Dylan vs Dicaprio...CA vs NE...Retirement Plans

special TUE edition of whimsical WED

Moratorium Pending?

Lois & I are in the process of changing Internet providers, which could happen any day. Once that happens, I'm assuming there may be an indefinite delay in my blogs. You will just have to cope.

Wednesday Whimsy . . . on Tuesday

From Lincoln Journal Star (10/29):  "Bob Dylan says he wants to pick up the Nobel Prize. Bob Dylan says he 'absolutely' wants to attend the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony 'if it's at all possible' in December, finally breaking his silence about earning the prestigious honor . . . " [I can neither confirm nor deny that BD decided to step forward after hearing rumors that Leo Dicaprio might be a 2nd choice for his work promoting global climate change.]

From Norfolk Daily News (10/31):  "Can too much Halloween candy kill you? Science weighs in. If you've inhaled so many 'fun size' Halloween candies that you feel like you could die, scientists have some good news:  That is extremely unlikely. Of all the ways to go, overdosing on candy might not seem so bad. But death by candy is actually pretty hard to pull off. In order to give yourself a 50-50 chance of consuming a lethal amount, you'd need to ingest 13.5 grams of sugar for each lb. of your body weight--& you'd have to do it all in one sitting, according to the American Chemical Society .  . " [Unless . . . the odds have increased because of . . . because of . . . wait for it . . . wait for it . . . GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE!]

From Omaha World Herald (10/26):  "Police:  Fight over Netflix led to chase with knife. A teenager who was arrested Saturday threatened his brother w/a butcher knife during an argument over Netflix, police say . . . A 16-yr-old boy was apparently watching Netflix on a PlayStation. His 19-yr-old brother was trying to sleep & decided that the sound was too loud, so he unplugged the PlayStation & threw it onto the floor, police said.
      "The two began arguing & wrestling the older brother said. Then the 16-year-old went into the kitchen & grabbed a butcher knife, his brother said. Police were told that the younger teen chased the 19-yr-old & stabbed holes in the walls . . . " [I'm not sure that we should rush to judgment here.]

There Is No Place Like . . . 

California?

Also from NDN (10/26):  "San Francisco high-rise tilting & sinking. Pamela Buttery noticed something peculiar 6 years ago while practicing of putting in her 57th-floor apartment at the luxurious Millennium Tower. The ball kept veering to the same corner of her living room. These were the first signs for residents of the sleek, mirrored high-rise that something was wrong.
      "The 58-story bldg has gained notoriety in recent weeks as the 'leaning tower of San Francisco.' But it's not just leaning. It's sinking, too. And engineers hired to assess the problem say it shows no immediate sign of stopping . . . " [comment]

Nebraska!

Also from OWH, column by Michael Kelly (10/29):  "With Halloween on Monday, the National Retail Federation reports that 94.3% of trick-or-treat purchases are sweets. No surprise. But what is the most popular treat in America? The federation says it's good ol' candy corn.
      "But popularity differs around the country. In Nebraska, the favorite is Skittles. In Iowa, it's Twix. SD is Laffy Taffy. Candy corn is the fave in OR, SC, TN, TX, & WY."  [We distributed lots of non-chocolate candy on Monday night. Alas, no Skittles.]

Bracing for Retirement

I shared in a previous blog that I will most likely need to tap into an early retirement plan sometime between now & March 2017. Once I choose that option, I will have to purchase expensive health insurance again, & I think I will need another source of income. I was inspired by this article.

Also from NDN (10/11):  "Unhappy neighbors. Fitting tribute to Iowa football or Hawk-eyesore? That's what a judge must decide. Angry neighbors have filed a lawsuit against the Iowa City Board of Adjustment for allowing a couple to proceed w/their plan to build a 7,500-sq-ft home that will resemble the University of Iowa's Kinnick Stadium."  

RETIREMENT SCENARIO #2

Why not proceed w/a plan to remodel our home to resemble Wall Drug? I LOVE Wall Drug. Every time I/we visit the Badlands and/or Black Hills, we make a stop at Wall Drug. What's not to like about Wall Drug?

• Lots of historical pictures. I love historical pictures.
• Free ice water & 5-cent coffee.
• Bison burgers.
• An animatronic T-Rex, which rears its head, roars . . . lots of smoke. 
• A plethora of souvenirs, tacky & otherwise.
• Homemade pies.

Anyway, I'm thinking we remodel the front of our home to look like Wall Drug...Redo the garage into a vending area for ice water & coffee [I don't think we can afford a kitchen, plus all the Health Dept. issues.]...Selling souvenirs out of our living room...Erecting numerous "___ Miles to "Paul & Lois' Wall Drug" signs all over Nebraska & beyond.

• PRO'S:  I love Wall Drug...It would give Lois something to do outside her 1st grade job, undoubtedly helping to relieve stress. 
• CON'S:  Potential copyright infringement...Potential zoning issues...Big bucks to remodel, acquire billboard advertising, etc...Not sure Lois would agree to run the operation by herself while I continue to enjoy road trips to actual Wall Drug...I would hate to eat into the actual Wall Drug's profits.  
• CONclusion:  Highly doubtful.

Dept. of Favorite Comic Strip Dialogue

[From Pickles in OWH (10/27)]

Grandson:  You know lots of stuff, don't you, Grampa?
Grampa?  Well, I'm like Socrates..."I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing."
Grandson:  How do you know that you know nothing if you know nothing?
Grampa:  Gramma told me.

Political Whimsy

Also from OWH, Breaking Brad by Brad Dickson (10/29):  "This weekend an annual tour of Omaha cemeteries is offered. Or, as this is called in Chicago, 'Get out the vote.'"