-- JAMES TAYLOR, 1971
A few months ago, this verse got stuck in my head, and it took me a lot longer than usual to remember the song. "Fire and Rain" was one of the great songs of its time, and might possibly have been the best song ever from James Taylor.
The last three months of my life almost epitomizes this song. Between spinal problems -- a degenerative disk in my lower back -- that likely will never leave me, and double vision that has plagued me for about four months now, my body is definitely aching.
That doesn't necessarily mean my time is at hand. I intend to be here as long as my wife needs me, and it would make a huge difference if could just get past the double vision and see normally again.
The back pain is at its worst at night. In fact, it has been at least a month since I have slept through the night. Generally I awake after sleeping for 60-90 minutes. Then I'm awake for up to three hours before the pain goes away enough to sleep again.
Things will get better.
They just have to.
***
Free stuff?
For people who aren't billionaires?
Is Bernie Sanders crazy?
Actually he's not, but he is allowing himself to be pushed farther and farther to the left in the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination.
His most recent proposal -- eliminating $1.6 trillion in student loan debt -- would have an incredible effect on the last two generations of college students.
Maybe too much of an effect. One thing that is absolutely true is that if you're going to forgive all student loan debt, you're going to put an end to the student loan program. So even if you're going to make all public two-year and four-year colleges tuition free, what do you do about living expenses?
And what about private colleges and graduate schools?
Sadly, giving people something for free makes them value it less. But if we reworked the original idea of the G.I. Bill after World War II, we could have people perform public service -- military or civilian -- and earn college.
In the same way, we can demand service in exchange for student-loan debt forgiveness. Say a year of service to reduce $25,000 of debt. Not only does it take away the stigma of "free stuff," it creates a feeling pride in serving the community.
You want a lesser solution that would still help some? Forgive all interest on student loans. If someone borrowed $50,000 for college, they pay back $50,000. If that doesn't seem like a big deal, you've never dealt with a loan shark.
As the late great Rodney Dangerfield once said:
"I borrowed $100 from a shylock. I paid him back $25 a week for four years and still owed him $300."
