Frenchy Duffnuts

We had a family friend growing up named Evelyn.  Evelyn was a widow of many years, and a professional travel agent.  Fascinating person.  She’d gather groups of travelers together and take them all on a trip somewhere – usually in Europe.  My grandparents traveled with her many tim...

Collections vs. Experiences

This is another topic that arises from my financial planning practice.

It is my generation’s habit to make collections of prized or valued items.  To this day I have my book collection and my music collection.  Mrs. Downing collects Wedgwood Blue Jasper (pictured here) ...

Now for the fitness part. 

This post is # 2 in my fitness journey.  If you haven't read #1, you can find it here:  https://www.cameron-downing.com/blog/physical-fitness-at-68-and-weight-loss-part-i

Watch some older people walk:  they shuffle, or their steps really aren’t steps at all; they’re mere...

At a physical crossroads

At 69 there I can feel my age.  But it is only about the last year or two that I’ve noticed a definite slowing down.  Which begs the question:  What am I going to do about it?  Fight it or accept the inevitable?

As I look around at other men my age, to generalize, I see me...

 Tattoos

As many of my readers know, I’ve done a good bit of traveling over the last several years, teaching 4-day Live Review classes to students preparing to take the CFP exam.  The exam is offered in March, July, and November, so the months before that were my busy travel times.  I taught my las...

Job Fulfillment

Is this ever a relatively new concept. 

I remember in my MBA program, completed in 1984, in the human resources classes, the new way of getting employees to work hard for you was this:  give them work they enjoy doing and actually have aptitude for and see a purpose in doing, as we...

Introduction

Last September I attended my Guilford, Connecticut high school 50^th reunion.  I’ve got to say, it has given me pause.  Was the class of ’72 really now  51 years ago?  Couldn’t be – but it is.  I had a great time, and even my wife commented on what a group of really nice people were the...