Get Rid Of The Stuff That Doesn't Matter And Focus On The Stuff That Does

Get Rid Of The Stuff That Doesn't Matter And Focus On The Stuff That Does

While moving to Las Vegas I heard this saying. My first thought was the saying meant that I should get rid of all of my old shoes, clothes, hats and mass quantities of stuff that's been in the garage for thirty years. Even the sixty year old roller skates had to go. 

Before the movers came I believed I had gotten Rid Of The Stuff That Doesn't Matter And Focus On The Stuff That Does. As it turned out, when we unpacked we still had stuff we never used in thirty years and ended up throwing out over thirty trash bags full of things that no longer mattered.

Because it's me, after all was done, I took a step back and realized that the saying really meant was to Get Rid Of The Stuff That Doesn't Matter And Focus On The Stuff That Does in my life. It was time to remove myself from friends that no longer mattered and really focus on the wonderful friends that did matter to me.

It was time for me to get rid of the things in my head that I kept on worrying about and focus on the things in my head that I'm happy about (it's hard and I'm still working on it). It was time for me to forget about the old house and focus on the fantastic new home.

It was time for me to get rid of the anger I felt about the few people who didn't give a shit that I moved and focus on the wonderful people from my just left neighborhood who still contact me to make sure I'm doing well and who say they miss me.

It was time to get rid of this feeling I'm not good enough and focus on the best years of my life that I created with my beautiful wife. I had to do something really right in my life to create the true friends I have, the best wife anyone could ask for and the financial means to allow me to have the life I've always wanted and deserved.

It was time for me to:

Get Rid Of The Stuff That Doesn't Matter And Focus On The Stuff That Does

Hasta Las Vegas BABY

Hasta Las Vegas   BABY

I've been in move hell for a month. That's right we are moving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas in three days. When I tell people we're moving to Vegas their first reaction is :"what are you nuts, it hot out there." 

Yes it's hot there four months of the summer. However, it's such dry heat that you will only feel it the most if you're lying directly in the sun. In the shade it's pleasant. I spent many years in Philadelphia and Upper New York. When it would get to 80 degrees with the humidity is in the 90s, you sweat like a pig even if you're in the shade. 

I greatly prefer Vegas to the east coast in the summer. You don't feel the heat as much because you're going from an air conditioned house to an air conditioned car to an air conditioned bar. Lastly the real Las Vegas weather story is the following:

       January February March April May June July August September October November December 
High  57         63           70       79     88     100  106   102        95              82            66             57

Low   34         39          45       52      61      70   73     73          66              54            43             34


A you can see, except for a few months, Vegas has more temperature changes than Los Angeles with much less humidity. In the winter I can finally ware the jackets I've been saving in the garage.

Our move is going smoothly. We spent three weeks getting the place ready before the furniture arrives. We also spent three weeks getting rid of things in our current house before the movers come. This part sucked. Living in the same house for 30 years enables you to accumulate too much stuff. We through out half of our stuff because they we too old, didn't fit, never used (skates from when we were teenagers) and other stuff that we had to ask ourselves what the hell were we saving this for?

Finding a place was a breeze. I have a close friend who is also a realtor. In two days we saw every house/country club all over Vegas.  The second day we hit gold and bought a place that is 40% larger than our current house, unattached single story corner lot (our current house is attached on both sides and has four levels to climb every day), with a lap pool and spa and a fabulous Country Club). We got all of this for 40% less than what we are going to sell our Los Angeles house for.

On a sour note, if you are retired and have a lot of money in investment, but only Social Security coming in as new income, getting a Mortgage is a mind fuck. Thanks to the Dodd-Frank bill, retired seniors have to get their mortgage from a smaller bank (the big banks want nothing to do with you even if you have millions in investments). I only was able to get them to give me a mortgage after sending them about a foot of paperwork. Having an 832 FICA score helped a lot. 

I realize that the house lending disaster of 2008 caused the creation of the Dodd-Frank bill. However, instead of taking a middle ground approach, they went to the far left. In my opinion this bill has created senior abuse. 

My next blog will be from my Man Cave in Las Vegas

Hasta Las Vegas   BABY