No, your eyes do not deceive you. That is a story in the Colorado Springs Sun, mentioning President Nixon, written by Your Humble Narrator in the Year of Our Lord 1974.
Thank Cthulhu I’m not an artist like Russell Chatham. We hacks have a safety net.
Here’s mine: This past weekend, Herself signed me up to start collecting Socialist Insecurity payments beginning in March 2020. If I live that long, and assuming that Agent Orange doesn’t redirect all SS monies to his Wall or his wallet, I will receive a princely sum indeed, each and every month.
After accounting for inflation, it’s roughly equal to what I was paid as a copy boy back in 1974, when I first got into the writing racket.
I figure I can score a used Chevy Express 1500 for about 12 large. The monthly payments should take about 18 percent of my income, which sounds about right. The camping gear I’ve already got.
And parking down by the river? It’s free! Winning!
Tags: Socialist Insecurity
Mad Blog Media 
November 13, 2019 at 9:11 am |
Your retirement plan sounds about like mind, PO’G. I’m old enough to collect my Socialist Insecurity now, but I’m still drawing a paycheck for the time being.
The problem with parking the van down by the river is finding a space not already claimed by the millions of older boomers who have preceded us.
November 13, 2019 at 9:20 am |
We’re gonna need a bigger van. One with 4WD.
November 14, 2019 at 10:43 am |
Someone once asked me, “What is your date of death”. The point is that if you are at the age to receive full benefits, do it. If you are working save/invest it or use it to pay down debts. After all, O’Grady is going to be driving a bigger van and you don’t to be in his way.
November 14, 2019 at 2:38 pm |
My retirement age for full bennies is 66, so I’m right in line there.
And I’ll keep “working,” ho ho ho. Herself is ruthless about saving and paying down debt, so we’re good there too.
Now where’s the local Unimog dealer? Beep beep mmm beep beep, yeah!
November 13, 2019 at 9:12 am |
Hmm. That will make two of us cashing in on our Socialist Benefits, comrade. You and I both hit that magic age in 2020. Now maybe I can afford that Co-Motion Deschutes I’ve been thinking about (which I really need like I need a hole in the head).
November 13, 2019 at 9:24 am |
It should be … interesting. Herself is still working full time, of course. And I plan to continue selling whatever I can to Adventure Cyclist and Bicycle Retailer, which should put a few more coppers in my beggar’s bowl.
Quite a contrast with the old man’s pension, which was substantial, especially when you factor in the health care. But then he was getting shot at for a portion of his worklife. I’ve been threatened, but never actually had to duck.
November 13, 2019 at 9:39 am |
Khal: I’d suggest a much less expensive Deschutes (as in brewery of that name). It’s their Inversion IPA.
Always good to have liquid assets , eh?! 🙂
November 13, 2019 at 10:05 am |
Good idea JD. My vote is for Black Butte Porter.
Patrick, you picked a bad decade to quit drinking.
November 13, 2019 at 10:55 am |
November 13, 2019 at 3:24 pm |
Then again, I might have picked the right one. I’m wondering if there’s enough whiskey in the world for the dire days of modern times.
November 13, 2019 at 3:48 pm |
I do need to try out that IPA. I think O’G is right that if one was a drinking man, this is a good time to be using a lot of Brain Eraser.
November 13, 2019 at 10:28 am |
Congratulations! Forty-five years late for the byline and for reaching the milestone , right? Just keep thinking: direct deposit; direct deposit.
November 13, 2019 at 3:32 pm |
O, we’re not quite there yet, Libby. Never raise your hands in celebration until you’re across the finish line. We’re in the home stretch, though. …
November 13, 2019 at 3:54 pm |
Yep. O’Grady is chasing me to the red kite (December) but I’m two months ahead of him. Question is, can I hold him off to the finish line?
November 13, 2019 at 5:20 pm |
You’ll both cross that finish line accelerating! 🙂
Many more to come, amirite?
November 13, 2019 at 7:52 pm
Let’s hope so…
November 14, 2019 at 1:18 am |
I started taking my SS checks a couple of years ago figuring it might help with the relocation plans to be able to show a secure (unless Don the Con changes things) monthly income no matter how small? We figure even if the Italian tax authorities tax away all of our assets, with my SS, the wife’s annuity (which she can activate at any time) and her eventual SS payments we’ll be just fine.
Certainly helps that I can pop over to the vino sfuso shop and come back with 3 magnums (red, white, rose) for less than $10 or buy the same fresh vegetables I used to pay $25+ for at the Sioux City Farmer’s Market here for less than $10. We used to pay $3-4 for a head of fennel at the supermarket in Iowa – 40 cents here!!!