Any person with any life experience at all should know “It ain’t easy, life is tough”. Some just can’t figure it out though and are going to be in for a very rude awaking when life get’s real for them,( youth of today, College students and “snowflakes” in mind here 
).
I got my first job at around, honestly I can’t remember but it was young. My parent’s got divorced when I was 10 I believe. My Mom loaded us kids, all 4 of us into a little VW bug and drove from Connecticut to California. It was quite a shock and no doubt a learning experience to go from the Connecticut school system at the time to California’s.
We landed in Norwalk California. I went to school dressed like we did in Connecticut, nice tie and well dressed. You can imagine how that went off, not well. To add to that I had almost reached my full height of 6’2 and had a mustache. Everyone thought I was a narc and acted accordingly, lots of fun./s
After I couldn’t play football or basketball anymore do to knee and ankle problems from Nogales High school I talked my Mom into signing papers so I could join the Army at 17. Spend my whole tour in Neckarsulm Germany as a Pershing Missile crewman, another learning opportunity. At the time for the most part the people were very nice to soldiers, had a lot of racial stuff going on though on all the post’s. Germany is very beautiful and would really like to go back one day and show my wife but Europe not the safest place in the world right now, especially for Americans.
When I got out of the service I went to work for Sunny Delight, met and married my first wife there. After quitting moved on to Coca Cola, left there on not so good terms. Still can’t kick that rebellious rage against the system and I’m doing things my way, party hard nature, UPDATE: ( Forgot to mention, the memory is not so good any more. After spending almost a year in a hospital, a direct result of the hard partying I finally gave up the partying in my late twenties early thirties’. I learn the hard way, the only way, LOL.) cost me in the Army too BTW. Had a few other jobs after that and tried my hand at my own business twice. Finally got into transportation in the early 90’s working for Laidlaw for about 2 years, became a born again Christian during that time then moved on and settled into driving a city bus in Riverside California for about 17 years with a total career in transportation of 19 years.
In 2009 I had to retire early do to medical problems. Man, wasn’t expecting or planning on that,( That party hard stuff in my early years had caught up with me among other medical issues). I had planned to work there my full 20 years and then take a serious look at retirement. My plan included having all my bills paid, retirement pay and hopefully a little income from stocks I had, seling my house and moving out of California and may be getting a little part time job. It wasn’t to be though.
In 2008 I met my second and current wife, still married and happy.
Obama was president, my income was now cut more than half then what it was, the economy was was in the tank to say the least. Those Government plans Obama invented that were supposed to help struggling homeowners didn’t. I lost my house of 12 years, had to file for bankruptcy like a lot of other Americans at the time. Had to sell all my stocks and drain my savings. Hooah!
UPDATE: I forgot to mention during this time I got tagged by the IRS and the State of California about the time Conservative were being targeted by the IRS. I blogged about a couple of times back then, “Last year I stopped using HR Block because their software moved a number to the California State income tax that cost me $564 plus interest and fines on my 2008 tax return.
Of course HR Block says they are not responsible for their software.
I have just started making payments.
I used Turbotax for 2011 got a return then on March 22nd 2013 the IRS informed me a owe them $2100 and change for 2011 do on April 17th, nothing like last minute notice.” If you’re interested you can check it out here.> I am absolutely sure Obumer and the Progressive Liberal machine will fix everything. And Here.> I hate California, liberal land USA.
When I had retired my wife suggested I file for disability. I was brought up we don’t take handouts, we work. Being the proud, Christian, Conservative, Blue Collar Working American I am I refused to do it telling her the way I was raised. I tried to go back to work part time in 2012 I think it was. Thought I was feeling good enough to give it a shot but it only lasted about 3 months and the medical stuff decided to interfere again.
So, in 2015 or last year I can’t remember I decide to try and file for disability,( $1,300 and change just doesn’t get it ). I filled out all the paperwork went to their doctor’s and did everything I was supposed to do. Their doctor even agreed I couldn’t work if I remember right. I was told I didn’t qualify and was denied. I thought how can this be? I thought about appealing it then as per their suggestion talked to a lawyer, a couple of them who said they would take my case. then I finally got to get a sit down with a good lawyer I heard about and was supposed to be really good. He told me I had been out of the workforce to long so no matter what you won’t qualify. If I had listen to my wife and done it when I first retired there wouldn’t have been a problem as she reminded me the other day.
Last year after finally getting tired of paying more each year for my health care coverage since Obamacare took effect through the place I retired from. Quite by accident really, I found out I was eligible for IEHP which I guess is some sort of government health care coverage. Don’t really care, It’s not costing me anything. I also found out I’m eligible for the infamous “Obama Phone”. My 100 year old flip phone finally quit working and I was paying, actually my wife was paying a little over thirty a month for it, (sad to say $30 a month right now means a lot ). Why was she paying for my phone? Because I pay all the other bills except for groceries. Anyways, got my “Obama Phone” which got me started on this post. I’m having some problems with the two companies involved or responsible for the program, like any government run program it doesn’t work well. I called one company and explained the situation and they told me to call the other company, I did and they directed me back to the other and they did the same thing and then I got transferred 3 times and hung up on twice not to mention having a very hard time understanding people that don’t speak english. I finally gave up. 
Mostly because of that party hard attitude when I was younger my body is falling apart at the ripe old ages of 58, most times I feel a lot older then that. I have friends and know of people that got it a lot worse then I do. I really don’t think I got it that bad at all actually, just struggle a little but the bills are paid, have a roof over my head and food on the table. No biggy really just wanted to share some life lessons in case some youngsters comes across this post. “It ain’t easy, life is tough”, not always fair get over it, 
do the best you can and get on with it.
My plane now is to make it to be able to collect my Social Security and enjoy a little more income and be able do a little more, will probably take it early. I’ve read some pretty good articles making a good case for taking it early. So hopefully “Life” doesn’t decide to mess with this plan. BTW, it irks me like you wouldn’t imagine when I hear Social Security referred to as a “Entitlement”. I’ve paid into that for my whole working life like millions of Americans. It’ so supposed to be a supplement and be there for us, it’s NOT a Entitlement, we worked for it and paid for it! We shouldn’t be penalised for the government’s mismanagement and raids on the system.
Well, that’s it. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time, feel free to comment, like and share. God bless America and you.
Roberts Thoughts 2 