Reverend Ken's Blog: June 11

Post 856, Day 161 of 2013
- and 892 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

What are the driving forces that are moving me to expatriate on retirement?

There are three, and I'd bet that they're not the ones that a lot of people think (we'll get to that).

The top requirement I have is to be in a place that doesn't require me to drive a car. That is, my location has to be walkable, and walkable year-round. Worst case, cheap public transportation, for when it rains. There are many walkable places in the US, of course, but they tend to be either very expensive or in areas where other problems (bad neighborhoods, unsafe for walking at certain times, not close to good services (rural), etc.) make residence unattractive.

The second requirement is for quality, affordable health care. By affordable, I mean, of course, affordable by me. I have ongoing health concerns (although, knock on wood, no current health issues) and this country sucks for health care - especially compared to every foreign place I have ever considered as a retirement destination.

The third requirement is more difficult to pin down and not easily quantifiable. It is based on my perception. The place I retire to needs to be, at the very least, tolerant of older people. In this country, older folks, with the exception of the wealthy (and sometimes even then...), suffer from our youth-oriented culture, that seems to imply that there is something wrong with not being young. It is getting worse.

There are a large number of people in this country whose philosophy, deliberately or unwittingly, increases the hardship of the aged - on the basis that they should be able to take care of themselves without burdening the working population, regardless of their past contributions. I associate that with right-wing, libertarian, or other small and/or anti-government people, but the fact is, it is a social condition, not (entirely) a political one. Old people (at least those not wealthy) get little respect in this country, to a degree that is not present anywhere else I have ever been or read about in the world.

I have to find a place where my age does not automatically marginalize me and view me negatively because of my age. Let them get to know me before they do that.

These are things that, if reversed in this country, would make it as, or more, inviting as a retirement destination. The one thing that might reverse all of them is having (a lot) more money, but a) that is so sad and 2) that isn't going to happen.

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Food and Diet Section

2013 daily weight

Today's Weight: 210.2 lbs

Yesterday's Weight: 211.2 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain: - 1.0 lbs

Diet Comment

Hopefully, this is the beginning of a turn-around.

Food Log

Breakfast
Cocoa-kale-hemp-chia protein shake: Almond milk, kale, cocoa, hemp seeds, chia gel, a large egg, vanilla whey powder (24g protein), cinnamon, vanilla, psyllium and stevia-inulin blend.

Lunch