Routine physical examination/Carlos Pueblo

Routine physical examination/Carlos Pueblo

In order to keep enough medicine for my nearly seven weeks trip to Europe,

I went to the clinic to have a physical examination basically by drawing blood.

Three weeks later, the nurse of the clinic called me back for another blood test

for prostate index reading. The Medicare , senior healthcare, has a thoughtful

system to prevent a sudden discovery of illness. I have a diabetes ; therefore,

I must have routine health examination and eye examination to trace the blood

sugar.

I walk 2.2 miles a day for about 20 years, in addition to that walking, I play tennis

three times in a week. Recently I am on a healthy diet not very much fruits and

more vegetable. Most of the result from the physical is normal and the intake dose

maintains certain level most of the time. With this physical, I can travel almost any

time in a year to where able I can go.

At the beginning, I would go back to Taiwan for visiting, then gradually, I extend my

trip to Japan, Europe, and Argentina. Because of the foreign travel, I also need to

review some basic foreign language like to prepare the medicine. It has occupied more

and more of my retirement life.

After 65, I have been under the Medicare advantage program, a HMO system which

has a certain routine to manage the patient’s healthcare. The older I have been, the

urgent need that I must have such care in order to maintain a healthy physical condition.

I see most of the patients waiting inside the clinics, both the family and eyes, are senior

citizen who have the insurance and time to take care of their physical being.

例行體檢/莊峻華

例行體檢/莊峻華

我因為準備遠行，準備日常三種用藥，到診所體檢驗血，我忘記多久

體檢一次？一般說來，醫生要我三、四個月，體檢一次，決定血糖控

制效果，最近，眼科醫生，也規定要定期追蹤眼睛血糖，美國老人健

保，非常有效率，當然，我個人也注意運動，身心調和，不為碎事煩

惱。

有天訪問峻嚴，一位診所護士電話來，提到驗血結果，接著要我找時

間，回診所驗血，查攝護腺指數，峻嚴就在旁解釋，說是醫生肛門測

試，只是初步，驗血比較詳細，原來醫生也有團隊，隨時檢查病例，

查看平素體檢項目，就連眼科護士，也隨時詢問，感冒預苗注射等，

有時候我也不清楚。

我自己之體檢方法，首先觀察每日清晨，2.2哩路之散步，這也是一日

之社交機會，我可以遇見許多鄰居，還有許多愛犬和愛貓，散步時間拉

長，最近注意到一位鄰居，每日散步15哩路，早上走到中午，身體十分

黝黑健壯，令我羨慕，我已經開始增加，散步時間和次數。

另外一日常運動，就是每週三次之網球，老隊長已經準備搬家，搬到老人

公寓，新蓋之公寓，有醫療設備，有醫護專人，可以買斷，離開公寓時，

可以退款90%，老隊長尚可網球，夫人則缺乏日常運動，稍有狀況，搬遷

後，球隊解散，我已經開始安排，投奔他方，我在20年前，加入此球隊，

當年例會，多有四對雙打，現在僅存三人，而且是老弱殘兵，我希望我能

繼續網球運動。

兩診所都有好生意，門庭若市，醫生親切，連帶整個護理團隊，內科診所

，有22位內科醫生，一半是女醫，有一專設藥局，藥劑師都是藥學博士，

非常有效率；眼科醫生，上次拯救我之白內障失敗手術，妙手回春，也是

病患眾多，九點約見，一直到11點半，始完成例行檢查，醫生一直道歉，

護士兩位，也是忙得團團轉，下次眼睛檢查，我就約到首班七點半。

Visiting Europe in April, 2016/Carlos Pueblo

Visiting Europe in April, 2016/Carlos Pueblo

In April, I shall take a transatlantic cruise from Houston to Barcelona, Spain.

European trip will continue until June for a total of 7 weeks while I am

going through Spain, England, Ireland, France, and Germany etc. at least

5 nations, and in September this year, I shall repeat it again by flying to

Frankfurt, Germany and coming back with the same ship in November. I

consider myself in a good life for the time being.

Preparing for the trip, I am taking out of the Spanish and French language

textbooks to review, of course, it may not be necessary; however I like to

learn foreign language anyway. People appreciate my effort more when I

attempt to speak their language. I shall stay in Barcelona for 3 days, 2 days

in London, 5 days in Dublin, 10 days each in Paris and Frankfurt.

I like Europe because of convenient public transportation, amazing history

and civilization, and charming scenery. Recently, I watched an old program

on internet introducing Ireland and found that was very interesting. The

territory of Ireland is about 1.9 time larger that Taiwan with a population

of 4.5 million which is 20 million less that Taiwan. The introduction has pointed

out that Ireland has an average gross domestic product higher than the Great

Britain and I double check the report that is at the right level with the U.S.

I like to know the reasons why make the situation so amazing, and why there

are about 50 thousands Irish national wondering in U.S. as Nancy Pelosi indicates.

I shall see if I can run into the rose blossom at Queen Mary’s Garden inside the

Regent Park. I shall find my new experience with France and Germany, two great

European nations.

四月歐洲行/莊峻華

四月歐洲行/莊峻華

四月中旬，我將從休市，搭乘郵輪到歐洲，很有意思，橫渡大西洋16日，

在西班牙之巴塞隆納港登陸，然後陪三位朋友在巴市，停留三夜，再飛倫

敦，停留兩夜後，飛往愛爾蘭，在都柏林五日，然後飛往巴黎，在巴黎十

日，再飛往法蘭克福，停留十日後，六月二日，搭機返美，機票均購妥，

旅社定到都柏林，想來均無問題，我開始重拾西班牙語，和法語教科書，

開始溫習兩語言，德語困難，已經遠水救不了近火。

我一直耽心，航空公司之哩數優待，隨時在改變，隨時面臨過期，所以拼命

安排旅行，世界各國中，符合我節約自助者，歐洲日本耳，有方便之交通工

具，便宜之旅社，其他消費，均可安排，台灣也好，但台北旅社，居高不下，

鄉下交通不便，我已經知難而退，目前，我已經有買好一張機票，九月中回

德國，十月底，搭乘原郵輪回休市。

在大西洋半個月，有足夠時間休息和溫習語言，巴塞隆納有三天，可以逛街，

倫敦可以再去看白金漢宮，攝政王公園，格林威治。聽說愛爾蘭，國民所得平

均，高過英國，這是台灣海外網一節目如是說，連忙詢問琳兒，她說愛爾蘭有

優惠，給與巨大企業，這些企業於是，開始併吞當地公司，然後將美國之總部

，遷移到都柏林，都講英文，但稅務較輕，於是我恍然大悟，如此一來，美國

就業又開始有問題，愛爾蘭人口只有四百五十萬，土地是台灣之兩倍不到，平

均數目，容易翻轉，但人民收入，平均尚低，不然我們之頗若西少數黨領袖，為

何提到美國，有五萬名愛爾蘭，非法移民？

巴黎和德國，都是久違之處，兩國各十日，應該可以認識，此兩歐陸大國。

Going to visit annual cherry blossom in D.C./Carlos Pueblo

Going to visit annual cherry blossom in D.C./Carlos Pueblo

I am going to visit the annual cherry blossom in Washington D.C. next week

even though I am a week late for the peak of 2016, of course, I mean that I

am a week late for Somei Yashino and a week too early for Kwanshan cherry.

I have been to D.C. for the annual cherry blossom festival since 2010 and missed

At least twice for Yoshino yet caught Kwanshan instead. Yoshino is graceful while

Kwanshan is charming. I have been very fortunate for this annual visit instead of

a long trip to Japan in the spring. Cherry blossom only lasts for a week and is very

difficult to make an accurate travel arrangement for the right peak time.

Hanami means to meet the flowers blossom which is an activity of the spring.

The newspaper will remind the people when is the peak time of the year,

Sakura Zensen or the frontier of cherry blossom to monitor the peak  nationwide.

From early February in the southern Kyushu Island to late April in the northern Hokkaido

Island and again in the fall for the frontier of red leaf, the maple, from the north down

to the south till early winter.

D.C. is the national capital and of course, maintains a top standard of a city especially

in the federal building area. A lots of flowers blossom in the spring and a lots of visitors

from all over the world which make it very interesting to visit. I also take time to visit

the famous Smithsonian on the national mall. One year, I even ran into to an exhibition

of Taiwanese orchids.  

華府賞櫻2016/莊峻華

華府賞櫻2016/莊峻華

下週三，我將旅行華府賞櫻，我查網路消息，潮汐盆地之染井吉野櫻，

已經盛開，心中悵然若失，櫻花期短暫，稍縱即逝。步入老年後，特別

注意四季花朵，旅行各地，不時巧遇花季，多半是都市美容，也有的是

原野自然，日本櫻花，已經推廣到全球。

日語名詞花見，指者櫻花也，所以有櫻花前線，在報上推斷櫻期，當然，

秋日有紅葉前線，推斷楓葉變紅，我也攀附風雅，追到各地，欣賞自然。

通常我搭機到紐約，然後搭乘巴士到華府，再轉地下跌到淑英府，放下行

李後，直奔史密斯人站，就是華府中心，開始花見，錯過染井吉野，一種

東京培育品種，也許遇到關山櫻花，一種高雅，一種豔麗，關山櫻四百株，

集中在頗多美克河畔，小半島上，淑英幫我準備飯盒，中午後，坐在河邊

，觀看國家機場，飛機起落。

白宮附近之華府，就像是花園，許多豔麗花海，而且建築宏偉美觀，充分

展示國家實力，步行疲倦，就躲入史密斯人博物館，參觀古典和近代藝術

，一切免費。

Retirement Plans in the U.S./ Carlos Pueblo

Retirement Plans in the U.S./ Carlos Pueblo

I have always enjoyed discussing the retirement plans in the U.S. which I

have considered as a comprehensive, fair, and considerate. I am one of

the beneficiary of such plans in a defined benefit plan, a HR-10 plan, a

traditional individual retirement account, and a 401k account, of course,

including a social security insurance plan. Almost all the retirement plans

are funded by the contribution of the individual except the defined benefit

plan which is gradually diminished nowadays.

I started to withdraw my defined benefit plan at 55 with my last employer

for $202 a month. This amount helped me to make up my decision to withdraw

my social security benefit early at age 62 for a discount amount. I figured if I

would live up to age 85, I can come out ahead of a lump sum distribution, on

the other hand, I may lose some on the social security; however, I can make up

the loss by postponing the other withdraw of pension plans. Most of the employers

of the U.S. don’t provide the defined benefit plan, instead, they provide a 401k

plan to replace the old defined benefit plan in order to save the cost.

I contributed 10% of my gross income to the previous employer which also provided

the small defined benefit plan. The employer also provided additional 4% contribution

to that plan with a 4 years clause in order to be your money. In addition to that, the

company set up an additional annuity plan for you to contribute 13% after tax fund.

This employer is very considerate for the retirement of the employee. Actually, the

employer does not contribute much for such retirement plan at all; however, this plan

help me very much in the future of my retirement portfolio. My 10% contribution was

before tax and subject to income tax deductible. 13% annuity contribution is not subject

to tax deductible yet the annual gain and appreciation is sheltered till the withdraw.

As a self-employed proprietorship, I have contributed to a Keogh Plan, a HR-10 pension

plan, later I transferred to a ro-over individual retirement plan, IRA. This plan I contributed

25% of my annual adjustable gross income and subsequently received the tax deductible

with the same amount. This account has been grown amazingly even helping me to support

both of my children to finish college education, of course, IRS allows me to withdraw  the

necessary amount periodically until age  59.5. I stop to withdraw at that age and shall return

to with draw at age 70.5 according to IRS rule.

The way to financial independence is working and saving. The working and saving requires

a good education, a good philosophy of your life and a good retirement plan.