Silversea Water Cooler: Part 3, Welcome!

[UKCruiseJeff]

Thanks Shots, that's kind. M is a lovely person and fear is all in the mind. Change is something that is best being controlled as much as we can than allowed to happen by osmosis. I have felt that people either decide that they are casualties of life or take control of it.

 

I'll take that licence as your job sounds much more interesting than mine!

 

:)

[UKCruiseJeff]

Camels, that's a great thought .. it would be fun!

 

Do you have a safe (temp perhaps) email?

[Camillus112]

Yes, we can communicate through virginiasierra at me dot com; this is a MAC address.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hi C,

 

you can edit/delete that now .... noted!

[ShotsnCruises]

Jeff,

Interesting my job most definitely is, but it is also heartbreaking, depressing, and full of tedious paperwork. Sometimes progress with patients is slow or not at all. I often see people at their darkest moments, and people who have experienced hell on earth in the forms of trauma, abuse, and neglect.

Part of why I cruise is to escape the horrors of the tragic realities of the world.

 

 

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[UKCruiseJeff]

Hi Shots,

 

Looks like you need to make an appointment and have a lie down on my couch for us to have a chat ....... :D

 

I think we've all been led down a garden path to extent to have to high a set of expectations as to what happiness and well-being is. I subscribe more to those simple ancient philosphical approaches that the absence of pain is good enough. When I get down these days I simply try to remind myself that at this precise moment no one has told me that I am ill with a terrible desease and that I have a wonderful wife who against all odds likes me and that we are not in any real danger of not being fed or kept warm so what more do I really expect?

 

Epicurus, often totally misrepresented and misunderstood I think had it about right as long as in his gang we can include Seneca and Marcus Aurelius for a touch of stoicism.

 

Today is a small lamb shoulder with some charlottes and peas.

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers! Another rainy, nasty day here. I'm smiling anyway!

 

Taking some great suggestions (thanks J) I have asked our financial dude to run the numbers to reflect a 25% drop in our retirement funds. Since the funds are not all comprised of stock, we both felt a 25% drop might be the worst case scenario. This will give us a better idea of where we would stand if the ugly happened. We managed to survive the nastiness of 2008 although there was definitely nail biting at that point. I wrote this little ditty in 2008.

 

A Penny Saved?

 

 

Mary had a little cash

She wanted to see it grow

So she put it in the hands

Of someone in the know.

 

The financial whiz invested it

In stocks that were doing well

Mary was told to sit and wait

Her cash would start to swell.

 

Mary trusted the financial whiz

She thought her funds secure

Until the world turned on its head

And now she’s not so sure.

 

Markets now are tanking

Stock prices are dropping fast

Mary chews her fingernails

And hopes the die’s not cast.

 

The common folk are suffering

The fat cats are not alone

Savings, pensions, nest eggs

Are gnawed right to the bone.

 

Was it greed that got Mary here?

Was that the only cause?

Or did the kings of commerce

Skate merrily past the laws?

 

It seems cool heads of logic

Were buried in the sand

And now the kings of commerce

Come begging hat in hand.

 

Whether they deserve the help

Is not the issue here.

The world teeters on disaster

And cringes tight with fear.

 

So Mary waits with all the world

In hopes her fortune turns

Because it seems a penny saved

Is no longer a penny earned.

 

 

Laundry day today.....hauling things down to the stream to beat against the rocks. :) Company coming this weekend so I need to get things in order.

 

 

Have a great day all!

[UKCruiseJeff]

Mary had a little cash

Whose source was as white as snow

And every where the cash went

The thieves were sure to go.

 

 

 

Jeff 2017

[UKCruiseJeff]

 

 

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[mysty]

Ha Ha! Nicely done J! And delish meal pic!

 

Myster just left for his last day of work. He seemed a little down. I'm really hoping that he can enjoy his retirement. Lots of people peg their identities to their jobs. I'm hoping Myster is not one of them. Time will tell.

[UKCruiseJeff]

M,

 

I hope things go well with Myster ... and send him my best.

 

I am not going to labour my points but I suggest that you do not subcontract your "life options" spreadsheet to your financial advisor but build it laboriously yourself. It will take ages and will become quite complex. You need to understand the spreadsheet, it's assumptions, presumptions, deficiencies and what in the world and your life is changing. You can then model independently different scenarios with different doom possibilities. That means you can dynamically replan based on what is actually happening on any given day. If he is wrong with your spreadsheet or you don't ask him the right questions on any given day, it is you that are suprised and will suffer. Subcontracting control to someone else is not being in control.

 

Anyway that is the end of my interference as I'm becoming meddling now and you and Myster are wise enough to know what is right for you two and I am simply becoming irritating. :):)

 

I am just going to cut up some Welsh lamb .....

[mysty]

Absolutely NOT being irritating J! And NOT meddling! We really appreciate the value of your life experience and your input is very helpful! I do intend to create my own "state of the union" spreadsheet. I wanted the finance dude's numbers for our current situation as well as the doomsday scenario in order to get a feel for how the spreadsheet would need to be adjusted. I know where our funds are invested. I just don't know how each individual fund would react to pressure. I'm hoping his numbers will give me a rough idea of the effect of a serious downturn. You are absolutely correct that Myster and I are in a better position to re-jig things than the finance dude.

 

Listen J...it was your wisdom that encouraged me to start this process. I am more comfortable as a result! Please don't turn off the tap just yet! :) I would really appreciate hearing about the variables you included in your spreadsheet (if that is not being too cheeky).

[UKCruiseJeff]

deleted

Edited April 26, 2017 by UKCruiseJeff

[mysty]

That helps great gobs J! I have a number of those spreadsheets already although they are not currently linked. You have provided a wonderful road map! Once the company leaves I will start next week with a spreadsheet extravaganza! If I need further advice I will knock on your door! :) Thanks so very much J!

[UKCruiseJeff]

That's great .... I've deleted it because there's too much detail but will send it to you if there were bits you want to reread.

 

Good luck

[mysty]

Thanks J! Not to worry! I copied and pasted your wisdom into a WORD document so that I would have it handy when I start the ball rolling! And I am looking forward to this! I'm sure there will be surprises along the way and I'm ready for that too!

[UKCruiseJeff]

That's great M.

 

For what it's worth, the start you've made essentially starts the debate you need to have with yourself and discussions with Myster which says that in this third part of our lives actually you can do (probably) whatever you want to do as long as you understand that each option has a cause and effect. And you can choose which is the best trade-off. So if you want to spend your life on cruise liners you need to do x. Or if it is simply three weeks a year it is y. Or if we want to live somewhere smaller it is z. At the moment the pressure and fear of unknowns are pressing hard down on you and becomes a mind-mush of despair. So you need analysis and decision and option tools.

 

Also for what it's worth, as you know all our clients were also friends by varying degrees, and it really became in the end that most of our business and my monthly pay checks was business advice and mentoring but also mentoring individual business owners with respect to their life balances and the options they had but had not been confronting. So (for example) we would be "holidaying" vis a vis "working" with a client where I might say "you love starting successful businesses but are completely and utterly clueless and useless when the businesses becomes so big and successful and it becomes several thousand employees aren't you? And it makes you unhappy doesn't it? You want to get back to starting businesses don't you" So we could say things like, "you are aware that you need never work again, or if you do, you could sell this company and become an entrepreneur again rather than a corporate business manager dealing with the mundaneities and utter trivia of life". So these processes are what has enabled successful business people reevaluate their personal directions and liberated them. Very often they had simply never considered stopping and doing something else.

 

This type of modelling approach has extraordinary repercussions with respect to gaining control of life and exercising life choices because it enables you to decide what is possible and what you need do to make the unclear happen and giving a clear understanding of "what is the worst than can happen".

 

Onwards and upwards and let me help as much as I can.

[mysty]

Another "copy and paste" post J! :) It is becoming more and more obvious to me that your suggested approach would allow us to have a wonderful planning tool but the beauty is that this would also allow us to think outside the box! And that is a delightful option! Currently Myster is not a huge fan of the idea of moving. Not to a smaller place, not to a different location, just not MOVING! If I can demonstrate the benefits of making a change he might consider it. On the other hand, if it seems to make more sense to stay put (based on the analysis and not on curmudgeoness) then I can work with that too.

 

Your generous offer to assist is noted and muchly appreciated J!

[Camillus112]

Hello Coolers!

 

Busy day in preparation for our May 8 fight to Barcelona. The afternoon was shot at the hair salon; vanity of vanities. Reminded me of the Drurer painting. Quite expensive, but, oh! do I feel much better now! Packing almost done, but DH waits until the last minute!!

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Morning Coolers!

 

Camels ...I can see you and wifey are due some hair discussions. She has the same stylist doing hers that she had in the original Vidal Sassoon in London in the 60's who is now of course even more expensive. I wish someone could explain to me why when the hair on the top of a man's head starts retreating the hair in the nose doubles speed.

 

Tonight ... or more accurately this morning at 4am ... armagnac and the fire ...

 

 

 

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[mysty]

Greetings Coolers! Very foggy morning here! And more rain!

 

Interesting about the hair discussion. When we were on our big adventure both Myster and I were starting to look a little shaggy. I booked appointments to us at the salon on board. I warned Myster that the cost would be more than he was accustomed to. His cut cost $60 compared to his usual $15. Needless to say he was shocked. My cut and colour was substantially more than his do but not too far off from what I paid at home. I have since decided to brave the grey. I had my hair cut very short and I am letting nature take it's course. I would rather use the "hair care" money for other things. :) Priorities!

 

The lovely fire looks soooo inviting! Wonderful pic!

 

Mongol horde arrives today. To the battlements! :)

 

Have a great day all!

[MissSophia]

Morning Coolers,

 

It's rather chilly up here in Wales so I'm cuddling up on the sofa with furry baby and still trying to get rid of this damn virus....I must have caught the Jeff syndrome as I'm awake all night then sleep all afternoon.....thankfully the said Mr Jeffers recommended a new author to me and l have this week read his two first books during the wee small hours...love your open fire J.....so cosy.

 

Am excited for my kids today as they've booked a beautiful private villa in Mallorca for their hols.....l was invited to join them but the summer months are too hot for me and they need time to themselves as a family...minus the Monster in Law as I'm affectionally known but I am interfering by ensuring they travel in style.....😝

 

Chilli for luncheon today which I'm hoping will tickle my tastebuds as right now all food is bland.....

 

Happy Day 😊

[Camillus112]

Good Morning All Coolers,

 

MissS. I do hope you begin to feel better from your virus! Rest and hydration will eventually win the battle.

 

Hair is such a standard bearer of power. Has been for ages. Mysty, the fact that you will empower your hair to shine on its own will certainly make you feel very good.

 

Vida Sassoon! Jeff, your wife has shared a place in hair history! I had not heard the celebrated name since so many years ago... but he was certainly influential to our generation of hair worshippers.

 

Have a great day, Coolers, I'm off to the gym.

[Kate-AHF]

Good morning. Working on shore-ex plans for our first Silversea cruise in May of 2018. We are docked in Lisbon overnight, and we did Lisbon and immediate surroundings pretty extensively in 2012. I'm wondering if any of the coolers have visited Batalha Monastery in Portugal. Is it as incredible as the pictures indicate?

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Afternoon Coolers,

 

A sunny morning walk this morning around the village, followed by some pasta. I can't be faffed with lasagne and in fact prefer my simple fettuccine with a beef and tomato and pork and mushroom and soffrito ragout (bulk made, portioned and frozen) topped with a cheesey béchamel. With some sesame flatbread.

 

Kate - welcome back to our cosy bar - the reputation is superb and the recommendation seems to be to get there (like most places) early to soak in the atmosphere before the crowds.

 

Lunch ......

 

 

 

 

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