Author Archives: Raymond Mills

16 Suggestions After Graduating College

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When developing this list of 16 Suggestions After Graduating College I was reminded by a contributor that each person has a different set circumstances and he warned against generalizations. I gave this some thought, and I believe nearly every single recent graduate will benefit from several components of this list, If not all. For example, I realized some time ago with regret I would have saved a bundle if I had a roommate to share the cost rather than living alone. . 16 Suggestions After Graduating College is in my opinion, the first page in a stong roadmap to a reduced stress… Continue reading →

Entitlement is offensive & not a reality …

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Talk of white Entitlement is just another form of racism as it lumps all whites together.  It also trivializes many years of effort.  If I started a sentence off “all blacks are…” every alarm bell should go off in your head.  Talk of “Entitlement” is no different.   The circumstances of my youth were such that my expectations were limited.  College was not a subject discussed because, no one went to college.  There was no money for college or much of anything else.  I remember once seeing $20,000 worth of my mother’s medical bills on top of the refrigerator.  Divorced and flying alone to Ohio in the… Continue reading →

Walking Journal 9/29/2020

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Walking Journal 09/29/20

When I started walking to improve my health seriously and ran into my first piece of road trash it occurred to me “that is a flat tire waiting to happen” and “why not do a little good” So I picked it up and properly tossed it into a garbage can.  Well, these last 6 months I put a lot of miles on my sneakers.  Sneakers that I can now see better because the belly that blocked the view of them has shrunk substantially.  Below is a sample of my finds – I did not want this web page taking 5… Continue reading →

MS Office Developer 18 Months in.

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MS Office Developer 18 months in

My Retirement Side-Hustle MS Office Developer 18 months in. It has been a year and half since I left the corporate world and hung up my virtual shingle.  Well, that is when I published my Microsoft Office Development www.excelandvbacraftsman.com website that is. MS Office Developer 18 months in My Retirement Side-Hustle Goals Were Simple:  Generate a modest amount of income while not working full time.  Hard work, a lifetime of saving, thrift, living debt free and investing put my wife and I in the enviable position that we do not need to work.  Well the income I have earned through… Continue reading →

Walking Journal 08/13/2020

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Walking between the raindrops

Walking between the raindrops This morning I woke early, just after 4 AM, I am fine with that because I am generally off to bed early and I am not above taking an hour nap in the afternoon.  Me, my cup of joe, and the old dog Dusty share some morning quiet time. I have checked the weather and it seems I have a couple hour window to get my daily exercise walk in before a change in weather is coming.   I found walking has me watching the weather carefully with an eye towards determining when I can sneak that daily… Continue reading →

10 Steps to Build Your Freedom Nest Egg

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10 Steps We Used to Build Our Freedom Nest Egg

If you are reading this blog post chances are you have either decided to get off the earn and spend treadmill or are looking for positive reinforcement on your ongoing journey to build Your  Freedom Nest Egg.  Either way welcome and congratulations you have started on a journey that can alter your future in some wonderful and unpredictable ways.  Unpredictable because freedom from debt and being FI (Financially Independent) opens all kinds of opportunities.     “Many people take no care of their money till they come nearly to the end of it, and others do just the same with their… Continue reading →

Walking Your Way to A Smaller You.

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Walking Your Way to A Smaller You…

7/21/2020, I am 66 today, retired, 5’11’ tall, 225 lbs., with 2 metal knees and 25lbs to go on a 55lb pound weight loss target (goal 200lbs). It started with a doctor visit where he said my sugar level was “out of control”.  Here is a brief recap of the steps I have taken since that diagnosis: Walking Your Way to A Smaller You… Walk at least an hour each morning- if there is nasty weather get on the stationary bike in the basement.  I will watch for a ‘weather window’ and walk later in the day if the storm… Continue reading →

How Covid affected Our Retirement

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How Covid Affected Our Retirement

How Covid Affected Our Retirement How Covid Affected Our Retirement I retired from a job I loved in January of 2019, that is almost a year and a half ago. Believe it or not it took me a year to ‘settle in’ to retirement. I know you are thinking what is there to settle into? It is simple: you just do not go to work.  Well, I went to work for 38 years to different jobs, and buildings but all at the same company.  Got up early, showered, shaved, dressed, grabbed a bite, and made some coffee and hit the road…. Continue reading →

Memories of the Deep-Water Drifter

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Memories of the Deep-Water Drifter

I have a confession to make my late older brother and I shared an addiction: fishing.  I know you are thinking well that is no big deal.  No, addictive behavior is can lead to bad choices and as I was to learn, bad choices have consequences. I still nave Memories of the Deep-Water Drifter.  Be assured it is a subject that is not disgussed at family gatherings. My three brothers, a brother in law and my sister left early in the morning, as it was a long drive. We found the boat moored in the marina as per the directions. … Continue reading →

The Mower – A Free Short Story

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The Mower a Free Short Story

Foreword I learned putting my short story on the ‘Net’ does not mean any of the 4 plus billion active internet users will find my work.  Concessions had to be made, the title, “The Mower a Free Short Story” was conceived to meet SEO (Search Engine Optimization) keywords.  Did you know “Short Story” gets 60,000 searches each month. I am hoping a few of those searches for Short Story will trickle though to here.   I did not however alter the Body of the Story to make it optimized SEO speak.   Yes, there is software out there to do just that- Frankly, that… Continue reading →