OpEd: "The Downsizing"

Having just returned from the warm temps of Florida, it has been a real adjustment---and I had a close up look at how Seniors adjust to retirement---and have concluded that there are several phases---in the first visits, Seniors stay for a week, and go out to dinner every night. Later when they go to Florida three months of the year, they go out to lunch, and leave the dinners for the short timers. Later, when they stay 6months of the year, they go out to breakfast and stock up the freezers with goodies for the other two meals---in short it is a downsizing from the first years. Here in Wisconsin we are seeing the "Downsizing" first hand---downsizing of manufacturing jobs, any jobs, tax revenue, income, hopes, dreams and opportunity as the entire State of Wisconsin faces division and decline, division of the political process into a maelstrom of ranting on all sides, and decline as folks decide to leave to avoid it. It is way beyond anger. It is anguish. Anguish that recognizes that the old song "You can't Always get what you want" may in fact be true...And there may be no guarantees how long it will be till the dreams downsized can be realized. And the far greater anguish is that you may not be able to get what you need, forget the wants. stay tuned....this story is in development.