have ever had, and then some, have offered healthcare so that was not a surprise to me. However the other two piqued my interest and were really bonuses to the position that I was not expecting.

Since that time over a year and a half ago, she has been true to her word. While none of us expected any sort of profit sharing at the end of 2013 we weren’t really holding out for 2014 either. After all, we are a new company. However, we were all pleasantly surprised at the end of the year when we each received an extra deposit into our accounts (which was particularly useful at that point in time).

Toward the end of last year we also continued our conversations regarding setting up a 401K. It had taken some time but things were progressing and as the calendar turned over we all started contributing to the future. While we don’t have much extra at the moment, I started with a small contribution from each pay check.

While I have had investment accounts in the past, this was my first time having a 401K. Previous accounts have long since been liquidated to pay for graduate school and other expenses. Many would consider this a tremendous loss but given the fact that I finished graduate school in the spring of 2008, it wasn’t a bad way to use the funds.

Since that time, my ‘investments’ have been on a much smaller scale and consisting of hard assets. I honestly can’t recall how many times I bought silver (and a tiny bit of gold) over the past decade but it is safe to say that I didn’t lose money or break even. A coin here and there can add up especially before the market shifted and the prices began to spike.

All the small items were nice and served a purpose when we needed that little extra. Now, it is a great feeling to be contributing to our future even though it may be one small deduction from my pay every couple of weeks. It may not seem much at the moment, it never does, but it will certainly add up in the end (especially when I start decreasing my take home pay). And it sure beats flipping coins.

Don’t Mess With Granny On Game Day...

...and don't mess with mama either!

Like many work places during this time of year, the football pool is in full swing. It might be the only reason why I watch football these days. I don’t have the time to dedicate to the hours of penalties, dropped passes, missed tackles, and general ineptitude (I’m an Eagles fan) but I enjoy the fallout on Monday morning when those who were certain they would win are at the bottom of the list. It is all in good fun and win or lose it gives everyone some cheap entertainment over the weekend.

What has been especially entertaining for me this year is the diversity of the people participating. Young and old, men and women, everyone seems to be having a good time selecting their teams and humorously questioning the decisions of others. The only part that is not enjoyable is the fact that we can’t pick our hometown team or else we forfeit a win for the week (again, I am an Eagles fan).

Many would assume that all the young guys would be the ones that lend certain intensity to the game and in most places where I have been a part of the game you would be correct. That is definitely not the case this year. All the younger participants seem to be the most laid back on Monday morning.

The older men are pretty calm during the week when they are making picks and that generally carries through the weekend. Come Monday morning some of them can be a little testy if they didn’t fare well. They are the middle of the road players.

However, the ones that you don’t want to mess with are the older ladies in the building. The greater their age the more intense they are. Don’t mess with granny on game day!

Being that they are retired, these women spend what I assume to be hours looking up player stats and breaking down the matchups for the week. I guess when Atlantic City gets too cold it’s time to focus on football. Needless to say, if you see them on Monday morning tread very lightly because if they had a bad week they will take you out (the Eagles defense could learn a lot from them).

I’m actually kind of curious what it’s like when they’re watching the football game. At the same time I don’t want to risk being in their presence when the mood changes and the Eagles inevitably start getting the snot beat out of them. I especially don’t want to be around this weekend when they play Denver. I don’t know why they get so intense about the game. Maybe it’s the gambling side of things but it might just be that there is something wrong with their medulla oblongata.

My Mom Is Now Unemployed

Wild times at the retirement after party!

Last night was an interesting one for my family. It was my mom’s unemployment, I mean retirement, party. It was a great night to finally see my mom as the center of attention. My family knows how amazing she is and it is nice to know that other people outside of the family see that too.

The last few years I have really come to appreciate what my mom has done during her working life. It is not easy to stay in the same industry doing the same kind of work day after day. And to have only worked for two companies in over 45 years is nearly impossible.

I have always been, and unfortunately I never say it enough, proud of my parents and appreciative of all they have given us and how hard they have worked to do so. While my dad will probably never fully retire, it is nice to see my mom able to finally take a break and change gears. Maybe some relaxation is on the horizon.

So now my mom gets to venture into uncharted territory… unemployment. Albeit the best kind, it is still a drastic change from the daily grind. With the next six months planned out it should be interesting to see the transition from a long standing routine to the new, freer, schedule.

I hope this means more time doing what she wants to do rather than what she has to do. All I want is the best for my family especially my mom. After all, you had to work AND raise us so I know you definitely earned your retirement!

Mom, I wish you all the best in your retirement and I hope you take the time to do anything and everything you have been meaning to do and never did. All I asked is that you do one thing… drag dad’s butt to New Hope! Love, Sean