A Conversaton with Elizabeth
1998
Re: Nostalgia

From:          larry.m.mixson@bvs.com (LARRY M. MIXSON)
To:            Elizabeth
Date:          Thu, 5 Mar 1998 10:21:39 -0800
Subject:       Re: Nostalgia
 
Yes my father has done some what better than most with his bypass. He says he has modified his diet but when I go visit them their diet seems pretty much the same as it always has been. As for exercise, he does some walking and yard work but that is about all. With their new house the yard work is done by the cluster so that will go. He was experiencing some problems a few months ago and went in for a check up and the doctor ran a bunch of tests and said he was OK. The doctor also said that he might be needing another bypass in a couple of years but it was not necessary right now. It worries me somewhat that I expect a phone call one day saying that he has died from a heart attack. I have heard that kids these days are having 60's parties and at Halloween I have kids come to the door dressed up as "hippies." I find it amusing. No I don't have my painted jeans any more, I kept them for the longest time even when they no longer fit but finally threw them out.[1] I know what you mean by CD vs. records although I did me records when I was talking about Dylan as I don't have his albums on CD. The change to CDs caught me by surprise years ago for I didn't by any records for several years and then went into a "record" store and found they only had CDs. I finally had to go out and by a CD player. Now I hardly ever listen to my old records. I still keep them for I understand that someday the covers may be valuable.[2] With Dylan winning a Grammy I also planned to get his new album. The last album I bought of his many years ago he had turned "religious" and I didn't care for it much. I hope his new one is better.
 
I know how difficult it can be to go though your fathers stuff. Julie has been doing the same with her mother's belongings. Each time she goes to visit her father she goes through some of it. It has been year now and she still has a way to go. She says she can only do a little at a time because of the memories associated with it.
 
Julie and I have also been given a lot of thought to retirement. I will not have any company retirement income like my father or all of the "Bell Heads" I work with here at the phone company who been with a company for 30 years and have great retirement plans. I ran some figures on a computer program the other day that figured how much you need to save in order to retire at a particular age and income level. Starting where I am now I would have to put away 1/3 to 1/2 of my current income! Your plan of being a lawyer in "retirement" is a good idea. I have been looking at what

I could do for part time work when I "retire". I have been putting some money into an IRA account and try to put as much as possible into the company 401K programs. As where to live, Julie and I been discussing that quite a bit lately. We made up a list of what we would want from where we live when we retire, moderate climate, type of city, trees, mountains or ocean, etc. We are still investigating and looking.
 
Turkey legs? I don't remember that. I agree that I was never really a "good" cook but I did enjoy cooking. I don't do much now for Julie is an excellent cook when she has time. She is a vegetarian (she does eat fish) and has many fantastic recipes. I still eat meat but mostly at restaurants or sandwiches for lunch. Lunch is often the highlight of my day (other to looking forward to your writings). Ross Perot used to be in the building we are in and he brought this great cook from Texas for the cafeteria in the building. The cook is still here and for $4 he makes some great things for lunch. I still am a tea drinker, every morning and most afternoons. I don't know about being an irreconcilable difference for Julie is a coffee drinker, I sometimes thinks she goes a little overboard for she buys special beans she keeps in the freezer. Each morning she takes a few out and grinds enough for a single cup at a time.
 
Yes, I have been lucky when it comes to a career. Once I "found" computers and programming it was a natural thing for me and I have enjoyed it a lot. I was/is lucky that it is an area that has been experience such growth and pays well. I do sometimes think I took the easy path for I always had the desire to become a artist or a research scientist but opted for the money. I don't regret the path I took but do wonder what could have been. It seems you have not been so "lucky" for your jobs and "careers" have been a reoccurring theme in your writings. I have often heard the question asked between professionals "What do you want to be when you grow up?" How true it can be.
 
And what would your great novel be about?
 
Larry

[1] In the 70’s I did a few paintings using acrylic paints so one day I painted a small scene on the back pocket of my Levi pants. I really liked that pair of pants but at that time I was supper skinny at six foot two and only weighing a 175 pounds with a waist of 32 inches. By the early 80’s I had gained weight and could no longer wear them but I still kept them on the top shelf in my closet for many years but eventually throwing them away.

[2] I still have over 800 records although not all of them are records that I bought, two other people gave me their record collections over the years. I never did buy that many CDs, I probably have less than 100. Once the iPod and then the iPhone came out a transferred all my CD’s to them and even digitally recorded a handful of my favorite records.  

Retirement