Bagging It
Marjorie Kondrack | Aug 18, 2023
IT'S BEEN A YEAR since New Jersey banned all plastic bags from grocery stores, and yet I’m still wandering into our local store without my reusable bags. You would think I’d have gotten the memo by now. I used to keep the bags in the trunk of my car—but out of sight, out of mind. As a visual reminder, I now keep them inside my car on the passenger side. But they might as well still be in the trunk. Maybe I should hang them around my neck. While walking through the parking lot during my last food shopping venture, I saw another shopper heading in the direction of the store, bogged down with bags, which reminded me that I’d forgotten mine—again. I’m on line at the checkout when I notice the shopper ahead of me has a neatly folded, organized pile of reusable bags. They’re uniform in size, color and pattern, with the logo on the bag matching the store we’re shopping at. Meanwhile, I have a motley wad of bags in various sizes, shapes, colors and patterns—some with a psychedelic melange—and almost all of which were freebies from various sources. I have bags with logos from three different supermarkets in my area. I feel a little sheepish when I hand over some of the bags at checkout in the Wegmans food store, while trying to hide my bag with the Aldi store logo emblazoned on it. One of my bags announces, “Surely Not Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting,” which would leave you completely lost unless you’re old enough to remember the song. I also have a bag with a New York attitude that reads, “You Got a Problem With That?” And from the Sopranos: “Fughgeddaboudit.” My logic is that, if others think I’m a thug, it might keep…
Read more » A Diamond Wedding Anniversary
Marjorie Kondrack | Apr 9, 2025
I wore a gown of Chantilly lace—the sun caught the sparkles in my bridal headdress. My husband was resplendent in his tuxedo—the sun was shining on a beautiful April morning —Our wedding day, 60 years ago, April, 1965. While The choice of a spouse is among the most important decisions most people ever make, it’s a choice that comes with no guarantees of long term happiness. That said, we all have an ideal vision of the person we would like to marry. But once that exciting someone comes along all previous expectations vanish. Rich and I are as different as two people can be but sometimes that difference can be a powerful attraction. We saw in each other the deep and abiding life values that were rooted in our faith and personal beliefs. It’s been our strongest bond, giving us a solid foundation to become united in every way possible. We simply stood the test of time in a deeply committed relationship and we’re so grateful to still have each other. In the lyrics from “They Say it’s Wonderful” these words still set my heart aglow: “To hold a man in your arms is wonderful, wonderful… in every way… so they say.. —from the musical “Annie Get Your Gun.”
Read more » Luxury Liner Living
Marjorie Kondrack | Mar 17, 2023
MOST OF US REACH a point in retirement where we think about downsizing. This happened most recently for us when my husband was replacing batteries in our smoke alarms. This required him to stand on a ladder and look up, triggering a bout of vertigo. This and other elder episodes, happening as we try to perform simple, everyday tasks, caused us to rethink our ability to remain in our current home. We’re not decrepit yet, but we are slowly succumbing to the vagaries of aging. Many retirees choose to move to 55-plus communities. For those a little further down the road, there are assisted-living facilities and continuing care retirement communities. Today, we also have the choice of 55-plus “resort living” communities, described by the owners as “upscale.” Translation: expensive. These are independent living apartments where you pay rent on a month-to-month lease. There’s no buy-in or one-time fee. These communities are portrayed as "cruise-ship-style living.” The amenities include executive chefs providing three meals a day, an array of snacks, salads and sandwiches for in-between noshers, room service, free wi-fi and utilities, weekly housekeeping and concierge service. Pets are allowed, and there’s a host of additional services. My interest in this style of living was piqued when construction began on a resort living community close to my home. A friend asked me to accompany her to an information seminar given by the management. I also wanted to learn more about this Utopian-sounding existence. There’s no home upkeep, no cooking or shopping for food, no worrying about home repairs, lawn care, snow removal and so on. The salesman giving the presentation was top-notch, with a resonant, booming voice that even those with diminished hearing couldn’t fault. It all sounded like Nirvana, but being a “kick the tires” kind of person, I’ve decided to reserve…
Read more » Dreaming of a Jewish Christmas
Marjorie Kondrack | Dec 22, 2024
There aren’t many people left on my Christmas card list. it becomes shortened with each passing year, but for more than 50 years, we have received a card from someone I never met whose name is Ben Goldberg. My husband retired 17 years ago and Ben is a man he worked with. Ben is not a Christian, but he sends a lovely card— no personal message, just signs his full name and that’s it. Somehow as strange as it might seem, Ben’s greeting adds a special meaning to our Christmas. Meanwhile, I hope that some of you have watched the PBS special, I’m dreaming of a Jewish Christmas. -A documentary about Jewish songwriters and their connection to Christmas music, including Irving Berlin and Mel Tormé. I love how they rearranged a few traditional Christmas carols like Deck the Halls, in “Hora” Tempo…lively Jewish wedding dance music. Very clever. If you have an on-demand feature with your cable subscription, you may be able to pull it up or it will probably air again before Christmas. Mazel tov! and Merry Christmas.
Read more » Fox in the Henhouse
Marjorie Kondrack | Mar 27, 2024
ALBERT EINSTEIN reportedly once said, “The hardest thing in the world to understand is income taxes.” Which makes me wonder: How did I end up wandering into this mind-boggling field? I like knowing how my money gets taxed because it helps me better control our finances. By managing taxes, we can significantly boost how much money we have for retirement. Why is the tax system so complicated? The system is trying to do more than just collect taxes. Congress uses the tax code to try to achieve economic and social goals, and then relies on an overburdened IRS to deliver on those plans. It would be far better for the IRS to concentrate its efforts on collecting revenue—its primary purpose—and let other federal agencies monitor social policies. The U.S. tax code is a master class in complexity. If you prepare your own return, you need a lot of patience and usually find yourself reading the instructions more than once. Today’s tax laws unnecessarily burden America's taxpayers and make voluntary tax compliance far too difficult. The two top dogs in tax-preparation software are TurboTax and H&R Block. I’ve also had good results with FreeTaxUSA. It supports most tax situations and forms, without incessant handholding. It charges if you want live help, and also for state tax returns. Now, the IRS wants to get in on the action. Its new Direct File pilot program, a free tax-filing program, is currently available in 12 states. The program doesn’t prepare state returns, nor can you use it if you itemize deductions, have more than $1,500 in interest income or claim certain tax credits. In other words, as currently designed, it’s only meant for people with simple tax situations. The thinking is that, if the pilot plan is successful, it’ll be expanded to handle more complicated returns. Some…
Read more » Hearing Voices
Marjorie Kondrack | Jan 28, 2023
READING ABOUT FINANCE can be a little dry at times, so I occasionally turn to TV for relief, relaxation and a little entertainment. What am I drawn to? More than anything, it hinges on a person’s voice. For instance, I like listening to Neil Cavuto on Fox Business Network. His interviews with business leaders are usually interesting and his demeanor holds my attention. He comes across as earnest. My parents were transplanted New Englanders, so I never had a heavy Brooklyn accent, but just a hint of one, thanks to being raised there. I worked hard to lose it, but it still slips out when I’m tired. I guess you can take the girl out of Brooklyn but not Brooklyn out of the girl. I’m always glad when I tell people where I’m from and they say, “You don’t sound like you’re from Brooklyn,” as if I were expected to say “dees” for “these,” “dem” for “them,” and “doze” for “those.” I still remember the late Marty Zweig, a regular panelist on Wall Street Week with Louis Rukeyser. He was an erudite investment advisor and financial analyst, and contributed many articles to Barron’s. He had a certain charm and an interesting personality, and hid his persona behind a humble, “regular Joe,” almost woebegone demeanor. I recall him saying he liked rock and roll, had a jukebox and enjoyed salsa dancing. He had a wry, dry sense of humor. I find a pleasant, well-modulated and cultured voice can be so much more interesting and pleasant to listen to than someone who yaps away. It allows the listener to better take in the message that’s being conveyed. I once worked with someone whose voice can only be described as mellifluous. When he spoke, I was almost transfixed. It was like listening to…
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