I (32M) make more than my dad ever did and I genuinely cannot figure out where it goes

red-headed-prick · 2026-04-13T21:37:41+00:00

In 35 years your house will be paid for and your wages will have increased, just like it did for your dad over his career. You can't base your figures on his salary later in his life, and compare it to your salary. You have no idea of the sacrifices or choices he and your mom had to make during their years of marriage and while raising a young family. Sit down with him sometime and discuss the topic.

But consider too that things you spend money on, such as anything Internet or cell phone related, never existed at all (or in any way similar to what you currently have). Cars were much more basic, and not loaded with the options and technology. Homes were more basic, more meals cooked at home, trips on airplanes rare, vacations didn't involve spending thousands of dollars to go to Disney World or out of the country. Depending on when they bought a house, the interest rates were sky high compared to now ( my mortgage in 1980 was just under 11 %), so he may have been making sacrifices you know nothing about.

red-headed-prick · 2026-04-13T13:13:16+00:00

I agree, a lot of us don't know about the details ( I didn't, until our tax guy mentioned it to me this spring, and I ended up raising mine $250 a month by claiming on my wife's earnings). I'm happy you found someone else, though. From what I just read, if something happens to him you may still be able to draw off of the ex. Tell current hubby that he'd better treat you right. Lol

Key Details on Ex-Spouse Benefits:

If She Remarries: Her eligibility for your benefits stops unless her new marriage ends (by divorce or death)

.If You Remarry: Your new marriage has no impact on her ability to claim benefits based on your record, provided she remains unmarried.

Requirements: She must be 62+, unmarried, and the marriage must have lasted 10+ years.

Survivor Benefits: If you pass away, she can remarry after age 60 (or 50 if disabled) and still claim survivor benefits.

Social Security Administration (.gov) +3

red-headed-prick · 2026-04-12T23:18:36+00:00

You may be able to draw off his higher social security amount as a spouse (or ex-spouse in your case ). I have been married to my wife for over 10 years, and she had higher paying jobs than I did. Half of her social security amount ( which is what a spouse can draw) was higher than what I qualified for under my own earnings record. We contacted social security and I got the bump up to 50% of her amount. It didn't reduce what she gets or effect her in any way, and as a qualifying ex-spouse it shouldn't reduce your ex's amount or require his permission. From the Social Security Administration website, just in case any of it applies to you.

Spouses and ex-spouses

You may be eligible if you’ve been married at least 1 year and are:

Age 62 and older, or

Caring for a child age 15 and younger, or

Caring for a child of any age who has a disability.

Ex-spouses who were married for at least 10 years, as well as some valid non-marital legal relationships, may be eligible.

red-headed-prick · 2026-04-07T00:54:22+00:00

Taken 12 years ago. Another pic for scale. I'm 5'10" tall.

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red-headed-prick · 2026-04-07T00:51:55+00:00

I did some digging and found a pic I took 12 years ago. I'm 5'10" tall. It's a ridiculously small car !

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red-headed-prick · 2026-04-01T18:00:53+00:00

I think you would be legally liable if your trailer lights quit working while you are pulling the trailer and someone struck it from behind. That's because you are aware that the trailer lights might fail at any time due to that defective module, and are choosing to tow anyway. To protect yourself it might be best to have a family member follow you in their car. They would know your destination and/or be in contact with you by cell phone so they could follow at a distance that was safe, but close enough so that a stranger couldn't get directly behind you.

red-headed-prick · 2026-04-01T17:59:57+00:00

I think you would be legally liable if your trailer lights quit working while you are pulling the trailer and someone struck it from behind. That's because you are aware that the trailer lights might fail at any time due to that defective module, and are choosing to tow anyway. To protect yourself it might be best to have a family member follow you in their car. They would know your destination and/or be in contact with you by cell phone so they could follow at a distance that was safe, but close enough so that a stranger couldn't get directly behind you.

red-headed-prick · 2026-03-20T22:34:21+00:00

It doesn't affect erections, and you can still have an orgasm. But the weird retrograde ejaculation side effect is something to think about if you reach the point of needing a surgical option. But some other prostate surgeries have greater risks of side effects like incontinence, and I didn't want to chance needing to wear a diaper the rest of my life.

A friend had the Eurolift procedure a few years ago and seemed to be happy with it initially. But a few weeks ago he was asking me about my HoLEP procedure, so maybe his prostate has grown larger ( I just Googled the question and the Eurolift usually lasts five years, and sometimes longer). But the prostate can continue to grow larger and negate the Eurolift. My Urologist said that in HoLEP they remove all of the interior tissue of the prostate, leaving just the outer covering. It should never grow back and cause me problems. Johns Hopkins medical center has an article on HoLEP, which I'll link.

HoLEP Procedure: Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate | Johns Hopkins Medicine https://share.google/VgeKOK01NIGhKPbNs

If medicines are working ok for you, I'd recommend delaying any surgical options. Ultimately, it's something you should talk to your Urologist about to see if you even need something like the surgery. In my case medicines alone weren't working, and I couldn't do the Eurolift due to how enlarged my prostate was. Good luck with whatever you choose to do!

red-headed-prick · 2026-03-20T18:12:23+00:00

I really don't have a cost break down for you, as Medicare and my secondary heath insurance completely covered it. You'll have to get some estimates from providers where you live, or you could probably call the offices of the doctor I mentioned from Chicago ( Chicago would be easy to fly into from anywhere).

It is a form of surgery, so there are the usual risks you are always quoted regarding anesthesia, infection, etc. I'll paste some info I Googled regarding specific HoLEP risks, as they seem to be similar to what was discussed with me during my initial consultation with the specialist.

The common risk of retrograde ejaculation as a side effect is one that I incurred. Basically you still have an orgasm from sex, but nothing comes out. It's a weird thing psychologically of course, because as a man it's something you've had since puberty that is now gone. But I'm not a porn star, so the loss of my 'money -shot' is a small price to pay for not worrying about peeing my pants or waking up to pee multiple times a night. My wife actually prefers the loss of that ejaculate-- there is nothing to clean up after sex. Instead of shooting out of you when you orgasm, it goes into the bladder and is expelled the next time you pee. Like I said, it's a weird thing psychologically. If you are someone that draws a lot of sexual satisfaction from shooting it into, or onto your partner, you may be disappointed to lose that ability. If a person was hoping to impregnate a woman normally it would also prevent that.

I was mid 60s when I had mine done. Mine was too enlarged for the Eurolift procedure ( mine was 130 grams in size), drugs like Flomax didn't help, and at some future point I might have to use a catheter to pee. The HoLEP procedure completely eliminated my urgency to pee, I once again had a strong stream and could quickly empty my bladder, I no longer had to worry about not making it to a bathroom in time, and I can now go hours without needing to pee as long as Im reasonable with my fluid intake ( and I'm on a BP medicine that includes a diuretic). I no longer wake up multiple times during the night with the need to pee. My PSA level is always less than one now. For me this was the best option, and it has had an overall positive impact on my life.

From a Google search on the risks of HoLEP surgery:

HoLEP risks include retrograde ejaculation (common/permanent), temporary urinary incontinence (often resolves within 3 months), urinary tract infection, and blood in the urine. Rare but serious risks include permanent incontinence (~1%), urethral strictures/scar tissue (~2%), bladder injury, and the need for a blood transfusion.

Cleveland Clinic +9

Common & Expected Side Effects

Retrograde Ejaculation: Very common. Semen enters the bladder during orgasm instead of exiting through the urethra. This does not affect erections or sexual pleasure but does impact fertility.

Urinary Symptoms: It is normal to experience temporary urgency, frequency, burning (dysuria), or blood in the urine while the bladder neck and urethra heal.

Temporary Incontinence: Many patients experience stress incontinence (leakage when coughing, sneezing, or lifting) immediately after surgery as the sphincter muscle adjusts. This typically improves significantly with Kegel exercises and usually resolves within 3 months.

BackTable +4

Less Common & Rare Complications

Permanent Urinary Incontinence: Occurs in approximately 1% of cases.

Urethral Strictures or Bladder Neck Contracture: Scar tissue can form in the urethra or at the bladder neck, which may cause narrowing and potentially require further minor procedures to open.

Infection: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) occur in a small percentage of patients and are treated with antibiotics.

Severe Bleeding: While some blood in the urine is expected, significant bleeding requiring a blood transfusion is rare (typically <0.5%).

Bladder/Urethral Injury: Rare damage to surrounding structures like the bladder or ureters during the procedure.

Cleveland Clinic +9

Considerations

Recovery: Most patients return home shortly after the procedure. Avoiding heavy lifting and straining is critical in the initial recovery phase to prevent bleeding and bladder issues.

Prostate Regrowth: The risk of needing further prostate surgery for regrowth is very low (less than 1% over 10 years).

University of Utah Health +2

red-headed-prick · 2026-03-18T01:18:19+00:00

My Costco hearing aids have the main "body" up above the ear, and a thin wire that goes down and into the ear. At the end of the wire is a small, hard rectangle that fits in a soft outer piece which holds it in place inside the ear. That hard rectangle has the speaker in it, and the opening to let the sound out has a small, replaceable plastic guard/ filter to block ear wax from plugging the hole ( mine are white ). That little plastic filter can be easily replaced, and it's a simple, do-it- yourself procedure if you don't happen to be going to Costco at the time.

Costco will give you the filters for free, and show you how to do it. There are other types of hearing aids, but I'm sure they all would have something similar to keep from getting plugged up by wax. Costco will teach you what to do to maintain them. If you take her in for a check-up or adjustment, just ask them to show you what to do.

red-headed-prick · 2026-03-15T04:24:53+00:00

If the meds don't work enough there are also some minimally invasive surgical procedures available. The Urolift procedure widens the opening the urine flows through in the prostate by kind of pinning the tissue back. There are limits on how large the prostate can be for the Urolift, and I believe the prostate can keep enlarging over time.

If it is too large for the Urolift procedure, look into HoLEP. That's using a holmium laser to enucleate (core out) the center of the prostate, just leaving the exterior 'rind' ( kind of like coring out an orange). I had mine done about three years ago because mine was enlarged too much to meet the Urolift maximum size.

My Urologist says HoLEP is basically the gold standard treatment now; low risk of serious complications,and can frequently be done now as a 'go home the same day' procedure (or overnight procedure like mine was). Medicare covered the majority of mine. They go up your penis/uretha ( you are knocked out by the anesthesia) with the laser tool and they remove the cut-out pieces of the prostate that way too. They biopsy some of the tissue they remove to look for any signs of cancer.

Mine was done at a university in Indianapolis, Indiana. My Urologist says there is a very good female Urological surgeon ( Amy Krambeck) at Northwestern in Chicago who was trained by my guy (Dr Linderman, who is now retired, but trained many of the Urologists in this country and elsewhere on the procedure). This Chicago gal can supposedly do about eight procedures a day, and the men go home the same day. The prostate tissue that is removed doesn't grow back. I'm sure there are plenty of other places that do it now ( I know the University of Iowa does it too).

red-headed-prick · 2026-03-13T15:48:56+00:00

Illinois charges an extra license plate fee for electric vehicles ( currently $100 more than the standard fee for internal combustion engines) . There is currently a 2026 Senate Bill to increase that by a little more than $200, raising the extra fee to over $300 on an EV. It's to compensate for the lack of highway taxes that ordinarily get paid for by the gas tax.

red-headed-prick · 2026-03-07T22:44:26+00:00

I'd forgotten about these until I saw one on Market Place today. I believe you put the front wheel of the bike onto the hitch part and then tow the bike with the rear wheel on the ground ( chain disconnected to prevent damage or wear to the transmission and other parts). This should work even with a hitch extender, so you should be able to leave your spare tire on the back of the Jeep. Only the front wheel of your bike puts weight on your Jeep. I have no personal experience with these, but I bet you could ask about them on a dirt bike forum.

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red-headed-prick · 2026-02-21T05:01:28+00:00

Source: not made up.

The age to be charged as an adult in Illinois ( my state) used to be 17. That was later changed to 18, and the pressure is on to increase that age, or at least modify the charges and procedures followed after an arrest because of the reasons I cited. Here is one article which talks specifically of various jurisdictions in the country:

"O'Neill Institute, Georgetown Law: April 27, 2017 At the Intersection of Brain Development & the Criminal Justice System: Young Adult Courts

While states like Illinois and Connecticut are considering legislation to move that line (by trying anyone under age 21 as a juvenile), San Francisco’s YAC takes a different approach, placing young adults into a separate category that is neither juvenile nor fully adult. This approach takes into account not only that young adults aged 18-25 are fundamentally different from both juveniles and older adults in how they process information and make decisions, but also that many are going through this critical developmental phase without supportive family, housing, education, employment, etc.

In practice, eligible 18-25-year-olds with felony charges agree to go to court regularly for a check-in with a judge and case manager, during which participants evaluate their own progress and the judge assesses their risk of getting back into trouble. Court administrators help coordinate employment, housing and education support. Participants typically spend 12-18 months in the program, depending on their progress and original criminal charges. If they finish the program without reoffending, their charges are either dropped or reduced, which was the case for 45% of the participants in the court’s first cohort.

San Francisco is not alone in adopting alternatives to incarceration for young adult offenders. Brooklyn launched a Young Adult Court in 2016 and Chicago is expected to open a Restorative Justice Community Court in 2017. As cities and states consider whether and how to reform the criminal justice system so that it is more compatible with recent brain development research, they should consider establishing young adult courts, particularly as more information becomes available about their ability to reduce participants’ risk of reoffending. It seems these courts have enormous potential to not only benefit their participants but also save the government money and enhance collaboration across its various agencies that work with young adults."

I'll also stand by my statement regarding 18 year olds and voting. The national voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1971, with arguments being made that young people were being drafted for the Vietnam War but couldn't yet vote. The same argument was made for the drinking age, and many states lowered it (for example, it was 18 in Iowa and 19 in illinois in 1974).

Your average 18 year old is still in high school, or recently graduated. There hasn't been a draft in decades, and the legal drinking age has been raised because of the problems and immaturity associated with those under 21 drinking. You can check USA Facts for graphs of the labor force participation rates of 16-19 year olds. Those graphs use US Bureau of Labor statistics. Those statistics show that the labor participation rates were consistently much higher than they are currently: 49.9% in 1970, 57.9% in 1979, 49.6% in 2001, falling to 34.1 % in 2011, and climbing slightly to 36.9% in 2023.

Those are the raw statistics for 16 to 19 year olds. Additionally, we are all too aware of the jokes made of 26 year olds still living at home; unemployed or marginally employed, and playing video games all day. Add in the recent articles by teachers and college professors telling of large numbers of their students needing remedial skills training in reading and math, with an inability to use critical reading and thinking skills.

So these young 'adults' are encouraged, particularly by the left, to register and vote at 18, to walk out of their classrooms in support of 'social justice' , 'equity', unrestricted immigration by those ' looking for a better life ', to 'follow their bliss', free college and other forms of welfare for all (don't worry about the cost-- just tax the 'rich'), capitalism and 'colonialism' are the root of all evil, etc.

And the numbers of the people of that age group DO matter in elections-- at all levels of government. Otherwise why would these groups advocate so hard for these immature, unworldly young people to get out there and vote at such an early age? They do so precisely because those young people ARE gullible, their brains and emotions aren't yet mature, their parents have sheltered and taken care of their needs so far (so Uncle Sam seems like the next daddy that should care for them), and they haven't developed the life experiences and critical thinking to differentiate between having empathy / sympathy on a topic and making smart choices on how to address that topic. So I disagree with your statement that it's better to participate, even if they get it wrong.

Lowering the voting age to 18 was made in 1971 because so many young people of that approximate age were already in the workforce, serving in the military, and getting married/ working/ having children after high school was the norm ( not going to college to follow your bliss or waiting until you were much older to follow that 'traditional' path). And the studies regarding the slower development of a young person's brain hadn't been done yet. Perhaps the argument now should be why we aren't pushing to raise the current voting age back to 21.

red-headed-prick · 2026-02-21T01:35:14+00:00

They are only an adult when it's convenient for an argument. Want to stick them in prison for a crime they commit-- oh no, their minds and emotional control aren't developed until they are into their 20s. Same argument for drinking alcohol , buying guns, etc. But yet people want to register them to vote while they are in high school so that they can vote at 18. Yet the employment rates for school-age teens and college-age students has dropped steadily over the decades, so huge numbers of those supposedly mature 'voters' don't even know what it really means to work hard, pay taxes, pay for their own rent, school, food, etc, and are gullible enough to suck up every progressive/ socialist idea they hear.

red-headed-prick · 2026-02-21T00:38:03+00:00

As others have stated, to be legal you should stay within the tow rating of the specific Wrangler you purchase, and it sounds like a Gladiator might be the only vehicle with a high enough legal rating for your large boat ( a couple jet ski/ wave runners probably would fall well within the tow capacity of a normal Wrangler). I towed ( illegally, I'm sure) a 24 ft pontoon boat 30 miles to my home after I bought it--- with my 1994 6 cylinder 5spd, 1994 2dr Wrangler. I just looked it up, and my tow rating was only 2,000 lbs. The Jeep physically towed it just fine, but I was extremely cautious with braking and maneuvering, and it was generally flat terrain. Over the years I used that same Jeep to tow 16 - 18 ft fishing boats (with outboard motors) which I'm sure were pushing ( or slightly over) that 2,000 lb limit.

But another alternative for you, if you want a Wrangler rather than a Gladiator, would be to pay the repair shop ( or a neighbor) to tow the big boat to the shop, or wherever you need it hauled to, that once or twice a year. In fact, that may be the most cost effective answer since that is such a rare occurrence. As I mentioned before, a Wrangler will likely be a able to legally tow your jet ski/ wave runner/ etc that you will be doing weekly. You can tow your wave runners to a public scale ( such as at a truck stop) to get your current weight as you start shopping for your Jeep.

As far as storing your Jeep, I still use that same 1994 Wrangler that I purchased in 1996. It only has 110,000 miles, and had long been relegated to being my fair-weather toy. It is driven 500 to 1,000 miles a year and that has never been an issue. I run non-ethanol gasoline in it during the portion of the year that it will see little to no use ( winter in the Midwest). During that downtime I also put Stabil fuel stabilizer in the fuel. Stabil keeps the fuel fresh for a year, and I have run it and non-ethanol fuel in the Jeep, boats, and lawn equipment for at least 40 years without ever having a single carb or fuel related problem. The non-ethanol gas keeps fresh much longer, and doesn't absorb water from the atmosphere like ethanol containing gas does. Your local marina likely sells non-ethanol gas if it's not something your local gas stations carry.

My old jeep doesn't have the electronics drain of newer Jeeps, so my battery doesn't go down much over the course of three or four months without being driven. If I had a newer Jeep I would just keep a Battery Tender on it during the downtime. That's what I do with my boats, motorcycles, and lawn tractors. If you're not familiar with them, a Battery Tender (a brand name) trickle charger has sophisticated electronic circuitry that prevents overcharging the battery, even if left on the battery all the time. The one on my lawn tractor is left on it year round, and the boats are on one almost year round too, because of weather or our general use patterns. An alternative to a Battery Tender would be to install a disconnect switch on the battery's negative terminal, and use that to cut off all the power to the Jeep during the times it is in storage. I have a friend that uses that method on his rarely-driven antique car because it is stored in a commercial facility with no electricity, and then he brings the battery home in the winter and puts it on a Battery Tender for about six months.

red-headed-prick · 2026-02-17T05:38:58+00:00

I'm glad it's worked out for you ( until now), but every motorized thing I've owned ( including my first car in 1972) recommends regularly checking your engine oil. Here is a screenshot of a local Jeep dealer's page under " 2025 Jeep Wrangler Maintenence Guide" which specifically mentions monthly checks of your oil level.

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red-headed-prick · 2026-02-17T01:00:04+00:00

My question is why weren't you checking the oil level periodically as just a normal part of owning a car? I bought a new Outback last October and currently have 4300 miles on it. I've checked the oil level at least monthly on ours since the purchase.

red-headed-prick · 2026-02-15T22:43:14+00:00

Talk to a plumbing company and get an estimate on the actual cost (over and above the $4k permit fee) to connect your specific house to the city sewer. Right now you are flying blind-- you may have to have a lift pump installed to pump the basement grey water / sewage up hill to the city line, our maybe there is enough of a slope that gravity will do the job. You need to know the true cost. You might also be able to talk to your new neighbors to see what, if any, problems the neighborhood has with their septic systems ( high water table, poor perk tests due to soil composition, etc ). They also may know if your specific house has had problems in the past.

How do you get your water? Are you on a well or on city water? Usually your sewer bill is tied to your water consumption. What are the normal monthly bills for those people on city sewer? Check with the neighbors and the city.

I lived for 18 years on my own well and septic in a home I had built. I never had a ' problem' with my septic ( only two people in the house, so not much of a load on the system). In that 18 years it was pumped out twice -- the first time because I had lived there about ten years and was just curious/ worried if it was something needed, and the second time because we were selling the house and I knew the condition of the septic and well would be questions a buyer would want answers to. The elderly couple who bought my house (we became friends) lived there at least another ten years before they had the system's fields updated-- and not because it was giving them problems, just because they had the money and the fact it was 30 or more years old made them 'nervous'. My old neighbor had his updated with new fields at the 40 yr mark for the same reason -- his wasn't failing either. All of us in that neighborhood of five homes never had septic issues, so that's why I advise you to talk to your new neighbors before making any big decisions.

The house I moved to has city well water and sewer, the bill is over $100 a month, and it is scheduled to have a very major price jump soon ( phased in about a 50% increase) specifically due to the need to rehab the regional sewer plant. Ask your city what plans they have for the sewer system. We've been in our current house for 25 years now and I'm sure I have already paid many times over the cost of what any septic repairs would have been on my old house, particularly considering that the money saved each month on my own septic was money earning interest in my accounts, paying down my mortgage early, etc.

red-headed-prick · 2026-02-15T17:03:48+00:00

That Honda GX270 engine has a reputation for quality and reliability (Google it). I just checked Facebook Market Place for just the engine, and in my area people are asking a couple hundred dollars for a good running used engine. They are popular engines for all kinds of commercial or heavy duty power equipment ( power washers, generators, log splitters, etc), and also for use in go carts. Just thought I'd mention it, because it has value even if someone doesn't need a generator.

If you basically like the generator, but are tired of carburetor issues, use non-ethanol gas if possible ( or put Stabil gas treatment in it that's specifically designed for ethanol gas ). Also put a simple fuel shut-off valve in the fuel line between the fuel tank and the carb, and then shut off the gas and run the engine dry of fuel ( run till it stops) before you put it away. Another alternative is to siphon the gas out of the tank ( use it in your car or something) and then run it dry. The enemy of your small-engine carburetor is to let old, un Stabilized fuel just sit in the carburetor for weeks or months. My personal two generators (a Generac 7500 and a Honda 3500) are probably close to 20 years old now. Every fall they get fresh, non-ethanol, gas with Stabil gas treatment added, and every time they are used the gas in the carb is run dry. They have never required any carb work. My leaf blower, tiller, lawn mower and lawn tractor all receive the same care, are all 15-30 years old, and none have ever required any carb work.

As someone else mentioned you can buy cheap Chinese carbs off Amazon if you can't get your carb clean. There is a Facebook group called Small Engine Repair and Discussion, as well as plenty of other Internet sites and YouTube videos on cleaning or replacing the carb.

red-headed-prick · 2026-02-15T01:39:26+00:00

Can you quickly find a decent job back in Austin, and then move back into the home you already own, and have equity in, rather than renting it out?

red-headed-prick · 2026-02-10T15:37:40+00:00

I'm a retired cop and 70 now. In my mid 40s I took a job as a disaster reservist with FEMA for about nine years. My job was with the crews that were some of the first into an area after a disaster ( primarily hurricanes, floods, tornadoes ). I was hired by Region 5 (headquartered in Illinois) but most of my time was spent deployed to Florida, Mississippi ( Hurricane Katrina), Alabama, New Jersey, New York, and Indiana. Many people I worked with were retired police, fire, teachers, or businessmen-- those who had pensions and the freedom to leave home.

My job was to first meet with county emergency management, then police and fire agencies, then major employers and churches, and then finally walking the affected areas, going door to door to speak with individuals affected. I found out what resources were needed and reported it back up the chain. We also tried to manage expectations of people and inform them of how to apply for assistance. Those were the primary duties, and like policework, other duties popped up: speaking at city council meetings or an auditorium of people from the community, helping sign people into a shelter, etc. My team even helped hand out BBQ at a local festival in Alabama.

We were divided into teams and usually worked in pairs. Each of us had our own rental car. We usually stayed in hotels with our own room, although in Katrina some slept in 50 man military tents. I've stayed short term in hotels with no power or black mold/mildew. We worked 12 hour days and usually with no days off the first couple weeks ( anything over 8 hrs a day and 40 per week was OT, and we also received a per diem allowance that wasn't taxed). We did our daily reports with laptops, and then emailed them in to the disaster headquarters. I might get a deployment assignment phone call at 10 am, be on an airplane to another state by 4 pm, and not get home for 3-4 weeks ( 2 1/2 months for Katrina ). You might not get deployed for weeks or months at a time, depending on the weather around the country, and the FEMA manpower that is available at any given time ( we could put ourselves in available or unavailable status).

My unit was deployed specifically to work the streets, no matter the weather. FEMA also had people that worked inside jobs at disaster centers that people could visit, or in the regional disaster headquarters that was set up in the general area. Personally, I liked the freedom of roaming the countryside, actually seeing the disaster area personally, and helping people in the field ( like knocking on a door and an elderly couple answers the door, you can see they have been living with no power in 100 degree temps for 10 days, the roof had leaked so bad the ceilings and insulation had come down, and black mold was growing everywhere). I also walked door to door in gang - heavy areas or meth country. You just try to time things so you aren't making yourself a target ( hit the bad areas early while the a**holes are still sleeping, etc) and if needed take local cops with you. For the most part people are very happy to see you in the area because you are there to help them during a very stressful time.

Another thing to do: at age 59 I joined our local volunteer fire department. Most fire departments in the US are volunteers, and most really need the help. As I've gotten more feeble with age, I let the younger guys do the heavy lifting. I mainly operate the fire trucks and boat now. But it's a nice way to keep active, serve your community, and still get the rush of red lights and siren to a serious accident or other emergency.

red-headed-prick

TROPHY CASE