Let it go!

First of all I started this blog so our family and friends could keep up with us. Eventually other boat owners started reading it. I try to approach life with a sense of humor because if I didn't I would probably go nuts. But I've been on this earth for over 50 years and this much I've learned; I don't have to associate with anyone I don't like.

Period.

I don't owe my readers anything and I especially don't owe anyone an explanation about my financial affairs. My own family would never be so nosy as to inquire or assume anything about my personal life, but one of my reader's has made some very strange assertions that I'm going to address in this post. This is the first and last time I will do this.

My most recent post was about the DVM here in Florida and my reaction at the sticker shock we experienced when we found out our registration and license plate would be nearly $500 for each vehicle. Considering we were used to paying $30.00 a year perhaps you can understand this. We also hadn't planned on hanging out at the DVM office for nearly three hours and then leaving without new licenses and only one of two plates.

This is what Anonymous had to say:

So many today do not want to pay taxes. Of any kind. Democrats say, "I don't want to pay for that tank", and republicans say, "I don't want to pay for that school". Both are needed. The governments are responding to that demand with "user" type fees instead. Toll roads, property taxes on vehicles, higher fees for services provided by government entities such as park entrance fees and camping fees and your DMV fees are examples. Florida has no state income tax. Where did you think they were going to get the money to run the DMV? Imagine the poor soul who does not have the kind of money you do being presented with a bill of that amount.

My response:

Anonymous, what kind of money do you think we have? We live on a boat that depreciates every year, and we own no other property. My incredibly rotten health insurance runs me about $300 a month (which is draining any and all savings I've made over the past 30 YEARS!) and basically covers nothing, and the only reason I have it is because I fear becoming a debt to society. Frankly, I'm leaning toward just dropping it and saying the hell with it! Our vehicles are respectively 16 and 12 years old. The blue book value on each are nil. So why the hell should we pay fees that are more than 1/3 of the value of the vehicle?I've paid my way all my life! I worked two jobs at a time while supporting myself and three kids (with no child support) for more than ten years and the fact that my back never stops aching is a testament to that.I may choose to present a lighter side to life but you don't know me and I don't pretend to know you!

And now Anonymous (and I will break down his comments and reply to his statements):

The kind of money I think you have is the kind of money that allows you to take the months off that you have for cruising.

I wasn't aware that we took 'time off' considering that Hans worked the whole time we were away. You see, there's this really neat thing called Computer and Internet access that allowed him to do this. And gee whiz I don't think he's the only person in the world to 'work from home'.

You yourself have said you were shocked my the amounts you are spending on cruising.

Duh! Now there's a shocker! That's certainly never happened to anyone before has it? Yes, we found our savings disappearing very quickly. Why the hell do you think we got rid of our apartment and are now living on our boat? Because if we hadn't, we would have had to sell the boat. It made sense for Hans to accept this job in Florida so we could live on the boat and therefore keep it.

BTW, it would be rather difficult to live on a boat beside a set of railroad tracks in Pittsburgh.

Most could not dream of buying your boat let alone cruising for months at a time. While you live on a boat without owning property, that is recent. Just a few months ago, you owned two houses (at least one).

Now this is news to me. I sold my house over two years ago after owning it for 10 years with a 30 year mortgage (where do all your payments go the first 10 years? Interest!) and I sold it at a time when housing prices plummeted. I was lucky to unload it when I did and believe me I did not come out ahead on that deal. But don't worry, everyone in my home town could figure that out when the newspaper published the gory details in its legal section.

Hans sold his house five years ago and he didn't even get his down payment back. Not that it's any of your stinking business but his wife was a very sick woman (which is why he had to refinance many years ago) and when she died he was left with tremendous debt.

As for dreaming about buying our boat? They don't all cost a half million dollars you know! Ours certainly didn't.

Somebody has got some money.

Yeah, but it ain't us!

The reason you should pay those fees on your vehicle has nothing to do with the vehicle itself. It has to do with the road on which it drives and the salary of the delightful(!) people who run your DMV. Someone has to pay and since they have no state income tax they have less places to get funding from. That leaves you.

Gasoline taxes also pay for road repairs and Hello!!!! Let's talk about the money that tourists bring in to our great Pink Flamingo State (that's what I call it)!

My comment that you have money is based on your profile and blog entries. While that doesn't give me a full picture, you should not be too surprised when people draw some conclusions about you.Also, I made no comment to suggest that you both do not deserve your money. I understand your (Laura's) background and my understanding is that Hans is well educated and his education allows him to command a higher that usual salary. There's no judgment there so I don't understand what seems like defensivness.

FYI, I had more money in the bank than Hans did when I met him, and just because someone is capable of commanding a higher salary doesn't mean they earn one, now does it? If only it were that easy. As it is we hope that we can hang in here for a while and get our heads above water. Pun intended!

Poor Hans. This is mostly my blog but when I made him read these comments he was baffled. "Who is this person?" he laughed. "And does he have any idea he couldn't be further from the truth?"

I told him not to worry, I'd take care of this little matter myself.

So, here it is Anonymous. I've put up with you because you were basically harmless but you are no longer welcome on MY BLOG. You've made way too many assumptions that have only made an ass out of you, but certainly not me! Just like Christina and Joey from Bright Eye's said to you after you called them fat, you can go haunt someone else's blog.

Actually I have to wonder why you would even bother to visit my lowly little blog since you're so smart. Maybe you should be running for president instead.

Wilbur says, "Dude, don't mess with my mama!"

And he means it.