My favorite weather is “impending doom”. I use this term to describe the approach of massive storms, such as when thunderheads are rolling toward Denver over the eastern planes, or when a snowstorm is approaching and the plows are out in unison, preparing for the battle ahead. It’s exciting. A small part of me comes […]
Category: Culture
Low Paying Jobs
Michael: “Francesca is my oldest brother’s daughter. He died many years ago, and ever since I’ve felt much more of a father than an uncle. I love her very much. I’m pleased and impressed that you had the thought to come to me before going on with your plans. It shows me that you’re a […]
Poverty Thinking
I’ve spent a lot more than I planned these past two months. It started with a phone and a refurbished laptop, then continued with a pair of blu-tooth headphones, several television blu-ray sets, and finally ended with some gifts for family and car parts. Spending large amounts of money usually makes me feel a bit […]
Frugality is Not a Competition
…it is merely a strategy. I’ve never had a particularly positive view of competition, probably because I have most often seen it used for selfish reasons. I think of some of the less-reputable athletes at my high school who thought it was fun to dominate those less-athletic in gym class. There are some very good […]
The Missionary House
At one of my previous churches, there was an older couple who owned a million+ dollar mansion in a rich area of Parker. This was years before house prices began to skyrocket in Colorado. It had several floors, an enormous atrium, an elevator, a spa, a half-court for basketball, some cool outdoor seating areas with […]
Thoughts on Travel
It’s travel season. I know this because my Facebook newsfeed has been blowing up with pictures for the past month. I have mixed feelings about travel. Which is why I’m writing this. Travel and I go back a ways and have a bit of a dark history. Part 1: The Past When […]
The PlayStation Hunt: A Case Study in Consumerism
Some of my favorite memories from my previous church involve the game nights we used to have. At the time, I was pretty terrible at first-person shooters but managed to learn enough to get into the games and play decently, which helped to make things fun. By far the coolest game “night” was the 10 […]
The Unpopularity of Financial Independence
I don’t have any friends who are interested in financial independence. A few friends have encountered Mr. Money Mustache’s blog through the course of their financial searches, but I don’t know anybody else personally who is pursuing FI. Largely, I don’t think anybody knows it is an option. I certainly didn’t. I once had the […]
The Pernicious Lie
“It will always be tough.” Several years ago, I experienced a significant pay raise at my job and found that my money was melting away and I wasn’t sure where to. I was living with my parents to avoid paying rent and was using a large part of my paycheck to pay off my student […]
Who are the Joneses?
I had never actually heard of the Joneses until I began reading Dave Ramsey nearly a decade ago, and I have mostly only heard the expression “keep up with the Joneses” in financial settings. My family has never, to my knowledge, purchased anything to keep up with their neighbors or friends. I could be wrong, […]