New thinkings, 2012, st Remy, Sablet, then Menton, Paris

What has become apparent to me is my love to Paint and Write, and I've always loved Biking, Hiking,

But now if I could write from the Left Bank, like "Midnite in Paris", likely live in that neighborhood, I have rented an apartment on Ile St Louis, maybe I'd do that again, nearby is Sorbonne, d'Orsay, Rodin, Paris' free bikes to ride (about 35,000 bikes), and 5 or 20 of favorite restaurants, and neighborhoods. Or 'the 'Left Bank' of Rome, sort of like in the Italy part of "Eat, Pray, Love"

Then if I paint where Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Picasso, Matisse, painted (Provance, Aix....) This would "Fill up my senses like a night in........., like a walk in the rain... J Denver, "Annie's Song", . "Make my Heart Sing" - maybe it's not the Painting and Writing, maybe it's 'that' Song, serendipity.

Business, Pleasure, Writing, Painting, biking at "Romance and Seduction with Flowers, at Sablet', (also Candy, T-shirts(this is Bull Shit), Go for the "tourist Dollars?)

i.e. "Live in Sablet, store in St Remy"?? sounds like Marion Cotillard (A Good Year) Sablet in small Foothills, near Mt Ventoux, Vaison de la Romaine, Orange, Chatenauf de Pape, Gordes, Roussillon, - Sablet, has maybe a population of 200?

Then a new idea, Menton, warmer winters, on Italy border, near col d'Madone, Sardinia, Corsica, Florence, Tuscany

All connected by TGV (TGV is currently connecting new line to Turin), and a TGV station in PAR-DeGaulle Airport),

Bike - Pyrenees, Luberon, Orange-Mt Ventoux, Alpe d'Huez, Annecy, Mosel/Rhine, Salzburg, Corsica, Sardinia, Alsace.......

Hike - Bernaise Oberland, Mt Blanc/Chamonix, Cinque Terre(recovering from huge disaster 2010)

Will I ever try writing Music? gourmet cooking? Flowers, Birds, Butterflies????

Need: to balance Expenses to my Income - Do multiple addresses seem excessive? But, Life is SHORT

Blog Writing:

I want to write in this Blog, when I'm living the "Two Year Experiment". How many readers would I have, 3? optimistically 6? Gonna do some real good thinking, how to improve 'Readership', 60 % of my children will read my blog, some curious retirees, might read my Blog, not likely any Exs, mAYBE PEOPLEi WORKED WITH. Model writer for me is Dave Barry. but Madonna, with her comments like "Making Love, and, Living with a Significant, are the two most important needs in my life, Making Love feels like the best music. B. Streisand, at 73, what is your greatest personal success, writing, starring, directing, Singing,....? Nope, it's "Falling in Love"

I want to write to - a few good friends, not just one, that don't like France or Europe, or Yosemite.

I think it is like if one has never tasted Chocolate, how do you explain what Chocolate is like or most people like it, or you see it all the time on TV or in Newspaper or Movies, maybe it's that nothing is liked by everyone. speaking of what isn't liked, the number one Subject is ?? Money!

I feel that friends with major differences are good for both of us, appreciate that I'll likely never be like them, and they have no 'want' to be like me, "Un-conditional Love" is difficult, in realty, practice -so much easier to have a cerebral/intellectual debate, recognize it, embrace it,....

This year's goals - 2012

I really don't feel comfortable with even, a little empty time, I work hard to defense against Boredom, Boredom subtracts from my feeling Happy. Boredom has both 'Emptiness' and 'Challenge', if one admits to the Emptiness, then the Challenge is to "fill up your senses... night in the forest, ...mountains in springtime.. walk in the rain...maybe live in/fall in love at Paris, Paint in Southern France, drink espresso in Italy, Bike the cols, write in the Left Bank....... But My Plans and goals for these years might be 'over-planned',I'll work up to spending 50% (now thinking possible 25%, everywhere, 188L, StRemy/PAR, Rome, Nev.1/24/12 -- some studio Apartments) of my time in So. France, two Backpack trips, in Sierras, then at least 2 @ '10 -15 days, bike treks in France, Bike and Hike together, at Carson Pass/Blue Lakes Rd, X-co ski-if Snow ever covers the ground enough at Echo Lakes, Blue Lakes, Caples Lake, Kayak the 8 or 9 Lakes near Angora Ridge (might buy house there)(Nevada has no Income Tax--Nev S.LT 1/24/12).

FAILED PLANS, so far, - I am 18 months 'retired':

Sort of a 'State of the Union', accounting of my work in "Retirement"

First of all, it's not that 100% of my ideas/plan didn't work. A few worked.

I set a goal to lose 50 lbs in my first 24 months of retirement, my Dr. Joe convinced me, rightly, that 'thin' is good. 2 lbs every month turned out to be a practical goal, and I do feel stronger as I get lighter, and it feels good that I have this success. Then studying the Stock Market has been a success, and physical Fitness/aerobics has been, a success too.

But then there are about twenty that haven't been successful - just in the last month, a Chipolte Franchise with my Daughter in-law, then, my biggest Plan, the "Fixxer (losGatos), Staging, Faux paintings, antiques" really never got any support, I wasn't looking for Financial support (I think this has the greatest potential, but no one else agreed with me), or my current 'Plan' (not yet failed) a flower Shoppe, in St Remy, or Sablet, or Paris (jokingly described as the Business choice that has the smallest estimate of loss in current world recession). I think my "Writing" and "Watercolors", have little chance of success, but they do 'Feel Good'. My oldest Plan, a "lose 25 lbs" Bike Touring business, then the Spin-off of that, Marry up the Internet "Dating w/Bike tours", then, one of my favorite Plans, I'd go to one of the Cooking schools, i.e. Cordon Bleu, and then get a job as the "Vacation-relief Chef" at small restaurants nearby where I was living, i.e St Remy, Paris, Menton,.... I know I don't want to work 'Full-time'! but it would be fun to work now and then, cooking artfully.

There is one common part to all of these 'Plans', they all make my Heart Sing, motivated by my feeling good and they're all enjoyable, with almost no "Money-profit concern". They all started out to be with a 'Group 'of friends, and social rewards, not solo, not isolated, not lonely, (although most of my dollars come from a very isolated Plan, but a fun mental challenge, and a big Curiosity component working at understanding the Economy and specifically the Stock Markets.(this, for me, is done with no human contact needed, plus, for me, I forever disagree, with all the other Stock Market players, anyway. Latest study - Challenging, very active thinking, is best predictor of longevity, needs to be fun, motivated, an adventure,.... just short of giving me a headache, -- boredom is a good indicator of not using one's brain, a simple example is finding that 'something' - that takes about all your focus/attention , is it fun, so you don't feel like it is 'Hard work'.

maybe "Curiousity" is a key piece. Having a lot of Curiousity is surely a good thing.

some Wisdom:

There is no benefit to be known as "Rich", except for Ego "Ain't I Great", whereas If one is generally thought of as "Ordinary" then when ever they Buy or Loan -- they are thought of as generous, and the gesture feels meaningful and with large standing! If one were thought of as "Rich" then it's like water off a Ducks Back, not a significant meaning (Its No Big Deal, they have a lot of money)

One of the principles that a smart friend explained to me was the "Importance of being Challenged, and to have commensurate success with that challenge" -- I feel this all fits together, Challenge, Success, Adventure, Boredom, inner peace, and maintaining good Karma.

The Power of getting Pissed-off, can be one of the greatest 'Life-changers', Direction Changers,

New-path, New 'Love'. This taken to excess, or the next step beyond 'Pissed-off', which is Broken-heart', can be too much of a 'Life-changer' and instead of a positive motivational path, it can be a too long-lasting depression. But there's been a few times when someone made me mad, and my reaction was a new path that now looking back, was a 'life-changing' direction that was really good for me (Logically, I am at that fork in the Road right now), 5 or 10 years from now I'll, hopefully, look back at my "Flower Shop" fork in the Road, and feel this was a good change to my life.

Another 'delayed appreciation', is what got 'Joked' about, but now, feels to have wisdom, is don't mess with ex-wife's evilness, it explains as well, or better, than anything else, the "Good Karma", I have, that makes the success in the Stock Market - in other words don't mend any fences, keep her evil, it gives me good Karma. Would I trade, if I even could, the "success" to never have had even met her? What is/are the "Glue" that holds a family together? It seems unanimous that my early life would have been a lot better, if I had of been Adopted. rather than the absence of Family I did have.

Ideas about my "Renting a Maison" in So France - 1. I will still be in P'ville home 50%(25%) and Fr 50%(25% -- Rome 25%, Nev@S.L.T. 25%), 2. it's a Two Year "experiment"(now considering some at One Year, not Two), not a big commitment, 3. Painting. Writing will blossom

4. Challenge of building, a really fun, Business is in the short-run, a pretty fun adventure, 5. The nearby biking is "over the top" for me 6. The great struggle of being bored, i.e."Ground Hog Day" movie, has a remedy, hopefully, 50% here - 50% there(25%, 25%, 25%, 25%). (and serendipitous J.D. song....)(Pr??)

7. 2:34 away is Paris on TGV/Gare d'Lyon 8. already have more friends there than here. (Anne will, at least, be a good friend, during the two year experiment) 9. People thing it a little "Strange" that I'd do a 2-year (new Change,Mix, with some at One Year)Experiment in So. Fr. 1. I don' t have a Significant, who'd think I shouldn't be gone that far or that long. 2. I am retired, not tied down to or dependant on a Salary/Job, 3. No Family dependant on my being nearby, 4. It's only 50%(25%.........) of my time in France, and only an
"Experiment", not a Big-commitment move.

What does it take? to be a success? :

a few good friends? Good Health? Good Fitness? Having saved a Life?

Financially $2 million, $5 million?? ((or someday that my "Stock/savings" would exceed the $600,000, the sum, so far, (1/1/12), that JLS, my ex, has/is collecting from me/my SJFD Retirement))

In other words, if I can recapture the money she's collected from me, and get back to where I would have been, with my 'ordinary Retirement amount', I should live long enough to where the sum Jeannie is collecting, of my retirement, reaches $1,000,000. I am working at exceeding that growing amount, it's one of my highest Financial Priorities.

To survive in a positive way, my 'Family-less' upbringing?

to build a Flower Shoppe business?

to be there for somebodies addicted?

fall in Love or even the 88 -10 Pattern of 'many', - Sensory Overload, - Makes my Heart Sing, Makes Life worth Living,

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188 L work I need to get done

Built in 1978, No garage, 3100 Sq Ft, 3 Bdrm / 2 Bath, 2 1/2 acres

New Carpet/Flooring in Gym, Mstr Bdrm (630 SqFt) 2 doors to 2 ext Decks

Heat Pump in Mstr Bdrm, Mini Kitchen in Mstr Bdrm, 2nd Skylite in Mstr Bdrm

6, 8 or 10 more Windows through out, 2nd Pellet Stove? New ovens/Cooktop/

Re-roof above Mstr Bdrm (~200 Sq Ft)

Pave part or all of driveway (~500 ') - thin out Oaks, both up hill & downhill from house\c

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Next POST Subjects:

The dangers of chasing MONEY , - i.e. Addiction-like, never spend normally, brings out neurosis (over-selfish, over-ego, sacrifice a chunk of life for just collecting Dollars, 'Did the collecting money', bring real happiness,? basic good feelings? "When sitting on one's Deathbed and looking back on 'How good was my Life'?, its likely real experiences, being in love, some success that was independent of money,....

What TRAITS IN MY SIGNIFICANT? Caring, ability to compromise, be honest to who she is, respect me & be honest to me, both be able to express feelings, understand each other, appreciate what TRUST is, be funny, witty, silly, spontaneous, Sing, whistle, paint,....

Time together, Time apart, LAT(Adele Lar)

Unconditional Love, Forgiveness,......

Flowers, Butterflies, Breakfast in Bed, thoughtful Surprises, Sensory Overload,i.e. makes my eyes tear, Poems-Paintings (that one creates, not buys)

POWER - Crying, Drama, Vaginal Wrench, Guilt Trips, Silence, withhold Love, Sharp-shoot

I'd like to think I was smart:

If I can figure out to have some stock appreciate annually at around 50%, over at least a three year period, then I like to think "I am pretty smart, don't you think??". I thought that, for a short while, felt good, then I realized there are too many variables,makes it pretty complicated, all the vast amount of data, statistics, graphs, opinions, recomendations, and all the three-letter abreviations, are all based on "past history", what really matters is being able to triage the really important info, and having good "Common-sense", and guessing what the "furure", not the "Past history" influences will be...........

My novice Medical thinkings:

Blood Pressure, Alzheimers, Senility, Aerobic benefits, nutrirional benefits, falling in Love benefits.........Goal to be medicine-free..... My Cardiac epiphanys,......Lose 25 lbs on 12 day bike trek in Europe, ......Lose 50 lbs in 24 months,.....the only thing I haven't mentioned is 'Selling Used Cars'.....

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