What Kind of Trip is This?

No cruising eastern European rivers. No flights to New Zealand or Australia.

I'm very ready for a trip, except for one embarrassing detail; I don't have the money. I guess I could blame 'the economy,' but it is me. It's my fault. It's my own fault. I had put aside a bit for a trip, but just used it to put up $3000 worth of cyclone fencing here at Camp Thunderbird. I made the mistake of thinking I could replace it before I was ready to travel. I haven't replaced it and I am ready.
The meanderer, wanderer, ambler in me is ready for a couple of months of ambling, wandering, and meandering.
So, I've cleaned out the back of my old van and put a futon there with some nice fresh bedding.
That done, I tried making a travel budget. I see that I have just over $46 a day available. Of course that is only for food, lodging, gas, nightclubs, doctors, dentists, mechanics, laundromats, maps, flights, cruises, honey, van parts and so on.

Once I had my budget well I hand I began to consider my other resources. First there is me. I am 71 years old and not as swift as once I was. But I am fully ready to compensate for my decrepitude with my great planning and budgeting capabilities. Then there is my '97 Astro Van; a vehicle of great experience, but 'in van years, not young. So much for resources.

If it wasn't for the fact that I have nearly a full tank of gas, I might have to camp in the driveway.

I still have some details to take care of before I can leave the house for over a month, but I intend to sally forth as soon as they are taken care of.... or forgotten.

In the meantime, I'll use as little of my gas as possible.

I hope to keep you posted!

It Just Doesn't Make Sense

A friend asked me how I expected to vacation on a budget of $1400 a month.

I told him that these days, cash is as good as money.
He knows that what I do can't really be called vacationing.

Make $600

"Would you like me to show you how you can make a minimum of $600 in the first 60 days with my company."

I was asked the question above last week. I didn't give a straight yes or no and wasn't shown how.
The Lady who asked the question did give me some interesting information and said that she would show me whenever I wanted.

I came to be talking with her because of my online search for a product I enjoyed using for a number of years. I found a company selling it and was put in contact with a distributor. The lady who asked me the question above is that distributor.
I don't remember her exact words, but believe that I have the basic facts straight. To get the $600, I find four people willing to make the $600. They each buy $500 worth of the product at a discount and so pay only $300. Ideally they find 3 or 4 other people.
So, If I pay $300 for a product I like and find four others to do the same, I get $500 worth of product, $600 in cash, and the start of a business. Sounds pretty good.

She asked me if I thought I could do that and I said, "No." I told her that I liked the product, but that I didn't know even one person interested in starting a little business and that I would probably never ask the question.
She said, "Fine, if you ever want me to show you or anyone else, let me know."
I said, "I don't see myself going into business again, but how might it work?"
She said, "Just give me a call and I'll explain it, get you started, and kind of hold your hand through it." She added that I should set up a three way phone conversation. On the the phone she would explain the way to the interested party, show them how to do it, and that I should listen and learn.

Okay.

Okay, if you would like her to to show you how to make a minimum of $600 in the first 60 days with her company, email me at richardsheehan@rocketmail.com
Tell me that you would like her to show you how to make a minimum of $600 in the first 60 days with her company. You can include your phone number and tell me when to call. We can hear her out and see about making some money.

How and Who

Who do we have who might explain to us how the way our recent wars have been financed impinges on our present financial situation?

How have we had guns and butter?

How have we financed these wars without raising taxes?

How was the money made?

Carry Me

In the process of dropping out.


Being a citizen is a lot like being a parent. We say that it is a tough, dirty job,but that someone has to do it. There is some truth in that, isn't there?

It is also true that there are some compensations. It may be hard to remember those compensations when the job is upon us; but there are times when we can.

We have hear a parent, half jokingly, say, "I wish I could find a better operating manual for these kids" or "for this family."

We have a pretty good operating manual for government. It seems to be better than most relationship or child rearing books.

Congressmen are a lot like kids; presidents are too. They are like young, immature kids. Some are only 2, 4, or 6 years old in government years. In some ways they are better than kinds and in others, worse. For example, they are easier to get rid of when they don't work out.

Still it is not easy being a parent or a citizen; and usually we are both! When all, or most of ones kids kids go wrong, people begin to think that there may be something wrong with ones parenting skills. When many of ones Congressmen go wrong, people begin to think that there may be something wrong with ones citizenship skills.

Most of the basics are pretty simple. We organize so as to make sure that we know where they are and what they are doing. We make sure that they have food and shelter. We help them to understand our values. We encourage them to behave well and to follow the rules.

Luckily, most congressmen and presidents know how to read nearly as well as we do. Luckily our citizenship manual is shorter and clearer about the duties of our representatives than most child rearing books are about the duties of our children. Still, in our republic as in our families, it is you and I who have the main responsibility.


Our governance manual, the Constitution, is pretty clear that the president is not to make any decisions about money. Congress is to make the money. Congress is to specify exactly how the money is to be spent. Congress is to make sure that no money leaves the cookie jar (treasury) except by specific, written, and posted laws for each appropriation. Congress is to give us regular statements of how all of the money is used. Congress is to regularly provide us with an account of receipts and expenditures.

All we have to do is to arrange to see that they do so. It is up to us to see that they do it that way. We are not alone. We have our fellow citizens and the resources of the richest nation on earth.

Just as "bad' parents may have "bad" children and even lose their families: so, may "bad" citizens have "bad" government and even lose their country.


Tell me again about the compensations for being a good parent and a good citizen. Tell me again about my resources. Lead me. Carry me.

A Beginning

Well I am writing this seated between two very young children with a drunken father seated to the left of the the little girl on my left and a nervous mother, trying to appear calm hovering around and pehaps tying to use SKYPE.

Had A nice lunch. A bit like stake and eggs. Translated to the language of Philly it might be called ýeah Frankie!´ It was set off by a very large glass of strawberry juice. Here the better restaurants have double linen as many once did.

This situation is disturbing my mood a bit. The kids are behaving, but the ´father´ is a borderline case.

My rooms at La Montana Magica, which seem very inviting at this point, were a bit like a Swiss or Barvarian chelet. Downstairs was a nicely apointd small living room, a small kitichen, and a bath. Upstairs the bedrom had five very large windows with marvelous log views of cyprus covered valleys and ridges. One of the widows was done in cut glass much liea church window.

In the bedroom was a nice double bed with elegant linen, four wool blankets, and a simple quilt. Close to the been was a nice small raised fire place. I position to enjoy the views was a hamoc, and a wool rug set with pillows. I had the bautiful quiet place with two very good large meals a day --- for 40 dollars a day and cried about the steep prices. Enjoyed myself anyway. I evenejoyed looking at the rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese, goats and sheep on the property.

Made to pligimages down to Medelin and saw the changes to be amazing. Beautiful transportation system of elevated rails and cables plus a very good bus system. Tall beautiful buildings everywhere. Great shopping places. Ruanas and carriels were gone and the arrepas were flat!

Still in place were much of the Antioquian fine manners and the beautiful Antioquenas long graceful legs.

While here in Santa Cruz, I plan to attend two days of a festival of barroc and renaisances music. (I need a functional spellcheck!) The festival has been held every other year for about a decade. I have encountered a Dane and a Japanese that not only plan to attend but also to play. A While back, while some wooden mission buildings the Jesuits had constucted in the 1600 and 1700s were being saved, about a thousand pages of original barocco an ranacanse music was found around which the festival developed.

Rio Negro, Antioquia

I´m here. Still very tired from trip. It seems more expensive than Thailand. Cost about a dollar and a half an hour to use this computer at this cybor cafe. I´m having to listen to Colombian hip hop as type this. For lunch I had a delicious arrepa de choclo with some very nice cheese. Drank blackberry smoothie and a cup of coffee with it for about 2 dollars. That was great. Had what might be called a typical Antioquian dinner. It was very Colombian.
The country side is beautiful.
What are my impressions?
Not sure yet.
Glad to be here.
More after I´ve slept.