Cat Thread

[Sara]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

Yeah, unfortunately I know a lot of people exactly like you. I still think it's the right thing to work and give her the things she needs and even wants. The way the world is set up now, it's tough to be content with a simple food, water, shelter life. We all like nice things, nice trips, and security in savings/investments. Nothing wrong with that.

I thought you were married though?

Me? No. I've never been married. I lived with my daughters Father but we were never married. (Thank God)

[C5driver]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

LOL, make a widget? Easier said than done.

Yes, but it can be done. Try, fail, try, fail, repeat until success...

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

The reason I'm employed is because I'm smart and have 2 degrees from 2 of the best universities in the world.

Congratulations! I mean that. You worked hard to get there.

My best friend barely made it out of high school and spent some time in the University of Science, Music, and Culture. Yet, he has been gainfully employed as a county sanitation worker. Employment is not the point here. He absolutely enjoys his hamster wheel and wouldn't want to do anything else.

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

I never said I work hard...I said the concept is depressing. I also didn't say I have a good attitude. I don't have a good attitude because I see a bigger problem.

No. You have a shitty attitude because in spite of your two fancy degrees, you throw off this pessimistic solution-looking-for-a-problem kinda vibe. Do you even realize how fortunate you are? How ahead of the population curve you are? Spare me the whining and find something you enjoy. You have the tools, unlike a lot of people out there.

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

My issue is the concept of working until you retire and still not being elite.

Elite? Define "elite."

[Lups]

I feel like I'm a lucky one sincerely I get to make money with my hobbies and I get to be with my kids while doing it. My days are alike the other but I'm happy.

[Needbmwpartzz]

Originally Posted by C5driver

Yes, but it can be done. Try, fail, try, fail, repeat until success...

Congratulations! I mean that. You worked hard to get there.

My best friend barely made it out of high school and spent some time in the University of Science, Music, and Culture. Yet, he has been gainfully employed as a county sanitation worker. Employment is not the point here. He absolutely enjoys his hamster wheel and wouldn't want to do anything else.

No. You have a shitty attitude because in spite of your two fancy degrees, you throw off this pessimistic solution-looking-for-a-problem kinda vibe. Do you even realize how fortunate you are? How ahead of the population curve you are? Spare me the whining and find something you enjoy. You have the tools, unlike a lot of people out there.

Elite? Define "elite."

Well put c5.
You sound like a highly intelligent person BoMoWe but you are failing to realize money is not everything.....doing things that make you happy to balance out that shitty attitude...and that's just it,attitude is everything and when you fail to be grateful for your good fortune it shows though attitude so adjust as necessary.....sounds like your just in a rut so try something new/fresh to inspire some new thought patterns.
Don't mean to sound harsh or rude but like c5 says you are way ahead of most people and your attitude doesn't inspire people to pity someone that clearly has a lot going for them but just fails to see how fortunate they are.

[Sara]

Originally Posted by Lups

I feel like I'm a lucky one sincerely I get to make money with my hobbies and I get to be with my kids while doing it. My days are alike the other but I'm happy.

I envy this about you. You have no idea.

[C5driver]

Originally Posted by Sara504

I envy this about you. You have no idea.

I think she envies your shoes.

[Sara]

Originally Posted by C5driver

I think she envies your shoes.

She can do that all she wants but in the end she's the real winner. She has her children all the time. I'd rather be able to be with my daughter 24/7 than own all the designer shoes in the world.

[C5driver]

Originally Posted by Sara504

She can do that all she wants but in the end she's the real winner. She has her children all the time. I'd rather be able to be with my daughter 24/7 than own all the designer shoes in the world.

So would you give up your horses, shoes, car, cell phone, IG, and lifestyle in order to be with your daughter 24/7?

[Sara]

Originally Posted by C5driver

So would you give up your horses, shoes, car, cell phone, IG, and lifestyle in order to be with your daughter 24/7?

Horses no. I've owned my horses for 16 + years. You don't just give up a family member. When I received my first horse as a birthday gift I made a commitment. To this day, I've honored that commitment. My mom sent my Grandmother this letter with a check. Look at what she wrote to me. I intend to do that until my horse breathes her last breath.

[Sara]

Edit- I know that note is dated 2002. I got Blackie in 1999 and leased her 2 years before I decided I wanted to buy her. Her owner put her for sale in 2002 and my Mom bought her for me. I've legally owned her since August 12, 2002 but I've been caring for her and providing for her since I first leased her in 1999

[C5driver]

Originally Posted by Sara504

Edit- I know that note is dated 2002. I got Blackie in 1999 and leased her 2 years before I decided I wanted to buy her. Her owner put her for sale in 2002 and my Mom bought her for me. I've legally owned her since August 12, 2002 but I've been caring for her and providing for her since I first leased her in 1999

Leasing an animal is the second most interesting thing I've heard today. Who knew.

[Sara]

Originally Posted by C5driver

Leasing an animal is the second most interesting thing I've heard today. Who knew.

Horses aren't like dogs or cats. They are extremely expensive to purchase and even more so to maintain. From boarding, to feeding, hoof trimming, horse shoes, paying to enter competitions, the cost of gear, I mean the cheapest thing you purchase is the horse and at a starting price of around 5,000 it isn't cheap. So you need to make absolutely sure the horse(s) you choose match your personality and riding level. Many young riders horses are leased. A lot of girls grow out of their horse and instead of having to take a loss and their parents selling them, they just wait for the lease to end. Just like a car. Purchasing a horse is a huge commitment.


Ok back to the thread now !!!!!!! Sorry Baymowe

[C5driver]

Originally Posted by Sara504

Horses aren't like dogs or cats. They are extremely expensive to purchase and even more so to maintain.

Yeah I get it, but I just had no idea you could lease one like a car.

This is Star...a friend of mine bought her in New Zealand and had her flown back to her place over by upper Newport Bay.

[Twixboy]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

Ever sit at work or doing whatever you do to make money and think, this is such a waste of time?

We literally spend 1/3 or more of our adult life actually working and even more preparing for work (driving in, getting ready in the morning, sleeping early bc you have to work).

There is a certain amount of frustration with this reality, but I stop and think of the alternative.

No work = No fun.

Not trips. No cars. No nice things. We can choose not to work, but we have to live like a bum and worry about money...we don't like that, so we work (unless we have rich family, win the lotto, etc).

There are exceptions to every rule as I mentioned, but most of us have to work to do the things we enjoy doing. Yet, we have to work so much, the time we have to do those things is fleetingly finite. If we choose not to work, we would not have money to do what we want, so the cycle continues.

It's depressing to know we are paid just enough to keep the hamster wheel going, but never enough to stop the cycle early or do enough things to feel satisfied. We're always working, saving, and spending...rinse and repeat.

Depressing.

Marx was kind of right.

I've thought about this for a long time. I work the minimum to make a good living (40 hrs/week), but like you said with the long commute I don't have much free time left. Even if I decided I could live on half my salary, I don't have the opportunity to earn half my salary working part time. Good jobs are only available to full-time employees (e.g. $100k/yr or $50/hr). If you want a part-time job you have to settle for much less on an hourly basis - maybe $20-25/hr tops. Where's that $60k/year job that only requires you to work 3 days/week? I know they're out there, but it's rare in the corporate world.

[C5driver]

Originally Posted by Twixboy

Where's that $60k/year job that only requires you to work 3 days/week? I know they're out there, but it's rare in the corporate world.

How about the public sector...4 10's and $90K-ish plus or minus?

[Twixboy]

Originally Posted by C5driver

How about the public sector...4 10's and $90K-ish plus or minus?

True, but there's a salary ceiling to federal jobs (most competent federal employees will make GS-14 or whatever and earn around $90-110k/year). The ceiling for a comparable corporate job in finance/accounting is closer to $150k/year for a non-executive position. Most of my family works in the govt so I know how it is. 3-day weekends with a comfortable salary is very enticing. I just made those numbers up though - I don't know if I really would settle for a $60k 24 hr/wk job since I live in a high COL area.

[Sara]

Originally Posted by C5driver

Yeah I get it, but I just had no idea you could lease one like a car.

This is Star...a friend of mine bought her in New Zealand and had her flown back to her place over by upper Newport Bay.

Beautiful!!!!!!!!! Gorgeous bay color.

[UncleWede]

5-4 9s, 100+K

I get to work at 6:30, and head home just as my son needs a ride from school after practice. I can take off most any time to see a game, yet still have enough funds to buy him a Beetle, and we went out last Friday because he wanted to buy parts and build his own computer. Dropped a grand on pieces, just started helping him put them together last night.

I've had some serious philosophical "discussions" with my middle son (28) who is very Union, and thinks it's not fair that I get as much as I do yet can still be a coach and make all the games.
"Hey, I gave up a lot of earning potential to have the latitude to be at practice by 4:30 each day"

[Ragged Edge]

I have totally gotten sucked into this thread.

Sara504, you are still on thread with your talk about Blackie. It's not only about making money to live, but about family too. Blackie is family, just like your daughter. I am also a single parent and I have two kids. Finding time with them is the most important thing to me. I have just started leasing a horse for my daughter... a very slippery slope! I will give up a lot of things to have time with my kids, but her life revolves around horses. And mine around her and her brother. As long as your daughter is happy and healthy, they will appreciate what you have done for them. You may feel you have missed a lot of firsts, but from their perspective, you are her world, and will always be number one.
We are all trying our best to find our way.

[Twixboy]

Originally Posted by Sara504

Horses aren't like dogs or cats. They are extremely expensive to purchase and even more so to maintain. From boarding, to feeding, hoof trimming, horse shoes, paying to enter competitions, the cost of gear, I mean the cheapest thing you purchase is the horse and at a starting price of around 5,000 it isn't cheap. So you need to make absolutely sure the horse(s) you choose match your personality and riding level. Many young riders horses are leased. A lot of girls grow out of their horse and instead of having to take a loss and their parents selling them, they just wait for the lease to end. Just like a car. Purchasing a horse is a huge commitment.


Ok back to the thread now !!!!!!! Sorry Baymowe

Exactly. I was looking to buy a horse for my daughter because they're so cheap (relatively speaking), but when I found out it would cost over $1000/mo for full board that idea quickly went out the window. I think a half or quarter lease is the way to go on a horse if you live in an expensive area because you can split the costs w/other families who may just want to ride a few times per month.

[Ragged Edge]

Originally Posted by Twixboy

Exactly. I was looking to buy a horse for my daughter because they're so cheap (relatively speaking), but when I found out it would cost over $1000/mo for full board that idea quickly went out the window. I think a half or quarter lease is the way to go on a horse if you live in an expensive area because you can split the costs w/other families who may just want to ride a few times per month.

Yup. agreed. Lease is better in this case!

[originalgoods13]

I got laid off almost a year ago, during that time I had a wife on maternity leave and an infant. Felt like my career was over. I was 35.

I worked for 10 straight years for an oil and energy company, then oil price went down. I made 6 figures/year.

I saw it more as an opportunity to go back and get a Degree and spend time with my family (from my bucket list), sent my Letter of Intent to the University and got accepted, where I currently am in the last semester.

I learned in life that life is going to be always busy, doors will open, and think positively and nothing is impossible.

There's plus values in life (pursuing my degree, spending the whole summer with my family on trips and picnics, etc..)

I do miss the money and liberty to buy anything, but I won't trade that with spending time with my family every day.

Some ppl value money (like most my asian friends), some ppl value time and learning like myself.