How did 2023 treat you?

[Rain Man]

Which celebrity score best matched your life in 2023?

Poll coming soon if you don't already see it.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

As the child of hoarders, I'm determined to not leave a mess behind. The only challenge is that I don't have an expiration date stamped on me. I've tried to be organized with things like having a will (which my parents refuse to do), but over 60 years I've acquired enough stuff to suitably furnish a relatively large and non-cluttered home. Even without clutter, there's a lot of stuff.

Now, the other issue is that I don't have kids, and my nearest living relative is 500 miles away. I've never lived within 500 miles of a younger relative, so none of them really even know us. So at some point when an escaped zoo chimpanzee rips us limb from limb, they won't really want to come out west to go through our stuff.

I've been reading a few things recently about how to handle this. There's definitely a downsizing that should happen as we age, and that's actually hard to think about. Logically, my inventory probably should get 3 percent smaller every year, but unless I downsize my living space that's just going to mean empty rooms, which isn't good for me while I'm alive. And it doesn't make sense to downsize into a smaller home over time, because I've run the numbers on that. I should stay in my current house until my wheels fall off, and at that point the downsizing will be challenging if I'm no longer healthy and energetic.

It seems like there's not a great answer to this problem, which is why it gets kicked down to the kids so often. And I don't have kids.

I've joked in the past that when I get old I'll adopt a woman from some third world country to take care of us, and then get the house when we die. But you know, for someone in my position, that may not be a joke. I read about that billionaire who adopted his gardener recently to give him an inheritance because the gardener looked after him, and in a world with more and more childless seniors, that actually could be a model that works.

It would kind of be nice to know when you are gonna go so you know how much more money you need to make.

[Katipan]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

As the child of hoarders, I'm determined to not leave a mess behind. The only challenge is that I don't have an expiration date stamped on me. I've tried to be organized with things like having a will (which my parents refuse to do), but over 60 years I've acquired enough stuff to suitably furnish a relatively large and non-cluttered home. Even without clutter, there's a lot of stuff.

Now, the other issue is that I don't have kids, and my nearest living relative is 500 miles away. I've never lived within 500 miles of a younger relative, so none of them really even know us. So at some point when an escaped zoo chimpanzee rips us limb from limb, they won't really want to come out west to go through our stuff.

I've been reading a few things recently about how to handle this. There's definitely a downsizing that should happen as we age, and that's actually hard to think about. Logically, my inventory probably should get 3 percent smaller every year, but unless I downsize my living space that's just going to mean empty rooms, which isn't good for me while I'm alive. And it doesn't make sense to downsize into a smaller home over time, because I've run the numbers on that. I should stay in my current house until my wheels fall off, and at that point the downsizing will be challenging if I'm no longer healthy and energetic.

It seems like there's not a great answer to this problem, which is why it gets kicked down to the kids so often. And I don't have kids.

I've joked in the past that when I get old I'll adopt a woman from some third world country to take care of us, and then get the house when we die. But you know, for someone in my position, that may not be a joke. I read about that billionaire who adopted his gardener recently to give him an inheritance because the gardener looked after him, and in a world with more and more childless seniors, that actually could be a model that works.

I'm Filipino and an excellent source of comfort.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by cdcox

I picked up audiobooks two years ago. Not sure I’d do as well with print books, but audiobooks on the daily commute and on long drives have been a notable improvement in my life.

Originally Posted by seclark

I’ve loved to read my whole life. As a kid, teenager and all my adult life. I always go to bed early and read until I fall asleep.
It’s one thing that I think that’s kept my brain going since I had the radiation remove the tumors in my brain. Constant reading. I don’t remember a lot of it, but it keeps my melon working as good as it can.
I go to the library every two weeks. And everyone gives me books to read. Some of them I just shitcan, but you never know what you might find interesting. And again, I’m gonna forget it anyway.
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It's really nice. I think I've also felt guilty about reading for a long time because I felt that I should always be producing stuff. It's nice to open up the pipeline again to gain vocabulary and imagination and knowledge.

[New World Order]

Stockton Rush had a better 2023 than me

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

LOL It's not practicable to die with nothing.

The fact of the matter is that unless it's trash, most estate auction outfits will go through your shit.

Get your finances in line. Any heirloom shit you have, get it to the appropriate family members, then keep enough cash for your heirs to hire an auction company to have an estate sale. You can do some legwork and contact some outfits and things.

The hardest part is:
1. Finances - especially if nobody is on any of the accounts. Also probate sucks 13 kinds of ass.

2. Trash.

The rest is fairly easy. Especially if probate is avoided and nobody wants anything.

I have no idea how it would go down. I suspect that it would all go in an estate auction and I'll fly in from my new life as a dragonfly and be horrified at the low prices for my great stuff.

My father in law pretty much nailed it in his later life, though. He downsized from a house to an apartment to independent living to assisted living to memory care, and at each step he divested himself of stuff. At the end he basically had a TV and a chair and some clothes, and that was all he needed. He had signed over all of his finances to his kids, who paid his bills, so when he passed away it took about a day to deal with all of the stuff other than the things like taxes and death certificates. He was the type of guy who ran a tight ship, and I mean that in a positive way.

Originally Posted by BWillie

It would kind of be nice to know when you are gonna go so you know how much more money you need to make.

I know, right?

I guess I could assign myself a date, but that's something where you really don't want to undershoot, and overshooting makes it irrelevant.

Originally Posted by Katipan

I'm Filipino and an excellent source of comfort.

Hmm. I'll definitely let you know when I start accepting applications. Can you carry me up a flight of stairs if necessary?

[Katipan]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Hmm. I'll definitely let you know when I start accepting applications. Can you carry me up a flight of stairs if necessary?

Without a doubt. I'd be happy to provide recent references and/or carry you up some stairs as a try out.

[Zebedee DuBois]

I guess I'm an optimist. I would like to say I've had a 10-Taylor Swift year, because I'm pretty content with my existence. I worked for Fortune 500 (really 250) companies for 38 years and had excellent benefits. Thusly, I saved well, invested fairly well, and have more money than I expect to spend, given the lifestyle I've grown comfortable with. I don't know if I qualify as a philanthropist, but I donate pretty freely, and expect to do even more in the future, and still leave quite a bit for my kids 25-30 years down the line.

I could take a more pessimistic view. My wife has stage 4 cancer and she tells me she only expects to live 5 or 6 more years. We've lived 40 years in an older 2 story house that is 3 hours from the closest child. I think we should probably move to a one level house, but the wife doesn't want to move. And if her time frame is right, there is no reason she should have to move from the home she (we) loves. My health is not excellent, but good. All these health things keep us from extensively traveling - though we do get some trips in. Went to Iceland this year before it started shaking apart. Saw some northern lights.

But even with the challenges, we've been blessed. Life is good. We get along with all our family, immediate and extended. We have community we enjoy being with.

How can that be anything less than a 10?

[Zebedee DuBois]

Originally Posted by Katipan

Without a doubt. I'd be happy to provide recent references and/or carry you up some stairs as a try out.

I would have Mr. Rainman pegged for a guy who would have one of those chairs that go up the stairs. Don't get a back injury because he's too chintzy for chair lift.

[InChiefsHeaven]

It was a weird year to be sure. Had a couple of injuries, (old man working out stuff) and a surgery to fix hammer toes. Ended up gaining like 15 pounds. That sucked.

At work, my organization was taken over by a bigger one, which in turn handed us ( I.T.) over to another organization. Lots of stuff changed and it's caused me busy work that I'm not used to. BUT...it may end up being a boon. Time will tell.

Wife and I got the raised bed garden installed and had a helluva crop this year.

I had to buy a truck 2 years earlier than I wanted to (my old vehicle going tits up before its time), but it's the first vehicle I've owned that I actually friggin' LOVE. (2020 Ford Ranger Lariat edition).

I'd say it's been a 7-8 kind of year for me. But 2024 looks right now to be a get back on track kind of year.

[J Diddy]

Last year I didn't know that i was going to last til this year. The new pacemaker not only increased my heart ejection rate but improved everything. I quit drinking, exercise daily and lost about 50 pounds.

This year has been an 11.

[BWillie]

Still making $125-$150 an hour working 15 hours a week. Can't complain.

[Smed1065]

This year? Dad died on Christmas last year is why I ask. Exactly and 1 reason I showed back up. It takes much guts even as a drunk to step up and watch mom die from cancer that you thought you could always save but too dumb to realize and then NM. I will call it rough.

[493rd]

Well, I got rammed in my ass a bunch, did tons of blow, ****ed beautiful women, and bought a Porsche so it went kinda good.

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by 493rd

Well, I got rammed in my ass a bunch, did tons of blow, ****ed beautiful women, and bought a Porsche so it went kinda good.

Told one truth and three lies!

[seclark]

Originally Posted by InChiefsHeaven

It was a weird year to be sure. Had a couple of injuries, (old man working out stuff) and a surgery to fix hammer toes. Ended up gaining like 15 pounds. That sucked.

At work, my organization was taken over by a bigger one, which in turn handed us ( I.T.) over to another organization. Lots of stuff changed and it's caused me busy work that I'm not used to. BUT...it may end up being a boon. Time will tell.

Wife and I got the raised bed garden installed and had a helluva crop this year.

I had to buy a truck 2 years earlier than I wanted to (my old vehicle going tits up before its time), but it's the first vehicle I've owned that I actually friggin' LOVE. (2020 Ford Ranger Lariat edition).

I'd say it's been a 7-8 kind of year for me. But 2024 looks right now to be a get back on track kind of year.

I’ve had relatives with hammer toes. Definitely sucks.
Hope you’re better.
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