Have you ever noticed how much freer people are when they are young? They are not yet tied down by responsibilities, kids, and things. They can move far away or do something new and crazy on a whim.
Once people get older they usually get more and more stuck in a routine and burdened by overwhelming responsibilities. But it doesn't have to end up like that! Some responsibilities are unavoidable, but others are a choice. Do you wish you weren't burdened by a mortgage and a big house to maintain? Rent or buy a smaller house! Do you feel like you can't move because you have too much stuff to bring with you? Don't buy so much stuff! Do you feel like you can't go back to school or try surfing because you are too old? Who cares?! You don't have to put restrictions on yourself.
I love the idea of living freely. I never want to have so many possessions that they feel like a burden. I never want to have so many responsibilities that there is no fun left in life. I never want to feel like I am too old to try something new. I keep all that in mind when I make decisions about taking on more responsibilities. By not taking on too much, I can choose to be light and free my whole life.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Time To Spare
Seriously, everyday I think about about writing a post. But then, somehow, there is not enough time or nothing to write about or I'm just plain lazy. I only work part-time, but some days I work close to 10 hours, and on those days I wonder how anyone ever has the energy to have kids, work full-time, and go to school. Because on those days it is all I can muster to drag myself home and flop on the closest soft surface. I know quite a few people who do the work and school and kids thing, and every time I hear about it I am just in awe. What kind of magic pill are these people taking that allows them to have the energy to do so much? Maybe I have unusually low energy or motivation, but I'm pretty sure if I tried to do all that I would be crying in a fetal position within 5 minutes. If you haven't noticed, I'm the kind of person who likes to take things slow and simple. I don't like to over-extend myself because I feel life is too short to be running around like a crazy person all the time. Problem is, we live in a time where everything is so fast-paced, if you're not running around like a crazy person, people think YOU'RE the one that's crazy. Whatever. I'm not going to speed up just because of other people's disapproval. But sometimes I do wish I could do it all with energy and time left to spare.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
What Budget?
This may sound strange coming from me, the queen of financial responsibility, but I don't like budgets. Plans - yes. Approximations - yes. Estimates - yes. Budget - no. So why all this hate towards something every financial planner swears by? Well I'll tell ya. No one ever stays on budget. You only ever hear of people going over budget. If by some miracle someone does stay on budget, it's not because they have a budget. It's because they didn't have any surprise expenses or they didn't have any extra money to spend beyond the budget.
That's the thing with budgets. Everyone seems to think they are some set-in-stone amount that they absolutely can not exceed. But when it comes down to the wire, they always seem to find a way to get more money and go over budget. That means that budgets mean nothing. They are like a promise that isn't kept. Budgets are only what people WANT to spent, not what they CAN spend. That's why they never work.
If you had $1,000 to spend, but you only wanted to spend $100 of it and save the rest, how long do you think it would take to find excuses to go over your $100 'budget'? 'Well there's sales tax, and that will bring the price over $100.' 'I found this really cool thing for $125, and that is only a little over $100.' Pretty soon, you have spent the whole $1,000 and you have no idea how it all added up so fast. I know everyone doesn't think about money this way, but I think the large majority do. In America, if you want more money or more credit, there is almost always some way to get it. Therefore, the budget is always unlimited. If you want to limit the budget, you have to limit yourself, and most Americans don't seem to be so good at that.
I'm not saying it isn't wise to plan how you will spend your money. I just don't like the word 'budget'. Budgets never work because people can't limit themselves. So plan, save, appropriate, invest, and estimate, but NEVER, EVER, BUDGET.
That's the thing with budgets. Everyone seems to think they are some set-in-stone amount that they absolutely can not exceed. But when it comes down to the wire, they always seem to find a way to get more money and go over budget. That means that budgets mean nothing. They are like a promise that isn't kept. Budgets are only what people WANT to spent, not what they CAN spend. That's why they never work.
If you had $1,000 to spend, but you only wanted to spend $100 of it and save the rest, how long do you think it would take to find excuses to go over your $100 'budget'? 'Well there's sales tax, and that will bring the price over $100.' 'I found this really cool thing for $125, and that is only a little over $100.' Pretty soon, you have spent the whole $1,000 and you have no idea how it all added up so fast. I know everyone doesn't think about money this way, but I think the large majority do. In America, if you want more money or more credit, there is almost always some way to get it. Therefore, the budget is always unlimited. If you want to limit the budget, you have to limit yourself, and most Americans don't seem to be so good at that.
I'm not saying it isn't wise to plan how you will spend your money. I just don't like the word 'budget'. Budgets never work because people can't limit themselves. So plan, save, appropriate, invest, and estimate, but NEVER, EVER, BUDGET.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Too Many Cards
It seems like every business these days has some kind of card that they try to get you to sign up for - preferred customer card, punch card, brand credit card, reward card, loyalty card. I'm getting really tired of being asked every time I check out at a store, "Do you have a card with us?" Sometimes I just want to scream, "NO! I don't have card, and I don't want to ever be asked that question again!"
I get why businesses have these sorts of cards. They usually reward customers with a discount for shopping at their store, thus prompting repeat business from that customer. So I guess that is OK if you have only a very few stores that you like to shop at. But what if you like to shop around? If that's the case, you could easily find your wallet bursting with a million 'loyalty' cards. Doesn't it seem contradictory to have loyalty cards to five different grocery stores? Ten different gas stations? Twenty different clothing stores?
Few people these days are loyal to specific stores because almost everything is big business and no one is really friends with big business. They only go along with it because it gets them cheap prices. If I had things my way, we would all do away with cards and show our loyalty by actually shopping somewhere frequently. Of course that won't happen, so I do the next best thing and refuse as many cards as possible. Besides, we all know that having a customer card doesn't mean you are loyal. It just means you caved in to the question you have been asked too many times - "Do you have a card with us?"
I get why businesses have these sorts of cards. They usually reward customers with a discount for shopping at their store, thus prompting repeat business from that customer. So I guess that is OK if you have only a very few stores that you like to shop at. But what if you like to shop around? If that's the case, you could easily find your wallet bursting with a million 'loyalty' cards. Doesn't it seem contradictory to have loyalty cards to five different grocery stores? Ten different gas stations? Twenty different clothing stores?
Few people these days are loyal to specific stores because almost everything is big business and no one is really friends with big business. They only go along with it because it gets them cheap prices. If I had things my way, we would all do away with cards and show our loyalty by actually shopping somewhere frequently. Of course that won't happen, so I do the next best thing and refuse as many cards as possible. Besides, we all know that having a customer card doesn't mean you are loyal. It just means you caved in to the question you have been asked too many times - "Do you have a card with us?"
Friday, July 29, 2011
Paper Paperweight
A few days ago I got a brand........new.........phone book! I'm really not excited. In fact, it got me wondering why they even still exist. Does anyone use those at all anymore? The only way I could see needing a phone book is if you don't have the internet, or a cell phone, or a GPS. So basically if you are cut off from every form of technology. That's not easy to do these days.
Phone books are the equivalent of pay phones or video retail stores. No one uses them anymore! But for some reason, rain or shine, every year, I get this gigantic book delivered to my doorstep and it sits in my kitchen, untouched, until the next one arrives. Isn't this a waste of money? Is there a way to opt out of this ancient service?
But here is the truly tragic part of all this - I can't bring myself to throw the phone book away right when it arrives. Why? Because somehow a little part of me still believes I might need it for something. What if I can't get on the internet to look up a business? What if I need something heavy? What if there is something in the phone book that is not on the internet? Totally irrational, I know. Also, (this is going to sound weird) phone books are slightly sentimental to me. They remind me of my childhood when we actually used the phone book quite a lot. Back then, the phone book was the all-knowing source of information that the internet is today. The family phone book was always well-used with torn-out pages, highlighted numbers, and bent corners. These days, my phone book sits perfect and untouched like a memorial to an old friend. Phone books my not be what they once were, but at least I still have the memories.
Phone books are the equivalent of pay phones or video retail stores. No one uses them anymore! But for some reason, rain or shine, every year, I get this gigantic book delivered to my doorstep and it sits in my kitchen, untouched, until the next one arrives. Isn't this a waste of money? Is there a way to opt out of this ancient service?
But here is the truly tragic part of all this - I can't bring myself to throw the phone book away right when it arrives. Why? Because somehow a little part of me still believes I might need it for something. What if I can't get on the internet to look up a business? What if I need something heavy? What if there is something in the phone book that is not on the internet? Totally irrational, I know. Also, (this is going to sound weird) phone books are slightly sentimental to me. They remind me of my childhood when we actually used the phone book quite a lot. Back then, the phone book was the all-knowing source of information that the internet is today. The family phone book was always well-used with torn-out pages, highlighted numbers, and bent corners. These days, my phone book sits perfect and untouched like a memorial to an old friend. Phone books my not be what they once were, but at least I still have the memories.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Out In The Open
I've never understood why some people feel the need to hide certain parts of their house. Like when you go to a friend's house for the first time and you see the living room and the kitchen, but God forbid you see the bedroom. The tour comes to a screeching halt before you ever get close to that room. Why? Do most people have a lot to hide in their bedrooms? Are they embarrassed that the room is messy? Is it just not socially acceptable to show off your room?
If someone comes to my house I have no problem showing them just about anything. They could rummage through my closet for all I care. Aside from my personal journal, I don't have anything I don't want people to see. It baffles me when others are reluctant to show their room. It's not like I haven't seen an unmade bed or dirty laundry before. You would have to have nothing short of sex toys scattered everywhere to shock me. Even then, I don't think I would be so much shocked as I would think, "So that's what you're into!"
Maybe people are afraid of being judged by their messy rooms or sex toy collections. Have no fear when it comes to me. I don't judge.
If someone comes to my house I have no problem showing them just about anything. They could rummage through my closet for all I care. Aside from my personal journal, I don't have anything I don't want people to see. It baffles me when others are reluctant to show their room. It's not like I haven't seen an unmade bed or dirty laundry before. You would have to have nothing short of sex toys scattered everywhere to shock me. Even then, I don't think I would be so much shocked as I would think, "So that's what you're into!"
Maybe people are afraid of being judged by their messy rooms or sex toy collections. Have no fear when it comes to me. I don't judge.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Crazy Boring
My blog hasn't been at the top of my priority list lately, mainly because I haven't had much that has inspired me to write. You could say I'm lazy or boring, and you might be right......but I really don't care. If I want to be lazy and boring I shouldn't have to justify it. Yet there is always a tiny part of me that feels just a little guilty for doing nothing. Call it social responsibility, proving my worth, or whatever. I don't think anyone wants to feel like they are not contributing to the world. However, the thing that most people don't realize is, a little bit of laziness doesn't take away from all the productive things you have done and will do. You don't have to be accomplishing something every second of your life to be important. In fact, I think relaxing is VITAL to a happy life. That is why I can say I don't care if others think I am lazy. I know what is important in life, and it's not pleasing everyone all the time or trying to do a million things a day. I just need to remind myself of that so I can squash that tiny guilt that pops up once in a while when I am doing nothing.
I also want to show off my new haircut in this post:
A lot of people, especially women, are shocked that I would cut off my long hair that I have been growing for about a year. Meh It's no biggie to me. In fact, it's kind of a relief to not have all that extra hair in the way. I think having long hair is more of a pain than anything. The only thing I miss about it is being able to braid it or put it in a ponytail. Hair always grows back, so I don't understand why so many people get attached to it. If anything, I love to try different things with my hair. I would get bored if it was always the same. I don't get freaked out by bad haircuts either. I might be a little upset if I had a truly horrific haircut, but I'm pretty mellow about a few little mistakes. IT'S HAIR. IT GROWS. IT CHANGES. IT'S NOT PERFECT.
It is because of my lack of fear of a bad haircut that I go to the beauty school to get my hair cut. The people there are still learning to cut hair, so mistakes may happen more often. But I think, if anything, they are usually too conservative when cutting my hair. They are afraid to make a mistake and I can understand why. So many people are uptight about their hair and would be enraged at a bad haircut. Not me. If you ask me, hair is made to be played with and mistakes are insignificant in the long run. So go crazy with it!
I also want to show off my new haircut in this post:
A lot of people, especially women, are shocked that I would cut off my long hair that I have been growing for about a year. Meh It's no biggie to me. In fact, it's kind of a relief to not have all that extra hair in the way. I think having long hair is more of a pain than anything. The only thing I miss about it is being able to braid it or put it in a ponytail. Hair always grows back, so I don't understand why so many people get attached to it. If anything, I love to try different things with my hair. I would get bored if it was always the same. I don't get freaked out by bad haircuts either. I might be a little upset if I had a truly horrific haircut, but I'm pretty mellow about a few little mistakes. IT'S HAIR. IT GROWS. IT CHANGES. IT'S NOT PERFECT.
It is because of my lack of fear of a bad haircut that I go to the beauty school to get my hair cut. The people there are still learning to cut hair, so mistakes may happen more often. But I think, if anything, they are usually too conservative when cutting my hair. They are afraid to make a mistake and I can understand why. So many people are uptight about their hair and would be enraged at a bad haircut. Not me. If you ask me, hair is made to be played with and mistakes are insignificant in the long run. So go crazy with it!
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