I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today!

fintail

uplanderguy said:

The Eldorado Brougham was really something special. I think $13k is sticking in my head as its new car price, astronomical then of course.

For some reference, a few years later my grandparents paid 19K for a new 3/2/2 on a quarter acre lot in suburban Seattle. New builds in the same neighborhood approach a million dollars.

kyfdx

uplanderguy said:

P.S. For those ready to experience the deep-freeze that is coming Mon-Wed where I live (NE OH), hunker down.

I'm leaving town, tomorrow morning..

uplanderguy

Wherever you’re going, good luck.

andre1969

I can't recall; did the '57-58 Eldorado Brougham come fully equipped, or even at that $13K price point, were there still features on it that were optional?

I think they only made about 400 the first year, and 300 or so the next, so spotting one these days, especially out in traffic, must truly be a rare sight. I'll see them every once in awhile; often one shows up at the Hershey PA car show in the fall.

Has anyone ever seen a '59 Eldorado Brougham in person? I keep forgetting about those. I think they only made around 99 of them. I've only seen one in pictures.

uplanderguy

I feel relatively sure (LOL) that the base car was the complete car. I always remember hearing about the perfume atomizer and six silver drink tumblers, which apparently are often missing in cars at this date.

I've seen a few '57-58 Broughams over the years, even near where I live. Overall, I've seen black, dark blue, and silver ones.

I have never seen a '59 Eldorado Brougham in person, but would love to. Seems like if and when somebody posts a pic of one on FB somewhere, people say, "Nuh-uh! That's a '60". Due to the taillights of course.

uplanderguy

From the FB page, "In the Garage with Steve Natale", a comparison of entry-level make luxury cars for '68. I gotta say, and I'm surprising myself, I think the Ambassador looks graceful and has nice size and proportions. I hate the box roof on the otherwise swoopy Chevy. Even though I don't care for hideaway headlights, I'd say the Ford looks best after the Ambassador. I just don't like Mopar full-size cars in general that model year. Inside, I'd probably pick the Chevy, for seating, instrument panel, and door panels, but of course it's largely up to what you're used to.

uplanderguy

According to this non-descript FB page, this is a '68 Cadillac deVille convertible. No mention of AI, LOL.

fintail

I am glad that in this post-truth world, AI still gets cars wrong.

explorerx4

That Ambassador looks a lot like a 66-67 Fairlane.

andre1969

The '68 Ambassador never did much for me, good or bad, but I have to say, compared with those other cars, it does stack up well. It actually makes me think of an intermediate Mopar. I'm just not too crazy about the stacked headlights, the way the trim swells up at the midpoint between the headlights.

There was just something about the full-sized Ford's style that year that made the car look too small to me, like it's really a midsize, even though I'm sure its dimensions are the same as '65-67. Cheaper models looked really nondescript to me, but I think the hidden headlights of the LTD definitely dresses it up. But, on the plus side, what I'm calling "nondescript" and "too small", could be spun around to say "trim lines and cleanly styled."

With the Caprice, I don't like that roofline at all, although I don't mind the rest of the car. And the Fury just looks too hulking. I prefer the '65-66 models, which still looked big, but not quite so ponderous. I don't care for that Barracuda-ish roofline either. You could still get the "normal" hardtop coupe roofline, with large, triangular rear windows, but I don't think it was offered with the VIP. Those fender skirts also add to the bulky look, I think.

I guess by '68, the manufacturers were focusing on the midsized cars to appeal more towards the youth market, and the full-size cars were "growing up" and marketed towards more mature crowds. As for the four cars above, it's actually hard for me to pick a favorite. Looking back at them, my eye keeps going to the LTD, partly because I like the color, but also I like the hidden headlights.

fintail

For those 68s, there's no bad choice. I am leaning towards the Ford due to the color and hidden headlights.

uplanderguy

I like how the Ambassador is not as big as the others, although that wouldn't have been a sales advantage then. EDIT: wheelbase is only one inch shorter than the Chevy, so it’s not significantly smaller.

Being a non-smoker my whole life, I do like the Chevy's "full door glass" styling as they called it--no vent windows. Although, I remember my Dad moaning about that when we traded in the '67 Chevelle for the '73 Nova.

imidazol97

Probably not considered "obscure" yet, but I saw this like new puppy at the coffee place a couple days ago. I don't know how to tell the year other than the last ones were 2010.




I saw a similar like new Cobalt at Chick Fil A when the snow and salt were still heavy last week. The dark indigo blue was the color and I couldn't see a flaw on it. The driver was an older guy like myself. I'm surprised he had it out on the streets in the salt, unless it was the only car. Sure didn't look like it had been out in much salt weather.

andre1969

I just looked up the Ambassador's specs online. In addition to the 118" wb, they were 77.2" wide and 202.5" long. I'm surprised they were that stubby. For comparison the LTD, a car which looks small-ish to me, was on a 119" wb, 78.0" wide, and 213.3" long. For the Caprice, I'm seeing 119" wb, 79.6" wide, and 214.7" long. And finally, the Fury VIP comes in at 119" wb, 213", and 77.7" wide.

I'm surprised that the LTD and Caprice are that long. I would have figured a few inches shorter, especially the LTD. I'm also a bit shocked that the Fury is that narrow. I guess it just goes to show that looks can be deceiving, sometimes!

Even though the Ambassador had trouble competing with the Big Three cars on the perception of size, I have a feeling they didn't give up much in interior room. That design was pretty space efficient, especially the 4-door. One problem may have been that it really wasn't any bigger than the Rebel, which was their midsized car. The Ambassador did go to a 122" wb for 1969, I believe, but that 4" was all added ahead of the cowl, so you just got a longer front end.

Oh, as for vent windows, my attitude is take 'em or leave 'em. I think people get nostalgic for them, but in reality, about all they do is generate wind noise, hamper visibility a bit, and develop wind and water leaks with age. Oh, and break. Although one thing I did like, on my Dodge Darts, was that I could open up the vent window and roll down a rear window, and it provided some nice highway speed ventilation without all the turbulence I'd get if I rolled the door window down.

andre1969

I have a bad habit of sleeping with the tv on. Early yesterday morning, I awoke to this... Don't ask me why, but for some reason I found the irony of the Bradley girls and the Hooterville dog frolicking in the water tower while a winter storm warning is going on amusing.

Anyway, the storm was a bit of a letdown. Maybe a half inch. But, two weeks ago we got about 8", and then a few days later, maybe another 2", and it really didn't melt much. Well, this morning on a grocery store run, I spotted this Miata: I'm pretty sure this one belongs to a BJ's employee, because I swear it's in the parking lot every time I go there. It's usually a bright spot in an otherwise mostly drab sea of dull colors in that parking lot.

Oh, I forget where I saw it now, but within the past few days I spotted a final-gen Cavalier sedan. I think it was gray.

stickguy

looks exactly like the Miata I had. Never would have tried that in the snow, since it came with summer tires! and even on all seasons, would not be my first choice.

andre1969

Yeah, I was wondering what that Miata would be like in snowy/icy weather.

texases

Probably OK with winter tires as long as the snow didn't get too deep, not a lot of ground clearance. The only problems I has with my GTI in Anchorage was after big snows before the snow plows did their thing.

6"+ expected tonight/tomorrow in New Orleans. That'll be a mess.

fintail

imidazol97 said:

Probably not considered "obscure" yet, but I saw this like new puppy at the coffee place a couple days ago. I don't know how to tell the year other than the last ones were 2010.


I saw a similar like new Cobalt at Chick Fil A when the snow and salt were still heavy last week. The dark indigo blue was the color and I couldn't see a flaw on it. The driver was an older guy like myself. I'm surprised he had it out on the streets in the salt, unless it was the only car. Sure didn't look like it had been out in much salt weather.

Plenty of those still around in the PNW, where rot is much less common. The final run Cavaliers are just now finally starting to vanish, no doubt helped by some neglectful ownership.

Someone at my workplace has a Cobalt SS as a commuter, I suspect it's the same person who has a Crossfire and I think a Solstice.

uplanderguy

imidazol, that Cobalt is probably a 2010. Although I'm too lazy to check, they started putting that little chrome square "GM" emblem on the front fender sometime in the production run, then stopped before the final model year.

I'll tell you, I liked both of our Cobalts and got cheap, durable service out of them. Built at Lordstown. I was ahead of the ignition switch thing and had mine replaced when it first felt even slightly sticky pulling the key out, after I got the letter that it was just a 'campaign'. I had it done after the recall because IIRC, there was some problem telling if the 'campaign' replacement parts were old stock or improved stock.

The 2.2 idled super-smooth and quiet, and the cars had almost no road noise.

uplanderguy

RE.: Petticoat Junction:

Always funny to me that that show and 'Green Acres' were crossover shows.

Funniest gag in my memory on either was when Sam Drucker was moving fixtures around in the store and post office and found Mr. Ziffel's draft notice from 1917. Of course, he then showed up at the draft board, LOL.

ab348

I thought that the Ambassador for those years was a swing and a miss for AMC. I really didn’t like the way they handled the stacked headlight treatment on them. That was a design trend that didn’t last long among the US manufacturers and was all over after ‘68. Pontiac did them best, I think. I like the Caddys too but like the ‘69 front end with horizontal lights better, as the stacked ones look dated now.

The Ambassador interior was pretty nice compared to some competitors, but IIRC the interior space was identical to the Rebel, and remained so even the following year when the wheelbase was stretched, something I never understood but I presume was a lot cheaper than designing and tooling for a new floorpan.

roadburner

A friend of mine runs a used car lot; he just posted this car- a 1999 with 54,000 miles. $5,995.00

uplanderguy said:

RE.: Petticoat Junction:

Always funny to me that that show and 'Green Acres' were crossover shows.

Funniest gag in my memory on either was when Sam Drucker was moving fixtures around in the store and post office and found Mr. Ziffel's draft notice from 1917. Of course, he then showed up at the draft board, LOL.

All of those CBS comedies did very well, yet they all fell victim to the infamous CBS "Rural Purge."

uplanderguy

RE.: Cobalt...at least a couple years after I no longer owned either, I got two checks in the mail, for $97 each, for the class action lawsuit on the ignition switch. Worth taking the two minutes to fill out the postcards and mail them when they came. They required VIN's which i still had even when I no longer owned the cars. I bought the one used in 2013 for my daughter off of eBay. The seller from NJ was a complete sitcom character, and not in a good way, but I bought it well. He advertised it as having ABS, which I knew that trim level didn't have. OK. He was mad at me, and let me know it, when I asked him three separate questions about the car in emails. I told my wife "I don't have to like the guy to buy the car". After he wouldn't take a certified check and wanted a very narrow pick up window in NJ that was impossible for us, he did offer to drive it to southern OH to his satellite business for us to pick up, which was generous. He said he was headed there anyway. When we got there--over a two-hour drive--the car had 6K more miles than he advertised, so he gave me $500 off. He'd gotten fined $500 by the PA State Police for not have it secured on the trailer sufficiently, LOL. Then, he found he brought the title for the wrong car. And this guy was mad at me before!!! Sheesh! He let me take it home without a title and I sent him a certified check when the title came in the mail a few days later, LOL. When it was totaled in an accident four years after that, I got more for it than I paid for it. We had brought a license plate from another car with us, good thing.

That pic you showed, imidazol--with that bright side molding, I think that's what was called a 2LT, which also would have had the chromed grille surround. Brightwork on a cheap car! That trim level not often seen then.

uplanderguy

I think it's funny, and shows that most posters here aren't 'average' (and I mean that in the best possible way), that guys who are at least ten years younger than me here have appreciation for '60's sitcoms.

When I was a kid, my favorite show was "My Three Sons"....mostly, the color episodes with Uncle Charley, and with Ernie. The only wife I liked, though, was Katie--enough that I asked for her recent book for Christmas and got it in 2023. As an adult, and in hindsight, "The Andy Griffith Show" pushed it out of my number one position. I also liked "The Lucy Show"--her working-girl with no money-shtick, who constantly goofed up at work, struck me as funny, and "Mr. Mooney" played off her well ("Mrs. Carmichael!!!!!"). She did seem to almost scream her lines, in her cigarette voice, in that show and also in "Here's Lucy".

I also liked "Bewitched" and "Hazel" a lot back then, although I watched most all sitcoms then.

"Hazel" had great chemistry with her boss, Mr. B., and the color episodes have great close-ups of current Fords.

My Dad was a 'western' guy, and often said about sitcoms then, "Do we have to watch this?".

I was a nerdy kid, and often had my nose in our neighbor's "World Book Encyclopedia" and their terrific yearly, updated "Yearbooks".

As a watcher of 'Jeopardy', I'm often stunned at players' general lack of knowledge of pop culture before the '90's or so. I easily remember a photo of Elton John that no one could identify, and a photo and good clue about Gordon Lightfoot all three players had no idea of. Yet, they know stuff like the Medici family, LOL. I think I had a greater idea of general history before me, and my parents' likes in music, when I was a kid, probably more than most young people do today.

andre1969

"Bewitched" has been broadcast in endless reruns for all my life, and I've always enjoyed it. Even the Darrin #2 episodes. Funny thing, today they showed the "George Washington Zapped Here" two-parter, and as many times as I'd seen it, I finally made the connection today, that George Washington was played by Will Geer. So, not just the Father of our country, but the Grandfather of the Waltons!

I don't know why I never noticed that before. I think the main reason I noticed it today is that I had it on in the background while I was on the computer, so I was listening to it more than watching it, and suddenly I was like wait, I know that voice!

It was also one of the few episodes (maybe the only episode) that shows Derwood in a '72 Impala convertible:
Antenna TV cuts that segment out, and that's where I was watching it this morning. But I remember catching it on Logo not too long ago, and the scene with the Impala was actually in. I know they cut a lot of stuff out of older tv shows so they can get more commercials in the timeslot, but I thought it was odd that different stations had different things cut out.

I think that episode of Bewitched might have also been the last time they showed the Stephens's car. It was late in the 8th season, so there were only a few episodes after that. I thought I read somewhere that Chevrolet was no longer sponsoring Bewitched by the last couple of seasons. Yet, it still seemed like most of the cars they showed were Chevies.

fintail

On that note, due to my parents' TV tendencies and the music they listened to, I know a lot more older stuff than many my age. Years of listening to oldies radio when being driven places by my parents, and watching old reruns on Nickelodeon gave me some very useful knowledge - if I am ever on Jeopardy perhaps.

My favorites in the old reruns were Dennis the Menace, I Dream of Jeannie, Leave it to Beaver, among others. Part of it was due to carspotting no doubt.

Funny thing, I also know people my age (later run Xer) who can be mystified about 80s/90s pop culture, especially movies.

uplanderguy said:

I think it's funny, and shows that most posters here aren't 'average' (and I mean that in the best possible way), that guys who are at least ten years younger than me here have appreciation for '60's sitcoms.

When I was a kid, my favorite show was "My Three Sons"....mostly, the color episodes with Uncle Charley, and with Ernie. The only wife I liked, though, was Katie--enough that I asked for her recent book for Christmas and got it in 2023. As an adult, and in hindsight, "The Andy Griffith Show" pushed it out of my number one position. I also liked "The Lucy Show"--her working-girl with no money-shtick, who constantly goofed up at work, struck me as funny, and "Mr. Mooney" played off her well ("Mrs. Carmichael!!!!!"). She did seem to almost scream her lines, in her cigarette voice, in that show and also in "Here's Lucy".

As a watcher of 'Jeopardy', I'm often stunned at players' general lack of knowledge of pop culture before the '90's or so. I easily remember a photo of Elton John that no one could identify, and a photo and good clue about Gordon Lightfoot all three players had no idea of. Yet, they know stuff like the Medici family, LOL. I think I had a greater idea of general history before me, and my parents' likes in music, when I was a kid, probably more than most young people do today.

fintail

andre1969 said:

"Bewitched" has been broadcast in endless reruns for all my life, and I've always enjoyed it. Even the Darrin #2 episodes. Funny thing, today they showed the "George Washington Zapped Here" two-parter, and as many times as I'd seen it, I finally made the connection today, that George Washington was played by Will Geer. So, not just the Father of our country, but the Grandfather of the Waltons!

There's a YTer who has made numerous compilations of cars from period TV shows:

https://www.youtube.com/@FusionKidd/videos?view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=1

uplanderguy

That picture of the '72 Impala convertible just slaps me in the face with that year's lack of a rocker molding even optionally (but Biscaynes and Bel Airs had them?!), and that car's lack of the optional wheel opening moldings. It has the top optional wheelcovers, but lacks the wheel opening moldings! Very plain down the side.

You've probably seen it, but I love the ten-minute-or-so commercial shown on Bonanza, about the new '65 Chevys, featuring Bonanza and Bewitched and Man From Uncle stars. I'm sure it's still on YouTube.

You'd mentioned 'The Waltons'. I was a fan, but I always LOVED the movie "The Homecoming", which ended up sort-of being a pilot for the series. Will Geer wasn't in it, and the parents were different. Oscar-winner Patricia Neal was the mom, and really carried the movie. Some don't like her portrayal as she is a bit harsh, but I couldn't picture Michael Learned carrying that movie in the way Patricia Neal did.

I always remember Chevy commercials on Bewitched...specifically one teaser ad before introduction day that showed close-up details of the '69 models.

I watched Dennis The Menace. Joseph Kearns was great as Mr. Wilson, even though he didn't resember the comic-strip character like everyone else did. "Beaver" I watched some.

kyfdx

I loved Bewitched.

Don't fact check me, but I read somewhere that Paul Lynde was only in NINE episodes!

uplanderguy

I remember reading that Paul Lynde was in a lot fewer episodes than it seems, too. A few years ago I was driving up OH Route 3 and stopped off at Amity Cemetery, where Paul Lynde is interred. Small cemetery and I found his stone quickly, in his family plot. A long way from Hollywood.

When I look back, the supporting cast of Bewitched was absolutely terrific! Agnes Moorehead, star of screen; Lynde; the first 'Mrs. Kravitz'; Marion Lorne as 'Aunt Clara'--all terrific. Marion Lorne was born in 1883!!

It blows my mind that 'Bewitched' started at the time Moorehead was playing slovenly maid 'Velma' in my favorite movie, "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte".

We've touched on this before, but talk about being ahead-of-its-time--it was suggested that either Endora and Maurice were divorced, or had an open marriage!

texases

kyfdx said:

I loved Bewitched.

Don't fact check me, but I read somewhere that Paul Lynde was only in NINE episodes!

Close, IMDB shows 11 of the 254. Lots of characters I don't remember had more:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057733/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cst_sm

thebean

Which is better - Bewitched Paul Lynde or Hollywood Squares Paul Lynde? I’ll take the HS Paul all day long. 😄

uplanderguy

I'd second Hollywood Squares Paul.

andre1969

On the subject of Paul Lynde, the first time he appeared in Bewitched, he wasn't even Uncle Arthur! He was a driving instructor in one of the early episodes, who taught Samantha how to drive. As that character, he also acted differently. He was kind of neurotic and timid, as I recall, and just not as much fun, as Uncle Arthur was.

But yeah, I too was surprised when I found out he was only in a handful of episodes. It definitely felt like he had a lot more presence than just the 10 or so episodes he did, as Uncle Arthur.

Looking at that list, I wonder how many episodes Agnes Moorehead was actually in? It says 254, but that's only because her name was in the opening credits of every episode, whether she was actually in it or not.

tjc78

Funny how even more modern shows recycled characters.

The Sopranos used Joseph Gannascoli for one little part early on then in later seasons he took on a much bigger role as Vito

uplanderguy

The guy who played Howard Sprague in color episodes of the Andy Griffith Show was first shown as insurance adjuster named 'Ed' something-or-rather on the show.

uplanderguy

It's hard to describe what a wildly-popular event the show "Batman" was when introduced in the mid-sixties. You had to be there!

Found this very neat short video clip of 'Bruce Wayne' and 'Dick Grayson' in a '66 Imperial Crown convertible. Above is a screenshot I took.

Even with the wraparound windshield, I'm a big fan of that era Imperial. I'd probably choose it over a Caddy or Lincoln of the same year. I will admit, I think a '66 Fleetwood (sedan or Eldorado) may be the last great Cadillac.

DeVilles seemed very common even when I grew up, but Fleetwoods--almost never seen. I always loved the bare sides, wide rocker trim, and individual "FLEETWOOD" (or "ELDORADO") lettering at the bottom of front fenders, and on the decklid. Similarly, I'd see magazine ads that mentioned the Imperial LeBaron, but I never saw them. I mean, never. Every one I saw was a "Crown". So that "LeBaron" name was magic to me as a kid--as it must've been a couple decades later for George Costanza!

Awesome video here (UPDATED). You can bypass logging in here:
https://www.facebook.com/MoparStyleTheVisualArt/videos/bruce-wayne-driving-the-chrysler-imperial-convertible-moparornocar-mopar-dodge-c/626213016513744/

roadburner

Batman ruined The Man From UNCLE; NBC thought they couled imitate the success of the Caped Crusade by making TMFU campy and silly.
Didn't work.

fintail

Today spotted an early Fox Mustang with what looked like TRX wheels.

uplanderguy

I was on the young side for "Man From UNCLE", but I remember older guys thinking 'Ilya Kuryakin' (sp?) was cool.

Speaking of "Leave It To Beaver" earlier, seeing some posts on my feed on FB about Larry Mondello and how his mother looked like his grandmother. In fact, she later played 'Aunt Harriet' on "Batman".

andre1969

Larry Mondelo's mother was also Joey Bishop's mother...so she apparently had Larry at a pretty old age! I think she was also the president of the Pasadena chapter of Jack Benny's fan club.

uplanderguy

Larry Mondelo's mother was also Joey Bishop's mother.

Huh?!

She's shown in the clip of Bruce Wayne driving the '66 Imperial convertible, above.

I have vague memories of Joey Bishop as a kid, but in my mind, he's about at the bottom of the "Rat Pack", LOL.

Wondering if you'll have to be going back to work at the office instead of working from home. Whatever it is, hope it works out for you.

andre1969

I'd actually never heard of Joey Bishop, until Antenna TV started showing reruns of it a few years back. The first season, Madge Blake played his mother. But for the second season, the show was revamped, and most of the supporting characters written out.

As for going back to work, we're supposed to have a big meeting about it on the 28th. And I have my annual review online today, in about a half hour. With luck, this will be my last review, because I want to retire soon. Thinking about wearing this t-shirt:

uplanderguy

LOL, good luck.

I retired at 63 and 3 months. It was the right thing at the right time. I felt my sharpness slipping. Wanted to go out at my decision, not somebody else's!

About 3 1/2 years in, I'm still glad I did. I'm rarely bored.

andre1969

Wow, Uplander, didn't realize you've been retired that long already! And that's one reason why I want to go out as quickly as I can...time just passes by too fast!

ab348

uplanderguy said:

LOL, good luck.

I retired at 63 and 3 months. It was the right thing at the right time. I felt my sharpness slipping. Wanted to go out at my decision, not somebody else's!

About 3 1/2 years in, I'm still glad I did. I'm rarely bored.

I can top that (but I'm not trying to play that game). I was lucky enough to be able to retire at 58 after 32 years of being with various govt agencies, all of which linked back to the same pension plan. So I was able to start collecting that 10+ years ago (though the monthly payment to recipients has barely changed in all that time, grrrr) and it has been good. I had a lot of medical issues before retiring and more since then but not having to go back to work after those procedures let me recover at my own pace. I could not possibly have been on the job during any part of the past 10 years. All that aside even before I retired I was done with the on-the-job BS I had to put up with. Dealing with people takes its toll.

andre1969

I'm only in my mid-50s (I'll be 55 this April), but I swear, I'm at that point in life where I can feel myself aging. I used to think that long life was common in our family, my paternal Granddad made it to one month shy of 102, and my maternal Grandmom made it to 91. And on my Mom's side of the family, it was common for the women to live into their 90s. Now that might be purely a male/female thing, but I was hoping that at least some of that long-life would spill into my DNA.

But, my Dad died at 71. He smoked like a chimney and drank like a fish, and it practically took a declaration from the Pope to get him to go see a doctor. So honestly, that wasn't surprising. But then when my Mom died at 73, from cancer, despite living a pretty healthy, boring life, that was a wakeup call for me, that it's later than I think.

My grandparents retired at 55, 56, 57, and 60, so now that I'm getting into that age range, maybe that's why it's starting to feel "right," because that's when they did it. Although to fully disclose, my maternal Grandmom, who retired from the federal gov't at 56, went back to work part-time/on-call doing transcription work for some doctors and nurses she knew, and then worked in medical records at a local hospital, until finally hanging it up for good at 70. They'd give her as much or as little work as she wanted, so for her it was the best of both worlds. Or, a good "work-life" balance, I think the buzzword is, these days.

uplanderguy

All that aside even before I retired I was done with the on-the-job BS I had to put up with. Dealing with people takes its toll.

Truer words have never been spoken.

I dealt with vendors who would just boldface lie to get out of paying the client money owed. A big game.

I didn't have a pension but was able to put a decent amount away for retirement, and start drawing SS in March. Trying to guess how much tax to withhold on that. I'm hoping the promise of "No tax on SS!" happens for 2025, but not holding my breath.

stickguy

I turn 63 in a few months (which is hard for me to get my head around!) and I want to cut and run bad. This last year just mentally wiped me out and I doubt the next year will be any better. Making the current target of 65 seems iffy. 64 at most might be doable. Assuming there is any kind of health insurance left to get then.

My wife has also been having knee issues (apparently arthritis) so really worried about falling into the working too long and not being able to do anything fun when you finally stop trap.

Probably not the smartest idea of buying a new more expensive house at this stage, combined with 2 weddings in the span of 10 months. And a first grandchild sneaking in there too! Maybe 1 more year to catch up from all that and done spring 2026!