I am figuring out my hourly cost

Now being a Taker, a good citizen for 63 years. Now being in negotiation with people like attorneys who want over $300/hour. What is my existence worth?

On the upside, I was paid for over 30 years by you, taxpayers. I was an NIH-trained scientist and paid through the majority of my worklife by federal monies. A few charities thrown in. I paid that societal debt by being underpaid for my service. At most, I hovered close to $50/hour for a few months toward the end.

My husband (now dead) and I were good tax-paying citizens of the US. He was an architect, mostly of public spaces like schools and hospitals. And our house. I have weekly battles to keep that house functional, around me, home-base for two productive young citizens of the USA.

He took Social Security early at 62, died at 63. I am 6 years younger, and could not collect Survivor's Benefits until I turned 60. That took a high financial toll, to be a good citizen and not let my house further down the course to Grey Gardens.

I live in NY. A high-tax state. My taxes consume 4 or more months of my SS deposit. I pay my taxes, even if that has meant cashing out an IRA, presenting more income tax to me. I am lucky, I agree, to be able to discuss large personal money amounts. But I run low. I see the end. It is not good. For me.

Therefore Bernie, this movement, this site. c99p is such a relief! But what am I worth? As a taker who tries to give, sometimes still monetarily? What has my life cost? what did I add?

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Ask anyone in the Top 1%, and we all cost far more than we are worth. Yet they can be severely underpaid at $6000/hr.

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Vowing To Oppose Everything Trump Attempts.

in dollars and cents, you're worthless. You,however, RL, are priceless.

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There is no such thing as TMI. It can always be held in reserve for extortion.

riverlover's picture

I tired to drive my 900' driveway to lazy pick up mail and buy staples at the grocery. Another mongo tree across drive. Walk up, call my plow guy. It may be dealt with at some further cost to me, even though he and I have a deal where he can remove trees from me to burn at his house. I rely on the kindness of paid help. So far, they are loyal.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

for his own personal use, he should be removing it for free. Trust me.

If he won't agree to that, then have him stack your fallen trees somewhere on your property and let Nature grow you a "wild space." That's what my Mom did and it turned out beautifully, especially after she sprinkled the area with flower seeds she bought on sale!

I later found a local guy who was thrilled to show up with a team of helpers to cut down and remove a dying thirty-foot high cedar near her house just so he could have the wood.

As for your value - it cannot be measured in dollars and cents. Don't buy into such nonsense.

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Only connect. - E.M. Forster

Are they big? Do they burn well?

In Kansas we have huge cottonwood trees. They're very brittle and normal for 20 foot long, as thick as Schwartzenegger's thigh, limbs to arbitrarily snap off. They're not worth burning, though. A chord of it has about the but of a daily newspaper.

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There is no such thing as TMI. It can always be held in reserve for extortion.

riverlover's picture

There are cottonwoods at the bottom of the hill, popples above. Popple being generic local name for poplar, another soft hardwood with little BTU value. They both make those cotton boll-sized seed deployment devices; snow in early summer, accumulating.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Slightkc's picture

Gusts like we've had in KC the last few days and they drop limbs and branches everywhere! I will never forget all the broken Bradford Pears after the huge ice storm a few years back. It wasn't long after that storm that Leavenworth got rid of all the Bradford Pear trees lining the main antiquing street and replaced them with concrete.

I understand the cost of cleaning it all up after the ice downed them, but they were so pretty lining both sides of that street... especially with the first bloom of Spring!

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Steven D's picture

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"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott

riverlover's picture

Embarrassing that with only 2 hours' drive separation we have yet to meet, face-to-face. And then there is wink! At least we are in contact here. Pup just survived her first thunderstorm, more rolling thunder now. I am exuding calm waves for her. And going to read about lichens today. A little crush of mine, those lichens. Have a good weekend.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

elenacarlena's picture

And we are all both takers and givers.

You earned your Social Security, accept it without guilt.

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