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Almost 50 and on AARP mailing list
By: MIKE PROBST, Editor & Publisher
I don’t mean to pick on Rockport Police Department (RPD) sergeant Larry Sinclair, but he just so happens to be a great segue into what I want to talk about in this week’s column.
Reader’s of this publication often comment on the “Pages of the Past” write-up which appears on this page each week. This week’s offerings for “20 years ago” include several entries which bring back memories, as well as demonstrate the fact I’m getting older.
Twenty years ago, Sinclair, the new man in the RPD, entered the hallowed halls of Rockport-Fulton High School. The kicker is he was 22 years old at the time. Yes, he looked like a high school kid and easily blended with the crowd.
Larry, you can thank me later for not including in this column the picture which was published back in 1989!
He was at the high school working undercover.
Sinclair ain’t 22 any more, and neither am I. One good thing he has going for him, however, is I still have eight years on him.
Something else occurred 20 years ago which continues to play an important role in Aransas County - Crime Stoppers of Aransas County was formed.
I remember working with that organization in its infancy. Since then, calls from anonymous callers have helped solve numerous cases.
So what does all this have to do with today’s column about aging?
I just received my first invitation to join AARP!
Nowhere on the solicitation is the acronym explained. I’m sure everyone nearing the age of 50 knows what AARP means, but just in case you don’t, it’s American Association of Retired People.
Just for the record, that is not mentioned anywhere on the mailing I received.
I’m nowhere near retirement age, but I guess the organization starts recruiting early. I’m sure I’m wrong, but the only people I know who can even think about retiring at 50 are those who are independently wealthy, or those who work for the government in some capacity.
When I first saw the mailing I said to myself, “Yes, discounts,” then I thought, “Wait a minute, I’m not my parents.”
Other thoughts crossed my mind such as, “How can I be a member of AARP when I’m years away from retirement?”
That really rings true for me since by the time I reach the age at which I can receive my full Social Security benefits I will probably have to be about 85 years old.
The benefits of AARP, according to the mailing, include fighting for your American dream, information and resources, discounts on travel and other services, access to health-related benefits, access to financial programs, and community programs and services.
I don’t see the need for any of those services at this time.
I’ve always thought fighting for the American dream was pretty much on one’s individual shoulders. I’m not quite ready to transfer that responsibility to an organization, our government, etc.
I use newspapers, magazines, television/cable news programs, and, of course, Google and the Internet, to get information. I use the Internet so my kids don’t think I’m getting older. Twittering, however, is out of the question. I have to draw the line somewhere.
Maybe I’m being naive, but most of my discounts for travel come via free flights earned on Southwest Airlines, my wife’s companion pass on that airline, and Priceline.com. I don’t know if I can do a lot better than that.
I imagine any health-related benefits will come into play once I’m eligible for Medicare. By then we will probably be under the efficient medical care of the U.S. government so it will be a moot point.
I don’t think I need access to financial programs at this time. I already have a financial advisor and put money away monthly for retirement. Yeah, I lost a lot of dough when the market plunged, but it’s coming back.
Here’s a bone for my liberal friends - my retirement fund losses, like everything else, are all Bush’s fault!
Luckily, I have an emergency fund in certificates of deposit earning a whopping one percent (but it’s compounded daily!).
There is no other money that can go into a financial program right now since I have two kids in college and a wedding around the corner. I am waiting patiently for the Democrat’s tax break that I’m sure is just around the corner.
Access to community programs is another thing altogether. In my business, and after living here for more than 25 years, I think I know a little something about available community programs. I know AARP provides tax preparation services, etc., but then again, my tax return isn’t that difficult. In fact, I think my accountant feels guilty charging me too much for the service because it is so simple.
My dream is one day I’ll actually have a difficult tax return.
I imagine I’ll be receiving similar AARP mailings each year as my birthday approaches, just like the Social Security Administration mails out a letter each year showing me how much I’m probably not going to get when I retire.
In the meantime, I’ll stick with my own financial common sense and save the $16 annual membership fee until some point in the future when I better fit the acronym.
I’m sure AARP is a good organization, but I’m not ready to admit, based on today’s requirements, I’m within 17 years of receiving full Social Security benefits.
Reader’s of this publication often comment on the “Pages of the Past” write-up which appears on this page each week. This week’s offerings for “20 years ago” include several entries which bring back memories, as well as demonstrate the fact I’m getting older.
Twenty years ago, Sinclair, the new man in the RPD, entered the hallowed halls of Rockport-Fulton High School. The kicker is he was 22 years old at the time. Yes, he looked like a high school kid and easily blended with the crowd.
Larry, you can thank me later for not including in this column the picture which was published back in 1989!
He was at the high school working undercover.
Sinclair ain’t 22 any more, and neither am I. One good thing he has going for him, however, is I still have eight years on him.
Something else occurred 20 years ago which continues to play an important role in Aransas County - Crime Stoppers of Aransas County was formed.
I remember working with that organization in its infancy. Since then, calls from anonymous callers have helped solve numerous cases.
So what does all this have to do with today’s column about aging?
I just received my first invitation to join AARP!
Nowhere on the solicitation is the acronym explained. I’m sure everyone nearing the age of 50 knows what AARP means, but just in case you don’t, it’s American Association of Retired People.
Just for the record, that is not mentioned anywhere on the mailing I received.
I’m nowhere near retirement age, but I guess the organization starts recruiting early. I’m sure I’m wrong, but the only people I know who can even think about retiring at 50 are those who are independently wealthy, or those who work for the government in some capacity.
When I first saw the mailing I said to myself, “Yes, discounts,” then I thought, “Wait a minute, I’m not my parents.”
Other thoughts crossed my mind such as, “How can I be a member of AARP when I’m years away from retirement?”
That really rings true for me since by the time I reach the age at which I can receive my full Social Security benefits I will probably have to be about 85 years old.
The benefits of AARP, according to the mailing, include fighting for your American dream, information and resources, discounts on travel and other services, access to health-related benefits, access to financial programs, and community programs and services.
I don’t see the need for any of those services at this time.
I’ve always thought fighting for the American dream was pretty much on one’s individual shoulders. I’m not quite ready to transfer that responsibility to an organization, our government, etc.
I use newspapers, magazines, television/cable news programs, and, of course, Google and the Internet, to get information. I use the Internet so my kids don’t think I’m getting older. Twittering, however, is out of the question. I have to draw the line somewhere.
Maybe I’m being naive, but most of my discounts for travel come via free flights earned on Southwest Airlines, my wife’s companion pass on that airline, and Priceline.com. I don’t know if I can do a lot better than that.
I imagine any health-related benefits will come into play once I’m eligible for Medicare. By then we will probably be under the efficient medical care of the U.S. government so it will be a moot point.
I don’t think I need access to financial programs at this time. I already have a financial advisor and put money away monthly for retirement. Yeah, I lost a lot of dough when the market plunged, but it’s coming back.
Here’s a bone for my liberal friends - my retirement fund losses, like everything else, are all Bush’s fault!
Luckily, I have an emergency fund in certificates of deposit earning a whopping one percent (but it’s compounded daily!).
There is no other money that can go into a financial program right now since I have two kids in college and a wedding around the corner. I am waiting patiently for the Democrat’s tax break that I’m sure is just around the corner.
Access to community programs is another thing altogether. In my business, and after living here for more than 25 years, I think I know a little something about available community programs. I know AARP provides tax preparation services, etc., but then again, my tax return isn’t that difficult. In fact, I think my accountant feels guilty charging me too much for the service because it is so simple.
My dream is one day I’ll actually have a difficult tax return.
I imagine I’ll be receiving similar AARP mailings each year as my birthday approaches, just like the Social Security Administration mails out a letter each year showing me how much I’m probably not going to get when I retire.
In the meantime, I’ll stick with my own financial common sense and save the $16 annual membership fee until some point in the future when I better fit the acronym.
I’m sure AARP is a good organization, but I’m not ready to admit, based on today’s requirements, I’m within 17 years of receiving full Social Security benefits.
Until next week, have a good week.
Send me your messages and/or letters to the editor by email to publisher@rockportpilot.com. Remember to include your name and a daytime phone number for verification or your letter will not be considered for publication.
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edmond bates wrote on Oct 9, 2009 8:57 PM:
During all that time I have trashed repeated offers for health insurance, car insurance, burial insurance and discounts on everything except viagra from the American Association of (politically incorrect word) Policypushers. This year I received three reminder notices in case I had forgotten to pay my dues. I think they have finally figured out that I did not forget. "