I just got off the phone with my bank. Now, I know you can't see me, but take a guess - am I smiling?
The smart money would bet on "no". It used to be that you could call your local financial institution with a problem or issue and they would do what they could to help you. If they couldn't help you, they might offer some advice on alternative options. In any case, they appreciated you as a customer and placed some value on their relationship with you.
Yeah...and you used to get a free toaster when you opened an account too.
Those days are over. The banks have decided that they have absolutely no reason to help us, so they don't. There's just no profit in it. It seems like, at every turn, financial institutions are trying to make it harder and harder for the average person to get by. You can only get a loan if you don't need the money. The check you deposit takes a week to show up in your account, while the checks you write are withdrawn from your accont almost as soon as you're done writing them. Fees abound, interest rates bounce, and if you read the fine print, you'll find that most banks tell you right up front that they can and will change the rules whenever they feel like it.
Kinda feels like playing poker with The Sopranos, if you ask me. And I've gotta ask myself, "Why am I still sitting at this table? Surely there's gotta be a better game in town?"
Turns out, there is. If you're looking to borrow money, or if you're in a position to loan money and make a very decent return, read on.
Not too long ago, I came across Prosper.com. Prosper is a company that makes it possible for people like you and me to lend money to people like you and me. No Banks. No Credit Institutions. No Sub Prime Mortgage Companies. Just People. Lending to and borrowing from other people. Some of these folks come here because, for whatever reason, their credit scores and ratings are not quite up to snuff, and the banks won't talk to them. Others come here because, although they have excellent credit ratings, they'd rather not go to a conventional bank for their loan. Either way, Prosper has put together quite an operation. They are thorough, organized - and it seems like it's really working.
I have to admit, I was impressed with the vetting process that Prosper makes applicants go through. In that regard, they are very much like a bank - credit checks are run, debt to income ratios are reported, their credit ratings and any other pertinent information are published so that potential lenders know exactly who they're lending to and what the potential risk might be. But unlike a bank, Prosper doesn't automatically say no if you don't fit into the perfect box of what a "good borrower" should be.
Is there risk? Sure. I'm currently funding a portion of a loan to a woman with an F credit rating. Is there a chance she might default on the loan? Absolutely. Is there a chance that the stock market might hiccup and my 401k account would suddenly devalue itself by 20%? Absolutely. Every investment has risk. The good news is that I've only loaned her $50 of the $4,000 loan she was approved for. Other Prosper members loaned that same amount or better til the loan was fully funded. The loan is being repaid over three years at an interest rate of 22%. Now, this woman has a chance to turn her financial life around. She wasn't about to get that chance with a typical bank. No way in Hell.
That's the appeal for me, I guess. You get to help people that really need help, and you get to stick it to the banks at the same time. They don't get the interest - you do. The banks get nothing but a cold shoulder and a door slammed in their face for a change - and that thought makes me giddy every time I think about it.
If you have even the slightest interest or curiousity, click my link on the left hand side of this page. And how's this for instant reward - if you click through my link, join Prosper and fund a loan, you and I both get $25.00. So, for lending someone $50, you automatically get a 50% return on investment.
Helping others.
Screwing the banks.
Instant return.
Money well spent.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Game Called on Account of Pain
When life gives you lemons...sometimes it's only a prelude to the rotten tomatoes that life has just hurled at your head - DUCK!
So, it's another Saturday, and I'm working again. I'm replacing a Big deck around a Big swimming pool - and not a rectangular pool, mind you - a 12 sided pool, and the boards from each side have to miter up perfectly with the boards from the next side, so the deck makes just the prettiest "frame" around the pool. It will be a thing of beauty when it's completed, but at the moment, it's a huge pain in the butt. I underestimated how long the job would take and now I'm hurrying to get it done - and it's just not a job you can hurry - -
Wow, I just read this back and realized what you might be thinking - "and in my rush to get the boards cut I didn't realize that I had inadvertantly put my right leg on the table saw. As I turned on the lethal machine, the roar of it's angry engine and the ringing of blade shredding muscle and bone combined with my own horriffic screams in a twisted three part harmony strangely remniscent of Sweeney Todd as I watched my dreams of being a RiverDancer wash away in a stream of blood and sawdust. The horror.....the horror".
So, it's another Saturday, and I'm working again. I'm replacing a Big deck around a Big swimming pool - and not a rectangular pool, mind you - a 12 sided pool, and the boards from each side have to miter up perfectly with the boards from the next side, so the deck makes just the prettiest "frame" around the pool. It will be a thing of beauty when it's completed, but at the moment, it's a huge pain in the butt. I underestimated how long the job would take and now I'm hurrying to get it done - and it's just not a job you can hurry - -
Wow, I just read this back and realized what you might be thinking - "and in my rush to get the boards cut I didn't realize that I had inadvertantly put my right leg on the table saw. As I turned on the lethal machine, the roar of it's angry engine and the ringing of blade shredding muscle and bone combined with my own horriffic screams in a twisted three part harmony strangely remniscent of Sweeney Todd as I watched my dreams of being a RiverDancer wash away in a stream of blood and sawdust. The horror.....the horror".
Yeah...that didn't happen. Although it's a helluva lot more exciting than what did happen - maybe I should turn to fiction - give those big time writers a run for their money (did you hear that? Stephen King was literally quaking in his boots - listen again......there! You must have heard it that time!)
So anyway, what did happen was, in the midst of my work, I was struck by a strange, quite uncomfortable abdominal pain on my right side. It seemed the more I worked, the worse it got. Luckily, it began to rain and I had a good excuse to go home early, which I did. By the time I got home and into bed, the pain had spread across my entire abdominal region, most of my chest and up into my shoulders and back. I found the least uncomfortable position in which to lie down, and slept on and off for the next 20 hours.
I woke up on Sunday feeling almost 100% better, and was about to commence my celebratory "I'm Feeling Better Happy Dance" (don't look at me that way - you know you do it too) , when the pain returned, this time on the left side, and started to climb upward once more. Since the preceding night had been...well...Excrutiating, I decided to see if I could avoid another full blown episode and drove myself over to the Emergency Room. Above the entrance to the ER is a sign that says RapidCare, and it made my smile a bit - "Thats what I'm looking for, all right - RapidCare! Treat me and Street me! Git 'er Done!!" I'm surprised I could fit through the door, being that full of naivety and blind hope.
Long story short, RapidCare ain't so Rapid. They kept me overnight in the Cardiac Care Unit. Now, I knew perfectly well that the problem wasn't with my heart, and I think they knew it too, but anytime there's chest pain involved they keep you in cardiac care until they're absolutely sure that you won't have a heart attack as you leave the hospital. It's actually quite a symbiotic relationship - by caring about your heart, they're covering their ass. When they did actually release me on Monday, they still didn't have a clue what was wrong with me, I was still in pain, but my heart had been checked out eight ways to Sunday, so we certainly knew that it wasn't that.
So that was Monday. Still in pain, albeit less, on Tuesday - I work for as long as I can, then go to see my regular doc. He's not sure what it could be either, but let's get a CT scan of the colon, just for giggles. The scanning facility can see me Thursday which works out great, as Wednesday the pain has returned as bad as it was that first Saturday and I don't even want to move. Thursday comes, I get my CT scan done, then rush off to work. I get to the job and realize that I'm actually feeling much better. About half way through the workday I can hear the theme song for the aforementioned "I'm Feeling Better Happy Dance" playing in the disco of my mind and, when no one is looking, I shake my butt in time with the tune. "It must have been a virus", I think to myself. "Ooooh, and a nasty one, too - but I stood strong, and I beat it! Yeah, that's right, ya danged virus! Who bad? We Bad! I am Strong! I am Invincible! I am Debt Daddeeeeeeee!!!!!"
Ow. Sudden pain in my head. Must've been singing to myself too loudly. Oh, well - it'll pass.
Well, it didn't pass. The pain in my head got progressively worse as this vile disease (which I have now decided to name "Quico" - loosely translated as a devil with no name) decided it would be fun to sprinkle shards of glass all around my eye sockets. I finished work for the day and attended two back to school nights, all the while trying to ignore the jackhammer that Quico was plunging into my brain. Finally went to sleep, hoping that tomorrow would be a better day.
That brings us to today. I woke up this morning to the sounds of Quico triggering a controlled demolition in my cerebral cortex. As I write this, I have exquisite pain in my head and eyes; dull, throbbing pain in my left shoulder and beneath the lower right portion of ribcage, and a bit of fair to middlin' burning pain in my upper back.
Frankly, I'm bored with it. Or more to the point, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. It's like that line from the movie "City Slickers" - "if you're gonna kill me, than kill me - otherwise, shut up!"
It's been nearly a week, Quico. Time to put up or shut up. I'm worth half a mil in a pine box, so if that's where we're going with this, let's just hurry up and get there. Otherwise, Back Off.
I've got work to do.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Debt Daddy - A Rant in Three Octaves
I wanna talk about a few things today - actually, I wanna talk about a lot of things today, but my thought patterns are completely haywire due to a pretty hard work week that has left most of my body feeling incredibly sore and tired. It's hard to think in rational, linear terms when you're sore and tired, so please bear with me if this post is a bit...frenetic (and by frenetic, I mean like the typing equivalent of Tourette's syndrome).
Speaking of Tourette's syndrome, what's up with John McCain lately? First he sings, "Bomb, bomb, bomb - bomb, bomb Iran" (to the tune of the beach boys song, "Barbara Ann") and later says he didn't mean to say that. Then, after the whole General Petraeus hooplah, he says that "MoveOn.org and it's members should leave the country" and the next day says that he didn't mean to say that. Dude, I'm not trying to be political or anything, but say what you mean and mean what you say - The First Time. And, for what it's worth, I had a lot more respect for you when you spoke your own mind and not Bush's. Weenie.
Anyway...so I got a call from the Natural Resources Defense Council the other night. If you're not familiar, they're a group that tries to save natural resources from developers, oil companies, etc. The lady on the phone is telling me all about how Shell Oil is trying to drill somewhere that they shouldn't (big news flash) and how the NRDC is getting ready to take them to court and how it sure would help them out if I made a contribution. Well, I think I threw her off her script because I said, "Do you really think that's gonna help?" She said, "I'm sorry?" I said (and I'm quoting to the best of my recollection), "Do you really think that taking them to court is going to help anything? You file a suit against them, they drag it out so you use up all your money, then the Bush Administration makes the whole case go away and gives the oil company another tax credit for their trouble. Taking them to court won't help. The only thing that will help is to stop using oil. I drive a Prius. I use CF ligthbulbs wherever I can. I heat and air condition my house only when absolutely necessary. I do whatever I can to use as little oil and gas as possible. I do this first and foremost to save money, but I also do it to save lives. The money that we pay for oil goes largely to Saudi Arabia, who in turn funds terrorism. I don't want to be a part of that - I feel no need to help the oil companies, or to help Saudi Arabia, and I certainly don't want to do anything that would possibly help the proliferation of terrorism. So, while I can't contribute to your cause today, please know that I'm doing what I can to stop the oil companies in my own way."
She didn't know what to say, and simply ended by thanking me for my time. While I do respect what this group and others like it try to accomplish, I stand behind what I said to her. In a country like the US, where everyone is so incredibly concerned about terrorists, why are we still such oil junkies? Can anyone explain to me why there aren't solar panels on every federal, state and local government facility in the US? Why our cafe standards are so abysmal? Why we seem so hellbent on financing the very people that are trying to kill us? It makes me sick, and I'm tired of it. And if any friend of mine comes back from Iraq missing and arm or a leg just so some whack-a-mole could fill up his Hummer, I'm gonna be pissed.
By the way, as I mentioned, I do drive a Prius. I bought it new, which I know is a definite Dave Ramsey no-no, but let me say this about that - Consumer Reports recently reported that the Prius is one of a handful of cars that can conceivably be driven for 200,000 miles before needing to purchase a new car. I average 8,000 miles a year, which means it's possible that I can drive this car for 25 years. So, rather than buy 5 to 8 "Hoopdiemobiles" over the course of that time, I'll stick with my good old hybrid, which is currently averaging 46 MPG (that's in the suburbs - 50 MPG highway, 60 MPG city). Put that in your hookah and smoke it, Saudi Arabia.
Oh, a short side note on all of that - I'm teaching my kids about conserving energy and other resources. I'm explaining that, when you don't let the water run, or turn off the lights when you leave a room, or only drive places when you have to, that it helps the entire planet. We've developed an easy slogan (borrowed with creative license from the tv series "Heroes") - I start the thought, and they finish it -
I say, "Save electricity?"
They say, "Save the World."
"Save water?"
"Save the World."
"Save Gas?"
"Save the World!"
Cool, huh?
Okay, I'm done for now. Thanks for letting my wander through my topic-less blather. Once I've put this current job to bed and my aches and pains subside, I'll be back on track.
Speaking of Tourette's syndrome, what's up with John McCain lately? First he sings, "Bomb, bomb, bomb - bomb, bomb Iran" (to the tune of the beach boys song, "Barbara Ann") and later says he didn't mean to say that. Then, after the whole General Petraeus hooplah, he says that "MoveOn.org and it's members should leave the country" and the next day says that he didn't mean to say that. Dude, I'm not trying to be political or anything, but say what you mean and mean what you say - The First Time. And, for what it's worth, I had a lot more respect for you when you spoke your own mind and not Bush's. Weenie.
Anyway...so I got a call from the Natural Resources Defense Council the other night. If you're not familiar, they're a group that tries to save natural resources from developers, oil companies, etc. The lady on the phone is telling me all about how Shell Oil is trying to drill somewhere that they shouldn't (big news flash) and how the NRDC is getting ready to take them to court and how it sure would help them out if I made a contribution. Well, I think I threw her off her script because I said, "Do you really think that's gonna help?" She said, "I'm sorry?" I said (and I'm quoting to the best of my recollection), "Do you really think that taking them to court is going to help anything? You file a suit against them, they drag it out so you use up all your money, then the Bush Administration makes the whole case go away and gives the oil company another tax credit for their trouble. Taking them to court won't help. The only thing that will help is to stop using oil. I drive a Prius. I use CF ligthbulbs wherever I can. I heat and air condition my house only when absolutely necessary. I do whatever I can to use as little oil and gas as possible. I do this first and foremost to save money, but I also do it to save lives. The money that we pay for oil goes largely to Saudi Arabia, who in turn funds terrorism. I don't want to be a part of that - I feel no need to help the oil companies, or to help Saudi Arabia, and I certainly don't want to do anything that would possibly help the proliferation of terrorism. So, while I can't contribute to your cause today, please know that I'm doing what I can to stop the oil companies in my own way."
She didn't know what to say, and simply ended by thanking me for my time. While I do respect what this group and others like it try to accomplish, I stand behind what I said to her. In a country like the US, where everyone is so incredibly concerned about terrorists, why are we still such oil junkies? Can anyone explain to me why there aren't solar panels on every federal, state and local government facility in the US? Why our cafe standards are so abysmal? Why we seem so hellbent on financing the very people that are trying to kill us? It makes me sick, and I'm tired of it. And if any friend of mine comes back from Iraq missing and arm or a leg just so some whack-a-mole could fill up his Hummer, I'm gonna be pissed.
By the way, as I mentioned, I do drive a Prius. I bought it new, which I know is a definite Dave Ramsey no-no, but let me say this about that - Consumer Reports recently reported that the Prius is one of a handful of cars that can conceivably be driven for 200,000 miles before needing to purchase a new car. I average 8,000 miles a year, which means it's possible that I can drive this car for 25 years. So, rather than buy 5 to 8 "Hoopdiemobiles" over the course of that time, I'll stick with my good old hybrid, which is currently averaging 46 MPG (that's in the suburbs - 50 MPG highway, 60 MPG city). Put that in your hookah and smoke it, Saudi Arabia.
Oh, a short side note on all of that - I'm teaching my kids about conserving energy and other resources. I'm explaining that, when you don't let the water run, or turn off the lights when you leave a room, or only drive places when you have to, that it helps the entire planet. We've developed an easy slogan (borrowed with creative license from the tv series "Heroes") - I start the thought, and they finish it -
I say, "Save electricity?"
They say, "Save the World."
"Save water?"
"Save the World."
"Save Gas?"
"Save the World!"
Cool, huh?
Okay, I'm done for now. Thanks for letting my wander through my topic-less blather. Once I've put this current job to bed and my aches and pains subside, I'll be back on track.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Debt Daddy's Pursuit of Happyness
Today was a very good day.
By the end of business today, I had deposited into the bank $3,935.47.
I felt so good, I treated myself to Starbucks. Yes...I know - I'm a spendthrift to the end (I even got the Venti - go big or go home! That's what I say!) and Dave Ramsey would berate me for my extravagance, but I did the math, and that cup of coffee is about .054% of the amount of money I banked today - and I can live with that.
I also got a good lesson in perspective over the last couple of evenings. I saw my sister in law last night and was kvetching about my tax bill (kvetching - verb - the act of complaining, whining, moaning and groaning, or any combination thereof). When I told her it was over $8,000, she said, "Wow, that's low." I was speechless - surely she must have misheard me or have some terrible misconception of this whole high/low concept as it relates to our planet. She then went on to tell me that her school taxes in her very upscale neighborhood were $44,000. That's just the school tax. Total property taxes come to a whopping total of $60,000.
Yeah, I know. My eyes popped out of my head, too.
That was last night. Tonight we watched our latest library rental DVD, "The Pursuit of Happyness". I'm flagging this movie as recommended viewing for everyone trying to get out of debt. I won't give the story away, but suffice it to say that it makes you realize how bad things can get, how good you've got it, and what can be accomplished when you put your mind, body and soul into something.
So, upon further examination, maybe it's me that's got this whole high/low thing mixed up. Even at my very lowest point in this whole financial mishagash (mishagash - yiddish noun - meaning craziness, loosely translated), I've always had a roof over my head, I've always found a way to feed my family, and my taxes were never as high as some people's salary.
All in all, things are pretty good. Are they where I want them to be? Of course not. But things get better. Day by day, bit by bit, they get better.
Yep...today was a very good day.
By the end of business today, I had deposited into the bank $3,935.47.
I felt so good, I treated myself to Starbucks. Yes...I know - I'm a spendthrift to the end (I even got the Venti - go big or go home! That's what I say!) and Dave Ramsey would berate me for my extravagance, but I did the math, and that cup of coffee is about .054% of the amount of money I banked today - and I can live with that.
I also got a good lesson in perspective over the last couple of evenings. I saw my sister in law last night and was kvetching about my tax bill (kvetching - verb - the act of complaining, whining, moaning and groaning, or any combination thereof). When I told her it was over $8,000, she said, "Wow, that's low." I was speechless - surely she must have misheard me or have some terrible misconception of this whole high/low concept as it relates to our planet. She then went on to tell me that her school taxes in her very upscale neighborhood were $44,000. That's just the school tax. Total property taxes come to a whopping total of $60,000.
Yeah, I know. My eyes popped out of my head, too.
That was last night. Tonight we watched our latest library rental DVD, "The Pursuit of Happyness". I'm flagging this movie as recommended viewing for everyone trying to get out of debt. I won't give the story away, but suffice it to say that it makes you realize how bad things can get, how good you've got it, and what can be accomplished when you put your mind, body and soul into something.
So, upon further examination, maybe it's me that's got this whole high/low thing mixed up. Even at my very lowest point in this whole financial mishagash (mishagash - yiddish noun - meaning craziness, loosely translated), I've always had a roof over my head, I've always found a way to feed my family, and my taxes were never as high as some people's salary.
All in all, things are pretty good. Are they where I want them to be? Of course not. But things get better. Day by day, bit by bit, they get better.
Yep...today was a very good day.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Debt Daddy on the Edge
Don'tcha just love the mail?
The school tax bill came - all $8,265.00 of it.
Can you say "Ouch"? C'mon, say it with me now - Ouch! Come on; louder! With feeling! (like if part of you just got caught in your zipper - you fella's out there know what I'm talking about)
OUCH!!!!!!
I actually got this bill last week, but it took me this long to be able to talk about it without falling into The Pit Of Despair. I used to suffer from some pretty severe depression, but have found over the past few years that laughter honestly is good medicine (not the best medicine, as many have been led to believe - that would, of course be tequila, but I can't afford that at the moment). So, I've gotten to the point now where I can laugh about this a bit - it's a kind of maniacal laugh - more of a hilarious cackle really, and I think it scares my wife a little, but it's a start.
So, I've gotta scramble..again. I did the numbers when I got the bill and determined that, if I made $200 every single day for the next 26 days (bill is due at the end of September), combined that with my wife's salary and applied that entire amount to the current bills and the tax bill, I would only be $2,000 short. I just ran the numbers again and, to break even, I need to make $500 every day for the next 18 days. (Insert maniacal laughter here)
So, re-think. Re-scramble. Lather, Rinse, Re-peat. And try to dismiss Gene Wilder's voice in my head mumbling, "Now Way Out, No Way Out, No Way Out".
That's probably the most frustrating part of this entire process - I know that there is a way out - I know with the utmost certainty that there is a way by which I can get all this paid off and put this debt behind me - I just haven't figured out what that is yet.
Still, I know that it's there. The Answer. At the moment, it's much like a huge, scattered jigsaw puzzle in my mind, with only the beginnings of an edge completed, but I know that it can be completed and the picture will be clear. There is a solution for every problem, an answer for every question - there is always a way out. I truly believe this. It just requires careful thought and deliberate action, both of which are hard to muster when you have a huge dungheap of debt hanging by a thread directly above you.
A good dose of divine inspiration is also quite helpful to the process, and that's where y'all come in, if you would be so kind. What's the craziest thing you ever did to make money? The most bizarre job you've ever had? The biggest risk you've ever taken that turned out to be profitable? The oddest way to stretch a dollar? Whatever you've got, I'd love to hear it. Sometimes, all it takes is seeing things from a different angle to push me through a mental block and man - I could sure use a push right now.
Please leave some comments on this. I haven't been around blogland long, but it seems to me that good blogs are like good sex - it's always much better when there's more than one person participating. With your help, we could turn this into an absolute blog orgy.
C'mon...join me...it'll be blogeriffic! (Insert maniacal laughter here)
The school tax bill came - all $8,265.00 of it.
Can you say "Ouch"? C'mon, say it with me now - Ouch! Come on; louder! With feeling! (like if part of you just got caught in your zipper - you fella's out there know what I'm talking about)
OUCH!!!!!!
I actually got this bill last week, but it took me this long to be able to talk about it without falling into The Pit Of Despair. I used to suffer from some pretty severe depression, but have found over the past few years that laughter honestly is good medicine (not the best medicine, as many have been led to believe - that would, of course be tequila, but I can't afford that at the moment). So, I've gotten to the point now where I can laugh about this a bit - it's a kind of maniacal laugh - more of a hilarious cackle really, and I think it scares my wife a little, but it's a start.
So, I've gotta scramble..again. I did the numbers when I got the bill and determined that, if I made $200 every single day for the next 26 days (bill is due at the end of September), combined that with my wife's salary and applied that entire amount to the current bills and the tax bill, I would only be $2,000 short. I just ran the numbers again and, to break even, I need to make $500 every day for the next 18 days. (Insert maniacal laughter here)
So, re-think. Re-scramble. Lather, Rinse, Re-peat. And try to dismiss Gene Wilder's voice in my head mumbling, "Now Way Out, No Way Out, No Way Out".
That's probably the most frustrating part of this entire process - I know that there is a way out - I know with the utmost certainty that there is a way by which I can get all this paid off and put this debt behind me - I just haven't figured out what that is yet.
Still, I know that it's there. The Answer. At the moment, it's much like a huge, scattered jigsaw puzzle in my mind, with only the beginnings of an edge completed, but I know that it can be completed and the picture will be clear. There is a solution for every problem, an answer for every question - there is always a way out. I truly believe this. It just requires careful thought and deliberate action, both of which are hard to muster when you have a huge dungheap of debt hanging by a thread directly above you.
A good dose of divine inspiration is also quite helpful to the process, and that's where y'all come in, if you would be so kind. What's the craziest thing you ever did to make money? The most bizarre job you've ever had? The biggest risk you've ever taken that turned out to be profitable? The oddest way to stretch a dollar? Whatever you've got, I'd love to hear it. Sometimes, all it takes is seeing things from a different angle to push me through a mental block and man - I could sure use a push right now.
Please leave some comments on this. I haven't been around blogland long, but it seems to me that good blogs are like good sex - it's always much better when there's more than one person participating. With your help, we could turn this into an absolute blog orgy.
C'mon...join me...it'll be blogeriffic! (Insert maniacal laughter here)
Friday, September 7, 2007
"They Want What They Want When They Want It"
The other night, I was talking with a friend of mine (one of those people that you used to be pretty good friends with, but now you're kinda friends in name only. Like I'm sure some of you never cancelled your Shaun Cassidy fan club memberships, so you're still a part of that group - and I thought I had problems). For the purposes of this conversation and to protect her identity, I will hereinafter refer to her as "Snagglepuss".
Debt Daddy
Snagglepuss and I had actually dated a few decades back - in those days, politics rarely came up - sex was much more interesting. But now politics does come up (since we're no longer having sex) and it seems my friend has turned into quite the Rush Limbaugh lover. Apparently, Rush had been talking on his show about the fact that the government is bailing out people who fell victim to the whole sub-prime mortgage debacle, and this has made Rush Limbaugh angry. And whatever makes Rush angry seems to make Snagglepuss just as angry. She was shocked and appalled at the unfairness of it all - "I've worked for everything I have! When I wanted to buy a house, I did my homework! I didn't fall for those ridiculous programs! If the government is gonna bail out stupid people, why don't they reward me for being smart?! The problem with those people is that they want what they want when they want it!"
I don't think she had any clue that she was, at that very moment, talking with one of "those people". Not that the government or anyone else is bailing me out anytime soon; but apparently, I was one of those stupid people. I tried to explain to Snagglepuss that, as a 41 year old single woman with no children, a house, a paid for car, a good job and a trust fund, she might not be able to understand the plight of a Dad who just wants better for his family, or of a person that may have had to carry two mortgages for six months or so because a house didn't sell and so may have been thrilled to have found a mortgage program to help him out, despite the negatives.
It really didn't matter what I said; her mind was made up. "Nope; they want what they want when they want it - that's all there is to it."
On my way home, I kept coming back to that statement. About halfway to my house, indignance gave way to self examination and I came to the conclusion that, at least as far as I was concerned, she was right. I do want what I want when I want it. It's funny to me that when Rush and Snagglepuss apply that trait to a person and their finances, it's a bad thing. Take that same trait and slap it into a corporate executive - we call him a go-getter who hits the ground running. It's all about perspective, I guess.
So, is wanting what you want when you want it a bad thing? Nope. As far as I'm concerned, that's how and why shit gets done. It's a protest chant, for crying out loud -
"What do we want?
(insert whatever it is you and the other yelling protesters want here)
When do we want it?
Now!"
Desire. Determination. Drive. That's what wanting what you want when you want it is. Wanting what you want when you want it is what makes this country great - hell, it's what made this country in the first place (you remember that from history class, right? Thomas Jefferson and the colonists - "What do we want? Independence! When do we want it? Now!! " What; they didn't teach that in your school? Dude, you got robbed).
So, wanting what you want when you want it isn't a bad thing - I think it's more about what you want. If you spend a fortune on beanie babies, or a Lamborghini or PEZ and at the end of the day you can't pay the rent, then yes - unwise financial decision. PEZ bad, rent good.
Now, I will admit, I have bought more than my fair share of PEZ. My bad, no getting around that. But I believe that I and the other debt bloggers are in the midst of a paradigm shift; one where mass consumption and rabid consumerism brought on by a lifetime of exposure to aggresive marketing gives way to an honest, intelligent analysis of need. One where what we want is truly what we want, not what we have been led to believe that we want and indeed, must have. We're thinking outside the box, dropping out of the consumer grid - We're living like no one else so later we can live like no one else.
What do I want?
No Debt.
When do I want it?
Now.
God Bless America.
Debt Daddy
Snagglepuss and I had actually dated a few decades back - in those days, politics rarely came up - sex was much more interesting. But now politics does come up (since we're no longer having sex) and it seems my friend has turned into quite the Rush Limbaugh lover. Apparently, Rush had been talking on his show about the fact that the government is bailing out people who fell victim to the whole sub-prime mortgage debacle, and this has made Rush Limbaugh angry. And whatever makes Rush angry seems to make Snagglepuss just as angry. She was shocked and appalled at the unfairness of it all - "I've worked for everything I have! When I wanted to buy a house, I did my homework! I didn't fall for those ridiculous programs! If the government is gonna bail out stupid people, why don't they reward me for being smart?! The problem with those people is that they want what they want when they want it!"
I don't think she had any clue that she was, at that very moment, talking with one of "those people". Not that the government or anyone else is bailing me out anytime soon; but apparently, I was one of those stupid people. I tried to explain to Snagglepuss that, as a 41 year old single woman with no children, a house, a paid for car, a good job and a trust fund, she might not be able to understand the plight of a Dad who just wants better for his family, or of a person that may have had to carry two mortgages for six months or so because a house didn't sell and so may have been thrilled to have found a mortgage program to help him out, despite the negatives.
It really didn't matter what I said; her mind was made up. "Nope; they want what they want when they want it - that's all there is to it."
On my way home, I kept coming back to that statement. About halfway to my house, indignance gave way to self examination and I came to the conclusion that, at least as far as I was concerned, she was right. I do want what I want when I want it. It's funny to me that when Rush and Snagglepuss apply that trait to a person and their finances, it's a bad thing. Take that same trait and slap it into a corporate executive - we call him a go-getter who hits the ground running. It's all about perspective, I guess.
So, is wanting what you want when you want it a bad thing? Nope. As far as I'm concerned, that's how and why shit gets done. It's a protest chant, for crying out loud -
"What do we want?
(insert whatever it is you and the other yelling protesters want here)
When do we want it?
Now!"
Desire. Determination. Drive. That's what wanting what you want when you want it is. Wanting what you want when you want it is what makes this country great - hell, it's what made this country in the first place (you remember that from history class, right? Thomas Jefferson and the colonists - "What do we want? Independence! When do we want it? Now!! " What; they didn't teach that in your school? Dude, you got robbed).
So, wanting what you want when you want it isn't a bad thing - I think it's more about what you want. If you spend a fortune on beanie babies, or a Lamborghini or PEZ and at the end of the day you can't pay the rent, then yes - unwise financial decision. PEZ bad, rent good.
Now, I will admit, I have bought more than my fair share of PEZ. My bad, no getting around that. But I believe that I and the other debt bloggers are in the midst of a paradigm shift; one where mass consumption and rabid consumerism brought on by a lifetime of exposure to aggresive marketing gives way to an honest, intelligent analysis of need. One where what we want is truly what we want, not what we have been led to believe that we want and indeed, must have. We're thinking outside the box, dropping out of the consumer grid - We're living like no one else so later we can live like no one else.
What do I want?
No Debt.
When do I want it?
Now.
God Bless America.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
The Beginning of the Beginning of the End
Hello, good Debt Daddy readers!
Well, I'm back from vacation, and I'm finally getting caught up with my blogging. I just read my last entry, and I scared myself a little bit. My, my...wasn't I just full of piss and vinegar (for all you kids out there, that means...um....like hyped up - you still say that, don't you?)
Thanks go out to debtsnowballkiller for commending my serious motivation, and she's right - I was motivated as hell. You wanna find out exactly where your finances are? Plan a vacation. Not only do you have to fund the darned thing, but you have to structure all your bill payments to go off seemlessly without you. When I wrote my last post, I had just finished setting all of that up, and I was ready to pull my hair out (and I don't have a lot to begin with, so that's saying something). The actual doing of the thing is easy - schedule your payments online - you pick the date - and they come out of your checking account automatically. Simple, right? However, when you have no money and you're structuring your payments in such a way that Peter pays Paul who pays Mary who pays the other Mary who pays Judas - well, it becomes a riddle wrapped in a conundrum covered in a ponzy scheme - not so simple anymore. (More on that in a later post) In any case, it got done and we got gone.
I came back ready, willing and able to work my butt off and kick some serious credit card ass. Two men enter, one man leaves! Slay the Debt Creature! The theme song from Rocky as performed by System of a Down going through my mind! (Note: System of a Down has never, to my knowledge, done a cover of the Rocky theme song - as I said, this was in my mind - although it would be cool in an extremely warped kind of way, don'tcha think?) I was pumped! Juiced! A bunch of other words that convey excitement!
And there was no work.
I called everyone, and there was simply no work to be done for the entire first week back from vacation. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm an independent home improvement contractor. The best part of my job is that I'm not someone's employee. I don't have a boss to answer to. I don't have to play the corporate games. And, since I work alone, sex in the workplace is rarely an issue. The worst part of my job, ironically, is that I'm not someone's employee. No paid vacation days. No sick days. No overtime. And sex in the workplace is rarely an issue. In the corporate world, when there's no work, you can still look busy and get paid. When you're an independent and there's no work, you think about selling your body parts on Ebay.
The jobs are slowly creeping back now. People are back from their own vacations, they've recouped their losses from going on those vacations and have money to spend again. In another week, we should be able to buy groceries.
There's really not much of a point to this post except to say that Armageddon was temporarily called on account of near bankruptcy, but will be on again shortly.
Two men enter, one man leaves.
Diamond encrusted sword.
The whole nine yards.
Don't miss it.
Well, I'm back from vacation, and I'm finally getting caught up with my blogging. I just read my last entry, and I scared myself a little bit. My, my...wasn't I just full of piss and vinegar (for all you kids out there, that means...um....like hyped up - you still say that, don't you?)
Thanks go out to debtsnowballkiller for commending my serious motivation, and she's right - I was motivated as hell. You wanna find out exactly where your finances are? Plan a vacation. Not only do you have to fund the darned thing, but you have to structure all your bill payments to go off seemlessly without you. When I wrote my last post, I had just finished setting all of that up, and I was ready to pull my hair out (and I don't have a lot to begin with, so that's saying something). The actual doing of the thing is easy - schedule your payments online - you pick the date - and they come out of your checking account automatically. Simple, right? However, when you have no money and you're structuring your payments in such a way that Peter pays Paul who pays Mary who pays the other Mary who pays Judas - well, it becomes a riddle wrapped in a conundrum covered in a ponzy scheme - not so simple anymore. (More on that in a later post) In any case, it got done and we got gone.
I came back ready, willing and able to work my butt off and kick some serious credit card ass. Two men enter, one man leaves! Slay the Debt Creature! The theme song from Rocky as performed by System of a Down going through my mind! (Note: System of a Down has never, to my knowledge, done a cover of the Rocky theme song - as I said, this was in my mind - although it would be cool in an extremely warped kind of way, don'tcha think?) I was pumped! Juiced! A bunch of other words that convey excitement!
And there was no work.
I called everyone, and there was simply no work to be done for the entire first week back from vacation. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm an independent home improvement contractor. The best part of my job is that I'm not someone's employee. I don't have a boss to answer to. I don't have to play the corporate games. And, since I work alone, sex in the workplace is rarely an issue. The worst part of my job, ironically, is that I'm not someone's employee. No paid vacation days. No sick days. No overtime. And sex in the workplace is rarely an issue. In the corporate world, when there's no work, you can still look busy and get paid. When you're an independent and there's no work, you think about selling your body parts on Ebay.
The jobs are slowly creeping back now. People are back from their own vacations, they've recouped their losses from going on those vacations and have money to spend again. In another week, we should be able to buy groceries.
There's really not much of a point to this post except to say that Armageddon was temporarily called on account of near bankruptcy, but will be on again shortly.
Two men enter, one man leaves.
Diamond encrusted sword.
The whole nine yards.
Don't miss it.
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