AND IT FADED AWAY QUIETLY INTO THE NIGH

I have been retired for a bit more than 9 years.  During the first 7 of those years, I did some consulting--not a lot but enough to bring in some extra money and to keep at least some of my toes in the waters of Human Services.  Nicely enough, at tax time, I was also able to declare certain things as expenses--like a home office.  But the fat lady has sung and those days are officially over.  At a recent meeting with our accountant, it was clear that my consulting "business" (which had already been on life support) was no longer.  I actually am ok about that though on some level it does seem I have to now tell folks over cocktails that I am retired--and not that I do "consulting".  That feels very weird.

I love my bank.   It had been a branch of a small banking company called Wainwright which we loved. When they got bought out by Eastern bank, we were very worried about these big guys and how they would invariably muck up our personalized banking experience.  Lo and behold, all the personnel stayed the same. They are as diverse as the neighborhood and greet me by name the minute that door opens.  Yesterday, I was waiting in line when one of them said:  "Mr. Berns, I am going to open up this window for you; come on over".  Are you kidding?  I'm there, bro.

Ends and odds:
--The basketball coach at the University of Florida (a state school) has a contract with $187 thousand dollars just in incentives.  Priorities, right?
--Romney, McCain, and Graham (a la Mo, Larry, and Curly) would have had us in WW III if they had been President and responded to the Russians taking over Crimea.  The Europeans have first call on this and working through them is the only alternative.  Those three stooges have no clue. The alternatives all suck though sanctions against the oligarchs seems like a great option--like the guy who owns the NBA's Brooklyn Nets.
--Nate Silver (he of the 538 blog) is back with his new group--now a division of ESPN.  In his first post, he is predicting that the Dems will lose the Senate.  Two big problems are the Democratic women Senators from North Carolina and Louisiana.  He thinks they are both going to get stomped.  Big problem, folks. Though having Nate back is great--get it all you parents?  Nate the Great.
--For some reason, the latest news of former Mayor Menino's recurrence of cancer has really bothered me.
--A terrific HBO documentary about the photojournalist Tim Hetherington.  He frequently wanted to be ahead of the soldiers as they moved into certain areas so he could take video of the civilians as the soldiers approached.  He died in combat in Libya.  Go see "Restrepo".  Nominated for an Oscar, it is about an Army unit in Afghanistan. He did the video.
--This is not s sports item despite its beginning.  We have up here an announcer for the Red Sox whose name is Jerry Remy.  His son, Jared, is in jail for murdering (allegedly) the mother of his child.  For more than 10 years, judges basically gave him a pass when it came to all his brushes with the law--the majority of which involved domestic violence. I do not have enough words in my vocabulary to tell you what I think of the judiciary by their inaction.  It is pathetic that the focus in the media has been on whether the father should stay on the job.  My thoughts are that these judges should be kicked to the curb.  The son is a steroid freak who hopefully will not get away with murder.
--Could not pay me enough to be a fireman, cop, or soldier.  Too scary.  Two firefighters died here this week and both ironically worked in a firehouse about 200 yards from where the marathon bombings occurred.
--The big silver bird is getting ready to take us to a very warm place tomorrow.  Miss y'all.
--Be strong, Norma.

SPORTS TALK
--Critics be damned:  Kessel has 36 goals; Seguin has 32 goals; and Thornton has 60 assists. No Bruin has more than 60 points total.  And yes, I know how good the Bruins are but nobody has yet to tell me why highly skilled offensive players never fit in.
--Are you all proud that the Pats proposal to lengthen the height of the goal posts has passed. Whew--and I was so worried. Are our teams good or what.
--Don't expect me to say anything about baseball until July 4th.  I bet you are already poised for that
conversation, huh?
--Miami is a pretend city kind of like Dallas or Houston.  So now they are getting an MLS franchise so they can pretend a bit more that they really matter.  They actually don't.  Matter that is.

Sayonara.