War Baby not a Boomer

How I Lost My Shirt on the Internet (short version)

2009-07-12T14:20:00.001-07:00

How I Lost My Shirt on the Internet

By Gail Clute

The average brain has over 60,000 thoughts per day.

Prologue

January 2008

And so another year begins. Dad is dead. The house will not sell. My husband’s job is winding down.

I want a job. All I want to work is 20 hours a week. I want to work-at- home.

When I started looking for a work–at-home position, I discovered the hours were only evenings and weekends. There is no way to get time off or trade hours or get paid for training. For the first six months, you miss one hour and you are history.

Have you ever purchased the great gadget on television? Remember the deal, “If you call now in the next ten minutes, you get a second one free plus the bonus widget?”

Do you know who answers those calls? It may be handled by a call center or by a work-at-homer.

I applied with several work-at-home companies. They did not offer me a job.

So I continued looking, on the Internet for a fit for me.

Then the local newspaper had my solution. Ebay! Join the millions earning incomes using the Internet and Ebay.

And so I went to a convention center to learn more.

The Sad Stroy

I want to earn money. I want to sell my house. I want to work-at-home. In the past you could do mailings, type papers and baby sit. Several times when the children were young, I was a childcare provider for other children.

Today television and newspaper advertisements, proclaim that you can run a home business using your computer and the Internet. If some one else can do that, why not me?

So all of the elements were alive in my mind the day I read the newspaper advertisement declaring eBay is the way to go. Just come to the convention center and see for yourself.

There were around 45 other attendees that day to learn how to make money on eBay. There were three leaders who demonstrated how they earned lots of money using eBay. The main speaker Duane Barney claims he was a construction worker who used this program to make money. All you had to do was follow the plan and you are on the way.

Now at this time, I could turn on a computer, google information, use word and play games. That is it. I had to follow notes with clues to even log on. So there I am with the possibility of doing great and becoming a webmaster.

So I listened to these people and signed up. I said I needed to go home and get the money from my husband. They said that it was not smart to use your money to start a business. That everyone borrows to start a business. Use your credit card.

I can’t even write this with out crying. I did what they said. I was so excited and could not wait to get started.

Well the first thing I learned was that the smooth talking leader Duane Barney lied. Big time lies. He said that every day he goes to eBay and asks sellers a question. First he feigns interest in their product and then he asks them if they have a website. When they reply, Duane Barney sends them to his web site to get a free website. He claims that every day early in the morning, he did this simple action ten times. He claims he has over 500,000 email addresses. Duane Barney claims that this is the Internet business to have.

It seems that he was selling products camping tents, but Duane Barney was really selling free websites. Now if he can do this for ten people, I can do it for 15 people. But the great lie is that eBay will not let you do this. eBay considers it like spam and will close your account if you lead an eBay seller to your website.

Now since you cannot drive customers to a website using eBay, how else can they get there? I kept getting the response that I was not to worry. There are many ways to get there just be patient.

The start of the deal is learn to build a website. Now consider what you know about me and what you know about websites can you even imagine how hard this is to accomplish?
I had training cds; I had on line support and live support. I also had a huge difficulty learning this. I spent hours and hours learning.

Finally, the ways to drive traffic were reveled. Each week I was to learn a new one of the many ways. I was also to keep adding on to my website knowledge.

I plodded and plodded day after day. I was trying so hard to keep up. From the moment I got up to late at night, I sat at the computer. I even got up in the middle of the night to work.

I blogged, twittered, heliumed, blog cataloged, stumble uponed, del.icio.used, facebooked, squidooed, every day. I searched for affiliates. I hunted down drop shippers with wholesale central and salehoo. What ever the program said to do I did.

I made no headway. Guess what? Everyone out there is doing the same thing. I started getting more and more depressed. I gained so much weight that I was more than fluffy. If I only tried harder the system would work. It would make money.

At first I did earn some money on eBay. Then the market collapsed. The buyers are not spending and slowly I’m treading water. Not once did I think my lack of success was due to the false lies of Duane Barney and the company ClickIncome. It had to be that I was not trying hard enough.

My 87-year-old mother had large cell Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. So I spent 18 weeks taking care of her through chemotherapy and 4 weeks with radiation treatments. I lost my focus. I was so exhausted and deeply depressed.

As I was writhing this tale of woe, I googled the company ClickIncome. I am not alone. There are major complaints against them. Many customers like myself are upset. I will file complaints against them too. ClickIncome is a scam.

I cannot believe it took me so long to discover this fact. If I can recover some money, I will feel better, maybe. Duane Barney and ClickIncome are considered by many to be frauds. They are misleading. I will start immediately to request a refund of my money.

The complaints are many, hidden fees and charges on the credit card they encouraged you to use. In fine print, ClickIncome claims that the can just keeps adding on charges and fees.

No one made me so this. I did it all on my own. The process of writhing this paper has made me realize that there should be a self-help group in the manor of Alcohol Anonymous, for those of us with pie high in the sky dreams.

Now I am at the bottom of the pit. I had credit cards I could not pay. I called the credit card company and they put me in touch with a money management group.

Now I have ruined my good credit. I have had those fleeting feelings of suicide. I know that is not the answer. I started a weight loss plan. I have followed of the money managers. I am looking for a job.

I have always wanted to tell a story. I just wish it were a romance or great novel.
This soul searching has drained me. I am going to publish this on all of the social networks that are out there in the hope someone will be helped.

I realize that ClickIncome in promoting this plan wants to make money too. My only anger at them is the way they marketed the plan using false promises. They were aware of the eBay restrictions and yet continued to use this misinformation in their sale pitch. I wanted so badly to be a hero and do well. All that I did was fail again.

Do you have any children for whom I could baby sit? I am a good house cleaner and my rates are low, very, very low.

My life is great. I am blessed with family.

If you could spare a dollar to help me out of a huge depressive debt go to http://www.paypal.com/ and send gailclute7@aol.com help.

Thank you. See also the whole story if you want to laugh or cry with me.

How I Lost My Shirt on the Internet (the long story)

2009-07-12T13:54:00.000-07:00

How I Lost My Shirt on the Internet

By Gail Clute

The average brain has over 60,000 thoughts per day.

I live in my own mind, Ain’t nothing but a good time…

Lyle Lovett

Prologue

No rain just sunshine

And so another year begins. Dad is dead. The house will not sell. My husband’s job is winding down.

I want a job. All I want to work is 20 hours a week. I want to work-at- home.

When I started looking for a work–at-home position, I discovered the hours were only evenings and weekends. There is no way to get time off or trade hours or get paid for training. For the first six months, you miss one hour and you are history.

Have you ever purchased the great gadget on television? Remember the deal, “If you call now in the next ten minutes, you get a second one free plus the bonus widget?”

Do you know who answers those calls? It may be handled by a call center or by a work-at-homer.

I applied with several work-at-home companies. They did not offer me a job.

So I continued looking, on the Internet for a fit for me.

Then the local newspaper had my solution. ebay! Join the millions earning incomes using the Internet and eBay.

And so I went to a convention center to learn more.

Chapter 1

I get up in the Morning

“Gail, I need to go to town to meet your father and I will pay you twenty-five cents an hour to baby sit for your sisters and brother” explained Mom. “You can also do the dishes and vacuum the living room at the same time.”

“Sounds good to me,” replies the 11 year old who would then be responsible to keep five children aged 9,7, 4, 3 and 1 safe from fire, flood and fiends

“Just keep track of your hours and we’ll settle up each week.”

Now today, Mother would be sent to jail for a stunt like this. And we would have been placed in child protection. The truth of the matter was that I had been watching the children since the 4 year old was only 11 months.

So when the first payday came, mother was startled to learn that for 14 hours, I watched the children.

“Okay, here’s $2.00.”

Now to and eleven year old that is a lot of money. It should have been $3.50 but no big deal.

But this is the beginning of how money became an enigma to me. Each week the number of hours varied and soon the pay was down to only ten cents an hour. Then one day, she said that she’d pay me next week. Eventually there was no pay yet the job continued.

Studies prove that the position of a child in the family influences most of the interactions with others for a lifetime. As the oldest child, with large listening ears, I always try to anticipate situations and fix them. Money is always an issue when there is not enough of it. I start looking for ways to earn money to help.

My sister Kathy pestered Mother for new sneakers and only KEDS would do. We always had tennis shoes-remember the large boxy style with the rubber toe and laces up to your ankle?

So Mother purchased three pairs of new white KEDS with the blue rectangle logo on the heel of the sneaker. Heaven!

The next day, the KEDS were lined up in front of the roaring fireplace. Our dear three-year-old brother Bubby selected one sneaker from each set and tossed them into the flames.

The odor alerted the family who watched mesmerized, as the sneakers were lost for good. Three girls felt anger and rage and scream at Bubby. The fact that he was not hurt and the house was not burned down eluded us.

There was no money to replace the KEDS so we were back to the old tennis shoes.

As kids, our standard footwear was the truly wonderful brown and white saddle shoe that mother always preferred. There was no discussion or personal choice.

“If saddle shoes are good for me, they are good for you,” was mother’s favorite refrain. I always found it better not to argue unlike Kathy. She had an on going feud with mother noting that what the other children wore and she also wanted to wear. Gee, shoes and clothes still worry her-child position number two for Kathy.

In the mid 50’s, comic books, movie magazines and songbooks were only five cents. Anxiously, we anticipated each new issue. Just like today there were ads offering every thing cheap and cheesy.

My favorite magazine contained lyrics from the top 25 songs on the hit parade. Perry Como, Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers and Chuck Berry were some of my favorite singers. I had a small scratchy radio by my bed and fell asleep listening to music. It was the only time I could sing or croak along with music and know the words.

Now let’s talk about the ads. One promised the solution I needed to obtain new KEDS. This advertisement said that I could double or triple my money by simply selling personalized Christmas cards to family and friends. BINGO. Merely fill out the form, enclose thirty-five cents for shipping and handling and mail it today. In no time your own Christmas card kit will be sent to you. Go and rake in the money!

In very fine print, so little that I did not see it were the words having to due with the actual cost of the kit $9.99. And of course how to actually earn some money. There was no box to check to prove that one is over 18 years (as though that stops kids).

So, I took the plunge and sent in my money and promptly for got about it.

Imagine my surprise when I arrived home from school to find a perplexed mother with a large box containing all I needed to sell door-to-door Christmas cards and then buy new KEDS.

I explained to her that I will make lots of money and then we can get new sneakers. Mom and Dad said that there was no way an eleven-year-old girl could go out in the neighborhood selling Christmas cards. Now this always puzzled me since it was fine to baby sit at 11 years old.

They paid the card company the money (which would have covered the cost of new KEDS). For the next four years friends and family received these cards.

I do believe that this card company has evolved into the school fund raising company. Every October, some band member, football player or cheerleader comes to my door no matter where I live and wants me to buy Christmas cards, candles, candy and so on and on. Some how they have managed to niche out a place in the today’s completive market.

That was my first great money making scheme but unfortunately, it was not my last.

Chapter 2

I look out of the window

By way of mother’s large mouth, word got out that I was a baby sitter. Now, I was 12 years old and to this day I do not believe that families trusted me with their youngsters.

Mother volunteered me for my first job. Even though older sitters got fifty cents an hour, she told everyone that Gail would work for only thirty-five cents an hour.
On my first job at 6:00 PM, I arrived at the neighbor’s home. They have five children under nine. The dishes are dirty. The floor needs vacuuming. After baths, books and bed for the children, not realizing that my chores were complete, I cleaned the house. With all of my baby-sitting jobs, I took books to study for homework. I read only two pages when the parents returned home at least one hour latter than they promised, I was paid $3.50.

Low and behold the neighborhood vied for my baby sitting/cleaning service. Seven nights and some days, I had jobs. The good part of these jobs was being paid in cash at the end of the night. Sometimes after a long night, they would short me a dollar or such. No big deal. How come today every one gets big $$$ and a $ tip?

The morning after my first job, Dad was up cooking oatmeal. He asked how were the kids and did I have any trouble? Then he asked how much I made. He was short on gasoline money so I took fifty cents and gave him the rest.

That was the last time he asked. It became routine for me to leave most of the money on the desk near his wallet. Years later when times were better he would have mom take me shopping for an outfit. Mother told me how it still bothered him all these years later that he had used my money.

Funny thing was that I had no reservations about the money. Mother always said how other families took half of a child’s earnings and put it away for them for school. There was no chance to do that for me and she was sorry about it.

Now when I was thirteen, a man knocked on our front door. His paperboy for the area was off to college and he was looking for a replacement. In those days this was a plum job. Around 40 papers took less tan an hour to deliver. The area was only 4 streets and 6 apartments. Wow the job paid give or take around $18.00 a week.

This was a job for me. Get up at 5:30 instead of 6:30 go for a brisk walk around the block 7 days a week and get $18.00.

This poor man balked and said only boys were paperboys. I knew the area and asked just what boy do you plan on giving the route? There are no boys here. One family had a 10-year-old boy and that was it. I ought to know since I had put most of them to bed many times.

He agreed to come back later when my parents were home to discuss the program with them.

My dad was from a tiny Mississippi River town, Lansing, Iowa. His grandfather owner and published the local morning paper. So dad had a morning route. In the early evening the train would throw out the other paper from the city and dad would deliver that too.

All my life having heard all of the newspaper stories, I knew this was destiny for me.

All was fine till the first Sunday edition. This one issue was larger than all of the other six papers put together. Three hours later, the family was awake and ready for church and I was still toting the monsters to the proper houses. The following Sunday, dad was up and loaded the papers into the station wagon. This went way faster but ate up profits. From then on, that was the way Sunday deliveries were handled.

Now collecting the money took place by tradition on Thursday after noon. It amazed me that I would knock on a door week after week and the customer would express surprise that I was there. The most fun was collecting from the person who paid once a month. No one thought to pay in advance. So guess what. This started to interfere with Thursday night baby-sitting. The other problem was the candy store on the route. If I trusted a sister to do the collection, she stopped by for a treat.

There were some Saturdays when the money was not there to pay the manager. There was always a push on to get new subscriptions. I never won a single prize even though I knocked on the doors that did not get a paper. I later learned that the winners usually went out of their area for new subscriptions.

It was March the worst of the winter was over. I was looking forward to warmer mornings, birds and spring. This Thursday I had a major sitting job so I has my sister Mary who was only nine make the collection. She had done it before but this time she was alone.

Mr. Bibbler with 2 young children on my sitting list invited her in while he got the money. He touched her. She got up and ran to dad. He took a baseball bat and ran to that house. We called the police for help because dad was angry. He was arrested took a plea bargain and moved away.

My paper delivery service route was terminated. Dad refused to allow me to continue. This was not such a great loss. Except that every year around high school graduation, the Indianapolis Star carriers who were special won scholarships and their pictures in the paper. There were no girl winners.

So ended another major project.

Chapter 3

No rain just sunshine

Why do people get married? Is it for love or money or maybe both? The major mistake of my life was not realizing that marriage to the wrong person could be a living hell.

I have never admitted this to anyone but the reason I entered marriage at 21 was hoping to obtain a better position in life. I felt two things so incorrectly that it is painful to think about let alone confess.

The first thing I felt was that my husband was rich in money and spirit. He was adopted into a family that followed a strict protocol about their position in life. They had money but did not splash it around. They were conservative in manor and in the treatment of their son. They went to the best church, the best country club and lived in the best neighborhood. They dressed for dinner but had a complete lack of in site as to how their son felt.

The second reason I left home was to gain freedom from the demands of the family. There was a constant pressure on me to take care of things-any and every thing. As the oldest child, I did not know how to rebel and how to achieve self-interests. I mistakenly thought thru marriage I would gain some self-realization. I felt if I left that the family would have one less person for whom they had to provide food, housing and comforts.

What mistakes. Multiplied over the years. I have failed to take a true accounting of the problems that the marriage reinforced in my behaviors. I tried so hard to make oppression work. Within hours of the wedding, I became a property with no rights. By moving out of state, I resigned from all of my jobs. At that time I was a clerk at an insurance company, a swimming instructor at the club, still baby-sitting and a cashier at a mega mart store on weekends.

At no time prior to the wedding did we discuss the possibility of a job for me. I soon learned that women in my new “social class” did not work. I could do charity work at Mercy Hospital in down town Pittsburgh but I could not earn money.

Well I got what I wanted. a better position in life. Only it did not take long for me to become disillusioned with my new status. The ups and mostly downs of the next ten years of my life are best left unsaid. My four children are the only light in a long dark tunnel.

There are only two reasons why I am even discussing this ten-year period. The first is to relate what the absolute lack of personal money can do to ones feeling of worth. The way to totally control the life of another person is to restrict access to money. There is nothing more humiliating then to go to the store with $20.00, shop then present the sales tape and hand over and change.

After all of the jobs I used to have, I had a husband who barely worked. He went to an office and spent time making 20 daily phone calls checking on me. He was in sales and of course there are weeks with no sales. He liked to gamble with a bookie and we all know how that works. One time he wanted to take book at our house. I advised him that if he did that I was out the door with the kids.

Some how around 1972, a friend took him to an Amway meeting a company with a sales proposition being the perfect fit for an imperfect person. We joined and I was to sell the soap. Amway sold soap. Yea right. What they sold was a pyramid plan where the top few investors make all of the money.

Sure the company sold soap. For only $7.95 a housewife could buy a small square box of amazing Amway soap. They taught us a cleaver sales pitch. Take a small clean item from your customer. Wash it in a very little bit of this concentrated soap in a clear glass container. Remove the newly clean item. And voila very dirty water left behind. If we follow the manufactures recommended amount of Tide, Cheer or any detergent, we way over soap our clothes. Try washing some towels without and soap and you will see the results of too much soap.

At this point in my life, I had three and one half children, no money for a baby sitter and yet I went door-to-door selling soap. Some customers felt sorry for me and bought one box. When I telephoned for a repeat order, not one person wanted any more soap. The poor results with this enterprise were entirely my fault. I was no good and did not want him to succeed. I did not remind him that he brought not one person into his Amway branch. And on and on it went-a constant broken record that I tried in vain to block from my memory

Unfortunately the results of ten years of constant belittlement leave a mark that is just under the surface waiting to be scratched. In trying to forget ones failures, we often repeat the past.

And so it is with me.

Chapter 4

I live where I can breathe

Back home again in Indiana with my family who took the five of us in, provided food and housing and spiritual guidance.

Little did I know it at that time but the best years of my life were about to happen.

Guess what the first thing that I did was? Look for and obtain a job. In my usual I can do any work attitude, I went downtown and filled out 5 applications. My sisters Kathy and Mary were employed at Indiana Bell Telephone Company. At this time the company was not accepting applications. This upset them as they felt I would be a great service representative. The pay was also the best in the state.

When I applied at Blue Cross and Blue Shield, they hired me on the spot for a claims adjuster position. Wow! Now I earned $124.00 a week. I went home thrilled. When I had left the insurance company 10 years earlier, I earned $48.00 a week. I found a HUD apartment down the street from mom and dad. The kids and I were set to go.

Guess what rarely showed up? The child support checks that my ex was to send. Only $50.00 a week for four children and he could not manage it.

I applied for and received food stamps for $200.00 a month. I split them with mother as she fed us frequently. All steam ahead life looked good.

In only three months with all of these new responsibilities wearing me down,
I fell ill. I could barely stand up on Monday morning yet drove to work where I promptly collapsed. The boss sent me home. On the way I saw the emergency room of a hospital. I wanted some medicine to get better so like all uninsured I stopped for a check up. Hours later, the doctor admitted me with a bleeding ulcer. Great now what will I do?

After a week and three blood transfusions, I checked myself out and resumed the pace I had left. Work gave me a talk about my attendance, and put me on warning but they also told me that since I had worked 91 days my health insurance would cover the hospital. Oh good more pressure.

My social life revolved around my family, sisters and their friends. The ladies at work spent hours gabbing about how much fun they had when they went out together. One day I asked if I could tag along. Kathy insisted that she would get me a date outfit. I soon discovered that I was over dressed for the dives we visited. Thank heavens it was a Friday night. I was ready to leave when the best looking man walked in with his buddy. Everyone at our table took notice and tried to get his attention. One man, who thought he was making headway with the ladies, got upset and badgered the new man into buying us drinks. So coolly, he looked around the table and said that he would buy the ladies a drink.

The waitress knew I was leaving and did not bring me a drink. Noticing this, Mr. Handsome asked me to dance. We went home to my apartment.

I had plans never to marry again. To live in my own space. Charlie had the same plans. His ex wife left him with huge bills and missing his two boys. So we became friends. I dragged him here and there. He spent more and more time with me. Finally he met the kids and after awhile moved in with us.

I had a little black and white television. He bought a nice color television. A burglar stole the television. So Charlie bought another. The HUD apartment had lots of crime. A drug bad drug deal resulted in a murder on my sidewalk. I was burgle red two times. There was a high-speed police chase on the front lawn of the building.

Work progressed and I was considered for a promotion with no pay raise. I signed up for more college classes at Marian College. Indiana Bell was hiring so I took the test, passed and became a service representative. This was the perfect job for me. Structured with more rules and regulations than most people can endure. I excelled in this environment.

One day, Charlie was offered a promotion to New Jersey. Indiana Bell had just informed me that they were interested in promoting me to supervisor. The kids were settled in school. I had attended nine grade schools and had hoped my children would not face the turmoil of constant school changes. Weighing all of the choices, I selfishly chose a move to New Jersey with Charlie.

In fast order we married, bought a house and moved. I managed to transfer to New Jersey Bell as a service representative.

Initially money was tight. We sent support for his son. We received no support for my children. Gradually, our incomes increased. Finally, there was some money at the end of the month.

The main problem I had was the feeling that I was not supplying my share of the finances. I used more of the money and earned way less of the money. My lack of child support was a constant reminder of the inequity of my situation. When pressed for child support, all kinds of promises and agreements were made but they were not kept. One day, we received a frantic call from the ex. The courts in Indiana with a gun ho procurers was collecting back child support. He had no plans to pay and would be sent to jail.

Dear Charlie suggested that we forgive him back and future support. Again I felt my failure to carry my share of the load. The nausea I felt when thinking about this took another ten years to fade.

In 1989, we moved to Ohio. I had to resign my job (AT&T had split and I could not transfer). I answered an ad for a job at Lake Farm Park to shovel manure. After the interview, I was hire for the reception desk for customer service and reservations. The kids could not believe it. I loved the job not the pay.

In 1991, we moved back to Indianapolis and Ameritech (old Indiana Bell) hired me as a service representative again. For the third time I was trained to be a customer service representative. Need I say that I excelled? Finally, after three years, I hated the job. I was low in seniority with 15 years of experience. I was in residential services when I had been in business. I tried over and over to transfer. No manager would release me because I was a constant sales leader.

The company offered a down size agreement and I took it. It was a foolish thing to do. I missed the pay more that the work. I was back in my sick mindset of dependency.

So guess what? I found an opportunity. A former co-worker invited me to a meeting on selling long distance service. At this time it was still a new concept not to be on AT&T or MCI’s long distance program. The program was called Excel and all you had to do was get friends and family to switch long distance carriers. You would earn a discount based upon calling numbers with the same carrier.

Also, this is the kicker, you would receive commission on all of the people you recute to sell the Excel plan. It was not easy to get customers to switch from the mindset that AT&T implanted on telephone service. I should have known this as I have spent years of my life dispensing their program.

By now, I am sure that you are laughing at me. How could she be so stupid?
Well, I was. This is getting painful.

Chapter 5

Ain’t nothing but a cool breeze

1998 Anaheim Hills, California my new home. Charlie has a job transfer, a broken hip and has always wanted to live here. Me, I had no job, loneliness and was getting fluffier by the day. In desperation, I joined Weight Watchers. There I found like company mostly over weight women with lots of depression and yet the desire to make a change in their lives.

I worked hard and lost the weight needed to become a lifetime member. I enjoyed the meetings and applied for a job. The pay was grim. I’m sure if I averaged it out, I earned a whopping $5.50 an hour. But it was my money. My contribution to the family was so little. I hated it.

I still had issues about money. And at this time on one of my many Southwest Airline trips back to Indiana, the airlines offered a free round trip with their credit card. Of course there is no such thing as a free round trip as I was to find out.

My job was over since we were moving again. The move took longer than expected.
So the credit card bill grew. A little bill at first and pay it off. But one month the bill was too large to pay off. And it just grows so fast.

My feelings of inadequacy are always just under the surface of my control. I have such issues asking for help. It is always expected that I’m there ready to take charge and get things done. Sometimes I wish I could let someone take care of me. My efforts to smooth things out and not seem ruffled should have lead to a nervous breakdown. At any given time, I could have fallen apart.

In stead, I plow along trying to figure it out.

Chapter 6

I turn it all over, Plow it all under

Charlie transferred to Cary (Confinement Area for Relocated Yankees), North Carolina. We arrived in May. I had an inner ear ailment and a tooth emergency. By the time these were repaired, Charlie took a planned retirement from his company. He had a fabulous career opportunity in Cincinnati, Ohio. So we moved again.

Our house is in Maineville just two and a half hours to Indianapolis. Charlie was to develop and expand business for the new company. Only three months later, when it became apparent that the new company was buying his former company, I felt the bottom slip away. They used his expertise to complete the deal and then let him go.

It is hard to deal with a blow like that. Now we have a six-month-old executive house in a declining market to sell. Amazingly, Charlie had a new position before the old one ended. It was an hour drive each way but work.

The first month the house was for sale, I did my usual get it ready each day. Today is the day the buyer is coming. After two months when only two viewings, I was getting the picture that this sale would be difficult.

Meanwhile, my family felt that I could drive up for any old occasion. Once I drove up and back for a luncheon, once for a St. Vincent de Paul estate sale and once for a dance recital. I had to take mom and dad to his VMB 433 Marine Reunions in Memphis, Washington, D.C, and Nashville. The pressure to attend to the family rarely lessened.

Mean while, I have no job. No money of my own but I had the card. The balance grew. Then one day I turned 62! Social Security became a good friend. The card payment was easier. But never paid off. The weight grew and I never asked for help.

Dad started having some health issue. The doctor kept saying he was fine. He would wonder out side and talk to people in trees. He would scheme that we were plotting against him. At the last Marine Reunion, he wondered away at night.

His doctor said he was fine. Finally, my sisters and I went to the doctor and demanded help. We went to a neurologist who knew that dad had diffuse lewey body dementia. It is not a well know illness. It would be fatal but there was a drug to relieve the hallucinations. So started the long nine-month decline.

When it was over in mid December, we had the holidays and the New Year live through.

Charlie became and executive coach a company hired him to coach and move their factory. He suggested that I look for a job. The house had been on the market for over two years. We now owned the lot in front of the house but still could not find a buyer.

This is when all of the issues I have met my waterloo. One would have thought that all of the pie in the sky ideas I have has would have educated my brain. I spend my life in rose-colored glasses and it painful when they turn red.

And red they did turn.

Chapter 7

That’s one thing you can count on

I want to earn money. I want to sell my house. I want to work-at-home. In the past you could do mailings, type papers and baby sit. Several times when the children were young, I was a childcare provider for other children.

Today television and newspaper advertisements, proclaim that you can run a home business using your computer and the Internet. If some one else can do that, why not me? Oh just sock it to me!

So all of the elements were alive in my mind the day I read the newspaper advertisement declaring Ebay is the way to go. Just come to the convention center and see for yourself.

There were around 45 other attendees that day to learn how to make money on Ebay. There were three leaders who demonstrated how they earned lots of money using Ebay. The main speaker claims he was a construction worker who used this program to make money. All you had to do was follow the plan and you are on the way.

Now at this time, I could turn on a computer, google information, use word and play games. That is it. Of course Charlie could program, improvise, do excel and on and on. When I asked him a computer question, he would say let me show you. When I worked at the phone company, I had to follow notes with clues to even log on. So there I am with the possibility of doing great and becoming a webmaster. If I did not do this on my own, Charlie would do it and I would not learn anything.

So I listened to these people and signed up. I said I needed to go home and get the money from my husband. They said that it was not smart to use your money to start a business. That everyone borrows to start a business. Use your credit card.

I can’t even write this with out crying. I did what they said. I was so excited and could not wait to get started.

Well the first thing I learned was that the smooth talking leader Duane Barney lied. Big time lies. He said that every day he goes to eBay and asks sellers a question. First he feigns interest in their product and then he asks them if they have a website. When they reply, he sends them to his web site to get a free website. Duane Barney claims that every day early in the morning, he did this simple action ten times. He claims he has over 500,000 email addresses. He claims that this is the Internet business to have.

It seems that Duane Barney was selling products camping tents, but he was really selling free websites. Now if he can do this for ten people, I can do it for 15 people. But the great lie is that eBay will not let you do this. eBay considers it like spam and will close your account if you lead an eBay seller to your website.

Now since you cannot drive customers to a website using Ebay, how else can they get there? I kept getting the response that I was not to worry. There are many ways to get there just be patient.

The start of the deal is learn to build a website. Now consider what you know about me and what you know about websites can you even imagine how hard this is to accomplish?
I had training cds; I had on line support and live support. I also had a huge difficulty learning this. I spent hours and hours learning.

Finally, the ways to drive traffic were reveled. Each week I was to learn a new one of the many ways. I was also to keep adding on to my website knowledge.

I plodded and plodded day after day. I was trying so hard to keep up. From the moment Charlie left to work until he came home, I sat at the computer. I even got up in the middle of the night to work.

I blogged, twittered, heliumed, blog cataloged, stumble uponed, del.icio.used, facebooked, squidooed, every day. I searched for affiliates. I hunted down drop shippers with wholesale central and salehoo. What ever the program said to do I did.

I made no headway. Guess what? Everyone out there is doing the same thing. I started getting more and more depressed. I gained so much weight that I was more than fluffy. If I only tried harder the system would work. It would make money.

At first I did earn some money on eBay. Then the market collapsed. The buyers are not spending and slowly I’m treading water. Not once did I think my lack of success was due to the false lies of the company Click Income and Duane Barney. It had to be that I was not trying hard enough.

Charlie got a wonderful job in Indianapolis. The house is still for sale at a huge loss. And something is the matter with my mother.

When I left the house to stay in Indianapolis, I still had hope. I unplugged the computer and all of the parts and things that go with it.

My 87-year-old mother had large cell Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. So I spent 18 weeks taking care of her through chemotherapy and 4 weeks with radiation treatments. I lost my focus. I was so exhausted and deeply depressed.

As I was writhing this tale of woe to try to tell Charlie what happened to me, I googled the company Clickincome. I am not alone. There are major complaints against Clickincome. Many customers like myself are upset. I will file complaints against them too. They are a scam.

I cannot believe it took me so long to discover this fact. If I can recover some money, I will feel better, maybe. Duane Barney and his company are considered by many to be frauds. They are misleading. I will start immediately to request a refund of my money.

The complaints are many, hidden fees and charges on the credit card they encouraged you to use. In fine print, Clickincome claims that they can just keeps adding on charges and fees.

No one made me so this. I did it all on my own. The process of writhing this paper has made me realize that there should be a self-help group in the manor of Alcohol Anonymous, for those of us with pie high in the sky dreams.

Now I am at the bottom of the pit. I had credit cards I could not pay. I called the credit card company and they put me in touch with a money management group.

Now I have ruined my husband’s good credit. I have had those fleeting feelings of suicide. I know that is not the answer. I started a weight loss plan. I have followed of the money managers. I am looking for a job.

I have always wanted to tell a story. I just wish it were a romance or great novel.
This soul searching has drained me. I am going to publish this on all of the social networks that are out there in the hope someone will be helped.

I realize that the company promoting this plan wants to make money too. My only anger at them is the way they marketed the plan using false promises. They were aware of the Ebay restrictions and yet continued to use this misinformation in their sale pitch. I wanted so badly to be a hero and do well. All that I did was fail again.

Do you have any children for whom I could baby sit? I am a good house cleaner and my rates are low, very, very low.

My life is great. I am blessed with family.

I live in my own mind, Ain’t nothing but a good time…

Thank you Lyle Lovett for writing my song. “In My Own Mind”

If you could spare a dollar to get me out of depressive debt, please use www.paypal.com and donate to gailclute7@aol.com I would be eternally thankful to you.

See also the short version of How I Lost My Shirt on the Internet.

Happy IVGLDSW Day!

2008-11-03T06:24:00.000-08:00

Happy IVGLDSW Day!

Today is International Very Good Looking, Damn Smart Woman's Day, so please send this message to someone you think fits this description. Please do not send it back to me as I have already received it from a Very Good Looking, Damn Smart Woman!

To the Girls. Inside every older person is a younger person -- wondering what the hell happened. - Cora Harvey Armstrong-

The hardest years in life are those between ten and seventy.-Helen Hayes (at 73)-

I refuse to think of them as chin hairs. I think of them as stray eyebrows.- Janette Barber-

My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first one being -- hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint. - Erma Bombeck -

Old age ain't no place for sissies ..-Bette Davis-

If you can't be a good example -- then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.-Catherine-

I'm not going to vacuum 'til Sears makes one you can ride on. - Roseanne Barr-

Behind every successful man is a surprised woman. - Maryon Pearson-

Send this to five bright women you know and make their day.

Chirstmas Gift Pressure

2008-10-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

The pressure is on for the holidays are less than two months away. While trying to save money and still come up with a great present, I am giving my children their own free personal website!

My friend told me how to get a free website for personal use. I did and it works.

Blogs are fun but the website allows an even wider opportunity for growth. I collect all my email addresses and send out information to every one at once. I also show case my talent for ink paintings of pets.

So I am giving the kids free personal websites.

I use http://www.gotoerins.com/new370510.html for the websites. It is easy to use.

I gave my sister a personal website for her birthday and she uses it to sell home made folk dolls.

I hope to have a happy holiday by creating the personal web sites for my children!

Money Woes!

2008-10-21T04:32:00.001-07:00

I am hosting a VMB 433 USMC reunion in April 2009. These old Marines were on an island in the South Pacific during WWII.

The costs of rooms in downtown Indianapolis leaves me wondering how anyone can afford to travel and have a nice time without leaving broke. My Marines want to spend $89.00 not $149.00. I have to keep looking and hope to find a decent price.

Indianapolis will host the Super Bowl in 2011 and the rooms will be out of sight if not already booked.

I hope to find a nice hotel today. Indianapolis has so many wonderful places to visit and a neat new airport.

The VMB 433 met in Indianapolis once and loved it!

Economy Blues

2008-10-16T05:33:00.000-07:00

At my age being one of the retired folks living on a fixed income, the economic news in the last week has left me feeling BLUE.

I am an upbeat person. Very little keeps me unhappy for a long time. But for 10 days my outlook on the economy has left me very BLUE!

How do we look beyond the sad fact that the faith the nation placed in George W. Bush was a waste. He lead us down a declining path. What with a war and money wasted I have turned very very BLUE!

It seems as though the nation is turning BLUE too.

Blue could be good if this mess gets cleared and we recover our sense of well being.

Saving Money

2008-10-02T06:39:00.001-07:00

Whether driving the car, watering the grass or leaving on lights, all I think of is the money drain every thing that I do costs. The bill comes due sooner or later.

When doing errands, I plot my trip and go in a circle. When leaving the house, I turn off all lights, TVs and computers. I do not water the lawn only the flowers.

Some of these things help save the planet by using less. I take canvass bags to the grocery. I buy for two weeks to avoid shopping needlessly. Every step helps but the money still vanishes faster.

Selling on eBay has helped bring in a small income. I sell pet items and costumes. I also sell electric and acoustic guitars.

This is fun and keeps me busy.

Social Security and the BAILOUT?

2008-09-29T09:56:00.000-07:00

Will the government bailout hurt Social Security? This is such a worry for me and I am sure for all of us. I heard today that seniors will be hurt the most by the loss of value in the market. Youngsters will have more time to recover and plan new ways to save.

Keep in mind form 521 of Social Security if you need to reapply in order to get larger payouts. I may do this in the near future before the 521 plan goes away.

The new administration may make some changes to Social Security and the puzzle is to know what to do before the changes occur.

These days are truly annoying for those of us who saved and planned for retirement. Social Security is the one hope we have relied on for the future.

eBay Link!

2008-09-27T05:37:00.000-07:00

Well thanks to my sister Joan, I have found a way to link my eBay listings with my blogs!

I am happy because then there may be more hits on my listings and sales will pick up!

EBay works and I will do this effort the rest of my life.

EBay levels the selling field. If you act with a great deal of respect for each buyer, business will be a success.

See the my listings on eBay tab. A click on it brings you to my about me page in eBay.

I am a small business

2008-09-26T08:08:00.000-07:00

I am one of the new small businesses that are trying to make a go in the bad economic times.

The Internet is my only touch with the rest of the world. I am happy that I have eBay on which to sell products from wholesalers. I use them as drop shippers. I pick a product and put it on eBay. I have no product in my house. When I sell an item, I get paid and then order the item from my drop shipper. They send the product out to my customer.

This is a nice way to do business without owning inventory or a brick and mortar store.

With the slow economy, it takes longer to sell an item. This is of course not as important to me since my overhead does not change.

With the holiday season coming up, I offer music instruments at a very low margin. I am currently repricing my instruments and including free shipping. Then the true cost to the customer is obvious to them.

I carry a great selection of guitars both electric and acoustic on eBay.

I also offer a FREE website at http://www.gotogails.com/new371934.html These web sites are great for starting a business, giving as gifts or using for personal fun.

Retirement Woes

2008-09-25T03:15:00.000-07:00

Finally retired and the economy goes bad. When you plan for years how to enjoy the Autumn to Winter part of life, this economy is a low blow.

I am not pleased with Bush. I am not the core 27% who love him. This is a huge mess but we must rescue the bad mortgage bundles and save the country.

I sure hope that the oversight on this deal is strong and firm.

I can not believe that it has come to this over night. I am sure that these Bush folks were aware of this for a while and waited to make the bail out the only possible out come.

Social Security

2008-09-23T06:30:00.000-07:00

The economy has erased more of my retirement savings. At the rate things are going, I am not sure how all of the planning that I have done for 40 years will work.

I want to remind everyone about the form 521 of the Social Security program.

In the end Social Security may be all that is left of a retirement plan. I am not sure that we should give the government all of that money without regulations.

Social Security must be saved. Vote November 4.

Education Suggestion "The Computer Edge"

2008-09-12T07:31:00.000-07:00

Education Suggestion “The Computer Edge”

When you look at a college classroom, every student has a laptop computer with him or her. By the time a student gets to college, they have become computer literate.

How about in high school? Not every family has a home computer. Just look at the number of public computers at libraries or chat rooms. Most high schools have some computer classes and some computers for students to use.

In most grade schools, computer use depends upon a family’s ability to supply one at home. Watching children use a computer as though it is no big deal is amazing to generations that are still having computer issues.

A head start education program needs to include computer education. The world today lives on the Internet. The edge a computer gives a child is hard to measure. The gap between the haves using a computer and the have nots no computer use can only grow.

The education suggestion is to give the computer edge to the children in a head start program. This would not be difficult by using one of the most generous men in our history. Bill Gates and his wife have a foundation with money to spend. Also, Eli Broad and his wife have a foundation for education. Other foundations could also be solicited.

Bill Gates could design the computer. Several things need to be included to make this work.

1. Make the laptop steal proof

2.Use a fingerprint or such the only way to open the computer

3.Make the laptop color distinctive-red, white and blue

4.Mark the laptop-Do not steal no resale value

5. Have a special Internet access with only one channel-i.e. .cft computers for tots,
We have toys for tots and coats for tots, now we can have computers for tots.

6. All of the programs will be educational and games that encourage learning

7. To get a .cft a website address will have to pass a screening test

8. Have screens on all .cft sites for known bad words etc.

9. Put a GPS in the computer as it is made

10.Make the system easy to use

This is idea is out side of the box that everyone talks about but cannot seem to propose.

Computers for Tots it will work.

Computers for Tots will level the playing field.

Holiday Presents-Free Personal Websites!

2008-09-09T08:09:00.000-07:00

The pressure is on for the holidays are only three months away. While trying to save money and still come up with a great present, I am giving my children their own free personal website!

My friend told me how to get a free website for personal use. I did and it works. Blogs are fun but the website allows an even wider opportunity for growth. I collect all my email addresses and send out information to every one at once. I also show case my talent for ink paintings of pets.

So I am giving the kids free personal websites. I use http://www.gotoerins.com/new370510.html for the websites. It is easy to use.

I gave my sister a personal website for her birthday and she uses it to sell home made folk dolls.

I hope to have a happy holiday by creating the personal web sites for my children!

Election Day 60 days away

2008-09-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

The older I get, the longer elections take. All of the wasted money spent trying to win a vote should be spent on the economy. More folks are currently out of work than in the last 6 years.

Change could happen in the way elections are run.

I think there should be one primary day, in August. Then 3 debates in September and October and then the election in November. Most folks only need a few days to make up their minds.

Change, change and change. That is what I want for this system.

Change the times, change the dates and change the leaders.

This year change will happen one of two ways. I vote for change with a younger man and older man. The thought of the old man and the young woman is scary. McCain does not have perfect health. That young lady leading the government is difficult to understand. In 10 years with more experience she may be better than sliced bread. But not now.

Election 2008

2008-09-03T07:06:00.000-07:00

Retirement savings are on the top of my mind as this election gets closer. At this point in my life, all of my retirement plans began in the late 60's and early 70's. I counted on a retirement from my company. Then changes became the rule and company retirement plans no longer the main focus of my savings.

IRA's and 401 K's are now the rule. The problem is that with rising gas and grocery prices, the inflation is eating into the comfort on which I had planned. As I draw social security, the funds do not cover my expenses.

I have started back to work from home. Now I use the Internet to supplement my income. My web based business are the way of the future.

I have a free website for personal use. Go to: http://www.gotogails.com/new371934.html for a free personal website. If I can do this, then you can too!

Then I set up a free business website. This is just the start of my Internet business.

The reason that I blog about this to seniors is the future looks glum. The election of 2008 needs change. I feel that change can only help me. More of the same and I am not sure how my new business will do.

I need the Internet to earn enough money to avoid working as a greeter at Wallmart. Every time I see my fellow seniors working there, I want to scream. There is nothing the matter with work. I was union for 35 years. It's just working for minimum wage for seniors kills me.

If only one person gets a free website from: http://www.gotogails.com/new371934.html then I will be happier.

Social Security

2008-08-29T05:25:00.000-07:00

I am still thinking about how to reapply for Social Security using form 521 after a few years. When I sell my house, I should have enough money to payback my past draw from the Social Securtiy fund.

That would be the time for me to make this move.

I plan to get a copy of Social Security form 521 and keep it updated. I want to be aware of all of the ways to increase income.

Reapply for Social Security-Form 521

2008-08-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

My sister Carol Dunlevy just called me and asked if I was getting Social Security. Well, yes I am. At 62 feeling old, I took the payments and have felt younger all the time.

Well, Carol has heard that if you want to repay Social Security all of the money you have received to date, that you can reapply and get a larger monthly payment. When you take the payments at 62, I had believed that was it for the rest of your life.

Now, I find out that Social Security form 521 (Request for With drawl of Application) permits you to:

1.Repay the Social Security retirement and other family benefits received on your earnings record with no interest required and no adjustment for inflation
2.Reapply for benefits from scratch & deduct the repayment on your income taxes or take a tax credit for the taxes you paid in the past on the Social Security benefits you received in the past

Not knowing about this possibility that the Social Security 521 form can bring, leaves a huge gap in our financial planning.

This is a complicated issue. I have a website here which I am adding to my post. I plan to keep adding this issue once a month.

Reapply for Social Security

Raise Your Living Standard
Peter and Kate are 70 year-old retirees. They have $200,000 in regular assets and $200,000 each in retirement accounts. They invest all these regular and retirement account assets in safe assets yielding 3 percent after inflation. Peter and Kate will each receive $13,250 this year in Social Security retirement benefits.

Peter and Kate are happy, yet sad; they’re kicking themselves for taking Social Security early. Had they waited until now to apply, they’d each be eligible for $20,693 per year their full retirement benefit adjusted by Social Security’s Delayed Retirement Credit; i.e., they’d be receiving 56.2 percent more in real Social Security benefits this year and every year they live into the future.

Recently, Kate read Janet Novacks article in Forbes Retirement Guide about a little-know option reapplying for Social Security. As Novack relates, Social Security form 521 (Request for Withdrawal of Application) permits you to a) repay the Social Security retirement and other family benefits received on your earnings record with no interest required and no adjustment for inflation and b) reapply for benefits from scratch. Better still, you can deduct the repayment on your income taxes or take a tax credit for the taxes you paid in the past on the Social Security benefits you received in the past.

When we ran Peter and Kate through ESPlanner we found that repaying and reapplying raised their living standard – their sustainable consumption expenditure -- by 21.7 percent notwithstanding their each having to repay $94,556! How else could Peter and Kate raise their living standard by 21.7 percent? Well, they could find $220,000 lying on the street. With $420,000 in regular assets rather than $200,000 they’d be able to sustain the same living standard through age 100 as simply repaying and reapplying for Social Security -- something that will take them all of an hour.

How much one gains from repaying and reapplying for Social Security is sensitive to one’s circumstances. In Peter’s and Kate’s case, were they to have zero retirement account assets, their living standard gain would be 29.0 percent!

What Age Groups Stand to Gain from Repaying and Reapplying?The table below considers how Peter and Kate would fare from repaying and reapplying for different current ages. The results for age 70 are those just discussed. The results for the other assumed initial ages indicate that households ranging from their mid 60s to mid 70s may gain significantly from this option. For example, if Peter and Kate are 76 years old, their sustainable increase in consumption spending is 8.9 percent. This is smaller than the 21.7 percent gain they’d enjoy were they 70 years old because they have to pay back more benefits and have fewer years remaining (to their maximum ages of life of 100) to enjoy the higher benefits. Still, enjoying a permanent 8.9 percent living standard rise for essentially no effort is a major opportunity for the 76 year-old Peter and Kate.

Beats Buying a Commercial AnnuityThe $94,556 payment can be viewed as the price of buying from Social Security an annual inflation-indexed annuity of $7,443 ($20,693 less $13,250). The best priced inflation-indexed annuity on the market is offered by The Principal Insurance Co. via www.elmannuity.com. Buying an $7,443 annuity from The Principal would cost about 40 percent more. Were Peter and Kate to each purchase annuities paying $7,443 after inflation, they’d enjoy a 10 percent higher living standard. This shows two things: buying inflation-indexed annuities from a reliable low-cost provider can raise ones living standard. But buying such annuities from the safest and lowest cost provider, namely, Social Security, can raise one’s living standard by a lot more.

Too Good To Be True?This seems too good to be true. After all, there are millions of retirees in their mid sixties to mid seventies who could potentially significantly raise their living standards by withdrawing and reapplying. Yet, from our checking with local Social Security and discussions with top Social Security officials, approving this request is routine. If you go to the office, fill out the form, hand them a check, you can then reapply on the spot and start receiving the higher benefit. Social Security’s attitude is that this is a legitimate option for people to consider and if it makes them better off financially, they should use it.

Repaying Social Security and reapplying for a higher benefit does, of course, entail risk – the risk of dying right away and not living long enough to recoup this investment. But the big risk, financially speaking, is not dying early, but dying late—living longer than one expects and, as a result, running out of money. Annuities, particularly inflation indexed annuities, are a marvelous way to hedge this very significant risk.

To read Social Security’s Handbook’s discussion of this option, go here. To download the form, go here.

Should One Take Benefits Early and Plan to Reapply? If you’re 62 and retired, should you take benefits early with the intent of repaying and reapplying at a later age? Our answer is yes, but. First, your benefits will be subject to federal income taxes depending on their level and the level of your other taxable income. However, as mentioned, according to page 15 of IRS Publication 915 you can recover such tax payments at the time you repay your benefits by either a) deducting the benefits you repay in the year you repay them (i.e., by including them with your other itemized schedule A deductions) or b) figuring out the extra taxes you paid each year in the past on the past benefits you are paying back, add them up, and taking them as a tax credit. Whichever method results in lower taxes is the one you get to use. You'll lose interest on the tax payments, but that's not likely to outweigh the considerable advantage of repaying past benefits and then reapplying for a higher annual benefit. So taxes are not a reason to avoid taking benefits early and then planning to repay and reapply, say, at age 70.

The real question here is whether the government will decide to close down or make more costly the option of repaying and reapplying before you have a chance to do so. So far our discussions with the Social Security Administrations suggests that Social Security itself is only too happy to maintain this policy if it can provide retirees with a higher living standard. On the other hand, if Social Security starts getting hundreds of thousands of requests to repay and reapply, it may start to realize that not requiring repayers to pay back with interest, let alone actuarial interest (which is what should be charged), is costing the government money. At that point, someone in Congress may move to close down this option or require that repayment include actuarial interest charges (which are higher than regular interest charges). Assuming the option remains in place in its current form, you can use ESPlanner (see this forum topic) to determine the advantage of taking benefits at 62 and then repaying and reapplying at 70 compared to, for example, simply waiting until 70 to take benefits. If you do decide to take benefits early with the intent of repaying and reapplying, we recommend you fill out, but not file, a separate tax return each year that does not include your Social Security benefits. The difference in taxes on this extra return and the actual return you file represents the extra tax payments you'll be able to recover as a tax credit when you ultimately repay and reapply. Keeping your past actual tax returns and these annual alternative returns will provide you with documentation to substantiate the tax credit.

The Gain from Taking Benefits at 62 and Repaying and Reapplying at 70We’ve also calculated for Peter and Kate, assuming they are now age 62, the gains with respect to sustainable consumption of taking their benefits at age 62 and then at age 70, repaying them and reapplying for higher benefits. In these calculations we’ve permitted Peter and Kate to borrow as needed to smooth their living standard. Taking their benefits at age 62 and never repaying entails a sustainable consumption level of $50,410. Taking their benefits starting at age 70 offers an 11.8 percent higher level of sustainable spending. But taking them early – at age 62 – and then repaying and reapplying at 70 offers an even better deal – a 15.8 percent higher sustainable spending level than simply taking benefits at age 62.

Calculations based on ESPlanner (www.esplanner.com). Illustration assumes a married couple living in Massachusetts with $200,000 in regular assets. Each spouse has $200,000 in a 401(k) account. Maximum age of life is 100. Couple has a $300,000 home with $3,000 in annual property taxes, $1,000 in home owners expense, and $1,000 in annual home maintenance expense. Couple is enrolled in Medicare and pays Part B premiums, assumed to rise at a 4.6 percent real rate each year. Couple earns 3 percent after inflation on its assets, including its retirement accounts.
1. “The 62/70 Solution,” Forbes Retirement Guide, November 11, 2007.
2. The Social Security Administration has to approve the application and requires applicants to provide a reason for the request. The form let’s you check off one of two boxes as the reason. The first is “I intend to continue working.” The second is “Other.” If you check “Other” you need to provide a reason in the space below the box.
3. Read Social Security’s Handbook’s discussion of this option here. Download the form here.

SEE: http://www.esplanner.com/Case%20Studies/double_dip/double_dip.htm

Reducing Digital Pictures.

2008-08-27T07:15:00.000-07:00

I need help. I can not seem to reduce the size of digital pictures. I do not understand what I am trying to do. I get confused when the instructions are not clear.

Does any one know how to do this easily? I need a website that can make this easier for me.

Like, I need step one do this, step two do that etc.

There must be a good site that can help me learn how to reduce the size of digital pictures. What do you use?

I hear a lot of use this site. I get there and get confused. I know there is a trick to reducing the picture size.

The trouble with learning new digital picture sizes is old habits. I had a dark room when old black and white film was used. Now, I'm not sure if there is even black and white film used any where.

With all of the things to learn on a computer, I have fallen behind in using the digital photo possibilities. I want to go to a class where I can actually ask a question of a teacher untill I understand the answer.

I plan to start a free web page with photos for my family as soon as I can using http://www.gotogails.com/new371934.html

Family Tree

2008-08-25T03:27:00.000-07:00

My mother who is 87 asked me to see if I could find an old family friend of hers from high school. She knows how much fun I have using the Internet to locate old houses where we had lived and places we had been. So armed with only a name from 1943, I surfing the World Wide Web.

The first search yielded three million hits. So I called mom for additional information. She found middle initial. Bingo, in the 1930 blue book of New York Society, I found a listing for his mother and two sons from Scarsdale.

Searching high and low for her friend that is the only item for him. I could not even find a family tree site. Mom had lost touch with him in 1950. So I searched for his brother. I found nothing for that name but plenty for his possible son a junior.

Bored, I decided to search for mother. Her name is uncommon Antoinette Coon Dunlevy. I found relatives from her father’s side of the family looking for her. I found several family tree sites with her information and mine too.

Now, I am hooked up with several locating family and friends sites. It is fun and I am going to use a free web site http://www.gotogails.com/new371934.html to get my parents family tree branches listed.

Internet

2008-08-21T10:10:00.000-07:00

The Internet world confuses me. I take lessons, I read the books, I study hard and I press all kinds of buttons and I am still in the dark.

So okay this takes time. At my age I hear the clock ticking very loudly. My achievements are good but I want great.

First do this! Then do that! Then do this again and soon you will be there! I am there lost in the world wide web!

I must say that in spite of frustrations, I sold 4 things on ebay today. Now once I subtract all of the expenses and all of the hours I have put in, I'm working for peanuts. Now if I double or triple my efforts and get better successes maybe I'll be working for $$$. One can only hope.

I am an optimistic person, so I believe that I will succeed! Time will tell tick tock..

I am revising all of my web sites one page at a time. I love my websites! I love giving Free web sites to my friends and anyone who wants them.

My personal website for pictures is great. My business websites are growing.

Try a Free website go to: http://www.gotogails.com/new371934.html

Computer Websites

2008-08-19T06:10:00.000-07:00

Computers, how I wished that the beautiful home computer was around in the 60's when I was in high school and college. My grades said that I was an average student. My potential was not met. My research was incomplete, my spelling horrible, my study habits weak and my mind was always meandering around what needed to be done in order to earn great grades! The celebration in my home was enormous when I earned an A. My geometry F resulted in summer school.

Remember typing a required research paper with carbon copy and white out? What the kids of today will miss! With the computer a back space removes the typo. A spell check corrects words that are incorrectly spelled. Spell check is the single most computer element that has changed my life. Now, I can breathe easy when writing. Hoverer, there are times that the spell check can not help me because the word is so very incorrectly spelled.

The home computer has changed the way education, communication and business is conducted and we will never go back to the old ways.

Now I have blogs and sell on ebay and websites. I am a webmaster. I will be at my home computer the day that I die.

If you want your own web site or website, (I love the optional choice of spellings), I have a free website for you at: http://www.gotogails.com/new371934.html I have a personal website and a business website. The most amazing things have happened to me since I now work on the Internet! In stead of feeling old that the world has passed me by, I am now connected to the world wide web!

The home computer has changed the way education, communication and business is conducted and we will never go back to the old ways.

A personal web site allows you to keep in touch with family and friends. The home computer makes it easy to have pictures and letters sent to all contacts at once. A personal website can be used to promote an idea and product.

A business web site promotes you and your business, your products and your ideas.

Once I was afraid to even use a computer not now!!! Try a free web site there is no obligation and your life may be more fulfilled!

Vacation at Long Beach Island, New Jersey

2008-08-13T12:46:00.000-07:00

Johnny Cash Night at Long Beach!

Sue and Joe are fans!

As fans of Johnny Cash, the men wore Cash shirts while watching a PBS Cash special.

Jason and Tim Cash Fans!

Jackie, Jeri are fans. Margie wonders who is Johnny Cash. Finally she realizes that Johnny Cash is "Walk the Line"

Charlie and Susie love Johnny!

The Jersey shore is the best! If you love the ocean and have not spent time at the Jersey shore, be sure to go one time!

My children rented a house in Beach Haven Gardens on 31st Street and they were nice to invite the old folks along. It was lovely and plenty of room for everyone. The beaches are soft and the water was so clean. Long Beach Island has lots of restaurants and activities for the whole family.

The famous Barnagate Light House is on the northern tip of the island. The current one was build under the direction of U. S. General George Meade in 1858. It was a beacon for ships until the late 1930's.

The southern tip of the island is a bird and turtle sanctuary and off limits from April to October.

Summer is almost over!

2008-08-11T12:11:00.000-07:00

Summer is almost over! Some schools start tomorrow and the rest within two or three weeks.

Vacations

2008-07-28T06:44:00.000-07:00

Vacations cause as much stress as work. Planning for transportation, accommodations, food, weather and money, often makes me relax more after the holiday.

Even more stressful is a vacation with family. Some one is not happy with something. Even the choice of dinner meals can cause havoc.

The joy of seeing the family in the end wins out over no family vacation!

Here was a nightmare vacation for me.
How to prevent a FREE vacation nightmare!

While working for a company that was owned by a conglomerate, special deals were offered to the employees of all the jointly held companies. That was how a lowly production manager of a plastic plant was offered among other things, 50% off rooms at Motel 6, a buy one get one free meal at Fishes' Big Boy all of the time and land in Florida with nothing down and full ownership of the land in 10 years. What a deal!

Every executive in the company had one or two lots. How could you pass it up? Some were even building houses. Such a deal. Pay on the land for only two years and you could trade for a house on developed land.

So of course when the salesman came to our humble abode to excite us about land ownership, how could we refuse? The deal included a FREE Vacation!

The sales pitch said buy this land now site unseen and you will get a Free vacation of five days and four nights, two rounds of golf, 2 meals a day and a travel allowance of $200.00. Now, if you want to see the land first, you get only 3 days and 2 nights FREE, no golf or meals and no travel allowance. He had a map of the lots that had 10year options. We found the neatest lot with green space behind (swamp) and a golf club near the addition.

Such a deal! We were poor. Only married a year and living in New Jersey with our collective 6 children. How could we go wrong? FREE! If we planned correctly, arranged for the children to be with their mother (his two) and their father (my four), got work time off we could be alone for a FREE vacation.

So one day in July, we drop children off and head south from northern New Jersey. With our discount at Motel 6, we would only need one night in a motel. Ok, not quite FREE. So we drove on Saturday until 10 pm. We were in Georgia and only had to get to South of Tampa on Sunday.

Tampa is far from Georgia. We arrived just in time to get our vouchers for the room, food, golf and travel. Ok, FREE. The builder owned the motel. The meals were at the motel. The golf was at their club. But we were in Florida on a FREE vacation!

One little requirement, we had to attend one little hour speech about building a house in paradise and take a tour of our land and some sites avaible for trade in now.

They loved folks living in the northeast area where houses cost 3,4 and even 5 times what they had to offer-big fish on a little hook. What dream homes we saw! What bargains! New ones, on golfcourses, swimming pools and club house a dream we could have by signing on the dotted line.
Oh wow!

What these folks did not know and we did not say was that we had no more money, so we were real lookie-lous. I'm sure they figured it out and left us alone after the trip down Park Place Lane.

We drove down streets with scrub palms and sand and few houses until the road ended. The salesman consulted his map, pointed to the swamp and said that Park Place Estates would be ready in 8 years before our land was paid. Of course, we could trade it in now for a build ready lot over at Marvin Gardens.

So that was mostly all we could do on Monday. Tuesday was golf day. Wednesday the ocean called. Thursday we checked out of the room and got in another FREE round of golf. So, we left for home at 3:00 pm.

So you ask yourself what vacation nightmare is this?

We had planned most the trip together, the childcare, the days off, the time in Florida but we did not plan the trip home. I felt we could get home on Sunday at 9:00 pm the last possible moment. In my mind I saw Charleston S.C., Williamsburg, Virginia, and any town along the way. I had maps and sights to see all lined up on my lap.

He felt we could be home Friday by 10:00 pm or so by driving straight through the night and all day Friday.

Now we are in the car driving, and I say here's the road to Jacksonville. As we sail by, I said the next good place is Hilton Head. No comment. We speed past that exit. Now it is really dark and 10:00 pm. He looks at me and says what's the matter? I inquired when are we stopping? It was then that I learned we were driving through.

The steam was pouring out of my head. Had I mentioned that I do not play golf? He had a perfect time and I sat around the pool. Did I mention July in Florida? We were all the way past the Myrtle Beach exit when he realized that I was steaming.

So this dense but not stupid man says hey we'll stop at South of the Border. Up and down I-95 you see signs for South of the Border just 200, 150, 75, 25, 15, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, miles to Pedro's South of the Border. As you pass by, signs say you just missed South of the Border. It is the largest tourist trap that I have ever seen. It is just south of the North Carolina State Line. For some unknown reason, there is no north of the border.

But there was a Motel 6 with a room for special guests like us with our discount. We had breakfast at the restaurant witha huge sombrero on top. I was only mumbling an occasional ok.
We were in the car with the radio on not speaking, when a miracle occurred. The station was offering vacation advice. Are you still speaking after your vacation? What went wrong? Let us give you some tips. At that we broke up giggling then laughing then kissing.

He says we'll go to Williamsburg. I say let's get home. Now we disagree about what to do in reverse. At this point I was tired and said that I just wanted my bed not another Motel 6. That won the argument-the idea of a bed that didn't sag and sheets that didn't scratch. We could not wait.

Still not a disaster. Just wait. Why am I complaining?

One Sunday three years after our FREE vacation, we were watching 60 Minutes. General Development, the company from which we were buying our paradise lot, was the feature story.

The three owners were on the way to jail. They swindled thousands of people mostly from the northeast out of millions of dollars. The planned communities had started out in good faith.

There are 5 or 6 communities limping along. But as the companies grew, so did greed. Houses were sold that were shoddy. Land sold were swamps too difficult to clear. And promises and hearts were broken.

Our FREE vacation wound up costing $10,000. Class action law suits secured pennies of the loss. The hardest hit folks had bought homes that were falling apart due to cheep construction.

So my advice to you is avoid at all costs the FREE vacation. Somewhere down the line you will pay and pay dearly!

Choose Peace

2008-07-27T13:41:00.000-07:00

Sounds good "Choose Peace". This grass root group is not talking world peace (nice), but peace in the inner neighborhoods of our cities here in America and around the world.

In Indianapolis, Indiana, the horrible homicide rate has become unbearable. Children and families are suffering and injured while sitting in their homes or front porch. Drive by shoot outs and gun battles are hurting and killing way too many people. By spreading "Choose Peace", we can make a change.

The group is new and hopes to spread to help take back neighborhoods and cities. It is one person at a time, talking to another person and spreading the word. Choose Peace and hope will return.

Go To: http://www.decidetochoose.com for more information.

Retirement Savings

2008-07-23T09:51:00.000-07:00

The price of gasoline is reducing my great retirement plans. Who would believe $4.39 a gallon?
The price of food is reducing my retirement plan. The cost of all produce has increased from 5 to 10%. My social security payment is not going as far as it did two years ago.

My blog on coupons is helping cut costs. My blog is: http://wwwcoupons101.blogspot.com

I am following the advice that I give others.

Home Health Care Costs or Nursing Home Care Costs

2008-07-17T08:38:00.000-07:00

The spiraling costs for Nursing Home Care are forcing families to make difficult decisions about health care for a loved one. The most acute situation is of course dementia and Alzheimer's. These illnesses cause so much stress about at home care or nursing home care.

Once you have exhausted all of the loved ones funds, what choices do you have?

This is issue is going to face at least 50% of us. Unless you have tremendous finincal means, the costs of care cam wipe out entire savings plans.

Elvis The King!

2008-07-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

In 1956 my dad asked me if I liked the music of Elvis. I was a shy child and would always try to answer in a way that might please my parents. Howere in this case I just answered that I loved Elvis and his music.

We were living in New Orleans and Elvis spent time there and was popular. Jail House Rock opens with a skyline view of the city.

A year before he died, Elvis played the field house at Indiana University. My sister Carol was a student and arranged for two tickets to the show. My sister Kathy went with me to the show. Kathy had never been a fan of Elvis. Half way through the show she turned to me and said wow this is fun!

Just a little more than a year later, Elvis died.

A year ago, I went to Graceland. Elvis is buried there. It was a great comfort to see how Graceland would have been the place where he could find peace.

I still miss Elvis.

Barack Obama

2008-07-12T06:17:00.001-07:00

Forty-eight years after meeting presidential candidate John F. Kennedy, I met another presidential candidate Barack Obama!

With a bit of luck and my adopted Mother Mary Gaines, I was in the fourth row with a wonderful view of Obama. In this day and age of high definition television where every blemish and wrinkle is exaggerated, Barack Obama is much nicer looking in person. When he smiles, Obama lights up a room.

The message of the day was about the energy crisis. Barack Obama gave a list of problems and then a list of solutions. He spoke mainly about oil, cars and efficiency. His solutions are a start.

I was trying to get him to ask me a question. I feel that we need to think out of the "box" about the energy issue. I have a plan. OK, my husband says that I need more information to make a plan. I am not a talented engineer, designer or artist. So my plan needs help. I do not mind sharing my plan so here goes.

We have personal phones, personal computers, home satellite receivers and such. I want a personal home energy power plant. Lets talk. There are two types of free energy-solar and wind. Some times there is no wind. Some times there is no sun. Those are the drawbacks.

Here are the positives. For the sun, the new mirror technology allows the sun rays to be enhanced. So take a satellite dish, fill it with mirrors and collect sun rays. As for wind, take the design of a local tree, add small turbines like pinwheels and collect even the slightest breeze.

Now this could be ugly or it could be cool. Make a power plant garden in every yard. The tree is wind collector and the bushes are the solar collectors.

I looked up windmill trees and the Dutch have one ugly tree. It looks like the tall metal ones we know with branches of about 6 more ugly windmills.

The complete look would be a metal fence around the personal power garden for safety, three mirror solar collectors looking like bushes one facing east, south and west, and one tree in the style of a native tree- south a palm, east a oak, west a pine etc. The coconuts, the flowers, pine cones and leaves could catch the air and spin for the power.

In each of the 50 states, we train workers to assemble, install and repair the personal power garden plants. In mothballed factories, we manufacture the personal power plants. We use foreclosed homes for the new workers. Best of all we give a tax credit for home owners using the personal garden power plant.

I get the first one! You all can have the rest!

John F. Kennedy

2008-07-10T07:51:00.000-07:00

In October 1960, presidential candidate John F. Kennedy came to Indianapolis, Indiana. The state was a Republican strong hold so his visit was special.

At that time, I was a junior at Shortridge High School. My parents were active in the Indiana Democratic Party. There would be a parade from the Wier Cook Airport to the Claypool Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. Later, Kennedy would give a speech at the Indiana State Fair Coliseum.

As one of the few students at Shortridge identified as a Democrat, I was asked to be in the motorcade. We wore white blouses, blue skirts and sat on the back of some one's convertible. We were given those silly white hats to wear and Kennedy posters to wave. Also, this is big, we sang "Happy Days are Here Again".

The cars were lined up on the tarmac and as Kennedy left the plane we cheered. The route of the motorcade had been published in the papers, so there were crowds from the airport to down town.

I can close my eyes and see the whole day replay in my mind. It was such an innocent time compared to political campaigns today.

Back at home, my parents were getting ready to stand on 38th Street near the entrance to the fairgrounds to watch Kennedy drive by. Then we entered the coliseum and watched the speech.

We sat in the sixth row on the left side of the stage. There are old films of this event that I have seen quite a while ago. The speech was pure Kennedy. The reception huge. I think all 30,000 of the state's Democrats were there.

These events seem such a long time ago and yet just yesterday.

My Dog Coco Puff Poodle

2008-07-09T05:09:00.000-07:00

We were camping last week for the Fourth of July. My dog Coco Puff Clute Poodle was with us.

She is 10 years old and still a puppy. She has fun every day. She plays ball every day. She demands lots of pets every day.

When my dog became 10, it makes aware of the fact that most of her days are gone. I am 64 and most of my days are gone.

I am following Tim Russart's idea-a day without fun is a wasted day.

I am having fun blogging and ebaying. I am having fun doing all of the things that I can fit into a day!

Alzheimer's Costs

2008-07-08T05:40:00.000-07:00

A few facts about the costs of Alzheimer's disease.

1.$91 billion Medicare costs for Alzheimer's and dementia care in 2005.

2. $189 billion projected Medicare costs for Alzheimer's and dementia care by 2015.

3. 60.9 average age of an unpaid caregiver in 2005.

As we are 60 plus these are going to be hard times for a lot of us. Alzheimer's will be a part of our lives one way or another.

Saint Joan of Arc Grade School

2008-07-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

Saint Joan of Arc Grade School Indianapolis Indiana

My family arrived in Indianapolis, Indiana May4, 1957. We had lived in the south for over 5 years.

Of course since the school year was not over, Dad enrolled us in the near by Catholic School. We were lucky since Saint Joan of Arc Grade School was one of the best grade schools. It created quite a stir at the school when 4 sisters all blond and suntanned (no one used sun block back then), show up.

I was in 7th grade, Kathy 5th, Mary 3rd and Joan kindergarden. We were freezing and in sweaters, while the other students thougt it was warm and in shirt sleeves.

My Saint Joan of Arc graduating class celebrates a 50 year reunion this July. I was startled to get an invitation except for one thing. The school has fund raisers for various reasons and manages to track down graduates. The Catholic families of those days were huge. We were only six children while 12, 13 and even 16 children were common. So if a Dunlevy (my maiden name) was in a class so was a Quinn, Chrapla, Feeny, Quiser and so on.

My family moved out of the Saint Joan of Arc Parish in 1962 but the parish is still part of our lives. Friends are buried from the wonderful church, weddings take place there and of course the fund raises are several times a year.

If you visit Indianapolis, be sure to drive by Saint Joan of Arc Church at 42nd and Central.

Alzheimer's Disease

2008-07-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

A newspaper article special report on Alzheimer's disease, made me aware of the coming burden on all of us. With parents in their 80's, spouses in the 60's and children in their 40's, all ages may need to be caregivers of an Alzheimer's patient.

The signs of Alzheimer's disease start slowly-name forgetting, losing direction, failing judgement and other incidents of mind wanderings. When the person with Alzheimer's no longer recognizes loved ones, mixes up children and looks for friends and family long gone, the Alzheimer's has taken over and the emotional and financial costs set in.

The article says the nation isn't ready for the costs and burdens Alzheimer's disease will bring. The numbers are huge:

10 million American baby boomers will develop Alzheimer's disease

78 million baby boomers are alive in 2008

17% of women will develop Alzheimer's if they live to 55

9% of men will develop Alzheimer's if they live to 55

I am going to add additional information in the next few weeks on Alzheimer's disease as it will be a burden on the nation and our lives for a long time.

Fourth of July

2008-07-03T04:53:00.001-07:00

The day before the big national holiday, the Fourth of July, and I think back to fireworks. As a child, fireworks occurred only once a year. We would be shaking with excitement while waiting for dark. Then the first rocket would light the sky and the fun began!

All of the anticipation seems routine these days. Baseball games have fireworks for home runs. Amusement parks close down every night with fireworks. Almost any large event has fireworks.

Yet the fireworks tommorrow will be the best of the year! Happy Fourth of July!

Camping in the RV

2008-06-26T15:55:00.005-07:00

Camping in my 60's is one whole lot different from camping as a Girl Scout in the 50's. We pitched tents, cooked over an open fire and peed in the woods.

Today, I have a RV. It has a kitchen, a bathroom, 2 bedrooms, air conditioning and 2 televisions with satellite.

It takes a Ford 350 Diesel to pull the fifth wheel. Loaded I'm camping with around 14,000 pounds of stuff.

We lived in the camper for 9 months. I loved it! Plug in the vacuum and in 10 minutes the place is clean!

I can barely remember the other style of camping. Can you?

"Pagan Babies"

2008-06-23T05:32:00.000-07:00

Any one go to Catholic Grade Schools in the 50's and 60's? Remember the "Pagan Babies"?

In order to raise money for the missions, the grade school students were asked to bring in pennies and nickels to save a Pagan Baby. It took $10.00 to save a baby. For every $10.00 collected you got name the baby.

In most classrooms to encourage donations, the nuns pitted the boys against the girls. Least we forget, the donations were collected daily and tallied on the blackboard. I am not sure when this practice ended.

Did you ever wonder what happened to all of the "Pagan Babies"?

This Sunday at Mass a missionary priest had an answer. The missionary work by Catholic priests and nuns is allowing Catholic priests from foreign countries to pastor the priest empty parishes in America.

The work of the missionaries converted the native peoples to the Catholic Religion.

Now I had not given the "Pagan Babies" a thought in years. It is an amazing to think all of those pennies and nickels really helped the children in need. And now they are helping us!

Vacation Nightmare!

2008-06-21T07:59:00.000-07:00

How to prevent a FREE vacation nightmare!

While working for a company that was owned by a conglomerate, special deals were offered to the employees of all the jointly held companies. That was how a lowly production manager of a plastic plant was offered among other things, 50% off rooms at Motel 6, a buy one get one free meal at Fishes’ Big Boy all of the time and land in Florida with nothing down and full ownership of the land in 10 years. What a deal!

Every executive in the company had one or two lots. How could you pass it up? Some were even building houses. Such a deal. Pay on the land for only two years and you could trade for a house on developed land.

So of course when the salesman came to our humble abode to excite us about land ownership, how could we refuse? The deal included a FREE Vacation!!

The sales pitch said buy this land now site unseen and you will get a Free vacation of five days and four nights, two rounds of golf, 2 meals a day and a travel allowance of $200.00. Now, if you want to see the land first, you get only 3 days and 2 nights FREE, no golf or meals and no travel allowance. He had a map of the lots that had 10year options. We found the neatest lot with green space behind (swamp) and a golf club near the addition.

Such a deal! We were poor. Only married a year and living in New Jersey with our collective 6 children. How could we go wrong? FREE! If we planned correctly, arranged for the children to be with their mother (his two) and their father (my four), got work time off we could be alone for a FREE vacation.

So one day in July, we drop children off and head south from northern New Jersey. With our discount at Motel 6, we would only need one night in a motel. Ok, not quite FREE. So we drove on Saturday until 10 pm. We were in Georgia and only had to get to South of Tampa on Sunday.

Tampa is far from Georgia. We arrived just in time to get our vouchers for the room, food, golf and travel. Ok, FREE. The builder owned the motel. The meals were at the motel. The golf was at their club. But we were in Florida on a FREE vacation!

One little requirement, we had to attend one little hour speech about building a house in paradise and take a tour of our land and some sites avaible for trade in now.

They loved folks living in the northeast area where houses cost 3,4 and even 5 times what they had to offer-big fish on a little hook. What dream homes we saw! What bargains! New ones, on golf courses, swimming pools and club house a dream we could have by signing on the dotted line. Oh wow!

What these folks did not know and we did not say was that we had no more money, so we were real lookie-lous. I’m sure they figured it out and left us alone after the trip down Park Place Lane.

We drove down streets with scrub palms and sand and few houses until the road ended. The salesman consulted his map, pointed to the swamp and said that Park Place Estates would be ready in 8 years before our land was paid. Of course, we could trade it in now for a build ready lot over at Marvin Gardens.

So that was mostly all we could do on Monday. Tuesday was golf day. Wednesday the ocean called. Thursday we checked out of the room and got in another FREE round of golf. So, we left for home at 3:00 pm.

So you ask yourself what vacation nightmare is this?

We had planned most the trip together, the childcare, the days off, the time in Florida but we did not plan the trip home. I felt we could get home on Sunday at 9:00 pm the last possible moment. In my mind I saw Charleston S.C., Williamsburg, Virginia, and any town along the way. I had maps and sights to see all lined up on my lap.

He felt we could be home Friday by 10:00 pm or so by driving straight through the night and all day Friday.

Now we are in the car driving, and I say here’s the road to Jacksonville. As we sail by, I said the next good place is Hilton Head. No comment. We speed past that exit. Now it is really dark and 10:00 pm. He looks at me and says what’s the matter? I inquired when are we stopping? It was then that I learned we were driving through.

The steam was pouring out of my head. Had I mentioned that I do not play golf? He had a perfect time and I sat around the pool. Did I mention July in Florida? We were all the way past the Myrtle Beach exit when he realized that I was steaming.

So this dense but not stupid man says hey we’ll stop at South of the Border. Up and down I-95 you see signs for South of the Border just 200, 150, 75, 25, 15, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, miles to Pedro’s South of the Border. As you pass by, signs say you just missed South of the Border. It is the largest tourist trap that I have ever seen. It is just south of the North Carolina State Line. For some unknown reason, there is no north of the border.

But there was a Motel 6 with a room for special guests like us with our discount. We had breakfast at the restaurant with a huge sombrero on top. I was only mumbling an occasional ok.

We were in the car with the radio on not speaking, when a miracle occurred. The station was offering vacation advice. Are you still speaking after your vacation? What went wrong? Let us give you some tips. At that we broke up giggling then laughing then kissing.

He says we’ll go to Williamsburg. I say let’s get home. Now we disagree about what to do in reverse. At this point I was tired and said that I just wanted my bed not another Motel 6. That won the argument-the idea of a bed that didn’t sag and sheets that didn’t scratch. We could not wait.

Still not a disaster. Just wait. Why am I complaining?

One Sunday three years after our FREE vacation, we were watching 60 Minutes. General Development, the company from which we were buying our paradise lot, was the feature story. The three owners were on the way to jail. They swindled thousands of people mostly from the northeast out of millions of dollars. The planned communities had started out in good faith. There are 5 or 6 communities limping along.

But as the companies grew, so did greed. Houses were sold that were shoddy. Land sold were swamps too difficult to clear. And promises and hearts were broken.

Our FREE vacation wound up costing $10,000. Class action law suits secured pennies of the loss. The hardest hit folks had bought homes that were falling apart due to cheep construction.

So my advice to you is avoid at all costs the FREE vacation. Somewhere down the line you will pay and pay dearly!

Atom Bomb Safety Commercials 1950's

2008-06-19T08:07:00.000-07:00

When you see a bright flash of light duck into the nearest doorway, hide behind the sofa, crouch under your desk at school or get into the hallway! These and other such steps to take under an atom bomb attack have been in my brain since the 1950's.

Our government had public service announcements on atom bomb attacks on television in the 1950's and 60's. I'm not sure if anyone believed that these tactics would work. As a child in school in addition to fire drills, we had atom bomb drills.

A practice siren would go off and then the atom bomb drill would begin. I close my eyes and can see a scared second grader hiding under her desk at school. I practiced at home hiding behind the sofa.

On television around 10 years after the atomic bomb attack on Japan, a show featured some of the survivors. They had horrible burns and were covered with scarves and some shown only from behind a screen.

As the years have passed many studies have been made on the atomic bomb survivors. Radiation has many horrible long term affects including cancers and birth defects.

Of course then we built air raid shelters and at home bomb shelters. As if they would have helped any of us.

I must say the world is crazy when war is still waged and the risk of the bomb remains possible.

Jacks a Playground Game for Children

2008-06-18T05:02:00.000-07:00

To excel at jacks, you had to have a steady hand, good eyes and skill. I have none of these attributes but loved to play the game of jacks. The game is basic-10 jacks (small metal six-pointed stars) and one rubber ball. To start toss the jacks on a flat surface. Then bounce the ball, pick up a jack and catch the ball before it hits the ground.

There were various games to play the game of jacks but the basic one was easiest. Always using only one hand, on the first round, you pick up one jack-onesies. On the second round, you pick up two jacks-twosies.

Jacks can be played with any number of players. The best part for me was that I could practice by myself. I always won. I always cheated.

Jacks is a game that I passed on to my children. I miss seeing the children of today on the sidewalk playing jacks.

Next time I go to the store, I'm purchasing several packs of jacks for the grandchildren!

I Like Ike!

2008-06-16T14:21:00.000-07:00

The first presidential election that I can remember was Dwight David Eisenhower's first election. We were living in the State of Florida, Miami area during the election. Even though television was a new news media, the election was on the air and my fellow third graders were paying attention.

My parents were Roosevelt Democrats and rooting for Stevenson. On the playground, kids would say, "Who do you like?" If you did not say, "I like Ike!" You would receive a punch in the arm.

I was a chicken and said, "I like Ike!" Political intimidation even at an early age. To think times have not changed all that much.

We have a letter from the Illinois Governor's office from Adlai Stevenson, thanking my parents for their support.

Now another election is due in November. I dare to think what those adult classmates of mine would say now.

A funny footnote to Ike's election happened when the I Like Ike scarves were on sale for $.25. Mother always looking for a bargain, purchased 4 of them. They were red or blue with election like buttons saying I Like Ike in each button. Lovely.

Flag Day and Happy Birthday Day to Me!

2008-06-14T05:02:00.000-07:00

Flag Day Facts

A little known fact about Flag Day happened on June 14, 1944. On that day in a White Plains, New York hospital, I was born. The first child of Jerry and Antoinette Dunlevy, I was born weighing 6 pounds 14 ounces at 6:14 am. These facts are special only to my family and me.

The more important facts about Flag Day begin when the Second Continental Congress acting on a resolution adopted the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United of America.

It is difficult in this busy world to celebrate another event. The flag represents patriotism and pride in our country. As another day in June sandwiched between Memorial Day, Father's Day and the Fourth of July, June 14th has never been celebrated as a great national holiday. But on June 14th, many families, businesses and communities fly the flag in honor.

All Americans are urged to fly the American Flag during the week of June 14th. Some communities hold parades but many more decorate the town with the Stars and Stripes.

When Americans recite the Pledge of Allegiance and sing the National Anthem, the flag is honored in a special way and more often remembered than it would be on one huge holiday.

When I turned 6 years-old in 1950, I was visiting my grandmother in West Palm Beach, Florida. The town had a picnic and fireworks to honor Flag Day. My grandmother took me around and told everyone the party was for my birthday also.

In the fifth grade the teacher asked, "Who knows what happens on June 14th?" No one raised their hand which was simply too puzzling to me. I of course finally raised my hand and was called upon and replied, "June 14th is Flag Day." The teacher then asked me how I knew that and I informed her that it was also my birthday.

I have often wondered how it would be to share a birthday with a huge holiday. I have always felt special having June 14th as a birthday.

I almost always fly the flag at my house. I currently have a flagpole as a gift from my children for my 60th birthday. At least once a year, I purchase a new flag for the pole.

My dad a Marine died December 11, 2007 and the American Flag draped his coffin. I feel a special pride when I see the Stars and Stripes on a solders coffin. My mother took Dad's folded America Flag and put it in the flag box. She has only one son so my brother has the flag at his home.

Any American can request one of the American Flags that fly over the United States Capitol. A request to your House or Senate Member will start the process. The site: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/se nators_cfm.cfm obtains the U.S. Senators. http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtm l for representatives.

Happy Birthday American Flag.

Jump Rope

2008-06-11T05:04:00.000-07:00

In the 50's the moment the weather turned nice, kids were out jumping rope. The most fun was when three or more participants were around. Two would turn the rope while one or more took turns jumping. When there were only two jumpers around, we would time one end of the rope to a tree, mailbox or any post.

My sisters and I loved jumping rope and we knew lots of rhymes to chant while jumping. Now when playing with family memebers, fairness was an issue. How long one turned the rope while the other jumped was always in dispute. Nothing was more frustating than one sister jumping alot and then quiting before her turn turning the rope.

When my grandchild was born, I wanted to teach her the chants for skipping rope. There are books one containing Miss Mary Mack a clapping game also used as a jump rope for sale. I have found them at Amazon.com.

For years now I have yet to see kids after school or on summer break jumping rope. The kids are on motor powered scooters and bikes. They are not even out side playing tag, hop scotch or any group fun games. We wonder why the kids today are fluffy.

Jump rope any one. At our 50th high school reuinions, wouldn't it be fun to see us jump rope? Maybe not!

Saddle Shoes and Bobby Sock

2008-06-10T04:57:00.000-07:00

During the 1950's, I wore saddle shoes 97% of the time. I had on occasion a pair of Mary Janes for church. The cool saddle shoes were black and white. Of course my mother who purchased what she liked, always managed to find a pair of saddle shoes in brown and white.

To go with the saddle shoes, white cuffed ankle socks were worn-bobby socks. My legs were so skinny that the socks would creep down into my shoes. Over time, I spent hours pulling up the bobby socks.

In 1961 as a junior in high school, I had my first pair of loafers. I never again wore saddle shoes.

Does any one wear saddle shoes now?

School's Out

2008-06-09T07:39:00.001-07:00

Remember the last day of school? Or the refrain:

School's out, school's out the teacher wore her _______ out!

Do kids still say that?

My Sister Kathy

2008-06-06T06:06:00.000-07:00

Can your best friend also be a sister? I am the sister elder to four women. They are all my friends. But only one is my best friend. She's only two years younger than me but often acts older and wiser than me.

As a child Kathy always knew what she wanted. If her crayon broke, she managed to swap for my unbroken one. If she wanted to know where the Christmas presents were hidden, she'd cajole me into helping her look for them. If her room was messy (it still is), she'd make me help clean it up or we would not get to go to the movies.

Kathy is a natural leader. At preschool graduation, there is a picture of Kathy showing fellow grads how to stand in line. She managed to keep my quiet-not too interested in mingling self included with her friends.

Kathy had a successful career with AT&T where she managed large numbers of employees. She could sell telephone services to a company that did not know they had a need.

Whenever I am down, Kathy picks me up. She unselfishly helps our parents, her friends and neighbors. I miss her everyday but thank you Mr. Bell for your wonderful telephone invention.

Sunday is Kathy's birthday. I have her card on my desk in Ohio and she is in California. So the post office will make extra money if the card is to be on time.

I am starting today thankful for my sister and my best friend.

Mickey Mantle Number 7 New York Yankee

2008-06-05T06:51:00.000-07:00

When a young baseball player Mickey Charles Mantle began playing for the New York Yankees in 1951, two things made him my hero.

1. Born and raised in White Plains, New York a mere train ride to the Bronx, my mother was raised as a Yankee fan. She remembers Babe Ruth and all of the old time greats of the 30's and 40's. She recalls taking the train with her brother, meeting my grandfather from work (in those days a work week included Saturday Mornings) and going to the afternoon games.

2. Television was new and not common. Hoverer, our new Levittown house came with a built in television. And amazingly the New York Yankee games were televised.

Every time my mother cheered, I stopped to see what happened. At this time I was only 7 years old so mother's team became my team. Mom's heroes became my heroes. And she fell deeply in baseball lust over the Mick.

Mother always has deep, strong, unwavering and loyalty to her heroes-Roosevelt, Kennedy, Obama, Yankees then Reds then Braves, Palmer, Michelson then John Daley, and so on. She acknowledges their faults but only after absolute proof. Then she cries over all of their follies. She would say how young and good looking Mickey was and could he hit the ball.

So, I made a Mickey Mantle scrapbook. I watched Saturday Baseball Game of the Week in New Orleans (not on daily down there or any where else) and followed his every career move.

In person, I only saw Mickey Mantle on the field in uniform once. It was an old timers game in Pittsburgh around 1970. My seat was on the first base side in the top tier but we were in the same air. He played first base and had a stiff walk.

I saw him again at Yankee Stadium opening day game. 1985. He was reinstated into baseball after a rude suspended by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn. Mickey needed money so he worked for the Claridge Resort Casino. He had not been paid for his baseball playing career the way today's players are paid. Peter Ueberroth became commissioner and fixed the unfair mess. The cheers in the stands when Mickey Mantle took the field lasted many minutes. I cried and cheered.

One day while reading the Newark Star Ledger, I got an invitation to finally meet Mickey Mantle. It was about time! He was making an appearance to promote his book The Mick at a housing development in New Jersey about 50 miles from my home.

My husband said that he did not wish to go with me to watch me drool over another man. I had a great framed picture on the wall by my bed of Mickey Mantle when I met Charlie. He had advised me once we married that he really disliked watching me wake up and smile at Mickey's picture. Of course, I moved it the my Mickey Mantle wall in the basement.

None of the children wanted to waste a Saturday driving with me to see an old man. Only, my old dog Bubba went with me. Bubba would go any where any time.

The day was gray and snowing. The car was slipping all over the traffic lanes. I should have turned around and headed home. But I didn't.

There was a crowd at the clubhouse with all kinds of things for Mickey to sign. I found a seat in the fourth row and waited. When he entered the room, tears pooled in my eyes. He could hardly sit down. His knees were in bad shape. The announcer said that Mickey would speak for a few minutes and than sign one item for each person present.

Mickey was a funny man. He thanked everyone for coming and then told a story. It is one he told many times but was still funny.

"One day, Billy Martin was staying with me in Texas and wanted to go hunting. I have a good friend with a ranch and he had issued an open invitation to hunt on his grounds when ever I wanted.

So we get our guns, get the truck and drive out to the ranch. I parked and told Billy that I just wanted to let my friend know that we are here.

My friend came to the door and said of course you may hunt today. But Mickey would you do me a huge favor. See that old horse over there. He needs to be put down and since you have a gun would you do it for me?

Gee I had protested do I have to? Mickey it would be a great favor. I love that horse and hate to do it myself. So I agreed.

On the way back to the car, I decided to play a trick on Billy. When I got to the car, I told Billy that that mean rancher refused to let us hunt on his grounds. I am going to get back at him and shoot his horse give me my gun. Billy said no Mickey you don't want to do that. I told him oh, yes I do!

We argued for a few moments and I took the gun, walked over to the horse and shot him.

In the next seconds, I heard pop, pop, pop. I turned and looked and Billy shouted look Mick, I got us 2 more.

The joke wound up being on me after I reimbursed the rancher for the two dead horses."

Then a line formed with each person holding several items to be signed. I was amazed but one person told me that these people show up all the time to get an autograph and then sell it for the money.

I held back and got into the end of the line. I had my Mickey Mantle Scrapbook with me along with a program from 1965 Mickey Mantle Family Day Yankee Program. When it was my turn, I told Mickey that I brought my scrapbook with me. He said lets look at it and we did.

The page open with a picture of Mickey Mantle's leg wrapped in a bandage and a package on his lap. I told him that the picture had been in the New Orleans newspaper and a fan had sent him the present.

He looked a me kind of funny. I have heard him say that a times he was surprised that fans knew so much about him. Then he asked what did I want signed. I really just wanted to shake his hand but I gave him the program.

While he was signing the program, I told him thank you and how much I enjoyed meeting him. He reached out his hand for me to shake.

Well, I can still see him and hear his voice.

Driving in the car on December25, 1989, we heard that Billy Martin was killed in a car crash. I cried who is going to tell Mickey?

I have the program from Mickey Mantle's funeral. A friend of my sister was his friend and brought a copy for me.

I miss him as do most baseball fans who watched him hit a homer. My ebay name is mickeyg7714. I was called Mickey for years by close friends. I still miss him.

Ricky Nelson The Son of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson

2008-06-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

In 1952 a television show attracted the attention of my mother. She was from New York and had followed the Ozzie Nelson Band. When the show, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, came over from radio to television, she was one of the first viewers.

The show starred the entire family especially Ricky Nelson. He was the most adorable of the two sons. David resembled his dad, while Ricky had the fine features of his mother. I fell instantly in love with him. He was only four years older than my 8 years.

Now the show was on at 8:00 pm in Miami. My bed time was 7:00 pm (until I was in high school when my dear dad suggested to mom it might be okay to let me stay up longer). In order to get to watch the show, Mom made me a deal. I would go to bed with the others and she would come wake me up for the show. It was a special time that we shared and I will always remember it fondly.

I adored Ricky and followed his career. In August 1958, Ricky Nelson played at the Indianapolis State Fair Coliseum. It was the first concert that I attended. I was in the third row. Ricky was only 18 and just launching his vocal career. He sang on the television show several times and after a while the show always ended with Ricky singing a song.

I''m not sure why it is that so many of our special singers die in plane crashes. I know they use planes that are often not expensive and seem not to be maintained. When Ricky Nelson died in a plane crash on December 31, 1985, he was only 45. Just thinking about it makes me so sad.

I watch NCIS all of the time and have always felt that his brother-in-law Mark Harmon has the same fine facial features of Ricky. I believe that I will go play my Ricky Nelson CD now.

Opa Locka Miami, FL

2008-06-03T05:17:00.000-07:00

When the Korean War began, my father a Marine Corps Reserve Captain, was immediately called back into service. He had been in the South Pacific Theater during WWII. He was at Marine Headquarters in Virginia when a Colonel pressed him into service for duty opening an air field in Miami Florida.

It was then that Opa Locka Marine Air Base Miami Florida would for ever be a part of our lives. In 1952, Miami was a wide open town. The world did not have total air conditioning.

Think about it: Cars without air conditioning-hot, houses without air conditioning-muggy, offices without air conditioning-stifling. I wonder what the hotels had ocean breezes? I remember my father leaning out of a two story military base building waving at us.

As an officer, we had the Officer's Club Pool for our use. To beat the heat, we spent every hour possible there swimming and playing.

Along with his other duties, Dad was in charge of the Brigg. I remember getting my fingerprints taken for fun. I wonder if they went anywhere or were just thrown out. One day a soldier went AWOL in the middle of the night. Dad had to lead the chase to capture him.

Dad and his fellow Opa Locka Marines were the head of the first Orange Bowl Parade. Just a simple parade by today's standards but still a thrill.

Mom was active in the Officer Wives' Club. Ed McMahon was stationed at Opa Locka at the same time. Mom was in a play that he directed. I went to a dress rehearsal and saw my mother run across the stage waving a bra. I can still hear all the laughter from the shenanigans.

Dad was promoted to Major and mom had two babies while we lived there. I loved walking with Dad and seeing everyone salute him.

One incident still plays over and over in my mind. We were on Opa Locka Base to pick up Dad after work. Mother had three children and was expecting another soon. When she stopped the car across the street from the offices, my sister Kathy only 5 and always in a hurry, dashed out of the car and headed across the street. A huge gray base bus hit her. The tire of the bus ran over the heel of her shoe crushing the shoe. Always full of spunk, she scrambled out from under the bus and avoided death. She was hurt and I was screaming.

Since the Marines are part of the Navy, she was taken by ambulance to the nearest Naval Hospital in Key West, Florida. She had a broken leg and a blood clot in the knee of her other leg. She remained in the hospital for two weeks.

One weekend, we drove down to see her. The causeway is still the same. Two miserable lanes of traffic with little shoulder and a ditch with gators after that. On the way home, the car had a flat tire. No air conditioning, no shoulder and mosquitoes think about it. Poor Dad, the bites he suffered when changing that tire.

Finally, the war was over and we left Opa Locka. Dad was discharged and we moved to New Orleans.

Dad died December 11, 2007 and in his obituary we mentioned the Opa Locka Base. Many people remembering Dad, knew some one stationed there.

Do you remember Opa Locka Marine Air Base 1952-1954?

Sky King

2008-06-02T04:57:00.000-07:00

Of all of the early television shows, Sky King was my hero. His plane the Songbird was almost like the horses cowboys used to catch the bad guys. I wished that I could be his niece Penny and fly with him.

Sky King was not on television for a long time. Looking it up there were only 72 episodes.

Thinking about it 50 years later, I realize that I want to be a pilot and fly like Penny.

When I googled Sky King, I was pleased to see others also remember the show fondly.

Go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_King for some fond memories!

Saint Joan of Arc Grade School Indianapolis Indiana

2008-06-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

My family arrived in Indianapolis, Indiana May4, 1957. We had lived in the south for over 5 years.

Of course since the school year was not over, Dad enrolled us in the near by Catholic School. We were lucky since Saint Joan of Arc Grade School was one of the best grade schools. It created quite a stir at the school when 4 sisters all blond and suntanned (no one used sun block back then), show up.

I was in 7th grade, Kathy 5th, Mary 3rd and Joan kindergarden. We were freezing and in sweaters, while the other students thougt it was warm and in shirt sleeves.

My Saint Joan of Arc graduating class celebrates a 50 year reunion this July. I was startled to get an invitation except for one thing. The school has fund raisers for various reasons and manages to track down graduates. The Catholic families of those days were huge. We were only six children while 12, 13 and even 16 children were common. So if a Dunlevy (my maiden name) was in a class so was a Quinn, Chrapla, Feeny, Quiser and so on.

My family moved out of the Saint Joan of Arc Parish in 1962 but the parish is still part of our lives. Friends are buried from the wonderful church, weddings take place there and of course the fund raises are several times a year.

If you visit Indianapolis, be sure to drive by Saint Joan of Arc Church at 42nd and Central.

Lawn Mowers

2008-05-31T08:05:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the old lawn mowers? How simple they were. Just push and cut. Well they cut slowly but made no noise. Then the first gasoline mowers. They were push with power.

As the lawns grew larger, the mower improved. I remember the first mower that was similar to the ones used today. The spark plug did not always work. Pulling the cord to start the mower was slow. Some times the mower would not start. I recall tears of anger on my face when I wanted to cut grass and could not start the mower.

Now my mower has eletronic start. Now one pull of the cord and I'm off and running. Of course my mower is self propelled, so there is little pushing to be done. And noisy all weekend all I hear are power mowers, edgers and blowers.

My acre now needs a riding mower. The tire is flat. It had no tube. When putting in the tube, it was pinched. My Charlie is off getting spare tire to fix it.

The weekend is a never ending battle to do the yard. I want to sell this house and downsize to a postage stamp yard.

Colts Commercial

2008-05-30T08:12:00.000-07:00

My family have had Colts tickets since the middle of the night move to Indianapolis. We filmed the commercial for the ESPN game last year. The commercial time was sold out so it was not on the show.

That's my family and I was the one who made everyone do the deed.

My dad is in the golf cart on the last shot. He was 86 and died Dec. 11. I find that I smile when I look at the scene. He loved doing it.

The thing about the new stadium that hurts is that he did not get to go to a game there. He was against building that new building when so many people have no place to live and no food.

He worked for the poor and needy through the Saint Vincent de Paul Society of Indianapolis.

We miss Dad.

Opera Singer

2008-05-29T05:17:00.000-07:00

This is off the topic. My cousin Ryland Pope is an opera student. I set him up on a blog yesterday. He is off to Austria to study voice.

He will be a senior at Georgetown College, Kentucky in the fall. He applies to Julliard College in August.

I hope to help him raise money for his studies. Follow his career go to: http://www.rylandpopeoperastudent.blogspot.com

He will be a star.

Saturday Movies

2008-05-28T05:41:00.000-07:00

When it was Saturday, we had to clean our room. The reward was to go to the movies at the 11:00 am show.

Remember? The double header for a quarter with the cartoons, the serial and the news reel. The features were cowboy or scary movies. Most of these were in black and white with color a treat. The 3-D movies were special. Broken Arrow was my favorite.

The movie The War of the Worlds, gave me nightmares for weeks. I would fall asleep and wake up screaming. My parents said that I could no longer go to scary movies. I still have not seen The Blob, Creature from the Black Lagoon etc.

How about the candy. For a nickel, we had a candy bar. What was your favorite?

Another Race

2008-05-27T07:25:00.000-07:00

I met a man at this race who hopes to go next year and that would make 50 in a row. Now that makes him my age since he said he was born in 1944. I am hoping for 20 more but you never know.

The race is fun. I always call it a party with my closest 300,000 friends.

Decoration Day

2008-05-23T06:45:00.001-07:00

All you WWII babies out there, remember when Memorial Day was called Decoration Day?

As I was getting ready to leave town for the race, I remembered the old name. Also remember when the date was always May 30? I must admit 3 day weekends are more fun.

Let's not change the 4th of July or the 25th of December.

Peace and happy holiday to all!!

Go to all 3 ladies in the 500. Years ago women were not even allowed in the pits let alone driving a race car. 2008 a banner year.

The Indy 500

2008-05-22T05:48:00.000-07:00

Have you been to the Indy 500 Race? My first race was 1959. A church group went every year and I was asked to go. I was in freshman in high school.

In order to get a place along the fence, we left for the race at 5:00 am. We paid $2.00 to enter the infield. If you look up pictures from this era, you will see that fans were allowed to build towers from just about any thing. The higher the tower, the more people it would hold and the view was better. In later years, after several collapses and other incidents, the towers were banned. Of course we had no tower.

The cars were so much slower, more dangerous and maybe more fun.

Standing at the fence on turn one, I could see only a flash of a car. The race was longer in time and after the race, it took hours to clear the infield.

I am going to the race Sunday for the lost count time. Since 1964 when on the opening lap a horrific accident occur ed, I dread the start. At that time the cars used gasoline. They planned on no pit stops. The cars had 500 miles of gasoline in them. The opening lap crash is still in my mind. It was amazing that I ever went back to the race.

Every year the officials learn more safety issues and correct them. Cars going much faster are much safer.

So tell me your 500 experiences.

Happy Memorial Day!

My First Car

2008-05-20T06:10:00.000-07:00

When the kids today get their first car often at 16, they frequently get a family hand-me-down.

My family had one car a 1957 Ford 9 passenger station wagon ( we were a family of 8).
There was no hand me down.

So since I had $200.00, my dad (a car clueless man), helped me find a car.

We did not go any further than the gas station around the block. Sitting there for sale was a 1952 baby blue Ford Crown Victoria for $200.00.

The car was 10 years old and a top of the line car so it still ran.

Of course I bought it. For reasons unknown to me today, I called it Herman.

The car had an issue (how could you not guess this)?

Every thousand or two miles, the fuel pump wore out. The armature (or such) was too short and wore out.

Now, today that would have been fixed on a recall. Then, you had to get a new fuel pump.

I loved that car. I drove it for two years, when my dad was tired of the breakdowns.

He helped me pick my next car (when would I learn)? This car was a 1958 VW Beetle with a rag top sunroof. This car had no heater, no gas gague and the transmission gave out.

Dad had a series of cars that he bought for himself. One had push buttons to drive it, one had windows that would not roll down, one had oh well I could go on for hours.

I always loved my father and the cars he drove.

Math

2008-05-19T06:23:00.000-07:00

Do you remember learning the multiplication tables? I still have issues with 8 times whatever. Do they even teach this in school now? I wish we had hand held calculators back in 7th and 8th grades.

What is amazing to me is the math children learn today. I feel out of touch.

Of course the computer puts me at such a disadvantage from my grandchildren. I am happy for them but wish I could make it work for me.

Any suggestions? Help! Bye, Gail

Blue Jeans

2008-05-16T05:15:00.001-07:00

I still remember my first pair of blue jeans. In the early 50's girls wore dresses or skirts to school all of the time. In the summer, we wore shorts. In the winter we wore pants but not jeans. I went to high school and college without wearing pants to class.

Could you see the girls of today doing that?

I was 10 when mom brought home jeans for me. That was 1954. She bought them because her friends said that they did not wear out and could be passed down to the other children.

I felt that I was the cat's meow when wearing the jeans.

Ladies of my age, do you remember girdles? I was 12, 5' 6" tall and 100 lbs. when mom had me in a girdle in order to wear stockings for the first time.

I want my granddaughters to try it. Ha Ha Ha!

Saint Rose of Lima, Miami FL.

2008-05-14T06:12:00.000-07:00

For one year fourth grade, I went to school at St. Rose of Lima in the Miami area. The classroom had 63 students. I was tall and sat in the last row. I could not even hear the teacher.

Is there anyone who remembers this school back in the early 50's?

Sometimes I am not clear about details. I believe the classroom was on the second floor. All I know is that I did not learn much.

Before Air Conditioning

2008-05-13T05:42:00.000-07:00

Before air conditioning, we played outside all day and into the night during the summer. Games were the most fun. I loved "Piggy want a Signal". It was a game of tag and fun.

Do you have a favorite summer game? Pick up sticks? Marbles? Jacks? I do not think my grandchildren have ever played these games.

Disasters

2008-05-12T05:05:00.000-07:00

Remember when we would bring dimes to school for the March of Dimes, school supplies for children in other lands and of course fill a shoe box for holiday presents for orphans.

Today's disasters are so huge a dime, a tooth brush or crayons and coloring book, seem like such a drop in the bucket.

Holy Name of Mary Grade School Algiers, La.

2008-05-10T04:50:00.000-07:00

When I moved from the New Orleans area in May of 1957, I left behind the grade school Holy Name of Mary.
I am the oldest child in our family and there was no grade school for me where we lived. I took a bus and trasnfered to another bus and then walked 3 blocks to school. Can you even dream of allowing a 10 year old to do that today?
Holy Name of Mary was a school K-12. They had a Mardi Gras Pagent every year. I hated it. I remember being a flying monkey in the Wizzard of Oz.
I remember Howard, Ambrose Hines, Tanya and Margaret Evans. These students would have been in the high school class of 1962.
Anyone out there remember Gail Dunlevy?

Free Rice

2008-05-09T06:28:00.000-07:00

Go to: www.freerice.com to donate rice to needy folks and increase your vocabulary.

Levittown, Long Island, New York

2008-05-08T04:58:00.000-07:00

My parents bought one of the first Levitt houses. 16 Tallow Lane was a very small house but it was ours.

I was in the first kindergarden class at Abby Lane Elementary School.

I'm looking for some of my classmates. Are you one?

Gail

The Fuller Brush Man

2008-05-07T04:42:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the Fuller Brush Man? If you do you are likely to remember the first Tupperware party you attended when plastic was new. My 86 year old mother has some of the first bowls made and she still has a hairbrush from Fuller.

How times have changed. Can you even remember the last time a door to door sales person knocked on the door? Even Avon rarely knocks any more.

Now Internet sales rule. I opened an e-commerce web site this year. I am trying so hard to earn some income without becoming a Wal-Mart greeter.

Howdy Doody Show in the Peanut Gallery

2008-05-06T08:47:00.000-07:00

My dad was being sent to Korea for the conflict. A fellow Marine worked on the Howdy Doody Show and offered to put my sister and me in the peanut gallery.

Now that was 1950 but I remember it like today. It was the show where Princess Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring received her bracelet. The show was live every late afternoon. Television was new. Since there was no vhs or such then, I never got to see the bracelet up close.

Buffalo Bill was going on about meatballs and spaghetti. Flubberdub said it grew on trees. My sister said no it was on the stove. She was four. I was six.

The best part after the show was we were given gifts packs-products from the show.

Anyone else out there on the show?

Working on the Internet

2008-05-05T14:01:00.000-07:00

Born in 1944, I am a war baby. I remember white out and carbon copies. I remember a room full of machines that were called a computer.

I remember when we had to c-prompt each thing we wanted to do on the computer. I even took a programing class thanks to New Jersey Bell. I could program one game tic-tac-toe and cried the whole time.

I love Bill Gates brain and the fact that now things are easier. However in March, I took a class to have an online e-commerce business. I am smart enough to know it could be great. Now after 2 months, I wonder what in the world I'm doing.

I need help. If you have any ideas, please go to my site and let me know. Go to: www.gotogails.com

Thank you for your help,
Gail