A Serious Discussion on Retirement and Political Decisions
The primary focus of this podcast episode is the contemplation of retirement, wherein I reflect upon my current semi-retired status and the various implications associated with fully retiring from my professional endeavors. I delve into the nuances of my work life, recognizing the importance of enjoyment and fulfillment in one's occupation, while also acknowledging the inevitable challenges that accompany any job. Furthermore, I juxtapose my personal retirement aspirations against those of my peers, who have embarked upon a different life trajectory, engaging in leisurely pursuits and familial activities. In addition to this introspection, I address the prevailing political landscape, particularly the recent tariff initiatives implemented by the current administration, which have incited considerable debate among the populace and Congress alike. Through this discourse, I aim to provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of both personal and societal dynamics that shape our lives today.
The podcast opens with a heartfelt greeting from Gray Hair Dave, who reflects on the advantages of podcasting that provide the freedom to create content at one’s own pace. This intimate introduction sets the tone for a personal exploration of significant themes such as retirement and the current political climate. The speaker acknowledges his current health challenges while simultaneously engaging with the audience through shared experiences, particularly concerning recent weather events in the Midwest, which demonstrates a thoughtful connection to his listeners.
As the discussion pivots to retirement, Gray Hair Dave provides an introspective narrative about his semi-retired status. He articulates his feelings about nearing a decade of service at his current job, expressing a blend of anticipation and nostalgia. The speaker candidly discusses the ups and downs of work life, emphasizing the importance of finding enjoyment in professional endeavors amid inevitable difficulties. His reflections resonate with anyone contemplating their own career trajectories, highlighting the nuanced relationship between work, satisfaction, and personal fulfillment.
The conversation then shifts to the topic of politics, specifically the implications of newly imposed tariffs by the President. Gray Hair Dave presents a balanced view, weighing the potential economic benefits against the criticisms these policies have garnered. He navigates the complexities of this political issue with an analytical approach, encouraging listeners to consider the broader implications of such decisions on American workers and international relations. This segment reflects the speaker's thoughtful engagement with current events, urging the audience to contemplate the multifaceted nature of policy-making in a global context.
Takeaways:
- The speaker reflects on the significance of retirement planning and its personal implications for his own life.
- He elaborates on the complexities surrounding political tariffs and their potential economic repercussions.
- The discussion highlights the importance of effective communication in customer service during challenging circumstances.
- The speaker expresses contentment with his life choices and acknowledges the value of personal passion projects.
- He emphasizes the need for individuals to engage with news from multiple perspectives to form balanced opinions.
- The speaker encourages kindness and social connection by suggesting to smile at strangers, enhancing communal well-being.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Gray Hair Productions
Transcript
Well, folks, welcome back.
Speaker A:Welcome back.
Speaker A:Gray hair Dave here.
Speaker A:Sorry I'm a day late, but I'm a day late.
Speaker A:You know, one of the nice things about podcasting is you get to do it on your schedule.
Speaker A:And this week, this works for me.
Speaker A:It's about quarter to nine in the morning on a Friday, and I have to go for physical therapy in a couple hours.
Speaker A:So I thought I'd get this out of the way now because it's quiet in the house, you know, no dogs in the neighborhood, going absolutely bat crap crazy.
Speaker A:And at least let's hope so.
Speaker A:We'll see what happens.
Speaker A:How are you?
Speaker A:I hope you've been well.
Speaker A:I hope you're.
Speaker A:Hope you're having a great, great day and hope the weather is good where you are.
Speaker A:I know that the Midwest in the United States took.
Speaker A:Took a big hit a couple days ago from some really nasty weather going through.
Speaker A:So I hope you and your family are all okay.
Speaker A:If you're listening in the United States and you're in that area, I want to talk about a couple of things today.
Speaker A:Not a lot.
Speaker A:I don't really have a lot on my mind.
Speaker A:One of them is retirement.
Speaker A:Another one is, of course, politics at the end.
Speaker A:But let's start out with the first one.
Speaker A:Retirement.
Speaker A:Well, I'm not retired yet.
Speaker A:I'm semi retired, but I'm not completely retired yet.
Speaker A:I still work.
Speaker A:Well, when I'm working right now, I'm still off because of my foot.
Speaker A:But I'm going to go back.
Speaker A:You know, I've got six months until I have 10 years in with the company I'm at, and it's a little bit of a milestone, and I'm looking forward to that.
Speaker A:And it's a lot of fun to work where I do.
Speaker A:Mostly.
Speaker A:Mostly.
Speaker A:I mean, there's a.
Speaker A:No job is perfect, folks.
Speaker A:Let's be honest.
Speaker A:Even.
Speaker A:Even if you work for yourself and you love what you do, there's always something that's gonna.
Speaker A:Gonna give you a bad day or.
Speaker A:Or something like that, right?
Speaker A:I mean, there just is.
Speaker A:I mean, not every day is gonna be perfect, but you try and you have a good time with it.
Speaker A:And that's.
Speaker A:That's one of the things that I really, really enjoy about this job that I'm at.
Speaker A:At.
Speaker A:At my company right now is that I really do get to have fun at work.
Speaker A:I get to meet people, say hi, but I don't have to stand there and listen to them complain, you know, Unless, of course, we break down and then I get to hear the complaints but they understand that they, they can see what's going on and that people are working on it.
Speaker A:Or they can see that it's raining really bad and it would be dangerous for them to be up in this gondola in the sky, right?
Speaker A:So they may complain, but they understand what's going on.
Speaker A:They can see it.
Speaker A:It's right there.
Speaker A:It's not like when, when you're going to go fly someplace and all of a sudden your airplane is broken.
Speaker A:Well, you don't know what's broken on an airplane.
Speaker A:You don't know how long it's going to take to fix.
Speaker A:You may see mechanics out there, you know, meandering around doing what they're doing.
Speaker A:You know, that's one thing, but you don't really know what was wrong where with us, you pretty much got a good idea.
Speaker A:You know, you can make people happy by just talking with them, keeping them informed.
Speaker A:Hey, we're sorry.
Speaker A:We're, you know, we're working on it and as soon as we know something, we'll let you know.
Speaker A:And there's other forms of transportation, but that's the fun part, you know, I will miss that if I go and when I fully retire and I've been bouncing retirement back and forth in my head, and I know a lot of people who have retired and some friends that I used to go to high school with have retired and I see them out living their lives, you know, with their families and camping and golfing and doing all these fun things and they've planned properly.
Speaker A:I was not that smart.
Speaker A:I'm not that stupid, but I'm not that smart.
Speaker A:And I don't have the same goals as they do.
Speaker A:You know, if I had a wife and kids, it'd be a different scenario.
Speaker A:Things would have been different.
Speaker A:I would have lived a different life and I would have saved more and all these fun things, but I wouldn't have had the life I've had.
Speaker A:Now that's not to say that I'm complaining here, because I am nowhere near complaining here.
Speaker A:I love my life.
Speaker A:I've had a good life and I've enjoyed myself.
Speaker A:And yes, I have regrets, but who among us doesn't?
Speaker A:But for the most part, I've had a good life and I'm happy with it.
Speaker A:So when I do retire, I'm only going to completely semi retire because of us.
Speaker A:This new, this new passion that I have for, for video and audio editing, you know, I can make money at that, enjoy myself, only work two or three days a week, two or three hours at a time or whatever.
Speaker A:And I can continue to do that until.
Speaker A:I don't want to do that anymore, don't need to.
Speaker A:I'm not one for playing the lottery.
Speaker A:So I'm not going to win the lottery.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:I'm just, that's not who, that's not how I'm going to retire.
Speaker A:That's not my plan.
Speaker A:So I wanted you to know that.
Speaker A:So let's move on to the next subject which is retirement.
Speaker A:Not retirement, I'm sorry.
Speaker A:Let's move on to the next subject.
Speaker A:That is politics and the wackiness that's going on this week.
Speaker A:Our president has decided that it's time to initiate the tariffs.
Speaker A:If your country has tariffs on any of our goods, we are going to have the same amount of tariff on your goods.
Speaker A:Now he's doing this to try to bring business back to America and he's also doing this because, and these are all my opinions, folks.
Speaker A:I'm just giving you opinions.
Speaker A:He's also doing it to be, to be fair, if a country charges us, let's say we make a widget and that widget we're going to sell to that country or somebody in that country for a dollar and they place a 10 cent tariff on it to us.
Speaker A:So we've got to pay them an additional.
Speaker A:And it costs us to sell there.
Speaker A:Well, it costs us to sell there, but it doesn't cost them a thing to, to ship their goods here to a United States.
Speaker A:And it's been that way forever.
Speaker A:And a lot of the people in Congress, in the Senate and around the country disagree with him wholeheartedly on this and think it's going to be a disaster and lead to a recession or something bad.
Speaker A:And it's very possible.
Speaker A:But it also may lead to more work here in the United States for those who want good paying jobs.
Speaker A:It may also lead to them other countries or those other countries dropping their tariffs.
Speaker A:And wouldn't that be better?
Speaker A:You know, I think it would.
Speaker A:Do we really need tariffs?
Speaker A:I don't know.
Speaker A:I don't, I don't think we do.
Speaker A:Does China need to have a tariff on American made cars when we don't have a tariff on cars made in China?
Speaker A:We don't have a tariff on cars made in Japan.
Speaker A:Well, we do now, but some of those countries don't even allow our products in, but they inundate us with theirs.
Speaker A:So maybe some of this will make it fair, maybe it won't.
Speaker A:I don't know.
Speaker A:All I know is this, it's happening, there's not much we can do about it.
Speaker A:And that's the thing that's.
Speaker A:That I like to watch on TV is because I will.
Speaker A:I'll watch a little bit of the news in the evening and I'll watch both sides.
Speaker A:And one side thinks it's great and the other, other side thinks it's absolute lunacy.
Speaker A:Just watching those guys implode isn't.
Speaker A:It's amazing.
Speaker A:It's.
Speaker A:And it's not implode.
Speaker A:It's more of an explode because they would love to use some expletives, but they don't.
Speaker A:And that TV show that I talked to you about, and if you're a fan of the View, great.
Speaker A:Good for you.
Speaker A:I watch it now for Comic Relief because the first 10 minutes are comic Relief because they just go off on the president.
Speaker A:They're saying things and making it up as they go along.
Speaker A:And I've said this before, and if, if I lose, if I lose listeners because of it, I'm sorry, I wish you wouldn't leave because everybody's entitled to their own opinion.
Speaker A:But I work for the same basic large company that they do, and if I said stuff like that in my job, I'd be gone.
Speaker A:I really would.
Speaker A:I'd be out the door so fast that I wouldn't know what hit me because I've seen it happen.
Speaker A:I've really seen it happen.
Speaker A:And it ain't fun to watch.
Speaker A:So like it or not, here they are.
Speaker A:He called it Liberation Day, and I don't think that that was a great idea.
Speaker A:Liberation Day, maybe.
Speaker A:Maybe not called it anything and made it not as big a deal.
Speaker A:But that's my opinion again.
Speaker A:So that's about all I've got to.
Speaker A:To talk to you about today, folks.
Speaker A:Get to that point.
Speaker A:We're at about 10 minutes, and I've got a little bit of editing to do on this because I've made some mistakes.
Speaker A:But hey, that's why we have editors and I'm the editor here.
Speaker A:But hey, Dave here, Gray Hair Dave at Gray Hair Productions.
Speaker A:That's what he does for a living.
Speaker A:He likes it and he's good at it.
Speaker A:So if you know somebody who's doing a podcast or.
Speaker A:Or video work, let them know Gray Hair Productions have them getting in contact with me.
Speaker A:You can go to the website gray hair productions.com or you can go to 5 minutes with gray hair dave.com that's the number.
Speaker A:5 minutes with gray hair dave dot com youm can leave me a note in the comment section.
Speaker A:Or you can contact me there.
Speaker A:There's also a little, little microphone in the bottom right hand corner.
Speaker A:You click on that, leave me your email address and you can leave me a voicemail.
Speaker A:Now, I don't sell email addresses, folks.
Speaker A:That's not what I do.
Speaker A:I'm very selfish.
Speaker A:I keep them for myself.
Speaker A:So if you eventually do lose that and I leave you a message on a, on an email, it's something that I think you might be interested in.
Speaker A:I'm not here to spam you.
Speaker A:I'm not.
Speaker A:That's not the kind of person I am.
Speaker A:Also, folks, forget if you know somebody who, who doesn't know what a podcast is, doesn't know where to find them, how to, how to find the right genre, how to subscribe, follow whatever you want to call.
Speaker A:It me a favor and show them how to do that for me.
Speaker A:I would appreciate it.
Speaker A:And don't forget to tell them about five minutes with Gray Hair Dave.
Speaker A:Also, folks, please smile at somebody you don't know today.
Speaker A:You're going to make their day and they're going to make yours.
Speaker A:So on behalf of all the Looney Tunes here at Gray Hair Productions, and that's just me, you all have a great weekend and I'll talk to you next week.
Speaker A:Bye.
