Lauren Reagan Writing Online

It can be so frustrating to speak up with ideas at the local monthly Ruritan meetings that I have managed to attend this past year or so, only to be shot down time after time. I was told that this well-known “service club” was in need of some fresh blood and some newer, younger faces, after attending these many boring meetings I can see why they aren’t growing as they should. I swear a couple of the members look and act old enough to be one of the original Ruritans that started back in 1928 with the goal of achieving Fellowship, Goodwill and Community Service. They certainly mean well but times have changed and the needs and interests of the community are always changing so they need to be way more flexible and open minded than from what I’m seeing.

They want to start up their yearly “Yard Sale” that they stopped doing three years ago because of several factors that hindered the success, which caused them to just stop holding this possible money making event. Part of the argument(s) is how to get the word out about this yard sale that is supposed to be held over the Memorial Day Weekend. I suggested that we look into postcard printing options and take advantage of the opportunity through the post office to send out a massive and inexpensive postcard mailing to each resident in our small town of just over 2,000. As soon as the suggestion was out of my mouth the “old farts” started in with their negativity without giving me a fair chance to finish what I was saying with all the facts that I had gathered to share with them. I had to catch my breath, count to ten and keep my cool. I plan on talking with a few other members in the next week or so before I stand up and say another word and keep attending these meetings.

Last weekend my father pulled me aside after a most pleasant Sunday family dinner was all done and over with, at my parents place, where upon he asked me to be the Executor of his and my mother’s Estate in case they leave this earth together. Or even if one of them goes before the other and isn’t capable of dealing with it all for various reasons that are always a concern for everyone involved. Of course I consented but the more I think about it I find that I am really torn up about the whole thing. The thought of either one of my parents passing away just brings a tear to my eye, in a short matter of seconds. That is bad enough and then there is the real responsibility of being an Executor is a huge responsibility. I have never been an Executor of anyone’s estate but I have know a couple of people that have undertaken the task and from what I’ve pieced together all things that they have told me, it isn’t anything that I would want anything to do with, but I couldn’t bring myself to say no to my father, not something that I’m used to doing and have no intention of starting now I reckon.

Another thing is that I don’t know diddly squat about finances. They are going to have me come over a few times to go over all of their files and bookkeeping which will feel very awkward, as I am a real stinker about keeping my nose out of people’s finances. They are doing a lot of their bookkeeping and banking online, so I’m going to have to have all that information, all the USER IDs and PASSWORDS and the sites that they use. This is going to be a huge undertaking and I am going to have to rely on the Internet for learning more and more about mutual funds, annuities, stocks, bonds, wills, lawyers, a very long and intimidating Read This list.

A little bit of news about the 4 men lost at sea. The boat was found and one man was clinging to the hull. The other three men, including 2 NFL players, are still missing. Grave concerns about hypothermia and drowning for the three not found yet. I don’t think you can stay in the water for two days and nights with just a life vest – if they were even wearing vests – with 15 foot waves and water temperatures in the 60′s.

The one man that was found claims that they had anchored the small boat when the water got significantly rougher and a big wave capsized their boat. He was able to hold onto the hull of the upside down boat and eventually crawl up on the hull to wait for rescue. The other three were evidently swept away in the rough seas and not able to find their way back to the boat. A very sad and upsetting story overall, but at least one man was found and rescued. I’m sure his family is extremely grateful to the Coast Guard and searcher teams who found him.

The Coast Guard really doesn’t get much attention in the media until something like this happens. They are pretty much treated as the red headed step children, which has never made any sense to me.

Wow this is something that I never ever thought of before and thought that by sharing this great Infographic here that others could be made aware of these “Christmas Bugs” as well. I haven’t had a real live Christmas tree in many years because I get tired of dealing with all the pine needles during the whole process. I bought a tree several years ago, one of those pre lit ones and have been thoroughly pleased with my purchase and no way would I ever consider getting rid of it and going back to a real one, especially after reading all of this!

There are many reasons that I have cut back my time on Facebook. One of the reasons is that it just drives me crazy to see what the young people of the world are putting on there for the whole world to see. And it isn’t just the younger generation, but the majority of it is and no matter what I try to tell them about what could happen if certain people see this stuff, they just don’t get it and continue to post crap that they will eventually pay the price for.

The Lat Thing I Remember Dude!

The majority of these people are relatives of mine of some sort, so I do have a vested interest in what they are doing. Many are dealing with the courts and various legal organizations – many are trying to keep or get their young children back from the courts or other relatives. So when I see them post things such as this Wall Poster that I cut and pasted on here today (and this is pretty mild in comparison to some of the stuff that they put there) I try and encourage them to stop and think before hitting the Submit key.

My mother and father drilled into our heads way long ago when the first computers come out and the Internet started to become more and more important and vital to our daily lives something that I have repeated over and over to people in order to make my point. It is most unfortunate that I seem to be talking to deaf ears and have even pissed a few of them off and they have “unfriended” me, what a shame.

My parents used to say “Don’t put anything on the Internet (and that includes all of today’s technologies that we have access to most days and evenings) that you wouldn’t take the time to write in LARGE letters on a HUGE Billboard that stands right in your front yard! I just can’t think of a better way to get the point across. My parents were also fond of saying “It’s too bad that youth is wasted on the young!”