We are still getting used to the new normal of no dog. It will be a long while before one of the other of us goes a week without thinking we see or hear her but it will happen. In the mean time we just need to get over it. We got her almost twelve years ago and were separated from her for a total of 16 days in that time. When we had her put down there was absolutely nothing wrong with her aside from the mess that was her cancer. However.....
I was reading RandomRoger (famous financial blogger) a few weeks ago and he pointed out that there are a LOT of funds and ETFs that mimic the SPY ETF; which is supposed to mimic the S&P 500. Since I read that I've been trying to find funds that will give us diversification while keeping charges low. The problem is the HUGE universe of products almost generates an inability to make a choice. I've read of this condition but now it's got me. In the end, I know what I'll do. I'll go for large products and just go along for the ride. We certainly won't get famous or particularly rich but we'll do ok.
We have decided on a new way to spend money; well, new to us! Viking River Cruises have been sending my wife their brochures for some time. Right now they are giving 'special' rates if you book a 2014 cruise now. We just couldn't say 'no'. It is weak of us I know but what are you going to do? Take it with you? We have signed up for a China river cruise that includes flying around to some sites that aren't on the river. It is one of those drag you around by the hand things where you are either on one of their ships, one of their planes or in one of their buses. It is going to be really weird but we are both intimidated by not knowing the language or even the script. We don't go for over a year but are already getting excited. It will be the first time we've been out of the country since 2000. Amazing!
Somehow I managed to watch much of President Obama's inauguration. I thought it was ok as such things go; the poem that was written for the occasion seemed longer than the President's speech! It will be interesting to see what he does with a second term. His first seems to have polarized the country even more than it was before. I'm afraid he isn't a man who learns cooperation easily and the Republican party seems pretty divided so I'm not so sure anything much is going to happen. I hope he doesn't take the back door approach to things and start proclaiming Presidential Privilege all over the place. That crap will stick us in the ass. The Constitution did a great job of defining three parts of our government; having some fool try to jimmy the definitions on the fly for his own ends is not good for any of us.
Have a good one. I'm going to work on it too!
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He might have to 'jimmy it on the fly' because congress is so stuck in argument that nothing seems to get done. We haven't had a budget out of the Senate in how many years? The House is supposed to introduce spending bills but they couldn't get anything together either. Perhaps if the President starts pushing people will wake up.
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