Reason #1 to get an IRA already

It's not just about retiring when you're old and hale and hearty and healthy. It's about being able to take care of yourself when you're old and sick. As this article points out, yes, seniors can 'cook the books' so they can go on welfare, aka Medicare. I just wonder why anyone who has the money to *buy* standard or excellent medical care would hire advisors to help them qualify for *substandard* medical care. Oh, right - because it's *free tax money*, and that way they can give *their* money to their kids, 'cause heaven forbid the kids have to, like, figure out how to manage without Mommy and Daddy paying for everything.

Sigh.

My IRAs (one standard, one a rollover of my 401(k)) are at Vanguard. I like how Vanguard works; the IRAs are invested in a well-diversified index fund that's 40% bonds, 60% stocks. Some other basics about investing are here. And no, I'm not in the business of handing out financial advice, a lawyer, or an accountant.

(no subject)

I've thought before that if Google were local it might pull me out of my "retirement" from testing. But this really takes the cake...

In contrast to the editorial team of up to 16 who supported Yahoo News, Google had built its news site with three people. It was one employee's personal project, built over a weekend on a whim, according to the company. After a test version wowed employees, the brass set up a team to develop it for the public. - from The Wall Street Journal

Have you ever heard of the hard disk imaging tool Ghost? In late 1992 I built something like it, based on a friend's idea, overnight. We used it at a test tool for file systems. I tweaked it some more, another guy tweaked it more, and a year or so later it was rebuilt to use data compression and better speed. Of course none of *us* thought to market it. That's why we're testers, not marketers. But I do miss doing things like that sometimes....

Hm...um?

Did two walks today - morning and evening. About 2 mi all told. ;)

Wrote 4 pages, pretty much doing an encapsulated 'bonding week' where the two main characters get to know each other better while not much else is happening plotwise. Also used this to 'wrap up' some threads from the first half of the book and get everyone complacent before the next explosion. Okay, it's not an *actual* explosion. Maybe in my next book...?

Ran into dianthus, runnerwolf, sar_anon, and k_crow this evening so we chatted a bit. Yayness. Also talked tomorrow's dinner plans with taxqueen & dianthus.

Tried something new today - chopped tomato, chopped basil, olive oil, serve on toast. Yum. Watched Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, pretty cool. Looking forward to MI-5 next week. Did some gardening...I'm afraid to go to the north side of the house, I really am.