Save a little. Spend a little. Shelter a little from the storm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Somewhere amongst and amidst these pages I mentioned that both Half and I are products of divorce, and also that Half\u2019s money marriage is loving and supportive, with a debt monkey trained extremely well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a matter of fact, Half\u2019s debt monkey is at work right now, sweating in a wheel somewhere, while mine is flinging poo against the blinds and rubbing its crotch on the furniture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Accordingly, in order to deflect blame for my own financial irresponsibility I believe I\u2019ll castigate Half for being instilled with better money sense. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or not. Half\u2019s youth was definitely more \u2026 maturing than mine, and (maybe as a result I think yes I\u2019m comfortable assuming that) Half has developed a very keen sense of the immense potential held within a dollar, whereas me\/myself\/I \u2013 raised in a household with that delightful verisimilitude of economic stability and financial health \u2013 believed that \/ erroneously, I yes I now see that yes \/ \u201cmoney\u201d was, in fact [but ahHA!oopsnot] math, and that as long as I\u2019m meeting the minimums I\u2019m doing just fine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Tao of Half disconnected with me because the very premise implies hoarding cash for a rainy day and restricting use of and access to funds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I like using the money for the things, all the things. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because money is not stuff. Money is the ability to get stuff, and to get other people to do stuff for you that you either won\u2019t\/can\u2019t do for yourself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStuff\u201d is the \u2026 well, stuff that seems to make it all worth it \u2026 the ever-increasing cost of everything<\/em> (explain please again why rent on a storage unit would go up every year?), the taxes, the bad traffic, simply sharing the world with other people who lack manners, sense, and respect for personal space \u2026 \u201cstuff\u201d is the adult fun, the very enjoyment in being an adult, the carrot to go along with the stick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You follow the rules\u2014most of them, anyway\u2014you get stuff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You don\u2019t, you get to pick through trash that was formerly other people\u2019s stuff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But what, exactly, is \u201cmoney\u201d? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Well it ain\u2019t just paper and metal, crinkle & clink \u2026 it\u2019s not currency \u2026 it\u2019s not moolah \u2026 it\u2019s not cash. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Came across a pretty word the other day \u2026 \u201cseigniorage.\u201d Pronounced \u201cseen-yor-age,\u201d and defined as the Gub’mnt’s profit from the sale of the \u201cmoney\u201d it \u2026 prints? manufactures? invents? creates? \u2026 to banks, that are swapped out to you in exchange for the numbers shown on the screen hidden behind the counter or on other little paper rectangles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Basically, it costs the government the same to \u2026 do \u2026 what \u2026 it \u2026 does \u2026 to \u2026 \u201cmake?\u201d \u2026 \u201cmoney?\u201d \u2026 whether it\u2019s a $1 or a $100 \u2013 it\u2019s all the same magic paper\/metal and pennies cut most of the copper in 1982 \u2013 but can charge the banks \u201cseigniorage\u201d based on the face value imprinted on the crinkle & clink. It is guuud<\/em> to be the Gub\u2019mnt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And because, well, believe it or not wait you believe it because you were THERE and because GOD! has always had our entire back, front, top, bottom, inside and out \u2026 I don\u2019t worry about the rainy day, and I don\u2019t fear the storm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I attended school outside my current state of residence (although I have always lived my adult life in the state of debt bah-dum-pum<\/em>) and there, there were tornado warnings, with pretty, purple-yellow skies marched with bright flashes of lightning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I only know the color of the sky during an active tornado warning because I stood in front of a large picture window and watched the storm approach \u2026 while on the phone with an acquaintance \u2026 who was then cowering in the bottom of a closet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And I\u2019m not fatalistic \u2013 I\u2019m faith-alistic (aHA!) and I know that whatever GOD! has planned for me He has for me, and His plan is infinitely, eternally, better than mine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nnnaaahhhooowww \u2026 that doesn\u2019t mean I\u2019m always obedient, or humble, or even nice. See above<\/em>: I like that I\u2019m a horrible person. Perhaps work on an actual definition of that later \u2026 but I\u2019m never intentionally nasty, I have a strong sense of empathy, and I sincerely believe every home should have at least one dog, specifically a pit bull\u2014oh wait, excuuuse me. American Staffordshire Terrier. Best. Dogs. Ever. There will be video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Digress<\/p>\n\n\n\n I don\u2019t worry about the storm so I don\u2019t save for rainy days. BUT! I have a joke \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n A man sits in his house, watching the news. The river is rising, and the town is going to flood. The man sends a strong prayer to God, asking Him to save his life. Suddenly, a knock at the door – it\u2019s the police in a Hummer. They say, \u201cC\u2019mon, sir, we\u2019ve got to go. The river is rising, and the town is going to flood.\u201d The man waves the police away. \u201cIt\u2019s all right. Help someone else. God is going to save me.\u201d The police ask if the man is certain, and he sends them away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After the police leave, the river rises, and water floods the first floor of the man’s house. As he moves upstairs, the man sends a strong prayer to God, asking Him to save his life. Suddenly, as he reaches his bedroom, he sees a boat floating by the window. It\u2019s soldiers from the National Guard. They say, \u201cC\u2019mon, sir, we\u2019ve got to go. The river is rising, and the town is going to flood.\u201d The man waves the soldiers away. \u201cIt\u2019s all right. Help someone else. God is going to save me.\u201d The soldiers ask if the man is certain, and he sends them away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After the soldiers leave, the river rises, and water floods the second floor of the man’s house. As he climbs out onto the roof, the man sends a strong prayer to God, asking Him to save his life. Suddenly, as he looks up, he sees a helicopter above him. It\u2019s the Coast Guard. They say, \u201cC\u2019mon, sir, we\u2019ve got to go. The river is rising, and the town is going to flood.\u201d The man waves the Coast Guard away. \u201cIt\u2019s all right. Help someone else. God is going to save me.\u201d The Coast Guard asks if the man is certain, and he sends them away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After the helicopter flies away, the river continues to rise, the water covers the roof, the man drowns, and he dies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Later, the man wakes up in heaven, and meets Christ Jesus. The man falls on his face, and thanks Him, and then asks, \u201cLord, thank You for Your blessing! I am so happy to be here. I do have one question, though.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lord tells the man, \u201cAsk away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The man says, \u201cLord, I prayed to you; why didn\u2019t You save me from the flood?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lord says, \u201cI sent you a Hummer, a boat, and a helicopter. What else did you want? Wings?\u201d The Lord then leans in a little closer with a smile. \u201cAnd you\u2019re welcome for those, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lesson to learn? Recognize your blessings. Remember what you asked for \/ prayed for \u2026 then pay attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n GOD! sends every bit of help you need, and it\u2019s up to you to accept it. {Lamentations 3:40<\/em>} Or not. On you how to live your life, and how to deal with the consequences of choice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ultimately? Life is not your fault, but it is your responsibility. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Adulting 101<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Save a little. Spend a little. Shelter a little from the storm. Somewhere amongst and amidst these pages I mentioned that both Half and I are products of divorce, and also that Half\u2019s money marriage is loving and supportive, with a debt monkey trained extremely well. As a matter of fact, Half\u2019s debt monkey is … <\/p>\n