Still_Small_Voice

Thanks everybody.  A success to report, after 30 years of gagging at the very thought of eating a banana, I ate half of one this morning.  If I can learn to tolerate a banana a day, everything else is easy by comparison.

Glad you’re OK, and wishing you a speedy recovery.  

What a scary thing to happen. I'm glad you're ok @NeuroTypical!

I'm very glad you're still with us, NT. We need more loudmouthed Mormons.

Very good reminder that we should all take better care of our bodies. Thank you for sharing this, it answered a prayer for me. On the other side of this, I am very glad you are feeling better and I pray for your speedy recovery.

So on Sunday, I had a big honkin' heart attack, complete with ambulance ride and stent.  I got home yesterday - 2 nights in a hospital after heart surgery is still hard to believe, but here I am.  Absolutely no prior warning that this was headed my way - none of the high risk factors applied.  Well, yay me, I'm now a statistic.  Fun things:
- Complacency can be fatal.  If you find yourself clutching your chest, don't give in to the desire to say "I must have done something to my shoulder" or "weird heart burn".  Everyone is telling me the best thing that happened that day were those 4 baby aspirin in the first 30 minutes.   Lots of stories of "that guy" who did nothing for 6 hours, or until it happened again.
- Emergency responders appreciate good-natured humor, as it gives them an understanding as to the patient's consciousness/alertness.  Everyone appreciates the opportunity to see fire fighters taking crap because they're not cops, they're not EMT's, and nobody is on fire, so why are they even here?  I did what I could to make it a fun call, and all the responders seemed to have a good time. Firemen have thick skins, it rolls off them easy.
- Few things were more comforting than my neighbor showing up and saying "ya know, there are better ways to get attention", then giving me a blessing before they hauled me off.
- Dang, medical science is cool.  Stent placement in like 5 minutes - and they had my family watching the big full color live-action monitors showing the lack of blood flow, then the stent, then everything getting better. 
- ICU experience vs regular hospital: ICU gave me like a dozen different meds at different times.  "Hmm - the patient seems to have a slightly irregular eye blinking pattern.  I proscribe Iblinketol, and if it's still happening tomorrow, we'll start a regimen of Holycrapitol XR administered via IV".  Moving to a regular room and everyone was like "Huh - they list you as a high fall risk but you look ok.  Go take a shower and grab the call rope on your way down if there's a problem lol."  The regular nurses are probably still rolling their eyes and cancelling ICU orders.  No, I don't need a nose moisturizing cream because they gave me oxygen.  
- By far, the scariest part of the whole thing, is the prospect of a no-meat diet.  But the more I read, the less that seems likely.  I can handle steamed veggies and learning to love bananas, as long as meat stays on the menu.  My fast-food double-bacon-cheeseburger days are now over.  It's not a tragedy, I'm just retiring at the top of my game after a successful and enviable eating career of all-you-can-eat pizza buffets and BBQ ribs.  Grilled fish is the new black.
- Two types of people in my situation - those who make the necessary changes, and those who don't.  I know which type I'm gonna be.
Happy to still be here!

You don't have to.  It depends on how important you think it is for them to stay alive.

Working till  you die? Most get sick, disabled etc and don't work for 10-20 yrs before they die. That is the problem. At that point someone else (usually relatives) has to pay the difference until you die. A family member of ours never saved any money and now in their golden years we have to help pay for medical stuff because they have no savings to live off of. 

I agree with the cost of living. I rarely have a retiree living off much less than they previously earned unless their home is payed off. Generally they have Soc Sec between $1800-$2200 per month and then they subsidize with their savings. 

Maybe, if it made sense.  HOWEVER, my goal is safety.  I feel fairly comfortable extracting my family from a fire that starts at the meeting house while we're there, given the safety precautions we have in place, to include sprinklers AND fire extinguishers.  

I don't need your sadness, but thanks.  I carry a firearm almost everywhere.  I also wear a seatbelt.  I have fire extinguishers.  To date, I've never used my seatbelt or fire extinguishers, but I've used my firearm.  
I'd rather have all the tools at my disposal and not need them.

Rejoice with me!  I just got a letter in the mail from my company.  It said that we would get a profit share from our company that I work at.  I will be given around $1,350 deposited into an Individual Retirement Account.  This made me very happy today.
I do not ever remember getting a profit share from any company that I have worked at before.

The People of Ammon also made a covenant that they would never take up arms against their fellow men again.  I never intend to make a covenant like this.  I will defend my family or loved ones if I must even unto bloodshed.  Killing in self defense is an extreme but it is not against the commandments of God nor is it a sin.

The People of Ammon also made a covenant that they would never take up arms against their fellow men again.  I never intend to make a covenant like this.  I will defend my family or loved ones if I must even unto bloodshed.  Killing in self defense is an extreme but it is not against the commandments of God nor is it a sin.

The People of Ammon also made a covenant that they would never take up arms against their fellow men again.  I never intend to make a covenant like this.  I will defend my family or loved ones if I must even unto bloodshed.  Killing in self defense is an extreme but it is not against the commandments of God nor is it a sin.

"need"?  Almost never.  But if the need arises, which it probably won't, here are other scenarios.  Again, they almost never happen, but when they do, they often happen on a "routine day out":
- Neighborhood dogs attacking your kid
- Stuck out in the middle of nowhere as an attention getter (three shots = help)
- Putting down suffering animals hit by cars
- The hundreds of thousands of self-defense situations that occur every year in this country, where someone is willing to do serious/deadly harm to you or yours, to get what you have.  Not talking about robbery, even armed robbery.  This is someone wanting to hurt/kill someone to take their stuff or their virtue or their daughter.
- Short/medium term natural disasters that disrupt food supply/power/water and overwhelm law enforcement and public services.  People turn into animals in about 2 days.  Many stories from Hurricane Katrina, looting from the Rodney King riots, etc.  I've been snowed into town and unable to get home before.  

This trailer just confuses me.  I guess I will just have to wait until December to see what happens. 
The best movie of 2019 has already come out.  Other Side of Heaven II -- Fire of Faith was a great movie.  I recommend all see it.

To begin, and I mean no offense, but I am having a hard time believing this is actually an issue in light of the following statement, "If I run, next time he will call me a coward, I've seen this happen on Netflix. Where the bully chases the bullied." (emphasis mine)
There are times when anger is justified. In the Book of Mormon we read about Captain Moroni and what is said regarding if all humans had been and were like unto him the very powers of hell would have been frustrated. We also know that Captain Moroni was "angry" and rightfully so when he put his life on the line to save the Nephites and then you have a Nephite who wants to be king and creates a type of civil war.
Each situation should be handled according to the situation. You shared, "I really provoked my bully to hit me." If you provoke, by law you would still be protected if they move to physical aggression and then you protect yourself. By spiritual law, you provoked, and are held accountable before the Lord, and have need of repentance. Every situation will be different, some will have the same principles. Discover the principles by which we are governed and you will act appropriately. It is never wise to "provoke" your enemy. It is wise to use strategy.
No one can avoid all conflicts. In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites were told the Lord would tell them when to fight and when to run, and we can also see when the Lord would tell them to be patient.
Soft answers turn away wrath is a principle and is subject to situation and circumstance. I remember speaking with my sister once and I was maintaining a soft voice. Her response to my soft voice, "What are you trying to do?! You are only speaking softly to show you are better than me, or trying to make yourself better than me!" No, I was speaking softly in order to control my own frustration and anger, and so that I did not let my passions overrule me.
There are times and seasons. Our responsibility is to grow line up line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little until we have mastered ourselves. There was a time when the Lord whipped people out of his and his Father's house. There was a time when he allowed his body to be beaten and nailed to the cross without any anger. He is the exemplar and as long as you are seeking to become like Him, repenting when needed, then in time you will have answered all your questions and you will have principles and knowledge as to know when to run, when to fight, or when to be patient and stand your ground.
 

Is this the one with Tribbles?

So what does it mean if one is substantially out pacing their age group?

I do not save in regular 401K and individual retirement accounts anymore.  My wife and I save in Roth retirement accounts and other tax advantaged savings.  Still, we have about 50% saved according to our age bracket in this survey.  I am hoping to have over six times that in retirement savings within nine years.  Keep saving and hoping people.

Legislated (forced) sharing of resources isn't charity.  It seems more like Lucifer's plan than Jesus'.

The average 401(k) balance by age
by Arielle O'Shea via NerdWallet -- January 31, 2019
A record number of 401(k) holders at Fidelity Investments hit millionaire status in 2018. Not one of them? You’re in very good company: A seven-figure 401(k) balance is the exception, not the rule.  In fact, the average 401(k) balance at Fidelity — which holds 16.2 million 401(k) accounts and is consistently ranked as the largest defined contribution record-keeper — was $106,500 as of September 2018.
If that still seems high, consider that averages tend to be skewed by outliers, and in this case, that number is being propped up by those rare millionaires. The median, which represents the middle balance between the highs and lows, is just $24,800.
The below numbers show how 401(k) balances increase with age, at least until participants start drawing on their money in retirement.
Ages 20-29
Average 401(k) balance: $11,600.
Median 401(k) balance: $4,000.
Ages 30-39
Average 401(k) balance: $43,600.
Median 401(k) balance: $16,500.
Ages 40-49
Average 401(k) balance: $106,200.
Median 401(k) balance: $36,900.
Ages 50-59
Average 401(k) balance: $179,100.
Median 401(k) balance: $62,700.
Ages 60-69
Average 401(k) balance: $198,600.
Median 401(k) balance: $63,000.
Read more at:  https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/the-average-401k-balance-by-age

In my opinion the 401K is a secondary savings vehicle and not the primary.  You can kiss probably at least 22% of whatever money you have in a regular Individual Retirement Account gone when it comes time to withdraw.  A Roth retirement account when you begin withdrawing at retirement is tax free.  You also do not have to start withdrawing from a Roth at age 70.5 or face government penalties.

The average 401(k) balance by age
by Arielle O'Shea via NerdWallet -- January 31, 2019
A record number of 401(k) holders at Fidelity Investments hit millionaire status in 2018. Not one of them? You’re in very good company: A seven-figure 401(k) balance is the exception, not the rule.  In fact, the average 401(k) balance at Fidelity — which holds 16.2 million 401(k) accounts and is consistently ranked as the largest defined contribution record-keeper — was $106,500 as of September 2018.
If that still seems high, consider that averages tend to be skewed by outliers, and in this case, that number is being propped up by those rare millionaires. The median, which represents the middle balance between the highs and lows, is just $24,800.
The below numbers show how 401(k) balances increase with age, at least until participants start drawing on their money in retirement.
Ages 20-29
Average 401(k) balance: $11,600.
Median 401(k) balance: $4,000.
Ages 30-39
Average 401(k) balance: $43,600.
Median 401(k) balance: $16,500.
Ages 40-49
Average 401(k) balance: $106,200.
Median 401(k) balance: $36,900.
Ages 50-59
Average 401(k) balance: $179,100.
Median 401(k) balance: $62,700.
Ages 60-69
Average 401(k) balance: $198,600.
Median 401(k) balance: $63,000.
Read more at:  https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/the-average-401k-balance-by-age

Do not live a life like Jeff Epstein.  I will leave this quote here:
" . . . and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell."  -- Alma 30:60