Many years ago, I read that reality TV producers created false “scripted” drama because otherwise they would be filming people’s boring lives 24×7 and nobody would be interested in watching. I’ve thought about that a lot over the past decade. Most of my life would bore other people (as readers of this blog can attest)….
Author: Steve Ainslie
Must Be Nice
When people ask me “What do you do?”, I tell them, “Nothing. I’m retired.” Many people express surprise because I’m younger than traditional retirees. If they ask for details, I’ll tell them I used to be in tech sales and sales management, I saved a lot and I live quite frugally. Sometimes people ask what I’m…
Everything Plus The Kitchen Sink
I love plumbing – it’s a combination of magic, logic and physics. From the way a toilet flushes, to how water always drains to the lowest point to the many ways pipes can be joined – it is fascinating and wondrous. My latest plumbing escapade involved my kitchen sink.
Ripple Effects
The person swimming in the lane beside me impacts me more than politics. And that’s on a national, state and local level. I have plenty of opinions on the actions, policies and antics of the President, Congress and Supreme Court. The same goes for my state government and my local government agencies. Occasionally, something they…
Eliminating My Way To Clarity
I’ve been on an elimination run for a while. Everything is under consideration for being pared back: food, media consumption, reading, conversations, thinking, activities, friendships, relationships, dating, and more. As a result, my mind is clearer. I feel more centered and confident in my decisions and my place in the world. For example, yesterday, I…
If I Win The Lottery
Sometimes I find myself saying: I’m not interested in having a girlfriend – but if an attractive woman with the right personality and characteristics aggressively pursued me, I’d be open to dating her. I’m retired and not interested in returning to work – but if someone I know and respect offers me the perfect position, I’d…
What If I Like It?
At my local Publix Grocery Store when I lived in Florida, I would go to the specialty cheese area to search for our family favorites – Jarlsburg (a mild, but addictive swiss), Boars Head Smoked Gouda (smokily delicious) and Landana 1000 Day Aged Gouda (absolutely orgasmic). Sometimes the cheese I wanted was hidden among stacks…
Tapped Out
One of my neighbors is elderly, widowed and has multiple serious health problems. She is declining toward death and may be unable to live independently for much longer. I know this because we occasionally chat at the community mailbox or when she runs into me when I am walking the dogs. She tells me about…
I’m Rich, Bitch
When I was a kid, cook outs were special. They only happened in the summer. Dads would fire up the charcoal grill and drink sweaty ice cold beers. Moms would cut big slices of watermelon and shuck corn on the cob. Kids would play freeze tag, throw baseballs and “swim” in plastic backyard pools while…
Ordinary Average Guy
Many people think they are unique. Special. Different. Above average. I used to think this way myself. But life had taught me that I’m not so special. In fact, I am mostly average. Average looks – I am not incredibly attractive nor repulsive Average work ethic – I thought I worked harder than almost anyone…